Embrace That Vampire - Chapter 7

It turned out that cake didn’t satisfy hunger.

This was Pei Yun’s sole thought after devouring an entire box of macarons accompanied by a bottle of yogurt.

He tossed the packaging and the empty bottle into the trash can, feeling his stomach carefully. It still felt empty—as if he had eaten nothing but air.

However, the cake had tasted quite good; he could ask his mom to buy more and keep them at home.

Knowing it wouldn’t satisfy his hunger, he still couldn’t resist reaching for a lollipop and popping it into his mouth. After finishing it, he sluggishly brushed his teeth once more and crawled back into bed, closing his eyes to sleep.

The quality of his sleep during the latter half of the night was nowhere near as good as the first.

Pei Yun was sleeping very uncomfortably. He wasn’t sure if it was because he’d just consumed too many sweets, but his teeth began to ache. Not only his teeth; his stomach felt terrible as well.

Most agonizingly, that sensation of his body being a battlefield for tiny brawling people returned—he felt uncomfortable all over.

His eyelids were also deathly heavy. Unable to open them, he couldn’t distinguish between being awake and dreaming.

It wasn’t until a clumsy turn caused him to tumble off the bed, injuring half his shoulder, that he finally jarred himself awake.

“Shit… was I sleepwalking…?”

He shook his head vigorously, only to find the more he shook, the dizzier he became. He stopped immediately.

Clinging to the edge of the bed, he tried to climb back up, only to realize he had no strength. His hands and feet felt leaden; even sitting up was a struggle.

His temples throbbed with a killing pain, as if something were desperate to burst out of his body.

He smelled that fragrance again.

It was richer and clearer than any previous time. He could even feel the speed of its flow, carrying a scorching, boiling temperature.

This must be… the scent of blood?!!!

Pei Yun was terrified by his own thought.

His stomach suddenly convulsed. He hissed and squeezed his eyes shut, his forehead thumping heavily against the mattress. A pessimistic guess surfaced in his mind—Am I about to die suddenly?

This won’t do.

I haven’t even seen a doctor yet. What if I can still be saved?

Gritting his teeth to endure the wave of pain, he pressed hard against his temples and stood up shakily. The distance from the bedside to the bathroom was only a few paces, yet he walked it with immense difficulty.

He twisted the faucet, and the splashing cold water dampened a small patch of his clothes.

Scooping up a handful of water to splash on his face, he suddenly twitched his ears amidst the sound of the running water. He accurately captured the sound of subtle footsteps from outside.

Along with low voices in conversation:

“It’s cold out. Don’t drink cold water in the middle of the night; I’ve poured some warm water for you.”

“Is there honey in it?”

“No, drinking honey water at night isn’t good…”

It was his father’s voice.

He had originally intended to wash his face to clear his head before disturbing their dreams, but this saved him the trouble.

Filled with joy, Pei Yun quickly wiped the water from his face, wanting to rush out and find his dad. But at the very moment he looked up, he saw his reflection in the mirror and froze—

It was still his face.

However, at some point, his pupils had turned completely red, and the canines on both sides had become sharper, longer fangs. Their tips peeked out from his mouth, white and stark against his lower lip.

Wen Xingchuan closed the door softly. With the click of the lock, the warm light was hidden behind the door.

At the same moment he closed his door, the room next door opened.

Pei Yun emerged from the darkness, his gaze unfocused. With floating, stiff steps, he crossed the hallway and stopped before the door he had visited only an hour ago.

The unlocked door opened with a single twist.

With a light click, the moonlight and silhouette from the window at the end of the hall slipped through the crack. They met the shimmering white light blanketing the windowsill, spilling sporadically across the floor at the entrance.

As if he hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly, he froze for two seconds before stepping into the room.

As if guided by something, he closed the door behind him. His steps were very light, nearly silent against the floor.

The curtains were drawn tight, leaving the room in pitch blackness. Yet, reflected in his dark red pupils, the scene was as bright as day.

He could clearly see every corner of the room, the arrangement of every item, and the person lying in bed, sound asleep.

Lying flat, hands over the quilt, eyes lightly closed, breathing steady.

The air in the entire room was permeated with a rich fragrance.

The fragrance of food. The fragrance of blood.

Pei Yun’s gaze lingered blankly on the man’s face for a moment, then involuntarily slid toward the side of his neck. His Adam’s apple rolled once, and the red in his pupils deepened.

Hunger churned in his stomach. His once-clear eyes were now filled with a primal desire for food, governed by instinct. His already unsteady steps became even more dazed as he stumbled toward the bedside with his mouth slightly agape.

“MEOW-AWOO—!”

The stray cat in the yard seemed to have encountered an invading rival; its raised voice was full of fury.

Pei Yun’s steps faltered. A shallow crease appeared between his brows, and his wandering eyes gradually began to focus—there seemed to be a sign of returning clarity.

However, as the person on the bed made a slight movement to turn outward, Pei Yun tilted his head. His fleeting clarity was instantly scattered by the fragrance once more.

He approached the bedside sluggishly and crouched down. Without blinking, he stared intently at the sleeping Lu Que for a long time.

Beautiful.

So fragrant.

He lightly ground his teeth against his lip. Unable to resist the temptation, he placed both hands on the edge of the bed and leaned in to sniff meticulously.

Like a kitten desperate for food before it could even open its eyes, his cool nose lightly brushed against Lu Que’s nose, lips, and jaw. Following the contour, he arrived at the side of the neck and stopped there.

It’s here.

The food was flowing beneath this layer of skin; he could smell it.

The closer he got, the stronger the fragrance became, and the more the hunger rampaged. The red in his pupils turned dark and deep.

Unable to control himself, he leaned in closer. Propping one hand on the bed and pressing the other on Lu Que’s shoulder, he took a deep sniff of the rich scent. His eyes half-closed in satisfaction, and he opened his mouth, almost greedily, pressing his fangs against the skin—

His wrist was suddenly seized.

Pei Yun’s bite missed. He was pulled down and toppled over. In a blur of dizziness, the world spun; their positions had swapped. He was the one pinned to the bed, his wrists held firm.

The man above was looking down at him, his pupils dark and his expression perfectly clear.