Chapter 21: First Embrace

Inside the Lysenba clan's ancient castle, cries of sorrow filled the air. Boris stared with furious eyes, his gaze seemingly capable of spewing fire.

"Father, who is that person?" Benjamin stood trembling beside Boris, speaking cautiously.

Boris's eyes sparked with fury. "It should be the Levuno clan!"

Benjamin had always thought that Alexander's situation might have been orchestrated by the secret party, but he never expected it to involve the Levuno clan. The Levuno vampires were known for their solitary nature and their ability to control illusions on humans, although their control over vampires was somewhat weaker.

However, the Levuno clan didn't belong to the secret party or the sorcerer party. They were a neutral clan that never involved themselves in the disputes between the secret party and the sorcerer party. So why would they target Alexander this time? Benjamin furrowed his brow. When they arrived at the scene, they could still sense Emily's scent lingering in the air. What did she have to do with all of this?

Emily had been to the scene before, but there was no trace of her blood. It seemed that she had managed to escape unscathed. Even if they had fought, it would have been impossible for her to escape with her life against such a powerful opponent.

Benjamin cautiously observed Boris's expression. The scene was too chaotic at the time, and he wasn't sure if Boris had noticed Emily's scent. After all, the scent of Alexander's blood was much stronger. He himself had carefully sniffed the air and detected traces of Emily's scent. Now he could only hope that Boris would overlook this detail.

The cries of mourning and screams continued. This time, in order to save Alexander and confront the mysterious man, they had deployed the most powerful forces of the Lysenba clan, resulting in heavy losses. They had no choice but to capture a large number of humans to aid in their recovery.

Boris clenched his fists tightly. That man was not even his equal. Saving Alexander this time was a stroke of luck, aided by the fact that they had greater numbers. Suddenly, such a formidable opponent emerged, heading straight for the Lysenba clan. Could it be that the Levuno clan had allied with the secret party?

Boris began to feel a sense of unease. If the Levuno clan had truly joined forces with the secret party, the Lysenba clan would face the threat of extinction.

"Smack!" Boris pounded his fist on the table, shattering it into pieces and startling Benjamin.

"After nightfall, bring that girl here!" Boris commanded coldly.

Benjamin hesitated, "Father, this matter may not have anything to do with Emily!"

Boris looked at Benjamin with confusion, and Benjamin quickly understood. Boris hadn't even noticed the scent of Emily in the air at the scene. He swiftly corrected himself, "Father, what do you intend?"

"To perform an early embrace!"

Boris couldn't wait any longer. The potential within Emily was immeasurable. Perhaps she was the opportunity for the Lysenba clan to turn the tide, or in other words, their last straw for survival.

"Father, her blood is truly toxic. Please reconsider. I'm worried..." Benjamin was concerned about the harm Emily's blood might cause to Boris, and also didn't want Emily to end up like him—having been both human and vampire. He deeply understood the happiness of growing old together with someone like Charlotte.

"I have made up my mind!" Boris left those words behind and entered Alexander's room. The room was covered in rivers of blood, with bodies scattered all over the floor. Some humans cowered in the corners, most of them paralyzed with fear, and some even beginning to lose their grip on reality.

Alexander's injuries were severe, with almost no part of his body unscathed. The healing process was agonizingly slow. He now resembled a wild beast gone mad, crazily drinking blood. When Boris entered, he didn't even lift an eyelid, tossing aside one lifeless body and sinking his teeth into another person's neck.

Boris's eyes revealed a sense of heartache, and he let out a sigh before leaving. Alexander's injuries were severe this time, and it would take several days for him to recover. Boris pushed the door open and called someone to come in and take care of the bodies.

...

Benjamin hadn't slept for a day. As soon as the sun set, he rushed out of the castle and headed straight to Cyberville Academy.

Emily had just woken up when she caught a whiff of a familiar fragrance. She furrowed her brow, knowing that she had to face what was coming. She quickly got ready and stood before Benjamin, who had a serious expression on his face. Her heart sank, thinking that Boris must be seeking revenge for Alexander's death.

"Father intends to grant you an early Embrace," Benjamin said with a grave tone. It was evident from his attitude that he wasn't here to take Emily back, but to give her a choice—whether to accept or refuse.

Emily was taken aback. She thought Benjamin had come for retribution regarding Alexander, but instead, he brought up the topic of Embrace. However, upon hearing this news, she felt more apprehensive than if she had heard about seeking revenge. Did Embrace mean she had to give up everything she had now? Her family, her friends, her school, the sunlight she could stand under...

"I haven't decided yet..." Emily's voice trembled with uncertainty, and she could hear the quiver in her own words. When a person has nothing to lose, they may not mind exchanging their current life for any other, but Emily, even though she had no wealth, didn't consider herself poor because she cherished everything beautiful that she had.

Benjamin's expression revealed a hint of heartache. He could empathize with Emily's feelings. Even though he had made all the necessary preparations, when the moment truly arrived, he still felt a sense of melancholy, even though he had long lost everything.

"We can't defy Father's command unless... you have a greater support," Benjamin hinted at something in his words, but Emily didn't understand.

"If I had a support, I wouldn't have been played like a monkey by you all!" Emily forced a smile, understanding that having support meant relying on someone. She had depended on her mother since childhood, but her mother couldn't be her support, let alone someone else.

A trace of doubt flickered in Benjamin's eyes, but in the end, he didn't ask further. After a while, he spoke slowly, "If you're unwilling, I can help you..."

Emily was shocked. She had always thought Benjamin was obedient to Boris, and sometimes she saw him acting subserviently towards Boris, which made her think he lacked assertiveness. But why was he helping her this time and going against Boris?

"Do you have a plan?" Emily was not someone who often considered others.

Benjamin shook his head. "Other than taking you and escaping, I can't think of any other solution."

Emily fell into silence. Escape? She knew that no matter where they fled, if Boris wanted to capture them back, they wouldn't be able to escape his grasp. Because the two of them were too weak.

"I want to say goodbye to my friends," Emily finally spoke after some contemplation. Since they couldn't avoid it, they had to face it. In her dictionary, there was no room for evasion.

Benjamin looked at Emily in shock. He didn't expect her to agree so easily. Compared to his past self, she was much stronger.

"Will tonight be enough?" Benjamin asked.

Emily nodded, feeling a tinge of sadness.

"In the future, you can still find opportunities to meet them. Don't be too saddened," Benjamin consoled, placing his hand on Emily's shoulder.

"But in the future, our positions will be different. I will be the wolf, and they will be the sheep. If I can't learn to control myself, they will be in great danger," Emily sighed deeply.

"You don't have to be too pessimistic. I believe you will do well," Benjamin said, although he himself wasn't sure. After all, he had witnessed Emily losing control before, with a bloodlust that surpassed even the vampires, especially newborn vampires who struggled the most to restrain their desire for blood. If Emily, as a human, could lose herself at the sight of blood, what more as a bloodthirsty vampire?

Emily understood this as well, but she didn't say much. Instead, she reached out her hand and said, "Give me your money!"

Benjamin, who had just been feeling sorry for her, was taken aback by her sudden change of attitude.

...

Emily treated Olivia, Charlotte, Ava, and William to a lavish meal. They had always wanted to dine at the Golden Leopard and indulge in the seafood buffet, but the prices were too steep for Emily to allow them to pay. This was their regret, so Emily treated them to a meal at the Golden Leopard and later went to a nightclub to have a wild night. They returned to the dormitory just before dawn.

Benjamin waited in the dormitory and hypnotized each of them one by one. From that moment on, Emily would no longer exist in their memories.

"Let's go!" Benjamin grabbed Emily, who kept looking back, "We always have to face it."

Emily took one last look at the sleeping faces of her friends and silently bid them farewell in her heart. Goodbye, the most important people in my life! Then she closed the door.

Arriving at the castle, Boris was already waiting in the living room. When he saw Emily, he smiled warmly at her and pulled her close. "Take some rest today. In the evening, we will begin the ceremony. Did you choose the room last time?"

Without hesitation, Emily pointed to the top floor. "I want the room at the top."

Boris's lips twitched slightly, but he still smiled. "Alright, I will give you that room."

"Father! I won't allow it!" Alexander's voice suddenly rang out in the living room.

Emily was startled. Wasn't this guy supposed to be dead?

Alexander's malicious gaze turned towards Emily, then he smirked mockingly. "What? Disappointed to see that I'm not dead? Such a letdown, huh?"

"Yeah! Very disappointed! It's embarrassing for the Lesombres to have scum like you still alive!" Emily glared at Alexander, not backing down. She remembered the day when he almost took away her innocence, and she felt nothing but hatred towards him.

Perhaps due to her upbringing in the mountains, Emily was not as open-minded as Charlotte. She always believed that her first time should be saved for her future husband. So, despite having an alluring appearance, Emily was as pure as plain water. In Olivia's words, she was an old-fashioned and stubborn person.

Boris couldn't quite understand what the two of them were talking about. Alexander looked at Boris with a smile that was not quite a smile and said, "Father, I was with this girl at that time, but she disappeared later, and now she's miraculously unharmed, standing here."

The implication was that this person had an unclear background and mysterious whereabouts, making it highly possible that they were a spy sent by the secret party.

Boris looked at Emily thoughtfully and asked, "Oh? Does Emily know who that person is?"

Emily shook her head, her face filled with confusion. "That person is really strange."

Boris scrutinized Emily with his sharp eyes, unable to detect any signs of lying on her face. It put his mind somewhat at ease. When he confronted that person before, their character and quirks were indeed peculiar, so it was not entirely impossible for him to let Emily go. However, the question remained: Why did he let her go?