Chapter 28: Surprise Visit

After Sam had taken his sweet time exacting his revenge, he simply headed back home without sparing a glance at the burning house behind him.

As soon as people noticed the fire at that house, they dialed 911, summoning the police and the fire department. They arrived promptly and managed to put out the flames.

Inside the charred remains of the house, a gruesome scene awaited them – four decapitated heads and three headless bodies, brutally mutilated. It was clear to the authorities that this was no accident; it was a cold-blooded murder. But despite their best efforts, they couldn't uncover any leads or evidence.

Everything that might have been a clue had gone up in smoke along with the house.

Once the police had completed their investigation and left the scene, a mysterious figure emerged. It was none other than Dorian Sterling, the father of Julian Sterling.

Dorian was the same person who had been relentlessly pursuing the codex that Sam now possessed.

As Dorian looked around the ruined house, he could sense the lingering traces of spiritual energy, or what was left of it after the fire had consumed the place.

Standing beside Dorian was a man named Jereth, who, interestingly, hailed from a realm different from Earth. You could say he was a bit like a paleontologist, but not exactly.

Jereth was, in fact, a cultivator, a mysterious figure from the Demon realm. Surprisingly, no one, not even Dorian Sterling himself, knew about Jereth's true origins.

Jereth wore a fake-sad expression as he spoke to Dorian, "I'm truly sorry, Dorian."

Dorian's response was anything but emotional. He gazed at Jereth with indifference, showing no signs of sadness or anger. "It's not a big deal. Once I discover the one responsible for my trash son's demise, I'll handle the matter personally."

Jereth cracked an evil smile, resembling a cunning merchant. "All you need to do is get your hands on the codex. With that, you'll hold the power to reshape everything. Revenge will become a mere side quest compared to the world-shifting possibilities at your fingertips."

Dorian nodded, a newfound determination burning in his eyes. He now had an additional reason to find the codex: revenge.

...

Sam was leisurely gliding through the sky near his house when he suddenly spotted a figure approaching him. His eyes narrowed, and a surprised expression crossed his face as he hurried toward the approaching figure.

"What are you doing here?" Sam inquired as he came to a halt mid-air in front of the figure, a young redhead girl with striking green eyes.

"I came looking for you," Amelia replied, avoiding direct eye contact with Sam.

Sam was totally caught off guard, so he instinctively examined her more closely. He couldn't help but notice that something wasn't quite right. Her face had a touch of redness, and his heightened senses picked up on the fact that she was hot. 

And no, not the "hot" in the attractive sense (though she certainly was that too), but in a literal way – her body temperature was a bit on the high side.

"What's wrong?" he asked with concern.

"I...I'm hungry...I want to drink your blood, if that's okay," Amelia confessed.

It all started after she had her first taste of Sam's blood. Once she returned home, thoughts of him consumed her every waking moment, making it impossible to focus on anything else, including her cultivation or even getting a decent night's sleep.

She couldn't deny that she felt a strong attraction to Sam. At first, it seemed like a typical crush, but it quickly morphed into something more akin to a relentless hunger that she couldn't control. She had initially hoped that, being the noble dragon he was, he would keep her satisfied for at least a week, but that hope proved futile. 

Her cravings returned in less than a day, and to make matters worse, no other source of blood could satiate her. It was as if she were hardwired to only crave Sam's blood.

When she finally confided in Sam about her predicament, he felt a pang of guilt, as if somehow this situation was his fault.

"Come with me," Sam said, taking her hand and guiding her to his house. He led her to his room, where an open window offered a discreet entrance.

"Reel in your presence," Sam instructed, not wanting to risk his sister discovering him sneaking a girl into his bedroom, especially one who seemed to be getting a little too fixated on him.

"What are you up to, my dear brother?" Sam was caught red-handed, sneaking a beautiful girl into his room.

Sophia had a smile on her face, but her eyes told a different story. They held a menacing edge, and even Sam felt a shiver of fear at the sight.

"S-Sister, it's not what it looks like," Sam stammered nervously.

'Sister?... Isn't she the young miss of the Hailstorm clan?' That thought crossed Amelia's mind as she observed Sam's older sister.

"Ara~ Then what exactly does this look like?" Sophia's gaze turned to the girl in question, her eyes narrowing with surprise. "Aren't you the princess of the Scarlett clan?"

Amelia felt a wave of fear wash over her as she met Sophia's piercing green eyes. For some reason, she sensed the need to tread carefully, as if any wrong move could lead to dire consequences.

"Y-Yes, I'm Amelia Scarlett... I will be in your care," Amelia stammered, executing a graceful bow in an attempt to convey her utmost respect to Sophia.

"In my care, or my brother's care?" Sophia's gaze bore into Sam as if she were trying to see into the depths of his soul.

Sam let out a sigh, attempting to clarify the situation. "Sister, it's not what you think... She needed help, that's why she came to me."

"What kind of help?" Sophia inquired, her curiosity piqued.

"She needed blood to drink, but it seems she can only drink from me," Sam explained.

[A/N: Give this chapter some POWER STONES if you enjoyed it!]