Chapter 185

Vorbuk could feel that Ashley was hiding something about his condition. The feeling he got from the servant mark was weakening. That made him aware that regardless of what Ashley was saying something was wrong with him. Flinching at his question only made him more sure of that fact.

"There is nothing to worry about, master~" Ashley forced a bright smile to his face again as he avoided answering again. This was not the time for his master to worry about his condition.

Vorbuk's eyes flickered as he glared at Ashley. His gaze gave the vampire a sense of pressure.

"We should move quickly." Ashley quickly added on.

"Very well, this ain't the place for this." Vorbuk finally dropped the topic. Catching a glimpse of the vampire sighing out of relief nonchalantly.

The three of them started to move again. With Ashley behind them it was harder for them to notice the limp he gave while running. Sweat dripping down his forehead. He could feel his own situation deteriorating over time no matter how much he fought against it. What drove him forward was his determination to keep pressing forward.

CL-CLANG!

Prince Leo's sword blocked an incoming attack from a knight who swung his blade at him. In the back of his mind he questioned Ashley's lack of response on time. Usually the vampire would have made the block before him. Though there was no time for him to ponder of it. His sword scraping against the knight's as he knocked the knight back with a swift slam to his gut with Leo's foot.

Vorbuk turned as he heard the attack. At the sight of the knight stumbling back he glanced in Ashley's direction.

"Ashley!" Vorbuk did not need to give a direction order. Calling out Ashley's name was enough for him to know what his master wanted. Help the prince Leo.

"Yes, master!" Ashley moved towards the knight in a flash. His blood scythe swinging through the air as he sliced through the knight like butter. The knight's head falling to the ground with a thud before he had time to react to the vampire's attack. Blood splattering throughout the air.

"Hoh~ Someone still has a lot of energy after taking a direction strike from my blade. I guess your endurance is better then I imagined." Aoki admired the fact that Ashley was still fighting against the poison in his body.

A weak vampire would have already collapsed unable to move from such a wound. It was not fatal but it was still a slow death if it was not cured quickly. Even vampires knew pain. The pain that was caused by that wound was hard to endure. If your will to live was not strong enough most would collapse or cave to the hunger and desperation to cure themselves instantly.

"Aoki," Vorbuk muttered the vampire's name out as he watched him step in their direction from behind the trees. "why am I not surprised to find him tailing us?"

Do all vampires have a habit of stalking? Vorbuk couldn't help but have that thought as Aoki's phantom like movements made him recall how Ashley always followed him closely. Even if he could not see Ashley that did not mean the vampire was not hiding somewhere observing and protecting him.

"How could I miss the delicious scent your blood gives?" Aoki ran his tongue along his sharp fangs as he looked at them closely.

Stepping up to Vorbuk directly as they both gazed deep into each other's eyes. Vorbuk did not waver as he stood his ground. Pure hunger and desperation was clear in Aoki's beautiful pink jeweled eyes. That was something that was hard for Vorbuk to miss. It made him feel nervous but he knew it would be dangerous to react to a sense of fear in front of this man. Not willing to feed into Aoki's pleasure in causing others to fear him.

"Vorbuk!" Prince Leo called out worried gripping his sword tight.

"Master!" Ashley rushed forward but was stopped as Vorbuk raised his hand to stop them in their tracks. He did not want them getting worked up and making a mistake. They had to make it back to the temple and Vorbuk knew Ashley was wounded and hiding it. It would not be difficult for Aoki to kill Ashley with his current state. This time he would have to help deal with the executioner if they were to get away safely.

"Hmmm?" Aoki could feel the man in front of him was the beast that was hiding before in the prince's shadow. The scent was the same. He was also aware that Ashley was in a weak state. It would be difficult for them to fight him. A human prince, a beast, and a dying vampire. Why is the beast so firm in his resolve? He found the fact that Vorbuk did not show more fear to be strange.

[ Are you going to use them? ]

A voice called out in Vorbuk's mind as he pondered deep in his thoughts. After reaching a new level his control over his element has risen with him. He had yet to try out his new sense of control.

His human form was different from his beast form. The sense of control was different. Having always fought in his wolf form he had never tried to fight with his element. Though he needed to at the moment. Fighting in the form of a beast would not give him the sense of control he needed to deal with Aoki while protecting those by his side.

"Yes, I am." Vorbuk muttered his response to the voice.

[ Your mana will drain more quickly in this form. You are not human. ]

He could feel a sense of emotion hidden deep in those words.

"You are what?" Aoki felt confused at the man muttering to himself in front of him.

"Are you worried about me?" Vorbuk smirked.

[ No. ]

"No! What?" Aoki and the voice in Vorbuk's head responded at the same time. The vampire was very confused and becoming frustrated with him and his strange words. It was almost like the man was talking to himself in front of him at this point.

Vorbuk's eyes flashed with a red glow as he leaned forward. Stretching out his hands to his sides the shadows around him began to rise from the ground.

This was a sense of control that his beast form could not maintain. In human form his control was stronger at the cost of his mana exhausting more quickly. He would be able to direct the shadows more easily like a music conductor. Though this was a price he was ready to pay to protect what was important to him.

The shadows looked like they were alive as they rose from the ground into the air. At the end they remained connected to the ground where the shadows began. The part that lifted from the ground wriggling as it took a more black and solid form towards the tips of the shadows. It was like darkness was reaching out from the earth.

Vorbuk's fingers twitched as he directed the shadows with his hands. Making quick and precise movements with his aim. Striking without hesitation the shadows drove themselves straight for Aoki.