"Madam, I'm sorry," Jasper looked at the middle-aged woman's eyes with pain. The woman smiled at him, her eyes flashing courage and determination. Her grizzled head rested on the Duke-to-be's lap. Jasper stroked her hair in an attempt to comfort her.
He had to eat, or he would go crazy. Jasper had been through this since he was a toddler. No matter how much human blood he drank—it was never enough. He only regained his composure—when he was eight years old—and unknowingly killed the human servant girl who worked in the Dubois mansion.
He also killed one of his father's aides who was also pure blood because he panicked to be found out. Since that day, Jasper hardly ever left the Dubois mansion. His family had to keep an eye on him. They were worried that Jasper would kill again.
Jasper was educated as a Florentia. He never felt that killing was a natural thing. Killing humans was something that Florentia avoided as much as possible. It didn't mean they have an angelic heart. Florentia was a logical vampire. They knew that vampires could not forever be enemies with humans.
In this world there were four continents. The North and West Continents were ruled by the Vampires. The eastern and southern continents were mostly inhabited by humans. Florentia knew that humans could unite to destroy them. Because they were predators.
Resistance from the human race was certainly not a rare thing. But they were not strong enough. For a long time the vampire nation was also dominated by nobles who owned millions of hectares of land and ruled over humans for centuries. Humans were used to being ordered around, used to being low-class citizens and not feeling like they had a chance to fight back.
But there was always the possibility that humans would rebel. The Florentias prepared for it. They build human sympathy. They give them equality and befriend them. Humans were also willing to be donors. It was the ideal way of life in the western and northern continents according to the Florentia faction.
Jasper opened his mouth, stuck his sharp fangs into the poor woman's neck and drank her blood. Unlike Valerie—who drank the blood straight from Kyle through his upper back and stopped when she had enough—Jasper had to drink the blood of his victims to the end.
It was his instinct, his curse, something he couldn't escape. If he quenched his thirst—he could lose control. It was the only way to calm the monster soul within him. Only by drinking until it kills the victim will he be full.
Once he drank, it was enough for three days. Jasper was often drowned in guilt because of it. His mother chose the victims for Jasper. She bought it, trying to adequately compensate her family. She didn't want Jasper to suffer because of his illness.
Often, his mother brought him an old woman who was dying, or a young girl who was deliberately sold by her family. Currently, Jasper was on his way to the Taverin war with his uncle Theodore. They stopped at the village to look for donors. But specifically for Jasper, he had to find a victim.
This unpretentious village was also stopped by some of Florentia's troops who would also join the war. Most of them were human. They wore armor and carried spears or swords.
"Will peace come after this?" The old woman asked. Jasper stopped drinking for a moment and looked at her with his red eyes that were as beautiful as rubies. Her skin was already pale, there was no pain she received but her body was getting weaker.
"The vampires of Florentia keep trying to make it happen," Jasper responded.
"Both of my sons died in the war. I think it would be wise to sacrifice myself to a Florentia vampire like you. What's your name, son?"
"Jasper—Jasper Dubois,"
"Sir Jasper, thank you because Florentia has shown that hope exists. Now finish your business. I want to see my sons soon," said the old woman, then she closed her eyes peacefully.
Jasper continued to drink, he saw in the last few drops—the old woman's hands and legs stiffened. She died peacefully. One thing he was grateful for was that when drinking, the victims would not feel hurt.
It was still night, Jasper felt very refreshed. He saw the moon hanging in the sky illuminating him. Then he smelled a not-so-familiar scent when the wind blew. Jasper had good instincts. He could detect the presence of someone he might not want to meet.
There were more than two dozen Avalon vampires entering the village. Jasper gasped. This village was in danger!
"Gyaahhh!"
"Urk!!"
Humans screamed immediately, they didn't have time to remind their comrades. Avalon's vampires grabbed their necks and coldly killed them.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
"Cough!"
"Damn Avalon— Aarrrghhh!!"
"Uncle!" Jasper ran to the scene of the massacre.
The majority there were humans. Even if they wore armor and had knight status—their speed and strength were completely insignificant.
Theodore Dubois was now lifted nearly a meter off the ground. He was a middle-aged man who was only six years younger than Arthur Dubois. He wore full armor and a very heavy battle helmet. But his neck was strangled by a vampire Avalon who was more than two meters tall, muscular and had a heavy scar on his face.
Florentia's troops in this village were not yet ready to face Avalon. They just stopped before continuing their journey. There was an unwritten rule that war should not be carried out outside the war territory, especially around civilian settlements. But the Avalon's were not one to respect such a thing.
"Jasper! Run! You are the heir! They can't catch you!" Theodore shouted.
"What? The heir? Who?" A woman showed herself from behind a huge vampire who was tormenting Theodore. She was a slim and slightly petite woman. She wore a white robe with a hood and wavy brown hair that flowed down. She didn't look like a knight but rather like a temple priest. But the look in her eyes showed cunning and lack of empathy.
"Aren't you ashamed!! This is a human village! This is not your territory!" Jasper ignored her words and glared at them angrily.
"Oh my gosh, humans are our prey. We can hunt anywhere, right? Have you Florentia vampires never hunted rabbits all the way to their dens? What's different about that?" The cute girl laughed.
"Jasper! Run!" Theodore shouted.
While they were arguing, Avalon's troops continued to spread their terror. They forced the humans out of their homes and imprisoned them.
But Jasper was not the weak heir that the Lapella people believed. He had just drunk the good quality blood from a kind Lady. He would protect the village.
Jasper caught his breath, summoning the darkness within him. After twenty-two years of living under a curse—Jasper now could quite control it.
His red pupils narrowed. His fingernails were long and bluish veins were protruding all over his arms and part of his face. A black hue like spilled ink began to color his eyes—surrounding his red pupils that became his vampire identity.
Jasper moved very quickly then with just his claws he dealt a blow to the area of the giant Vampire's heart which strangled Theodore. A fist-sized hole was created there. The vampire opened his throttle and knocked Theodore down.
The big vampire looked confused for a moment, his hands feeling the empty space on his body for a few seconds. Then blood started to gush from him. He choked and fell to his knees to the ground.
Jasper also turned around while holding a heart that was still beating. He then threw it on the sandy ground and was now staring intently at the Vampire Florentia who was dressed as a priest.
"Oh wow! I didn't know that Florentia also had someone like you. Looks like I have to take you seriously too," the woman laughed. There was a hint of trepidation in his voice.
"Osiris!"
She showed him her cursed weapon, a gilded spear.
"Jasper, that's your name right? Have you ever met an undead?" She said cheerfully like a child who found a new toy.