The sprawling estate of Fenrir's mansion stood stark against the dusky horizon, its towering gates creaking open as Rui, cloaked in a heavy veil, stepped inside.
The rumor had spread far and wide: the vampire was finally "dealt with." Even the temple had been convinced, their memories carefully manipulated by Fenrir's dark craft. The Rui they once knew was, for all intents and purposes, gone.
As she entered the grand hall, she was greeted by the echo of footsteps against the marble floor. Mary Ann descended the staircase with her usual grace, her emerald-green gown trailing behind her like liquid silk. She extended a hand to Rui, her sharp features softened by a practiced smile.
"Welcome, Rui," Mary Ann said, her voice smooth but laced with an undertone of tension. "It seems Fenrir saw potential in you after all."
Rui reached out and clasped Mary Ann's hand, her ash-gray skin stark against Mary Ann's vibrant complexion. She could feel the chill in Mary Ann's touch, not from cold but from something else entirely—jealousy. Rui's keen senses picked up on it immediately, though she chose not to comment.
"Thank you for welcoming me," Rui said, her voice steady but cautious. "I only hope I can contribute to the cause."
Mary Ann's smile faltered for the briefest moment before she turned to Fenrir, who stood silently nearby, his sharp golden eyes observing the exchange. "She's… quite the addition," Mary Ann remarked, her tone light but her words weighted. "I trust you've explained everything to her?"
"Not everything," Fenrir said, his lips curving into a knowing smirk. "But we'll get there. For now, she's one of us."
Mary Ann's gaze flicked back to Rui, her expression unreadable. "Well, then. Welcome to the family."
Later, as the three gathered in Fenrir's private study, Rui finally voiced the question that had been gnawing at her since she arrived. "Is there a way," she began hesitantly, her hands clenching in her lap, "to make me look… human again?"
Mary Ann raised an eyebrow, intrigued, but Fenrir's expression darkened. He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "There is a way," he admitted, his voice low and measured. "But it's not simple. And it's not without its price."
Rui leaned forward, desperation flickering in her amber eyes. "I'll do whatever it takes. I don't want to be… this. I don't want people to look at me like a monster."
Fenrir tilted his head, studying her intently. "To look human again, you'll need to siphon life force from someone—piece by piece. It's not like feeding; it's something deeper. You'll strip away what makes them them until there's nothing left. It's a dark ritual, one that aligns more with what you've been running from than what you want to become."
Rui's breath hitched, her mind racing. She knew what he was saying—that the act would make her no better than the monster she feared she had become.
"But it's temporary, isn't it?" Mary Ann interjected, her tone sharper than usual. "The illusion fades over time, and she'd have to do it again and again."
Fenrir nodded. "Exactly. A cycle of destruction for a fleeting sense of humanity."
Rui's jaw tightened, her fists clenching. "I don't care. I'll try it. I'll endure whatever it takes if it means I can feel like myself again."
Fenrir's eyes narrowed, his voice softening with a rare note of warning. "This isn't just about looks, Rui. It's about who you are willing to become. Once you cross this line, you can't step back from it."
"I've already crossed so many lines," Rui said, her voice trembling but resolute. "What's one more?"
Fenrir exchanged a glance with Mary Ann, whose lips pressed into a thin line. Finally, he rose to his feet. "Very well. We'll begin tomorrow. But don't say I didn't warn you."
Rui nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. Tomorrow, she would take her first step toward reclaiming her humanity—or losing herself entirely.
Fenrir noticed Rui's dilemma, and he decided to offer her one more chance at redemption.
"While taking one's life force is a sure way to make you human once more, there is another way that you might prefer until you feel secure enough to take human life force. We can use that if you prefer to have some time with your decision."
Rui looked surprised and ecstatic at Fenrir's option. Her eyes looked ready to do anything he asked of her and it made Fenrir smile.
"Come close and kneel in front of me. Make sure that you keep your face in front of me at all times. If you pull back now, then I will take it as a sigh that you do not want to be close to me again."
Rui bit her lip, her eyes trembled as understanding flashed in her eyes. She was suddenly much more aware of Fenrir and her brain realized what he was about to do.
"I am ready," Rui assured as her heart skipped a beat.
A pair of soft lips pressed against her, causing Rui's cheeks to turn red from embarrassment. This was her first kiss, but it felt like it would consume her soul and leave her on the verge of an attack.
It was such a chasty press of lips, and yet, it made Rui feel like she had won at life.
Her lips followed Fenrir's when he looked back. Rui's longing looked clear on her face, but she had to mask it.
"Tsk, there were other ways to make this happen. Did you have to give her your favor like this, my lord?"
Mary Ann had never sounded more jealous than she did at the moment. Her voice was laced with anger and jealousy. Even her eyes looked ready to kill Rui where she stood.
But none of it mattered to Rui anymore. She felt like she had ascended and found a new dimension in life - to serve her master and to gain his favor again.
"Calm down, Mary Ann. Think of this as a welcome gift for our new family member. Now them, shall we think about what our next course of action should be?"