Silence blanketed the room after Peter woke, so thick and heavy it was almost suffocating. Neither of them spoke, the air between them charged with unspoken thoughts and questions.
Sylvie, who was usually unflinching, brimming with confidence, found herself uncharacteristically hesitant. Perhaps she thought that saying something might make him feel worse, that her voice could tip him further into regret.
But she was overthinking.
Peter wasn't silent out of guilt or shame. His mind was elsewhere, consumed by the lingering taste of her blood still fresh on his tongue. It was intoxicating, rich and overwhelming, like nothing he had ever experienced before. The sensation refused to fade, and the sheer power coursing through his veins made it impossible to regret what had happened.
The swiftness with which he accepted his fate was surprising, even to himself. He remembered everything—the hunger, the bite, the way her body had responded, the way she'd tilted her neck, the way she let him feed on her with no hesitation when she could have been able to stop him.
And while a part of him knew he should feel bad, any sense of guilt vanished the moment he saw the grin on Sylvie's face when he woke.
And if he were honest with himself, he had no regrets.
Sylvie, never one to tolerate drawn-out silences, finally broke the tension. "Are you not going to apologize for attacking an innocent girl?"
Peter turned to her, and something in his demeanor had shifted. His expression was sharper, more assertive. His crimson eyes held a confidence that hadn't been there before. "No," he replied, unapologetic. "Not after that 'innocent' girl enjoyed every second of it. Hell, you didn't even try to run. You practically lured me in."
Sylvie blinked, momentarily stunned by his boldness. This wasn't the same Peter she had met earlier. His once-timid attitude was gone, replaced by a new presence—confident, unapologetic, and undeniably powerful.
[Finally,] Elena murmured in Peter's mind, a faint sigh of relief threading through her voice.
Peter didn't ask why Elena said it, assuming it was about how smoothly things had gone. In truth, Elena was marveling at something far more profound.
Turned vampires were always hesitant at first, clinging to the remnants of their human personalities. They tend to be shy, fearful, and uncertain, the complete opposite of what a vampire should be. But that all changed after their first feed.
The moment a turned vampire fed on fresh, living blood, their true nature awakened.
It wasn't about simply drinking blood—it was about the HUNT of their first, the primal connection to the prey of their own making. Not the first feed, which was merely blood given to them to finish the transformation.
That single act of the "HUNT" shattered the chains of their humanity, unleashing the predator within.
Peter had just crossed that threshold.
He wasn't just confident—he was something far more dangerous.
Sylvie studied him carefully, her curiosity growing. "Did my blood contain a confidence boost or something?" she asked, half-joking.
Peter smirked. "Something like that," he replied. "And I should thank you. You're the reason I am what I am now."
Despite the sharp edge in his voice, he didn't forget what Sylvie had done for him. No amount of newfound arrogance could erase the debt he owed her.
Sylvie raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a faint smile. "As long as you're okay. But why the sudden power boost?"
Peter leaned back, his crimson eyes glinting. "It's just my stats. They increased because of your blood."
He didn't elaborate, unwilling to share more than necessary. But his thoughts wandered to the system's messages, the cold, robotic voice that had outlined his gains—and its ever-present greed.
****
[Ding… The host has drunk the blood of a Royal Dragon.]
[The host's body is too weak to handle the energy within. Choose one of the following options:]
1. Consume the energy and die.
2. Store the energy in the system bank for later use.]
Elena hadn't hesitated to advise him, and Peter had chosen the second option.
[The host's acquired energy has been stored for future use.
Note: This Blood Energy Bank service is not free. The host must purchase the Blood Energy back from the system when needed and the host is sure he can handle to pontent energy in this Blood.
[Residual energy detected in the host's body. Analyzing… Residual energy safe for use. Stats +10.]
[The host's charm has hit the current limit. Increase strength to unlock further enhancements.]
Peter chuckled dryly, remembering the last message. The system was already scheming to milk his Vampire Points the moment he unlocked the shop at Level 15—the peak of the Awakened Vampire class.
That wasn't the worst of it.
Elena's warning replayed in his mind. [Your blood craving is going to increase. It's the same for all newly turned vampires after their first feed.]
Her tone had been calm but firm, explaining the reality of his situation. A newly turned vampire, she'd said, was most vulnerable to bloodlust.
The danger wasn't just hunger—it was attraction. Vampires had an innate desire to feed on those they found appealing, and while higher-ranked vampires could control it, newly turned ones struggled with the urge.
Peter had laughed it off earlier, joking that he'd just run to Sylvie whenever the cravings struck.
[What if she's not there?] Elena had asked pointedly. [What if you're trapped in a gate, surrounded by others? What will you do then?]
Her question had silenced him. He hadn't had an answer.
Elena had offered one. [Unless you carry her blood with you at all times, you'll inevitably end up biting someone else. And that will expose you.]
The thought sent a chill down his spine.
He'd asked Sylvie if vampires were known to exist in this world. Her answer had been immediate, same as Elena's.
"I wouldn't be this excited if they did. I'm certain—there are no vampires here. Not anymore."
Peter sighed remembering that. If that was true, hiding his nature was his only option. Either that or becoming so strong no one could challenge him. He would ask Sylvie later for more information.
"Hunger, huh?"
Peter smiled faintly, pushing the thoughts aside. Strength was the answer, just as it always was.
"Haa…" he sighed, a mixture of exhaustion and amusement escaping his lips.
Sylvie tilted her head, watching him curiously. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing," he said with a smirk. "Just thinking about how this all turned out."
Sylvie gave him a skeptical look but didn't press. She had a feeling this was only the beginning of his story.