Chương 134: Embracing Her Nature

Xia spent several years with Mason. He convinced her that satisfying that hunger was part of her nature. That she had no reason to be ashamed of it. So Xia began feeding more often. And she realized that she had spent her entire life barely surviving, severely limiting her own abilities. It was like a human being who ate very little: they would never fully develop their muscle mass, bone structure, or cognitive abilities. For vampires, it was similar.

By feeding only when the hunger became unbearable, Xia had always kept her abilities at the bare minimum. When a vampire instead fed regularly, satisfying their appetite before it became an urgent need, they could finally reach the full potential of their nature. And Xia began to discover this for herself. One cold winter night, two children from a village became lost in the forest. Night had fallen quickly, and no light filtered through the trees anymore.

The two walked through the snow, using the faint light of the moon to find their way.

"I'm cold…and what if we can't find our way home?"

"We will. We didn't come that far".

"But we've been out here for an hour. I'm scared of wolves".

"Wolves don't come this far down. Don't worry. Let's keep following our tracks". They walked for a few more minutes. Then Xia appeared before them. The two children froze. She looked as though she had stepped straight out of a horror scene. Her long black hair fell over her pale face. Her tall, motionless figure looked like a shadow carved into the darkness, while her dark eyes gleamed in the night. The children screamed and began to run. But a few meters ahead, Mason emerged from the darkness, blocking their path.

They had nowhere to escape. Mason and Xia slowly began to approach them. The two children trembled and clung to each other's hands.

"W-what do you want? Money? We have a few crowns…" one of them stammered.

"P-please… don't hurt us". Xia and Mason continued advancing. Then they stopped. Their mouths opened unnaturally, expanding to a size impossible for a human being. Their teeth lengthened, becoming as sharp as those of a predator. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The children did not even have time to react. The two vampires lunged at them. They sank their teeth into the children's heads and violently tore them from their bodies.

Blood splattered heavily across the pristine snow. The small bodies collapsed to the ground. Without hesitation, the two vampires began devouring them. Flesh, bone, and blood quickly disappeared between their jaws. Only a few bites were needed to completely consume the bodies. Moments later, silence returned to the forest. Xia and Mason stood motionless in the snow. They looked at each other. Then they nodded. By now, it had almost become a ritual. Winter, Year 315.

The shame Xia felt about her vampiric nature had gradually faded. Day after day, Mason's words had worn down her sense of guilt. She had begun feeding more regularly, about once a month, as Mason had suggested. According to him, that was the ideal amount to keep her vampiric abilities at their peak without unnecessarily consuming her victims. Xia, however, had never stopped wondering where the line between necessity and choice lay. That evening, she returned to the castle. She climbed the stairs without hesitation.

She seemed rather nervous. When she entered the room, she found Mason lying on the bed, reading and completely relaxed. Without saying a word, she threw a wanted poster at him. Mason caught it. It was a bounty notice. The man studied the drawing for a few seconds. Then he smiled.

"Who do you think it looks like?"

"Disturbingly like me". Xia stared at him with disgust.

"You're deplorable". Mason got out of bed and walked over to the window, gazing at the snow-covered landscape.

"We've eaten who knows how many children together, and this is where you draw your moral line?"

"It's different", Xia retorted, barely holding back her anger.

"We feed because our bodies demand it. It's a biological necessity. You said so yourself". She pointed at the poster.

"What you did according to this bounty, however, is sadism. It's a choice". Mason smiled smugly.

"Sadism? Don't you think that's a little exaggerated? It's just entertainment". He turned toward her.

"When you're as handsome as I am, every woman falls at your feet. I need greater stimulation if I'm not going to die of boredom". Xia looked at him with hatred.

"You're disgusting". Mason chuckled softly.

"Are you perhaps jealous that I've never made a move on you?" Xia did not even dignify him with a response. She turned and walked away. That evening, the two sat at the same table, but at opposite ends. They sat at opposite heads of the table, farther apart than ever before. Mason broke the silence.

"What did you do this afternoon? You stayed locked in your room the entire time". His voice was falsely calm.

"Studied".

"Studied what? You don't teach at the institute anymore". Xia raised her gaze.

"I'm staying with you because I need you to better understand my nature. But I cannot tolerate behavior like that". Mason scoffed.

"Still going on about this? You're so tiresome. I'm not going to change just because you consider my behavior immoral". Xia remained perfectly calm.

"Oh, I know". Mason stared at her.

"That's why I've already taken action". The man raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"I spent the afternoon studying a magical formula. And earlier, when I touched your shoulder, I applied the spell". Mason frowned.

"Wait…what? What the hell did you do?"

"It's more of a curse than a spell". Xia folded her hands in front of her.

"From now on, whenever you feel sexual desire toward someone, you will feel unbearable pain spreading through every fiber of your body". Mason remained silent for a few seconds. Then he laughed. But the laughter was clearly tense.

"You're joking, right?" Xia's expression did not change.

"Even if it were true…do you think I'm not accustomed to pain? Do you know how many fatal wounds I've suffered?"

"It is not a pain comparable to anything ordinary creatures know", Xia replied. Her voice was calm.

"It is something ancient. No suffering you have ever experienced even remotely approaches it". Mason stopped smiling.

"It is a pain beyond any torture". Xia looked him in the eyes.

"When you feel it…you'll understand". Mason abruptly stood up, slamming both fists onto the table.

"Damn you! How dare you?!" Xia remained impassive.

"Sit down. There's no need to make a drama out of it". Mason continued glaring at her furiously.

"You should actually thank me. This way, you'll avoid attracting unwanted attention". For several moments, neither of them spoke. Mason looked as though he were about to explode. Xia, on the other hand, remained perfectly calm. In the end, the man was forced to sit back down. Mason realized that Xia was no longer the frightened woman he had found in that dark alley. She was becoming something else.