Across the multiverse, there were Vampire Hunters. Not adventurers looking for coin. Not mercenaries chasing bounties. These were zealots whose entire purpose in life revolved around one mission: destroy every vampire in existence. Most were tied to the churches of various gods, carrying divine mandates like badges of honor.

  “Vampires are one of the most hated races in the entire multiverse. Because of the Vampiric Hunger, they can’t coexist in human societies. People have tried, and it has always ended in disaster. Picture a city with fifty thousand inhabitants, half human and half vampire. You can probably imagine how quickly that goes wrong. The moment a single vampire loses control? Chaos. And no human wants to be the only mortal on a street full of neighbors who could snap at any moment. If one of those vampires feels their rationality slipping or fears the Hunger will kill them, that human becomes dinner.”

  The letter went on, mercilessly blunt.

  “That endless appetite is the curse that destroyed any chance of peaceful coexistence. Millennia of wars and catastrophes. Eventually, Vampire Hunters emerged, whose entire mission is to wipe the race out. And these people are unhinged. Fanatics with divine backing. And well, gods exist, as you know. Imagine gods giving a mission like that to zealots. A perfect recipe for madness. Now imagine those same religious fanatics receiving a divine mandate and being able to level up in the system? That’s why Vampire Hunters are the arch-enemies of vampires across the entire multiverse.”

  It was a lot to take in. First, Charlie would have to worry about the other four vampire lineages, ancient clans locked in eternal war who would kill her on sight if they discovered her bloodline. And on top of that, there were the Hunters.

  But Samael’s warning continued, and the next part was even worse.

  “Once Charlie’s secret spreads, she will attract all the wrong kinds of attention. Hostility, fear, and immediately, attempts on her life. Vampire Hunter organizations have full authorization from the World Government, as well as every earthly government, to kill vampires, regardless of identity or circumstance.”

  Luke had been confused at first. Why had every institution in his universe instantly agreed on such an extreme measure? Why wasn’t there some hypocritical diplomatic speech, something like: Join our faction, and we’ll protect you? No. It was always: Kill the vampire.

  The explanation came right after.

  “The noble vampire families caused their own persecution. Millions of years ago, they infiltrated human societies by turning influential leaders into vampires. If a king becomes a vampire, the family that turned him gains control of an entire kingdom. Turn the right officials, the right nobles, the right generals, and a whole nation bends to your will. Newly turned vampires tend to be loyal to their bloodline, terrified of being hunted, desperate to protect their new family. That loyalty helped spark coups, puppet governments, and cascading disasters. Your universe is fresh, newly integrated into the multiverse, still crawling on shaky legs. It’s the perfect target for a vampire family to infiltrate and seize power. That’s why the order is absolute: if they discover Charlie is a vampire, she will be killed. Unless, of course… you become powerful enough to destroy anyone who comes for you.”

  In short, it didn’t matter the faction or ideology. Vampires were considered untrustworthy by default, a ticking time bomb. Let one vampire settle and build a family, and you could find yourself harboring a future conqueror in your backyard.

  Zero tolerance wasn’t just policy. It was survival.

  ***

  Luke and Charlie were standing in line for the bus. A few people gave them odd looks, probably because of their clothes. Wearing medieval style outfits from the New World in the middle of Maine wasn’t exactly subtle.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “When we get into town, I’ll buy us normal clothes,” he reassured her.

  But Charlie seemed far more cautious than the situation required.

  “Master Luke,” she whispered directly into his ear. “Are you sure it’s safe to go inside that thing? It won’t… digest us?”

  She genuinely thought a bus was some kind of large transport animal.

  “Don’t worry, Charlie. It’s safe. A bus is like a carriage that moves without horses.”

  Fortunately, she already had some basic conceptual framework from their talks. They had spent hours going through her memories, trying to piece together what happened before he found her inside that coffin. Charlie said she didn’t remember much. One day, she simply regained consciousness and realized she was trapped there.

  They boarded the bus and took a seat. He placed her by the window so she could look outside.

  “Charlie…” he began. He’d been avoiding this question for a while.

  She turned to him, attentive as always.

  “Why… did you accept becoming my servant?” he finally asked.

  Back then, he hadn’t known servitude required consent.

  “If it was just because you wanted to escape that coffin, I don’t mind. Whatever the reason, we became good friends, and we’ve helped each other survive this far.”

  She didn’t answer. Instead, she rested her head on his shoulder.

  “I wanted to die back then, Master Luke.” Her voice came out small, trembling. “I didn’t have much awareness… part of me wanted to live, and part of me wanted everything to end. I was caught between the two. When you reached for me, I thought I could repay you somehow, even if only for a few more hours. A trade. And then I’d be gone.”

  The weight of that hit him hard, sharpening every memory of their earliest days together in that dungeon.

  “And that’s what happened, Master Luke,” she continued softly. “I helped you because you freed me… but little by little, being with you tipped the balance toward wanting to live.”

  She lifted her head, meeting his eyes. “So the same way I helped you, you helped me.”

  Luke gently stroked her hair. “Charlie, that’s… deeper than I expected. I’m glad you changed your mind. Because I don’t want you to die.”

  She smiled. “I’ll never leave you, Master Luke.”

  Charlie relaxed again against his shoulder, her body settling into him with quiet trust.

  At least now a massive weight had lifted from him. He’d always feared he was somehow forcing her into servitude, enslaving her without realizing it. Hearing it from her own mouth erased that doubt.

  There was still the marriage issue, though. And he had absolutely no idea how to fix that one.

  “I have no intention of abandoning you, Charlie,” he added.

  She looked up at him with wide, gentle eyes. “Master Luke, even if you did… I wouldn’t let you.” Her gaze shifted, losing focus for a heartbeat, her voice dipping into something deeper. “I would never let you leave, Master Luke. You’re mine forever.”

  …Huh?

  ***

  Jonathan stared at Hanged Man, the old figure sitting on the throne like some crumbling relic.

  “You spoke about your mission, Jonathan… what a shame you failed to finish your revenge. Truly unfortunate.”

  “Cut the act. Stop coughing and pretending you’re some decrepit old man. If you’re a god, you shouldn’t look this weak and pathetic.”

  The old man’s expression hardened. “Oh, Johnny Boy, you really want to see my other face?” His smile stretched, and the next words came out smooth, free of rasp or weakness. The voice had changed. Colder. More dangerous.

  A low laugh rolled out of him as his body began to twist. Bones cracked in a sickening rhythm, joints popped, and the frail frame straightened as he rose from the throne.

  Fear crawled up Jonathan’s spine as he watched the transformation unfold. He staggered backward, breath caught in his throat.

  The figure grew, shadows pooling around him. His skin darkened to a molten black streaked with pulsing red, like veins of lava beneath scales. Horns curved from a face that no longer resembled anything human.

  Only one thought echoed in Jonathan’s mind: Devil.

  The creature towered over him now, wings folding into a cloak of living darkness, heat radiating off its monstrous form.

  “Is this appearance acceptable to you, Jonathan?” the creature rumbled, its voice echoing with a depth that shook the air.

  https://discord.gg/znGSjCxhkR