92. Vampires don't wear clothes (Patreon)
Content
The room was silent, and nobody dared to make a sound; despite their usual boldness, even the Thornvlad twins remained tight-lipped.
Damien felt smaller and smaller under his sister's judgmental gaze. She crossed her legs and inspected her nails one by one. After the silence had become awkward, she spoke while studying her hand. "Why?"
Damien frowned, "Why what?"
Her scarlet eyes met his, "Why do you wish to kill this Prince? The only possible reason I can fathom is that you feel insulted? But he hardly did anything to you... apart from denying you a job in a human city and sending a few assassins, he didn't do much?"
Damien opened his mouth, but no words came out. So instead, he stood there for a while impatiently tapping his foot. Why did he wish to kill the Prince in the first place? It certainly wasn't a pride thing, more an obligation? For his safety?
Eventually, he answered in a small voice, unsure of himself, "The Prince will turn the entire Kassinki capital into a kingdom of the undead-"
"So?" Vanity ruthlessly cut him off, "That's a human problem; we don't meddle in human affairs."
"But he plans to use the undead army to invade the vampires..."
Vanity had a face-splitting grin, "Perfect! I hated that place anyway..." She then tightly hugged Fay, sitting beside her and traced a finger across her abs, "Who needs those vampires when we can make a new colony! We have a baby-maker right here!" Her face then lit up as if she had a fantastic idea, "Do you have any other wives I haven't met?"
Damien's mind went blank. What the hell is she saying?
Fay pouted in Vanity's embrace, "He doesn't need any other wives..."
Damien knew one thing and one thing only. He needed to run away right now. So, he spun on his heel and headed for the door, "I need to clear my thoughts... I will be right back. Fay, look after them for me and get them some clothes while I'm out!"
Jackson practically stumbled after him, "Mate, let me come too! Vanity is giving me a look as if she will devour me! I don't want to have children with that demon! Help!"
Damien saw Jackson's pleading face and couldn't say no to his childhood friend. "Alright, follow me." The two nodded, and a silent bro code was initiated.
***
Damien and Jackson walked side by side through the streets of Blackthorn. The midday sun beat down their necks as people of various races rushed about. The need for walkways had diminished with the new grey stone roads and drainage system, but the residents enjoyed using them for convenience and as places to enjoy lunch. Many residents laughed as their legs dangled off the walkways and enjoyed a well-earned break.
"It's so unfair that you can walk under the sun." The bundle of cloaks sluggishly walking beside him mumbled, "Even with all these layers, I'm only at a tenth of my strength; I can hardly walk."
Damien ignored Jackson's protests as he took in the sights. His mind was wandering as he recalled the conversation with his sister. 'When I first came to this world, I was alone and weak. The only crutch I could lean on was my knowledge of future events. With that in mind, it was reasonable that I didn't wish to change the future and follow the path I already knew... back then, I still thought like a human and had human worries.'
This realisation hit him like a truck. He had blindly followed his original plan of defeating the Prince since the beginning, but why? 'I planned to live in Kassinki and hide in the University or Mage Tower to survive the Vampire assassination. But that event has now passed. So what other reason do I have to care for Kassinki?'
Initially, Damien had felt like someone who knew a tsunami was coming, and he was responsible for warning everyone. But with Vanity by his side, he now had something even more frightening than a tsunami, and he no longer cared for the people in Kassinki. Or did he?
'Although I am mostly Vampire now, I still have some human... needs. So, if I fully follow Vanity's thought process, I will spend the rest of my immortal days in a cave somewhere, slowly repopulating the vampire race with my blood queens.' Damien shuddered at the thought. He had experienced life as a Human on Earth; there was no way he could become a cave dweller. He needed clothes, entertainment and other needs. The classic vampire way of life has none of these.
'So my plan remains the same, but with a different motive behind it and with Vanity's help, I can move up the schedule and increase the land I plan to rule over. Kassinki first... then Oshal?'
Damien turned to the bundle of clothes that was his fellow Vampire and put his arm around his shoulders, "Come, Jackson, I'll show you how great civilised life can be! Maybe we can even buy you some more fitting clothes?"
Jackson shrugged, "Anything to stay away from that sister of yours."
***
Meanwhile, in the castle's dressing room, ten fearful maids alongside Fay attempted to get the two Vampires to wear clothes.
Vanity was reasonable, but due to her short stature, none of Fay's clothes fit her, so she waited for some adjusted clothes to arrive.
"Lily, how about this beautiful scarlet gown? It matches your hair~" Fay waved a dress above the naked Vampire.
Lily was lying on the floor, and her glazed-over eyes were staring at the ceiling. "Clothes. Are. Stupid." She slowly raised a hand and tried swatting the dress away from her face. "Begone vile thing!"
Fay was starting to understand how reasonable Damien was compared to his kin, and she was beginning to worry that once night came, they would raid the town or something.
Fay shook her head and went over to her makeup desk. She stood before the mirror, and Vanity came to stand beside her. Their bodies were practically the complete opposite of each other. Fay was tall, her raven black hair tickled her butt, and her proportions were well developed.
Meanwhile, Vanity was petite in every aspect, and Fay was tempted to hug her as one would a little sister. Her white hair was shoulder-length, and some fell over her eyes.
They both looked almost human if not for their glowing scarlet eyes that were unique to Vampires.
Fay put her chin on Vanity's head and linked her arms around her chest, "You don't plan to steal Damien from me, do you? I heard some unsavoury things about how vampires keep their population up..."
Vanity grinned and displayed her shark-like fangs, "Us Noble Vampires are unable to mate with regular Vampires, and the different houses refuse to cross breed and sully their bloodlines... so the only option left is usually incest." Vanity put her arms up and pulled on Fay's ears, "The only other option is Blood Queens, and it seems Damien has found a perfect match..."
Fay was bashful at Vanity's words, "So you won't chase my husband?"
Vanity shrugged, "Maybe, maybe not. As Vampires, we are immortal creatures, so it's ridiculous to make promises like that. My only wish is to continue the Nightshade bloodline, and if you cannot, then I will do it myself."
A voice came from the corner of the room, "I don't mind mixing bloodlines..."
The pair stared at Lily, lying on the floor, and both shook their heads.
Vanity sneered at Lily as if she was a bug on her shoe, "Absolutely not; I won't allow my brother to mate with devil spawn."
Fay nodded in agreement, "Damien won't even look at you if you can't even wear clothes..."
Lily rolled her head to the side, fiery red hair falling over her face, "Really? Would he really look at me if I wore clothes?"
Fay realised she had slipped up. She didn't want Damien to look at this lazy girl, but she also wanted her to wear some clothes, so... "Yes. But you two are both so lazy. Is this a Vampire thing?"
Lily pointed accusingly at the window, "I'm actually using all my strength to stay awake right now."
Fay realised the Vampire was soaked in sunlight, "Damien is fine under the sun, though?" Fay then patted Vanity on the head, "And look, Vanity is standing fine..."
Lily snarled, "Of course, those two are fine; they have immunity to the sun god's wrath!"
Vanity nodded under Fay's hand, "Mhm, as descendants of an angel, we have resistance to the sun. I can walk under it but can't use any of my abilities. Damien is the Daywalker, so he is completely immune." Vanity then pointed an accusing finger at the naked Vampire lying on the floor, "This is why we don't want to mix our bloodlines, it's not only a pride thing, but each Noble Vampire House has different specialities that contradict each other. If Damien had a child with Lily, then the Thornvlad's immense weakness to sunlight would counter Damien's immunity to sunlight."
Fay nodded in understanding. She was finally learning more about the Vampires; none of this information was in the books she had read in the past. But wait... "What about me then?"
Vanity took a step back and analysed Fay for a while.
"If I had to guess..." As she walked around Fay, she commented, "Your children would be tall, have black and white hair, beautiful facial features and be immune to the sun. An excellent set of genetics if I do say so myself."
Lily chimed in from the floor, "So they would be a league above House Destrym. Their features are average, and they have no special abilities to mention..."
"House Destrym?" Fay questioned, "Who are they?"
Vanity dismissively waved her hand, "Descendants of Kazimir and a human. They have brown hair, are short for Vampires and are completely worthless. Their only saving grace is their large number, as they seem to have higher fertility rates. But, unfortunately, the Vampire gene is more potent, so they didn't inherit any good traits like sunlight immunity."
Fay was about to ask more questions, but the door opened, and Damien strolled in. He wore a black suit and shoes, and his hands were covered in white gloves. His scarlet eyes surveyed the room, and he frowned. "None of you are dressed? It's been hours."
"None of these clothes fit me; I'm too short." Vanity replied with her arms across her chest, "Did you come to a decision?"
Damien's frown vanished, and he nodded towards his sister, "I have. The path before me is now clear because of your advice. But first." He stepped aside and let Jackson enter.
Lily watched in interest as her Brother walked in wearing the same clothes as Damien, except he also had a black hooded cloak and a white mask. "Sister! I can walk around outside in the sun because of these clothes!"
Lily gawked, "No way-" She then mumbled to herself, "Walk under the sun? Maybe clothes aren't so stupid?"
Damien stepped up, "Allow me to introduce you to civilisation's advantages and my sales pitch for taking over the peninsula and ruling over the mortals."