Blood Awakening: The Strongest Hybrid and His Vampire Bride

Chapter 372: The Quiet That Follows

The ceiling was too quiet. No council to deal with. No looming threats to think about. Just the low creak of a wooden chair and the soft rhythm of breath—one, calm, feminine breath.

The bed was warm, which meant someone had stayed.

He didnʼt move right away. Breathing hurt. Everything felt tight—chest, ribs, neck, like his body hadnʼt unclenched since the fight.

There was a chair beside him. Someone shifted in it. Quiet.

”Youʼre awake,” Lunaria said.

Her voice wasnʼt surprised or worried, just soft as if she already knew heʼd wake up right about now.

Nikolai opened his eyes while gazing at the beauty beside him. She sat with both hands in her lap with a straight back and gently curling her lips into a faint smile.. She looked calm, unmoving and relieved.

”How long?” he asked.

”Half a day.”

He went to sit up, but she reached forward and pressed two fingers to his sternum. Not hard, but firm enough to keep him where he was.

”Donʼt. Youʼre still bleeding under the bandages.”

He grunted and relaxed back against the pillow.

”You stayed.”

She didnʼt answer that.

There was a knock. The door opened a second later, without waiting.

Risa stepped in, eyes dragging over the room like she owned it. She didnʼt even look at Lunaria.

”Well, shit,” she said. ”Still breathing.”

He looked at her, healthy, annoyed, arms crossed like she was ready to throw a boot.

”You look like you got eaten and spit back out. Like a hairball.”

”Youʼre the second person to tell me that.”

”Then it must be true.”

She walked across the room, didnʼt ask to sit, just pulled over a chair with the leg scraping against the floor and dropped into it. Legs crossed, relaxed. Her eyes flicked toward Lunaria, then back to him.

”You planning to explain why you let some old bastard turn your face into mashed meat? Or should I just strip and make you feel good?”

”I had my reasons.”

”Yeah? You gonna share those with the women carrying your kids, or are we supposed to just clap quietly from the sidelines next time?”

He exhaled through his nose. ”Youʼre not even showing yet.”

”Iʼm still allowed to yell.”

He didnʼt reply, but found this different side of Risa quite appealing and closed his eyes.

Risa leaned forward, elbows on her knees.

”Kumikoʼs pretending sheʼs fine. Nikitaʼs been in a horrible state, but Nagisa said thatʼs because sheʼll give birth soon, and Selene has barely said three words all day. Meanwhile, youʼre lying here and enjoying Lunaʼs soft hands. You know how that looks?”

”Like Iʼm recovering.”

”Like you donʼt care.”

”Of course I care... There are just—”

”Save it!”

Lunaria glanced toward Risa, lips pressing into a faint line.

Risa caught it.

”What? He bleeds, you sit here and nurse his bruises? Thatʼs sweet. But the rest of us arenʼt able to take things so easily after becoming his wives—everyone is watching us, our movements, actions and what we do. All of the bastards are looking for a weakness to use against the man we love!”

Nikolai looked at her. ”Youʼre angry.”

”No shit,” she said. ”You couldʼve died. And for what? Strategy? Who cares if he was loyal to your grandfather? Kill the fucker, and crush the Nosferatu bastards... Haah... haaa...”

The way Risa became so angry, she lost her breath, was like a hammer hitting his head—he wallowed in his self-pity and humiliation, but even the women who supported him felt the same.

To protect him, they were trying their best too.

”Thank you, Risa... what would I do without you girls?”

She stood up.

”Iʼm telling Nikita youʼre breathing. Sheʼll want to see you for herself. So until youʼre strong enough to swing something, just stay by her side. No more hero stunts. If you fight, kill; if you defend, take no damage; if you run, escape without harm!”

Risa paused at the door, then glanced back.

”And you,” she said to Lunaria, voice low but sharp, ”you... thank you for taking care of him. Iʼm not angry at you, sorry. It wasnʼt fair of me to shout at you too... but if you want to become one of us, you should make your move.”

She left without waiting for a reply.

Lunaria didnʼt respond. But this time, she didnʼt look away either, and her head almost seemed to subtly nod, agreeing with Risa.

The door clicked shut.

For a while, nothing moved. The silence didnʼt feel as heavy as before—just a little warmer. A little strange.

Lunaria stood slowly, walked to the window, then stopped. She didnʼt look at him right away.

”You okay?” he asked.

She nodded. ”Yeah. It was just… a lot.”

He pushed himself up with a quiet grunt. She turned sharply.

”Youʼre still bleeding,” she said.

”Iʼm always bleeding.”

She didnʼt laugh, but her eyes narrowed—just a little. The old her mightʼve growled at that.

Lunaria stepped back to the side of the bed and knelt, reaching to check the bandage on his side. Her hands were careful. Slower than usual.

”Youʼre not going to scold me like Risa did?” he asked.

”No,” she said. ”Iʼm not angry. Not really.”

Her fingers paused over the gauze.

”Iʼm jealous.”

That made him raise a brow.

”Of?”

She exhaled through her nose.

”Her. All of them. They get to yell. Fight. Sleep with you. Carry your children. Iʼm still... here. Just sitting.”

”You stayed with me.”

”I know. But I want more than that.”

Nikolaiʼs eyes widened. He knew that she held feelings for him, but events kept piling up before they could speak.

There it was. Not shouted. Not even firm. Just plain.

He watched her for a while as she lowered her head slightly, but her eyes were locked on his chest—on the bruises, the blood.

”Then take it,” he said.

Lunaria looked up.

He leaned in slightly—not far, not fast, just enough to make her heart skip, if it was going to.

”Youʼre not the quiet type,” he said. ”Not really. I remember what you were before.”

She flushed. ”Youʼre saying Iʼm pretending?”

”Iʼm saying youʼre holding back. And you donʼt need to.”

Lunaria shifted her knees against the floor. ”If I take more... I might not stop.”

He smiled faintly. ”Then I guess Iʼll have to handle you when that time comes.”

Nikolai watched her quietly, but he felt this was best, rather than hold it in... he wanted the people around them to be honest, speak up and avoid hiding their feelings.

She didnʼt smile back. Not at first. But her hand slid forward slowly until it covered his.

Warm.

Awkward.

Possessive.

”I think… you should go see Nikita,” she said quietly.

He blinked.

”Sheʼs waiting,” Lunaria added. ”And… I know Iʼm not her. Or Selene. Or Risa. But if Iʼm going to be one of them…”

Her grip on his hand tightened.

”I donʼt want to become a problem or issue for you, but a place you come to rest and recover.”

”I want to walk you to her.”

He didnʼt argue.

He let her hold it.

Let her lead.

The hallway was quiet, but not empty.

Servants moved like shadows, pausing only briefly when they saw him, then turning away like they hadnʼt. One or two glanced at Lunaria. No one said anything, but he could feel it in the air.

Whispers would start before the hour ended.

Lunaria didnʼt let go of his hand.

She walked beside him, her steps measured, not shy. The way she held his hand wasnʼt gentle—it was firm, as if she was telling the estate itself that he wasnʼt alone. She didnʼt speak, and neither did he.

It was enough for their first step.

They reached Nikitaʼs door.

Lunaria gave his hand one last squeeze before letting go. ”Be careful,” she said, though there was no danger. It wasnʼt a warning.

It was a reminder: Donʼt mess this up.

Nikolai knocked once, lightly.

Nothing.

He pushed the door open.

Warm sunlight beamed through the tall window, and the air faintly smelled like a sweet, floral tea or something like it.

And there, by the window, sat Nikita.

With her legs crossed on the cushioned bench, she flicked her tail behind her. A blanket covered Nikitaʼs lap, along with various balls of yarn rolling at her side. Her fingers moved rapidly, in slow rhythm, as her hands looped it with a pair of needles.

She was… knitting.

He stared.

Her short hair was slightly mussed. A loose hoodie hung off one shoulder, and her wolf ears twitched as she focused. She looked calm. Feminine. Way too small for that bench, but completely settled.

”Youʼre staring,” she said, eyes not leaving the yarn.

”I didnʼt expect this.”

”Well~ I needed something to do... Donʼt stay there. Come in, shut the door.”

Nikolai couldnʼt help but shrug and stepped closer to her, locked the door, and curiously looked at her work.

”You know how to knit?”

”I learned a few weeks ago,” she said. ”Iʼm terrible at it.”

He stepped closer. The closer he got, the stranger it felt. This wasnʼt the Nikita who threw knives and threatened nobles with a smile. This was… different. Unique.

”Youʼve been reckless again...”

He glanced down. The edge of his bandage had soaked a little. He hadnʼt even noticed.

”Yeah.”

”You should sit down.”

He did.

Nikita kept knitting. One of her ears twitched again. She still hadnʼt looked at him properly.

”You didnʼt say anything after the council,” he said.

”No.”

”Youʼre not mad?”

”I am. But not the same way Risa is.”

She finally looked up.

”Iʼm mad because you didnʼt consult me... not because you got hurt. I get it. Youʼre planning something bigger. You always are. But have you forgotten who stood beside you from the moment you became one of us?”

He said nothing.

She watched him for a beat longer.

”You stink.”

”I just got out of bed.”

”You smell like Lunaria.”

He almost laughed.

She smirked. Then went back to knitting.

”Letʼs bathe together when Iʼm done, I need someone to help me wash properly with this stomach.”

Though swollen, her stomach wasnʼt huge, but he didnʼt mention that. Nikolai knew better.

”Youʼre shorter than I remember,” he said.

”Maybe youʼre taller than you should be.”

He sat back and watched her needles clack together again.

For once, the silence wasnʼt heavy.

It was… comfortable.