Blood Awakening: The Strongest Hybrid and His Vampire Bride

Chapter 398: The Maze of Everen

”I really wanted to enjoy that nice dress for longer...”

”Well this isn’t too bad.”

Amphitrite and Lunaria appeared wearing a skintight bodysuit, with hair tied up in neat bunneled ponytails, making them look like special agents.

Amphitrite’s bodysuit had blue accents while Lunaria’s had white.

Nikolai wore the same black combat outfit he wore during training or visiting the dungeon, several pockets, a similar feel and look to the Lycra bodysuits that clung to the beautiful woman’s every curve.

’Oh... it seems Amphitrite has more of a cameltoe than Luna...’

Nikolai couldn’t help but notice such things when they were wearing such outfits. He had already removed his tuxedo jacket, rolling up the white shirt’s sleeves. The girls covered their chests with a simple yet elegant cardigan, made of a water-resistant and light-absorbing material.

’Ah... Luna’s nipples are bigger...’

They were probably the largest of all his wives, not in length but in width, while Amphitrite’s were cute.

He didn’t care which was better, but the difference was striking.

However, now wasn’t the time for such thoughts.

Nikolai just saved that information in his mind, ready to sneak into the building.

He closed his eyes.

”Well... are you ready?”

Amphitrite held a small suitcase, opening it with a click. A silver gun gleamed inside. Lunaria grabbed the weapon and pressed it into her hands. She was getting better at shooting and keeping her hands steady under pressure. Since the SSS started developing anti-werewolf and monster bullets, the usage of guns increased with the maids’ training, and all of Nikolai’s Lunas in the morning.

The silver revolver wasn’t weak; it was classified as a mid-tier magnum.

With an eight-inch barrel and six custom .44 magnum calibre bullets, each round was enhanced using werewolf blood for additional damage to non-humans.

Lunaria held it firmly, flicking her wrist to snap it open and check if everything was working as it should be.

Amphitrite’s revolver was black, with a small butterfly on the grip; this was the custom revolver of Nikolai’s Luna. he didn’t even learn about it until Kumiko showed him the invoice and specs the night before the mission.

It was the same length and calibre but had a few differences. Amphitrite loaded it quickly, using a loader, closing the chamber and spinning it before snapping it shut.

”All good.”

”I’m ready too darling.”

The height of the wall wasn’t small, but with the tools and their enhanced figures, a few dozen metres was nothing. Climbing on the wall with soft and careful movements, Lunaria held Amphitrite while Nikolai went first. He looked down at his phone for the map and the location of the basement.

’Why is it such a maze?’

”Because it wasn’t built at once, originally the family only used the base floor and built down, it wasn’t until the humans spread and the policy changed that they started building this grand mansion.”

Amphitritre hung off the wall beside him, a cheeky smile on her lips as she looked triumphant.

”You forgot to add the reason,” Lunaria’s soft breathing came from Nikolai’s left as she continued. ”Back then, they needed to hide their feeding habbits,dragging humans through the complicated maze, tricked the inquisitors and the early SSS.”

”Exactly...” Amphitrite nodded. The moon illuminated her scales and made Nikolai wonder why she looked so bewitching even without makeup.

”Kai? What are you looking at?”

”Something beautiful.”

Lunaria’s cheeks puffed out when she noticed that it was Amphitrite and not her he complimented, turning away as she climbed faster.

***

The mansion’s interior was dimly lit, with the scent of damp stone and mildew hanging thickly in the air. Unlike the lower levels where visitors were permitted, this place felt more fitting for a monster. The stone walls looked unchanged from a thousand years before, with the chains and cells remaining from the age of darkness.

Nikolai’s boots echoed softly, the girls’ footsteps barely audible on the worn stone floor.

”It’s disgusting...” Lunaria’s voice traveelled along the corridor, causing the trio to freeze for a moment, if there were guardians onn this floor then everything would be fucked.

No sound or alarm reached them.

The three moved quickly.

”Kai.”

”Yes?”

Amphitrite stopped before a cell door, her hand resting on its ancient metal surface. ”Do you think they suffered?”

”Who?”

The pair spoke in hushed voices, while Lunaria carefully listened, her wolf ears fluttering each time she heard details, ”to think this family had a hand in the massacre of mermaids...”

”I’m sorry. I realise it’s a dark topic... and not suited to the moment” Amphitrite looked at Nikolai’s stoic expression, and her heart wrenched a little. She thought time had long eroded these feelings from the past... and she was showing such a pathetic side.

Nikolai’s hand gripped her shoulders. ”Don’t apologise, once we get out I’ll listen to anything you want to share, so for now... let’s focus.” He pressed his forehead to hers. Her breath caught when she felt his warmth.

”I promise.”

***

The stairs descended into the depths, and Lunaria stood alone, staring down the winding stone steps that spiralled deeper and darker with each turn. She looked back, knowing the other two would probably take some time...

’It seems that the easy ride is over...’

In the depths of the staircase, the low breathing of werewolves reverberated, the guardians of the Everen family probably waiting for something to happen.

She pulled her gun from its holster, gripping it tightly, the silver gleaming coldly in the dim light. In her other hand, there was a small silver dagger, a fatal metal to those who lacked the royal bloodline, like Nikolai and her.

Lunaria listened, hearing the faint shift of bodies hidden in shadows, the subtle scrape of claws on stone. With silent steps, she approached, thanks to her genetics, the base of her feet was padded with soft skin that damped the sound of her steps by a considerable amount.

Her eyes narrowed, focusing through the gloom.

The shadows shifted again, and the first werewolf relaxed against the wall, looking down at a wooden set of chess pieces on an old table. Its claws were more extended than knives. She moved like a phantom, slipping between the pillars and cells that lined the hallway, the gun aimed, but not firing.

The situation was more complicated than a simple firefight would allow.

’Kai, please be careful...’

***

Amphitritie and Nikolai stood before a large, wooden door.

”This should be the place.”

Nikolai touched the cold handle of the door, listening to the silence from within. A faint scent lingered in the air, a mixture of something metallic and sour... but it was gone before he could identify it.

He turned the handle carefully.

The door opened soundlessly on well-oiled hinges. Behind them, the stone walls cast deep shadows, making their surroundings feel like an underground labyrinth, lit up only by the old lanterns, which used special stones to glow.

”Was it alright to split u with Luna?”

”...I don’t know.” Nikolai didn’t plan to, but once they discovered that their targets could be in two completely different locations. Luna offered to head to the closest location.

They were both worried for her safety. While Nikolai knew she had some protection, thanks to her intensive training and unique heritage, he didn’t wish to see her hurt; it was his weakness...

”I know what you’re thinking.”

Amphitrite’s fingers entangled themselves with his, a reassuring grip between the two, but in reality, she was giving him her spare blade. ”I know you hate using weapons, but this fight might just need it... can you hear them in the distance?”

Nikolai took the knife, unlike the two women who wielded powerful revolvers; Nikolai only took a simple customised handgun with an extended magazine. The bullets might be silver, but they weren’t special or able to cause instant damage to a non-human.

He looked at the door, wondering what was inside.

”...”

There was a strange silence, then a tapping... claws scraping the ground maybe?

Beside him, Amphitrite already gripped her revolver with a serious expression. After hearing about what happened to the mermaids here, Nikolai realised she might just lose control, as she had in the past. ’I have to keep my focus.’

Nikolai pressed his ear to the door, listening closely, hearing movement beyond its surface. His hand tightened around his pistol, the weight strangely felt familiar and comfortable in his grip, and the scent of oil and steel mingled with the faint smells of the room.

’Blood... lots of blood.’

”...”

The pair looked at each other, waiting for the sound to back away, moving further.... no indication that they were being discovered. Amphitrite leaned close, placing her cheek on Nikolai’s arm as she waited for him to count down.

’3...’

Nikolai pressed his finger down in her palm.

’2...’

Amphitrite took a deep breath.

’1’

Nikolai pushed open the door.

At the exact moment, in the distance, reverberating through the long hall was the sound of a revolver firing rapidly.