I wasn't sure what woke me, but the hand nding on my shoulder caused whatever confusion to quickly dissipate as I was turned. I kept my eyes shut like I was still asleep as I felt the person shift and I moved instinctively, still the knife sliced along my cheek as it was buried into my pillow.

  A small fsh of light illuminated the room as one of my daggers appeared in my hand right before I buried it in the assassin's armpit, I felt a warm gush of blood as another fsh of light revealed a surprised look on the assassin's face right before my other knife sliced through his throat as I exploded forward as I shoved the dying man off me.

  I noted that aside from waking Yuki, no one else was in the room as I jumped onto the man and buried my daggers into the assassin's eyes, the man convulsed once before going still. "Do you recognize him?" I demanded as I listened for any other intruders.

  The Japanese woman scrambled across the bed as I focused on listening, "No, but I think he is one of the survivors of House Shawn." Yuki replied in a soft tone. It was faint, but I could hear movement in other pces around the house and while assassins were here, I didn't want Yuki exposed.

  I grabbed her and carried her to the oversized closet, "Stay here, stay as quiet as you can. When the house is secure, I will come for you." I told her before I handed her one of my knives. She stared at it for a few moments in silence before taking it, "Please stay safe Yuki." I told her before I closed the door and retrieved the knife the assassin had stabbed into my pillow.

  Unlike my bdes, the other man's knife was double-edged and slightly longer, I didn't like picking up a new weapon in the middle of a fight, but it was better to have it than not.

  SpoilerFine Steel Long Knife Weapon TypeSmall Bde; KnifeWeapon CssCommonBase Damage5 - 15Damage TypePiercing/Sshing Durability: 75/75

  [colpse]I dismissed the information as I made my way down the hallway, checking rooms as I went for any intruders. I only found empty guest bedrooms, closets, and the entertainment room. I didn't find anyone until I hit Adriana's room, the Brazilin was in a growing pool of blood and someone had cut her throat.

  Thankfully whoever had done the job, had left her alive. I sheathed one of my knives, thankfully my education before my Integration was well-rounded, I cut my hand and let the blood pool in it before I poured it into the open wound. It wasn't instantaneous but I saw the trickle of blood welling up dwindle before the cut began to close as I shoved the st of my blood into her mouth before making sure Adriana's mouth was closed forcing her to drink my blood.

  Unlike movies and books, consuming the blood of a Vampire would not make you a Vampire, it would however increase a person's innate ability to heal from wounds near a Vampire's level while also leaving them vulnerable to the Vampire Virus. More importantly, since Adriana had gone through the Integration and Awakening she wouldn't be affected by the Mana in my blood or tent viral agents in it.

  I counted slowly as I listened for the intruders, but from what I could tell they were downstairs at the moment. When I hit thirty, Adriana jerked awake but froze as I loomed over her and I held a finger to my mouth, "Assassins are in the house, I gave you some of my blood to help you heal. Are you good to fight or do you need to rest and recover?" I whispered in her ear.

  Adriana nodded her head slightly, "Let's go! Is Yuki safe?" I nodded my head as I got off her bed, the Tiger-Kin followed me as she shifted completely into her inhuman form and her sword appeared in her hands.

  "Yes, I left her in my closet, hidden as best I could," I told her as I checked the hallway before exiting the room. Adriana padded along beside me, somehow the Tiger-Kin was making less noise than me despite being bigger in her transformed state. I made a mental note to ask her about that as we checked the st of the rooms on the second floor before making our way down the backstairs to the ground floor.

  As we emerged near the kitchen, the voices carried to us. I didn't recognize the voice, but Adriana stiffened beside me, and she took a step forward before my restraining hand stopped her. She mouthed one word 'Tabitha' to me, I nodded my head and peeked around the corner as I listened more intently.

  "Who sent you? You managed to kill three of my people before we subdued you!" the woman, I assumed was Tabitha demanded as she questioned someone I didn't expect to see again.

  The Middle Eastern woman from the Pit smiled up at Tabitha, "Lady Bell sends her regards!" the woman's response caused Tabitha to step back.

  I gnced towards Adriana and pointed to Tabitha's sole companion; the Tiger-Kin nodded her head while I clenched my fist as it began to glow again. I whistled as I stepped out, catching the intruder's attention as I focused on my spell and thrust my hand toward Tabitha. Her eyes bulged and she began to duck down as the phantom hand suddenly appeared and smmed into her sending the slight woman flying as Adriana rushed the other intruder.

  I rushed forward on the heels of Adriana; the csh of their weapons soon filled the house as I rushed toward the recovering Tabitha. The bck woman gred at me and sent a kick my way, I easily cleared it as I drove my knives towards her chest. The bck Vampire shrieked in defiance and managed to grab my wrists stopping me from impaling her, "Stupid boy!" Tabitha spat as she thrust my arms wide and I felt her grip tighten as she started to crush my wrists.

  I smiled down at her and drove my forehead into her face, I felt a satisfying crunch as her nose broke blood sprayed the air and Tabitha shrieked in surprise and pain as she released my wrists reflexively before shoving me away. I flew across the floor; I turned it into a roll as I regained my feet before rushing her again.

  Tabitha's captive was rolling out of the way as the Matriarch snarled as she met my charge, while she wasn't skilled at fighting Tabitha had a good instinctive handle on it and had some Levels on me. "You are not strong or fast enough to kill me!" the woman baited me. I saw a fsh of metal just before she buried a small knife into my stomach, I grunted as I did my best to ignore the pain as I suddenly jumped and kicked out, it sent her flying away from me as I flew backward.

  The bde was ripped from my guts taking another quarter of my Health as I smmed into the ground while Tabitha grunted as she was smmed into the cabinets. Despite just being kicked across the room, Tabitha was up in moments licking the knife that had just been buried in my guts, "You taste wonderful, perhaps I will drain you dry, a better death than some ways." I flinched, I hoped it came across as fear and not the mad idea that just came to me.

  I got to my feet, "I am not sure I want my dick anywhere near you Tabitha, from my understanding, you spread your legs for anyone who shakes a dick at you." I wiggled one of my knives at her as she gred at me.

  My comment pissed her off, "Why would I want some small, limp dick, anywhere near me? I did my research, and you clearly couldn't please your wife!" my world went dark, next thing I knew I was across the room and Tabitha was on the ground as blood dripped from my knives.

  Based on the amount of blood and intestines I could see as well as my near-empty Mana gauge, I had gutted her before I had used up all of my Mana with Blood Surge. I lifted my foot and brought it down on her head as she screamed, while I contempted following my original thought or killing her outright. I heard a scream, that was abruptly cut off before a roar filled the air as I assumed Adriana had succeeded in killing her opponent.

  "Are you going to kill her or not? She could provide good intel if you let her live." I looked over to see the former captive had freed herself.

  I grimaced, "That is a good question." I told her as I looked down at Tabitha, the woman was healing but was still crippled for the moment. I handed the long knife to my temporary ally, "Hold this, if she resists, kill her!" I told her as I sat down and pulled Tabitha into my p.

  I promptly slit my wrist and forced it against Tabitha's mouth, "Drink or die!" I told her as I yanked her head slightly to the side I felt her begin to feed from me before I bit into her neck as I held her firmly against me. Tabitha's moans of pain soon turned to something else as the exchange of blood continued until what I hoped would happen did.

  <<< System Notice >>> You have forged a Sire Bond with Tabitha Shawn, a Level 7 Adventurer. Those that you Sire either by Turning or by Blood Transference are bound by the following... --- Sired cannot lie to you.--- Sired must obey your direct commands.--- Sired cannot harm you through inaction or direct action without suffering debilitating injuries.--- The effects of Blood Dominion are magnified upon those you have Sire. <<< System Notice >>>Tabitha convulsed and stopped feeding from my wrist, which allowed the wound to seal up. I had to consciously stop feeding as there were too many questions for her at the moment. "We are clear, for the moment. What did you do with here?" Adriana demanded as she pointed to the now comatose Tabitha.

  I shook my head, "I forged a Sire Bond with her, we need answers about the attack on the Pit and who created all the Enhanced. Where is the security team that was supposed to be guarding the house?" I demanded. Then I turned my focus to the former captive, "Who are you?" the question earned me a slight smile.

  "Marcus pulled them to help search for her!" Adriana quickly reported while I waited expectantly for the other woman to respond.

  She bowed slightly, "Lord Bck, I am Levia Kedar, and I am sure you know Lady Daniel Bell sent me to keep an eye on you once you informed her of the assassination attempt, good thing I was here." Levia stated as she leaned against the isnd counter.

  I stared at her in silence for a few moments before giving her a grudging nod, "Do we have somepce secure to keep her?" I asked Adriana as she shifted back into her more Human form.

  The Tiger-Kin nodded, "You have a basement, it has a couple of secure rooms we can use." Adriana reported.

  I nodded and grabbed the comatose Vampire, "Drop her in one of the rooms, I am going to call Marcus and let him know we captured Tabitha. I want her alive, for now." I told the Tiger-Kin before I turned my focus towards Levia.

  The woman was looking back at me, but I knew she was probably one of the most dangerous people here, "Call your patron, let her know we are secure for now and I would appreciate it if you stayed around for the foreseeable future. You can stay if you want, we have plenty of space." I told her as I headed for the stairs to let Yuki know we were ok and the house was secure.