chapter 39

Chapter 39:

– Puriel –

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

"Whack! Whack! Thump!"

A couple more exorcists had tried to intercept them, but were quickly dealt with by Valerie. Non-lethaly thankfully. 

Valerie glanced at Puriel while licking some of the blood off her knuckles. "Your brother moves fast. I can barely catch Asia's scent anymore. Are there any back exits or hidden passageways around here?"

"He's no brother of mine!" She spat…

"Sorry," Valerie winced. 

Puriel did as well. Her savior did not deserve that kind of attitude. Puriel's gaze swept over the unconscious exorcists. "I have no doubt the walls are on complete lockdown after your discovery so soon after a devil snuck in. The catacombs are beneath us and there's a hidden entrance nearby. They secretly lead out of the city from underground. He might escape through one of those routes. We need to hurry."

"Let's go then!" Valerie said and took off again. 

Darn, she was fast! Puriel felt her wings strain as she rushed through the Vatican's corridors, chasing after the vampire who had saved her life. 

The memories of Dubbiel's betrayal were fresh in her mind. She remembered the sudden pain in her stomach when he drove that spear of light into her. She remembered lying on the floor, gasping for breath, and feeling her grace slip away. She also remembered the moment the vampire, Valerie, knelt beside her and healed her with the blood from the Sephiroth Graal.

Puriel did not understand how a vampire possessed the Holy Grail. The Grail belonged to a lineage of sacred gear wielders chosen by the Lord. It was not something that simply bonded with any stray creature of the night…

Her wings flapped hard as she turned a sharp corner. She heard voices in the distance and recognized the loud clamor of exorcists who were still searching for the intruder–and herself, now that it looked like she was turning traitor from their perspectives... 

Puriel halted at the end of the hallway, her eyes widening at the shattered stone wall in front of her. It had been violently torn open, revealing a dark passageway that descended into the ancient catacombs beneath the Vatican. 

If it wasn't a sin, she would've cursed out loud.

Dubbiel was really trying to sneak out after all he'd done. She felt her blood boiling, fists clenching at her sides. He had betrayed their family, kidnapped a saintess, and nearly killed her. There was no chance she'd let him escape so easily.

Valerie brushed past her without hesitation, stepping into the darkness as if it posed no issue at all.

"Wait," Puriel called, quickly following after the vampire. She jumped down through the broken opening, landing softly on her feet next to Valerie. The pitch-black darkness immediately swallowed them both.

Puriel instinctively reached forward and grabbed a handful of Valerie's shredded shirt, pulling her closer.

Valerie chuckled quietly. "What's the matter, angel? Afraid of the dark?"

"Unlike you, vampire, I can't see down here," Puriel snapped in annoyance. A small blush crept onto her face. Most angels could easily see in darkness by flooding their eyes with divine grace, but Puriel wasn't strong enough to maintain it for very long. Her two wings were proof enough of that limitation.

"Relax. I'm only half a vampire, actually," Valerie corrected lightly as she guided Puriel deeper into the shadows. "Half-human, half-vampire. A Dhampir."

"Oh." Puriel blinked, momentarily distracted from her irritation. That explained a lot. Only humans—or at least partial humans—could possess a Sacred Gear. The Sephiroth Graal in Valerie's soul meant she wasn't fully a vampire after all. 

Somehow, knowing that made Puriel feel slightly better about their unusual partnership.

Valerie moved slowly but confidently ahead, leading Puriel further into the maze-like catacombs. The air grew colder and damp, and the oppressive silence felt heavy around them.

"I think we're catching up," Valerie whispered after a moment. "Dubbiel's just a two-winged angel like you, right? He probably can't see too well down here either."

Puriel narrowed her eyes, picturing her brother stumbling blindly through these dark tunnels. "No, he won't see any better than me."

"Unless he brought a flashlight," Valerie joked dryly.

Puriel pursed her lips into a slight pout, feeling slightly defensive. "Angels generally don't use human technology. It feels…beneath us."

Valerie snorted softly, sounding amused. "Well, that's kinda dumb. Good for us, though." She reached into her back pocket, pulled out a cell phone, and tapped the screen. A bright flashlight instantly illuminated the dark passage, making Puriel squint and recoil slightly.

"Here," Valerie said, turning to hand the phone to Puriel. "Just try not to break it, please."

Puriel hesitated briefly before accepting the device, embarrassment heating her cheeks. She'd just mocked technology, yet now relied on it for help. "Thank you," she muttered softly, swallowing her pride.

She pointed the flashlight beam toward the stone floor ahead—and immediately froze. Her entire body tensed, and she nearly screamed when a large rat calmly scurried across their path.

"Oh! Oh no—" Puriel squeaked, clutching Valerie's shirt tighter as she stumbled backward a step.

Valerie burst out laughing. She quickly placed a comforting hand on Puriel's trembling shoulder, a playful smirk on her lips. "Seriously? A rat?"

Puriel shivered involuntarily, feeling humiliated. "I…I'm not used to earthly vermin."

Valerie shook her head, still grinning. "You know, for an angel who's probably seen all kinds of supernatural creatures, you're surprisingly jumpy."

Puriel scowled softly, trying to regain her composure. "I'm not jumpy. I just dislike rodents."

"Sure." Valerie patted her shoulder once more before gently pulling Puriel forward again.

– Valerie –

The catacombs smelled terrible—like mold, dampness, and decay. Rats scurried across my feet every few steps, and old bones littered the ground. Every breath I took pulled more of that awful stench deep into my lungs, but I didn't have much of a choice. I had to keep breathing it in if I wanted to track Asia's scent.

I glanced behind me at Puriel, who looked thoroughly uncomfortable. She stepped carefully, wings pressed close against her body. 

I shook my head, refocusing. Why was I doing all this for a girl I'd just met?

Honestly, it was because Asia had genuinely asked me to be her friend. I didn't exactly have many of those. And then I felt like the two of us really connected.

Sure, I could have embraced that darker side—could've spun around, slammed Puriel against the wall, and drained her dry. But the thought made my stomach turn. I refused to become that kind of monster. Not ever.

Suddenly, faint voices echoed ahead of us. Asia's frightened voice cut clearly through the darkness.

"Please, just let me go!" she begged, sounding desperate. "I promise I won't run. Just...stop pulling me so hard!"

"Shut your mouth!" the male angel snapped harshly, clearly frustrated. "How am I supposed to find a way out with your constant whining?"

I paused, blinking in surprise. I hadn't actually considered that Dubbiel would get himself lost. It made sense, though—the guy could barely see down here, and Asia's panicked chatter probably wasn't helping.

A sudden rush of urgency filled me. We had to move faster. Without thinking, I reached behind me and grabbed Puriel's hand, pulling her swiftly forward.

"W-Whoa!" Puriel stumbled, letting out an adorable squeak. Despite tripping over her own feet, she held tightly to my hand. "Warn me next time!"

"No time," I said, picking up speed. I didn't even have a chance to appreciate just how soft the pretty blonde angel's hand was before we stumbled into a wide-open chamber deep beneath the Vatican. It was dark, musty, and smelled strongly of mold. I quickly bit my thumb, letting blood well up before casting a spell.

"Lumos!"

A glowing sphere of light flew upward and stuck to the ceiling, illuminating the entire room. 

The others needed it—I could see just fine without—but Asia's eyes widened immediately as she spotted me. "Valerie!" Asia called out, visibly relieved. "You came to save me!"

"Of course I did!" I shouted back, grinning at her warmly. "I promised we'd be friends, didn't I?"

Standing beside her, Dubbiel turned sharply toward us, his face twisted with fury and disbelief. "How are you still alive, Puriel?" he spat, eyes narrowing dangerously. "I killed you!"

Puriel visibly recoiled beside me, squeezing my hand tightly as she absorbed his venomous words. Hurt flashed across her delicate features, mixed with confusion and anger. Her voice trembled as she finally spoke. "Why, Dubbiel?" she asked softly, pain clear in her tone. "How could you betray me? Betray Heaven itself? Why haven't you fallen yet after all you've done?"

Her questions hung heavily in the air, and for a brief moment, Dubbiel looked thoughtful, almost regretful. But it lasted only a second before he tilted his head back and burst into mocking laughter.

"Betray?" Dubbiel sneered, shaking his head bitterly. "It was Heaven that betrayed me first! I never asked to be born into endless slaughter. Do you have any idea what that war with the devils and fallen angels was really like? Two-winged angels like us were nothing but fodder. Millions of our brothers and sisters died around me, Puriel! And what did our Father do? He just kept creating more angels to throw into that endless massacre!" He paused, eyes filled with hatred as he stared directly at Puriel. "The reason I can't fall is simple," Dubbiel growled. "I never believed in Heaven's system from the start."

It sounded like he was spewing pure bullshit, honestly—but then again, I knew nothing about how Heaven worked. Maybe there was some truth there, maybe there wasn't. Either way, it didn't matter. He wasn't leaving with Asia!

Asia gasped softly next to him, looking up with wide, horrified eyes. "How…how can you say such terrible things, especially as an angel?"

Dubbiel's face twisted in rage, and he raised his hand as if to strike her.

"Accio Asia!" I shouted immediately, seizing the opportunity and using the last drops of blood on my hand.

Asia squeaked in surprise as she was yanked through the musty air and directly into my waiting arms. She landed softly against me, trembling but safe.

"You okay?" I asked gently, wrapping an arm protectively around her shoulders.

She nodded shakily, clinging to my torn shirt. "Thank you…"

Dubbiel lowered his hand slowly, his eyes blazing with anger. He clenched his fists and stepped toward us, voice rising into a furious shout. "No! I already failed my mission once—I refuse to return empty-handed! Hand over the saintess, or I swear I'll kill you both!"

I smirked defiantly, holding Asia tighter against me. "You already tried to kill Puriel once and failed miserably. You're clearly not as good as you think you are, asshole."

"Language…" Puriel murmured behind me, sounding faintly embarrassed to be doing so despite the tense situation.

Dubbiel snarled viciously, summoning a bright spear of golden light into his hand. 

Woah, that looked pretty cool…

He pulled his arm back, readying himself, before hurling the spear straight at my chest.

"Valerie, watch out!" Puriel shouted urgently.

My dhampir instincts didn't scream at me to dodge, though. Instead, I planted my feet firmly, reached out confidently, and caught the spear of holy light just inches before it could pierce me.

Dubbiel's jaw fell open in absolute shock. "Impossible! Why aren't you burning? My holy light should incinerate a filthy monster like you!"

"Fuck you—that's why," I said, smirking confidently as I spun the spear expertly in my grip before hurling it right back at him.

For someone who bragged about surviving a thousand-year war, Dubbiel was embarrassingly slow. He barely moved before his own spear buried itself deep into his gut, piercing through flesh and fabric with a sharp, wet sound.

He staggered backward, eyes wide with disbelief and pain, golden blood spilling freely from his wound. His wings fluttered weakly as he fell onto one knee, gasping.

The scent of fresh angelic blood hit me, rich and enticing. It'd been almost agonizing to resist Puriel's blood earlier, but with Dubbiel, I felt zero hesitation.

"Damn you…" he wheezed, clutching at the spear's shaft desperately. "This…cannot…be happening!" Dubbiel lay on the ground, too badly wounded to move.

I narrowed my eyes coldly, stepping forward while keeping Asia safely behind me. "Oh, it's happening. Maybe next time you'll think twice about kidnapping nuns and stabbing your sister in the back." I slowly approached him, savoring the moment as I reached down and grabbed the side of his head, tilting it roughly to expose his throat. 

He was a bastard who deserved everything coming his way.

"W-what are you doing, monster?" he rasped weakly, eyes filled with panic.

"Shut up," I said softly, baring my fangs. "You owe me for all the trouble you caused."

I plunged my fangs into his neck without a second thought. The moment his blood touched my tongue, I gasped in shock. It was like nothing I'd ever tasted before—utterly intoxicating. The warmth flooded through my body instantly, pleasure building rapidly inside me.

Holy shit. This was amazing!

I shivered uncontrollably, unable to hold back a soft, blissful moan as I drank deeply. Dubbiel struggled beneath me, thrashing weakly, but I barely noticed. Each mouthful of that heavenly blood sent waves of intense pleasure rippling through my entire body, heat pooling low in my belly. My legs shook, my breathing grew ragged, and to my embarrassment—but also deep satisfaction—I felt my nipples hardening beneath my torn shirt, my whole body responding eagerly to the incredible taste.

"Oh my god..." I paused and murmured softly, barely able to stop myself from completely losing control!

I kept drinking until the very last drop was gone, savoring the divine taste until Dubbiel's lifeless body slumped heavily to the floor. Pulling back slowly, I licked my lips, savoring the lingering sweetness as my breathing gradually steadied.

A strange warmth spread across my upper back, and for a second, I wondered what was happening—but I quickly dismissed it, still buzzing with pleasure.

Puriel approached hesitantly, her beautiful blue eyes wide with concern. "Valerie…are you alright?" She stepped closer, gently placing her hand on my arm. "Thank you for stopping Dubbiel, I—"

Her words abruptly cut off as I moved without thinking, grabbing her waist and pulling her into a fierce kiss. Her mouth opened in surprise, and I immediately took advantage, deepening the kiss as I pressed my body firmly against hers.

Puriel squeaked softly into my mouth, stunned and stiff for just a moment. But soon she relaxed in my embrace, melting against me as her lips eagerly returned the kiss. I tightened my arms around her slender frame, our tongues tangling passionately, the heat between us intensifying rapidly. Her delicate fingers found their way into my hair, gripping it gently as she gave herself fully into the kiss.

Time disappeared entirely until a startled, flustered voice reminded us we weren't alone.

"Awawawawa…"

We broke apart breathlessly, glancing sideways to see Asia standing nearby, bright red with embarrassment, eyes wide in shock. She quickly covered her face with her hands, peeking at us nervously between her fingers.

"Oh! Um…s-sorry! Please pretend I'm not here!" she stammered shyly.

Puriel looked up at me with glossy eyes, her cheeks flushed pink. "Valerie, w-what was that about?" she asked softly, still slightly dazed.

I gave her a sheepish smile, licking my lips again. "Sorry about that… I got a bit carried away. Angel blood is…was pretty intense."

Puriel blinked, then smiled shyly, looking away. "It's…alright. Just warn me next time, please?"

I chuckled softly, gently brushing some golden hair out of her face. "Next time, huh?"

Puriel blushed deeper…

Just then, my ears picked up a faint cracking sound from somewhere above us. Dust started to fall down and my eyes widened. My body reacted instantly! I lunged forward, grabbing both Puriel and Asia tightly around their waists.

"Hold on!" I shouted, pulling them sharply to the far side of the catacomb wall.

A heartbeat later, the ceiling crashed down violently, sending piles of rock, dirt, and shattered tiles raining onto the spot we'd just been standing. Dust clouded the air, and Dubbiel's lifeless body vanished beneath the rubble.

"I found you, sinner!" a harsh, familiar voice bellowed from above. Father Alexander Anderson landed heavily atop the debris pile, gripping two massive bayonets and staring me down with vengeance blazing in his eyes.

I let out a frustrated sigh. "Seriously? How the hell did you even find us down here? We're at least twenty feet underground. Even my senses aren't that sharp!"

Anderson ignored me completely, his sharp gaze shifting immediately to Asia, concern etched on his hardened face. "Asia, don't worry. I'm here to save you from this vile vampire." His eyes narrowed dangerously as he scanned the area. "Where's the angel who rescued you earlier? Did this damned creature kill him?"

Asia hesitated, clearly nervous and flustered. "W-Well, no! I mean, yes, she did, but—he was actually a bad guy and—"

Anderson cut her off abruptly, launching both bayonets directly toward me with shocking speed.

"Valerie!" Puriel shouted in warning, her voice filled with panic.

Before I even consciously moved, I felt something powerful flap behind me, propelling me swiftly to the side. I narrowly dodged both blades as they embedded deep into the stone wall behind us.

"Holy shit!" I gasped, breathing heavily. I moved really fast just then! How? Confused, I glanced over my shoulder and froze, my eyes widening in shock. "I…I have wings?" 

Two massive, leathery black wings stretched proudly from my back. They looked incredible—sleek, dark, and undeniably badass. That explained why my upper back had felt so hot earlier.

Anderson's eyes went wide with disbelief. "What devilry is this? You have the wings of a demon now!?"

Puriel stepped forward protectively, placing herself between Anderson and me. "Father Anderson, please! Valerie saved my life and Asia's! She's not your enemy!"

He growled, shaking his head violently. "You've been deceived, holy angel! She's a creature of darkness. The Devil vampire walks among us!"

"Hey, I resent that!" I snapped back, stretching my new wings experimentally. "These wings are brand-new, okay? And I'm definitely not a devil—just a dhampir."

"Stand back. Let me slay this monster once and for all!"

Before I could even form another retort, a soft but commanding voice echoed from the hole above us. 

"No one is getting slain today," she said calmly, "at least not until I understand exactly what's happening here."

My gaze lifted toward the gaping hole Anderson had created in the ceiling. From it descended a woman—an angel more breathtakingly beautiful than anyone I'd ever seen in both my lives…

She moved gracefully, her twelve pristine white wings spread wide as she landed gently beside Father Anderson. Her hair was golden, long, and flawless, and her gentle expression radiated kindness and warmth despite the situation. I'd thought Puriel was incredibly beautiful, but this woman was something else entirely. She seemed absolutely perfect, flawless in every possible way. 

I felt my heartbeat quicken slightly just from looking at her.

Next to me, Puriel gasped, stepping forward excitedly. "Sister Gabriel! You're here!?"

Anderson immediately dropped to one knee, bowing his head respectfully. "Archangel Gabriel," he murmured, reverence clear in his voice.

XXX

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Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters on there:

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