Chapter 16 - First Blood

The night felt alive in ways Max had never experienced before. The world was sharper, more vibrant. The gentle rustling of leaves in the wind reached his ears with startling clarity, and the distant chirping of crickets seemed as if they were right next to him. His crimson eyes glowed faintly in the darkness, casting a dim, eerie light that reflected off the surrounding trees.

The ache in his throat had become unbearable, a fiery hunger clawing at his insides. He pressed a hand to his neck, his breathing shallow. 'This isn't going away. If I don't do something…' The thought trailed off, but the conclusion was obvious. His instincts screamed for sustenance, and he had no choice but to listen.

Max's ears twitched as a sound reached him—a faint rustling, followed by the low groan of an injured creature. His heightened senses locked onto it immediately, and before he realized what he was doing, his legs were moving.

The wind rushed past him as he sprinted, his feet barely touching the ground. The forest blurred around him, and it wasn't until he had covered several kilometers that he realized just how fast he was moving. He skidded to a halt, his crimson eyes widening.

'How am I doing this?' he thought, glancing down at his hands. His breathing was steady despite the distance he'd just covered. It was as if his body had become a finely tuned machine, built for speed and endurance.

But there was no time to dwell on the changes. The scent of blood hit him like a freight train, rich and intoxicating. He followed it through the dense undergrowth until he came upon the source.

The creature lay sprawled in a clearing, its breaths shallow and labored. It was unlike anything Max had seen before—a grotesque fusion of a bear and a wolf. Its massive frame was covered in shaggy fur, patches of which were matted with blood. Sharp claws extended from its oversized paws, and its elongated snout revealed jagged teeth meant for tearing flesh. One of its legs was bent at an unnatural angle, and a deep gash ran along its side, oozing dark blood.

Max's instincts roared to life, louder than ever. His vision seemed to narrow, focusing solely on the beast before him. The fiery hunger in his throat surged, driving him forward. Before he could stop himself, he pounced.

His movements were a blur. Claws burst from his fingertips, sharp and deadly, as he tore into the creature's flesh. The beast let out a feeble growl, but it was no match for Max's newfound strength and speed. His jaws ached as elongated fangs descended, and without hesitation, he sank them into the creature's neck.

*Gulp*Gulp*Gulp*

Warm, metallic blood flooded his mouth, and the hunger inside him howled in satisfaction. He drank deeply, the world around him fading into a haze. The creature's struggles weakened until it went limp beneath him, and still, Max didn't stop. He drained it completely, the once-vivid light in its eyes extinguished.

When he finally pulled away, his chest heaved with ragged breaths. He stumbled back, his hands trembling as he wiped the blood from his lips. The glowing crimson of his eyes pulsed rhythmically, and his senses felt heightened to an almost overwhelming degree.

"Aahhhhhhhhhhh"

'What have I done?' he thought, staring at the lifeless corpse before him. But as the initial shock wore off, a strange calm settled over him.

Max sat down heavily, his back resting against a tree. The fiery hunger was gone, replaced by a serene clarity. For the first time since waking in the forest, he felt at peace.

'So this is what I am now,' he thought, flexing his bloodstained fingers. 'A predator. A vampire. And you know what? That's fine. That`s so delightful.'

A faint smirk crossed his face as he looked at the corpse. 'The world's full of monsters. Why not be one of them?' He closed his eyes briefly, letting the night air cool his skin. He felt no guilt, no remorse for what he'd done. The creature had simply been a means to survive, and survival was all that mattered.

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The sound of distant voices broke his reverie. Max's eyes snapped open, his heightened senses zeroing in on the source. It was a group of people—at least five, judging by the footsteps and the cadence of their speech. They were still far off, but their approach was deliberate.

Max rose to his feet, his body tense. He crouched low, moving silently through the undergrowth as he approached the voices. His instincts told him to avoid them, but curiosity got the better of him. 'Who are they? And why are they here?'

Peering through the thick foliage, Max caught his first glimpse of the group. They were a mix of humans and beastfolk, their appearances as varied as their equipment. Some wore battered leather armor, while others had elaborate robes adorned with mystical symbols. One of the beastfolk, a towering figure with feline features, carried a massive warhammer slung across their back.

"This thing didn't go down easy," one of the humans said, kneeling beside a bloodstain on the ground. "Even injured, it managed to fight us off long enough to escape."

The feline beastfolk sniffed the air, his golden eyes narrowing. "It's close. Its scent is strong."

Another figure, a lithe woman with brown hair and glowing runes etched into her skin, stepped forward. "Then let's finish the job. We need that core intact for the mission."

Max's mind raced as he listened. 'They're after the creature's mana core. That must be why it was injured.' He glanced back at the lifeless beast, its body hidden in the shadows behind him. 'If they find it like this…'

He shifted his weight, careful not to make a sound. He needed to decide quickly: stay and observe, or retreat before they discovered him. The hunger might have been sated for now, but his instincts warned him that he wasn't out of danger yet.

The group moved closer, their voices growing louder. Max's grip tightened on the bark of the tree he hid behind. 'Alright. Let's see what happens next.'