Chapter 12: Blood in the Moonlight Part 3

The dim torchlight flickered along the damp cave walls, casting twisted shadows as Haru stood frozen, watching the impossible unfold before his eyes.

Aryan, the woman who had once tormented him, now writhed on the cold stone floor. Her body convulsed violently, her fingers clawing at her own skin as veins blackened beneath the surface.

A few steps away, Damon, the pale and menacing vampire fighter, smirked in amusement. His crimson eyes gleamed with cruel satisfaction.

"Such a waste of potential," he mused, standing over her. "But even a failure has its uses."

Aryan's breath hitched. Her nails elongated into razor-sharp claws, her lips curled back to reveal fangs that had no place in a human mouth.

Her once-tanned skin paled, a haunting transformation consuming her entirely. And then, her golden irises were swallowed by deep, bloody red.

Damon turned his gaze to Haru. "Let's see if your *precious conviction* holds up against the monster your former friend is becoming."

He took a step back, the air around him distorting as dark energy coiled around his form. With a whisper of unnatural wind, he vanished, leaving only an echo of laughter.

And then, Aryan screamed.

It was not a human sound. It was hunger, rage, pain—all twisted into a single, guttural cry.

Her head snapped up, eyes locking onto Haru with a bestial glare. She lunged.

Haru barely had time to react before the transformed Aryan was upon him. He threw himself backward, narrowly avoiding the slash of her claws.

The air split with the sound of her inhuman speed.

*Shit—she's fast!*

Before Aryan could strike again, a massive force collided with her. Shira, the Blue Oni warrior, intercepted, her sheer strength forcing Aryan back.

The Oni did not speak—she never did—but her glowing eyes burned with the silent message: *Stay behind me.*

Aryan rebounded effortlessly, flipping mid-air. She landed on all fours, lips curled into a feral snarl.

Gone was the arrogant, condescending woman who once mocked Haru. What stood before him now was a monster driven by bloodlust.

"Rhaelynn!" Haru shouted.

"On it!"

A sharp whistle cut through the air. Rhaelynn, the Centaur Archer, had already drawn her bowstring. Three arrows, infused with mana, shot toward Aryan.

Aryan twisted unnaturally, dodging the first two—but the third struck her shoulder. She staggered but barely flinched.

Instead, she *ripped the arrow out* as though it were a mere inconvenience.

Haru gritted his teeth. *Damn it. She's already regenerating.*

Aryan lunged again, but this time, Shira met her head-on. The Oni's massive fist collided with the vampire's body, sending Aryan skidding across the cavern floor.

She should have stayed down. But she didn't.

Aryan flipped back to her feet instantly, the wounds from Shira's strike already closing. She let out a guttural growl, her nails scraping against the stone as she circled them.

"She's not stopping," Rhaelynn muttered, already nocking another arrow. "We can't keep this up forever, Haru."

Haru clenched his fists. He knew. Aryan was different now. Killing her wouldn't be easy. And worse…

*I don't want to kill her.*

Despite everything she had done, despite how she once looked down on him, Haru saw something in her crazed eyes—something beyond the hunger. She was still fighting, struggling against whatever dark instincts Damon had forced into her.

For all her cruelty, Aryan had been human. And she had been turned into this *against her will.*

Haru took a deep breath, forcing himself to think. *We need to restrain her. But how?*

Shira dashed forward, her massive form blurring as she slammed into Aryan again, but the vampire was learning.

This time, she twisted mid-air, landing a powerful kick against the Oni's chest. Shira grunted but held her ground, her feet digging into the cave floor.

"Move!" Rhaelynn shouted.

Another set of arrows rained down, but Aryan was already gone, darting across the battlefield with unnatural speed. In the blink of an eye, she was behind Haru.

Cold breath touched his neck.

His instincts screamed.

Haru spun, barely managing to throw up his arm in time. Aryan's claws raked against his forearm instead of his throat. Pain seared through him as blood splattered onto the ground.

He staggered back.

Aryan snarled and lunged again.

*Dammit! I can't—*

Shira intercepted again, tackling Aryan with full force. The two crashed into a nearby rock formation, shattering it upon impact. Dust and debris filled the air.

Haru clutched his bleeding arm, gritting his teeth. He was running out of options.

They needed to stop her. *Now.*

As the dust settled, Aryan crouched low, breathing heavily. Her wounds still mended themselves, but her movements had become erratic.

Her body was *fighting itself*.

"She's resisting," Haru realized aloud.

Rhaelynn's ears twitched. "What?"

"She's not fully turned yet." Haru's eyes narrowed. "She's still in there. If she was fully a vampire, she would have killed me already."

Rhaelynn frowned. "Then what do we do? Restrain her?"

"No," Haru said, stepping forward. "I'm going to bond her."

Shira and Rhaelynn both turned to him in silent shock.

But Haru had already made his decision.

His **Lady Killer** ability had bonded him to powerful female warriors before—the Oni, the Centaur—but now, he would use it to *save* someone instead of simply recruiting them.

Haru stepped forward. "Aryan," he called.

The vampire's head snapped toward him, her blood-red eyes narrowing. She let out a guttural growl but didn't lunge this time.

"You don't have to listen to Damon," he said firmly. "You don't have to be his puppet."

Aryan's fangs bared. Her claws twitched. But she did not attack.

Haru took another step closer.

Shira and Rhaelynn tensed behind him, ready to react.

"You can fight it," Haru continued. "I know you can."

Aryan trembled. Her body shuddered violently as if two forces waged war within her. Her fingers curled into fists.

Then she *screamed*—a raw, pained sound.

Her eyes flickered—just for a second—from crimson back to their original golden hue.

The golden energy enveloped Aryan, a radiant contrast to the dark, bloodthirsty aura that had consumed her moments before.

She screamed, her body trembling violently, caught between the primal vampire instincts Damon had forced upon her and the overwhelming influence of Haru's **Lady Killer** ability.

Haru felt the bond solidifying—his system connecting to her very soul, pulling her away from the abyss.

**[Bonding in Progress…]**

Aryan's eyes flickered wildly between glowing crimson and her original golden hue, as if two forces battled for dominance within her. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her sharp nails digging into the stone floor as she fought against the pull of the vampire's hunger.

Haru knelt beside her, placing a steady hand on her shoulder. His grip was firm but not forceful, grounding her. "Aryan," he said, his voice calm but commanding. "Look at me."

She let out a guttural snarl, her fangs bared, but she didn't attack. Her entire body shuddered, her muscles tense.

"You're not his puppet," Haru continued. "Damon doesn't own you. You're *stronger* than this."

Her head snapped up, golden irises flickering through the red once more.

"I… I…" Aryan clutched her head, nails tearing through her own scalp.

Haru knew he had only a few seconds before she either succumbed completely to the bloodlust or broke free entirely.

He reached deep into his system.

If **Lady Killer** could influence female warriors… then surely it could bring Aryan back to herself.

He focused, channeling every bit of his will into the bond.

**[Would you like to use Lady Killer's Unique Effect: Charm?]**

**[YES]**

A pulse of warmth radiated from Haru's core, washing over Aryan like a tidal wave. The effect was instant.

Aryan gasped, her body going rigid. Her breath hitched as the overwhelming rage in her eyes softened, her muscles relaxing under his influence.

The darkness that had clouded her expression flickered, like shadows being banished by light.

She clutched at his arm, her sharp nails still digging into his skin, but her grip was weaker now—not from a lack of strength, but from hesitation.

"I…" Her voice was hoarse, as if she hadn't spoken in years. Her glowing red eyes locked onto Haru's, confusion battling against the primal hunger inside her. "What… did you do to me?"

Haru held her gaze. "I saved you."

Tears welled up in Aryan's eyes.

For the first time since her transformation, she looked *human*.

Aryan collapsed into Haru's arms, her body trembling. She was still cold to the touch, her skin pale, but the violent tremors wracking her frame had slowed.

Haru hesitated before gently wrapping his arms around her.

The woman who had once mocked him, the woman who had abandoned him in his weakest moment, was now clutching at him as though he were her last tether to reality.

"I thought I was gone," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"He was inside my head… I couldn't stop myself… I—" Her voice broke. "I almost *killed you*."

Haru exhaled slowly. He had no reason to forgive her, no reason to offer her comfort. And yet, as she buried her face into his chest, sobbing quietly, he realized he *didn't want* to hate her.

Not anymore.

"You're still here," he said simply. "That's what matters."

Aryan shuddered, her tears staining his shirt. "I don't deserve this," she muttered. "I don't deserve to live after—"

"That's not your choice anymore," Haru interrupted, his voice firm. "You're mine now."

Aryan looked up at him, startled.

Haru's system notification flared in his mind.

**[Bonding Successful.]**

**[Aryan is now your Familiar.]**

A sharp, tingling sensation shot through Haru's core, the final confirmation of their connection. Aryan had been fully bound to him—body, soul, and power.

She was *his* now.

And Damon… could no longer control her.

Shira and Rhaelynn, who had been standing back warily, finally stepped forward.

Rhaelynn kept her bow at the ready, though her expression had softened slightly. "So… she's *really* on our side now?"

Haru nodded. "She's mine now."

Aryan flinched at his words but didn't object.

Shira crossed her arms, her glowing eyes watching Aryan carefully, but she made no move to attack. The Oni warrior had always been silent, but her actions spoke louder than words—she would accept Aryan's presence if Haru did.

Aryan let out a shaky breath. "So, what now?" she asked, her voice still fragile but steadier than before. "Am I… your slave?"

Haru shook his head. "No. You're my *familiar*."

Aryan's golden eyes widened. "Familiar…?"

"You belong to me," Haru said simply. "But I'm not going to treat you like a prisoner."

Aryan clenched her fists. "Even after everything I did to you?"

Haru met her gaze evenly. "You were a bitch," he admitted. "But you didn't deserve what Damon did to you."

Aryan let out a soft, bitter laugh. "Heh… that's an understatement." She looked down at her hands, flexing her fingers experimentally.

"I can still feel it… the hunger. But it's not controlling me anymore." She glanced up at Haru. "Because of you."

Haru simply nodded.

For a long moment, Aryan was silent. Then, she exhaled deeply and straightened her posture.

"Fine," she said, her voice gaining back some of its former sharpness. "I'll fight for you. But not because I *have* to." She placed a hand on her chest, golden eyes burning with newfound resolve. "I owe you my life. I *won't* waste it."

Haru smirked. "Good answer."

A new system notification flashed before his eyes.

**[New Title Earned: The Tamer of the Crimson Assassin]**

**[Familiar Class Unlocked: Vampire Assassin – Aryan]**

Aryan's lips curled into a smirk of her own. "Vampire *Assassin*, huh? I like it."

Rhaelynn sighed, lowering her bow. "Great."

Shira simply gave a small nod of approval.

Haru turned to his growing group of powerful female warriors. His **Lady Killer** ability had given him yet another ally, and this time, it wasn't just about gaining strength.

It was about *saving* someone.

But deep down, he knew this was only the beginning.

Damon had vanished. But he wouldn't stay gone forever.

And the Scorpio Guild was still out there.

Haru clenched his fists.