6. A Hunger Unlike Any Other

The hunger came slowly at first.

His stomach felt empty. His throat felt dry.

Ethan thought it was just normal hunger. Maybe his body was changing. Maybe he just needed food. Real food.

But then it got worse.

The empty feeling became sharp. It felt strange. It felt wild.

It was not hunger for food. It was not thirst for water.

It was something deeper. Something darker.

It scratched at his body. It pulled at him. It screamed inside him.

His hands shook. He breathed faster. His throat felt like fire.

And then—

He smelled it.

Warm. Thick. Sweet.

Blood.

Ethan gasped. He fell back. His back hit the cold steel of the cabinets. His body became still. His nose followed the smell. His whole body woke up fast.

His heart beat hard. His muscles got tight.

No.

This was wrong.

He did not want it.

"User is entering Blood Starvation"

The voice spoke inside his head. It sounded cold. It did not care.

"Hunger will get worse until blood is consumed"

Ethan held his throat. He could not breathe right. The burning got worse. It moved through his chest. It moved through his arms. It reached his stomach. It felt like claws inside him.

And then—

His body started to move.

He did not want to move.

He did not choose to move.

His feet walked forward. Slow and stiff. Like a puppet. His fingers moved. His muscles pulled.

He could not stop.

He made a soft sound. His legs walked him to the morgue door. His mind shouted for him to stop. To turn around.

But the hunger was stronger.

It pushed him.

He walked through the dark hallway. His bare feet were quiet on the floor. The smell of blood pulled him forward.

And then he saw it.

A small hurt animal lay on the floor. A stray cat.

It was bleeding. A deep cut on its side. Blood came from its fur.

The smell hit Ethan hard.

His eyes blurred. His heartbeat was loud. His fingers twitched. He felt a strong need.

"Target acquired"

No.

No no no.

He breathed fast. He tried to go back. He tried to look away.

But his body did not listen.

His hands moved. His legs took another step.

The cat looked up. Its eyes were tired. It tried to move. But it fell again.

It could not run.

Just like he could not run before.

Ethan made a sad sound. His hands shook. He did not want to do this.

"User must consume blood to survive"

The voice spoke again. It felt nothing.

"Resisting will start system override"

Another wave of hunger hit him. It was sharp. It was strong.

His knees dropped. His eyes got dark on the sides.

He was so thirsty. So hungry. So empty.

His body cried out for blood.

His fingers moved. His fangs got longer. His mouth opened—

No.

He shut his eyes. He tried to stop his body. His chest went up and down. His breath was rough.

He would not do this.

He would not.

His nails cut into his skin. He tried to fight the hunger. But his body begged him to stop fighting.

"Override activated"

A shock hit his head.

Ethan screamed.

His body locked. His back bent. His muscles shook.

The hunger won.

His body jumped forward.

His fangs went into the cat.

Hot blood filled his mouth.

Warm. Sweet. Perfect.

A deep sound came from his mouth. It was part moan. Part growl. His hands held the soft fur. His body shook. The fire in his chest went away. The hunger turned into something good.

It felt too good.

It was scary.

His mind cried far away. It was soft. It was fading.

But his body did not care.

It drank.

And drank.

And drank.

The cat's heart slowed. Its body stopped moving.

Ethan gasped. He pulled away. His back hit the wall. His chest moved fast. His hands shook.

His lips—

They were red with blood.

His throat—

It did not burn anymore.

The hunger—

Gone.

The cat did not move.

It was dead.

Ethan stopped breathing. His stomach felt sick.

He killed it.

A loud cry came from him. He sat on the floor. His arms hugged his legs. His hands grabbed his hair.

He just—

He had—

He put his head on his knees. His body shook.

Tears ran down his face. They mixed with the blood on his lips.

This was not him.

This was not who he was.

He was not a monster.

But the truth was there.

The dead cat.

The blood on his hands.

The voice in his head.

"Feeding successful"

"Vital signs restored"

"User has finished first stage of transformation"

"Congratulations"

Ethan let out a laugh. It was sharp. It was empty.

Congratulations.

Like he had won a prize.

Like this was a game.

Like he was not sitting in blood. Shaking from what he had done.

His fingers grabbed the floor. His eyes were full of tears.

He died.

He came back.

And now. He was not human.

He was a monster.

He was a predator.

He was a vampire.

He looked up. His eyes were dark. His chest felt heavy.

There was no going back.

This was what he was now.

And the hunger…

It would come again.