The first thing Aletha felt when she had awakened was a smooth surface.
It wasn't the welcoming texture of grass, air, or even smooth stone.
The texture felt more fleshy and sweet, matching the feeling of…
(GASP)
Aletha was instantly rendered helpless as she felt the smoothness rub and press against her shoulder.
She prayed it was only a dream...
(What…)
When she pushed her eyelids to open, she saw two brilliant, rounded ruby eyes fixedly staring at Aletha.
"What the?!--"
Aletha's dismayed visage was reflected in the pink, flaming glare emanating from the stranger's pupils. Not to let go, the mysterious girl held Aletha's shoulder still and connected a weird purple luminance toward her. As the strands of dust parted away from the departing light, the strange girl whispered.
"Lovely, Powerful, and Beautiful. Your soul tastes so sweet."
Aletha shivered and coughed in astonishment, trying to force the pink luminance out to the ground while pushing the girl in front of her away. Never would she have thought she would awaken to something as bizarre as this. Her face was glowing red, and she stammered as she touched her lips.
"What? W… Why…? Huh?!"
The stranger licked her lips and chortled, fidgeting with her soft pink hair and smiling.
"You feel so soft, it's no wonder my magic wanted you.~"
While she stared at Aletha with adoration and interest, her two fangs swiftly grew out.
"Not a drop of blood is inside of you. How cute.~" She whispered with a deep tone.
When Aletha saw the girl, her heart began to race.
She hastily moved back, but as she did so, she hit her head on a tree and lost her balance, freezing once again in shock.
The strange girl grinned and giggled, creeping over to Aletha, her fangs shimmering in the night.
She had dazzling crimson eyes, smooth and soft rosy skin, and long, dangly, curly, strawberry-blonde hair. The girl was dressed in a stunning pink dress that reached her feet, her head adorned with a charming flower crown, and she was surrounded by the invigorating scent of blossoms, which permeated every inch of her radiant beauty.
Although she had a face as delicate and pointed as a flower, her actions were as icy, thick, and unsettling as a savage beast. The girl leaned forward and stuck her two fangs out toward Aletha's exposed shoulder, piercing through and digging for any blood. Her eyes were scrunched shut, pulling her fangs away, and smiling. She murmured to her as the rays of moonlight streamed behind the drifting clouds.
"What a plentiful taste.~ Although bloodless, your essence tastes heavenly and beautiful."
Aletha trembled in shock, hastily jumping up and screaming with a steamy, hot face.
"D… Did you... What did you do to me!?"
The girl slowly shook her head and giggled.
"Ho ho ho, oh, please! If you consider that a hug, then I guess you are clueless as to what we vampires do."
Aletha stopped for a moment. Then, she jumped up and shrieked.
"Huh? Who are you? What's your name?!"
The girl answered casually and smoothly.
"I'm Rinnea, The Princess of Obrus and Vampires. You may have seen me in that ceremony the other day. I can't believe you all fell for my fake attitude."
Aletha's eyes widened, remembering the ceremony. She quickly leaned over and asked.
"Wait, so you're saying that all of what you said was fake?"
Rinnea nodded.
"Mhmm. That ceremony served as a lure for the monsters, which were effective at gathering people from around the world. They should have known better than it was a hoax, but oh, so it turned out to be... that pleasure can blind intelligence." She sassily perked her hips and stared her crimson eyes at the S mark engraved on Aletha's face.
"When I awakened here and saw you four, I was curious as to what you have to offer. But then I realized… that you didn't have any blood. So I led you here."
A distraught look came from Aletha's face.
"S... So you're saying that all of that was a hoax?"
Rinnea scratched her head and nodded.
"Indeed. The ceremony was all a lie, a hoax, just like the delusion of the happiness-run economy in Linuxinia. Seriously, how could people in this world be so gullible? Say, I think you should run now."
Just before Aletha could go away, Rinnea quickly clutched her wrist and neared closer to her neck, whispering with a sick grin.
"Goodness, you're so gullible, too. Who cares?" Her crimson eyes sparkled with awe as she gazed at the moonlight shining on Aletha. Quickly, Rinnea complimented.
"Wow, you look so infectiously gorgeous with your long white hair, and especially your clothes. I have never seen such attire so revealing before."
Without consent, Rinnea rubbed the girl's sides and examined the tight fabric of her clothes, noticing the star pattern scattered about the blackish-brown top. Aletha froze, still, hoping not to get hurt by Rinnea. Luckily, all she wanted to do was examine her attire. After twelve uncomfortable seconds, Rinnea backed up from Aletha and complimented her.
"Your body is perfect! Gee, I wish I had such a spectacular shape as yours! You got everything right. From the bottom to the top! Your parents must have great genes."
Aletha scratched her head nervously, remembering the appearance of her parents. Although it was nothing but a blur, Aletha always remembered being complimented on her beauty by the people of her home world and the other worlds she had traveled to with her brother in the past. She looked down at the ground and smiled anxiously.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that. All I remember is that my mother and father were wonderful. My mother — everything about her, including her voice — was perfect; she had the ideal body for a Goddess. Her hair was the brightest in the family; her attire was so revealing and unique that everyone wanted to emulate her. Her beauty was so radiant that it drew the world to her. And it seems... I got her genes."
Rinnea's heart thumped at the image she imagined of Aletha's mother, then imagined what Aletha would look like if she had grown more.
"Ho ho, you're gonna be one gorgeous woman when you grow up if that's the case. Wait, is your father attractive too?"
Aletha's face flushed, starting to grow uncomfortable about this discussion. But she still answered anyway...
"Ha, y-yeah, my father had long, vibrant white hair, clear skin, and overall, was great. Do you want to know more?"
Rinnea hastily nodded.
"Yes. Yes, please."
Aletha rolled her thumbs and replied.
"O... Okay. My father's eyes were heterogeneous, meaning they were of different colors. That touch of the color of amethyst in his right eye was what made him stand out."
Rinnea's crimson eyes widened in both shock and disappointment.
"Wait, no.. Oh my goodness... are you still innocent?!"
Aletha raised her eyebrows.
"W-What do you mean?"
"N... Nothing." (Goodness, with such an appearance like that, I figured that she would know about it by now.)
After the extremely uncomfortable and meaningless discussion, Rinnea offered.
"Say, since you are bloodless and all, how about I offer you something?"
Aletha squinted in suspicion, still unsure about the "kiss" she felt from Rinnea.
"Huh? L-Like what?"
"Hmm, what if you come with me and join my group? I know a great deal about the dragon you saw, and I can provide you with basically everything you need to know. I'll even escort you to the town of Clearstar, where all my friends and joy reside. That is... if you're willing to join the group that is."
Aletha's face rounded in embarrassment. She tilted her head away from the radiant girl and mumbled while her eyes jiggled left and right.
"N… No. Please. I know you need it and all, but… I don't think I want another thing like that again."
Rinnea raised an eyebrow and chuckled in doubt. She waved her hand in the air and patted Aletha's back, leaning closer and closer, whispering.
"Oh, please, that wasn't even close to a 'true' vampire's embrace. If you really want to know, it would have been a lot more aggressive and violent. But that's for mutual ships. For our victims, we just embrace for like two seconds, then push them away as if it never happened."
Aletha backed away, looking over to the trees.
"So, this 'vampire' race hugs, so that they could secretly get their victim's blood?"
"Ho ho, now there girl, don't get too far. To be a vampire, you have to sacrifice your entire soul and do this ritual. Erm, I think you're taking on too much for the task. You won't handle it. Besides, I think you like the privilege of standing out in the sunlight. So, it isn't as pleasurable."
As they walked along the path, Rinnea scratched her chin and studied Aletha's appearance. A curious look followed the emotion on her face. She asked as they approached a wooden wall covered in thick foliage.
"So... now that I have you, just how are you, Bloodless? Out of all the years I've been alive, I have never seen anyone in this world without blood. Hmm, could it be that you are a vampire?"
Aletha shook her head, walking next to Rinnea as they passed through a canopy of trees and waterfalls.
"No, I'm not. It's hard to explain, but it's because of this thing called Dust coming from a race. Could we stop talking about that? I'm just looking for a certain necklace and my friends. Speaking of friends, have you seen them by the way?"
Rinnea turned over to the left in disinterest and snapped her fingers, keeping her grin as she stared at the moonlight. She responded in a cooler tone.
"Oh, if your friends mean two green-haired girls and a ghoul, then they're probably right there, in the village. Wait a minute, are you the one who came from that train wreck?!"
Aletha gulped, nodding her head.
"Y… Yeah."
Suddenly, Rinnea pushed her pink hair to the side and exclaimed.
"Goodness, you almost gave us a heart attack. We thought it was some shooting star, and then found this necklace shortly after."
At that moment, Aletha's eyes broadened in shock.
"Necklace?"
Rinnea nodded her head and pulled out a glowing necklace, waving it back and forth as she replied.
"Yeah, this one. My, I can feel a dark aura resonating within it."
Aletha hopped over and jumped in shock.
"Wait, is that?!--
Fastly, Rinnea stepped back and yanked the necklace away from Aletha. She knew exactly what she was doing from that incisive and greedy stare, using her manipulation to her best advantage.
As they approached a village nestled among pine trees, Rinnea informed them, putting the sacred necklace back in her pocket.
"Nu uh uh! If you want this necklace, it comes with a cost."
Aletha bounced up, knelt, and asked desperately.
"What can I do to get it?! I'll do anything! ANYTHING!"
A proud and smug smile shone on Rinnea's glowing, deceptive face.
"Ooo, anything... You say? Ho ho ho, this new adventure of ours is going to be fun..."
Within that particular second of approval, Aletha knew the moment she agreed with this beautiful, manipulative vampire girl, that her fragile soul was going to be in for one WILD ride.
Despite the uncertainty and the looming danger ahead, Aletha felt an unyielding resolve pulsing through her. The desire to protect her loved ones overshadowed her fears, igniting a fiery determination within her heart. She glanced up at the moonlit sky, vowing silently to find strength in the chaos and emerge victorious.