Chase walked into OmniCorp on his second day feeling the residual weight of his new domestic complication: Rixsa, the unnamed chaos agent turned named parasite.
He hadn't slept well, half-listening for the sound of her duffel bag being unpacked and the constant, subtle hum of his own Essence calling out to the city's hidden predators.
He was wearing a simple, dark-grey collared shirt and black trousers—a direct response to Lilith's 'tie' comment, a calculated move to accentuate his body just enough to placate the Alpha, while still maintaining corporate formality. It was a subtle, defensive flirtation.
The moment he stepped onto the Lore Department floor, the atmosphere felt different. The collective attention of his monster coworkers, already unnerving, seemed magnified. Chase realized the problem: he was no longer just the "New Awakened Human" whose scent was a delicacy. He was now the "New Awakened Human" who had survived the Executive Summit with the Alpha and was still walking.
He felt the stares. They weren't just hungry anymore; they were curious, assessing.
He managed to make it to his cubicle without incident, sitting down to tackle the core reason he was here: the inconsistencies in the game's core mythology. Just as he pulled up the "Essence Regulations" file—a document he needed to fully decode if he was to understand the actual rules of this world—a polite cough drew his attention.
Standing by his cubicle were three figures: a male human, a female human, and a vampire woman, all looking at him with varying degrees of professional interest. This had to be his team.
The man stepped forward first. He was tall, dressed impeccably in a crisp white shirt and dark tie, his black hair neatly styled. He looked composed, slightly intense, and held a pen loosely in his hand. He was the picture of a focused, slightly aloof professional.
"Chase Vance, correct? Welcome to the crucible. I'm Marcus Thorne. I lead the narrative integration team." Marcus offered a firm handshake. Chase registered the name and stiffened slightly. Thorne. Lilith's last name. A relative? A sibling? A subordinate Alpha?
"Chase Vance. Happy to be here," Chase replied, noting the faint, but non-supernatural, scent of expensive cologne on Marcus. He was a baseline human, which was a relief.
The woman beside Marcus chimed in. She was shorter, with warm brown hair and large, friendly eyes, dressed in a soft pink blouse and skirt. She radiated a gentle, approachable energy.
"I'm Elara Chen! I handle character development and dialogue scripting. Welcome to the team! Marcus can be a little intimidating, but he's just intense about lore," Elara said with a bright, easy smile. She was also baseline human, but one who seemed entirely comfortable navigating the supernatural workplace.
Then came the vampire. She was strikingly beautiful, with long, dark hair and piercing eyes. Her attire—a sleek, dark skirt and ruffly pink top—masked an aura of profound stillness. She smelled faintly of old earth and something metallic. She did not offer her hand, merely inclining her head in a gesture of cool acknowledgment.
"Seraphina. I manage the historical consistency and mythological sourcing," she stated, her voice a low, cultured contralto. Her eyes lingered on Chase for a moment longer than necessary, and Chase felt the faint, familiar draw of her hunger—not just for his Essence, but for the life force that pulsed within his veins.
"It's a pleasure to meet the team," Chase said, compartmentalizing the potential dangers. Two humans, one relatively safe, one a potential liability. And a vampire.
"Good," Marcus cut in efficiently. "Then let's get straight to it. We need to integrate the Essence System into the overarching narrative. The problem is consistency. Seraphina insists that the concept of Awakened humans having a scent is mythological nonsense, while Elara is arguing that the players need a sensory cue for resource management."
"The concept of Essence being transmutable energy is sound," Seraphina interjected, her eyes flicking to Chase as if measuring his Essence output. "But its capture requires ritual or physical transfer, not merely inhalation. The idea that a baseline human can simply smell it cheapens the very fabric of our mythological heritage."
Chase felt a cold knot tighten in his stomach. Seraphina was debating the very mechanism that made him a walking meal. He decided to play the role of the impartial expert, using his ancient knowledge to ground the topic in dry science.
"The argument isn't mythology versus sensory cue," Chase said, placing his palms flat on the desk. "It's physics. Essence, or vital spiritual energy, is fundamentally an unstable, quantum resource. For a human to be 'Awakened,' they must anchor that energy, but the act of anchoring causes minute spiritual leakage, which, when coupled with the body's metabolic waste, creates a unique bio-spiritual signature. A scent. It is not something a human perceives, but something a biologically evolved predator, like a vampire or wolf, perceives on a sub-spiritual level."
Seraphina's cool facade fractured for a second. Her red eyes flashed with surprise. "Sub-spiritual level… that is a fascinating distinction, Mr. Vance. It retains the dignity of the Essence ritual while accounting for the sensory cue Elara requires."
Elara clapped her hands together. "Perfect! So we can make the game mechanic about the Monster characters having a 'Scent Meter' that fills when Chase is nearby! Wait, I mean, when the protagonist is nearby." She gave Chase a knowing, slightly blushing smile.
Marcus nodded, already typing notes. "Excellent. Chase, you've just solved a week's worth of internal debate. We'll integrate your terminology immediately. Now, I need you to cross-reference this Essence theory with the inter-species protocol document to ensure compliance."
"I'm already on it," Chase confirmed, his gaze immediately going to the "Essence Regulations" file.
Just as he began to read the dense text, a shadow fell over his desk. Lilith Thorne stood there, dressed in a sleek charcoal pantsuit, her red eyes burning with proprietary intensity.
"Marcus, Seraphina, Elara. Back to your stations," Lilith commanded, her voice dropping the Alpha command into the air.
As the team quickly dispersed, Lilith placed a hand on Chase's shoulder, her touch firm and possessive. "No tie, Chase. Good choice. But I still think you could wear a little less."
He met her gaze, keeping his expression politely exasperated. "I'm afraid corporate regulations mandate a certain level of coverage, Lilith. Unless you're proposing a new dress code policy for the Lore Department?"
Her smile returned, sharper than ever. "Always pushing the boundaries, aren't you? That's what I love about you. Now, forget the Essence regulations for a moment. You need a break. I'm having an impromptu strategy meeting—a very intimate one—tonight. I'd like you to be there."
"Tonight?" Chase glanced at the clock. It was barely 10:00 AM. "I have a detailed report due on the Shadow Queen's final Essence accumulation—"
"The report can wait. This is more important. It's an immersion experience," she purred, leaning down so only he could hear. "It involves a private lounge, expensive wine, and perhaps… a demonstration of how a true Alpha manages a valuable, tempting resource."
The ambiguity was back, heavier and more dangerous than before. Was this a business dinner, a seduction, or a literal hunting lesson?
"I understand, Lilith. I will be there," Chase said, giving her the only answer that guaranteed his survival in this office. He knew if he refused, he'd merely delay the inevitable—and possibly invoke the Alpha's ire.
"Good boy," she whispered, her fingers trailing possessively down his shoulder before she straightened, her smile brilliant and terrible. "I'll send you the address. And Chase? Don't worry about the tie. You won't need it."
As she walked away, leaving the entire office silently staring at Chase, he forced himself to breathe. He looked at the "Essence Regulations" on his screen, then thought of Rixsa sprawled on his couch at home.
A private dinner with the Alpha, a demon roommate, and a team of predators and humans who now see me as a 'Scent Meter.' Chase rubbed his face, a weariness settling into his bones that was deeper than centuries of war. This simple life is going to kill me.