Blood Awakening: The Strongest Hybrid and His Vampire Bride

This was for two reasons: to ensure a legitimate and fair auction and to protect the family who sponsored and held the auction. A strange clan of vampires that, although they served the king and royal families, also chose a neutral path and broke away from any succession battles for the throne in the future.

So, to visit the highest level of auction once every six months, the Dravyn family would transfer their auction house venue between the selected worlds by the Nexus council. A council of all the top races in the main seats and the minor worlds in secondary seats, with both sets needing to vote for anything in the Nexus to change.

Nikolai held his digital tablet for the arena and found the Dravyn Auction House tab, reading information about the Nexus. The council and how they avoided a tyrant or single entity from rigging the auctions for their benefit.

"So, who are the owners of the auction? Do they side with the vampires during times of conflict?" He felt curious to what extent their neutrality and loyalty would cover.

Selene's soft thighs parted slightly as she leaned to the side of Nikolai's chest, her red eyes watching his face like observing a beautiful painting.

"Do you really want to know that boring stuff?"

"Of course, Selene..."

"Hmmm~ you're so strange, well let me tell you. As for the family that runs the auction, their power is a little dangerous but very useful. The pact they signed was because of past wars where families would hire their family members for assassination and other foul deeds."

"Foul deeds, but we're monsters?"

"Haha... well, you got me there...." Selene looked into Nikolai's black eyes; she noticed they changed colour sometimes but found that when his pupils were red. That was when his blood smelt the most delicious and enchanting.

"To be honest, their ability allows them to manipulate shadows and create clones of themselves or a target, a mirror image that can act autonomously. They carry a large portion of the creator's strength and can confuse, distract and murder enemies. It's a dangerous blood art if misused by someone who cares nothing for their means."

'Hmm, sounds like a pretty cool skill if you could create a shadow that looks like you to fight or protect you when needed. Though if it can look like others... That's worrying.'

"I see. If they sent a Selene shadow to kill me, I might die easily~ dangerous." Nikolai's voice was making light of the situation, but he took the threat seriously, while reading more on the tablet about the family.

"Don't do that!"

Selene's hands tapped Nikolai's chest as she looked at him with her lips pushed out, pouting because of his joke.

"Do what? I was kidding, though I think it would be easy to tell the difference."

His voice sounded full of confidence, which made Selene curious—she wanted to know where those feelings came from, so she leaned against his chest, reaching close to his ear to whisper.

"Oh, please tell me why?"

He could only squint his eyes and nose together while making a slight grin, lifting his lips before turning to face her. 'After all, Selene is truly a beautiful woman.' Her soft lips, sharp nose and eyes made her feel like a villainess despite being so caring and compassionate.

"Because no shadow could ever capture your true beauty and unique aura. There is only one Selene Aria Tepes, and she is mine. I won't accept or acknowledge any fakes; should I fail to recognise my future wife, then I don't deserve you."

"Y-Y-You?!"

It was the first time he saw Selene blushing so much up close, her hands pressed against his cheeks, but without the strength to turn him away, she could only flick her face to the side and huff.

Nikolai was charmed by her luscious red lips and the glistening red eyes that looked at him with such a lovely reaction.

"What's wrong? It's true. Look at how adorable you are." He extended one hand from the pad and placed it against her cheek, the car slowing into the parking lot where a small blue teleportation pad seemed to operate.

"W-We... are going to teleport to the venue shortly.... stop.... I...."

Selene's stuttering voice and shy demeanour set something alight in Nikolai's chest as he stole her lips—normally, she would resist.

Yet the moment he felt her soft, warm touch. Selene's mouth opened as if to devour him. She pushed her tongue into his mouth and began to slither around inside.

"Mmnph~ you... It's your fault... Nnn~ delicious as always." Selene's sweet, enchanted voice echoed as she began to stroke his cheeks, massaging them while her tongue danced inside his mouth, entangled with him.

Wilhelmina was about to speak the moment she looked back and saw the pair exchanging a passionate kiss, causing the old werewolf to look stunned with a pale face because it was her lady who was attacking Nikolai. Selene used her hands to pull apart his shirt, unfastening the buttons while kissing his lips, cheeks, nose, neck and chest... as if in a trance.

As his fingers moved up Selene's thighs and reached to hold her arse, feeling her silky flesh beneath his palm. A small spark zapped through her, breaking the mood and atmosphere.

'Lady Selene!! Are you trying to mate inside the vehicle?!' Her eyes widened, seeing the act, turning away while she prepared everything for the transport to the auction house, with a slightly red face

"Haa.... what... that kiss was too dangerous..." Selene's panting echoed in the back seat as she tried to fix her dress while her idle hands drifted back to Nikolai's body like she couldn't let him go.

'Such a seductive charm! What type of magic is this?!' Selene's eyes gawked at Nikolai, who held a calm expression. He didn't intend to make things escalate so quickly. Yet the pair were now embracing in the back seat of a car, and she could feel his excitement from the hard object pressing against her buttocks.

"I thought I could tease you for once... But, I almost ended up losing my purity... haha." Selene's face was red, yet she tried her best to recover her position as the one in control, her eyes flicking to the side to meet Nikolai, who fastened his buttons with a grin on his lips.

'Ah... my lipstick, it's all over his body and face?! How unbecoming!' Selene leaned close and kissed the spots where her lipstick marks remained after she licked it away like a puppy cleaning its master. Something that Wilhelmina saw caused her to twitch slightly.

'It's like this man changed my lady into a lustful beast...'

"You did tease me, but the kiss was too exciting right? I can feel your warmth on my thigh...." Nikolai's eyes lit up, the red pupils like an enchanting spell, as he leaned in close to Selene's face, causing her to tense up and gasp—expecting another kiss, she heard a whisper that made her tremble with excitement. "You got wet from that kiss, didn't you? Such a perverted vampire princess.

I'll have to punish you later."

'Punishment?! Me? This stupid dog... ah.... what kind of punishment?! No!

Selene, don't fall for it... we must resist...'

Selene's face became solid, her lips pressed tight and eyes narrowing, yet the moment she felt his hands gently brushing her bangs behind her ears. Her resistance and desire to fake being angry crumbled.

However, as the pair leaned close once again, there was a sudden car horn that honked.

"Ahem! My Lady, Lord Nikolai... we are at the venue—if we don't use the portal soon, we'll arrive too late."

"Ah...."

"N-Nikolai, let's go..."

***

The trio passed through the special gateway, a flicker of beautiful purple lights as their bodies felt weightless, like feathers blowing through a storm. It was quite intense, but this time, there was no cooling feeling like the blue portal, and this one felt more like pure wind.

He exhaled, calming his nerves. Suddenly, Nikolai had a weird sensation come over him—the noise of many monsters talking and chattering felt somewhat distorted, like watching TV underwater.

However, then the surroundings became clearer with the trio inside an elegant-looking room with the Tepes crest on most of the seats and items.

It was like how rich businessmen or wealthy royals could be driven around in vehicles that showed off their power or wealth. So, it's not far-fetched to imagine the worlds and homeworlds of Nexus monsters having something akin to private planes or teleportation pads inside designated buildings.

Then, there was an announcement...

"The princess of the Tepes clan has arrived; all who wish to contact us, send your messages, and our staff will transmit them after the intermission."

'Who was that?!'

Selene then grasped Nikolai's hand and tapped something into the terminal before a female on the stage stood with a microphone. 'So she was the one that spoke?!'

"Oh my, forgive me; additionally, all engagement proposals or desire for courtship will be rejected. As she is attending with her fiancé tonight and wishes to have a quiet evening."

At that moment, the various VIP boxes beside this one and the people below began to speak and chatter amongst themselves.

It made Nikolai realise just how famous the lovely girl beside him was. 'What a scary companion, they are even making announcements without speaking a single word to her... how much power does she wield?'

"They already know so that we won't deal with any pesky flies," Selene smirked while leaning against Nikolai's shoulder; her guard seemed to have been lowering further the more time they spent together. Nikolai was seated beside Selene while Wilhelmina stood near the window as a bodyguard.

"Please wait fifteen minutes, our wonderful and dear guests from a myriad of realms and races! The Dravyn auction is about to begin!"

"Here, read this, Nikolai. It has all the auction items—choose anything you like. Consider it my gift to you." Selene spoke confidently, her left hand stroking his arm while she watched him with narrowed eyes.

'Though she is popular, I can feel the pressure from several young males already facing this box... I guess many rivals will try to make issues haha... I should crush them all, but first, I need to get stronger!'

Nikolai took the brochure and began looking at the items, his eyes almost falling from his sockets at the prices for some items. Yet, the passionate gaze from Selene made his heart poud, so much that he felt a little adventurous.

He unfastened his tie, pulled his shirt's neck apart, and grasped Selene's chin, guiding her face towards him. "Then, since you are being so kind, enjoy a snack."

"....You?"

Selene's eyes widened. She wanted to ask but also wanted to refuse yet her fangs began growing longer against her thoughts.

'Ah... this bastard, he knows I am hungry...'