No Prey Escapes!
The pale man leaned back slightly and said, "I'll be more careful next time. But what about that little Hunter-mage who spirited away my prey — have you looked into his identity?"
"How would I look into it? You didn't even get a clear look at the person. Let's hope it was just a Hunter-mage who happened to stumble across the situation. If he's specifically targeting us, then we're in serious trouble." The middle-aged man said.
"Then I'll go kill him."
"Have you lost your mind? One or two ordinary people can be made to look like accidents, but if a Mage winds up dead, do you really think the Hunters' Alliance is going to stay oblivious? Stay where you are and don't make a move." The middle-aged man continued his warning.
"You're always so harsh on me. When *she* causes trouble, you never say a word to her. You've put everyone on lockdown — did you include her in that, or not?" The pale man's expression was full of discontent.
The middle-aged man gave a cold snort. "Your conduct has never been as careful as hers. She's operating inside a large academy, surrounded by powerful Mages, and to this day no one has suspected a thing. Why would I put her on lockdown?"
The pale man's face darkened, but he held his tongue.
"All right, Nie Dong — do as I say, and don't go after that young woman again. Going after her is walking straight into a trap. If you draw out someone at the Hunter King level, no one will be able to save you." The middle-aged man said.
"I understand."
……
After the middle-aged man left, Nie Dong — his complexion as bloodlessly pale as ever — continued drinking at the club's bar.
When night had deepened, he finally stepped out of the club, got into a sleek blue sports car, and drove off toward a darkened hillside park not far away.
The hill park sat just north of the villa district, accessible by road all the way to the summit. From his spot along the hilltop road, the entire city spread out below in all its nocturnal splendor — neon blazing, gardens glowing, a dazzling tapestry that shimmered even at this late hour.
Nie Dong sat quietly in the car, waiting. He fiddled with the rearview mirror, whistling softly as he fixed his hair, clearly proud of his handsome face. More often than not, he didn't even need to call upon his dark arts to lure women in — tonight's late-night snack was no exception.
Before long, a white BMW rolled slowly into the lot.
At this hour, the secluded park was nearly deserted — even other cars were rare. The white vehicle pulled up beside the blue sports car, and out stepped a woman in high heels, dressed to the nines.
She was undeniably mature. A silk crimson dress crossed over her full chest, transforming into slender ribbons that wound around her pale neck, leaving her shoulders and a broad expanse of her back bare — so effortlessly sensual that one could hardly resist the urge to undo the coy little bow tied at her nape.
Nie Dong watched her approach. He was still smoldering with the resentment left over from his earlier dressing-down, and the sight of this woman sauntering toward him with such allure only stoked the fire further. Before she had even fully stepped out of the car, he pulled her into his arms and flung her onto the back seat.
"Mmm~" she let out a coy laugh, putting up the most half-hearted resistance.
"You've already set me on fire," Nie Dong murmured, his lips hungrily tracing her skin — lingering especially on that nearly bare throat, unable to pull away.
He was a man of considerable skill. The woman, who had arrived carrying faint traces of sulkiness, began to sigh and melt under his mouth. Her back arched, her head tilting as she surrendered to sensation — she could feel his burning tongue and cool teeth alternating against the most sensitive places on her body, each exchange sending a shiver of electricity from her neck down through her entire frame, all the way to her tightly pressed thighs…
Nothing more seemed necessary. Then, without warning, a faint sting pricked her neck. Her body gave a small, involuntary shudder — yet she showed no sign of pain. If anything, she seemed suddenly, strangely fulfilled, her lips parting as the most exquisite sounds escaped her throat.
**Gulp… gulp……** Nie Dong's throat worked steadily, swallowing something in a continuous, unhurried stream.
Time drifted by in an indefinite haze. At last, he gradually redirected his attention. The woman's face had grown noticeably pale by now, yet she seemed almost to beg for more, mewling soft, kitten-like sounds. Nie Dong wore his usual toying smile — the very picture of tender devotion — but his thoughts were elsewhere entirely.
*The taste is nothing compared to those twins. It's the difference between cheap grain liquor and a prized vintage.*
The better blood he had savored, the less any lesser taste could satisfy him. And a wealthy, lonely woman like this was something he could summon with a crook of his finger. Women who were so easy to ensnare had invariably lived carelessly, and that kind of life left its mark — not only on their spirit and bearing, but on the quality of their blood. Only the young and inexperienced among the Blood Clan would find such women genuinely appealing.
*But how do I lure Liu Ru out again?* The question turned slowly in the back of his mind.
He went through the motions in a detached, mechanical way — nothing more than an outlet for frustration. The woman cycled between breathless cries and soft murmurs; against that, his own composed and unreadable calm formed a sharp contrast. The only true ripple came when he forced himself to impose Liu Ru's pure, tranquil face over the pallid features of the woman beneath him. What a pity he had ruined the one he had. If only he could have them both together at once — *tsk.*
"No — I have to have her, no matter what," he murmured to himself. "I planted my Nightmare Curse inside her. Tracking her down is simple enough. Surely she can't remain under a Hunter-mage's protection forever."
He had already grown obsessed with Liu Xian, the older sister — which was precisely why he hadn't noticed, until it was nearly too late, that he had drained the life from her. What he hadn't expected was that Liu Ru captivated him even more deeply. Her peculiar blend of fragility and stubborn defiance stirred a fierce possessiveness in him that he found difficult to shake.
He was Blood Clan. Shouldn't there be some element of challenge? A little thrill?
Those damned Hunters — always so self-righteous. He would let them feel his methods firsthand, teach them a lesson they would never forget: no prey that Nie Dong had set his sights on had ever escaped.
……
"I should go. I have a lecture to give tomorrow. You should know I don't do this kind of thing very often…" The woman managed a faint flush on her pallid cheeks.
"I know." Having gotten what he came for, Nie Dong had not a single word left to spare. He climbed back into his car and gunned the engine.
He left fast. As the car wound along the deserted mountain road, he simply stepped out of the driver's seat — and settled himself on the hood, letting the rushing wind tear past him. On that pale face, a grin spread wide, baring white teeth to the open night air, utterly eerie in the darkness.