Chapter 1

I clutched my coat as I looked out the window of the car into the chilly evening sky. Past the snow-covered evergreen trees, I could see the waxing moon illuminating the sky. Off in the distant mountain landscape, I could see our destination: Noir Castle, home of the vampires. As any cryptid agent, I should be ecstatic, but I wasn't.

In today's modern age, furs live with what we call cryptids. You know, the creatures that people thought would steal their livestock and kidnap their kids. It's a blanket term for basically any fur that isn't normal, i.e. natural magical abilities, super strength, I mean c'mon, not normal shit, okay? With the birth of modern magic and technology, cryptids can't stay in hiding, and as a result, the world's governments had to enforce a program to ensure the safety of cryptids, but also normals. Enter the CPP, Cryptid Protection Program. Thanks to this program, cryptids can live peacefully (somewhat) with today's society.

I'm Blu Swift, an unfortunately named fox that happens to have, you guessed it, blue fur. To be more specific, I'm 20 years old, 5'10" with green eyes and a pretty lean build. My few friends like to say I have "sapphire blue" fur surrounding pure white fur and black accenting the outer parts of my body, like a normal fox. Never got to know my parents as they left me out of some orphanage like they usually do in those movies. Regardless, I lived my whole life fascinated by cryptids. Maybe being a parentless nerd had to do something with that, but what matters is that, unlike other dumb childhood dreams, I fulfilled mine. I'm a CPP agent, a pretty fucking good one too for somebody my age.

There are 3 levels of cryptids you should know. Level 1: the typical small fries who pose no threat other than minor magic or bodily differences, like pixies or nagas. Level 2: cryptids that have some sort of knack or specialty to them, like gargoyles and chupacabras. Level 3: major league cryptids, the ones that you hear stories about. There's an imaginary level 4 that people in the force used to classify the best of the best in level 3.

Anyways, it is important to note that at the ripe age of 18, I was already dealing with level 3s as nobody else could. While some people would say I'm crazy and obsessed, I would say that I just like my job. What do I do, you ask? CPP agents specialize in various things, and I'm trained in diplomacy. Striking deals with cryptids, settling down angry mobs, and calming down upset cryptids. It might sound like sunshine in rainbows, but I've had instances where I need to use force and self-defense, so don't think I'm some kind of pussy.

I know I must sound like my whole life revolves around this job, and it sort of does, but for the most part, I try to have a life. Go out to the gym with friends, practice magic broomball, and watch Metflix. This week was supposed to be exactly that. I had recently closed a case with some kobold tribe who was robbing a bunch of stores, earning me some well-earned time off. That was all ruined by some asshole last weekend...

Finally, a fucking vacation. I was in Vizterland for a week in a cabin by myself. I was hoping to go skiing and take some scenic photographs with my camera. However, I needed to go grocery shopping to pick up some food and snacks, so I headed to town to the local supermarket. I walked over to the eggs with my full basket of snacks and produce. I opened the carton to make sure nothing was broken, before someone huge slammed against me, causing eggs to go flying towards me and to whoever rudely bumped me. Regaining my balance, I turned around to see a big ass boar staring angrily at me, the dress shirt he was wearing coated with eggshells and yolk.

"Look what you fucking did, fox. Ruined my nice shirt, standing in the fucking way," snorted the boar.

I growled at him, not going to bend down to some asshole pig. "What are you talking about? I wasn't in your way, I was to the sides of the aisle. Your shirt will be fine, just wash it when you get home." I'm about to grab another carton until the boar snatches my hand.

"Listen here, kid. You owe me, so play nice and come with me to pay back for the ruined shirt." The boar is pulling me to an exit door, so I'm about to hit him with the strongest lightning punch, but not before someone else intervenes.

"Whoa, calm down there big fella! If I'm not mistaken, it was you who bumped into the small guy down there," said a large figure standing behind me. Turning around to see him, he was way taller than me and the boar, I'd estimate about 6'5". At first, I thought he was a fellow fox, but upon closer inspection, he looked like a giant bat, a flying fox more specifically. However, he lacked the wings they usually had, and from my mediocre sensing skills, I could feel an aura that wasn't normal from him. He had grey fur and the regular features you'd expect to see from a flying fox, except he was incredibly muscular. I could only see his musculature because of the tank top that totally wasn't the right fit for the cold climate and sweatpants.

"This is business between me and the fox, so fuck off batty!" Shouted the boar right into my ears. At this point, I was fed up, so I charged up first and gave the annoying asshole in front of me a gut punch. The boar quickly backed up, holding his belly in pain. "Agh! What the fuck was that you little shit? You'll regret that!" The boar prepares to charge, and I'm prepared to step out of the way and let him cause a disaster, until the bat behind me swishes in front of me, like he teleported, and taps the forehead of the beast charging at him. The boar suddenly stops, looking like he was frozen in time.

"Tsk tsk, such brutish behavior. If you want a friend so badly, try other methods. Now look into my eyes," the bat commands as he lifts the chin of the boar to look at him. "You will apologize for your actions and pay for the mess you made with the store clerk."

The boar jerks like a machine starting up, and walks past the bat towards me. "I apologize for bumping into you and trying to have sexual intercourse with you. I will now go pay for the mess I made," he repeats as he walks off to checkout.

At this point, it's pretty obvious who I'm dealing with. Hypnosis, super strength, incredible agility, strong magical presence, bat-like appearance with no visible wings. Yup, this guy is definitely a vampire. I feel like I'm about to explode in rage. I like my job, but that doesn't mean I want my whole weeklong vacation ruined by some white knight vampire! Ignoring the cocky and heroic pose he's doing right now, I quickly grab a new carton of eggs and practically jog to checkout. I don't even look back at him hoping he doesn't follow me. After possibly achieving the fastest self-checkout ever, I head out the sliding doors where I'm greeted by the bat staring deeply at me with those blood-red eyes. Pfft, what an idiot. Can he not tell I have a magic barrier up?

I scoff, "Your mind control won't work on me, vampire. No, I don't owe you, I could've handled it myself back there. I'm on vacation, so buzz off."

"Now, now, little fox, I wasn't using my hypnosis on you, I just want to look into your eyes, that's all," the vampire said as he backed up and stood up to his full height, probably to show off. How was he not fucking cold? It was 0 degrees right now.

"Whatever, what do you want from me? As I said, I'm on vacation, so keep it short."

The vampiric bat pondered for a bit, then smiled as he looked at me again. "I assume you're a CPP agent since you were able to detect me so easily. A good one too."

"That's right."

"Hm, well, are you familiar with my castle a few hours from here?"

"Let me think, Castle Noir right?"

"That's right, very good. I'm not sure if you know this, but in a couple of days, I'll be hosting a conference between the CPP and the high-class cryptids."

"What? I've never heard of this."

"As most should. The only CPP members allowed to be there are the triumvirate, and it's supposed to be secret, but you know how hard it is to keep secrets nowadays, right?"

"What the hell are you getting at?"

"Well, it's not common to have magical normals like you around these parts. If you truly are on vacation, why don't you stay over at my castle? It's awfully boring over there, and as much as I don't like actual normals, some of these cryptids get on my nerves. Having someone like you might ease tension, you are a diplomat, right?"

"Hold on, wait, how do you know I'm a diplomat?"

The vampire leaned towards me again with a grin on his face. "I could tell from your eyes."

"Ugh, never mind. This is seriously suspect. You have no proof of this conference, and if this conference is actually happening, why should I help? Sorry, I'm not becoming some vampire's slave on my vacation," I stated as I walked to the bus stop.

The annoying bat teleported in front of me again. This time, he looked desperate. "Come on, it'll be fun! My castle has many modern improvements, so don't worry about that!" I look at him disapprovingly, causing him to frown. He then starts to ponder again, until his face brightens again. "I know! I believe one of the triumvirates is in this town right now. Call him, tell him that Drake invited you, and if you don't come, I won't support them!" He says triumphantly, but slowly calms down looking at my death glare.

"You're kidding me, right? You're threatening me and my organization because I won't spend my vacation doing my job, nonetheless with some cocky vampire," I say with disdain in my voice.

The bat coughs awkwardly, then says, "Yes, it appears so. My threat remains! Call that man and he'll bring you to my place... see you there," he yells after sprouting wings and flying off into the frigid sky.

"Motherfucker," I sigh. Pulling out my phone, I scroll to my boss's contact. Even if he wasn't telling the truth, it was worth fact-checking due to the fact I was dealing with a vampire, considered to be a level 4 cryptid. I sigh out loud again, clicking on the call button waiting for a response.

That's how my relaxing vacation was ruined by a crazy vampire. I try not to slouch too much in the seat that was meant for someone twice my size. The driver took note of my slump.

"Sorry I had to drag you out here on your vacation time, Blu. I'll make sure it's paid back in full," said Braun. I turned my attention to the gigantic bull driving the car. Braun is a cryptid who works for the CPP. He's a triumvirate and my boss. Triumvirates are the leaders of the CPP. While the world's governments are a branch that checks and vote for the CPP, the triumvirates are a branch that represents the organization as a whole and maintains. Since I'm a top agent, I report directly to a triumvirate with my duties. Braun is known for his bulky appearance, he's about 8 feet tall with muscles that could lift a mountain. Braun is a minotaur with brown fur and brown eyes. Most of his magic is limited to his close quarters, but that doesn't mean I could beat him. He's considered the best fighter in the world, but his calm and collected demeanor doesn't suggest that.

"It's fine, not your fault some weirdo vampire decides that a random agent should go to a top-secret meeting," I grumbled, going back to stare at the snowy landscape.

The minotaur grumbles for a bit. "To be fair, despite vampires being a reclusive kind of cryptid, they're usually good allies and have a good sense of danger. I worked with another vampire before and I swear he could tell the future or something."

"If something bad is going to happen, I don't think I should be the first and only person to be recruited."

"Don't downplay yourself, Blu. You're an essential member of my diplomacy program, and having you along for this conference will be beneficial."

I roll my eyes. "Thanks, but I doubt you need me here if this is a recurring meeting."

"Blu, the only reason why we haven't brought other agents along for the Decential Cryptid Conference is to not overwhelm them and make them feel like we're trying to contain them. And, no offense, you aren't exactly the most intimidating person out there," the minotaur said with a hint of guilt.

"Whatever, I'll just amuse this loner vampire and play support for you triumvirates. Hopefully, batboy wasn't lying when he said his castle was modernized, I'm not staying in a gothic castle on my supposed holiday. Speaking of that vampire, do you mind telling me about them again? Vampires are rare and not much is known about them that isn't an urban myth. I'd like to know before I get the blood sucked out of me."

Braun chuckled. "I know as much as you probably, but I'll remind you of what you're dealing with. Obviously you know they don't solely feed on blood. From what I've heard, their fangs and biting is a way they can feed, but it's inefficient and not required. They don't disclose why they do it, but if I had to guess, it's probably something they enjoy tasting. When it comes to sunlight, they're perfectly fine, them being nocturnal is a myth. Other stuff like being weak to garlic, their reflection, and Christianity isn't true either."

"Well shit, I was hoping my holy water would work."

"Tough luck, they're top of level 3 for that reason. Vampires are your typical powerful magical creatures, with an innate ability with the dark arts. Not only that, but they're strong, fast, can shapeshift, and fly. Simply put, if you're in trouble, hope you got a plan and can outsmart him, or try to call for backup. However, I recommend avoiding fights for now."

"Duly noted, by the way, how long until we reach Noir Castle?"

"The roads here are tough, so I'd reckon about 30 more minutes."

"Alright, I'm gonna take a quick nap then, wake me up when we get there."

I woke up to someone tapping my shoulder.

"Hey, wake up Blu. We're here," rumbled the baritone voice of the minotaur. Giving a yawn and a stretch, I looked up as we drove up the driveway. Wow, this place looked like right out of that vampire game, Castlemania I think? Whatever, it was huge. It lived up to being called "Noir". The castle was made mostly out of these charcoal grey bricks accented by occasional black marble. The castle looked like it was made by some 3-year-old smashing a bunch of those wooden toy blocks together and calling it a house, yet somehow it looked majestic. Guess that's the toll of the weird-ass modern art I see all the time. However, the bat wasn't kidding when he said the house has been upgraded to fit today's society. I realized we were driving right into a garage that was repurposed from a drawbridge. As we parked, I could see there were already some cars parked there already.

Opening the car door and getting out, I finally felt relieved to feel warm again. "Damn, I can finally feel my hands again. You need to fix that A/C Braun. I didn't expect a government official to be so broke to not afford something like that."

"Very funny, it's not my car, it's a rental. Also, I thought this climate was suited to you foxes," retorted Braun.

"Yes, but I just don't like the cold. Guess that's what happens when a fox orphan grows up in the sunshine state," I say as I pick up my luggage from the trunk, heading towards a door I assumed led inside the castle.

Opening the door, I was greeted by a huge hallway, with huge chandeliers above and portraits of the previous residents on the walls. Looking left, I see a huge door that I assumed was the front entrance I saw earlier. To the right, I see stairs, not only that, but the damn vampire stepping down towards me. He was dressed in a penguin suit like he was some old money millionaire ready to host an auction. Ugh, can this guy get any more shameless?

"Ah, it seems my special guest has arrived. I assume the ride was enjoyable with the beautiful winter scenery?" The bat asked with a smirk.

"Not really, I maybe would've enjoyed it if I wasn't forced to come and my boss got a better rental car with a working A/C," I said, pointing to Braun as he entered through the side door with luggage comparable to his size.

He looked bashful for a second before trying to deflect the comment I made. "I see, well over the years Noir has been outfitted with the best technology and magic has to offer, so you won't be freezing in here. But forgive me, I never got to introduce myself. I'm Ludvig Von Hein. A pleasure to meet you..." He bows for a minute, expecting me to respond.

"I'm Blu. And no, not the color, take off the 'e' at the end. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to unpack for the second time this trip. Mind showing us to our rooms?"

"Oh! Um, of course, this way you two." He leads us to doors that look like an elevator. However, when the doors open, a cylindrical tunnel that goes up is revealed, with a platform made of what I assume is runewood. A panel appears and Ludvig selects various locations. As we float upwards, we reach a split, and we continue going upright. Makes sense that a weirdly shaped castle has an elevator that doesn't only go up or down. In a matter of seconds, we reach a floor with a bunch of bedrooms. Ludvig summons a light that leads to a room for Braun. I am about to leave the elevator with Braun before Ludvig grabs my shoulder. "My apologies, but all the rooms have been taken here. I've reserved a much more suitable room for you next to my quarters."

I'm all out of rejections at this point, so I just comply. We ride the elevator for another bit until we reach a floor that I'd assume is over half the height of the castle. The doors open to a hallway that is much grander than the last one and the doors are spaced much further apart. The vampire guides me to a room that he says is right next to mine, and we enter a bedroom that could be considered a luxury apartment on its own.

"So here's your room, I'm sure it's more than a suitable replacement compared to your previous arrange-"

I interrupted him by slamming the doors to the room. "Okay, cut the bullshit. What do you want from me? We're away from prying ears, so just tell me." Moment of silence as the bat twirls his fingers in embarrassment. "So?"

"Would you believe me if I said I just wanted to have some regular company?" I stare at him for a bit wanting a better explanation. "So, as you know, being a cryptid, most normals don't enjoy my presence, and it's hard to also enjoy them. The other cryptids that come here too are way too different for me like either. So, when I saw you, I recognized you as a normal with capable magical talent, so I thought that'd be a good middle ground, yeah?"

It takes a while for me to process this. "So let me get this straight. You had a hard time making friends, so you thought threatening a person's job and negotiations between normals and cryptids was okay?" More silence. "Un-fucking-believable," I groan out while facepalming myself. "So you're telling me you dragged me out here because you were lonely and can't relate with normal-normal people, is that right."

"No, well, maybe a little bit, um, mostly. But there's another reason!" He exclaims.

"Care to enlighten me then?"

"... It's a secret."

"Ugh, you're fucking crazy. I'm going to unpack and get settled, call me when it's dinner," I say as I take my luggage out of his hands.

"I- okay, sure. I assume you'll join most of us at the dining hall?"

"Fine. I don't know why you would ask unless your castle has a delivery service."

"Oh, well that is an option, but um, it would be nice to have you down there. I guess I'll leave you be," he disappointingly responded and exited the room.

I decided to walk to the dining hall to see how weird this castle truly was. However, the layout wasn't all that bad, and there were signs and directions posted on the walls. Guess Ludvig and maybe the previous occupants were kind enough to not let their residents get lost. I must've gone down 10 flights of stairs before I finally reached the dining hall. Entering, I saw 4 people already situated at one of the tables. The room had an assortment of circular tables with chairs that were reminiscent of fancy parties, which felt uncharacteristic for a gothic castle. The 4 people I saw were Ludvig, Braun, and the two other triumvirates: Leo and Briggs. Leo Caesar was another cryptid in the organization, a griffin to be specific. Briggs White was a normal bear but had the coldest mug and magic aura that made him more imposing than any other class 4 cryptid.

Waving at me was none other than the lord of the castle. I walked over with a frown on my face knowing I wasn't going to have a relaxing dinner. As I closed in, I realized that the table only had 5 chairs, and the only available one was right next to Briggs and the smug vampire. Can't he take a hint?

"Seems like your luck runs out again, Mr. Swift. I didn't know you planned on going on vacation here in Vizterland on the date of the conference," Leo said as I sat down trying not to make eye contact with the bat next to me. "You seem to have bad luck when it comes to your time off."

I sigh, "Tell me about it."

Briggs spoke up. "You sure it'll be fine to have another CPP agent at this conference Ludvig? I know it was you who insisted Blu be here, so you're gonna have to deal with it."

"Now you guys, that's the only question I get from you. It'll be fine, I have the perfect cover-up story. Here it is, Mr. Swift was coincidentally on vacation here, which is true, and arrived at the rental to see that it was a scam. The lodging was terrible with no heating or any insulation, so I invited him to stay over at my castle. And if you want my opinion, the housing he was at was honestly quite poor," Ludvig responded, causing people to look at me for my opinion.

"... I don't like spending too much on vacation rentals if I'll be going out and about. So what if it was basically a shack? I brought blankets just in case." My answer made Braun frown in concern. "Fine, I guess that story fits, but why the hell do you know where I was staying? I didn't tell anyone that except Braun." The vampire looking away and scratching his neck gave me all the information I needed. "Psh, creep."

Before it got any weirder, Leo cleared his throat. "Anyways, you mind bringing in dinner for us, Mr. Von Hein?"

"Of course, just one moment," he says as he fumbles out of his chair to a pair of double doors leading to the kitchen. In a flash, the doors swing open and he's gone in a flash.

"You know, it would be beneficial to us if you were nicer to him," said Braun.

"I don't know about you, but I don't want to be buddy-buddy with a creep like him!"

"I know he doesn't have the best normal social skills, but that's why he likes you. You're the first normal in this area who doesn't mind cryptids," Leo chimes in.

"Briggs is normal," I retorted.

Briggs snorts. "Even I'm not that dense. I might not be a cryptid, but I sure as hell don't act like a normal, mind you."

"C'mon, do it for the team?" Begs Braun.

I look around at the 3 of them. "Hmph, fine, but when he crosses the line expect an accident report in the making."

The kitchen doors fling open again as Ludvig and a group of plates float near him. As he sits down with that cocky smile, the plates land each in front of us. I start eating as I'm starving, barely registering what I'm eating. Suddenly, I have to hold back a "MMM!!!" as I chew. I look down at my plate to see that I just ate a forkful of some of the most delicious carbonara I've ever had. Gulping it down, I turn my head to the bat anticipating a reaction from me. Hm, fuck it. Gotta start acting nice, might as well humor him. "You cook this yourself?" I ask.

"With my own two hands, no, but I did use telekinesis to cook something up while we were chatting. You like it?"

"Yeah, it's really good. I didn't know vampires were Italianate."

The vampire laughs. "I wish! But no, I just really like pasta dishes. It's a simple dish that can be perfected into something wonderful. Maybe I can show you how I made it?"

"If I have the time, sure."

Time passes on as we enjoy a late dinner. The triumvirates and I exchange stories and rumors while Ludvig adds his two cents. I could tell that he was getting more courageous as time went on because of how many questions were directed towards me. Eventually, I decided to get some needed rest, so I got up and left, but of course, someone had to escort me.

We yet again stood in the elevator in awkward silence as we headed up to our rooms. Once we reached the floor, Ludvig rushed in front of me to open the door for me. I rolled my eyes as I walked past him. "We had a lovely evening dinner, wouldn't you say? I'll let you rest for the night, but I should let you know that other cryptids will be arriving tomorrow, so be prepared. Have a good night!" The vampire bat said with a bow, closing the door as he exited. Man, what a pick me. No wonder his social skills suck. Maybe hanging out with him would do him so well.

Contemplating for a bit, I decided to go ahead and make my move. I opened up my door again and turned to see him walking to his room. He noticed my return, so I spoke up. "Hey, quick question in case I can't find you tomorrow morning, but uh, do you have a gym? I like to do cardio in the morning."

"Oh, yes I do! You should find a button on the elevator screen that goes to recreation, it'll be there," he answers.

Another awkward silence. "So... if it's any trouble, would you mind joining me? I might need your help getting there, and I would like to know if you have the right equipment. Are you even up around 7 am? Do vampires sleep during the day?"

He laughs at my question. "No, we don't sleep at all. We vampires only require rest if our bodies are injured or extremely tired. Usually, we just meditate. The only reason why normals think we are nocturnal is that fewer people are out at night, allowing us to freely roam."

"Oh, sorry, your kind is rare and I don't know much about vampires. So... is that a yes or no? To show me the gym."

His ears twitch and fold back a bit. "Yes, but would it be alright if I joined along in a workout? Haven't used that room in forever."

"Sure, I don't mind. I won't be doing anything strenuous." His face lights up like a child hearing an ice cream truck. For a cryptid that's supposed to be dark and mysterious, he's not doing a very good job.

"Great! I'll be, uh, meditating in my room for the night. Knock on my door when you're ready to go," he says walking to his room. I take that as my leave as I enter my room again and close the door. Seems like buttering up this vampire won't be so hard after all.

Chapter 2

Darkness. Screaming. Pain. My senses were overloaded with these feelings as I drifted through an endless void. Am I dead? Another sharp throb of pain rushes through my body, but for some reason, I can scream out myself, just countless other voices I can hear. Why is this happening to me?

This is your future.

What? This must be a nightmare because nothing like this could happen so quickly. I try to free my body from these invisible constraints, but it's impossible.

Submit. It's what you deserve.

Deserve? I've done things I'm not proud of, but deserving a future of endless torment? I don't think so. Whoever's out there, explain yourself. Why do I deserve this? What reason am I suffering?

Your simple existence is why. Your people are why. If my people must suffer, then so shall you.

What? Are you some sort of cryptid? But my job is to make sure you and your people don't suffer. Who are you, I want to help-

Beep. Beep. Beep. SLAM.

Stupid fucking alarm. Why can I never get used to this? The only reason I wake up this early during vacations is to ensure I don't fuck up my sleep schedule like the degenerate I am. What was that dream? Scratch that, what was that nightmare? Pulling myself out of bed, I put on my comfy gym shorts and a tank top. Whatever, probably some sort of leftover curse some cryptid left on me, I'll make sure to cleanse myself properly tonight, especially if a bunch of high-level cryptids will be all over the place by the end of tonight.

Yawning, I grab my water bottle and phone and head out. Well, the bat says he never sleeps, but "meditates" instead, so I bet he'll be peacefully waiting for me to knock on his door. However, as I approach his room, I find the door ajar. I peek in to see nobody on the bed, or near the window. I open the door wider to see him standing next to a mirror and dresser. Oh my god, he's naked. I can see the slight tail and muscular butt. I'm about to shut the door to pretend like it was shut the whole time until he spins around quickly facing his bed. At this point, I can see his whole bare front. I knew he was jacked from our encounter from the store, but holy shit he looks like a supermodel. He has a 6-pack, wait no, 8-pack? Biceps, triceps, quadriceps, whatever muscle he has it is buff, not to mention his pecs. This has to be some vampire DNA trait or something because there's no way this is anthropomorphically possible. I mean, I've been trying to avoid looking at it, but his sheath is so fucking big. How does he fit that in underwear?

Just then I realize that I'm staring right at him in shock, while he crosses his arms in a cocky manner. "Didn't take you as a peeper," he rumbled in a deep voice.

"Y-you left the door open idiot! Put some pants on or our plans are canceled!" I shout in embarrassment.

He smirks at me. "C'mon, nothing to be embarrassed about. Us vampires tend to have our features are a lot more plus-sized than other species, I don't blame you for being curious-"

I slam the door and storm to the elevator. I mash the call button hoping it would come any faster, but it was in vain as I heard loud footsteps behind me.

"Whoa, hey, it was just a joke! Sorry, I'm not used to having somebody else staying up on this floor," Ludvig spews out. I turn around to see that he's only wearing a pair of cut-off sweatpants.

After looking him up and down, I retorted, "Where's your shirt?"

"I don't like to wear them when I'm training."

"... Fair enough." The elevator finally comes up and we ride down to the recreational floor. This floor was a lot different, as once you exit the elevator, it opens up into a very large single-space room. The room had plenty of training equipment, leg press, squat racks, dumbbells, barbells, everything was here. "Um, I'm not going to do much more than some yoga and light exercises," I said walking towards an open floor space with mirrors in front. I look at myself and him flexing to himself in the mirror. I look back and forth between him and his reflection to see any discrepancies until I see him smile at me.

"You know, vampires can see their reflections. That myth only appeared because mages back in the day would use enchanted mirrors to determine vampires. But that trick no longer works because we created a spell to counteract it," he says while giving a flamboyant pose in the mirror.

"Sorry that I don't know about a rare cryptid who has a ton of fake rumors surrounding them. I mean, garlic seemed fine to you since I tasted it in last night's dish, so I assumed vampires not having a reflection was a myth also," I stammered in embarrassment.

He crossed his arms in a boastful manner. "If you want to know what's fact or fiction, then I might so humbly suggest hanging out with me more often this week."

I roll my eyes in annoyance. "Or maybe, I don't know, just tell me what's real or fake?"

"Now that wouldn't be any fun, would it? And why would I reveal my deepest darkest secrets to a stranger?"

"Most people wouldn't invite random strangers into their homes in the first place."

He laughs again. "True, you got me there. But even mysterious figures like myself like to indulge in fun activities, otherwise, I'd die of boredom."

"Whatever, let's just get started. I'm gonna start with some stretches, just copy me, you probably have dumb magic that can do that anyways." Turns out he didn't. For the first 5 minutes, his balance was so off that he almost fell a couple of times if it was for his wings. They grew out so quickly that they caught me off guard sometimes and almost threw me off balance. After the third gust of wind flapping against me, I had enough. "Okay, enough. I didn't think a bat would have so much trouble standing still. Don't your ancestors hang from branches and shit?"

His wings retract and he looks at me frustrated. "Hanging upside down has nothing to do with balance, it requires strength and endurance. Why the fuck would anybody need to learn this stupid shit?" He snarls at me with a thick husky voice that sounded way different and intimidating than his usual light-hearted and nonchalant demeanor.

He stares at me for a while with those bright red eyes, almost forcing me to cave in and apologize for nothing. But I'm able to recollect myself and respond, "Hey, you haven't done it before, so don't get too mad. Also, I never said I wouldn't help, so here, let me guide you for a bit and we can go from there."

He shakes off his expression and relaxes back into his usual self. "Apologies, I've just never done yoga before. Never thought stretching and holding would be so difficult."

"Now you see why yoga enthusiasts like me don't like it when people make fun of it. Alright, let's do the side plank pose since it's more strength and endurance than flexibility." I show off the pose to him to give him a visual understanding and stand back up to help position him. He gets into a position facing away from me, while I examine him from the back. I analyze his position and I can see he's not straightening out his back. "Straighten yourself out more, use your abs and glutes muscles to keep yourself straight and not sagging to the floor," I say as I grab around his hips and force his body to straighten out. After making sure he's set, I move over to his arms and lift his arm higher, feeling how strong his biceps are. "All right Mr. Muscle Man, use those muscles and hold this pose for 30 seconds." Throughout the duration, I keep adjusting his body, touching his back and legs to ensure everything is right. "Okay, that's 30, switch to the other side."

Suddenly, he shoots up still facing away, and moves his hand to his front like he's hiding something. "Oh man, I totally forgot I really need to take a leak right now, hahaha!" He shouts out as he rushes to the bathroom. Huh, weird, why didn't he go before we started? After about 10 minutes, he came back still looking flustered. "You good? I finished all the hard poses so the rest of the workout will be easy."

"Yeah, I'm fine, just, I was a little too excited to be working out with you that I forgot to go before we started."

"Okay... glad you were excited. Alright, let's wrap this up." We spend the next 30 minutes finishing up yoga then moving on to simple workouts like sit-ups and pushups. Once done, we're both a little sweaty.

Ludvig stretches and puffs his chest. "Well, that was a good workout, we should make it a daily thing, yes?"

"Since sleeping in isn't a problem for you, I guess."

"Good, good!" Silence rings through the air before the bat clears his throat. I prepare for whatever he's going to ask. "So... in that case, can I get your number?" There it is.

"Why exactly?" I ask.

"So we can talk and arrange other things."

"We barely know each other. You said it yourself."

The vampire shuffles a bit. "But that's how we get to know each other, right? During this conference, I won't be able to talk to you directly all the time, so it would be nice."

I frown for a bit as I mull it over. "Fine, here's my number," I say as I show him my contact screen. "But I primarily use ChatSnap for casual messaging and my number for the important stuff. Here's my code if you have that app." He writes down my phone number and code on his phone with a childish smile on his face. Man, how desperate for friends is this guy?

"Splendid! I'll be sure to let you know when I'm done with business so we can spend more time together! Today is when all the major cryptids come, so I'll be busy. See you later," he said as he rushed to the elevator.

The day went by pretty slowly, even with exploring the maze-like castle. As I explored the halls, I saw new cryptids that I assumed were here for the meeting. Many of them gazed at me with suspicion, reminding me of the situation I was in. I decided that it would be more relaxing to explore the forest outside the castle, so I went to my room, put on my winter clothes, and headed out with my camera. I've been into photography ever since I got my first real camera when I was 10. From then on, I've done photography as a side gig mainly for my blog. Even being able to somehow do some shoots for weddings, so I'd like to believe I'm pretty good.

I exited out from the castle into what I believe is a garden. Despite it being extremely cold in these mountains, some sort of magic allows these strange plants to thrive here. I was originally going to take pictures of the castle from different angles, but I'd have plenty of time for that. The garden had various colors but somehow managed to keep it green. Looking up to the sky, I noticed that there seemed to be some barrier that was allowing more sunlight into the area. Touching the ground next to the plant, I realized that the ground was notably warmer than the snowy paved path that I was on.

"Fascinating, isn't it? Believe it or not, the land itself is so magically gifted that it adapts to the perfect condition for the plant. All it needs is the correct sunlight and water, which the barrier and summons do very well," said a voice behind that felt kind and somehow terrifying.

Either way, I was unfazed by their voice and felt rather cocky, so I rubbed off my knees, slowly rose, and said, "Wow, and here I thought magic had its limits. Why don't you tell me more about this garden Mr. Green Thumb-" I turned my head to see the visage of what most would consider a god, none other than Cthulhu himself. He was green alright, but more of a blueish green. Cthulhu had everything mythology liked to say he had. Demonic wings, insane musculature, red piercing eyes, and tentacles replacing where you usually would find some snout. The only thing that made him seem somewhat normal was a brown suit jacket and pants with a black button-up and red tie underneath. "M-my apologies Mr. Cthulhu, I was just uh, taking photos when I got distracted by this garden. I've heard of eternal gardens, but haven't been able to witness one with my own 2 eyes."

Cthulhu gives a weird garble that I assume is a laugh. "Please, address me as Cthulhu, like you just did in your mind. It's hard for me not to peer inside mortal heads without seeing to their true intentions." Cthulhu is what many would call a "demon god", but to agents like me, he's a powerful cryptid. Most would rank them higher than the vampire living in that castle, but that doesn't mean he's better on everything. While the vampire is an entity that feeds on mortal bodies, Cthulhu is an entity that feeds on mortal minds. Unlike vampires who have entire generations and choose to disappear or are taken out, Cthulhu has lasted throughout history, making him much more intimidating. "So little fox, mind telling me why exactly another agent is here? I was going to wander into your memory, but then I recalled that Ludvig told me he brought another guest."

"Well, there's your answer, Cthulhu. I was enjoying a vacation here in Vizterland when my bad luck showed up and by fate forced me into an encounter with the weird vampire. But if you want to know what motivated him to hold me captive at this castle for the rest of the week, then you'll have to ask him again."

"I see..." he hums as he stares right at me. It takes me a while before I realize he's looking into my mind again. At this point, I wish I didn't know I could block mind control because my powers were too weak to block him out. All my secrets were laid out, but luckily I still have control over my body so I could just run at any point, but that would make me suspicious. Then I realize he's located the memory (or thought) of the dream I had last night, which is when I feel him stop searching through my head. "Sorry for the intrusion, you left yourself vulnerable and I couldn't help myself. Von Hein isn't one to come out of his solitude for any regular person. But I digress, your dream, or should I say nightmare, intrigues me," he says while rubbing against his strange tentacles.

"You saw that huh? I don't mind, someone like me doesn't have much to hide from a guy like you. However, I didn't think a dream like that would interest the likes of you at all. Do you know what it is? I'm usually not a vivid dreamer, so something like this I assumed was the work of some curse I forgot to dispel."

"I would agree if not for the circumstances. I'll be so kind and tell you that this dream is not a result of sloppy cleansing, someone as skilled as you should know that. From what I deduced, it seems to be some sort of precognition."

"Precognition? Do you mean like, knowing the future? But I've never been able to do that before."

"Probably so, yet the fact still stands. I'm sure you think of me as an expert when it comes to magic and the brain processes, but foresight is not my specialty, or anyone's, to be frank. From my research, I can tell that it usually stems from a collective thought process that is the result of other people's dreams, ambitions, and tendencies being used to form a possible scenario."

"Um, so in other words?"

"Seeing the future is most likely because something either catastrophic or climatic will occur by some party, while other people's instincts are warning them of said event."

"I... don't get it."

"That is okay, just some food for thought, no pun intended. No matter, just my curiosity getting the better of me. If it so happens to please you also, I would like to change subjects. Most of the time, these premonitions do not come true, so I would recommend not being too bothered by it, while also being prepared if that makes more sense."

I let out a sigh of relief. If a cryptid who is perceived as a demonic god of mind control doesn't see it as a big deal, then I shouldn't either. "Fine by me, but I am not sure if you want to discuss anything else with me."

Cthulhu scoffs, which sounds like a bunch of tentacles flopping around. "Nonsense! Were you not just going to take photos of this garden? It's not often I get to find a photographer who isn't adamant to fill out his collection of cryptid photography, an excellent one too, I might add."

"How do you know I'm a good photographer?"

"Believe it or not, I enjoy the art of weddings very much. I saw some of your photos on Photogram and was stunned. You are Blu Swift, correct?"

"Yeah, that's me. I do some for some of my friends that I grew up with at the orphanage. I bet you saw the post from Marie. After she posted them, I was flooded with requests when I was busy with a job at the time. But now you got me interested. You? Weddings? I don't see the correlation."

The demon god laughs again. "Can a cryptid like myself enjoy the bonding between two loving individuals? They give me the motivation to find the one true being for me, and I find it quite mesmerizing. I must say though, I want to see the rest of your portfolio. If my wedding is anytime soon while you still live, I might consider enlisting you as my photographer."

It's my turn to chuckle. "Alright, if it means I can schedule it as a business trip for my main job and my side job too, then I guess I can make it a priority."

Cthulhu and I went up to my room after deciding to look at my photos on my laptop. He and Ludvig are closely related, which is why he is staying in the same hall as us. I showed him my online collection and I talked with him for the rest of the hour about the specific camera settings I use and stories from photos I've taken. I lost track of time again until I heard a knock on the door and Ludvig entering the room. He's now wearing a casual red polo and khaki slacks.

"Oh Blu, it's time for dinner! I know you've been dying of boredom ever since I left..." he trails off as he looks at Cthulhu and me sitting on a couch with my laptop on his lap. I can see the smile slowly drain from his face into a face of... contempt?

"Goodness, look at the time! Blu and I were so distracted by his collection that we forgot about dinner. How about we all go down to the hall together? Hopefully, the rest of the council won't be too upset about my late arrival," Cthulhu says as he hands me my laptop and stands up in a rush. As we walk over to the elevator, I can tell that the vampire is upset by something, causing an awkward silence again as we go down to the dining hall. Once we got there, tentacles turned around and looked at Ludvig and then at me. "If you'll excuse me, I have a speech to make at this time, but save me a seat will you? Sitting next to the council members for the 342nd time isn't my ideal afternoon."

"Sure, we'll save you a seat," I say with a smile until Ludvig drags me ahead with him.

"Yeah, yeah, we hear you," the vampire snarkily responds, continuing to push me to one of the elaborate tables in the corner.

"What the hell! What if I wanted to sit with my actual friends?"

His ears flatten down. "Oh, um, are we not friends?"

I give him an incredulous look. "Yes, we could technically call ourselves friends, but I don't understand why you're pushing me around so much."

"I just thought that we could get to know each other well. Talk to me about that photo collection Cthulhu was showing you."

I stare at him a bit before it dawns on me. "You've got to be kidding me. You're jealous of him because he got to see my photos before you could? Ok, you need to come clean with me. Do you like-"

Thud. Thud. "Is this thing on? Sorry, I'm still not the best with technology. Comes with being nearly 2000 years old. Welcome to the Decential Cryptid Conference. Thank you again for hosting this decade's conference, Mr. Von Hein. I hope that this meeting of cryptids will be beneficial for every party here. We stand here united under one banner: the banner of peace and prosperity. We stand with the Cryptid Protection Program to ensure our world no longer prosecutes us for the crimes we didn't commit. And we stand together against the people who oppressed us, who forced us against normal beings and even amongst ourselves. Let us rejoice in the peaceful future of our people, living apart from Nameless. A toast to cryptids, and overall well-being of anthro kind." Cthulhu raises a glass of sparkling champagne as others also raise their glasses to his speech. He really is something.

Ludvig grumbles in jealousy. "Showoff."

"Wow, you are envious of him, aren't you?"

"No fucking way! The last thing I want to be is on that podium giving a speech to all these cliquey cryptids. Not like they would care about me, I wasn't around when Nameless was tearing up the place.*

"Nameless, I've heard of them before. Who exactly are they?"

"They used to be the most powerful cryptid over 200 years ago until strong normal mages and cryptids banded together to take him down. His ambition was to rid the world of all normals and eliminate any cryptids that got in his way," answered Cthulhu as he approached our table. He sat in the seat I got for him while Ludvig gave him a death stare. "Nameless was a mystic figure, most who saw him say they were a black shadowy figure that was able to control lesser minds and bend reality to their will."

"You didn't face them back then?" I asked.

"Oh I did, but even my powers alone are no match for them. Believe it or not, my abilities aren't suited for one-on-one combat, even the best fighter wasn't able to defeat them. But with the combined strength of the founding CPP members and some of the council members and me, we were able to strike them down. With Nameless gone, the council took over for the leadership aspect of the cryptids, while the CPP was founded to govern peace between our races."

"Why didn't I know about this?"

"That's because Nameless is still a sore spot for cryptids of our level, and they are still a bit of a taboo to mention. Some believe saying their name is enough to summon them."

"Nameless, Nameless, Nameless. There, nothing. Can we move on from this dumb topic?" Ludvig grumbled while shoving a forkful of salad into his face.

"Hey, I thought it was pretty interesting. I bet you're just salty you weren't with them to land the killing blow on Nameless," I teased the bat.

Ludvig got offended. "Hey, I wasn't around at that time. I was born 10 years later after the defeat of Nameless. I would've been there and helped stop them, not like Cthulhu over there with his mind powers had much effect."

"Hey, that's rude!"

"I don't mind Blu, he's right to a certain extent. Most of my abilities were used to counteract his mind control army. You could say I was the shield for that battle. I must say though, that Von Hein's mother was the real warrior in that bout."

I looked at the vampire in surprise. "Your mother huh?"

Ludvig rolled his eyes. "Ugh, don't speak her name in this house. If you do, she might be able to feel it wherever she is."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"After giving birth to me, my mother and father decided to take a lengthy vacation when I turned 10. She said it was for all the hard work she did with Nameless and taking care of me right after."

"And how old are you exactly?"

"125."

"Oh my god, and you haven't seen your parents since you turned 10? That's kinda messed up. I'm sorry."

The bat became a bit bashful. "Oh, well, um, thank you. Honestly, though, it's not that bad. In comparison, vampires live eternally so a hundred-year vacation from your son isn't all that bad compared to normals."

"Indeed," agreed Cthulhu. "I cannot relate though, as I was born from the cosmos itself. I must say though, your parents are quite irresponsible Ludvig. I've tried convincing them to visit you via telepathy, but I'm afraid your mother has rejected my calls. I'd guess I've been with you longer than your parents have."

"Hold on, I thought you were only friends with Ludvig."

Cthulhu chuckles in that weird gloopy tentacle way while Ludvig sinks into his chair. "Did I say that? To be more accurate, some would consider me a second father to him. I taught him everything, from magic, to combat, and even high school academics."

"Yeah, yeah, old man, are you done boasting? I'd like to have dinner without reminiscing about 'good times with you," groaned the vampire.

The rest of the dinner was spent discussing my occupation as an agent and the photo ops that I do for weddings and other events with Cthulhu. From what I saw, it seemed Ludvig's bombastic personality came from Cthulhu. Both were very excited to talk with me and learn more, yet Cthulhu's maturity seems to come from his age. From what I've experienced with Ludvig, 125 doesn't seem like a mature age for vampires. After spending another half hour talking about new camera tech, Ludvig looked to have enough with Cthulhu's interrogation.

"You know what old man? It's gotten pretty late, and I believe it might be time for Blu to retire to his quarters, don't you think?" said Ludvig.

"Hm, looks like you're right. I apologize for taking most of your time today Blu, it was very nice meeting you."

"You too Cthulhu, I appreciate your hospitality," I said.

"Yup, thanks very much Gramps, let's get going, shall we?" Ludvig grumbled as he tugged me away to the elevator. I tried resisting him, but he had an iron grip and looked incredibly annoyed for some reason. After letting him drag me to my room, he finally let me loose.

"What the hell is your problem? You're a vampire, so you have no clue when normal people sleep," I said frustratingly.

The bat crossed his arms with his annoyed look. "I didn't think you'd want to sleep. I thought you wanted to escape the irritating tentacle man."

"I didn't mind, we were having a good conversation."

"Yes, but did you ever consider giving context to me? I was right next to you, and didn't bother to fill me in."

"What? Are you serious right now? I'm sorry, but not every conversation has to include you."

"Yes, um, of course, I apologize, it's just that, well, this week was meant to be a bonding exercise between us right?"

"I never agreed to that. I just agreed to stay at your dumb castle for the conference. That's on you for believing otherwise... hold on... you're jealous, aren't you?"

"What? Preposterous! Like I would be jealous of that washed-up old tentacled creep!"

I couldn't contain my laughter. "This is hilarious. You're jealous that your old man has better social skills than you do, despite his appearance. Guess good looks only gets you so far, huh?"

"Hmph! That's unfair! He's manipulating you with his mind-reading abilities. How am I supposed to compete with that?"

"Nope, he only read my mind once, and it was for something completely irrelevant. Admit it, it's fine. He has like, what, eons of experience over you?"

With a sigh, he plopped on the couch in defeat. "Fine, I'm a bit jealous of how you two bonded way too quickly. I mean, he probably knows more about you in one day than the past couple of days I've been with you."

For once, I could empathize with him. Being an orphan, I understand how it feels to not be able to connect with others so easily. "So," I said while taking a seat next to him, "how about we even get that score? Sit down with me and I can tell you all about me, how about that?"

"Oh, sure."

"But there's one catch, or should I say a step up from what Cthulhu did."

He looked at me in confusion.

"Throughout the whole dinner, I was just talking about me, but I didn't get to hear much about him. When you wanna build a relationship, then you both need to know each other, right?"

He gave his signature smirk. "Ah, of course, how foolish of me! I must make sure that our relationship isn't so one-sided, and the time is now!"

"Ok, ok, calm down. So let me ask the questions this time. I'm a bit curious, vampires are quite secretive. Mind filling me in on the details on what your kind is actually like?"

The suave vampire swung his legs over mine as a married couple would. "Oh sure, ask away! Just no recording, vampire code!"

"Huh? Vampire code?"

"It's not a rulebook that we need to follow, more like a set of guidelines that we all pretty much follow."

"And what exactly are those guidelines?"

"It mostly talks about how vampires should live and the secrets we keep. The main highlight is that we're meant to be solitary and neutral, only engaging in worldly affairs if it disrupts the balance of nature. I like to compare ourselves to monks, except that we drink blood."

"Wait, so you guys really do feed on creatures? I thought that was a myth."

Ludvig grimaced a bit. "Not exactly. There's a lot of rules in the code about bloodsucking. All that I can say is that our feeding isn't some sort of bloodlust. It's enjoyable, don't get me wrong, but it isn't addictive like a drug. Most of the killers you hear about in stories are the ones who are just psychotic killers who enjoy the thrill of the hunt rather than the need for blood. It's just the bloodsucking part that gets etched into history since it's the most notable characteristic that separates us."

"Interesting, and you mentioned that I can't record this?"

"Indeed, we try to keep our code to ourselves."

"Why though? What you just told me only makes your kind have a better public perception."

"Well, that's the problem. A high race like us who has that kind of power doesn't want to be seen as some benevolent force. Remember the monk comparison? We want to be impartial to society and decide the fate of the world based on our judgment rather than those who live among us."

I scratched my head in confusion. "So then why are you holding a meeting between cryptids and normals in your home?"

"It's more that we act as a mediator as we don't personally side with either normals or cryptids."

"A lot of cryptids have that mentality, even normals too."

"Then I guess you could say it's more pronounced in vampires than your average cryptid in denial. Regardless, it's just a tradition that my mother started. As you can tell, she's an outlier when it comes to vampire business."

"Ok, I think that's enough about vampires. What about you? Got any hobbies?"

"Um, what sort?"

I giggle a bit. "Hobbies. Interests. Whatever you wanna call it. Like how I enjoy photography." He lays for a bit, twiddling his thumbs in thought. "You're kidding me! You've spent more than 100 years of your life and have nothing you're interested in?"

"Sorry I don't have much of an opportunity to leave this boring castle. The most interesting thing that happens here is my training with Cthulhu, but that's not anything to be classified as a hobby."

I pause for a bit. "So, do you watch any shows at least? Your TVs have Metflix."

"Eh, I've tried watching some shows but the ones I watch aren't entertaining. I usually just exercise and practice my magic."

Pondering for a bit, I decide my next action. I push his feet off my lap, which startles him. "Ok then, I'll show you one of my favorite shows. It's coincidentally about vampires, called Vampire Journals." I pull him up to the bed where the TV is in front of him. I jump in bed with the remote pulling up the show, while Ludvig just stands there in shock.

"Um, is this what they call Metflix and chill?"

"Ugh, no idiot. Just lay down with me, promise I won't bite."

That gets him riled up. "Heh, like you're the one here who's more likely to bite someone." He jumps in bed next to me. "Alright, let's see what this show enlightens me about my race."

Chapter 3

You cannot run. You cannot hide. Submit. Accept your fate.

Not this again. At least this time my body doesn't feel in pain. Whoever you are, leave me alone.

What is this? Why don't I have full access to your mind?

Instead of answering that, how about you tell me why you're in my head in this first place.

Damn! I see he's laid a trap on you. Lucky bastard. Don't think this is the last time you'll hear from me...

"Hey, you alright Blu? Come on, wake up." A voice beside me said as they shook me awake.

"Okay, I'm awake, no need to shake my body like a maniac," I say while getting up in bed.

"Are you okay? I was trying to wake you up since it looked like you were having a horrendous nightmare. I tried easing your mind, but it seems like someone or something was keeping me out."

"Yeah, usually my mind protection spell stops that, but it seems that it hasn't been working too well these past few nights." After rubbing my eyes, I turned to see who woke me up. That's when I wake up. "What the hell?!? Why are you still here?"

Ludvig still looks a bit concerned. "You offered me to watch this vampire show with you, but you fell asleep sometime in the night. I thought that most people when they watch shows together sleep together, I would emulate that by staying with you until you awoke. Are you sure you're alright?"

"No! Just because we watched a show together doesn't give you a pass with sleeping with me overnight. Scratch that, creepily staying awake or whatever you do while I sleep. Ugh, I'm fine, it was just a bad dream. Ever since I got here I've been having them. You might need to get your room checked for ghosts or something." The vampire scratched his chin in thought, until and closed his eyes. I could feel his aura stretching out across the room. "Sorry, but I couldn't find it using basic detection magic, so maybe you'll have better luck."

After a minute, I could feel him lower his aura. "I couldn't find much either. Strange, Noir Castle has runes that keep away supernatural entities and curses, I might need to call a rune specialist to check on that."

"The nightmares seem to have lost their power, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. Can you leave? I'm gonna change into my workout clothes and train for a bit. You're welcome to come if you want."

The muscular bat hops out of bed will glee. "Gladly!" He walks to the door and opens to an unexpected sight. "Cthulhu, what is it now? I already checked in everybody to their rooms and breakfast is being handled by others. So I don't think you need my assistance."

I turn around to see him seriously brush past Ludvig looking around until his red eyes set on me. "There you are. I have something to discuss with you."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I fucking knew it," Ludvig snarls a bit. "I knew you were involved with those dreams somehow."

Cthulhu bonks Ludvig's head as a disciplined father would. "You know I didn't have any malicious intentions towards Blu. But I should expect that after your training with me you would have the ability to detect psychological magic. Fine, I will explain the situation to both of you. Get comfortable, it might take a while to explain," he says while politely sitting down into one of the armchairs.

I stood for a bit before I decided to speak up. "Um... do you mind if I change? I didn't have to change to slip into better clothes since last night."

"I don't see why not," Cthulhu replied.

A moment of silence and no motion of getting up. "And... Do you mind leaving the room?"

"I'm afraid I can't do that. Despite the weakening status of curse on you, there might be some failsafe or remnants of magic that might persuade you to take... drastic measures to ensure that you don't divulge the wrong information," Cthulhu plainly explained.

"Can I at least go to the bathroom to change?"

"Unless one of us has direct eyesight of you, then no."

Are you serious? How bad is this situation? Should I just wear what I'm wearing? No, for some reason, my clothes smell terrible, must've been me drooling again. God, I hope Ludvig didn't catch me doing that. "Fine, this better not be some sick prank." I rush over to the drawer and take out a simple pair of jeans, underwear, and a red sweatshirt. Looking back in embarrassment, I can see both of them staring at me. Cthulhu, in a way that would remind of a teacher looking at a student during a test, and Ludvig, like a kid trying to look at a kid's paper to cheat during a test. Calm down Blu! As he said, we're all adults here, just strip and be done with it. After taking off my shirt and pants, I quickly try to pry off my underwear and replace the new ones. However, I trip trying to put my legs through the boxers and hop around trying to stabilize myself, positioning my nether region for them to see. I spin around hastily and struggle to put my pants and shirt on due to my tail flicking around in embarrassment. After I'm done, I can see Ludvig grinning like the pervert he is. "You're lucky that he made me do this," I say directly to the perverted bat.

"By the contrary, you saw my privates too when you entered my room uninvited, so I'd say this is fair," he responds.

Cthulhu grumbled in disappointment. "Enough, this matter is serious. Blu, please sit down so I can confirm the situation." I sat beside Ludvig on the couch. "If you recall from yesterday Blu, I met you in the gardens. To be honest, I heard that the CPP had brought along another member, so I decided to scope you out just in case. When I searched your mind, I found the memories of the nightmare you had. However, they were clouded and there seemed to be traces of dark magic that prevented me from fully tracing the source of the dream. So, I secretly set a trap in your mind so that if another dream like that appeared I would be able to fully analyze its contents and source. Now, would you be so kind and move to the bed where I can tap into your head to determine this villain," he said while getting up.

"Okay..." I say hesitantly while getting up. I move past Ludvig on the couch over to the bed, but before I reach there, my head suddenly feels like it's going to explode. In a matter of seconds, I feel like I have no control over my body, and I feel a rush of adrenaline course through me. I have no control as my body rushes towards the glass window with a supernatural speed that I know I'm not capable of. I feel the glass shatter across me while my body enters freefall. I barely register what's going on, only the excruciating pain caused by the glass shards. My vision is cloudy, but I can see myself hurtling towards the snowy ground, until finally... I stop. I feel someone holding me tightly, despite the numerous wounds I have. However, whoever is controlling my body is resisting my savior.

"Damnit, whoever you are, leave Blu's body or there will be consequences!" A voice above me shouts in fury. Hold on, is that Ludvig. Everything is happening so fast, from jumping out of a window without my consent, to being somehow lifted back up to the room. I can hear some flapping of wings, it has to be him. We reach the shattered window again, and I can see Cthulhu standing imposingly with a spell ready in his hand.

Once we enter the room, I unwillingly shout in a demonic voice, "Curse you Cthulhu! Don't you dare interfere with my plans if you value your life! Whatever you extract from this worthless vulpine, you will NEVER be able to stop me!"

Ludvig manhandles me onto the bed to keep me in place while I flail around in vain. Then I see a purplish flame that I assume is Cthulhu's spell. "I'm sorry Blu, but it seems I must use more harsh treatment than I intended. It seems desperate times call for desperate measures." Once the flame hits my forehead, burning pain flashes through me in an instant. I want to scream in agony, but whoever is controlling me doesn't allow it.

Ludvig growls in anger above, his beastly winged form firmly holding me down below him. "What is this Cthulhu? This is madness! He cannot handle the spell as we can. He will die!"

"I'm sorry child, but this is the only way. In the bloodied state Blu is in, he will die if proper medical attention is not given soon. The longer we keep this invader in his body, I'm afraid he will die regardless. We must take the risk."

Through all the bickering and snarling I hear above me, I feel my voice come back to me. The first thing I do with my regained vocal is to screech in pain. "Please stop, it feels like you're ripping me apart!" I can feel Ludvig start to loosen his grip on me.

"No! Don't let him go now, Ludvig! Whoever is controlling him, their presence is still there. They might be using his voiced pain to lessen our resolve. Do not let him go until I say so!" The green entity commands.

Despite the intense pain I feel, I'm able to hear everything Cthulhu has said. I try to contain my screams, but I cannot hold them in, and it occasionally comes out. I feel tears start to stream out from my eyes, while I contemplate if this is where I'll die. The last thing I see before my consciousness fades is the somber face of the vampire staring down in my tear-covered eyes.

I woke up for the second time this day, but the first thought that came to my head as if I'm in heaven or not. After my head clears the fogginess from my vision, I try to move around to see where I am. It doesn't take long though until I see I'm comfortably tucked in the bed I was exorcised on. I move around different parts of my body, feeling bandages all over the place. It seems I've mostly healed though, but the soreness causes me to groan.

"He's awake!" I hear people moving towards me while a familiar vampire's face goes right up in my face. He's pulled back though by another person.

"That's enough vampire. Give him some space, he's still a bit injured," I hear Braun say near me.

"You helped me?" I wheezed out.

"No, but I did." I turned around to see that it was Briggs who said that, with Leo standing right beside him. Seems all the triumvirates. "Healing isn't his specialty. Luckily for you, I'm damn good at everything."

"T-thanks."

"I'm glad you're awake Blu, I hope this encounter didn't have any negative effects on your psyche," asked Cthulhu.

"What happened?"

"That's what we want to know, but Mr. Tentacles here didn't want to give away his secrets until you were awake," Leo told me.

"Indeed," said Cthulhu. "I didn't want to repeat stories unless it was required. Furthermore, my recollection of recent events would be nothing without an idea for the future, and that depended on whether or not Blu was alive. Anyways, let me explain what has happened.

"Everyone here knows what caused the injuries on Blu, so I won't repeat what happened then. What matters most is how he got into such a state. From my mind analysis, it seems that a powerful entity was able to link both their mind and Blu's mind together. This entity is extremely powerful, I might add since although Blu is not a triumvirate of a high-class cryptid, his magic is still high caliber. Breaking his magic mind barrier is no easy feat, even more so to be done covertly in a castle full of powerful magic wielders. I'll be blunt, I know exactly one possible person who is capable of this: Nameless."

"You're kidding, right? They're dead," said Braun baffled.

"Their physical form, yes. However, Nameless was smart enough to keep around artifacts that still have remnants of their spiritual energy."

"So why don't we just destroy them?" Asked Leo.

"We would if it was so simple. They're extremely volatile, hurting anyone who comes close to it in the most painful ways. Furthermore, these objects are nearly indestructible, and there is no safe magic to get rid of them. As a result, the council decided it would be best if these remnants were transported to areas in which no one would be able to use them, with guardians to keep them safe."

"Why weren't we notified of this?" Asked Briggs angrily.

"To be completely honest, this was a matter that the council wanted to keep secret from the CPP, as most of us thought that you were incapable of protecting the artifacts. Knowing the location of these cursed objects is dangerous as it already is. No offense, but our friend's state is an example of the terrifying power remnants of Nameless' is."

Leo frowned at this explanation. "So why are you telling us this now?"

"That's why I wanted to until Blu had awoken. Simply put, Blu holds a valuable connection now with this Nameless artifact. From what I predict, somehow Nameless had found an exploit in the spell chamber we have them in right now. They were most likely waiting for a prime candidate to use as a host. Someone strong enough to do his bidding, but weak enough so that his mind control would work. This is where they made a mistake. Nameless knew that Blu was still stronger than an average mage, but took the risk believing no one would be able to know of their plans."

Ludvig spoke up in frustration. "Hold on, slow down old man. What does Blu have to do with any of this? I thought you got rid of the curse present in his body."

"I was getting to that. Blu being able to survive the ordeal with Nameless is the risk that Nameless took. Despite the presence of Nameless being gone in Blu's body, Blu still has a link with them. From what I theorize, Blu might be able to destroy the artifact. The binding spell can be broken since Blu shares essence with Nameless themself."

Leo seemed engaged now in this conversation. "Fascinating. Does this mean Blu can destroy all the remnants now?"

"Now wait just a moment there! I only invited him here so he could relax during his vacation. We already dragged him through hell by letting him be possessed and jump out of a window, I don't think he should be obliged to do anything right now!" Ludvig detested.

Braun stepped in. "I agree. Blu, you shouldn't feel the need to destroy any of these artifacts. I say we wait until we can find an alternative-"

Ugh! This bickering is getting on my nerves! "Enough!" I shout, eliciting a cough from me afterward that draws everyone's attention. "I appreciate your concern, but Cthulhu isn't finished. Let him speak, he might have more to add."

Cthulhu bowed in gratitude. "In theory, yes, Blu might have the ability to destroy all the remaining remnants. However, this poses a great risk to his life and also gives Nameless more opportunities to rise again. I propose a better solution. Instead of destroying this artifact, Blu performs a purification spell with me to destroy Nameless' spiritual presence inside the object while retaining the essence of Nameless. In other words, we create an anti-Nameless weapon."

Briggs spoke up again. "And what makes you think this object is even capable of being a weapon in the first place?"

"That's because it's a dagger," Ludvig said coldly. "As much as I would like to stop being a guardian for this dagger, Blu should still have a choice."

"Man, will you stop being so dramatic?" I say. "Yes, I'll do it. Ludvig, Braun, this is my job. Well, not really, usually in my case negotiating with villains, but I've had to deal with getting rid of cryptids. And most importantly, I want to kick this Nameless guy in the ass if they think they can take my body without my consent!"

Cthulhu nods in appreciation. "Then it's settled. We'll postpone the meetings today for now, and I'll notify the council of this mission. Everyone should come prepared as we need to get as close as possible to perform the spell. Blu, I already searched your memory and saw that you know the Chthonic Inanimate Object Purification Spell, so brush up on it if you're not confident enough. Your wounds should be healed enough to venture into the caverns by nightfall. We cannot wait any longer, or we risk the possibility of losing this chance. We meet at dusk at Noir's gates. Good luck gentlemen."

After a quick examination with Briggs and new bandages, I was able to stand up and move again, albeit at a slower pace. Briggs told me that I should take it easy and once this is all over get some more rest. It's amazing how effective his magic was, apparently I was lucky enough for none of the shards to hit any of my vital organs. Everyone slowly left the room, except for one pesky vampire.

"Hey, are you alright? You were, excuse my language, but pretty fucked up once we were able to get medical attention for you," Ludvig said with worry.

"Yes, I'm good, stop worrying, honestly, I'm just glad you were able to catch me that quickly. Your winged form is no joke," I said nonchalantly.

"That's the great thing about being a vampire! One moment, cute cuddly bat, then suddenly a bloodsucking monster capable of mass DESTRUCTION!" he growls while he grabs me into a hug.

"Ow ow ow! Watch it, I'm still a bit sore," I yelp.

"Sorry! I'll be more gentle." He lessens his grip, but he's still hugging me for some reason. I'm about to push him away, but I relent. What got him to be so brave? I don't care, somehow his fur is so soft. I thought bats were supposed to have coarse hair. He smells nice too, like apples and cinnamon. He finally lets go of our embrace in a bashful manner. "Sorry, don't know what got me there. It's just nice being able to hug someone that isn't an uh weird tentacled cryptid."

"Yeah, I feel you..." We stand awkwardly trying to figure out what to say next. "Again, thanks for saving me. Guess it makes up for forcing me to stay in this cursed-but-soon-not-to-be castle."

"No problem. I'll make sure that you're safe once we go into the caverns."

"Just so that I'm prepared, why don't you stay awhile and tell me about those caverns."

"Sure, I'll get some lunch real quick we can plan after we're done eating."

Ludvig and I exited the elevator into the main lobby where we saw a group of cryptids that I assumed was the council and the CPP triumvirates. Looks like everyone was waiting for us.

Ludvig and I had changed into attire that was more appropriate. I had changed into a uniform that Braun had lent me. Despite his size, he was able to shrink it using some sort of magic. CPP uniforms come with a black blazer, navy dress shirt and pants, and tactical vest for combat units (not that it would be much help against an all-powerful cryptid). Ludvig had changed into an outfit befitting that of a vampire. He was wearing a dark red cloak with a white dress shirt, red vest, and black pants. However, he was also wearing some sort of ebony armor that I'm sure cost millions. We walked up to Cthulhu and the other triumvirates who were similarly equipped for the operation.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen, I know this was impromptu, but we all know the severity of the situation. We must vanquish the threat that Nameless has on our society, and procure a method to eliminate him. Let me reiterate our priorities. Everyone is to defend Blu and me until the spell is cast. We will perform the spell at the mouth of the chamber. Build a barrier around us and if things get too hectic for you, notify us and fall back. The plan is simple but relies heavily on our manpower. Stay strong and good luck."

After his speech, we moved out towards a snowy mountain nearby. The march was quiet, probably everyone focusing on the mission. We reached the cavern entrance, signified by the stalagmites and stalactites depicting a sharp-toothed smile. As we went through the cave, light faded away and we had to cast an illumination spell. It took nearly 20 minutes until we reached a dark chasm with a bridge. Slowly, people stopped and called quits, the voices and probing done by Nameless too strong for them to handle. It wasn't long until we reached the entrance to the chamber. We stopped to see who was left.

"It seems only the triumvirates and us council members are left. Unsurprising, but nonetheless disappointing," one of the councilmen said.

"We knew the expectations. Nameless is vulnerable, we cannot afford to wait any longer," Braun expressed with concern.

"Are you ready Blu?" Asked Ludvig. I nodded with a gulp.

Cthulhu grabbed my shoulder. "Then let's go. Everyone, form a line in front of us. Once I give the word, we march in and take on this fiend." The triumvirates, council members, and Ludvig lined up in front of the entrance. Cthulhu and I positioned ourselves behind them. After a few seconds that felt like hours, Cthulhu stern shouted, "Forward!"

As we marched through the mouth of the chamber, I felt darkness immediately surround my body as we passed the magic barrier containing the evil of Nameless. Just as we passed inside, the people defending fanned out to form a shield around Cthulhu and me. Just as I got into position to face Cthulhu for the spell, I heard a voice creep into my ear. "What are you doing here you pesky normal! It is disgraceful enough that you foiled my plans, now you heed the words of the troublesome tentacle wizard? Leave now, or perish!"

In no time at all, a rush of dark energy flooded the chamber, causing the anthro shield to be pushed back by the incredible force. "Concentrate Blu! The faster we perform, the better the odds of everyone surviving!" Cthulhu told through telekinesis, blocking out out the words of Nameless. Following his command, I concentrated on creating the spell. I closed my eyes and felt magic flowing to my fingertips. First, the basic magic circle. Next, the Chthonic pattern surrounding the circumference. Next, the sigil for purification. Finally, the symbol for inanimate objects overlaps the sigil. I opened my eyes to see the spell basis I created in fitting blue light. I looked over to see Cthulhu had already formed his green part. Now came the hard part, merging the two to form a sphere that would eventually create the final spell.

"The two circle bases have been formed," Cthulhu told everyone. "Hold on while we finish this." Closing my eyes again, I started to approach the middle between Cthulhu and me with my hands spread out. I eventually stopped once Cthulhu and I's hands touched. Despite his cold-blooded body, his hands were warm due to the magic. We slowly moved our hands to the spell bases and started to mold them together like one would with clay. One little imperfection and the spell would fail. As I continued to shape the spell, I heard grunts and cries of pain in the background, but I remained focused, knowing that it all depended on me.

"Damn, I can't hold for much longer!" I heard Leo shout.

"Just a little longer!" Cthulhu replied.

Feeling my hands just one more time over the surface, I knew it was done. "I'm done Cthulhu!"

"Then let us cast it!"

Cthulhu and I opened our eyes to see a cyan ball of magic. With force and desperation, we flung our arms towards the shrine where the dagger was held. With an explosion of light and the screech that could come from no one else but Nameless, the chamber boomed with a force that knocked nearly everyone off their feet, including me. Falling to the ground felt like it reopened some of my wounds, sending pain straight through my body. Holding myself together, I forced myself up on my knees. Everyone started to the altar where the dagger was held.

"I think it's done..." someone said.

At lightning speed, the dagger pointed towards me and shot itself at me. With barely any strength left, I could do nothing as I saw the dagger launch towards my chest. I closed my eyes expecting my death, but after a couple of seconds, I felt nothing pierce me. Opening my eyes, I saw a grinning vampire holding a glowing cyan dagger. "Guess you still owe me!" He said, but he was gasping for breath. Clearly, he was tired after the ordeal.

"Fine, you got me," I laughed.

"Seems as though Nameless wasn't willing to go out without a fight. Seems he still might have a couple of tricks left up his sleeve. With the other objects, we must ensure caution," Cthulhu stated in a calm voice that juxtaposed him laying spread eagle on the ground in exhaustion.

We all stayed down in the chamber catching our breaths for a while until we all decided to make the journey back up. As we exited the cave, we were greeted by everyone who couldn't make it down with us cheering as we dragged our beaten bodies to the castle. Once we made it to the castle, the council and CPP agreed to keep the dagger in a secret spot until the further discussion was made. Guess meetings here have become a lot more important. The cryptids who couldn't make it proposed a feast to celebrate, but it was evident that most of us wanted to sleep, so we all retired to our rooms for the night.

Chapter 4

Never in my life have I been so reluctant to get out of bed. I initially woke up thinking that everything yesterday was a dream, to the point where I texted Braun asking if last night was true. I mean, how am I supposed to believe that I nearly got killed twice in the same day by a powerful villain that was almost forgotten by today's world. After that text, I fell asleep again in a matter of minutes due to my exhaustion. The combination of all my stamina and magic being depleted on the same day is not healthy. Now I'm awake again and check my phone to see it's already 8:30 pm. My phone has a bunch of text notifications too, guess my injuries were notified again to the group work chat. Gonna have to give a stern conversation again with Braun to stop divulging my personal business like the drama queen he is.

I'm not really tired anymore, I just lack the motivation to roll out of bed and do something. That's until I hear knocking at my door. "Come in," I groan out.

"Hey sleepyhead, you still need your beauty sleep?" Ludvig saunters into the room with a grin on his face.

"You're lucky that your kind doesn't need sleep."

He walks up to the bed. "I just woke up too."

"Hello? You were the one who told me you guys don't sleep."

"Technically we don't need to rest every night to recharge. However, when our bodies undergo a lot of work, that's when we sleep. It felt nice to lay down and rest for a change, as short as it was."

"Maybe you should just do a million jumping jacks before bed so that you can sleep every night," I tease.

He laughs. "Sorry, but I think I prefer staying up every night, let's me do more work, despite how little there is here."

I pause for a second, thinking about the situation he's in. "You mentioned that you were the guardian for the dagger, that means the whole reason why you stayed here was because of the dagger?"

"Mostly. My mom was the one who wanted me to be the guardian, as fucked up as it is to force your child to spend eternity protecting an object for the sake of all anthro races. I don't think about it much, maybe because Cthulhu has been more of a parent than my actual parents have, as annoying as he is. Anyways, I guess none of that matters now since the remnant dagger is now being used to get rid of the others. I guess I have you to thank for that."

"Heh, seems like we're getting in the habit of paying each other back."

The bat maliciously grins while he sits near me. "Sorry, but saving the whole world doesn't count as paying me back. Especially since you accepted it yourself and said it was your job to do so. So, you still owe me, Mr. Swift."

"Bullshit! If that's the case, you were the guardian for the dagger, so it was YOUR duty to protect me from the dagger."

"Tsk tsk, wrong! The spell was lifted, so was my duty. A booby-trapped dagger isn't my responsibility once Nameless is gone!"

"Grr, fuck you asshole!" I pout while staring out the starry night sky outside. We sat for a while before I spoke up again. "So now that you're relieved of your duty, what will you do now? Are you gonna look for your parents? Destroy the other artifacts?"

"Hell no to the first one. I can do that anytime, I would rather not go on a wild goose chase looking for people who not even the CPP can find. No, the second also. Cthulhu told me that he will personally deal with that himself and that I already wasted part of my life looking after one. He wants me to experience a life that isn't spent protecting a stupid artifact." He pauses for a second. "So... I'm not sure. I've grown to like these mountains and the castle, so I wouldn't mind keeping this as my home for a while. Maybe I could make a business out of it now that a demonic entity isn't just around the corner. Make it a ski resort or something for cryptids. Call it like... Hotel Transylvania?"

I chuckle a bit. "That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard. Do you have any idea how a hotel works?"

"Hey! If I'm able to host a conference every 10 years, I'd say I'm quite capable of managing guests at a hotel. Honestly, though, it would be nice to visit somewhere warm and inviting. I've always wanted to go to the beach, it sounds fun. Salty water and sand that gets everywhere in your fur."

"Tell me about it. As much as I love the beach and taking photos there, sand is the reason I hate and love the beach. It's nice and soft, but people aren't kidding when they say you'll bring sand with you for the next two weeks." Awkward silence again. "You know, if you ever want to get out of the country, I know some friends that own a pretty sick beach house. Waterfront property, amazing sunset view. If you want, we can go together, and I could bring a couple of other friends along too if you want a full party. I don't care."

He looks at me shocked. "Really? After all this? You want to hang out with me?"

"Yeah, you said we were friends, right?" I hold his hands and smile at him. His face looks deeply into mine, and I can see his red eyes stare deeply into mine. We just sit there, looking intensely at each other, waiting for the other to make a move. I decide to break the ice and slowly move my head towards his, which he immediately recognizes and takes action instantly. He smashes his lips against mine, going in for the kill with his tongue to deepen our kiss. I try to keep up, but it's difficult with his fangs teasing my lower lip and his tongue dominating mine. All I can do is let him take the wheel and position ourselves so that our kissing is more comfortable. I grab his shoulders to get closer to him while he starts caressing my body with desire. Eventually, we separate to catch our breaths.

"Do friends usually do that?" He pants out with a slight chuckle.

"No, but let's slow it down, big boy." After catching our breaths, my stomach growls. "Sorry, I haven't eaten anything today. Can we get something to eat?"

"They've probably stopped cooking down there, and I don't feel like cooking. There's an amazing Xinese restaurant in town. Why don't I fly out and pick it up and we can eat in my room?"

After a hearty meal, we were exchanging stories again. Me talking about the shenanigans I used to get into as a kid at my orphanage, and the trouble he'd get into under the tutelage of Cthulhu. We barely kept track of time, ignoring the world around us as we enjoyed each other's company. We settled down for a minute, which caused me to sniff the clothes I was in.

"Shit! My clothes stink. Hold on, I think that might just be me," I grumble.

"That's what happens when you go on an adventure for a day," he snarkily responds.

"You're forgetting that not only did you do that too, but we just made out with each other a couple of hours ago. You probably stink also."

"Fair enough. So then, why don't we take our dirty selves to the shower, shall we?" He hums while giving me a suggestive look.

"Oh, uh, now?" I stutter.

He stands and struts toward me with determination. "You said it yourself, dirty boy. Get up and clean each other up. I'm sure you're still sore, you wouldn't mind me helping you, right?"

Shit, I'm really going to do this. 4 days ago I would've never wanted this, but now I can't resist. He's just so... charming. "Ok, sure, lead the way."

Ludvig grabs my hand and pulls me to the bathroom with him. His bathroom is stunning, black marble everywhere, a fur drying machine, and a huge shower with so many controls I don't know how to use. I turn around to see him starting to undress, his eyes looking at me the whole time. One by one, he strips down until he is bare naked, his sheath and balls out in the open in the massive glory. "You won't be taking shower in your clothes, right?"

"O-of course not! Give me a second." I try to take off my clothes quickly, but my strength still isn't completely back, so I almost trip and fall until my face, but Ludvig catches my fall. However, he has to crouch down to hold me up by my shoulders, putting my face right into his sheath. I can see his shaft poking out, but what confuses me is that his length isn't red or pink. It looks... black?

"Getting eager now are we?" He growls softly.

"Sorry, still not in the best of shape."

He pauses with concern for a minute. "Are you okay with doing this? We can stop."

"No! No, sorry, didn't mean to kill the mood. You might just have to take control with this one. I don't want to stop now anyway, after seeing... that."

I can see he wants to say more, but he picks up on my curiosity. "Oh, this?" He fondles his privates. "Interested in vampire anatomy?" He licked his lips with lust.

Still stuck in my underwear, my shaft throbs in anticipation. Fuck, this guy is driving crazy! Carefully this time, I remove the final garment to reveal my package. Mine is certainly modest, but how can I compete with a monster like his? "S-so, just so we're clear, I'm more of a bottom if you're okay with-"

"Trust me foxy, I'm completely fine with that." He then pulls us together, my belly right against his privates. He pulls my chin up to face his smug demeanor. "I'm guessing this is your first time?"

"No... not exactly. I've sucked some guys off before but not much else. You?"

"Only two much more intimate encounters with cryptids before. Their anatomy wasn't so similar to ours, but we made it work. But none got me in a frenzy like you are doing to me now." He kisses me again, this time more smoothly than the last. His long tongue nearly goes down my throat as we make out. He can barely contain his lust, and he pushes us through the door to the shower and puts me against one of the walls. We continue dancing with our tongues until he relents and pulls away. "Remember the original reason why we're here? Let's continue this way so we can continue with cleaner fur."

He turns one of the knobs to turn on the showerhead. It's small for this big ass shower which perplexes me until he cranks another knob that causes warm water to fall on us like rain. "Don't worry, we won't run out of hot water, so feel free to take your time." He grabs my shoulders softly so that I'm in the center of the shower. He grabs two bottles. "Here's some that I don't use much: lavender or orange?"

"Lavender."

"Good taste." He turns me around and I hear him squirt some into his paw. He grabs my shoulder again and lathers my back and front with the shampoo. He hands me the bottle. "Here, you can do your head while I do the rest." He scrubs me down with care, but in a very sexual manner. He scrubs down my front and twists my nipples and strokes my sheath, causing me to moan. While he scrubs my back and legs, he slaps my ass and teases my hole, causing me to yelp. "Alright, we're done here. Now turn around and grab this bottle."

I turn around and grab the new red bottle he's holding. I can see he's already using some to clean his face, so I squirt some into my paw to wash his front. I set down the bottle and start at his pecs, rubbing down the shampoo that smells like apples and cinnamon. I move down to his washboard abs and his muscular arms. Holy shit, his fur is so soft, yet his muscles feel as hard as a rock. Ignoring the elephant in the room, I rotate around his body to his back and scrub it down, just not as sexy as he did with mine. His cake is pretty good though. However, I go back to his front to see that his shaft has started to peek its way out. Yup, his dick is definitely black. "Here's another lesson. Vampire penises are very much like canines. We have sheaths and tapered tips, but our colors differ as you can see. And yes, I do have a knot, if it wasn't obvious." I gulped and began to clean off his privates too. My cleaning causes his cock to throb and expand further, showing the meat I'll be dealing with later. "That will do."

Ludvig then kneels to the ground. "Look what we have here, this will simply not do. You've barely gotten hard. Have I not been kind enough?" He puts a finger to my lips before he begins licking my balls. I groan in pleasure, encouraging him to go further. Lick after lick, he cups my balls and kisses them until my pink shaft is fully out, knot and all. "What do we have here? Has someone come out to play?" He then slides my length right through his fangs into his maw. His mouth on my cock brings me immeasurable pleasure, causing me to yip like a kid. He expertly sucks on my shaft, nearly deepthroating me on the first try. I grab his head to help guide him down my shaft.

In my pleasure, I almost don't recognize the sound of another cap popping off. Distracted by the blowjob, I fail to feel him start spreading my asschecks apart and pressing a lubed finger into my asshole. I gasp, not expecting the penetration. However, I can't resist as he picks up the speed of going up and down on my length while he fingers my hole. I nearly cum to the stimulation of both my cock and hole being taken care of at the same time. Ludvig stops just as I reach the boundary, and he stands up and closes the gap between us.

"Look at all this meat," he says while holding our cocks together. My 5-inch cock is nearly half the size of his 10-inch black spear. He hands me the bottle of lube. "Mind giving me a hand?" He says while giving me a wink. I stroke deep black length with the lube, surprised by how the water doesn't let it wash away. Guess I shouldn't be surprised by stuff like that in this castle. After I generously coat his monstrous cock with lube, his knot finally pops out from his sheath. I whimper in anticipation, and he caresses my face lovingly. "You're doing amazing, but let's get to the main course." He lifts me and brings us to the wall of the shower. Our bodies continue to be drenched while he lifts my legs over his hips. I cross my legs while he props me against the wall. I can feel his dick grinding against my asschecks and tail. I focused my eyes on his red eyes filled with sexual need. After I give him a nod, he pulls back, aims his cock, and jabs into my twitching hole.

I yowl in pain as his member enters my virgin hole, which causes him to stop and kiss my cheek. "Don't worry, I'll take it slow." He whispers into my ear. After adjusting for a minute, he penetrates further into my virgin ass, each time my grunts becoming softer. Slowly, I start to accommodate his massive length, and I moan loudly as his cock presses against a certain spot. "Now I found you," Ludvig says with a lustful smile. With renewed vigor, he keeps pushing into, each push grinding against my prostate eliciting more moans and yips. Finally, he hilts his whole shaft up to the knot into me. "See? That wasn't so hard. You took my whole length Blu, and so you're wonderfully tight! Fuck, I can't stop this urge. Prepare yourself Blu, I'm going to town on your ass!"

With one long squelch that sounds louder than the shower, he pulls out his member until only the tip remains in my ass. The vampire then thrust right back into me, causing me to scream in pleasure. "Oh my god, please keep going, Ludvig!" This turns him on, I can feel the cock inside me pulse and become rock solid while he snarls with the need to breed. This makes it harder to pull it out the second time, but he manages to do so. After the third entry and exit, he finds a rhythm pounding my ass. Our fuck session turns into a cacophony of grunts, whines, moans, and growling. Meanwhile, our fur is soaked by the water pouring down onto us. My cock throbs and pulsates while Ludvig's black spire grinds against my prostate and my cock grinds against his muscular abs. We're in this state for what feels like 10 minutes before he stops and pulls completely out my ass, causing me to groan with unfulfillment. I look down to see that his cock seems harder than ever, why is he stopping?

I get my answer as he forcefully turns me around and growls in my ear, "I'm so fucking pent up, I'm going to knot you so hard and claim this virgin ass." With a mighty slam, he sheaths his entire shaft in one go, causing me to loudly moan in bliss. "That's it, cute little fox. Moan for me. God, you are so fucking sexy, and you're all mine tonight." He pistons harder and faster than ever into my asshole. I can barely make any noise at this point, completely overridden by the pleasure his cock brings. I can feel his heavy ball smack against my buttchecks each time he thrusts forward. I can also feel his knot finally start to break through my entrance, which he notices too. He grabs my head and snarls in my ear, "Listen here foxy. This is your final lesson for the night. There's one more thing we use these fangs for with bloodsucking. It's for sex. Whenever we claim someone, we feed on them. Don't worry, it feels good for both of us. But I want to do it while I knot your ass and cum with me. So you better let me know when you're about to cum. Got that?" I nod.

No more discussion, back to fucking. Each thrust I can feel his knot intruding in, causing my cock to fall closer to the breaking point. Just as he's about to reach the halfway point, I shout, "Ludvig, I'm gonna cum!" With a deep snarl, he pulls back as far as he can go and thrusts forward with lightning speed. My hole stood no chance, and my hole accepted his whole knot. I yelp, while cock starts to shoot white streaks all over the wall. Meanwhile, I feel his fangs sink into my neck, and blood is siphoned through them. His knot inflates fully and I can feel cum flood my asshole, with only the option of staying inside with the tight seal the knot has created. With one hand on my shoulder, he moves a hand to my member to keep stroking it, despite me shooting only blanks at this point. I can feel my belly start to expand with the absurd amount of cum filling my hole. I can feel the blood being sucked out of me, but I don't feel weak, instead, I just fall into a state of absolute pleasure and submission. Ludvig continues to pump cum into me while sucking blood from my neck. I feel like I'm about to faint after a minute until I can feel his cock stop and his fangs release from my neck.

We spend a couple of minutes recollecting ourselves before finally, Ludvig embraces me passionately. "That was amazing, Blu. You're amazing. I love you so much," he whispers in my ear, thrusting into my ass one more time.

"Ahh, please... relax. One more thrust and I might pass out."

"Sorry, I just got into the zone. I must have drained too much blood. I'll be careful." He caresses my inflated stomach. "Shit, I was pent up. I don't think this knot will be going down anytime soon. Let's dry off and head to bed, okay."

"Yeah..." After exiting the shower and standing locked together in the fur dryer, we wobbled our way towards the grand bed that looked barely used. Slowly, the vampire hoisted us onto the bed, our bodies linked together. "Shit, I'm about to knock out, good luck with cleaning up while I'm sleeping."

Ludvig chuckles. "Yeah, forgot to mention that this is also a time that we vampires tend to sleep after doing. I guess we'll just have to shower again in the morning."

"Heh, yeah, but let's actually clean ourselves next time, okay?"