The Girl They All Hunger For

Chapter 9 An Injured Bat

I’ll admit it.

Sometimes… I do have a bit of a mean streak.

But seriously—he and his little squad had been chasing me nonstop.

And now he’s the one tearing up?

Your Highness… can’t handle losing?

Theodore’s face is the delicate, pretty type.

Soft-looking hair. Almost boyish.

It doesn’t match his personality at all.

But when tears pooled in his eyes—then slipped down uncontrollably—

All that sharp, malicious aura just… vanished.

…

Honestly?

Kind of cute.

I almost whistled.

Held it in.

If I actually did that, he’d probably hunt me down to the ends of the earth.

I glanced up again.

Still not out of danger.

I steadied my nerves and bolted for the school gate.

…Next time I make him cry, will I have time to take a photo?

—

By the time his useless lackeys found him, Theodore had already stopped crying.

But the corners of his eyes were still red.

His emotions hadn’t fully settled.

They all assumed he was just furious.

He paced the room, face dark.

Then—bang—he kicked over an empty table.

“I’m going to kill her. I will kill her!!”

No one dared look at him.

Yeah.

That was pure rage. Pure humiliation.

Theodore had never suffered like this.

Pureblood. Born into the Scepter House.

His parents? High-ranking elites.

His whole life—people bent to his will.

This was the first time he’d ever been brought to tears.

…

Tessa Shaw has to die.

The thought kept growing.

Louder.

Until it filled his entire mind.

He ground his teeth.

“…Get me her file. I want her address.”

One of them hesitated.

“Lord Theodore… the family can’t protect you outside campus. Maybe wait until Monday—”

“Wait for what?” His voice snapped. “Just do it.”

Still hesitant—

“But the hunters have been very active lately. If you—”

Theodore crushed whatever he was holding.

The cold look he gave shut them up instantly.

—

Inside Elaris Academy, every faction played their own game.

Even pureblood nobles had rules to follow.

You don’t reveal your identity to prey before they’re “tamed.”

You clean up your own kills.

Families don’t interfere.

That half-blood—Adrian—got locked up because he almost exposed something to me.

Because if vampires want to blend into human society…

They need humans who willingly become blood sources.

…

Though honestly?

With faces like theirs, they’re already halfway there.

—

Theodore opened his palm.

Once he stepped outside school—

Those rules meant nothing.

Flames flickered to life, burning the object in his hand to ash.

His expression didn’t change.

This weekend—

He’d erase me from the world.

With the memory of tonight still fresh.

—

I sneezed.

Rubbed my nose.

Guess I wasn’t used to being active at night. Probably caught a chill.

I had no idea what was waiting for me this weekend.

The moment I got my phone back, I started searching everything about vampires.

Scrolled for ages.

Got results like—

“Vampires drinking blood is kinda hot???”

“They need blood for Vitamin D since they can’t get sunlight”

“Does getting bitten feel like that? Real or fake???”

…

Completely useless.

But weirdly entertaining.

Still… makes sense.

If vampires actually existed—and people knew—

Humans, as prey, would panic.

They’d try to wipe them out.

—

I lay back on my bed.

This night-school schedule had completely flipped my routine.

On Monday… do I have to keep playing cat-and-mouse with Theodore?

I should get some proper rest.

At least eight hours.

—

But the second I lay down—

I thought of him again.

…

How does someone get so mad they cry that easily?

The more I thought about it, the faster my heart raced.

Uncomfortable.

Annoying.

Now I couldn’t sleep.

—

A few minutes later, I shot upright.

The guy’s still young—

And somehow already mastered the ultimate weapon:

Tears.

—

Not risking weird dreams again.

I threw on a jacket, glanced at the bright sun outside, and headed out.

—

During school, I live alone in a residential area.

Only go to my grandma’s farm during summer.

This apartment was left to me by my parents.

28 floors. I live on the 20th.

Dense neighborhood. Mostly homeowners. Nice neighbors.

—

If my guess about vampires is right—

Better be prepared.

I bought a set of silver knives.

And a bag of garlic.

No holy water. No crosses. Everyone here’s an atheist.

Didn’t bother looking.

…

Though honestly, I got this idea from some questionable vampire game.

No clue if it’ll actually work.

—

“Suìsuì? Grocery shopping?”

A familiar auntie waved at me.

“Haven’t seen Ethan in a while. How are you two?”

I smiled.

“We’re good. School just started—he’s busy studying.”

“Ah, high school. Important time. Come visit sometime—my kid misses you both.”

We chatted for a bit.

Then I headed home.

—

By the time I got back, it was almost noon.

I tossed the silver knives on my bedside table.

Placed garlic nearby.

Wrapped myself in blankets.

…

If there really are vampires in that school—

I just hope Ethan has nothing to do with them.

—

Night fell.

I was sleeping soundly—

THUD.

A heavy crash from the balcony.

I shot upright.

My heart started pounding.

Fast.

Faster.

I grabbed a knife.

Moved quietly to the glass door between the living room and balcony.

Stayed in the shadows.

Silent.

—

There was someone on the balcony.

Curled up.

Black hair, messy.

Back hunched.

Breathing uneven—like he was in serious pain.

Blood spread across the ground.

Dark red.

Wrong.

Very wrong.

—

I watched for a few minutes.

Then—

His body went slack.

Collapsed into the blood.

—

Unconscious.

—

I opened the balcony door.

Knife ready—angled for his throat if he moved.

Knelt down.

Pushed his hair aside.

—

Pale. Refined. Familiar face.

I blinked.

“…Oh.”

Well.

If it isn’t Your Highness.

—

At this point, I’m honestly impressed with my own adaptability.

I glanced lower.

A silver dagger lay on the ground.

Must’ve been pulled from his chest.

His shirt—so fancy—was soaked in blood.

“…Came for revenge dressed like that?”

I muttered.

Then flipped him over.

Efficient.

Unbuttoned his collar.

—

The dagger was intricately designed. Expensive-looking.

The wound?

Dangerously close to the heart.

Just barely missed.

But the edges had turned black.

Poisoned.

—

I crouched there, analyzing.

…

Can he even survive this?

Please don’t die in my house.

I sighed.

—

No time to admire his pretty collarbones and toned abs.

I checked outside.

Good.

No pursuers.

—

I followed a tutorial.

Tied his hands tightly. Restricted movement.

Treated the wound as best I could.

Then cleaned the blood off the balcony.

No way I’m letting this look like a crime scene.

—

Theodore woke up from the pain.

Immediately realized he was restrained.

Whoever tied him?

Amateur—but tight.

No chance to break free.

Garlic smell in the air.

Disgusting.

—

At least this wasn’t the hunters’ territory.

He tried to burn through the ropes—

But the dagger had been coated in holy water.

His powers weren’t recovering.

—

S-class vampire hunter.

He’d run into one tonight.

…Damn it.

Ever since meeting Tessa Shaw—

Nothing’s gone right.

—

The door opened.

He snapped his head up.

—

I walked in.

Pajamas.

Cup of water in hand.

Yawned.

—

We locked eyes.

—

“…Untie me.”

I blinked.

“Your Highness, you literally fell onto my balcony.”

—

He stiffened.

Humiliated. Again.

His eyes reddened instantly—

But the pain hit harder.

The holy water was spreading through his body.

Burning.

Relentless.

—

He lowered his head.

Breathing rough.

Eyes glowing red.

Barely holding it together.

—

Blood.

He needed blood.

Or he’d die.

—

I tilted my head.

Totally calm.

“Want me to help?”

Pulled out my phone.

“Most versions say drinking blood helps recovery. That true?”

I paused.

“Also… do vampires count as bats? If you bite me, do I need a rabies shot?”

—

“…Get lost.”

He forced it out through clenched teeth.

—

Wow.

Rude.

But hey—he didn’t deny it.

So that’s basically a yes.

—

I leaned down, hands on my knees, meeting his gaze.

Smiled.

Friendly.

Negotiating with this arrogant little monster.

—

“How about this?”

“I give you some of my blood…”

“You do me a small favor.”

“Deal?”