Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Jiang Yao sat perched on Louis' lap, his lower back supported as he lay on his back, his chest resting across Louis' thighs like prime cut on a butcher's block.

Louis, like a beast savoring its meal, leisurely enjoyed his afternoon, licking away the bloodstains on Jiang Yao’s body, using his saliva to knit closed the wounds left from the chip extraction.

Jiang Yao lay there, rolling the chip between his fingertips, inspecting it against the light.

“This little thing? That powerful?”

The chip had a signal source that transmitted real-time coordinates. It had been embedded in his left chest, pulsed in time with his heartbeat, making it nearly undetectable.

Jiang Yao couldn’t even find the wound at first, after exhaustive searching, he discovered the incision concealed beneath his groin.

Involuntarily, his mind flashed to himself lying naked on a cold operating table, surrounded by men in white coats, their scalpels delving into his most intimate spaces.

A stabbing pain lanced through his left chest. Jiang Yao tilted his head up slightly to see Louis’ stormy expression as he bit down on the spot, licking, kissing, and nibbling lightly.

Louis lifted Jiang Yao’s back, compelling him to witness—watch how his long tongue scraped, how his fangs pricked teasingly.

A flush spread across Jiang Yao’s face, layer upon layer, deepening to crimson until his cheeks burned as if scorched by fire. Yet Louis refused to let up.

“Your Grace…” Jiang Yao clenched his thighs, visibly overwrought, unable to resist pushing at Louis’ head with his hand.

Louis seemed provoked. The skin on Jiang Yao’s chest was bitten, covered in delicate tooth marks, then suckled purple by Louis’ forceful kisses.

*Clatter.*

One of Jiang Yao’s oxfords toppled over, its crimson sole facing Louis—so vivid, so provocative, inexplicably irritating him.

“Ah—!” Jiang Yao yelped.

Louis bit through Jiang Yao’s skin, licked it closed, then bit again... over and over, tormenting him endlessly.

Jiang Yao: “Your Grace, don’t…”

“So good!” Jiang Yao’s Phoenix eyes narrowed with heavy-lidded scrutiny as he studied Louis. “Tch—that stings!”

His fists clenched, nearly unable to stop himself from slapping Louis across the face. His words and his thoughts were completely at odds—this seemingly gentle butler was, at heart, a wanton creature.

A fire ignited in Louis’ chest, scorching him with feverish intensity. He needed blood to cool down. His kisses deepened, fangs sinking into Jiang Yao’s flesh.

Jiang Yao saw the figures above Louis’ head and struggled harder.

Louis looked like he wanted to devour him. The pain faded, replaced by the vampire’s mesmerizing allure.

*So beautiful.*

This look of drowning in desire.

Louis’ eyes burned red. His hunger grew, and with it, his lust. He could feel Jiang Yao’s sanity slipping the more blood he drank.

Jiang Yao lost all reason.

Even without being touched, he began rutting against Louis’ trousers, unable to control himself.

“Don’t move!” Louis suddenly snapped, his voice razor-sharp, as if Jiang Yao were trespassing on something private.

Jiang Yao didn’t stop. He arched his neck, lost in the sensation, like a lamb with its throat bitten open, convulsing in mindless ecstasy.

Louis frowned. He didn’t understand why he was so angry.

The thought of Jiang Yao recalling those men surrounding him—that irrational fury—he just...

Louis’ large hand covered Jiang Yao’s. His icy touch against Jiang Yao’s flushed skin made the latter flinch violently.

Taunting, torturing, Louis used just enough force to make Jiang Yao writhe, his rationality battling the urge to destroy him.

Jiang Yao was driven to madness. His back arched, pupils dilated, completely senseless. His trousers were undone, and when that cold hand slipped inside, his body coiled tight.

Louis’ eyes burned crimson. He hauled Jiang Yao up, pressing him against his chest, Jiang Yao’s legs splayed over his knees.

Jiang Yao went boneless against Louis, utterly spent.

Every kiss ended with Jiang Yao trembling violently, tears beading at the corners of his eyes—a physiological reaction to the lingering ecstasy.

Jiang Yao even wiped his own tears in surprise. Only then did Louis show the barest ghost of a smile. His tall, imposing frame still had to look up at Jiang Yao from this angle.

Louis licked his lips, then protruded his tongue—a chip resting on it.

Jiang Yao was stunned.

Doug had prepared a backup.

“...”

Louis spat out the chip, then gripped Jiang Yao’s waist with bruising force. His jealous heart couldn’t stand Jiang Yao thinking of another man at a time like this.

“Lo—Your Grace…” Jiang Yao blinked. “What’s wrong?”

*Idiot, getting territorial over nothing.* Jiang Yao smirked, studying Louis.

The fire burned hotter. Louis narrowed his eyes, digging fingers into Jiang Yao’s jaw. “You know I can hear your thoughts.”

Jiang Yao lowered his gaze, the picture of obedient remorse.

Too bad the sardonic gleam in his upturned eyes betrayed him.

Louis’ jaw tightened. “Butler.”

“Yes.” Jiang Yao replied respectfully—he always prized his professionalism.

Louis’ thoughts turned vicious. *Devour him, consume him, eat him, devour him...*

“Take off my clothes,” Louis ordered.

Jiang Yao paused, his gaze raking down Louis’ body like smoke obscuring fire.

Louis actually shivered!

In that instant, Jiang Yao slipped from his embrace, standing to adjust his disheveled clothing.

Louis frowned. “Why?”

“Your Grace, this service exceeds my duties.”

Jiang Yao’s lips curled, his smirk contradicting his shock at seeing a pureblood vampire lose control. Louis deciphered the taunt in that curl of lips.

Louis’ eyes turned stormy.

Fear gripped Jiang Yao. He flattened his lips, bowed slightly, and then pushed the meal cart away.

Ai Wei flew out from under the cart and perched on Jiang Yao’s shoulder. "Damn, you're hot."

Jiang Yao: "How much of that did you see?"

Ai Wei answered distractedly, "Jiang Yao, can you help me find a girlfriend? Or even a boyfriend would work. You know, I’ve been single for almost a hundred years."

Jiang Yao: "..."

-

Sunrise was just an hour away.

When he'd finished working and taken a bath, Jiang Yao finally relaxed and lay down. He had prepared a late-night snack for himself, but unfortunately, after tasting Louis' blood, his body had undergone a silent transformation. Even a simple mashed potato, which would have been a delicacy when he was hungry before, now paled in comparison.

Jiang Yao sighed, recalling the delivery worker from earlier that morning—his strong heartbeat surely meant his blood was incredibly sweet.

System: "Will you become a vampire?"

Jiang Yao: "I’ll control myself not to hurt anyone."

But the seed of desire had already been planted.

Jiang Yao closed his eyes.

At that moment, the sound of startled birds taking flight echoed through the forest.

Jiang Yao opened his eyes. After a pause, he left the castle and made his way down toward the forest.

System: "Where are you going?"

"My intuition tells me someone is coming," Jiang Yao replied, then marveled, "No wonder so many people crave pure vampire blood—my senses are so much sharper now!"

He could run faster now too. As he dashed into the forest, his nose caught a scent, and his pulse quickened.

"Yue Er?"

Back when his heart was still pure, he had admired Yue Er—his kindness, his bravery, and even the way he wavered in his stance for Jiang Yao’s sake.

But now, he was different. His heart had returned.

So when Jiang Yao clearly saw Yue Er emerge from behind a tree, the scarred face revealing barely-contained longing, he smirked triumphantly.

"Yue Er."

"Long time no see."

Yue Er said coldly, "Your scent has grown stronger."

Jiang Yao shrugged lightly and stepped closer, his voice soft and gentle, still like that of the pure, flawless servant. "I’ve gained the Duke’s power, Yue Er. It’s amazing..."

"No, it’s not." Yue Er seized Jiang Yao’s wrist and looked up at the towering castle. The decay that once clung to it had faded significantly.

"Louis is regaining his strength. Did you feed him your blood?" Yue Er accused, disappointed. "Jiang Yao, you’re human! You’re falling into corruption!"

Jiang Yao looked away guiltily. "But... I just wanted the strength to protect you and the children."

During their time working in the neutral zone, Yue Er had once taken Jiang Yao to see the school under construction from afar—Jiang Yao’s money was turning into a grand building.

Yue Er’s stance softened. Daybreak was near, and he was no longer as tense as when he first entered the vampire’s territory.

"I've missed you, Yue Er," Jiang Yao whispered.

Yue Er froze. He took a step back, then suddenly stopped, hesitating for a few seconds before replying uncertainly, "I don’t understand what you’re saying."

Jiang Yao: "Of course you do!"

Yue Er instinctively touched his face, but when he caught Jiang Yao’s gaze, he quickly dropped his hand. "Get the hell out!"

That tone of flustered anger was the instinctive defense of someone who felt insulted—a deep-seated insecurity that made him lash out.

Jiang Yao still smiled. "Not happening."

Yue Er frowned and turned, hiding the more scarred side of his face. "Vampire blood is filthy and tainted. You’ve been corrupted."

"Yes, I’ve become cunning," Jiang Yao said. "I can see through your awkward emotions—you’re just embarrassed."

Yue Er: "..."

Yue Er’s face burned red. He became flustered, his wolf ears popping up against his will.

"I’m leaving!" Yue Er suddenly blurted.

Jiang Yao: "Wait! Yue Er!"

Yue Er sensed something and looked past Jiang Yao into the distance. He slowly retreated, through clenched teeth before asking irritably, "When are you coming back to work?"

"I had my resignation delivered," Jiang Yao said.

Yue Er: "I ripped it to shreds!"

Jiang Yao: "..."

Yue Er added, "You haven’t spent all your money yet. Come back, and I’ll give you what's left."

Jiang Yao’s pulse jumped. He almost blurted out how much was left but managed to hold back.

Yue Er turned to disappear into the woods.

"Yue Er!" Jiang Yao seized his arm. He had grown taller, and they were nearly the same height now. Locking eyes with the werewolf so close to him, he fought down his hunger and murmured, "I... I don’t care about appearances, Yue Er..."

Yue Er snapped. "Let go of me!"

"Listen to me! Please, Yue Er!" Jiang Yao felt eyes on his back—he knew Louis must be watching. "Yue Er... I want to kiss you!"

Jiang Yao licked his lips.

Yue Er froze at the action. His mind replayed the image of Jiang Yao’s crimson shoe soles, and heat flooded his veins. He lowered his head uncomfortably.

"Yue Er, this is probably awkward, but I know... we'll be seeing less of each other from now on... I want to tell you..."

"Kiss me? You want me?" Yue Er scrutinized Jiang Yao with suspicion. "With this face? This messed-up face? Or do you just want your money back?"

Jiang Yao: "..."

"Lust is ugly," Jiang Yao murmured, cupping Yue Er’s face and pressing a kiss to his scar. In truth, Yue Er was devastatingly handsome—his rugged features only accentuated the refined lines of his jaw and lips.

That broken beauty held a raw magnetism.

Jiang Yao murmured, "Yue Er... have you ever been with someone before?"

Yue Er's face suddenly burned hot: "No one would ever want me..."

"Desire is utterly repulsive. The contorted expressions and convulsing bodies of people at their climax... like monstrous beasts..."

"If it's so hideous, why can't it appear on you?"

"Yue Er, the more a desire-consumed person reveals their ugly expressions, the more it proves they're ecstatic to the point of near death!"

Jiang Yao's words burned through Yue Er like wildfire. He shoved Jiang Yao away violently and disappeared into the forest undergrowth without looking back.

System: "Host, you... you..."

Jiang Yao adjusted his tie with a sharp tug.

"Goddamn it."

"I'm completely depraved."

Even after returning the heart tainted by Louis to its original owner, his blood-soaked body still underwent strange transformations.

Sensitivity.

Too sensitive.

Just approaching living, breathing flesh triggered unwanted reactions.

Battling his urges, Jiang Yao returned to the castle. He took a cold shower, and no sooner had he stepped out, Ai Wei delivered an invitation.

Ai Wei said, "The Duke mentioned that Count Cecilia's hundredth birthday is in a week. He wants you to make proper preparations to attend the banquet together."

Jiang Yao: "Understood."

"Did you anger His Grace?" Ai Wei followed Jiang Yao.

Jiang Yao: "Huh?"

Ai Wei continued, "The Duke said you should take lessons from William—on how to be a proper vampire butler."