Chapter 63

Chapter 63

Louis had fallen asleep in the bathtub.

Jiang Yao lifted him out, casually draping a blanket over his lower half. Downstairs, in the guest rooms, laughter mingled with the rustle of evening gowns.

The female vampires had gathered, trying on makeup and preparing their dresses, while the male vampires were scattered across the estate—some in the shooting range, others in the billiards room, or the hot spring sauna.

Countess Cecilia’s villa was the epitome of opulence.

At the moment, Jiang Yao was occupied with another matter. He needed a bit of strength—Doug’s assignment was no easy task.

The simplest way to obtain energy was through Louis’s blood.

Jiang Yao toyed with Louis’s arousal, teasingly asking, “Hard already?”

Louis let out a long, drawn-out sigh that vibrated through Jiang Yao’s ears, sending goosebumps prickling across his skin. “How long has it been?”

Louis’s gaze was vacant, his lips stretched into a forced smile by Jiang Yao’s fingers pressing against the corners of his mouth, like a marionette with strings tugging at its expression.

“Poor thing,” Jiang Yao sighed. “Maybe we should just stop.”

He withdrew his hand, only for Louis to pull him back.

Jiang Yao smirked. “Don’t regret this when you’re in your right mind, Your Grace.”

Louis advocated abstinence. He believed that in the eternity of existence, harboring a single desire would only bring him suffering.

Desire meant dissatisfaction, and dissatisfaction demanded effort to fill its void.

Louis pricked his finger, a pearl-sized drop of blood welling up. He smeared it across Jiang Yao’s lips.

The metallic tang of blood filled his nostrils, yet strangely, Jiang Yao didn’t find it unpleasant. Instead, he instinctively brought Louis’s finger to his mouth, sucking gently.

Louis’s gaze flickered toward him.

Jiang Yao smiled faintly. “You’re awake, Your Grace.”

Louis hummed in acknowledgment. “You’ve got quite the nerve, making deals with humans.”

Once Louis was lucid, Jiang Yao knew none of his thoughts could be hidden.

“I’m greedy,” Jiang Yao admitted earnestly. “I want money. This deal is very profitable.”

“And then? What will you do?” Louis asked, already seeing through the little fox’s plans without needing an answer.

After a moment of silence, Jiang Yao knew he had tacit permission. His eyes curved as he lifted Louis’s hand, kissing from fingertip to wrist before biting down and drinking deeply.

Louis allowed Jiang Yao’s audacity. It didn’t matter—raising Jiang Yao had always been part of his plans. A little blood was nothing.

Louis’s features melted into satisfaction, almost enjoying the sight of Jiang Yao enthralled by his blood. Soon enough, Jiang Yao would be unshakably devoted to him.

But…

“I hope you won’t drink anyone else’s blood but mine.”

Jiang Yao licked his lips. His phoenix eyes naturally sloped downward at the outer corners, giving him a softly seductive smile when he grinned.

“Of course,” he replied.

Yet Louis clearly heard the deceit in Jiang Yao’s heart.

Frowning, Louis wondered why Jiang Yao still dared to mess with him, even after being fed so much of his blood.

Jiang Yao wiped the blood from his lips and tucked Louis in with a thin blanket. “I’ll prepare food for you.”

—

Louis’s blood was delicious, and the physical transformations it brought to Jiang Yao’s body were undeniable.

His striking eyes required no enhancement, yet their outer corners remained perpetually flushed. His eyelids weren’t particularly wide, but their upward tilt at the edges exuded charm—when open, they seduced; when closed, they tempted.

The slanting wind and fine rain, and the hush, stretched the fleeting moment into something endless.

He had only come to fetch food for Louis, who had lost too much blood, to play the dutiful servant. He hadn’t expected to run into Yor here.

This wolf had remarkable talent—his combat abilities weren’t extraordinary, but he had a knack for concealing his presence, evading human patrols and Countess Cecilia’s guards alike.

Yor cut straight to the point: “Come with me!”

Jiang Yao shook his head gently. “I’m Your Grace’s butler, Yor. I’m bound by duty here. I can’t leave so easily… Please understand.”

Yor scowled, frustration boiling over. He yanked a cloth sack from his waist and threw it at Jiang Yao’s feet, spilling out Jiang Yao’s identification and a black card.

“Your things,” Yor said.

Jiang Yao: “…”

Yor had thick, sword-like brows that slashed toward his temples, his eyes dark and intense. Sweat glistened on his chest and back, his canvas work pants hanging low on his hips. Paired with the curved blade in his hand, he looked every bit the wild beast.

Jiang Yao swallowed. Yor was breathtaking—not just his face, but his aura. Such a waste…

“I’m not leaving.” Jiang Yao picked up his belongings, but before he could say more, he was yanked into an embrace.

Yor was seething. He gripped Jiang Yao’s collar, dragging him close before crushing their lips together in a bruising kiss.

It was intense.

Jiang Yao was kissed until his knees buckled, his body growing increasingly sensitive, as if it had been primed for pleasure. A single kiss left him feeling nearly collapsing.

When Yor finally pulled away, familiar figures flickered above his head.

If circumstances permitted, Jiang Yao was certain Yor would drag him into the forest and get him railed right there in the grass.

“Yor, will you do something for me?” Jiang Yao ventured cautiously.

His lips still glistened from their kiss. Yor’s calloused thumb rubbed Jiang Yao’s reddened mouth. “I have to leave by nightfall.”

But he didn’t refuse.

Jiang Yao continued, “Countess Cecilia’s estate is holding a hundred youths captive. Do you have a way to get them out?”

“Humans?” Yor frowned.

“Yes.”

“Relations between wolves and humans are at a breaking point right now, Jiang Yao. They’ve kidnapped our warriors to extract serum for superhuman abilities. And you want to infiltrate vampire strongholds to save humans?”

“A hundred million,” Jiang Yao said.

Jiang Yao whispered, "Doesn't your faction need rebuilding, Yor? This is serious money, and I’m certain it’s not just a one-time deal. We can have a long-term partnership!"

Yor narrowed his eyes. "Who is your employer?"

"Doug," Jiang Yao admitted.

Yor: "..."

The werewolf went quiet.

Jiang Yao could tell he was hooked—just a little more push was needed.

"Yor?"

"What’s wrong?"

Yor lowered his gaze, noticing Jiang Yao had changed again. He knew Jiang Yao had received another gift from the vampires. "Is this all you wanted to say to me?"

Jiang Yao curled his lips. "Of course not!"

"I have so much more to tell you," Jiang Yao murmured. "I wanted to say I’ve learned to cook now. When I taste-test the dishes, my tongue..."

Jiang Yao stuck his tongue out.

Yor’s throat worked.

Mumbling, Jiang Yao told him how his tongue had been scalded, burning painfully, and how he wished Yor had been there—just like at Uncle’s restaurant—so he could have pampered him.

So Yor kissed him again.

Jiang Yao’s eyes sparkled with mischief.

That whole cooking sob story? Louis barely touched anything but plain vegetables. Of course, he made it up—Yor had no idea what he was really thinking.

The kiss ended.

Footsteps approached the kitchen.

Jiang Yao struggled, but Yor only held him tighter. "I—"

"Does it still hurt?" Yor asked.

Jiang Yao hesitated for a long moment, until his tongue tingled again, then quickly said, "No, not anymore."

"I’ll help you."

The moment the door swung open, Yor flipped backward, landing seven stories below. A few leaps later, he vanished.

"Butler Jiang?"

Jiang Yao fiddled with his hair, covering his flushed ears. "Hello."

The servant avoided eye contact, stammering, "They're choosing the Sheep Slaves now. Please follow me."

Jiang Yao: "Of course."

The basement was damp and dim. This was his first time seeing humans caged like animals—teenagers, barely covered by sagging white cloth.

Each one caged, blindfolded and curled up behind iron bars. Jiang Yao clutched the paperwork in his hand, flicking the tag on the cage door. The sheets listed their origins, blood types, even education levels.

Jiang Yao smirked.

"Butler Jiang." A man in a tailcoat approached, hurriedly wiping sweat. "Mind if I peek at your notes? It determines if my master gets to bid for tonight’s prime cut."

Prime cut.

These "sheep" were given the once-over by the butlers, who jotted down their specs. Then, they’d be hooded and brought to the hall.

The picks would be presented based on the butlers’ notes, William would announce. The vampires would vote—if the write-up whet their appetites, the butler earned a reward.

A test of a butler's chops.

Proof they had what it took to serve vampires.

At these events, human butlers always showed off. Vain vampires ate that shit up, having their butlers’ abilities recognized—it made them seem refined too.

The chosen ones got scrubbed, prepped, and served up as the entrée before the feast began.

In other words, the butlers’ job was to talk up dishes the vamps couldn't scope out—while the vampires played the role of picky eaters.

"Apologies." Jiang Yao snapped his notebook shut, shutting out snoops.

The other butlers scattered, sweating over flowery descriptions before tagging cages with their masters' markers.

Jiang Yao gave a token a spin and sauntered out of the basement, smiling.

William stood at the door. "Been a minute."

"Been a minute, Mr. William." Jiang Yao pulled him into a bear hug, his hand slipping into William’s inner pocket to snatch a hidden key. "I missed you."

William, all white-haired and grandfatherly, patted Jiang Yao’s shoulder encouragingly.

Evening.

Louis came down the stairs, dressed to the nines, surrounded by nobles.

The vampires had just concluded a two-hour meeting—nobody knew what went down, as all humans had been barred.

Jiang Yao bit back his curiosity, helping prep the spread before waiting cheerfully by Louis’ seat.

"It’s time to serve the dishes."

Meaning the basement boys.

Jiang Yao's lips quirked, turning to adjust Your Grace’s lapels.

"Something wrong?" Jiang Yao sensed it instantly, meeting Louis’ gaze. "Your Grace?"

Louis stared at Jiang Yao’s lips, a vein throbbing at his temple.

"That mutt sniffing around again?" Weird—where'd this rage come from?

Jiang Yao went still, recalling the servants' gossip about Louis’ madness.

Louis caught the thought.

"Madness?" Louis's brow furrowed.

Was that it? Hell if he knew anymore.