Sista didn’t rush. Su Ling’s skin was exposed to the cold air, and a chill ran down her spine. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, as if it might burst through her chest.
“Your Highness, please don’t…”
Just as Su Ling was on the verge of breaking down, Sista suddenly stopped, her cold gaze fixed on her.
“What did you just say?” Her voice was icy, calm.
“I…”
Su Ling’s heart was suspended in midair.
“You think you have the right to refuse?” There was no room for argument in Sista’s voice.
Su Ling’s chest tightened with unease. She had no idea what Sista might demand or declare next. All she could do was brace herself and wait.
Sista’s sharp eyes swept over Su Ling’s face. The pressure was unbearable—Su Ling could barely breathe.
“Remember your place. You’re nothing more than my plaything.” Her voice was low.
She embraced Su Ling tightly, her cold fingers gliding over Su Ling’s bare skin, sending icy tremors down her spine. Her lips hovered near Su Ling’s neck, as if searching for something.
“Mm…”
Su Ling stood frozen in shock. Her heart pounded wildly, tangled in a storm of fear and confusion. She wanted to resist, to cry out, but it was as if something invisible restrained her—she couldn’t move.
Hisseta’s lips pressed gently to her neck and then bit down.
A dull pain shot through her as blood began to drain slowly from her body. Her vision blurred. She shut her eyes tightly, long lashes fluttering like ripples in water.
Sista licked the smooth skin of her neck, her tongue tracing Su Ling’s earlobe.
Su Ling’s breath grew ragged. Her fingers clutched her dress tightly as she fought the urge to run. But her body leaned helplessly back, drawn in.
Sista raised her head, pulling Su Ling forcefully into her arms. Her warm breath fell on Su Ling’s cheek. Su Ling trembled. She wanted to push her away—but had no strength.
Her mind went blank. Sista felt like a venomous serpent, coiling around her, devouring her whole.
“As I thought… your blood really is different,” the dark-haired girl murmured, wiping the blood from her lips.
“I’ve tasted many humans. None of them taste like you.”
She ran her fingers along Su Ling’s cheek, then licked her earlobe.
“If you behave and show me complete loyalty, I’ll give you more of my affection.”
Su Ling trembled all over. Tears slipped down her cheeks without her noticing.
“Oh? Crying?”
Sista stared at the silver-haired maid. Su Ling’s clear eyes were brimming with tears as she stared blankly off to the side—hollow and unfocused.
Suddenly, Sista remembered a puppy she had once seen. It had worn that same look when it was wounded.
Her fingers ran through Su Ling’s silvery hair, silky and soft. For some reason, Sista felt a little flustered.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness… I…” Su Ling’s voice was faint, her plea for mercy soft and pitiful. Her helplessness made Sista pause.
She didn’t understand why she was hesitating.
For vampires, draining a human dry and letting them die was nothing unusual. They never felt emotions over human tears—after all, humans were just prey, the same way humans felt nothing killing livestock.
And yet… Sista hesitated.
Su Ling’s tearful expression made her unsure of herself. Her movements stopped. Su Ling struggled to open her eyes and looked up at the princess’s cold, noble face—only to find uncertainty there.
“Your Highness…?”
Memories resurfaced. Old Seban’s voice echoed in her head again:
“You must always cast aside mercy.”
Sista clenched her teeth. A bitter mix of shame and anger welled up in her.
Who shows mercy to a blood slave? That’s absurd!
Yes. Who was she? She was a pure-blood vampire, a leader among her kind. A master of blood slaves. How could one mere human shake her resolve?
And yet… why did she feel so conflicted?
Su Ling looked up, her eyes catching the moonlight, gazing at Sista’s cold face. A flicker of confusion passed through her, quickly swallowed by despair.
“Your Highness…?”
Before Su Ling could react, Sista’s hand suddenly swept across her pale skin. With a huff of frustration, her other hand bound Su Ling’s wrists together.
Su Ling gasped in pain, her dazed eyes staring up as her gaze moved from the chandelier to the flawless face above her.
Sista pressed herself to Su Ling’s chest, her black hair cascading down, revealing a pale, beautiful profile and a graceful neck.
Her arms wrapped tightly around Su Ling’s waist. Her breath smelled faintly of perfume—sweet, seductive, and impossible to resist.
Blood began to trickle again as Sista lowered her lips. She looked up, locking eyes with Su Ling—an eerie hunger gleaming in her gaze.
Su Ling felt her body growing limp. She had no strength left.
Strangely, it didn’t hurt as much as she’d expected.
Her tears seemed to have made Sista more gentle. Was she being… considerate? Su Ling didn’t know.
Moonlight streamed through the window, falling across the bed where the two girls were intertwined.
—
An hour passed.
The silver-haired girl lay panting softly on the bed, her heartbeat still unsteady. Sista had already redone her hair and turned back with a cold gaze.
“Go now,” she said, glancing briefly at her.
“Tii’s position has just been vacated. My personal maid’s spot is open.”
Su Ling slowly sat up, still dazed, her mind struggling to process.
“You will be my new personal maid.”
Sista said it with finality, then turned and walked away without looking back—leaving only the echo of her footsteps behind.
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