Martial Emperor of Blue Star, Turned into a Blood Slave Girl by a Vampire Princess

A flash of crimson lit Catherine’s eyes. She simply raised her hand with elegance, and gave a graceful wave—

“AAAAH—!”
That shadowy figure let out a shrill, agonized scream, its form twisting as though scorched by hellfire, writhing into nothing.
It dissolved into a plume of black smoke, vanishing completely.

She strode forward quickly and found Degrienne curled up on the floor, barely clinging to life. Her silver hair lay scattered in disarray, streaked with blood.
That stubborn little face of hers was now pale as parchment, her lips cracked and bleeding, and her delicate arms twisted at unnatural angles. She looked like a flower crushed in a storm.
“I was late…”

Catherine gently gathered her into her arms. Her cool fingertips carefully brushed the blood from Degrienne’s face.
“It’s over. That filthy thing is gone now.”
Degrienne’s lips trembled faintly, but she couldn’t make a sound.

Her life force was draining fast. Her tiny body was growing colder by the second.
Without hesitation, Catherine bit open her own lip and leaned in, pressing her lips to Degrienne’s pallid ones.
Blood seeped between their mouths as Catherine cradled the back of Degrienne’s head and deepened the life-giving kiss.

Degrienne began to swallow instinctively, greedily drinking down the sweet, vital elixir.
Catherine held her tighter. Their silver hair tangled together in the dark.
With each pulse of blood, Degrienne’s wounds began to heal before the naked eye—bones fusing, color returning to her cheeks, breath returning to her lungs.

“Haaah…”
Degrienne gasped harshly, her face flushed, her eyes still hazy with shock and warmth.
The moment she clearly saw who was holding her, she froze.

Then all the fear, all the pain, all the humiliation—came crashing down at once.
“Uuu… I was so scared…”
She suddenly threw herself into Catherine’s arms like a frightened child, sobbing uncontrollably. “I was really scared… it was always there… always watching me…”
Catherine gently stroked her silver hair, one hand softly patting her back.

“I know, I know…”
Her voice was tender—soothing in a way Degrienne had never heard from her before. “I was careless. I didn’t think that leftover soul would still have power.”
Degrienne cried even harder, soaking Catherine’s clothes with her tears.

She clutched tightly to her robes, terrified that if she let go, this person would vanish.
“Why… why didn’t you come sooner… I almost…”
“Shhh…”

Catherine lifted her tear-stained face with a finger, softly wiping the tears away. “I promise—I won’t let anything hurt you again.”
Her voice was impossibly gentle, yet carried a command that allowed no doubt.
Degrienne stared at her in a daze… and only then realized how utterly shameful this was—

She was crying in the arms of the woman she hated most.
And yet… she didn’t want to leave that embrace.
Maybe it was the exhaustion, or maybe—

Maybe this embrace… truly made her feel safe, in ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) a way nothing else did.
Catherine looked down at the confused little creature in her arms, and her lips curled in a subtle smile.
Her little pet was finally starting to understand: only by staying close to her could she be safe.

That knowledge pleased her deeply. Even the way she stroked Degrienne’s hair became gentler.
“Nnnh…” Degrienne whimpered softly, and before she realized it, she burrowed deeper into that cold embrace.
Curled in Catherine’s arms, her silver hair tangled with the hem of that dark crimson gown.

A faint scent of roses lingered in her nose—a sweet fragrance laced with blood. And somehow… it made her limbs go weak with comfort.
This strange, familiar warmth made her think of long ago, in another world, when she was still a boy. Once, she had nestled like this in his mother’s arms...
The thought made Degrienne stiffen—then laugh at herself bitterly.

How could I compare Catherine to my mother?
But… what if… she really does love me?
The thought leapt out unbidden—and shocked even her.

But when she remembered the rage in Catherine’s eyes earlier, that unfiltered fury, it did feel like she truly cared.
Degrienne nuzzled her cheek lightly against Catherine’s chest, a strange idea blooming in her mind:
If she really treats me like a daughter… then maybe I should try being a little more obedient?

After all, from the moment Chu Zhao became Degrienne… maybe my past life as a human ended right then.
Now, I’m living a second life as a blood clan girl…
“Stop overthinking,” Catherine murmured, gently combing through her silver hair. “Just sleep.”

As that whisper washed over her, Degrienne’s eyelids grew heavier.
She felt Catherine’s fingertip slide down her cheek… and then—something warm and wet?
“Mua～”

A loud kiss.
Catherine lightly sucked on her soft cheek before letting go again.
Half-asleep, Degrienne heard her soft, almost gleeful whisper: “Sleep, my little darling… and stop dreaming of rebellion.”

Once she confirmed Degrienne was sound asleep, Catherine lifted her head and smiled toward the darkness. “You can come out now.”
The eerie shadow faded into form, revealing black hair, a maid uniform—the unmistakable figure of Isabella.
She dropped to one knee, her deep red eyes calm. “Lady Catherine.”

“Well done.”
Catherine gave an approving nod. Then, without warning, she grabbed Degrienne by the armpits and hoisted her up, wobbling her gently like a doll.
“Look—how adorable～ I just want to eat her up right now. Break her. Own her completely…”

Her fangs grazed Degrienne’s ear—then withdrew with a sigh of restraint.
“But I’ll be patient. It’s best not to rush.”
“Miss Degrienne is indeed quite lovely.”

Isabella’s gaze lingered briefly on the girl’s sleeping face. “She looks a lot like you.”
Catherine smiled with satisfaction, then leaned in and began nibbling softly on the tip of Degrienne’s ear.
But something caught her attention.

A stain on the inside of her thigh.
Her brow arched. “Did I scare her so badly she wet herself?”
“Failure on my part.”

Isabella bowed her head at once, and pulled a silk handkerchief from her apron pocket. “Shall I clean her up for you, Mistress?”
Catherine waved lazily. “Bring a warm towel.”
Without a word, Isabella bowed and vanished.

When she returned, she held a steaming white towel in both hands.
Catherine took it and began gently wiping the dampness from between Degrienne’s legs, her crimson eyes glittering with dark amusement.
“Poor little thing… terrified out of her mind…”

“You can leave.”
Catherine tossed the used towel to Isabella, then began humming a lullaby—an ancient melody that softened the air.
She pulled Degrienne closer.

“I’ll dress her myself～”
With a content smile, she conjured a delicate black Gothic dress from thin air. “And stay with her a little longer.”
As the chamber door shut once more, Catherine’s scarlet eyes gleamed in the dark—dangerous, and gentle.

She slowly licked away the dried tears from Degrienne’s cheek, her fingertip caressing the girl’s exquisite sleeping face, and whispered like a song:
"Soon... you will be willing to become my property..."