My Horny Stepmom Turns Me into Her Vampire Slave

Chapter 245: B - Ultimatum

"It’s already been a week since my birthday, and not only have you still not given me my present, you haven’t been fucking me anymore either! I’m not happy about it at all!" Melania grumbles.

It’s a little past two in the morning. We’re walking back from Frank Pyton’s mansion after yet another brutal training session.

Frank insists on training us personally, and tonight, I finally found out what the deal between him and Melania was really about.

Melania never gave a shit about her father or going back to Elyndra. All she ever wanted was to escape the boring life of an ordinary human, and that’s exactly what Frank offered her.

She’s basically become a hired killer for Frank, although she’s obviously still in training.

Eventually, we reach the entrance to Naomi’s apartment building.

"So... I guess I’ll head upstairs now. Thanks for walking me home," Melania murmurs shyly, lowering her head.

"Yeah. See you tomorrow night when we go to Frank’s. I’ll pick you up at the usual time."

But she doesn’t move an inch. She just stands there, like there’s something she wants to say but she’s too embarrassed to get the words out.

"Axel... so... is it really over between us...?"

"I must’ve missed the part where there was ever anything between us."

"Idiot... we fucked every night, and I know you enjoyed it just as much as I did! And then... that afternoon at Hallett Nature Sanctuary, you told me you loved me, and then... fuck, you even came inside me! And as if that wasn’t enough, you protected me from that Monster Slayer, and just a few hours later you went through all that shit with Frank just to keep my father from taking me back to Elyndra!"

"I only told you I loved you because we were playing at being a happy couple that day, and if I came inside you, it was probably just because I got too caught up in the role. As for everything else... I went that far to keep you from leaving only because I knew Naomi and Britney would’ve been devastated. That’s all."

Bullshit.

I’d be lying to myself if I said I didn’t feel anything for her. Sure, calling it love would be an exaggeration, but I can’t deny that I’ve grown pretty attached to her over these past few weeks.

And yet, whatever there may have been between us, this intimate relationship of ours can’t go on.

"That’s a lie..." Melania murmurs. "It’s just a fucking lie! I... I love you, Axel! And when I told you I loved you that afternoon, I wasn’t just playing the part of your little girlfriend — I meant it!"

A sharp pain tightens around my chest as thick tears begin rolling down her flushed cheeks.

And yet, there are still things I just can’t get out of my head.

"Even if I wanted to, things could never work between us."

"W-Why do you say that...?"

"You’re seriously asking me that? You said you meant it when you told me you loved me... too bad that two hours later you were sitting on that incubus’s lap and letting him touch you! And who the hell knows what you two did after I left! Knowing you, it doesn’t take much imagination to figure out what happened..."

"S-Stop talking to me like I’m nothing but a slut! Nothing happened between Raelor and me — not even a tiny kiss! And if I stayed so close to him... it was only to make you jealous, idiot! After that afternoon, after all those wonderful things you told me, I needed to know if you really meant them, so I clung to him just to see how you’d react. The night I slept with Naomi’s ex, two weeks ago now, was the last time I was with any man other than you... and that’s how I intend to keep it for the rest of my life, if you’d just give me the chance to be your woman..."

I abruptly turn away, giving her my back.

"I’m going home. Good night, Melania."

"Axel, please, wait... I want to stay with you a little longer. Let’s take another walk around Manhattan, okay? Just a little longer, please..."

"Good night, Melania."

She stays there, motionless in the entrance of the building, watching me as I walk away from her.

Her muffled sobs keep echoing through my head.

Hearing her cry, hearing her beg me until she completely broke down like that really got to me — I never would’ve imagined she felt anything like that for me.

Then again, it’s not like she ever gave me any reason to notice. She’s treated me exactly the same way ever since the day we met.

And honestly, with how jealous I am, things could never work between us.

I’d live in constant paranoia that the moment I wasn’t around, she’d spread her legs for the first guy who came along — something Veronica has never done and never would.

"You really can’t be left alone for even a second, can you? You’re such a heartbreaker."

A playful female voice comes from behind me.

A familiar voice. Far too familiar.

One I honestly never thought I’d hear again.

Kimberly Almiris.

"Don’t tell me you started spying on me again before you even bothered telling me you were back?"

"Well, obviously. I’m your shadow, remember? I gave you a few weeks of freedom, but now I’m back — and more fired up than ever to keep an eye on you twenty-four hours a day!"

"I really am the luckiest vampire in the world..."

Then, all of a sudden, her expression turns serious.

"Axel, we need to talk. Now."

"Sure. Go ahead," I reply, trying to sound calm and relaxed.

I mean, my conscience is clear, right?

No, fuck! No, it isn’t!

I killed a Monster Slayer — one of her colleagues — and who knows? Maybe even someone Kimberly cared about...

Maybe even her father!

If she really found out that I’m the one behind that man’s death... I’m screwed.

I have no choice but to act normal and hope that whatever she needs to tell me has nothing to do with that.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I’ll get straight to the point. It’s about your dear friend, Frank Pyton. From the little information I’ve managed to gather, it looks like his influence has reached even the highest ranks of HESPARC U.S. As much as I hate to admit it, that’s the only explanation I’ve been able to come up with for all their constant delays and excuses, despite the mountain of evidence we’ve gathered against him. And it fucking disgusts me. We Monster Slayers swore to protect this world from anyone who threatens its peace, and yet no one is lifting a finger! That bastard is damn clever. Instead of trying to conquer our world by force, he’s using the power of money. Frank has built an ever-expanding financial empire, getting rid of his enemies not by killing them, but by buying them off. A dirty strategy that lets him eliminate enemies and gain allies at the same time. And I can’t just stand by and watch while that bastard buys our world! That’s why I’ve decided to act on my own and eliminate Frank Pyton with my own hands, without waiting for authorization."

I’m almost afraid to ask what any of this has to do with me... but I’m pretty sure I’m about to find out.

"I can’t infiltrate his mansion on my own, which is why I need a Trojan horse to open the gates for me. And that Trojan horse is you, Axel. I know what I’m asking of you is extreme, but believe me, you’re in trouble up to your neck, and you don’t have any other way out."

"So... you’re threatening me?"

"It’s not a threat — I’m warning you while offering you a way out at the same time. Axel, you killed a Monster Slayer, didn’t you?"

H-How the fuck does she know?!

"Judging by the look on your face, I’d say yes. Not that I needed you to confirm it — the traces of your blood found on that man’s body already did that for you. Fuck, Axel... you’re a vampire. You use your own blood to fight, and you didn’t even think about the traces the blow that pierced his forehead would leave behind? You’re seriously careless. And unfortunately for you, you’re no Frank Pyton, so the order to kill you has already been issued. And since this area is currently assigned to me... I’m the one who’s been tasked with killing you."

Her stern, threatening expression softens slightly as she continues.

"Help me kill Frank Pyton, and I’ll make sure the order to kill you is revoked. Lucky for you, the head of someone like Frank Pyton is worth far more than the life of a mere agent like the late Mark, even if I find the whole thing pretty disgusting."

"Let’s say I agreed to be your bait... how the hell do you expect to take down Frank and his men all by yourself? That injury you’ve been carrying in your right leg for months was inflicted by one of them. So how much of a chance do you think you have if you take them all on at once?"

"Obviously, I’m not stupid enough to attack them head-on. I’ll infiltrate the mansion and kill them quietly from behind, one by one. I don’t have any other way to get rid of those bastards."

"Work with me and your record will be wiped clean. Otherwise... you’ll leave me no choice but to follow the orders I’ve been given."

At this point, I’ve only got two options: certain death at the hands of the Monster Slayers, or an extremely high chance of dying while acting as bait.

What a fucking mess...

"I might agree to help you, but on one condition. That Monster Slayer — who, by the way, I only killed in self-defense — attacked me because I didn’t show him some kind of documents. I want you to personally handle all the paperwork needed to properly register a vampire in your records, and I want none of you to ever interfere with my life again."

"When you say none of us... does that include me?"

I nod.

"If I’d never met you, I wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place. I’d rather not get blackmailed again in the future, so once this operation is over, we cut all ties and pretend we never knew each other."

"I understand. I can’t blame you for that," she murmurs, a faint note of sadness in her voice. "All right, Axel. I promise. Once Frank is dead, I’ll disappear from your life forever."

"Good. Good night, then."

She lowers her gaze slightly and lets out a long sigh.

"Axel... since we won’t be seeing each other anymore once all of this is over... I’d like to spend tomorrow with you."

"Why do you want to spend the day with me?"

But her reaction is nothing like what I expected.

Her eyes well up with tears, her voice starts trembling, and she begins to sob.

"A-Axel... maybe you don’t understand, but this operation has to happen as soon as possible, before one of Frank’s contacts inside HESPARC finds out about it. Tomorrow night, no later than that. I’m risking my life too, and it scares me more than it should. I was trained for things like this... but the truth is, you’re never really ready to die, and tomorrow could be my last day alive.

"I want to spend it with someone who truly knows me. And since you’re going through the same thing... I thought maybe you’d want that too..."

She’s not wrong.

But fuck... tomorrow night at the latest? Is she kidding me? I thought we were talking weeks — maybe even months... not this soon!

But in the end, I can’t even blame her or get mad at her.

After all, the Monster Slayers are the good guys, and Frank is the bad guy. And lately, I’ve gotten a little too close to the bad guys.

What can I say? I brought this on myself.