Chapter 4 The Blood Contract

"Don’t be arrogant with me, Vance. I’ve scrutinized your situation from every possible angle before you even set foot in this building."

With a sharp, contemptuous flick of her wrist, Catherine sent a stack of documents sailing toward Eric. The papers didn't strike him like a heavy object, but they scattered in the air with supernatural precision, swirling around him like white blades before settling on his lap. It was the suddenness of her movement and the glacial aura radiating from her that forced Eric to sit up straight, his feet hitting the floor with a dull thud.

"!!!"

‘What a presence... she gives off something heavy,’ Eric thought, his gaze locked on the petite woman with the doll-like face. She wasn't even looking at him anymore; her fingers were flying across her keyboard at a speed that defied human logic. The clicking was so fast it sounded like a frantic heartbeat.

"What is this...? And how do you know about my father?"

Catherine stopped typing and finally deigned to look up at him. A smirk, as beautiful as it was cruel, tugged at her lips.

"I leave nothing to chance, Eric. The Draven Group is not a charity. I know everything about my future squires—absolutely everything. That’s how I knew your father was ill and that you were backed into a corner."

She gestured toward the papers with a tilt of her chin.

"What you have in front of you is your contract. It includes an initial payment to cover the full cost of your father's treatment in our company’s private medical facilities. We aren't talking about some run-down public hospital; we're talking about the cutting edge of medical technology."

Despite her haughty tone, Eric scanned the documents. The contract was a gilded cage, written with surgical precision. But when he reached the financial clause, he froze, his heart pounding against his ribs.

"One million... upfront? That’s ten times more than I expected."

"Consider it the price of your freedom... or your servitude," she countered, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

Eric was stunned. His gaze drifted back to her. She was perfectly beautiful, her skin flawless and glowing under the office lights. He swallowed hard, his throat dry, realizing she had just bought his life. Immediately, Catherine’s eyes locked onto his, dark and threatening.

"Don’t you dare get excited by my beauty. I can hear you swallowing from here; it’s repulsive," she spat with total disdain.

"N-No, I wasn't—"

"Shut up. I don’t care about your reasons or your excuses. All I need is your body."

Eric’s eyes widened. "M-My body? Look, I’m—"

"What!? Is your mind always in heat like a dog in the summer?" Catherine stood up abruptly, her luxurious robe rustling against the chair. Her pale cheeks flushed with fury. "I’m talking about your physical capabilities for the job, you pervert! I need someone solid, someone capable of handling what comes next!"

At that exact moment, the phone in his pocket buzzed.

[Draven Group has deposited 1,000,000 into your account.]

[Current Balance: 1,000,100]

‘What? I haven’t even signed yet!’ Eric was completely destabilized. The speed at which she moved was dizzying. Catherine had stopped typing and was watching him with an intensity that seemed to strip him bare.

"That payment proves your loyalty," she said, her voice dropping to a deeper, more serious tone. "The work will be dangerous. Your life will be on the line. Any other questions?"

Eric felt a lump form in his chest. ‘Dangerous?’ It didn't matter. To save Gilbert, he would have signed a pact with the devil. He picked up the pen but stopped at the very last page. "A blood print?"

There was a small metal inlay at the bottom of the page. Catherine didn't take her eyes off him. He pressed his finger against the cold metal. A tiny needle pricked him sharply. He pulled his hand back instinctively, but a thick layer of blood already soaked into the special paper, releasing a heavy, metallic scent that filled the room instantly.

Catherine watched Eric, pretending to be busy with her monitors. In reality, she was burning up. She didn't know exactly what he was yet, but the scent coming from his finger was... divine. On her screen, the data flashed in bright red: Compatibility: 100%.

"Ah..."

She felt a sudden warmth on her lip. Her nose was bleeding. The scent of Eric’s blood was overwhelming her, filled with a vitality that made her pupils dilate. ‘Me, a daughter of the Draven line, losing control over a candidate?’ Her self-restraint collapsed like a house of cards. She stood up, her legs trembling under her robe, and approached him.

"You look sick, your nose is bleeding..." Eric said, standing up, concerned.

Catherine didn't hear him. She only saw the pulse at the base of his neck, the call of life thrumming beneath his skin. ‘Blood!’ With a flash of movement, she crushed his wrist and slammed him against the desk, the expensive wood cracking under the force. Her eyes turned blood-red, and her fangs snapped into place.

"What— Ahh!"

Eric fought, his muscles bulging under the effort, but Catherine’s strength was supernatural. She licked her lips with savage excitement before sinking her fangs deep into his throat.

"Ahhhhh!!"

Eric screamed in pain. Catherine shivered, drunk on the burning blood that entered her body like liquid fire. She slammed her hand over his mouth to muffle his cries, pulling him against her with brutal force. She drank, again and again, until an instinctive alarm forced her to let go. She pulled back, a thin thread of blood still connecting her lips to Eric’s neck.

"What have I done!?"

She shoved Eric to the floor and wiped her lips, furious. ‘Me, a Draven, drunk on blood like a common fledgling?’

"Oh... are you dead?" she asked, nudging him with her foot. Eric was deathly pale, trembling on the floor, his breathing ragged. "Apparently, the legends about 100% compatibility are true. It’s addictive enough to make you lose your mind."

She knelt beside him. She was now radiating a new strength. "I’m making you my squire. I’ll tell you everything... once you’re awake."

She sliced her own fingertip and pressed her blood against Eric’s lips. ‘You’ll hate me, but tonight, you would have died without me. One of my suitors is going to send his own squire to eliminate you. I don’t have time to teach you the rules of this world yet.’

After a long moment, Eric coughed violently. He looked at Catherine with pure terror, his eyes fixed on her blood-stained chin and visible fangs.

"Good, you survived."

"!!"

"Haha, I’m joking. I wouldn't have killed you... well, not right away." She stood up and straightened her gown, noticing he was staring at her legs despite the fear paralyzing him. "You pervert, are you already thinking about that? Typical. Get ready. The fight begins tonight."

Eric felt a searing heat explode in his chest. "Fight? What are you talking about!?"

Catherine turned toward the door, ignoring him completely.

"Me? I’m a vampire." She threw open the door to a dark, windy passage. Thunder rumbled over the city. "And I am also your boss."