Ascendant Path of a Lustful Vampire Chapter 649: Say ‘Please’

"So where exactly is this?" Caius asked, casting his eyes around and seeing nothing familiar. He even ran his hands over the ground but couldn’t, for the life of him, place what kind of material it was. It felt curiously solid and liquid at the same time.

"You’re in a land in-between," Samantha answered.

"You mean Limbo?" Caius asked.

"I never did like that word," Samantha said, "It never really fit."

"I think it fits perfectly," Caius said.

When a dimension collapses, nothing should exist in its place. However, under special circumstances, one can take refuge from the destructive nature of the dimension collapse by slipping into a space between dimensions.

Samantha named such a space of refuge a ’Land in-between’. She probably named it that because it sounded cool and mysterious but Caius always thought Limbo was shorter and meant the same thing.

"It should take a Dimension-rending ability to slip into Limbo," Caius said.

"To slip into a Land in-between," Samantha corrected, "But yes, it should. However, it can also be achieved with luck. Right before the collapse, when the cracks appear, if one chooses wisely, they can find a Land in-between to take refuge in."

"Heh, that was a plot device you wrote so Aurelius could survive Ciron, the dimension-warping demon," Caius said with a little laugh.

Samantha smiled.

"Point is, the method of survival exists and Merida took advantage of that to send you here," she said.

"Why not just send me outside the dimension?" Caius asked.

"To punish you," Samantha said, "We might have managed to negotiate ourselves some breathing room but we still did something we shouldn’t have done and the Archive holds a grudge.

Also, in here, there is time for me and you to have this little chat."

"How do I get out?" Caius asked.

"You walk and search until you see a crack in space," Samantha said, "Lands in-between are not everlasting. They collapse and when they do, there’ll be an opening to exit into the only dimension still open in this region."

"How long will I have to walk and search?" Caius asked with trepidation.

"Shouldn’t take you too long," Samantha said with a shrug, "Besides, you’ll have help."

As she spoke, Samantha gestured with her head and Caius followed her eyes and found Athenodora lying down on the ground, unconscious.

"She saw the Editors," Caius said, "She’ll have questions."

Samantha laughed a little.

"You assume everyone is like you. She saw something that didn’t belong to her reality for a few seconds. Athenodora is impressive but not even her mind is ready for that fourth wall breach."

"So what will she remember seeing?" Caius asked.

"Something her brain can understand and her reality can make sense of," Samantha said, "Oh look, she’s waking."

Caius looked over and Athenodora had indeed begun to stir. Caius looked back at Samantha and found that she was gone. Samantha could cloak her presence from the characters of her novel so if she was actually physically gone, it was because she really had to leave.

Athenodora sat up on the ground and Caius looked back at her, watching as she cast her eyes around the space they were in.

"Where is this?" She asked.

"Limbo," Caius said, and could tell Samantha was annoyed that he kept calling it that, "It’s a space of refuge between dimensions."

"So we didn’t make it out then," Athenodora said raising a hand to press against the side of her head as she swayed wearily.

"No, we didn’t," Caius said, observing her.

"What’s the last thing you remember?" He asked her after a few seconds of silence.

"Nothing after those five pillars appeared," Athenodora said.

"Five pillars?" Caius asked.

"They looked like pillars," Athenodora said, "The largest dimension cracks— Overbearing and dangerous."

"Ah," Caius said, taking that to be how Athenodora’s brain and reality had interpreted the Editors.

"Did you see something else?" Athenodora asked him shrewdly.

"Yeah. I saw people. Five people who came to snatch us away," Caius said seriously while looking right into her eyes.

He wanted to see how she would react when confronted with what she actually saw. Athenodora searched his eyes.

"You saw people," she said slowly.

"Yeah."

"You’re not lying to me, are you?" She asked with her eyes narrowed.

"I’m not," Caius said.

"Hmm, so I saw pillars and you saw people," Athenodora said, "The dimension collapse playing tricks on us?"

"Probably, yes," Caius said, "Which do you think is the real thing; the pillars or the people?"

"The pillars, obviously," Athenodora said.

"Why obviously?" Caius asked.

"Because I saw Pillars. Curse or not, Caius, I have better eyesight and senses than you do. Besides, who would come into the dimension right when it starts to collapse?" Athenodora asked.

"You’re right," Caius said, amazed at how her brain and reality were making sense of it all, "Pillars make more sense."

"Of course, I’m right," Athenodora said with a smile.

"You don’t think I was lying about the people?" Caius asked.

"No," Athenodora said, "I’m sure you saw people. I just don’t think there were actually any people."

"How are you so sure?" Caius asked.

"You’re a good liar but not that good," Athenodora said.

"After all I’ve done, you still doubt my skills?" Caius asked with a raised brow.

"Was it lies that got you the blood?" Athenodora asked.

Caius smiled. He didn’t even have to think about it.

"No," he answered.

Caius knew that he got the blood because Athenodora didn’t care enough about the details. If she did, she would have used her creator’s authority to make him tell her everything he had planned. She instead relied on her order that no matter what, he’d turn the blood over to her. How was she to know Viktor had placed a failsafe to prevent such a thing?

No, Caius never lied to Athenodora because he didn’t have to. And he gladly accepted every order she gave him because he knew he’d break free of them anyway.

"Congratulations by the way," Athenodora said, "You got what you wanted and doomed me to sure death."

"You don’t really believe that," Caius said, "You don’t believe you’re doomed."

"I don’t?" Athenodora asked with a sly smile.

"You’re far too relaxed. Even after I got the Blood, you showed no sign of urgency," Caius said.

Athenodora was silent for a minute and then a sweet smile spread across her lips as she said,

"The reason you could resist my orders was only because of Viktor’s enchantment, wasn’t it? It had nothing to do with the Blood itself.

Answer truthfully."

Caius felt the bands of her authority wrap around him and smiled lightly as he was compelled to say the truth.

"It was the enchantments," he answered without struggle, "Not the Blood."

Athenodora nodded, satisfied before letting out a sigh while smiling up at the nothingness that capped Limbo.

"What matters is Philip didn’t foolishly claim the blood for his Lord. All your schemes are admirable but you’re mine, Caius Von Helsing. And whatever you have is mine as well," she said.

"Hence the calm," Caius said in understanding.

"Once we’re out of here, I’ll have every blood in your body drained and use it to engineer a cure to my curse," Athenodora said, "Prepare to be my captive for as long as it takes for my Blood Alchemists to succeed."

"A tantalizing proposition," Caius said with a smile, "But no."

"As I’ve just proven, it’s not a matter of choice, Caius," Athenodora said, "I’m still your creator no matter what you have become.

I own you."

Caius kept his smile.

"I’m still learning what the Blood Matrix truly is. So far, some of its features feel intuitive while others will require research and experimentation.

One thing I know for sure though is that Viktor created the blood while being a vampire. He synthesized his most important ingredients for the Blood Matrix from vampires..."

"Your point?"

"Vampires are all about ceremony. There are certain rites that must be observed and cannot be forced even by overbearing authority.

The gifts of the Blood Matrix cannot be shared by force. Even if you took my Blood now, unless I permit it, you won’t be able to get what you need to cure your curse."

Athenodora sneered.

"You’re wrong. Ceremony can most certainly be bypassed by authority.

Take the turning ritual for instance, a creator’s order can forbid you from giving your blood to create a spawn and also persuade you to give that blood ’willingly’. I’ve seen it done. I know it’s possible.

The condition that ensures a vampire must give his or her blood willingly only really exists to avoid external humanoid pressure. As your creator, nothing you are or are capable of is exempt from my authority."

"And I tell you the Blood Matrix is an exception. You’ll get nothing from me by force," Caius said.

"Nothing is an exception," Athenodora said with a harsh, mocking laugh, "You delude yourself."

"I delude myself?" Caius laughed, "You’re the one dealing in absolutes about something you don’t understand.

You have no idea the inner workings of the Blood Matrix. What makes it special. What makes it the greatest masterpiece a genius mind could think of.

It’s the same as how you were blindsided by Viktor’s enchantments because you never considered the possibility that you are simply out of your depth."

"You—!" Athenodora started,l and began to rise angrily.

"Yes me!" Caius cut in, "You sit there confident in your authority, trying to force something out of me and never once considering force might not even be necessary."

Athenodora paused.

"What?" She said, taken by surprise.

Caius smirked now.

"Did you once think that instead of trying to lord your creator authority over me, you could just ask nicely?" He said,

"Say ’Please’ and I just might consider saving your life."