"I'm so sorry about this, Elira, but could you please..." My voice trailed off as my gaze sank to the ground. I hated asking her for more after everything that had already happened.

My chest tightened with guilt, but there was no other way. This was the only thing I could think of that might work.

Her golden eyes softened, and she gave a faint nod. "I understand."

Before I could say another word, she pulled a small blade from her robe. Her movements were swift and graceful, faster than I could even react. The light caught the blade for an instant, flashing across her calm expression. I blinked, startled by how easily she had understood what I wanted.

Under the quiet breath of the forest, she pressed the blade against her finger. The cut was small, but bright golden blood welled up immediately, glimmering in the sunlight like molten metal. It ran down the curve of her finger in slow, perfect drops.

"Elira..." I whispered, but she didn't look at me. Her eyes were fixed on Beelzebub, her face calm, almost serene.

A few drops fell, landing gently against the hamster's tiny mouth. The ground seemed to hold its breath. The golden liquid shimmered against his fur, each droplet pulsing faintly before sinking into his body.

The air felt heavier, charged with something invisible. I could sense her mana flowing outward, wrapping around the little creature in soft waves. It was delicate and alive, like sunlight filtering through water.

"That should be enough," she said quietly, though her voice wavered slightly.

I reached out, touching her wrist to steady her hand, my thumb brushing against the warm skin. "Thank you," I murmured, and for a moment our eyes met.

For a few long seconds, nothing happened. The silence stretched thin, so quiet I could hear my own pulse echoing in my ears. My hands tightened around the tiny creature's still body, afraid to hope.

Then, Beelzebub's whiskers finally twitched.

"Elira…" I breathed out, hardly daring to move.

A faint squeak followed, soft and uncertain at first, like a sound made in sleep. Then his nose wiggled, his little paws shifted, and his round body gave the smallest shake before he sneezed a tiny, squeaky sound that almost didn't feel real.

"He's… alive," Elira said, her voice breaking into something close to relief.

Beelzebub blinked his beady eyes open and gave another squeak, louder this time, his fur puffing up slightly as if annoyed we had disturbed his nap. I exhaled all at once, realizing I had been holding my breath.

"Finally," I murmured in a low voice, careful not to startle him. My thumb brushed over his head, and he leaned into the touch before yawning, showing his tiny teeth.

So cute...

Elira watched quietly, a faint smile flickering across her lips. She didn't say anything else, just looked down at the small life she had helped bring back.

"Thank you," I said softly, not looking up from Beelzebub.

Her gaze lingered for a moment before she nodded. "I'm glad it worked."

We were still a little awkward around each other, especially after… ahem… forget it.

But now, the forest around us seemed calmer, the tension from before dissolving into the rustle of leaves and the quiet sound of breathing. Beelzebub crawled weakly into my palm and curled up, his warmth seeping into my skin.

He gave a few more sleepy squeaks before finally crawling into the center of my palm. I couldn't stop the small smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "You're really something, aren't you? Making me dead worried..." I whispered, running a finger down his soft fur. He answered with another faint squeak, tilting his head as if pretending not to understand. This little...

The weight in my chest eased a little. For the first time in what felt like days, I could breathe without the sting of guilt in my lungs. I brought him closer, pressing him gently against my chest. "Don't scare me like that again," I murmured, hugging him lightly before setting him on my shoulder. He adjusted himself immediately, curling against my neck, his whiskers brushing my skin as he nuzzled into place.

Elira stood a short distance away, her expression unreadable. She looked at me, then at Beelzebub, and gave a slow nod. "What now, Beatrice?" she muttered under her breath as if not confident enough to ask, but I heard it.

"I want to head west," I replied. "There's a human empire far from us. If we're lucky, we might be able to settle there for a while. Maybe even open a new clinic..."

I shook my head, and without wasting any more time, we gathered what little we had, quickly abandoning the camp.

The forest's air was cool and heavy with the scent of damp moss and pine. The morning sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering gold across the ground.

Each step felt lighter than the last, though the silence between us remained. Beelzebub shifted occasionally on my shoulder, his small claws pricking gently against my collarbone, a quiet reminder that I wasn't alone.

Birds chirped high above, and the faint sound of running water echoed somewhere deeper in the forest. For a moment, I allowed myself to imagine that this moment is quite peaceful; traveling quietly with someone by my side, without bloodshed or fear. Just the rhythm of footsteps on soil and the whisper of wind through the branches.

But peace never lasts, does it?

We hadn't walked far when the sound of voices reached us. I stopped mid-step, my hand instinctively rising in warning. Elira caught the signal immediately, her body tensing as she crouched beside a thick patch of ferns. I joined her, lowering myself quietly behind a fallen tree.

Through the leaves, I saw ten men in dark leather armor, their clothes marked with the insignia of some local guild. They carried crossbows and short swords, walking with the careless confidence of hunters who already knew their prey had nowhere to run.

"Spread out," one of them said. "She was spotted somewhere near this forest. Black hair, crimson eyes. The bounty says she's dangerous, rumored to kill fast, drinks blood even faster."

My stomach turned to ice.

Elira's eyes darted toward me in alert. She didn't speak, but she didn't need to. The tension between us said enough.

The men continued down the path, their boots crunching over dry leaves, one of them laughing under his breath. "A vampire pretending to be a hero," he said. "Who would believe that?" Laughter filled the air as the group mocked me with their replies.

I felt my pulse pound in my ears. Beelzebub stirred slightly on my shoulder, sensing the desire for blood running through my veins. I reached up to still him, my fingers brushing over his fur.

Elira leaned close, her whisper barely audible. "Beatrice… they're talking about you."

"I know," I rolled my eyes. Were there any other vampires around?

The hunters' voices faded for a moment, swallowed by the sound of the wind moving through the trees. I exhaled quietly, forcing my thoughts into order.

We needed to move. And now. Or else, I might end up with even more blood on my hands.

But before I could gesture for us to retreat deeper into the forest, one of the hunters stopped, his head turning slightly in our direction.

"Did you hear that?" he said. In that moment, every single muscle in my body froze, every sound amplified until even my heartbeat felt deafening. The man took a step closer, his boots crunching over dry twigs. Another followed behind, his crossbow raised for a sudden attack, scanning the underbrush with slow precision.

Elira's hand brushed mine. "Should we take them out?" She whispered. But I shook my head slightly, urging her not to move. We crouched lower, my back pressing into the damp moss. Beelzebub stayed unnaturally still on my shoulder, his tiny body tense, his whiskers twitching with the faintest shiver.

"Probably just a rabbit," one of the men said, but his voice carried little conviction.

"Idiot... Rabbits don't breathe that loud," another sneered.

I clenched my teeth, forcing the air from my lungs in shallow, controlled breaths. Every instinct screamed at me to move, to run, to vanish into the shadows. Yet any step could give us away.

The men fanned out, one circling left. I caught the glint of a blade through the foliage, sunlight glimmering along its edge. Elira's golden eyes flicked toward me, her lips forming a silent question: Now?

Not yet. I didn't want to reveal our position. Who knew how many more were around?

The footsteps grew closer, branches shifting under their weight. I could smell their sweat and the faint trace of old blood on their clothes. I could tell they were seasoned hunters.

Suddenly, a soft snap broke the silence. Elira's heel pressed against a stray twig, and it cracked like a thunderclap in the still forest.

"There! Over there!" someone screamed in a high-pitched voice.

Before we could move, a crossbow bolt shot past, grazing the tree behind us, splintering the bark, and scattering it against my face.

"Run!" I hissed, grabbing Elira's wrist.

We bolted through the undergrowth, branches whipping at our clothes. Shouts erupted behind us, boots pounding in pursuit. Another bolt struck the ground near my foot.

Elira stumbled, nearly falling, but caught herself.

"I see them!" a deep voice barked from behind. In that moment, I knew we'd have to fight again. No matter how many came, I'd cut them down.

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