"B-bastard…" Jasmine whispered, her voice faint and shaky. "I'll… kill you…"
Those words—weak, trembling, but full of spite—cut through the haze in Arthur's mind like a blade.
His eyes went wide open.
He froze.
His fangs retracted instantly, and he jerked his head back from her neck.
A single drop of blood fell from his lips and hit the ground.
Arthur's breathing came fast and ragged, his chest heaving as he held Jasmine's unconscious body in his arms. Her head lolled against his shoulder, silver hair spilling across his jacket.
"What the hell…" he muttered, staring down at her pale face. "What the hell did I just do to her…?"
His hands trembled slightly.
He looked around the alley as if seeing it for the first time.
"Wait… when did she even get here?"
Before he could process anything further, a soft chime echoed in his mind.
Then another.
And another.
System notifications began flooding his vision, one after another, stacking in glowing text that he couldn't ignore.
