brief pause (savoring the taste of blood)
Shortly after, we were back in the container office. Once they were sure I was okay—just sore (or at least, that's what I told them)—my mom joined my dad to discuss what to do once the tank was full.
They stood near the window so my dad could keep watch and ensure the hose didn't get yanked or torn loose by any unwanted guests.
I breathed a sigh of relief; the longest task since I'd woken up was finally coming to an end... I assure you, that deep breath had nothing to do with the fact that the smell of gasoline was strong enough to slightly overpower the constant stench of the zombies—definitely not...
Sitting on the "floor," I leaned back against the wall and opened my [Item Box] again, pulling out one of the bottles containing chicken blood.
I won't lie—it's pretty strange for a vampire (or a Dhampir, in my case) to drink from a bottle. But it gave a sense of... I don't know... being civilized?
The downside is that my fangs get in the way when I do it. Honestly, if someone asked whether I absorb the blood through my fangs or my stomach, I wouldn't know what to say—maybe both?
Anyway, the fact remained that the bottled blood (even in plastic) was fresher and warmer than the rat's blood, and therefore held more "vitality" (and flavor, too—I have to be honest about that; flavor is a huge factor). So, it was safe to assume it would do a better job of helping me shake off this annoying status condition.
[.....
Condition: Slightly fatigued, radiant damage, minor fracture (healing)
.....]
Even now, I still feel like an electric current is running through my body, occasionally sending spasms of pain deep inside. After briefly debating whether it would be better to unscrew the cap and drink normally or to bite into the bottle—as I used to do with the rats—I opted to be more "civilized."
Placing the bottle against my lips, I let the liquid flow down, fill my mouth, and then swallowed.
Naturally, as soon as the blood touched my tongue, my fangs elongated and pierced my mouth, but that pain was nothing compared to the agony racking my body. I was far too focused on the flavor and the warmth spreading through me to care about that.
'~Ahhhhh~ Impeto blood really is amazing, and mixed with the chicken blood, it's even better~😊😋'
Unlike pure Impeto blood—which had a flavor and kick similar to cinnamon whiskey—this blend felt like a drink that warmed and refreshed me at the same time... It's hard to explain; it was like the heat of whiskey or vodka with a mellow, honey-like flavor, yet it had the clarity and lightness of a mojito, finishing with a floral note reminiscent of rose water.
It was a little messy concoction, yet the flavors didn't clash; instead, they harmonized beautifully, creating a rich, complex taste.
The spreading warmth washed away the pain and spasms in a swift rush, leaving behind a sense of relaxation I hadn't felt in... a long time—even before things got... like this.
"~Aaaahhhhh~ Delicious~~~"
I didn't need a mirror to know my face was likely flushed.
Usually, after trying something like this, I'd probably try to grab another bottle to prolong the feeling. But it felt as though I'd just had the best meal in days and was completely satisfied—which, in fact, I was.
[Status added: Satiated, Energized]
'Whoa, I didn't expect that. Finally, a positive status effect. It would've been great if this had popped up during the fights, but...'
Considering everything that's happened, it's actually a bit overdue, though I'm hardly in a position to complain now. Ahhh, a full stomach really does put a person in a good mood 😊.
'I'll have to think of a way to thank them once I get back. What would be the best thank-you gift for a flock of chickens, a rooster, and a little sister who turned into a Pixxxxxxxx????? Wait, why would I give something to thank Mari?''
'Yeah, no—I mean, I know she must have helped them collect the blood and all that, and she probably mixed it all with, probably, a bit of orange juice (I'm pretty sure I caught a hint of citrus, even if that wasn't great for the blood's integrity).'
'But still, the ones I really ought to thank are the ones who—quite literally—gave their blood for me, right?'
'It's not like she mixed in her own blood, too... right?'
Oh, no... I just thought of something that I really don't want to be true.
'Come to think of it, what kind of diet would a chicken need to leave such a strong floral aftertaste? Could Mari have— No, no, absolutely not; we're talking about Mari here. I love her, and I know she can be really useful and helpful when she wants to be. But giving me her own blood? I seriously doubt she'd do that.'
'Besides, if we look at why things taste the way they do—why Impeto's blood tasted like cinnamon whiskey, or why the rats' blood tasted like cheap banana whey protein (and yeah, that was the same for every rat I've "eaten" so far)... I could keep going to convince myself, but isn't that enough?'
'Who am I even asking, anyway?'
...
'Anyway, now that it's settled that it wasn't Mari's blood, it must definitely be from one of the chickens—probably the one that heals. So, while they figure it out, I'll decide what to give them... Hmm, yes, that's the best course of action, for sure...'
******************
(A few blocks away)
"Ugh, man, what a pain."
"Wahamp?" (Something wrong?)
"Ouch, my ear is burning. Who could be talking about me so much, given the current situation?"
Mari wondered, fanning her right ear.
"Whamm whamamp whhaamm?" (Maybe Nando realized you put your blood into that mixture?)
Nawa "said" to her guardian/mother.
The black female dog didn't understand why Mari hadn't mentioned adding her own blood to the chicken blood mixture she'd given to her brother, Nando—a human (or ex-human, as they liked to emphasize) with whom Nawa had a... complicated relationship, though she still liked him (especially when he gave her something to eat).
"Hmph, as if. I mixed it really well with Nando's chicken blood; even though the ratio was three parts of my blood to seven parts of theirs, he'd hardly notice."
"Whhhoo whhaamm whhaamm" (But why do that? What difference does it make whether he knows or not?)
Lumi asked, resting his head on her guardian/mother's lap—much to Nawa's slight annoyance.
"It's... a bit of a complicated matter."
"Whooo?" (Complicated how?)
"Errr?" (Complicated how?)
Even the "guard turtle" poked its head out of the tank, looking at her with the same question in its eyes; one of the vines connected to a gourd in the garden sent the same query to Mari.
"Look, it's complicated and kind of embarrassing, okay? Let's just leave it at that."
The four creatures kept "looking" at her, unconvinced by her statement and still holding out for an answer.
Down by the pool, the hens kept watch while their chicks drank the pool's greenish water; a bit further away, another hen tended to chicks bathing in a battered bucket Mari had set out. Yet even they sensed something interesting happening above—at least one was already making its way up to investigate—adding pressure on Mari.
'HEY, MORON! HURRY UP AND GET OVER HERE WITH MOM AND DAD—I WANNA SLEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!'
Mari thought, trying to come up with an excuse to avoid getting dragged into that argument. An unexpectedly significant scene in a world that was falling apart.