My stepsisters are sexy demons, and I must protect them
Chapter 54: An unlikely villain duo

Chapter 54: An unlikely villain duo

«This is the place Velshekar mentioned. The one where the hybrids are supposed to be hiding. And yet...» Velune murmurs.

She’s a petite girl dressed like a dominatrix, with long curly pink hair and completely black eyes.

She speaks to Zhurvak, a mummy-like being wrapped in blue bandages, with two big yellow eyes shaped like rhomboids.

She sits on the right shoulder of a towering giant, over three meters tall.

He wears a tattered brown cloak that hides most of his face.

The small part that’s visible is cadaverous—clearly rotting.

«...And yet there’s no trace of life anywhere! Actually, it looks like someone arrived before us... did you see that mess?» Velune adds.

In front of her lies the massive garden of Ashiya’s villa.

It looks like a warzone.

In truth, the mess was caused by the tenants themselves before they left.

«They probably fled ahead of time, fearing we’d show up. Don’t forget, we’re dealing with Shin Tendo. He may be mutilated, but he’s no idiot,» Zhurvak replies.

His voice is sharp and metallic, but clumsy and childlike at the same time.

«Ugh, what a pain...» Velune huffs, visibly irritated. She looks around, resigned.

«Now what do we do...? Don’t tell me I missed the crucial episode of El Suspiro de Valmara, my favorite soap opera, for nothing...?!»

«If you don’t want me to say it, I won’t... but you can always watch it on streaming,» Zhurvak replies, clearly intimidated by her anger.

«Are you kidding me?! I’m the number one fan in the world of El Suspiro de Valmara! I post my review one minute after every episode ends in the official fandom group! If they saw I posted a day late, they’d know I watched it on streaming. My reputation would be ruined!!!»

«I-I think you’re slightly overreacting...» Zhurvak murmurs.

«I AM NOT OVERREACTING AT ALL!» Velune snaps.

Velune barely finishes her sentence when her eyes catch a large bloodstain on the dirt nearby.

She jumps down from the giant’s shoulder and crouches near the crimson puddle.

«This blood is still fresh... no more than two days old,» she comments, a hint of hope in her voice. She dips her fingers into it.

Then, she leans in closer—like she’s trying to see her reflection.

Finally, she brings it to her nose and sniffs.

«No doubt, this is vampire blood...» Velune concludes, after nearly ten minutes of careful analysis.

«Vampire blood...» Zhurvak repeats.

«Could it be Akashi’s? I know he got Velshekar to reveal the location of this villa. Maybe he got here before us and brought the hybrids to Mister Cassian Thalukvar? Or maybe this blood belongs to his little brother? I remember Velshekar saying he’s in league with our targets.»

But Velune shakes her head.

«I’ve already smelled Akashi’s blood. It’s nothing like this. And his brother’s wouldn’t be either—it’s the same bloodline. Actually, this is unlike any vampire blood I’ve ever studied. It’s like it’s contaminated with human blood... but not like two bloods mixed together. It’s a single blood that shows both human and vampire traits...»

«Now that is a surprise!» Zhurvak exclaims, jumping in place with shock.

«It could belong to whoever snatched the hybrids right under our noses—or someone working with them... Either way, I’m sure it’ll lead us straight to them!» Velune declares.

«Brilliant as always, Miss Velune! Truly brilliant!» Zhurvak praises, clapping with exaggerated, childlike joy.

«...But how do you plan to do it? You said this blood is two days old. They could be anywhere by now... In this era, humans can cross the world in just hours! It’ll be impossible to track them!» Zhurvak exclaims.

«Aaah... I miss the good old days when people traveled by horse and carriage. It was way easier to find someone...» Velune grumbles. «Anyway, don’t worry. I should have exactly what we need, somewhere...»

Then, she signals Zhurvak to step back.

He obeys.

Velune extends her arms forward, palms open.

Tiny blue flames begin to rise from her hands—will-o’-the-wisps.

Eight of them.

They float to the ground, hovering just above the surface, forming a perfect octagon.

From its center, concentric blue circles begin to ripple outward—like waves in a lake after a stone drops in.

Velune clears her throat.

Behind her, Zhurvak watches in awe at the glowing blue display.

«Return from the realm of the dead and present yourself before me, my faithful servant! Your mistress calls you! Rise!» Velune chants.

As the final word leaves her lips, a massive pillar of cold, intense blue fire erupts from the ground.

It’s as wide as the entire octagon and shoots straight into the sky.

«WOOOOOW! It’s the first time I’ve seen your resurrection ritual! It’s super beautiful, Miss Velune!» Zhurvak exclaims, thrilled like a child on Christmas morning.

«Shut that big mouth of yours! Save the compliments for later! I need total focus right now!» Velune scolds.

The pillar of blue fire shoots into the sky for nearly ten seconds, then disappears in an instant.

When the flames vanish, a creature lies at the center of the octagon.

It’s a beast native to N’Raeth—its body and snout resemble a hound’s, but it has demon-like ears and scales that shift from blue to yellow.

Four pairs of clear insect wings grow from its back.

But its body is in terrible condition.

Huge chunks of skin are missing, exposing muscles and even bones.

Still, not a single drop of blood leaks out—it’s a reanimated corpse, after all.

Zhurvak’s excitement vanishes the moment he sees it. His face twists into an expression of disgust and revulsion.

«W-What the hell is that abomination...?» Zhurvak mutters, stepping back even more.

«Have you seen yourself? I’m not throwing up only because I’m a well-mannered lady!» Velune snaps, glaring at him.

The corpse-like pup walks up to her. Its jaws drip with thick, slimy drool... but its tail wags happily.

She crouches down in front of it.

«Oh, what a beautiful little puppy you are! You’re the cutest puppy in the whole world! Aren’t you? Of course you are!» Velune gushes, using that classic over-the-top voice people use for babies or pets, while the creature lovingly licks her hands.

«Are you sure that monstrosity can actually track whoever left that blood trail...?» Zhurvak asks, clearly skeptical.

Once again, Velune shoots him a sharp, threatening glare.

«Are you doubting my abilities?! This "monstrosity"—as you call it—can follow a scent across continents on N’Raeth! And you think it’ll struggle on this pathetic little planet that’s seven times smaller?!»

Then, she turns back to the creature.

«Come on, puppy. Smell that blood,» she says softly.

The creature obeys without hesitation.

It sniffs the puddle.

Then the air.

Then the puddle again.

After a few seconds, it returns to Velune, wagging its tail.

«Did you find something, my sweetheart?» she asks.

The creature nods, its tongue hanging out—its expression both happy and grotesque thanks to its half-rotten face.

Then, Velune turns back to Zhurvak.

«Come on, implant one of your eyes into this puppy!» she orders.

«O-One of my eyes...? And why should I give up one of my precious eyes?!» Zhurvak stammers.

«To save time, obviously!» Velune snaps.

«If we waited for my adorable pet to find the target and then return to report, it’d take twice as long. But if one of your eyes is on it, you’ll see everything in real time and teleport us right away. And what if it gets spotted and killed before returning?! I honestly wonder how a fool like you was ever accepted into the Cult of the Primordial Shadow...» she grumbles, visibly irritated.

Zhurvak lowers his head, clearly demoralized by her harsh words.

Without another word, he lifts his hand to his right eye and... pulls it out.

The sound it makes is like a champagne cork popping.

No blood.

No scream.

Not even a wince.

He removes it as casually as someone taking off a hat.

He tries to approach the creature, but it instantly starts growling and barking, making him jump back in fear.

Velune sighs and snatches the eye from Zhurvak’s hand.

«It already figured out you’re a total idiot who hates animals—just by looking at you...» she mutters.

Poor Zhurvak is crushed.

He’d probably cry... if he had tear glands.

Velune crouches in front of the creature again.

She takes the yellow, still-moving eye with the rhomboid iris and presses it against the beast’s own eye.

Instantly, it’s absorbed and becomes part of its body.

«Now go, my little puppy! Track down whoever that blood belongs to—and stay discreet and stealthy. No one must see you, no matter what. Understood?» Velune commands.

Once again, the creature nods.

Its wings start buzzing like a swarm of flies.

Then, it lifts into the air and takes off—faster than anyone would expect from something half-rotten.

«And now... what do we do in the meantime?» Zhurvak asks.

Meanwhile, under his bandages, a slight bulge moves along his body—another eye shifting into place to replace the one he just lost.

«I’ll never get used to that...» Velune mutters, clearly disgusted.

«Anyway... You’re doing absolutely nothing. You’ll stay here with my loyal bodyguard and keep watch. There’s a small chance one of our targets might return. Stay hidden inside the villa and monitor everything until we know their exact location.»

Then, Velune pulls another one of Zhurvak’s eyes out of a black leather purse.

«As soon as you find them, use this to teleport me there directly. That way, we’ll arrive at the same time even if we’re not physically together,» she says.

Zhurvak nods silently, casting a nervous glance at the giant corpse in the tattered cloak—the one Velune has decided to leave behind with him.

«And you, Miss... what will you do until then?» Zhurvak asks.

«Isn’t it obvious? I’ll do what any girl does at night in this world...» Velune replies.

She pulls a pair of sunglasses from her purse and puts them on, covering her completely black pupils.

«...Go looking for fresh corpses to add to my horde!»

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.