SSS Awakening: Rebirth of the Strongest Vampire God-Chapter 106: Reunion

Mark fumbled with the keys to the old apartment, his movements stiff. He hadn’t been back here since Kate collapsed. Everything felt like it had happened a lifetime ago, even though it had only been days.

Kate stood beside him, unusually quiet, her hood pulled up, sunglasses hiding her crimson eyes despite the overcast afternoon. When the door creaked open, both of them stopped.

Their mother was already inside.

She sat on the couch like she owned the place, legs crossed, a wine glass in one hand and her favorite overly sweet perfume clinging to every inch of the air. A middle-aged man sat beside her, sharp suit, fake tan, eyes like a hawk with dollar signs in his pupils.

"There you two are!" their mother exclaimed, getting up with a grin that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "I was starting to think you weren’t going to show. You didn’t answer my texts, Mark."

Mark’s jaw tightened. Kate instinctively stepped forward and muttered, "We’ve been... busy."

Their mother pouted theatrically, walking over and cupping Kate’s face. "Busy? Don’t be silly. I’ve barely seen you in weeks! You look tired. Are you eating enough?"

Kate forced a stiff smile. "I’m fine, Mom." She had gone through a whole life and death ordeal in these few days, but the woman knew nothing about that.

Mark cleared his throat, tone clipped. "Why are you here?"

"Because," she said sweetly, "I missed my children. And I wanted to introduce you both to Hector." She gestured to the man behind her.

Hector stood, offering a smile that was too polished. "Pleasure. Heard a lot about you."

"Sure," Mark muttered, deadpan. "I’m sure you did."

Their mother continued without missing a beat. "We’re all going out for dinner today. I already booked a reservation. No excuses, okay? It’s a family night."

Mark opened his mouth to protest, but Kate cut in. "Okay."

He stared at her. "Kate—"

Mark looked at her with disbelief, but she refused to meet his eyes. Her mother was smiling now, victorious, already talking about the restaurant’s wine list.

After a few more forced pleasantries, their mother urged them to change into new clothes that she had gotten for them.

The dinner reservation was for seven.

Kate wore the dress her mother brought, too tight, too red. Mark ditched the suit jacket but still looked like someone crammed into a life that didn’t fit anymore.

"Wow, my two children look perfect, don’t they, Hector? Even I almost don’t recognize them!" Their mother beamed like she was the queen of some picture-perfect fantasy.

Hector just smiled, but the man’s eyes never left Kate. After her transformation, she had changed a lot more than Mark. Perhaps because Mark was turned inside the game while she was turned outside the game, Kate’s changes were a lot more noticeable.

She had become taller, her complexion had improved, and her body had matured more than before, accentuating her curves a lot more. There was a subtle, impossible-to-miss allure to her now, as if she did not belong to this mundane world.

Kate sat through the car ride to the restaurant in stiff silence, her hands folded in her lap like a doll posed for display. Mark glared at the back of Hector’s head the whole ride. Their mother made small talk, completely oblivious or willfully ignorant. frёewebηovel.cѳm

The restaurant was classy. White tablecloths. Crystal glasses. A waiter who looked like he judged every outfit with surgical precision. Kate drew eyes even in the dim lighting, and Hector noticed that too.

Dinner began as a tense parade of pretenses. Their mother bragged about Hector’s career. Hector bragged about himself. Kate nodded politely. Mark didn’t speak at all.

Then Hector leaned over the table and placed a hand over Kate’s.

"You know, you really should let your hair down. Show off that beautiful neck of yours."

Kate froze.

Mark’s chair screeched against the floor as he stood. "Get your fucking hand off her."

"Mark," their mother hissed through a frozen smile. "What are you doing? Don’t behave so childishly. Hector is just being nice. What is wrong with you?"

Hector laughed like it was a joke. "Just a compliment. No need to get so defensive."

Kate pulled her hand back, her jaw clenched.

The waiter came and served some more food and drinks. Mark sat back down reluctantly, but his fists remained clenched, resting on the table like loaded weapons.

Kate stared at her plate, her appetite ruined, her shoulders tight with tension. Her mother continued sipping wine like nothing had happened, gushing about some charity gala Hector was sponsoring. No one else at the table was listening.

Hector no longer even bothered to hide the fact that his eyes were on Kate. Coincidentally, when the waiter appeared again, he poured a glass of wine on Kate’s dress.

The wine splashed across Kate’s chest, deep red seeping into the already too-red fabric, clinging to her in a way that made her instantly uncomfortable. Hector’s smile widened as his eyes were now plastered to her chest where a little more of her snow white skin was revealed.

Kate gritted her teeth and shot up from her chair with a startled breath, napkin in hand, dabbing at the soaked fabric.

"Oh dear!" their mother gasped, far too dramatically. "How clumsy! That must be freezing. Hector, be a gentleman and help her dry off, won’t you?"

"My pleasure." The man revealed a vicious grin as he moved closer to Kate.

"No. It’s fine. I’ll handle it." Kate turned and started toward the restroom. Hector rose as well, as if to follow her.

Mark’s hand shot across the table and gripped Hector’s wrist. "Sit. Down." The words were low, almost conversational. But his grip was anything but.

"Easy," Hector said, trying to play it off with a chuckle, though his tone faltered. "Just trying to help."

"You help by staying the fuck away from her."

"Mark!" their mother snapped again, cheeks flushing. "Stop acting like a thug in public! Hector knows the owner of this restaurant. He could probably find a room where your sister can change her dress. He just wants to help. Why are you behaving like this?"

***

Golden Ticket Mass Release! ~1