Chapter 1
Ethan
My eyes snapped open. The first thing I noticed was the darkness. It did not just look dark; it had a taste. It tasted like old rust and dried blood. My heart hammered against my ribs, sounding like a drum in the heavy silence of the room. I tried to sit up, but a sharp jerk stopped me. Metal bit into my wrists, cold and unforgiving. I fell back onto the hard floor. The chains were heavy. They were real.
I looked around, trying to make sense of where I was. The floor was cold stone. The walls were the same. As my eyes adjusted, I saw things that made my stomach turn. Bodies were everywhere. They were scattered across the floor like discarded trash. Some were pale and still. Their throats were torn open. Others had their wrists drained of every drop of blood. They were not sleeping. They were dead, or so close to it that it didn't matter anymore. The air felt heavy with the smell of copper. I felt a wave of fear, but it felt strange, like it belonged to someone else.
Then, the pain hit. It was not a normal headache. It felt like my skull was being split open. Images flashed in my mind—memories that were not mine.
I saw a boy. He was skinny and covered in bruises. His eyes looked too big for his small, tired face. I felt his knees hitting the cold stone as he crawled across this very floor. I felt him beg for mercy. I felt the sharp sting of teeth sinking into his neck over and over again. I heard laughter coming from somewhere above him. Cold, hard hands grabbed him. The memories showed endless nights of pain. He was a slave. He was nothing more than a blood bag for monsters.
I gasped for air and gripped my head with my hands, as far as the chains would let me. I shook my head hard. Those were not my memories. I was Ethan. I was not this boy. Or was I?
Suddenly, bright red text burned across my vision. It looked like fresh blood smeared on a pane of glass.
Death Return System activated.
I stared at the floating words. They didn't go away.
Task: Make one of the seven Vampire Princes kill you.
Reward: 100 million + private mansion upon return to your real world.
Failure: Permanent entrapment in this body. No second chances.
I blinked, but the screen stayed right there in front of my face.
System online.
Host: Ethan (transmigrated).
Do you accept the task?
My heart raced even faster now. Back in my real life, I had nothing. I was drowning in debt. I lived in a tiny, empty apartment. There was no one who would even notice if I disappeared forever. My life was a dead end. But here, death was the way out. It was a path to wealth. If I could get one of these princes to kill me, I would go back home rich. I could buy a house. I could buy the life I always wanted. I would never have to be alone or hungry again.
I thought about it for a second. How hard could it really be? In all the stories I read, vampires were arrogant and had short tempers. If I annoyed one of them enough, they would surely snap. I just had to push the right buttons and let them rip my throat out. It seemed easy. It was a shortcut to a perfect life.
I took a deep breath. "I accept," I whispered.
Host binding complete.
Good luck, Ethan. Try not to enjoy the pain too much.
A small grin touched my lips. I went from being a broke loser to a potentially rich man in less than a minute. It was a good deal.
A loud, heavy groan echoed through the room as the large door swung open. Two guards walked in. They were tall and wore heavy armor. Their faces looked like they were carved out of cold stone. They didn't say a word. They didn't even look me in the eye. They just grabbed the chains and pulled me up. I felt like I weighed nothing to them. They dragged me out of the dark room, and my bare feet scraped against the rough stone floor. The air outside the cell felt even colder.
They threw me into a different room. This one was smaller. Torches flickered on the walls, casting a dim light around the space. The guards left as quickly as they came, slamming the heavy door shut behind them.
I stayed on my knees. I focused on my breathing. I waited for whatever was coming next.
I heard footsteps. They were slow and steady. Someone was walking behind me. A hand suddenly clamped around the back of my neck. The fingers felt like ice, digging into my skin. Then, a voice spoke. It was smooth and sounded like it was enjoying a joke.
"You recovered fast, slave," the voice said. "Do not tell me you actually like it when we feed."
I didn't flinch. I didn't let him see me tremble. I turned my head just enough to get a look at him. He was young and very handsome, but in a way that felt dangerous. His black hair fell over his forehead, almost touching his crimson eyes. His skin was incredibly pale and stretched tight over his sharp cheekbones.
A red box appeared next to his head. The system was giving me information.
Target: Felix — The youngest prince.
Temper: Explosive.
Hates provocation.
Easily bored.
He was perfect for my plan. I let out a low, quiet laugh.
Felix's grip on my neck tightened. His fingers felt like a vice. "What is so funny?" he demanded.
I looked him right in the eyes. I didn't show any fear. I was calculating my next move. "I just cannot believe it," I said. "A prince of vampires, and you are reduced to tying up weak humans just to get a meal. What is the matter? Are you scared that if we are not chained up, we might actually fight back? Are you afraid a human might hurt you?"
Felix's eyes narrowed. For a split second, I saw real shock on his face. No slave had ever talked to him like that. But then, the shock was gone, replaced by a deep, burning rage.
"What did you just say to me?" he asked, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.
I laughed louder this time. I wanted him to lose it. "You heard me, princess. Or should I say, the dead prince? Because that is exactly what you look like right now. You look pathetic."
The air in the room seemed to change instantly. It felt colder and much heavier. Felix vanished. He moved so fast he was just a blur. Before I could even blink, he was right in front of me. His hand shot out and wrapped around my throat. It felt like a band of steel. He lifted me off the ground easily. My toes barely touched the stone floor as I struggled for air.
"Say that again," he hissed. I could see his fangs extending now. They looked like white needles. "Say it again, and I will tear your spine out through your mouth."
My vision started to go dark at the edges. I couldn't get any air into my lungs. My chest felt like it was going to burst. But I didn't stop. I forced the words out, even though my voice was hoarse and broken. I kept smiling.
"Just like I said, prince. You must be deaf. Maybe they should call you the deaf prince instead of the vampire prince. Or even better, the dead one."
Felix snarled. It wasn't a human sound; it was the sound of a wild animal. His eyes turned a pure, glowing red. The hand on my throat squeezed even harder. I felt the bones in my neck creaking under the pressure. I felt the cartilage shift. I knew my neck was about to snap.
This was it. I was going to die. One more second and I would be back in my world, rich and free.
Suddenly, the door burst open with a loud bang.
A voice cut through the room like a cold blade.
"Stop."