My Blood Legacy: Reincarnated as a Vampire

The biting wind howled through the narrow streets of the city, whipping the worn cobblestones and striking the few passersby brave enough to venture into the cruel night chill. Hunger tightened Siren's stomach like invisible claws, and exhaustion made her thin legs tremble.

The little girl with silver hair huddled against a damp wall in a dark alley, hugging her knees to her chest in a futile attempt to retain warmth. Her golden eyes, once vibrant, were now dull, reflecting only the desperation of someone who had long ago stopped believing that tomorrow would be any better.

The aroma of freshly baked bread floated in the air, coming from a nearby bakery, making her stomach growl painfully. She pulled her arms tighter around herself, trying to ignore the temptation, knowing she couldn't just go in and take something.

She had tried before.

The result? Punches. Kicks. The metallic taste of blood in her mouth and the certainty that no one would miss her if she disappeared forever in that dirty alley.

Then, a soft sound of footsteps echoed against the stone walls. A shadow appeared at the entrance of the alley, bathed in the weak light of a lantern.

It was a girl with vibrant red hair, her eyes glowing like embers in the darkness. She was a stark contrast to the cold city around her. She wore simple, slightly worn clothes, but they were clean. She walked with confidence, without hesitation, as though she were exactly where she needed to be.

Without saying a word, she knelt in front of Siren and extended a small piece of bread.

Siren's eyes widened.

She didn't move immediately, her instinct telling her to be wary. Why would someone offer her something with no expectation of anything in return?

The red-haired girl tilted her head slightly, her lips curving into a gentle smile.

"Go ahead," she said, her voice as warm as the bread in her hands. "I have more."

Hunger won out over fear.

Siren grabbed the piece of bread and bit into it so quickly she choked. She coughed violently, her eyes watering. The girl laughed softly and pulled a small bottle of water from inside her clothes, extending it with ease.

"Drink slowly, or you'll hurt yourself."

Siren took the bottle with trembling fingers, her eyes fixed on the girl's face. Why was she being kind? People like this didn't exist.

When the hunger and thirst were, at least for a moment, satisfied, Siren finally raised her gaze.

"Who… who are you?" Her voice came out hoarse, almost a whisper.

The girl hesitated for a moment, as if thinking about her answer. Then, she smiled again.

"I don't have a name."

Siren blinked, surprised.

"Then… what should I call you?"

The redhead let out a short laugh, resting her hand on her chin as if pondering something very important.

"Hmm… How about… Scarlet?"

The name sounded strange on the girl's lips, as if she were testing out a new destiny. But in that moment, in that dark and forgotten alley, something changed forever.

Siren didn't know it yet, but that was the day she found her first light in the midst of the darkness.

And so… slowly, a friendship began to form. Days, weeks, months passed.

The sun shone brightly in the sky, casting a golden light over the bustling streets of the city. Siren and Scarlet ran side by side, weaving through merchants, playing children, and even a few guards who eyed them with suspicion.

"You're cheating!" Siren shouted, breathless, as she tried to keep up with her friend.

"Cheating? I'm just faster than you!" Scarlet teased, throwing a mischievous glance over her shoulder. Her red hair fluttered like flames in the wind.

The bet was simple: whoever reached the top of the city wall first would win an extra dinner that night. Of course, considering neither of them actually had money for a regular meal, the loser would have to figure out how to get the food.

Scarlet jumped over a barrel, using it as a springboard to climb onto a low rooftop. Siren stopped for a moment, assessing the path.

"This isn't fair!" she protested.

"You should've thought of that before accepting the bet, Siren!" Scarlet replied, laughing.

Determined not to lose, Siren huffed and ran in the other direction. If Scarlet was faster, then she needed to be smarter.

With a swift move, she climbed onto a parked cart, then jumped to a stretched awning, using the momentum to reach a nearby balcony. Her small hands gripped the sturdy wood, and she began climbing quickly.

Scarlet, who was already almost at the top of the wall, paused when she noticed Siren's movement. Her eyes widened.

"What the—?!"

Before she could finish the sentence, Siren was already hopping from rooftop to rooftop, cutting corners and gaining the lead.

"I'M A GENIUS!" Siren yelled, excited.

"THIS IS CHEATING!" Scarlet retorted, speeding up to try to catch her.

The two reached the top of the wall nearly simultaneously, tumbling to the ground amidst laughter and gasping breaths.

"I… I got there first!" Siren said, trying to catch her breath.

"Liar! I got there first!" Scarlet shot back, her expression defiant.

They stared at each other for a few seconds before bursting into laughter.

"Alright, alright…" Scarlet sighed, sitting down and looking out at the horizon. "We'll split the dinner, okay?"

Siren smiled. "Okay."

At that moment, sitting side by side, forgetting for a moment the struggles of life, they felt invincible.

But war was approaching. And moments like that would soon become nothing more than memories of simpler times.

The city was burning.

Flames danced through the streets, consuming everything in their path—houses, shops, lives. The screams of pain and despair blended with the metallic sound of clashing swords and the thunderous blasts of spells being cast. The smell of blood and smoke filled the suffocating air.

Siren ran. Her chest burned, her bare feet cut by debris, but nothing mattered. Nothing except finding Scarlet.

"SCARLET!" She screamed, desperately pushing bodies and rubble out of her way.

Fear gnawed at her mind. They had always been together. Always. But now… now everything was crumbling.

A deafening crash echoed behind her. A building collapsed, sending dust and fire flying in all directions. Siren staggered backward, coughing, until her eyes finally found her—

Scarlet was surrounded.

Five imperial soldiers were holding her down by force, their golden armor glinting with the reflection of the flames. The red-haired girl kicked, bit, and thrashed like an animal, but she was too small to escape.

"Don't touch her!" Siren shouted, her voice full of desperation.

One of the soldiers noticed her and laughed. "Look… another street rat. Should we grab her too?"

Scarlet lifted her head. Her eyes, once always full of life, were now filled with terror. "SIREN! RUN!"

"I'M NOT LEAVING YOU!" Siren tried to move forward, but something struck her in the face. A brutal blow sent her crashing to the stone ground. The world spun, her vision blurred.

She heard the soldiers' laughter. "Tsk. Won't last five minutes as a slave."

The sound of iron cutting flesh came right after.

Not hers.

Scarlet's.

She screamed.

Not in pain, but in hatred.

Something inside Siren snapped.

The world turned red. The air grew heavy. A new scent filled her nose—blood.

Her jaw clenched. Her heart raced, her muscles tensed.

Pain followed quickly.

Her bones stretched. Her claws tore through the skin of her fingers. Her fangs grew. And her eyes… her eyes turned as black as death.

The soldiers noticed the change, but it was too late.

One of them didn't even have time to scream before Siren ripped his throat out with a single strike. Blood poured hot over her face, but she didn't even blink.

Another tried to raise his sword—she snapped his arm before he could. Her teeth sank into the man's neck, and a horrible sound echoed as she tore him apart.

The third ran.

Siren leaped at him like a shadow and smashed him into the ground. His skull shattered on impact.

The last two tried to flee. One didn't even take three steps before Siren's claws ripped his spine from his body.

The last soldier screamed in desperation. "M-MONSTER!"

Siren walked toward him, her wild eyes glowing in the darkness.

"I am what you created."

With a single motion, she ripped the soldier's head off.

Silence reigned.

But then... the sound of horses.

Siren turned just in time to see Scarlet being dragged away. The girl struggled, screamed her name, but she was being taken by the main force of the imperial army.

"SCARLET!" Siren ran, stumbling over the bodies around her, but the soldiers were too far ahead.

The last thing she saw was Scarlet's gaze growing distant...

Until it disappeared.

And then, all that remained was the fire, the blood... and the full moon shining above her.

The scream echoed in her mind.

The sensation of her claws sinking into flesh, the metallic scent of hot blood, the screams of soldiers being torn apart… and Scarlet, disappearing into the shadows, taken away.

"SIREN!"

Her eyes snapped open suddenly.

The luxurious ceiling of the Hell Castle appeared before her, but the feeling of panic still gripped her chest. Her body was covered in sweat, her heart pounding like a war drum. For a moment, she didn't know where she was.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "It was just a dream…"

No. It wasn't just a dream.

She ran her hand through her silver hair, pressing her scalp. That wasn't just a nightmare. It was a memory.

The battle. The blood. Scarlet...

Scarlet.

The name echoed in her mind like thunder. The face of the red-haired girl flickered before her eyes—the same fiery eyes, the same ferocity, the same childish arrogance.

And then, everything clicked.

She turned suddenly, gasping, and saw Valentina sitting on the edge of the window in her room, as if she had been waiting for her.

The woman's scarlet hair swayed gently with the night breeze. Her golden eyes were fixed on Siren, laden with something Siren couldn't decipher.

Siren felt her heart stop for a moment.

"...Valentina?" Her voice came out like a whisper.

The woman smiled.

"You finally remembered, huh?" The Sun Goddess said, smiling, "You know, I had to ask Husband to remind you. Your first transformation into a Werewolf was far beyond what an ordinary Werewolf would go through. The shock probably made you forget about me." She said, sitting back in the chair.

"You always knew about this?!" Siren growled, furious!

"No, I just found out recently... when I regained my memories of my past life," She shrugged. "But it seems you've forgotten something," Valentina said...

"What?" Siren questioned.

"Why did you lie about your age, you bitch?!" Valentina roared, her crimson flames dancing around her body.

Siren blinked, still groggy from sleep. "Huh?"

"You've spent YEARS saying you were younger than us, but, in fact, you're the same age as me!" Valentina pointed an accusing finger at her.

Siren blinked again. Her mind slowly began processing what she had just heard... and then, like a meteor hitting the Earth, the truth crushed her.

"W-What?!"

She had always claimed to be less than a thousand years old... but now, recalculating the dates... She was much older.

Over two thousand years.

"I-I didn't remember!!" Siren tried to apologize, raising her hands in a surrender gesture. But it was too late.

Valentina, still furious, clenched her fists and shouted:

"LYRIANNA!!!"

At that very moment, a dark vortex opened in the middle of the room, and the former Empress of the East emerged from it, yawning and stretching her arms.

"Ugh, I was resting! What's all this shouting about?!" Lyrianna grumbled, her succubus wings fluttering lightly.

Valentina pointed directly at Siren. "She lied about her age."

A deathly silence fell over the room.

Lyrianna's eyes, usually blue, glowed with a demonic crimson hue. A vein of pure fury pulsed on her forehead.

"What did you say?" Her voice was calm. Too calm.

Siren swallowed hard. "H-haha... hold on, girls, no need to exaggerate—"

BOOOOM!!!

The entire castle trembled.

Dante, sitting in his office in Albion, stopped writing and raised an eyebrow. Beside him, Morgana was reviewing some documents, a goblet of wine within reach.

"Hm?" Dante murmured, feeling a surge of demonic energy on the horizon.

The distant sounds of screams and destruction echoed across the mountains.

"What was that?" he asked.

Morgana took a sip of her wine and didn't even look at him. "Let them."

Dante furrowed his brow. "What happened now?"

Morgana sighed and turned the sheet towards him. "Siren lied about her age."

Dante blinked. He fell silent for a moment. Then... he smiled.

"Ah, now I remember."

Morgana finally looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "Remember what?"

Dante put down the papers, crossed his arms, and leaned back in his chair with a satisfied grin. "The strongest from the past need to settle their scores between themselves. Let them."

Morgana rolled her eyes. "Great. There goes another part of the castle."

Outside, explosions of magic tore through the skies. Siren was running desperately while Valentina and Lyrianna chased her with vengeful glares.

Dante, still watching everything from the window, took a deep breath and then shouted:

"HEY YOU THREE, IF YOU WANT TO SETTLE IT, FIGHT IN HELL!"

The three of them stopped mid-air. Valentina and Lyrianna smiled.

Siren paled.

Morgana simply took another sip of wine. "Well, we did need to destroy a few mountains to expand the Empire. Good move, my husband."

"I'm practical," he smiled.