Vampire Queen Awakens: The Conquest of Werewolf

"Lily, let's go street racing tonight!" Ethan had somehow snuck into the classroom, seating himself next to Lily. He casually patted her shoulder, exhibiting an air of familiarity.

Despite the philosophy lecture being a requirement for all literature classes, very few students actually attended. Those that did were there merely for attendance purposes, to avoid failing the course.

Lily was among the latter. As the professor droned on, she was busily scrolling through her Twitter feed, utterly bored. At the mention of racing, she immediately lit up, her eyes sparkling brighter than the star-filled night sky. "Sure thing!"

"Let's get Ava, Sophia, and Emicio too!" Ethan added.

Lily gave him a playful wink and shot an 'ok' sign his way. Picking up her phone, her slender fingers danced across the screen, sending out a mass text message. Those lazy girls were probably still snuggled up in bed...

At last, the professor, a charming elderly man from the politics and history department, concluded his morning lecture. Lily gave a polite round of applause, then packed away her blank notebook.

She eyed an unsuspecting male classmate seated in front of her, a mischievous smile quickly flashed across her face. Opening a water bottle, she crawled under the desk and poured the water onto the seat in front of her. The water trickled down the chair, soaking the guy's pants. He sprang up in alarm, feeling his drenched trousers. Turning around, he initially aimed his anger at Ethan, but upon seeing Lily giggling under the table, he was struck silent. Not one to miss a chance for mischief, Lily loudly exclaimed, "Hey, you've wet your pants!"

His face turned crimson and his anger subsided at the sight of Lily's irresistibly playful expression. Lily, pleased with the surrounding laughter, packed her belongings and walked out, leaving behind the puzzled and embarrassed guy.

No one could resist the charm of this stunningly beautiful girl. Her flawless skin, as white as snow, and her shiny, black hair that resembled seaweed waving in the water, coupled with her innocent looks and unworldly aura, made her appear like a celestial being who had somehow ended up in this small town.

As Lily was about to leave the classroom, Ava called, her voice muffled with drowsiness. "Who's organizing the race?"

"Ethan!" Lily answered succinctly.

A high-pitched scream came from the other end of the line, almost causing Lily to drop her phone. She could even hear Ava leaping out of bed. It wasn't hard to imagine what would happen nextAva would quickly get ready, don her most dazzling attire, and rush over to them.

True enough, by the time Lily and Ethan reached the cafeteria entrance, a radiant Ava was already waiting there. Dressed in a revealing pink mini-dress that accentuated her figure, sparkling high heels, and holding a petite handbag, Ava looked resplendent. She wore an expensive black gemstone bracelet around her wrist.

Every item Ava carried was luxurious, something Lily, a girl from a single-parent family, could only dream of. But standing next to Ava, even in her modest attire from a thrift store, Lily was in no way overshadowed.

If not for Lily, Ava would have been the campus beauty. Her long orange hair complementing her fair skin, high nose bridge, expressive eyes, and delicate cherry lips.

Women were known for their jealousy, so it wasn't unreasonable to expect that Ava, who was somewhat overshadowed by Lily's beauty, should harbor resentment towards her. But rather than feeling jealous or scornful, Ava had chosen to befriend Lily, introducing her to their social circle comprised of Sophia and Emicio.

"Lily!" Ava pouted. "Why are you wearing this again? Didn't I gift you a dress last time?" While Ava spoke to Lily, she kept sending flirty glances Ethan's way, trying to suppress a smile.

"It's too expensive, I feel pressured wearing it," Lily replied, her brows shaking playfully.

Ava blushed and glared at Lily. Thankfully, Ethan hadn't noticed her awkwardness.

"You two go grab lunch, I'll go fetch Sophia and Emicio," Lily said, sneaking up behind Ava and giving her a push, causing her to stumble right into Ethan's arms. Ignoring their embarrassment, Lily turned and headed towards the girls' dormitory with a wicked grin.

Lily, who was used to attracting attention, felt something strange in the air. An unknown aura was disturbing her own, slowing down the pace of the students around her. They were all looking in the same direction, some openly and others trying to be discreet. But for once, she wasn't the center of attention. Instead, it was a man standing under a lush poplar tree, holding a large black umbrella.

Lily glanced up at the sky. The sun was gentle that day, and there was no need for an umbrella, especially a large one like the one he was holding. Yet there he was, standing under the shade, anxiously checking his phone.

But what really caught her attention was his looks. He was strikingly handsome. Despite his somewhat pale and sickly complexion, his exquisite features were in perfect harmony. His stunning blue eyes were a sharp contrast to his oriental appearance. His glasses added a touch of sophistication to his already charming face.

"Unbelievable!" Lily thought to herself. She changed her route to pass by him, moving gracefully. She felt a bit self-conscious, but couldn't help trying to appear even more perfect.

Would he try to strike up a conversation? Would he ask for her number? If he did, should she play hard to get or give it immediately? Or should she be bold and ask for his? Lily was caught in a whirlwind of thoughts. As she passed him, she realized he hadn't even glanced her way.

She was hit with a wave of disappointment. He was the first man who had shown no interest in her!

At 10 PM, Lily rode in Ava's sports car to the outer ring road for the race. Sophia and Emicio were in their own cars. Lily was the only one without a car, but she was a huge fan of this exciting and highly risky game of street racing. She wasn't sure if she loved the thrill of speed or the large amounts of betting money she won afterward. Every time she won, she would keep only what she needed for living expenses and transfer the rest to her mother's account, falsely claiming it was her earnings from a part-time job.

There were already a slew of modified cars parked along the outer ring road. Ethan's Honda Accord looked ordinary compared to the others, but it was the most expensive one, having undergone a total makeover.

"Lily, take my car!" Ethan tossed his car keys to Lily as soon as they arrived. After greeting the others, Lily hopped into Ethan's Accord. As Lily opened the car door, she was greeted by a refreshing fragrance, exactly the same scent she had smelled when she first saw that man in the afternoon. Now under the night air, the scent was even more intense, almost accompanied by a stronger smell of death, like a dangerous signal.

"It's just a good car!" The man raised his eyebrows before Lily could say anything, his face full of disdain.

"Lily's good at driving, it has nothing to do with the car!" Ethan interjected, somewhat displeased. Not just at his words, but at his presence too, which made him feel an inexplicable sense of crisis.

Ignoring Ethan, the man climbed into the passenger seat of the modified Accord. Before shutting the door, he issued a command like a king from above, "Go another round!"

For the first time in her life, Lily did not get angry when someone spoke to her in a commanding tone. Instead, she obediently ran over like a marionette under control.

Sitting next to the man, Lily couldn't help but steal glances at his stern profile from the corner of her eye. The curve of his nose made her heart race involuntarily. She was so nervous she forgot why she was there. He looked about her age, yet exuded a maturity that belied his years. His eyes were full of rebellious arrogance, yet seemed to hold a hint of world-weariness.

"I'm Lewis." Lewis suddenly turned to Lily with a big smile, startling her as if she had been caught in the act of doing something wrong. She blushed awkwardly.

Lily avoided Lewis's trap-like smile and his alert gaze, which resembled a leopard's. His eyes were like those of a hungry beast that had come across prey after a long time. An image popped into her mindLewis sitting at a dining table with a knife and fork, and herself as the food on the table, perfectly grilled and waiting to be savored...

Feeling Lewis's puzzled gaze, Lily tried to shake off her strange thoughts. She started the car and casually said, "Your perfume smells really good," not noticing Lewis's surprised look as she focused on the road.

Lewis's presence made Lily feel as if the air in the car had become stagnant, and the pressure inside the car rose abruptly, making it hard for her to breathe. Her usually nimble hands and feet felt clumsy. Before she knew it, the speedometer was reading 200 mph. A large truck that seemed to have a death wish was making a u-turn on the single-lane road, occupying half of it...

Instinctively attempting to brake, Lily inexplicably hit the accelerator instead. With a loud bang, pain coursed through her body. Just before her world went dark, she felt herself falling into an icy embrace, and then she lost consciousness...

It felt like a long dream, where Lily dreamt of Lewis holding her, flying her through the indigo night sky. The gentle breeze was swirling the fragments of clouds around them. At the end of the sky was a crimson moon, adding a touch of vibrant color to the night like a colossal disc.

Nestled in Lewis's embrace, Lily was inhaling his peculiar metallic scent intermingled with an unknown floral fragrance. Instead of feeling nauseated, she felt inexplicably comforted, reminiscent of a long-lost family member, without a trace of a hidden agenda...

In her haziness, Ava's crybaby eyes, Sophia's scrunched eyebrows, Emicio's tightly pursed lips, Ethan's worried face, all converged together in a disorienting flurry. But Lewis was conspicuously missing.

"Where is Lewis?" Lily sat up abruptly, her eyes filled with guilt and fear, her voice shaking uncontrollably.

"He's fine!" Ava managed a laugh amid her tears, and playfu