Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

Chapter 575 127.4 - Answer

As Maya continued to drink, the overwhelming sensation flooded every part of her. The taste, the warmth, the steady pulse of life under her lips—it all blurred together in a haze of need. Each pull of his blood soothed the burning hunger inside her, but it was more than just sustenance. It was a connection, an intimacy that she had never felt with anyone else.

She wanted more.

With every heartbeat, her body trembled, the primal urges threatening to consume her completely. But slowly, as the rush of adrenaline coursed through her, the intensity began to soften. She could feel herself growing more satisfied, the gnawing hunger inside her easing just enough for her mind to clear. The tension in her muscles loosened, her grip on his shoulder lightening as the all-consuming need finally began to subside.

It wasn't complete—there was still a part of her that craved more, that would always crave more. But for now, she had taken enough. The wild storm of her instincts faded, leaving only the quiet hum of satisfaction.

And then… reality hit her.

Her lungs burned. She had been so lost in the sensation, in the taste, that she hadn't realized how long she had gone without breathing. Her body, now recovering from the intense rush, protested violently, her chest tightening in response.

'Breathe, Maya! Breathe!'

With a sharp gasp, she pulled her teeth from Astron's neck, her lips trembling as the cool air hit them.

"Haaaaah…..Haaaaah….."

Her fangs retracted as she stumbled backward, her body doubling over as she sucked in ragged, desperate breaths.

It felt like she had been underwater, drowning in that ecstasy, and now—finally—her lungs were screaming for air. She clutched her chest, each breath more labored than the last, as if her body was struggling to catch up with what had just happened.

Her throat ached, her entire body shivering as the weight of everything came crashing down on her.

'How long was I...?'

She forced herself to raise her head, still gasping for air, and her eyes locked onto Astron. Her breath hitched as she took in the sight of him—calm, composed, and utterly unfazed. His neck still bore the faint marks where her fangs had pierced his skin, but beyond that, he looked completely undisturbed.

And then she saw it—the faintest smile on his lips. A hint of amusement in his deep purple eyes, as if what had just transpired was nothing more than a casual occurrence. It was almost as though he hadn't felt a thing, as though her feeding on him had been nothing more than an inconvenience.

A mix of embarrassment and confusion washed over her. She had been so consumed, so lost in the moment, yet here he was, standing perfectly still, offering her that slight smile as if it had been nothing at all. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"You could've just taken a breather," Astron said, his voice calm, laced with the same faint amusement that his expression carried.

Maya blinked, her breath still ragged, trying to grasp what he was saying. For a moment, she could only stare at him, her mind reeling from the absurdity of the situation.

A breather?

She had been on the brink of losing herself entirely, drowning in the depths of her vampiric instincts, and he was telling her to just take a breather?

Without thinking, Maya pushed her head into his chest, her hands gripping his shoulders for support. The embarrassment of the moment washed over her, the absurdity of his words only adding to the swirl of emotions. Her face was flushed, her heart pounding not just from the feeding but from the realization of how out of control she had become.

His chest was solid beneath her cheek, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat grounding her in a way she desperately needed. She let her breathing slow, the rise and fall of his chest syncing with her own ragged breaths as she slowly began to calm down. The world felt smaller here, tucked into the quiet space between them.

But then she felt it—something soft yet firm, warm but with a strange, chilling sensation that sent a sudden shiver racing down her spine.

'His hand….'

It rested gently on her back, the warmth of his touch contrasting with the coolness of the room around them. His fingers were steady and reassuring, but the chill that ran through her body wasn't just from the touch. It was the way his hand felt as though it belonged there, the way his presence seemed to anchor her, keeping her from spiraling further.

Maya's breath hitched, her grip on his shoulders tightening as her body reacted instinctively. She didn't move, though. She stayed there, her face buried in his chest, her mind swirling with confusion, relief, and something else she couldn't quite name.

The shiver that coursed through her only intensified as his hand remained on her back, offering silent support.

Astron's voice broke through the quiet, calm and steady as always. "Is it better now? Are you feeling more comfortable?"

Maya felt the flush in her cheeks deepen. He always had this way of making her feel like a child after moments like these—vulnerable and dependent. As though her need for his blood turned her into someone fragile, someone needing constant reassurance. Her chest tightened with a mix of embarrassment and frustration.

She buried her face deeper into his chest, hiding from his gaze, but the warmth from his touch and the sound of his heartbeat were unavoidable. The steady rhythm reminded her that he was still there, unaffected, as if the entire ordeal had been nothing more than a routine occurrence. Meanwhile, she was left grappling with the whirlwind of emotions that followed every time she gave in to her vampiric urges.

'Why does he always have to ask that?' she thought, her fingers clutching his shirt. 'Like I'm some child who can't handle herself.'

It wasn't that she didn't appreciate his concern, but each time they went through this, the aftermath always felt the same—humiliating.

Once the haze of hunger cleared, she was left with the stark reality of what had happened. The intimacy of the moment, the way she had lost control, the way he remained unaffected… it all came crashing down on her.

Every time, she remembered how she had clung to him, how she had let her instincts take over. And every time, she wished she could handle it better, that she could suppress those feelings, those urges. But she couldn't, not with him.

"Y-yeah," she finally mumbled, her voice muffled against his chest. "I'm fine now…"

But the truth was, even though the hunger had subsided, the embarrassment lingered. It was always like this—the calm after the storm, where she found herself feeling exposed, raw, and more than a little ashamed.

'I hate this,' she thought, her fingers still gripping his shirt. 'I hate how I feel afterward… like I've lost all control.'

Maya's fingers unconsciously began to move, trailing along the fabric of Astron's shirt, tracing the lines of his slender frame. His body was firm yet smooth beneath her touch, the warmth radiating through her fingertips as she let her hands explore the curve of his chest, the subtle definition of his muscles.

She didn't know why she was doing it, why her hands had a mind of their own in that moment, but something about the closeness, the lingering sensation of his blood still thrumming through her, made it hard to stop.

"Senior?" Astron's voice came, breaking through her thoughts, though there was something different in his tone. It wasn't the usual calm. It was softer, almost uncertain.

Maya froze for a moment, her fingers resting just above his heart. Slowly, she lifted her head, peering up at him through her lashes. He was looking down at her, his expression still composed but… there was a slight shift. A faint reaction, almost imperceptible, but she could see it in his eyes, the way they held something deeper—something honest.

It wasn't a smile exactly, not the kind he usually wore, but there was a gentleness in his gaze that made her heart skip a beat.

'What is this?' she wondered, her own emotions swirling in confusion.

Her hands, however, didn't stop. They moved again, softly tracing the outline of his torso. "It's… lean," she whispered, her voice barely audible, as if she were speaking more to herself than to him. Her fingers brushed against the smooth skin beneath his shirt, feeling the subtle strength hidden beneath his calm exterior.

Astron's breath hitched slightly, though he didn't pull away.

'So this is what a male body feels like,' Maya thought to herself, her fingers moving instinctively over the lean muscles of Astron's chest. Her touch was light, almost tentative, but she could feel the warmth radiating from him, feel the steady beat of his heart beneath her hand.

It was strange—her own heart was racing, her body feeling suddenly hot, as if the very air between them had thickened.

"It's… weird," she mumbled softly, her voice barely audible.

Her mind was a whirl of confusion. Why was her heart pounding so fast? Why did her body feel like it was on fire?

She wondered if he felt the same. Was his heart racing, too? Did he feel the strange tension between them, the same heat that seemed to coil tighter with every second?

SHIVER! As her hand wandered lower, she felt Astron shiver slightly beneath her touch, a subtle reaction that sent a jolt of realization through her. He was feeling it. Her fingers had brushed a sensitive spot, and his body had reacted instinctively.

"Gulp….."

She hesitated for a moment, her breath catching in her throat. Slowly, she raised her head, her gaze locking with his. Those deep purple eyes, usually so calm and composed, now seemed to hold something else—something more vulnerable, more honest.

Her eyes traced the sharp lines of his chiseled face, the smooth curve of his chin. His skin, pale as the moon, seemed to glow in the soft light, and his lips…

Her heart skipped a beat. His lips were red, almost like roses, and as she stared at them, an unfamiliar desire stirred inside her. It wasn't the thirst for blood, the hunger that usually consumed her around him. No, this was something else. Something more… primal.

She wanted to bite them but not to feed them. She wanted to taste them for an entirely different reason.

Her body grew even hotter, the fire spreading through her veins, and she felt her breath hitch in her chest. Her eyes never left his lips, and before she could stop herself, a word slipped from her mouth, a whisper that sounded so foreign it took her by surprise.

"Junior…~"

Her voice, sultry and soft, felt strange in her own ears like it didn't belong to her.

His head approached, her body moving on its own. She felt uncertain yet firm as if she was possessed.

"..."

He did not answer, but he also did not move.

And that alone gave her the answer.