Chapter Ten: The First Display of Skill (Part Two)

Billy, burning with impatience, kicked open the small room’s door, clutching the woman in his arms. He tossed her onto the bed, tore off his own shirt, and threw himself over her. The softness beneath his touch confirmed she was indeed a rare beauty. He pinned her wrists and chased her averted face with hungry lips. At last, his mouth found her seductive lips, and desire surged to his head like a fever.

A sudden stab of pain snapped Billy back to his senses. He touched his lips and found them slick with blood.

“Feisty little bitch,” Billy cursed, licking at the blood. Without warning, he swung his large hand, striking the woman’s face without mercy. He seized her robe and yanked it downward, but when it wouldn’t come off, he gripped the fabric at her chest with both hands and ripped it apart. The black robe split with a sharp tear, revealing gleaming, porcelain-white skin.

Beneath the robe, she wore only the thinnest violet Damaris bra and panties—lingerie worth thousands of dollars, no doubt, but Billy had no patience for appreciation. These only served to inflame his lust further.

He flipped her over, tossed aside the shredded robe, and pinned her wrists with one hand while pressing her legs down with his knee. Gasping like a beast, he sprawled over her back and tore through the clasp of her bra with his teeth. His hot breath scorched her neck as he bit and gnashed, his body grinding against hers. The woman, realizing her nightmare was inescapable, began to sob.

But after a moment, all grew strangely calm behind her, as if the man had fallen asleep atop her. She glanced back in fright to see a handsome, bare-chested young man with dark hair and yellowish skin standing behind her, watching quietly. She shrank away, but the young man only smiled kindly, showing no trace of malice.

“It’s all right now. You’re safe. Get up,” he said. Yet the woman only wept harder, turning to sit on the bed, shielding her chest with her hands, her long, wavy brown hair falling across her beautiful face as she sobbed.

Liu Yunfei could have entered sooner, but the room was near the water, with an iron, watertight door sealed shut—impervious even to flies or a drop of water. Fortunately, Billy hadn’t expected anyone to interrupt; otherwise, if he’d locked the door from inside, Liu Yunfei would have been powerless.

Liu Yunfei had slipped in, having returned to his true form, while Billy was too crazed with lust to notice any noise. After knocking Billy out with a blast of mist, Liu Yunfei tossed him into his glowing jade slip. He picked up the torn robe and draped it over the woman, his fingers brushing her smooth, snowy thighs, which her small hands could not fully conceal. Flustered, he quickly said, “I’ll leave right away. Lock the door after me. Only open it for me when you see me at the porthole—no one else. I’ll take care of the rest of the villains.”

He grabbed Billy’s radio and gun, threw on Billy’s shirt, and left, morphing into Billy’s likeness as he strode back to the engine room. Standing at the door, he beckoned to Billy’s two men. They’d long coveted the beauty inside and exchanged knowing grins—Billy always seemed so tough, yet apparently lacked stamina.

Matching their leering grins, Liu Yunfei waited for them to approach, then sent each a puff of colorless, odorless mist. Their eyes rolled back, and they collapsed, weapons and all, to be stashed away in the jade slip as well.

But Liu Yunfei wasn’t ready to reveal the truth to the crew; who knew if they’d panic and rush out recklessly? So, imitating Billy’s fierce demeanor, he marched into the engine room, slammed the butt of the gun on a table, and barked, “No one move or speak, or you get a bullet.”

Upon leaving, he shut the engine room door and used the largest spatula he’d swiped from the kitchen to twist the door handle and frame together. With his current strength, no one else could possibly pry it open.

He then made his way to the deck. “Billy, what are you here for? We’re roasting out here—come take our place!” called one of the kidnappers.

“Sure. I got this cooling spray from Henry. Works wonders—one spritz and you’ll feel refreshed,” Liu Yunfei replied, giving each man a squirt before they could react. “Told you it works. Ha!”

Liu Yunfei moved swiftly, taking out all the kidnappers below deck. Surprisingly, Henry was not on the foredeck; only his attendant lay sprawled on Henry’s lounge chair, whom Liu Yunfei dispatched easily. He hurried to the second floor to deal with the last two goons at the Old Prince’s door, suspecting Henry might be there.

Once the two guards were down, all the henchmen were taken care of. Liu Yunfei entered the Old Prince’s suite to find only the prince himself.

“Has Henry been here?” Liu Yunfei asked.

“No, he hasn’t come at all,” the Old Prince replied.

“Damn, come with me—quick!” Liu Yunfei suddenly remembered the hostages in the engine room. But the Old Prince just stared at him with a strange look.

“What’s wrong? Hurry!” Liu Yunfei urged.

“Are you the miraculous Chinese Liu?” The prince still couldn’t believe this little gang leader was Liu Yunfei, though the voice was unmistakably that of the miraculous youth.

“Oh, right, I forgot. The kidnappers are all dealt with—only Henry’s left, probably in the engine room,” Liu Yunfei said, realizing he still wore Billy’s appearance. But with the prince present, he couldn’t transform, so he simply grabbed the prince and hurried downstairs.

As they reached the main hall, a black shadow flashed from the bar. Liu Yunfei raised his hand to block, but it was too late—a tremendous force slammed him down onto the grand piano at the center of the hall.

Henry had been waiting there all along. He’d only gone to the restroom, but upon returning to the foredeck, he saw his attendant being knocked out and stashed away. Searching the ship, he found all his men missing and rushed to hide behind the bar, waiting for Liu Yunfei to descend.

“Billy, you treacherous bastard!” Henry’s eyes blazed red, fangs gleaming with a blue sheen.

“Vampire!” the Old Prince screamed.

Liu Yunfei had only seen vampires in movies and novels; never did he expect to encounter one in real life. Henry let out a piercing laugh and sank his fangs into Liu Yunfei’s carotid artery—but no matter how hard he bit, he couldn’t pierce the skin. This had never happened before. Billy had been with him for years—how had he never noticed any special abilities?

Henry raised his head to see only two faint tooth marks on Liu Yunfei’s neck.

Liu Yunfei lay unmoving, a faint smile on his lips. Though Henry’s sudden attack had startled him, Henry’s panicked reaction was almost amusing.

“Go on, keep biting,” Liu Yunfei grinned. “If you won’t bite me, maybe I’ll bite you.” He bared his own teeth at Henry.

Terrified, Henry shrank back. Liu Yunfei quickly produced the spray and pressed the trigger at Henry’s face. Henry, realizing he was dealing with a formidable foe, transformed into a bat and darted out of the hall window toward the land.

Liu Yunfei could have given chase, but right now, his priority was ensuring the safety of the staff and the stunning beauty below deck. Getting them out of harm’s way was the most urgent task.