-No no no we have to go back sister, we have too.

  I begin to get light headed. My blood isn't oxygenating. I will my blood through my lungs. And spread it again inside myself. I have to keep doing it. Damn. I'm stuck.

  You have gained [Blood Kinesis] Basic 2

  Gain 1 exp

  -No sister, why are you leveling the skill, we need to go back.

  I shift the blood again to maintain consciousness. Quick thoughts.

  Sara, I have to maintain focus to stay alive at the moment.

  -O system we are going to become undead again. Oh system, we finally made the change that forces us to be undead.

  Sister, get a grip.

  I shift the blood again. Mags is trying to restart my heart. Think. Shift. Think. Shift again.

  -Sorry.

  Wish I had [Parallel Mind] for this.

  I shift my blood again.

  -O Barbain said we get that back after going to [Two Separate Minds 2]

  I shift my blood again.

  That skill has been stuck forever.

  Shift.

  -All our skills have. I'm going to try to think two different thoughts at once.

  Shift, I feel like I was doing that already. Shift. Two thoughts. Shift. One shifts, the other talks.

  “Sorry mother, I managed to break my body again.” Shift.

  “This is no time for jokes Sara, how are you alive?” Shift.

  Concentrate, in attendant form. Shift.

  “Gained the ability to move blood, it seems it made my heart unnecessary.” Shift.

  “Thats absurd, what benefit would that be.” Shift.

  “Makes it hard to bleed out if you decide to just keep the blood in you.” Shift.

  “I can see you consciously cycling your blood through your lungs, Sara.” Shift.

  “Working on it.” Shift.

  You have gained [Blood Kinesis] Basic 3

  Gain 1 exp

  Shift. Wrong skill up. Shift.

  -Damn it.

  Shift. Two thoughts.

  -Two thoughts.

  Shift, four thoughts.

  -Eight thoughts.

  I laugh as I shift.

  [Two Separate Minds] becomes [Two Separate Minds 2] basic 1

  Two Separate Minds 2 - two cores with two threads

  Basic - your waking mind has a second attention again, don't fall asleep

  Intelligence raised to 627

  I set my second attention to moving my blood.

  Seriously sister, a joke?

  I get a mental raspberry for that. I smile. Complications.

  “Sorry, it's under control now mother.”

  “Is it? Your heart stopped and you're moving your blood by your will.”

  “And I'll die if I sleep.”

  Mags looks further annoyed, “So how is this a benefit?”

  “Well we have the ‘unable to bleed out’ benefit, the um.”

  What's another benefit of this skill?

  -‘Use our blood as a weapon' benefit.

  “Sister right, I can use my mithril laced blood as a weapon.”

  “You're not ten anymore Sara, your blood meant to stay inside you, not used as a weapon.”

  “Maybe I will gain the ability to manipulate others' blood as well.”

  “Well it is your skill, try to aim for that dear. So about not sleeping.”

  “Right, wouldn't be an issue if I could swap with sister.”

  “And if you fall unconscious?”

  “Okay, current skill focus is to be able to set automatic commands.”

  Actually sister, can you move my blood? It's a soul ability.

  -Hows this?

  Blood pops out my arm. I will it back in as Mags gives me an annoyed look.

  -Well?

  You just upset mother further, but you can do it. Maybe set your other attention to be a back up blood monitor.

  -Righto.

  “Work in progress, sister might be able to keep me alive if I fall unconscious.”

  She gives me skeptical eyes, “Let's not test that anytime soon.”

  “Hey, maybe my blood is waiting on my command. If I go unconscious my heart could start again.”

  She gives me a sad smile, “Even if that was true, Sara. Your heart is meant to keep beating. It's going to atrophy without that constant motion. You may be fine for now but soon enough it will shrivel up to nothing.”

  My eyes widen at the thought of no heart. The thought was loud enough for sister to hear. I clutch my chest. I feel it shriveling now. Sister has engaged our life core.

  Stop it, even vampires have hearts to stake…

  -But why should we have such a weakness? It already got us killed once.

  My soul shudders at the thought … my will falters at the memory. Time slows as I watch her work. First one chamber collapses. Sister. A second. It just keeps shrinking. Please stop. Another chamber is gone. Noooo. Finally the muscle shrinks till it is no longer there. I gasp. The arteries that led to it shorten, just open orifices for my blood to be willed into. My lungs now have an open orifice for my blood to be pushed into and another for it to be pulled out of. Sister finishes the task as I blanche. It's gone. She took our heart. The life core passives setting our [Body Morphic Magic 2] are keeping it that way. Sister, truly this is what you want?

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  -Acceptance.

  Cruel… I leave the passives where they are. I…I…can't die like that again. Acceptance.

  The green quarter moon eyes of Mags stare at me.

  “Did you just remove your heart?”

  I gave her a shaky smile, “Sister felt it was an unnecessary weak point. Still want to be a vampire?”

  She just throws her hands up and shakes her head trying to banish the craziness that is me.

  I get back to working on my work dress. Heartless. My other cores help to keep my life core full from my changes.

  -----

  This is a daily reminder: You have 112 unallocated stat points

  Sara, why can I not hear your heart anymore?

  “Funny thing, I gained the ability to move my blood with my mind. It kinda turned off my heart because of it. Then I got rid of it entirely.”

  “...You're not going to do the same to me are you?”

  “Mistress, you would die without a heart.”

  “Don't act like I am a simpleton, Sara.”

  I smile and titter at Delores.

  I had returned to the guild hall by the evening. Lindur was shocked to see the scorpion eyes. I didn't shake my new tail attachment at her. She got enough arachnid based nightmares.

  “Have you been well, mistress?”

  “Oh just fine, Barbara came down a few times. Tried to ask me to go back to the estate. Asked where you were. Insinuated some rather mean things about you not being here. Nothing much beyond that. O I sent a letter to father asking if we could return.”

  “Apologies about my dereliction, mistress.”

  “Nonsense, I was perfectly fine.”

  “A moment mistress, I have guests arriving.”

  I sense them coming to my clinic. I turn and see Barbain and Beatrice open my door to the private quarters. Xena is on Barbain's back hump sleeping while I can feel Alicia growing inside of Beatrice. I rush over and hug Barbain first then Beatrice.

  “Why have you come?”

  “Your sister said she took your heart so we needed to remind you that you didn't need it.”

  “I just wasn't expecting it to be literal, my mistress.”

  I laugh at that. I can feel Lindur's heart thudding in the main hall.

  “You appear to have scared your worthless buddy.”

  “Yes, she hid behind the counter the moment she saw us.” Barbain points out.

  First time I've seen you forget yourself.

  “Apologies mistress, this is Barbain Blacknell and Beatrice Livarnna. I have a special bond with them. They helped me make my mithril laced bones.”

  The two B's looked at each other, then at the younger girl.

  “So when will she become your [Supplicant], my mistress?”

  I frown at Beatrice as she laughs.

  If I become a [Supplicant] will I be like them?

  I turned to her, “Yes, but I wouldn't be able to be your [Attendant] anymore. If you still desire it after I claim nobility then I will accommodate you, mistress.”

  She nods at that. The B's look at each other again, then stare at me.

  “You can hear her thoughts can't you?” The Barbain inquisition has begun.

  “...”

  She stares at me intently.

  “...”

  The stare intensifies.

  “...Fine, I implanted a seed into her that lets me hear her thoughts she directs at me.”

  “I want one.”

  Of course Beatrice does.

  “Me too.”

  I grip the bridge of my nose. A funny thought entered my mind.

  Say sister, would you say our personal instance was impenetrable to those who we do not want to enter.

  -Naturally, it is our dungeon instance afterall.

  So one could consider it our very own demesne.

  -What are you doing…

  The geas we had placed on our soul unraveled. I removed my clothes and shifted my body to my true self. Naked, heartless, towering, I bend down and cup Barbain's face.

  Sister speak with me.

  She does.

  “[Supplicant] Barbain Blacknell, do you wish to be as damned as us and revel in blood, to share my bliss and become a true daughter?”

  Even though we spoke in my voice. No desire was in it. A simple question posed. She stares into my eyes, lost in the moment. She audibly gulps, a mini illusion of herself pops onto her shoulder and they answer together.

  “We truly do, Sara Maxwell Magdeline, my [Matriarch].”

  My soul cat eyes flare on. The blood enters my mouth and I feed my new daughter her first taste of bliss. Her body and soul thrums as I hug her to myself. She returns it. What soul she has borrowed is now hers. She is a vampire now. Her tiger canines are now longer needles. Her body will only accept blood now. Her silk is the same color as mine. She still has her heart. For now. She can't make supplicants yet. She needs to level the skill itself. Each advancement of tier must come from my blood.

  5 29 Tibyder Basic Mage, Student, Vampire

  You have gained [Vampress Matriarch] Basic 2

  Gain 10 exp

  Our kingdom grows as do we, sister. I feel her snort at my melodramatics.

  -Mother is right, we are still ten.

  “Oh please, mistress, me next.”

  I finger flick Beatrice in the forehead. Returning to my attendant form, I recloth myself.

  “I'll not risk your pregnancy Beatrice, you can be more later.”

  She pouts.

  -You just gave away a hundred and twenty five of our soul away, you had the choice to reclaim it.

  You would have done the same. We would not cripple our daughter.

  I feel our soul pull closer at that. A connection my sister had hoarded becomes the stitching that is pulling our soul closer.

  “But why mother…ya sure, mother why now, what of your geas?”

  I smile, “I came to realize that my demesne was already acquired. Should you need to flee, my dungeon is always open to you. As for why.”

  A true daughter can speak back to me through our connection, you need no seed.

  Mother…

  -Of course we would see the thought in blood red…

  Other mother…

  Guess it's a party line. I feel my sister frown as Barbain laughs. Then she wrinkles her nose.

  “Why can I smell beyond the city…ahh gah that's the swamp.”

  Delores points and laughs, “A fellow sufferer.”

  Barbian squints her eyes at Delores in an over the top gesture. I see where Barbain's eyes are looking.

  Sister…

  -----

  So soon. I finished the mithril band. The etching always took longer.

  Take her to Gadvak, she is probably starving, sister.

  I feel her assent as I start my work.

  “Have you lost your band again, sweetie.”

  I mentally freeze as my other attention continues the work. I can't see. Can't share senses yet. But I can still hear.

  “Mom… I… um…”

  “It's alright sweetie, if you're working on another one that just means you are still willing.”

  I give a shaky smile, “It's not for me mom…”

  She squints her eyes at me considering the possible.

  “I thought you had a geas preventing that.”

  “My sister realized that I already have a safe haven for my daughters.”

  “You made Barbain a vampire.”

  “I'm sorry, it was her decision. I… I… I've condemned her to my thirst.”

  She is annoyed with me, “So now you forge a collar for her. Will that be by her choice too?”

  “You rather I let her begin feasting on others to her delight?”

  “Yes.”

  “What?”

  “Barbain chose this. You did too.”

  I start to shudder. She hugs me.

  “What are you saying…”

  “I'm saying you need to trust your daughter, you can offer the collar but ultimately I want you to allow Barbain to choose how she will be. What she will be. Our world rewards murder. But we aren't all murderers for it. She is her own woman and must decide for herself.”

  But I am a murderer already. She hugged me harder as if she heard my thought.

  “I know sweetie, I know.”

  -----

  “Why does it end so abruptly?”

  Barbain throws another goblin to the side. She had tried the same things I had. To prolong the bliss.

  “They don't have souls.”

  “So if I drank from something outside, the feeling would persist like when you gave me your blood. Would I level [Vampire] as well?”

  I give her a sad smile and nod. My sister had already relayed what Cecelia had told her. Trust in our daughters. Not like I had raised her myself but I still trust her. Have too. I think it would change us as much as it would her should we forcibly collar her.

  “It's kinda lonely now.”

  I look at her, a question on my brow.

  “I may have gained the ability to talk to you but I no longer feel your emotions. While the past few months were harrowing I still felt your warmth.”

  “I hadn't realized you were experiencing it from so far away.”

  “Both of us were. The madness, the melancholy, the self hatred. We felt it all as we devoted ourselves to our studies. A cruel command you gave us. We so wanted to save you sooner and couldn't leave.”

  I come and hug her.

  “Sorry, we gave a cruel command to keep you safe. It was unfair.”

  “Ya it was.”

  She flicks me in the forehead. Her mithril finger meets my mithril forehead. The vibration cascaded through my body. She laughs at me while I am dazed. When I came to, I felt it best to approach the thought that still tortured me tonight. I look at her fur covered abdomen.

  “Barbain… I… I lost the ability to control my thirst, it became a way to hide from my pain.” The collar I wore became visible. “I wear this to keep myself from drinking more than my body needs. It has a set of prohibitions I spoke myself. I infused it with desire so that I would want to keep it on. If the burden becomes too much, know that you can choose to do so as well.”

  She smiles at me, pulls me into a new hug. She whispers into my ear.

  “Thank you for trusting me. I hope I never suffer the pain you have. I want to show you that having this skill doesn't make someone a monster, mother. That you're not a monster.”

  I pat her arm and we separate. Her shoulder had my tears on it.

  “So am I going to get that tail of yours?”

  I shrug.

  “Also how were you able to drink beyond your limits, I'm already pretty stuffed.”

  I start laughing. She doesn't have my bottomless stomach change. Will that be later, or ever?

  “Guess I'm a prodigy of blood guzzling.”

  She looks annoyed at me for that. A container pops out for her. Filled with adventurer blood.

  “Seems your other mother is being generous, Barbain.”

  Thank you, other mother.

  She comes and takes the top off. She ladles a hand full to her mouth. I wince. Her body shudders in the bliss. She puts the lid back on and smiles at me. I smile back.

  “My skill leveled.”

  I give a sad smile which just causes her to threaten another finger flick. I laugh. The [Body Morphic 2] passives forcing my heart to not exist releases. My sister had done it, I had allowed it. Removed my own heart. Permanently. I live by my will alone now. My very soul quakes at the thought. I huff a breath.

  -Sister, my skin is becoming ashen.

  I look at my hand. Still that inbetween of pink and pale. I look at my status sheet. Chimera (undead). I titter. My body is no longer capable of life, fundamentally incapable of keeping me alive, but I will it to continue. My very soul moves the blood that keeps this body moving. Undead by the very definition of this world. My thirst is gone. I titter again. It's not a nervous or mirthful one. It is a titter fueled with rage. I have given up my own heart and the system wishes to claim my thirst for my blasphemy. You have it backwards system, my thirst is what drives my further monstrousness. You cannot claim the reason for why I am a monster, the reason I accept it. Barbain backs away, sensing my emotion. My sister and I speak as one.

  “I am not some simple undead, system. I am more. Vampire.”

  My body shudders at our declaration. Our soul sings at our acceptance. Our thirst returns.

  “Mother, your race…”

  Vampire, even the chimera has fallen off. I look and see she is still a Tibyder. Not until she loses her heart. It will be by her choice to continue. To accept my blood. I set my false soul to show chimera. No need to reveal myself. I know what I am.