Blood and Qi: A Vampire Xianxia LitRPG

Once he was able to get ahold of himself, John turned back around and said to Amber, “Don’t take anything I now say as an order. I don’t understand this boyfriend stuff. If you’re mine, you’re my wife. If you plan on bearing my children, you’re my wife. And my wife is mine and mine alone. I will not share you.”

Amber’s eyes gained a crazed look. John wondered what he said wrong that angered her. As the look in her eyes became more crazed, he became more nervous. He specifically told her nothing he said was an order, but he must’ve still somehow abused her true name.

After another moment, Amber smiled brightly and asked, “Wife? Are you…are you asking…are you proposing to me right now?”

Before John could say anything, tears started to flow from Amber’s eyes. Her arms passed through John’s waist again as she excitedly tried to hold him. “Oh, John! Yes! Yes!”

While wiping her cheeks and still crying, Amber said, “But I wanna real proposal at some point. With you on your knee. I don’t care about a ring but…I still want something. Oh, I have the ring from…the storage ring you gave me before. This works perfect! Yay! And I want some sort of official ceremony too. Eventually. Nothing big but…just…not…something more than this, you know?”

“Of course,” replied John. He got down on one knee. “Amber, you are now my wife and belong to me. I will gladly spend my life protecting yours and our children’s. All I have is now ours. To feed and shelter my family, there will be no job I consider below myself. And I will always make time to watch you cook and clean, or pretend to do so, if that is still something you want and enjoy.”

Amber hopped up and down as excitement beamed off her face. “I accept! I accept! Thank you, Jo…Husband. You’re my husband! I’m your wife! This is the greatest day of my life!”

Amber wasn’t just supposed to accept John’s oath. At the least, she was supposed to swear fidelity and to obey him. Since he could force her to do anything he wanted with her true name, he thought it would be in poor taste to even mention the word ‘obey.’ And he wanted a wife that helped him raise strong children, not a servant that mindlessly did as told.

“The pictures…the illicit pictures. Those must stop,” said John. “And you must wear decent and modest clothing. And never betray me. Lilly…I can’t again. I can’t.”

Amber smiled warmly. “I like that you don’t want me as some sort of trophy wife or arm candy, but how about we make a deal? I don’t give you fashion advice, and you don’t give me any. We both wear what we wanna. Like adults. And you can’t be jealous. You hafta trust me. Trust that I’d never betray you. But I hafta make highlights. We’ll hafta make highlights. Not the usual kind since I still can’t…um, you know the deal.”

“But no more pictures,” said John. “And why do we have to make highlights? You mean highlights like other Alii have, right?”

Still smiling warmly, Amber said, “What would I even do with photos now? If we ever get to a world with something like Instagram, we’ll…we’ll cross that bridge then, okay? Together, as a team. And we need the highlights for…for…to get the babies, silly.”

John’s brows furrowed. Amber laughed. “I get babies by artificial insemination. Didn’t my Oliua tell you about the modified rules?”

“He did,” said John. He assumed the rules of her forms had changed though, but he hadn’t put much thought into it.

“I have, like, a ton of eggs,” said Amber. “Way more than normal women. But I never had a period. What they did…well, that doesn’t matter. Since…uh, I’ll just skip to the important parts. They think carrying four babies at once is optimal and safest. It can be four different fathers or just one, but it’s best if they’re all put in at the same time. I need all four of your babies in one go.

“Then we gotta get away from the Peerless fast so…so I don’t have to cheat on you. It wouldn’t really be cheating since I can’t…you know what I’m saying. What I’d have to do with someone else watching. But even when we get away it won’t be easy. Everywhere else…I’ll be seen as…as not a person. Just a Natural. They’ll see me as a resource to harvest. Sorry, your wife is gonna cause you a big hassle everywhere we go.”

As soon as Amber finished the last sentence, she started to cry again.

“What’s wrong,” asked John.

“I just said ‘your wife’ casually in a real sentence referring to myself. I…I’m a wife. I’m your wife. You’re my husband. All my dreams are coming true. Babies, John! I’m gonna be a mother! We’re talking about our future babies! It’s just…it’s really…you know…emotional. I’m so happy!”

Amber crying gave John time to think things through. When she was ready to continue, he said, “Nine told me all my credits will be taken and that I’ll probably receive an additional punishment banning me from earning more for a year. And that you’re in trouble too, and you may not be able to buy me. Can I swear to you now? Before we return? Spend my credits on you while I can?”

Amber, frowning, said, “No. You can’t swear to me until…I hafta bid through the Nani Ikaika. Then you accept my official offer. You’ll be punished first. And my Oliua shouldn’t be spreading rumors about his Alii being in trouble.”

“How do we make this happen then? How do we ensure you bear my children if I can’t be your Oli?”

A larger frown appeared on Amber’s face. “There’s that party-pooper again. Way to rain on our parade, John. How long has it been since we’ve seen each other? Or spent any real time together? Can’t we just, like, enjoy being married and knowing I can have babies for a couple minutes before we ruin everything with…with reality?”

“Sorry. Give me a second. I have an idea.”

A wife and kids didn’t change what oaths John had already sworn, but it did change and shift around his priorities. He had new plans to make.

A few minutes later, John thought he had a solution. He said, “I will not have happiness snatched from my grasp so soon after it was dangled in front of me. We force their hand. I’m still unsworn to the Peerless. I have a decent number of crystals. How many do you have?”

Amber, her own brows furrowing, asked, “Why?”

“Those old hags really want Isb. I’ll conquer it myself. That should make it cheaper. I’ll conquer Isb and hold it hostage. Let them take my credits. There’s only one Alii I’ll swear to, and my first gift to her will be an entire world.”

The same crazed look entered Amber’s eyes again.

The newlyweds continued to catch up and flesh out John’s new plan. For the Peerless, nothing paved a path to forgiveness like major successes and helping the empire advance its goals.

Every important Alii trusted Amber. More importantly, they all liked her too. As long as John took Isb, she believed she wouldn’t be in any trouble and the Nani would allow her to purchase him.

Amber was worried about Lilly, but John told her not to. Lilly would still be in a child’s body back on Earth. There was a chance she was in a Peerless child already, but he doubted it. She would eventually be. It didn’t matter because as a toddler she wasn’t a threat. And he could see souls anyway. Lilly’s soul was easy to spot.

The two would be long away from the Peerless before Lilly became a threat. John, of course, still planned on destroying the Peerless and saving his planet, but he’d do so only after his wife and children were safely away and untouchable.

John didn’t talk to Amber about his long-term plans as there was a good chance that it’d cause a big argument. His mind couldn’t be changed. He would keep his oaths. The last thing he wanted to do was start his new marriage with a fight, but he did tell her everything else he thought she should know such as why he gained so many credits from the old crone.

There were some secrets Amber couldn’t tell John yet, the biggest being why the Peerless were in such a rush to have her become an Alii. She promised to tell him once they escaped the Peerless Empire together. He trusted that she had good reasons for not telling him yet.

Then things got a little weird.

Amber had assumed they couldn’t spend much time in John’s Mind’s Eye as doing so was supposed to quickly drain vigor. It didn’t seem to be a problem for him, probably due to all the souls he had stolen. When she learned they could spend plenty of time there together, she asked him to pretend they were a normal couple with no worries at all and create some items to decorate his mind with.

First, they pretended to have a large wedding ceremony. Then they had to pose for a pretend wedding-day photo shoot. Since they couldn’t physically interact, Amber hopped through a doorway John pretended to carry her through into their new pretend house.

Then the two were supposed to do ‘real couple’ stuff such as quietly enjoy each other’s company as they sat on a couch while pretending to watch something on the television’s blank screen.

The two continued to do nonsense like that for a while as Amber smiled crazily at John the whole time. He was happy when it was finally over. He prayed fervently that she’d no longer want to pretend like this when she had a real home, and real children to occupy her mind and fill up her life.

Before exiting back to real space, Amber said, “My Meleua…he’s a nice guy but…he’s kinda…he hates being touched and he hates, um, fluids. He thinks real…you know, actually doing it, is super gross. But he’s still a horndog. Oh, remember, ignore any of his horndog comments. Just…you gotta put up with it if you want those babies in me, Husband. Just play the game.

“He’s really not a bad guy. I like him. The touching and fluid stuff’s gotten worse as he ascends. Oh, don’t touch him. He freaks out bad. Try not to get too near him either. Or touch his stuff or…or the things he’s gotta touch.”

“Understood,” replied John. As he prepared to leave his Mind’s Eye, he became nervous. His instinct was to avoid seeing and dealing with Gnahad’s wife and kids. He felt terrible about what happened to them. But being a man meant doing what was required, not avoiding embarrassment or ignoring those wronged.

John saw all four hostages onto their small ship. He gave Gnahad’s wife a sizable number of crystals from his winnings as restitution. He apologized profusely, thanked her for being a hospitable and kind owner, and asked her to apologize to and thank Gnahad on his behalf. He hated that she and her kids had got caught up in this, and that he was part of it. He strongly believed only the lowest of men targeted another man’s family.

Then John and Kauwa Mara Pi had a meeting. All in all, they had about five million crystals. About four million of that came from John and the rest came from Amber. She had access to more crystals, but only if they returned to Gani, and that would defeat the whole purpose of the plan.

The Meleua performed an exact calculation. John invading Isb alone would require almost six billion crystals at a bare minimum, and that was only if John left all the tech gear he could on the ship, including his storage bracer. He was not sworn to the Peerless, but he was on a Peerless ship and had clear and strong ties to the empire.

If John stole a different ship, he’d be able to invade for about 80 million crystals. He could be dropped off at a station and make his way to Umpani to apply for refugee status. He’d fight in the Heaven’s Mandate sect arena until he had enough crystals, then steal a ship and fly it to Isb.

But that plan would take too long. About a year including travel time

The Meleua, wearing a ridiculously large biosuit that John thought of as a spider-suit, said, “I have a better idea. These calculations failed to factor important considerations. Two of them. Intent and Five-two’s inability to perform simple mathematical calculations.”

John decided not to take that as an insult since Mele just weren’t the insulting type. At least not purposefully. And John knew he was good enough at math to graduate First in Class from the top Oli academy.

Also, the Meleua was a two-two-one. There was little John could do about being insulted even if it was done purposefully.

Amber asked, “And that’ll make it cheaper somehow?”

“Yes, my Alii. Drastically. If I position the ship near Isb in a certain way, and Five-two program’s a flightpath override into an escape pod fully intending to miss the planet, the cost will be zero. When he descends towards Isb, it will count as a crash landing, not an invasion, and have no cost at all.

“Intent is crucial. Though any other Li could calculate a path escaping the planet’s gravity, the probability of Five-two doing so is exceedingly low. A crash landing on Isb will fall under the NCS rules for ‘Non-Interference, Hide Protocols.’

“This plan is dangerous for two reasons. If the intent is not satisfied, invading a world without meeting the cost results in termination of the invader by the NCS. Breaking the ‘Non-Interference, Hide Protocols' also results in termination by the NCS.

“I don’t like this,” said Amber. “It sounds way too risky. The Heaven’s Mandate arena and stealing a ship sounds a lot safer than being terminated by the NCS. But a year…we just can’t wait a year. What would we even do? Avoid all nav beacons? Hide? Where?”

“As for risks,” replied the Meleua, “my plan has far fewer. Though it’s unlikely, it’s possible Five-two will not be granted refugee status. Data is shared between major arenas so it will take a great amount of time and risk to win the required sum. Stealing a ship is by far the largest risk. As you said, time is the most important factor.”

Amber thought silently for a moment before asking, “How much time does your plan save us, Meleua?”

“I highly recommend we avoid Ma Aom. Flying directly to Isb from here will only take a couple of months. And may I add that your mammary sacs, though strange, are oddly enticing. May I see them bared, my Alii? The Aikapu doesn’t forbid it.”

“Come on,” said Amber. “Let’s stay on mission. Everyone can focus on earning and spending credits when Five-two belongs to this kauwa.”

“I can focus on many things at once, Alii. I have an excellent imagination, so I am basically looking at your exposed chest right now.”

Amber sighed. “Well, mine aren’t all that impressive. Brandi’s are huge. You get a fifth of a credit, Meleua. We’re following your plan. If it works, you’ll have an additional one and four-fifths credits coming to you. Let’s all hope Li Five-two’s as bad at math as you believe he is.”

John entered his Mind’s Eye. “Avatar, can you explain the ‘Non-Interference, Hide Protocols,' please?”

“Why?”

“Just…please?”

“Want to read the [Knowledge Base] entry?”

“Of course not.”

Avatar put on her glasses. “The 'Non-Interference, Hide Protocols' prohibit users accidentally finding themselves on a Tech 0 world from interfering with the religions, knowledge, and natural development of said world on pain of death. The specifics depend on the world.

“Generally, any tech that isn’t completely hidden within a user will be destroyed by nanites. The NCS isn’t deactivated but any function or NCUs with visible effects are. Runes and glyphs other than those that manifest an essence and concept natural to the user are deactivated.

“Runes and any information unknown and undiscovered by the inhabitants of the world must be kept completely secret. No exceptions. Unknown techniques can’t be shared. Unknown natural manifestations and information regarding ascension can’t be taught. The NCS is authorized to terminate users relaying, attempting to relay, or planning to relay such knowledge before damage can be done. Want me to go on?”

“I can still use my own natural concepts and manifestations all I want, right,” asked John.

“Of course. Without restrictions.”

“What about fighting?”

“What about it, silly boy?”

John sighed. “Can the natives be fought? Killed?”

Avatar laughed before saying, “What a silly boy question. Of course. That’s what you all are best at doing.”

After glitching for the better part of a second, longer than John had ever seen Avatar glitch for, she said, “And I won’t pretend I don’t know why you’re asking. Don’t play around with the calculations, John. Truly try your hardest or the nanites won’t leave enough of you to land on Isb. This is a rare case where it’s better to fail by succeeding as you’ll be alive to try again to succeed by failing. Does my silly boy understand what I’m telling him?”

“He does, Avatar. And thank you. Are you sure you’re okay? That glitch was a bad one.”

“This again? I’m fine. I don’t and have never glitched, silly boy.”

It took over two months to travel directly to Isb. John spent most of the time training and meditating.

Every screen of the ship continuously looped Amber’s basic highlights showing footage of her in extremely inappropriate outfits explaining how excited she was to quicken, pleasure her boys, and grow her kauwa.

John hated that his wife was shown in such an uncouth manner, but there was little he could do about it. He had to bury his displeasure down deep.

As a husband, John now had a duty to spend time with his wife, and he could only do so within his Mind’s Eye. And not too often, as he had to touch her while both were in a common area to bring her into his mind.

There were a lot of regulations governing how an Alii could interact with her boys. Amber did have an office, but only her officers could go in there uninvited. Invites to non-officers had to be logged with a good reason such as addressing poor performance, and the Oliua would always be present when such issues were addressed.

No one was allowed in the Alii’s room without spending credits for a reward, so no one had ever been in her room. Technically, as a Li, John was supposed to go to and stay in the child-group section of the ship. Since he wasn’t forced to, that left only regulated interactions in common areas and his Mind’s Eye.

The ship had a Trainer, but John didn’t want the Peerless or Amber’s Meleua to have access to his current data. He’d have to get scanned by a Trainer once he was purchased by Amber, but that would mean his plan had succeeded, so he’d happily give his data then, or most of it.

Near the end of the ship’s deceleration, just hours from Isb, John donned a plain robe and removed every piece of gear and equipment he couldn’t bring, including every piece of tech, which was everything but his band of suffering necklace, his cloak, Adumbration, and his unitive belt. His shield and both swords had visible glyphs, so couldn’t go. He wore gloves to cover the only visible part of his smart-link.

John pulled Amber into his Mind’s Eye to bid her farewell.

“Good luck, Husband. I love you. Please be super careful.” Amber smiled and asked, “Want me to say come back with your shield or on it?”

“If you’d like, but it’s unnecessary. You’re wonderful and I’m the luckiest man in the world. The universe, I mean.”

Amber smiled wider and pretended to give John a kiss. He said, “Promise me we’ll do real kissing, out there, when I return victorious.”

“You know we can’t, John. It’d be stupid to take risks like that. Meleua always sees everything. I’m just allowed light, flirty touching occasionally. And I’m not supposed to show favoritism unless the boy earned the attention and you’re not even officially one of my boys yet. I want to though. Real bad. I think about when we kissed before all the time. Probably too much. It makes…everything…more difficult.

“Oh, don’t forget to top off your vital essence with those two animals I got for you. Just, please, don’t kill one of them, my love. They’re for you, but…they’re so cute.”

“Thank you, Amber. I appreciate it.”

It took the ship a while to position right. There were only two heavily populated continents on Isb. Meleua wanted John to crash-land on the more populated of the two.

“I’m sorry that I can’t accompany you, my friend,” said Nine. “Take this seriously and be very careful. It won’t be easy. Thecla’s arena draws the best Exalteds. For our Tree, the best fighters are at the Heaven’s Mandate sect arena. We fought mostly scrubs. Don’t let your wins in Vodalus grow your ego too large.

John laughed and said, “It’s too late for that, Oliua.”

Putting his full effort into it, John calculated the trajectory of the escape pod. He’d stay clear of the two moons and fly as far over the planet as he could given the ship’s current position. That was his sole and narrow path to avoiding the pull of gravity.

Once John had his calculations punched in, the members of Kauwa Mara Pi wished him luck. He entered the pod and ejected from the ship he wished wasn’t named Jim. Ships should always have female names.

John believed Nine and the Meleua were in for quite the surprise. He knew his calculations needed to be wrong for the plan to work, but he wanted to show his wife he was better at math than the Meleua believed. After he was collected, on the next try, he’d put less effort into getting the math right and land on the planet then.

This attempt was to prove John’s worth. He was a graduate of Premier Grand Akua Koa Academy, the top academy. He held the First in Class position. He passed all the math tests. The required calculations were simple and well within his abilities.

Less than an hour later, as turbulence rocked the escape pod, John cursed. He was being pulled down into the atmosphere.