MY SUGAR MUMMY IS A BEAUTIFUL VAMPIRE

The group stood at the edge of the misty valley, their bruised bodies now healed.

The guardian of the Spring of Eternal Night lay defeated, its massive dragon form slowly dissolving into the mist. Blake carefully secured the vial of precious water he had asked Reggie to get in a padded compartment of his pack, his hands trembling slightly from the weight of their quest.

Blake was now silent, his mind clearly elsewhere. The others exchanged concerned glances but continued their discussion.

Randal sighed heavily, "We can't even approach Gladys for this. She's made it clear she doesn't care about... her own daughter." He caught himself before mentioning Rose's name, mindful of the ears that always seemed to be listening in this cursed valley.

Dumphries stroked his singed beard thoughtfully. "We'll have to head back to the vampire city. It's our best chance of finding an elder willing to help... or at least one we might be able to... persuade."

"Yeah. Heading back to the vampire city will take us days as we no longer have our horses. We'll have to journey on foot now." Randal pointed out.

"We lost those precious horses during our quest to get all the other ingredients. We don't have much of a choice now" Reggie added.

"Those beautiful horses...And Terrence, he had asked us to bring back the horses in one piece. What are we suppose to do now?" Randal inquired.

Dumpheries resolutely replied, "Leave that to me. Terrence and I come way back, I'll handle him. We have a bigger problem to face right now, so let's get going".

As they began their journey back, the landscape slowly transformed from misty valleys to dense, foreboding forests. The group moved cautiously, always alert for potential dangers. Reggie took point, his keen senses scanning for any threats.

The first day of their journey was uneventful, but tension hung in the air like a thick fog. They rationed their supplies carefully, knowing the long road ahead. On the second day, as they navigated through a particularly dense part of the forest with their coats and cloaks covering their bodies from the burning rays of the sun, Reggie suddenly held up a hand, signaling the others to stop.

"There's something out there," he whispered, his eyes darting from tree to tree.

The group instinctively formed a defensive circle, weapons at the ready. For several long moments, the only sound was their own shallow breathing and the faint rustle of leaves.

Suddenly, a massive shape burst from the underbrush. A dire fox, its fur matted and eyes wild with hunger, lunged at Randal. The vampire's lips curled into a snarl, revealing razor-sharp fangs. As the beast's jaws snapped towards him, Randal's hand shot out with inhuman speed, catching the fox's muzzle in an iron grip.

With a sickening crunch, Randal's fingers dug into the fox's jaw, splintering bone. The beast howled in agony, but its cry was cut short as the vampire, with terrifying strength, wrenched its head to the side. The sound of vertebrae snapping echoed through the forest, and the dire fox went limp in Randal's grasp.

More foxes erupted from the foliage, and the air filled with the sounds of savage combat. Blake's eyes blazed crimson as he summoned his blood powers. Blood spikes erupted from his forearms, impaling the nearest fox. With a visceral twist, he tore the beast apart, showering the ground with organs and blood.

Dumphries' moon blade whistled through the air, its edge slicing clean through flesh and bone. The largest fox charged him, only to be bisected in a flash of silver light. Its severed halves fell to the ground, still twitching as moonlight seared the wounds.

Reggie on the otherhand melded with the shadows, becoming a wraith-like figure of darkness. He materialized behind a fox, shadow-forged claws raking across its eyes. As the beast reared back in blind panic, Reggie plunged his hand into its chest, shadows coalescing around its heart before he ripped the organ free.

But it was Randal who truly embodied savagery. Moving with preternatural speed, he grabbed another fox by its throat, lifting the massive beast off the ground with one hand. His fangs sank deep into its neck, and the fox's struggles grew weaker as Randal drained its lifeblood. With a final, brutal squeeze, he crushed its windpipe before tossing the carcass aside.

The vampire's eyes glowed with feral hunger as he turned to the last fox. In a blur of motion, he was upon it. His fist punched clean through the beast's ribcage, emerging from its back in a spray of blood and viscera. The fox's dying whimper was drowned out by the sound of Randal extracting its still-beating heart.

"Everyone alright?" Dumphries asked, his voice hoarse.

They nodded, tending to their wounds. Randal's shield arm was badly bruised, and Reggie sported a nasty gash on his leg, but they had survived.

As they set up camp that night, the mood was somber. The encounter had been a stark reminder of the dangers they faced, and how far they still had to go.

Reggie voiced the question that had been on everyone's mind. "So, which vampire elder do you think might help us? It's not exactly a small favor we're asking."

Randal snorted as he tended the campfire. "Help? I doubt any of them will be eager to assist. We might have to resort to less... diplomatic methods."

Dumphries frowned at this suggestion. "Let's not be hasty. Remember, these are ancient and powerful beings. We can't afford to make enemies of them."

Throughout this exchange, Blake remained unusually quiet. His gaze was fixed on the dancing flames of the campfire, but his mind was clearly elsewhere. In his thoughts, he saw Rose's face, imagined her strength fading day by day. He pictured Celena, their daughter, trying to be brave as she watched her mother's condition worsen.

The others noticed Blake's silence and decided to respect it.

The journey continued, each day bringing new challenges. They crossed treacherous rivers, scaled steep cliffs, and navigated through a swamp that seemed to actively try to lead them astray. Food became scarce, and they were forced to rely on Blake's hunting skills and Dumphries' knowledge of edible plants to survive.

Two years of living in the forest had taught Blake how to hunt for survival.

On the third day of their journey, as they crested a hill, the spires of the vampire city finally came into view on the distant horizon. The sight brought a mix of relief and apprehension to the group. They were close to their goal, but the hardest part of their quest lay ahead.

Dumphries called them to a halt. "We need a plan," he said, his voice low and serious. "We can't just walk up to an elder's home and ask for their blood."

Randal nodded in agreement. "We need a reason to see them, something that won't raise suspicion."

As the others discussed potential strategies, Blake's mind drifted again. He thought of the last time he had seen Rose, how fragile she had looked. He remembered the fear in Celena's eyes the first time she saw her mother collapsed. The weight of their expectations, their hope, pressed down on him like a physical force.

"Blake?" Reggie's voice cut through his thoughts. "You with us, buddy?"

Blake shook his head, forcing himself back to the present. "Yeah, sorry. Just... thinking."

Dumphries placed a comforting hand on Blake's shoulder. "We understand, my friend. But we need you here, now. Your insight could be crucial in convincing an elder to help us."

Blake nodded, taking a deep breath to center himself. "You're right. So, what's our plan?"

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the landscape, the group huddled together, finalizing their strategy.

As night fell, Dumphries gathered his companions in a secluded glade. The challenge before them seemed almost insurmountable: to obtain lord's Marlowe's blood without revealing their true purpose.

Dumphries' face was grim as he spoke. "We've been approaching this all wrong. Deception isn't an option – Marlowe knows us too well. We need to use that familiarity to our advantage."