Vampire's Kiss

Okay, as for this part, I was a bit concerned how the co-op scene and the big battle against the first monster gonna look like. So, before that I want to leave a trigger warning - Arachnophobia.

And of course, small explanation for one term: ''Chelicera - either of the first pair of fang-like appendages near the mouth of an arachnid; often modified for grasping and piercing''.

--------------------

Update: revisited and updated at 2025/07/13

________________________

Half an hour has passed. As this couple goes deeper into the woods, the brunette complains. “Are you sure we are going the right way? Because I see no one around. So, if you wanted to make me lost in the woods, then congrats! Now, you are stuck with me! … Is it still far?”

Without looking back, Iori patiently replies. “According to Kagura, we just need to go straight for a bit longer and we reach Spider Woods.”

The further they step in, the less their surroundings are lively.

Now, the only sounds in this area are crunchy noises made by crushed, thin, dried branches breaking under their feet.

Fortunately, the shining full moon shows them the path to the monster’s lair.

However, the further they go, the more spiderwebs are scattered on the ground or dead tree branches, and the moonlight makes it shine like a silver web.

Even if the slightest breeze makes the webs shiver, there are still no traces of their owners.

Maybe these creatures are patiently waiting for a naïve and frail butterfly to rest for a second before striking.

At first, these spider threads are as thin as a hair, but the further Kyo and Iori go deeper into the woods, the thicker and more complex the web becomes.

Now, the rat rushes with a better piece in its mouth across the path and accidentally steps on the silver thread.

As this unfortunate creature’s little feet became stuck in the trembling web, countless eyes glimmer with a deadly and piercing gaze from the nearest small cave beneath the tree trunk.

Suddenly, a high-pitched meowing-like scream echoes through the silent woods.

One thing is for sure, the rat doesn’t even have a chance to react to the threat, not even to gasp.

When a black spider jumps from its cave, it rushes with its eight legs at its prey.

The poor rodent is frozen in pure terror, with no chance of escaping the arachnid, which is the same size as a small wild animal.

When the spider grabs the rat with its pedipalps, it starts wrapping it into a cocoon.

Even in this state, a rat’s screech is filled with terror and despair.

However, its voice is finally cut by the spider sinking its fangs into its victim.

Meanwhile, Kyo cannot look back and fixates his eyes on this horrific scene and this merciless creature draining its prey.

Thankfully, Iori grabs his arm and wordlessly prompts him to go.

When the brunette looks at the hunter’s back, he notices how his partner’s shoulders are as stiff as his grasp.

“Stay close to me, vampire.” Iori strictly orders without looking back.

As they walk further, he adds. “Or else you may end up like that rat.”

The brunette only frowns and tries to shake his arm from the hunter’s grasp. “Fine! I get it. But you don’t have to crush my arm.”

However, the vampire’s foot touches the spiderweb thread lying on the ground.

As Iori swiftly picks up two knives from his left side, he throws them to the right side.

Lastly, the blades pierce the spider’s chest and abdomen in the tree. Hell, that arachnid is nearly the size of a grown-up dog.

Kyo only stares at the creature falling on its back and making an agonizing meowing-like screech while its limbs and chelicerae slowly twitch before its doom.

When Iori turns his head to the vampire, he scolds him. “I told you to be careful!”

However, the brunette lifts his gaze and fixates it above the hunter.

As his fangs show up, he growls, and his sharp nails sprout.

Surely, it alerts the fearsome hunter and freezes in the same spot.

When Kyo passes Iori and jumps high into the air, he slashes the enormous spider.

A moment later, the spider’s body vertically splits in half and falls to the ground.

Meanwhile, Iori is in awe at the nocturnal creature whose eyes glow in red, and Kyo is not bothered by the arachnid’s intestines hitting his body.

After the vampire shakes off this creature’s remains, his nails are back to normal, and his eyes are amber-colored again.

Now, his look shifts to a smug one, and he addresses Iori. “Then you should also stop joking around~ Whether you like it or not, you are not allowed to be killed by anyone. So I’ll keep you alive and safe until I’ll become strong enough to defeat you!”

After a pause, he genially asks. “Hey, Yagami. That was a huuuge one. Don’t you think it was the Arachne creature? It sure looks like it has enough of thread.”

Iori briefly looks at the slain creature before shutting his eyes and swallowing the saliva.

Opening his eyes, he carefully walks around the spider that is as tall as him.

Surely, the way how Iori makes sure that the arachnid’s carcass won’t touch him catches the brunette’s attention.

Kyo can swear that Iori’s face is as pale as a ghost and he doesn’t like it at all.

Just when he is about to open his mouth, the redhead comments. “Unfortunately, no. Despite its size, it’s just a large spider. The Arachne creature has human-like features. But maybe since your small vampire head is not familiar with this monster, I’ll let you know that it has a top of a woman and the lower part as a spider. There are also very cases finding a male Arachne monster because of how during the mating season they meet the same fate like widow spiders.”

The brunette raises his eyebrow. “And why this should it matter? We just need to kick that monster’s ass, get the web and BAM! The business is done! So, why do you need to explain all this to me?”

The red-haired hunter only facepalms and sighs.

After shaking his head, he gives an annoyed look to him. “Your face is not ruined by the intelligence… Listen, I’m telling you this information so that you will be aware of what monster we are dealing with. By this season, Arachne monsters are very ferocious and need a lot of food to regain their strength. Perhaps they are already aware of our presence and waiting for us to come into their lair.”

When he exhales, he adds. “Just watch your steps and stay on guard. The very least thing I want is to run out of the knives before encountering this monster.”

After the detailed explanation, Kyo doesn’t argue with Iori and only follows him.

A good fifteen minutes have passed, and the scenery has changed drastically.

This area is an open field with dry trees. The ground is covered in snow-white thick layers of spiderwebs that hang from the trees and form a net to trap reckless prey.

Various sizes of cocoons are scattered all over the place, ranging from small animal-sized ones to possibly reaching the size of an adult human.

The atmosphere in this place is sinister, and death lingers in the air. Even the moonlight makes it look colder.

Suddenly, the vampire hunter is alert.

He even stretches his arm to Kyo from going forward, and he fixates his gaze on the trembling web thread.

Meanwhile, the brunette only tilts his head and stares in the same direction as his partner.

A minute passes, and the web is still moving without its owner showing up.

Soon, the pitiful and sobbing voice of a young woman disturbs the eery silence. “A-anyone… Please… Help! I-I stuck… it hurts! It hurts! A-anyone, please! Th-that monster… she wants to kill me!”

While the web is still shaking, the rustled tree leaves fall and land on the silver thread.

That same voice continues pleading for help again, but it doesn’t affect the redhead, who remains still.

Now, he picks up his trustworthy whip and grips it tightly.

The vampire hunter remains calm, but even Kyo can sense that deep inside, Iori’s spirit burns like a furious flame.

When Kyo softens his gaze toward the unknown victim, he is about to step forward.

However, he is stopped by the redhead’s orders. “Stay still.”

The brunette frowns and objects. “I can’t leave anyone who is desperately begging for help!”

After he brushes Iori’s arm off, he carefully approaches the sound of where is the mysterious stranger.

Step after step, Kyo notices a delicate-shaped arm dropping on the ground, even if the person behind it is still unseen.

That stupid vampire wants to quicken his death. So, it cannot be helped that the hunter has to follow him.

After getting close enough, Kyo sees the person who is begging for help.

Apparently, it’s a young maiden lying naked on her stomach in a field with her porcelain-like skin and her long, silky hair flowing across her back and the field.

More so, it’s hard to tell where the strands of her hair end and where the spiderweb begins.

Aside from that, her lower body is trapped under the fallen tree branches and covered by a pile of dry leaves that is too large to see where her feet are buried.

In spite of this, her upper body remains unmarked by any visible contusions.

But now, she lifts her head and stares at this couple with her innocent blue eyes. That mesmerizing gaze is too deep, and anyone who stares for too long may sink in her eyes.

When she shakily stretches her arm to reach one of these travelers, she speaks to them in an innocent and gentle voice. “Ah, you came to rescue me. I’m so glad~ Please help me. The tree branches are too heavy and I can’t move… I’m so tired and starving! Aaah, I want to come back to my mom and dad… I was so lonely here~ Please hold my hand because I’m scared, so scared and lonely.”

Meanwhile, the redhead hunter indifferently looks at this unfortunate thing and grasps around his whip.

However, unlike Iori, the vampire kneels and is about to lend his hand for her to stand up.

Suddenly, the hunter pushes Kyo to the ground.

Just when the brunette is about to yell at Iori, the silver-haired maiden chuckles and adds in a menacingly sweet voice. “Fufufu~ It seems you are smarter than your little friend, boy~”

Now, her voice shifts to the nearly hissing one. “Too bad I cannot let you leave alive. So, you’ll pay with your flesh and blood for killing my children!”

This woman slowly lifts her upper body and keeps her head hung.

Suddenly, she arches her back and spreads her arms.

Finally, the monster reveals her true face. Her previously innocent, doll-like visage is gone, replaced by a countenance with six pitch-black, glassy eyes. Even her nose is gone, and there are only a couple of gaping holes.

When she opens her mouth, a black and slimy chelicerae appears.

As her fangs stretch her lips, the saliva mixed with blood drips her mouth.

After she spreads chelicerae wide, she immediately shuts them and rapidly claps her fangs.

Her arms up to her elbows are limbed and hairy, and even her fingers are pointy and sharp.

When she points her finger at Iori, she adds in a deeper and seductive hissing voice. “Don’t worry, you smell so delicious and you also have a cute face. So, I would even allow you to touch me~ That’s right, I want to bear your children before you’ll become such a fine dinner for them!”

Lastly, she lowers her back and rests her palms on the ground.

As the arachnid stands up, the tree branches and leaves scatter across the field.

Fortunately, Iori blocks the flying pieces and shields the vampire with his body.

Thus, a creature with the top half of a woman and the lower half of a spider straightens her back, and her silver hair covers her breasts.

However, Kyo distracts her attention and teases her. “Ma’am, you don’t need to be so impatient. Call me old-fashioned, but don’t you think we should go on the date first, and then to know each other better and so on and on~ Ah, and sorry to disappoint you, but I’m into a spider ladies.”

While the Arachne monster focuses on Kyo, Iori uses his chance and carefully sneaks behind her.

But now, the spider lady indignantly responds. “Shut up, filthy trash! You dare to speak to me? Who do you think you are?! You are not even worthy of being eaten!”

After a brief pause, she chuckles and uses her elbow to reflect the thrown knives on her head.

As the arachnid turns to Iori, it freezes the hunter at the same spot.

Now, the redhead shuts his eyes and picks up another couple of the knives.

Opening his eyes, he launches them at this hideous monster.

Once again, the Arachne monster blocks the attack as if it is nothing. However, this time, she turns her head to the vampire and spits the greenish acid at him.

Fortunately, Kyo rolls to the side and dodges it.

As the erosive green liquid touches the ground, it burns and melts the web and the ground.

Now, Arachne monster lifts a couple of her front spider legs and shoots the web at Iori.

However, the vampire’s sharp nails slice the shot thread.

Surely, it makes the spider lady look down at them, and she mockingly comments. “Ah, two little rats are helping each other. How sweet of you~ You can try as long as you want, but your weapons are useless!”

After these words, she spits venom at this couple.

However, they split up and avoid the damage.

Just before the venom hits the ground, Kyo gets up and dashes at this horrific creature with his sharp nails aimed at her side.

When she is about to block the attack, the blood splashes like a fountain, and she makes a terrific screech.

Unfortunately for the arachnid, when she lowers her twitching palm, it is followed by a loud cracking noise.

Apparently, Iori sent a spinning kick at the spider’s back legs and broke them.

While the poor creature tries to keep her balance and pants, the hunter cracks his whip and wraps it around the Arachne monster’s waist.

Lastly, as Iori pulls his whip, he jumps on the spider lady’s abdomen.

While the redhead is balancing, he pulls the arachnid’s hair and wraps his trustworthy weapon around her neck.

Meanwhile, the Arachne monster is shakily reaching out for the choking whip.

When Iori releases her hair, he acts quickly and ends her suffering.

When the spider lady falls to the ground, blood splashes from her neck and covers the hunter in dark red liquid.

A moment later, the fallen monster’s body collapses, and Iori lands on his feet.

After lowering his head, he picks a thicker spiderweb thread to wipe his trustworthy weapon and wraps it into a spiral.

Meanwhile, all this time, Kyo could not remove his eyes from the merciless hunter or interface.

Once the brunette stands up, he watches how Iori approaches a dead spider and picks up one of his knives.

When the redhead kneels and concentrates his strength, he stabs the abdomen of the spider lady.

After his blade penetrates the hard shell, he slices it down until reaching the silk gland.

However, even at a moment like this, Kyo is left with more unanswered questions, like why the hunter closed his eyes while he avoided touching this creature.

Hell, Iori even turns his head away, but it only makes the vampire feel bad for him.

Besides, he can sense how his partner is in distress and how he has already pushed his limits too far.

After Kyo gets close to Iori, he addresses him in a gentle tone. “Let me try. You look already too tired.”

Before opening the dead spider’s stomach, the brunette asks him. “Can you get me a bag?”

As the hunter stands up and turns his back, he opens his long coat and searches his inner pockets, hearing cracking and slimy noises as if something is being forcibly pulled out.

After picking a denim bag, he turns around and notices Kyo holding a huge pile of twisted spiderwebs that is still covered in the remains of the spider.

But for now, the vampire calmly addresses him. “I hope that this is what you have been looking for ‘cos I’m not gonna dig insides of this corpse.”

Iori only sighs and opens the bag, waiting for Kyo to put the web into it.

After tying the bag, Iori turns around and prompts the vampire. “Let’s go, or do you prefer to overnight here?”

Finally, his stupid hunter returns to his old self and relieves the brunette, and he follows this man.

_____________________

My, surely, it took longer to work on this part because that spider faces and that mental image - -''' So, don't let a writer, who has a bad case of Arachnophobia write about spiders xD.