Nick woke up in a hospital. He had an incredible vision: instead of being murdered on the spot by the invaders, he just started tearing them apart with his bare arms. The human masseur had no idea how would he be able to do this. He was just a human and those armor plates looked pretty solid.

"Oh, you are finally awake." a familiar voice came from the right. Nick turned his head there and saw a relieved Josephina, his UEF agent. She put away her dataslate, on which she was working for some time. "Morning, Nick. How are you feeling?"

"Surprisingly... well." he wasn't sure himself. The guy's body was covered in strange lines and small talons instead of his fingernails were a bit... iffy. "Is it just me or did my teeth suddenly get sharper?"

"I won't be holding back on the details then..." the woman sighed, ready for a lengthy explanation. "Any preferences where I should start the clusterfuck we all got involved into recently?"

"How about from the beginning?"

"Fair enough. We were attacked by the members of the lizard-like Sun-Dawn Theocracy. Not them directly, but one of their most radical factions - Grey Eclipse. They used an almost arcane-like piece of teleportation technology to invade Cornucopia. No one in their right mind would attack this station from outside - the defense fleet is just too powerful and numerous. And even their surprise assault was more of a suicide run. They might be able to keep CPD at bay, but the army? No chance."

"They wanted the Vitae Arteris gifted to me," said Nick, grabbing a glass of water on the table nearby. He was glad his body wasn't incapacitated by some tubes, catheters, and whatnot.

"Yes, and their mission failed. We don't know why Grey Eclipse needed it - this is a job for our Intelligence, and they are already working. Cornucopia right now is in a kind of turmoil. Police and the army are everywhere, looking for survivors and only allowing people to move through checkpoints. Ambassadors of all species present on the station are currently working overtime to get everything in order."

"How many died?"

"Less than we feared, but more than we wished for." a shadow of sorrow went through her face for a moment. "Mostly policemen and army members. Grey Eclipse only interrogated civilians, for some reason. If that's their way of softening the political massacre their species will be experiencing soon, they are not even trying."

"What about the Sun-Dawn Theocracy?"

"Several "diplomatic" fleets are already dispatched to their homeworld of Lucoatl. UEF included. Their diplomats are arrested and now being interrogated by the CPD. If they wanted war - they'll get it, but so far I am convinced it was something of a desperate act of a small group, not an entire species. Time will tell."

"I see..." Nick thought a bit and then remembered: "So what is this about..."

"...you going Super Saiyan?" her brow went up and her mouse smirked without even hiding it. "Oh, boy, do I have a story to tell to you! Let's start from the scientific stuff, shall we? When Grey Eclipse were about to finish you and that CPD officer you were with, you injected yourself with Vitae. Our scientists and medics examined you and the footage. Your physiology was transformed by the contents of that vial, turning you into something of a human/Sangui hybrid. Judging by the results from a laboratory, the change is permanent. You are now officially the first member of the homo sapient sanguis, my guy, congratulations. If you don't like it, here is the cooler classification: Dhampir."

"Heh, neat." the human man always liked fantasy vampires, but would always prefer to become a dhampir instead if he had a choice.

"Quite grinning, your face will crack." she nudged him, before continuing: "You Sangui clients, also that status might change into something upgraded and much more lewd, had gracefully showered us in information regarding our condition. Seriously, Nick, you have some weird effect on the scary alien women. Almost makes me wish to try some of that charm myself..."

He awkwardly grinned.

"... But I digress. According to the Sangui legends, in very ancient times, when their species just formed and were roaming the planet in their tribal state, a star came from the skies. A young male Sangui by the name Cainus found it and brought it home. Another living entity was inside of it and he got enamored by her soon after. Yeah, I never expected space vampires to be hopeless romantics too. Anyway, Cainus gave the entity his Vitae as a sign of trust and affection. She consumed it and has turned into Lilitha, a legendary figure that is revered as the mother of all Sangui. Not just Cainus, but hundreds of their males were absolutely smitten by the Lilitha. She mothered thousands of children, which turned into something believed to be the Obsidian Age (basically the local variety of the Golden Age) of their species. Got to admit, that made me kinda wet."

"Not here for your sex life, Josephina."

"Killjoy. Anyway, your Sangui concub... I mean, "clients" believe you to be a reincarnation of Lilitha, only in the male form. We have nothing to base it on, but those four really believe in it. Perhaps that entity that landed on their homeworld was an alien too."

"I... see." that was a lot to swallow. "Anything I should be concerned about in my condition?"

"Yeah, that's important. Before we start, I must warn you. We are not completely sure how much of it is true or not, because we only had a relatively limited study of your new organism, and the majority of additional data was taken from Sangui legends. Only time will tell what is correct. So, since you are a hybrid with Sangui side, you have the majority of their abilities. Super speed, super strength, and other stuff you already know. Plus they are a bit more powerful than those of the original space vampires. You can also walk in the light, without fearing it as they do. Now to the bad stuff."

"There is always the opposite side of the coin, huh?"

"Yup, can't go without it. First of all, you can't constantly use Sangui abilities, your body won't survive the prolonged exposure. If these guys live with them, you should activate them first. So in regular life, you will still be a human. Secondly, from time to time your body will accumulate extra life essence. You will have to depose it, or the critical mass will automatically turn you into the Sangui mod. You won't be able to turn back, unless someone drains the excess of life essence, and die soon after."

"And how do I do that? Just cut myself and let it flow?"

"Well, that's definitely a way, but we found a more convenient, pleasurable, and... mutually beneficial method of treating your condition. Those four Sangui volunteered to suck some of it every time accumulation happens. There is a messed-up joke hidden in there somewhere, eh?"

"I couldn't agree more."

"Well, in any case, that's basically the important stuff I had to tell you, Nick. Your parlor is repaired and cleaned, plus a temporary squad of guards will be stationed outside. As soon as you are ready, you can resume your duties as the masseur. I guess hero of the week at least deserves that."

"Thank you, Josephina."

"Don't mention it. You did great so far, mate." then her voice changed a bit. "By the way, your harem is almost ready to storm the hospital by now. I thought that you have to rest, so I told them to calm their tits down and stuff their cunts with something else. They weren't happy, but know that I can make their life very difficult. Don't make them wait for long, or they get in no matter what. As a fellow woman, I know how it is."

"You are my guardian angel."

"That's my job, remember?" she laughed, standing up. "If you kick the bucket, I will become jobless. See you later, Nick."

"Bye, Josephina."

When she left, Nick lay for a minute, before speaking aloud:

"Uta, are you there?"

"How did you know?" the eldritch goddess suddenly slithered right from under his bed, looking surprised.

"Shot in the dark, to be honest," he sat on the bed and looked at his otherworldly roommate sarcastically. "Under my bed, really? What are you, a Bogeyman?"

She pouted but didn't say anything. Instead, she threw herself onto him, hugging the man tightly.

"I was so worried..." she whispered, caressing his body with her tentacles. "I thought you were doomed..."

"Easy there, my dear." he gently patted her head with a warm smile. "Hey, wanna eat something unhealthy and kill an entire evening playing something cool?"

"YAY!!!!!!"