Bloodlust

Liam, insatiable, followed the stream along the bank. His powerful muscles propelled his agile body over the uneven terrain. Instinct guided him, pushing him ever further upstream in search of more abundant prey.

His keen eyes detected the presence of a solitary fish, hidden under an overhanging rock. With a quick and precise movement, he leaned over, his hands transforming into sharp claws to capture his prey. The fish, taken by surprise, had no chance. Liam devoured it greedily, savoring every morsel of fresh flesh.

But the hunger persisted, gnawing. The fish's blood hadn't been enough to quell his insatiable desire. He left the stream, delving into the dense forest that lined its banks. His senses on high alert, he scanned the surroundings, on the lookout for the slightest movement.

Suddenly, a group of hares appeared in a clearing. They took fright at the sight of Liam, their long ears raised to the sky, and fled in all directions. One of the hares, slower than the others, found itself isolated. Liam, galvanized by the fish's blood, rushed towards his prey. His reflexes were superhuman, his speed lightning fast.

With a fluid motion, he grabbed the hare by the scruff of the neck, breaking it with a sharp snap. His sharp teeth pierced the rabbit's belly, and he reveled in its warm, fragrant blood.

It was so good, of an exquisite flavor.

Once the wound on the hare's belly stopped bleeding, Liam devoured its flesh, then its fur, leaving no trace of his feast.

He then squatted, sucking up the pools of blood on the earthy ground, savoring every precious drop. His thirst for blood was not yet quenched. A primal desire consumed him, obscuring his vision. He rose, his eyes gleaming with a savage light, and set off again on the hunt, determined to find his next prey.

Liam, his heart pounding in his chest, sprinted through the dense undergrowth, his bare feet barely making a sound against the forest floor. His senses were heightened, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of movement. In the distance, he spotted two figures, their backs turned towards him.

A primal instinct surged through him, a thirst for blood that overrode his rational thoughts. He pushed forward, his muscles burning with exertion, his mind consumed by the desire to hunt. As he drew closer, he could make out the figures more clearly – two men of average build, one carrying a long hunting dagger and the other armed with a bow.

The man with the bow turned suddenly, his eyes widening in horror at the sight of Liam's pale, naked body. "What in the name of…" he stammered, his voice trailing off as he stumbled backward.

"It's a deranged man!" the other man shouted, brandishing his hunting dagger. "We don't need this kind of trouble around here. We have to eliminate him!"

Liam lunged towards the man with the hunting dagger, his movements swift and deadly. The man swung his weapon, but his movements were slow and hesitant, his eyes wide with fear. Liam grabbed the hunting dagger's hilt, his grip like iron, and pulled the man's hand towards him while twisting his body. With a sickening crack, the man's wrist snapped, sending the hunting dagger to the ground.

The man screamed in agony, clutching his broken wrist as Liam snatched the hunting dagger from the ground. In a single, fluid motion, he raised the blade and brought it down, slicing through the man's throat with a swift, merciless stroke. The man collapsed to the ground, his body convulsing as blood gushed from the wound.

Liam turned his attention to the other man, who was fumbling with his bow, his hands shaking with fear. Before he could even notch an arrow, Liam was upon him, the dagger flashing. He plunged the blade to the hilt into the man's stomach, just below the ribcage. The man let out a gurgling cry, his eyes widening in disbelief as he looked down at the blood pooling around his feet. His vision blurred, and his body sagged to the ground, lifeless.

Liam turned away from the lifeless body and approached the first man, lying on the ground. He was trying to stem the gush of blood from his slit throat. His trembling hands pressed against the open wound, but the blood continued to flow, staining his tunic a vivid red. Liam crouched before the wounded man, his gaze fixed on the delicious liquid. He seized the man's bloodied hands and forcibly pulled them apart, exposing the gaping wound. The man weakly shook his head as Liam held his arms apart, locking eyes with him. Without a word, Liam leaned over the wound and began to drink the freely flowing blood. He greedily lapped it up, his eyes closing in pleasure as the warm, salty liquid filled his mouth. The man's body convulsed weakly under his grasp, his final breaths escaping him. Once the wound was drained, Liam stood up, his face smeared with blood. He then approached the archer's body. With a swift motion, he tore open his tunic, revealing a deep wound on his chest. He took the bloodied dagger and widened the opening, plunging his face into the gaping wound. The taste of the blood trickling onto his lips was exquisite, mingling with that of the man he had just drained. He drank eagerly, like a thirsty animal quenching its thirst at a newfound source. When his stomach was bursting with blood, Liam stood up, his body covered in blood and viscera. He looked at the two corpses lying at his feet, his eyes gleaming with savage satisfaction.

A low growl escaped his throat, a primitive sound announcing the beast's victory over man. But as he prepared to leave, a notification suddenly appeared before his eyes. He ignored it, his mind fully under the control of his bloodthirsty impulses.

"Congratulations, you have consumed a significant amount of blood, permanently increasing your attributes."

"Your attributes have reached the limit for a standard lesser vampire."

Liam's body was suddenly seized by brutal convulsions and he collapsed to the ground, writhing uncontrollably.

The notifications continued.

"Congratulations, you will begin your transformation in 3..."

"2..."

"1..."

Darkness enveloped Liam.