My Stepmom Is a Vampire
Copyright© 2025 by Vamp
Chapter 40: Threads In The Dark
Somewhere across the city, another set of predators worked under a very different code.
“So, Dream Host, huh?”
The bald man spoke, his long white coat marking him as a doctor, though not the usual kind.
He eyed the tall, well-built man lying in front of him. Under the bright lamp, the man’s sun-kissed skin glistened, his short brown hair cut in a trendy style.
“Hm ... a jock, not weird that they got into trouble like this.”
“Football player, Doctor Sam,” Maria confirmed. “His name’s Dylan. He’s infested with Dream Spores that’s developed into a Dream Host.”
“Don’t call him ‘doctor,’ Maria. He cheated to get his license, and it’ll only make his ego get as big as mount everest.”
David took a swig from his hip flask. Betty immediately slapped it out of his hands, sending the brown liquid splashing onto his jacket and the floor.
“Ow. Didn’t know you had a talent for being rude,” David muttered, brushing his jacket with his hand. The liquor smeared rather than came off, but he let it drip anyway.
Betty rolled her eyes. “Rude? You wouldn’t survive as my enemy.”
Sam sighed. “You see your two teammates over there? Sure you don’t want to switch? Your future’s still bright.” He adjusted his glasses and took a seat on the stool beside Dylan’s body.
Maria shrugged. “Ah, I’m still new. Don’t think I have much of a choice.” She kept her eyes on the patient.
Sam pulled a strange lens device attached to a flexible tube and positioned it above Dylan’s chest.
“You’re a Pharos, right? You need to learn this,” he said, motioning for Maria to come closer.
She nodded gratefully and leaned in to watch.
Pharos was a human that developed supernatural power from birth or awakened because of trauma revolving around a vampire.
Their existence was valuable to vampire hunters as they were the only one that could see the weakness of the high level vampires.
“This is called the Augur Glass. It’s made from vampire irises melted into a single lens. With it, we can see abnormalities caused by vampires, like this Dream Host, and destroy them more easily.”
From his bag, Sam took out a long silver needle about twenty centimeters, thin but still solid enough to hold with ease in his wrinkled hand.
“This is made entirely from silver. It’s one of only two materials that can harm a vampire.”
“And the other one?”
“You’ve heard of Mutation Blood Style? That’s the other. Silver burns a vampire’s flesh, halting regeneration in low-level ones. For the stronger ones ... it only slows them down a little.”
Sam turned his focus back to Dylan. Inside the boy’s lungs, clusters of Dream Host spread thick purple spores.
He carefully inserted the needle, piercing the infected tissue without damaging the lung itself. The spores wilted and shriveled instantly.
When he was done, Sam handed the needle to Maria. “The other lung is yours.”
Maria grinned, taking it carefully. She mirrored his precise movements until no trace of the Dream Host remained.
When they were done, Sam approached David and Betty, who were waiting, and said, “I’ll report this to the boss. You two bring the head of Velstrath here.”
“You’re sure she’s the perpetrator? But why?” David asked, rubbing the back of his head. His face made it clear he wanted nothing to do with Velstrath.