Zara's eyes fluttered open slowly, her vision still hazy with sleep. A soft yawn escaped her lips as she sat up, stretching her arms above her head. As her gaze adjusted to the room, it landed on a familiar figure curled at the edge of the bed—Lilith, hugging Zara's leg tightly, fast asleep.
Zara blinked, confused.
"Eh...? Why is Lilith in my room?"
She leaned down, her face close to Lilith's, watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest, the serene expression resting on her face. A soft breath left Zara's lips as she brushed a silvery strand of hair behind Lilith's ear with tender fingers.
"She looks… peaceful."
Zara's eyes wandered over Lilith's features—delicate yet sharp, the kind of beauty that stole attention without trying. Her fingers unconsciously brushed her chin as a whisper slipped from her lips.
"And beautiful..."
Her heart skipped for a moment. She was caught in a trance, unable to look away, until Lilith's eyelids twitched faintly. Snapping out of her daze, Zara panicked slightly and stood up abruptly, making her way to the bathroom in a flurry of flustered footsteps.
Behind her, Lilith's silver eyes opened, a slow, dreamy smile curling on her lips as she watched Zara disappear into the bathroom.
"Ahhh… my Zara looked at me like that," she whispered, hugging her knees to her chest. "With that much love in her eyes…"
She let out a dreamy sigh, burying her face into the blanket.
"What am I going to do? Just the thought of her leaving me and going back to Elarion… no, I won't let that happen. She's mine now..."
Inside the bathroom, Zara stood in front of the mirror, her hands gripping the edges of the sink. Her breath came in short, uneven bursts as she stared at her reflection—flushed cheeks, wild silver-red hair, and eyes filled with something she was trying to ignore.
"I… I almost lost control again," she whispered to herself, her heart pounding. "Do I really love her that much…?"
She shook her head, trying to steady her thoughts. A cold shower followed, washing away the heat from her body and the thoughts clouding her mind. After changing into light armor—a simple, black and silver set fitted for training—she took a long breath and opened the door.
Lilith was sitting upright on the bed, stretching slightly as if she'd just woken up. Her eyes landed on Zara, and a soft, sleepy smile played at her lips.
Zara walked closer and returned the smile.
"Lilith, I'm going to train," she said gently, turning toward the door.
But she stopped in her tracks when she heard Lilith's voice behind her, soft and teasing.
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
Zara turned her head—and froze.
Lilith had undone the top two buttons of her nightshirt, exposing the smooth curve of her neck. Her silver eyes shimmered as she looked at Zara with an almost playful intensity.
"Aren't you going to drink now?"
For a moment, Zara just stared. Then, slowly, she walked back to the bed and sat beside Lilith. Her fingers traced gently along Lilith's shoulder before she leaned down and sank her fangs into her neck with care. Lilith gasped softly, tilting her head back, her eyes fluttering closed as a smile spread across her lips.
After a few moments, Zara pulled back—but before she could speak, Lilith cupped her face tenderly and bit her in return.
Zara's eyes widened in surprise, her breath hitching as a warm shiver spread down her spine. She fell back onto the bed, her arms limp beside her, eyes dazed.
Lilith licked the faint trace of blood from her lips and gazed down at Zara's expression with affection. Unable to resist, she leaned down and pressed a light kiss to Zara's lips.
Then, with a playful smirk, she rested her chin in her hand and whispered,
"You know… we vampires need a lover's blood too. We might resist the craving, but it's still in our nature. Especially when it's someone we love."
Zara looked at Lilith, her breath heavy, chest rising and falling rapidly. Her cheeks were flushed deep crimson, her silver-red hair slightly messy from the sudden intensity. Her eyes were wide and dazed, caught between embarrassment and something far deeper.
Lilith watched her with a warm smile and gently pulled her into a soft embrace.
"Alright, now you can go, dear," she whispered into Zara's ear, her voice teasing but full of affection.
Zara blinked herself out of her daze, nodded quickly, and shot up to her feet. Without another word, she darted toward the door, opened it, and slipped outside like she was fleeing the battlefield.
Lilith chuckled and lay back on the bed, arms spread wide as she stared at the ceiling with a dreamy grin.
"Ahhh… she's so cute when she runs away like that."
Out in the hallway, Zara was walking quickly, one hand pressed over her pounding heart as she tried to calm her racing emotions.
"Calm down… deep breaths… gods, I can't lose control like that every time..."
She patted her chest, cheeks still warm, and took a few long, shaky breaths.
As she neared the training ground, her attention was pulled away from her spiraling thoughts. Her gaze locked onto Nyssa, who stood in the center of the clearing, her red hair flaring around her like fire. In her hands was a massive spear, and with each elegant swing, the sheer force split the ground in its wake.
A deep ravine opened under the spear's arc—and yet, to Zara's astonishment, the earth healed itself almost immediately, stitching back together like nothing had happened.
Her eyes narrowed as she stepped closer, mesmerized.
"She's not even using mana… then how—?"
Zara stood silently, the awe slowly replacing her flustered thoughts. She watched Nyssa, realizing for the first time just how far she had to go.
Nyssa turned her head and spotted Zara approaching. A playful smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.
"Oh? You came. I thought you'd run away after the beating I gave you yesterday."
Zara smiled faintly, crossing her arms as she stepped closer.
"Well, it didn't scare me. But it did make me more determined to become stronger."
Nyssa's grin widened, a spark of approval flashing in her eyes.
"Good. I like that spirit. We'll start with the sword. Once you master it, we'll move on to the next weapon."
Zara nodded and walked toward the weapon racks, her fingers trailing over the polished handles before choosing her training sword. Her eyes glanced back toward Nyssa's spear, still resting against a boulder.
"Wow... her spear technique was amazing. I wonder... is the spear stronger than the sword?"
She held her wooden sword tightly, then glanced at Nyssa—only to freeze.
Nyssa was already holding a sword in her hand. With a swift motion, she slashed downward.
A sharp boom echoed across the training field.
A long, deep cut split the ground where the sword had passed. The force of the attack caused a gust of wind that hit Zara squarely, making her legs tremble.
Her face twitched in shock.
"...Yeah. No. I guess both are terrifyingly strong."