"What do you feel about me?" Corven asked, his voice low, almost tentative as the firelight flickered across his face.
'So the system wants us to get closer…? I already know what it wants,' he thought, the glowing notification still lingering in the corner of his mind.
'But I'm going to do it right. Not just because it told me to—but because I want to.'
His gaze locked onto Rose's glowing eyes, their crimson hue dancing in the warmth of the flames.
"What do you mean by that?" she asked, chuckling softly. Her breath was warm against his skin, carrying the faintest scent of blood and something sweeter—faintly floral, like lilac after rain.
"It's just odd, isn't it?" he replied, voice calm but honest. "Our bodies respond oddly… like they know something we don't, despite us barely knowing each other."
He gave a short laugh, half awkward and half amazed.
"And I'm a new vampire as well, so I don't know if this is normal." His grin widened just a little, amused by his own uncertainty.
Rose smiled and leaned into him, resting her head gently against his chest. Her fingers curled near his ribs, listening to a heartbeat that pulsed slower than it once did.
"I get what you mean… I feel drawn, somehow."
Her words came out as a soft confession, delicate and uncertain. Then she lifted her hand to brush her fingers gently along his jawline.
"To you…" she said simply.
"And we don't even know each other."
Corven let out a small chuckle, the sound rumbling in his chest.
"Do you hate it? Feeling drawn to me for no reason at all?" he asked, only half-joking.
Rose shook her head, her smile growing softer as she leaned in closer.
"Not really," she murmured. "I wouldn't even be able to feel without your help."
Corven raised an eyebrow, curiosity flashing across his features.
"Do you feel obligated to me, then?" he asked, eyes narrowing with slight concern. "Is that why you're fine with your body being drawn to me?"
Rose laughed gently, the sound carrying a touch of mischief.
"If you put it that way, it just sounds sad," she teased, flicking his nose with a playful finger.
Then her voice dropped into a softer, more sincere tone.
"But no… Even if this is what it means to be vampires—sire and progeny, blood-bound and changed forever—it's still our feelings, no?"
She hesitated a moment before adding,
"Sure, it'd be a different story if I remembered my past… who knows?" Her smile turned sharp. "I might even try to kill you."
She giggled at her own joke.
Corven burst out laughing, unable to help himself. "Guess I'd deserve it," he said, shaking his head as he reached up, fingers sliding into her hair as he pulled her just slightly closer. Their bodies were already entwined, but the contact deepened—less out of lust, more out of comfort.
"So what about this situation?" he asked, his voice dropping again, more serious now.
'I'm not one for romance,' he thought silently. 'Especially not before…'
'But for some reason, I have this urge—'
'To love. To desire. I know vampire fiction is erotic, romantic, intense…'
'But to actually experience it… feels different. It feels real.'
Rose was quiet for a moment, then smiled as she answered.
"Simple," she said, her eyes gleaming with firelight and something deeper. "I'm following what I feel. And if what I feel is being drawn to you… then why not?"
She leaned in again, lips just inches from his.
"Besides, I'm made of your blood, remember?" she whispered. "I saw glimpses of your past when I turned."
Corven blinked. "You did?"
Rose laughed softly, brushing his bangs aside like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Of course. I just didn't mention it. I figured you'd already know."
Then her expression softened, her tone becoming almost wistful.
"And with that insight… you don't seem like a bad person."
Corven gave a crooked smile. "I still feel like one though."
Rose's smirk returned.
She hesitated. Just for a breath. Like she wasn't sure if she should… or if she could still feel anything real.
"Then let me prove to you I mean every single thing I said."
She whispered the words like a vow, and before he could reply, she closed the distance between them.
Her lips pressed against his—warm, gentle, and tinged with the iron taste of blood. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him into the kiss with slow, deliberate affection. Not frantic. Not possessive. Just… honest.
It caught Corven completely off guard.
'My first kiss…'
'And it only happened after becoming a vampire, in another world…'
A quiet laugh slipped through his nose, and he accepted it. The kiss. The feeling. The strangeness.
Because somehow, despite everything—they were here.
And they weren't alone anymore.