On the second floor of an inn, in a room that smelled of mold and stale tobacco, Liliene, Laura, and Nex sat around a table, planning their next move.
“The same institution manages both branches, but they are effectively separate departments.”
Laura was trying to bring both Nex and Liliene up to speed. The exams were only a few days away, thanks to the time they had spent on the road.
“The conservatory manages everything from classification to research. It’s most likely where we’ll find information about Luna. Unfortunately, you have to pass a written exam and pay tuition to the institute. And… It’s not cheap.”
Laura paused; Nex nodded. At least one person was following.
“That’s where the Delving Academy comes in. Honestly, it’s an academy in name only. Its main purpose is to allow poor people to pay their tuition by working and bringing back artifacts. It’s also gated behind a practical exam.”
“So… We need to pass both exams?” Liliene asked, losing confidence fast.
“The written exam is supposedly trivial. And you could probably skip the practical one. With what my mother gave you, you should have enough money.” Laura smiled reassuringly. “Me, on the other hand, I need to pass both.”
“We could give you the money,” Liliene offered, checking with Nex via a glance. Nex nodded. “You’re smarter than me, anyway.”
Laura slowly shook her head. She should say yes. She knew that. Luna’s future and Lili’s hope depended on it. Yet pride was a powerful thing.
“No. I appreciate it, Lili, really. But I want to succeed with my own hands.”
“But… We have the money. And it means you’ll have to delve. It’s dangerous.”
“Lili. Please. I want to do it myself.”
“But—”
“Princess,” Nex interrupted, and by her tone, she was about to dispense wisdom. “Some choices aren’t meant to be understood, only accepted.”
Liliene frowned. That was more cryptic than she was used to.
“Sorry.”
She relented anyway, without understanding why. Which proved that she did understand, even if she didn’t.
Liliene’s useless pondering was cut short by Laura, who looked more competent than both Liliene and Nex combined.
“I’m going to cram as much as possible into your heads for the next few days. Ideally, none of us would fail any of the exams.”
“Then I shall provide what I can for the practical exam,” Nex said. “I’d wager it involves combat.”
“Yes…” Laura lowered her head.
“Then I’ll make sure you pass,” Nex said, nodding. Her chair screeched as she stood up. She grabbed her shawl and checked that it truly hid her horns. “Please, start teaching Lili the basics. I’ll catch up.”
“Where are you going?” Liliene asked curiously.
“Just a bit of scouting. I should know the city and its layout, just in case something happens.”
Soon, the room’s ambiance turned quiet, too quiet; Nex’s absence left behind an awkward silence.
“It’s just the two of us…” Liliene said, and scooted closer to Laura.
“Y-Yes!” Laura picked up a stack of blank papers and put it on the table. “We should start with the basics,” she added, her enthusiasm obviously forced.
Liliene tried. Probably. Not that Laura’s explanations weren’t interesting; they most likely were. After all, she was really smart. But something else was taking up all the space in Liliene’s small head.
Over the last twenty minutes, Liliene had feigned an itch, then moved an inch closer to Laura. Then her legs went numb, so she stretched and, accidentally, sat back even closer. By now, Liliene had no idea what words were leaving Laura’s mouth, yet she drank in the sight of her lips moving; she had no idea what the gestures meant, yet she could remember the warmth of her hands. It was all Laura. Laura’s skin. Laura’s scent. Laura’s taste. Laura’s…
“Lili? Are you listening?”
“No?”
“What’s wrong? Are you tired from the trip?” Laura asked with a concerned frown. “We can stop here for tonight.”
“No. It’s just… It’s just the two of us,” Liliene repeated, unsure what more to say and hoping that this time, the message would get across. Find the original chapter at g.com.
“Oh.” A faint blush dusted Laura’s cheeks, and she twirled a braid around her index finger. “We can’t. We’re not even… a couple. Not really, I mean. Yet.”
It was Liliene’s turn to be confused; she tilted her head.
“Oh. Silly me.” Laura blushed even harder. “Do you mean… Are you hungry?”
“I mean… Aren’t we a couple?”
“Well… We didn’t say anything. Or we didn’t… kiss,” Laura said in a low, timid voice, then bit her lip.
“I think I want to,” Liliene said, filling the last remaining gap between their bodies.
“Kiss? Or feed?” Laura asked, unable to look at Liliene for more than a heartbeat.
“Yes.”
A light, airy chuckle escaped Laura’s mouth. “You’re not helping.”
Laura looked behind her, sat on the ground, and shuffled back until her back rested against the bed frame.
“Come here, Lili.” She opened her arms, finally able to meet Liliene’s eyes.
It took some restraint for Liliene not to pounce on an inviting Laura. She stood and took the few paces separating them before falling to her knees beside Laura. This was a novel experience; yet it wasn’t.
She simply settled next to Laura and let her head fall against her shoulder. Their hands joined, and Laura snuggled closer.
“We used to do that a lot,” Liliene said softly.
“Yes…”
Laura grabbed Liliene’s sleeve and tugged on it. It was too weak to be a pull; it was a plea she was too shy to voice.
Liliene followed it, her arm guided by Laura’s hand until it rested on her lover’s waist. She froze for a moment, then gathered her own dress by the hem and straddled Laura.
“What should I do… first?” Liliene asked, her eyes darting between Laura’s pale neck, her plump lips, and her wide, green eyes.
“Lili…” Laura breathed, her arms winding around Liliene to pull her closer. “Kiss me.”
Liliene inched closer, settling comfortably on Laura’s thighs. Her hand came to rest on her lover’s cheek to caress her skin.
When she leaned closer, Laura’s lips parted a fraction on their own, anticipation overriding her usual timidity. Then they met. It wasn’t the fireworks or explosions of the stories. It was soft, damp, and messy, but it was right.
Laura didn’t taste especially good; she didn’t taste like much, really. Every contact of their lips, every tentative flick of their tongues ignited a wave of warmth spreading throughout her whole body. It was bland, yet addictive. Wet, yet burning.
“Hm… More,” Laura barely breathed the words into Liliene's mouth.
Liliene obliged, having no idea what ‘more’ meant. She opened her mouth a little wider and pressed her lips harder against Laura’s. Liliene tilted her face sideways, scared she would hurt Laura with her canines, and awkwardly tried to find an angle that let her enjoy Laura’s lips without accidentally piercing them. After a few clumsy caresses of Laura’s upper lip caught between her own, Liliene leaned away.
“Laura… I—”
A pair of hands linked behind Liliene’s neck and pulled her back.
“Mm?”
It took a while for Laura to be sated; she had waited ten years for this.
When she had had enough, at least for the moment, she smiled, her lips still touching Liliene’s.
“Now we’re a proper couple.” She caught her lower lip between her teeth and exposed the column of her throat. “Do you… want to feed now?”
Liliene nodded wordlessly, trailing a few kisses along her journey: from the corner of Laura’s mouth, to her cheek, her jaw, then her neck. She breathed in the scent of her lover and, for no reason whatsoever, gave her skin a little lick.
Laura kept her head tilted, her neck exposed, but brought her cheek closer to nestle against Liliene.
“If it really slows my aging, then we’ll be able to stay together for longer. If I turn, we’ll stay together forever. If nothing happens, well… We’ll try again until something does.”
Laura’s reasoning, hopeful and most likely incomplete, was still enough to destroy Liliene’s last, pitifully weak barriers. She didn’t need much force for her teeth to sink into Laura’s neck. A soft whimper left Laura’s mouth, and her arms tightened around Liliene.
The first drop of blood hit Liliene’s tongue.
She thought she knew blood; she manipulated it daily. It was a bit more viscous than water and smelled vaguely metallic. Laura’s was different. It tasted, for one. A bit meaty, like the dry jerky they ate for most of the road, but also with a hint of sugar as if she was lapping at honey.
Liliene sucked harder, wanting to pull more, hoping the nectar could gush into her mouth. Her arteries and veins burned and pulsed an enervating fire. Part of her lover was one with her.
“...li.”
Laura’s body wasn’t hers enough. Not just her body. Laura wasn’t hers enough. Liliene clawed at the back of Laura’s dress; her grip on Laura’s neck tightened. A hand closed around Laura's breast in a possessive grip.
“...ili…”
Nothing but Laura’s warm body against hers. The clothes were in the way. She needed the feverish skin of her lover against hers. She would rip them, and she would devour—
“Lili!”
Laura’s neck stopped supporting her head; it fell onto the mattress behind her; Laura’s hands let go of Liliene’s dress and dropped to her sides.
Feeling the shift, Liliene drew her mouth back from Laura’s neck, a trail of saliva connecting her lips to Laura’s skin.
“Laura?”
The blood drained from Liliene’s face, but she was too pale for it to really make a difference.
“Laura! I’m sorry. I…”
With a slow, trembling effort, Laura brought her hand to Liliene’s cheek and gently brushed it with her thumb.
“Lili… Are you sated?” Laura asked with a blissful smile and heavy-lidded eyes. She looked half a breath away from dreaming.
“Laura… Oh, I took too much. I’m sorry.”
All Liliene could see was how much paler Laura was than before, how weak her voice sounded.
“What do I do? Do you need food? Water? Or…”
“I’m alright. Just a little tired, is all.” Laura closed her eyes and opened her arms. “Hug me.”
Liliene did instantly. Her arms closed around the other girl’s back and lifted her ever so slightly. They didn’t move, the room silent; Laura’s breathing slow and peaceful, Liliene’s deep and uneven. Neither had any idea how much time had passed when a sound broke their rest.
Growl.
“Maybe… Maybe I’m a little hungry,” Laura said with the voice of a girl confessing to mischief.
“Good. I ordered three meals downstairs,” Nex said after opening the door.
“Nex? Are you done with your… Hm, recon?” Liliene asked, discreetly pulling out of the embrace.
“For a while now, yes,” Nex answered with a tired sigh, her eyes lost in faraway visions.
“Oh.”
“Were your studies productive?”
Liliene shot straight up. “Yes. Very.”
“Good. Now downstairs, both of you. And help your girlfriend to her feet.”
Unseen by the two of them, Nex pulled her domain back from the room. She had been ready to enter, blow out the candle, and teleport Laura to safety. She was glad the precaution had proved unnecessary. But it had been a close call.