"Selyn... I must ask you to—"
"I will do it."
I squeezed Saphyr's hand, averting my eyes from her horrific wound, and prayed that there truly was a solution. Saphyr couldn't die like this; I wouldn't allow it. She still had to redeem herself and help us with her kind... she couldn't leave me.
"I will have to drink your blood." Her voice was weak, but I managed to hear her anyway, given how close I was to her lips.
"My b-blood?"
"There is no time to explain—" she winced in pain: "I-it could... h-heal me."
My blood? How is that possible? Despite the doubts and confusion of the situation, I didn't hesitate to agree: "A-alright."
Saphyr seemed uncertain, but she grasped my arm with a weak grip, and a moment later I saw her take my dagger: "I'm sorry I have to hurt you, but you won't feel any pain."
She looked me in the eyes as she pressed the blade to my arm and made a cut—not too deep, but large enough to let her drink the blood she needed. I didn't feel any pain, just as Saphyr said, thanks to our pact. But when her lips touched my skin, it was impossible to ignore the sensations she stirred within me. It was soft, warm, almost ticklish. I felt her tongue glide against my skin, her mouth sucking the blood flowing from the wound.
My father stayed there with me and watched the scene with vigilant eyes. Saphyr continued to drink my blood, and even though the passing seconds felt like hours, it probably didn't last very long. Her lips pulled away from my skin, stained red from the blood they had been steeped in. I still didn't understand how it could help her, but I decided to trust her words: after all, I had discovered incredible things with her, things I never would have believed before meeting her.
"How do you feel?" I brought a hand to her pale face, brushing aside the locks of hair covering her eyes.
Saphyr was visibly weak, but her eyes grew livelier.
"We have to get out of here. The others will sense..."
"What others?"
"Creatures like these are not the only ones hiding in the shadows... but I am more worried about my own kind. They could find us easily."
"You are weak. How will you walk? You should rest."
"My duty is to protect you, and if we stay here, I cannot guarantee your safety."
At that point, I grasped the gravity of the situation, and even though I was still worried about Saphyr's condition, I decided to listen to her.
"Father, we must leave. We will lead you out of here."
"Selyn, are you alright?" My father took my wounded arm and inspected it, then looked at Saphyr with a complicated expression. "How are we going to get out of here? There might be other shapeshifters, and she is in no condition to protect us again..."
"We'll use the dagger." I showed it to my father and brought it close to the body of one of the dead creatures on the floor. It lit up, just as it had when Saphyr used it.
The group had backed away but was watching us from afar. When I saw an improvement in Saphyr, I went to my mother, who appeared scared and confused.
"Saphyr will protect us. We have a pact."
"A p-pact?"
Saphyr surprised me by taking charge of the situation: "I committed a grave sin by bringing harm to your daughter. I am ashamed of it, and to make amends for the mistakes I made, I dedicate my life to Selyn's protection. Nothing and no one will be able to hurt her as long as I draw breath."
Saphyr spoke with solemnity, and for some reason, in that moment, my heart started to beat faster. My father had listened to her words seriously and stepped closer to her.
"I hope that is the case, that you manage to protect her and honor this pact... Otherwise, I will kill you with my own two hands."
"Dad." I grabbed his arm, pulling him away from Saphyr.
She tried to stand up, and I rushed to her side to help her: "The wound..." I looked at her abdomen, discovering that the bleeding had stopped and the wound was closing. It seemed like a miracle; it was something unthinkable: was it possible my blood had healing powers?
"Let's go."
My parents started following us, but the rest of the people looked at us with suspicion and lingering hostility. In that moment, I realized with certainty that they would never trust Saphyr, and therefore, me. I looked at them one last time, and also cast a glance at my father, who, with a silent nod, communicated his resolve to follow me, even if it meant leaving behind friends, coworkers, and fellow villagers.
"Are you sure? Other monsters could come."
"There is no monster worse than the one standing behind you." Alfred's deep voice, full of unspoken anger, hit me to the core: I felt a shiver run down my spine, and a fear I had never felt before seized me, forcing me to bring terrifying alternatives to my consciousness.
What if Saphyr had planned everything? Angels of Death could be cruel... what if gaining my trust, playing with my mind before killing me, was part of her plan?
I didn't know her species; I didn't know what she was thinking in that moment, because her eyes had never clearly revealed anything. I turned to her and understood from her gaze that she had noticed the shift in my mood.
"Let's go."
I walked without looking back. By now, the only people who could survive were those ready to risk their lives to escape the unjustified persecution of the Angels of Death.
The journey back from the sewers was grueling: the nauseating stench of sewage accompanied the entire trip, and furthermore, I was exhausted and felt weaker than ever before. The light from my dagger kept warning me of the shapeshifters' presence around us, but luckily, we encountered no obstacles along the way. Saphyr was quieter than usual, but her eyes kept seeking mine, and this made me restless. I didn't know whether to trust her or my own feelings. My heart advised me to rely on her, but my head kept screaming at me to run away. The confrontation with Alfred had changed many things, even though Saphyr had risked death for me. The confrontation with the man I had considered family my whole life had left me reeling: you really couldn't trust anyone.
Could that have been fake too?
I had seen the blood, the pain on her face, but... I couldn't silence that voice telling me not to trust her.
As soon as I saw the exit, I began to relax my body, which had been tense the entire time. I cast a glance at Saphyr to check her physical condition, but she seemed stable: the blood covering her body prevented me from getting a good look, so I decided that once we found a shelter, I would talk to her and tend to the wound.
"We need to go talk to the Duke before it's too late, but I think it's best to rest for now..."
"You are right. I imagine you want to inform him of the threat..." My father shot a quick glance at Saphyr, then continued talking to me with an impassive expression.
"Yes. Saphyr will try to establish contact with her people, but just to be safe, we should prepare for the worst."
"I assure you I will try until the very end to make them see reason. Selyn freed me from my chains and my ignorance... I wish I could do the same for my people."
My mother had kept her distance from Saphyr the entire time, too scared to get close, and never said a word, but in that moment I saw her relax, if only slightly. She looked at Saphyr more calmly and nodded weakly.
"Where could we go?"
"I know a guy who runs an inn... We were going to spend the night at his place with the group, before leaving at first light."
"We will go there, then."
I turned to Saphyr, grabbing the hood resting on her back to pull it over her head. She kept looking at me with peculiar eyes: it seemed like reverence, trust, sorrow, shame... I couldn't quite figure out what it was, but it was precisely her gaze that reminded me why I had decided to trust her.
"How are you?" I whispered, looking down at her abdomen.
"Better. I will explain everything when we will be temporarily safe. Selyn... you were very brave."
Her words reassured me and, for some reason, sparked the desire to hold her close. I pushed those thoughts away, nodding.
We exited the sewers, and my father led us to the inn: fortunately, it wasn't crowded, and given the hour, many were already asleep, but the innkeeper was still serving a few patrons.
"Michael." My father leaned against the counter, and the man—who had to be the owner of the inn—stared at him intently. He had dark eyes and salt-and-pepper hair, with a thick beard showing a few gray tufts. He looked like a strong person, above all, resolute. His eyes quickly darted to us as well, then he offered a smile: "Erik! It's been so long!"
He set down the glass he was cleaning and walked over to my father to hug him tightly. "I'm sorry to meet you under these circumstances..."
Michael shook his head: "These are difficult days, and that is why it's right to support one another."
My father explained the situation further but didn't mention the Angels of Death, aware that strangers were nearby. Michael understood he had something private to tell him, so he informed us he still had two rooms available and gave us the keys: I told my mother to go with my father, reassuring them that I wasn't afraid of Saphyr. It was hard getting them to accept this split, but my father understood there was no time for arguments. I had decided to sleep with Saphyr to keep an eye on her, as well as to talk to her: we had a lot to say to each other and little time to do it.
When we entered the room, I immediately looked for a tub and some cloths: I went back to the innkeeper to fill it with water and ask for a bath. Before long, a man and a woman brought the necessary items, along with the basin full of water.
"What do you want to do?"
"We have to wash off the blood and dirt." I looked at her, confused. Was it possible her species didn't bathe? With all that magic, it probably wasn't necessary...
I walked over to her and asked her to undress so I could check the wound and clean it. Saphyr seemed hesitant, for some reason, but she agreed. She removed every piece of fabric covering the upper half of her body, and soon found herself partially naked in front of me. It was in that moment that my heart started beating rapidly and my cheeks flushed red.
"Lie down..."
I tried not to look at her too much, but when my eyes landed on her enchanting figure, I couldn't help but convince myself that her body was perfect. Her breasts were full, and her feminine curves inviting, but on top of that, she also had the muscles of a warrior, evident in her well-defined abdomen and strong shoulders...
Focus, Selyn!
I began cleaning around the wound, and soon the water in the basin turned dark, like the blood staining Saphyr's skin.
"The wound... it's almost completely healed." Astonishment stopped my every movement: I stared at the spot where there should have been a massive gash, but found only a cut that, although deep, was closing over time.
She was watching me in silence: at a certain point, she grabbed the hand I was using to wipe the blood from her abdomen and brought it to her face. When she kissed my fingers, I froze.
"I discovered it days ago. Your blood seemed capable of healing my wounds, and furthermore, your recovery was far too rapid for a human. I drank your blood hoping it was all true... and it was. Now we have absolute certainty that you are what my people are looking for. You are special, Selyn. More than you can understand."
"My blood? How is that possible?"
"I think to find out, we will have to speak with your father..."
"My father?"
This isn't the first time Saphyr has said something like this.
"Selyn, I know it's hard for you, but you must trust me."
I looked away from her, but I didn't pull away the hand Saphyr was holding.
"I know what you are thinking. That man fueled your doubts, your uncertainties, but Selyn... you have to believe me when I say I will not hurt you, because..." Saphyr took a deep breath and kissed my hand again, this time on the back.
Overcome with embarrassment, I tried to pull away from her, but she tightened her grip:
"Selyn... I am not made of stone. I have feelings too."
"What do you mean?" My voice trembled, and my heart started beating rapidly. For the first time, her hand felt very warm, and her gray eyes less cold than usual.
"Our closeness, both physical and mental, managed to ignite a flame inside me. I feel alive, thanks to you... I am starting to feel things I cannot ignore." Saphyr pushed herself up with effort, bringing her face closer to mine.
I looked away from her bare chest, blushing, and gasped when her hand grasped my neck, pulling me toward her.
"Selyn... you have become my reason to fight against the titans who lead my people. I am not afraid, because I have you by my side."
I held my breath: Saphyr whispered those words against my lips, with a tone so intense and brimming with passion. The shivers I felt were undoubtedly of pleasure. Her hands were warm, comforting, and I wished I could seek refuge in her arms to find the safety I had lost hours ago.
"And for that, I thank you, Selyn." Saphyr gently pressed her lips to mine, but then she pulled away, abandoning me to those strange, unthinkable, yet pleasant sensations.
I watched her as she dressed, discarding the blood-stained clothes she had used to hide from the locals. Her long hair continued to shine under the moonlight, and her curves forced my eyes to follow her every movement.
"I will do a sweep to make sure the city is safe, then I will return to you. Do not fear, I will be quick."
I stood up and opened my mouth to speak, but my voice failed me, right as I saw her open the room's window and leave.
Saphyr kissed me on the lips and I... I felt unspeakable sensations.