Ren jolts awake. He sits up fast, back slamming against the headboard.
His eyes are watery. Sweat drips down his face.
He breathes heavily.
His whole body is shaking.
Just like every night since she became his familiar, Brianne sleeps beside him.
She's lost in a deep, peaceful sleep.
Pale moonlight filters through the shutters.
It draws long silver lines across the girl's bare skin.
~That damned nightmare again... ~
Ever since the night his family was massacred, those awful memories haunt his sleep.
They never leave the young prince alone.
Panic attacks and tears are now part of his nightly routine.
A few seconds after Ren wakes up, Brianne stirs in bed.
She tosses and turns, freeing herself from the tangled sheets.
Then she rubs her eyes and finally opens them.
«Ren, are you okay?» she asks, her voice still drowsy.
She sees the anxiety and fear all over his face.
Ren nods silently, expressionless.
It looks like a reflex, not a real response.
But his dark, sad eyes say something else entirely.
They stare into the room's darkness, heavy with emotion.
«That dream again, huh?»
It's their eleventh night together.
Ren's had that nightmare four times already.
Brianne gives him a gentle smile.
«Come here, my master. Let me comfort you.»
She gently pulls him closer and he doesn't resist.
Ren secretly craves that warmth.
His head rests against her chest.
Ren lies fully on top of her as Brianne starts gently stroking his back.
«Ren, I've asked you many times these past days why the Dulcars betrayed you, but you still haven't answered me.
I know it hurts to talk about it, but maybe facing your pain can help you heal.»
Ren sighs.
~Brianne already feels guilty for what her father did, and if I told her everything, that guilt would only grow.
I don't want to see her suffer. That's why I've kept quiet… but…~
Ren lifts his gaze and meets Brianne's eyes.
~She's my precious familiar. From the beginning, she opened herself to me—physically and emotionally.
It's only right that I return that trust.
What kind of master would I be if I ignored her devotion?~
That thought sparks a deep desire in Ren's heart.
He wants to return Brianne's affection—no matter what.
He gathers all his courage and, slowly, he takes off his pajama top
Then his shorts.
Brianne rubs her eyes again, stunned, afraid she's dreaming.
Now wearing only his boxers, Ren hesitates.
His sense of duty as a noble-born vampire begins to waver.
Inside, pride and shame clash.
He wants to show Brianne he's a worthy master, but fear of disappointing her makes his heart tremble.
«Because of my shyness, I've never treated you the way a master should.
That's something I can't forgive myself for.»
With a trembling hand, he slowly takes off his last piece of clothing.
His boxers fall to his ankles.
He turns onto his side, and Brianne mirrors him.
They end up chest to chest, their intimate parts just a breath apart.
Ren feels her erect nipples press against his skin.
With a shy, gentle touch, he starts massaging her back—just as she's been doing to him all along.
As Ren's fingers move along her body, Brianne suddenly shivers.
A chill runs through her, from head to toe.
«It's the first time you've touched me like this...»
Tears well up in her eyes, and a wide smile spreads across her face.
«I wish this moment would never end...» Brianne whispers softly.
«It won't end, Brianne. This is just the beginning, I promise. One day, not too far from now, I'll be able to please you the way you deserve. Until then… please be patient with me.»
Brianne shakes her head. «I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. My body and heart are yours—forever. As your familiar... and maybe, someday, as your wife.»
Ren gently caresses her cheek. «I'll tell you everything about that night. Millennia ago, when the Demon God, Rakvaron, created the first vampires, one of them stood above the rest—Drakhul Volkom, the first king. Since then, the throne of Mildelar has always belonged to my bloodline. But Drakhul didn't just pass down a royal title. He left behind a great power: the Scarlet Crown. According to the Ancient Laws, if no Volkoms remain, that power and the throne pass to the head of House Dulcar—the second most powerful family. If I die, Markus inherits everything. That's why he betrayed us.»
After speaking, Ren feels something shift inside him.
The pain that's crushed his heart for months starts to ease.
He lets out a long sigh of relief.
It's like Brianne has taken some of his suffering into herself, making it easier to bear.
«So you carry both the pain of losing your family... and the fear that the Dulcars might find you at any time? That's so unfair...» Brianne whispers softly, her voice sweet but filled with sorrow.
Then she pulls him into an even tighter embrace.
Their bodies press together, close and warm. For the next few minutes, they lie in silence, wrapped in each other's arms, until sleep finally returns.