Chapter 2.3 Raven the Phoenix
"B‑Blood... give me your blood."
"Heh?"
Raven blinked, stunned into blankness for a moment. Her mind struggled to process what the silver‑haired man had just said.
The man swallowed hard, his ruby eyes locked on her.
Slowly, he leaned closer, his grip tightening painfully on her shoulders, holding her in place so she could not escape.
Just as his fangs were about to sink into her, a flicker of rationality returned. With a sudden burst of will, he shoved Raven to the ground.
"I told you to leave!" he growled, turning his face away, refusing to look at her, afraid that if he did, he might lose control completely.
Raven snapped out of her daze as she hit the ground. Slowly, she sat up, but she did not move away. Her sapphire eyes remained fixed on him, steady and unyielding.
The silver‑haired man risked a glance at her from the corner of his eye, only to quickly avert his gaze again.
'Why is she still not running away? Why is she looking at me like that? Is she not afraid of me? I almost devoured her just now... what a stubborn girl!'
""Are you hungry?"
After a long silence, Raven finally spoke her first words.
The silver‑haired man blinked, puzzled by her question, and before he could stop himself, he nodded. Realizing what he had done, he immediately face‑palmed.
'Why did I answer her?!'
"Does it hurt... when you're hungry?" Raven asked again, her voice soft with concern.
Once more, he unconsciously nodded.
'Damn it, stop nodding already!' He berated himself, gritting his teeth.
"You only need a mouthful, right?"
Raven pressed, tilting her head slightly.
And again—before his brain could catch up, he nodded like a fool.
'What the hell is wrong with me?! he cursed inwardly, frustration boiling at his own lack of control.'
"Then..."
Raven stepped closer, so close that their bodies nearly touched, her breath brushing against his skin.
"Take a bite."
She pulled her collar down, revealing the smooth curve of her pale neck, tempting a sinner to fall.
The silver‑haired man froze, utterly baffled by her actions. When his senses returned, he quickly turned his head away, trying to retreat.
But Raven held him firmly, forcing him to meet her gaze.
"If you're hungry, then drink. And if you ever grow hungry again in the future, you can come to me—I'll let you drink to your heart's content."
Her sapphire eyes softened with indulgence, her voice steady with conviction. To her, what use was her Phoenix ability if not to sustain her husband?
If the Phoenix spirit within her had a body, it would have spat out a mouthful of blood at such a reckless declaration.
"Wha—?! What are you saying? Are you not the least bit afraid of me?"
The silver‑haired man's voice trembled with shock, his ruby eyes wide as he stared at the stubborn woman before him.
'Drink to his heart's content? Is she insane? If he truly did that, she would most likely die!
"Afraid? If we're talking about who's scarier between the two of us, then I'll tell you—it isn't you, but me"
Raven declared firmly.
"Come on, hurry up if you want to drink."
"C‑Can I really?"
The silver‑haired man's voice trembled as his thirst clawed at him. His gaze fell once more upon Raven's smooth, pale neck, the temptation nearly unbearable.
Slowly, he leaned in, his hunger overwhelming his reason.
Yet unlike before, when he had gripped her with desperate force, this time he pulled her into his arms with a gentleness that startled even himself. He held her as though she were a fragile treasure, terrified that the slightest pressure might shatter her.
His breath grew ragged as his nose hovered just above her neck.
He inhaled deeply, her scent flooding his senses.
It was intoxicating—maddening.
Simply being near her had already driven him to the edge of reason, but now, with her in his embrace, the madness threatened to consume him entirely.
His tongue traced her neck as though savoring the finest delicacy. His ruby eyes clashed with her sapphire ones, and in their depths he saw no fear—only clarity.
Too much clarity.
So clear that he could see his own reflection staring back at him. And what he saw was the monster that kept him awake at night, he saw the monster that he hated the most!
"It's alright. Don't be afraid. I'm here—I'll always be here."
Raven's voice was steady, her bright eyes unwavering as her hand gently caressed his furrowed face.
As if bewitched by her words, he gazed at her, lost in the moment. He didn't understand why, but he believed her. Just as he always had before.
"Will you... really, always be with me?"
He looked at her blankly, his voice trembling as he searched her eyes.
"Always..." Raven whispered with a soft smile, never breaking their gaze.
"Forever?"
"Forever. As long as forever exists, I will always be by your side," Raven whispered, sealing her vow with a tender kiss upon his forehead. Every ounce of her feelings poured into that single touch.
The silver‑haired man's fangs extended, his mouth hovering above Raven's exposed neck. Slowly, he sank them in. His arms tightened around her, desperate, as though if he let go, she might vanish from his embrace.
Raven did not resist. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him, pressing his head closer to her neck. Her face grew pale as her lifeblood was drawn away, yet her hold on him never wavered.
Her gaze lifted to the boundless night sky, where stars shimmered and the moon shone with a brilliance that bathed them both in silver light. Under that ethereal glow, the two figures clung to one another, a union of devotion and hunger.
It was a night destined to be remembered.
A night of blood.
A night of love.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
In a vast chamber painted in shimmering silver, a woman in red lay upon the grand bed at its center.
Her eyes fluttered open, calm yet weary, as she surveyed her surroundings. Slowly, she tried to sit up, but her weakened body betrayed her, her limbs felt like jelly, and she collapsed back onto the bed, her head spinning.
"Don't move just yet. Rest, you've lost a lot of blood."
A silver‑haired man emerged from the shadows, stepping to her bedside. He reached out as if to help her, but hesitated, withdrawing his hand before it touched her.
"Where am I?" Raven asked softly, her gaze fixed on him.
"You're in my tower. My home, to be exact."
The man lingered, his ruby eyes clouded with a storm of complicated emotions.
"How long... how many days have I been unconscious?"
"Two days," he answered without pause. "Exactly two."
"What?!"
Raven exclaimed.
Realizing she had been unconscious for two days, she bolted upright in shock, only for dizziness to overwhelm her. She nearly collapsed back onto the bed, but a warm embrace caught her.
The silver‑haired man steadied her, pity flickering in his eyes as he sat beside her, supporting her frail body.
"Did you... have something important to do two days ago?"
Seeing her surprised expression, guilt flickered across his face, shadowing his features with a heaviness he could not hide.
Raven sighed softly.
"Well... it's nothing important. I suppose I have no use for this now."
She pulled out her numbered tag, fingers tightening as if ready to toss it aside.
Before she could toss it away, the silver‑haired man's hand closed gently over hers, halting her movement.
"A number tag?" he murmured.
His ruby eyes darkened, a complicated light flickering within them as he stared down at the small token in her hand.
"Were you... supposed to be joining the selection of disciples?"
"Yes. Did you know because of this tag? I was just trying my luck, hoping I might be chosen by one of the Guardians. But now... sigh... it's useless."
Raven's voice carried a trace of sadness.
One of her side missions had already failed.
The Guardians only ever took one disciple in their lifetime—unless that disciple died, there would never be another chance. And now, her one opportunity was gone.
"You got the number tag with the number 1, right?"
"Yup. Number 1, the first." Raven sighed again, staring at the tag in her hand.
"Uhm... don't be sad. Everything will be alright." The silver‑haired man's tone was soft, almost guilty, as he tried to comfort her.
"I'm not sad, really. It's fine. No need to feel guilty." Raven tilted her head, studying him. "Hmm... is something wrong?"
The man hesitated, scratching his cheek awkwardly. "You see... the number 1 tag would actually make you immediately the disciple of Guardian I."
"What did you say!"