https://youtu.be/3oyvs1ZTZAU

The next evening, I went to the entrance door with Zephyr. The hall was filled with vampires who were entering and leaving the mansion. As we stood next to the door, I saw someone I knew leaving the mansion, in the midst of everyone else.

"Lord Luther," I called out and he turned around.

"Oh, it's you, Irina." He bowed towards me and smiled.

"You're leaving too?" I asked and he nodded.

"My work here is done. I should get going now." He shared a glance with Zephyr. "We'll probably meet again, somewhere. Goodbye and farewell until then."

"We'll be waiting for your return," I smiled and he bowed to us one last time, before disappearing into the shadows.

After he left us, I turned to Zephyr doubtfully.

"I wonder what business he had here," I said.

"Who knows? I have only talked to him a few times, so I don't know much about him." He replied back and I nodded in understanding.

"Irina, Zephyr, can you carry these books upstairs?" A voice called and we turned around to meet up with Zerav. We slowly took the books in our hands and nodded to him before walking away together.

We climbed up the stairs and arranged the books on the wall shelf upstairs. As we were about to go back downstairs, Edgar and Rosario came walking toward us.

"You both are finished with your work, aren't you? How about having a drink with the others on the balcony?" He asked.

"I don't think it's the best time to be drinking alcohol, Edgar," Zephyr remarked.

"That's exactly why we are going to drink.  Because if we don't relax now, we'll end up exhausted from the attack." Rosario said but Zephyr didn't reply back.

"Look, I know you were busy scanning the area to make sure that Damien didn't come here disguised as one of our people. But right now, you need to rest." Edgar frowned.

"It's not just the mansion. There is a chance he might come after Irina. So I want to make the effort myself to stop that from happening at all costs." Zephyr said and Rosario whispered 'overprotective bloodsucker' in my ear, which made me giggle.

"Zephyr, what about we take a break for now? It's important for you." I insisted Zephyr and he looked at me.

"I know my body better than anyone. Plus, if I go back to my room, you'll be there." He smirked a little and my cheeks started turning pink.

"Well, I get that you both are really close, at any rate. We don't plan to force you but I wish you would join us for at least one drink." Rosario sighed and Zephyr nodded finally, in annoyance.

"Fine. Just one drink." 

 Rosario winked at me victoriously as Edgar gave him a glass of wine. "Alright, we're going to drink all night long now, you too Zephyr," Edgar announced and Zephyr frowned at him.

"I said one drink, Edgar."

"That's cold, Zephyr. We're both vampires, you're Harold's acquaintance and the mate of the princess of Valeria, Irina. And, you're close with Rosapast and Rosario. So, that means you're pretty much my brother." Edgar spoke and I smiled at his words.

"Has he gone mad?" Zephyr asked Rosario and Rosario shook his head, laughing.

"He has not had that much to drink yet, but I think he was happy, finding out that you were on our side, Zephyr." Rosario said and this time, it was Edgar who frowned.

"You're talking a lot, Rosario," Edgar said.

"Well it seems that both my younger brothers are very loud today," Zerav said from behind and we turned towards him.

"Younger brothers? I hope you're not including me in that category." Zephyr said, irritatedly.

"Of course, you're included. I believe I'm elder than you, Zephyr."

"Stop being stupid," Zephyr said and I quietly moved back from them to watch the moonlight which shone brightly through the windows.

The memories of my mother and sister came rushing into my mind and my eyes brimmed with tears. I clenched my fist, thinking that I was not that there for her even at the last moment.

"Shandris, I will avenge your death over theirs. It's my word to you." I spoke to the moon and stood there the whole night, feeling the cool breeze throughout my body.

The next day was the day before Damien's encounter. After patrolling the forest with Zephyr, we went to the kitchen to eat. Jack had already prepared steak for us both but Zephyr said that he didn't want anything which made me feel a little bit of guilt as I was eating up the whole thing right in front of him.

"Are you sure you don't want anything, Zephyr?" I asked with a wry smile and he gave me a crooked smile.

"Yes. Just watching you like this makes me feel full." He said which made my cheeks go red.

"Umm...I do know vampires don't eat a lot, but it's not that they can't eat, right?" I asked and he nodded.

"I used to eat food too, in the old days. I don't particularly like to, but I did. I told my father who raised me that I was a vampire and that I didn't need food. He would act as he understood but at the end of the day, he would have something big prepared just for me." He said and ended with a small chuckle which made me smile.

"Even if you don't need to eat, it's actually a happy thing to sit at a table and eat something with the ones you care for. I bet he wished he could teach you that." I spoke softly.

"Maybe." His reply was a bit dubious, but his expression was softer than usual. Seeing him like that made me think of something that crossed my mind once. I took a deep breath before moving my lips to ask him.

"Zephyr?" 

"Yes?"

"There's something I want to ask of you," I said and his expression grew serious.

"What is it?" He asked and I looked into his eyes.

"I want you to take me to where he sleeps," I said and he said nothing back for a minute. I firmly put my right hand over his and he looked at me, nodding slightly.

"Alright." He said and I smiled.

"Thank you," I said and he returned the smile.

We were living in the moment until the broken sound of a glass piece startled us. We turned our heads to see a little werewolf child facepalming himself for the mess he made. I chuckled at his cuteness and went over to him, with Zephyr following behind.

"Hello there, are you alright?" I asked the boy and he looked at me curiously.

"Who are you?" 

"I'm Irina, and you are?" 

"Saffron." He said and smiled a little bit nervously.

"Nice to meet you, Saffron. I see that you have made quite a mess here." I said and he looked down.

"I'm sorry, please don't tell anyone." He said in an innocent voice which made me smile and ruffle the boy's hair.

"I won't, promise. But tell you what." I said and he pricked his ears quickly.

"Yes?"

"I'll clean up this whole thing, but you've got to apologize to Lucas okay? He's at the entrance." I advised him and he slowly nodded in agreement.

"Done." He said and left happily. 

"That was nice of you," Zephyr said after there was no sight of the boy anymore. I shared a genuine smile with him and knelt down to take away the broken pieces.

"Here, let me help you." He requested but I batted his hand away.

"No no, I'll do it. You should go check whether the others are doing well." I said and he raised his left eyebrow at me in question.

"You sure?" 

"Of course," I said and he kissed me on the forehead before leaving the kitchen. I slightly nodded to myself and was about to put away another glass piece when a small mouse jumped in between, causing me to jump back, startled. The glass pieces which I had collected already, brushed their tip against my arm, leaving a fresh cut. 

"Agh!" I said and got up to wash my arm at the sink. After washing it, I took a napkin from the kitchen stand and gently pressed it towards the cut.

Suddenly, Zephyr was behind me in a quick flash and he made me turn to the front, facing him. 

'The scent of blood must have passed him' I thought.

"Are you alright?" He asked with a little bit of worry on his face, to which I nodded.

"I'm fine, Zephyr. It's just a small cut." I showed the cut and he gently took my arm in his hands.

"This might sting a little bit okay?" He said and bit my arm softly, trying not to hurt me too much. And within a short while, there was no spot on the place where I had the wound.

"Thank you," I said and he nodded, caressing my arm on the place where he had bitten me.

"Some people may have got to know that you're an Elf by the scent of your blood. Be careful okay?" He said and looked away. His eyes were blazing red which made me worry.

"Zephyr, you want blood right now," I said slowly and he shook his head.

"You look like you're in pain. I can see that you're holding back the desire." I said.

"It's because I smelled your blood. It's my instinct, I'll be normal soon." He said and held my chin in his hands, making me look into his eyes.

"Zephyr, have some of mine." 

"I just healed you and you want to feel pain again? You're an odd one, Irina." He said with his crooked smile

"Do not change the subject, I'm serious. You have done a lot for me, I have to do you this favour." I said, firmly to which he gently kissed me on my forehead.

"Your feelings are enough for me. You don't have to do anything other than staying with me and being mine only." He said and hugged me around my waist.

"Zephyr?" I said quietly as I hugged him back.

"Hmm?"

"I love you and I want to stay with you. Forever into the far future, do you want the same thing as I do?" I asked and pulled back to look him straight in the eyes.

"More than anything." He said with a smile.

"Then turn me into one of you, by your own hands," I said and his gaze tightened. I could see that he was hesitating to reply to my request. After a short while, he decided to speak up.

"You sure?" He asked me with worry, to which I nodded.

"Even if it means that I can't go out in the sunlight or I can't go too further, I'll be fine. Because you'll be there." I said.

"I can never win against you, can I?" He remarked before covering my lips with his and giving me one of his gentle kisses.

"Okay, I'll turn into a vampire. But only when once this is all over." He said and I smiled as I nodded in agreement.

"For now...", He said and brushed his lips along my throat, "Only this." I hummed to his words and wrapped my arms around his neck as dawn was awakening.