"Look who's in a great mood," Fima grins, leaning back in the back of a chair in the dining room.

"Hi," smiling at my friends, I place the tray on the table and settle between them.

"So," Mor stretches the word. "You either had a great night or you still had a really great night. Admit who he is."

I laugh and shake my head.

"There is no 'he'."

There is. Seraphus. But no one needs to know that.

"I just succeeded in finding a dark power," I share in a whisper.

"That's awesome!" Fima cheers happily. "I knew you'd get what you wanted, eventually. You're so stubborn, Lua."

"I don't believe that's the only reason your eyes are so sparkly," Mor hums.

"It's true."

"Yeah, but I'm a werewolf, Lua. And I can smell you, or rather the smell of your cum," Mor chuckles.

I freeze in shock.

"Did he really say that?" My voice sits up in shame.

"Yeah, you already know he says whatever he thinks," Fima giggles. "And yes, I too feel it's not just about dark magic. But unlike some of us, I'm better mannered."

Mor rolls his eyes and snorts.

"I was taught that it's normal to have desires and not to feel ashamed of them. You vampires are the ones who are asexual, and we're exactly at the age where we want lots of sex and all the time."

"Yeah, I'll never understand that," Fima tsks. "But I don't envy it. I'm fine as I am. So you've been playing with yourself since this morning, and for quite a while at that."

Mor moves closer to me and inhales my scent, making me jerk to the side.

"Are you out of your mind or something? Why are you sniffing me?"

"Because you smell nice and it's a turn-on. I'm also practicing. If I don't smell someone else's odor on you, it means you were alone. You jerked off more than once. So my question is, who was it? Who was in that smart head? Were you on top or bottom? Or maybe two or three?" Mor plays with his eyebrows, and his questions make my whole face start to blaze.

Fima slaps Mor on the head, causing him to whimper.

"Stop embarrassing him. Let Lua get used to the real world. His father was too cruel and I'm guessing this sort of thing is definitely not encouraged among them. Although elves are sluts."

My friend takes my hand, and I feel her cool skin. She smiles softly at me and squeezes my hand.

"Ignore him, Lua, until you're comfortable in the normal world and accept your body, your desires, and your sensuality. You're fine. And what you do in bed is your business. And someone," she casts a judgmental glance at Mor, "is too nosy and should keep his mouth shut sometimes."

"Mm-mm," a groan sounds next to my ear. I jump in place, letting go of Fima's hand.

"Was that me?" Vox places a chair at my side and smiles widely. "Lua, admit it was me. I try to sneak into your dream every night and I fail. Say it was me."

Oh, Mother of All. That's the last thing I need.

"Vox, get off him. Like you don't jerk off," Fima hisses angrily.

"I do jerk off, and I'm in orgies, and I don't hide it. But I don't smell like that. Nobody smells like that. It's so good," Vox starts purring like a goddamn cat, rubbing his nose against my neck.

"Stop it," I push him away, which only makes him chuckle.

"Vox, what are you... oh-oh," Stellare sits down next to me on the other side and sniffs. "That was me. Yes, Lua? You were thinking of me when you touched yourself."

"What, are you all out of your minds? Stop sniffing me," I bark angrily at them. "I've washed myself. I smell like soap."

"Yeah, you do, but it's a different scent that's sweeter. The scent of your energy, and it's alluring. So hot," Stellare whispers languidly.

I pull him away from me, too. At the same time I put my hand out to keep Vox from sniffing me again.

"Don't the others smell?" I look puzzled at my friends.

"Everyone smells," Fima smiles. "Some pleasantly, some vile, some neutral."

"But you smell delicious, Lua," Stellare smiles. "Your scent was delicious before, and now I want to bite it, eat it, absorb it, and die."

"Stop petting me, Vox. Take your hand off my thigh," I growl at him. Vox presses his lips together resentfully, and I have to take his hands off me myself.

"Why do they act like this and you're okay?" I wonder. Stellare hums something to himself, playing with the strands of my hair at the back of my neck. Vox rubs his cheek against my shoulder.

"Well, they're sluts," Fima laughs. I send her an angry look. "Okay. They're just more sensitive to sex. Vox is an incubus and that side of him is strong. Sex is nourishment for him. Right now, he's feeding on your scent."

"Are you drinking me?" I squint my eyes at Vox, who looks as if he's stoned.

"No," he smiles drunkenly. "I'm just enjoying it. I don't need to drink you to feed on you. You feed me, Lua, with your scent. And scent is an energy that you disperse. You share it willingly."

Great. Why didn't I know that before? It turns out I could have done it before, so Lua told me to stay away when I was satisfying myself, or to do it far from home and then still walk around for a few hours. And I thought he was just grossed out by it and was starting to feel ashamed of my body's urges.

"Okay, but what are you doing?" I turn my head to Stellare.

"Feeding, too. You're better than the rays of the sun. So good," Stellare whispers.

"You need to hide your scent, Lua. Apparently, it felt so good that you didn't realize you were putting out a lot of energy around yourself, luring predators. So you kind of told all the lone males that you are available and ready for adventure."

"That's what we do," Vox resents. "We spike our energy and lure victims to feed on. He doesn't know how to do that."

"Indeed, that's the power of an incubus," Mor frowns.

"He didn't splash out anything. He created a halo of protection and warmth. During the war, our family created such a dome to feed the power of other light beings. That's what Lua did. He's half elf," Stellare says.

"Hmm, actually, no one can let out light and dark energy at the same time so that it suits all beings," Fima remarks. "And you, Lua, have released a unique energy that suits both dark and light, and each feels different in your energy."

"And how long is this going to last? We have our first lesson is dark magic with Seraphus. I don't want those two to keep touching me," I mutter, taking either Stellare's hands off me or Vox's hands off me again.

"I have no idea. Maybe you should ask Seraphus. It's definitely not light magic, it's dark. He should know exactly how to hide your scent, or you'll have an orgy at this speed. And it's weird. Sure, we can smell when and who's had sex, but to smell like that as an aphrodisiac, no. That's really weird," Fima frowns.

Stellare runs his fingers through my hair and pulls my head toward him. Licking my earlobe, he lets out a low groan. With his other hand, Vox runs his palm down my thigh, but I manage to intercept it.

"Okay, that's it. That's enough," I growl, pushing both of them away and standing up. "I think I'll find Seraphus and ask for help."

I point my finger at both Stellare and Vox.

"Sit down. Don't you dare follow me. I'm not interested in you. Sit down, I said."

Both boys curl their lips out resentfully. Oh, Mother Almighty, why did I get this? And so offended, ashamed, horrified.

As I turn around, I run into Ailes. Oh, no.

"What a flavor."

"Don't even think about it." I quickly shake my head and step away from him. "Stay where you are, Ailes. Don't you dare follow me."

"But..."

"No!"

I almost run with my head down, and my bag of notebooks clutched to my chest. I can't believe this is happening to me. Why has Lua never told me I stink after...my private moments? I'm insanely ashamed. My eyes are burning with shame. I want to run away from here, to leave everything behind, just so no one else will call me and make lewd offers.

"Lua, wait!"

No.

Whimpering, I run down the corridors, shoving students to get to Seraphus's office as fast as I can. I really hope he's there. Let him be there!

"Lua!" Piros grabs me by my shirt and pushes me against the wall. I hit my shoulder and whimper in pain.

"Stay back," I blurt out, thrusting my bag forward for protection. Piros squints at me, then inhales my scent. His eyes flash fire, and his lips stretch into a lustful smirk.

I have to run. Piros takes a step toward me to catch me, and I skirt under his arm and rush forward. My lungs are on fire and I keep turning around, hearing Piros growl and the way he's calling my name. In a panic, I search with my eyes for Seraphus' name on the door and there it is.

I push down on the handle and fall into the office. Quickly, I turn the lock. The door shakes from its collision with Piros.

"What do you think you're doing?" Seraphus' angry and indignant voice booms behind me. I turn around and sigh in relief.

"I'm sorry to burst in, Seraphus. I'm sorry, but I really need your help. Very, very, very, very serious help," I whisper hastily, moving closer to him, but I immediately freeze.

Seraphus inhales air and a shiver runs through his body. I gulp in fear as I watch his eyes turn black with burning golden irises in a second. An insanely dangerous growl erupts from his throat, shaking everything around him as a violent vibration travels through the floor and walls and touches me. My body is thrown backwards. My bag falls from my hands and I find myself pinned by the throat against the wall. My eyes stare at Seraphus with shock and fear.

"Who?" his voice resembles the hiss and growl of some beast at the same time. His fangs have grown longer, the fire glistening in his long hair flaring dangerously and menacingly.

"I...I...I...I need help...I...don't know what to do," I sob.

Seraphus clenches his jaw and hovers over me, still holding me by the throat. He touches his nose to my temple, making me shiver. Heat scorches my body, my groin clenching with pain and extreme horniness. Sweat beads on my forehead, and I lick my lips, breathing in the incredibly sweet scent of Seraphus. His hard and strong body covers mine, and I lose my head. My head seems to shut off. No thoughts, only the strongest desire to touch him, to kiss him, to merge with him. All I see in my head are images of naked bodies entwined together, low moans, shrieks and... something is wrong. The light. It enters my bloodstream, causing my body to arch and I fall to pieces, cumming, absorbing bits of darkness and light at the same time.

"Kan!" Seraphus shakes me and I blink. What was that? What was the source of the light in the naked Seraphus' bed?

"I'm..."

"What have you done? Have you been dabbling with spells of submission, attraction, will suppression, seduction?" Angrily, he barks at me and quickly retreats to the other end of the room.

"No, I just...well...it's embarrassing. Doesn't anyone do that in private? I mean... well... this?" I mumble tiredly. Suddenly I'm so apathetic and euphoric, it's like I really just came.

"Excuse me?" Seraphus turns around, licking his fangs. "Are you saying that's the scent of your horny? Are you turned on?"

"Not anymore," I mutter. "But I did satisfy myself...twice this morning...in the bathroom. It's embarrassing."

I cover my face with my palms and roll down the door to the floor. Wrapping my arms around my knees, I hide my face, ready to burst into tears at the injustice.

"Have a drink, and then we'll talk. We have to get that smell off you, or you'll turn the whole House into a cathouse," Seraphus holds out a glass of some murky red liquid to me. I don't care, even if it's a poison. I quickly grab the glass and drink it all. It tastes good. Sweet. It's very similar to Seraphus's scent.

He moves away from me, and I hide again. How am I supposed to talk to my teacher about this? How do I confess to him that I had very horny dreams involving him all night, and I woke up twice? I was burning with desire and, of course, I jerked off. Everyone does it. But I did that again this morning in the bathroom.

"Okay, it's getting better already," Seraphus says calmly. Now he looks like his usual self again. But here his real demonic self was very beautiful, even wild, primordial, real, passionate and unlocked. It's like a mask in front of me now, but then... beautiful.

Seraphus picks me up off the floor and sets me down in a chair, and he pulls the second one closer and sits down beside me. He takes my hand and squeezes it gently.

"Did I scare you badly?"

"What? No. Not scared at all," I reply immediately.

Seraphus hums and shakes his head.

"You're a terrible liar."

"Well, okay, a little bit, because I wasn't expecting it. And the fact that you're...well, a demon, I knew. I'd never seen one before. I loved it. It was amazing, especially the eyes and fangs. They're just like vampires, aren't they? Are they sharp?"

"Yes, you've already come to your senses. We can talk about my nature later. I want to know why you smelled like an aphrodisiac?"

"I told you. I... satisfied myself twice at night and twice in the morning. I'm young and I...do I really have to explain that?" Blushing thickly, I lower my gaze downward. Seraphus lifts my head by my chin with his other hand. How handsome he is. And how I want him to kiss me, to do those things I've been dreaming about. I would trust him. I wouldn't be afraid of him.

"Kan, your body's natural desire is normal. Everyone satisfies themselves. But you used magic to achieve what?"

"I didn't. I swear," I whisper, looking into his eyes. "I didn't. Not at all. I've satisfied myself before too, only sometimes...my friend advised me to take a walk and get some air because others would quickly realize what I was doing. It's embarrassing, and I didn't want to draw attention. I didn't want to be...to be...raped by them. I've never been turned on by anyone before, but in the mornings my body...here it was and until I satisfy it, then my mood is terrible. I didn't use magic, really. But everyone's gone off the rails. Stellare, Vox, Ailes and Piros and the others. Don't they do it? Why am I just suddenly starting to smell?"

"Probably because your power has begun to awaken. We change our scent when our power increases or decreases. Yesterday you made progress, Kan, and as a result, you unleashed a powerful energy that you were overloaded with. Your body couldn't take it all in, but in time, it will. As for personal things, well... hmmm, everyone satisfies themselves. There are mature guys and girls studying here. There's also a wide variety of sex partners here, so there's nothing wrong with what you did," Seraphus says softly, letting go of my chin.

"But..."

"Kan," he shakes his head and scoots over to the edge of the chair and scratches my palm gently with his fingernails. Mother of all, I'm getting goosebumps all over my body, and it feels fantastic. "I'm going to give you a special medicine that will dampen the flavor of your energy. All you need is a sip and you'll be fine. You'll take it until your power settles in your body. I understand you've been holding back your power for a long time, and now it will retaliate. It's a part of you, and that part needs to be free. Unfortunately, you cannot influence this process in any way, because during release, the power accumulated during arousal comes out of everyone and it has its own flavor. This flavor turned into your strong plume, which continued to lure its victims to spray out again. And this is another manifestation of the dark power in you. You'll learn to control these processes a little later, but for now, your power will make you a little uncomfortable."

"Does that happen to everyone?" I'm horrified.

"No, not to everyone. Only those who have been suppressing their powers for years, like you, Kan. It's just the only explanation I can think of, since you didn't use any special spells."

"I haven't. I don't even know about them," I assure him. "I certainly wouldn't want that kind of attention on me."

"But also, if you like someone and you start getting close to them, that energy will feed your partner, and then there won't be any lingering flavor of arousal left."

"So to get rid of this problem, I have to sleep with someone? I don't want to. It's disgusting. I got away from it," I whisper in fear. "I don't want to."

"Kan, it's not a demand. I was just explaining to you how energy works. Kan," Seraphus says my name demandingly, and I look into his eyes again. "Tell me, has anyone ever forced you to do anything you don't want to do? I mean, has anyone at home forced you to have sex forcibly?"

Everything sweeps over me with the agonizing and sharp ice of memories. The vile lips and hands. The disgusting stench, the fear and panic, the misunderstanding and the desire to fight for myself.

"I've already found out everything. You don't need to answer." Seraphus' timbre of voice changes and rings with rage.

"How?" I ask in a whisper.

"By your eyes and your changed body posture, by your energy, by the way you clutched at my arm and the way you turned pale. Listen to me, if anyone tries to force you to have sex even once, they will be dead. I promise you that. Do you believe me?"

"Yes, but...you will be judged. I realize you're convincing me that I'm safe, and I do feel safe here with you. But he's coming for me. Eventually, he'll come for me, and I have to know how to protect myself. Must be stronger than him to fight for my freedom," I say bitterly.

"Kan, you don't seem to realize how strong I am and what is in my power. I'm telling you seriously, I'll ensure a long agony for that bastard if he even touches you. I give you my oath."

Abruptly Seraphus bites his palm, and I flinch when a cut from his fingernail appears across my palm. His blood drips onto my wound and is immediately absorbed, and strange symbols appear on my palm.

"I make a blood oath to you that if this creature who tried to force you to have sex against your will touches you even once and harms you, I'll make sure he is punished with long centuries of torment. If I don't, I give my life."

I open my mouth in shock at the demon's pronounced oath. I mean, that's... oh.

"Now, you're definitely safe now. And if you get scared, you know I'm here, you can come to me and tell me everything, Kan. Literally everything. Promise?"

"Yes," I nod. "Thank you, Seraphus. No one's ever cared about me this much before, except...my friend. I've never had anyone closer than him. I miss him, but I feel better here. Thank you."

Pushing myself away, I fall onto Seraphus and hug him tightly, like I used to hug Lua, assuring him that we'll get through everything. Despite Lua's absence, this demon fills my heart with awe, joy, and strength.

Of course, I didn't expect Seraphus to hug me, or to let me touch him at all, but he hugs me back, pulling me close to him. I close my eyes, touching his silky hair, and breathe in the luscious scent coursing through my veins, merging with my blood. And it's like some kind of strange reunion. Like we've known each other for a long time, but only now have we managed to meet. It's like I'm finally home now.