Yurika stretched out between the covers and smiled. It had been a long time since she had been able to sleep so well. She thought back to what had happened the day before and how sweet Ferid had been to her, he probably just wanted to calm her down a bit and, in fact, she had to admit that the experience had shaken her up quite a bit, especially if she thought about the effect Ferid had had on her: it was thanks to him that she had been able to calm down. She sighed and decided to get up, preparing herself for a new day. 

A little later she heard a knock on the door. "Come in!" Ferid entered, but the girl noticed that the vampire was holding a hand hidden behind his back and she became curious, wondering what he was hiding. "How are you Yurika?" "Fine, thanks." "Perfect. You know, I was thinking about what happened yesterday and, you see, I realized that I could do something to prevent similar incidents from happening again in the future. I concluded that things would have turned out differently if you hadn't been completely unarmed." Yurika stared at the vampire in puzzlement, unable to understand what he was getting at. "So, I thought it was time to give you back something that belongs to you." He moved his hand from behind his back and brought it closer to the girl's face. Yurika stared stunned at the cross and raised a trembling hand, ready to take it, then stopped. "May I?" She asked looking at the vampire hesitantly. "Of course. It's yours after all." Then Yurika wrapped her fingers around the cold surface of the cross, taking it back. She observe it for a moment, almost not believing she could have it back. She felt her eyes moisten with tears. She looked up at Ferid and for a moment was seized by an irrational desire to embrace him but recovered before making a rash move. "Thank you, Ferid." Ferid smiled at her even though he wouldn't have minded another kind of reaction, but after all, the girl had been too upset the day before and had found her only ally in him, while now things were back to normal. Or almost. Yurika clutched the cross to her chest and took courage. "Ferid..." "What is it Yurika?" "Are you going to start drinking my blood?" "Yurika..." "No, Ferid. This time is different. If you hadn't saved me, I'd probably be dead. And offering you my blood is the only way I can thank you." A smile from you would be enough. Thought the vampire as he looked at her. "That's fine Yurika, but I'd rather wait a day or two. I wouldn't want to risk bleeding you dry." "Okay." Surely it hadn't been a problem for the vampire to accept the girl's proposal, he couldn't deny how much he wanted to taste her blood again and he would finally get it without using violence. He realised how the girl was clutching the cross to her chest and remembered Yurika's goal. Evidently the girl was bound to her demon more than she should have been. And, if his theory was right, then it meant that Yurika and her demon would have a lot to talk about and he was nothing more than an obstacle. "Yurika, I'll leave you for now. Maybe I'll come back later. Or maybe not. But I'll see. Bye!" "Bye Ferid."

As soon as the vampire closed the door Yurika smiled clutching the cross to her chest and let herself fall onto the bed, waiting. Almost immediately she saw Kurena's shiny blonde hair appear. The demon smiled at her as tears rolled down the girl's cheeks. "Yurika, get a hold of yourself, it hasn't even been two weeks!" "I know Kurena, but... It's so nice to see you again, to have someone beside me who knows me." The demon smiled. "Don't you just love having that vampire next to you?" Yurika took a moment to register the implications of that sentence. She lifted herself onto the bed. "What is that supposed to mean?" Kurena laughed. "Ferid... It's nice, isn't it?" Yurika blushed. "All vampires are beautiful, not just..." She bit her lip. "Not only?" Yurika huffed. "Please, Kurena. We never talked about these things." Kurena looked at her disapprovingly. Yurika sighed. "And then I remind you that he kidnapped me and tried to..." "Yet you kissed him yesterday. And just now you offered him your blood. Or didn't you?" Yurika lowered her gaze. "It was just an innocent kiss on the cheek and offering him my blood is a way of thanking him for saving me. That's all." The girl blurted out. Kurena wasn't convinced at all, but decided to gloss over the subject, or rather, leave it out for the moment. She was sure Ferid Bathory would become their second favourite topic. Oh yes. But she knew that, thanks to the vampire's library, Yurika would have new items to work with. "You could take me to his library..." Whispered the demon. The girl gave her a dirty look. "Alright, let's go."

Shortly afterwards Yurika was in an armchair in the room leafing through a new book. "There's nothing to say Yurika. With all this material you'll be able to resolve your doubts." "Yes. I think so too." "But you could also devote yourself to something else... With all that's here." Kurena turned to the library entrance and smiled. "Someone's coming. Our Ferid." "Our?" Asked the girl confused. "Did you really think I would drop the subject so easily?" She asked. "You've had enough of this!" Yurika blurted at the exact moment Ferid crossed the threshold. The vampire pointed his crimson gaze into the girl's as Kurena disappeared. The girl stared at Ferid with wide eyes, then tried to collect herself. "I-I... N-not..." She mumbled. "Yurika what story are you talking about?" "It wasn't directed at you, Ferid." She whispered with her head down, red with embarrassment. Ferid continued to stare at her, could it be that the girl was talking to her demon? Evidently so. "I hope so." Noted the vampire. Yurika bit her lip, thinking she had indisposed him. Ferid took a seat on the couch. "I didn't expect to find you in the library. Not so soon." "What was I supposed to be doing in the room?" The vampire laughed. "You're right. Alone one can easily get bored, but I thought..." "We preferred the library." Yurika whispered. Ferid thought for a moment, then decided to venture his proposal to Yurika. "You know, it's been a while since I've had the pleasure of dancing, so I was thinking.... I could use you as my dancing partner." Before Yurika could protest Ferid resumed his speech. "I know you can't dance, but I can teach you." And he smiled at her. 

Yurika thought about it for a moment. It didn't seem like a bad idea to her. "I think it's fine with me." "Perfect! Then we can go downstairs. You can come back for the book later." The girl followed the vampire. Ferid kept smiling, he was happy that the girl had accepted the proposal. "Alright Yurika, you should come closer to me now." The girl reluctantly obeyed but kept some distance with the vampire. Ferid sighed. "If we really want to dance, I think we should be a little closer." And he moved closer to the girl. "Now let's come to the hand position: put your left hand on my shoulder." The girl placed her hand on Ferid's shoulder, and the vampire gave her his left arm. "Now put your other hand in mine." Slowly Yurika placed her hand in the vampire's and as she did so, Ferid brought his right hand to the girl's waist. A shiver ran through Yurika as her heart began to beat faster. Could it be that the vampire was having this effect on her? "Now try to be careful, the dancing begins." "Okay." Whispered Yurika trying to avoid looking Ferid in the eyes. After about an hour of rehearsing Yurika was able to dance, sure, she wasn't perfect and more than once she had stepped on the vampire's toes, but she wasn't doing too bad. "If you keep this up Yurika we might start dancing seriously. Sure, you're still too inexperienced, but I think you're going to be really good soon." "Let's hope so." She felt the vampire squeeze her hand in his before letting go. It had been an almost imperceptible movement, but she had felt it. "I'd better get back to my business." "C-certainly Ferid, but..." "But what?" "My blood..." "We said tomorrow Yurika, so you'll have recovered at least a little." The girl nodded and Ferid walked away. "You could show me how you play this." Yurika turned around and saw Kurena sitting on the piano. "Well, it's not like I'm that good..." Then Yurika noticed the look her demon was giving her. "Kurena...?" She asked. The demon snorted, "Wasn't it nice to learn how to dance?" Yurika lowered her head, understanding perfectly where she was aiming. "Come on Yurika, don't be like that. Don't tell lies." Yurika fumed, "Kurena knock it off! What are you trying to hint at?" Kurena approached her. "Yurika... Are you sure you don't like him? Not even a little bit?" The girl swallowed, "How could I like a monster Kurena? We're still talking about a vampire, not a prince charming. Now let's get out of here." Kurena looked around and disappeared, wondering if she too, during her vampire life, had experienced similar situations. Something told her she had, but she couldn't be sure.

When she woke up the next day, one of the first things she thought of was that when she saw the vampire, it would bite her. She was most concerned about the pain she would feel, but the act itself didn't cause her too much trouble after all.

Ferid sighed at the girl's door, impatient as ever to get to her. The thought of drinking Yurika's blood excited him quite a bit. More than he should have. He decided to go, as he would not be able to resist any longer. Yurika stood up as she heard the door open, but she remained perfectly still, leaving the vampire free to approach her. "The time has come, my dear." Ferid whispered. Yurika swallowed. The vampire took her hand and brought the girl slowly closer to him, without stopping to look into her eyes. "Or have you changed your mind?" Yurika nodded her head no. "Perfect." He put his other hand behind the girl's back and pulled her closer to his chest. "Relax." Ferid whispered softly and lowered his face to her neck. He brushed the tip of his nose against her skin. Yurika shuddered at that contact and shivered as she felt the vampire's tongue lick her neck. Then she closed her eyes and clenched her hand into a fist, bracing herself for the impending pain. To her immense relief she noticed that it was less intense than the first time. She lifted a hand and tangled her fingers in the vampire's silver hair. Ferid was surprised at the girl's sudden touch, so light and delicate. But what surprised him most was that the girl was not trying to push him away, quite the opposite. He stroked her back. How he longed to touch her skin and feel its warmth. He tried to bring the girl's body closer. Then he took Yurika's hand away from his hair and intertwined his fingers with the girl's. Yurika let out a groan as she felt the vampire's tongue lick her wound and she blushed. The vampire laughed and lifted his face, keeping it very close to his. "Did I hurt you a lot this time?" "No." Yurika whispered. Ferid smiled. "Well, it makes it easier for us, doesn't it?" And he stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. The girl didn't reply. "Anyway, your blood is delicious... Divine." He whispered, running his hand down her neck. "I hope you'll offer it to me more often now." "Of course." Yurika replied. Ferid stood there for a moment more, looking at the girl and wondering for the umpteenth time how he could have tried to hurt her and how he had managed to attack her. How could he have done that to her? He would have liked to know what she thought of him. Maybe that he was a monster. Or maybe not. He roused himself from his thoughts. "Do you want to do something later?" He asked her. "Dancing. I'd like to learn seriously." "Perfect. I'll come by later, so if you want to rest..." "Alright, see you later Ferid."

Yurika sat down on the bed and Kurena was immediately in front of her. "Admit it." Said Kurena. "What?" The girl asked. "That you enjoyed it, my dear. You liked his bite." And disappeared. Yurika dropped her back on the bed. She closed her eyes and ran a hand over her neck where the vampire's canines had sunk in. She thought back to the vampire's hand behind her back, to the feeling of the vampire's touch on her body and their intertwined fingers. Tears began to flow from her eyes. What was wrong with her? Why did that vampire have that effect on her? Was it possible that she was really interested in Ferid, a vampire, a monster? No, it wasn't possible. She was just confused. And yet... And yet, she couldn't wait to see Ferid again and hold him in another dance, squeeze his cold hand and let him carry her. To feel their bodies so close. Why did she want him so badly?

04/02/2021