BXBX NOVEL Chapter 206 205: Visit (Leone)
With the aftereffects of last nights intense session paired with a thirst that I couldn\'t quench currently, the longer we sat at the table turned into torture.
I could almost smell Kat\'s blood, that tart ambrosia of hers so tantalizingly close, but impossible to reach at the moment.
Even with all the blood I drank from Anput last night, as well as the \'desert\' that was Jahi\'s sweet nectar, with the dawn of a new day I grew parched, wanting my usual cup of the Dogkin\'s ambrosia like blood.
Glancing at Anput, I saw the normally confident and arrogant woman sitting meekly beside her Mother; while Anput looked more physically fit, Lady Sera had that aura that only a mother could have, one that made even the most hardened warriors flinch when it was directed at them.
Which was also why I was sweating slightly as Mother stared at me; I wanted to turn and stare at Mom, to plead with my eyes to get this situation alleviated, but...
"Lorelei, Miss Kio, would you like to talk to your daughters in private? Anubi and I need to talk to the young Asmodia... alone."
Mother nodded, and I heard Lady Sera\'s deceivingly sweet voice as she guided Anput away.
Taking a deep breath, I flinched slightly as Mother\'s cold hand clasped mine, and her ruby eyes bored into mine, making me nod.
Getting up, I cast a final look at Jahi and Kat as I led her towards my room; the Demoness was staring confidently at two of the strongest women alive, while Kat stood in the kitchen, her back to us as she washed the dishes.
Pursing my lips, I led Mother over to my room, opening the door for her before following her inside.
Closing it behind me, I saw her glance around in interest, before she sat down on my bed.
Patting the space beside her, I gulped as I hesitantly sat beside her, making her chuckle.
"I won\'t bite dear."
Giving her a dry look for the small joke, I gripped the sheets as I stared at the floor, not knowing where to start.
For a few moments, silence shrouded my dim room, before Mother broke it with a small cough.
"So..."
Seeing her gesture at the air, I decided to start with what she seemed most interested in.
Kat.
"I... I marked her because... well..."
Biting my lip, I stared at my hands, not knowing how to word it.
"Leone... you are aware a Vampire only gets one mark, correct? Similar to a Beastkin, we mark the person we love so that we can \'claim\' them; it does little more than let us know their surface emotions and desires, and we can sort of locate where they might be. Still, that bond only grows with time... and you marked not your wife, but her maid."
Her voice was steady, and I took a shaky breath as she finished, before furrowing my brow.
"Only one? I... I feel like I can mark another three times though. That... liquid or whatever that we inject into our partners..."
Mother stared at me, her brow furrowed as well.
"I still have more of it. Enough for at least two people, maybe another. Is... is that not something that you can do?"
She shook her head, before a wry smile appeared on her lips.
"Seems like your Mom\'s blood really does change everything... Dante, your eldest brother, he has odd variations from Lady Igna as well; his scales are stronger, yet thinner than her. Given a few more decades, I imagine his transformation might be smaller, but dozens of times better than his Mothers... Hah..."
Pinching her nose, she stared at me for a moment before asking "What about your Tru Vampire Form? Have you managed to unlock it? Can you show it to me?"
I shook my head; I had barely been able to use it during the Lord Pele fight, and only because I had seen Kat being choked to death...
"I... I have used it once, but-"
"Only when something drastic happened... Well, you are still young. Hah... Listen, just... If you love this girl, Katherine, that\'s... fine. Just remember, your wife is still Jahi Asmodia; when you marry, you will become Leone Asmodia, though no one would ever think that you aren\'t connected to your Mom and I."
Draping her arm around my shoulder, she pulled me into her ample chest, and I hugged her back; while not as warm as the others, Mother provided a comfort none could match...
"I know that, Mother, I do... It\'s just, Jahi doesn\'t really..."
I started to blush, not knowing how to tell her that, while we have sex quite often, Jahi doesn\'t like getting bit; the only place I\'ve ever consistently sucked blood from her was her lip...
Smirking down at me, Mother poked my nose as she said "You really don\'t need to explain, Leone... Just, tell her you want to do what all Vampire\'s do to their partners, and I\'m sure she\'ll accept it. Besides, she seems rather..."
Pursing her lips, she stroked her chin as she stared at the ceiling, before saying "Possessive. And if she\'s inherited even an ounce of Ria, that possessiveness will be an all encompassing, blanketing love. Just make sure it doesn\'t suffocate you."
Licking my lips, I wondered how I would tell her that, of the four of us, Kat and I were likely tied for the more... suffocating lovers; Anput didn\'t seem to be that much of a possessive lover beyond the norm, while Jahi seemed to revel more in how Kat and I acted...
Though she did have her moments.
"Alright, so bloodline mutation aside, how\'ve you been?"
Leaning onto her shoulder, I started telling her about what\'s happened recently, how we\'ve all grown closer, what\'s happening in the Academy, out of it, and then...
"-so I want to try my hand at Alchemy, but..."
Mother nodded, stroking her chin.
"Expensive, but you\'ve always had a good eye for anything arcane. What about your interest in summons? Are you still trying to find out more about that, or..?"
I nodded, tracing the wine red runes for my summoning spell.
Janus appeared before me, the red furred Orthus glancing between Mother and I before lumbering forwards.
One head nuzzled into my lap, while the other stared up at Mother for a few moments, letting out a soft whine as she started scratching its ears.
"I need more mana for some of the ideas I have, and while I\'ve... uh, found some... \'ways\' to increase my capacity, if I want immediate help, I\'ll need potions."
Mother nodded, smirking as she gestured towards the book that was laying on my desk.
"The \'Dual Cultivation\' book that you stole from my library? You didn\'t think I wouldn\'t notice, did you?"
I blushed at that; I had told everyone that she had given it to me, but I had...
Requisitioned it for personal use...
Which, I don\'t regret; it\'s led to some incredible nigh-
Shaking my head, I glared at her before continuing on, glossing over that.
"So, unless I decide to spend hundreds upon hundreds of gold per attempt, I should create my own potions by gathering the materials myself before trying out some more spells..."
Mother nodded, her face going back to being serious after she teased me.
"How about this; I\'ll get you a basic Alchemy set, and if you can completely pass, at the top of your class as well, your first year of taking Alchemy, I\'ll get you the newest set so that you can focus on your research instead."
My eyes went wide as I stared at her.
After all, even a basic set was around a Platinum, and I had steeled myself to purchasing my own in a few months, once I had the coin to get it from adventuring.
But...
"Really?!"
Seeing me staring at her in excitement, Mother grinned at me and ruffled my hair, nodding.
"Of course. My little baby wants to start pursuing her dreams, so why shouldn\'t I help her? Besides, you can pay me back when you start making potions~!"
My smile faltered as her grin grew, and I realized that all I had done was get the set early...
Just so I could start paying off a debt to her when I managed to get some potions made...
She chuckled as she saw my stiff face, prompting her to pinch my cheek.
"You didn\'t think I\'d let you off for stealing one of my books, did you dear~?"
Pouting at her, I was about to say something when someone knocked on the door.
Flicking her hand, Mother opened it, and I watched as Mom ducked into the room, her tall figure taking up a large amount of space.
Getting up, I hesitantly hugged her, the heat radiating from her body instantly warming me up; it was a familiar feeling as well, since I had often sat on her lap as a child, so...
Feeling Mother stand behind me, I looked between them as Mom smiled gently down at me.
"Theresa misses you, Leone, as do all your brothers and sisters..."
I smiled up at her, saying "I\'ll come visit soon, it\'s just..."
Nodding, Mom stroked my hair as she said "Yes, I know... you aren\'t my first child to be wed, dear. Besides that, you\'re at the Academy, and now..."
Gesturing around, Mom sighed as she said "Even now, millennia after I founded this place, people still find new ways to baffle me. Attempting to rid the Empire of it\'s most loyal shield... and not a single valid reason in response when asked... So, you\'ve been busy, I know. Just remember, the Palace is always accessible to those with my blood, dear. Now..."
Sitting at my chair, she smiled at me, her hair sparking as she stared at me.
"Tell me about what\'s happened... I know you\'ve already said it once, but..."
Returning to my bed, I grinned as I started recounting some of my findings so far, Mom and Mother smiling warmly at me as I told them the specifics, both asking questions and providing answers to things I didn\'t yet know.
I had missed this feeling, of being surrounded by family, but...
I also had a new family now, one that would only grow larger for years to come.
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Jahi\'s part should be out later tonight; might be in a few hours, might be in 12 hours, who knows...
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