Chapter 230 Chapter 51.4 - Maya Evergreen
"Sorry," Maya uttered, her voice carrying a mixture of emotions as she immediately leaped over him. The transition from the intensity of the training session to the private conversation was seamless.
"It is fine. You may go as you wish." He said while looking around for a little while. "But Senior Maya."
His voice stopped her for a second, looking at him from close. "Please cast a small barrier. Nobody should see us, right?"
There was a reason why Astron was always careful while training inside the rooms. He always checked if he was being watched or not since there were many demon spies inside both the academy and the government.
"Un….."
Closing her eyes briefly, Maya tapped into her proficiency with mana. She weaved a subtle barrier around them, ensuring their conversation would remain private and shielded from prying eyes.
Once the barrier was in place, she looked at Astron, seeking confirmation.
"Is this enough?" she asked, her crimson eyes meeting his.
The barrier would serve its purpose, allowing them the freedom to converse without the risk of unwanted observers.
"Yes, that is enough." Astron, after a moment's consideration, nodded in approval as he looked into her eyes. "You may go as you wish." His words were calm as if he was already expecting such a thing to happen anyway.
"T-then….Pardon my intrusion."
Without waiting for a response, Maya pushed him to the ground with a gentle yet deliberate force. She moved with a fluidity that belied her vampiric strength, effortlessly climbing over him. Of course, he didn't resist in any case, as if he had trusted her enough to let her move as she pleased.
The atmosphere within the small barrier intensified, charged with unspoken tension and anticipation. Maya's actions were a dance on the thread of her sanity and identity….As a vampire and as a human alone.
As she hovered over him, her crimson eyes fixated on the fresh wounds on his arm. Without hesitation, she leaned down, her tongue tracing the lines of the cut.
SLURP!
The intimate act held a strange mix of primal desire and an unspoken connection as Maya sought solace in the taste of his blood.
'It is tasty...This is it…..This is the one….'
She couldn't help but marvel at the taste. Even tasting a little blood flowing out of his veins was enough to make her intoxicated by the feeling.
'More…..More…..'
She finished licking the wound on his arm, savoring the last drops before raising her eyes. This time, her gaze moved upward, locking onto his neck. The pale skin under the sparring room's lighting looked enticing, and Maya felt herself losing control of the desire that gnawed at her.
"Your….." She mumbled as she opened her mouth.
"My?"
"Your neck is really pretty."
"..."
In an instant, driven by an insatiable thirst and a yearning she couldn't suppress, Maya bit into his neck.
"Urghk-"
A small groan left his mouth, a reaction out of small pain. His body twitched a little at the foreign intrusion, but after a second, he calmed himself down.
The room echoed with the sound of her actions, a delicate dance between vulnerability and desire.
GULP! GULP!
The crimson hue of her eyes intensified as the taste of his blood surged through her senses, momentarily drowning out the complexities of her existence.
However, this time, she wasn't as desperate as she was before. Rather than drinking like a madman, she savored the taste. She also didn't want to put too much of a strain on his body, as she felt like he was fragile enough to break under her force.
"Haaaah…..Haaah…."
Yet, as the moments passed, she flinched, a sudden realization hitting her. She stopped, her fangs withdrawing from his neck, as she heard him breathing heavily.
'Wait….'
The sound snapped her back to the reality of the situation, her eyes widening as she assessed the state of her junior.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice a mixture of concern and guilt.
"It is fine; it wasn't that long this time." He answered as he touched the small scar on his neck. Since this time, Sylvie's blessing hasn't been there, and his physical attributes aren't strong enough to satisfy her body and demands.
"T-that…." Maya lowered her head as she looked at his body.
'Is he strong or weak?'
She couldn't discern the truth. Since they were this close and Maya could basically feel his skin, she could also see the strength he held, and undoubtedly, he was nowhere near enough to be stronger than her.
From this close, it was nearly impossible to conceal one's own rank unless that said person was a [Venerate].
But, it was impossible for him to be a [Venerate]. It was out of the question. Thus, she was left with one option.
"Do I smell?" His question took her by surprise, and for a moment, Maya was caught off guard.
"What?" she stammered, uncertain of how to respond.
"You had been….. smelling me."
"Oh, no. You don't smell bad at all," she assured him, realizing the confusion in his words. In fact, to her heightened senses, he had a rather pleasant scent, a mix of his own unique aroma and the lingering sweat from the training.
"I mean, you smell good," she murmured almost unintentionally, her gaze dropping for a moment.
He nodded, "Uh, well, good to hear, I guess. That was a bit embarrassing."
Maya shook her head, trying to divert her attention. Yet, the proximity, the scent, and the lingering thirst within her led her to a familiar path.
'I will ask them later.'
Without giving it much thought, she once again dove towards his neck, her fangs sinking into his flesh. This time, however, she fed more cautiously, savoring the taste until she felt her strength waning, and she withdrew reluctantly, a mix of satisfaction and guilt etched on her features.
"Sorry..."
"Don't be."
GULP! GULP!
After drinking his blood for a little longer, Maya finally felt satisfied enough as she withdrew from his neck. The intoxicating mix of satisfaction and guilt lingered within her, but for the moment, the immediate thirst had been sated.
However, as the rush of feeding subsided, she felt a peculiar weakness overtaking her. Her legs gave in, and she collapsed onto his body, her head resting against his chest. The position was unexpectedly intimate, and the silence that followed was filled with the sound of their combined heartbeats.
THUMP! THUMP!
His heart was beating really fast, possibly because to relieve the lack of blood in his veins.
'This…..'
Maya, now in this vulnerable state, felt a surge of conflicting emotions. The crimson hue in her eyes faded as her gaze softened, and a sense of tranquility washed over her.
The realization of her actions and the consequences were momentarily forgotten, replaced by a peculiar closeness that seemed to defy the boundaries between predator and prey.
'If this is what I become after not drinking for five days, then how am I going to deal with it now?'
She couldn't help but question herself. How different was she from a monster that she hated and hunted in this academy? Was there any difference?
Those questions lingered in her heart, igniting the feelings that she had tried hard to bury.
However, as Astron's heartbeat echoed beneath her, a rhythmic lullaby seemed to soothe the turmoil within her temporarily.
'I should give this to him.'
At that moment, she remembered something. A gift that she had bought for him as a token of gratitude. She hated to be on the receiving end all the time. Her junior had saved her and was giving her his blood, and she needed to give her something back, too.
However, what could be a thing that could rival her life? Something that could be traded back against her life, something that was important and needed to be given back.
"Junior," she called him as she moved a little, her hands reaching her spatial bracelet. In a swift motion, she retrieved a small herb carefully stored within.
"This is for you." She presented him with the box, an incredibly expensive box that could easily be noticed just by looking at it.
"What is this?" Astron asked, but he also inwardly realized that the thing in front of him was far from normal.
"It is my gift to you."
"Your gift?"
"Yes. For everything that you have done for me and everything that you are still doing."
"You didn't need-"
"No." She knew he was about to downgrade what he did, but she didn't want him to do that. She knew his suspecting nature, as he also tended not to take her first investment.
"This is something you deserve. If I am the only one receiving it, I hate it." She denied his refusal adamantly and didn't let him do as he pleased.
Astron stopped for a second, looking at the things in his hand and Maya, who was looking at his eyes.
"Sigh….." And released a hearty sigh. "I understand."
Accepting her gift, he opened the box. And immediately, immense amounts of energy were released into the room.
"What?" Even Astron was taken aback by the energy the herb contained, and Maya couldn't help but smirk.
Maya couldn't help but smirk at Astron's surprised reaction to the released energy.
"You seem surprised, Junior. Don't tell me you don't know what it is?" she teased, enjoying the moment.
Astron, despite the unexpected surge of energy, composed himself immediately. "This is Starbloom Essence, isn't it? It's a special herb known for enhancing one's mana absorption and accelerating the growth rate of your body. It strengthens you physically and increases your talent limit."
Maya raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Sharp as always. Yes, it's Starbloom Essence. It is a rare find, and its effects are quite potent. Absorb it during your meditation or before training, and you'll experience a noticeable difference. Consider it a token of my gratitude for all you've done. Take care of yourself, Junior."
Astron examined the Starbloom Essence in his hands, a mix of gratitude and hesitation in his eyes. "This is too expensive for me to consume. Are you sure about this?"
Maya chuckled, shaking her head. "Don't worry about the cost. Consider it a worthy exchange for what you've done for me. Besides, your strength is an investment for both of us."
He raised an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity in his gaze. "An investment?"
Maya blushed slightly, realizing that she had voiced her thoughts rather than kept them to herself.
Then, with her words, a soft murmur like a mosquito's whisper. "You need to get stronger in the future, for me... so that I can... drink more of your blood." She cleared her throat, regaining composure. "It's for the best, trust me."
Astron understood that it would be rude if he continuously refused her favor. "Alright, if you say so. I'll make good use of it."
Maya smiled in return, a warmth in her eyes that spoke volumes. "Take care of yourself, Junior."
With that, the small barrier dissipated, and they found themselves back in the sparring field. The moment felt oddly serene, a quiet understanding lingering between them. Maya nodded, signaling the end of their private conversation. "Thank you," Astron said, holding the box of Starbloom Essence in his hand.
"No need to thank me," Maya replied, her crimson eyes reflecting a mixture of emotions. "You are sowing what you reap?"
"Senior…..You don't use that idiom for positive things."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"My bad then….."
Just like that, the two left the training room, each going their own way…..
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel