†Chapter 10: Dawn, Departure, and Reunion†
†Chapter 10: Dawn, Departure, and Reunion†
AN explosion shook the entire dome surrounding the artificial Wilds with a boom.
The real night sky broke through the fake daylight projected into the massive domed habitat. Early dawn had arrived in the outside world. It wasn’t long before it would start to rain. Not a single star could be seen through the thick, gray clouds.
The whoosh of blades spinning was heard in the distance. A powerful searchlight attached to the bottom of a helicopter shined down from the hole in the sky.
Zelaide and Euphemia looked up just as the source of the pulsing roar appeared. The gaudy Renaissance TV logo stuck out like neon lights on the side of Haydn’s company helicopter.
“Hey, howdy, hi! Good evening, people! Oh wait, it’s almost dawn, huh? Then what a joyously good morning it is! Your favorite Arthur Molina is here!” exclaimed an effervescent voice that was so cheerful it was obviously faked enthusiasm.
Haydn owned Renaissance TV. Was this part of his escape plan? If it was, then Arthur Molina was the enemy.
“Oh my Muta! Would you look at that? There is a huge diorama under this great big circular dome! Can you viewers at home see it with the searchlight? What beauty!” Arthur narrated what he saw for their news program.
“Oh, wow! There are people inside. Can you zoom in with the cameras? Why, isn’t that our esteemed CEO collapsed on the ground? He seems to be face down on the marble balcony with a bloody nose. Get the kids out of the room! We are about to show you an ocean of blood! It’s not even this bloody in the movies. Are the people inside all right? What in the twelve colonies happened here?!”
“Son of a Bijour…” Zelaide cursed.
Zelaide hid Euphemia behind him and turned toward the enemy he had to fight on the ground first.
“Shit!”
Shank was gone.
The stealthy Beast Blood had escaped while they were preoccupied by the blast that took out the top of the dome.
A trail of fresh blood disappeared off the side of the balcony, and the man who had been ready to kill Zelaide had vanished entirely from the playing field.
“Where is he…?” Euphemia followed Zelaide’s gaze around the dome. Stepping forward sent searing pain surging through her.
Seeing her cringe, Zelaide removed his jacket and undershirt.
“Hey, Zel! Don’t strip. We’re being filmed live.”
“Don’t care. You aren’t losing a ton of blood, but the cut is deep. Gonna wrap it tight with this for the time bein’.”
Zelaide wrapped his undershirt around Euphemia’s calf and gingerly adjusted her disheveled clothing. Her gorgeous golden hair and autumn dress were stained with blood, sweat, and tears. Even so, his mate mesmerized him with her overwhelming beauty.
“…Thanks.”
“It looks bad… Can you stand?”
Zelaide checked over her injuries while feeling like his heart was being crushed in the process. She hadn’t lost a lot of blood, but the rapier tip had pierced through her leg. Most people would’ve fainted from the shock it caused. Anger reignited, Zelaide shot a killer glare at Haydn crumpled on the ground.
I can still rip his rotten heart out…
“He’s not worth it, Zel! I’m alive. He just cut off a little excess fat. If it had gone through bone, I would be in agony, but I’ve got plenty of fat to get rid of. So let’s not kill someone over it, okay?” Euphemia tried persuading the Beast Blood who looked like he was ready to pounce.
Zelaide was unconvinced by her reasoning. But, if nothing else, he decided not to deal the killing blow. He instead turned back to Euphemia, brought his face extra close to hers, and flashed a lopsided smile.
“Fine… I’ll do it your way.”
“You look worse off than me, Zel…” Euphemia said, eyeing the knife still sticking out of his boot. He was injured saving her. “I’m so sorry,” she muttered, heartbroken.
“Don’t apologize…”
Zelaide hugged Euphemia, using his back to shield their faces from the cameras. Meanwhile, the helicopter slowly descended into the dome until it was level with the balcony. They kissed as the spinning blades created a harsh gust behind them. Stimulated by the rotor’s vibrations, they passionately embraced the person they thought they had come close to losing forever. The blinding searchlight obscured their entangled silhouettes.
Those perverted cameramen could go right ahead and film them. In this moment, they were just happy to be alive and together.
The helicopter descended until it landed in an open area crafted to look like the Wilds. The obnoxious whooshing of the blades slowed until it eventually ceased altogether. Voices could be heard from below the balcony.
“Zel…” Frightened of what awaited them, Euphemia snuggled into him. She had stayed strong through everything, but she was still scared of the unknown even though she hadn’t done anything wrong.
“It’ll be okay. Keep your face hidden best ya can. I’ll deal with Molina. Lay low until then.”
“Okay… You aren’t going to leave me again, are you?”
“I’m not goin’ anywhere. Not gonna let you go.”
Euphemia buried her face in his muscular chest and took her first real relaxed breath of the day. Being together with Zelaide gave her peace of mind. She entrusted herself to him for the next battle they had to face. Zelaide gently laid her on the one recliner in the back of the control room that had survived the fight.
He pulled his leather jacket on over his bare chest and stood in the entrance to the control room, acting as the final line of defense. The reinforcements that came by helicopter likely knew the dome’s layout. It wouldn’t take long before they came to apprehend Zelaide and Euphemia. Haydn was still unconscious, but he was absolutely going to condemn them as soon as he came to.
With his foot mangled, Zelaide couldn’t run away carrying Euphemia. Beast Bloods were not immortal.
Zelaide’s mind raced.
I don’t care what happens to me. I was born into hatred. I’ll gladly sit in for my execution if that’s what it takes to protect Euphemia.
Euphemia not only hadn’t committed any crimes, she was the victim here.
While Zelaide stood ready to face what was coming, Arthur Molina went inside the artificial mountain and exited on top of the balcony. A secret entrance at the base of the mountain had an elevator that they took up.
“In here! This is the place! Guns up!”
Several men were shouting orders. Tension tightened Euphemia and Zelaide’s sweaty faces. Automatic doors slid open on both sides of the room and four armed Guardians stepped forward with their guns trained on Zelaide who had returned to stand protectively in front of Euphemia.
“Holy Muta! Those are some gnarly wounds. Are you all right? Men, attend to their injuries, pronto!” Arthur commanded, saying something entirely unexpected.
The camera crew and rescue workers rushed into the control room from the opposite elevator, carrying camera and medical equipment. Haydn writhed on the floor when he heard them.
“Ugghh…nnghh,” he moaned.
“Oh, President Haydn, you’ve come to! You have my condolences for what you went through this time.” Arthur swung his hand forward, signaling the Guardians with him to run over and help Haydn up.
“Ghh…it…him…he…did it…criminal…” Haydn’s words came out choppy as he choked on the blood seeping from his nose and mouth. He was trying to tell them to apprehend Zelaide.
Arthur coldly looked down at him. “Poor, poor President Haydn. You were beaten up pretty bad. You can relax now. We will see to your injuries—before seeing you locked up for your crimes.”
“WHAT…?!” Haydn’s swollen eyes bulged.
“Someone hacked into my IHT on the flight over after you asked me to come.”
“...So?”
“The message title was intriguing, so I opened it. Lo and behold, I was treated to an unbelievable live video feed.”
“Wha…?!”
“The video showed an illegal Night Bloom field, trucks full of refined Nightz, and Bijours being kept as pets. Possession of either is explicitly banned by colony law. I also got to watch as you stabbed a rapier into the young lady over there, pointed a gun at her, and your long tirade about how you planned to frame the Beast Blood who came to rescue her…”
Molina walked over to the balcony railing and looked up at the camera facing the control room. It was built on a pivot giving it a 360 degree view of the dome. “Looks like that’s the camera responsible right there.”
“I-Impossible. That’s…my—”
“Rest assured, your crappy performance was also caught on tape. But it seems someone tampered with the camera settings. The entire live recording was sent to me and the station, not your cloud drive,” Arthur explained, excitement in his voice. “You deceived us for a long time, but thanks to that, I now have the scoop of a lifetime. You have my thanks.”
“I-Impossible…” Haydn’s jaw dropped to his chest. Despair weighed heavily on his shoulders.
“I am genuinely amazed you were able to perpetrate this many crimes without arousing suspicion.” Arthur shook his head. “Then again, who would survive openly suspecting someone as big and entrenched as you? What makes it even worse, or better for my scoop, is that you committed all these crimes to satisfy your personal interests rather than for money or fame. My schedule just got very busy. I look forward to going on the air with this. Now then…”
Arthur stood up and turned toward the scowling Beast Blood and the woman clutched preciously to his chest.
“This is my second encounter with you two. As I thought, you were more than just small time players in the film of life. Oh dear, why do these things sound so clichéd when I say them? Oh well. Thanks to you, I got my hands on the greatest scoop since Gothic City was built. But before I get to that, we need to patch you up.”
The popular news anchor beamed at the bloody couple.
†††
ZELAIDE allowed the medics to clean Euphemia’s wounds, but he wrapped her bandages. He refused to let them do much for his own injuries, beyond cleaning him up to stop his blood from dirtying Euphemia’s hair. Nothing else mattered as long as she was safe. Most of his concentration was focused on searching for Shank, but his presence was long gone. Knowing him, he must have escaped during the commotion of the dome being blown open and the helicopter landing.
But now not even his sworn enemy mattered.
“Yumi…” Zelaide muttered in a thin voice.
There hadn’t been a moment of rest for her since her abduction. Dark circles had formed under her eyes and her long eyelashes stuck together. Some of the roundness had gone out of her pale cheeks.
But despite it all, she was still warm.
Zelaide rubbed her soft cheek with the back of his finger.
Ooh, Yumi…how I’ve missed you!
Water droplets plopped onto his cheek.
Raindrops fell from the plastered darkness. Something landed quietly on Zelaide’s back when he bent forward to prevent Euphemia from getting wet. It tugged at his long hair. He raised his face and saw Tipsy climb up his shoulder. A piece of paper had been strapped to his talon.
Tipsy wriggled as Zelaide untied the paper. Inside a single sentence was roughly scribbled in blood.
“You owe me big. –V.”
Zelaide buried his face in the hair of his beloved.
†††
“MAN, oh, man was I surprised when that video showed up on my IHT,” Arthur said in a surprisingly quiet voice as he looked into the back of the helicopter.
Heavy rain pelted the round metal frame. The transport helicopter flew through the pre-dawn downpour.
“Someone set up that camera to capture the nitty-gritty details of the night, right?” Arthur guessed. “It wasn’t you, was it? Only someone who could enter that estate without being suspected and knew the inner workings of the security system could have pulled it off.”
Holding Euphemia on his lap, Zelaide stared at the scenery passing below them without answering Arthur. He was content to rest with his mate and didn’t feel like waking her by chatting with the noisy anchorman.
The glowing lights of Romanesque City gradually faded beyond the veil of rain. Only the streetlights illuminating the freeway floated like globes in the darkness ahead, decorating the night like a pearl necklace.
How would they be treated once they arrived in Gothic City? There wasn’t much time to think up a plan. The helicopter would bring them back in half the time it took to get there by car.
“…And so I just have no idea who the sender could be,” Arthur continued talking, uncaring that Zelaide wasn’t listening. Maybe he just liked the sound of his own voice or was trying to see if he could find the answer in Zelaide’s reaction. “Haydn’s security team didn’t have the time or mentality to do it. Not to mention they were all lying on the ground half-dead near the greenhouse when I went to look. No way they sent the dome footage… Haydn sent the rest of his staff on vacation for a few days too. And he’s not the kind of man to expose his own evil deeds…”
Arthur searched Zelaide’s face even though it was turned toward the window.
“Say, you wouldn’t happen to know who sent it, would you? It wasn’t you, right?”
“……”
Silence answered Arthur’s barrage of questions. Zelaide had a general idea of who the sender might be and honestly didn’t care. Meanwhile, Arthur shook his head and shrugged, unable to give up on the extra detail that could really spice up his scoop.
“Well…I don’t know who is responsible, but I owe them my thanks. That video exposed our president’s villainy and perversion. Haydn threw some acting of his own into the mix, which I’m sure he planned to edit before sending it off to us.”
Zelaide’s gaze moved from the window to Euphemia. She stirred on his chest. Arthur gave up trying to get information out of him and cracked a smile.
“Looks like she means a lot to you.”
Zelaide pulled Euphemia even closer and buried his face in her hair. His nose tickled a moan out of her. He lifted his face.
“Hmm?” Euphemia’s eyes flicked open. She relaxed as soon as she saw who she was with and a sleepy smile spread on her dry, cracked lips. “…Zel?”
“I’m here. How do you feel?”
“Decent… Where are we?”
“In the sky. On a heli headed for Gothic City. Be there soon.”
“Okay… I’m thirsty.” Euphemia rubbed her chapped lips.
“One sec.”
Zelaide popped open the bottle in the cup holder, poured it into his mouth, and shared it with Euphemia through a kiss. She drank from his lips like a kitten. Arthur, the Guardians, and the medics all looked away from the couple as they repeated that embarrassing display.
“Thank you.” Euphemia wiped her mouth.
“How’s your leg?” he asked, rubbing her back.
“It’s been better. How are you doing?”
“Well enough. Stopped bleedin’.”
“……”
I feel like I’m forgetting something important… Euphemia looked around her for the first time since waking up. She knew she was in a helicopter, but wasn’t in a position to see anything other than Zelaide for the first few minutes.
“Mr. Molina…?” she murmured.
“You finally noticed I’m here? You two were so absorbed in your own little world I wasn’t sure where to look.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Blushing, Euphemia looked down and realized she was still sitting on Zelaide’s lap. She quickly slid off onto the empty seat beside him. Her leg throbbed, but she’d rather put up with the pain than the embarrassment. Zelaide clearly looked disappointed when she glanced back at him. He allowed her to leave his lap, but had no intention of releasing her as his arm remained securely wrapped around her shoulders.
A-Are Beast Bloods all right with public displays of affection? He’s going to give them the wrong idea… Though I prefer it that way.
“E-Excuse me!” In any case, she wanted to change the topic. There were a lot of things she needed to confirm now that her brain was working again. “Can you tell me what happened to Mister Haydn?”
“Oh, him? He was transported to Romanesque’s city-run hospital for the time being. He’s under heavy security and will be escorted to Gothic City tomorrow. Your older sister made that call. The hot line between the two mayors has got to be getting literally heated by now.”
“Then Erica already knows what happened?” Euphemia asked somberly.
“I told her as much as I learned. I also sent her that video. Your boyfriend there won’t tell me anything further.” Arthur glanced over at Zelaide who was still incorrigibly holding onto Euphemia and glowering at the other man. The famous anchorman could only smile dryly in return.
“I see. Oh yeah! What happened to Ronaldo? I haven’t seen him since we both passed out at the restaurant. Our drinks were spiked…”
“I just received word from the team that arrived after mine saying they found a young man confined to the compound’s basement with a number of Muta held in cages. He’s on his way to the hospital now. Report said he was drugged out of his mind, but it’s nothing he can’t recover from.”
“I hope he recovers soon…” Euphemia said, worried for her coworker. “He tried to protect me.”
“The first SOS alert was sent by his IHT. Don’t forget to thank him later. We were able to locate you guys sooner because of it. And we also discovered a Nightz refinery in the same basement. Our team also found trucks full of pure Nightz and several fields of Night Blooms in the dome’s artificial Wilds. It’s not the largest Nightz facility we’ve uncovered, but running it on a smaller scale has allowed him to steadily pump it out without being suspected. My reporter instincts tell me he has similar properties in every city on the planet… May the twelve colonies have mercy on us all for letting him deceive us for so long,” Arthur grumbled bitterly.
“Oh no!” Euphemia cried, startling everyone in the helicopter. “What about my gerbils?!”
“What gerbils?” Arthur cocked his head.
“My gerbils! My experiment finally succeeded, but I left the gerbils at the experimental farm!” she groaned, clasping her hands over her mouth.
“Hahaha!” Arthur belted out his first genuine laugh of the night. “You’re more worried about some lab rats than yourself after all you’ve been through? You’re a funny one. Well, we’re landing soon, so let’s handle the small details once you settle back in. Your gerbils aren’t going anywhere. Look out the window. You can see Forzarin Gate’s imposing silhouette.” He pointed out the windshield.
The night sky was faintly illuminated by the coming dawn.
Beyond that, they could see Gothic City’s spires as the nighttime lights started to shut off. The floating fortress city stood beautifully above the darkness.
The rain stopped as if its droplets were sucked back up into the sky. Bands of light shined down through the clouds. Dawn had arrived.
“Zel…”
“Yeah, I’m looking.” Zelaide nodded. But he wasn’t looking outside the window.
“Isn’t it pretty?”
“Very pretty.”
Light shined through the window onto her face. The light had a golden hue that gradually dyed the world yellow.
Daybreak.
A new day, a fresh start.
Safety assured, Euphemia rested her head on Zelaide’s shoulder and he leaned his head on hers. Bathed in the morning light, they finally closed their eyes together.
†††
IS this a dream? It must be.
Wrapped in clean sheets, Euphemia slept with a smile on her face. Zelaide felt at peace for the first time in his life.
Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine the day would come when he could look upon his mate and be at peace. Both the intense hunger and insatiable thirst had subsided, leaving behind only love and affection, which overflowed like an endless fountain. For the first time, he realized he could feel immense satisfaction just by watching his mate sleep comfortably.
It was a new revelation.
This is more than I deserve. I’m more than satisfied with this…
Tension no longer hardened her white cheeks and curved jawline. Fear would no longer fill the emerald eyes that captivated him so. There was nothing left in the world to threaten her.
A bright future lies ahead of her. That’s why…why I…
The Beast Blood lay beside his mate and closed his eyes. A single teardrop ran down his cheek.
“…Mm?” Euphemia’s eyelids fluttered open. A white ceiling came into view. Dull light filled the room. Expensive-looking blue curtains blocked the intense sunrays, while allowing in the errant autumn breeze.
Smells like fall. The air smells crisp and cold with a hint of dried grass, sour apples, and…the man I love…
“…Weird?”
Euphemia’s entire body ached. Not only did it hurt, but felt like gravity was crushing down on her.
An IV was hooked to her wrist and a blood pressure cuff was wrapped around her bare upper arm. Numerous tubes and medical devices were attached to her skin. It felt like she was tied to the bed. So why did she wake up in such an idyllic mood?
Strange. Staying perfectly still, since moving caused the tubes to tug on her skin, she frowned. Oh yeah, I was drugged, kidnapped, forced to watch those deranged videos, and then injected with Nightz… Then Zelaide saved me. There was so much blood…and screaming.
Tears streaked her cheeks in a silent stream.
She had been betrayed by the boss she had trusted. His gentle smile and kindness was all an act.
But this fragrance is real.
She managed to turn her neck to the side. A handsome face slept on the edge of the soft pillow next to her.
Oh my stars! Zel! Zel’s asleep! Next to me!
The Beast Blood had fallen asleep in a white chair with his upper body leaning on her bed. His silver hair cascaded over the pillow and around his face. Bathed in the filtered sunlight, he looked like a mystical wolf from the old world.
This was the first time she had seen him asleep.
How can he be this beautiful?
Her eyes took in every detail of his face from the straight-edged nose, chiseled cheeks ending in a masculine jawline, and the silver eyelashes she never realized were twice the length of her own. Those eyelashes were currently pressed together in sleep, making him appear younger than usual. Euphemia was captivated by how the man who was always on high alert could sleep so defenselessly in her presence.
How much time has gone by since I blacked out?
A single glance around the room told her she was in a hospital.
She ached and felt like a Muta was lying on top of her, but that was due to her injuries and fatigue, not a new symptom that required a doctor’s immediate services.
Euphemia scowled as she tried to chase away the horrible images burnt into her mind.
But with Zel by my side, I can overcome anything. After all, he and I are…
Pure bliss wrapped her up like a blanket with the one good memory she had of the past few days.
“Zel… I love you!”
The Beast Blood’s eyes snapped open. Those clear, teal gems glistened in the soft sunlight.
“…Yumi.” He slowly sat up.
“Zel.”
They shared a long, lingering gaze. Zelaide smiled first, softening his whole face and the hardness that marked his usual lack of expression. Euphemia was so taken by the gentleness, pink stained her cheeks.
He’s showing me so many sides of himself that I’ve never seen before.
“Yumi…”
Their lips came together and touched lightly, separated, then came together again. Bliss filled them both.
“…How long was I asleep for?” she asked when Zelaide pulled away to brush a strand of hair behind her ear.
“A whole day.”
“…That long?”
“Yeah.”
“What hospital is this?”
“One in City Hall.”
“Oh…I see.”
I’ve fallen back into my sister’s hands. Euphemia became pensive. Worry furrowed Zelaide’s brow.
“Does it…hurt?” he asked.
“A bit…yeah.”
Painkillers seemed to be keeping the worst of the pain at bay. She felt slightly feverish. But it didn’t bother her. She had nothing to fear as long as they were together.
“How are you doing, Zel? You looked so much worse off than me.”
“I’m fine. Murakami patched me up.”
“Murakami? You mean President Murakami?!”
“The one and only,” Zelaide laughed, amused by her surprise.
Not even the genius scientist had guessed that he was up against a Beast Blood when he went after Burhardt.
Murakami and his team fought for their lives, a battle they lost in the end when Burhardt broke both his legs and nearly killed the Guardians with him. That did nothing to damper the eccentric scientist’s spirits though. He enthusiastically welcomed Zelaide and Euphemia at City Hall’s hospital, and since Zelaide refused to let anyone treat him or to let go of Euphemia, Murakami saw to his wounds from his new wheelchair.
Ever since the Bijour incident, the two men had developed an unexpected bond.
“I never expected President Murakami to help,” Euphemia said, her opinion of Murakami still as low as ever.
“It’s a bit hard to walk with the metal splint he used to keep my foot level.” Zelaide glanced down at his foot and shook his head. “I’ll make do though.”
“Where’s Ronaldo?”
“Floor below this. Haven’t seen him myself.”
For a frivolous guy who easily went with the flow, Ronaldo did what needed to be done when push came to shove. He recovered faster than Euphemia and became an important eye witness in Haydn’s case.
“I caused so many people to get hurt…” Euphemia murmured weakly.
“…It’s not your fault. Focus on recovery over worry.”
“I will… I’m going back to work as soon as I get better,” she declared, the strength returning to her voice again.
“Back to those gerbils?”
“Back to my gerbils.”
“That’s just like ya. Take it easy for the time bein’.”
“…Don’t wanna.”
Wind blew in through the open window and tousled the Beast Blood’s hair. Comfortable silence settled over them.
“…I’m sorry,” he said, breaking the quiet.
“What for?”
“I said I’d protect you and look how you ended up.”
“Alive is how I ended up. You fought for me.”
“Little good that did. You were kidnapped, hurt, and nearly killed. I didn’t even avenge Manuela… If he hadn’t thrown that spike, you may have died. I didn’t do nothin’ in the end.”
“Zel…that’s not true. From the beginning, you have protected me with everything you have,” Euphemia reassured, holding his hands in hers.
“I’m still just a punk kid,” he lamented. “Everybody says so. But I never understood. I’m just like a kid who still has a lot to learn… I was overreachin’, thinking I could protect ya.”
“I love you the way you are, Zel. I don’t care what others say. We never stop growing as people.” Euphemia reached out with the arm hooked to the IV. She stroked his cheek. He didn’t reject her touch.
“……”
“Say…can I ask you something?” she asked.
“…Yeah. What is it?”
“Did you mean what you said?”
“Said when?” He cocked his head.
“You know…what you said just before Burhardt disappeared…”
Euphemia wouldn’t forget that moment for the rest of her life.
“She is my mate.”
The sound of his voice, his expression, and warmth in that moment were burned into her mind, overriding the trauma she had gone through.
Even the way Shank’s face twisted in response was vividly imprinted on her.
“……”
“Did you mean it?”
“I didn’t say anythin’—”
“You did too! Oww…” Euphemia groaned from the pain of sitting up to argue the point. Zelaide put his arm around her shoulder and eased her back down.
“Don’t make me repeat myself! Take it easy!” he instructed gruffly.
“I will if you tell me. Were you telling the truth? Have I become your mate?”
Zelaide stared sadly down at Euphemia. He combed his fingers through her messy hair. She was hot to the touch—a sign she still had a fever. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, “You have.”
“…I have…?” she gaped.
“Yeah. You’re my one and only mate.”
“……”
“And you didn’t become it. I just realized you were it. Sucks for you.”
“It does not suck—”
Zelaide’s big hand gently sealed her objection. “What is it people say at a time like this? Oh yeah…that’s it…”
“…Zel?”
“Isn’t there a human word for this feeling?” A grin suddenly broke through Zelaide’s tough exterior. “I love ya.”
“…!”
“…I love ya so much,” he expressed with a lisp. His tongue wasn’t used to using that word.
Euphemia was so happy, she felt like she had gone to heaven. It was too perfect, she wondered if she had died.
It’s just five words, but they are the most beautiful thing I have ever heard…
Tears formed in her eyes.
“Yumi? Why’re you cryin’? Don’t cry…please?” Zelaide panicked.
“You…really…mean it?”
Does he understand the reason for these tears? Euphemia looked at him with her eyes opened wide as they could go. She wanted to see all of him.
“I really mean it, Yumi… I love ya. So much it drives me crazy…”
“…Yeah…I understand the feeling… I love you too.”
“You love me?” Zelaide repeated back as if it were the last thing he expected her to say. It didn’t matter that she had said it before when he didn’t understand what it meant.
“I do. I’m glad I’m you’re mate. I thought I had to give up on these feelings a long time ago because I was just a job to you…”
“I didn’t know… But that’s exactly why I…I must…”
“Must what? Mmph!”
Zelaide stole her pursed lips. “You’re too cute, Yumi… Way too cute.”
“’Scuse me?”
Today Euphemia discovered so many different surprising sides of him. Feeling more satisfaction than she knew possible, she sighed between their kisses.
“Yumi… I’m sorry.”
“Hm? What for?”
Zelaide’s hot breath tickled her skin. She stared back at him, unsure of why he was apologizing this time. He averted his gaze from those bright emeralds.
I can’t allow myself to be with you the way I am now… I’ll become stronger—strong enough I can be proud to call myself your mate. If I don’t, I won’t be able to take him down. I doubt he’s comin’ back to this city, but the maddening look he gave Euphemia said it all… Zelaide gnawed the side of his cheek.
Humans couldn’t even begin to understand the hatred a Beast Blood felt toward another male who showed a deep interest in their mate. Bad luck seemed to go hand in hand with being a Beast Blood.
But, Yumi, while you’re my mate, the same lifelong attachment doesn’t apply to a human like you. Don’t get tied down by a Beast Blood. I’m crazy ’bout you, but I know I’m not worthy of you yet. That’s why…
Zelaide closed his eyes.
I’m leavin’. I’m settin’ you free.
“…Zel? Are you hurting?”
“Yeah, I am. Why don’t we both get some more sleep? I’ll stick around,” he whispered, rubbing her cheek with his coarse finger.
Euphemia’s eyelids slowly lowered to the comfortable beat of his hand patting her on the shoulder.
“Stay with me, Zel.”
“I’m right here, holding your hand.”
“…I wanna eat…when I wake up. I want another chance to…try your porridge,” she mumbled.
“Sure thing. I’ll make anything you want.”
“Thanks…I’m so…happy…Zel…”
Her eyes fluttered opened and closed several times before she fell asleep. She slept with a smile on her face, hugging his big hand to her chest.
Zelaide stayed quietly by her side until he confirmed she was in a deep sleep and gently pulled his hand out of hers. A chill instantly filled his palm and heart.
“Goodbye, Yumi. I’ll love ya till the day I die,” Zelaide whispered to his beloved’s peacefully sleeping face.
He kissed her feverish lips three times, wishing those kisses would last forever.
†††
A month passed since Zelaide disappeared without a trace.
Gothic City was steadily recovering from its unprecedented turmoil. Haydn was arrested for being the mastermind behind the production and distribution of Nightz, but it would take a long time for the authorities to track down the full extent of his criminal behavior. He was being treated in an undisclosed hospital under heavy security to prevent him from destroying evidence, running away, or committing suicide.
Haydn’s evil influence also extended to the police, where he had intimate connections with the commanding officers. Erica’s first action was to expose and purge the city’s police of corrupt officials. Wei Lin-jie played a key role in taking them down from the inside.
After Haydn’s arrest, the rest of the corrupt officials fell like dominos.
People who are bought with money are quick to flee once the money dries up.
As one of Gothic City’s leading political figures with a police background, Ingalls fully backed the evidence Wei brought against the corrupt officers.
Thanks to his excellent detective work, Wei had become the man of the hour at the station.
“So I’m thinking of taking the next Guardian test. I was given a letter of recommendation, after all,” Wei boasted, sitting across from Euphemia at one of City Hall’s sidewalk cafes.
Euphemia eyed him suspiciously. “Why? Not happy with being a cop?”
“I like being a cop. It’s a good job. But Guardians are really cool. They’re the ones who were sent out first to take down Haydn. Cops didn’t get there till after everything was over.”
“I heard the Guardians who got there first were taken out by Shank and had to retire from the force because of their life-threatening injuries,” Euphemia stated dryly.
“They’re still awesome. The Beast Bloods successfully raided the villa because the Guardians destroyed the sensors and defense system first,” Wei exclaimed, excited just thinking about it.
“Who told you that?” Euphemia asked pointedly. She rarely listened to what other people had to say, but was annoyingly sharp when it came to picking up on unsaid things.
Wei hated his loose tongue. “Urk… What makes you think I was told that?”
“Who was it?” Euphemia pressured.
“…He did. Silvergray,” Wei revealed, losing out to her evil eye. He never could win against her since their university days.
There was a one second pause before she threw out another question. “I see… When did you see him?”
“Er, well…just before he left town… He showed up at my door…”
“Heh. Did he say where he was going?”
Wei felt like he was being interrogated, the reverse of his usual role.
“…Nope. Just that he was leaving and that he wants to get stronger.”
“……”
What a lovable fool you are, Zel. You don’t need to get any stronger. Euphemia hung her head, her prior fervor disappearing as if it never existed.
“…Hey, Mia? Don’t you think he really loves you a lot?”
“…I once thought so. Now I’m not so sure,” she admitted, the loneliness she had been struggling with turning into doubt.
“Don’t say that. I’ll feel bad too.”
“Why would you feel bad?” She looked up at him.
“Because he lowered his head to me and asked me to protect you, even though that request sounded like it was killing him on the inside… I could tell he wanted to be the one to be here with you.”
“…Then he should have stayed. He’s the worst kind of guy, leaving without a word like that.”
It was clear she was pretending to be angry in order to stay strong. But her voice gave away her hurt.
Droplets fell on the table.
“He has no idea how sad he’s made me…”
The loss she felt when she woke up and learned he was gone for good had only grown worse with the passage of time and slowly ate away at her heart.
“…He’ll come back once he’s stronger. Don’t cry, Mia.”
“Don’t say something he’d say.”
“I say what I mean.”
“I hate him.”
“Don’t say that. He might die for real if he overheard you.”
“Then he shoulda never left!” Tears cascaded down her cheeks.
“Sometimes a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do. Yup.”
“Don’t give me an old world slogan!” Euphemia snapped at the innocent Wei between her sniffles.
“Ugh… Okay, how about sometimes a woman’s just gotta go after her man?”
“Hell yeah! Women don’t just wait around for their man to come back! Once work settles down, I’m going to hunt him down!”
Good grief. She’ll definitely do it. Silvergray, I understand why you left, but you’d better hurry back soon… Wei thought as he comforted Euphemia in her mate’s stead.
†††
“GOOD afternoon. How’s the leg?”
“Why, if it isn’t the stunning and beautiful mayor! I’m honored you went out of your way to visit me in this stuffy place!” Murakami stood from his souped-up wheelchair.
What he referred to as a stuffy place was actually Biotechnology’s president office. In the center of the room was a large stately desk covered in a plausible amount of paperwork, but the shelves behind him were a mess. Miscellaneous items that looked an awful lot like junk bulged from the shelves. There was even a model of an old world sailing boat, an ape’s skull, and a remarkable glazed rice bowl. The variety of objects in the room revealed the owner’s various interests.
“Oh, you can walk already?” Erica asked.
“Yes. I told everyone else that it will be another month before I can walk again, so that I can continue to take things easy. All this time off has given me the wonderful idea to make a service robot next. As you know, I also have a PhD in engineering and in robotics.” Murakami waved a hand toward his wall of diplomas.
“You don’t stop even after being injured, do you? Though the same applies to my sister,” Erica said with a sigh.
“Indeed. She is a hard worker.”
“Is her research even useful?”
“Your cruelty toward family never ceases to amaze me. Her research is only a step away from being put into practice.”
“That’s something at least… I suppose Mia has grown up. I was worried because she had become a blubbering mess for a time, but she seems to be plugging away at her work now. She gets her resilience from her mother. They are strongest in the face of adversity.”
“Heh… Do you think that resilience will make her dedicate the rest of her life to rodents?” Murakami asked. It was hard to tell if that was a joke or not.
“Who knows? But I think she has dedicated her life to someone other than the rodents already.”
“Oh, did she now? How nice it is to be young and in love.” Murakami grinned.
“I never expected that Beast Blood to care so much for Euphemia. What do they call it? Mates?”
“That’s their way of defining it, yes. Don’t you think the concept of devoting your whole life to one person is splendid? Perhaps they have achieved some part of the human ideal.” A twinkle lit his eyes.
“Still, I feel bad for Euphemia as things are. I have been searching for him all this time with no luck…” Erica confessed.
“If she is his mate…he will definitely return. Mates, huh? Sure is nice to have a mate. By the way, I heard you rejected Mr. Ingalls’s proposal?” Murakami exclaimed, his beady eyes rounding with delight.
“Word travels fast… Yes, I did.”
“He’s the leading man in uncovering Haydn’s crimes. He’s also widowed and ranks decently high with his masculine good looks. The pot only gets sweeter with the fact that he’s fairly wealthy, a landowner, has social status, and a good name. Didn’t it occur to you that partnering with him would only bring you further in life?” Murakami inquired, resting his chin on his hands.
“That inquiry coming from the same man who just went on about how nice it would be to have a mate? Do you honestly believe me the type to marry for advancement?” she huffed.
“…Even I get jealous sometimes,” he muttered, being unusually vague for once.
“What is there for you to be jealous of?”
“Yeah, I think obliviousness is a genetic trait you sisters share…” Murakami murmured, sullen. The IHT on his table rang before more could be said. “Hello, it’s me. What? Yes. Come again? That’s not good… Okay. Does she have a fever? I’ll hand the phone over to her now. Here, Erica.”
“Thank you.” Erica turned the IHT toward her.
The caller informed her that Euphemia had fainted in her lab .
†††
“IT’S been a while.” Palmina sat down and crossed her legs, giving the young woman dressed in plain clothes a snide look. Her autumn-colored suit stood out against the white couch.
“It has been a while, hasn’t it?”
“I heard you were sick.”
“Yes, I felt nauseous for a long time. I’m okay now though,” Euphemia answered her honestly. “How did you know?”
“I hated you so much for a time that I was keeping tabs on you. I have friends who work for Biotech… Did you know that while you were confined to City Hall I was sending slanderous emails about you and the Mayor to everyone I knew? To the mayor herself as well,” Palmina confessed, her painted lips curved in a pert smile.
“What kind of slander?” Euphemia asked calmly.
“Oh stuff like she shouldn’t be wasting taxpayer dollars to protect her sister and that she should free Zelaide from his contract. I realized my actions were cowardly, but I felt like I would be crushed by my hatred if I did nothing. It got me nowhere in the end anyway.”
“I see…” Euphemia recalled Erica mentioning something about those emails at one point.
“You’re the reason why Zelaide left this city.”
Euphemia answered her accusation with silence.
“The last email he sent me is dated the day before he left. It contained just two lines: ‘I’m going to get stronger for my mate’ and ‘I want to end our contract.’ I haven’t been able to get in touch with him since.”
All of Euphemia’s emails had also bounced back saying receiver not found. Zelaide had severed everyone’s ability to contact him.
Another message about him wanting to get stronger?
Over the past month, Euphemia had grown to hate the word.
“Looks like you are his mate,” Palmina tossed out with a layer of disgust.
“Yes, I am,” Euphemia said definitively. That was the only crutch she had left to stand on.
“I did enough research to understand how intense a Beast Blood’s love and fixation is for their mate. They are a million times more loyal to their mate than humans are… So I hate you. Even now.”
Euphemia silently held her glare.
“He might have become my man if you hadn’t appeared from the sidelines.”
“I doubt it,” Euphemia shot back.
Disgust twisted Palmina’s perfect smile into something ugly. “…Says you.”
“Sorry, but I know how loyal and honest he is.”
“I do too,” Palmina snipped. “I’ve known him decades longer than you. Loath as I am to admit it, he never once saw me as a woman. I just thought he was too young to realize he could have me, but that’s a Beast Blood for you. They feel nothing for women who aren’t their mates, much less for women they only work with. I know that. I still hate your guts. How dare a naïve, spoiled brat like you steal my man from me like that? I know I’m being immature. But logic tends to lose out to emotions.”
“It certainly does… I think I would have felt the same way in your shoes,” Euphemia agreed.
“Good.”
“But you didn’t just come here to whine about your feelings, did you?”
“Right you are. I came to tell you that I am getting out of this line of work.”
“You’re retiring from being an agent?”
“Yes. Zelaide has already earned me a nice living. I was an agent for several other Beast Bloods, but I terminated our contracts. I’ve wanted to see more of this planet since I arrived here and fortunately for me, a wealthy lady just so happened to be looking for a secretary. She contacted me right away when I sent in my application. She’s a traveler, so we are perfect for each other.”
“You’re leaving Gothic City?”
“Yes. Zelaide is gone and I have nothing to keep me here. I’m going to find happiness on my own. Maybe I’ll even run into Zel during my travels. If I do, I’ll push him down and make him mine without a second thought,” Palmina said, trying to goad her.
Euphemia had no reason to get angry though. Even Palmina understood that Zelaide could no longer belong to another woman or be forced back into human society. He would only come back when he was ready. Waiting was all they could do.
“Are you going to live…in this house?” Palmina looked around the house that used to look unlived in. Now it brimmed with Euphemia’s personal belongings and work equipment.
“I will be here for when he returns.” Euphemia rested her hand on her belly.
“Hmm… How is it possible that you make me hate you more by the minute? Anyway, this is the name and contact information for my new boss. I wrote it down on paper so you can get rid of it if you want to. But, if you have a heart, let me know when Zelaide comes back… Goodbye.” Palmina stuffed a balled up piece of paper into Euphemia’s hand. Then she coldly turned around and strode out of the house.
“…Pal is leaving too?” Euphemia exhaled a small sigh.
Palmina was neither her friend nor someone she enjoyed talking to, but they were both women who had fallen for Zelaide and experienced the same plights over him. Losing the only person she could talk to about him did make her feel a little lonely. She casually glanced down at the piece of paper crinkled in her hand.
“WHAAAT?! Hold on…is this who I think it is…?!”
The name and address written there belonged to someone Euphemia knew well: Marielle Ashencourt.
“She’s going to work for…Mom?!” she cried out.
Honestly, Zelaide, where did you go when I have so much to talk to you about? Please come back soon and give me a big hug. You don’t have to get stronger. You can just be you. I’m scared alone. So scared I could scream. But I won’t run away.
I’m right here. Come back soon. Don’t abandon me, my darling mate.
†††
SEVERAL years passed, the seasons changed, but the cycle of rain stayed the same.
A car drove through Forzarin Gate into Gothic City. The silver car smoothly wound its way around the ring roads of Out, Middle, and Center Circle. The streak of silver zooming down the roads looked beautiful to the oncoming traffic. No other cars could match its speed, giving it the right of way. Turning off the spacious six-lane circle course, the car pulled into a residential district flanked by rows of trees and greenery.
Young spring leaves cast a gentle, swaying shadow on the hood.
The last drop of rain marking the change from night to day, streamed down the tinted windshield. The driver was a man with long silver hair.
He pulled into a public parking lot and got out of the car. Heavy leather boots hit the concrete. Between his dark sunglasses and black leather coat, he appeared threatening to anyone who saw him. With his muscular build and rough attire, he stood out as someone who didn’t belong in this peaceful, high-end neighborhood. Yet the man had a calm, nonbelligerent air about him.
He walked down to the corner of the high-end residential street. His eyes were trained forward the whole way.
Eventually the road took him to the side of a large mansion. The solid, elegant house protected by high walls and an excellent security system was once used by him as one of his many hideouts in this city.
He went no further.
Leaning his back against the thick wall, he wrestled with himself. One more step around the corner and he would come out in front of his old house.
What am I doin’ after all this time? The question that haunted him endlessly whispered forward again. Sighing was his only answer.
His broad shoulders slumped, betraying his muscular physique. Then his excellent hearing picked up on a metallic sound. The large mansion gates were opening.
He braced himself.
Carefully sticking his head around the corner, he spotted a young woman slowly pulling out of the driveway.
His heart did a painful flip upon seeing the face he hadn’t forgotten for a single day. If he hadn’t been restraining himself, he would have jumped out to see her.
She drove a small pink car that put safety first. He didn’t recognize it. Her car from a few years ago was white. The rear seat windows were tinted blue, possibly to block out sunlight. The car drove off after the gate closed firmly behind it. The man quickly followed. Tailing by car would be too obvious, so he went by foot. He easily ran just as fast on foot. Someone keeping speed with a car stood out worse than if he had been driving. But he didn’t seem to realize.
Where’s she goin’ alone?
Before long, the car parked in a small lot under the trees. It was the neighborhood park. She seemed to be going for a morning jog. The driver’s door opened and a woman in casual attire stepped out. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun and she had a sweater on.
The man dove behind a tree to hide.
Ahh…ahhh…she hasn’t changed a bit. The man—Zelaide—was captivated by her beauty. Yumi…my Euphemia!
Unaware of his presence, Euphemia opened the rear car door and leaned in.
Does she have somethin’ heavy in the back? Why did she stop here instead of drivin’ to her destination with it? Should I help her carry it?
As Zelaide was racking his brain, Euphemia pulled whatever she was fiddling with in the back out and straightened up with it in her arms.
What…is that? Zelaide froze as if he had been struck by lightning.
Cradled in Euphemia’s arms was a young child with gorgeous long gold hair just like her mother. He couldn’t see her face from this angle, but he did see her little white hands and feet. They were clearly mother and daughter.
The pair happily walked the path into the park without realizing they had left a strong man crying in their wake. Once they were on the lawn and out of the way of cars, Euphemia bent over and put the child on the ground. She wore a spring dress the same color as the car and a matching straw hat.
That’s…that’s…that child is… Zelaide leaned against the tree to hold himself up. He could only see the mother and daughter’s backs from where he stood.
Ahh. This is punishment for leaving my one and only mate behind.
His beloved, the owner of his body and soul, chose another man, slept with him, and gave birth to his child.
Euphemia was human. Humans had a shorter window to give birth than Beast Bloods. She had no reason to waste that precious time for the man who disappeared without even asking her to wait for him. He knew the price of his actions from the start.
And yet why did it feel like his heart had been struck by an unrecoverable blow?
Zelaide pushed off the tree and staggered after the pair as they walked hand in hand down the promenade.
The spring park was in full bloom.
Joggers and bicycles ran along the gently curving road surrounded by trees and the shadows they cast. Mother and daughter stayed on one side of the walkway to avoid them. The little girl kept pace with her mother despite her small size. She occasionally pointed out things with a grin and earned smiles from the older men and women she crossed paths with.
Zelaide was not in the mood to smile.
He knew he shouldn’t make trouble for them, but he was irresistibly drawn to them. And murderous hatred burned inside him toward the unknown man who had taken his mate.
Who is he? Where is he?
A storm of unreasonable jealousy swept over him. Instinct beat out reason.
But what’ll I do if I find him? Kill him? Won’t that just take the child’s father away and squash any lingering affection Euphemia might still have for me? I couldn’t live with myself if that happened.
During the time he was away, Zelaide had encouraged himself to keep pressing on in moments of depression by recalling Euphemia’s tenderness and love for him. He accepted every hard job he could find and challenged himself with any battle that would increase his experience and skill.
I not only trained myself to the utmost limit and achieved some of my goals, but I also learned how to work with humans. But that was all in vain. Or should I say it was useless from the start?
What was worth cultivating by traveling through every city, wasteland, and forest on the planet? Zelaide hadn’t understood what really mattered. It wasn’t strength.
Everything had ended for him the moment he cowered from asking her to wait for him. This was the punishment for running off and not devoting himself to his mate as soon as he found her.
He wasn’t qualified to call himself a Beast Blood male.
I haven’t become stronger. My heart’s still just as weak. What was I tryin’ to obtain comin’ back this late in the game? Did I honestly believe gettin’ on my knees and begging her to take me back would bring back our dreamlike time together?
I knew this would happen, didn’t I? Today just ground it in.
The smiling mother and daughter entered the grassy field, leaving the man stricken with grief behind. Raising her voice in glee, the little girl dashed out onto the green carpet and the young mother threw her a red cloth ball from her bag.
In the warm park filled with sunlight and a gentle breeze, an icy storm raged within the Beast Blood.
Hiding in the bushes decorated with light-crimson flowers, Zelaide could only watch as Euphemia played toss with her daughter. Despite her young age, the little girl had amazing reflexes. She easily caught the ball Euphemia threw high into the air. She had peach-colored cheeks and lips, which made her look like a marshmallow when paired with her pink dress.
I’m glad she looks like her mother… Zelaide felt wretched for only being able to think of petty things. Still, he couldn’t pry his eyes away from them for even a second.
Just then, the ball her little hands threw with surprising strength slipped past her mother’s reach. It rolled into his feet where he hid in the bushes. He had become so absorbed in his depressing thoughts he didn’t notice until it was too late.
“…!” Zelaide gasped. He raised his eyes to a sparkling little face.
Their eyes locked in the shadows of the flowering bushes.
The girl only came up to his knees when he was crouched and bent over. She curiously stared at the unfamiliar man.
“……”
An infinite amount of time seemed flow by, but it was only a second. She picked up the ball and stared at his face some more. Then she reached out with her small hand.
“…!”
She grabbed his sunglasses before he could react. She had exposed the side of him he didn’t want seen. A large man and a little girl were crouched in the flowering bushes, staring at each other.
“Shiny eyes,” she lisped.
Zelaide was speechless. The girl’s teal eyes seemed to glow for a moment in the shallow shadows.
“Zephy? Zephyr? What are you doing? Did you find the ball?”
The bushes rustled and in stepped his precious mate.
“…!”
“Ah…ah!”
Euphemia froze, her adorable mouth hanging open as she pointed at him. Those emerald green eyes were brighter than the grass at his feet and didn’t lose in impact to the glowing eyes of her daughter at his feet. He reached out—
Idiot! You can’t! Zelaide sprung up, scattering branches and flowers with his head.
Euphemia stood there in shock. Dogs could be heard playfully barking as they chased after a Frisbee.
Bathed in morning light, the park was the epitome of peaceful.
The cool spring breeze blew.
“…Agh!”
He was overwhelmed by the lovely tenderness that jumped into his chest. The crimson petals danced around them, but a sweeter scent than the flowers washed over him. His nostrils were filled with his mate’s scent. He unconsciously hugged her back. His subconscious desires chased away his pensive thoughts.
“Zel! Zel! Zel!” Euphemia cried as she clung to his neck. She continued to say his name until her voice gave way to sobs.
“Yu—”
“Zel…Zel…Why…?”
“Yumi…”
“…D-Don’t just disappear on me…” she hiccuped. “…You jerk! You said I was your mate!”
“Ugh,” he groaned.
“Don’t ugh me! Idiot! Jerk!” She pounded her fists against his chest.
“I’m sorry…I’m so sorry… Yumi.”
What else could he do but apologize? Zelaide kept apologizing as he grew intoxicated on the smell coming from his love’s hair.
“I-I’ve been waiting for you all this time! You made me sick of waiting!”
“Yeah, I know…”
So she got sick of waiting and… Zelaide looked at the ground. A cute little girl crawled out of the bushes.
“…Mama?” The little girl didn’t seem surprised by her mother’s sudden breakdown. She looked up at her with the same big, round eyes. Her irises were no longer glowing, but the sunlight seemed to make her entire face sparkle.
“…Yumi! We can’t do this…she’s watching…” Heartrending emotion warred on Zelaide’s face. He pushed Euphemia away and covered his face with both arms. “Don’t make me see…”
This girl was the child of the man who had come into Euphemia’s life after she had grown sick of waiting around for Zelaide.
He had accidentally stared at the girl earlier, but her mere existence was a stake to his heart. If he had known this was what was waiting for him, he would’ve never come back. His moment of self-denial shattered.
That proved it: he had grown weaker, not stronger. He needed to go back and start over from step one again. Or maybe he would be better off gouging out his own heart and dying…
Zelaide trudged through the bushes to get away, but cast one last remorseful glance toward the mate he had lost forever.
“I’m sorry, Yumi. Showin’ up now will only bring ya trouble… I’ll leave for good. Stay happy—”
Euphemia ran the distance he made between them and slapped him. “You big fool! Don’t be frightened off by your own child!”
His one and only mate glowered at him.
“How can I be happy?! Both me and my girl have been waiting years for you! This is YOUR DAUGHTER!” Euphemia put her hands on her daughter’s shoulders and pushed her toward Zelaide.
The Beast Blood only saw her for a second before the world rushed up and for the first time in his life Zelaide fainted.
†††
“……”
“Zel! Zelaide! Wake up! Oh my stars… What in the universe is with today…?!”
“Mama? Mama!”
Zelaide heard whining and complaining right beside his ears. It should have been the most annoying sound, but those voices comfortably permeated his mind. He opened his eyes. An endless blue sky filled his vision.
“Oh! He opened his eyes! Are you all right, Zel?”
Shadows blocked out a piece of the blue sky. Two faces peered down at him. The smaller and rounder of the two was flapping her lips, trying to say something.
“Shiny…eyes.”
That was the same thing she said to him before.
“…Ugh.”
Zelaide’s eyes quickly adjusted to the light. It was hard to believe, but he had passed out. But not for long, if the sound of that same dog chasing the Frisbee was anything to go by.
“I—”
“You gave me a serious scare! You were too heavy for me to hold up, so when you fell you crushed the branches behind you. How do you feel? Does your head hurt? Your pulse is fine, but should I call an ambulance for you?” Euphemia calmly assessed his status like a scientist as she checked his pulse.
“I’m not sick, Yumi!” His eyes shifted to the girl staring at him from her mother’s side. “She’s…”
“Me?” the girl pointed to herself and tilted her head.
“This girl is…”
“Didn’t you hear me? This is your daughter, Zephyr,” Euphemia introduced their daughter to Zelaide, then turned to the girl. “See this man, Zephy? He’s your daddy.”
“Daddy?” Zephyr repeated.
“That’s right. Your daddy.”
“W-Wait. You mean she resulted from our one time together?” Zelaide struggled to come to grips with the situation.
She’s a child born of the time Euphemia and I madly made love after I was acquitted and came home to her?
No words could describe how he felt. He thought it was almost impossible to have children with a human.
“Yes. I realized I was pregnant a few months after you left.”
“……”
“I carried her a great deal longer than nine months, but she’s two now. She’s clearly your child. She’s much stronger and tougher than most toddlers.”
“……”
“Dada?”
The fearless child dressed in all pink wouldn’t stop looking at Zelaide’s eyes.
“That’s right. This is your daddy. Isn’t he wonderful?”
Zelaide took a good look at the little girl mystified by him. She had her mother’s looks and his eyes. He never felt one way or another about his eyes, but that clear teal color was remarkable on his daughter. She still had his sunglasses. She held them out to him.
“Here, Dada.”
“Good girl, Zephy.” Euphemia hugged her daughter. She looked at Zelaide with misty eyes as if asking him what he was going to do now.
Does that mean…you will forgive me? You’re willing to love me again?
“Will you let me devote myself to you…?” he asked out loud.
“Yes…love me in your own way, just stay by my side. I want your love and your presence.”
“…Love?”
“I’ve always loved you,” she insisted. “And I’ll continue to love you. I won’t let you go even if you want to this time.”
“……”
“And if you do leave again, both your daughter and I will hate you.” Euphemia shot the Beast Blood her angriest look yet.
“…Hate.” Zelaide shivered, horrified by that word. “Don’t…hate me… I might die.”
“You blockhead! Don’t talk about dying so easily! Listen here, buster. I gave birth all alone. Do you have any idea how long I carried our child, how much harder a Beast Blood child is to carry? I mean, Erica, my mom, and friends were there to support me, but…you weren’t! Morning sickness sucked, I always felt anxious, and it hurt. But a man like you can’t even begin to imagine my suffering, can you? I plan on talking your ear off about it, so you’d better stick around to listen okay, my beloved Beast Blood Zelaide!” Euphemia declared. A single teardrop fell from her eyes. “What’s your answer?”
My beloved Beast Blood. Those words were all he needed.
Zelaide looked up at her and nodded hard enough it felt like whiplash. “I’ll make it up to you… If you’re okay with a worthless man like me, then I’ll devote everything to you. You can have the rest of my days.”
“You sure about that? I know Beast Bloods live longer, but you’ve already lived for half a century or so. I plan to live a long and healthy life, so who knows, we might die around the same time… Sure you want to give me the rest of your days?”
“Perfectly sure…”
“Then tell me what I want to hear,” Euphemia ordered.
“Yumi…I love you, my mate.”
On that night in the Wilds, he had come across a strong-willed woman holding a gleaming blade to her own throat, unwilling to let those rapists claim her. Their fates had been decided by that single encounter.
Euphemia didn’t reject the hand gingerly reaching for her. His fingertips ran over her soft cheeks. Nothing about her had changed.
She returned his heated gaze. He had become sexier and even manlier than she remembered. She couldn’t tell if he had lost weight or if that was just muscle.
They needed each other’s kiss like they needed air.
Through their warm embrace they returned to the three months they had spent together and chased away the time spent apart.
Zelaide sighed first. Their lips still touched as if they had forgotten to pull away.
How was I able to live without her?
“I won’t let ya go again…”
She’s finally mine…and I’m finally hers.
“Mm…”
Zelaide clasped his mate tightly against his chest.
“Mama!” Zephyr whined, displeased the two adults weren’t paying her any attention. She stomped her little feet and puffed out her red cheeks. Like Euphemia said, she had quite the personality for a two-year-old. In her hands, she still held his sunglasses.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Zephy.” Euphemia quickly broke out of lovey-dovey mode and crouched in front of her daughter. She took her little hands and placed Zelaide’s hands on them.
“Her name is Zephy?”
“Yep. It’s Zephyr. I took letters from her father and mother’s names. Isn’t it a great name? Pick her up.”
“I’m Zephy!” the little girl proudly exclaimed her name.
The Beast Blood’s vision was dominated by the two people he loved most in the world.
“Zephy…I’m your dad,” he said gently.
“Da…?” Her little hand held out his sunglasses. She finally smiled when he accepted it and put them in his pocket.
“Haha. Wasn’t returning my specs the first real ice-breaker between us in the beginning too?” Euphemia asked, smiling with nostalgia. She had matured into a mother, but she hadn’t lost her vigor or beauty from the day they met.
“Da!”
“That’s me, Zephy. Thank you. I promise I will…” His strong arms reached out and pulled his two precious people to his chest as if that was the place they had always belonged. “…Love you both until the day I die.”
The Beast Blood finally embraced love and hope with his mate and child by his side forevermore.
THE END