We smiled at each other and kissed again. Haunter laid me down the bed gently like I was fragile chinaware.

“I don’t think you need Ji-Yun for dinner, do you? You can have a feast on me,” he teased as he laid my head on his shoulder and cuddled me close.

I giggled. Yes, I never giggled like this before. And I held him close to me as well.

“I didn’t know a wolf could taste good.”

“Oh, surely it’s only me who would taste good for you.” He grinned and kissed the tip of my nose. “You know why?”

I looked at him. “Why?”

“Because you said you love me.” He smiled at me with adoring eyes. It was like I was going to drown in those blue pools.

Oh, gosh! Those eyes. I grinned at him like I’d never grinned at someone before.

“And you think it’s fine if I always suck your blood whenever we make love?” I asked testily.

“Yes, I think I can handle it. I heal easily, you see.” And he let me peer into his bitten neck and shoulder. And indeed, I didn’t see any bite marks I made there. Not even a small bruise. His tanned skin was flawless.

I looked into his eyes as he looked into mine. I smiled at him and he kissed my lips. It was coaxing at first and became passionate later on. He cupped my face while my hands were on his chest, feeling the strong beating of his heart, which was music to my ears that made my heart dance. I never felt like this before. I had never loved this way before. And I was never loved and adored like this before. That was for sure. This may be too fast but I knew this was love. It was different from what I felt before with my ex.

In my more than 2,000 years on Earth, it was like the first time I’ve ever lived!

Haunter rolled me over and was instantly on top of me and entered my body with a long, deep, and powerful thrust. We looked into each other’s eyes as he thrust in and out slowly. Then, he dipped his head to give me a soul-shuddering kiss.

“I want to be with you like this, Saber,” he whispered in my ear and licked the lobe. “Always!” He moaned.

“Oh, Haunter…”

It gave delicious tingling all throughout my whole being as he never stopped moving in and out of my body. I moaned and moaned, so endlessly. It never felt as good as being possessed by him like this. I, myself, couldn’t even see any reason why I felt like this. Why I felt so in love with this stranger. It was all of sudden. It was almost unreal. And yet, his every thrust let me know that this was all real.

Perhaps love was indeed a mystery… One thing that I never believed before.

I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms clung to him like slender vines. His muscled body merged with mine in ecstasy. An ecstasy that would never seem to end. Something I didn’t want to, if only it was possible.

He gave me a long, sweet kiss as we both climaxed. He went still before he rolled onto his side and faced me, looking at my face adoringly while his fingertips running around a hardened nipple.

“I’ve loved you ever since I set my eyes on your unconscious self, Saber,” he whispered his confession and his thumb traced the lines of my slightly swollen lips. “I swear, I never said I loved someone other than you. And I also swear that I would never find any other love than you. It’s a wolf promise,” he added with his intense blue gaze bored into mine.

I gave him a toothless smile and caressed his face, tracing the strong contours of his fascinating jaw and his slightly divided chin. It was like a joy to my life while touching him with this kind of intimacy without hesitation or fear, without inhibitions.

“And I swear I never loved anyone like this, Haunter. And not this fast!” I opened up to him honestly.

“Good!” He grinned and gave me a long, deep kiss that I became addicted to.

It became a long night of lovemaking. It was refreshing by the time we exploded, spent in each other’s arms. It never happened like this before in my life. I realized but with wonder. I thought that having sex was merely a call of nature. However, lovemaking was entirely different, which left us vigorous each time. It was even exhilarating and exciting every time.

▼▼

“So, you had a blast.” Creep invaded my thoughts as soon as I opened my eyes to see the rays of light streaming in through the slightly parted dark curtains by the French windows.

I was on my back, lying in the soft bed, and very naked. I smiled when I found that one man who made me wear my birthday suit was right next to me. His tousled red hair was a sight.

“Yeah, I did!” I managed to answer my familiar telepathically, as usual.

“And you never felt so good, right?” he probed.

“Hey! Stop invading my privacy!” I laughingly scolded him and slowly got up when I felt Haunter’s arms embrace my small waist to effortlessly put me on top of his naked body.

His muscled chest and tummy were warm against my cool backside. My soft back mounds were aware of the hardening sex that he elaborately ground behind me. I bit my lip and closed my eyes on the delicious feeling it sent throughout my entire body that I instantly felt wet and hot through my very core.

“I so love your hot rod pressing against me,” I whispered without shame.

He turned my face to give me a seductive kiss, which I responded hotly.

“And I love to stick it deep inside of you,” he warmly whispered to my ear and licked and sucked the lobe aggressively.

I was totally turned on with just everything he did to me. So I moved my pelvis and heard him groan. He reached out to caress my wet and warm honey pot and slid his erect, hot rod inside, entering me from behind. I sighed with pleasure, and then he started to move deep inside me. He rocked my body, which drove me crazy. His middle finger caressed and pressed lightly on my hood as he plunged in and out repeatedly. He then took me to another level of ecstasy.

“I think we better get out of this room and do what we ought to.” I heard him say a bit later when we laid there, spent.

I gazed at him and smiled. “I guess you’re right.” I agreed and slowly got up when he playfully pulled me to him and gave me a light kiss on my soft lips. And I did respond to it like it was the most natural thing to do.

“If I didn’t know there’s an impending battle, I won’t ever let you go,” he dramatically said.

I could only smile at that.

We both came downstairs after we showered. We went to the dining room wherein the Threesome Users together with Creep and Ji-Yun as well as the werewolves were eating their late breakfast or more like brunch.

All eyes were on us. The wolves’ were more like playful and teasing as they stared at us, whereas Ji-Yun’s expression was worried and the users’ were that of boredom.

“We didn’t get much sleep, just so you know,” Sephora told us. She gave me a mocking grin but it was gone when she looked at her food.

I bit my lower lip and glanced at Haunter who was widely grinning, looking at the people that were seated at the table. Creep in his cat self again grinned at me. He ran his tongue over his cat lips. He was sitting on the table near Ji-Yun.

“Sorry for that, folks.” Haunter said without meaning it though. Clearly.

I gave him a small smile.

“We all went to the other villa. But, man!” A good-looking werewolf next to Vesh said laughingly and shook his head. The third one howled and the others burst out laughing.

Haunter shook his head and took my hand. “You better get used to it from now on, Maccon.” He turned to me and winked with that sexy smile of his.

I wanted to grab his head and give him a smoldering kiss in front of these people. But I did manage to control myself. I wanted to pat myself on the shoulder.

“Oh, yeah!” The wolf next to Vesh said again, getting high five with the others including Vesh.

“I guess, we start looking for another place,” Ataru joked at his fellow users.

“Yeah, to give you some so-called privacy?” Sephora joined in but with sarcasm.

I was about to speak when Haunter got serious. “You don’t mean that, do you?” His eyes bored into each of the Threesome Users.

Zurko stood up. “Look, we’ll just follow you around, okay? And I think it’s best for us not to get some attention. If we’re all going together to Transylvania tonight, then we should go in groups.”

“Meaning, the three of you together, my pack another, and Saber here with her companions? Is that it, Zurko?” Haunter stepped closer to the table, leaving me behind near the doorway.

“Well, it isn’t that bad of a plan. I think he’s right,” Vesh said in his low, deep voice.

Haunter turned to his friend. They looked into each other’s eyes as if they were talking telepathically. My lover’s jaw tightened and I moved next to him.

“I guess that it’s a good plan. It’s just enough that the five of you guys can even get attention much more when I and the rest go with you.” I tried to talk sense into Haunter.

“Yes, of course. You’re right. I was just… not thinking. I just wanted to be with you, Saber, to protect you.” He said with his warm, blue eyes.

I touched his arm and smiled at him. “Don’t worry. We’ll be fine.” I tried to assure him. I never thought he could be overprotective of me like this. It was definitely new to me.

They finished their brunch while we planned on who’s going first and who’s next, and where would our rendezvous be.

“I still don’t trust them,” Ji-Yun whispered into my ear when we did a little bit of packing. Creep was lying and stretching near the doorway, still in his cat form.

I zipped an overnight bag that I found in the closet earlier and looked at the Asian girl.

“You don’t have to come with us, Ji-Yun. I don’t want you to risk your life because of our battle that you’re not even part of. I think you can just go your own way before I’ll go to Transylvania with Creep.”

She dropped her jaw and retaliated. “What? I’m already part of this! Why are you telling me this now, Saber? I thought you were different. But you’re just like my foster parents who don’t want me around!” With that, she turned around and left the room, banging the door.

It was good for Creep to move his tail before it was going to get caught by the door. He hissed at the closed door before he looked at me.

“Are you just going to let her go like that?” Creep asked me telepathically. “She might be in danger if she’s not with us, Saber. I think you can better protect her when she’s with us.”

“What are you saying, Creep? It’s not like you fell for that girl! How could you think like that? She’s human! She’s better off without us in her life!”

“Don’t you remember I told you that she’s not an ordinary human? Maybe we don’t know what she really is right now. But what if she’s going to be taken by the other side instead? If she proves to be helpful to us, why not take her to our side? Besides, the girl likes you and I think she’ll be an asset for us instead of a liability,” he argued.

I took a deep breath. I was weighing what he was telling him in a practical way, emotions aside. However, I always treasure those beings that get closer to me. And I usually get protective over them even though I admit that I, myself, would need some protection now and then. Yeah, even though I was usually full of myself, I sometimes needed help from time to time.

I sighed, shaking my head. I marched out of the bedroom with the overnight bag in hand and went downstairs.

I saw Haunter talking to Ji-Yun just outside the door and overheard their little but serious conversation.

“Where would you go? Nobody knows who you are and what you’re capable of, Ji-Yun. It’s madness if you’re going to listen to Saber right now. She’s just being unreasonable, but she does mean well. We both know it.”

I let go of my breath slowly.

“Well, I’m already used to being kicked out everywhere I go. This is not new to me,” Ji-Yun said and kicked some invisible stones.

Haunter grasped her little shoulder. “Listen to me, Ji-Yun. You’re special. Okay? And I don’t want you to be by yourself out there, without someone guiding and protecting you. Just let her words pass through your other ear. You get it? I know she isn’t intentionally being mean to you. She cares for you, I’m sure of it.”

“Why are you telling me this? Do you care for her?” The teenage girl asked.

“Of course! And I love her even if it’s impossible to understand or to even believe it.”

The two of them looked into each other’s eyes and finally the girl nodded.

“Fine. I’ll stay whether she likes it or not.”

“Good.” Haunter looked satisfied and patted her shoulder.

The two of them looked in my direction and I just shrugged. What could I say anyway? They already made up their minds.

▼▼

Several hours later, the three of us got down the plane in Cluj airport in Transylvania. We traveled as friends in a tour. Creep in a hottie girl form carried a camera, Ji-Yun in her funky clothes carried her bag, and I was in my usual clothes carrying my own bag as well.

The werewolves, on the other hand, were going to arrive here by tomorrow by train while the Threesome Users already got here before us by plane. Even when we were still on the plane, I already felt a couple of vampires close to us, but they never approached me or anything. Perhaps they were just here for some holiday reasons as they were a couple by the look of them.

We blended easily in the crowd of people around us, tourists and locals alike. All the while, everyone of us was on the alert just in case Dena’s underlings ruin this excursion. Creep already showed Ji-Yun on how my maker looks like and some of her loyal and strong vamps. We needed to protect this homeless teenage girl, who was still a mystery to us, by making her aware of our enemies.

I felt that there are some vamps that followed us outside the airport, when we were in a cab going to a hotel we booked earlier. From there, we were going to meet up tomorrow at the nearest coffee shop just outside Cluj-Napoca train station. We had about twelve hours to stay under radar until the said meeting but I still have to start searching for the Dark Empress.

“They’re not going to attack, Creep,” I assured him telepathically, as usual, when he looked over his shoulder and through the mirror. He was seated next to the cab driver.

“We don’t know that, Saber. Besides, it’s not only a couple of them. They’re like a whole pack!” he exclaimed.

“Well, the users are going to intercept them any moment now,” I said confidently.

Not even a minute later, the three cars screeched to a halt. When I looked back to see what happened, I saw the Threesome Users doing their job.

“Can’t they do it discreetly?” Ji-Yun whispered to me in a complaining tone. Her eyes were wide.

“Well, they know how to deal with it. They know what they’re doing,” I informed her.

“But what if other people are going to get hurt because of what they’re doing?” she asked worriedly. It was evident in her little chocolate brown eyes. She tucked her straight and black-shoulder-length hair behind her ear.

I sighed and shrugged. “I feel you. Okay? But right now, we have our own problems to resolve.”

“Yeah, right. But I just wish that nobody gets hurt, especially the innocent ones,” she added wishfully.

“I know that, Ji-Yun…”

“Watch out!” Creep screamed in my head.

Our cab got hit hard by a speeding car that our vehicle tumbled down the asphalted highway, hitting other cars before it settled upside down.