Seishan went into the makeshift kitchen, humming softly as she inspected the ingredients I'd stored from my recent hunts. I had meat from a few nightmare creatures and a handful of herbs — most of which I wasn't even sure were edible, but they smelled nice, so that counted for something.
While she cooked, I set the table.
I had a few stolen plates lying around, chipped but still functional. It wasn't exactly a royal dining setup, but it would do.
Then came the blood.
I went into the storage room and opened one of the barrels — fresh nightmare creature blood. I filled my own goblet, but Seishan hated that stuff. She could drink it if she had to, but she always said it tasted like "wet iron and sadness."
So, being the considerate host I am, I sighed, slit my wrist a little, and filled her goblet with my own blood until it reached the brim.
You know — standard hospitality.
When everything was ready, I placed the goblets on the table and set a large bucket of blood for Beast, who immediately buried his snout in it with a happy grunt.
"Are you done with the cooking yet?" I called out.
"Not yet," she replied. "I'll be done in a few minutes. Mind handing me some of your herbs?"
I reached up, grabbed the bundle of herbs from the pantry, and passed them over.
"Thanks," she said softly.
I leaned against the counter, watching her work.
Her eyes focused on every movement — precise, calm. The way the moonlight touched her dark hair made it shimmer faintly, and her gray skin seemed to glow pale white under its light.
She looked… breathtaking.
Then she bumped my side lightly as she passed by.
"Will you stop with all your drooling?" she teased, chuckling.
Her laughter caught me off guard. You rarely saw her laugh — it was almost a crime, honestly, considering how cute she looked when she did.
I decided to sit next to her once the food was ready — despite the table having more than enough space to sit at the opposite end.
She made steak. Real steak — or as close to real as one could get in this forsaken city. I didn't even wait for permission. I started eating immediately, because there are few things in life I truly love, and Seishan's cooking was one of them.
Meanwhile, she ate like a noblewoman — graceful, calm, using the utensils properly. She looked at me mid-bite and chuckled.
I probably looked like a starving beast.
"Gods, Seishan," I said between mouthfuls, "who taught you how to cook? Because they deserve an award."
"My mother did," she replied.
Her voice changed — softer, distant. I could hear the weight in it.
"You always talk about your family," I said. "At least to me. But I don't think I've ever heard much about your mother."
She hesitated before answering.
"My mother was… a loving woman," she said quietly. "Brilliant, too. But she carried a level of responsibility I could never fathom. Because of that, she was… distant, sometimes."
I nodded, taking a sip from my goblet before deciding to share something of my own.
"Yeah, I get that. Legacy families and all that pressure." I smiled faintly. "See, I wasn't always this handsome, talented vampire you see before you. Before the spell, I was just a regular guy. Pale as hell, sure, but still human."
Seishan chuckled. "That I can believe."
"Well, I never knew my biological mom," I said. "But my adoptive mother? She spoiled my siblings rotten. Not me, though — I was spoiled to perfection."
She nearly spat out her blood, laughing. "I can tell."
I pretended to be offended. "What's that supposed to mean? Are you saying I'm not perfect?"
She hid her smile behind her goblet. "Well, you're definitely something. Perfect isn't the word I'd use."
I crossed my arms, raising an eyebrow. "Then what am I exactly?"
She took a deep breath, pretending to think. "Well, for starters, you're definitely mentally ill. I can't exactly define what kind, but it'd be easier to list the ones you don't have. You're socially awkward, you eat like a wild animal, and you'd give any legacy noble a stroke if they saw your table manners."
I opened my mouth to protest, but she wasn't done.
"But…" she continued softly, "you're also devilishly creative when it comes to screwing people over. And you genuinely care about your family — enough to do anything to protect them. I… respect that."
I blinked.
That was new.
I don't think anyone had ever insulted me so thoroughly and then complimented me in the same breath.
I could feel my face heating up.
"What the hell? Who says that and then acts like nothing happened?"
I buried my face in my one remaining hand, trying to hide my embarrassment and salvage what little pride I had left.
Seishan smirked. "Now then," she said playfully, "how about you tell me what you think about me?"
That question hung in the air like a blade.
I peeked up from my hand and met her eyes.
"Well," I began, "I think you're the kind of person who'd betray anyone to achieve your goals. You've probably got sixty different backup plans for every single person you know. You act cold, and… yeah, sometimes emotionless."
She tilted her head slightly, saying nothing.
I sighed. "But… I also think you're secretly kind of a dork. And you're… kind of cute when you laugh. I guess."
Her eyes widened a little. The gray of her skin darkened, flushed by the faintest shade of violet under the moonlight.
"What?" she asked quietly.
I looked away.
Now we were just two awkward idiots sitting across from each other at a dinner table.
And somehow, that wasn't so bad.
Actually… it felt kind of nice.