"R-Ren… what the hell happened?!" Iris shouts.
She has every reason to worry. Ren just showed up at the door with two deep gashes and Yuzu unconscious in his arms.
"It was that vampire again. This time he did more than just threaten me… I managed to drive him off, but Yuzu fainted when I got hurt. You know how scared she is of blood…"
"Luckily, Mika's already asleep. Otherwise, she'd be giving us her usual lecture about how dangerous it is to stay here. After everything that's happened lately, I can't really blame her. Mom and Dad bought that vacation house in Rome, remember? I don't really want to move there, but it feels like our only option."
As she speaks, Iris gently takes Yuzu from Ren's arms and carries her to the bedroom. Then she lays her on the double bed beside Mika.
It used to belong to their parents, but now all four of them sleep there for safety.
While Iris takes Yuzu to the room, Ren collapses onto the couch, exhausted. He grabs a pack of cigarettes from the bedside table and lights one.
Normally, Iris would scold him and make him go outside to smoke, but tonight she doesn't have the heart to be strict.
Behind him, a family photo hangs on the wall.
In the front row are Ren and his sisters. Behind them stand Aoshi Toya, a human, and Eliss Narkhalis, a succubus and former princess of the demon kingdom of Ravessia in the world of Elyndra. She gave up her title over twenty years ago to live on Earth with Aoshi.
For the past six years, their parents have been nothing but painful memories after being massacred by Raelor Valraen.
"I know moving would be the safest choice… but it would mean forcing you to give up the life you've built here. I swore I'd do everything I could to let you live as normal a life as possible, and I won't back down — even if it means risking my life."
"Don't forget I'm three years older than you! I'm the eldest — the one who's supposed to take care of you. I can't let you be the only one sacrificing yourself for us. I know how to fight too, but you always keep me out of everything, and that's not fair! I want to protect our family too!"
As she speaks, Iris takes off his t-shirt, then his pants, leaving him in his underwear.
She steps away for a moment and throws the torn, bloodstained clothes into the trash.
Then she kneels in front of him.
"Let me take care of your wounds, Ren."
He nods, and she takes his left arm, gently pulling it toward her. Her eyes fill with tears when she sees the deep cut on her brother's arm.
Iris parts her lips and sticks out her tongue. Then she presses it to the wound and starts licking along its edges.
Ren clenches his teeth at the burning sensation as Iris spreads her saliva over the wound, now tinged a dull pink.
It's a powerful form of magic that lets succubi turn their saliva into a healing lotion capable of closing even serious wounds.
Iris knows how painful the process is. She squeezes his hand as she licks the wound, as if trying to share his pain.
After the treatment, the wound on his arm doesn't disappear, but it stops bleeding and is far less open.
Now she bends over the wound on his thigh, just below the groin. As she does, her long, curly blonde hair falls over her sky-blue eyes and her full breasts, bare beneath her transparent nightgown.
She treats it the same way as before, leaving Ren pleasantly relaxed.
Yet that feeling isn't enough to push the name the vampire spoke out of his mind — Raelor Valraen.
How the hell does he know…? Could Raelor really be behind all this? I doubt it… He was never the type to surround himself with subordinates.
He's still far stronger than me, and if he were truly interested in us, it would only take him a moment to take us by force.
That bastard… sooner or later, I'll kill him — even if it's the last thing I do!
Iris's tongue slides gently over his skin until that wound is almost completely healed.
"Do you feel better now, Ren?"
Ren nods silently. His gaze stays fixed on the ceiling, clouded with cigarette smoke.
"I'm really happy to hear that. Do you need anything else?" Iris asks, her eyes full of love and concern — the same look a wife might give her husband after a long day at work.
"The only thing I want right now is a hot bath and to crawl into bed. That's all."
"Do you want me to wash your back, little brother?"
Ren blushes slightly.
"C-Come on, Iris… I'm not a kid anymore…"
Iris shoots him an annoyed look.
"There's no age where a brother can't have his back washed by his sister, you know? You might be big and strong now, but you're still my sweet little brother!"
"Maybe another time. It's late, and you need to rest. You can't show up at work exhausted."
"Ugh… and to think that when you were little, you used to throw fits because you wanted me to wash you instead of Mom. Fine, then — but don't stay up too late, okay? I'll be waiting in bed."