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The roof of HQ really was a lovely spot – providing an unparalleled view of the gorgeous night sky, as well as privacy, since no one ever came up here. Well...no one but you and Levi, at least. You two enjoyed sitting together on the stone roof, gazing up at the stars, and occasionally engaging in more...romantic activities.
You threaded your fingers through Levi's, savoring that little bit of warmth in the chilly air. "It's a nice night, huh?" you murmured.
He gazed back at you with half-lidded eyes. "Yeah," he breathed.
Your lips met softly, and yet, they conveyed such boundless love that you could hardly stand it. You felt as though your heart would burst from your chest. Your tongue slid across his bottom lip, and he parted eagerly, practically begging you to come inside. Both of you hummed contentedly as you deepened the kiss, arms going around each other, fingers twining in hair...
"Sorry to interrupt," a smooth, cold voice drawled.
You jumped back from Levi, the blood in your veins turning to ice. Your eyes locked with the red ones of the intruder, who was standing just a few meters away on the roof, appearing to be a handsome, well-groomed man in his early thirties. Deceptive – considering that man was really a monster.
"It has been a long time, daughter," Dracula stated, his demeanor no different than if he were politely greeting guests at a party. You, meanwhile, were terrified. "I hope you enjoyed your excursion into the mortal world, but it is time to come home now."
Levi had no idea what was going on, but he read the horror in your eyes. "You're not taking her anywhere," he growled, moving to stand between you and Dracula.
"Charming," your father chuckled condescendingly. Then, faster than a human could perceive, he rushed across the roof and grabbed Levi by the collar. In the blink of an eye, your lover was dangled over the ledge – several stories above the hard, unforgiving ground.
"Bastard," Levi hissed, struggling to get out of his grip. However, not even the strongest human was a match for the original vampire.
Your heart nearly stopped at the sight. "No! Don't hurt him!" you screamed at the monster who held Levi's life in his hand. "Please! I'll do whatever you want!"
"Oh, I'm sure you will," Dracula replied calmly. Then he let go.
"No!" you screamed again, lurching forward as Levi dropped to the earth far below, ready to jump off the roof after him.
But in the next instant, your sisters appeared, swooping down with bat wings protruding from their human bodies, catching Levi in their grasp. Yet, you felt anything but relieved. They were a worse fate than being splattered on the ground.
"Let him go!" you shouted desperately at Dracula, knowing your sisters were under his command. "I'm the one you want! He has nothing to do with this!"
"I beg to differ," Dracula stated, fixing his gaze on you. For just a moment, you saw a flicker of how truly enraged he was, that you had managed to hide from him for a decade. "Now, come. It is time we went home."
You had no choice but to follow.
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By the time you and Dracula landed atop his castle, your sisters were already out of sight. And there was no sign of Levi.
"Where is he?" you growled at Dracula, momentarily forgetting your fear of him. Your worry for Levi and your anger at the fact that he was being used as a hostage left no room for any other emotion.
Your father hummed lightly. "I would imagine he's with your sisters. You know how much they love new toys."
All the color drained from your face. "No," you breathed, horrified.
Then you were running, faster than humanly possible, with Dracula's sadistic laughter trailing after you. You were all too aware of the atrocities your sisters vested upon humans who were unlucky enough to get dragged into their bedroom. If you didn't stop them in time...
You burst through the ornate double doors, into a suite that had been draped in so much silk and gossamer that you could hardly see through all the warm-colored fabric. Your frantic eyes found Levi in the middle of it all, one of your sisters on each side, their deceptively strong hands holding him in place while their bodies pressed against him. They grinned wickedly at you, their blood-red lips parting to display sharp fangs.
"Get away from him!" you screamed, ready to rip both vampires apart, if that's what it took.
"Now, now. Is that any way to speak to your sisters?" Dracula drawled from behind you.
You whirled on him, knowing he was responsible for all of this. You might have been able to win in a fight against your sisters – if you were smart about it – but there was no way in hell you could ever come close to beating Dracula. His power was too great, and on top of that, because he had been the vampire to turn you, you were physically unable to do anything that would cause him harm.
So you begged.
"Please! Please, stop this!" you cried. "I'm the one you want! Please!"
Dracula chuckled at your desperation. "Very well, since you asked so nicely." Then, turning to your sisters, he murmured, "Girls, that's enough now."
Your sisters pouted as they stepped back from Levi. Meanwhile, relief washed over you, and you released the breath you had been holding. But you should have known better.
"After all, your dear sister (f/n) claimed the human first," Dracula continued in a light tone. "It would be unfair to steal food from her plate. Unless...she no longer wants him?"
Your sisters' expressions morphed into twisted delight. They strolled over to their father's side, hanging off his arms, watching you with gleeful eyes. They knew exactly what was coming...and so did you.
Your blood ran cold, and your eyes went wide with horror. "No," you breathed.
Dracula only smiled.
The veiled threat was clear. If you didn't feed on Levi right here and now, Dracula would let your sisters go at him. You knew exactly what that would entail, for your sisters were predictable in their cruelty.
They liked to play with their food. If they had their way, they would feed on Levi slowly, pumping him full of endorphins while they drank his blood in order to make him more pliable. Then they would take their pleasure in other ways as well, with Levi conscious but unable to resist, until the last drop of life left him.
But if you bit him...at least you could minimize the damage. You could give him enough endorphins to dull the pain, but not so many that he would get drunk off them. You could also control the amount of blood you took, so he wouldn't die.
You glanced at Levi, honestly expecting to see hate in his eyes. Before tonight, he hadn't known you were a vampire – a monster. He had believed that the woman he loved was human, and you had let him believe it, all while falling in love yourself. You had been too afraid to admit the truth, too afraid to see the tenderness in his gaze turn to revulsion.
Yet, there was nothing but understanding in Levi's beautiful grey orbs, telling you that it was okay. He didn't care if you were a monster. He didn't care if you drank his blood. Even though you had lied to him about your past and about what you were, he still trusted you – trusted the human heart inside you.
Your sisters giggled softly as you stepped toward Levi, but you ignored them. Your gaze remained locked on his, trying to convey how unfathomably sorry you were. Meanwhile, his own eyes remained soft, letting you know that it was alright, that he didn't blame you.
You continued to hold his gaze as you gently slid one arm around his waist for support, your other hand reaching up to cup his cheek. His own arms folded around you, not so much holding himself up as reassuring you. When you brought your lips to his throat, he subtly tilted it for you, exposing more of himself, showing you that it was okay.
Your heart ached at that demonstration of trust. Before you began, you pressed a tender kiss to his skin, once again conveying how sorry you were, how much you loved him. Then, as carefully as you could, you slid your fangs into his neck, instantly giving him endorphins to dull the pain.
And...hell, he tasted divine. You had heard rumors that the blood of a lover was more delicious than any other, but you had never tested it yourself, hating the idea of using Levi as a meal. You still hated it now – even more so with Dracula and your sisters taking their sick, sadistic pleasure from it. Yet...despite how wrong it felt, it was an effort to make yourself pull away.
But you did.
A trickle of blood slid down Levi's throat – one you tenderly licked clean. Then you glanced into his eyes, seeing that they were still lucid, and still full of love. Thankfully, there were no signs of pain. It seemed you had gotten the endorphins just right.
"Come now, daughter. Surely, your thirst hasn't been sated already?" Dracula asked. Although his tone was casual, there was a sharpness in his smile, a cruel command in his eyes. "Go on. Don't be shy."
You tensed. There was no way you could refuse him, and yet...how much of Levi's blood would he force you to take?
Levi's thumb brushed across your back. It was a small gesture – something that wouldn't be noticed by anyone else – but it was his way of telling you to go ahead. He was well aware of the position you both were in.
With that encouragement, you once again sank your fangs into his flesh, hating yourself throughout every second of it. And that was exactly what Dracula wanted – how he would punish you for running away. He would force you to hurt the person you loved most in the world, to fill you with guilt that would follow you for eternity. Even though you knew that this whole situation was Dracula's fault – that he was ultimately the one to blame – on some level, you would always feel ashamed for not being strong enough to stop this.
Moreover, by bringing Levi here and forcing you to do this, Dracula was ensuring your obedience – not just for tonight, but into the future. As long as he held Levi hostage, he had you by the throat. If you tried to defy him again, he would make you repeat this atrocity. And if you refused, he would simply hand Levi over to your sisters – and likely make you watch.
You took as much blood from Levi as you thought was safe. After decades of draining humans, you were well-acquainted with the level at which they lost consciousness, as well as the level at which they died. Your estimate was confirmed when Levi's grip on you slackened, and you felt his body sway in your arms.
"Are you alright?" you whispered into his ear, keeping your voice low so as not to feed your family's twisted glee. Your hold on him remained secure, not letting him fall.
"Yeah," he breathed.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Dracula questioned. "Keep going."
"If I take any more, he'll pass out," you snapped, twisting around to glare at your father.
Dracula leveled his gaze at you, doing away with any pretense of pleasantry. "And?"
You gritted your teeth, knowing you had no choice but to continue. You turned back to Levi, your gaze flicking over his face, noting his half-lidded eyes and colorless skin. Anyone else would have passed out already, but that inner strength that you admired so much kept him going. Even though there wasn't much he could do about it, he didn't want to be unconscious in a room full of enemies.
"I'll protect you," you whispered into his ear. And you would – even if you had to die to do it. Taking a little blood from him was one thing, but if Dracula ended up ordering you to kill him...at that point, whatever slim chance you had of getting Levi out of here was better than the alternative.
You pressed another kiss to his throat, wondering if he could even feel it anymore. Then you slid your fangs back inside, once again tasting the delicious blood of your lover, hating how your vampire senses reveled in the act. And you drank until his body went limp in your arms.
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When Levi finally awoke, the two of you were tucked into your bed, with you watching him worriedly.
You could tell he was experiencing the prolonged drowsiness that came from the mix of endorphins and having his blood drained. His gorgeous grey eyes were lidded and groggy, only remaining open for long enough to register that you were lying next to him. Then his eyelids fluttered closed, completely at ease, and he hummed contentedly.
"Hey," he mumbled, smiling softly – as if the terrible events of yesterday never happened. As if you two weren't in a castle full of monsters right now. As if you weren't a monster yourself.
You surmised that the endorphins must still be in his system. Either that, or he just felt uncommonly good after sleeping the day away. Actually, the latter was possible, given that he regularly didn't sleep much and probably needed to catch up.
You brushed his bangs out of his face – carefully, reverently. "I'm sorry," you stated with quiet sincerity. "I should have told you the truth. More than that, it was wrong of me to even get involved with you in the first place, considering what I am. It's my fault you got dragged here...that Dracula made you his hostage..."
"Stop," Levi grumbled, nuzzling your nose with his as he interrupted your profuse apologies. He opened his eyes halfway to look at you, to make sure you listened to what he was about to say. His body remained relaxed, but his gaze was serious. "It's alright. Really. Yes, I wish you would have trusted me enough to tell me the truth, but...I can see that things are complicated. Honestly, I still don't have much of a clue as to what's going on here. But I do know that you protected me as much as you could. I know..." He swallowed, a faint blush dusting his cheeks. "I know the love in your eyes was – is – real. And that matters more to me. We can work through the rest."
"But..." you gasped, unable to believe that he was forgiving you so easily. "Aren't you disgusted with me? I drank your blood! I'm a monster that has to drink blood to survive!"
"If it were anyone else, I would be," he replied. "But I know you're clean, and that you..." He paused, trying to find the right words, before continuing haltingly, "...respect my need...for those things. Besides, I know those other vampires would have done much worse to me, and you spared me from that. If I had to be bitten by someone, I'm glad it was you."
You averted your gaze, unsure of what to say. On one hand, you were overjoyed that he didn't hate you. But on the other...you couldn't help thinking that he should.
"Hey," Levi grumbled, nudging you with his nose to get your attention. "Don't look like that. I said it was okay, didn't I?"
"It's just..." you began quietly, "I can't help feeling...like you should hate me. I mean...I'm a monster that has killed countless people –"
"I've killed people," he interrupted gently. "You were the one who told me that I wasn't a monster for it, remember? Why would you be any different?"
"You didn't make those people into your dinner," you mumbled, half burying your face in the pillow, subconsciously trying to hide from him. "I'm no better than a titan."
Levi released a quiet sigh. "I don't think that's true. I've known you for a decade, and during that time, you've saved countless people – while risking yourself in the process. You have a good heart, (f/n). You're not a monster."
You sniffled, feeling tears prick your eyes. You couldn't handle his kind words – not when you were so undeserving of them. "You don't know what I did before," you stated, your voice quavering.
"Then tell me," he commanded gently. "Tell me all the things you kept hidden before, and everything you've done. And afterward, let me decide for myself what I think of you. Okay?"
You gritted your teeth against the tears that threatened to fall, certain that if he didn't despise you now, he would once he heard your story. But all the same...he deserved the truth. Thus, you gathered your courage and gave him a small nod.
In a quiet voice, you explained how Dracula had stolen you from your quaint life and turned you into a vampire, forcing you to take part in his twisted game of pretend, with a "family" that was anything but warm and loving. How, even though you hadn't wanted to, he made you drain humans dry – made you kill so many that you lost count. How, after a century of living in his nightmare, you finally managed to escape.
Then you told Levi about convincing a witch to enchant an ankle bracelet for you, so you could survive in sunlight and hide amongst humans – feeding off animal blood in secret, because you didn't want to be a monster. Wishing to atone for all the lives you had taken, you joined the Scouts in order to help save the people in the Walls. Then you met Levi, and fell in love...and he knew the rest.
Once you were finished, Levi simply gazed at you while he processed, his expression unreadable. Too ashamed to meet his eyes, you kept yours averted. Thus, you didn't see it coming when he leaned in to give you a soft, chaste kiss – and you were shocked by the tender press of his lips upon your own.
You stared at him, wide-eyed, while he stated sincerely, "You are not a monster, (f/n). You only did all those things because Dracula forced you. He's the one at fault here – not you. You're still the same compassionate, brave woman that I've always known you to be."
A single tear slipped down your cheek as you were overwhelmed by his kind words. You hadn't realized how badly you needed to hear them – how badly you needed someone to see all your sins and then assert that you were still a person worth loving. "Thank you," you whispered.
In answer, Levi cupped your face in his hand before leaning in to kiss the tear away. Then he rested his forehead against yours, reassuring you that he wasn't frightened or repulsed. You savored that contact, as well as his familiar scent that enveloped you whenever you took a shaky breath, allowing his closeness to help you calm down.
After you had relaxed a bit, Levi murmured, "So...now that you've bitten me...am I going to turn into a vampire?"
"No," you assured him hastily as you pulled away to look at him, appalled by the idea. "The chemical that turns humans into vampires is something we can control – just like we control the endorphins. I didn't give you any of it, I promise. I would never do that to you."
"Why not?" he asked.
You blinked, confused at the genuinely curious expression in his eyes. "You don't mean you'd actually consider it?" you questioned incredulously.
His gaze fell, and a faint blush once again graced his cheeks. "I want to be with you," he murmured. "I want to protect you. But as I am now, I don't have the strength to do either of those things. I can't fight Dracula, or your sisters. And as a human...if I'm not killed in battle, I'll just keep getting older. I don't want you to be stuck with some ancient geezer who looks old enough to be your grandfather. And...I don't want to leave you when I die."
Your lips pursed into a thin line – the mere thought of Levi's inevitable death causing an ache in your heart. "I don't want to be parted from you, either," you stated solemnly. "But I won't turn you into a monster, Levi. I can't."
He glanced up, once again bumping his nose into yours, as if he were chastising you for thinking such a thing. "Oi, we've been over this," he grunted. "Being a vampire doesn't inherently make you a monster. However...if you really hate it that much, is there a way to change you back into a human?"
"There's a rumor that all vampires will change back if Dracula is killed, since he's the one who allegedly made the deal with the devil and started all this," you replied, your gaze falling at the sheer impossibility of the task. "But the fact that he's the progenitor also prevents us from taking any action against him. I can't really explain it, except...it's like we have an irresistible instinct inside us, and we physically can't do anything to hurt him. So killing him is out of the question."
"What if I did it?" Levi suggested. "There's no instinct stopping me."
Your brow furrowed in thought. "I suppose...it's possible..." you mused. "There's no way you can beat him in a fight, so you'd have to catch him off guard – like when he's sleeping – and drive a stake through his heart."
"Sounds simple enough," he said with a shrug. "Do you know where he sleeps?"
"I do..." you replied slowly. "But he's increased security around the castle so I can't escape again, and I don't know if that applies to his chambers as well. I'd have to investigate once the sun rises. But...Levi, you should know... it's still a risk. Dracula could wake up, or any number of other things could go wrong. Maybe we shouldn't –"
"I'm doing this, (f/n)," he interrupted, holding your gaze with conviction. "If this is the way to free you, then I don't care how dangerous it is. I will kill him."
Your eyes searched his, your expression tightening with worry. After a long moment, you sighed. "Alright then," you murmured.
His gaze softened, silently reassuring you that this would work. He reached out to brush his fingers through your hair, all at once comforting you and cherishing the simple fact that you were here. You savored his touch, allowing yourself to believe in him, to hope that the two of you could get through this together.
Then, suddenly remembering what you had brought for him, you sat up and reached over to the nightstand. "Here," you stated as you held out an apple and a cup of water. "You'll need these after losing so much blood."
He accepted the apple gratefully, and once he took that first bite, he seemed to realize just how ravenous he was. He devoured the fruit eagerly, barely swallowing before his teeth were tearing into it again. He only stopped when the sticky juice dripped down his chin, triggering his obsessive need for cleanliness.
Before he could wipe the juice away, you were there, licking it off with a single, lingering brush of your tongue. Levi's cheeks turned pink at your teasing gesture, but rather than taking things further, you simply held out the cup. "Drink," you insisted, an amused smirk tugging at your lips.
He sipped the water obediently, still appearing a bit flustered by your actions. However, as he gradually drained the cup, his expression shifted into something more pensive. By the time the cup was empty, he was staring down into it, clearly deep in thought.
"Do you...want something to drink?" he asked quietly.
You balked, instantly understanding what he meant. "No, no, of course not," you assured him hastily. "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry about what happened last night, but I promise, it won't happen again if I can help it."
His gaze remained downcast. For a moment, he just sat there silently, until he whispered, "But...what if I wanted you to?"
"What...?" you gasped, staring at him with a mix of concern and disbelief.
He blushed again – not out of shyness this time, but embarrassment. His shoulders curled inward ever so slightly as he responded, "It's just...after you bit me...my mind just went blank. I didn't have to think about the war, or all the people I've lost. I felt...relaxed. Good, even. And afterward, I was actually able to sleep without any nightmares. I'm guessing it was those endorphins you mentioned, but regardless...as long as we're stuck here...I was just wondering if...maybe you could make me feel that way again?"
His voice was so soft, barely getting the words out. Clearly, he was fully aware that he was asking you to drug him. But even that seemed preferable to facing his painful memories, as well as his anxiety over which comrade would die next.
Your heart ached for him, because you knew that the horrors he dealt with were truly awful. You hated that the man you loved was made to suffer so terribly, when he deserved nothing less than a peaceful, happy life. However, for his own good, this was one request you couldn't grant.
Gently, you took the cup and the apple core from his hand, depositing them on the nightstand. Then you turned back around and wrapped Levi in your arms, giving him a tight hug. "My love, I'm so sorry," you murmured into his ear. "I know it's hard, but I can't keep giving you endorphins. They're addictive – so much so that vampires even use them to force humans into being their own personal blood banks. It's horrible, to see those people practically begging vampires to drink from them. I could never risk turning you into that. Besides, after what I've watched my sisters do..."
You swallowed, flashing back to the nights when Dracula had ordered you to stay with your sisters while they played with their food. You would never be able to forget how they dragged screaming humans into their bed, overloading them with endorphins until they were completely pliant, lost in a drug-induced pleasure haze. Then your sisters would take their time, alternating between sipping the humans' blood and doing even more unspeakable things to them – all while laughing and teasing you for not joining them.
The thought of Levi in a similar situation turned your blood to ice.
Sensing how tense you had become, Levi returned your embrace, his arms sliding around you gently. "I get it," he murmured, sparing you from explaining the horrors you had witnessed. "And after hearing all that, I think you're right. The endorphins are a bad idea. I'm sorry I asked. It's just..." He sighed, and his body sagged against you. "It's hard, sometimes."
"I know," you replied earnestly, honored that he trusted you enough to admit this vulnerability, when he so rarely opened up to anyone. "You don't have to feel sorry for wanting an escape, my love. Anyone would, if they in your position. In fact, I don't think most people would have been able to endure it like you have." You pressed a reverent kiss to his forehead, then squeezed him a little tighter. "You're so strong, Levi."
After another moment of holding him in silence, you felt the soft, grateful brush of his lips upon your cheek. "Thanks for looking out for me," he whispered.
Your mouth quirked upward, your heart warming at his sweet gesture. Moreover, the innocent tingling in your stomach reminded you that, while you couldn't give Levi endorphins to chase the bad memories away, there was something else that might help. So you pulled back just enough to look at him, taking a moment to savor the beauty in that pale face, those grey eyes.
You raised your hand to cup his cheek, brushing your thumb across those soft, thin lips, causing Levi's breath to catch. "May I?" you whispered.
His eyes went wide, looking almost frightened as a blush filled his face. After all this time, he was still so shy, and you secretly hoped he would never lose that adorable feature. But despite his bashfulness, he gave you a small nod, his lips already parting to receive you.
You smiled as you kissed him – deeply, passionately – reveling in the way he eagerly responded. You got the sense that he knew what you were doing, but that didn't change anything. He wanted to lose himself in you, wanted to let his focus narrow until all he knew was the taste of your lips.
Contrary to his typical touch-me-and-die attitude, Levi adored kissing. Or, more accurately, he adored kissing you. Most people would have found this behavior unusual for the callous captain, but to you, it was completely understandable. Deep down, Levi did long to feel a sense of ardent companionship and connection with people, but the trauma of his past and the need to be Humanity's Strongest forced him to keep everyone at arm's length. However, with you, he had a well-established environment of trust and understanding. He could let his guard down here – could show his feelings without fear of being exploited or of disappointing you. Moreover, you returned his openness with your own, communicating that your feelings for him were strong, that he wouldn't be abandoned. It was the unshakable complicity that Levi had always craved, and thus, a deep, passionate kiss was the natural next step – the silent conveyance of everything between you two.
You let things go on longer than usual, let them become a little more heated. You wouldn't push too far, but you wanted to give Levi a decent distraction – one that allowed him to forget his troubles by a healthier means than vampire endorphins. And from the way he hummed contentedly into the kiss, messing up your hair as he threaded his fingers through it, pulling you closer for more...you could tell he was certainly enjoying himself.
You didn't part from him until your lips were sore and your lungs were heaving. The butterflies in your stomach left you wonderfully giddy, and when combined with the lightness in your head, you felt like the room was spinning. Meanwhile, Levi was apparently experiencing something similar as he leaned his forehead on yours, looking gloriously overwhelmed in all the best ways. It seemed your kisses had done the trick.
After Levi caught his breath, he began fixing your hair, looking sheepish at the mess he had made. You didn't mind, of course, having similarly tousled his own hair. Moreover, while you had definitely enjoyed kissing him, you also cherished moments like this one – when the two of you could gently and quietly take care of each other, all while exchanging appreciative glances and soft smiles.
Once that was done, you both curled up together under the covers, holding each other close until the sun rose from its slumber, and it was time to put your plan into action.
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You waited outside the entrance to Dracula's chambers, nervously biting your lip as you listened for any hint of intruders, as well as any hint of what was going on inside. Levi had slipped through the door just a second ago, leaving you to stand watch out here. You wouldn't be any good against Dracula, but if your sisters or any of the guards happened to come by, you could certainly fight them.
Thankfully, while Dracula had increased security around the perimeter of the castle, his bedroom was still just as unguarded as ever. After all, there was no real need to take such precautions when everyone in this castle was physically incapable of harming him. Well, everyone except Levi, but Dracula didn't consider a mere human to be a threat.
His mistake.
You heard a soft creak from inside, and you pressed your ear to the door, trying to discern whether everything was going according to plan. While you couldn't actively hurt Dracula, you could at least try to help Levi escape if things went wrong. Yet, no more noises came from the room, and you were forced to wait on bated breath for several more seconds.
Then the air was filled with an ear-splitting, agonized scream. You threw open the door and ran inside just in time to see Dracula dissolving into dust, the wooden stake that you had carved from your bedpost stuck through his heart. Levi stood beside the monster, watching until the last traces were gone.
Suddenly, your world seemed to stop. To tilt. Your vision grew dark around the edges as your knees gave out, and Levi just managed to catch you before you slammed into the floor.
"(F/n)?" he asked worriedly. Frantic, his gaze searched your face, looking for any hint of what was wrong, any way to help you. But then...
"It's alright," you breathed as your vision started to clear. Stunned, you could only stare straight ahead as you felt the weakness of your body – the humanity of it. You reached into your mouth, finding only canines where fangs used to be.
And then you were hugging Levi, grinning broadly, feeling tears of happiness prick your eyes. "My hero," you croaked, your throat tight with emotion. "Thank you."
Surprised as Levi was by your actions, it took him a moment to respond. However, once those grateful words left your lips, he sighed and wrapped his arms around you, relieved that you were okay. He held you in silence, letting the warmth of his embrace convey everything he felt in his heart.
You were alive. You were human. And both of you were free to be together.
Eventually, the two of you pulled back from each other. Levi rose to his feet before holding out a hand for you, which you gratefully accepted. "Ready to go home, brat?" he asked.
"That sounds really nice," you replied, giving him a warm smile. However, you two only made it a few steps down the hall before you stopped again, causing Levi to halt alongside you.
"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he turned to see the grimace on your face.
"Ugh, I just remembered that I can't fly anymore," you groaned. "It'll probably take us a week to walk all the way back to HQ."
Levi hummed thoughtfully, then glanced around. A moment later, he released your hand and stepped up to a vase resting on a pedestal. After picking up the delicate item and inspecting it, he stated, "Don't worry. If we sell this, we'll have enough money to rent horses and stay in luxury hotels the whole way back."
Your jaw dropped. "It's really worth that much?" you asked incredulously.
When he nodded, you gave a low whistle. "In that case, hold on a sec. There's a giant bag in my closet that we can use to carry things."
"Works for me," he grumbled.
After a quick foray to your bedroom, the two of you strolled leisurely out of the castle, filling your bag with the choicest items as casually as if you were a wealthy couple shopping in a Sina marketplace. You figured that since Dracula had made you his daughter, no one could complain about you claiming your inheritance. Besides, after a century of torment, you deserved to start your new life in style.
You were so absorbed in pilfering all the priceless items that you didn't see Levi slip a simple yet beautiful ring into his pocket – tucking it away for future use.