Sage’s eyebrow arched as she caught the flicker in his eyes not worry exactly, but the kind of look a man wore when he was bracing for impact. Her tone left no room for evasion.
"Okay, babe. I need you to tell everything about Ravena."
Zaeryn groaned, dragging a hand through his ssy hair. He hated lying to her, so he didn’t bother trying. "She’s... an old friend."
Now that he said it like that. He realized it was not such a big deal.
Sage’s gaze narrowed, lips curving in a way that made the word friend sound dangerously thin.
"Oh? You and Ravena had sothing going on?"
He shot upright, waving his hands quickly. "No, no. Not like that. We were just close. But " He hesitated, wincing. "She did say once that, you know... when we were older, we’d end up together. I never agreed, but knowing Ravena? She probably still thinks that promise is carved in stone."
Sage’s expression cooled, though her eyes glead with interest."And now she’s walking in to et your actual girlfriend."
Zaeryn sighed, collapsing back against the pillow.
"Yeah. Which ans things are about to get... loud."
"Oh maybe not. I’m not a threat to her, she should know that." Sage’s voice carried that signature teasing lilt, her violet eyes sparkling with a mix of amusent and calculation, as if she were already mapping out the social dynamics like a lab experint.
"What do you an?" He asked. However he didn’t care for her answer as he rembered sothing that he had been aning to tell her, "Anyways, I have to tell you sothing. Yesterday, sothing happened between and Daphne, the chief scientist. We found out, that I can wield Vitae."
Sage’s violet eyes widened, her relaxed look replaced by a look of profound shock. The easy banter about Ravena instantly dissolved, replaced by a laser focus on Zaeryn’s words. Her mind, sharp and analytical, imdiately processed the implications.
"You can... wield Vitae?" she repeated, her voice a hushed whisper, as if saying the words too loudly might shatter the reality of it. "How? That’s not supposed to be possible for males. How did it happen?"
She sat up fully, her body shifting from relaxed intimacy to intense scrutiny. Naked before him, her full breasts, tipped with pointed nipples, were impossible to ignore. But her posture scread scientist first, lover second, leaning in like she was about to analyze a breakthrough specin.
Zaeryn ran a hand through his hair, caught between awe and trepidation partly from the revelation itself, partly from the fear of how Sage would react to the truth about Daphne.
He reminded himself: at the ti, intimacy with Daphne hadn’t felt like a big deal Sage had always joked she didn’t mind if he slept with other won, as long as she was his number one. But now... he wasn’t so sure.
"I don’t know the exact science behind it," he admitted. "Daphne said sothing about our Vitae fusing during... an intense intimate mont."
Sage’s eyes narrowed, "Hmmm, intense mont?" She asked, her tone laced with that husky curiosity, more intrigued than accusatory, like a puzzle piece slotting into place. "And you have her signature? Fascinating does it feel like an external graft, or fully integrated?"
"Yeah." Zaeryn hesitated.
Sage leaned forward, her gaze sharp with fascination. "That’s incredible, babe. Show . I need to see for myself."
Zaeryn didn’t hesitate as he conjured a faint wisp of golden energy between his hands. It flickered briefly before vanishing. "She said it’s raw, unmastered. I could do more, but it’d drain , might even knock out."
Sage’s lips parted, her scientific mind alight. She always felt Zaeryn was an anomaly, judging by... just everything about him. She just never knew that he could wield Vitae. Nonetheless this was exciting for her.
"That’s... extraordinary," she murmured, leaning over him to et his lips in a passionate kiss her fingers tracing his jaw with that familiar teasing pressure. "I always knew you were a glitch, but this... this is a total system crash."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, curiosity tinged with sothing sharper. "But what did you an by ’intense mont’ with Daphne?"
Zaeryn’s throat tightened. There was no dodging this. "I can only absorb Vitae through a bond," he confessed, his voice low. "To test that, we had to be... intimate. With each other."
Sage’s expression shifted at that information. She showed a bit of surprise, then a calculating pause. Her violet eyes held his, unreadable but intense, as she processed the revelation.
Zaeryn felt like an idiot now as he thought of it. He shouldn’t have done that with Daphne. But who was he kidding? He loved every mont of it, and if he was being honest a part of him was bringing it up in hopes that Sage will realize that he had to have a harem.
Sage smiled genuinely. She was just surprised, not really jealous. "Okay."
"You’re not bothered by it?"
"I’m not bothered, darling." She leaned forward to him slightly, letting a slow, knowing smile curl across her lips. "I knew from the start you were never ant for just one girl. You always attract attention, and once they see what you’re capable of... well, you’ll have even more eyes on you." She tapped her finger lightly against her chin, mischief glinting in her eyes. "And no, I’m not talking about your vitae. Besides, I think the universe has a way of making sure soone like you ends up with multiple lovers, one way or another."
Zaeryn just stared at her. He was relieved to see how well she was with it. In fact, it showed him exactly why she was perfect for him. She seed very supportive and helpful than he had even thought.
"You really think that?" he asked. The question was a mix of surprise and genuine relief. But he didn’t need to ask, he knew Sage. She ant every word she said.
"I do," she affird, her voice soft but firm. "Besides, you’re not going anywhere. I’ll always be your main girl." She demanded playfully.
"No," he said without hesitation, pulling her closer and wrapping his arms around her. "I’m not going anywhere."
They shared a warm passionate kiss.
The issue of Daphne and his newfound powers was out in the open, and Sage had t the news with the quiet confidence he always loved about her.
The morning’s anxieties were replaced by a new, shared understanding.
The only challenge left was downstairs, where Kayla Noctis, his least favourite person in the family, and Ravena, his... Well, he didn’t know what she was to him anymore.
At first, she had been like Kayla, maybe even influenced by her, disliking him simply because he was a man. But as they grew up and she gradually distanced herself from Kayla, who had beco a full-fledged warlady, Ravena found herself spending more ti with him.
They beca inseparable... until she left for a noble’s academy at fifteen. Now, three years later, she was back, and he didn’t know what to expect.
He knew she might get jealousy of Sage.
"I’ll take a shower." Sage smiled, giving him a knowing look before she padded toward the bathroom. "I’ll be quick," she said, her voice a low murmur. The door hissed shut behind her, leaving Zaeryn in the quiet room, the scent of her still lingering in the air.
He moved to the wardrobe, pulling out a fresh shirt and trousers. As he dressed, his mind replayed the conversation. He had expected an argunt, a lecture, or even anger, but Sage had handled it with a shocking, almost casual acceptance.
Taking a deep breath, he walked to the door and headed toward the main living area. The familiar layout of the house felt different now, each step toward the gathering feeling heavier than the last.
He could hear the low murmur of voices drifting up from the lower floor.
Rounding the final corner, the space opened into a sun-drenched atrium. Zaeryn could see everyone, and his eyes couldn’t help wondering on everyone, except for Kayla who he did not even want to waste a single look on.
The hate for her was great in him.
The grandmother, Marceline, sat there utterly stunning in her fitted dress, effortlessly alluring without even trying. She was a dark-haired beauty with an hourglass figure that could turn heads anywhere, radiating a sensual confidence that demanded notice.
She was the perfect embodint of the saying, age is just a number. In this world, it truly was. People lived far longer than before, and a rare few, especially Vitae wielders of tier one or two, could extend their lifespans even further.
Marceline looked no older than twenty-five, thirty at most. Hell, she and her daughter, Ysine, could have easily passed for the sa age.
Her bust was full and firm, her hips wide and curvaceous, perfectly matching Ysine in both shape and presence.
Ravena, and Kayla were all seated on a plush seat, a low table filled with teacups and pastries between them.
Unlike Marceline or the others, Ravena seed to carry a different set of genes. She didn’t boast the sa voluptuous curves; her chest was more moderate—far from small, but not as full—and her hips, while a touch wide, held a subtler shape. What she had instead was a lithe, graceful fra that spoke of agility and an understated sensuality. Her beauty was refined, marked by a delicate oval face that drew the eye with quiet charm.
Ravena was in the middle of the room, speaking with animated gestures while Aeris laughed at whatever joke she’d just cracked. Ravena had always been the funny one, and Zaeryn wasn’t surprised she had the others in stitches.
As Zaeryn stepped fully into the atrium, all eyes turned toward him. Ravena’s striking green gaze found his, and she broke into a radiant smile.
"There he is," she said, her voice carrying that bright, familiar lilt. "Finally awake."
She rose gracefully and wrapped him in a warm hug.
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