It was six months into Nocturne and Deltan's training when Nine finally deemed them ready. Even if a human was fatally wounded and bleeding everywhere, if they threw themselves on them, Deltan and Nocturne wouldn't even blink an eye. Nine was pleased. She could finally go exploring now that they were finally up to date.
Since she was so happy, she had been slightly easier on them the past couple of days. This caused Deltan to go to sleep daily feeling burdened and stressed. He just couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen to him because of his younger brother decreasing the sparring intensity.
Nocturne on the other hand, happily took any chance at touching Nine to the extent that he looked forward to their daily spars. He could feel himself improving rapidly under the pressure, which fed to his pleasure more. Even though his body ached every day, which was rather shocking since he had a strong Vampiric body, he still happily went to the spars.
It reached such an extent that Nine wondered whether he was a masochist. How could he take such a rough beating then proceed to pass out with a smile on his face?
What Seyton and Nine didn't expect that was in the earlier parts of their training, because they couldn't be trusted not to drain their targets dry, they drank Nine and Seyton's blood instead. After doing so, their control rapidly improved.
She didn't know if it was because her blood had some special properties, but Nocturne told her that after drinking her blood for the first time, he felt like his hunger abated more.
All other blood just seemed plain and unappetising in comparison.
Nocturne took every chance to stick close to her, to the point where she thought that she might suffocate if he stuck any closer. Luckily, the strange feelings she got from before seemed to subside somewhat, but she was impatiently enduring his crush on her.
Since it was only the four of them under one roof most of the time, he hadn't had any chances to meet any other people, so Nine was impatient to get out now that their training was done. Although they were still considered fledglings, they now displayed remarkable control over themselves.
Done with Rose, she shipped the delusional woman off back to Cosmos City, where she would be publicly executed for her crimes. Although simple, Nine felt that they had personally tortured her for a long time over these past six months, using her as a training dummy for Nocturne and Deltan. Deltan tormented her every day until her fragmented reality seemed to slip even further. She believed that the pain inflicted on her by Deltan was the love he was showing.
Nine wasn't the type to show mercy to her enemies. The public execution would make sure she went down in history as a sinner, and the Beverley family was finished. They would be either banished or executed together with her based on the degree of their compliance.
°•°•°•🐢. . . .
The four Vampires set off for another city, travelling leisurely. Disguised as they were, they looked just like normal humans. Nine had made scent-blockers, and upon Nocturne's insistence, some sort of mental redirection where the people who looked at them would have their gazes slide right past unless talked to directly.
Although Nine knew that it was partly because he was jealous that he went and created such a thing himself, Nine wore it because it was a gift from one of hers. Even if she wasn't too bothered by the stares she got, it wasn't worth fighting him for something so small.
The sight redirection spell was crafted in the form of an earring. Nocturne made all of them himself. Nine's was by far the most elaborate in terms of detail, but from afar, it looked similar to the others. He reluctantly made Seyton and Deltan's since he didn't think that Nine would accept a present only for himself. It was a simple onyx black stud that had a small fang dangling. The fang was the one that contained the runes for the spell.
Nine casually pierced the earring into the upper part of her cartilage as her Vampiric healing instantly closed around the hole. Nocturne, Seyton and Deltan followed suit, placing it wherever they felt was more suitable.
She initially hadn't wanted to wear it, but the look on Nocturne's face made her acquiesce. He looked so pleading that she felt she could indulge him once in a while.
Nocturne looked at Nine with shining eyes, thinking that the earring really suited Nine's visage. Far from being tacky, once Nine wore it, it felt like the simple design was really brought to life. Just by wearing it, Nine looked elegant and noble. Nocturne stared at her in a daze, feeling like he was falling deeper and deeper in love.
Although Nine's appearance had played a part at first, that was true, but the more he interacted with Nine, the more he felt like he was going deeper and deeper in. There was something inside him that screamed 'mine' when he looked at Nine.
He just had to wait a few years before starting to woo Nine. He wouldn't know if he didn't try, and he wasn't willing to let Nine be someone else's. Call him possessive, but he could tell that Nine was the same type as him. Just based on the way he had treated that woman used for training told him many things. Nine's cold blue eyes when looking at that woman sent chills of pleasure up his spine. That arrogant and lofty look made him feel like there was just no one like Nine. The more he discovered, the more he didn't want to let go.
Right now, he wouldn't do anything but follow after him loyally, just like how Deltan and Seyton were. And if he just so happened to need more help than the two of them, it wasn't his fault.
He was just a slower learner. That's all.
Even if he couldn't do anything, having Nine's sole attention directed at himself appeased him a little, and he could remind himself that the other was still new in terms of love. He probably hadn't even had his first love yet, so Nocturne would slowly and patiently grind him down.
He would chase away any of the bees and butterflies that tried to hover around Nine, starting from that brother of hers. Nocturne eyed Deltan doubtfully again, only receiving a middle finger in return from the blue-haired Eldest Prince. He had really let go of all inhibitions when taunting the other during the course of their training.
Nocturne sneered at the crass gesture, not hiding his disdain. Deltan put up another middle finger, swiftly keeping his hands behind his back when Nine turned to look at them.
Nearby, Seyton, who had watched everything happen, coughed, masterfully hiding his laugh. Simply immature.
Nine rolled her eyes inwardly, picking up the pace slightly. There was only grass and trees, no scenery to see. At least her two childes were entertaining themselves. Seyton seemed rather entertained as well.