In the quiet of the night, Arlan lay beside Oriana, who slumbered peacefully. Her body, weakened by the power of the demoness, was prone to sleepiness, in addition to the mental exhaustion she had experienced in the past few days due to the demise of her grandfather.
He observed her sleepy face, gently caressing it with his hand, his mind conflicted over whether he should initiate physical intimacy and share with her his essence of darkness when she was dealing with the sorrow of her grandfather's death.
But in the end, he made a decision. Protecting her was of utmost priority. He couldn't bear to see her endure any more pain due to her body going through another attack.
Drawing his face closer to her sleepy one, Arlan brushed his lips against hers in a tender kiss, his touch gentle yet laden with unspoken longing.
With a familiar yet seductive sensation, Oriana stirred in her sleep and responded to his kiss as if guided by her basic instinct.
