Aurora trailed behind Sebastian down the hallway, maintaining a safe distance. She was relieved that he wasn't attempting to engage her in conversation.
With a deep breath, she tamped down her homicidal impulses, reminding herself that this was an opportunity to claim the emerald Zion necklace.
Her eyes fixed on Sebastian, she couldn't help but notice his imposing presence... his long, purposeful strides, his tall, muscular build, and his dark coat that accentuated his broad shoulders, moving with a fluid grace that belied his powerful physique.
Swallowing hard, she halted her steps. "Are you truly doing this for my children's sake?"
"Our children." Sebastian also halted his steps.
Aurora's lips twitched, her heart hardening. "My children, Sebastian. Just because they share your features, your genes, doesn't mean you have any claim to them."
Sebastian looked at her over his shoulder, his silver eyes burning. "Really? You are saying that now?"
"I have raised them on my own, and I am still raising them perfectly, without any assistance from you. Your actions now do not grant you fatherhood. Your actions will never make you their father." She replied, sternly.
Sebastian looked away immediately, his eyes blinking rapidly as he struggled to compose himself. He exhaled heavily and strode away, Aurora following closely behind him, her eyes rolling in exasperation.
They soon arrived at the room where the child lay unconscious, his small body drenched in sweat. The boy appeared to be around ten years old, the same age as the quadruplets, and the gruesome bite mark on his arm looked even more horrific due to the infection that had set in.
Panic overcame Aurora. She glared at Sebastian. "Give him your blood now! If he dies, Lucien will..."
"I am trying to prevent that. Do not worry." He cut in immediately.
Henri stared at them, feeling awkward by the tension. "Here." He handed Sebastian a white plastic cup and reached for a small knife.
However, Sebastian instead extended his hand towards Aurora, requesting, "Your dagger, Ma méchante."
She stared at his outstretched hand, her throat constricting as she hesitated. Then, subtly, she retrieved a black dagger from the folds of her dress.
The silver blade bore the inscription "Ma méchante" , a nod to their complicated past.
She handed the dagger to him, her fingers brushing against his as she relinquished it.
Sebastian wore a hidden smile. He grasped the dagger and cut his palm, allowing his blood to flow into the cup.
Aurora stared at him, her heart racing and pounding in her chest as she watched every drop of blood collect in the cup.
As soon as the cup was full, the wound healed, and he returned the dagger to her, which she snatched back immediately.
"Here," he said, handing the cup to Henri before exiting the room without another word.
Aurora exchanged a brief, tense glance with Henri, who offered a faint smile.
"It has been a while," he said.
"It has." She nodded curtly and followed Sebastian out of the room, her emotions boiling over.
"Fucking hell!" she screamed, her voice barely contained as she hastened down the hallway in search of a secluded room to collect herself.
The moment she found a door, she burst into the room, slamming it shut behind her and leaning back against it with a deep, ragged breath.
"His blood... it still affects me?" Her eyes widened, a faint, unsettling smile playing on her lips.
Clutching the dagger tightly, she breathed in and out, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
"How is this possible?" she whispered, bringing the dagger closer to her face, her eyes fixed on the bloodstained blade.
Once rejected, all ties and attractions were meant to be severed. They were supposed to feel like strangers, devoid of any spark to rekindle the flame. No attraction, no pull, nothing. But now, his blood was drawing her in, beckoning her like a siren's call.
Slowly, she raised the dagger to her lips, her tongue darting out to taste the blood on the steel. Her eyes fluttered closed as she savored the sensation, her breathing deep and labored, like an addict succumbing to an irresistible craving.
The addiction she thought she had overcome came flooding back, the sweet taste of his blood, her undoing.
It coursed through her veins like a powerful elixir, reigniting a craving she thought had been extinguished. The pleasure was raw, a thrill that resonated deep within her soul, mind, and heart.
This was bad... She knew it was dangerous. However, she couldn't resist, her thirst for his blood overpowering her reason.
With a flick of her tongue, she cleaned the steel, her eyes flashing to a deep purple before reverting to their ocean blue hue.
She burst into laughter, the dagger slipping from her hand and clattering to the floor.
"What am I doing?!" she screamed, her fingers tangling in her hair as she laughed uncontrollably, tears welling up in her eyes.
"That infuriating bastard! What was he thinking?"
She strode away from the door, sitting on the bed, her chest heaving with a deep breath. "The bond is supposed to be severed. I should not be feeling anything for him. I..."
A tear rolled down her cheek, and she released a heavy breath, forcing a smile and shaking her head. "I regret meeting him."