Chapter 210: More Than Instinct

Lilith’s serene smile didn’t waver as she folded her hands in her lap. "Isn’t it obvious? We need to produce offspring. Reproduce. It’s our instinct, isn’t it?"

Adam’s eye twitched. He held up a hand, his voice strained. "Hold on, Lilith. That’s way too sudden. And why are you so surprised, Ignis? You were the same way when we first met. You literally asked me to mate with you."

Ignis’s flames flared with indignation. "That was different! Back then, I couldn’t think complexly. And that was instinct too!" She crossed her arms, pouting. "Besides, I’m not as shameless as Lilith!"

Lilith tilted her head, her expression unreadable. "Shameless? I’m simply being practical." She glanced at Adam, then back at Ignis. "You kissed him. I kissed him. We both clearly have an interest. Why dance around the obvious?"

Adam rubbed his temples. "Because it’s not that simple. Feelings are... complicated. And we have more important things to focus on right now. Like the Wasteland. And the letter. And the fact that we have a vampire prisoner who’s currently washing herself in a stream."

Ignis perked up. "Oh yeah! We should probably check on her. What if she runs away?"

Lilith’s smile sharpened. "She won’t. The poison ensures that." She rose gracefully, brushing off her robes. "But you’re right. We should return to the matter at hand." Her crimson eyes flickered to Adam, warm and knowing. "This conversation isn’t over, though."

Adam sighed. "I figured."

Ignis scrambled to her feet, still flustered, her flames crackling with embarrassment. "Let’s just... go. Before she decides to drown herself or something."

The three of them walked toward the treeline, the fire crackling behind them, the night pressing in on all sides.

Adam fell into step beside Lilith, his voice low. "You really know how to make things awkward, don’t you?"

Lilith’s lips curved. "I prefer to think of it as... accelerating the inevitable."

Ignis stomped ahead, muttering under her breath. "Shameless spider..."

Lilith’s laughter drifted through the trees, soft and musical.

The stream was shallow, barely reaching Isolde’s knees. Moonlight filtered through the canopy, casting silver ripples across the water’s surface. She stood with her back to the bank, her white hair hanging in wet tangles, her torn clothes piled on a nearby rock.

Her hands trembled as she scrubbed at her arms, at the dirt and blood that seemed to have seeped into her very skin. The water ran pink around her feet.

’This is humiliating,’ she thought, her jaw tight. ’I am Isolde Draven. Pure-blooded vampire. And now I’m bathing in a stream while three monsters wait for me like I’m some kind of... pet.’

She closed her eyes, forcing herself to breathe.

’The poison. He wasn’t bluffing. I can feel it still, coiled in my veins like a sleeping serpent.’ Her hands stilled. ’If I try to run, I’ll die. If I try to fight, I’ll die. My only chance is to play along. Earn their trust. And then—’

"You’re thinking very loudly."

Isolde’s eyes snapped open. She spun around, water splashing, her hand already raised to summon blood—

Lilith sat on a low-hanging branch above the bank, her legs crossed, her crimson eyes watching Isolde with patient amusement.

"Don’t mind me," Lilith said, waving a hand. "I’m just here to make sure you don’t do anything foolish." She tilted her head. "Like run."

Isolde’s hand lowered. Her jaw tightened.

"I wasn’t going to run."

Lilith’s smile widened. "Of course not."

The silence stretched between them, broken only by the soft murmur of the stream.

Isolde turned back to the water, her shoulders rigid.

"Does he always send you to watch me?"

Lilith shrugged. "He didn’t send me. I came on my own." She leaned back against the branch, her voice drifting down like falling leaves. "I’m curious about you, Isolde Draven."

Isolde’s hands stilled on her arms. "Why?"

"Because you’re hiding something." Lilith’s voice was soft, almost gentle. "And I want to know what it is."

Isolde’s reflection stared back at her from the water—pale, hollow-eyed, a stranger wearing her face.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Lilith laughed—a soft, musical sound that held no warmth at all.

"Liar."

Isolde’s jaw tightened. Her hands, still dripping with water, clenched into fists at her sides. She said nothing for a long moment. Then, finally:

"Say whatever you want."

Lilith’s smile widened. "Oh, is that so?"

She reached into a small pouch at her belt and withdrew a bundle of folded cloth—a gown, elegant and dark, the fabric soft as moonlight, clearly meant for nobility rather than travel. She tossed it to Isolde, who caught it with one hand.

"This is for you," Lilith said. "Adam gave it to you."

Isolde stared at the bundle. The gown was pristine, untouched by the dirt and blood that still stained her own garments, still clung to her skin. Her throat tightened.

"...Fine." She clutched the bundle to her chest.

Lilith remained on the branch, legs crossed, watching her with those patient crimson eyes.

Isolde’s eye twitched. "Are you going to stay here and watch me the whole time?"

Lilith tilted her head. "Don’t mind me. Continue what you were doing."

Isolde’s face flushed—whether from embarrassment or anger, it was hard to tell. Her voice came out sharp, almost a hiss.

"Go away, you pervert."

Lilith’s laugh drifted through the trees, soft and amused. But she didn’t move from her branch.

Isolde turned her back sharply, clutching the clean clothes to her chest, and walked deeper into the stream.

On the other side of the clearing, near the water’s edge, Adam and Ignis sat side by side on a fallen log. The moonlight painted silver patterns on the stream’s surface.

Adam stared at the water, his expression thoughtful. His voice, when it came, was quiet.

"Ignis... about earlier... are you okay?"

Ignis’s flames flickered softly around her shoulders. She hugged her knees to her chest, her face half-hidden in the shadows.

"I’m fine, Adam. I was just... nervous."

Adam glanced at her. "Lilith... she’s been getting more aggressive lately."

Ignis’s head turned. Her eyes, bright and honest, met his.

"That’s because of you, Adam. You spoil her too much."

Adam blinked. "Eh? Me?"

Ignis nodded firmly. "You do. You always listen to her." She looked away, her voice dropping. "She knows you care about her. So she’s not afraid to push."

Adam was silent for a moment. Then he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Maybe you’re right." He looked at the water. "But I can’t help it. She’s... important to me. Both of you are."

Ignis’s cheeks flushed. She hugged her knees tighter.

"Idiot," she muttered.

Adam stared at the water for a long moment, the moonlight casting silver ripples across its surface. His voice, when it came, was quieter than before.

"I’ve been thinking... maybe I need to be more dominant in this relationship."

Ignis turned to look at him, her flames flickering with curiosity. "Dominant?"

Adam nodded slowly. "Lilith does whatever she wants. She pushes, she teases, she takes control. And I just... let her." He ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe if I take the lead more often, she’ll calm down."

Ignis was silent for a moment. Then she shook her head.

"That’s not it, Adam."

He looked at her. "Then what is it?"

Ignis hugged her knees tighter, her voice soft.

"You need to accept her more. Truly accept her. Not just let her do things—but want her. Show her that she’s yours." She paused. "If you do that, she’ll feel more secure. And she won’t have to push so hard."

Adam’s brow furrowed. "Accept her? I already—"

"No, you don’t." Ignis’s voice was firm. "You care about her. You protect her. But you always hold back. You’re always thinking about Alice, about the mission, about everything else." She met his eyes. "Lilith knows that. And it makes her restless."

Adam was silent. The water murmured between them.

"Then what am I supposed to do?" he asked finally.

Ignis’s cheeks flushed. She looked away, her voice barely a whisper.

"Make a child with her."

Adam’s eyes went wide. His face went red.

"A... a child?!"

Ignis nodded, still not looking at him. "That’s what she wants. That’s what she meant earlier. She’s not just talking about instinct, Adam. She wants... a family. With you."

Adam’s brow furrowed. "Wouldn’t that make her even more aggressive? You said I spoil her too much."

Ignis shook her head, her flames settling into a warm, steady glow. "It’s different. In a group when a male has multiple females—he has to be more dominant. He has to lead. Set the rules. Otherwise, the group falls apart." She met his eyes. "You’re the core, Adam. If you don’t take control, Lilith will keep pushing. Not because she’s cruel, but because she needs you to be stronger."

Adam was silent for a moment, processing. Then he sighed.

"That... actually makes sense." He ran a hand through his hair. "But what if I do it wrong? What if I mess up and end up even more dominated?"

Ignis shifted closer. Her face, illuminated by the moonlight and her own soft flames, was serious—but there was a tremor beneath it. Nervousness.

"Then... why don’t you practice with me first?"