Twilight: Darling of Volturi (YURI/GL)

Sophie lowered her gaze to the floor beneath her feet. A thick wool carpet stretched from the doorway all the way into the depths of the room, so soft that each step seemed to sink gently into clouds. Even the walls were draped with richly woven tapestries. Brilliant colors intertwined into magnificent scenes, while the heavy fabrics served another purpose entirely: they absorbed sound. 

For vampires blessed and cursed with extraordinary hearing, the room had been designed to eliminate every unnecessary noise, sparing them from the constant assault of amplified echoes.

She immediately wanted to share the discovery with Jane. Turning around to look for her, however, Sophie realized Jane hadn't entered with her.

A flicker of unease crossed her face.

"Jane? Are you still there?"

The blonde vampire appeared almost instantly outside the doorway.

For a moment, Sophie thought she had simply overlooked her, until she noticed several bags dangling from Jane's hand.

She had gone to the cold storage to fetch blood.

The wilderness training had exhausted not only Sophie's body but also her mind. Mud and bits of grass clung stubbornly to her boots. Unwilling to dirty the expensive wool carpet, she quietly slipped off her shoes and nudged them outside the doorway. Wearing only her sheer stockings, she stepped barefoot onto the carpet, allowing herself to fully appreciate its remarkable softness.

Without saying a word, Jane copied her.

She removed her own shoes as well.

Even their stockings matched.

"Do you like it here?"

Having personally selected and arranged every detail of the room, Jane knew every furnishing better than its future owner ever could. She led Sophie farther inside.

"The sitting room overlooks the mountain behind the palace."

Following Jane, Sophie entered the sitting room.

Beyond the broad window lay an open valley. Since the valley sat lower than the front of the palace, they had technically descended several levels, yet the window opened directly onto the outdoors.

The location couldn't have been chosen more perfectly.

The windowsill was surprisingly wide.

Sophie climbed onto it and leaned half her body outside.

The valley breeze carried the fresh scent of grass, mingled with the gentle murmur of a nearby stream. She inhaled deeply, savoring everything the wind brought with it.

Only then did she remember Jane's unanswered question.

Afraid she might accidentally disappoint her, she hurriedly replied, "I like it very much. Are we staying here today?"

Jane reached out and pulled Sophie gently back inside.

Although vampires couldn't die from falling apart, putting themselves back together afterward was troublesome.

The broad windowsill comfortably accommodated two girls of similar build. If Alec joined them, they could probably squeeze together. But if someone like the nearly six-foot-three Demetri or Felix, who stood well over seven feet tall, tried to sit there, it would be impossible.

Sophie accepted the blood bags Jane had brought.

The chilled liquid tasted faintly sweet.

As it flowed down her throat, it soothed the burning thirst within her while washing away every trace of anxiety and restlessness.

The training had consumed an enormous amount of energy.

She emptied every single blood bag in one uninterrupted stretch.

Even after draining the final drop, she still wasn't satisfied.

I eat far too much.

A trace of worry crept into her mind.

Jane's going to think I'm too troublesome to feed.

Because of that, she forced herself not to ask for more.

Tomorrow she'll feed me again.

I only have to endure another twenty-four hours.

Sophie believed she had hidden her lingering hunger perfectly.

She hadn't.

To any experienced vampire, her craving was as obvious as words written across her forehead.

She lingered over the final blood bag, reluctant to let it go. Her lips stayed pressed against the opening as she gently sucked again and again, stubbornly hoping to draw out just one more mouthful. Only after discovering not even a trace of red remained inside did she finally pull it away with obvious reluctance.

Watching her, Jane couldn't help smiling. She pitied Sophie for cherishing something as ordinary as stored blood. At the same time...

The way she pretended to endure her hunger while secretly longing for more was simply too adorable.

Jane chose not to expose her. She understood newborn thirst better than anyone. This wasn't a matter of appetite.

Newborns simply had no concept of satisfaction.

Even if Sophie drained every single resident of Volterra dry, the endless hunger inside her would not diminish by even the slightest amount.

Five blood bags were enough to maintain her body and preserve her reason.

Next month...

In June...

Sophie would finally be allowed to drink fresh blood.

Only after finishing her meal did Sophie realize Jane had been watching her the entire time. The two of them had shared countless moments of dangerous proximity before. Most of them had been tense. They had either stood opposing one another...

Or struggled together in combat.

Now, however, the comfortable fullness that followed feeding relaxed Sophie in a way she had never experienced before.

She suddenly noticed something strange.

The way Jane looked at her...

It seemed incredibly gentle.

Almost...

Like the way Jane looked at Alec.

The difference was subtle beyond words. It hid within the slight curve of Jane's lips and the tiny changes in the way her eyelids relaxed.

I'm imagining things...

Cold, merciless Jane is already breathtaking enough...

If she keeps looking at me like that...my heart might start beating again.

Sophie hurriedly looked away.

"I'm glad you like it."

Jane didn't question why Sophie had suddenly broken eye contact. Instead, she simply continued talking about the room. She handed Sophie a polished brass nameplate.

"Here."

Sophie obediently accepted it. Her own name had been engraved neatly across its surface.

"From now on, this room is yours. Remember to hang the nameplate outside. Consider it your reward for winning today's training."

Sophie's eyes widened.

"This is my room?"

Only yesterday she had been sleeping wherever she could.

Today...

She had somehow been handed a private mountain-view room inside an ancient castle.

The overwhelming surprise made her forget her bloodlust altogether.

Jane felt deeply satisfied by the astonishment on Sophie's face. All the effort she had poured into preparing this place had finally received the response she wanted.

"Yes. You understood correctly."

Slowly calming herself, Sophie carefully asked,

"...How long am I allowed to stay here?"

"If you like it..." Jane answered without hesitation. "...you can stay forever."

Sophie froze.

Those simple words...You can stay forever...struck something buried deep inside her heart.

Jane saw only a blur.

The normally obedient newborn suddenly threw herself forward with both arms spread wide.

A newborn's strength was terrifying. If Sophie had truly intended to attack, the embrace alone would have been enough to crush another vampire.

For the briefest instant, Jane genuinely thought Sophie had gone mad.

Instead...

Those powerful arms wrapped tightly around Jane's neck.

The embrace was a little too forceful.

The restraint was unmistakable.

Yet not strong enough to break bone.

Sophie gently rubbed her cheek against Jane's. Soft strands of hair brushed across Jane's skin, leaving behind an unexpectedly pleasant tingling sensation.

"Jane..." Sophie's voice came out muffled as she buried her face against Jane's shoulder.

She asked quietly,

"You're not planning to kill me anymore. Right?"

For a moment...

Jane couldn't connect those two things at all.

One of her hands rose uncertainly to Sophie's back. She couldn't decide whether she wanted to push the girl away or hug her back.

Sophie tightened her arms around Jane just a little more before asking again in an even softer voice,

"Preparing a room like this must have taken a lot of work. You spent so much time making it for me that means you aren't planning to kill me anymore. Doesn't it?"

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