The Reunion Begins!

"Nikolai?" Nikita's voice pulled Nikolai from his moment of distraction. The pair stood outside his M9 Excelsior about to depart when he received a message from an old friend and his first crush who chose money over him.

Nikolai's hands holding the key against the electronic ignition trembled. "It's nothing, just a little worried about tonight. Does my cologne smell nice? It's not cheap or anything, right?" Despite trusting Sarah's choices, years of being poor made him feel slightly inferior.

"Nikolai... wait." Nikita climbed over from the passenger seat, her hands placed on his thighs as they gripped tight, her face moving close enough that Nikolai could feel the warm, sweet-scented breath from her lips as she sniffed at his neck several times. "Mmm... you smell really good..."

Before Nikolai could respond, he felt Nikita's eyes gazing at him with a wet look. 

'It's no good; if I keep smelling him, I won't be able to control myself...'

Her hands slowly released his thighs and adjusted her beautiful dress before sitting down and fastening her seat belt. Her cheeks blushed deep red while her tanned fingertips stroked her lips that brushed against his cheek, curling her soft red lips into a smile.

"Nikolai, you are perfect. Please have confidence as the man I chose to be my partner."

Nikolai swallowed, his body almost paralysed by the sudden kiss. He couldn't remove his gaze from Nikita, who looked elegant and charming in her white dress, like a snow fairy or princess of ice. 

"No, that's my word to say. Nikita, today you are my little fairy princess. Let's enjoy the reunion no matter what anyone says. As long as you are beside me, I don't care."

"Fweh?!" Nikita's face became stained in a deeper red as she gripped the seatbelt placed between her modest breasts and looked out the window, with her eyes shining like golden lights. Her body was trembling as she tried to stop herself from pouncing on Nikolai.

'Why does he say such things so easily now... Ah... my damn heart won't stop racing. What if he kills me before I can seduce him?!'

[Oh, Master, you're really going to make this crazy stalker attack you.]

'Maybe, if that's my fate, I'll accept it happily. Nikita is a beautiful woman.'

[Tsk, where is the cute Nikolai who would get flustered from a few days ago?!]

"Let's go, Nikita." 

With that, Nikolai pushed down the accelerator, and they shot out of the parking lot, following the GPS to the expensive hotel and restaurant with a renowned bar, the Imperium Hotel. A branch family of the Faust vampire clan. 

However, at this time, Nikita nor Nikolai knew this.

***

A tall male with a fit body, his features sharp and handsome, along with his short light brown hair, flickered in the evening wind as his expensive car drove him through the streets. This man was Ryan Seong, Nikolai's best friend from university and high school. 

Despite being rich, he spent most of his time neutral in the class and protected the others from the tyrant behaviour of other rich children. The Seong family were a renowned military family—thus, other rich families didn't want to antagonise them in the past.

"Young Master, you are attending a reunion for the first time since joining the Secret Security Service. Are you excited?" The black-haired male with sharp features and a lean body asked from the driver's seat. 

This man was Kuro, a subordinate of the Seong family and another member of the SSS, a special division of S-Country tasked with anti-monster crime and subjugation.

Ryan leaned back and curled his lips into a smile. "That's because Nikolai finally accepted. The last time we met was so horrible that I didn't know how to approach him... I was such a stupid kid."

"Well, everyone is a kid once, Young Master."

"You're right, but he was always there for me, no matter if I had money or not. He never judged me. When Daiki Kwon stole Mari from him using money. I didn't even offer Nikolai support and left for the army."

"Although I don't wish to deny your friendship, you couldn't help awakening to the hero genes, allowing you to fight against monsters. Or entering this world, isn't it fine that you spend each day trying to protect his everyday life?"

Kuro also liked Nikolai—the pleasant and kind young man would also treat him as a servant of the lowest class as an equal at the same time. "Young Lord, I believe you can reforge that friendship. Niko isn't that sort of judgemental person. If you apologise sincerely, he would accept it."

"Haha... thanks, Kuro; I was blessed to have you and Niko as my friends growing up. You're right, and now I can protect him from monsters in both human and monster form."

The car soon arrived at the Imperium; as the parking lot opened, Kuro and Ryan noticed several high-level cars and lower cars likely belonging to their classmates. 

"Oh... an M9 Excelsior? Someone has pretty good taste, both classy and elite, yet with the sense to not show off. I wonder which family came in that car." Ryan wondered as his jeep, armed with anti-monster customisation, pulled into a private spot for the Seong family.

"Do you want to wait and see? The people inside seem to be inside." Kuro asked, but Ryan shook his head.

"No, that's rude. If it's a couple, they might have a reason to delay. Let's head upstairs and see if Daiki and Eun-Ji have arrived! That reminds me, Eun-Ji used to have feelings for Nikolai. Is she here just to see him again like me?"

***

Meanwhile, Inside the M9 Excelsior, Nikita and Nikolai sat quietly, both nervous for the night and other reasons while preparing themselves. 

"Are you ready, Nikolai?" Nikita leaned over and asked Nikolai her face more relaxed and no longer bright red, the exciting drive helping her to cool down.

"Yeah, just a little nervous and worried people will--" 

The moment Nikolai turned to face her and before he could berate himself again, her soft lips pressed against his as their eyes both widened. 

[Exchange of body fluids with a higher race confirmed]

[Strength 51 (+1), Agility: 45 (+1)]

Nikita's hands quickly held his cheeks as her body leaned closer.

"Mmph."

Nikolai's surprise allowed Nikita to steal the chance to kiss him before pulling away, as she pointed at him with the same old look of when she fought the other night.

"Listen here, Nikolai! Suppose you are going to put yourself down or act weak. Then I will kiss you! No matter where, when or who is around! Hmph! You might not be strong compared to me or my mother but you are super strong considering the time since you awakened!"

He looked at her serious face, the feeling and taste of her lips with a slight cherry taste from her lip gloss filling his mouth while he no longer felt nervous or scared.

Instead, he was grateful to Nikita. She helped wake him up. He wasn't the Nikolai of two years ago, nor the Nikolai of a week ago.

"Nikita... thank you. I'll do my best. I won't let anyone or anything stop me from enjoying this night with you."

Nikita's cheeks once again blushed at his response as she bit her lip.

However, before she could react, this time it was Nikolai who kissed her on the cheek, causing her ears to pop out of the camouflage that she and her race learned from birth.

"We'd better head up now; we don't want to leave the others waiting."

"Ah...ah...K-Kiss..."

Nikita's bright red face watched as Nikolai climbed out of the car and started to leave. Unable to stop the throbbing of her heart, she chased after him, a little stunned and confused at his action.

'Nikolai kissed me?! Why? What changed?!'

Nikolai then looked back at her. His figure shrouded in the light made him look like a divine being in her eyes. He winked at her and held out his hand, waiting for her.

"If you act that cute and make my heart pound. I will be forced to do the same, Nikita."