Training continues

Two weeks had passed since Lucian's arrival in this strange new world, and today, everything felt different.

Lucian stood in a new chamber—a sterile, brightly lit room dominated by a massive cylindrical machine filled with faintly glowing green liquid. The liquid swirled gently, its surface shimmering with a soft light. Tubes and wires extended from the machine, connected to consoles that emitted a faint hum.

Amelia stood beside him, her usual composed demeanor tinged with a rare smirk. "You've healed all your wounds. Now it's time to take care of those scars."

Lucian blinked, looking down at the faint lines and marks that still marred his skin. "Scars? What's wrong with them? They're part of my charm."

"Lady Spectra disagrees," Amelia replied, crossing her arms. "She prefers her pet to have spotless skin."

Lucian frowned, instinctively touching the bite mark on his neck. "Right. Spotless skin. What about this?" he asked, pointing to it.

Amelia's smirk grew wider. "Perhaps my lady's way of marking her territory."

Lucian's stomach churned. Over the past week, he'd started noticing oddities—faint touches he thought he imagined, his clothes slightly disheveled in the mornings, and now this mark. His sleep was so deep from exhaustion that he could hardly recall much of the nights spent in Selene's bed. But there was a nagging feeling that something… unusual was happening.

"She wouldn't…" he muttered, his voice trailing off as his mind raced.

"Wouldn't she?" Amelia asked, raising an eyebrow. "Lady Spectra always takes what she wants. You'll learn that soon enough."

Lucian sighed, shaking his head as he tried to brush off his suspicions. "Whatever. Let's just get this over with."

Amelia stepped aside, motioning toward the machine. "Strip down to your undergarments and step inside. The machine will handle the rest."

Lucian hesitated for a moment before reluctantly following her instructions. He peeled off his shirt and pants, leaving him in a pair of black shorts. As he stood there, Amelia's gaze flicked over him, her neutral expression betraying a flicker of something else.

She inwardly admitted, He looks... good. Handsome, even. It was strange for her to notice such things—the number of people she had felt fondness for could be counted on one hand. And yet, as she observed Lucian's defined muscles and the faint scars that marked his skin, she felt an odd sense of approval.

Lucian, oblivious to her thoughts, stepped into the machine. The cool green liquid rose up to his waist as he settled into the chamber. The sensation was strange—gel-like but not sticky, almost as if it were alive. As the liquid covered his chest, he glanced at Amelia.

"This thing isn't going to melt my skin off, right?"

Amelia rolled her eyes. "You'd already be screaming if it did. Just relax."

The chamber sealed shut with a soft hiss, and the liquid began to glow brighter. Lucian felt a faint tingling sensation across his body as the machine came to life. Holographic screens appeared outside the chamber, displaying his vitals and body scans. Amelia observed the data intently, her fingers dancing across the console.

"Is this really necessary?" Lucian asked, his voice slightly muffled by the chamber walls.

"For your physical improvement? Absolutely," Amelia replied. "But if you want the real answer, it's because Lady Spectra commanded it. She wants you to look… perfect."

Lucian sighed, leaning his head back against the chamber wall. "She's obsessed, isn't she?"

"Obsessed isn't the word I'd use," Amelia said cryptically. "Devoted, perhaps."

Lucian frowned, the nagging suspicion in his mind growing stronger. He couldn't deny that Selene's behavior was… unusual. Her playful teasing, her insistence on feeding him, and now this. It all pointed to something deeper, something he wasn't sure he was ready to confront.

As the machine continued its work, the tingling sensation intensified, and he felt a strange warmth spreading through his body. His scars seemed to dissolve under the green liquid, the faint marks fading away as if they had never existed.

"Almost done," Amelia announced, her tone professional again. "The machine is removing all imperfections, restoring your skin to its optimal state."

"Great," Lucian muttered. "I'll be the prettiest pet in the Citadel."

Amelia's smirk returned, her sharp eyes briefly flickering with amusement. "You already are."

Lucian rolled his eyes but said nothing, his thoughts drifting back to Selene. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was being kept from him—something important.

The chamber let out a soft chime, and the green liquid began to drain away. Lucian stepped out of the machine, his body feeling refreshed and renewed. He looked down at his skin, marveling at the flawless surface. Even the faint bite mark on his neck had vanished.

"Perfect," Amelia said, handing him a towel and his clothes. "Lady Spectra will be pleased."

Lucian dried himself off and got dressed, his mind still racing. What exactly does she want from me? he wondered, his thoughts lingering on the enigmatic woman who had turned his life upside down.

Amelia watched him silently for a moment, her gaze softening briefly as she took in his newly flawless skin and improved physique. Her fingers lingered on the console, her mind uncharacteristically adrift. It was rare for her to feel this kind of fondness for anyone—rarer still for her to admit it to herself. Yet, as she observed him, a strange mix of pride and unease settled in her chest. She quickly masked her emotions and turned back to the console, her voice steady as she resumed her task. As she led him out of the chamber, Lucian couldn't help but glance back at the machine. Whatever was happening here, one thing was clear—he was being shaped, molded into something more. But for whose benefit?

He wasn't sure. And that uncertainty scared him more than he cared to admit.