Midnight Temptations

The mansion was still, the only sounds coming from the soft creaks of the old wooden structure as it settled into the night. The faint glow of the moon poured through the tall windows of the bedroom, casting pale silver light across the room. Kikidori lay wide awake in bed, staring at the ornate ceiling, his mind wandering aimlessly.

Ere'ana, however, was fast asleep beside him, her breathing slow and steady. She looked almost serene, her usual sharp edges softened in the quiet of slumber. Kikidori glanced at her briefly, his lips curving into a faint smirk.

"Figures," he murmured to himself. "She gets to sleep like a damn angel while I'm stuck here staring at the ceiling."

He shifted slightly, trying to get comfortable, but his restlessness refused to let him settle. As he lay there, Ere'ana stirred, her body shifting beneath the silk sheets. Kikidori froze, his gaze flickering to her as she moved.

Before he could process what was happening, she rolled over in her sleep, draping herself across him. Her head came to rest on his chest, and her leg slid over his, pinning him down with an unintentional intimacy that sent a jolt through his entire body.

"Shit," Kikidori muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible.

His pulse quickened, though not in the way it usually did when he was hunting. Ere'ana's weight on top of him was both comforting and maddening, her proximity making it impossible to think straight.

He glanced down at her, noting the way her dark hair spilled across his chest like a cascade of midnight. Her face was peaceful, her lips slightly parted as she breathed softly. It was a rare sight, seeing her so unguarded, and Kikidori couldn't help but feel a pang of something he couldn't quite name.

Then, of course, came the problem.

He felt the sudden and unmistakable rush of heat coursing through his body, his blood reacting in ways that were both embarrassing and completely unavoidable. Kikidori groaned softly, running a hand down his face.

"Really?" he whispered to himself, glancing at Ere'ana again. "Of all the times…"

He tried to shift her gently, but she let out a faint murmur of protest, her arms tightening around him as though she sensed he was trying to escape. Kikidori sighed, resigned to his fate as he lay there, painfully aware of every point of contact between them.

"This is fine," he muttered sarcastically. "Totally fine. Not awkward at all."

Minutes stretched into what felt like hours as Kikidori remained perfectly still, too afraid to move and risk waking Ere'ana. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, ranging from panicked self-reassurance to mild irritation at his own body's betrayal.

Eventually, Ere'ana shifted again, her body sliding slightly to the side as she mumbled something incoherent in her sleep. Kikidori seized the opportunity to carefully slip out from under her, his movements slow and deliberate.

When he finally managed to extricate himself, he stood by the side of the bed, running a hand through his hair and letting out a long, quiet exhale.

"Jesus fucking Christ," he muttered, glaring down at Ere'ana's sleeping form. "You're going to be the death of me, woman."

He glanced toward the door, debating whether to leave the room entirely, but decided against it. Instead, he grabbed a blanket from a nearby chair and draped it over Ere'ana, her form now completely hidden from view.

Satisfied that he could finally relax without any further… complications, Kikidori settled into a chair by the window, staring out at the moonlit landscape.

"Immortality's supposed to be simpler than this," he grumbled to himself, though there was a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Despite the frustrating interruption to his night, he couldn't deny that there was something strangely endearing about the whole ordeal.

The End of Chapter Ten