She's all mine

Chapter 7: She's all mine

Noah squeezed his eyes as the light assaulted him.

He stood defenseless, but Eleonora was beside him, looking out for him.

They appeared in a bright, circular room that resembled a hall devoted to a goddess.

In the middle stood a gigantic statue of a woman in knight-like armor, with only her head exposed for everyone to admire her beauty.

Despite her poker face and lack of emotion, her sculpture stirred deep feelings in those who stared at her.

Eleonora gazed at the monument, her eyes shining.

Information about this Trial Of Loyalty flooded her mind, giving her an advantage over everyone else gathered here.

At least twenty pairs of people stood in the room, all from different worlds.

Some had red skin and wings, some had extra eyes, some had more arms, and some looked like devils or angels.

This melting pot showed a glimpse of the vast universe and how much there was to discover.

Noah finally opened his eyes.

His gaze landed on the statue towering over them, then Eleonora grabbed his attention with her voice.

"Her face makes me want to tease her," Eleonora said. "I understand most of what this trial is about."

A few people overheard her words and glanced their way, including a bronze-skinned man who stepped closer.

Ignoring them, Eleonora lowered her voice and explained things to Noah.

"Everyone here has a situation similar to ours. They met a partner, bonded, and ended up at the final stage of their first trial."

Noticing the bronze-skinned man and the woman behind him, Eleonora swiftly wrapped her tails around Noah, then reached for his bleeding ear.

"Ah, handsome, you must be more careful not to get hurt. Look at all this blood on you and your clothes... I need to disinfect it."

With a seductive smile, she leaned in and licked his wounded ear, lapping up his blood.

Noah shivered at the ticklish sensation but let her continue since it felt nice.

He also loved her thick fox tails that looked so soft he could nap on them.

She acted like it was his fault for the injury, but he didn't question it because it felt too good to stop.

In truth, Eleonora wanted to keep this stranger at bay and protect Noah from any new bullies.

She also enjoyed tasting more of her beloved in the process.

"You! I'm talking to you!" the bronze-skinned man shouted.

Noah realized there were others around them.

Before he could turn toward the source of the shout, Eleonora cupped his cheeks and made him look into her eyes.

Her lips looked redder than before, almost as if she used his blood as lipstick.

Yet again, their little moment was cut short.

The man lost all patience and barged into their space.

"If he's so clumsy, he's better off with my partner! Let's trade. Give me your fox woman," he said, glaring at Noah with a look Noah knew too well.

This man was a bully, maybe worse than the ones Noah used to deal with.

He was huge and muscled like a champion weightlifter, and his bronze abs looked like armor.

"She isn't going anywhere," Noah said, not flinching despite his disadvantage in this bright place. "She's all mine."

Eleonora's tails withdrew from Noah and shyly moved behind her, swaying as she watched Noah stand up to the bully.

She had worried too much about him, but her display of affection must have given him confidence.

"She has a healing ability," the man pointed to the quiet woman at his side. "That's all you need for this trial. I don't need her because I don't get wounded. Just take her and hand over the fox woman."

He wanted Eleonora for her knowledge of the trial and judged his own partner's skills as unimportant.

He also compared their looks, finding Eleonora far more attractive.

Noah shook his head. "Has she tried healing your ears?"

The man smirked. "You must know how these trials end. I gave you a chance and you were stupid not to take it. I'll give you a reality check and snatch what's yours."

Noah's hand moved before he thought.

He cut the man's cheek with his blade hand, a thin line of blood running down the man's face.

"If that's not enough to make you back off, then you need your brain healed," Noah said, glaring.

At last, the man gave up and walked away.

Eleonora's ears flapped and her tails swished.

Noah bent down to pick up her baseball hat.

He placed it on her head. "Don't lose it."

"I won't, handsome!"

Yes, Eleonora's witch outfit only felt complete with a baseball hat on top of her black suit.

Maybe this was how modern witches dressed these days.

"Handsome, let me continue talking about this trial. I want to keep explaining," Eleonora beamed.

Noah nodded.

"I'll lose all of my strength once the trial begins!" she exclaimed.

"...and you're happy about that?" Noah asked, confused.

Eleonora nodded three times. "Of course! Because you're with me!"

Noah smiled back at her.