Chapter 13

GREY

Caera's lips pressed against mine, it should've felt bad. I was kissing a 13 year old girl after all, but it felt… nice? I wanted to push her away but my body wouldn't move. I stared into her ruby eyes, I couldn't keep my gaze away from them.

Caera then pushed herself off of me, "S-Sorry," She said, completely flustered.

"I-Its ok, I-I know it was just an accident," I replied. I turned away to avoid making eye contact with Caera.

What will happen to me? Will I be arrested? Sure, I'm physically 13 but I'm mentally in my 40's. No, Grey, no one knows your age, you're fine.

I felt my face heat up. I turned back to Caera to see she was touching her lips with her finger. She must be so angry I took her first kiss from her. To whatever higher beings are watching me, screw you for putting me into this situation.

"Caera."

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry for taking your first kiss from you," I said sincerely. Caera's eyes went wide, "Don't be, I'm not angry. In fact, I'm happy it was you who took it," Caera replied.

I turned to her shocked," Why? I took something that was important to you right?"

"Yes, but I also took yours, right? Plus, at least it was you, my first friend." Caera smiled.

"Friend," Why did that word hurt me so much? Caera is my friend, a true friend even. She helped me adjust to life here in Alacrya and even got me into school. Why would her calling me just a friend hurt. It was almost as if I was yearning for more, I wanted something more than a friend. But what does it mean?

"Anyway, it's getting late. We should probably go to bed, " I suggested.

Caera seemed to pout at the mention of going to bed but luckily Nessa came in and got Caera to go to bed. I lay down on my bed, thoughts of what happened today. From Caera feeding me with her fork, to asking me my opinion on clothes to karaoke to finally the kiss.

Why can't my life just be easy?

CAERA DENOIR

My first kiss. I had just lost my first kiss to Grey. And because of an accident of all the reasons. I wanted it to be passionate, full of emotion and purpose. Not the result of my own clumsiness. I wasn't mad that I lost it to Grey though, in fact, it felt nice knowing it was him.

Grey's eyes were wide and shocked. I stared into them for what felt like ages. I don't know how long the kiss lasted but neither of us moved for a while, my hands were now on Grey's chest. I pushed myself back up off of Grey. "S-Sorry," I said, completely flustered.

"I-It's ok, I-I know it was just an accident," replied Grey as he avoided my gaze, I could see the tips of his ears were tomato red.

I put my finger on my lip feeling where I kissed Grey, it was a feeling I never wanted to forget. I wonder, will it be like this in the future? Will I be able to kiss Grey whenever I want? I hope so, this is a nice feeling.

"Caera."

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry for taking your first kiss from you," said Grey sincerely. Is this how Grey saw this? Does he think I'm mad?

"Don't be, I'm not angry. In fact, I'm happy it was you who took it," I replied with a smile to let him know I was telling the truth.

Grey turned to me, shocked. ," Why? I took something that was important to you right?"

"Yes, but I also took yours, right? Plus, at least it was you, my first friend." I continued to smile, genuine happiness was overflowing within me.

"Anyway, it's getting late. We should probably go to bed," Grey suggested, still red.

I was sad that our day was going to end as I wanted to spend more time with Grey but Nessa came and told me to get ready for bed.

I played down in bed, exhausted from the long day I had. My ears also had to heal from Grey's awful singing.

***

I woke up to find Grey asleep right in front of me. "Why is Grey in my bed?" I questioned. I looked around to see that wasn't the case. Instead, I was in Grey's bed.

"Good morning Caera," said Grey as he awoke from his slumber. "G-Good morning," I replied, confused.

"I-I sorry for sneaking into your bed-" Before I could finish my apology Grey slammed his lips into mine. I tried to resist by pushing him away. I successfully broke away from the kiss.

"Grey! What was tha-'' Once again Grey kissed me before I could finish. This time however, he held my head up to his so that I couldn't get away. "Shhh, why are you trying to resist?" whispered Grey as he kissed my neck. I managed to withhold a moan.

"G-Grey," I stuttered. "Don't tell me you don't like it," Grey said, as he slid his hand under my shirt. He slowly moved his hand upward, keeping me silent with his mouth.

Before he could do anything I shot up, my eyes blinded. Once my eyes adjusted I looked around to find myself in my room, covered in sweat.

It was just a dream

I covered my face with my hands in shame. How could a noble lady such as myself have such a dream? And why was it so detailed? I-I am ashamed to admit it, but I didn't want it to stop.

"Looks like someone had a good dream."

I turned to see Nessa was standing in the corner of the room. "N-Nessa, how long were you standing there?" I questioned, feeling afraid of her answer.

"The whole time, it was quite a sight to see Lady Caera of Highblood Denoir having such a dream." Nessa teased.

"Promise not to tell Grey?" I asked, avoiding eye contact. "Only Grey? Can I tell Sevren then?" Nessa teased.

"NO! Don't do that, I'll never hear the end of it.

"I'm only joking, I swear I won't tell anyone about what happened this morning." Nessa chuckled.

"Anyway, is Grey up yet?" I asked as Nessa helped me get dressed.

"What do you think? I swear, that boy is part log. I don't think anyone other than you can wake him up," Nessa replied, picking up a hair brush.

After Nessa was done with my hair I went to wake up Grey with the good-old ankle twist. "I'm up! I'm up!" shouted Grey.

"Grey, can you come with me?" I asked seriously.

Grey noticed my tone and responded in kind. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just want to talk to you in private. And no, it's not about the kiss so don't worry." I replied. "Okay, just let me get changed." Grey said as I left the room.

I made my way to Noah's room and knocked. "What's up?" asked Noah as he opened his door a bit, just enough to let me talk to him.

"Can you keep Sevren here? I was planning on going out with Grey again today and I don't want him following me." I asked. Noah had a sly smile on his face. "Don't worry, I managed to stop him from interrupting your date yesterday. I'll make sure he doesn't go anywhere." Noah replied.

I grew red at the fact that the both of them knew what happened yesterday but neither of them would tell anyone so I was fine in that regard. Before I could say anything Noah closed the door, leaving me alone in the hallway.

I returned to Grey's room and saw him leaving. "So Caera, what do you want to talk to me about?" Grey asked, he was serious.

"Just follow me, I want to talk where no one can overhear us," I replied. Grey nodded. We got into a carriage that returned to the forest where we first met. I think this'll be the best place to tell Grey my secret. I now know that he won't do anything.

As we made our way to the old tree we had camped at–leaving the carriage behind– I turned to Grey. "Can you make sure no one is around?" I asked. Grey nodded before confirming.

"So Caera, what is so serious that you needed to come all the way here to tell me?" Grey asked.

"Grey, please promise me this. Once I tell you, don't hate me," I pleaded. Grey's expression turned to a confused one. "What do you mean?" Grey asked.

"Grey, I also have a secret. One that I kept from my entire family. One that if it got out, I would be taken away." I responded. "Caera what do you mean by taken away? What could you be hiding?" Grey's normal calm expression was replaced with one of fear and concern.

"I think it would be best to just show you," I said as I pulled out the teardrop necklace Seris gave me to hide my horns and chanted. Soon my horns became visible. I looked up at Grey to see he was surprised.

"H-How?" Grey asked, surprise and confusion was leaking from his voice.

"You see, Corbett and Lenora aren't my real parents. I'm adopted." I answered.

"I know you're still a bit ignorant about Alacrya so I'll explain what I am." I replied.

"You see, a long time ago, the Vritra breed with us humans. After a while every person in Alacrya had some Virtra blood in them. When a child is found to have a high concentration of Vritra blood they are taken away from their parents and given to a Highblood to be raised. If our blood manifests like mine we grow horns. When this happens we're taken away and brought to Agrona to become test subjects. If we somehow survive that we're turned into weapons. I was lucky enough to be with Seris when my blood first manifested so she gave me this necklace to hide them." I replied, still holding the necklace.

"I-I don't know what to say," Grey replied, he was awe stricken, in a bad way.

"You don't need to. I'm just glad you're okay with me," I replied with a sad smile, hoping that he still was.

I couldn't reply as Grey pulled me into a hug. "I should be thanking you, for trusting me enough to tell me this."

I cried. I cried into his lap. I then felt something touch my horns. I looked up to see it was Grey. He was rubbing my horns. "S-Sorry, they just were a lot like my bond's horns,'' Grey replied.

Wiping the tears from my eyes. I looked up at him confused. "Your bond had Vritra horns?" I questioned. Grey shook his head. "It depends, are the Virtra dragons? Because that's what my bond was."

I was shocked. We were taught that the dragons were evil and it was the High sovereign that took mercy upon us and gave us magic. And I'm supposed to believe Grey was bonded with a dragon?

Grey noticed my confusion, "What do they tell you about dragons here? Because in Dicathen they're believed to be all dead."

"We're told they're evil creatures that want nothing more than to kill all us 'lessers.' What are they really like?" I asked, if he was bonded to a dragon there was a good chance he met another one.

"I only met one other than my bond and that was her mother." I could tell Grey was struggling to tell me. "It's okay Grey, if you don't want to tell me you don't have to." I said, comforting him.

"No, you're the first person I can tell this to." Grey replied. "Her name was Sylvia, she was the kindest person I ever met. Even when she scolded me she had a motherly kindness in her words. She's also the one who gave me this beast will."

So that's how his will was so strong. While I had no way of measuring the strength of a beast will I could tell how much weaker the aura of the S-rank elderwood guardian was compared to Grey's second form. This new information completely changed my viewpoint.

If the dragons were kind like Grey said, what does that mean about the Vritra? Also, how strong were the dragons then? If they could stop time there was nothing stopping them from killing us all like the Vritra led us to believe they would.

I sat up straight and got close to Grey's face. "Thanks Grey," I said.

"You're welcome," replied Grey.

"I should probably hide these," I said, pulling out the necklace and hiding my horns again.

"So like, where do those go?" Grey asked as he pointed to my horns. "They're still there but you can't notice them if you have no idea about their existence in the first place." I replied as I pulled Grey's hand down to feel my now invisible horns.

"Cool, I can feel them but it's like my senses are trying to tell me they're not there at all." asid Grey as he continued to rub and feel my horns. It was… weird. It felt different, almost pleasant. "Do they have any use other than simple appearance?" Grey asked.

"Yeah, they greatly increase my mana. Actually they hold a majority of my mana. They also allow me to use this," I said as I conjured soulfire. Grey's eyes went wide. "What is that?"

"This is soulfire. It's really dangerous, don't ask me how it works because I don't know either." I said as I canceled the spell. "Now that I said everything I needed to, let's go back to the estate."

"Sure."

5 DAYS LATER

I was now in my dorm room back at school. I guess Mayla had yet to return. I started to unpack my new stuff that included the stuff I bought at Grey's request. I felt happy that he insisted I buy it. It was a bit too revealing for my taste but since he said to buy it I did. I should probably only wear it in private, being seen in this wouldn't be good for my image. Honestly I don't care about what others think about me but my abortive parents do so I kinda have to go along with their requests.

"How is my favorite love bird doing?" yelled Mayla as she slammed the door open.

"Mayla!" I yelled, my face red. "What's wrong?" You two were so lovey dovey when I last saw you. Except this time you're much redder compared to when I last talked to you." said Mayla smugly.

"Well this time is different. Mayla, if I kissed someone and it felt good what does it mean?" I asked pleadingly.

Mayla's eyes went wide then her mouth slowly turned into a sly grin. "Did Grey kiss you?" she asked. "No, well yes but also no. It was an accident, I tripped and landed on his lips." I replied, trying to make it sound different.

"Sure, Sure. It was just an accident. But do you seriously not know? It means you're in love with him!' Mayla exclaimed as she put her hands on her hip in an annoyed fashion.

"What! In love?" I screamed. "Is that even possible?"

"Of course it is, why else would you feel good while kissing him? Now the real question is, how did he feel?"

"H-He didn't say. He just apologized for taking my first kiss, but I said it was fine because I took his as well," I said, covering my face.

"When did this happen?"

"Five days ago," I said.

"Oh ho HO, so the deed happened the day we met huh?" said Mayla as she thought about what happened to us with a devilish smile.

"Y-Yeah," I admitted, my face was getting redder every moment.

"Tell me exactly how the kiss happened," said Mayla as she got uncomfortably close to my face.

"Grey and I were in his room like normal, just talking about stuff when I got up and slipped on his sheath. I fell on top of him and that's it," I explained.

Mayla had a glint in her eyes, it wasn't an evil glint but I knew it would be horrific for me. "How long did it last?"

"About five seconds," I responded.

"Really? That's a long time for a kiss, you must've loved it a lot~" said Mayla with a knowing tone. "N-No, it's not like that! We're just friends!" I yelled, hiding under a pillow.

"Okay, sure. Because friends climb into the other's lap to sleep!" said Mayla.

"Y-You s-saw that?" I stuttered. "Oh yes, of course I did, I never expected you to be so brave though."

"Y-You're getting it all wrong!" I shouted, "I-I was just touch starved."

"~I know~ but think about it, you cuddled with Grey more times than I can count, I don't think touch starved is the only thing you are," said Mayla with a sweetly annoying voice.

"Okay! Okay! I love Grey! I love him with all my heart! Is that what you wanted to hear?!" I shouted.

"Yes, yes it was," giggled Mayla.

I turned my back to Mayla and hid under my pillow. I then started to think back to before I met Grey. The man I now know as the love of my life.

(FlashBack)

"How is Seris expecting me to survive for two weeks out here?" I asked no one as I wandered around. This was the last trial Seris would give me before I go to school. I'm not excited for school. No one will treat me as Caera, instead they'll treat me as "Lady Caera of Highblood Denoir."

Maybe I'll be able to become friends with Valen, he seemed to be in the same position as me. At least when we met last year at some random highblood's birthday party. I could possibly get lucky and find someone who doesn't care about my title. Suddenly I heard some movements from some nearby bushes.

I turned to the noise. "You have to be kidding me." I said as I saw what was hiding.