Second Life Paradise

Asher shivered slightly, a slow grin spreading across his lips. He knew exactly what "it" she was referring to, and oddly enough, it only stirred a deeper excitement in him, like a spark igniting something primal.

Mira’s sharp eyes took in the fading hickeys and the two half-healed puncture marks on his neck. Her expression shifted as her emotions churned beneath the surface, her eyes flickering with jealousy, possessiveness, and obsession. She stepped closer, her voice low and dangerous.

"Darling, you haven't been seeing any other vampire whores, have you?"

Her final words dripped with venom, unmistakable to anyone paying attention—Veylnn was the target of her ire. The air between them grew thick with tension, oppressive, like a storm about to break.

"You only need me, darling. I'm the only one for you." Her voice softened into a sultry, chilling whisper. "Only look at me."

Mira's eyes had darkened to the point where they were like twin black holes, pulling Asher’s gaze into their void. Her thoughts spun wildly, a chaotic mantra echoing through her mind.
He's mine, mine, mine, mine, mine...

She was teetering on the edge of madness, and it showed in her every move. Gently, yet with a crazed intensity, she cupped Asher’s face in her hands. Her lips were everywhere, peppering his cheek and jaw with frantic kisses, her possessiveness all-consuming. The room felt as though it were falling away, leaving only her and him in this twisted, feverish bubble.

Asher, as always, played his role flawlessly—pretending not to notice how deeply off the rails things were going.

"Mira, dear, I’m not going anywhere," he assured, his tone dripping with calm amusement, though his heart thrummed with the thrill of this strange game they played.

Their faces were so close now, both wearing expressions that bordered on unhinged, cutting off the rest of the world. With slow deliberation, Asher leaned in, his lips finding the curve of her neck, leaving a fresh hickey in their wake. Mira let out a soft, needy moan, her breath hitching as her fangs elongated and pierced his skin. She began to drink from him, her need for him more than just love—it was hunger, possession, obsession.

Across the room, the temperature seemed to drop as Veylnn’s murderous aura spilled into the air. She watched, her jealousy a living thing that coiled around her like a snake. Every moment of intimacy between Asher and Mira stoked the fire of her rage, and her fingers twitched as if aching to tear them apart.

"Darling," Mira continued, her voice a sweet, eerie melody now. "Once you’re at the academy, we won’t have to worry about old hags interfering."

Her head rested against his shoulder as she wrapped herself around him, possessive and unyielding. Asher raised an eyebrow at her audacity. She was blatantly fanning the flames now. Both Veylnn and Amaya stood nearby, wearing smiles that were anything but kind. Sweetness laced with poison.

For a moment, Asher considered speaking up, but he quickly decided against it. No need to throw himself into the fire when things were already hot enough.

"Ash, I’ve been reconsidering your stay at the academy," Veylnn’s voice cut through the tension like a knife, her wicked smile aimed directly at Mira. "I think I’d be a far better teacher for you. After all, our one-on-one time has always been... productive, hasn’t it?"

Asher’s pulse quickened at her words. Both of the women he desired were vying for him, their possessiveness rising to a fever pitch. He could feel his excitement spiraling, his smirk growing darker. The madness of it all only made him more eager. His handsome face contorted into something wild, dangerous, as his pulse quickened with the thrill of being at the center of their storm.

"You witch," Mira hissed back, her smirk sharp and cruel. "He’ll be coming to the academy with me, and after we graduate, we’ll have our wedding."

The word "wedding" rolled off her tongue like a promise—and a threat. Mira hugged Asher tighter, her kisses becoming more frantic, as if each one could mark him as hers forever. Asher's smirk widened. He was enjoying every second of it.

"Master, I think joining the academy would be wise," Asher finally said, his tone thoughtful yet playful. He knew how to work the room. Gaining allies was crucial, and he’d need more than just charm to navigate these turbulent waters. Mira, of course, smiled, convinced he was taking her side.

Veylnn's lips curled in slight distaste, but she nodded. She knew he was right, and her possessive feelings aside, she genuinely wanted him to grow stronger.

"You’re right, Ash," she replied, her voice softer now, a touch of warmth beneath the possessiveness. "You should go. I want what’s best for you."

Her smile was more genuine this time, and Asher, ever the charmer, returned it with a softer expression of his own. "Thank you, Master."

Amaya, who had been watching quietly with a predatory gleam in her eyes, finally spoke up. "I'll take care of him, Veylnn. I am the director, after all."

Her words carried weight. Vyrial Academy may have been open to all races, but it was held within the Vampire Empire, and Amaya, as both empress and academy director, had more power than anyone else here.

Veylnn clenched her jaw. She had momentarily forgotten that fact, and Amaya’s unsettling smile only deepened the tension in the room.

"Asher, I think you should reconsider," Veylnn said, more assertively this time. There was a dark edge to her voice now.

Amused by her persistence, Asher couldn’t help but provoke her further. "Why, Master? What could possibly make me change my mind?"

His eyes gleamed with playful mischief. He knew full well why she was pushing back.

"The director’s getting a bit... old, wouldn’t you say? Perhaps the academy’s quality has started to slip," Veylnn responded smoothly, though everyone in the room knew the accusation was hollow.

Amaya’s laugh was low and wicked. "Oh, Ash will be just fine under my care, Veylnn."

Both Mira and Veylnn exchanged sharp looks. This woman dared to call him Ash? Were they really that close? Mira’s possessive streak flared up, and she sank her fangs into his neck again, drinking deeply as if to reassert her claim.

Asher’s body shivered from the sensation, aware of the dangerous tension swirling around him. His master’s aura flickered with restrained violence, but despite all of it—or perhaps because of it—he was reveling in the chaos.

With a suggestive smirk, Asher added, "I’m sure mother-in-law will take excellent care of me."

Mira tensed at the term, even though she viewed Amaya as a maternal figure. The way Asher spoke to her sent chills down her spine. Furious, Mira bit into his neck again, drinking with renewed intensity.

Asher felt Veylnn’s killing intent intensify, but none of this bothered him. In fact, it excited him. He pressed his lips against Mira’s neck, marking her with fresh hickeys, ensuring Veylnn had a perfect view of every kiss.

Mira finished feeding and kissed him, her lips stained with his blood. Their tongues tangled in a heated battle for dominance, the tension between them palpable. When they finally pulled away, a thin strand of saliva connected them, a testament to the fervor of their kiss.

Mira’s gaze bore into Asher with raw possession, her eyes filled with a desperate obsession. She wanted to be his—completely, irrevocably.

Asher glanced between Mira and Veylnn, both of their gazes equally terrifying. But as always, he was different.

Life is great, he thought with a satisfied, wicked grin.