The Phoenix And The Flower - An Urzai Story

Yes! I can't wait for my MC to reunite with her Vampire Queen!

On Kamilah and the MC’s Beach Conversation

I know that some fans and Kamilah stans felt disappointed or perhaps even angry when the vampire queen talked to the MC about Gaius in the diamond scene. And I understand. But personally, I think that this particular scene is important because it portrays a significant turning point in Kamilah and the MC's relationship. It also showcases development and growth on Kamilah's part as a character.

But before I delve into the analysis proper, I would just like to say that I think that it’s important for Kamilah and the MC to properly address the former's past relationship with Gaius. This is because I believe that if she and the MC are ever going to have a serious relationship, they both must be open and honest with each other. In addition, I think that they also need to accept hard-to-swallow facts about one another for them to have a stable, healthy, and trusting relationship.

So, with that being said, I will now proceed to my analysis of the scene:

Gaius's return has obviously shaken Kamilah. She expressed that his return also brought back memories of her violent past – memories of her past deeds, which she eventually came to regret.

Kamilah is haunted not just by her former lover's return, but also by feelings of regret and guilt over her past actions. She described her past self as a monster that thrived on bloodlust. On this, Kamilah stated that after several centuries of being such a monster, she eventually came to realize the error of her ways. As such, she decided to reinvent herself by changing for the better. 

And as a way of doing so, Kamilah chose to deny herself any form of meaningful pleasure or joy as a form of penance and atonement. Having committed so many atrocities in her long life, Kamilah had come to think that she does not deserve true happiness.

The above-mentioned established facts show that in the present storyline, Kamilah is internally struggling with her past and her feelings of guilt and self-resentment. Gaius's return painfully reminded her of what she used to be and how she actually enjoyed committing terrible things. She also seems troubled and horrified at the fact that she genuinely loved Gaius even though she's always known of his dark and monstrous nature. Such an internal struggle is exceedingly burdensome, and to keep it to oneself is damaging - both emotionally and mentally, in the long run.

This is why it is essential to express one's problems and struggles to others who they can trust. On this, Kamilah opening up to the MC was a significant defining point in their relationship. The act of sharing and unloading her inner turmoil to the latter must have taken great courage on Kamilah's part. This is because, for a very, very long time, Kamilah has shut herself away from most people. She admitted that her coldness and flippancy serve both as forms of atonement and as shields to protect her from getting hurt. But by sharing her internal struggles, Kamilah let her guard down and allowed herself to become exposed and vulnerable to the MC. This is an indicator that she feels comfortable with and that she trusts the other woman. After all, people, in general, do not share their deepest and most difficult troubles with just anyone.

This scene illustrates Kamilah's growth as a character. She no longer feels the constant need to shut everyone out. She also no longer feels that she must bear her burdens alone. She is slowly but surely starting to reach out to others and to form meaningful relationships again. And she is currently establishing such a relationship with the MC. Additionally, she has also started to allow herself to feel joy whenever she is with the latter.

On the MC's part, in the story, she has tried and continues to try her best to understand and support Kamilah. In this particular diamond scene, she helped the vampire process her feelings and struggles so that the latter can feel more at peace with herself. She also expressed that she understands that the vampire is now an entirely different and better person compared to who she was before. On this, it's worth noting that the MC has never shown fear or resentment towards Kamilah despite having already seen some of her darker memories. This indicates that the MC honestly does acknowledge that the vampire has genuinely changed.

All in all, their relationship is a slow and steady burn. In the storyline, Kamilah is slowly starting to become more open, and she is also gradually allowing the MC to see more of her vulnerable side. She has also already started to become more expressive about her concern and feelings for the mortal woman. And on her part, the MC has been and continues to be patient. While she occasionally tries to coax Kamilah into sharing her feelings, she doesn't push the vampire into doing so if the latter does not feel comfortable. This shows that she respects Kamilah's boundaries. And whenever Kamilah is willing to share, the MC has demonstrated that she is always ready to listen and to offer words of comfort and encouragement.

Thanks for the tag, @scarlet-letter-a0114!

@galaxyside-0 @midnitesteph @leavemeandmyshipsalone @loversintheshadow @fakeyellow @riyalovestaylor

💛💛Positivity Chain!!! Pick 5 of your mutuals and explain what you like about them. Help spread positivity and make someone’s day💛💛

Thank you so much, All are amazing writers, I really enjoy reading their stories.

@ao719 @innerpostmentality @blackcoffee85 @romanticatheart-posts @elles-choices @katurrade

My first choice was the "Kiss her" option because I usually take any opportunity to have my MC kiss Kamilah. Hehe.

But out of curiosity, I replayed yesterday's chapter to find out what happens if players choose the "Continue to dance" option.

In this option-route, Kamilah opens up to the MC. I love how the vampire queen has become more open with the latter. Compared to before, she's now more forthcoming about how she feels and how things affect her. I also love how the MC responds in this scene by listening, understanding, and supporting Kamilah as best as she can.

I hope to see more tender moments between these two.

Thankfully, it was just an error!

Choices PSA

Just a head’s up: Kamilah’s new look is not permanent. Her character look was swapped out by accident with an internal art asset that was being tested, and a fix for that has been already lined up for the next update. Sorry about any confusion! 

As always, if you have game feedback or need game support, please message us in-game or via Facebook! We can’t really troubleshoot game issues or respond individually to your queries on Tumblr. Thanks for understanding! 

We’ve also got some cool news for you coming very soon (perhaps tomorrow if there’s time??). That being said, we wanted to clear the air regarding Kamilah first, so thanks for reading! Check back tomorrow for more Choices chapters and maybe even some big news… 😱

I love your KamilahxMc fics so much but I would like to ask a question?

Yes?

Hashira Wedding Night: A Spin-Off Inspired by 'The GiyuShino Low-Key Married AU'

Greetings, fellow GiyuShino shippers!

So, I've just been lurking in the GiyuShino tag for a while. But I've become invested in the ship quite some time ago. Haha. But anyway, I just wanted to say that I came across 'Hashira First, Spouses Second: The GiyuShino Low-Key Married AU' by Buriko, a.k.a @demonslayedher, and that it's a great read!

I especially had fun reading Chapter 4, which featured their wedding and wedding night. Hahaha. I know that since the fic is rated T, there wasn't anything explicit. Yet, reading it inspired me to write a smut fic of what could've happened on Giyuu and Shinobu's wedding night. Hehehe.

I reached out to Buriko, a.k.a. @demonslayedher, to ask for their permission to post my story. And they said yes! I'm glad that permission was granted, and I'm also excited to share the story!

I actually already posted the story on Ao3. Hehe. So, I am now sharing the story's link here on Tumblr! For my fellow GiyuShino shippers who follow the 'Low-Key Married AU' and want *ahem* more details about Giyuu and Shinobu's wedding night, you might want to give my story a try. Hehehe.

Just a quick disclaimer: The contents of my fic do not necessarily reflect how the storyline of Buriko's story will develop. I tried to make this fic match the source story's tenor and characterization, but I think that I did not quite stick the landing. Hahaha. But all the same, I hope you will still like what I wrote!

Anyway, here's the link to the story and its summary!

Hashira Wedding Night: A Spin-Off Inspired by 'The GiyuShino Low-Key Married AU'

Rating: M

Summary:

The softness of the towel barely registers in Giyuu’s mind even as he runs it over his head. His hands go through the motions on their own, with his mind preoccupied with other matters. One specific matter, at that. I’m supposed to make love to Kochou tonight. -- OR A fellow fanfic reader/writer's take on how Giyuu and Shinobu's wedding night went in the fic-verse of Buriko's 'Hashira First, Spouses Second: The GiyuShino Low-Key Married AU'.

If you read the fic, then please let me know what you think! Let me know your thoughts in the Ao3 comments section! Reviews, comments, and critiques are most welcome! And also, many thanks to Buriko for granting permission!

Diamonds scene: Alone time with Annelyse, Chapter 7

I replayed Book 1 of The Crown and The Flame. I risked the prestige point in this scene, but it was worth it to see Annelyse say this. Hahaha.

Note: Hello, everyone. I’m new to Tumblr and I’ve been a fan of Choices for a while, but it’s only now that I’ve decided to join Tumblr and post things. Hahaha.

#tcaf #thecrownandtheflame #choices #pixelberry #annelyseadair

Glad that I Have You

Warning labels: Smut, NSFW

Hello, everyone. I got the idea for this NSFW fic and wanted to write it out. I don’t usually write smut stories, so please bear with me. Hehe.

This story takes place after the MC delivered Council summonses to the Baron, Lester, and Priya. In this storyline, the MC did not sleep with Priya and immediately went to Kamilah's apartment afterward. I hope that you all like it. 😊

----

Amy’s POV

You had just finished delivering summonses to the remaining Council members and are now sitting on one of the soft couches in Kamilah’s apartment.

You watch as Kamilah pours two glasses of wine at her private bar.

“How was your day?” You ask as she makes her way towards you with the two glasses.

“Stressful.” She replies while handing you a glass and taking a seat next to you.

You both sip your drinks in silence for a while. Once your glass is completely empty, you look at its clear bottom, pondering on what to say next. You sneak a sideways glance at Kamilah and see that she seems to be completely lost in her own thoughts.

Knowing that she's probably troubled about the vial and Gaius, you try to talk to her. "Kamilah ---," you begin.

She places her hand on top of yours, and you immediately stop. "Don't." She says.

She turns to look at you – her eyes are troubled and weary. "I know that you want to help me ease my mind, Amy." She takes your glass and sets it on the table before holding your hand. "And I appreciate it. But just for tonight, I want to forget about everything."

She places her own glass on the table and stands up. With her hand still gripping yours, she tugs at your arm, beckoning for you to stand as well. “Join me in bed?”

You smile at her. “Of course.”

You make your way to her bedroom and lie on the soft bed together. You lean against her, and she wraps an arm around you.

You stay like that for a few moments.

Kamilah eventually breaks the silence. "Are you feeling alright?" She asks, holding you close to her side.

You snuggle closer to her. "Not really." You reply honestly. "I mean, a lot has happened."

She sighs and begins to slowly run her hand up and down your back. "I can understand what you mean."

You take a deep breath. "So many things happened so quickly that I barely had time to process anything. A few days ago, we were captured by some crazy billionaire. And just earlier, I served summonses to the most elite vampires in New York for a top-secret meeting. I mean, what is my life even?”

The rhetorical question prompts Kamilah to chuckle.

You can’t help but smile at her reaction. “I feel stressed. And it doesn’t help that the other Council members are either creepy or mean. Or both.”

Kamilah's hand immediately stops moving. The amusement on her face disappears, and her eyes narrow. "Did they give you any trouble?"

You shake your head. “Not really. The Baron was just his nasty and grouchy old-self. Lester acted like a big creep, as usual. And Priya was… well… Priya.”

Kamilah’s eyes narrow even further. "Did she do anything to you?”

You shake your head again. “Not really. She just placed her hand on my thigh. But that’s about it.”

The vampire visibly relaxes. “Oh, good.” She then starts to stroke your back again.

You take note of her reactions, and suddenly, an idea comes to your mind.

You bury your face into the crook of Kamilah’s shoulder. "Yeah. Priya can be rather intense…" you say casually, "...and to think that I once had a crush on her before."

Her hand abruptly stops moving again.

"What did you say?"

You allow yourself a small smile before raising your head to look at her. You’re immediately met with an unreadable expression.

"Uhh... I... sorta ... had a crush on her?"

Kamilah raises an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

Your plan appears to be working. "Yeah. Well, Priya is a famous fashion designer, so her face is pretty well-known. But it was a long time ago. It was before I knew about... well... before I knew about everything."

The vampire looks at you intently. "I see."

You then give a hint of a smile. "Yeah. But I did think that Priya was pretty hot before."

You see Kamilah’s brown eyes flash red for a brief second. And then in the blink of an eye, you're suddenly pinned against the mattress.

"Huh?!" You blurt out in response to the sudden movement.

Kamilah presses her body to yours, causing you to groan softly. "Both Adrian and Lily told me that Priya always makes advances towards you whenever she gets the chance.”

She raises herself slightly before placing her knees on either side of your waist.

You bite your lip as she slides her hands up and down your still clothed sides. "Tell me, Amy..." she trails off to slip her hands beneath the fabric of your shirt. "Do you enjoy it when your crush flirts with you?"

Your breath hitches as Kamilah slowly slides her hands up your front – pushing your shirt upwards in the process. "I... ah..." you're unable to form a coherent answer.

"Lift your arms." She whispers against your lips.

You do as she says, and she pulls your shirt over your head. After tossing the piece of fabric to the side, she pins your wrists over your head with one hand.

You then watch as Kamilah slowly unbuttons her blouse with her free hand. Your eyes hungrily take in every bit of soft flesh that becomes exposed with her every movement.

Once her blouse is entirely open, she crooks her fingers underneath your chin. "Now answer the question." She commands, her voice low.

"I... I..." you struggle to respond intelligently as Kamilah's hand starts to wander down your now-exposed torso. You tremble as it trails across your skin.

"Oh." You involuntarily moan as Kamilah finally settles her hand on the front of your jeans.

"Yes?" She presses her palm against you, and you gasp.

"... no.." You finally manage to say.

"What was that?" She deftly unhooks the button of your jeans and slides the zipper down.

"I said no." You say firmly.

She glides two fingers over the fabric of your underwear, and you shiver. "What?"

She then slips her entire hand underneath your waistband. You gasp as your hips move upward to meet her hand.

"I don't enjoy it!" You breathe out as she teases you with the tips of her fingers.

Kamilah smirks. "Good to know."

She leans down to nuzzle your neck, and you can feel her purring against the soft of your throat.

Your breathing starts to become ragged as you strain against her hold. "Kamilah..."

Hearing you say her name causes her to purr even more loudly. She starts to nibble across your jawline until her lips arrive at the shell of your ear. "So, tell me, darling..." you close your eyes at the sensation of her hot breath on your skin, "...what do you enjoy? What do you want?"

The question sends pleasurable chills down your spine. "You."

She chuckles as she presses herself flush against you while pushing her hips into yours. "I thought so."

Kamilah’s mouth is suddenly on yours. Her kiss – ravenous and fervent, translates her desire, hunger, and passion in ways that words can never accomplish. You moan into her mouth as you insistently roll your hips against hers, hungry for more.

She growls against your lips and presses herself even closer against your body. You wrap your legs around her waist, desperately needing to feel more of her.

When she breaks away, you start panting heavily, breathless from the intensity of your shared kiss.

Kamilah looks at your flushed face with red eyes. "Say my name."

You feel your cheeks become even warmer as you take in her potent gaze. "Ka... Kamilah." You whisper her name in an almost worship-like manner.

She finally releases your wrists, and you entangle your fingers into her hair as she trails hot kisses down from your chin and towards your chest.

She nibbles at the area between your breasts, and you groan in approval. As she teases the sensitive flesh, she removes her slacks and her blouse.

She then lifts her head to look at you with hunger in her eyes. "Listen to me, Amy."

She unwraps your legs from around her waist and sets them on the mattress.

She then slides her hands across your thighs until they're on either side of your jeans.

"Whenever anyone else flirts with you..."

She pulls your jeans down until they're entirely discarded.

"I want you to remember..."

Kamilah slowly spreads your legs apart before she tears your underwear away.

"...that I'm..." she begins to kiss her way towards your center. You gasp as her kisses edge closer and closer.

"...the only one..." her lips are now on one of your inner thighs, and you groan in anticipation.

"... who can make you feel like this." She maintains eye contact with you until she dips her head between your legs.

You immediately arch your back as pleasure courses through every nerve in your body. "Oh, Kamilah!"

With your fingers still entangled in her hair strands, you draw her in closer. And she responds by sending you deeper and deeper into bliss with each passing minute.

Loud and uninhibited moans escape from your throat as your entire body trembles with ecstasy. You forget about everything else as you take in the feeling Kamilah is giving you.

----

A long while later, you're lying flat on your back with Kamilah still on top of you. You pant with effort – your throat is hoarse from all the groans that had escaped from your lips during your intimate session.

Kamilah trails a path of gentle kisses across your neck, cheeks, and shoulders.

"Still think that Priya is 'hot'?"

"Who?"

Kamilah laughs as she hovers over your face. "Good girl." She smirks before kissing you.

You kiss deeply for a long while before Kamilah rolls over to lie down beside you. She pulls you close, and you snuggle against her.

“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” She whispers in your ear after a few seconds.

You smirk against her skin. “Maybe.”

She laughs and places a hand underneath your chin, causing you to look at her. "Clever girl."

You smile ruefully before giving her a tiny kiss. “Well, you did say that you wanted to get your mind off of things.”

Kamilah laughs again. “That wasn’t how I planned to do it, but to be fair, it still worked.”

She pulls you even closer. “But all jokes and… schemes aside…” She pauses to brush some of your hair away from your face. “…I’m glad that I have you, Amy.”

You smile gently and place a hand on her cheek. "I'll always be here whenever you need me, Kamilah."

She returns your smile and places a soft kiss on your forehead.

End.

The Promise

Note:  Hello, everyone. I got the idea for this Kamilah x MC story some time after the latest BloodBound chapter was released. This takes place immediately after the events of the said chapter. Also regarding the Order of the Dawn,I assumed, for the purpose of this story, that they possess high-tech weapons specifically designed to take down vampires. The assumption is based on the information Adrian shared.

Anyway, this story is rather lengthy. Lol. I hope that you guys will like it! :)

P.S: Also, please forgive the title. I couldn’t think of anything else. Haha.

Amy’s POV

The Knights of the Order of the Dawn march through the entrance of Serafine's nightclub. As they fill the room, streams of flaming arrows fly across the room, immediately setting dozens of vampires on fire.

Screams fill the air as chaos erupts among the crowd. Vampires desperately push against one another in an attempt to escape.

"Amy, get down!" Serafine yells over the screeching as she pulls down to the floor to avoid getting hit by the arrows.

"Serafine, we gotta get to Adrian and Jax!" You tell her.

But your words don't seem to have reached her. Serafine looks wide-eyed at the ground before her.

"Serafine! Wake up!"

Your loud voice seems to have broken her from her stupor. "Oui! Stay close to me!"

Serafine grabs your hand as she expertly weaves her way through the panicking crowd. You barely manage to keep up with her, but eventually, you find yourselves back in the VIP room where you find Jax and Adrian talking to a group of frightened vampires.

"Guys, the Order of the Dawn is here!" You exclaim as an explanation.

With his eyes glowing red, Jax unsheathes his sword. "Yeah. We heard."

Adrian steps forward, his face grim. "We need to get out of here."

Serafine addresses him with a disheartened look on her face. "But there are too many of them." 

You see Adrian's face harden. "We have to do what we can! We've come this far, and there's too much at stake for us to give up now!"

"Adrian's right." Jax steps up beside him. "We can't stop. Not right now."

"But the Order..." Serafine mumbles. "... How did they even find my nightclub?"

You look at Serafine whose face is fraught with despair. Her eyes are unseeing - it's as if she's re-living a traumatic event.

Adrian notices her dazed state and grabs her hand to squeeze it firmly. "Serafine. Listen to me."

She turns to him with worried eyes. "You need to calm down." He tells her. "We can get through this. It's not over until it's over."

The French vampire looks at him for a moment before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. When she opens them, you see red irises.

"You're right. We must fight back."

You grin at her. "That's the spirit."

Adrian cracks his knuckles as his own eyes slowly turn red. "Now then, shall we greet the Order?"

"Oui. We shall."

"Let's do this!" Jax growls.

----

Despite being greatly outnumbered; you and the others were able to put up a fight. Some of the other vampires joined you in the battle - you were all able to hold your own for a while.

But the fact remains that the Order is stronger and larger in number. As the battle progressed, you all started to sustain wounds from their technologically advanced weapons. And eventually, you, Adrian, Jax, Serafine and a few other survivors are crumpled on the ground and are surrounded by the Knights.

Your struggle to keep your eyes open while you cover your bloodied temple with your left hand. You try to hold your head steady with your right one.

"We couldn't beat them." You say with a defeated sigh.

"Damn. Those weapons of theirs are really something else.” Jax grunts as he clutches his badly burned shoulder.

“They’ve certainly… upgraded… their arsenal.” Serafine wheezes as she wraps her arms around her stomach.

“We came all this way... Damn it!" Jax yells in frustration.

"At the very least, we will not die as cowards." You hear Serafine seethe as she glares at faceless masks of the Knights.

"There's not… much that we… can do." Adrian grumbles – the pain from the blast to his back making it difficult for him to speak. "It was an honor to… have fought… alongside you all."

The Knight in front of you raises his arm. "Men, ready your aims!"

Simultaneously, all of the Knights aim their weapons at you, ready to strike.

You look at the Knights, then to your friends, and then to the still-lit ceiling. "Lily... Kamilah..." you say softly, "I hope you guys can finish what we started." You then close your eyes, waiting for it to be all over...

BOOM!

Something suddenly explodes, and you hear the Knights scream. Your nostrils are immediately invaded with the smell of smoke.

When you open your eyes, you see that the room is now filled with smoke and that the Knights have been scattered across the floor. Through the entrance, a group of red-eyed vampires arrives with weapons of their own. They immediately take advantage of the confusion and engage the members of the Order in combat.

And in a flash, a familiar face is kneeling in front of you.

"You called?" Kamilah smirks at you.

You could hardly believe your eyes. "Kamilah?!"

Even though she's smirking, you can see hints of relief and worry in her eyes as she looks at you. She instantly tears off one of her long sleeves and quickly wraps it around your head to stop the bleeding.

From beside you, the others react to her sudden appearance. "Wait... What?!" You hear Jax mumble in shock.

Despite her injured condition, Serafine smiles brightly at her. "Darling! So good to see you again!"

"Kamilah! But how?!" Adrian sputters before wincing in pain.

Kamilah looks over her shoulder to call out to another vampire. "Samuel! I need help with the injured!"

"Yes, Miss Sayeed!" In a matter of seconds, more vampires approach your wounded group.

In the blink of an eye, she's carrying you in her arms. "I'll explain later." She addresses all of you. "Right now, we have to get you all to safety."

"Hey. No arguments from me." You chuckle as you rest your head against her shoulder.

You see her smile at you quickly before addressing the others. "Let's move!"

In a matter of minutes, you're inside a large van.

"Amy!" Lily calls to you from the driver's seat.

"Hey, Lil." You smile at her weakly.

"Whoa. You guys look messed up!"

"Tell me something I don't know." Jax grumbles.

As soon as all the injured have been loaded in the van, Kamilah slams the door shut. "Now's not the time for pleasantries. We have to go now!"

Lily immediately takes the wheel and starts the engine. "Got it!"

Soon, you're zooming down the roads of Paris far away from the Order.

----

Four hours later

About four hours later, you’ve stopped at the front of the side of a mountain somewhere in the woods located miles away from the main city.

“Where are we?” You ask.

Kamilah responds as she places some items in a satchel. “We’re at an old safehouse that was used by European vampires back in the early 19th century as a hiding place.”

“Safehouse?” You ask, looking at the wide expanse of hard rock through the windshield.

“It’s built inside the mountain, Amy. The entrance is hidden. How cool is that?!” Lily explains.

“Oh. I see. But won’t the Order find us here?”

“We’ll only stay here for the night. We’ll move to a more secured area come dawn. Besides, this is one of the very few hideouts that the Order has yet to find.” Kamilah says as she slings the bag over her shoulder.

Serafine leans forward. “Oui. This was one of the safest places to go when on the run.”

“This is about as good a hiding place as any.” Jax says from his seat.

Kamilah addresses her other companions. “Get Adrian, Serafine, and Jax inside and give them blood packets. They need to heal immediately.” She then turns to you. “I’ll take care of Amy myself.” She effortlessly scoops you into her arms and carries you outside.

A short while later, you're sitting on a stool as Kamilah removes the rudimentary bandage around your head. She cleans the wound before placing some anti-bacteria solution on it. She then covers it with a long strip of proper medicinal gauze.

“Thanks.” You say.

"Not a problem. Now let's go meet with the others." She offers you her hand, and you take it – letting her pull you up.

----

You meet at the center of the safehouse and settle around an old and grimy ornate table that has seen better days.

“So, Kamilah…” Adrian begins, now completely healed, “Why are you here? How did you find us?”

Kamilah folds her hands on the table. “When you left to meet Serafine, I called some of my old contacts in Europe. I know as well as anyone that the Order of the Dawn is still active and is more dangerous now than ever. I asked them to watch your movements and also to collect information about the activities of the Order so that I would know if you ever get caught in one of their raids."

Jax couldn’t contain his shock. “So, you’ve been spying on us this whole time!?”

"I wouldn't exactly call it "spying." Kamilah began. "But I suppose I was."

“Well, it’s a good thing that you were!” Serafine places her hand on Kamilah’s forearm. “You saved our lives, darling! Thank you!”

The Egyptian vampire smiles at her French friend. “Of course.”

“When did you guys arrive in Paris?” You ask.

Lily turns to you. “We got here this afternoon! Talk about getting here in the nick of time, right?” She grins.

You feel your eyes widen. “This afternoon?!”

Kamilah clears her throat, prompting everyone to look at her. “Yes, we arrived this afternoon. One of my contacts told me that the Order was planning to raid an underground nightclub owned by a vampire. And when they told me that it belonged to Serafine, I knew that there was a chance that you would all be in grave danger. So, Lily and I left for Paris immediately. We also brought along some of our strongest Clan members since we’re going to need a larger group to be able to mobilize and strategize considering the extent of the Order’s influence.”

“But what about the rest of our Clan members?” Adrian asks, worry etched on his face.

“Don’t worry. I already evacuated our Clan members from New York City and called in a favor from our werewolf friend Cal. They’re now in New Orleans. Cal’s Alpha leader agreed to grant them temporary sanctuary.”

Both Adrian and Jax breathe out sighs of relief. “Good. At least they’re out of immediate danger.” Adrian comments.

Jax nods in agreement. “Yeah. Their situation is about as good as it can get.”

You all let a brief moment pass to allow some of the tension to fade. Kamilah eventually speaks again.

“So, tell me. What exactly have you accomplished so far regarding our search for the Tomb of the First?”

----

Two hours later

You and the others quickly caught Lily and Kamilah up to speed. You told them that you already obtained the Book of Blood, which thankfully, was in Adrian’s satchel the entire time. Serafine then explained that the next step was to find the Eye of Bathory amulet, which was last known to have been possessed by vampires from Prague. Everyone agreed that Lily would help Serafine gather data about the amulet’s current whereabouts and that Serafine would look through your vampiric memories for more information once you regain your strength.

You're now in one of the old bunkers of the safe house. The room's only source of light is a single lit candle placed on the bedside table. You toss and turn in the centuries-old cotton bed, unable to fall asleep because of your racing thoughts.

Now that the adrenaline of fighting has subsided, your mind starts to wander to other things. You think about the visions that you’ve seen. Now that you’re aware of your powers as a BloodKeeper, you're able to recall better the memories that you've already witnessed. You think of the First Vampire Rheya and how she was banished to the caves where she eventually gained her powers. You then think about Gaius as a human soldier and how different he was back then. Then your thoughts go to Kamilah.

You think about how she was forcibly Turned against her will by Gaius. You then think about how, despite that fact, the two of them looked at each other so lovingly centuries after.

You immediately feel a pit of unease form in your stomach. You've always wondered what kind of relationship Kamilah shared with Gaius. You've always wanted to ask her but thought better of it considering the situation you're all in. She mentioned that she was his Queen and that she did love him before. She also said the Gaius’s return has made her feel vulnerable, but that only made you even more curious about what they had before. Apart from that and a few other tidbits of information, you have no idea about the extent of their relationship. You’ve seen a few memories, but you know there are more.

Your train of thought then leads you to examine your own relationship with Kamilah. She’s shown you tenderness and affection, but just how much does she really care? She admits that you’re the first person that she’s ever been with in a century and that fact in itself already means something. But just how much does it mean?

Your reverie is interrupted by the sound of the door creaking.

“I thought that you’d be asleep.” Kamilah says softly.

You raise your head to look at her. “Hey.”

Kamilah steps inside and closes the door gently. “Why aren’t you asleep?”

You sit up. “I’ve got a lot on my mind. What brings you here?”

She makes her way to your bed and sits beside you. “I wanted to check in on you.”

She raises her hand to gently touch your bandaged head. “How are you feeling?”

“I feel better.”

“Hmmm.” Kamilah drops her hand to her lap.

You both stay in silence for a few moments before Kamilah reaches for your hand. “I’m sorry for not arriving sooner.”

You look at her and see worry in her eyes. “You have nothing to apologize for. You did what you were able to do. What matters is that we got out okay.”

She smiles gently before leaning closer. “I’ve missed you, Amy.”

When she leans in to kiss you, you immediately jerk back.

Kamilah looks at you in quiet surprise. "What's wrong?"

You stare at her confused face, wondering how you should express what you’ve been thinking about earlier. “…I--…I—” you start to grasp for the right words.

You eventually sigh in defeat before getting up from the bed.

“Amy? What’s wrong?” Concern starts to lace her voice as she watches you slowly pace around the small area of the bunker.

You finally stop in front of the wall and exhale. “I want to know.”

“Know what?” Kamilah asks from behind you.

You swallow before answering. “About you and Gaius.” You let a few seconds pass before you turn around to face her. You see that her face is frozen in shock – her brown eyes are widened, and her mouth is slightly agape.

It takes her a moment to shake herself out of her stupor. “You… what?!” For once, she seems to be at a loss for words. “…Amy, you already know that I was his Queen. But that’s all in the past now.” She offers as an explanation.

You shake your head. “No, Kamilah. I want to know the full extent of your relationship with him.”

Your response seems to have shocked her even further. “Why? Why do you want to know?”

You press your lips into a hard line. "Because I saw memories of you and Gaius…" you begin, watching Kamilah's reaction. "I know that you tried to kill him before he Turned you without your consent." At this line, Kamilah's eyes widened even further. "I also know that centuries afterward, the two of you seemed so happy together."

You eventually pause as you try to collect your turbulent thoughts. “What I’m trying to say is that I’m c-confused.” You feel tears starting to prick the corners of your eyes. “I know that you went through a lot as a vampire. I saw some of your memories, but I still don’t have all the answers. You went through so much together with him. And the fact that I’m confused m-makes me feel a-afraid.” Your voice is now trembling.

“Afraid of what?”

“Afraid that you might still feel something for him!” At this point, the tears have started to flow freely. "Don't get me wrong, Kamilah. I know that you won't turn on us. But I can't help but feel scared.

“I don’t exactly know what we have between us, Kamilah. But… you mean a lot to me. I know that we’ve only known each other for barely a year, but after everything that we’ve been through, I feel connected to you. And… the idea of you still having feelings for him… it breaks my heart.”

You let your tears trail down your cheeks as you continue to sob softly. Kamilah could only stare at you in shock. Your confession seems to have shaken her.

She remains immobile for what seems like an eternity. But then she closes her eyes before taking a deep breath.

"Amy." The quiet and firm way Kamilah says your name instantly silences you.

She quietly moves from the bed and steps towards you. When you look into her eyes, you see raw vulnerability. Kamilah tentatively lifts a hand. She hovers it over the side of your face, and when you show no signs of jerking away, she places it on your cheek. She begins to gently stroke your tear-stained skin with her thumb.

"I know that you have a lot of questions to ask." Her voice is soft. "I know that you want clarifications. And you should get the answers. I’m sorry that you feel this way…

“But now is not the time for such a conversation. Too much is at stake, and there is too little time."

You feel an ache in your chest. "But Kamilah ----" you start to protest.

She silences you once again, this time by placing a finger from her free hand against your lips. "Ssshhh." She lets the finger linger for a moment.

"Let me finish." You look at her with wide eyes before giving a small nod. Kamilah drops her finger. "This conversation will not only be quite long. It will also be... unpleasant.

“And honestly, I… don’t feel ready to tell you everything just yet. I want to. And I will eventually. But I can’t. Just not right now.

"But I want you to know this: whatever Gaius and I had in the past doesn't matter anymore. The Kamilah Sayeed who was under his spell is no more. She has been dead for a long time now. She died the moment she saw how truly dark and cruel he is.”

She takes a second to let out a breath.

"Amy." She says your name again, the vulnerability more evident. "You are what matters to me right now. I care about you. So much. You mean a great deal to me.

"I don't know what the outcome of all of this will be, but regardless of what may happen..."

She pauses as she leans in closer. "I want you to know that you make me want to be a better person. You make me feel things that I haven't felt in a long time. You remind me that there's still hope in the world. You make me want to try and strive harder. I am just thankful that you came into my life... And I want you to stay in my life."

Her words make you feel a rush of emotions. As you hold her gaze and take in the vulnerability and sincerity that she allowed to slip through her walls, you know that she's telling you the truth.

Unable to help yourself, you press your lips against hers. Kamilah wraps her free arm around your waist as she continues to stroke the side of your face with her hand. And you tangle your fingers into her hair as your lips and tongues brush together.

You rest your forehead against hers when you pull away.

"Kamilah..." you stare into her eyes intently. "I believe you…” You continue to stare into her deep brown eyes and take in the warmth and sincerity they emanate. "We still have… a lot of things to iron out between us. But I know for sure that being with you will be worth everything that we have to go through.” She smiles at your declaration.

You untangle your fingers from her hair strands and settle them on her shoulders. "I know that we have a long way to go before all of this over. But... whatever happens, let's face it together. And whatever comes after, let's figure out together too. Promise?"

Kamilah looks at you - the earnestness in her eyes is more apparent than ever. "I promise." She whispers the words solemnly against your lips before kissing you again.