Vampire Nightlife

Lukas glanced around the village as idly as he could, until he finally caught someone floating out of a hut in all her glory. Rhea, the Dream Eater, somehow looked energized and fulfilled–the galaxy around her skin sparkled and shimmered with vibrancy.

\'I guess someone\'s been feasting on the dreams of everyone here.\' Lukas thought. He didn\'t want to admit it to himself, but the reason why everything had been a success so far was due to the presence of her.

Lukas knew that he was physically strong, and with the Sanguise House\'s dagger that contained an ancient Vampire–he was hypothetically well-equipped with someone with incredible knowledge and possibly devastating attacks.

However, the reason why he managed to contact Cervus to deal with the Dryad… and even when they were first initially captured by the \'Great Leader of the Forest\' was because he was confident in the Dream Eater\'s abilities to put everyone to sleep.

Rhea was his trump card, far more than Drusilla on this occasion.

\'I have to acknowledge that having key and notable individuals around me is something that I\'ve been able to use to my advantage.\' Lukas was not someone who liked having people around in his previous time as a human.

However, it didn\'t mean that he didn\'t understand that connections were important.

It was just that Lukas didn\'t have the opportunity in the past compared to now, and yet more than anything–he needed them more than ever. There was a way of accumulating power through his own means, but even that required him to still work with others.

\'You can\'t grow in strength and power without having the resources and means to do so,\' Lukas thought as he glanced at Alexei and Stacy. It was true that they were of a \'purer\' bloodline than others, but both of them also still abided by the laws of economy and that had greatly diminished their chance to grow in power.

Maybe it was a lot easier in a place like the Veil Forest. Lukas thought about Cervus and Ursa, both being able to succeed for both being the children of notable figures and inheriting their gifts–but that wasn\'t the case for Lukas.

\'And that\'s where Serena had come in with all her wealth and power,\' Lukas remembered clearly when she handed him a document that contained everything about the original Lukas. The fact that she managed to get her hands on it and also organize an expedition to save Lily was an assert of power.

\'What if… I seduce her or something?\' The thought erupted in Lukas\' head and he fought the urge to chuckle. Chaerin, who was seated beside him, momentarily glanced at him and tilted her head and that made him sober up a little.

First and foremost, the idea was crazy and it warranted something like being knocked against the head. Lukas had made a promise to both Lily and Chaerin and even if he was trying to operate in a more calculated manner–this was still out of line.

\'I don\'t necessarily have to make her fall in love with me or use my body, I don\'t think Serena\'s even capable of being seduced… not that I want to try or anything. I just have to prove myself as an asset and irreplaceable to gain resources.\' Lukas chose to focus on the skewered meat in front of him.

For a moment, Lukas just silently chewed his food and relished the fact that it was possible for Vampires to eat other things as well. He tried to momentarily clear his thoughts until his gaze flickered to Stacy talking with her brother.

\'I\'d still want it to be with someone I love.\'

Lukas nearly choked on his food and swallowed hard for a moment.

"Are you alright, Lukas?" Chaerin looked up from her conversation with Reos to back at him. She offered him a waterskin pouch that they\'ve received earlier and furrowed her brows. "You don\'t have to eat so quickly just because Theodore said so."

Out of everyone in the group, it was only mostly Lukas or Chaerin who were capable of speaking up against Theodore. For Lukas, it was only his nature and some intentional effort on his part, but to Chaerin, it was like breathing air.

She was not hesitant to speak up when it came to situations like this.

Lukas managed a smile. "I\'m good, thank you–it\'s just so delicious that I want to scarf it all down, you know?"

"Alright," Chaerin beamed. "We\'re lucky that we\'re getting some supplies from them then. You really like non Vampire food, huh? Not everyone is so used to eating things like this. For example, bloody rare is good, but if it\'s a little too cooked… like, why bother eating it?"

"Haha, my palate is just varied." Lukas said.

How could he even have a thought like this when Chaerin was right in front of him? After all the sex that they\'ve had before leaving the hut? Lukas couldn\'t help but remember Stacy\'s explanation about polyamorous relationships, but that still made him pause.

Maybe he did like… Stacy? But did it necessarily mean that he\'d have to get with her? And even if for some reason, it all worked out somehow, there were still some other things. How would that look on paper when he explained that to Chaerin? To Lily? Especially Lily.

Lukas would appear like some kind of playboy who added one girl after another as long as she caught his fancy or heated up his loins. Lily might think that she was easily replaceable if Lukas got with someone during the time where he was supposed to be saving her.

There were a lot of complications.

Also, Lukas liked how things were with Stacy right now, they had a good platonic relationship and things would change if he tried to pursue her. All of those reasons made Lukas reject the idea and throw it into a metaphorical dumpster fire.

This wasn\'t a game after all.