A/N: I'm really sorry for this update to come up a little bit later than the usual. But you know...life happened.

Hope you enjoy this chapter!

I don't own Elsword nor its characters.

Winter was coming; it had been becoming more and more noticeable with the cold wind turning stronger with each day of the passing week. She had stayed all those nights alone in the mansion, contemplating the sky changing its colors above the town from the roof under her window, from sunset to night and from night to sunrise, welcoming the coming season her own way. Her friends had insisted she took her time to rest and settle down, and she had complied more to avoid fighting with them than because she really wanted to stop going with the group on patrol. She knew they just were worried about her.

All the events of the past week felt distant now, only reaching to them like from the memories of a dream. At that point, the behavior she had held during those days came across to her as ridiculous. Now that she had given herself time to sit down and think everything through she felt more calm and collected. Of course, she felt shocked and scared; so many things had happened in such a short period of time that she didn't know how to react. But now she knew better. She wasn't facing any of those things alone. In a way or another, they were going to figure everything out together, she was sure of it.

But as much as her mood had gotten better over the week, staying alone every night started to make Ara feel uneasy. She enjoyed going out on duty with her teammates in part because she really liked spending the night outside, walking under the black sky's soft lights was soothing for her, feeling the cold breeze in her skin, watching the town sleeping peacefully. She figured it was alright to just take a walk. If her friends were to ask her why she had left the house when they had agreed for her not to during those days, she'd just tell them that it wasn't her intention to fight that time, that she needed to breathe fresh air.

Ara got dressed and left her room after grabbing her spear, just in case. She walked down the empty and dark hallways, glancing at every unoccupied room as she passed each door, it almost felt desolating. The streets were as lonesome as the mansion, but she felt welcomed in their silence, that darkness was familiar.

She took her time, feeling the walls of stone under her fingers as each house and building was left behind, listening to the whispering of the wind between the leaves of the trees in the sidewalk, the caterwauling of stray cats that made the town their home, watched the shadows casted by the moonlight. It had been a long time since she had walked through those streets without the serious mood of their duty, and it felt relaxing. She took a turn at some point, wanting to get lost.

Suddenly, a muffled scream filled the silence, making her shiver. She could tell it was near so she walked towards its source, mustering up her courage. Struggling sounds, she watched her surroundings, it was clear by that point that it was a fight. The wind felt gelid, she sensed all the other sounds of the night disappearing. Another couple of steps and she was there, she saw it right in front of her. She couldn't move.

A tall man held an unmoving body between his arms, limbs and head hanging, an expression of horror frozen on the corpse. The man's face was buried in the body's neck, his long white hair hiding his profile. She stood there, watching in astonishment, unable to move. He left the body on the ground with delicacy, supporting its back against the wall, and turned around. Mouth and chin covered in blood. And she recognized him.

Ara couldn't take her eyes off his mouth, completely covered of dark red. Until he took a few steps closer to her and the encounter with his eyes became inevitable. He got closer and closer, and she didn't back up. His eyes looked down at hers intensely, not a sign of doubt or fear showing up on them, just a calm sorrow, a collected spirit.

"I assume it is your obligation to kill me now" he spoke with a deep and gentle voice once they were finally facing each other. "If you cut my head, and keep it separated from my body, you can end this now" he added, piercing through her eyes with determination.

Without a word, Ara lifted her spear and placed it next to his pale neck. She held it firmly between her hands, grazing its edge against his skin. Looking at him, she saw no more than a blank expression, his arms by his sides, no intention to move. She let the minutes pass, a dense silence form around them, watching him, trying to understand. The spear fell from her hands and hit the ground with a thud.

"I can't" she whispered quietly, honestly. Ara knew how powerful vampires were, she knew that he could have easily attacked her, killed her, or tried to escape. He didn't. He stood in front of her motionlessly, waiting for her to make the move and kill him. "I can't kill someone that is not fighting" she added. Not knowing why, she felt overwhelmed by sadness, with pity. "Do you wish to die?".

He glanced down at her in silence for a minute and she felt her heart beating wildly against her chest. "There is no other just way for a monster to end. You and your friends protect this town, don't you? Is there anything else to do? I'm a threat, I'm killing people" he said finally.

"But why are you so willing to die? Why aren't you fighting, resisting?" she asked softly, her voice small. She was standing right in front of a man she had seen taking the life of a person. But she didn't feel in danger, she felt drawn to him, intrigued by his willingness.

"Because it's the best for everyone" he declared. And in that moment, he looked almost fragile. There was a tint of sadness in his voice, of resignation. She felt like that wasn't the only reason; it wasn't a matter of justice to him. There was a tragedy hidden inside of him, showing on his voice, that she could sense just by looking at his mien, listening to him. She felt the urge of welcoming him into her arms, like you would with a crying, vulnerable child.

"Isn't there any other way?" she asked with a thread of hope. Maybe she wouldn't have to end his life that way, maybe she wouldn't have to kill someone so utterly surrendered to such a cruel end. He could have killed her right there to protect himself; it would have been so easy. And yet he didn't, that had to count for something. She owed him at least her mercy.

A husky snicker came through his lips and a brief, twisted smile appeared on his face just to fade away that same moment. "No one is going to let me take just a little bit of their blood, just by asking nicely" he said, cleaning the blood off his face with his sleeve as he started walking, going past her as if nothing had happened. She felt urged to do something; she couldn't let him go just like that. Even if she couldn't bring herself to kill him, that didn't mean that allowing him to be free and keep killing others to feed himself was okay. So right in that moment she took a decision, one that could change her life forever.

"Wait!" she shouted, hoping he would still be there. She heard his steps coming to a stop. "No one has to suffer so much. There has to be a way…" she spoke, not even daring to look back at him.

"I told you already that…" he started, being cut off by her.

"I know what you said. But…If I decide to sacrifice myself, then…" she paused, turning around to face him. "Then is it enough if I let you drink a little bit of my blood, just by asking nicely?" Ara knew very well that it could be a risky decision, that she didn't know exactly what it could lead to. But maybe, if she took all that weight on her shoulders, if she sacrificed herself for a bigger cause, everything would be alright.

A brief expression of surprise spread through his face for a second, just to be replaced by an irritated seriousness the next moment. He closed the distance between them with firm movements, looking into her eyes with a shiny glance, filled with a strong feeling. His imposing presence, his tall body towering in front of her didn't intimidate her. A new resolve had set its roots inside of her and she didn't back up.

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into" he warned her in a serious tone, deep, almost a whisper. "This is not something you can play with".

"I know" she said just as serious, determination showing on her face and a new shine sparkling in her eyes. "But tell me. Would it be enough? If I let you…drink out of me would it be enough to stop killing?" she asked once again, her heartbeats becoming stronger as the anxiety took over her insides.

"Why would you want to do that?" he questioned with a voice that almost mocked her. Distrustful.

"I can't let you kill innocent people, that's my duty. But…" she started firmly, for the first time gazing deeply into his eyes, taking a step closer to him. "But I really feel like you don't deserve to die either" she stated, full of conviction. A man that had been willing to die in order to protect people from himself couldn't be bad. She knew it couldn't be just black and white.

She noticed his face going blank, she could see the surprise on his expression and it spread a delightful sensation through her body. It was the only way she could help.

Imitating her, he took a step closer to her as well. His eyes staring intensely into her face, a faint smile curving his lips just slightly.

"Then, Ara…" he started, talking solemnly. "Will you let me feed myself from you?" he asked, making honor to her proposal. Their eyes not breaking contact for a second. She stared back at him with confidence, without fear.

"Yes".

And like that, the contract was sealed. She knew very well that from that point on, there was no turning back. For the first time in days she felt like she had made the right decision, no regrets clouded her mind. From the very first moment she saw him she had felt an enigmatic source attracting her to him, wanting to cross their paths. Thousands of feelings and strange sensations had invaded her ever since that night of the ball, but fear was never one of them when being around him, she was never scared of him hurting her, not even now that the truth had been discovered. If anything, he inspired a deep sorrow in her. She finally knew exactly what had been hiding under that magnetic gaze all that time, what had confused her so much in other occasions.

When the sun rose the next day, only a weak light escaped the shield of the grey clouds that had taken over the sky. It was cloudy and cold when she left the mansion after lying to her friends about her destination. If any of them were to find out about him, they would with no doubt go in his hunt. She couldn't allow that, she had made a compromise and was determined to protect. Even a vampire, even him.

She wrapped her arms around herself, enjoying the coldness of the air. Anxiety and nervousness started building up inside her stomach, making her body feel as if a hundred ants were walking on her skin. As she walked the path to the old castle, she remembered the day of the ball. How that night everything seemed to have a magical aura, an undeniable charm that kept her in expectation and awe that whole time. Going the same way now felt almost nostalgic, and when she could finally spot the big castle rising over the hills it almost felt like she was going back to a special place, one that held many invaluable memories.

Under the light of the day it looked just like an old, deteriorated castle. She couldn't help but feel a little bit disappointed, seeing it deprived of the magic that enveloped it that night.

Once in front of the big gates she called with the old, rusty knocker, taking a step back. She waited for a few minutes until she heard light and hurried steps approaching, the gates opened and a short maid appeared from the other side. "Is Sir Add at home?" she asked politely, even though she knew perfectly well that there wasn't any way he wouldn't be. The maid made her go inside and wait in the drawing room while she called Add.

Ara sat down on the red velvet sofa, crossing her legs. She couldn't help but ran her hand through the soft surface, thinking that the time had came for her to do something that never even crossed her mind in her entire life. But she was more expectant than scared. Steps could be heard echoing in the large room, taking her out of her thoughts. She looked up and their eyes instantly met, feeling her chest being tied up in a not. For a second, she almost couldn't breathe. All the windows were covered with thick, dark curtains, but the chandeliers were illuminating the room and his face looked almost majestic under their lights. Images from the night of the ball coming hurriedly to her mind, recalling all the sensations he had caused on her ever since that day.

She stood up and grabbed the sides of her dress, making a short curtsy. "Good morning, Sir" she said politely, her voice soft and calm.

"Ara" he replied, bowing slightly as well. "I beg you, please refer to me as Add. There is no need to make this even more awkward for the both of us, is there?" he added, smiling faintly as he walked towards her. "Take a seat".

"As you wish" she said, taking his invitation and sitting down once again, next to him.

"Honestly, I didn't think you were actually going to come. And this soon" he spoke once again, looking at her with a smile. The chevalier was back, and it sent chills down through her spine. "Were you that excited?" he asked, teasing her.

"I was, indeed" she answered with honesty, her stomach filling with a light tingle. "You'd have to agree with me, this is a life changing event" she added, making a smile of her own.

"And you'd have to excuse me for not being able to do so. I have never been in the position you are now" he retorted, making his smile wider as it twisted to a side. His eyes shone with a spark of intelligence and confidence. Ara laughed wholeheartedly at their exchange. Talking to him like that felt somehow refreshing, like nothing had ever happened, like he wasn't going to drink from her blood.

"Oh, pardon me" she said with an honest smile. He smiled back at her just as sincerely. They stared at each other for a few seconds and, unlike other times, no tension arose between them. It felt like something important had changed right at that moment. "So…how does it work?" she asked after a few moments of just enjoying the silence.

"No way in particular. Just tell me when you're ready and I'll lead you" he answered, his face turning serious. Ara nodded.

"I'm ready now" she declared, holding her hands together on her lap, playing with her fingers.

"Follow me then, please" he said as he stood up, offering her his arm. She did the same and accepted his invitation silently, placing her hand delicately in his bent arm. They walked out of the room and into the principal hallway where a wide staircase took its place in the middle, covered with a dark red carpet. He led her upstairs to a room by the end of the corridor, a tall wooden door blocking their way.

She released his arm from her grip and he opened the door with his key, moving to the side and motioning for her to come in first. It was clearly the principal bedroom, with a big and imposing four-poster bed at the middle, covered with a dark purple bedspread and a big amount of black cushions neatly organized. Thick black curtains covered the tall windows and old paintings decorated the wall. There was a door leading to a balcony, and next to it was a sofa just like the one in the drawing room. Ara was taken aback by how majestic the room was, even compared to the ones in Chung's mansion.

She walked towards the bed and leaned her back against one of its pillars, waiting for him. Add went closer to her after closing the door once again and leaving the key on top of an old wooden drawer next to the entrance. He looked intently into her eyes.

"I'm going to ask you once again. Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked her with a soft voice. She merely nodded in response, looking back at him with determination shining in her eyes. "Very well, then" he said, leaning towards her, closing the distance between them even more until it almost didn't exist.

His cold fingers ran down through her neck, tracing its shape with the tips before leaning in until his forehead touched her jaw. "Stay still" he whispered. She could feel his breath touching her skin when he spoke, and a chill made her whole body shiver. He placed his hand on her shoulder and wrapped his arm around her waist gently, barely touching her. Ara felt his lips touching her neck and she couldn't help but feel flustered, a strange heat starting to spread through her upper body. She closed her eyes firmly and brought her hands to his chest, looking for some kind of security.

Something sharp made contact with her skin, she felt how his fangs pierced slowly through her flesh. A deep pain was shot from her neck, running down through her spine as the two wounds were opened, and then a strange sensation. She endured, turning her hands into fists against him. Blood was flowing out of her and she started to feel weak and dizzy. Her skin turned pale.

A lot of different sensations piled up inside of her all at once, overwhelming her. His cold fingers on her shoulder, a gentle touch, the comfortable security of his arm supporting her. The contact of his lips against her neck made her feel like her skin was burning at their touch, despite the gelid coldness of his body. She could sense his fangs perfectly where they were buried, opening her flesh, her blood leaving her body. They created an intense pain and a pleasant sensation at the same time, flooding inside her body. It felt like an extremely intimate moment, and that made her shudder.

He took his fangs out of her flesh slowly, delicately, removing what was left of blood on her skin with his lips and running his tongue over them. "It's sweet" he said, a smile of satisfaction and delight spreading on his lips. When he backed up a little, she felt the strength gradually leaving her body.

Ara felt herself losing balance, his strong arms catching her right before her mind went black and she lost consciousness.

A/N: By all means, please feel free of leaving any comments or feedback you may have for this chapter and tell me what you think!

I hope you enjoyed it.

Until next time :)