Mia hadn't exactly made the decision to move in with Ethan, but she certainly wasn't going to pass up the chance for a hot bath. It wasn't like they were required to bring their belongings to one another's rooms anyway. After all, they were essentially living under the same roof, that of the school.

As they crossed the hallway to reach the vila's quarter, they noticed a new message had been posted on the bulletin board. It announced the upcoming tournament that would take place in two weeks. The ball had gone remarkably well (at least on the surface) so the director had deemed it safe to resume the event without compromising the school's security.

"I'm not sure I want to attend this one," Mia commented as they entered the vila quarter's hallway.

"It would suit me if we didn't have to go," replied Ethan, who was leading the way. "I'd be surprised if it goes smoothly, considering what happened yesterday and in the previous tournament."

"It's precisely for that reason that I'm hesitating... Arry and Andrei will probably participate..."

"It's not like your presence in the stands will change anything," he pointed out with a shrug.

Mia rolled her eyes in response, as that was evident. Of course, she couldn't do anything, but staying in the dark and not knowing what might happen while her friends' lives were at stake seemed even less desirable than the feeling of helplessness she might experience if something were to happen to them. And as long as she stayed with Ethan, he could protect her.

"Your safety comes before your friends' for me," he added, opening a door that she assumed was the bathroom.

"You're not going to stop me from going if I want to, right?"

"I would have liked to, but I'd prefer to avoid you fleeing again," he exclaimed with a sarcastic smile.

Mia grimaced, feeling somewhat guilty for propelling herself into yesterday's situation. At the same time, if they had explained to her how serious the threats were, maybe she wouldn't have taken the situation so lightly.

Sounds a bit like an excuse... Everyone warned me to be careful...

These thoughts were quickly dispelled as she entered the bathroom, which led to another corridor with three other open doors. To the right, she caught a glimpse of toilets. In front of her, a few showers lined the wall, separated by thin walls and fabric curtains. One of them was currently in use, so she judged it necessary not to linger too long in observation. The last door at the end of the corridor revealed a large basin that resembled a pool more than a bathtub. The room was relatively modest in size, but the lighting, the white stone covering the surface, and the warmth emanating from the water made it particularly inviting and cozy.

Ethan locked the door behind them as the blonde sighed with contentment at the thought of immersing her body in the bath. It was exactly what she needed to relieve the stress of the past few days. She just had to lean against the stone and enjoy the warmth of the water against her skin. Perfect for clearing her mind.

Mia bent down at the edge of the basin, caressing the water's surface with her fingertips to test the temperature. It was probably maintained by magic. As she straightened up, she noticed that at the back of the room there was a large mirror adorning the stone wall and four stools accompanied by a bucket of warm water and a sponge. The setup reminded her of the Japanese baths she had glimpsed in some of the series she used to watch in her previous life.

"Is this supposed to be a public bath?" she asked, while Ethan moved a stool to place it against the wall and took a seat.

"Technically, yes. In practice, vilas and their soulmates use it most often, and they're not too keen on company," he answered with a mischievous smile.

Mia chuckled softly, having no doubts about the nature of the activities that took place here. That was probably why he had suggested the place. Yet, he sat there quietly and didn't seem to have any plans of joining her. Giving her space was greatly appreciated, but she had followed him knowingly, and she wasn't going to leave unsatisfied.

Following her own plan, she approached the nearest stool to Ethan and proceeded to uncover her shoulders from the pastel blue dress she had put on before Vassili's visit, letting it slide down her body, revealing her white underwear. When her eyes met the vila's attentive gaze, a smile spread across her lips. Without looking away, she unhooked her bra and let it fall casually, freeing her modest chest. Finally, using her thumbs, she slowly removed her panties, letting them join the rest of her clothes on the floor.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Ethan still hadn't moved an inch, so she continued her little game by taking a seat on the stool. She picked up the sponge and dipped it into the bucket to wet her body before washing herself, slowly gliding the object along her arms, then her waist. The effect she had on Ethan at this moment was clearly palpable in the air: his scent filled with pheromones was starting to intoxicate her, making her movements more sensual. Finally, she picked up the soap block and presented it to the vila, inviting him to participate in the activity.

"Help me," she whispered when he didn't react.

He grumbled but eventually moved his stool to place himself behind her, with Mia positioned between his legs. After rubbing the soap block to lather his hands, he gently pushed her hair over her shoulder to expose her back. When the vila's palms landed on her shoulder blades, Mia's breath caught in her throat. She exhaled slowly, closing her eyes as he massaged her, moving down to the lower part of her back, brushing against the start of her buttocks. His fingers briefly encircled her waist and then moved up her abdomen to settle on her breasts, eliciting a moan from her. With just a few touches, a fire had ignited in her lower belly, and her thighs instinctively parted a few inches.

Ethan's hands were now soap-free, but he continued his caresses, moving upward to her neck, tilting her head back. His left hand imprisoned her breast again, while his other hand headed farther south, making her tremble with excitement. His fingers slid over her thigh, and his lips landed on her neck, causing shivers and pleasurable moans from the blonde. When his hand finally reached her intimate area, Mia moved back on the stool to press her back against the vila's chest and rested her head on his shoulder, fully exposing her neck, which he promptly covered with sweet kisses. His hand played with her pleasure center for a moment before slipping two fingers inside her, causing her to automatically spread her thighs to give him more room.

"I thought you wanted to take a bath," he said in a husky voice, smiling against her neck.

"One doesn't prevent the other," she replied, removing his fingers from inside her and rising to join the basin, catching the vila off guard.

A contented smile spread across her lips as the warmth of the water made contact. It reached up to her shoulders where she had slipped in, but the other side of the bath was raised to allow its occupants to sit without drowning. She preferred to venture into the middle of the basin, slowly retreating, her eyes fixed on the vila. Ethan turned around, unsure. With a chin gesture, she invited him to join her, her eyes shining, which he eagerly did, discarding his clothes as well. His movements were more hurried than hers, but Mia still appreciated the sight, scrutinizing each newly revealed part of his body, her gaze lingering on his erection, which she hoped would be inside her in a few moments. While she wasn't extremely experienced with male sizes, it was obvious he had nothing to compensate for in that department.

Her observation earned her a smirk as Ethan slid into the basin, and she couldn't prevent her cheeks from slightly reddening. He took advantage of her momentary embarrassment to push her backward into the deeper waters, trapping her between his chest and the basin's edge. He placed his hands on either side of her jaw and captured her lips, immediately inserting his tongue. Mia responded fervently, wrapping her thighs around his waist to rub her intimacy against his erection, eliciting a muffled groan from the vila. Ethan's hands shifted to support her thighs and lifted her enough for his tongue to caress her nipples while keeping his head above water. Mia moaned, burying her fingers in his neck, at the base of his hair, stabilizing the position a bit more.

Impatience was starting to get the better of her as she felt more than ready to welcome him inside her. She slid her right hand between their bodies and grasped his erection. As her palm closed around his member, Ethan nibbled on her nipple, groaning and earning a soft cry of pleasure from her. With a thrust of her hips, she pushed him back enough to guide him to her entrance. She repeated her movement, this time in his direction, impaling herself on him. A relieved moan escaped her lips as the sensation of being complete intoxicated her brain. Immediately, Ethan began a steady rhythm that she matched with her own thrusts, causing a growing tension in her lower abdomen that could only be released once she reached the pinnacle. The vila buried his head against his soulmate's shoulder, inhaling her natural scent.

Suddenly, she felt something hard and pointed against her neck. Something that could only be teeth. Teeth that seemed to want to sink into her throat.

"What are you doing?" she asked, slightly panicked, suddenly descending from her cloud of pleasure.

Ethan immediately stopped his hip movements and pulled back a few centimeters, withdrawing from her intimacy. A feeling of emptiness engulfed her, quickly followed by a wave of frustration.

"My vila urges me to bite you to bond us," he managed to explain through gritted teeth. "If you don't want to, I don't think I can continue..."

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air to express her indignation.

The reaction might have been a bit excessive, but the idea of not being able to alleviate the frustration he had caused in her without committing to something enraged her deeply. In a bound, she got out of the water and retrieved her clothes, putting on her underwear and dress with a brisk movement, then headed for the door to wait for him to get dressed too. She was frustrated, her clothes were now clinging to her skin, and she hadn't even had a chance to enjoy her bath. Suffice it to say that her mood was now beyond irritated.