Chapter 9 : Black Dragon Olivia (7)

A tumultuous day ended, and night fell.

In Olivia’s bedroom…

“──Here, wear this.” Olivia tossed Dante one of her black shirts.

“Oof…” The shirt, made for Olivia’s much larger frame, was comically oversized, but Dante, with a resigned sigh, pulled it over his head. He’d accidentally washed his sleepwear along with his other clothes, leaving him with nothing to wear. He’d finally swallowed his pride and asked Olivia for something to borrow. She’d agreed without hesitation… on one condition.

Reclining on her bed, amidst crimson sheets, Olivia stretched out a pale arm and beckoned him closer. “Turn off the lights. Let’s sleep.”

The condition: sharing her bed tonight.

Olivia’s room had two beds: a single for Dante and a king-size for herself. Usually, at Dante’s insistence, they slept separately. But tonight was different. Very different.

The animal fat lamp on the nightstand flickered softly. Dante chewed his lip nervously. ‘Never thought I’d be spooning a dragon.’

Olivia’s warm body radiated a sweet scent. Closing his eyes tightly, he avoided her gaze. Even in the darkness, he could feel her crimson eyes, glowing faintly, fixed on him.

‘…Creepy eyes! Creepy!’

Olivia placed a hand on his forehead. “…Are you asleep?”

Silence. He knew better than to answer.

“If you’re pretending to sleep, you’re dead.”

“I’m awake! Happy now?!”

“Then why didn’t you answer, you mutt?!”

“I was almost asleep! Yah!”

Suddenly enraged, Dante grabbed a handful of Olivia’s hair and yanked. She yelped, retaliating by gently tugging on his bangs – any harder and she might actually scalp him.

“Foul! Attacking the roots! You call yourself a proud dragon?!”

“Don’t bring pride into this, you lunatic!”

After a brief tussle, Olivia slyly grabbed Dante’s wrist. “Ahem.” She pulled him closer, turning him to face her.

Dante blinked his large, golden eyes. “…Now you’re dictating sleeping positions?”

“Face me.”

“…Why?”

“Just do it!”

“So bossy… Just because you’re strong doesn’t mean you can control how I sleep! Life’s so unfair…” Grumbling, Dante closed his eyes and quickly drifted off.

His breathing grew even, his chest rising and falling rhythmically. Olivia waved a hand in front of his face. No reaction. He was definitely asleep this time.

“Yes!”

This was what she’d been waiting for. With a triumphant grin, she carefully pulled Dante into her arms. He fit perfectly, like a plush toy. She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, afraid to let go.

“So cute when he’s quiet…” Her gaze softened, like she was looking at a small, adorable animal. With a mischievous smile, she nuzzled his neck, pressing a soft kiss against his skin.

His skin was incredibly soft, almost feminine. Instead of sweat, he smelled faintly of sweet flowers, intoxicating her senses. She could stay like this all day, she thought.

Despite their apparent closeness, Dante usually kept his distance, rejecting any form of physical intimacy. He maintained a certain wariness, drawing a clear line between them—master and s*ave, rather than friends. But Olivia wasn’t about to waste this golden opportunity. If she couldn’t devour him whole, surely a taste wouldn’t hurt.

She gently tilted his chin up with a long, slender finger, and lowered her head, capturing his lips in a tender kiss. Her long, black hair cascaded around his face, like a dark waterfall. Their shadows, intertwined on the wall, seemed frozen in time.

Only the soft sounds of their mingled breaths and the gentle movement of their lips filled the room. It was more than just love; it was a deep affection, a yearning that couldn’t be expressed with words.

A thousand times a day, she wrestled with the urge to simply take him, to claim him as her own. But the answer was always no.

Frustrated, angry, desperate, she clung to him, kissing him with a fervor born of restraint. She would never let him go. She’d rather destroy the world than lose the warmth she now held in her arms.

And so, the long night passed.