Chapter 56: I Want You As Well

"Meanie! You’re the very first person that dared to pinch and punch a Ludenberg!!" The little boy whimpered and scowled.

His black panther tail lashed behind him.

"I don’t need money or gifts for playing with you, little boy."

"But people said time is money and I need to pay for their time."

"Those people suck, then. I enjoyed every moment with you, little one. You don’t owe me anything."

For a moment, the little boy fell silent. His tail stopped swaying, and he turned his face away as though he suddenly found the plushy carpet far more interesting than Lydia.

"You’re a weirdo, big sis. But I like it."

Well, that was probably the closest thing to a compliment she would get from this little troublemaker.

"Want to make a pink promise with big sis?" She leaned closer and raised her little finger in front of him.

"What’s a pinky promise? Can I eat it?"

"It’s like we make a secret little promise between us. Amazing, huh? Now, give me your finger."

Her words made him flinch.

"Are you going to cut it?"

"....."

Was this boy serious?

She had only wanted to introduce him to a normal childhood tradition. How on earth had they ended up talking about mutilation?!

What kind of family did he belong to? No, wait.

Lydia already knew this little boy was a Ludenberg. Perhaps she shouldn’t have expected anything normal from them in the first place.

"Papa always cuts them out of people who do bad stuff or when they don’t fulfill their promise. We have several boxes to display them in our underground." The little boy grinned innocently, seemingly oblivious to Lydia’s growing disbelief.

Lydia raised a hand in front of him.

"That’s enough, you’re scaring me there."

Just what kind of world did you live in, little boy? How could you say that with an innocent smile?

The thought made her shiver. The boy talked about cutting off fingers as if it were normal.

Had the adults around him really taught him that breaking a promise meant losing a finger? No wonder he thought it was perfectly reasonable!

What a terrifying family.

"A deer, huh?" The little boy suddenly tilted his head.

A sly grin danced on his lips, and his black panther ears twitched as though he had just come up with a brilliant idea.

"You’re a funny person, big sis. I don’t want to cut your finger. But..." He leaned closer. "I’ll put a ring on this finger when I grow older, I promise."

Before Lydia could react, he gently took her hand in both of his. Then, with the exaggerated elegance of a little gentleman, he lifted her finger and kissed it.

"Can we consider it as a pinky promise as well? I’ll put a ring on this finger as my sign of conquest."

What was happening?! And where on earth had this little boy learned the word conquest?

"If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it! That’s what Papa once told me. Just like what he did to Mama back then."

Seriously? Was his dad Beyoncé?

Did he even know what he was saying? Ephraim would chop his head off if he found out.

He held her hand and looked at her with such sincere green eyes that Lydia found it hard to refuse him.

"Sorry, little boy. Big sis isn’t into kids. But I’ll consider it when you get bigger and older."

Phew. That was a close one. I could see my life flashed before my eyes. Couldn’t risk my future by having the FBI barging on my door just because a little boy proposed me.

"Then I’m going to eat lots of fertilizer and get much taller than you, big sis!"

"....Please don’t be suicidal. That’s not how it works."

The little boy seemed to think about her words for a moment.

I didn’t understand what Papa meant back then, but now I think I do.Wouldn’t a ring be better than a pinky promise? It can be a token of our promise! Nice to meet you, my name is...."

The little boy’s voice trailed off.

Lydia barely had time to wonder about his name when something strange happened.

The lounge began to shake.

Lydia’s smile faded as the walls, sofas, toys, and drawing book turned into black smoke and slowly disappeared.

"Eh?"

Lydia reached toward the little boy, but the room continued to fade around them.

Then everything disappeared.

When she opened her eyes again, the luxurious lounge was gone. Instead, she found herself back inside the brothel room.

"Did you just guide me?"

"Welcome back to the world of living, Senior Zach. Or should I say... older Zachary Ludenberg."

Lydia did her best to tiptoe and patted Zachary’s head, like how she did to his younger self inside his Spiritual Domain.

Even though her act was so simple and genuine, it was enough to bring tears to Zachary’s eyes.

"My deerling..."

Before Lydia could say another word, Zachary pulled her toward him and kissed her passionately.

His arms embraced her tightly in a tight, heartfelt hug and held her close as if he never wanted to let go.

"Senior Zach...."

"Zachary," he whispered. "I want to hear you call me by my name."

His warm hands cupped the sides of her face as he kissed Lydia passionately, heads further tilting as they melted into the kiss.

"Zachary..." Lydia exhaled as she stared up at him longingly.

The room blurred around them as he laid her down on the bed. His body followed her immediately. Both of his arms caged her in.

Their whole bodies pressed against each other again, both letting arousal take them.

Guiding didn’t just connect a Sentinel’s and a Guide’s mental powers. It also heightened their arousal, especially when their Spiritual Animals had awakened and their animal instincts began to take over.

Especially with their high compatibility, the heat would be impossible to avoid.

"Do you have any idea," Zachary rasped, voice low and ruined, "how many times have I imagined this? Craved this?"

Heat slowly spread through Lydia’s body, growing stronger the longer she stood near him. Even her breathing felt warmer than usual.

"Lydia...I want you. Would that be okay with you right now?" Zachary asked, his voice the softest Lydia had heard it all night.

"You’re already touching me, Zachary. And yes, please," Lydia whispered, nodding.

For some reason, she didn’t feel embarrassed at all because the only thing on her mind right now—just like Zachary—was how to get rid of the heat that was slowly starting to fill her body again.

"I want you as well. Now."