After a few minutes of silence, where only the sound of the water and their panting breaths filled the room, Seth and Vixen got out of the bath. They dressed quickly, and the heat between them was still palpable, like a flame that burned even when the clothes were on.
Seth looked at Vixen, his vision still clouded with desire, but now with something more, something serious. He held out his hand to her, and with a soft smile, she took it, allowing herself to be led out of the bathroom.
The corridor was silent, and when they entered the living room, the atmosphere seemed quieter, more intimate. They walked over to the sofa, and Vixen settled into it naturally, resting her head on Seth's shoulder, feeling his warmth spread across her skin.
Seth, relaxed and comfortable, intertwined his hands with hers, feeling the softness of her fingers. She seemed to be lost in that moment, a soft, peaceful smile playing on her lips as her eyes closed, just feeling Seth's closeness.
Vixen, with a sigh, leaned closer, seeking the comfort of that embrace. She couldn't deny it, no matter how hard she tried to fight it. Her feelings for him were growing, stronger than anything she had experienced before. She was truly in love, and the acceptance of that made her feel vulnerable and, at the same time, more alive.
"You know..." she murmured, her head still resting on his shoulder, "it's not going to be easy for me to help you with this reassessment now."
Seth looked at her, still keeping his face calm, but his eyes revealed something else: a mixture of curiosity and understanding.
"Why not?" he asked softly, without pressuring her.
Vixen took a deep breath, her body relaxing even more against his. She hesitated for a moment, seemingly searching for the right words. When she finally spoke, her voice was full of sincerity and a slight sadness.
"Well, you must have come to me because you know you won't make it through the association, right? Considering the number of awakened people we currently have..." Vixen bit her lip, visibly frustrated. "More than forty thousand have been assessed in just two weeks. That's what would have happened a year earlier... but now, after the second awakening, the Awakened have almost equaled the number of ordinary humans. It's scary, but at the same time... it's good to see more people with the power to defend themselves."
She sighed, her thoughts straying for a moment. Forty thousand awakened in such a short time. The acceleration of the process was impressive, but the imbalance of forces it caused left anyone with a feeling of uncertainty.
"Besides..." She turned a little towards him, her irritated tone mixed with a slight frustration. "The director of the association put my name and Connie's in red..."
Seth raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "Red? What does that mean?" He didn't really know how this new system of evaluations and rankings worked. He had done his own evaluation a while ago, but with the advance of technology and the transformation in the world of the Awakened, things had changed a lot. Especially after the second global awakening.
"Ah..." Vixen laughed awkwardly, scratching her head. "Let's just say that our fight with Connie ended up putting us on the 'Red Alert' list. In other words, our names are marked and, for the time being, we don't have many rights in the association. Believe me, that's not an easy thing to solve." She sighed, trying to stay calm, but the frustration was still evident in her expression.
"So... helping you speed up your reassessment, without having to go through the huge queue, is going to be impossible, at least for now." She added, her voice a little lower, as if she felt the weight of her words.
Vixen looked at him for a moment, as if pondering what to say next. Then she took a deep breath and continued:
"I know someone who can help you," she said, her voice now softer, as if she were sharing an important piece of information. "She's a Rank-S hunter, known by the codename of Succubus. She has contacts and resources within the association that can speed up the re-evaluation process. If you want, I can introduce you to her."
Seth looked at Vixen, his eyes narrowing slightly as he reflected on the proposal.
'Another Rank-S in my life? No way. Not now. The glint in his eyes wasn't one of disinterest, but of someone who was weighing up all the options before making a decision.
"It's not worth it... I'd better focus on getting stronger and leveling up. After a few seconds of silence, he let out a deep sigh, as if he had grown tired of the whole process.
"Never mind," he said resolutely, shaking his head. "I'll close more portals while I wait for the dust to settle. I don't have the patience to get involved in another game of politics with the association right now." He shrugged, showing that, deep down, he preferred to act in his own way, without depending on others.
Vixen was silent for a moment, watching him with a contemplative expression. She knew that Seth had his own way of dealing with things and, as much as the idea of looking for Succubus could be useful, she also understood his frustration. In the end, it was his choice. Besides... she only spoke out of politeness, she didn't want him to meet this woman at all...
'It's a good thing he's aware... dealing with that bitch would be worse than dealing with me. She thought before smiling.
"As you wish," she finally said, with a soft smile, her gaze carrying a hint of understanding. "But if you change your mind, you know where to find me." Vixen then moved closer and, with one fluid movement, embraced Seth, her hands sliding to the back of his neck as she nestled into his arms.
Seth felt the warmth of her body and the soft smell of her hair as she squeezed him, and for a moment he relaxed, feeling the coziness of the gesture. But soon, Vixen stood up slightly, with a mischievous smile on her lips, and climbed delicately and confidently onto his lap, positioning herself perfectly. Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of mischief and intimacy as she stared at him.
"How about... we continue that?" she asked, her voice low and provocative, as if the proposal was irresistible.
Seth, now completely captivated by her closeness, remained silent for a moment, but didn't move his hands from the back of her neck, letting the touch intensify between them.
Vixen, sensing the growing tension, moved even closer, feeling his muscles under her skin as their bodies connected more intimately. She then looked deeply into Seth's eyes, his shining with a mixture of desire and something more serious, more calculated.
"But tell me, Seth..." Vixen whispered, her face just inches from his, her eyes fixed on his with a mischievous glint. "How are you going to deal with Connie's anger when she finds out what happened between us?"
Seth smiled, confidence radiating from his expression, and, with a hint of defiance in his voice, replied: "She'll accept it. I knew something like this would happen from the moment I told her she was mine."
Vixen let out a soft laugh, arching her eyebrow skeptically. "Do you really think she's just going to accept it like that, with open arms?"
Seth looked at her with a carefree smile, his eyes filled with a possessive gleam. "You accepted it yourself, didn't you? If she's smart enough, she'll understand the situation."
Vixen was silent for a moment, the teasing gradually disappearing from her gaze, giving way to a slight curiosity. She watched him, as if pondering his words.
"Well, maybe you're right..." She said, sliding even closer to him, feeling the intensity of the moment grow between them. "It's just that, unlike her, I have a temper that's a bit more... easy to deal with." She smiled.
"Hm, she'll go for it, I just need to please her," Seth said with a confident smile, his hand sliding gently around Vixen's waist. He moved slowly upwards, his fingers caressing her skin until he reached her neck, where his thumb gently touched her cheek.
Vixen, with a mischievous look on her face, bit her lower lip. "Say I'm yours," she whispered, challenging him, her voice laden with desire.
Seth, smiling sideways, moved even closer, his face almost touching her ear. "Oh, how cute," he murmured, his voice full of malice, before whispering possessively, "You're mine."
Seth pulled away and looked deeply into Vixen's eyes, the two of them immersed in an emotionally charged silence.
Their faces were close, and the heat of their bodies seemed to intensify as time passed. He could feel the rapid rhythm of her breathing, the delicate touch of her skin against his, all of which only added to the intensity of the moment.
With a gentle gesture, he touched her face, his fingertips brushing the soft skin of her cheek. Vixen closed her eyes for a moment, her body relaxing under his touch, as if she trusted him completely.
Seth leaned in slowly, almost as if asking permission, his face still a few centimeters from hers. He could feel the tension in the air, as if something was about to break, but all he wanted at that moment was to show his affection in a deeper, more respectful way.
Gently, he brushed his lips against hers, the kiss soft and light, a silent exchange of feelings. It was a kiss that spoke of affection and care, without haste, as if every second were a gift.
Vixen responded with the same softness, her fingers gently touching Seth's chest, feeling his heart beat with the same intensity as hers. The world around them seemed to disappear, and in that brief moment, all that existed was the connection between them, silent but deep.
When the kiss broke, they both stood still for a moment, their eyes meeting with the same sincerity. Vixen smiled softly, her face still flushed, and Seth looked at her with a genuine affection that showed in every glance.
"I've been waiting for this," she whispered, her voice quiet, as if she had found something she really wanted, something that was truly hers.
Seth smiled back, touching her cheek again, as if it were a natural gesture, a reflection of something much deeper.
"Me too."