Ravena didn't tease him this time. There was no slow buildup, no testing the waters. She sank down onto him in one fluid, breathtaking move, taking him deep and all in. Her head fell back, a small but sensual moan escaping through her mouth as she adjusted to the fullness of him stretching her out.

"Fuck," Zaeryn groaned, his hands gripping her hips to help anchor her.

Having been spent not long ago with Aeris, he found himself still craving this. The sensation of her wet, tight heat wrapping around him was a shock to his system, reigniting the nerves that should have been fried by now.

Ravena looked down at him, her green eyes blazing. She began to move, setting a rhythm that was less about romance and more about friction. She ground against him, her hips snapping with a fierce intensity, demanding pleasure rather than asking for it. It was messy and loud and perfect, the sound of skin slapping against skin filling the room again.

Zaeryn matched her energy, thrusting upward to meet her, his hands roaming over her body, exploring the ink on her arm, the curve of her waist, the way her muscles tensed and released. It was a different kind of connection than with Aeris, more about burning through the moment together.

Aeris watched, laying on the side, a small smile across her face.

By the time Ravena collapsed against his chest, spent, the room felt like a sauna. The air was heavy with their scent, the sheets were a disaster, and the silence that settled over them was thick and comfortable.

Zaeryn lay there, staring up at the ceiling, trying to catch his breath. He had one woman curled into his side and another draped over him, both of them drifting toward sleep. His body felt heavy, but his mind was buzzing with a strange sense of peace.

"Okay," he whispered into the quiet. "I think I'm officially done for the day."

Zaeryn closed his eyes, letting exhaustion finally drag him under.

He slept like the dead, dreamless and deep, until his internal clock jolted him awake. He blinked. The room was dark, the house silent.

The chrono-display on the wall read 03:00.

Normally, he'd roll over and go back to sleep. But a restless energy buzzed beneath his skin. Not sexual this time, it was the hum of new potential.

The events of the previous day flooded back. The bond with Ingrid.

He sat up, surprised at how awake he felt. Like he'd had too much caffeine. Moving carefully, he untangled himself from the sleeping women and slipped out of bed.

He was excited. The four abilities from Ingrid were Tier 2. Honestly, he was still in disbelief at how easy it had been. He'd assumed getting a Tier 2 signature would be a monumental task, a grind involving simping for Leia, tolerating her insults, and convincing her he wasn't a parasite.

But thanks to Ingrid, he didn't need that. Hell, he didn't need Leia anymore.

A smirk tugged at his lips as he pulled on training pants. He felt lighter. Liberated from chasing the redhead who clearly hated his guts.

Now his attention could shift to other targets. He had Tier 5 from Ysmeine, Tier 3 from Daphne and Ravena, and now Tier 2 from Ingrid. That left a gap at Tier 4, not really a priority and the ultimate prize: Tier 1.

He needed to focus on that peak.

'System,' he projected, grabbing a shirt. 'What is the potential highest class for my new abilities?'

The familiar interface materialized in the dark, visible only to him. It listed the abilities he'd acquired from Ingrid:

[ANALYSIS COMPLETE]

»SOURCE: INGRID (TIER 2)

»ABILITY 1: KINETIC REPULSION POTENTIAL: CLASS A

»ABILITY 2: SENSORY JOLT POTENTIAL: CLASS A

»ABILITY 3: CONCUSSIVE BLAST POTENTIAL: CLASS A

»ABILITY 4: KINETIC RUPTURE POTENTIAL: CLASS A

[NOTE: The fastest way to reach maximum potential is through repeated combat application and continued bond strengthening.]

Zaeryn nodded, stretching his arms. "Training it is."

'No potential for S-Class?' he thought, disappointment flickering through him. Class A was powerful, devastating, even, but S-Class was the realm of legends like Kayla Noctis, High Commander Lysara and the famous warladies. He wanted to be untouchable.

Still, Class A wasn't something to underestimate. And right now, he couldn't be too greedy. Class A was more than enough to handle most threats.

Just as he moved to close the interface, the System pinged. A new notification scrolled into view.

[SUGGESTION: Target Leia possesses potential S-Class Ability Signature.]

Zaeryn froze, one boot halfway on. "What?"

[ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS: Cross-referencing target data]

»Target: Leia

»Tier: 2

»Known Ability: Necrotic Flame / Vitae Siphon

»Potential Rank: Class S

Zaeryn stared at the floating text. S-Class?

'She has an S-Class ability?' he asked. 'Are you sure?'

[NOT CONFIRMED: But there is a high probability of S-Class potential due to the unique nature of the ability.]

"And how many abilities does she have? More than two?" Zaeryn whispered into the darkness.

[Affirmative. High-tier Vitae Wielders (Tier 2 And 1) often possess latent or multiple ability sets not immediately visible.]

Zaeryn stared at the screen, then let out a long, agitated sigh. "So Leia's back on the menu as a target?" He groaned quietly. "She's annoying at this point. She hates me. Thinks I'm a parasite or something. I'd rather just ignore her."

[Advisory: the eros engine thrives on high-value targets. s-class potential is critical for long-term survival against threats like the dragon lord. pursuit is highly recommended.]

Zaeryn stood in the dark, weighing his pride against the promise of S-Class power. The Necrotic Flame ability the one that drained life was terrifyingly effective. Having that in his arsenal would be a game-changer.

"Fine," he muttered. "I'll figure it out."

He grabbed the Vitae Harmonizer from the nightstand the sleek black band Sage had made for him and strapped it to his wrist. The obsidian stone pulsed faintly, a reassuring weight.

He wasn't sleepy anymore. He needed to burn off this energy and see what these new Tier 2 toys could actually do.

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