Asta's P.O.V

I stretch the memories of last night, slowly returning to me as a blush forms on my face. Glancing over Lyra's sleeping body, my eyes catch a glimpse of what I did to her neck, gasping softly as I spring up from the bed, tilting her head to the side and seeing the massive bruise and bite mark on her neck. Hissing to myself, my thoughts go frantic. 

Fuck fuck fuck fuck.. I bit her on the neck. God damn it, I wasn't supposed to do that, not until much later... Maybe we can hide it with makeup? Oh, who am I kidding? I'm so fucked.

I stand from the bed and go into the bathroom before staring at myself, thinking about what I will do next. 

She stirs from the bed, groaning as she winces and sits up. "Asta, my neck hurts... What did we do last night?" 

I speed to her side and sigh, gently holding her against my chest, whispering as I kiss the top of her head. "Relax, my sweet Lyra, everything will be okay." I bring her to the bathroom to see her gasp at her reflection. 

"Asta, you bit my neck..." I wince at her reaction, her expression unreadable as she turns around and kisses me, shocking me with surprise.

I eventually kiss back, holding her waist and pulling her closer. "You're not mad at me? For breaking the taboo?" 

She chuckles and shakes her head, gently tracing the bite mark with her fingers before looking up at me, her striking purple eyes burning into my nonexistent soul. "Why would I be mad at you? You love me, and I love you. I understand this means you own me completely now and frankly, I have no issues with it; you're my sweet Asta. You deserve an enteral companion, and I'm so grateful to be that for you." After searching my expression, she continues, "This is a challenge that we will go through together, and I may not know what this means for your kind, but I will proudly wear your bitemark on my neck, Asta."

I press my forehead against hers. I giggle softly and sigh, a smile plastered against my face as I whisper, "You're very much correct, Lyra, and I'll protect you no matter what, got that? You have to know what this means before we continue." I gently take her hands into mine. "Breaking a taboo like this means that you belong to no one but me now, not even my family. You're permanently my partner, not my consort anymore; it means that you absolutely can not let anyone else feed off of you. If you are ever in a situation where you can't defend yourself, think of me, call out to me, scream for my name, and I'll be there as soon as I can, okay?" I gently grab her chin and force her to stare into my eyes. "Understand, my Lyra?" 

She nods and kisses my lips softly as I let my hand fall from her chin, gently tucking a purple strand of hair behind her ear; pulling away, her voice is music to my ears. "Yes, Asta, I understand; I'm forever yours. I belong to you." 

I growl and press her against the sink, baring my fangs at her as I take in a deep breath of her scent. "Say that again~" 

She gulps and presses my head to the other side of her neck, excitedly shaking. "I-I belong to you." 

"Again, louder~" 

"I belong to yo-" She screams as I dig my fangs into the other side of her neck, making her squirm against me, holding her by the small of her back, slowly drinking from her and feeling my power grow evermore. 

                                                                                           ...

As we both get dressed for the day's events, we leave the room. There is a bustling buzz about the castle that I can't quite place.

Is there an event I have forgotten about?

I hold my partner's hand instead of her leash as we approach the dining room. I can help but gaze at the bite mark on the side of her neck. 

I got carried away in the bathroom. Just hearing her claim herself to me was too tempting; I might get punished for feeding from her neck before the ceremony. 

We walk into the dining room as everyone's eyes fall upon us, gasps hush, and whispers spread throughout the family. I feel her body tense as her mind scrambles with worry and fear. Relax, Lyra, you're my partner now. If they didn't see you as equal before, they do now. I feel her tenseness slowly slip away as she silently nods. 

The dinner is absurdly quiet before Mother's words send a chill down my spine: "Asta sweetheart.. already?" I gulp and try to think of a way out of this before nodding and sighing.

 I got myself in this mess. I can get out of it. 

"Yes, mother." She turns her gaze into a glare before thrumming on the table. 

She goes to say something, but my father interjects. "Hesperia, my dear~"

My eyebrows shoot up of their own volition; he never calls her by her name. I could tell one of us was in deep shit.

"Why don't you chalk this up to her first consort? She didn't know better." At this, my mother explodes at him, anger seeping through her tone.

"Didn't know better?! You know damn well we teach them the rules, and when one of them doesn't follow them, they mus-" He slams the table in retaliation, the situation escalating exponentially.

"Do you not even remember when I made you my consort that first night, how we didn't even wait for any rituals or trials of love?! Let them be, Hesperia. We were no better." He continues as I let out a sigh of relief a bit too early. "Asta, dear, since you want to make her your forever person, she might as well start helping the family. She will be assigned with you to be part of the project your brothers and I are doing for the employees, and both of you will start that after the Blood Moon Festival tomorrow. After all, we all know how the blood moon is tonight. You better ensure she survives it because if you drain her after committing to that type of bond, I will be very disappointed." I freeze, panic rising in my chest. 

The blood moon's tonight.. fuck...

I nod and sigh, rubbing my forehead. "Father, mother, may I be excused? I need to prepare for the blood moon. I haven't been aware that it is tonight..."

Vesper pipes up and chuckles, "Yeah, because she has been too busy fucking her consort." He receives a death glare from my mother before my father waves me off, and I bow respectfully before leaving with Lyra in tow.

Once we entered the room, I sighed, turned towards her, and kissed her deeply before shakily pulling away. 

"So what just happened?" 

I look around the room. "Well, I was going to get in trouble, but my father saved my ass. We must start preparing for The blood moon now; here are some rules. When the blood moon rises, you must stay locked in the room, no matter what you hear. You cannot come out, understand me? Do not unlock the door, no matter what I say or do."

After spending hours preparing everything, I give her one last kiss on the lips before I let her shut and lock the door to the bedroom. I grab the bottle from last night, still seeing it has half the alcohol in it. I sit on my couch as the scenic white city slowly turns red. Walking over to the window, I place a hand on the railing, my feral instincts beginning to spike as I look up at the moon, slowly turning a deep, rusty crimson.

I gaze at the bedroom door, hearing her steady heartbeat through the wall with my newfound senses. I sigh and down another swig of the vampiric wine, hunger growing in my chest.

Fuck; tonight is going to be a long, long night...