Time lost all meaning.
Pleasure crashed over me in waves so intense I couldn't tell where one ended and the next began.
Every nerve in my body was on fire, every sensation amplified to impossible levels.
She was relentless. Skilled beyond anything I could have imagined.
Her mouth, her tongue, her hands. Everything worked in perfect coordination to drive me higher and higher until I thought I might literally lose my mind from the intensity.
White light exploded behind my eyes, and for a few seconds, I couldn't see, hear, or think about anything except the overwhelming sensation.
She didn't stop. She kept going, drawing out every last tremor, every last aftershock, until I was utterly spent and trembling.
When she finally pulled back, I was barely conscious. My chest heaved as I gasped for air, my entire body slick with sweat and trembling from the intensity of what had just happened.
She crawled back up my body, settling herself on top of me again, and I felt her smile against my neck.
"Thank you for the meal, darling," she let out a soft, feline sound of pure, unadulterated relish. "You tasted even better than I imagined. And trust me, I've had a very long time to imagine."
She kissed my neck softly, then my jaw, then finally my lips. A gentle, almost tender kiss that contrasted sharply with what had just happened.
"Rest now," she whispered against my lips. "You're going to need your strength for what comes next. We're bonded now, you and I. And when you wake up, your real training begins."
Her voice was growing distant, fading like an echo.
"Remember my name, darling. I am Katarina. Your blade, partner, and wife. As soon as we get back to the vampire world, you can get me out of this sword so we don't have to do this inside of me."
The room began to dissolve around me, the gothic architecture melting away like mist in sunlight. The bed beneath me vanished, and I felt myself falling into darkness.
"We'll see each other again very soon," Katarina's voice promised from somewhere far away. "I'll be with you every step of the way. Always."
Then everything went black.
My eyes snapped open.
Cold stone pressed against my back. Torchlight flickered above. Voices echoed around me, sounded concerned and urgent.
I was lying on the floor of the vault, the massive crimson greatsword still clutched in my right hand. The spikes had retracted, leaving minor puncture wounds in my palm that were already healing over.
"He's awake!" Someone shouted. It sounded like Thomas, I think.
Faces swam into view above me. Cedric, looking relieved. Kain, his expression unreadable behind his visor. Marius scowled with apparent jealousy.
"Vlad," Cedric's voice cut through the fog in my mind. "Can you hear me? Can you speak?"
I nodded weakly, then managed to croak out, "Yeah. I'm... I'm okay."
"How long was I out?" I asked, my voice rough.
"Twenty minutes," Cedric replied, helping me sit up slowly. "The longest bonding process I've ever witnessed. Most candidates bond in less than five minutes."
I looked down at the blade in my hand. The crimson metal gleamed in the torchlight, and I swore I could feel a presence within it.
'Hello again, darling,' Katarina's voice whispered in my mind; her soft voice echoed inside my head. 'Did you enjoy our time together? Because that was just the beginning.'
I nearly dropped the sword in shock.
"Vlad?" Cedric's hand on my shoulder brought me back to reality. "Are you alright? You look pale."
"I'm fine," I lied, still staring at the blade. "Just... adjusting."
Kain stepped forward, his tone became sharp as stone. "What did you see? What memories did the blade show you?"
I met his gaze through his visor, and for a moment, I considered telling them everything. The gothic bedroom. The white-haired vampire. What she did to me.
But something told me that information was dangerous. Private. Mine alone.
"I saw her deepest secret," I said instead, which wasn't entirely a lie. I had just been with the most stunning woman I had ever laid eyes on, and she made sure I couldn't move while she pleased me.
"I saw Grandmaster Cedric kill her. It was an incredible fight." I let out.
Cedric's expression darkened slightly, but he nodded. "Yes. It was."
"Can you stand?" Kain asked.
I tested my legs, finding them shaky but functional. With Cedric's help, I got to my feet, the greatsword still in my grip. The weapon was heavy; it had to weigh at least forty pounds, but somehow, it felt right in my hand. Like it belonged there.
'That's because we belong together,' Katarina purred in my mind. 'You and I are one now, darling. Forever.'
I suppressed a shiver and focused on Cedric instead.
"Congratulations," the Grandmaster said, a slight smile on his weathered face. "You've bonded with one of the most powerful blades in the Order's history. Clan Ciro's memory-reading ability will make you an invaluable asset in hunting vampires."
"Indeed," Kain added, though his tone held an edge I couldn't quite identify. "You've accomplished something unprecedented, boy. Use that power wisely."
The other candidates stared at me with a mixture of envy, fear, and grudging respect.
Even Marius had gone quiet, though the hatred in his eyes burned brighter than ever.
I looked down at Katarina, my blade, and felt her presence pulse with satisfaction.
'We're going to do incredible things together,' she promised. 'Just you wait and see, darling. This is only the beginning of our story.'
I couldn't help but smile slightly.
"Did anyone else bond with any blades?" I asked inquisitively.
Everyone put their heads down and avoided eye contact with me. To them, I was now there better.
I had bonded with a blade no one had ever done before. Not just that, I bonded with a blade that only one man knew existed before this moment.
But what really strikes me as odd is that this woman who just used me. Don't get me wrong, I never thought I'd be a submissive person. But damn was that hot.
It was the same woman from my dreams. How did a blade call put to me if her powers have nothing to do with dreams or require someone to access them?