"...." Eli stared at the pouting teenage girl who seemed as if someone had stolen her lollipop or something.
"So?" Eli glanced at the other woman, who effortlessly held the pouting teenager with just one hand.
"It's all because of you"
"...." Eli blinked for a few seconds before pointing at himself, "Me?"
"Yes"
Eli blanked for a second....he felt a little offended now.
Prisania before and now...Zera. He hadn't done anything to them, yet Prisania acted crazy like people Eli knew.
Though he 'actually' liked it—ahem—anyhow, for Zera, he fucking was sure he didn't mess with her.
"Y-You O-Old hag, Releassseee me this....instant" Zera squirmed, trying to escape from Adriana's firm grasp, which seemed to tighten.
"Old hag...Pfft--" Eli, almost bursting into laughter, covered his mouth and forced himself to calm down.
But,
"Hahahahaha....O-Old hag...hahahaha....Old h-hag....hahahaha" Scylla, not one to hold back, laughed at Adriana, the Vampire Queen.
"..." Mia didn't say much, but her lips curved upward, and a small tremor passed through them.
"...." Adriana's eyes twitched in anger.
"Okay, calm down, Scylla, and tell me what happened" Eli said, sensing Adriana's killing intent.
"It-"
"Your blood, Big Brother" Before Scylla could speak, Mia stepped forward, causing a twist in Scylla's lips.
"My blood...ah?" Eli frowned as he looked deep into Zera's eyes.
"Yes, it happened a few hours ago....." Mia began explaining everything while Scylla set about restoring the house to its original state with some equipment missing out or Zera ate those like a child.
"I see..." Eli nodded and scrutinized Zera, who seemed to have hazy eyes and flushed cheeks as if she were drunk.
"Papa Blood!" When Eli leaned closer, Zera tried to move towards him, but Adriana held her like a toy.
"Y-You, O-Old ugly bitch, Le-t me goooo, Papa isss waitinggg" Zera cursed at Adriana, her mother.
A dangerous glint passed through her eyes, but Adriana shook her head to calm herself down and explained to Eli,
"She mostly drank blood from animals or from me, and as you know about 'Your blood's Quality which cannot compare to the 1000s of years wine---' ahem, due to the minute quantity, she drank now and is acting like a naughty brat" glaring at Zera, who stuck out her tongue and pulled down her eyelid.
"aaaa"
Seeing her naughty action, Eli couldn't help to nod and rubbed his eyebrows, 'I want to check on Prisania...' and glanced at Zera, who was looking at him with puppy eyes as tears started to pour out.
"Papa, Papa, PaaaPaaa...." Zera called him affectionately.
Eli's eyes twitched, not because she called him Dad, but because she was a teenage girl.
How was he supposed to react to this excess of 'Papa love' from her? If it were a little girl, he might have smiled warmly and accepted her, but Zera was almost the same age as him; heck, she might even be older than him...How could he accept them?
Seeing Adriana wearing an awkward expression and appearing a bit expectant, Eli shook his head. 'What am I even hesitating for?' he thought, inwardly cursing himself.
He then said,
"Come to Papa" beckoning with both of his hands.
"PAPA!" Zera exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with a radiant smile. Adriana, catching Eli's wink, felt a subtle sense of relief, silently grateful for Eli's approach.
To be truthful,
When Adriana broke the news to her daughter about Eli becoming her stepfather, Zera's initial reaction was a whirlwind of shock and fury.
For almost half an hour, Zera grappled with a range of emotions, each one more intense than the last and the most intense was Anger and Jealousy.
Zera flinched hearing Eli's strict tone.....Her eyes turned teary, and,
"aawwwwwwwwwwww..."
She started to cry like a child.
Eli was taken aback and glanced at Adriana with a little fear. Eli still thought he was a stranger, intruding into their personal life. Making a child cry in front of their mother...that was the deadliest thing.
However, Adriana blankly stared at Zera, her mind swirling with a mix of emotions, 'Yes, if she loves me, then why does she keep insulting me? Did I do something wrong? Or is it something else?'
Eli sighed inwardly and embraced the crying little child? kissing her hair before saying,
"Papa is not going to hurt you, I am sorry..."
"aaawwww..www...ww..ww, I 'sob' am sorrryy...P-Papa won't hate me?" Zera asked, sniffing her running nose.
"Of course, I would never hate my '~chu~' Little cute Zera" Eli said reassuringly, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead.
".....hehehehe" Zera suddenly giggled, as if her previous crying was an act.
"Papa! Blood!" Zera pleaded again for his blood, pointing to his neck.
"Hmmmm...." Eli knew that's how kids actually act so instead of rejecting her directly, he pondered what to do now, his mind racing to find a solution.
Seeing him taking so long, Zera's eyes turned teary again as she was about to cry when,
"W-Wait, Wait, Don't cry...Adriana?" Eli hurriedly stopped Zera and turned to ask for help from Adriana.
Adriana, who was watching her family's antics, couldn't help but smile.
"Adriana?" Eli called her again.
"Huh?" Adriana snapped out of her thoughts and said strictly, like a good mother,
"No dear, you can't. We can't just let anyone have Papa's blood, it's very special"
Zera lowered her head and mumbled silently, "But you drink his blood....why can't I?"
"Huh? What did you say?"
"YOU DRINK PAPA'S BLOOD, WHY CAN'T I?" Zera shouted, clenching Eli's dress.
"...He is your Papa, that's why" Adriana made a stern remark.
"..." Zera leaned on Eli's chest, "Papa!!" looking up with puppy eyes.
Eli avoided looking into her eyes, unsure how to respond. 'Why?' Eli really wanted to scream now.
Adriana, growing tired of Zera's antics, stood up and tried to pull Zera away from Eli.
"NNNnnnnnoooooooo!!!" Zera cried, clinging to Eli's dress.
"Come on, leave him aloneeee" Adriana said as she pulled Zera.
"No, No, No, you old h-hag, let me go..." Zera started to curse Adriana again.
"The next time you call me that, I will slit your tongue" Adriana made the dangerous remark as she yanked Zera,
'tttttrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr'
Causing Eli's dress to tear apart.
"NNOOOO!! Papa, Papa, Papa, PAPA!!!" Zera wailed like a child, but then,
"Papa? Who?"
A stern and emotionless voice interrupted the chaotic scene. Everyone flinched as they glanced back and saw a woman with golden hair, descending from the stairs.....Her sky-blue eyes were fixed intently on Zera, who stood frozen like a statue while muttering,
"Mother?"
'Thud' SI Phone fell from Mia's hand.