Lilith met their gazes, something unreadable in her crimson eyes. "I won't apologize for what happened."
Seraphina closed her eyes before exhaling. "We're not asking you to."
Liliana nodded. "We just need to figure out where we go from here."
Isabella's lips twitched. "You could say that again."
Silence fell upon them, the gravity of their situation weighing on them.
Then, slowly, as if reaching an unspoken agreement, they all glanced at the door Ethan had gone through.
The man who had changed their lives forever.
"This changes everything," Seraphina murmured.
Lilith smiled faintly. "It certainly does. And I suspect that it has to do with the bloodline in his body.
You see, when I adopted him when he was young, I did not tell you ladies that it was because I felt a blood connection with him at that time, which made me want to adopt him.
But after I adopted him and used our race's ritual to find out if my intiuation was true or not, to my disappointment, the ritual revealed that he was pure human.
However, now I think the ritual might not have detected anything because he had not awoken his bloodline, and there should be something or someone preventing the ritual from finding out about the dormant bloodline." Lilith said with a serious look on her face.
The others nodded, listening carefully.
"So," she continued, "now that his bloodline is active, the ritual will surely reveal the truth, and I am very much certain that his bloodline is a powerful one, at that, which is why the seal reacted to it and started showing signs of loosening.
It is the only plausible explanation, and I don't think he is a regular half-blood. If he is, then he wouldn't be able to activate the bloodline." Lilith said, and the others' eyes widened as they heard her words.
"Holy shit," Isabella muttered, running a hand through her hair.
Seraphina blinked. "That explains why the seal reacted."
Liliana's gaze sharpened. "But that raises the question: How strong is his bloodline?"
"It doesn't matter."
Everyone looked at Lilith, surprised by the finality in her voice.
She met their eyes, a steely resolve within her crimson depths.
"We can speculate all we want, but the truth is, his bloodline has awakened, and the seal is responding. Whether his bloodline is powerful or not, we don't know, and frankly, I couldn't care less.
All that matters is that it's active. And what's more, I have a feeling that it has something to do with our own bloodline."
Liliana's lips twitched. "So what, you're saying the two bloodlines are connected?"
Lilith shrugged. "Perhaps. Or maybe it's a coincidence. Either way, we can't deny that his bloodline is part of the reason my seal is reacting.
So, regardless of how powerful it is, it's our chance. A chance we've been waiting for."
Seraphina arched an eyebrow. "You want to 'mate' with him."
"Not just me."
Their eyes widened, the implications hitting them all at once.
"But..." Seraphina began, before trailing off, unsure of how to finish the sentence.
"We haven't even told him about this."
Lilith smiled dryly. "No, we haven't. And if we did, do you think he would be ready?"
Silence.
They all knew the answer.
"Right. He isn't ready. And if we spring this on him now, it could drive him away."
Liliana scowled. "So what, you want us to just sit here and wait? Hope he figures it out on his own?"
Lilith shook her head. "No. We're going to help him."
"Help him?"
"Yes. Help him. The problem is, he's been holding back, thinking that our relationship is too good for him, or perhaps that he would ruin things if he pursued us.
If we tell him outright, he'll feel pressured, and who knows how he would react. However, if we show him that we're open to the idea and then subtly encourage him, it'll help him make a move without feeling overwhelmed.
At the same time, we'll also be able to gauge his interest."
Isabella blinked. "Wait, so you want to...date him?"
Lilith smirked. "Think of it as a test run. See how things go. If we all agree that he's worth the risk, then we can proceed with the 'mating'."
Seraphina sighed. "A 'test run'? Are you sure it won't just complicate things further?"
"Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, we have to try."
Isabella chuckled. "You make it sound like the fate of the world depends on it."
"It does. We've spent centuries searching for a compatible mate, and now, thanks to Ethan, we have a chance.
If his bloodline is compatible, it could be the key to breaking the seal and unlocking our true potential. If it isn't, then at the very least, we'll have an enjoyable experience with a man we've grown close to.
Either way, we have to try. Because the longer the seal stays, the more danger we're in.
You've seen how the seal is already affecting us. We're becoming more and more lustful, unable to control our urges. Eventually, it'll become too much, and we'll have to take drastic measures.
Do you really want that?" Liltih asked.
"No," they said simultaneously.
"Exactly. So we have to act now. If we don't, we might lose our chance. It's risky, yes, but it's a risk we have to take."
Seraphina leaned back, exhaling. "Damn. You make it sound so simple."
Lilith grinned. "Nothing worth doing is ever easy. And believe me, this is going to take a lot of effort."
Isabella shrugged. "We're up for it."
"Yeah, it'll be a challenge, but I can't argue with the results."
"If the seal is removed, and if our powers increase, then it's a risk worth taking."
Lilith clapped her hands together. "Wonderful. So, shall we start planning?"
"Hold on," Seraphina interjected, raising a hand. "There's something we haven't discussed."
"What?"
"Where do you draw the line?"
"I don't understand."
"When it comes to 'helping' Ethan, how far are you willing to go?"
Lilith's expression became serious. "I'm not sure."
"Exactly. What happens if, for some reason, we're unable to seduce him? Do we force the issue?"
Isabella laughed. "Force? Please. There's no need to get all violent.
All we have to do is drop some subtle hints, tease him a bit, and before you know it, he'll be all over us."