The next few days were spent with Aselia settling down in the house. Irlana went back to live with Rivan. Elrine was already staying mostly at the orphanage and she preferred it.

Xiran had to return to his duties, he and Rivan discussed the issue of the stranger at length and gathered every and any information they could find on the secret experiments of Phantom.

The security around the house had been tightened. Xiran didn’t want to take any risks, his priority was to keep Aselia safe at every cost.

Aselia had begun to adjust to her new home, her room had already been arranged with everything she had previously owned. She organized it according to her wishes, Xiran had told her to do whatever she liked with the house, it was hers now.

But she didn’t want to make changes to the house she loved the way it was, she just wanted to keep it clean and have a homely feeling to it, like Esma and Razian’s home had. She spoke to them daily and missed them immensely. They promised to visit her soon.

Frila and Irlana had visited her twice but they didn’t stay for long, wanting to give the couple their privacy, knowing they required it to grow and to get to know each other better.

Almost a week had passed since Aselia had arrived. Xiran had an important meeting, so she was impatiently waiting for his return. She had cooked him a meal using the recipes Esma had taught her and now she was being utterly anxious.

The sound of his car in the driveway alerted her and she rushed outside to meet him. As he exited the car she flung herself into his arms and he pulled her into his warm embrace, loving her affection.

"I missed you," she confessed, making him adorably smile.

"I missed my girl too. Here, I brought you this," he handed her a box of chocolate and she was over the moon, grinning like a child.

"Thank you," she leaned in and kissed him and he held her close, deepening it, filling her with his love and warmth and leaving her flustered as always. Aselia wondered if she would ever get used to his charms.

They finally separated and made their way inside when the aroma of her cooking hit him and he asked, perplexed:

"You cooked?"

"Yeah, I learnt a few dishes from Esma so I wanted to make something for you. It won’t be as good as your cooking but it won’t be as disastrous as the first time around," she awkwardly added.

"Leia! I would eat your disaster too like I did that time," easing her heart, knowing she was apprehensive about her cooking.

"You don’t have to, I hope. Go get changed, I will arrange the table," she pushed him towards the bedroom door and he laughed before shaking his head and going inside the room.

Aselia set up the table and placed the rice and pasta she had prepared. Praying that the taste was to his liking. She had sent pictures of the food she had prepared to Esma who in turn had ensured her that it looked edible, to say the least.

She patiently waited for him at the table and he emerged in his white robe all freshened up and rubbed his hands together seeing the food.

"My hunger has intensified," he said, taking his seat and Aselia beamed.

She served him pasta with loads of sausages and his mouth began to water.

"Dig in," she placed the plate in front of him and he picked up the fork and plopped some in his mouth. Aselia watched him with expectant eyes, her hands perched under her chin supporting it while her elbows rested on the table. She held her breath.

He slowly chewed, savouring the taste of the pasta. It was a bit rubbery, too salty and the sauce was lumpy. But he showed no sign of it on his face.

"It’s yummy," he reassuringly smiled at her and Aselia finally breathed. She poured herself some and took a bite. The salty taste hit her palette and she almost choked on it while he was eating as if it was the most delicious meal he had ever tasted.

She remembered tasting the sauce and it wasn’t that salty, ’must have added too much in the pasta while boiling it,’ she thought to herself and shot Xiran an apologetic look.

"What happened?" He inquired, seeming confused.

"It’s not edible, it’s too salty. Sorry, I tried," she picked up his plate and pushed it away from him with a dejected look on her face.

"Leiaaa! I was eating and it was perfect," he protested trying to reach for the plate.

"No, it’s not. Stop making me feel good with lies," her lower lip quivered and Xiran watched her with his hand placed under his chin and elbow propped on the table, a satisfactory smile on his face.

"Come here," he ushered her and Aselia budged with a sigh and plopped on his lap. He shifted back to make room and held her by the waist and placed his lips on her neck and breathed out on her skin.

"It’s not a lie if I like what you cook. I told you it doesn’t have to be flawless. The joy I feel that you cooked for me overshadows everything else. My heart is content knowing that you made an effort for me when you detest cooking. Don’t be sad and let me finish my meal. We haven’t even tried the rice," her heart slightly lightened. Although Aselia knew he only said everything so she won’t feel horrible, it still lifted her spirit.

"Ok, if you say so," Aselia dragged the rice dish forward and plated some rice for him. She had tasted them earlier and they weren’t as tasty as Esma used to make them but they weren’t that unpalatable either.

"Here try these," she filled a spoon and offered him and he hungrily ate.

"These are the best rice I have ever tasted," he kissed her hand in gratitude and she wanted to roll her eyes at him.

"You are such a charmer and exaggerator. No wonder you always had a harem of women," she laughed and he crookedly cracked up, scratching his temple.

"You see right through me, hmm," his hands caressed her waist and he placed gentle kisses along her neck.

"You don’t drink my blood anymore. Why?" She suddenly asked, seeing how he craved it but kept denying himself and his lips halted.

"I don’t want to hurt you, Leia. After everything, it pains me to even think about it. You lost so much blood and I almost lost you."

"You are not them and I trust you. So go ahead," Aselia shifted her hair to the other side so he could drink.

"No, let yourself heal. You have been through enough," he simply kissed the soft skin of her neck and removed his lips. Aselia sighed but didn’t push him further. He began to eat and she let him finish his meal.

"Any news on Sulran? Or have you decided to talk to him?" She finally asked.

"No news but I am sure he is nearby. He can track me I think, by these strange markings. That’s how he found me in the first place. From all the research Rivan, I and hunters have done and the data we gathered don’t indicate my father created someone like him. So I think he could be telling the truth," he confided to her while eating the last of the rice.

The whole week he had spent searching for anything he could find on the man. He had read the diary his mother had left him and had found the mention of the name ’Sulran’ along with a lot of other information related to the tattoo that had appeared on his body and the bond he shared with Aselia.

"You must talk to him, Xiran. He is new in our world, how and where he must be living?" Aselia voiced her concerns and Xiran’s conscience nudged at him. If Sulran truly was his uncle, he had been a horrible nephew to him so far.

"I will, in a day or two. Zirius is getting married so I was ensuring that he had everything he needed. Tomorrow they are holding a small bachelor party and they invited us. His fiancee is an elf, I guess you know. So it will be a good gesture if we visit them tomorrow. She doesn’t have any family and will feel at ease seeing another elf."

"Sure but I don’t know what is to be expected of me at such a party. Explain to me a bit because I have never attended one," she innocently asked him and he couldn’t help but simper at her, his eyes sparkling.

"I think ladies just like to talk, get drunk, offer advice to the bride-to-be, play some games and stuff," he replied, entirely forgetting the part where ladies also liked to invite male strippers to these parties.