Lilian opened her eyes when the sunlight had streaming through her window, already half-aware before she fully woke. There was a distinct and unsettling feeling that she was being watched.
All three princes were in her room.
Dante sat in the chair by the window, having clearly kept watch through the morning. Adrian leaned casually against the doorframe with his arms folded, his expression relaxed but attentive.
Meanwhile, Lucien sprawled in the other chair with his legs crossed at the ankles, looking entirely too pleased with himself for someone caught staring at a sleeping woman.
"This is creepy," Lilian said in surprise, sitting up and instinctively pulling the blanket to her chest. "You're all just... watching me sleep?"
"We're having a discussion," Dante said calmly. "You happened to be sleeping during it."
"The discussion about what?" Lilian asked, trying to shake off the grogginess.
"About how spectacularly we've all failed at maintaining appropriate boundaries," Adrian said with a touch of amusement. "And what we're going to do about it going forward."
"We already know what we're doing going forward," Lucien said, his grin turning wicked. "We're going to stop pretending we're not going to fuck you and actually fuck you."
"Lucien," Dante said sharply.
"What? I'm being honest. That's literally my job in this relationship." Lucien argued, totally unbothered by the reprimand.
"We're not in a relationship yet," Dante pointed out, his tone cool and logical.
"Semantics," Lucien waved him off dismissively. "We're close enough that the distinction doesn't even matter anymore."
Lilian watched the three of them bicker with affection and also exasperation. This was her life now, waking up to three vampire princes debating the logistics of their impending relationship while she sat in bed trying to wake up properly.
"Can we have this discussion after I've had some coffee?" she asked, looking between them.
"Already taken care of," Adrian said, producing a travel mug from behind his back. "Mrs. Hemsworth sent it up. She also sent the message that she's not blind or deaf, and expects us all to be a bit more discreet because the entire household staff is gossiping."
Lilian's face burned with embarrassment as she reached for the mug. "The staff knows?"
"Most of the staffs here are vampires, Lilian," Dante explained.
"And enhanced vampire hearing means privacy is a total myth," Lucien said cheerfully. "Welcome to vampire relationships, where everyone knows everyone's business."
She took the coffee gratefully, using the warmth of the first few sips to compose herself. "So what's the plan? Are we just going to keep sneaking around until the rogue threat is dealt with?" she asked, changing the subject.
"Not sneaking around," Dante corrected her gently. "Being strategic about timing. There's a difference."
"Is there, though?" Lucien asked with a smirk.
"Yes," Dante said firmly. "Sneaking implies we're doing something wrong. We're not. We're simply waiting for the right moment to formalize the bonds."
"Which is after we hunt down whoever sent those rogues," Adrian added, finally stepping fully into the room. "We received intel last night while you were sleeping. One of our scouts tracked them to a warehouse district about twenty miles from here."
Lilian's attention sharpened, all traces of sleep vanishing. "You found them?"
"We found where they're staying," Dante clarified. "Not who sent them or why they're targeting you specifically. That still requires investigation."
"When?" Lilian asked, her heart starting to race.
"Tonight," Dante said. "We'll take a team, scout the location, and gather intelligence. If we're lucky, we'll capture a few rogues alive to question them."
"I'm coming with you," Lilian said immediately.
"Absolutely not," all three princess said in unison.
"It's too dangerous," Dante continued. "You're not trained for combat operations yet. You'd be a liability."
"I'm the one they're targeting," Lilian argued, her frustration rising. "I should be part of finding out why."
"Which is exactly why you're staying here," Adrian said gently but firmly. "If this a trap designed to lure us out, we're not giving them what they want."
"So I'm just supposed to sit here and wait while you three risk your lives?" Lilian demanded.
"Yes," Lucien said bluntly. "That's exactly what you're supposed to do. We're three centuries old and trained for this. You're just one week old and still learning which end of a stake goes in the vampire."
"I hate that you have a point," she muttered, sinking back into her pillows.
"We'll take security with us," Dante assured her. "The estate will be locked down with additional guards. Mrs. Hemsworth is a trained combatant despite her age and a human. You'll be safe."
"It's not me I'm worried about," Lilian said quietly.
The three princes exchanged glances. An unspoken understanding passed between them, and their expressions softened at the same time.
"We'll be fine," Adrian said softly. "We've been doing this for centuries. A few rogues aren't going to take us down."
"But if they're organized enough to coordinate an attack on this estate~" Lilian trailed off, her chest tightening as to remember the memory of her nightmare.
"We'll prepared for that," Dante cut her off. "Trust us, Lilian. This is what we do."
She wanted to keep pushing, but the resolve in their faces was unmovable. They were going to do this whether she agreed or not.
"Fine," she conceded. "But you all come back in one piece, or I'm going to be very upset."
"Noted," Lucien said with a grin. "Wouldn't want to upset our future wife."
The casual way he said it, future wife, like it was already decided and just a matter of timing. It made her heart skip a bit from anxiety and anticipation.
"Now," Dante said, standing from his chair. "We have several hours before we need to prepare for tonight's operation. Lilian, you're training with all three of us today."
"All three at once?" Lilian asked, feeling a bit overwhelmed.
"Yes," Dante confirmed. "If you're going to survive as our mate, you need to be able to defend yourself against multiple opponents simultaneously. Today we start working on that."
——
They had pushed the furniture of the training room to the edges, creating a large open space on the padded mats.
Lilian stood in the center, acutely aware of the three powerful monsters circling her. Each of them moved with their own style, but all of their attention was locked on her.
"The rules are simple," Dante explained as he circled her. "We attack, you defend. Use everything you've learned, and the goal isn't to win. It's to survive."
"And try not to get pinned," Lucien added with a suggestive grin. "Unless you want to, of course."
"Lucien," both Adrian and Dante said warningly.
"What? I'm just motivating her."
"You're being inappropriate," Adrian chided
"Same thing," Lucien shrugged.
"Focus," Dante said sharply. "Lilian, are you ready?"
Lilian adjusted her footing, settling into the defensive stance Lucien had drilled into her muscles through repetition and bruises. "Ready."
The three princes moved instantly.
Adrian came from the front, Lucien from the left, and Dante from the right. Lilian sensed them just in time and dodged backward, creating space. Her heart spiked as instinct finally kept up with the speed.
But they adjusted instantly, tightening their formation, herding her like wild beasts cornering their prey.
"Don't retreat in a straight line," Dante called out as he launched the attack. "Predictable movements get you killed."
Lilian tried to dodge to the side, but Adrian was already there, cutting off her escape path. She spun, aimed a kick at Lucien, which he blocked easily.
"Better. But still too slow," Lucien criticized.
They continued the assault. Not at full speed or strength, but fast enough and hard enough that Lilian had to work hard to defend herself.
She blocked Adrian's strike, ducked under Lucien's reaching hand meant to grab her, and barely managed to evade Dante's attempt to pin her arms.
For about thirty seconds, she actually held her own.