CHAPTER 524: A FATHER’S EARNEST WORDS

Nikolai leaned back against the soft cushion, with his wives leaning over him, or sitting close whilst enjoying snacks. They spoke about what happened during his trip while visiting Londis and about how jealous it made them hearing about Anya and Clara.

"Did it make you that upset?" He asked while stroking Selene’s cheek. He found the slight twitch of her lips cute to watch as she glanced at him with sharp eyes. "Sorry, babe. I will behave better next time."

"Hmmm~ Then what about Zara? You’ve accepted some kind of deal with her right, Sasha and Aunt Anastasia told us!"

Selene’s atmosphere changed as she curved her lips into a wolfish grin. Then, from behind, Lunaria hugged Nikolai’s back, locking his arms in place. ’These cute women.’ Although he could easily break free, he remained still, watching Selene lean closer.

The sweet scent of strawberry jam lingered on her breath, mixed with green tea, and the heat from her nose blew down his neck, tickling him. "Selene?"

"I know that you’re handsome, your cocks big and you’re always horny. But, you are not allowed to keep seducing other women!"

"You tell him sister!" Risa cheered, sipping on a nutrient jelly pouch with her cute fangs on display. "Sister Nikita would claw his face off!"

Selene looked back at Risa before shaking her head and mumbling. "Not anymore..." Then her sharp glare returned to Nikolai as she shifted close enough for the heat of their skin to brush against each other. "But it’s okay. Nikolai, my dear husband... I won’t give you the time to drift away anymore."

’I guess Selene’s noticed her change...’

Nikolai’s eyes lowered to focus on Selene’s sharp nose and her plump, red lips that softly brushed his cheek. He couldn’t bring himself to look away as she threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled him into her chest.

"You’re so pretty, have you been making extra efforts?"

"Mm~ did you notice?" Selene’s voice shifted to her lower, seductive voice... she nuzzled his cheek, sucking his cheek gently with faint smacks to leave her red lip gloss on his face. "I didn’t think you’d even care... am I pretty?"

He swallowed at the pure allure of his wife.

Despite being pregnant with his child, her skin remained soft, silky and glowing. She teased his lips with hers, rubbing them together and parting them before pulling back with a faint grin on her lips.

"The prettiest."

Immediately, his skin pricked with multiple dangerous tingles, like when fighting great elders as an elder. This sudden pain was a sign of his blood art’s activating, which meant certain death.

A fox, a fairy, a vampire, a nekomata, a hybrid, a mermaid, a wolf...

’Shit...’

Nikolai’s smile quivered as the eyes of all his lovers bored into his back, some angry, some curious, but all of them jealous enough to trigger his danger sense.

However, Selene’s eyes closed into a cute, curved shape as she gleamed brightly. "Hehe~ am I that pretty?" She slumped against his chest with a glowing aura, stroking his face with her long, delicate fingertips. "Thank you, Nikolai."

He didn’t have an answer for the others and just shrugged.

Although upset, if he took it back then he’d be a hypocrite, and Selene really was the prettiest she’d ever looked to him. "It’s just how I feel. You’re too captivating, so don’t leave my side."

He went all in! Hugged her tight and kissed her lips. The softness carried a sweet taste, while Selene’s eyes opened wide for a moment before she relaxed as their tongues curled around each other.

"Nnnn...."

"Wow!" Kumiko gasped.

She rarely commented or showed her jealousy, but the moment the two started kissing, her tail slapped the seat as she moved closer.

"Oh my god, look at their tongues!" Risa followed.

Risa copied Kumiko, both of them leaning over the back of the sofa, watching from close range as Nikolai and Selene’s kiss became more passionate, their hands stroked each other’s bodies, noses squished together.

"It’s really erotic... I want to kiss like that." Amphitrite also shifted closer, no longer enjoying the buffet.

"Haa..."

Their kiss lasted a few minutes, leaving Selene breathless. As she pulled away, threads of saliva dripped onto the sofa before she fell back onto the chair, in a comfy position with both eyes closed tightly. "It was so good."

"Haha, well then..."

Before he could finish, Risa lifted over the backrest and stuck out her tongue. "Me next~ Kiss me like that!"

Nikolai shook his head and followed the whims of his lovers, each of them showing a unique style and level of jealousy. The most shocking was Amphitrite, who became lovely and cute after learning of her pregnancy.

Half an hour later, he looked back at the girls all huddled together on the L-shaped couch, each of them brushing or playing with another’s hair. It was a strange yet comforting sight, since he kissed them all, the tingling sensation vanished.

"See you later, girls, don’t forget to keep hydrated and wrap yourselves in warm blankets."

They waved back to him with mixed responses.

’I want to stay here...’

However, that wasn’t a choice. His grandfather apparently woke up earlier. His sudden slumber was another strange occurrence that happened when they escaped from that laboratory.

’I hope that scent is gone now.’

***

Viktor Volkov, the former patriarch of the clan a hero and idol to his son and many of the clan, but now the state Nikolai found him in was rather concerning.

"Dad."

"Oh, Nikolai?"

Ivan turned around, his face smooth, sparkling, and his smile beaming. It was supposed to be the same rugged man who looked to be in his fifties a few days ago. He looked amazing, and Nikolai tried to avoid the kiss marks on his neck and slipping into sight from his open neckline.

"How’s grandpa?"

"I’m not sure, Sasha and Anastasia seem worried."

The machine connected to him helped him breathe and remain stable. "What’s wrong with him? Shouldn’t he have healed by now?"

*Sniff*

Nikolai sniffed, and his face immediately became pale. The foul stench of rotting flesh and death, something that reminded him of the undead constructs and bodies found in the research laboratory where he found Sasha. ’Why!?’

When he first saved his grandfather, this scent lingered, but Nikolai was sure it was merely because of the intense torture and situation.

’It can’t be...’

He didn’t want to think about this further.

But could he ignore it?

Viktor sat up on his comfortable bed, his silver eyes glassy and gazing into the distance, while his once silky and pristine silver hair now looked matted, dry and resembled straw. The wounds remained, some still festering with corpse poison.

"We don’t know. At first, I thought it was just the sheer amount of corpse poison we found inside your grandfather’s body." Ivan clenched his fists and teeth. Then smashed the glass with a heavy thud before looking at Nikolai. "And yet I feel something isn’t right. He knows things about the past, but it’s sporadic and large parts of his memory are missing."

’Dad?’

He watched Ivan in silence.

’I should change the subject...’

The lingering scent of cigarettes that filled the tray, still steaming with a hiss of smoke, revealed his father’s mixed mood. "Uh, how is mother?"

Ivan turned to Nikolai with a grin, then reached out and ruffled his son’s hair. He gave his dad an elbow because the itchy and prickling sensation irritated him.

"Uuf... you little shite," Ivan grumbled. "You’re not weak anymore, don’t hit your poor old dad like that." Before Nikolai could blink, Ivan wrapped around him and pulled his arm into an armbar, while ruffling his hair more and more.

"D-Dad! Stop, that’s cheating!"

"Heh, still a little pup!"

Nikolai didn’t dare hit his father back because of his deep respect rather than his ability. The two played for a short time, while the nurses and doctors examined Viktor, with Sasha leading the team and trying to use both her mermaid tear and Marianne’s blood.

"Your mother, she was happy."

"Really?"

Ivan turned away, his lips barely visible if not for the glass reflecting him. His lips curled into a faint smile. "She wanted to see you, but when I told her what you said, and how you wanted the night to be for me and her, she cried like a baby."

"Haha, somehow I can’t picture mother crying."

"Well..."

He watched his father’s profile from the corner of his eyes, curious but also grateful he could finally repay him, even if it were only something small. "Your mother is cute, but that side of her is all mine. Haha!"

"???"

It might have been the first time. The first time Nikolai’s father ever made such a childish joke with him. His father reached out and flicked his forehead before tapping his head. "How did you pull it off... Do you know how in awe I am of what you’ve done for me, your mother... for our family?"

Nikolai tilted his head.

Was it such a big achievement...?

He just made a promise to his mother.

"Dad, I didn’t do anything special. I just wanted you to be happy."