The loud engine of the minibus filled the silence as it rolled over the cracked, sun-beaten road that led away from the dungeon site. Inside, the atmosphere was quiet, but
very
far from peaceful.
Seven passengers rode in the vehicleâs back cabin, seated on the bench-style seats that faced one another.
Kaiden sat right in the center of the left row. Luna leaned against his shoulder on his left. Her arms were folded in front of her delicate chest, and a thoughtful look occupied her face. On his right, however, lay a sight far less composed.
Bastet, the tanned and temptingly curvy feline, had chosen not to sit like the rest of them. Instead, she lay with her head comfortably nestled in Kaidenâs lap and her thick, lush tail lazily flicking up to brush against his face, shoulder, and occasionally his ear with playful, suggestive strokes. Her purring was loudâconstantâand it vibrated rather strongly through his lower half.
Her amber eyes shone with obvious mischief, and while she didnât say a word, her every movement made her desires abundantly clear. A low, pleased sigh left her lips every so often as she nuzzled against him, one arm draped possessively across his waist. Everyone here understood painfully well that she was currently trying to seduce Kaiden with a reserved but sensual mating call.
Kaiden, to his credit, kept his expression neutral, though a light twitch at the corner of his mouth hinted at his inner battle. She wasnât even being subtle.
Across from him sat Tessa. Her expression was unreadable as she watched the display with professional detachmentâor at least attempted to. Her dark eyes occasionally flicked to Bastet, then to Kaiden, and then away again, as if trying to calculate something.
To Tessaâs left sat Nyx and Aria, both watching the feline with very different energies.
Nyx wore a sly, amused smirk. She rested her chin in her hand, looking like someone watching a cat try to flirt with the lionâs pride leader in front of his lionesses. Her eyes sparkled with amusement every time Bastetâs tail batted at Kaidenâs cheek, and she seemed to be genuinely entertained by the reactions of the others.
Aria, on the other hand, wasnât hiding her thoughts quite so well. She didnât seem to be trying to.
Her silver brows were furrowed. Her arms were crossed, and her normally serene aura had a sharp edge to it. She wasnât glaringâyetâbut her eyes were fixed on Bastet like she was watching a rival move into her territory. She didnât speak, but there was an unmistakable air of disapproval brewing beneath her silence.
Just like the Moon Valkyrie, the Storm Valkyrie didnât appreciate Bastetâs antics much at all, best evidenced by her occasional, cute "Hpmh!" sounds.
To Tessaâs right sat Elara, perched on the edge of her seat like she didnât quite know how to sit. The teenage dungeon aide kept her gaze low, hands folded tightly in her lap, doing everything she could to avoid looking directly at Bastetâor Kaiden, for that matter. The slight red tint on her ears betrayed her thoughts, and she seemed wholly unprepared to be part of whatever... this was.
Meanwhile, Bastet continued her antics unabated. Her purrs were a low, smug vibration that filled the cabin. It was evident that even if she sensed the hostile stares sent her way by the two possessive girlfriends, she didnât give a single damn. Every now and then, she even pressed closer to Kaidenâs stomach and whispered something under her breath in a husky, needy tone. His expression barely shifted, but that was enough for Luna to sigh heavily at his side.
Ariaâs gaze narrowed even further as she asked in a cold tone, "You just finished copulating with Kai. Shouldnât you relax for a bit?"
"No~?" Bastet purred. Her dismissive, one-word reply only served to irk the silver-haired beauty even further.
"You just entered a new world full of wonders your desert never had, yet you arenât even looking out the window," Luna said.
"So~?"
"Alrighty, letâs abandon this topic for now," Kaiden muttered. His voice was calm but firm, serving as an anchor in the suddenly choppy emotional waters inside the minibus.
Without missing a beat, he reached behind Luna and gently raked his fingers through her flowing purple hair. The gesture was soft and casual, but it struck like lightning. Lunaâs irritation melted with stunning speed, her previously furrowed brow relaxing as her eyes fluttered closed and she leaned into his touch.
At the same time, Kaiden subtly stretched his left leg forward, placing it between Ariaâs limbs. The silver-haired Valkyrie didnât hesitate. Like a starved serpent finding its meal at last, her slender legs instinctively moved to trap his with hers in a possessive lock. The tension in her shoulders vanished immediately, and a faint pink hue dusted her cheeks, but her expression remained composed. Only the death of the fire in her previously sharp gaze betrayed how deeply the simple contact had affected her.
Nyx couldnât help but giggle. She cupped her cheek with one hand and leaned against the minibus wall with the other, clearly entertained. "You two are getting trained very well..." she whispered with a smirk.
"Shut up, you dumb bimbo. I donât want to hear your voice right now..." Luna muttered while sending a death stare toward Nyxâs heavily bobbing breasts every time their vehicle came into contact with the minutest of bumps. She scoffed, "Even the scorching desert heat and the relentless burning of the sun wasnât enough to make you shed your giant fat reserves... You damned pink camel."
"I love you too, bestie," Nyx purred in response. She was way too pleased with her first dungeon clear to get into a catfight. The curvaceous beauty earned herself a strong scoff from the Storm Valkyrie.
Tessa raised an eyebrow. The way these five acted was vastly different than what she was used to in any awakened setting. They seemed... so incredibly free.