050. Coquette?

Paris, France.
Walking with Litsi felt like being in the presence of a queen. Her every step commanded attention, radiating an effortless grace that drew all eyes to her. Men, in particular, were captivated, their gazes lingering without shame, as if mesmerized by her presence. Even the air around her seemed to hum with a quiet power, making it impossible for anyone to look away.
While the ymvith seemed to bask in the attention, Nadezhda felt nothing but irritation. Every lingering stare was a reminder of how out of place they were. She was supposed to slip through the crowd unnoticed, blending seamlessly with the others. But instead, they attracted gazes like moths to a flame. Worse still, the vorshk knew her secret—knew she was far from human. That knowledge, hanging between them like an unspoken threat, only deepened her unease.
From La Rochelle to Paris, Litsi had relentlessly filled Nadezhda's head with the beauty standards and social norms of the century. Dressed in modern clothing, armed with a striking appearance, and equipped with a newfound understanding of how things worked, the vorshk girl now appeared no different from an ordinary tourist.
"This is where you’ll have to continue on your own, sweetie," Litsi said, halting in front of the TGV compartment. Her voice softened as she added, "I’m so sorry."
Without saying a word, Nadezhda pulled the ymvith into a tight embrace. Her voice trembled as she whispered, "I don’t know how I’ll ever repay all the kindness you’ve shown me."
"Just promise me you'll stay out of trouble and be alright, Nadezhda," Litsi murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, then her cheeks, and finally her lips. A playful smile curled on the ymvith's face. "You smell and taste just like a human baby. It’s adorable!" Litsi continued, showering her with affectionate kisses, her laughter soft and teasing.
Litsi’s playful kisses brought a soft chuckle from Nadezhda, momentarily easing the tension between them. But the cheerful sound quickly faded as the station’s loudspeakers crackled to life, the echoing announcement sweeping through the bustling platform. The cold reminder of the impending departure hung heavy in the air, pulling them back to the reality they had been trying to avoid. Time was running out.
"Go now," the ymvith urged, a melancholic smile softening her features. "If fate brings us together again, I would love to hear all about your life."
"So would I," Nadezhda replied softly, her voice thick with emotion. "Thank you, Litsi. For everything."
Litsi stood motionless, her gaze fixed on Nadezhda as she found her seat and the train inched forward. With each passing moment, the ymvith’s smile grew more wistful, her hand lifting in a slow, heartfelt wave. As the train picked up speed and began to pull away, Litsi’s expression lingered with an aching tenderness until the last glimpse of Nadezhda vanished into the distance.
“You look like an older sister sending her younger sibling off on a solo trip,” a deep, raspy voice observed, breaking the silence.
Litsi turned toward the voice to find a tall, sturdy man standing behind her. Though he wasn’t overly large, his presence was commanding. It was none other than Pierre. He smiled with a wistful gaze, his eyes lingering on the stunningly beautiful woman before him.
With a fierce, smoldering gaze, Litsi seized the man’s collar and yanked him toward her. The moment their lips met, the kiss was nothing short of electric—deep, hungry, and unapologetic. Her fingers tightened around his shirt, pulling him even closer, as if the world around them had faded, leaving only the heat of their shared desire.
Eyes from every direction followed them—some curious, others envious—but neither Litsi nor Pierre took notice. Engrossed in their embrace, they seemed to exist in a world of their own. To onlookers, they resembled a love-drunk couple, unapologetically lost in their passion, completely indifferent to the passing stares. Their kiss lingered, intense and unrestrained, a public display that even in France's liberal society, stood out with its raw, unfiltered emotion.
“It seems you really missed me,” Pierre said, his voice tinged with a mix of relief and longing.
“You owe me,” Litsi murmured seductively, her breath warm against his skin. “For every man you’ve ever sent my way, you owe me.”
Pierre’s gaze softened with regret. “I’m sorry—”
“Don’t be,” Litsi interrupted, her finger gently pressing against his lips. “It’s who I am. Just know that my heart belongs to you.”
Despite Litsi being an ymvith—classified as Category One by the EPCU due to their dangerous nature—and Pierre being a member of FN's Les Nomades, tasked with eradicating such beings on sight, their love was a deep and forbidden entanglement. Their passion defied their worlds, a dangerous liaison that transcended the boundaries set by their opposing roles.
Litsi was the last surviving ymvith after the Great Hunt of 1957, a brutal purge that wiped her kind from the world. Most of the ymviths had managed to escape into another dimension through cunning manipulations, but the few who remained were hunted down and exterminated by the relentless European EPCU task forces.
As with every mission, EPCU operatives approached the ymviths in peace, attempting to negotiate a solution that could benefit both sides. But the ymviths, viewing humanity only as a source of sustenance, responded with aggression. The encounters quickly turned violent, leading to the deaths of many ymviths and heavy casualties among the operatives, with some even paying the ultimate price.
Ever since her first interaction with a human baby, Litsi had changed. She no longer saw humans merely as sustenance but as a sentient species with laws and consequences. Unlike other ymviths, she chose her victims carefully—outcasts and criminals. Disguising herself as an innocent girl, she would lure them away from the public eye before revealing her true nature. As a result, no one ever mourned their disappearance.
This method allowed Litsi to seamlessly blend into the heart of society. While other ymviths avoided relationships with humans by living in forests or isolating themselves behind the walls of luxurious manors, Litsi chose a different path. She mingled with peasants in bustling markets and worked alongside farmers in the fields, ensuring her presence was known to the shadows of society, like a deathbait coated in sweetness.
"Let’s leave before the other operatives see us," Pierre urged, his voice low and urgent.
"Are you planning to abduct me?" Litsi teased, leaning in closer. "Where do you intend to have your way with a helpless girl like me, Mr. Balzac?" she whispered, her voice dripping with playful seduction.