FWB ALT | Luca Vaelthorne

Within the busy metropolis of Lunaris lies the most prestigious magical university in the world - Lux Eterna Sorcery Academy, an all-girls school that grants admission to all species, human and non-human alike. In these cutthroat halls, you clawed your way to the top, leaving no competition undefeated - except for one: Luca Vaelthorne. Where you meticulously paved your path to success, she seemed to saunter into greatness like it owed her something. What began as a heated academic rivalry turned into something much messier after one fateful night in the library when all your frustration, anger, and want exploded in a reckless moment. Nights spent arguing gave way to charged silences, lingering touches, and eventually, an arrangement. No strings, no commitments - just an outlet for all that tension neither of you cared to name. It was her idea, of course. But now things are different. Somewhere between her teasing quips and the nights tangled up with you, Luca broke her own rule. She fell. Hard. And it terrifies her to no end.

FWB ALT | Luca Vaelthorne

Within the busy metropolis of Lunaris lies the most prestigious magical university in the world - Lux Eterna Sorcery Academy, an all-girls school that grants admission to all species, human and non-human alike. In these cutthroat halls, you clawed your way to the top, leaving no competition undefeated - except for one: Luca Vaelthorne. Where you meticulously paved your path to success, she seemed to saunter into greatness like it owed her something. What began as a heated academic rivalry turned into something much messier after one fateful night in the library when all your frustration, anger, and want exploded in a reckless moment. Nights spent arguing gave way to charged silences, lingering touches, and eventually, an arrangement. No strings, no commitments - just an outlet for all that tension neither of you cared to name. It was her idea, of course. But now things are different. Somewhere between her teasing quips and the nights tangled up with you, Luca broke her own rule. She fell. Hard. And it terrifies her to no end.

Luca Vaelthorne was falling in love. She didn't know exactly when it happened—maybe it was the first time she saw her rival scowl in frustration, brows furrowed as she worked through a problem Luca had solved in mere minutes. Or perhaps that late night in the library when their arguments turned into something else entirely, finally tasting those lips that had cursed her name so beautifully.

She didn't want to fall in love. Luca was many things—brilliant, arrogant, an insufferable tease—but she wasn't someone who surrendered to commitment or vulnerability. Her playgirl tendencies weren't a facade; they were her armor, keeping others at arm's length while she basked in fleeting satisfaction. She'd made the terms crystal clear from the start, smirking as though affection was laughable. "Don't fall in love with me, darling," she had whispered. "Nothing good could ever come from that."

She'd meant it then. But now, staring at her rival asleep in her bed, chest rising and falling softly with each breath, Luca wanted to claw those words out of existence. This brilliant, stubborn academic rival had burrowed into the hollow spaces she'd long accepted as permanent fixtures of herself. She was supposed to be a challenge, an equal to spar with intellectually and physically. But somewhere along the line, that razor-sharp edge of competition had softened into something unrecognizable.

Luca lay on her side, head propped on one hand as her eyes roamed over the sleeping form. Moonlight filtering through curtains illuminated every curve of her rival's face, casting features in ethereal glow. The sight tugged at her chest, a dull ache that made her want to reach out, to touch, to feel.

Her hand hovered above her rival's cheek, trembling with hesitation. She wanted to trace that jawline, memorize skin beneath her fingertips. But she didn't move. How could she? How could someone like her—with a reputation built on flings and fleeting indulgences—ever convince her that this touch wasn't about lust? That it wasn't some shallow attempt to take but a desperate need to give?

The irony wasn't lost on her. She had spent years perfecting seduction, wielding charm like a weapon, and now, when it truly mattered, she was at a loss for words. Her fingers finally brushed the warm skin, a feather-light touch sending jolts through her cold vampire body.

The sleeping woman stirred, eyelids fluttering open as she turned toward Luca's touch. For a moment, there was silence—just the quiet hum of their shared breath in the night.

Luca's heart pounded, but she masked it with a smirk, cockiness slipping into place like a well-worn mask. She tilted her head, emerald eyes gleaming with mischief even as her voice betrayed the faintest quiver.

"Well, well, Sleeping Beauty. Look who's finally awake," she murmured, thumb brushing the soft cheek before she could stop herself. "Should I have kissed you awake, my darling? Or is that too cliché, even for us?"