The couple woke up naturally in the morning. Or rather, a quarter of an hour before noon. To tell the truth, they had no imperative to wake up since they were expected in the afternoon at the HQ of the Resistance. They had just been advised to come around three o'clock to brief them on the plan and prepare them to leave. This, therefore, left them the opportunity to sleep in, and spend a few more moments with Adam, Irina, and Liam.

Mia slowly stretched her arms and back, arching her back, then turned to a still-sleeping Ethan. It was rare for her to be woken up first and not the other way around, but it was definitely a nice change. She watched his fine features for a few moments, a smile on her lips, thinking back to their antics of the day before. Her muscles were almost sore from their torrid night, which wasn't necessarily a good thing when they were going to be on the battlefield in a few hours, but she wouldn't have erased the moments they had shared for anything in the world.

She put her hand on her neck to feel the mark of the Vila's fangs and was surprised to find an already well-healed scab on it from a wound that had happened a few hours before. The holes were small and the wound superficial, but the healing was still much faster than it should have been, at least when she was human.

Indeed I should remember that I'm not quite human anymore.

In any case, she felt fully alive and bursting with energy, despite the few hours of sleep they had gleaned. Actually, she had never felt so full of vitality. There seemed to be a new power flowing through her veins, the potential of which was just waiting to blossom.

"You won't have anything by tomorrow," Ethan commented, slowly opening his eyes to look at her.

"Do you heal so quickly?" she asked out of curiosity.

"Even faster. The benefits of being pure blood," he said, smirking.

Mia rolled her eyes before throwing herself on his chest to hug him, resting her head against his heart. Nobody had come to bother them yet, but, given the high position of the sun in the sky, they both suspected that Irina or Adam would soon come to invite them to lunch.

"Am I stronger than a human bound to a Vila who isn't pureblood?

"No idea. You become stronger each time the bond is strengthened, in any case."

"Yes, I felt it."

Finally, they didn't wait to be disturbed since they were already sufficiently awake and ended up getting up and dressing slowly after a quick shower. They had been sweating all night, after all. The light and carefree atmosphere of the day before no longer existed, replaced by the return of their preoccupations. Donning the Sentinel uniform they had been given didn't help their stern thoughts, but they saw no point in changing later. Might as well get used to the magic cloth right away, since they wouldn't be taking it off for a little while.

When they finally reached the living room, they found Liam playing in the corner of the room, and the older couple chatting in the kitchen while they prepared lunch. They greeted the passing child, who answered them with a frantic wave and a smile, then walked towards their hosts.

"Oh, perfect! I was going to wake you up, hope you're hungry!" exclaimed Irina enthusiastically.

The appetite was not there, but Mia could not bring herself to admit it in front of the playful air of the human. She simply nodded smiling, Ethan leaving it to her to answer. A few minutes later, the group moved into the dining room, taking the dishes with them, and everyone sat down to eat their last meal together before they left.

Irina had cooked a real feast with a huge baked fish and lots of vegetables to go with it. The smell that emanated from it promised a succulent dish, increasing the blonde's appetite. Their host had gone into overdrive this afternoon, and it was obvious by tasting the dish that she had cooked it with care and love. They had to honor her.

"I don't think you've ever been thanked for hosting us," Mia said gratefully. "So, thank you."

"No need to thank us," smiled Adam. "I wasn't going to let my brother and his mate sleep on the streets or in the prison."

Mia felt that Ethan was holding back from making a sarcastic remark, preferring to remain silent out of respect for the couple who had greeted them. Now was not the time to spoil his soul mate's thanks with a scathing comment about the Resistance and their sense of hospitality.

"You're welcome back too," Irina invited them in her soft, confident voice.

"Where are they going?" stammered their child, chewing his food.

"Liam! Do not talk with your mouth full!" his mother warned him in a disapproving tone, also avoiding answering his question.

He doesn't need to know that he might not see us again.

Irina even baked a cake for the event. Mia had no more room in her stomach, but she couldn't decently refuse to taste a small slice. The dessert was a kind of chocolate marble that even the young Vila enjoyed, although he ate less of it than his soul mate.

After eating, they all settled down together in the living room, the temperature being already too high to lie down comfortably on the cushions outside without suffering from the heat. Irina hadn't joined them immediately and had instead headed for the garden shed to bring back a medium-sized box which she slipped into the young woman's hands.

"Here, I think it will serve you better than me. I thought about it last night, and it's useless to keep it as a memory. I do not need it."

Curiously, Mia's gaze fell on the container and she gently opened it to reveal the revolver she had been using for practice, a small box of ammunition, and a holster to hang the weapon around her waist. Surprised, her eyes fell again on her interlocutor to confirm that she was in the process of offering her personal revolver.

"Are you sure?" she inquired, taking the small box of ammunition in her hand.

"Yes. Worst-case scenario, you'll give it back to me when you come back, right?" she said moving her gaze from Mia to Ethan as if to make them promise that they would come back in one piece, something that was difficult for the young couple to confirm. "The revolver is already loaded, and I left you enough to reload it once if necessary. There are also two armor-piercing rounds, in case you need more firepower, you never know. The box should be small enough to fit in your jacket pocket. The holster fits like this," she explained, picking it up and hooking the straps around her shoulder and waist. "I advise you to place it under your jacket. Even if it is more discreet, it is more difficult to access."

"Thank you," Mia replied humbly, smiling and closing the box without taking the revolver.

She had felt Ethan tense seeing what it contained, but he hadn't commented on it since he knew very well that it was a necessary gift. If Irina hadn't given it to her, the Resistance would have equipped her anyway.

Let's enjoy the moment a little longer without dragging a weapon on our belt, she thought to herself, placing the rectangular object next to her thigh in the armchair.