Becoming a true vampire through a mere loophole was not what he had expected.

You’d fought tooth and nail to free him. You’d done more than anyone ever had for him before, and for that, he would be eternally loyal.

He laid back in the grass while you played in the river nearby with Scratch and the Owlbear cub, eyes closing as he basked in the sunlight. A few freckles had blossomed on his pale skin now, and he’d finally learned to use oils to avoid sunburns. He’d never had a sunburn before.

The idea was thrilling to him. Sun! Sunlight and freedom!

He slowly sat up on his elbows, watching you play in the water and laugh as if you hadn’t a care in the world. As long as he was here, you wouldn’t.