Leveling Up by Seducing Milfs-Chapter 72. Ambush In The Shadows

The night had started off quietly, which was almost scary after the last three weeks of chaos. Rick was at a corner table in The Golden Boar, one of Valdris’s better bars.

He was with three of his four bonded partners. Carmilla was to his left, holding a mug of ale that she had barely touched.

Natasha was sitting across from him, carefully eating a plate of roasted chicken with the same level of precision that she used for everything else. Liora was on his right, sipping wine and smiling at something Natasha had said. She gave off her usual gentle warmth.

It should have been a great time to enjoy peaceful things. This was the first time they had experienced real peace since Rick returned from the Northern Peaks.

No drama in the guild, no strangers flirting with you in a creepy way, and no mysterious people watching you from the shadows. Just the four of them are eating together, like normal people do.

But Rick couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. He saw it almost right away through the bond network.

Carmilla’s usual steady warmth, the protective flame he had come to expect from her, was flickering. Not getting weaker, but not stable either.

It felt like she was no longer paying attention. He could sense that she was hiding many complicated feelings behind her calm face.

Rick said quietly, "Carmilla," and put down his fork. "Are you okay?"

She looked up, and for a split second, the mask she had worked so hard to keep on fell off. Rick saw something real in her steel-gray eyes that made his chest tighten.

Maybe it was fear? Or maybe jealousy? Or worse, was it not enough? The mask was back in place before he could figure out what it was.

Carmilla said, "I’m fine," and her voice was steady. "Just thinking about a few things, that’s all."

"You don’t feel good through the bond."

Carmilla’s jaw got a little tighter. "Rick, I told you I’m fine. Don’t push it."

Natasha and Liora looked at each other. They could also feel Carmilla’s unstable emotional state through the network, but before anyone could say anything else, Carmilla suddenly got up.

She said, "I need some air," and her chair scraped against the floor. "I’ll be back soon."

"You three can keep having dinner without me."

"Wait, Carmilla—" Rick started to get up, but she was already walking toward the door with the determined stride of someone who needed space.

"Let her go," Natasha said in a low voice. "She needs to deal with what she’s feeling. It will only make things worse if you crowd her."

Rick sat back down, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of Carmilla as she walked away. He could feel her walking outside through the bond.

He could feel the cold night air hit her as she stepped into the alley next to the tavern. And he can also feel her taking deep breaths as she tries to calm down.

Liora said softly, "She’s having a hard time with the changes."

"We are all struggling in our own ways. The bond network has made everything more intense and difficult, and I think a formerly married woman like Carmilla isn’t used to being so honest about her feelings."

"I know, but..." Rick stopped talking, his anger and worry fighting inside him.

He wanted to help and make things better for her, but he also knew Natasha was right. Carmilla needed some time alone to work things out.

...

Carmilla leaned against the rough stone wall of the tavern and closed her eyes outside in the alley. Her heart was racing, and she was overwhelmed by conflicting feelings that she despised, especially because Rick could now sense them through their bond.

She had known this experience would be hard. When Rick came back from the Northern Peaks with a Dragon Queen in his bond network, things would change, but knowing it in her head and feeling it in her heart were two very different things.

Today, Carmilla saw many female adventurers go to Rick at the guild hall. Yes, she had felt his pride, embarrassment, and discomfort through the bond.

He felt a sense of fulfillment and necessity. And deep down, he knew that he could have any of those women if he wanted to. That his system would give him a reward for it.

"Get it together," Carmilla whispered to herself as she pressed her hands against the cool stone. "You knew what you were getting into."

"You agreed to this... I should know that he cares about me, and I can tell he loves me."

But love wasn’t the issue. The problem was seeing Rick become someone she couldn’t protect.

The issue was that he might not need her anymore soon. Not when he had the power of a Dragon Queen, the divine favor of a High Priestess, and what seemed like an endless supply of mature women who wanted to be with the Hero of Mature Hearts.

"Pathetic," Carmilla said under her breath as she straightened up and took a deep breath. "You are a knight with experience. Get it together...!"

She didn’t see the shadows moving in the alley because she was so focused on her own problems. And she didn’t notice the magical hiding place falling until it was too late.

Twelve figures appeared out of the dark like ghosts, all dressed in black and wearing masks that hid their faces. They moved with the skill of professionals, making a loose circle around Carmilla before she could even pull her sword.

Carmilla’s instinct kicked in right away. In a flash, she had her sword out and was ready to defend herself. "Who the hell are you?"

The figures didn’t say anything. They just went after it.

Carmilla fought like the seasoned warrior she was. Her sword sang through the air and hit the first attacker in the chest, knocking him down.

She turned, blocked a dagger attack from her left, and hit another attacker in the face with her elbow. Years of fighting experience gave her smooth motion, with each move being quick and deadly.

She took down a second attacker with a precise thrust to the shoulder. She knocked down a third man by sweeping his legs and hitting his head with her pommel. A fourth fell to a perfectly timed riposte that left him holding his ribs.

But there were too many of them. For every one she knocked down, two more came up. And these weren’t just regular bandits or anything. They moved in a way that was planned and they attacked in a way that would overwhelm even a skilled opponent.

A knife got past her guard and cut across her arm. Carmilla fought through the pain and gritted her teeth.

She got another cut on her leg. Then her shoulder. They were wearing her down, making her bleed, and waiting for her to get tired so she would be sloppy.

Carmilla tried everything she could to warn Rick through the bond. She pushed with all her might and screamed in her head, "RICK!"

"HELP! AMBUSH IN THE—"

The head of the group stepped forward. She was a woman, judging by her build, and she moved with an authority that made the others step back.

Carmilla’s blood ran cold when she saw what was in her hand. It was a black metal collar with glowing runes on it.

"Shadow Covenant sends their regards, knight," the woman said, and her voice sounded strange because of magic.

"No...!" Carmilla swung wildly, but two attackers grabbed her arms and held her still.

"Let me go, you bastards!"