Chapter 56: The Twin Bites
Adrian stared at Ash for a long moment, his jaw tightened before he turned away.
He walked toward the wine cupboard and opened it.
Ash followed quickly. "This isn’t the time for sipping wine. We’re running out of time."
Adrian poured himself a glass, took a slow sip, and said flatly, "It’s on you. Why are you following me? This has nothing to do with me."
Ash looked down, his voice soft. "But I need you to..."
Adrian turned, stepping closer. "To what?" he asked quietly.
Ash hesitated, then blurted out, "To help me get into it."
Adrian frowned. "What do you mean?"
Ash’s voice trembled. "My fangs can’t slip out if I’m not made to be in heat."
Adrian sighed deeply, his expression unreadable. Without another word, he turned and walked toward the balcony.
Ash’s voice followed him, breaking slightly. "This isn’t the time to get jealous."
Adrian didn’t stop.
Ash stood frozen for a moment, tears threatening to fall. Then he looked down at his wristwatch, twenty minutes had already passed.
Heart pounding, he rushed back to the bedroom where Lucien lay on the bed.
Ash’s knees weakened as he sat beside him, clutching Lucien’s cold hand. His tears finally fell. "Why is Adrian so mean to you..." he whispered. "I don’t want you to die. But I can’t- I can’t turn myself on...not without his help..."
...
In a dim, abandoned warehouse, Celeste stood by the cracked window, her expression dark with rage.
The door burst open, and four of her bouncers entered, dragging two men covered in blood. They threw them onto the cold floor. The men landed hard, trembling and sweating as they knelt before her.
Celeste turned slowly from the window and walked toward them, her heels clicking against the floor.
"You assured me," she said coldly, her eyes sharp as knives, "that the poison would kill him instantly. Why did it take so long?"
The first man stammered, voice shaking. "I-I didn’t lie! I don’t know why it delayed. Alpha Lucien’s system...it seems to be strong..."
Before he could finish, Celeste kicked him hard in the chest. "I don’t want to hear it," she hissed.
She turned to the second man. "And you...how could he disappear from the hospital without you noticing?"
The man stayed silent, his head bowed.
Celeste’s jaw clenched. She reached to the side of her trousers and drew her gun, pointing it at them. "You’re both useless," she said coldly. "Go to hell."
The men started pleading desperately.
Then...
BANG!
The gun went off, the shot hitting each man cleanly at the temple.
Moments later, the door creaked open again. Another man stepped inside, froze the moment he saw the two bodies on the floor. His hands trembled as he faced Celeste.
Without looking away, she asked, "Did you capture the doctor?"
He swallowed hard. "N-No...he’s already left the country."
Celeste’s eyes narrowed. "You’re just as useless as them."
She raised the gun, pressing it against his temple.
BANG!
...
Adrian walked in quietly, stopping when he saw Ash lying on Lucien’s chest, tears streaming down his face.
"Who’s going to help me get that scholarship if you die..." Ash whispered, his voice breaking.
Adrian stepped closer, his tone low but steady.
"Why are you crying? There’s still time left."
Ash glanced at his wristwatch with trembling hands. "Only twelve minutes."
Without another word, Adrian removed his clothes and walked toward him.
Ash looked up at him, startled. "Why have you changed your mind so suddenly?"
Adrian met his gaze, his eyes calm but heavy with emotion. "Because I don’t want you to be sad," he said quietly.
Before Ash could speak again, Adrian leaned in and pressed his lips against his in a long, desperate kiss.
When he finally pulled away, his voice softened. "I’m sorry for making you cry. I was just...scared. Scared that one day, you and he might get bored of me, and leave me behind."
Ash shook his head gently, his eyes glistening. "I can’t...and I know he can’t either."
Adrian looked at him. "Okay, let’s do it...to keep this bastard alive."
Ash nodded. Adrian helped him remove his clothes, his face serious and calm.
"Loosen your thighs," Adrian said quietly. "Let me in further."
Ash gasped, his voice shaking. "Aah..."
Time felt slow. Both of them breathing hard, their bodies close, hearts pounding fast.
As they reached the peak, Ash’s fangs slipped out. He leaned toward Lucien, who lay beside them, and bit the side of his neck. His golden pheromones shimmered faintly around him.
Then suddenly, a silver glow spread across Lucien’s body too.
Ash pulled back, breathing hard, his eyes widening when he saw another bite mark on Lucien’s neck. He turned to Adrian, who was on the other side of Lucien.
"Why did you bite him?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Adrian wiped the blood from his mouth with his thumb, glancing away. "I thought you needed a little help," he said quietly.
Ash stared at him in awe for a moment, then turned back to Lucien, who still lay motionless.
"Are we late?" Ash asked.
Before Adrian could speak, a sudden wave of purple pheromones began to radiate from Lucien’s body, spreading like soft light through the air.
His blackened veins slowly faded back to normal, color returning to his skin. The lifeless pale on his face shifted, a faint warmth glowing beneath it.
Then, his shallow breathing grew stronger...his chest rising and falling faster.
Moments later, Lucien’s finger’s twitched, and his eyes slowly opened.
Lucien blinked, his vision blurry at first. The moment it cleared, he found Ash’s tear-streaked face hovering above him.
Without hesitation, Ash threw his arms around him, holding him tight. His voice trembled as he whispered, "I thought I wouldn’t see you again...for a moment, I thought I lost you."
Adrian’s calm voice broke the moment. "That’s enough, Ash. He needs to breathe."
Ash hesitated, then reluctantly released him, wiping at his tears. Lucien blinked again, confused and disoriented. He tried to sit up, and froze when he realized both Ash and Adrian were half-naked.
His eyes widened. "Why are you two naked?"
Adrian smirked, already reaching for his clothes. "Oh, nothing much," he teased lightly. "We just had a little fun while you were asleep." He gave Lucien a playful wink before slipping on his shirt.
Ash’s face flushed crimson as he scrambled to dress, avoiding Lucien’s gaze completely.
Lucien’s hand went to his neck instinctively. His fingers brushed over the two fresh bite marks. "What-what is this?" he asked, his voice sharp with confusion.
Adrian sighed, adjusting his cufflinks. "Ash maybe you should explain it to your beloved fiance," he said dryly. "I’ll order us some food."
Ash nodded quietly, watching Adrian leave before turning back to Lucien.
He took a deep breath and began explaining everything; the poison, the healing process, the bite marks, and Adrian’s part in it. Lucien listened, silent at first, until his expression darkened with disbelief.
"He bit me too?" Lucien’s voice rose.
"Unbelievable!"
Before Ash could soothe him, Adrian’s voice called from the kitchen. "Come on, the food’s here."
Lucien pushed off the bed, muttering, "I’m gonna kill him."
Ash’s only sighed, leaning back. "You both always say that," he murmured. "And yet, neither of you can live without the other."
He waited, listening-but the silence stretched too long.
Frowning, Ash stood and walked toward the sitting room. What he saw made him pause at the doorway: Adrian had his arms wrapped around Lucien, murmuring softly, "I’m here. No one will harm you now."
Ash exhaled, a faint smile touching his lips. "Their language of killing each other seems to miss," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head.
As if noticing him, Adrian loosened his embrace on Lucien and turned slightly. "Puppy, come here," he said, his tone soft but teasing.
Ash walked over, a small grin tugging at his lips. "He’s not dead yet?" he teased lightly, glancing at Lucien.
Lucien’s cheeks flushed as he quickly looked away, pretending not to hear.
They all settled at the dining table, quietly sharing the meal Adrian had brought. The tension slowly faded, replaced by a calm silence.
Later, they sat together on the couch in the sitting room, an animation playing softly on the screen. Adrian sat between them, his expression thoughtful. After a moment, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, neatly wrapped cubic box.
Both Ash and Lucien looked at him curiously as he unwrapped it, revealing a golden navel pin inside. Without saying much, he gently lifted Ash’s shirt, removed the old pin, and replaced it with the new one.
Then he turned to Lucien, who watched him surprise. Adrian leaned forward, unfastened the pin on Lucien chest, and carefully replaced it with a silver one at his nipple.
When he was done, Adrian leaned back, wrapping an arm around both of them. They looked at him in quiet awe, their earlier tension fading into something warm and unspoken.
"That’s my promise," Adrian said softly. "Through every fight, every scar, I’ll hold on to both of you."