Chapter 91: Busy.
"Why didn’t you tell me... that you were a vampire?" Saline finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
The question lingered in the air between them.
Xandros inhaled deeply, his chest rising before he slowly closed the distance separating them. The guilt in his crimson eyes was impossible to hide.
The moment he moved, however, Saline instinctively stepped backward.
A flicker of pain crossed his face.
"Don’t move away from me."
His voice was calm, but there was something beneath it—a plea. Not an order. Not the commanding tone of a vampire.
A request.
Saline’s heart stumbled violently inside her chest.
She searched his face, trying to understand him. The monster everyone feared... was looking at her as though her opinion alone could break him.
"...Okay."
She forced herself to stay where she was, her feet refusing to retreat again despite every instinct screaming at her to run.
Satisfied, Xandros slowly approached until only a breath separated them.
Without saying another word, he gently reached for her trembling hand.
His larger hand completely enveloped hers.
Using his thumb, he softly rubbed circles over the back of her hand as though trying to comfort her instead of himself.
"I’m sorry."His expression had become serious...more serious than she had ever seen before."I know I deliberately hid the truth from you."
He lowered his gaze briefly before looking back into her eyes."I wanted to tell you countless times... but every time I imagined the fear that would appear in your eyes, I couldn’t."
His fingers tightened around hers.
"I was selfish."
Slowly, he lifted her hand to his lips.
His cold lips brushed against her knuckles in an impossibly gentle kiss.
"I’m truly sorry, Saline."
Heat immediately rushed into Saline’s face.
"I-it’s okay..."She tried to pull her hand away, but not because she disliked his touch.
Quite the opposite.
The way he was looking at her...The tenderness in that kiss...
Her entire body suddenly felt strangely warm.
C-Come on, Saline...
Control yourself.
She scolded herself internally.
He’s apologizing, not proposing.
Eventually, Xandros loosened his grip and released her hand.
The absence of his touch made her strangely disappointed.
But there was something she needed to tell him too.
She lowered her head.
"I’m sorry too..."
Her fingers nervously intertwined.
"I’m not human either."
She waited for shock...For questions.
Instead...
A finger gently lifted her chin.
She found herself staring directly into Xandros’ smiling face.
"I know, Saline."
His smile carried no surprise, Only warmth.
"You knew?"
He nodded.
"I’ve known for a while."
Her eyes widened.
"You... you aren’t surprised?"
"I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious." He told her as a soft chuckle escaped him.
"But surprised?"
He slowly shook his head.
"No."
He brushed a loose strand of white hair behind her ear.
"You are still Saline."
Those simple words eased a weight she hadn’t realized she was carrying.
"So..."
He smiled again.
"I should be the one apologizing."His expression darkened.
"Especially about my father—"
"No."
Saline quickly interrupted him before he could continue.
"It’s okay."
She offered him a gentle smile."I understand."
Although what Lord Morvane had done was unforgivable, Xandros had not been the one who ordered it.
She could see the pain in his eyes every time his father was mentioned.
She didn’t want to make it worse.
After all...She had never known her own father.
Sometimes she wondered what it would have been like to have one.
Would he have protected her?
Would he have carried her on his shoulders?
Would he have loved her?
If her father suddenly appeared before her now...She knew she’d still want to know him.
Just like Xandros probably still loved his father despite everything.
Blood ties were complicated.
"Hmm..."
Xandros tilted his head.
"So..."
"You’re not disgusted by me?"
Saline immediately shook her head.
"No."
Not even for a second.
His smile widened beautifully.
"What a smart girl."He laughed softly before gently ruffling her hair.
Saline’s cheeks instantly turned scarlet.
His smile slowly softened.
"You know..."
He leaned closer...So close that his cool breath brushed against her ear.
"Your white hair suits you much better."
His whisper sent shivers racing down her spine.
Saline froze.
W-When did he get this close?
She hadn’t even noticed him moving.
Right...He’s a vampire.
Of course she wouldn’t notice.
"T-thank you..."
she stammered, barely managing to form the words.
Only then did she suddenly remember.
Her hair.
It had turned completely white.
Aunt Florence...
She’ll definitely scold me.
Wait...
Speaking of Aunt...
Oh no.
She probably thinks I’m dead!
"I should go..."
she murmured anxiously.
"No problem."
Xandros answered immediately, almost as though he had read her thoughts.
They resumed walking together through the forest.
The silence between them wasn’t awkward anymore.
It was peaceful.
Then...
Without warning...
Xandros reached over and intertwined his fingers with hers once more, making Saline looked at him.
"I’d love to kiss you right now."He smiled sheepishly.
"But..."He glanced down at his clothes.
"I’m covered in blood."
His black outfit was stained from the killings he’d did earlier.
"So..."
"I’ll settle for holding your hand while I walk you home."
Saline’s heartbeat accelerated.
"...Okay."
She answered shyly.
Only the gods knew how badly she actually wanted him to kiss her.
Bloody or not.
But she swallowed the thought.
There would be another opportunity.
Hopefully.
By the time they arrived near the cave entrance, the sun had already begun sinking beyond the mountains, bathing the forest in shades of orange and crimson.
Someone was standing outside.
"Lillian!"
Saline called happily.
Lillian spun around.
The moment she saw Saline, she sprinted toward her.
"Saline!"
Without hesitation, she grabbed both of Saline’s shoulders and anxiously examined every part of her body.
"Where have you been?!"
Her eyes quickly landed on Xandros.
The warmth in her face instantly disappeared.
"I... got kidnapped."
Saline hurriedly explained.
"But he saved me."
"What?!"
Lillian blinked.
"You were kidnapped?"
She looked Saline over again, searching for injuries.
"...Forget that."
She exhaled shakily.
"You’re alive."
"That’s what matters."
Only then did she finally face Xandros.
Her expression became icy.
"You can leave."
Her voice carried unmistakable hostility.
As far as she was concerned...
If Saline hadn’t gone looking for him...
None of this would’ve happened.
Disrupting her grand plan....Forget it.
Saline quickly grabbed Lillian’s arm.
"Lillian..."
trying to calm her but Lillian refused to soften.
Before another argument could begin...
Xandros spoke.
"I’ll be going."
He completely ignored the murderous glare Lillian was giving him.
Instead...
He looked only at Saline.
Then gently patted her head one last time.
"I’ll see you again."
His crimson eyes lingered on hers for a brief moment before he disappeared into the forest.
The moment he was gone...
Lillian turned sharply toward Saline.
"Why is your hair white?"Her voice was filled with urgency.
Saline awkwardly touched her hair.
"It’s... a very long story."
She sighed."Let’s go see Aunt first."
Her shoulders dropped.
"She must be furious."
Lillian’s expression softened.
"Oh, Saline...Aunt isn’t angry, she’s just busy."
She reached for Saline’s hand.
"Come."
"I’ll take you to her."
As they walked away from the cave, Saline frowned.
"...Why are we going away from home?"
"Aunt and Commander Kaelion went searching for you in the marketplace."
Lillian replied.
"They’ve been looking everywhere."
A wave of guilt crashed over Saline.
She stopped walking.
"They spent their wedding day looking for me..."
Tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.
Her legs suddenly felt too heavy to move.
She had ruined what was supposed to be the happiest day of her aunt’s life.
Lillian gently rubbed her back.
"It’s alright,they’re not angry."
"They were just busy...ohhh- sorry, worried."
Saline nodded weakly.
The two girls continued walking through the village.
Whispers immediately followed them.
People openly stared.
Not because Saline had returned...
But because of her hair.
Pure white, Unlike anything anyone had ever seen.
The afternoon slowly faded into evening.
Golden sunlight disappeared behind dark clouds.
Lillian continued leading her farther away from the village.
Past the marketplace, farmlands.
Toward the outskirts.
Something about the path suddenly felt...
Wrong.
It was too quiet.
No voices.
Only the sound of their footsteps.
"Lillian..."
Saline began.
Before she could finish—
Everything went black.
...
...
A pounding headache forced Saline’s eyes open.
At first...
Everything appeared blurry.
Orange lights flickered before her vision.
Candles.
Hundreds of them.
The air was unbearably hot.
Smoke from burning incense filled her lungs.
"Lillian..."
she whispered weakly.
She tried sitting upright.
Clink!
Metal chains rattled loudly.
Her eyes widened.
She looked down.
Her wrists...
Her ankles...
Her waist...
All tightly restrained to a stone altar.
The sudden realization completely cleared her vision.
Fear gripped her heart.
"You’re awake."
A cheerful voice echoed through the chamber.
Saline slowly turned her aching neck toward the sound.
"Lillian...?"
Her breath caught.
Standing several feet away was Lillian.
Yet...
It wasn’t.
Her warm yellow eyes had become brilliant golden orbs that glowed unnaturally within the candlelight.
Dark energy surrounded her like smoke.
Even her smile felt unfamiliar.
Cold and Sinister.
Saline’s breathing quickened.
"W-What’s going on?"
Her voice trembled.
Turning her neck against the restraints sent sharp pain through her body.
Lillian slowly approached the altar.
Each footstep echoed inside the massive underground chamber.
A strange smile spread across her lips.
"Something big."
she replied almost excitedly.
"Something that will change this world forever."She stopped beside the altar.
Then gently brushed a strand of Saline’s white hair behind her ear.
The touch was affectionate...
Yet terrifying.
"And you’re the most important piece."
Saline’s heart sank.
...She realized she hadn’t been rescued.
She had simply been delivered to another nightmare.
A friendly nightmare, because it was delivered to her by a friend.