It was true-a cold, unfeeling man suddenly showing jealousy was unexpectedly endearing.
“Um… are we really going to sleep together? Didn’t you say that just to provoke my cousin?” Felicity’s voice was soft, barely louder than a mosquito’s hum.
The thought was still hard for her to accept. She had never shared a bed with a man in her entire life.
Kayden paused for a moment before replying, “Yes, I need to protect you. That blood-sucking thing is after you.”
Felicity said nothing, but inwardly, she thought that staying in the adjacent room might be sufficient for protection.
“Thank you.” She sighed reluctantly. It felt absurd-someone barges into her room to sleep with her, and yet she had to thank him.
“So… should we sleep now?” Felicity asked nervously, her palms damp with sweat.
“This is my first time sleeping with a man. I don’t know what it’ll feel like, but… but could you…”
Her words trailed off, too embarrassed to continue. She had prepared herself for the possibility of giving everything to him. If Kayden wanted her, she wouldn’t hesitate to offer herself.
But she just couldn’t bring herself to say the words “be gentle.” It was too mortifying for a conservative girl like her.
“Don’t worry,” Kayden said calmly. “I’m only here to protect you. I’m not planning to do anything to you. I’ll sleep on the floor-there’s a mat over there, isn’t there?”
As he spoke, Kayden had already laid the mat out for himself.
Half an hour later, the lights were off, and the two lay in silence. The atmosphere was heavy, almost stifling.
“Are you asleep?” Felicity suddenly whispered.
Kayden, his eyes closed, murmured, “Not yet.”
“My cousin… he’s not a bad person. He’s always taken care of me since we were young, but… I don’t like him. Don’t worry. I won’t like someone you dislike.”
She hesitated, then added, “But… can you not kill him?”
Felicity pleaded softly, recalling Kayden’s words from earlier that day. She was terrified he might actually kill her cousin.
“My mom only has him as family. If she finds out you killed him, it might break her heart.”
Her voice trembled. It was her greatest fear-her mother’s sorrow.
“But what if he tries to kill you?” Kayden’s voice was low and cold. “Between you and your cousin, who do you think your mother would choose? Besides, the cousin you see now isn’t the one you used to know. He drinks blood… eats human flesh.”
Felicity fell silent, her body stiffening. After a long pause, she murmured, “I’m scared.”
The terror in Kayden’s voice made her shiver.
“I’ll kill him,” Kayden said grimly. “To protect you, I’ll kill anyone who tries to hurt you.”
Felicity didn’t respond but felt a strange warmth in her heart.
“Thank you, Kayden,” she said softly. “Now I can answer the question you asked me earlier. If you kill my cousin, I won’t blame you because you’re doing it to protect me.”
Kayden’s heart skipped a beat.
She trusted him so quickly? How should he feel about this? Was she simply naive?
“You trust me just like that?”
“Yes,” Felicity said without hesitation. “I trust you. You wouldn’t lie to me. If you were lying, you wouldn’t have helped my mom or fixed the scar on my face.”
Her trust was unconditional. Felicity had no doubts about Kayden’s sincerity. When she thought he wouldn’t come to heal the birthmark on her face, he had still shown up. That alone proved he wasn’t someone who would deceive her.
Kayden’s thoughts drifted. If only Georgia could trust him as Felicity did-without suspicion, without doubt.
Why were these two girls so different? One trusted him completely, even if he killed her cousin. The other constantly questioned and distrusted him.
“If my cousin really wants to hurt me, and you kill him, I’ll explain it to my mom,” Felicity said quietly.
Kayden gave a faint hum of acknowledgement. “Actually, your body isn’t like an ordinary person’s. Your cousin seems to have joined some kind of organization and practiced some sinister techniques. I’m not sure why, but eating your flesh would elevate his power immediately.”
Felicity was stunned by his words.
“Then… what about you? Would you eat my flesh?” she asked timidly.
“No,” Kayden replied firmly. “Eating your flesh is useless to me. I need…”
He stopped himself. He couldn’t bring himself to say “your first time.”
“Anyway, if your identity is exposed, a lot of people will come after you,” Kayden said instead.
Felicity chuckled softly, clearly thinking Kayden was joking.
After a long silence, Felicity asked, “Kayden, do you like me?”
Kayden froze, caught off guard by the question. He didn’t answer, his silence stretching between them.
No, he didn’t like Felicity. He only needed her Innate Spiritual Core.
“It’s okay,” Felicity said, filling the silence. “You don’t have to say it. I know you don’t like me. You have so many beautiful women around you. But I like you. Even if you’re just trying to use me, I won’t hold it against you.”
Her words struck Kayden like a sharp blade.
They were piercing, like an accusation.
Kayden said nothing, and the room fell silent again.
Felicity didn’t mind. Even if she couldn’t be with Kayden, she wouldn’t care if he did something to her. After all, he had so many other beautiful women by his side. No matter his motives for healing her face, he had given her a chance to start over. Without Kayden, she was nothing.
She was willing to be one of his women, even if it was just for one night. She’d even hoped for a child, something to give her life meaning.
These were the thoughts lingering in her mind.
The night deepened, and the silence stretched on.
Suddenly, a loud crash sounded outside the door, as if something had been knocked over.
Kayden bolted upright from his spot on the floor.
Felicity started to speak, but Kayden cut her off.
“Don’t say a word. Stay here. Don’t move.”
Before his voice faded, a shadow flickered past the window.
It moved like lightning-so fast that Felicity didn’t see it, but Kayden did.