The Villain's Redemption

"Leave now!" Mo Li hissed inside her head. Lucinia shivered, confusion flashed in her eyes. How could Mo Li speak inside her head? What is going on here? Again, she turned her head to the left then to the right. Nothing.

Aside from her and the lovers. No one was there. She bit her lower lip. Leaving would be too late now.

How could she leave when they already close the doors and windows? One movement and they could hear her.

"Lucinia…" a tinge of warning coated his words. "I will kill them… if you won't leave now." His voice was dark, low, and something that she had never heard before. She balled her hands into fists as she tried to stop herself from trembling. She could feel the hair on the back of her neck lifted, goosebumps littered her skin.

'Mo Li… Stop.' She tried to say yet she knew he won't be able to hear her. Slowly, determination replaced the fear inside her, her eyes turned towards the window. Without having second thoughts, she used her speed to approached the window. Then she opened it and jumped out of the room. Lucinia didn't hesitate to leave the place when she heard Kuzma's curses. She knew that the two won't be able to track her so she immediately went back to her quarters.

"Mo Li… where are you?" she said, but the glaring silence was the only thing that welcomed her. It took a few seconds before Mo Li appeared next to her. "What was that?" she asked.

He squinted at her, walking a few steps to stand in front of her. "You are… a handful."

"Excuse me?" she asked. "I was asking you! What was that?"

Gentleness flashed in his eyes before he sighed and tried to leave.

"You are not leaving!" she hissed, her hand was already on his arm. "You either talk to me now… or…"

"Or what?"

"Or… " she gulped before she turned her head away. The vulnerability in the man's eyes was akin to small needles stabbing her chest.

"What?" Mo Li towered towards her. "Are you going to threaten me again? Kill me? Leave me?"

"You— What are you talking about?"

He clenched his jaw, his heart pumping so hard, it was the only thing that he could hear. He couldn't say it. Not a word of this— everything that he had— would vanish.

"Mo Li… " She lowered her voice, her eyes avoiding his. "I'm sorry." When she didn't hear his response, Lucinia lifted her head and stared at him. "I'm sorry. I hurt you. I'm sorry that I can't remember. I'm sorry that I don't understand anything that you say." She could feel her heartbreaking for him. Seeing his pained eyes was enough to crush all the walls and rules that she made when she started this journey. "I'm sorry."

Lucinia didn't notice the tears in her cheeks until Mo Li's thumb wiped it away. Funny how her emotions were already crumbling, and she still couldn't understand why.

If this was normal circumstances, Lucinia would never apologize for hurting the man for her quests. After all, she was selfish, she was evil, and she was perfectly aware of that now. Why would she apologize for doing the thing that would benefit her the most? However, Mo Li was… different. This was different.

"You feel it don't you?" he asked, emotions laced his voice— emotions that she didn't recognize.

Lucinia nodded in response. The undeniable attraction, the familiarity, the pain, and confusion. She could feel it all. But she couldn't remember anything. What was she supposed to do? She tried asking the system and didn't even get a response. She tried to recall everything. To no avail.

When he pulled her towards his arms, Lucinia felt her heart tremble, all the defenses crumbled like useless concrete hit by a hurricane. Unable to stop herself, Lucinia let all the emotions out. Her shoulders shook as she closed her eyes. The fear, anger, confusion, and attraction flowed her veins, shaking her core.

She hugged him back, her arms folded around him as if she feared that he would soon disappear. Mo Li, she uttered inwardly, before she tried to recall anything about him. Again, she got nothing.

Lucinia couldn't help but hate this… hate herself… hate everything. Why can't she remember anything?

"I'm sorry," she heard him say, his voice nothing more than a whisper. And just like before, Lucinia could hear the pain in his voice. She pressed her lips as she tried to stop herself from crying. "I'm sorry… I can't say anything." He added. "But… I promise you. I would never get tired of this. Of us."

Her lips trembled. What was that supposed to mean? Does that mean they would experience this again? Does this mean… she would get confused again? Lucinia didn't know how much she cried, or how long she had stayed in his arms. The next thing she knew, she was already on the bed.

Slowly, Lucinia opened her eyes and frowned. Why was she in the bed? Where is Mo Li?

"You lost consciousness."

She almost jumped out of the bed when she heard Mo Li's voice next to her. She turned towards her right where Mo Li was sitting, the red liquid in his hand glinted against the soft and dim light inside the room. He slowly put the wine glass on the bedside table before he stood and reappeared next to her in the bed.

Mo Li rested his elbow on the bed as he used his palm to support his head. "How are you?" he asked. "Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?" She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Mo Li already added. "The potion and pills that you took have different effects on vampires. After all, they were made for humans and cultivators."

She didn't answer him. Right now, she was no longer surprised that he knew about the potions and pills. "How long did I sleep?"

"Long enough. About two days."

"Is there something wrong with me?" she asked.

"I won't let that happen."

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?"

She doesn't know. She honestly couldn't understand why she felt that she owe him a lot of apologies. "I just— "

"It's alright." He gave her an assuring smile as the back of his palm touched her cheek. "Stop thinking about apologizing."

She gave him a tight-lipped smile. "I'm sorry."

"Hm?" he lifted an eyebrow.

"For being stubborn. I honestly just want to know where did he got that flower."

"Why didn't you ask me?"

She stilled but immediately answer him. "I didn't trust you enough to ask you."

Surprised at her honestly, Mo Li smiled. "You are always pretty when you are like that."

"Like what? When I apologize?"

"When you decide to talk it out."

It was her turned to be surprised. "Talking it out… like communication?"

He nodded in response, his hand caressed her hair, gentleness flashing in his eyes. "You were always good at communicating what you feel."

She turned silent. It has been established that she knew the man from the previous world. But she wasn't sure if… if she also knew him when she was still Lily. She opened her mouth, the desire to know more kicking in. "Do you— " she paused and frowned. What if he tells her something that she doesn't want to know? Something, she doesn't want to hear?

"Do I what?"

"Do you like me?" she asked.

"Beyond that."

"What kind of answer is that?"

He only gave her a mysterious smile. "How about you? Do you like me?"

"Yes." This time, there was no hesitation in her voice. "I like to you too much… it hurts. I like you— " her words were interrupted when she heard her stomach thundered, reminding both of them that she hadn't eaten anything for the past two days. Lucinia looked at Mo Li, and the other held her gaze before he smiled.

"I will prepare some food."

"Prepare?"

"I am a good cook."

"How could a vampire cook?" She asked before she realized how silly she sounded. Mo Li was not someone from this world. "Then… can I come with you?"

"While I cook?"

She nodded. "I can't cook so I want to watch you do it."

"I am very aware of that." He stood and pulled her towards him. Then he gave her forehead a small kiss. "I already know that." He repeated before giving her another kiss on the lips. Then he lifted her and brought her to the kitchen.

When they arrived, he immediately instructed everyone to leave the two of them.

"How did you do that?"

"Do what?" He asked while chopping the vegetables.

"Talk in my head."

For a few seconds, Mo Li turned silent.

"Is this something that you can't tell me?"

"Not necessarily, no."

"Then? How did you do that? Can I do that too?" He pulled his gaze away from the ingredients and stared at her.

"only if you know the person that you are talking to. And that is only if you try hard enough."