Chapter 14: The Big-Tailed Wolf
1609 Words
Morning light spilled into the courtyard. Lucien squinted slightly, his gaze drifting toward Ethan’s fair, smooth neck. The veins beneath his skin pulsed visibly in the sunlight—temptation made flesh.
He hadn’t fed the previous night. His fangs itched; his tongue brushed across their sharp tips as his eyes locked onto Ethan’s throat. He said nothing, only stared.
Ethan knew full well he looked like a wolf with its tail high—a predator who’d stopped pretending to hide its hunger, waiting for the foolish prey to step willingly into the trap.
But Lucien was acting strangely today. No cursing, no outburst—just that unwavering gaze.
Unsure whether the “foolish ghost” had caught on, Ethan tried baiting him. “There’s a new in-game event coming on New Year’s Day. Limited golden skin. Want it?”
Limited gold skin? Of course he did! Lucien immediately countered, “Is this an equal exchange?”
Ethan nodded, casually digging the trap deeper. “Same conditions as before. I can get you the skin too.”
If Lucien were half as clever as he was lazy, he wouldn’t have fallen for this nonsense. Unfortunately, vampires couldn’t harm humans lightly. For troublesome human donors, the most he could do was bluff and threaten.
He was long tired of this “equivalent exchange” game, resentful yet unable to resist. Every night he craved Ethan’s blood—its scent, its warmth—so much that his teeth ached when he went without it.
He had been quiet earlier because he was seriously thinking.
A kiss in exchange for housework exemption and free feeding? Impossible. Add in an expensive limited skin? Definitely a trap. Ethan was far too cunning to offer such a deal without a catch.
Seeing Lucien hesitate, Ethan became certain: this was no movie vampire before him, but a uniquely simple one.
In films, vampires feared sunlight, thrived in darkness, and possessed myriad powers—mind reading, hypnosis, even forbidden love for mortals.
Lucien feared no daylight. By day he was a game-addicted recluse; by night, a sleep-obsessed sloth. No supernatural gifts, no schemes—certainly not the type to fall for a human.
Fine. No more teasing.
Ethan resumed hanging the laundry when a voice broke through the quiet.
Lucien asked, “Are you making fun of me?”
It wasn’t an unreasonable suspicion. Ethan hesitated, then replied, “Just kidding.”
Lucien’s eyes narrowed. “So you were teasing me.”
Ethan sighed. “It was a joke. Can’t you tell?”
“No way!” Lucien suddenly snatched the sweater from Ethan’s hands. “I don’t care what kind of joke that was—you said if I kissed you, I could feed freely and you’d buy me the golden skin!”
Ethan: “…”
Lucien pressed on. “Humans value honesty, don’t they?”
Ethan: “…”
Lucien glared. “You don’t keep your word, you don’t respect me—are you even human?”
Ethan was speechless. Since when did Lucien start remembering everything?
He turned, only to find Lucien staring fiercely at him, closing in with relentless determination. “So, is it one kiss or two?”
“…Does this i***t even know what he’s saying?” Ethan thought.
“I asked you!” Lucien raised his voice. “Try to fool me again and you won’t live to see the moon tonight!”
The situation was spiraling. Ethan meant to steer it back, but when Lucien pressed again—“One kiss or two?”—his composure wavered.
Impulse won. Pretending reluctant, Ethan gave a curt nod, curious to see how the naive vampire would react. Would he really do it?
A second later, Lucien did.
Before Ethan could react, Lucien leaned in—his cool face brushing Ethan’s cheeks, his lips grazing lightly, once on each side. Quick as a whisper, soft as passing wind.
Ethan froze, expression blank, receiving what could barely be called kisses—more like formal greetings between Western acquaintances.
“All done,” Lucien said cheerfully, surprised that he didn’t feel repulsed. Compared to those old, arrogant vampires, Ethan was downright pleasant. “You’re the first human I don’t mind doing this to. Feel honored. No one else gets that.”
Ethan: “…”
Lucien added brightly, “Behave, and I’ll kiss you every day.”
Ethan ignored him, turned back to his chores, and focused on hanging the clothes with monk-like serenity.
Lucien frowned. “Hey, why aren’t you saying anything?”
Ethan kept silent.
“Ethan, I told you to talk to me.”
Without looking up, Ethan replied evenly, “Can’t you see I’m busy? If you’ve got time, lend a hand.”
“I kissed you twice,” Lucien reminded him solemnly. “No chores for me. And don’t forget my limited gold skin. Once you’re done, come find me—I couldn’t sleep last night thinking about your blood.”
When Lucien finally went inside, Ethan touched his cheeks, let the cool air wash over him, and silently went back to hanging the laundry.
He didn’t go upstairs afterward. He stayed in the downstairs room but couldn’t rest—every glance at the bed reminded him of Lucien, and of what he’d done last night in secret when Lucien was asleep.
For half a month, Ethan alternated sleeping upstairs and downstairs like clockwork. No matter where he slept, Lucien would crawl into his bed at night like a clingy shadow, feed greedily, flirt endlessly, and then sprawl across him in his sleep.
But what truly tested Ethan’s patience wasn’t the sleep disturbance—it was the feeding.
He tried working on his thesis, tried reading, but concentration eluded him. After a few futile minutes, he gave up and went next door to exercise.
An hour later, he’d regained his calm.
Assuming Lucien was still sleeping off the morning chaos, Ethan entered the bathroom to shower. He’d barely removed his vest and sweats when the door burst open.
“Hey! I told you to come find me—why didn’t you?” Lucien barked, freezing when he saw Ethan’s icy expression. He mirrored it at once. “Who said you could shower? Pay your blood debt first.”
Seeing Lucien’s reflection in the mirror, Ethan knew the tantrum was coming. But he wasn’t exactly in a gentle mood either.
“Close the door,” he said flatly.
Lucien had no real objection to the shower—it wasn’t like he’d stop a human from bathing—but the tone rubbed him wrong. His temper flared; he kicked the door open wider. “No.”
His gaze swept over Ethan’s body, and jealousy twisted his voice. “You’ve got a decent build—for a human. Rare among Eastlanders. Too bad you’re still just human. Doesn’t compare to me.”
Ethan’s voice hardened. “You have three seconds. If you don’t close it, I’ll drag you in.”
Lucien blinked. “Drag me in for what?”
Ethan turned on the tap, splashing cold water on his face before replying, “You’re filthy. You need a bath.”
Lucien exploded. “Bullshit! I’m clean! Vampires don’t need to bathe—that’s one of our gifts! It’s you humans who are filthy—you’re the dirty one!”
Ethan sighed, too tired to argue with the childish creature. “Fine. I’m filthy. Now get out.”
Lucien: “…”
From the living room came the faint sound of knocking. Irritated, Ethan quickly pulled his clothes back on, shoved past Lucien, and opened the door.
Standing outside was Lucien’s older brother—the same young man who’d called himself Rong Hu yesterday—with a black suitcase at his feet.
The man smiled politely and extended a hand. “Hello. I’m Liam, Lucien’s brother.”
Perfect timing. Ethan shook his hand with forced civility. “Good. Take your brother home.”
“I’m not leaving!” Lucien burst out, glaring at Liam. “I’m not leaving!”
Liam ignored him. “Since you already know Lucien’s nature, there’s no point hiding it. From today onward, I’ll be staying here.”
Ethan: “…”
“Get out!” Lucien roared. “You can’t stay here!”
“I’m speaking to the gentleman,” Liam said calmly. “Be quiet.”
“He’s my donor,” Lucien snapped. “His house is my house. I have every right to stop you!”
Liam’s smile faded. “Keep it up, and next time it won’t be me who comes.”
“Even if Leo comes, he can get lost too!” Lucien grabbed Ethan’s arm, desperate. “You have to listen to me. Don’t let him stay!”
Ethan’s head throbbed. After a sleepless night and now this chaos, his patience was gone. Work resumed next week—he was already planning to rent a place closer to the office. He couldn’t take much more of this madness.
So he said evenly, “You can all stay. The house is yours. Just don’t break anything.”
Liam inclined his head. “Understood. We’ll behave.”
Lucien spluttered, “You—”
Ignoring him, Ethan offered Liam the empty upstairs room without a bed. At least the brothers could keep each other occupied.
Once Liam left to buy furniture, Lucien stormed into the bathroom, fuming. “Ethan, you i***t! Why didn’t you listen to me? I hate Liam! You let him in just to laugh at me, didn’t you?”
Ethan, who had forgotten to lock the door: “…”
- Writer
