Untitled Episode
1093 Words
Astrid stepped into the territory known as "The Forbidden Zone" for the second time.
The top-floor office was unsettlingly vast, with the never-sleeping neon of New-Lun City sprawling beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows. Beyond the altar-like black desk and the deep leather sofas, a concealed door stood slightly ajar in the shadows, leading to his private rest suite.
"Go inside and rest if you’re tired." Killian didn't even look up; he merely jerked his chin toward the hidden door before refocusing on the holographic screens.
Astrid’s gaze followed his gesture. The faint light emanating from behind that door carried a deceptive sense of domestic warmth—nothing like the frenzied trap it had been that night. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly quelled the dangerous associations flooding her mind.
"I’ll just sit here for a while." She took a step back, sinking into the cold embrace of the leather sofa.
"Suit yourself," Killian responded curtly. He flipped through documents with a frightening speed, as if fueled by an inexhaustible reservoir of primal energy.
Astrid leaned against the armrest. The combination of last night's relentless entanglement and a full day of high-strung mental exhaustion meant that drowsiness soon surged over her like an unstoppable tide. In her haze, she wondered: He was the one engaged in savage plunder last night, so why is he still as tireless as a wolf today, while I feel as though my very lifeblood has been drained?
When she opened her eyes again, the antique wall clock pointed to 1:00 AM.
Killian was standing by the window, his back to her as he surveyed the dark currents of the city below. He had discarded his blazer; beneath his rolled-up sleeves, the veins on his muscular forearms bulged slightly, exuding a raw, feral strength.
Astrid moved to get up, but a sharp pain in her stiff neck forced a tiny, muffled groan from her lips. As she shifted, a heavy black suit jacket slid off her shoulders—it was his, saturated with that signature scent of cold silver fir.
"Aren't you going to sleep?" she asked, her voice raspy.
"The elevators are back online." Killian turned slowly, his amber pupils glinting with a predatory light in the darkness.
"Oh."
"I'll take you home."
"There's no need to trouble yourself, Mr. Valerius. I’ll call a car..." Astrid snatched up her bag, trying to maintain a safe distance.
Killian didn't argue; he simply picked up his jacket and followed her. His unquestionable guarding stance was exactly like an Alpha wolf patrolling his territory.
She exited the building, but before she reached the intersection, a low honk sounded behind her. The pitch-black armored sedan followed her at a steady pace. The window slid down, revealing the man’s stern profile.
"Get in."
The command carried an overwhelming weight of authority. Astrid’s fingers tightened on her bag. After a moment of hesitation, she finally pulled open the car door.
Just as the car started, a silver sports car roared past them at a lethal speed, the shrill screech of tires against the pavement echoing through the silent underground garage. Their gazes met in the rearview mirror until the silver streak vanished.
Astrid, regaining her composure, nervously tugged at the hem of her skirt. Though the couture dress was magnificent, it rode up significantly when she sat, exposing a startling expanse of her pale thigh. As she shifted to cover herself, a button on her bodice—strained by the movement—silently popped open.
In that instant, Killian’s gaze swept over the tight, heaving curves of her silhouette. His Adam’s apple bobbed instinctively.
Astrid felt as if she’d been struck by lightning. She clamped her hand over her chest, blood rushing to her face in a frantic heat.
Without a word, Killian grabbed the oversized blazer from the backseat and tossed it directly onto her lap. Her heart hammering like a drum, Astrid hurriedly swathed herself in the garment, which still held the lingering warmth of his body.
Halfway through the journey, the car stopped in front of an old shop glowing with warm light. Killian stepped out and returned with a traditional tonic soup known as "Silver Moonlight."
The flavor was extremely subtle, yet it was packed with the high-energy nutrients essential for a half-vampire during their Awakening phase.
"Take it," he said, handing it to her, his tone remaining indifferent.
Astrid was stunned. That was her favorite flavor—a traditional supplement so rare in this materialistic city that people usually waited in long queues just for a taste.
How did he know?
The car eventually came to a halt at the entrance of Plum Blossom Alley in the Old District. Killian sat in the car, watching in silence as she walked into the dilapidated apartment building. Only when a light flickered on in a window on the sixteenth floor did he reignite the engine.
Exiting the elevator, Astrid found a bouquet of withered tulips and a cup of long-cold coffee sitting outside her door.
This cheap display of affection felt exceptionally pathetic in the dark.
"Trash belongs in the bin," she recalled the words of an elder. With a blank expression, she tossed the coffee into the recycling bin and swung her heel, kicking the tulips into a dead corner.
Once inside, she changed into comfortable silk pajamas, feeling as though her bones were about to crumble.
At 2:00 AM, she rebooted her phone. A deluge of unread messages instantly flooded the screen.
Julian: [Darling, I waited so long and got worried. I left flowers at your door. I hope they bring you sweet dreams.]
Looking at the words, Astrid felt a wave of nausea. This "Time Management Master"—wagging his tail before pureblood nobles while simultaneously trying to maintain his presence in her life.
She had been raised by a single mother who, despite her tragic history, had instilled in Astrid the fiercest bloodline pride. In her code, betrayal was a capital offense.
She scrolled through her social feed and found that the company channel was buzzing; everyone was discussing her working late for Fashion Week. Among the many likes, she spotted an avatar she had never seen before—
Killian Valerius.
He had liked her half-joking "trapped on a desert island" post.
Did he... come down to find me for more than just a coincidence?
Astrid silently put down her phone and opened the warm tonic.
She took a small sip. The sweetness, resonating with her silver blood, bloomed across her tongue. It was so, so sweet.
- Writer
