"She was trained to never feel. Now she can't stop."
The sun hadn't risen yet.
But Lucien was already awake — arms behind his head, sheets low on his hips, a faint smile lingering on his lips. Beside him, the assassin who tried to kill him was curled against his chest, her breath warm against his skin.
Lira.
Her name suited her — sharp and soft at once.
Last night she was a blade.
This morning, she was... unsure.
Her fingers trembled as they traced the faint lines of the Soulbind mark glowing near his collarbone.
She whispered, "I don't understand. I've never... wanted to stay after a mission."
Lucien glanced at her, his voice calm. "Because it wasn't a mission last night."
She swallowed hard. Her eyes — once filled with calculation — now held hesitation. Hunger. Something dangerously close to trust.
> [Bonded Yin Source: Lira – Assassin Type – Stage 1 Emotional Break Triggered]
[Status: Vulnerable. Internal Conflict Detected.]
> [Optional Quest: Anchor Lira's loyalty through emotional deepening]
[Reward: Advanced Skill – Pleasure Chains Upgrade OR Unique Skill Unlock]
Lucien sat up, letting the sheet slide down his body. He didn't cover himself. He let her look.
"You can leave," he said, tone gentle but firm. "Your orders are probably still active. You could kill me while I'm relaxed, bare, distracted."
He leaned in, voice softer. "But you won't."
Lira looked down. Shame, fear, and desire collided in her throat.
"You don't know me," she whispered.
Lucien smirked. "I know how your pulse skipped when I kissed your throat. I know your breath hitched when I touched your hips. And I know... you came harder than you expected."
Her eyes shot to his.
"I know you."
She stood up, grabbing her black robe from the floor, hands shaking slightly.
Lucien didn't stop her.
She took two steps toward the door...
Paused.
Then turned back around.
"Tell me to stay."
Lucien met her gaze, completely calm.
"No."
Her lips parted, breath catching.
"Why?"
He stood, walking toward her, each step measured, controlled, like he was stalking her soul.
"Because I want you to choose it. Not for me. For yourself."
He stopped in front of her, bare, powerful, still carrying the heat of last night in every inch of his skin.
"Stay... if you're ready to become more than a blade."
[18+ Scene Begins Below]
She dropped her robe.
Her mouth found his before she even touched the floor.
There was no struggle this time — no mission, no tension, no target. Just her, letting go of a lifetime of control.
Lucien lifted her effortlessly, kissing down her chest, her stomach, then laying her down like something sacred.
Their bodies met again — slow, firm, deliberate.
But this time...
She kissed him back with her soul.
Her legs pulled him in deeper.
Her moans were softer. Not because the pleasure was less — but because she wasn't scared to feel it.
She cried out his name — not in pain, not in confusion — but in surrender.
Lucien whispered against her neck, "This time... you're not giving in. You're choosing me."
> [Yin Bond Strengthened – Emotional Layer 2 Activated]
[Skill Upgrade Triggered: Pleasure Chains → Soul Chains (Lv1)]
"Your touch now leaves emotional echoes. Targets begin to crave your presence after climax."
Later, they lay together. No words. Just breath. Just heartbeats.
Lira stared at the ceiling.
"If I go back to my clan… I'll be punished."
Lucien stared at her, calm.
"Then don't go back."
She turned her head slowly, surprised.
"You think I can just… walk away?"
Lucien smirked, eyes dark.
"No. I think you can run."
> [System Alert: New Title Unlocked – Seducer of Shadows]
[Passive Effect: +10% charm against stealth-based cultivators]
> [New Quest: Shadow War – Survive the Assassins sent after Lira's defection]
[Reward: Permanent residence in the Inner Palace + Harem Slot Unlocked]
Lucien leaned back against the wall, arms folded.
"She's mine now," he said quietly to himself.
"And anyone who tries to take her... dies."
---
To Be Continued...
------------------------------------------------------------
Next Chapter: Shadow War Begins — Three Killers, One Bed [18+]
Lira's old clan wants her back. Or dead. And Lucien?
He plans to handle all three assassins... his way.