The Villains Must Win-Chapter 105: Valerian Cross 25

Stephany was losing her mind.

Night after night, she lay in bed, twisting in sheets damp with sweat and tears, suffocating under the weight of an absence she couldn’t bear.

It had been too long since she last saw Lucien—too long since she felt the warmth of his presence, the way his voice curled around her name like a whisper of temptation. She ached in places she didn’t know could hurt, a hollow ache that burrowed deeper into her soul with every passing moment.

She tried to sleep, but sleep was cruel. It teased her with fleeting dreams of him—his smirk, his touch, the way his fingers traced lazy patterns along her wrist. And just when she thought she could hold onto him, the dreams would shatter, leaving her gasping, clutching at nothing but the empty air.

Tonight was no different.

She curled into herself, muffling her sobs into the pillow, hating how weak she had become, how desperate she felt. She wasn’t a child. She wasn’t some lovesick fool. And yet, she missed him. So much that it was driving her insane.

"Lucien . . ." Stephany sobbed.

Then, a shift.

A whisper of cold air slithered through her room. The candles flickered wildly before dying, drowning the space in darkness. Her breath hitched. Something was here.

A shadow loomed at the foot of her bed, darker than the night itself. It twisted, stretched—moving unnaturally, as if reality itself recoiled from its presence.

And then, from that abyss, he stepped forth.

Lucien Blood.

His silhouette was a perfect contrast against the shifting void behind him, his eyes burning with something raw, something feral. He looked untamed, disheveled, like a man on the edge of madness.

Stephany’s breath left her in a shaky gasp. Was she still dreaming?

"Lucien . . ." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it held everything—relief, disbelief, and an aching, unspoken longing.

He didn’t speak at first. He simply moved, crossing the room in an instant, pulling her into his arms like he had been starving for this touch. His grip was desperate, his fingers digging into her skin as if she would disappear if he let go.

"I couldn’t stay away," he murmured into her hair. "I tried. I tried to be patient, but I was losing my mind without you. Without even seeing you."

She shivered at the confession, her hands fisting the fabric of his coat, pressing herself closer to him, inhaling his scent—something dark, intoxicating, uniquely him.

"How?" she asked breathlessly, tilting her head to meet his gaze. "How did you get in? The headquarters is locked with layers of protection. And I don’t have the key anymore."

Lucien smirked, but there was something dangerous beneath it. "I didn’t need one."

Her brows furrowed.

"I deciphered the arrays a long time ago," he admitted, his fingers brushing her cheek, his voice low, almost teasing. "You didn’t really think a few spells could keep me from you, did you?"

He had only needed to infiltrate CROSS HQ a few times to fully decipher the protective arrays—now, he could enter without a key.

Her heart pounded at his words. He had figured out the magical defenses of CROSS HQ long ago? That meant . . . he had always known how to reach her but had restrained himself.

Before she could respond, his expression darkened.

"But we have to leave. Now."

Stephany blinked. "What?"

"The external defenses were easy to bypass, but the internal alarm—" He exhaled sharply. "I couldn’t disable it. They know I’m here."

As if on cue, the heavy sound of boots storming down the hall sent ice into her veins.

Lucien turned, his body tense. "Stay behind me."

The door slammed open, and a wave of silver-clad hunters flooded the room, weapons drawn. Their presence sucked the air from the space, filling it with an electric tension.

And at the center of them all—Valerian Cross.

His ember eyes burned with fury, his sword gleaming under the cold light.

"Stay away from my sister!" Valerian roared.

"Brother, please don’t hurt him!"

Lucien’s gaze flicked to him, utterly unimpressed. Then, in a single, fluid motion, he flicked his wrist.

Blood erupted.

A crimson arc shot through the air, aimed directly at Valerian. The hunters barely had time to react, their shouts of warning swallowed by the hiss of slicing magic.

But Valerian was faster.

He raised his sword just in time, the steel glowing with runic energy as it split the incoming blood magic apart. The force of the impact sent sparks flying, illuminating his enraged expression.

Lucien tilted his head. "Tch."

"You dare come here, Vampire?" Valerian growled, his stance shifting, preparing to strike. "You dare taint this place with your filth?"

Lucien smirked, unbothered by the insult. "And you dare keep her locked away like a caged bird?"

The air grew heavier, charged with power on both sides. Stephany’s breath hitched. If they fought here, if they really fought—this room, this entire wing of the headquarters, wouldn’t survive.

She stepped between them. "Stop."

Neither man moved.

Lucien’s fingers twitched, still humming with residual magic, while Valerian’s grip tightened on his blade.

"Please, you two. Stop fighting," Stephany pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lucien exhaled slowly, his gaze never leaving Valerian.

Then, with deliberate slowness, he stepped back, his fingers brushing Stephany’s wrist as he did. The simple touch sent a shiver up her spine.

Lucien’s voice was soft but firm, a quiet command wrapped in velvet.

"Stephany, come with me."

Stephany’s breath caught in her throat. "What?" She blinked at him, stunned. Did she hear him right?

His crimson eyes burned with intensity, filled with longing and desperation. "Come with me, Stephany. You won’t be caged like this anymore. We’ll be together—forever. You’ll be free and be with me."

She shuddered at his words, her heart twisting painfully. It was everything she wanted. Everything she dreamed of as she cried herself to sleep night after night, missing him so much it felt like she was suffocating.

But before she could speak, a sharp voice cut through the tension.

"Don’t listen to him, Stephany! Don’t go with him!"