The Villains Must Win-Chapter 277: Vampire Hunt 37

Selis really didn’t know what to think or do.

Should she keep pretending to be asleep . . . or should she open her eyes and confront the man sitting quietly at her bedside?

From the steady weight of his presence and the faint, unmistakable scent of steel and blood that clung to him, she already knew—it was Lucian.

She could almost feel his gaze on her, sharp and intense as ever, and yet . . . hesitant, softer than she ever thought he was capable of.

A wicked thought danced across her mind. Maybe she should tease him, draw him out, see what the unshakable Captain would do if she suddenly fluttered her lashes and caught him staring.

But Lucian, infuriatingly disciplined as always, did nothing. He just sat there like a statue, silent, his self-control stronger than her patience.

Her heart dipped with disappointment. So that night really was just lust, then? Just a moment of weakness, a call of flesh . . .

The idea stung more than she wanted to admit. But Selis wasn’t one to give up—not on him, not on her own future.

Too much depended on this man. Her survival, her mission, and even the slim hope of finding Emerald . . . all of it lay in Lucian’s hands.

Which meant she had no choice but to win him over, to break down that icy wall he hid behind.

Easier said than done.

Winning battles was simple; making Lucian fall for her felt like waging war against an enemy whose tactics she couldn’t predict.

He never gave away what he was truly thinking, never let a crack slip in that unshakable armor of his. Still, she was Selis—if anyone could pry open that fortress of a man, it was her.

She smiled faintly in the darkness, deciding then and there that all he needed was a little push.

Her lips curled in mischief.

"You’re awake?"

𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Crap! Selis cursed inwardly. So much for playing dead.

She cracked one eye open and caught Lucian staring down at her, unreadable as ever. Busted.

With a sheepish grin, she pushed herself up on her elbows. "Ehehehe . . . so you’ve noticed."

Lucian’s eyes narrowed slightly. "How long have you been awake?"

"Not long enough," she replied with a lazy stretch, arms reaching high above her head as she let out an exaggerated yawn.

She peeked at him through her lashes, her smirk returning. "Anyway, Captain . . . don’t you ever sleep?"

"No," he said flatly.

She blinked at him, lips twitching. "What, never? Not even a quick nap? No wonder you’re always so grumpy."

He didn’t rise to the bait, though the tiniest flicker of amusement ghosted over his features.

"Well then . . . ," she drawled, scooting up so she was sitting cross-legged on the bed, "what are you doing in my room at this hour? Don’t tell me . . ." Her grin widened wickedly, ". . . that you wanted to have sex with me again."

Lucian didn’t even blink. He simply reached over and flicked her forehead with a swift, precise snap of his fingers.

"Hey!" she yelped, rubbing the spot. "That hurt!"

"Good," he said with a blank face, already pulling a rolled parchment from under his arm. "I’m here to discuss how we infiltrate the Sanctum and get to Emerald."

Selis deflated, her playful energy slumping like a popped balloon. "Oh. Can we not?" she muttered under her breath.

Ignoring her, Lucian crossed to the small table by the window and unfurled the map. The parchment spread out with a crisp sound, its surface marked with routes, guard rotations, and coded notes.

His expression shifted into full command mode—focused, sharp, and entirely too serious for this hour.

Selis sighed dramatically, sliding off the bed and padding over to join him. "You know," she said, leaning over his shoulder just enough to invade his personal space, "most men would kill for the chance to be alone with me in my bedroom, and here you are . . . talking about floor plans."

Lucian didn’t so much as glance at her. "Most men are not me."

"Mm. True," she murmured, lips curving. "’cause you’re vampire."

That earned her a flick of his eyes—just a fraction of a second, but it was enough to make her pulse skip. There was something in that look, something unreadable and yet . . . not entirely indifferent.

She grinned, satisfied with even that tiny victory, and plopped herself into the chair opposite him, propping her chin on her hands. "Fine, Captain. Show me this grand plan of yours. But if we’re doing this, you owe me breakfast in bed tomorrow."

Lucian didn’t answer, but the corner of his mouth twitched—so faint she almost missed it.

The night dragged on, their voices a low murmur over the table as they traced routes, marked guard rotations, and debated tactics.

Outside, the world was quiet, the darkness of pre-dawn stretching thin over the horizon.

By the time Lucian rolled up the map and tucked it beneath his arm, Selis slumped against the back of her chair, groaning.

"Captain," she muttered, rubbing at her eyes, "next time . . . explain these things in the morning. This—" she gestured vaguely to the window where the first hints of pale light were creeping in, "—completely ruins my beauty sleep."

Lucian’s gaze flicked toward her, cool and unreadable as always. "We don’t have time in the morning. Or the afternoon."

She squinted at him. "You’ve got a point," she admitted grudgingly, then huffed, "still . . . you definitely owe me."

"I owe you nothing," he replied, voice even, though a trace of dry amusement ghosted through his tone. "Since we share the same goal of finding Emerald, it’s only right we share the same burden."

Selis sat up straighter, jabbing a finger in his direction. "Same burden? Excuse me, you’re half-vampire—you don’t even need sleep. Meanwhile, I’m a fragile little human who’s expected to operate on zero hours of rest."

"Fair point," Lucian said without hesitation.

She blinked. "Wait . . . you’re agreeing with me?"

His gaze held hers, steady and calm. "So what do you want?"

Selis was taken aback.