Chapter 212

Chapter 212: Chapter 212

Dulce refused to be swayed by their flippant words, keeping his attention on Asael. "Do you?" He repeated.

Asael had wanted to see how much longer the Incubus could hold out before he cracked and directly asked him, but he couldn’t deny Dulce anything. He handed over a bottle of antidote, glancing to the side as Lady Lihua was supported over.

"Thank you for saving them," Lihua spoke, addressing Dulce.

The tall Succubus had yet to recover, even paler than before. Her pink-tipped horns were visible, her lotus mark flickering weakly.

"I haven’t done anything," Dulce demurred, having to feed the antidote to Ruoxi because the Incubus still clung to him even when the cure to his poison was offered to him.

Lihua didn’t correct herself, she knew the nature of Shadow Demons. If it weren’t for the Vampire’s sake, he wouldn’t be so generous. But she added, "Thank you for your assistance," She added to Asael.

"I’m hurt, and you’re still stepping on my pride, Lihua," Ruoxi complained, slowly rising to his feet after taking the antidote.

The Incubus pulled Dulce closer, tightening his arms around his slight waist. He curled over the Vampire so that he could bury his face in his neck.

"We have to leave," Lady Lihua suddenly straightened up to say, stepping forward from Qinyi’s support. "He will not stop trying." She clicked her teeth, aggravated.

Ruoxi didn’t pull away from Dulce, but it was evident that he was listening.

"I’ll have to send word to the other Gardens," Lihua turned around, no longer as worried for her son’s safety. "We’ll leave at sundown."

The islands of Huayuan were independent of each other, and this was a threat unique to Lotus Garden; they didn’t all also have to go into hiding.

The threat was an incredibly powerful Demon, there was no telling how long they would have to remain in hiding this time. Not to mention, Holy Demons possessed true immortality... this was more of a temporary solution to a permanent problem.

However, Lord Myron could not remain fixated on a single Demon forever, so they simply had to wait him out.

Lihua and Qingyi warped away, no doubt to recover from their injuries.

"Where will they leave to?" Dulce asked with a worried frown, his voice slightly muffled from how tightly he was held.

"Into the water," Ruoxi answered. He could already feel an ache that had nothing to do with the shadow poison, he had overstrained himself, he was starving.

The waters of Huayuan were truly depthless, yet, each island was reminiscent of a flower, their stalks extending into infinity. They could utilize this to pull the island into the water, deep down, beyond where nothing could reach.

"I should undo your contract," Dulce spoke quietly, trying to pull away. "So you can return home."

Ruoxi held tight, his hair partly covered his face. "Tired of me so soon?" He murmured, his tone inscrutable.

"Of course not, but you have to—"

"I’m hurt, I thought we had an agreement." Ruoxi aggrievedly brought up, straightening up so that they were looking each other in the face. The delicate Vampire was ruthless, not even hesitating for a moment before offering to sever their bond. "I keep you company, and you feed me."

Dulce’s eyes widened a fraction, looking over Ruoxi’s shoulder to the city behind him. "I..." He trailed off, reminded of his conversation with Caedos.

A lifetime companion, one that would ease the weight of his endless loneliness... that was what he had always wanted, but it didn’t exist. He had always been resigned to the Demons leaving, it made the inevitable less hurtful.

But they kept making decisions that fueled a hope he had never managed to kindle before. Even the matter of summoning a Hellhound was finite, he had just hoped there would be more loyalty.

"I could do that," He agreed absently. It was even harder to live in the present when there was hope for the future, he was coming to find.

Ruoxi was still dissatisfied, there was no reason to remain by Dulce’s side. He would be safe in Lotus Garden for several centuries, they barely left their islands anyway, there would be little difference to them.

He had achieved his goal, he no longer depended on the Vampire to survive and he was no longer in danger, yet he was miserable.

"You could," Ruoxi repeated, his gold eyes dimming even further. "But do you want to?" He asked with bated breath.

He should listen to the Vampire and return to his mother’s side, staying with Dulce meant that Myron could reach him at any time, it was dangerous and unpredictable. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to care about all that, waiting intently for a response.

Ruoxi had never had to chase for affection before, but even as Dulce mused over his question, he knew that regardless of what the Vampire said, he would stay by his side.

How apt, always offered the world on lotus petals, the one person to snag his heart would be so cold to him.

Dulce did want company, but Demons’ lives weren’t infinite, he felt guilty about greedily taking all they could give. "I do," He agreed seriously, "But..."

Ruoxi didn’t let his protest fall, claiming his lips. He had already heard all he needed to hear.

Dulce clung to the lapels of Ruoxi’s robes, a floral sweetness flooding his mouth. Not sensitive to portals opening and closing, Dulce didn’t notice the others departing in disgruntlement.

Kath’tan knocked Asael to the side to step into the portal that the Shadow Demon had created before he could.

Asael’s eyes were dark as he watched the Fiend stomp through the portal, reminding himself that Dulce wouldn’t be pleased to return and find the Demon dead.

Ruoxi wrenched away from the kiss first, out of breath. Even shadow poison hadn’t been enough to make his breath seize in this manner, Dulce barely had to do much to snap his thinly veiled control.

"Are you in pain?" Dulce went after him, Ruoxi seemed to stagger slightly, his breaths coming out in harsh pants.

Ruoxi glanced down at the Vampire, he wore a sweater, his pale hair down around his face. He clenched his jaw, there was something important he needed to do.

That genuine expression, and those open blue eyes, which were oh so cold, were going to be his undoing.

"I’m fine," He composed himself to answer directly, not even taking the chance to tease the Vampire. "I need to speak with my mother, come with me?"

Dulce was far from reassured, but he agreed nonetheless, getting warped to the more familiar manor of Lady Lihua. He still remembered the terrible condition Ruoxi had been in after fighting the coven of Vampires led by Aguilar the Mage.

So when they stepped into a hallway in the manor, Dulce turned to Ruoxi before he could walk forward. "Are you hungry?"

Ruoxi had an arm around Dulce’s waist, one he exchanged for holding onto his wrist. Tendrils of dark pink swirled in the burnished gold of his eyes as he stopped to stare at Dulce at his question.

"I’m not," He lied baldly, "Will you still feed me?"

"Of course," Dulce agreed without hesitation, "You’ve been poisoned so..."

Ruoxi’s face crumbled in anguish, "You’re a far worse poison." He cut off with a grumble, leading the way to his mother.

Dulce was confused for a moment, barely catching a glimpse of Lady Lihua’s room before a hand covered his vision. But the scent of lotus flowers was heavy in the air, his more sensitive ears picking up heavy breathing.

"You couldn’t even wait for me to return," Ruoxi said dryly.

"I didn’t think you would be returning," Lihua’s usually serene voice was a bit breathy and unsteady. "I’m surprised you’re still standing."

Ruoxi knew that he was likely to collapse from such extravagant use of his abilities, and soon. Even as he stood, faint pink fumes spilled out of him, intermingling with the already steamy room.

"I came to say goodbye," He tossed over a shoulder, already turning around to leave. "I’ll see you when I do. Tell Qingyi to stay out of my room."

Lihua’s soft laughter trailed after them, the door clicking shut just as it dissolved into breathless sounds.

Ruoxi slung his body over Dulce, "I can barely stay upright," He rasped, exaggerating for affection.

Dulce fell for it hook, line, and sinker, gently patting his back. "Is there time? Perhaps you could eat before we return."

More traces of pink bled into Ruoxi’s eyes, he was sorely tempted, but he doubted he would be satisfied before Lotus Garden had to descend.

He reluctantly pulled away from the Vampire to carve out a portal, it sapped away more of his waning sanity.

Dulce immediately supported Ruoxi to his bed when they arrived at the Incubus’ bedroom, guiding him to sit down. And then, before Ruoxi could pull him in, he leaned in to kiss the Demon, eager to feed him.

Ruoxi’s hands that were about to grasp Dulce’s waist froze when the Vampire kissed him, his slender hands sliding from his jaw down to his shoulders where he tried to pull off his robe.