The Blood Contract
Chapter 80: Lie down here

Chapter 80: Lie down here

For a few seconds, Serena couldn’t find her tongue—or the right words—to say. Her lips parted slightly, but the thoughts racing through her head jumbled into silence.

Lucian watched her, his sharp eyes trailing the way her expression shifted between shock, confusion, and something he couldn’t quite place.

Finally, when she managed to speak, what came out of her mouth wasn’t what he expected.

"How can you still think of that... in your current condition?" she asked, her voice hushed with disbelief. Her brows furrowed, eyes narrowing slightly as she tried to make sense of his words.

Lucian chuckled.

Seeing the look on her face, he had already guessed where her mind had gone. He could see it in the way her eyes had widened and the faint red blooming in her cheeks. He stopped himself from calling it out, hoping she might surprise him—disappoint him, even—and prove his assumptions wrong. But alas, he was right.

Her mind had darted somewhere he hadn’t quite expected.

"How can I still think of what, in what condition?" Lucian asked, lifting a brow, his voice laced with amused curiosity. Before she could respond, he added, "I only asked you to spend the night here. In my room. Not to have sex with me."

Serena groaned internally, facepalming herself in her mind. Her entire face flushed crimson as she looked away from him, utterly mortified.

Of course.

Her mind had leapt to the absolute worst conclusion with no space for a second thought. It hadn’t even crossed her mind that maybe, just maybe, he meant something more innocent.

"Spending the night with you is easy. I think I can do that," she said quickly, trying to push away the awkwardness now lingering in the air like fog.

"Sex isn’t?" Lucian asked, a sly grin tugging at the corners of his lips. He wasn’t going to let her off the hook so easily.

"With someone I don’t love, yes." Her voice came out sharper than she intended, but firm nonetheless.

His expression faltered for a split second. "Is there someone you love?" he asked quietly, almost without realizing he had said it aloud. But as the question hung in the air between them, he regretted it. His heart clenched unexpectedly, afraid of what her answer might be—especially if it was yes.

To his immense relief, Serena didn’t answer. Instead, she shot him a look and said sharply, "Stop asking personal questions."

Lucian held his hand up in surrender, finally letting the topic die. He wasn’t in the mood to be gutted by the truth anyway.

"You should go change into something comfortable," he said after a long pause, his tone gentler. He studied her more carefully now, noticing the fatigue in her eyes, the creases in her clothes—still the same ones she wore to the hospital. "And have dinner, too. I’ll be waiting for you."

Serena shook her head lightly. "I’m not hungry," she said, recalling the snacks she’d munched on earlier about an hour before the ride to the hospital. "But you should eat something since you say you’re feeling better."

Lucian gave a small shake of his head. "I’m not hungry either. I’m good till tomorrow."

She didn’t argue. With a quiet nod, she pushed herself up to her feet.

"I’ll go change, then," she murmured. "I’ll be back."

With that, she left, the soft click of the door behind her the only sound in the room.

***

Back in her room, Serena felt the weight of the night settle on her shoulders. She was tired—physically, emotionally—but more than that, she felt restless. There was no specific reason she could name, only a storm of emotions swirling beneath her skin.

But she didn’t let them win.

Pushing aside the chaos in her mind, she quickly freshened up and changed into a plain set of pajamas—nothing fancy, just soft cotton pants and a loose top. It felt strange how mundane the moment was, considering everything that had happened over the last few days.

Moments later, she made her way back to Lucian’s room.

He was lying exactly as she’d left him, the pale glow of the bedside lamp casting shadows across his angular face. His eyes followed her as she entered, and without a word, she sank to the rug beside the bed—same spot she’d occupied earlier.

Lucian frowned. "Do you plan to sleep in that position?"

She blinked at him, unsure of what he meant.

Before she could respond, he continued, "Come up here. Lie beside me."

Her posture stiffened slightly. She looked as though she was about to protest, but he beat her to it.

"Don’t worry. I won’t touch you," he said, then, as though realizing how that sounded, he winced slightly. "No—that came out wrong. I will touch you, but not inappropriately," he said with a mischievous smile spreading across his face.

Serena shook her head.

"That’s not what I’m worried about."

The mischief in his eyes deepened.

"Oh? If that’s not what you’re worried about, does that mean I can touch you inappropriately?"

"Stop talking nonsense," she snapped, heat rushing to her cheeks again. "I was talking about these tubes attached to your body. I’ll make you uncomfortable if I join you on the bed."

It wasn’t a complete lie—but it wasn’t the full truth either. Her real discomfort stemmed from nerves. She had never slept in the same bed with a man before, and the idea of it now, especially with Lucian, made her insides twist into unfamiliar knots.

"The IV is on my right hand. This one’s free," Lucian said, waving his left hand casually. Then he patted the empty space on the left side of the bed, making room for her. "Lie down here."

Serena hesitated for a moment longer. But finally, she steeled her heart and stood up from the floor. Quietly, she climbed into the bed and lay beside him, her body stiff as a board. She stared up at the ceiling, coming face to face with her reflection on the mirror.

And just like that, the memories came rushing back.

The last time she was here—on this same bed. But the last time, it was different. The memory of being tied, helpless and furious, surged through her like ice water. But that was not all she remembered. She remembered everything that happened before he pulled her out of the room. It hadn’t been long ago, yet it felt like a lifetime.

And now? That same man—the one who’d once handled her like a ragdoll—lay frail beside her, body weakened, eyes softer. The contrast was almost too much to bear.

"What are you thinking about?" Lucian’s voice cut through the silence, pulling her back to the present.

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We’re at 80 Chapters. If you have read this far, please drop a review. I’ll ask for another one at 100 Chapters.. :)

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