“You know, Eliana…you’re the first woman to ever choose me over her mission.”
In his previous life, Val’s existence was bound by duty and instinct. When he was in his last twenties, he had urgently wanted an heir to his mercenary group. A human could only live for so long, and his life of training and dangerous missions had left him riddled with injuries that would certainly hasten his end.
Thus, in his youthful naivety and the fact he had limited time, he sought out a woman who could bear him a child, someone who fit his criteria. She wasn’t someone he loved, nor did she harbor any affection for him. Their union was more of a transaction—financial stability for her and an heir for him. It was an immature decision, one his present self would not entertain.
However, the woman he married was not who she portrayed herself to be. She wasn’t a mere university student struggling financially. She was an enemy spy who infiltrated his ranks, successfully passing the screening process because one of his own men had succumbed to temptation and betrayed him.
She approached him under false pretenses, with the intention to ensnare him in her charms and kill him when his guard was down. But her attempt to assassinate him during their most intimate moment failed. He retaliated and ended her life instead. The traitor in his ranks shared the same fate, a heavy price for misguided love.
From then on, Val made a vow to himself. He would only consider a relationship with a woman he knew everything about, a woman who valued him above all else. Eliana was a puzzle to him. He knew her as a nun with a brother, an unusual power, and a high-purity bloodline. But her background was a mystery, an unread book. It was impossible for him to fall in love with such a woman. His curiosity about her, and the potential value she held as a tool, was the only reason he pursued a relationship with her.
Eliana’s breath hitched. “Val…”
“Shhh…” He silenced her with a finger on her lips, his gaze still locked onto hers. “No need for words.”
Val leaned closer to Eliana, his breath fanning her face and his eyes holding her captive. At the same time, his lips hovered just a whisper away from hers. It was clear that he was giving her the freedom to make the final decision. His eyes sparkled with a challenge, a silent question that she could choose to answer or evade. It was the crossroads of their relationship, and he left the decision in her hands.
It was a wise decision. When later on she discovers he wasn’t what she thought he was, she would’ve no one to blame but herself if she decided to be with him.
Eliana, entranced by the man before her, took a moment before closing the small gap that existed between their lips.
‘Good, the prey has taken the bait. Now I need to hook her up.’
The moment her lips met his, Val sprang into action.
His hands cradled her face, tilting her head just so, deepening the kiss. His fingers tightened around her jaw, as his lips moved against hers. The next moment, she felt his tongue pushing against her lips insistently.
Eliana, inexperienced and overwhelmed, allowed him to take control, a sweet surrender that further encouraged Val. Under his relentless assault, she parted her lips. Immediately, his tongue slithered inside her mouth, roaming over her teeth, and tracing her inner cheek before it engaged with hers in a tantalizing dance. Val was giving her a taste of what their relationship could be like, of the bliss she would experience if she had a man like him in her life.
‘Is this what it feels like to be loved? It’s so much better than I thought.’
His kiss was like nothing she had ever experienced before, it was forceful yet tender, passionate yet calculated. It sent a jolt of electricity coursing through her veins, making her knees buckle and her heart pound uncontrollably.
She had never thought that a kiss could make her feel this way – weak, intoxicated, and utterly at a man’s mercy.
Val’s skillful kiss didn’t give her the chance to resist, to think of resisting, causing her to fall deeper into the pool of lust. 𝑂𝓋𝐥xt.𝑐𝗈𝑚
Their lips moved in sync, each exploring the other, leaving nothing untouched. When they finally broke apart, a thin strand of saliva stretched from his lips to hers until it snapped.
Eliana was left breathless by the exchange, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to catch her breath.
Val watched as Eliana tried to regain her composure, satisfaction crossing his features. He liked the effect he had on her – leaving her flustered and breathless.
Internally, he smirked.
His plan was in motion, and the first step was complete.
Now, it was time to play the long game. He would get closer to her, unravel her secrets, explore the depths of her power, and devise a plan to monopolize it.
The power to defy death – even an emotionally impaired man like him was greedy for it!
“I’ll go turn in my trophy to Marshall now,” Val said, his voice a shade softer than before. “Why don’t you wait for me, so we can both go into the Frontier together. Will you?”
Eliana didn’t dare meet his gaze, her cheeks still flushed from their kiss. Her eyes were anywhere but him as she nodded. “Yes, I will.”
The three words although spoken softly held a promise that she intended to keep.
Val showed her a smile before walking away.
Looking at his gradually fading back, Eliana touched her bullied lips with quivering fingers, as if trying to relive the kiss, the sensation, and the taste that he, her man, had blessed her with.
Thinking about how he had dominated her in their kiss, a blush colored her cheeks, turning them scarlet as her eyes shimmered with lust and countless other desires.
‘Oh, gracious Lord, I offer my humble thanks. Thank you for bringing this man into my life, and for letting him stand by my side when I felt most alone. He has become my rock, my shelter in the storm. Bless him, my Lord, for he has shown me kindness and courage in the face of adversity. May our paths remain intertwined, and may we face whatever comes together. And grant me the strength to stand by him as he has stood by me.” she prayed.
Almost at the same time, an unexpected system notification popped up in front of Val, who had excused himself from Eliana and disappeared into the bustling crowd.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host! A maiden with mystical blood have sincerely prayed for you. Your Luck has significantly increased for the next few hours. If you choose to register a secondary class during this time, you will acquire an exceptional trait and skill.]
Val’s heart skipped a beat as he read the message. His initial assumption was that Eliana’s prayers only granted life-saving shields, but now it seemed they held far more potential.
“Interesting… she not only holds the power to save someone from certain death but can also tip the scales of fortune in anyone’s favor. In a world where every advantage counts, her abilities are nothing less than a cheat code. She is far more special than I initially thought, a priceless gem, more valuable than any treasure I have come across in my lifetimes. And this gem is being imprinted with my mark. Now that she has entered my grasp, I definitely cannot let her slip away. Definitely.’
A plan formed in his mind.
‘I will shower her with love, so much so that the thought of leaving me will never cross her mind. She will fall deeper and deeper in love with me. And when the iron is hot, I will strike. I will reveal that I am the one her god wants her to serve. This revelation will bind her to me, making it impossible for her to leave me. Moreover, as long as I don’t hurt her and keep the truth hidden from her, even if I know my love is fake, she would… continue to stay by my side, wholly committed and blissfully unaware. In her eyes, I would remain the man who saved her, the man who lovers her dearly, the man so many desire but only she got. It’s a win-win situation for both of us.’