The Anomaly Beyond The System

Chapter 161: Brother… flustered…

After a few more minutes had passed…

“Calmed down?”

Lucian asked softly, looking down at Lia, who was still clutching tightly to the sleeves of his suit while burying her face against his chest, showing no intention of letting go anytime soon.

The strange smile on her face had long since vanished, though the atmosphere around her was clearly a bit different from before… and most of all, she wasn’t self-loathing anymore.

Though her ears were still warm, partially hidden beneath her black-crimson hair.

Lucian’s arm rested protectively around her lower back, holding her gently, while his other hand patted her in slow, gentle motions, helping her calm down.

“Hm…”

A muffled hum escaped Lia as she gave a tiny nod without lifting her face.

She still hadn’t completely recovered. Her thoughts were still occupied by everything Lucian had told her.

Her mind was still processing his words about the control he had over her through the blood bond that had been created after his first feeding—or perhaps when she had drunk his blood for the first time.

Slowly…

Very slowly…

She finally lifted her head from his chest…

And the first thing she saw… was Lucian already looking directly at her with a strange dark glint in his eyes—something that sent a tremor through her.

But the intensity in his gaze vanished almost instantly, and his expression immediately softened.

“W-What are you looking at?” she asked with a slight stutter, suddenly becoming painfully aware of just how close they still were.

The redness left behind by her tears quickly deepened into an embarrassed blush.

She briefly brushed a few crimson strands behind her ear, exposing the soft pink tint staining its tip.

“Nothing…”

A tiny pout formed on her lips as she slowly straightened her posture, still sitting comfortably on his lap.

“Lia—”

Lucian suddenly called her name.

His expression twisted faintly, but before he could even complete—

“Huh?”

Lia’s expression froze completely.

Something…

Something was pressing her against her from behind.

And the instant she adjusted her position even slightly, she felt it much more clearly.

“…”

After a second, her mind went completely blank.

Then…

Realisation struck.

Her eyes widened abruptly. Her entire face turned an even deeper shade of red than before.

And just as she looked towards Lucian, he quickly turned his head away.

“I-It’s because of that blood sucking.”

His voice came out noticeably less composed than usual.

Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t control his hormones, especially after drinking her blood, as the process of exchanging blood naturally heightened their senses.

And unfortunately… that was bothering him right now.

He had gotten hard, and his erection was pressing uncomfortably against the fabric of his trousers… which, in turn, was pressing between Lia’s soft hips.

Lia stared at his face.

But as soon as she saw his expression crack slightly, her eyes widened once again.

‘Brother… flustered…’

The thought surfaced almost automatically, even though she herself was so embarrassed that she could barely think straight.

She had never seen him like this before.

He had always remained calm and composed. Yet now… he looked genuinely embarrassed.

It was…

Unexpectedly adorable.

For a moment, she even felt a strange sense of satisfaction as she looked at his current expression, something that perhaps no one else in the world would ever get to witness.

“Lia…” Lucian muttered aloud, clearing his throat.

“Can you move away?”

His hands slowly reached towards her, intending to gently move her off his lap.

However, before they could even touch her…

Lia unexpectedly leaned even closer. Her fingers tightened around his arm.

“Lia…”

His voice became slightly firmer this time.

“Move away.”

Lia quietly looked into his eyes, at his serious expression, as though he wasn’t entertaining any more of her antics.

Normally, she probably would’ve believed him.

But… she could clearly feel his thick erection straining tightly against her back.

And the more carefully she looked at him… the more obvious the faint redness around his ears became.

Her own face remained just as red, and her heart was racing so violently that she was certain he could hear it.

But despite that, rather than moving away—

She slowly leaned forward and slipped her arms around his neck, causing his body to become completely still.

Lia raised herself slightly, closing the remaining distance between them.

And Lucian…

He was momentarily frozen as he looked at the beautiful face before him, now completely beet-red, her breathing uneven as her warm breath brushed against his face.

His fingers twitched around her waist.

Neither of them spoke.

The silence itself seemed to grow heavier with every passing heartbeat.

Lia’s eyes grew hazy as her gaze slowly drifted downwards.

From his eyes…

To his lips.

And almost unconsciously, she slightly bit her lower lip.

The air around them began to grow hotter, charged with an indescribable tension.

Very slowly…

Almost hesitantly…

She began bringing her face closer to his.

But just as their lips were about to meet—

Lia’s eyes widened.

Lucian’s hand gently covered her mouth, stopping her just before their lips could touch.

For a brief moment…

She completely froze.

Her pupils shook violently.

She hadn’t even realised when she had tried to kiss him, as her brain was slightly clouded with desire after feeding on his intoxicating blood.

But… that didn’t mean everything she had done was purely driven by lust.

She was conscious, she knew exactly who was sitting before her, knew what exactly she had been trying to do…

But then… realising that Lucian had stopped her…

Colour drained from her face, turning completely pale.

Lucian… he had outright rejected her.

Her heart clenched painfully.

“S-Sor—”ƒrēewebnovel.com

Before she could even let the shaky apology leave her lips, Lucian pressed his palm a little more firmly against her mouth, completely silencing her.

“Stop thinking nonsense and listen to me first.”

Lia’s vision blurred.

Her eyes once again turned moist, but as she felt his reassuring words, along with the unfamiliar sense of reassurance flowing through their bond…

She couldn’t feel any disgust, rejection, or even disappointment coming from him.

Feeling a bit calmer—just a little—she gave him a small, shaky nod.

Her fingers clenched tightly into fists while her arms remained loosely wrapped around his neck, almost as though her body refused to let him go despite him rejecting her advances.

Lucian, understanding as well as feeling every emotion she was experiencing, couldn’t help letting out a faint sigh.

Seeing her being quiet, he removed his palm from her mouth.

“Lia… I’m not stopping you.”

Those words immediately made her lift her lowered head.

“I just want to make sure…

… that you don’t just do something and then regret it later on.”

“I-I d-don’t regret it—”

“Let me finish first.”

Her lips pressed together obediently as she immediately closed her mouth.

Seeing her finally fall silent, Lucian’s expression softened once more.

He gently brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face, then wiped the remaining streaks of tears from the corner of her eyes.

Only after that did he continue.

“Tell me honestly…

Do you truly… love me?

As in genuinely feel attracted to me?”

Lia’s lips parted open, then closed again.

Her golden eyes widened in complete shock.

He…

He had really said it.

He had openly said the words that she herself hadn’t possessed the courage to utter.

Despite having harboured those feelings for so long, she had never been able to voice them aloud.

Because every time she thought about them, her heart filled with both happiness and horror.

Despite not being blood-related, they had lived as brother and sister for years, so what she was feeling should’ve been wrong… very, very terribly wrong.

Yet ever since becoming a complete vampire…

Those restraining thoughts had gradually dulled compared to before.

Her emotions had become more honest and even more difficult to suppress.

Vampires were far more emotionally driven than humans, especially those carrying the Scarlett Bloodline.

A bloodline infamous for following its heart above everything else.

For protecting, loving… and obsessing over the ones it chose.

Lia lowered her trembling gaze, swallowing a mouthful of saliva before answering.

“I… I do.”

She shut her eyes tightly, not daring to look into his eyes.

Then—

“I-I l-love you…

So much… so so so much that I can’t even control myself right now,” she confessed honestly, without hiding anything.

A moment later… she cautiously opened her eyes and slowly raised her head.

Only to look at his eyes widened fully.

Even though he had already known the answer… hearing her say it out loud was entirely different.

“I see…”

His reply came out as little more than a whisper, still too stunned, too speechless to speak properly.

Silence descended over the training chamber once again, and this time it was a silence filled with embarrassment and awkwardness, shared equally between them.

Lucian slowly closed his eyes, remaining like that for several seconds before opening them again.

Then…

Without another word…

He gently lowered his head, and before she could ask anything—

Lucian lightly pressed his forehead against hers, both of them able to feel the warmth of each other’s skin.

Lia’s pupils widened faintly. Her body instinctively tensed.

But seeing that he made no attempt to move any closer… her shoulders slowly relaxed again.

Despite having done the same thing herself, she was feeling much more conscious right now, since her mind was completely clear—or maybe it wasn’t; she didn’t know.

His bright crimson eyes locked onto her golden ones.

“But still…”

His voice remained soft.

“Think about your feelings a little more.

I don’t want you deciding something this important while your emotions are still being influenced by bloodlust.”

Lia’s brows twitched.

She wanted to argue, to insist that these feelings weren’t born from lust, that they had existed long before she had become a vampire.

But before she could speak—

“Because…”

Lucian, not knowing her thoughts, continued.

“If you do somehow end up choosing me…”

The warmth in his crimson eyes darkened, turning heavy with both hunger and possessiveness.

With an intensity that she had never witnessed before.

His voice lowered into a hushed murmur.

“Then you’ll never get the chance to get away from me.”

Lia unconsciously swallowed.

A shiver ran through her entire body beneath the weight of that possessive gaze.

But rather than feeling frightened—

Her heartbeat accelerated violently.

Her body trembled under that look, and she could even feel a warmth pooling between her thighs.