Chapter 345 - Alcina Fever

When Alcina reached Tang Palace, she saw the palace staff was looking at her weirdly. It was as if they could see her wounds. Thankfully, she was wearing a black turtleneck paired with jeans and sneakers. She looked casual and carefree as if nothing was wrong with her. 

"Has Ryuu taken his medicines?" Alcina asked as soon as the butler came into her view. 

"Thank God, Miss Alcina, you are back," the butler spoke as if he was on the verge of tears. Only he knew the torment that all of them had to go through. 

"What happened?" inquired Alcina with furrowed brows. Something was definitely not right with these people. 

"Please see for yourself," The butler answered. 

As Alcina entered the living room, she froze in her footsteps. She saw Jin Xian sitting there. His jaw was broken, one of his eyes was blackish purple and whatever the name was of his eternal love, was applying ice to his face. Someone had done a number on his face. She noticed that they were still wearing yesterday's clothes. 

Wait…

It was Ryuu's doing, wasn't it? 

She couldn't take it anymore. 

If he was jealous, he should have communicated with her properly rather than beating the poor man. 

"Ryuu!!! Come out, you fucking Lord!!"

Everyone was startled as they heard her shriek. No one talks to Lord Ryuu like that… 

"Alcina?"Jin Xian said as he came out of the stupor. "Are you all right?"

"What would happen to me?" Alcina said, suddenly self aware. "You tell me who beat you? Was it Ryuu? Let me kill him for hurting you." 

"Oh, please, do something about your crazy man. He would have killed me if not for An---"

"Cia."

Jin Xian gulped and stepped back. This man was the devil's incarnation. When he told Alcina to listen to her heart, he didn't know she was entangled with this dangerous man. Even his aura was so suffocating that he found it hard to breathe. 

On the other hand, Ryuu felt as if he could breathe back as soon as he saw her. He thought that he had lost her but here she was, wreaking havoc, shouting at him, threatening to kill him for a pest and what not!

He didn't need to think twice about his image before pulling her in his arms. He hugged her so tightly that he was afraid that she would slip right from under his arms.

Was it too late to tell her that she was the reason he was dying every second since she went missing? 

He thought that she was gone… she wouldn't come back to him. 

"Cia. Cia. Do you even have any idea how scared I was?" Ryuu murmured against her hair. Although Alcina was taller than the average Asian girl, she still only reached a little above his chin. Breathing her soothing scent, he continued," I thought… I thought I lost you. I searched every corner of the city last night… but couldn't find you. I really believed that you left me. Please, don't do this to me again. I would die next time if something like that happens. Promise me, you will at least tell someone where you are going if not me." 

Alcina had a hard time controlling her tears. She wants to punch him, kiss him, and hell even hug him to sleep if it would stop hurting. It wasn't just her wounds that were hurting but her heart too. It was so clearly written in his eyes what she meant to him Yet, in a momentarily jealousy and loss of control, she ended up losing him. She had sent him to Xiuying with her own hands. It was only her fault and no one else. 

He broke the hug and kissed her temple, nose, and in the end cheeks. "Don't leave me, okay?" 

Alcina nodded. She winced when he engulfed her in a bone crushing hug again. 

"What happened?" Ryuu asked her with a worried expression. "Why does it look like you are not alright?" 

"Ryuu, I'm alright. Remember, I'm strong." 

"Alcina baby, you are strong, not invincible." Ryuu broke the hug and started looking for any visible wounds. "Let me see if you are hurt." 

Alcina got out of his hold and stepped back. If he thought she would forget what he did to Jin Xian, then he had another thing coming. 

"What?" He innocently asked when he saw her throwing daggers at her with her lethal green eyes. 

"You beat him?" Alcina questioned him while pointing at Jin Xian. 

Ryuu shrugged, "He was the last person who met you. When you disappeared without leaving any trace...it was natural that I would suspect him." 

"Liar. You know he can't abduct me," Alcina said, throwing another glare at him. "If he dared to, I would have crushed his bones right there. Still, you beat him. Just what the hell were you thinking? "

"Alcina I am taking my words back. This man is a devil. Leave him and look for a normal and gentleman," Jin Xian chimed in, much to Ryuu's irritation. 

Ryuu threw him an indifferent look which made Jin Xian shut her mouth immediately. 

"I'm sorry, Xian," Alcina apologized on Ryuu's behalf but that barrel of vinegar wouldn't. "How about I ask someone to send you back?"

"That would be appreciated," Huo Juan said with a gentle smile before Jin Xian could say. 

"Mr. Butler, please send few wine bottles from Ryuu's exclusive collection to Mr. Jin and Miss Huo," Alcina said after they left. She knew how painstakingly Ryuu had collected those bottles. They were not just bottles of wine but one could say that they were liquid gold to him. 

Strangely, he didn't complain like he usually would. It was only because Alcina was letting him touch her without making a fuss. 

"Are you still angry?" Ryuu murmured as they found themselves standing alone in the lobby of the Palace. 

"Sam was right when he called you a devil," Alcina replied. "You beat that poor man just because he went on a date with me." 

"Don't remind me of those two morons," Ryuu hissed. "I'm leaving this Jin guy since he has another woman...but I am telling you that you are not allowed to meet Sam. At least, not until his Alcina fever disappears." 

"And whose fault is it?"Alcina questioned him. 

Ryuu shut the distance between them by snaking his arms around her waist. Since he caught her all of a sudden, Alcina yelped in pain when his strong arms crushed him. 

"What happened?" His eyes suddenly sharp. He noticed her wincing when he hugged her before. Initially, he assumed that it was because he had hugged her too tightly. But now… 

"Did you hurt yourself?" He knew that it wasn't impossible for her to not get hurt. After all, their line of work involved killing and stuff. "Let me see." 

"Ryuu, I'm telling you that I'm fi-- Ah." Alcina couldn't help but yelp again as he accidentally touched her ribcage over her clothes. 

"I'm telling you, Cia. If I don't find you fine…." Ryuu dragged her to his bedroom despite her refusal. But he was so insistent that Alcina couldn't fight against him. Plus, she didn't have the energy to fight him. 

He made her sit on the side of the bed and tried to remove her turtleneck. "Ryuu, please. Don't remove this."

"What are you afraid of?" He asked while removing her turtleneck. 

"Nothing…" What could she say? He would go mad if he saw what she was hiding. 

"Do you not trust me?"

"Of course, I do."

"Then, let me do whatever I am doing." He was stubborn just like her. 

To say when Ryuu removed her top was shocked would be an understatement. He never felt so useless, so powerless before. It was as if he felt something pressing his heart… 

"Alcina…" He whispered.