Ascension Of The Villain

Vyan and Iyana finally crossed the thin boundary they had been carefully threading around until now. Because what really was the point? There was practically nothing that should be keeping them apart, especially when they felt the same way about each other.

That was why they let their lips meet in a slow, deliberate kiss—the kind that carried all the emotions they had both kept hidden for so long.

Iyana turned in his arms, her hands instinctively wrapping around his neck, pulling him closer. Vyan's heart raced as he responded in kind, one hand sliding around her waist, the other tangling in her damp hair. He gently pulled her closer until there was no space left between them.

The kiss deepened, both of them losing themselves in the moment. When they finally parted for breath, they paused, their foreheads resting against each other's as they caught their breath.

"For our first kiss, that was pretty good," she whispered.

"Who said that was our first?" he teased, his voice hoarse.

Her eyes widened a little fraction. "It wasn't?"

"Three years ago. On your balcony. That was our first kiss."

Her lips twitched into a smile. "How amusing. I am getting to experience a first kiss all over again because I can't remember the original one. And it's," her voice dropped an octave lower, "with you again." She parted their foreheads, creating a small distance between them. "What about you?"

A grin spread across his lips. "As for me," he tucked a strand of her hand behind her ear, "I never have and neither do I want to taste any other lips other than yours."

Their eyes locked, a silent understanding passing between them—this was real, undeniable.

Without a word, they leaned in again, their lips finding each other once more. This time, the kiss was more urgent, more desperate.

Vyan let himself fall back onto the bed, pulling Iyana with him so that she was now lying over him. Their tongues met in a passionate dance, exploring each other with a hunger that neither had realized they had been holding back.

But it wasn't just passion—there was something tender in the way they kissed, a softness that spoke of feelings far deeper than mere desire. They didn't need to verbally say those three magical words for the other to understand. They both knew.

They loved each other.

Vyan's hands roamed over her back, memorizing the feel of her, the way she fit perfectly against him. It was as if they had been made for each other, two pieces of a puzzle finally coming together.

As they paused again for breath, Vyan rolled them over, catching her by a little surprise, so he was now hovering above her. He took a moment to admire the sight before him—her face flushed with warmth, lips swollen from their kisses, her hair a beautiful mess that framed her face perfectly. His gaze traveled down to her collarbone, where the skin looked so soft, so tempting.

Without hesitation, he lowered his lips to her neck, pressing soft, lingering kisses along her collarbone, feeling her pulse quicken beneath his lips.

Iyana's breath hitched, her fingers tightening in his hair as she arched into him, silently urging him on.

Vyan's kisses grew more fervent, his lips trailing down her neck. Each kiss felt like a silent declaration of the feelings he had kept buried until now. The world outside ceased to exist; there was only her—her warmth, her scent, her very presence filling him with a longing that went beyond words.

He could feel the tension in her body, the way she responded to his every touch, and it drove him to want more. He wanted to savor every moment, to memorize every inch of her.

But he knew it would be too soon, too impulsive to go all the way tonight. If they were going to commit each other to something, he wanted to at least wait till this Princess Maria fiasco was over and come clean to her.

He wanted Iyana to have the opportunity to step back if she wanted to. After all of this was over, he would confess his crimes to her and tell her how much he loves her.

If she still wanted to leave him, he would cry and beg her to stay, but… he would never deceive her.

Lying was an art to him, and he was quite proficient at it. But Iyana was the one person in the entire world whom Vyan never wanted to lie to.

So, until he could come clean to her, he would keep his desires in check.

But obviously, a few kisses never hurt. He deserved at least this much for wanting to stay honest with her, right?

———

Vyan stirred from his sleep and blinked groggily, his senses awakening as the warmth beside him shifted.

"Where are you going?" he mumbled, his voice still heavy with sleep as he reached out instinctively to find her.

Iyana had already slipped out of bed and was stretching her body. She turned to him with a teasing smile. "You can sleep peacefully on a horse, and this wakes you up?"

He only chuckled sheepishly in response.

She sighed fondly and said, "Anyway, I am supposed to meet up with my team at six. We are leaving for Myca. We need to continue the search for Princess Maria, remember?"

"Oh," Vyan murmured, processing her words. He rested his forearm behind his head and watched her standing a few feet away. "I miss you already."

She chuckled and remarked, "Okay, I didn't expect you to be the clingy type."

"I never claimed I wasn't," he grinned sloppily.

Noticing his disheveled state, Iyana leaned down and gently brushed his hair back from his forehead, her touch tender. "Well, if it makes you feel better, I will see you this evening when I return, for your testimony," she said softly.

"Yes, that does make me feel better," he replied, still half-lost in the lingering warmth of sleep. As she pulled away, ready to leave, he remembered something he wanted to get her permission for. "Oh, there is something I want to do before you get back."

Iyana paused, her curiosity piqued. "What is it?"

He met her gaze, his expression suddenly more awake, more serious. "I want to meet Fred."

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