Miracle sat in front of the mirror, staring at the reflection of her divine mark. It wasn't pure anymore. What was more devastating was that she barely did a thing worth the stain.She traced the softness on her lips, replaying the kiss scene she hid at the back of her mind. It was a playback. But the lingering sensation was still so strong that she could hardly breathe despite being the one and only living soul in her room."If this is how love feels like, then it's really evil," she muttered. "Why would you fall for a mortal, white dragon?""Love is never once evil."At first, she wasn't startled by the voice. 'Illusions,' she thought.But then it came again, and a presence was slowly emerging next to her shocked image."It's beautiful, Xue’er..."“You… You again. Who exactly are you?" Miracle held the back of her chair from toppling over as she stood up hastily. She was surprised to hear that her voice didn't crack like she thought it would. "And how did you know my real name?""I c
“… Mom?” Miracle finally pushed this word out of her throat. But sadly, her mother was no longer around to hear that.She touched the mark of the forbidden curse on her, feeling lost.What was she supposed to do now?Offer herself, or fight to survive?If she offered herself, there might still be a chance for peace to return.But if she were to fight back and things didn’t progress as how she wanted them to be, everything, everyone would be doomed.“Is this why Master hasn’t been willing to send me for the mission? Because he knows he might not see me again if he sends me away?”With a heavy sigh, she crouched down on the floor and buried her face in her knees, her mind in a complete mess.“I’ve known your mother for centuries.” Hayden walked in, his steps heavy. “But the very first time I saw her smile was when she talked about your father. For the first time, there was radiance in her eyes.”Miracle didn’t say anything.“Indeed, Long Shen gave her everything she needed to be a great
Adorned with hanging balloons, the ballroom of Heagen Hotel buzzed with the lively chatter of Stellaerians. Vibrant lights flickered, casting colorful patterns on the floor as upbeat music filled the air. A three-tier cupcake stand graced the grand entrance, showcasing layered cakes in various flavors—kiwi, cheesecake, and chocolate mint—each sliced into delicate portions. Upside-down wine glasses sat alongside juice dispensers, their labels reading orange and apple.Melvin was in full white, his slicked-back hair glinting with flecks of gold glitter. Thanks to the perfect proportions of his body, all eyes were drawn to him the moment he entered the hall.He was seductively hot.Even Christine, who was engaged in a conversation at the side of the water fountain, dropped her jaw at his charismatic appearance."Come on. I'm not bad either, okay?" Kingsley mumbled to himself as Melvin basked in the limelight with his suit.He wasn’t exactly willing to lend. But rather than getting all tho
Now that Miracle was aware of his real identity, it was easy to discern the difference in his energy. In the midst of the mortal breath he carried, there was a hint of evil immortality. Miracle moved away from the queue and held her breath for a second the moment she saw him standing by the side of the chocolate fountain, mingling well with the crowd as usual.He was dressed in a plain white T-shirt paired with a black-striped vest. One of the girls playfully poked his dimple, giggling about how nice it looked. Meanwhile, others clinked their wine glasses against his, engaging in a chat. He was so good at imitating an ordinary human that he'd probably win the Best Actor award if he were to be an actor.When he saw Miracle, he knocked his glass in the air, flashing her a crooked smile.Instead of responding to him, Miracle rushed back to her table."Wanna have a drink?" He came in her way, proffering her a glass of champagne."No thanks," she rejected and brushed past him."Hey!" He gra
Away from the hotel, Miracle ran into the night owned by none but chirps of crickets scratching the silence. The side slit on her black dress tore, struggling to keep pace with her agility. Howling gales battered her face, chilling the sweat trickling down her trembling chin. She shivered, shudders biting into her reforming human skin.One thing was clear.Beck's healing power wasn't enough to replenish the energy she lost. "I should've expected this." She came to a brief stop, panting. "Now what should I do?"Just as she let her guard down, sharp and distinct movements rustling the surrounding bushes echoed in her ears. It didn't sound like just one or two.But it was everywhere."Plan B, huh?"The green vengeful beasts flooded in, retreating Miracle to the center. Malodorous stench from their moans suffocated the air. The stares once belonged to the gatekeepers of Long Sheng Jie were no longer of any familiarity. At that moment, they wanted nothing more than the pearl of the white d
'Get the white dragon. Get the white dragon!'For the tenth time, the voice rang clearly in Melvin’s ears. It was so disturbing that he had to put down his juice to look for the source, though he knew it was going to be useless. He never found it. But he had to try, at least to let his inner self know that he was doing something to stop the creepy voice from pestering him.He looked everywhere.Restroom? No! Backstage? No! Under the table? No!If it wasn't for the coat covering his sweaty shirt, he'd probably look like some sort of lunatic."Hey, what are you looking for?" Jordan asked, lifting the laced tablecloth from the opposite end to meet his eyes."Nothing." He avoided his stare and went away.'There's no white dragon!' Melvin yelled in his mind.He sensed it smirk, having said no more.As he walked past the ongoing commotion, unaware of when it had started, he spared it a quick glance. The crowd seemed to be disturbed by something. While he had his eyes fixed on it, he stumbled
Drop by drop, her tears fell, etching tracks of despair on her pale face. At that moment, she was so fragile it seemed the chilly wind might carry her away at any moment. Her chest heaved up and down, each breath she took resembling an icy blade, stabbing mercilessly at her heart.She didn't want to believe what the truth was showing. But there was no escape. "Don't touch me," Miracle hissed when he came over to help her stand.Mynheex were gone. And there stood Melvin in silence, neither moving forward nor backward. She stared daggers at him, hating how he was still in his suit but no longer the same person she knew. His hair was a mess. The bow tie at his collar was split apart. Green slime was splotched all over him with hints of blood peeking through from his fresh wounds. "You knew I was a white dragon." She choked back her tears. "But you pretended to have lost your memories, pretended to be an ordinary mortal, pretended to be a victim…" Miracle pushed the words through her gr
Melvin wandered aimlessly along the desolate street. Lamp posts flickered as he walked past. No sight of stars. No shadows of humans. Dazed, he lost his footing and tripped over the uneven bricks of the cracked pavement. At this point, he didn't know what to do or where to go anymore.Should he go back to the Watsons? Would he be alive then? Would he still be the old Melvin if they were aware of his real identity?He didn't know, but the answer was most probably a no. Things wouldn't be the same anymore, no matter how hard he wanted them to be. He couldn't change the fact that he was a fallen angel. Their sworn enemy. His expression immediately hardened when he sensed footsteps approaching from behind. "Let's go home," said the voice. "Your real home." At first, he was reluctant to move. The countless lives and pearls that tainted his hands… Never had he imagined that craving for them would lead to regret, until Melvin stepped into his demonic life.But now everything was too late.
Layers of protection around the house were gone, and the silver fronds were nowhere to be found either. A strong tide of loss washed over her soul as Miracle walked in, her eyes reddening. His memory clung to every corner, stirring a deep pang of regret within her.The regret of failing to protect him."I wish you were here with us, Hayden. I wish you could see how we defeated the evils. I wish you could see how the world is right now. I wish..." She held back her tears. "I had protected you..."“I wish I had been there to save you, Mr. Watson, just like you did to me."Melvin moved in closer, his fingers gently intertwining with hers. She tightened her grip, her broken gaze, clouded with unshed tears, pouring out shades of guilt and sorrow she had for her half-mortal father."I miss him, Melvin."He patted her head and pulled her in
Her tears came falling down like rain. She did stop the war, but not the separation. The scene turned harder to bear when Maddie, too, was distorting in shape. He raised his hand and stepped back, stopping them from getting any closer.'Don't,' he mouthed.He had sought his revenge, and now he was ready to go.'It's time to meet my brother.' His voice echoed, distant and fragile, as the last solid piece of him dissolved away.Born as a fallen angel, one shall die as a fallen angel—this was the principle Arlyaen planted in them since the day they were born."Don't go?" Miracle whimpered, her voice barely more than a broken whisper as her tears slid through the fading form she could no longer hold onto."I'm sorry..." Melvin pulled her to him for one last deep, soulful kiss."I love you, Melvin," she uttered. “I’m sorry that I kept you waiting."He smiled faintly. “It’s worth the wait.”“I…”"Never did I know what warmth was until you melted my heart of stone, Miracle." His eyes misted o
At the back of her tongue, their blood surprisingly merged. Miracle drew in her brows. Something was awakening deep inside her, stirring a strange, fresh vitality.She sensed it. Her scars were healing, and her energy was recharging.As lightning rumbled across the tenuous clouds, it illuminated the pearl with a dazzling brilliance. Breaking away from their kiss, Miracle arched her body and gazed intently into the sky, as if the heavens themselves were reaching out to her.The glowing pearl floated from Melvin's palm, reaching for her chest, into the spot where it used to sit. Miracle jerked; her hands clenched into fists. Every part of her muscle contracted as her damaged blood vessels reconnected. They glimmered and wove back together, branching out in a frenetic dance and surging eagerly toward the pearl.Under the bright rays of the moon, her horns glinted. A wave of numbness washed over her soul. Her chest rose and fell with uneven breaths, each one more strained than the last. Fo
Any deeper was going to hurt her. He threw the poniard away. He couldn't do it. Not to her. "Don't do this to me..." he begged, pressing the pearl against her scaly chest. "Get in... Get in, please." But it wasn't obeying. "UGH! Damn it!" Melvin pulled her closer and buried his face in her neck, knowing it would only cause her more pain if he were to continue pushing it. "D-Damn it…" He raised his head and stared up above, hating the fact that the dragon girl in his arms was fading away. The night sky was in total darkness, resembling the loss of hope in marking an end to the recurring cycle. Right in the middle of the woods was the happening that mortals were never going to believe. Melvin sensed defeat. Nothing turned out as planned. The protectors of peace… were losing. Arlyaen walked to them, conjuring an electrified plasma ball in his hand. It was enlarging, giving off blinding sparks as the coruscating filaments extended from the center. "Owning the mortal wo
Now, a breath was all it needed to expose their whereabouts."Hyntece, you promised me you'd never be like Lryke. You said regaining status as an angel is what you've been dreaming of all this while,” Arlyaen said. There was a strong note of threat in his words."Show yourself, traitor!" Vyre lashed the underbrush around in a frenzy."Come back to me, my child." Arlyaen wrinkled his nose to sniff out the presence of his own member. "Only I can grant that dream of yours."Miracle craned her neck, trying to get a glimpse of the unfolding scene. Startled, Melvin quickly pressed her down, a finger to his lips, urging her to stay low.But that was it.The next second, a violent squall hastily swept in their direction, thrusting the grasses around them away. Miracle couldn’t help but slacken her jaw at the real appearance of the lord of fallen angels. His lids were topped with slimy scales. Streaks of thin vermilion branched to every corner of his reddened eyes, highlighting the deadly gla
Arlyaen jerked his hand slightly to the left, and the dagger swished past Melvin's bruised cheek, hitting the rock at the back. For a brief second, it seemed as if time had stopped.Until the screechy laugh sliced through the oppressive silence.He had won the deal.Red chains on Melvin's head clinked as he struggled to push his body up from the ground. He flashed the white dragon a terrified stare, his cracked lips quivering to speak."You shouldn't have thought that you had an option from the very beginning," Arlyaen said with strong hatred laced in his voice, "white dragon."Miracle avoided his eyes, guilt washing over her soul. She knew she was officially repeating the sin her mother had committed. For a fallen angel, she was going to betray her species, her mission, and the entire of Long Sheng Jie.The evil lord snapped his fingers. One of the hundreds of thumping capsules clicked open, dropping a raw heart into his hand—his fifth bloody meal, as far as she could remember."Let's
"Wait a little longer," he said to the twins in his office. "Wait? We don't have any more time to waste, Mr. Vincent!" Lyn exclaimed. The room fell into pin-drop silence again. Frowning, Beck took off his specs and cleaned them with the cloth he took from the drawer. Blueness in his eyes was exposed. Though he looked calm, no one knew how unsettled he was at the moment. Miracle was in Arlyaen's hands. Whether she was alive or dead was still uncertain. He knew better than anyone else that they should be on their move and not sit back and do nothing like now. But he was waiting for someone. "I don't care. Even if it's going to cost me my life, I'm going to storm their f*cking territory and bring back Miracle!" Lyn clenched her fists and shoved Kingsley's hand away as he tried to pull her back.Right then, a knock on the door broke the tension growing in the air. "Maybe I can be of some help."Hearing that, Beck loosened his stiff shoulders, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his
The sharp pain on her wet chest jerked her awake. Miracle darted her eyes around, only to be shocked by the clanks from her limbs tied to the trunk of an oak tree. The metal shackles on her drained her energy every time she tried to break them apart. Red impulses flowing along the tree weakened her cultivation. The dimly lit atmosphere laced with clamminess told her that this was somewhere she never wanted to be."Love has always been my best friend." The cold, hard voice came through before he walked into her view. "Because of love, I've never lost."His steps echoed, reverberating through the cave’s damp walls. She tensed as what happened last night came flooding the back of her mind—from discovering Nancy in the toilet to getting caught in their net and everything in between. When Arlyaen finally stood in front of her, icy shudders ran down her spine as her gaze fell on the increased number of claret chains on his head. Half of them were from yesterday.From her friends who were sti
"MELVIN!" Lyn roared and pounced on him. Expressionless, he cast his hand in her direction, sending Lyn hurtling through the air. She landed with a painful thud, her face contorted in agony as she scrambled to her feet. The blast continued to surge from behind and charge at her. She squeezed her eyes tight. It was too late to defend. But just as she thought she was going to be flung into the air again, the force halted. She turned around, her broken gaze filled with incredulity. Her lips trembled from trying to choke back her tears when tastes of betrayal, defeat, and loss blended together at the back of her tongue. Her steps swayed, tumbling her to the ground once more. Specks of dust rushed into her nose as she struggled to breathe."Don't do this to her," Lyn pleaded between gasps. "That's Miracle, Melvin. It's Miracle… Please, let her go…”For a split second, she was certain there was a moment of Melvin reflected in his ebony eyes before he looked away.“Nice job, my fallen angel