Author’s Note: Felix Culpa will be completed by Chapter 41. Yeah, odd number, I know, sadly I can’t help but split this supposedly one fine chapter into two parts. It was too damn lengthy (I was afraid you all started getting seizure). Well, hope you guys won’t miss out on today’s double update, tho. Love you baby aliens! <3

***

They stopped under a faint lamp along the side of the motel that faced several benches and picnic tables. Soot covered Seolhyun’s face. Dried blood dotted her cheeks. Hyejeong’s stomach lurched. “You were bleeding?”

She shook her head, casting her eyes back to the sky. “It’s not mine. It was a soldier’s. I... shot him.”

What little relief Hyejeong felt was overshadowed by what Seolhyun would still have to do if push came to shove. “Okay. All right.” She cupped her cheeks. “Stay here. I’m going to take a different form and get the keys. If anything looks fishy, you shoot first and ask questions later. Okay? Don’t use the Source unless you have to. They can track that stuff.”

Seolhyun nodded. Hyejeong noticed that her hands were fidgety. Adrenaline was still pumping through her, keeping her on her feet. Seolhyun would need a sugar overdose real soon. “I’m not going anywhere,” she said.

“Good.” Hyejeong kissed her, wanting to linger so as not to leave Seolhyun out there alone. But there was no way she could take her into the lobby like this. Sketchy people checking in or not, she was bound to draw attention. “I’ll be right back.”

“I know.”

Hyejeong still didn’t move. Her eyes searched Seolhyun’s weary ones, and her heart rate kicked up. Kissing her once more, Hyejeong forced herself to let go and then turned, heading back around to the front. She called up the image of one the guards and took his form. Memory supplied jeans and a T-shirt. All of it was a facade, like a mirror throwing off a reflection. Except the image Hyejeong reflected was fake, and if people looked too long and too hard, they started to see cracks in the disguise.

A bell gave a little ding as she entered the lobby. The air smelled of scented cigars. There was a gift shop to the right, several old chairs positioned in front of vending machines, and to the left was the check-in desk.

An older man waited behind the counter. His eyes were hidden behind thick glasses. “Hello,” said the man. “Need a room?”

Hyejeong approached the counter. “Yes. Got any available?”

“Sure do. Looking for a few hours or the night?”

“For the night, maybe two.”

“Well, we’ll start out with just one night and go from there.” He turned to the register. “We only take cash here. Nothing for you to sign and no ID required.”

Hyejeong dug into her pocket and opened up the wad of cash. Holy , what was Yuna doing carrying several thousands of Won with her all the time? She handed over the money. “Mind if I take a look at the shop?”

“Go ahead.” He nodded. “Room six, by the way.”

Nodding, Hyejeong took her change and the key to the room and headed over to the gift area. There was a stack of uni shirts with the words ‘I Have Seen UFO’ emblazoned in a bold green across the front. She grabbed a large one for herself and a smaller one for Seolhyun. There was a pair of jogging pants that would be a little big on her but would do. She picked a pair for herself and then turned, scanning for food.

Her eyes landed on a stuffed green doll with an oval head and large black eyes. She picked it up, frowning. Why in the world did humans think aliens looked like a whacked-out E.T.?

The motel manager chuckled. “If you’re into the alien stuff, then you’re in the right place.”

Hyejeong grinned.

“We get a lot of visitors here on their way to do some UFO watching.” His glasses had slid down his nose. “Of course, they don’t get into Nonsan Camp, but people like to get as close as possible.”

Hyejeong put the doll back and turned toward the food aisle. “You believe in aliens?”

“I’ve lived here my whole life, kid, and I’ve seen some crazy unexplainable things in the sky. Either it’s aliens or the government, and I’m not a big fan of the idea of it being either.”

“Me neither,” She replied, grabbing up as much sugar as she could find. She added a few other things that caught her attention. Before she headed back to the counter, she wheeled around and grabbed the stupid alien doll.

As she checked out, she kept an eye on the parking lot. Nothing had moved, but she was itching to get back to Seolhyun.

“There’s an icebox outside if you need it.” The man handed over the bag. “And if you need another night, just come on by.”

“Thank you.” Hyejeong turned, spying a clock above the counter. It was a little after eleven. Sure felt a hell of a lot later than that. And it was damn strange that the town was so dead this early in the night.

Back outside, she pulled the key out of her pocket and waited until she was around the corner before she slipped back into the Hyejeong who Seolhyun was familiar with.

Seolhyun was waiting where Hyejeong had left her, leaning against the wall, which put her back in the shadows. Smart girl. Seolhyun turned, smoothing her hands through her hair. “How did it go?”

“Great.” Hyejeong reached inside the bag. “Got you something.”

She tilted her head to the side as Hyejeong stopped in front of her. “A burger?”

“Better.” She pulled out the alien doll. “Made me think of you.”

A short, hoarse laugh bubbled out of Seolhyun as she took the doll, and Hyejeong’s chest did a funny spasm. She couldn’t remember the last time she heard Seolhyun’s laugh or anything that remotely sounded like one.

“It looks just like you,” Seolhyun said. “I’m going to name it Dongdong.”

“Um, sounds cute. Perfect choice.” Hyejeong dropped her arm over Seolhyun’s shoulders. “Come on, we’re on the right side for our room. Your shower awaits.”

Seolhyun held Dongdong close to her chest, sighing. “I cannot wait.”

The room wasn’t as bad as Hyejeong thought it would be. Recently cleaned, and the smells of vanilla and fresh linen were decidedly welcomed scents. Bed was a double, sheets turned down. A bureau across from the bed featured a TV, a small desk butted up to it.

Hyejeong sat the goodies on the table and checked out the bathroom. There were towels, soaps, and the essentials, which was good because her forgot about that. She returned to the room, finding Seolhyun standing there, still clutching Dongdong. It was ridiculous and weird and a thousand other things how cute she thought Seolhyun looked, covered in dirt, sweat, and blood.

“You okay with me taking the first shower?” Seolhyun asked.

Hyejeong smirked. “Yeah, get in the shower before I throw your dirty behind in there.”

Seolhyun wrinkled her nose at her and then placed Dongdong on the bed so the alien doll looked like it was about to watch some bad TV program. She then sat the gun on the nightstand. “I’ll be quick.”

“Take your time.”

Seolhyun hesitated a moment, looking like she wanted to say something, and then changed her mind. With one last long look at Hyejeong, she turned and disappeared into the bathroom. The hiss of the shower was so immediate it brought a smile to Hyejeong’s face. Like a lifetime ago, when she got to be her roommate.

Peering out from behind the thick curtains, Hyejeong wondered how long it would take for Yuna to find them. They were out. And they were never going back. She’d take out an army, burn down an entire city, and throw the world into chaos if she had to in order to keep Seolhyun out of that place.

Clutching the top of the towel, Seolhyun went back into the room. Hyejeong was at the window, her back straight. She turned at the waist, her gaze moving from the top of Seolhyun’s head to her feet. The light was on beside the bed, and it was dim, but when she looked at Seolhyun like that, it felt like a spotlight had been her. Seolhyun’s toes curled into the carpet.

“Feel better?” Hyejeong asked, not moving from the window.

Seolhyun nodded. “Much better. There may be some hot water left.”

One side of Hyejeong’s lips curved up. “I got you some clean clothes. They’re in the bag. I think you’ll appreciate the shirt.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s no biggie, baby.”

Seolhyun bit down on her lip. “Hyejeong?” She turned to her, eyes unnaturally bright. “Thank you for everything.”

Hyejeong was suddenly in front of Seolhyun, clasping her cheeks. Seolhyun in a startled breath as she lowered her forehead to hers. “You do not need to thank me for any of this. You would’ve never been in this situation if it weren’t for me. And you don’t need to thank me for something I wanted and needed to do.”

“This wasn’t your fault,” Seolhyun told her, meaning it. “You know that, right?”

Hyejeong pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I’m going to clean up. There’s food in the bag, too, if you’re hungry. If not, you should try to get some rest.”

“Hyejeong–”

“I know, Seolhyun. I know.” She dropped her hands and gave her that jerky smile of hers. “If anyone shows up while I’m in the shower, even Yuna, you don’t let her in, okay?”

“I doubt a door would stop her.”

“That’s what the gun is for. I don’t think she’s going to screw us, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

Hyejeong had a good point, but as Seolhyun watched her grab a pair of sweats and then disappear into the fogged-over bathroom, she loathed the idea of picking up that gun again. She would if she had to. She just hoped she’d never have to again, which was silly because, more than likely, the violence of her recent everyday life was nowhere near over.

Picking up the bag, Seolhyun brought it over to the bed. She sat down and started rummaging through it as the water kicked on in the bathroom. She looked up, her gaze falling to the closed door. A warm flush crept over her cheeks. Hyejeong was in the shower. Completely . She herself was in a towel. They were alone, for the first time in days, in a shady motel room.

The flush heated up, and Seolhyun groaned in exasperation.

What was she doing even thinking about that kind of stuff right now? Over the course of the last couple of months, she’d heard Hyejeong in the shower a million times over. This wasn’t a romantic getaway, though, unless running for your lives counted as .

The water shut off, and a second later Hyejeong came out with the sweats hanging low on her hips, and her skin was dewy, glistening. Seolhyun’s eyes were fixated on her peeking stomach and the drops of water running over the body. She herself was still only in a towel.

One dark eyebrow went up.

Emotion swelled inside Seolhyun like a balloon tethered by a fine string. She opened , but she didn’t know what to say. Muscles tensed throughout her body. Her belly felt like a nest of butterflies was about to take flight. She raised a hand, placing it on Hyejeong’s cheek. The slight chuckle tickled her palm and caused her heart to jump. She slid her hand over the curve of Hyejeong’s jaw and then down the cords of her neck to her shoulder.

Hyejeong jerked under her touch, and her chest rose sharply. “Seolhyun.” She breathed her name, said it like it was some kind of prayer.

Seolhyun couldn’t look away, and for a moment she was frozen, then she stretched up, placing against hers. The slight touch sent a shock through her system. Seolhyun moved her lips, familiarizing herself with the feel of Hyejeong. Strange, but it was like they were kissing for the first time. Her pulse was pounding, and her thoughts were in a heady, dizzy swirl.

Hyejeong slipped a hand through Seolhyun’s hair, fingers curling along the back of her head. The kiss deepened until Hyejeong’s taste was everywhere, and there was nothing but them, only them. The rest of the world fell away. None of their problems vanished, but they were put on hold as Seolhyun’s mouth opened for her. They kissed like they were famished for each other, and they were. Those kisses intoxicated her, and Hyejeong’s fingers moved over her jaw and down , delicately tracing a path.

But her hands were greedy and rushed as they slipped over Hyejeong’s chest, and Seolhyun followed the lines of her hard stomach. The way her touch affected her was marveling to her. She made a throaty sound, and Seolhyun melted.

Hyejeong eased her back, positioning her body over Seolhyun’s and supporting her weight on one arm, but only their mouths touched in the sweetest torture. They’d been intimate before, but right now it felt like the first time. Excited nervousness hummed through Seolhyun while her blood heated up.

Hyejeong lifted her head. Between the narrowed slits of her eyes, her pupils were like polished stone following the movement of her hand. Seolhyun’s insides tightened as Hyejeong’s fingers moved dangerously close to the edge of the towel. Each slow pass along the fabric had her pulse pounding. Her gaze traced over Hyejeong’s broad cheekbones and then got hung up on the perfection of her lips.

Hyejeong’s hand stilled around the knot Seolhyun had made in the towel, her eyes flicking up to hers. “We don’t have to,” she said.

“I know.”

“I really didn’t think that we would do this tonight–”

Seolhyun slipped into a grin. She silenced her by slipping her hands to the band of her pants, hooking her fingers under it. “You’re perfect. I want this, with you.”

A breath shuddered through Hyejeong. “God, I was hoping you would say that. Does that make me a terrible person?”

A little laugh came out. “No. It just makes you a Hyejeong.”

“Oh? Is that it?” She captured Seolhyun’s mouth again, then pulled back with a slight nip.

“Yes.” Seolhyun gasped. Her back arched as Hyejeong moved her hand down her front and then back up to the knot. “Okay. You’re more than just a Hyejeong.”

She chuckled deep.

Her breath was warm against Seolhyun’s swollen lips, scorching hot as it trailed down her neck. She pressed a kiss to where her pulse pounded. Seolhyun closed her eyes, happily swept away in the rush of sensations. She needed this. They needed this. A moment of normalcy, of just Hyejeong and her, together like they were supposed to be.

She kissed Seolhyun as her fingers worked the knot loose, distracting her as she parted the towel. Goose bumps followed the cool air rushing over Seolhyun’s body. As Hyejeong lifted up, her gaze chased away the tiny bumps, searing Seolhyun from the inside out. The edges of her body blurred into a faint whitish light. “You’re beautiful.”

Seolhyun thought about her s.

“Every part,” Hyejeong said, as if she read her mind.

Maybe she had, because when Seolhyun tugged her closer by the band of her pants, she obliged, fitting her body to hers. Bare chest to bare chest. She tangled her hands in Hyejeong’s hair as she wrapped a leg around her hips.

Hyejeong took a sharp breath. “You drive me insane.”

“Feeling is mutual,” Seolhyun rasped out, tilting her hips up against hers.

The muscles in Hyejeong’s arms bulged as she made a sound deep in . The set to her jaw was hard, the lines of tense as she slipped a hand between them. Those clever fingers went from soothing to breath-stealing in a second, and Seolhyun felt the coiling deep–

A bright yellow light suddenly flooded the room, shattering the moment.

Hyejeong was off her so quickly, she stirred the hair around Seolhyun’s temples as she shot toward the window and peeled back a small section of the curtain. Seolhyun scrambled up, smacking the mattress until she found the towel, covering herself as she darted off the bed, grabbing the pistol.

Terror climbed up. Had they found them already? Seolhyun twisted to where Hyejeong stood, as she still clutched the towel around her. Her hand shook so badly the pistol rattled.

Hyejeong let out a long breath. “It’s just headlights. Some pulling out of the parking lot.” Letting the curtain fall back into place, she turned. “That’s all.”

Seolhyun’s hand tightened around the gun. “Headlights?”

Hyejeong’s gaze dropped to what Seolhyun held. “Yeah, that’s all.”

The gun felt glued to her hand. Her heart was still pumping fast with residual terror, and that horror was slow to drain from her veins. It hit her then, in startling clarity, that this was what their lives had been reduced to. Flying into defense and panic mode every time headlights came through a window or someone knocked on their door or a stranger approached them.

This was it.

Her first reaction to headlights would be to grab a gun, to get ready to shoot. To shoot to kill if necessary.

“Seolhyun...?”

She shook her head. A fire crawled through her stomach, up . Tears burned her eyes. So many thoughts raced through her mind. Pressure clamped down on her chest, tightening around her lungs with icy fingers. A shudder rolled down her spine.

Hyejeong was in front of her in an instant, gently and carefully peeling her fingers away from the gun. She placed it on the bedside table. “Hey,” she said, cupping Seolhyun’s cheeks with both her hands. “Hey, it’s okay. Everything is okay. No one is here but us. We’re okay.”

Seolhyun knew that, but it was more than headlights in the night. It was everything. Everything piled up on her, the tangy fear that never eased, the dread she had woken up with every day, the exams, and the stress tests. The pain of the scalpel and the horror of watching the mutated humans die. It all cut through her. The harrowing escape where she shot people– real, live people who had families and lives of their own, and she knew she’d killed at least one of them.

And then there was Jieqiong... and Jimin...

“Talk to me,” Hyejeong pleaded. Her eyes were full of concern. “Baby, tell me what’s going on.”

Turning her head, Seolhyun closed her eyes. She wanted to be strong. She’d told herself over and over again that she had to be strong, but she couldn’t get past everything.

“Hey,” Hyejeong said softly. “Look at me.”

Seolhyun kept her eyes squeezed shut, knowing that if she looked at her, the balloon that had been so full and tethered so delicately would burst. She was wrecked inside, and she didn’t want Hyejeong to see that.

But then Hyejeong turned her face to hers and dropped a kiss on the lids of Seolhyun’s closed eyes and said, “It’s okay. Whatever you’re feeling right now is okay. I got you, Seolhyun. I’m here for you, only you. It’s okay.”

That balloon burst, and Seolhyun lost it.

***

Hyejeong didn’t know how much time passed before Seolhyun settled down, until the tears seemed to dry up and her ragged breathing evened out, and she’d exhausted herself into sleep. Minutes? Hours? She didn’t know.

She got Seolhyun under the covers, and she stretched out beside her, tucking her warm body close. With Seolhyun’s cheek against her chest, she kept running her hands through Seolhyun’s hair, hoping that the motion could reach her in her sleep and would soothe some of her troubles. She knew Seolhyun liked it when she played with her hair. It seemed like such an insignificant thing, but it was all Hyejeong had at that moment.

At some point, she drifted off to sleep. She hadn’t wanted to, but the last six or so hours had taken their toll. She had to have slept for a couple of hours, because when she opened her eyes, daylight streamed in through the gap in the curtains, but it only felt like minutes.

And Seolhyun wasn’t beside her.

Hyejeong blinked quickly, rising up on her elbows. Seolhyun was sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed in the shirt and pants she’d found last night. Her hair fell down the middle of her back, the waves shifted as she swiping the gun off the table. “Good morning baby. Did I wake you up?”

“Good morning. Seolhyun, what are you up to with the gun–“

“There’s a Felix here.”

“Huh? Are you sure?” Hyejeong stood quickly as a knock rattled the motel door.

Seolhyun really needed to pull it together. Taking a deep breath, she nodded.

Hyejeong prowled to the door silently, with the grace of a lethal predator. Inching closer, Seolhyun told herself she was ready to use this gun. Using the Source, which was just as dangerous, would be too risky. Shooting a gun would draw attention, but hopefully only the local kind.

Hyejeong leaned in, peering out the peephole. “What the hell?”

“What?” Seolhyun’s heart skipped a beat.

Hyejeong looked over her shoulder at her. “It’s Jaejin, the Felix who was with Hong.”

It took Seolhyun a moment to remember who he was, the really handsome Felix who had been with Hong at his club. “He’s a friendly?”

“We’ll see.” Hyejeong squared her shoulders and cracked the door open. “Surprised to see you all the way out here,” she said.

“Should you be?” came the response.

“You tell me. Why are you here? And why shouldn’t I blast you into next week?”

Seolhyun’s palm was sweaty around the gun.

“Because that would draw way too much attention,” Jaejin replied in his smooth voice. “And besides, I’m not alone.”

Hyejeong must have seen someone else, because her shoulders relaxed, and she stepped aside. “Well, come in.”

Jaejin stepped through the door, his strides long and sure. He took one look at Seolhyun holding the gun. “Nice shirt.”

Seolhyun glanced down, forgetting she was wearing the silly UFO shirt. “Thanks.”

Then Yuna popped in, in her true form, looking fresh and sharp. Not at all like someone who’d spent the night running around. What a Gwynth. She looked at Hyejeong after did that i-know-what-you’re-thinking wink at Seolhyun. “Were we interrupting?”

Hyejeong’s eyes narrowed as she closed the door. “What’s going on?”

Yuna reached into her jeans and pulled out a glass case, handing it over to Hyejeong. “Here is the PD-11. I thought I’d let you do the honors.” She looked at Seolhyun. “Are you going to shoot me, girl?”

“Sorry,” Seolhyun lowered the gun and sat on the edge of the bed. “Where have you been?”

Yuna frowned as Jaejin milled about, casting a distasteful sneer at the room. “Well, I did have a busy night keeping half the military off your tracks. Then when I was heading back to meet you, I ran into your friend here.”

“I wouldn’t consider him a friend,” Hyejeong said as she came to stand beside where Seolhyun sat.

Jaejin placed a hand against his chest. “You wound me.” He huffed as he hopped up on the desk. “Do you guys really think that Yuna enjoyed being Icarus’s perfect little example of how a Gwynth should be?”

“I guess not.” Hyejeong sat beside Seolhyun. “And I guess Hong didn’t, either.”

Jaejin raised a slender shoulder. “And I guess you didn’t enjoy being their perfect, little mutant-maker?”

“Oh, yeah, and Choa was totally loving you.” Yuna folded her arms. “You were her all-star Felix. How many humans did you mutate in the short period of time there? More than any other Felix has.”

Hyejeong stiffened. “That really has nothing to do with this.” She looked at Jaejin. “And where is Hong?”

Jaejin smiled. “He’s around.”

Seolhyun’s eyes narrowed. “Wait, Yuna, do you know who Hong is?”

“We didn’t have a lot of time for questions, but I gave her the very short version,” Jaejin winked. “That you guys owed Hong a favor. The Perdix.”

Yuna sent the other Felix a dark look. “Thanks, Jaejin, but escaping Icarus is not easy. Myungjoo could’ve run a hundred times over, but they would’ve found me as Yuna. Choa & Choi are going to be more concerned about finding Hyejeong and Seolhyun. I’m not going to be at the top of their priority list.”

Some of the tension sipped in Hyejeong’s skin. “Choa had said that there were other Gwynths out in the world pretending to be normal humans.”

“There are some,” Yuna confirmed. “I doubt they’ll be a problem right now. They have high-profile lives, so they won’t come near of any of us.”

Seolhyun shivered at her tone, but then she thought of what Yuna had told her.