The Incubus System Chapter 1160. Meltdown Mode

The Incubus System Chapter 1160. Meltdown Mode

“Nope,” I replied, popping the “p” just to annoy her a little. Then I leaned forward, eyes narrowing just enough to make sure she saw I wasn’t playing around. “I’m a demon lord after all.”

Tiffany’s jaw dropped.

“I mean, not the demon lord who wrecked Lightglen City,” I added, pausing for dramatic effect. “I’m the one who saved it. That great demon… is me.”

Her expression? Absolute meltdown mode.

“H-how?” she stammered. “That’s impossible. But your dad is…”

“I know,” I cut in with a sigh, lifting my hands as if to say ‘welcome to my hell’. “It’s a long story. Demon blood. Weird heritage stuff. Bit of Nephilim backstory, you know how it goes.”

“No, Ethan,” she said, voice cracking, “I don’t know how it goes! Because none of this makes any sense!”

“I know,” I said, reaching for my soda and taking the most casual sip possible, “I should be working on a PowerPoint presentation to explain this,” I muttered.

She just stared at me, face caught between screaming and hysterical laughter.

“And don’t worry,” I added smoothly. “I don’t eat humans. So… relax.”

Tiffany blinked again, slowly processing every horrifying, confusing, and completely ridiculous thing I’d just said. “You… don’t eat humans.”

I nodded helpfully. “Nope. Normal steak sounds better.“

She looked like she wanted to throw a pillow at me.

“I told you,” I said with a shrug, grinning. “It’s a lot less exciting than the movies. Mostly, I just fight those rebellious demon lords and scare idiots who step out of line. I even have servants to handle the boring stuff.”

“Servants?” she echoed skeptically.

“Yeah, servants,” I said proudly. “Also, one of them breathes fire and occasionally explodes. Some are crazy. But most of them are normal.”

Tiffany stared at me like I’d grown a second head. Honestly, for a second, I half-expected her to reach for a holy symbol or start chanting a prayer.

“Look,” I said, scooting a little closer and patting her shoulder with mock sympathy. “I know this is insane, but on the bright side, at least I’m being honest now.”

She buried her face in her hands. “This is insane.”

“I know,” I agreed, nodding enthusiastically. “Welcome to my life.”

After a minute, she peeked at me through her fingers. “So… Ruby, Emma, Miranda… are they all demons too?”

“Yeah,” I admitted with a sheepish shrug. “But Emma’s human.”

Tiffany’s eyes narrowed, still half-skeptical. “So, just Emma? You're not secretly converting people into demons left and right?”

I snorted, leaning back against the couch cushions comfortably. “Come on, Tiff. Turning someone into a demon is not as easy as flicking a switch. It’s a whole ordeal. Trust me.”

She hesitated, biting her lower lip thoughtfully. Her eyes drifted briefly away from me, clearly contemplating something. Then, her voice softened, almost shyly. “Would you…ever turn her into a demon? Emma, I mean.”

My smile faded slightly. I understood her concern. Being human among demons wasn't exactly easy, especially with a family as complicated as ours. “No,” I replied softly, but firmly. “Emma stays human. I have certain rules and reasons if I ever consider turning someone.”

Tiffany shifted, tension flickering back across her face. Her eyes locked onto mine, and she took a shaky breath before blurting out, “What about me, Ethan? Would you turn me into a demon too?”

The question caught me off guard.

I froze, staring silently at her. My heartbeat quickened, and I carefully considered my next words. The playful atmosphere had completely evaporated, replaced by an intensity.

“It depends on you,” I finally said slowly, voice serious but gentle. My eyes never left hers. “If you wanted it… then yes. But if you didn't want it, absolutely not. I’d never force that decision on anyone.”

She swallowed hard, her eyes glistening slightly. “So that’s it? Just my choice?”

“Yeah. Your choice. All I ask is that you keep your mouth shut about what you’ve learned today.” My voice came out calm but laced with firm authority. “This secret… It’s not just dangerous for me. It could be dangerous for everyone around us, including you.”

She paused, clearly processing my words. “Just that?” she finally whispered, sounding slightly hurt. “Just keep quiet?”

I hesitated.

My heart thudded painfully. I knew she wanted more—needed more. She deserved honesty, even if it terrified me to give it. “And…” I continued slowly, forcing each word out carefully, “I’ll let you decide… what you want. I mean, about this—” I gestured awkwardly between us, “this relationship. If you want to forget everything, see me just as your stepbrother, pretend none of this ever happened… or…”

My words faltered. Tiffany moved closer, so close I could feel her breath softly brushing my cheek. Her voice was barely audible, tinged with both hope and apprehension. “Or what, Ethan?”

My pulse jumped erratically as her closeness clouded my thoughts. “Or…” I hesitated again, searching for words I knew were there but couldn’t quite grasp.

Damn, being an incubus and still fumbling like a nervous teenager was humiliating.

“Or whatever you want it to be,” I whispered finally, my voice barely above a breath. “Something more.”

She blinked slowly, her eyes darting between mine. “Something more?” she echoed quietly, her voice carrying a fragile, hesitant edge.

I nodded. “Only if you want that. But understand, Tiffany, it’s complicated. Dangerous even. This isn’t some fantasy novel where everything magically works out. I’m a demon lord. My world is darker, messier.”

She scoffed lightly, a small smile twitching at her lips. “As if my life isn’t already messy enough.”

A faint smile tugged at my lips, matching hers. “Fair point.”

She moved even closer, her eyes never leaving mine, holding my gaze captive. Her hand brushed softly against mine, fingertips lightly touching. “Ethan,” she murmured softly, her voice tender yet firm, “I don’t need protection from complicated. I need honesty. I need to know exactly where we stand.”

I swallowed hard, nodding slowly, my voice rough. “Then let me be clear. You matter to me, Tiff. More than I ever expected you to. More than is probably safe, given what I am. But this decision—it has to be yours.”