로그인Who can feel the tension… 😝🥵
Kieran’s POV The human woman bustles about her home and gently urges us to sit. She attempts to straighten the lace table runner laying in disarray atop the oak dinette. When she spots the collection of debris and mud smeared into its surface, a sigh of frustration escapes her lips. “I’m Bella,” she says in an attempt of introduction, and her eyes land on the soiled lace. Embarrassment stains her cheeks. “Please excuse the mess. I was hoping to have things looking a bit nicer for your arrival.” She collects the dirtied cloth and glances down the deserted hallway, no doubt searching for the two men who hastily disappeared the moment we entered the cottage, one of them being the cloaked man. I can hear the timbre of their voices from rooms away, but the words are muffled, as if they’re both speaking behind a wall of glass. “C-can I offer either of you anything to eat or drink?” she tries again, gesturing to the well-worn couches. Neither of us responds. The silence unnerves her,
Caius’ POV Raymond kicks his muddied boots onto Bella’s coffee table. The movement snags the table runner, and one of her intricate, homemade baubles tumbles to the floor. I catch it just before it shatters, gently securing it against my palm. Bella loosens a breath when I hand the ornament back to her. “Thank you,” she sighs softly. “This is a family heirloom, you know. Passed down generation after generation. It’s one of the only things I packed for sentimental value when the vampires attacked our town.” She opens her palm to show me. It’s a purple trinket, delicately painted with flecks of silver and gold. She tilts it from side to side, and the colors transform. Names shimmer beneath the surface of purple glass, only visible when the light hits it just right. “My mom had it made for us,” she explains. “It has the names of each member of my family. Me, my two brothers, my mom, and my dad. At the time we teased her for it. Why get such a thing made? We all knew our names.” H
In the speck of time that follows the vampire’s command, the world blurs. Within me, the withering ribbons of humanity shudder, curling in on themselves to make way for an unfamiliar, heavy darkness. It seeps through my being, blotting out my consciousness like overzealous ink to parchment. Whether it’s the threat in and of itself, or the threat to the safety of Klaus and myself, it triggers the half me which Mr. Consulate refers to as ‘the demon.’ I become a monster. There’s no anger. No fury. There’s no emotion. It’s merely a primal instinct to fight the threat. To win and conquer. I lower to my haunches, hissing and mentally capturing the movements of our enemies. The Secondary guards raise their weapons, poised for attack. Klaus lets out a labored breath beside me. Despite years of training, he is the weaker species. No amount of training could equip him for this type of battlefield. A battlefield where the enemy is a species I was told was extinct. Klaus attempts to mo
Caius’ POV Beau nibbles at the keratin of his fingernail. He bites off a sliver and spits it to the side. The nail particulate embeds itself into the muddy floor beneath our feet. It is a grotesque process as his nervous gaze twitches to cover all possible angles. The trees, the brush, the road. A cloud of angst follows his movements, a shadow of emotion to mirror his every step.“It shouldn’t be taking this long,” he mutters. “We should have heard something by now.”Bella’s features pinch with worry. Rather than pace with her human counterpart, she remains at my side.“Lady Mary walked us through the plan,” she soothes, using Bonnie’s code name. “This was the only portion she couldn’t pin-point with a specific time. She didn’t know how long it would take for Mr. Secondary…”“Kieran,” I correct icily.Beau flashes me a warning glare. Perhaps the only thing worse than hearing Kieran’s title alongside Caspian’s is seeing him alongside Mr. Consulate.“Kieran,” Bella corrects with a gu
Kieran’s POV My mind continues to drift. It’s as if each of my thoughts are splinters of wood floating across the ocean’s surface, each of them being pulled to the heavy current that begins and ends with the hooded man. I pick apart the vivid memory, memorizing each of his features as best I can. Even with my immortal abilities, I know I’m not immune to the fragility of a moment captured in the mind’s eye. As time evolves, memories twist and contort, shaping themselves to suit the needs of the minds they serve.I want to preserve this one as best I can to preserve him as best I can.Mr. Consulate leads us through the small market, delivering on the promise he made at the conclusion of his speech. Hope bled from the eyes of Secondaries and Humans alike as he spoke of peace and a new world. A better world. They believe this is an honor to have his presence in a place where they create and maintain their livelihoods. I see this stroll for what it really is, an opportunity to indu
Kieran’s POV Mr. Consulate adjusts his vest, sweeping his fingers along the thick material embroidered in swirling patterns of gold. A Secondary bracelet dangles from his wrist, shimmering and flickering its dazzling shades of silver as he fusses over his appearance.“This is a big day for us, Kieran,” he says, eyeing me in the mirror. “Being able to announce and celebrate our union with our entire kingdom.”His pointed features cast shadows beneath his dark hair and sharp, light eyes. I imagine there are a great number who appreciate his appearance. Regal, handsome, and confident.I spare a glance to my own reflection from behind him. A slender stature and pale face stare back at me, illuminated beneath the dim lighting. Their masculine features remain unresponsive to Mr. consulate’s excitement, save for the slight tensing of a pronounced jawline.I blink and run a hand through the thick strands of hair that have been styled to the side. My tunic and vest match Mr. Consulate’s.
Caius’ POV The presence of his breathing rattles me, it's a constant reminder of the presence of his essence. I watched as he filled his lungs with air for survival. I watch as he breathes in my essence, filling himself like an appetizer after a long meal. The drop of blood slipping down his bot
Kieran’s POV.I stare deep into Caius' red blooded eyes as fear curls around my chest, curling around it so tightly I barely have the strength to breathe. The variations of colour in his eyes makes my entire being tremble from deep within me. And I know the reason behind this colour. He's hungry
Kieran’s POV.Three days later, sliding my finger lazily across the carpet in search of my drink, I frown as I bring it to my lips. There's not so much left, so I'm forced to lap the froth caked around the rim. Beau plays his piano in the background and once in a while, he scribbles down notes acr
Professor Evans is one of the youngest lecturers in the academy. And that makes it easier to be able to confide in him. He understands young adults and sees things from our own point of view. And that’s one of the reasons he is my best history lecturer to ever exist. He turns sharply from the pul







