Kat's heart raced as Lucain's face buried itself in the crook of her neck, his breath caressing her skin, and his grip on her waist tightened. Kat's breath became rigid, and she winced when she felt a sharp pain. Lucain sank his fangs into her neck, causing her to gasp and grip his shoulder, her fingers digging into his flesh. Lucain's eyes closed, savoring the taste of her warm blood. Kat remained frozen, her mind struggling to comprehend what was happening.
For a moment, everything was still. Then, she felt a new sensation - Lucain's tongue gently tracing the spot where his fangs had pierced her. The unexpected softness of his touch contrasted sharply with the pain, sending a shiver down her spine. Kat's breath hitched as waves of tingling warmth spread through her body, leaving her both confused and strangely drawn to him.
"What in the world is going on?" she wondered, her thoughts a chaotic blur.
Lucain pulled away slowly, his movements deliberate and unhurried. His gaze locked onto hers, as intense and unreadable as ever. The bite still burned on her skin, a strange blend of pain and something else she couldn't quite name.
She stared at him, wide-eyed, trying to process the whirlwind of sensations and emotions swirling inside her. For a moment, the world seemed to stop. Then, she noticed Lucain's gaze shift. Following his eyes, she watched as the Kelpie's mark on her shoulder - the hoof print - began to dissolve, like smoke spiraling and evaporating into thin air.
In seconds, the mark was gone, leaving her skin unblemished. A soft glow caught her attention, drawing her eyes down to her wrist. There, on her left wrist, a delicate light began to form, slowly shaping into an intricate pattern that curled into a small, elegant design. The glow felt almost warm against her skin, but it was the appearance of a similar light on Lucain's wrist that truly startled her.
Lucain's right wrist mirrored the same glow, his mark slightly different but clearly a counterpart to hers. The glow pulsed gently before settling into a faint, steady light.
"What... what is happening?" Kat whispered, more to herself than to him. Her voice trembled with a mix of awe and worry as she stared at the glowing marks.
Lucain met her eyes, his expression calm as always. "The Kelpie's mark is gone," he said simply, his tone dismissive.
Kat let out a small scoff. "Yeah, I can see that. But what is this?" She gestured to the new mark, then frowned and palmed the place where Lucain had bitten her. "And what was that about, you biting me?!"
Lucain sighed softly. "You don't need to worry about it. Just be glad you're not going to die." He stood up to leave, moving with his usual fluid grace, dismissing her previous question.
But Kat wasn't ready to let it go. She was surprised to notice that most of the pain she felt was gone, but she still felt a little sore. "Wait! You can't just leave me like this and expect me not to care!" she stated, blocking his path.
Lucain's gaze narrowed at the girl in front of him, though she was tall for a woman, her height couldn't compare to his. Kat stayed in that position, demanding an answer. When Lucain finally spoke, his words only confused her. "The spell will take effect soon. For your sake, you should be in bed."
Kat didn't understand what he meant, but suddenly she felt a wave of dizziness. Her body turned lax, and she tried to stand but ended up giving in and falling. Lucain caught her before she could hit the ground, lifting her up In his arms he carried Kat back to her bed with surprising gentleness. She was still partially awake, her head resting against his shoulder. Kat weakly reached for him, her eyes barely openwalking back to her bed. Kat's hands clung to his sleeves, her eyesight slowly closing. "What did you do to me?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. Exhaustion claimed her, and she drifted into unconsciousness.
Lucain now started at the sleeping gir in his arms, compared the way she was always weary and glaring Around him right now she looked vulnerable, her soft plump lips slightly parted as she muttered something, he could quite understand.
Placing her gently on the bed, Kat instinctively curled up when her body touched the soft mattress. The small, innocent action made Lucain chuckle softly. He stood over her, watching the steady rise and fall of her breath. In this vulnerable state, Kat looked markedly different from her usual guarded self. Her lips, slightly parted, moved as if she were speaking in her sleep.
Lucain turned to leave but stopped midway. He returned to her side and gently pulled the blanket over her, taking a moment to study her face more closely. Her delicate features and serene expression made her look almost like a black porcelain doll, a stark contrast to the fierce and wary spirit he was used to encountering.
His eyes traced the flow of her long, silky hair that fanned out across the pillow. He noted her dark, smooth complexion, which only enhanced her resemblance to a finely crafted doll. Lucain's gaze moved past her long, delicate lashes, down to her well-carved nose, and finally rested on her lips—plump and peach-brown with a hint of a pink undertone, shaped perfectly with a well-defined Cupid's bow.
Lucian he found himself lingering longer than he intended. His gaze swiftly moved away and his hands went to ruffle is already disheveled hair, a tired sigh escaped his lips and he went out of the room.
-----
The morning sun bathed the kingdom of Davorin in a warm, golden light. Kat stirred in her bed, turning with a groan as she slowly woke up. She blinked, her eyes fluttering open only to shut again quickly against the bright light. Suddenly, she sat up, gripping her cheeks tightly as the events of the previous night flashed through her mind.
"Why in the world would I have such a dream, and that too with the devil man!" Kat exclaimed, her cheeks growing warm with embarrassment. She let out a dramatic sigh, but her eyes soon fell on something that made her heart race, the intricate, tattoo-like mark on her wrist. "It wasn't a dream."
Kat's eyes widened as she inspected the mark, tracing its delicate lines with her fingers. She quickly got out of bed and rushed to her dressing table. To her shock, the bite mark from Lucain was still on her neck, a vivid reminder of the night's events. Touching it gingerly, she recalled the flashes of Lucain's fangs, his touch, and his enigmatic presence. "That perverted devil!" she exclaimed, trying to mask her flustered feelings with anger. If her skin weren't naturally dark, her face would be as red as a tomato.
When the image of Lucain's arm wrapping around her flashed in her head, Kat took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. Just then, a knock on the door broke her thoughts. She opened it slightly, just enough to see who it was without revealing too much of herself. Kat's eyes caught sight of Vivian, who had a look of worry.
"Good morning, Lady Kat," Vivian said softly, bowing her head slightly. Her eyes held a note of concern. "I heard you had some trouble last night. Are you well?"
"Good morning, Vivian," Kat replied, flashing a smile. "Yes, I'm fine. Just a bit tired, that's all."
Vivian hesitated, her brows furrowing slightly. "I was quite worried. You seem... different today. Are you certain there's nothing wrong? If you are having any trouble please let me help you get ready" Her voice was careful, reflecting her hesitation to intrude but her genuine concern.
"Really, I'm okay," Kat reassured her gently. "I just need some rest. Thank you for checking on me Vivian."
Vivian bit her lip, clearly wanting to make sure Kat was truly alright but knowing she shouldn't press further. "Of course, Lady Kat. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call for me."
"I will. Thank you, Vivian." Kat watched as Vivian bowed again and reluctantly left, her steps slow and her concern evident in her glance back before she disappeared down the hallway.
Kat let out a sigh of relief and shut the door. She quickly got ready, selecting a high-neck, long-sleeve dress to cover the bite mark on her neck and the intricate tattoo-like mark on her wrist. The outfit felt stifling, but it was preferable to having to explain the strange marks. She styled her hair up, hoping it would help her feel less constricted considering her full coverage dressing.
As she prepared for the day, Kat couldn't shake the feeling that something was serious wrong, it was like everything kept pulling lucain in her thoughts, and she wasn't liking it one bit.
Kat made her way to the dining room, pausing for a moment before opening the door. She took a deep breath and walked in, immediately meeting Lucain's gaze. He looked at her briefly before returning his attention to the newspaper he held. "Good morning, Miss Kat, how are you feeling?" Sebastian greeted her warmly as he pulled out a chair for her.
"Good morning, Sebastian. I'm feeling great, thanks for asking," Kat replied with a smile as she took her seat. She glanced at Lucain, who was seated next to her. "Good morning, Lucain," she greeted softly.
Lucain looked up and nodded in response. "Morning, Katherine. Seems you're all healed up." He commented as he sipped his tea. Kat noted that all the injuries from her encounter with the creature had vanished, though she suspected the mark on her wrist had something to do with it "thank you".
Suddenly, the memory of Lucain's pecking her forehead, causing her to choke on her piece of bread. She coughed, and before Sebastian could react, Lucain was already holding a glass of water out to her, his expression still as indifferent as ever. Kat took the glass, her choking gaze meeting lucains call one's for a moment. The reason for her choking was offering her water. Gulping the down the glass of water, kat could feel his intense gaze on her. Although everyone in the room seemed concerned, it was his stare she felt the most.
"Are you okay, Lady Kat?" Sebastian asked, noticing her flushed face. Kat nodded, placing the glass down "I'm fine, thank you" kat thanked and continuing her breakfast making sure to be more carefully. But her mind continued to race with thoughts and emotions, a mix of embarrassment and anxiety. She found herself stealing glances at Lucain, who seemed as composed as ever.
Lucain's eyebrows twitched slightly, and his expression turned to one of mild annoyance. "Your anxiety is disrupting my breakfast," he remarked without looking at her. Kat was taken aback; she hadn't made any sound or looked at him in a while. How could he know how ...?
The bond they had formed is called a soul tie. It allowed two people to share certain connections, one of which is sensing each other's emotions. When one party felt a strong emotion like fear, anger, or anxiety, the other could feel it too. This aspect of the connection was meant to alert them when the other was in danger. But since kat happens to be human, it was most likely she couldn't get much of a read on any of it but Lucain could And she was buzzing with emotions and the each of those emotions foreign to him, and he didn't like any of it.
"Here is the rewritten text with corrections and improvements:
"Go and prepare the king's breakfast," Sabastain ordered, and two of the maids bowed and left. At the mention of the king, Kat remembered that today was the day she was meant to start feeding Lucain's cat; it had completely slipped her mind until now.
Kat followed Sabastain through the guardian of the castle, each step taking them deeper into a part of the castle she hadn't explored yet. This part of the castle was unfamiliar to her, its corridors just as beautiful as the rest. They finally emerged into a lush garden, the greenery more vibrant and overgrown than anywhere else Kat had come across in the castle grounds. At the far end, partially hidden by towering trees and thick foliage, stood an imposing structure. It resembled a greenhouse, but instead of glass, it was constructed with sturdy bars.
Sebastian led her to the entrance, where two maids stood, looking nervously at the cage. Kat noticed how meticulously clean and well-maintained the interior was, with tiled floors and elegant touches that seemed almost too luxurious for a pet's home.
"Lucian really does over-exaggerate his pets," Kat muttered under her breath, marveling at the lavish setup.
As they approached the gate, she spotted a fluffy, white bed inside. At the edge of the bed, nestled snugly, was a small, black shape. "There's the cat," she thought with relief. It was curled up, seemingly taking a nap.
"Hey, kitty! Hey, kitty!" Kat called out, expecting the cat to respond to her voice. But the black shape didn't budge.
Frustrated, Kat turned to Sebastian. "Open the gate. I'll go in and get it myself."
The maids exchanged uneasy glances, their hands trembling as they reached for the lock. "Are you sure, my lady?" one of them asked hesitantly.
"Yes, I'm sure. What's wrong with you all? It's just a cat!" Kat insisted, her impatience growing. The maids nodded reluctantly and opened the gate, their fear palpable.
Kat stepped inside, the gate creaking slightly behind her but left ajar. The maids stepped aside, their eyes wide with apprehension. She approached the black cat cautiously, still calling out to it, but it remained motionless....