Kat lay in bed, feeling chills despite the warmth of the room. She shivered slightly, too weak to pull the blanket over herself. Staring at the ceiling, her expression became passive as she replayed her morning's events. Lucian's contradictory behavior was becoming more overbearing. One moment he was indifferent and like a brick wall, and other times he deliberately teased her to annoy her. Lately, he had been acting weird. " What could he really be up to?."
Her mind trailed back to how he had gently tried to embarrass her last night, patting her back. She could feel how stiff he was at first, showing he didn't exactly know what he was doing. She couldn't deny the gesture was surprisingly soothing. Yet again, her thought shifted to his remarks at breakfast about coming to her room in the middle of the night in front of everyone at breakfast. Her cheeks burned with a mix of shame and annoyance, and she clenched her fists.
"What is he thinking?" she muttered weakly, her voice barely above a whisper. She sneered at the memory of his smug, relaxed face. She wanted so badly to punch it right now. 'How could I have even thought he might be changing? He's simply the same vile, heartless devil.'
Lost in her thoughts, Kat was brought back to the present by the sound of her door creaking open. She wasn't surprised as she was expecting the doctor's arrival, perhaps with Sebastian accompanying him.
The door opened, and the doctor entered first. Kat was taken aback for a moment at the sight of a young man, not much older than she was. He was tall, like most men she had encountered here, with a slim yet attractive figure and broad shoulders. He was undoubtedly handsome, and his demeanor was calm and composed but still held warmth. His neatly styled brown hair and warm, kind eyes immediately put her at ease. He carried a medical kit and bowed slightly upon seeing Kat, offering a warm smile. "Good morning, my lady. I'm Dr. James Arlen."
Disliking the feeling of appearing weak, Kat gathered her strength and sat up slightly, masking her discomfort. She managed a faint nod and a muffled "Good morning" in response. Dr. Arlen's friendly demeanor and gentle smile made her feel somewhat relaxed.
Lucian followed Dr. Arlen into the room, his expression seemingly relaxed yet indifferent. Unlike the usual intense air around him he seemed more relaxed, he walked around her bed, his hands casually tucked in his pockets, and took a seat on the chair next to her bed. Sebastian entered last, standing quietly by the door, ready to assist if needed.
Dr. Arlen began his examination, checking Kat's temperature and observing her symptoms with ease. As he worked, taking in her appearance, he asked, "Have you experienced anything out of the ordinary recently? Any encounters that might have led to your condition?"
Kat's lips parted to respond, but Sebastian, standing nearby, stepped in to answer. "Yes, she had a bit of an ordeal recently," he said calmly. "She's been through some stress, which might have contributed to her condition."
Dr. Arlen nodded thoughtfully, continuing his examination. He took Kat's pulse and felt her forehead, his brow furrowing slightly. "That could certainly explain it," he said, his voice calm and reassuring. He glanced up, meeting Kat's gaze briefly with a reassuring smile. "I'll do my best to help you feel better my lady."
Lucian, sitting comfortably nearby with his legs crossed, observed them. "She took a dip in a little water, at the time of the evening" he uttered simply, with a hint of sarcasm only Kat caught.
Kat's mind briefly wandered to the recent event, the creature, and the icy water still vivid in her memory, and the lingering chill that seemed to have settled in her bones. Lucian's casual mention didn't fully capture the intensity of her experience with the deadly creature. She narrowed her eyes, sending a sharp glare at Lucian.
The doctor didn't fail to notice and was taken aback. Though he didn't know the king well, he knew no one dared disrespect or anger him if they wanted to keep their heads attached to their necks. He had heard a few rumors about the lady in front of him—how daring she was with the king and her closeness to the royal family—but he had doubted their truth.
One of the rumors was also mentioned how beautiful the lady was, and as he stood before her now, his eyes scanning her features, she was even more beautiful than he could have imagined. Even in her state, her appearance was still captivating. It was understandable that even a stone-hearted devil like the King of Davourin would take an interest in her. A faint blush rose up his cheeks.
Arlen was surprised when the king followed into the lady's room to begin with, but at the same time, the king's expression didn't really tell much like he cared about her. Perhaps the poor thing was just to entertain him and quench his thirst. The doctor sighed inwardly, a bit disappointed.
"Winter isn't here yet, so it's unusual to catch a cold like this," the doctor continued. "But stress and exposure to cold can certainly make one more vulnerable."
Lucian's gaze flicked to Kat, his expression unreadable. "She'll be fine with some rest and warmth," he said nonchalantly, and Dr. Arlen nodded in agreement.
As Arlen continued his examination, he spoke to Kat in a gentle, conversational tone. "Did you manage to have any breakfast this morning?" he asked, his concern genuine.
Sebastian shook his head. "She could barely eat anything. Just sipped some tea."
Kat didn't have a problem with Sebastian responding for her as she tried to preserve the little strength she had.
The doctor frowned slightly, then nodded. "It's important that she eats something before taking any medication," he advised. "We'll make sure she gets a light meal soon."
Kat noticed how kind Arlen seemed. He was fairly handsome, though she had to admit he was still nowhere close to a match for the handsome devil king who sat by her bad. She glanced at Lucian again and saw his eyes narrowing, his gaze darkening slightly. She furrowed her brows, wondering what it was, he was calm a moment ago. 'Sigh... trying to understand this man would only drive me insane'. The doctor must have felt the king's intensely sharp yet calm gaze, and he broke into a cold sweat under Lucian's watchful eyes.
Dr. Arlen, now visibly nervous under Lucian's intense scrutiny, finished his examination and stood back. He gave Kat a charming smile. "You should rest as much as possible," he advised. "I'll prescribe some medicine that should help with the fever and chills. Make sure to eat something before taking them."
Kat returned his smile, making the man's heart skip a beat. Arlen reached out and gently patted her head, a gesture that was a result of him getting carried away by the girl's smile. "You'll be back on your feet in no time," he added with a smile.
Lucian clicked his tongue in distaste, his eyes narrowing further. His gaze was sharp, almost piercing, as he watched Dr. Arlen interact with Kat. The subtle shift in the atmosphere did not go unnoticed, making Dr. Arlen glance nervously at the king.
"Is there something wrong with her head as well?" Lucian asked sarcastically, his voice calm but carrying a darker undertone. A smile graced his lips, but it only added to the doctor's feeling of dread.
Dr. Arlen quickly bowed, realizing his mistake. "No, Your Majesty. My deepest apologies for my forwardness."
Sebastian, always quietly watching as nothing passed his calm gaze, stepped in smoothly. "I'll escort Dr. Arlen out," he offered, guiding the doctor toward the door. Dr. Arlen, visibly relieved, followed eagerly, happy to leave the king's daunting presence. Before he left, Kat thanked him softly. He nodded politely, part of him wishing the lady wouldn't speak to him further. Not daring to say more, he nodded lightly and left.
Once they had left, the room fell silent. Kat looked up at Lucian, her expression a mix of curiosity and annoyance.
"Aren't you meant to be busy with some pressing work or something else? And did you have to scare the poor doctor like that?" she asked, a hint of irritation in her voice.
Lucian tilted his head slightly, an action that was starting to have an effect on Kat even though she didn't want it to. His eyes held little to no emotion as they locked onto hers, but his lips still held the smile. "You need not worry about how I spend my time, Kathrine." His gaze fell on the moon necklace that laid between her delicate collar bones. "And why are you bothered by the doctor you just met a while ago?" he asked softly, his voice carrying faint displeasure and a lingering threat.
The sudden change in his demeanor was startling. Kat felt a wave of dread wash over her, but she stayed calm, But the feeling only lasted a moment, and the atmosphere grew subtle again.
"Is a reason needed? He simply seemed like a nice person." Lucian didn't respond and just hummed. "You wouldn't understand since you barely have any humanity in you, let alone a flicker of care," she commented.
Lucian didn't seem at all offended by her words. If anything, he seemed to take mirth in it, making Kat roll her eyes.
Kat's gaze moved to her wrist when she realized her sleeve had slightly been raised above her wrist and the tattoo must have been exposed all this while. It wasn't like she had a issue with people seeing she had a tattoo, but if anyone where to see the same thing on Lucian, it would most definitely give the wrong impression and could start of some new drama she wasn't looking forward to.
"There was no need to hide it in the first place. No one can see the mark but me and you." Lucian stated luxurly and lined on the chair.
Kat let out a sigh, 'I really don't have the strength to deal with him
"Why didn't you mention that before?" she said, clearly annoyed.
Lucian shrugged. Kat sighed again, rubbing her temples. This crazy man.
"So, no one else can see this except us?" she asked again to clarify. Lucian nodded in response, ''it would have been great if you could have mentioned this earlier''.
''mmm, now what would be the fun I that''.
Kat lips pated to speak but no words came out only another tired sigh. "I see," Kat muttered, her finger tracing the delicate black pattern. She now found herself curious about the little carving on her wrist that she shared with this man.
The mark had an intricate, almost mesmerizing design that seemed to shimmer slightly, like it held secrets within its lines. It was both beautiful and troubling. ' my thoughts about this bond is really conflicting, though it did save my life, yet I know nothing about it.'
Lucian watched her closely, his eyes following her every movement as she traced the pattern. There was a fleeting change in his gaze, but it disappeared as quick as it appaired.
"you motioned it is a bond stronger than that creature's bond. So, what type of bond is it...?" Lucian heard Kat ask, her brown eyes now staring at him demanding explanation.
Lucian had expected she would get curious so, and he look back at her his face still holding the not so genuine smile. " the bond i placed on you, is more than centuries old, long forgotten, people don't have the knowledge of such a link, It's called a soul bond," Kat muttered the word 'soul bond' before she frowned '' if its so ancient how do you know it?'' Kat asked raising a brow even though Lucian was a vampire she had no doubt he wasn't that old or was he..?.
''well aren't you a curious cat, that information isn't of importance, I'm in quite a good mood at the moment so I will share a little knowledge with you, Lucian said in a tone like he had just given her a great privilege to listen to him speak and Kat wanted to roll her eyes, but she chose not to testing his mood might lead to her not being told anything about the bond and truly this was one of the few times she had heard Lucian say speak more than few sentences most times he said not more than a few words and some times nothing at all.
''When the soul bond is formed, it ties the souls of both people together, much like a covenant, with different advantages..."
Lucian couldn't continue as Kat interrupted, her eyes wide slightly, and she side-eyed Lucian. "Soul tie... covenant... No, don't tell me. What did you do?" she asked, her eyes starting to glare at him.
"Oh me?. I saved your life," Lucian said plainly. Kat took a deep breath, her fingers spread across her forehead, gripping both sides of her temples.
"It's a bond for lovers..." Kat uttered, starting to realize, still in disbelief. "So, let me get this straight," she said, her voice edged with sarcasm. "You slapped this mark on me to save me from dying with that Kelpie, and now I'm stuck with this 'Soul Bond' thing?" She asked as loudly as she could manage, she was loosing her straight. 'That explains why he's been plaguing my thoughts like a plague,' she thought in between.
Kat's eyes squinted as she continued to look at the mark on her wrist, beautiful yet problematic, her frustration growing. "Okay... Well, great. The bond served its purpose. I'm alive, breathing, a little shaken up, nothing I can't get through." Kat pinched all her fingers together on each hand, taking a deep breath. She turned to Lucian, intertwining her fingers, with a not-so-steady smile on her lips. "But what I cannot get through is you not being able to get rid of the soul bond. I most definitely refuse to be linked to you in any way, so I don't know... Do you, like, reverse the whole biting thing or just bite me again, and it goes away? So..." She paused, remembering the pain she felt when his fangs pierced her skin. Though, she could barely think of the pain back then as her heart kept racing and her thoughts were a blur. She could feel her cheeks get warm at the thought.
Lucian found himself unable to respond for a moment, just staring at her blankly. He had never paid much attention to Kat, but listening to her now and the way her expressions kept changing, he couldn't help but find her amusing, and he chuckled, a slightly held-back laugh caught in his throat.
Kat paused for a moment. She wasn't sure if she had just seen him laugh or if it was something else.
Lucian learned back against the chair, his eyes staring straight at her, looking unbothered. "Now don't be so ungrateful Katherine, not to someone you owe your life too, as I was the one who stopped you from dying, only with my own motive in mind that is. You are not allowed to die so soon."
Kat's gaze narrowed. "I'm thankful for your help, but I owe you nothing" Kat stated firmly.
"Your life is mine, and also it's pointless to overthink the bond. It can not be broken. As I said, the bond is centuries old. It's a lost spell no one knows of anymore. Seeing as you always find a way to get in trouble, it best suits you. The soul tie allows both parties to sense each other's intense emotions. That's why I could scene when you had a nightmare."