บท 9: You're marked

Leticia's eyes widened as Quynn approached her bed with his usual blank expression. "Devon sent me to check on you," he said, his voice low and even.

"Have you been ill before?" He began typing away on his tablet, his fingers flying across the screen with a quiet intensity.

Leticia's gaze followed his sleek movements, her mind racing with questions. "He asked you to check on me?" She repeated hoarsely. It was shocking but what shocked her more was the fact that Quynn spoke! Oh, so he's not dumb. She almost blushed in embarrassment.

Her eyes flicked up to his. His expression was unreadable but he was obviously expecting a reply to his question. "I am," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "What kind of illness?"

Leticia hesitated, her thoughts tangled in a web of confusion. She's never even been to the hospital so she had no idea what the sickness was. "I...I don't know," she admitted, her voice small.

Quynn's fingers paused mid-type, his gaze narrowing at her. With the way his light red eyes stared at her, Leticia thought she was going to start choking again. So intense! "What are the symptoms?" He asked.

Leticia swallowed hard, her heart racing. "Sudden dizziness...bleeding nose...sometimes I vomit blood." She whispered, her eyes dropping to her lap.

Quynn's expression didn't waver, his fingers moving across the screen once more. "What have you been using to treat it?" He inquired

"My father gave me a concoction...once I take it, I feel better...like it never happened." She replied, now realising how strange that sounded.

She expected another professional question, but instead, he stared at her with an unfathomable expression. His gaze, however, held a hint of curiosity.

The moment their eyes met, he quickly looked away, focusing on his tablet as if he hadn't been staring at her just seconds before. Leticia's eyes dropped to her fingers, still feeling the pain from the choking. She wondered if it had all been a dream.

"How long has it been, and how often does it occur?" he asked, his voice breaking the silence.

"It started on my 16th birthday, and it happens anytime,"

"Have you ever visited a clinic or hospital?"

"Dad never lets me," she mumbled, a sudden realization dawning on her. Why had her father kept her from seeking medical help?

The only sound was the clicking of his keypad as Leticia's thoughts raced. 'Devon asked him to check on me? He must have been the one who put me on the bed. Did he carry me?' Her face flushed at the thought, and she smirked internally at her own boldness. 'But he was ready to kill me earlier...' The contrast in his behavior was jarring.

"May I see the concoction?" he asked suddenly.

Leticia hesitated, "It's with Master Devon, I think."

He nodded and turned to leave, his movements swift. "I'll take my leave then."

Leticia's eyes widened in surprise as he walked out of the room. "Really? He just left?" She sighed, her mind racing with questions.

As she sat there, she felt a familiar sting on her neck. She frowned, her hand instinctively reaching up to massage the area. "That felt too real to be a dream," she muttered , her heart racing with unease.

***

"The blood is too strong for her human side. She won't be able to handle it for much longer . If she's restrained any longer than that , she'll lose it and she'll lose her life. The only thing keeping her alive is that medicine so I suggest you give it to her." Quynn spoke nonchalantly, crossing his leg over the other," Unless you don't want her to live, of course. "

Devon's eyes narrowed at Quynn," I'll give her the medicine. "

Quynn shrugged and stood up then left the room, crossing paths with Seraphim in the hallway. She was obviously going to see Devon.

When she saw him, she stopped to bow, "Brother Quynn."

Quynn halted his stride, his gaze fixed ahead. Seraphim waited patiently, aware that he rarely spoke unless it was important. She sensed he had something to say.

'Did he see me in Leticia's room earlier?' she wondered, knowing Quynn's exceptional intelligence and perceptiveness.

"Be careful," he said finally, his voice low and deliberate, before continuing on his way.

Seraphim's heart raced as she watched him leave. 'Did he see me? I'll be in trouble...' she thought fearfully, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios before she quickly walked away.

***

Devon slouched in his usual seat, his gaze drifting aimlessly. Papers were on the table before him but he wasn't working on them. Then, the large doors pushed open and Seraphim walked in. She bowed immediately she did, before proceeding to approach him.

Seraphim reached him with a warm smile, "Brother Devon, I've come to keep you company..."

But Devon's expression darkened, his brow furrowed. "Have you apologized to Leticia yet?"

Seraphim's smile faltered, her voice hesitant. "I...I saw someone entering her room earlier. I didn't want to intrude since it was a guy."

Devon's frown deepened, his eyes narrowing at Seraphim and he could hear her blood rushing in fear. "A guy, you say?" His tone was laced with skepticism.

Seraphim's face remained sincere, her eyes pleading. "Can we take a walk outside, Brother? The fresh air would do us good, don't you think?"

But Devon stood abruptly, his movements swift. "I'm tired," he said curtly.

Seraphim's eyes widened in protest, her voice rising. "B-but, that's impossible! You're can't be tired!"

Devon's smirk was smug, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "So, I'm lying?"

Seraphim's face flushed, her words tumbling out in a rush as she took a step back, "No! I didn't mean that, Brother Devon!"

But Devon just gave her a piercing look before turning and walking away. Seraphim's face fell, her feet stomping the ground in frustration.

***

Leticia sat engrossed in her book when her door burst open. Leticia jumped, the sudden entrance making her heart skip a beat. "I'd prefer you knock before entering next time, Master. " she said, her tone firm but polite.

Devon shrugged, unfazed, and at the edge of her bed . "It's my house. You can't tell me what to do." His gaze locked onto hers, and Leticia quickly looked away, her cheeks flushing but she wasn't sure if it was fear or something else.

Devon's smirk grew wider as he noticed the blush, but his expression darkened when he spotted the red marks on her neck."What happened? You're marked," he growled, his voice low.

Leticia's hand instinctively went to her neck, her eyes darting away from his intense gaze. "I...I'm not sure if someone came in or if it was just a dream."

Devon leaned in closer, his voice dripping with calm fury. "They're real fingermarks. Someone tried to choke you." His slowly eyes blazed with anger, but his tone remained casual so it wasn't noticeable.

Leticia's eyes widened, her mind racing. "Ohh..." she whispered, unsure what to say.

Devon dropped something on her bedside table and she didn't dare look but she could feel the cold aura surround him.

He then turned back to her, "Are you sleeping yet?" he asked ever so causally.

"Um, no...it's only 2pm, I think."

Devon stood up, his movements sudden. "Come with me, then."

Leticia blinked, her voice hesitant. "Wi...with you?"

But Devon didn't respond, simply walking out of her room. Leticia rushed after him, struggling to keep up with his brisk pace. She was practically jogging behind him! He seemed to notice but didn't slow down.

As they passed by, Seraphim's face scrunched into a frown. 'I thought Brother Devon said he was tired. I knew it was a lie. He just wants to hang out with that witch...'

They arrived at a breathtaking garden, filled with a vibrant array of flowers - roses, lilies, jasmine, and more. A stunning waterfall cascaded down far away, forming a lake at its base, surrounded by trees that seemed to touch the sky. Leticia gasped, shocked by the beauty, "Wow...so beautiful!"

"You like it?" Devon asked, his face expressionless as he strolled over to a charming swing suspended between two sweetpea trees. The setup was breathtakingly beautiful.

"Yes," Leticia replied, her voice barely above a whisper, as Devon sat down. His gaze remained fixed ahead, his face unreadable.

"You prefer to stand?" he asked suddenly, his tone neutral.

Leticia blinked, then sat beside him, leaving a comfortable distance between them. The swing was spacious enough for her to lie down, she chose to sit far away.

The silence that followed was peaceful, filled with the sweet sounds of birds chirping and water rushing. The calm, cold wind added to the serenity.

"So, you're mad at me," Devon began with a relaxed tone.

Leticia's gaze flickered up to his, then dropped to her hands in her lap. "Mad at you, master? I have no right to be."

Devon's smirk hinted at amusement. "But you are." He paused, his eyes glinting with curiosity. "Are you feeling unjust because I did nothing while Seraphim bullied you?"

Leticia's stare intensified, "No." The lie was palpable.

Devon's chuckle was low and husky. "I thought you enjoyed being bullied, which is why you just watched her."

Leticia's opal eyes flashed up to his, her voice laced with conviction. "I didn't want to disrespect your sister and make you angry. You'd call a strike two against me and... " She stopped before she added,"And make me miserable."

Devon's scoff was dismissive. "Whoever told you she's my sister?" His gaze locked onto hers, and for a moment, they just stared at each other, the tension between them crackling.

Leticia's thoughts raced, her eyes captivated by his liquid red gaze. How can someone's eyes be so beautiful, like blood?

Meanwhile, Devon's focus was on her lips, so pink and inviting. Without thinking, he leaned in, his face inches from hers...