Waking up in your room with soft mattress massaging you in all the right places after a long and eventful day before would be great, add smells of hot fresh-made pancake drown in syrup, and don’t forget hot chocolate for your drink. Now that’d be an amazing way making up to me after all I put through just a day before. Instead, I had jerked awake, founding I’m surrounded by darkness. Gasping for breath I trailed my forehead only to meet by a trickle of cold sweat.

It’s possible to tell where I am right now, a clock ticks somewhere in here, this innate rhythmic beat pounding hard in my head, making me impossibly idle to tear it down. I try to bring myself up and sit, seeking my new environment in pitch black for I never have any reason to be in here. I had known this place since we moved here three months ago; I was assigned to put any rebellious men here. To torture until they have come to their sense, but never in night time. My mind was racing as I can’t recall how the hell can I get in here, furthermore what had caused it.

Something cold was binding my ankle to the metal-frame bed, but not tight enough to keep me from going a few feet from it. It was a mere reminder I can’t get out of this room, though that’d happened if I don’t have any ability to back me up. I throw my legs over the side of the bed and put my arm on the cuffs, breaking them all in second before they give up and fell to the floor with a loud clank sound reverberating along these walls. Then a soft sigh escapes far from where I am. Signaling I have company.

“Why’d he bother? He knew you’ll just break them anyway.” Zittao’s voice was calm and rather laced with frustration. It obvious he was talking about Kris.

I pace my way to where his voice came from. My knees were shaking mildly, not liking that I force myself to move where the only thing I need is rest. At least now I can breathe properly without anything weighing me down. The first meter walking, I bump into something hard and my thigh collides directly to its edge. Damn it why won’t Zittao turn on the light already? I was tempted to rid any obstacle aside on my way but the moment I want to activate my power loud beep sound is heard. Making me froze.

Feel suddenly frightened I look at my right wrist and sure enough there’s a metal-silver bracelet, slim but solid. Not decorative apart from the small red light on its center. I haven’t seen this thing again for five hundred years but here I am wearing something which Kris swore we will never see it again. my hand out of rage I’m sure it’d draw blood if I keep it any longer. Being a prisoner here was nowhere near bad as this. That , how dare he!

“What the is going on?!” Shouting to thin air, I try to rid this disgusting bracelet off of me but the fact remains strong, nobody can break this thing.

“Calm down Lu.” Footsteps are getting nearer to my spot, yet he didn’t explain anything to me. “Lay sent me to take you sees him once you’re awake. Let’s go.” He said lowly then grabs my hand, dragging me softly.

Pulling hard my hand away from him, I take a step back. He merely sighs at me and walks away. I thought he was going to turn on some lights or better yet leave me the alone but he just opens a door and waits for me by the threshold. Rolling my eyes at him I go back to the bed, refusing to deal with anything remotely uninteresting. Minutes pass by as I stubbornly sit on the bed looking anywhere but Zittao, he said I need to get going already. He told me he already inform Lay and Kris I’m awake when I broke those cuffs, they’re waiting for me obviously, yet I hope for their sake we won’t meet anytime soon.

Zittao deemed I must get out and see them right now or I’m going to regret it but I don’t trust him. Unless he’s going to spit out everything that has been happening while I was out cold, he won’t get me to cooperate. It comes to a time where he literally begged to follow him when that beep sound is heard again. Me and him both turn still, silently hoping what we fear is not going to happen.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Slowly I stare at him as I feel my energy drained out. My limbs went weak, my world is spinning, and from head to toe is a feeling of being lit up on fire. Staggering to keep my position I’m about to clutch my throbbing head but failing at my poor attempt. My whole body is writhing in pain yet before I could close my eyes I see Zittao run towards me at full speed to catch my slumping body from dropping to the ground.

I know for sure that he got me in his arms because I can’t feel the impact if I happen to collide with the floor, but I can’t feel him either. I can’t feel anything anymore. My eyes are refusing to be open, and I can’t control any parts of my body. I want to scream in pain and begged anyone to make it stop but I couldn’t find the energy to do so.

Through half-lidded eyes I saw my surroundings is becoming a blur like the time we picture a tree out the window when we’re on a trip. And for this blurriness, I must have gone really fast. I have no idea what’d cause it, but the searing pain from this damned bracelet made me want to claw it out, not caring if I have to claw my skin on the way. My mouth’s open yet no sound escaping me. Make it stop! Anyone make it stop!

“…..here. Damn it just stop!” someone was shouting, he’s close to me I know. He was adding my pain, I want so desperately to make him shut the hell up!

Slowly but surely I regain my breath back. Those needles which I felt as if they were pricking me open, stop one by one. No more feeling burning alive, gone was my throbbing heads instead my whole body now feel light and exhausted. Like I’ve been running miles away for days, working way past my limits.

It took everything in me to open my eyes and study what’s happening, I couldn’t at first until someone reach my arm and drawing circle on it, trying to soothe me. That person reached for my chin, lifting my face so that I could look at them, reluctantly I did. Lay’s there, kneeling before my position; sprawling on the couch. The good news is I noticed I’m not in the cell anymore, bad news? I’m in Kris’ room, with him watching me behind his desk, arms folded and looking bored to death. Zittao must have moved me here.

“Is it really necessary to use that?” Lay said, halting me from glaring daggers at Kris. “You won’t get him to do what you want with torturing him.” He explains whilst making way to Kris.

“Oh I know it won’t, but I know what will. Can you leave us for a minute?”

Lay was unsure on what to do, it’s clear on his conflicted face he’s worried for me. But it’s not like he can talk back and say no to Kris. He gives out a long sigh then he dragged Zittao out as well. Not before he exclaims he’ll be right outside if Kris attempt on doing something that could cause me any harm did he left the room completely. That’s what I adore in Lay if there’s one thing summarized his leadership is protection for everyone under his wings.

 “Are you okay?” Kris was the one to break the silence. He walked to one of the desks that contain water and bring one to me. As if he actually cares. When he got to me, he put down the glass and traces his finger to the silver bracelet I’m wearing. Beep sounds and small red light were long forgotten as they stop the moment I get my breathing back earlier. I pull my hand away from him. God, if I have any strength in me I’d have him on the walls choking.

“ you!” I spat on his face.

I knew better than fall for his tricks. I can’t believe he did that to me. This silver bracelet is something the main team familiar with. In our first decades with Kris, he uses this method to build our loyalty and teach who to respect. We’re new on taking order and following rules, we’re too accustomed in solitude before Kris requited us. So, as a result, there’s a fight occurring very often, the one where we deeply want to kill the others. We’re afraid at first because we didn’t know any of these men who has power, we feel threatened.

He made us wear this thing if we got out of control. The effect of this bracelet is brutal for humans; they’ll be dead in minutes. But different from them as we’re immortals, we won’t be dead, no. Just enough to feel on the edge of life.

It out our energy, leaving us breathless and weak. Turning our inside, causing us to feel nauseated. Nobody can break these things, even Kris our leader that invented it in the first place. Just a little amount of our power triggers this thing on. And obviously staying on physical strength won’t break it. One thing we know if we want to get it off, Kris’ll use a remote control for it to unclasp, and then we can take it off.

 I don’t get what Lay said with I won’t do what Kris wants with this method, but he’s damn right. Seeing it on me after centuries only to force me to do some mission will not end well. And I swear if this about being a spy in that Gervais’ land, I just ought to-

“Done plotting my death?” there’s not a hint of amusement in his voice, yet his eyes twinkle like they’re stating he knew what’s going on in my head.

“Not yet.” I gritted out. “What happens with no more of this method Kris? I thought you said you threw it away years ago. Or have you come to a new low level where your own words cannot be trusted?”

“Don’t you miss it tough? I was kind of wondering how I need to remind you who’s in charge, and then I remember I have this. And damn did I love seeing you writhing in pain!” He smirks all the way until he’d finished talking.

“You sick bastard! If you want something from me by doing this, I’d rather let you have it on than agreeing!” I dragged myself into a sitting position and ready to try to pin him down with my power. I don’t care I’m not fully recovering; I can’t deal with his anymore!

He sees me struggling from a corner, and then staggers back to a window, leaning against it his eyes were drifting off.

“Even if I can give you what you want?” he says. He was holding back his own words like he can’t believe what he was about to say next.

“What do you mean?” I asked confused.

I don’t want anything as far as I know. Not from the world and it sure as hell not from him. But then I remember something, a memory when I asked something from Kris for the first and last time, one thing I know I will never have it the moment I realize Kris own me. I ran to him ignoring a slight pain in every step I take. He wouldn’t be joking around about something like this right? He won’t be that cruel right? I grabbed his shoulder making his attention back to me. I know I must have looked desperate right now but I don’t care.

“If you agree to do this I’ll give you what you want. I’ll let you go Luhan.” A stern look plastered on his face, he knows he’ll regret this. “You can leave this pack."