We had to stay at Mr. Effinder’s pub at the second level because Maia is still unconscious. Wonho isn’t speaking a word, he simply sit himself down beside Maia and held onto her hand. It pains me to see such a scene, it is what I have always dread. I hate how things have become now.

“You alright?” I hear Kihyun’s voice and turn around to see him approaching with a cup of hot cocoa. “Drink this, it’ll warm you up.”

Somehow, I see the shimmer in his eyes and could feel a little break inside my heart. How hard must it have been for him to have endured until now? For Kihyun to fight so hard to save his brothers that are locked in this dungeon? For constantly having the fear of greeting danger, living day by day with unsettled heart and thoughts?

“Thank you.” I whisper and try very hard to swallow the hot cocoa. I allow the sweet liquid to engulf the whole of my tongue and then swallow, savoring the last moment of sweetness from the drink and then, when the bitterness seeps in, I heave a sigh. “Kihyun…? Will he come back again?”

It’s the vampire I’m talking about and Kihyun nods reluctantly, his eyes full of sorrow and regret. “Yes.” He whispers.

Kihyun inches nearer to me and brought a hand to my back, warm and comforting. “I’ll be there, I’ll protect you.”

There are many factors that could change a person and for my case, it is this man here that did. His honesty and love greeted me when I was at my weakest. What would have become of me if I hadn’t meet them? The route we’re endeavoring now is dangerous, yes it is. But I believe there in the far end of this lies a beautiful life with Kihyun.

I really do believe so.

Maia woke up on the third day and Wonho looked dead. He was by the bed all the time, not getting any sleep and food. Although their bodies could handle it, I could see it taking a toll on him.

I sat myself at the other side of Maia’s bed and spoke tenderly, “I’ll take care of her, please get some rest.”

Wonho was very reluctant to leave but in the end did so when Kihyun spoke something low into his ear. I couldn’t hear what they were speaking but it sounded urgent and secretive.

I watch Kihyun and Wonho leave the room and the moment the door closes with a little click, it is all silence around Maia and I. The fear that I’ve been hiding comes out all together and my vision is blurred by the welling tears.  I hear Maia giggling, it was a weak and forced one and it pained me further more. “Ara, you look horrible.”

“So do you.” I smile my hardest and blink the tears away. “How do you feel?”

Maia nodded a few times, “A little tired.” And then her smile drops. She shook her head a few times. “He was so fast and so… evil.”

“Yes, I felt it too.” I reply. I remember that day after he knocked Maia out, this evil vampire came for me and grabbed onto my wrist. It hurt but I felt something else. He was plain evil, not the way he looked. But the air that he carries is so black, stuffy and… dead.

The magical world is indeed different. Perhaps one could judge another by the air he or she carries.

“What did he do to you?” Maia queried and I shook my head, “Nothing.” I say.

“He wouldn’t kill me, but he would kill you.”

“Why? Maia… what is it?” There must be something that I don’t know yet. The vampire said something about Kihyun not marking me yet. And when he said that, Kihyun was very well agitated.

“I’m marked by Wonho back in the mansion. And it simply means that I have a part of magical blood lines inside me since I’m linked to Wonho. Well, that makes me only half a human being.” Maia eyes me cautiously but I still don’t understand. “And I’m not food to the demons or vampires, although they might try to get my blood…”

“Maia… tell me everything. Tell me!” I almost shouted due to the frustrations and I really don’t care if Wonho or Kihyun could hear me. I needed to know so that I could protect myself and protect these people that I love.

Maia took my hand in hers and her hand was cold. She spoke gently and slowly. “It was a relief the vampire didn’t get to you first. He could end your life in a swift. I have Wonho’s blood line in me so I can endure this. Humans have to sacrifice to get strong blood lines and in order for me to be attain this, I gave up happy dreams for it.”

“Happy dreams?”

Maia smiles weakly. “Yes, happy dreams. I cannot sleep in ease now because nightmares are attracted to me.” Maia hesitates and looked me in the eye and I understand now. Maia’s worst nightmare is of her parents getting killed by demons right in front of her. And the fact that she willingly allowed these nightmares to look for her even knowing how painful it will be.

I cannot find any words to say. There is a big lump in my throat that stops me from speaking. This is so painful, I feel so bad for her. “So you… you have nightmares of it?” I asked carefully. “And Wonho marked you even though he knew!?”

“I insisted.” Maia looked away and stare into the air for a few seconds like a lifeless figurine before speaking again. “I go back in time and relive the moment again and again every night when I fell asleep. I see it with my own eyes and feel the pain in my heart but I am forbidden to do anything to save them. Everything is so real, you sort of forget that it’s a reenacting dream.”

“Ara, don’t do it.” Maia warns. “Kihyun will never let you live this way too.”

It is no wonder Kihyun has not said anything about this. He wouldn’t want me to live every night with nightmares haunting me. Kihyun wouldn’t want me to sacrifice this big. “But Wonho…?”

“No, no he didn’t.” Maia assures me. “I forced him to mark me even though I knew what lies ahead because I thought it was bearable. And I wanted to be able to protect myself in this magical world. Don’t do it, Ara. You are different and I want you to know that you are not worth the nightmares.”

There was a knock on the door and it kind of save this devastating conversation. I don’t know what else to say. And all I could do was look at Maia with sorrow. Maia forge a smile and I know she does it so that I wouldn’t worry.

Kihyun and Mr. Effindor walked in. “Youngk broke your energy line but you’ll be fine because of Wonho’s bloodlines.” Mr. Effindor did another round of treatment on Maia and Kihyun led me outside. He probably wanted to talk after hearing the conversation I had with Maia with his supernatural ears.

Kihyun held onto my hand and I reluctantly followed, half dragging myself over to wherever he’s going. “Ara…” He stops right near the corner of the stairs, without turning around. His voice is shaking when he calls for my name.

“Shh… I know.” I cling onto his arm and force him to look at me with the other free hand of mine on his chin. “I understand that you will never want any of this to befall me.” I have no idea how important bloodline is to a human in this magical world but I assume it is strong enough to protect you from death after I witnessed Youngk and Maia’s incident.

Without a connecting bloodline with Kihynu, I could die anytime and anywhere. Very, very easily.

I can see Kihyun in pain. The decision to mark me or not still lies within him, although he says that he will not do it. Without bloodline, I die fast and easily. With the bloodline, I die slowly with the nightmares that haunt me every single night.

But wouldn’t it be better if I was marked? At least I get to be alive a little longer…

“No. I won’t…” Kihyun pulls me in for a hug and whispers into my ear. “I will never.” He promises and held onto me tighter. I had forgotten his ability to hear what one is thinking and I smile at these little moments we share. These instants that are now very precious and might very well never occur in the future…

*