Secrets And Sins

"It's me, Visenya... It's Caspian."

Visenya looked to Lucian for guidance, searching for any sign of direction amidst the tension that hung in the air. However, Caspian was still holding Lucian’s lethal glare. The silent conversation between them was deafening, and it was far from cordial.

"Wait for me inside," Lucian commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I need to have a word with this... trespasser."

The situation didn’t sit right with Visenya; everything about it just felt off, but she inevitably did what Lucian asked of her. She trusted him, after all, and did not know what this strange man’s intentions were.

Caspian watched her as she walked on by, peering up at him like they hadn’t known each other their entire lives. The second she was inside, Caspian’s eyes took an eerie shade of black, his wolf pushing forward to challenge Lucian, whom they both identified as the root of all their problems.

“What the hell did you do her?” Caspian barely expelled his last word before he was suddenly lifted off the ground and caged inside of Lucian’s massive dragon claw.

Caspian’s wolf ripped through, eager to finally have a piece of the insufferable dragon. He freed himself from Lucian's clutch, deftly latching his sharp, dagger-like claws into the dragon's scales as he ascended Lucian's massive, reptilian form. With a swift motion, he raked his claws across Lucian's gleaming eyes, sending the dragon spiraling out of control from a dizzying altitude of fifty thousand feet.

Lucian desperately tried to shake Caspian off, but the tenacious grip of his claws remained firmly embedded in the dragon's leather-like skin. Lucian had to admit, Caspian had a lot of guts for playing such a deadly game. Lucian could turn him into a kebab if he wanted to, and the temptation to do so was stronger than ever.

However, Lucian felt no need to resort to such extreme measures to put Caspian in his place. With a flawless transformation, Lucian shifted to his natural form and unleashed a barrage of bare-fisted blows upon Caspian's wolf, their descent towards the earth accelerating at a rapid pace.

The impact was brutal as they crashed into the unforgiving rocky terrain. However, Caspian cunningly utilized Lucian's body to absorb the brunt of the force. They tumbled together across the jagged rocks, covering a vast expanse. Despite the harrowing ordeal, Caspian swiftly rose to his feet and lunged straight at Lucian, sinking his teeth deep into the dragon's vulnerable throat.

With a swift and forceful motion, Lucian firmly grasped Caspian's jaw, prying it open to release his fangs from the grip on his throat. With rage in his eyes, he widened the wolf’s mouth, almost to the point of splitting its skull in two… and oh, how very tempting it was for him to do just that. However, the love Visenya held for this fool was the only reason Caspian still drew breath.

He threw Caspian aside, expecting him to accept defeat and acknowledge that victory would never be his in this fight. Yet, the wolf remained stubborn, swiftly regaining his footing and launching another charge. The two collided into one another, with Lucian getting the upper hand, as he always did.

Pinning the wolf to the ground, Lucian tightened his grip around its throat with one hand and relentlessly pummeled it with the other, blow after blow, until both Lycan and wolf finally conceded defeat. "Visenya is mine!" Lucian's voice thundered. "She has always been mine!"

He released his grip, and Caspian's listless body crumpled onto the dirt, the impact echoing through the stillness of the moment.

"If you ever come between her and me again," Lucian said with a calm yet chilling tone, "I swear to the Gods I will fucking kill you... and I mean it this time."

Lucian picked himself up, his wounds already healed as if there wasn't a wolf damn near ripping out his throat just seconds before. He was just about to change forms and fly back to the only person he cared about in this miserable world when Caspian's words halted him in his tracks.

"I don't know what spell you have on her..." Caspian lay sprawled out naked on the ground, peering up at the sky. "But there's no doubt in my mind that it's going to all blow up in your face one day... and who do you think she'll come running to? You don't deserve to be happy, Lucian... and you sure as fuck don't deserve her. You deserve to die miserable and alone... that's what you deserve."

A thick and tense silence settled in the air between them, amplifying the weight of Caspian's words. The intensity in Lucian's gaze deepened, revealing the internal struggle that was festering within him.

"Stay the fuck away from us if you know what's good for you," Lucian warned before vanishing into the billowing clouds.
———

Visenya felt like she had given them enough time; she was growing anxious, waiting for Lucian to walk through that door and explain to her what was going on. She was mere seconds away from marching out of that castle when Lucian stormed in, his clothes shredded and covered in blood.

"Oh my goodness!" she gasped at the sight of him.

He was an idiot for not cleaning himself up before returning to her, and he was kicking himself hard for his lack of sense. She rushed over to him, her hands instinctively reaching out to assess any visible injuries. To her surprise, there were none.

"Lucian..." she looked up at him warily. "Whose blood is this?"

Here's the part where he tells her yet another lie to cover up the lies he's already given her. He was drowning in lies at this point... so much that he couldn't even keep them straight anymore.

"I did what I had to do, Visenya... for us," he vindicated.

He reached out for her, but she instinctively withdrew from his touch, gazing at him with a mix of doubt and uncertainty. "Lucian... who was that man?"

With every step he took towards her, she mirrored him with a step back of her own. It was quite evident that she was afraid of him, and it pained him more deeply than he could have ever imagined.

"Visenya, there are people who want to come between us," his words were filled with a sense of desperation, a deep-rooted fear of losing her. "They want to take you away when you obviously belong here... with me."

Gently, he grasped her trembling hand, pulling her close, even as her aura screamed resistance through their link. Tears welled in her eyes, a reflection of her diminishing trust and the conflict within her heart where he was concerned.

Guiding her hand to his bare chest, he pressed it against the mark that would forever bind them. "Feel me... feel my heart. You know that this doesn't lie."

"I'm just... confused," she wept, her voice trembling with trepidation.

"Baby, I would never hurt you," Lucian reassured her, his voice filled with sincerity. "I only want to protect you... you have to believe that."

How could she not believe it? She knew deep down that his love for her was the only real, consistent thing in her life. He was her sanctuary, her rock, and the mere thought of living without him was unbearable.

"I believe you... I do," she whispered, her heart still guarded, but willing to trust.

His eyes gleamed with hope again, and he leaned in to kiss her trembling lips.

"You should go and clean yourself up," she turned her cheek, repelled by the sight of his bloody appearance.

"Of course..." he chuckled softly, understanding the shock he must have caused. "I'll be quick, I promise."

With a reassuring smile, he rushed upstairs to freshen up, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She walked into the kitchen, her hands trembling as she washed away the traces of blood. A whirlwind of thoughts and emotions swirled inside her, and the fear of Lucian keeping something from her gnawed at her mind.

She didn't want to believe that, though, because he had always been so good to her. She couldn't fathom the idea of him lying to her. Lost in her thoughts, she stared at the rug beneath the dining table. It had a peculiar red stain, which caught her attention. It reminded her of something, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"What was it?" She wondered aloud.

Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. "Search for the red carpet," she whispered, almost as if it were a command.

Lucian's claim that the message was meant for someone else only fueled her curiosity. Despite the doubts, she couldn't shake the feeling that it was somehow meant for her. Determined, she found herself wandering the halls of the vast and empty castle. Every room and corner became a potential hiding place for a red carpet, even if it was a metaphorical one.

But why a red carpet? What made it so significant? She couldn't help but question her own judgment, wondering if she was foolish to believe that a mere carpet could hold the answers to her unknown questions. Perhaps, it wasn't the carpet itself that she needed to find, but rather where it led her to.

She pondered all these things as she stood underneath the stairs that led to the cryptic door at the end of the hall. There was an irresistible pull from that door every time she walked by.

She found herself drawn to it, unable to resist the urge to see what lay beyond. But her intrigue was met with disappointment as she discovered the door was locked, leaving her puzzled and frustrated.

"What are you doing?" Lucian's voice echoed through the walls, startling her. He stood in the shadows on the other end of the hall, like a boogeyman lurking in the dark.

"I was just wondering if you took care of the rat problem," she replied, trying to mask her curious nature.

"It's a work in progress," he answered, stepping closer to her and guiding her away from the forbidden basement.

His beautiful green eyes locked onto hers, and in that very moment, she threw all caution to the wind, falling hopelessly into those strong, secure arms of his. She was undeniably weak for this man, and truth be told, they were weak for each other. Amidst the confusion and uncertainty that often plagued her, there was one thing she knew with unwavering certainty:

They belonged together.
———

Sarai sat on the steps of her small, cozy home, observing Synora's playful interactions with her little friends. As she watched, memories of Visenya's younger days flooded her mind. She could vividly picture her daughter running freely with the other children, radiating joy and innocence.

Suddenly, Caspian returned, shifting back into flesh and stomping his way up the steps with his hands covering his unmentionables.

"Well? What happened?" Sarai inquired, her eyes searching his face for answers.

Caspian shook his head, unable to meet her gaze. Without a word, he stormed through the doorway and slammed it shut behind him. Synora, sensing the tension, hurried over to Sarai, hoping for positive news.

However, the expression on Sarai's face and Caspian's solitary return dashed any hopes of a favorable outcome.

"I'm guessing it didn't go well for him?" Synora's sweet voice trembled with sadness.

"No... I didn't think it would," Sarai sighed, her voice heavy with disappointment.

"Mommy, why did the bad man let everyone go but her?" Synora's voice quivered with confusion.

"I don't know," Sarai lied, her words concealing a deep, dark truth that only she harbored.

"Mommy?" Synora's bottom lip trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Will Visenya ever come back home?"

Tears streamed down Synora's cheeks, tugging at Sarai's heartstrings. She cradled her little girl in her arms, gently stroking Synora's back as she wept against her chest.

"I pray to the Moon Goddess every night, hoping for her return," Sarai whispered, closing her eyes tightly to hold back her own tears.