Chapter 27- Kisses In The Dark
SAME EVENING - RAVEN MANSION
The evening shadows stretched long across the Raven Mansion.
Gemma stood by the grand doorway, her arms folded, her foot tapping restlessly against the marble floor. Every minute that passed only made her more anxious.
Finally, the headlights of a sleek black car pierced the driveway, and Dr. Nina stepped out.
"What happened?" Gemma hissed under her breath, her voice a mix of irritation and relief.
"You were supposed to bring this yesterday. It's Tuesday now. I've been worried sick, and your phone wasn't even reachable."
Dr. Nina lowered her gaze, her expression tight with guilt. "I'm very sorry, ma'am." She murmured, keeping her tone low.
"I just... I didn't want to make any mistakes. Not with this. I needed to be sure everything was prepared exactly right. That's why I couldn't bring it yesterday."
Gemma exhaled sharply, but said nothing.
From her bag, Dr. Nina retrieved a small, clear vial, its contents catching the dim evening light.
"It's ready now," she continued.
"You can put this in her food, or her juice, anything she'll consume without noticing. Once she takes it, she'll fall into a deep sleep. And when she wakes up tomorrow morning... she'll be back to normal. No trauma. No memories of what happened. Nothing."
Gemma's fingers curled slightly, her eyes fixed on the vial as if it were both salvation and sin.
"Just... work with this for now," Dr. Nina said quietly, offering it to her. "It will do what you want."
Gemma took the vial, her heartbeat heavy against her ribs. "Thank you," she whispered, and went inside.
Dr. Nina got in her car and drove off.
The doorbell rang. Leonard already knew who it was.
He stepped out into the evening chill, his eyes catching the figure at the gate. The man held a thick leather leash - and at the other end, a massive striped body moved with quiet power.
The tiger.
Leonard's lips twitched into the faintest smirk.
"Welcome back, Onyx," he said, voice low.
The tiger let out a low chuff, muscles shifting beneath its coat as it stepped forward.
Onyx had been at the vet's for weeks, recovering from an infection. Now he was back, his gold eyes sharper than ever.
Leonard crouched slightly, hand brushing the side of the tiger's neck.
The handler gave a quick nod. "He's cleared. Stronger than before."
Leonard didn't say much after that. He simply unclipped the leash, turned, and Onyx padded in beside him - like he'd never left.
Aurora came out of her car, feeling kinda light headed.
She slept like a corpse, obviously. Cuz she's so damn late. Good thing there's no class this morning.
She took her bag and shut the door of her car. Her hair's in a long ponytail which followed her every move. She kept her hair black but left her bangs red.
She unwrapped a lollipop and was about to put it in her mouth when another car arrived.
Caspian stepped out. Looking like a calm soul. But she could definitely see through that look, he's trouble.
None of her business anyway.
He gave her a long look which disgusted her, before he walked away.
She rolled her eyes and started walking too but another car came again, literally almost hitting her.
Her bag fell.
"What the fuck?!" She snapped.
Sean came out quickly, rushing to her.
"Shit! I'm so sorry. I didn't see you." He said quickly.
"Are you short? Can't you see ahead?" She sneered.
He scratched the back of his head with a sigh.
"Sorry. I didn't mean it." He muttered. She raised her eyebrows with a piercing glare.
"Oh...yeah." He bent down to pick her bag. "Here." He stretched it to her.
She snatched it from him and walked away.
"Wait! Your number!"
She stopped and turned with a smirk.
She went back to him. "Sure."
He smiled. "Thanks." He made his way to the car to get his phone.
But when he got it, Aurora was already scratching his car with a stone.
"What the- What are you doing!" His eyes bulged.
Aurora wrote a phone number on the bonnet of the car.
"There. You have it." She threw the stone away.
"You could've just -"
"Just what!" She cut him off.
Sean wasn't given a chance to speak before she walked off. The wind playing with her ponytail and red bangs.
Sean's hand went behind his head again, scratching it, he smiled and bit his lips slightly.
"Damn." He looked at the car's bonnet.
It's a black car.
"She's crazy." He bit his lips again, and chuckled. It slowly turned to a slight laughter.
"Oma was right." He touched the car.
"I like her."
Oma's class just ended.
She ran her hands through her hair. It's getting longer now. It's gone past her shoulder.
She can remember she and Aurora loved having long hairs. They always fought over whose hair was longer.
But she cut it, now it's growing back.
Gawd. She badly misses the old social Aurora.
The party loving Aurora.
Speaking of parties. Leo's party is this weekend and she's wondering how he's gonna force her into going.
She knows for a fact that Leo will force her.
He never throws parties, and even if he does, it's never at his Villa.
Is he really gonna let people into that place?
She was still in her thoughts when she was grabbed by the wrist.
She was pulled into a Janitor's closet.
"What the hell-" Her mouth was shut by Mason's hand over it.
She muffled sounds with angry eyes.
Mason took his away from her mouth.
"My oh my. You look gorgeous." He whispered.
"You-"
"Dumping me after our date is something I don't appreciate." He cut her off.
"Mason -"
"Do you think I don't know you like me?"
"So what?! Does that mean you should act like a patient that escaped a mental institution?!" Oma snapped.
Mason sighed.
"Oma... Come on." He took his face closer.
"The Janitor's closet? Seriously?"
"Be my girlfriend." He said without thinking.
Oma froze.
"You heard me."
The mid day sun spilled across the courtyard, painting the stone columns in honeyed gold.
Kiara leaned against one of them, her phone dangling loosely in her hand though her eyes never left the two figures a few feet away.
Leonard stood with Ricky, his posture calm, his expression dark as always.
Their voices were low, she couldn't catch their words, only the way Leonard's jaw worked, tight with irritation, and how Ricky shifted his weight like a man fumbling for footing.
Her chest tightened. A strange, quiet weight settled over her as she watched them. What were they talking about?
"Where the hell have you been? And why was your phone switched off?" Leonard questioned.
Ricky only shrugged, brushing a hand over his hair. "You could've come by, man."
Leonard frowned. "The hell is wrong with you?"
"I... I don't know." Ricky muttered, fumbling for words. "I really don't know what's wrong with me. Couldn't make myself show up, okay?"
Leonard's brows drew together. "You better speak properly."
"I just didn't want to come yesterday, okay?" Ricky sighed, forcing a smile. Obviously fake. "So... how's the project?"
"Cancelled." Leonard said flatly.
"Cool, cool... wait...what?" Ricky blinked. "Mr. Roland cancelled it? Why?"
Leonard's lips twitched, but there was no amusement there. "Forget him. He quit. He's out of the picture."
"Huh." Ricky exhaled, then clapped his hands once. "Anyway, screw that. Party's coming up, it might be your party but I'm the host. Gotta give it my all."
Ivy walked by.
From the corner of his eye, Ricky spotted Ivy passing by, her gaze deliberately elsewhere.
"I... Gotta go." Ricky followed her.
Leonard only rolled his eyes.
And then he saw her.
Aurora.
She walked with that effortless stride of hers, black hair tied high in a sleek ponytail, the ends swinging with each step.
The streak of red in her bangs caught the dying sunlight like a slash of flame.
His eyes lingered on that ponytail-a simple thing, yet somehow making her look infuriatingly untouchable, almost regal.
The kind of beauty that made a man want to ruin it just to see if she'd still look as composed afterward.
Her expression was ice, sharp enough to cut, but it didn't stop him from letting his gaze drag deliberately from her face down to her frame and back up again.
She glared, said nothing, and kept walking.
As she passed, Leonard winked.
Her jaw tightened, but her pace never faltered.
Kiara had seen it all.
Her fingers curled slowly around her phone, not in anger but in something heavier, something that sat low in her chest.
She drew in a breath that felt too sharp for her lungs and exhaled just as slowly.
Is this what it feels like to be completely heartbroken?
Somewhere close, Colette lingered in the shadow of the block's outer wall, her teeth tugging at the corner of her bottom lip as her gaze trailed after Aurora.
Aurora had just slipped into one of the buildings, and for a moment Colette forgot to breathe.
Behind her, Charlotte shifted her weight with a dramatic roll of her eyes. "Are you seriously still staring at her? I swear, you're probably soaked already."
"Yes, I am." Colette breathed, almost dreamily, fingers twitching as if to reach for the door Aurora had touched moments ago.
"Can't you see how hot she looks? God, I can't wait to...ugh!" Her voice cracked with a shiver of excitement, cutting her own words short.
Charlotte scoffed, scanning her twin from head to toe. "I can't believe you actually tied your hair up in a ponytail like hers. You saw her step out of her car and, bam, you copied her."
"Duh." Colette smirked, tossing the ponytail over her shoulder. "I need to know what she likes, be who she likes, so she'll notice me. Maybe I should even get bangs too and dye it red like hers. What do you think?"
"I think you should shut up," Charlotte muttered flatly. "You're getting annoying now, okay? And I doubt she's even into girls. Can't you see she's with Leo?"
Colette's lips curled into something between a sneer and a smile. "Nuh-uh. She doesn't like Leo. Leo's the one chasing her. I see the way she moves around him, it's cold, detached. And I'm not letting him get her. Not when I want her for myself."
"You're insane." Charlotte said with another eye roll.
Colette flashed her a look over her shoulder. "Of course I am. I'm your twin sister, remember? Now come on."
She caught Charlotte's wrist, tugging her forward. "We're not losing her."
Charlotte groaned as Colette dragged her inside the same block Aurora had disappeared into. The door closed behind them, swallowing their whispers in the echoing hall.
Ivy pulled her arm free, but Ricky caught it again.
"Please," he said, voice low, almost desperate. "I need to talk to you."
She shook her head, her jaw tight. "No. I don't want to talk to you. Let me go, Ricky. Get out of my sight."
He didn't move. "Just hear me out..."
"I said leave me alone!" She tried to yank away, but he stepped closer.
She wanted to speak again but he shut her up with a kiss. Quick, rough.
Ivy shoved him back so hard he stumbled. Her palm cracked across his cheek.
"Seriously?" Her voice shook with anger. "Am I a toy you can just kiss whenever you want? You did this before in the elevator, I slapped you then, I'm slapping you now. Stay away from me, Ricky. Stay away from my life!"
She pushed past him and stormed off.
"F?ck!" Ricky pushed the wall hardly. His knuckles bled.
Aurora's back hit the wall as Leonard pushed her against it, his strong hands holding her arms.
"I hate you," Aurora said, her voice filled with loathing.
"It's mutual, Noelle," he whispered near her ear, his breath warm against her skin.
"Don't say that name!" she spat.
He quickly spun her around to face him, their faces inches apart.
"You don't think I'll do anything when you look like this, Noelle?" he said, his voice close to her lips.
She took sharp breaths.
"Just control yourself, it's that easy, you jerk," Aurora said through gritted teeth.
Leonard's lips moved down to her neck.
Her hands clenched, and her toes curled inside her sneakers.
She flared her nostrils.
"Leonard!" she struggled, but her chest brushed against his.
"Soft," he smirked, pressing a wet kiss onto her neck, leaving a mark.
What is this trap?
Is he made of stone?
It felt like being trapped between two walls, with no way out.
"Leonard, let me go," her voice said.
"Not demanding," he whispered near her neck.
"You like this," he murmured.
"Let me go," her voice rose.
He quickly lifted her, placing her so she sat on him.
At this point, she could just die.
"Leonard," she called again.
"Yes, like that. Keep saying my name. Soon, you'll be screaming it."
She could feel something hard pressing against her, right where she sat. If it wasn't for her thick jeans...
Aurora struggled in his grip, her fists raining down on his arms, slaps, punches, pinches, all useless. Leonard didn't budge.
She let out a frustrated groan, throwing her head back.
"What exactly is your problem? Even the word problem is not enough to define you! Sick monster, put me down!" she snapped.
Leonard's hands slid, palms cupping her ass. She froze, a sharp gasp escaping as her eyes shut tight. Her grip on his arms tightened, knuckles white.
"You're coming to that party." He said, voice low, almost a growl.
"I'm not..." she breathed, her hands flying to his, trying to pry them away. Her eyes opened, burning.
"I told you..."
"You don't like being touched." He cut her off, his gaze dark. "And I told you... you are bound to me. Whatever is yours is mine. Including this body."
"And whatever is yours?" she shot back, her voice a quiet challenge.
His lips curled into a slow, dangerous smirk. "Why do you want to know, Noelle? Didn't you say you aren't mine? Why ask for equal rights?"
His fingers left her ass, dragging up to her waist, gripping it firmly. "You're insane. You're deranged."
"You've been complimenting me ever since." He murmured. "Too bad I don't know how to appreciate. I could... in another way."
His eyes dropped to her lips...those lips glaring up at him.
"No man deserves this." He muttered, almost to himself.
"Not even you."
"Except me."
They said it at the same time.
She looked away. "Put me down." She said flatly, voice low now, weary.
"That party is for you."
Her eyes cut to his. "Tell that to someone who gives two fucks about parties."
"You'll attend... or I'll come get you myself. Your parents would be glad to know you're warming up to a guy."
"I'm not warming up to you."
"You've been in my arms for minutes."
"And I keep telling you to put me down, Grande." Her glare sharpened.
"You need to let go of your fear of parties." he said quietly.
She stayed silent, chest rising and falling against his.
"I'm not..."
"After what happened that night, it's only normal to fear them." He interrupted, drawing her closer by the waist. Her breasts pressed to his chest, her breath shallow.
"I'll send the outfit you'll wear."
"I'm not wear any damn outfit and I'm not going to your damn party."
"We'll see." He whispered.
"Now put me down." She ordered.
"Not yet." He took his face and buried it in her neck, yet again she felt him bulge.
She pulled his hair, wanting to hurt him...
"That's not helping matters." He breathed in her neck.
"Grande..." Her breath caught when he nibbled on her neck, so much that it left a burning sensation.
"Like it?" He went to the other side of her neck.
"I hate you so much..." Her breath caught again, he bit her this time.
"Vampire." She muttered, dragging his hair again.
"Be careful with the new friends you're keeping." He muttered, still busy worshipping her neck.
He saw Kiara hiding earlier, and he knows for fact why she was there. He's always known.
"They're not my friends..."
Meanwhile, someone was watching from the hidden part outside the dark lab.
Caspian.
His fists were balled in anger which made his palm bleed, his eyes were red and tears were falling from them, as he shook with anger.
His took in sharp, raging breaths as he watched the two.
He could see Aurora loosing her self control and it stabbed him deeply.
Leonard's hands went back to her ?ss, squeezing them slightly, and Aurora's eyes went shut.
Caspian shook more, more tears fell from his blood red eyes.
He kept breathing hotly, his palm bled more.
"She's mine, Leonard Grande. She's mine." He muttered madly, blood trailed out of his nose. He shook more.
"She's always been mine, she still is and she'll forever belong to me. If I have to kill you too, I'll do it."
He opened his bloody hand revealing the shard of glass he's been holding tightly.
His place eyes went back to the two, Leonard's other hand was already inside her oversized jacket now.
He knows for a fact that he's touching her boobs.
More tears fell from his eyes.
"You could've reciprocate my love, and here you are making out with the bastard you just met.... I'll kill him."
His chest rose up and down with rage.
"Aurora Raven, you belong to me. You belong to Zane Saunders..."
TBC...