Chapter 98: Chapter 98

JONEA

The silence in the house that night was suffocating, yet strangely boring at the same time. After watching some random TV show—so dull I couldn’t even remember its name—I gave up and turned it off. Sitting alone in the living room like this made time crawl unbearably slow.

Daran still hadn’t come back since leaving without a word. Not unusual for him, but it still ticked me off. At least Owen was around, though he’d been locked in his room for hours, buried in his gaming console. I sighed, long and loud.

I tried lying down in bed, hoping sleep would finally take over, but all I felt was restless. This weird feeling, like something was lurking nearby, kept gnawing at me.

Dragging myself up lazily, I decided to make some warm milk in the kitchen. Maybe that would help kill this boredom.

As I stepped out of my room, though, the air around me suddenly shifted. A gust of wind swept through, even though all the doors and windows were tightly shut. I froze, confused.

And that’s when, out of nowhere, Daran appeared. He wrapped his arms tightly around me from behind, his grip so firm it almost knocked the breath out of me. His body radiated warmth, but the tension in his muscles was palpable.

“Daran?” I muttered, completely bewildered. But he didn’t answer.

I just stood there, waiting for him to say something. His heartbeat was loud—so loud it seemed to echo with mine. What was going on? What had happened to him?

After a few moments, Daran slowly loosened his hold. I turned around to face him and instantly noticed something different. He pushed his mask to the side, revealing his handsome face. His eyes, sharp yet tinged with unease, bore into mine.

“Is everything okay? Did something happen while you were out?” I asked, curious but trying to read his guarded expression.

Daran remained silent, clearly wrestling with his thoughts. His hesitation was written all over his face.

I sighed deeply. “If you don’t want to talk about it, forget it.” I turned to head back toward the kitchen.

But before I could take another step, he grabbed my hand, stopping me in my tracks. His sudden movement caught me off guard.

“Jonea…” he whispered, his voice barely audible, before pulling me close again. This time, without warning, he kissed me—gentle yet intense, leaving no space between us.

I froze, stunned into silence. The warmth of his lips melted away all the frustration I’d been feeling. His kiss said more than any words he’d ever spoken to me.

Amidst our quickened breaths, Daran whispered, “Jonea, I can’t stop thinking about you. I promise to protect you. I mean everything I’ve ever said to you. So please, trust me.”

His words struck straight to my heart. I wanted to respond, but my tongue felt tied. All I could do was stare at him, letting the warmth of his presence wash over me.

As his face drew close again, ready for another kiss, a loud thud suddenly broke the moment.

We both froze, our heads turning simultaneously toward the sound.

At the entrance to the living room, Owen stood awkwardly, looking utterly flustered. His gaming console lay on the floor, obviously dropped.

“I... I didn’t see anything!” he blurted, his face as red as a tomato. He bent quickly to grab his console, fumbling clumsily.

I instantly pulled away from Daran, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.

“Owen!” I called out, but he bolted back to his room before I could say anything more, leaving us in an even weirder atmosphere.

After Owen’s hasty retreat, silence enveloped us once again. I lowered my gaze, too embarrassed to meet Daran’s eyes. What just happened was impossible to ignore.

“I’m sorry,” Daran finally broke the silence, his voice soft but heavy with emotion.

I looked up at him. “For what?”

He sighed deeply. “For... everything. I never meant to worry you or confuse you.”

“What’s really going on, Daran?” I pressed.

He looked at me intently, as if searching for courage in my eyes. After a long pause, he finally said, “There’s something I need to tell you, but I don’t know where to start.”

I touched his hand, trying to reassure him. “Just say it. I want to know.”

Daran held onto my hand tightly, as if afraid to lose me. “Jonea, I’m not perfect. I carry so much danger around me. And now, that danger is getting closer… too close.”

I felt my heart skip a beat. “What do you mean?”

“The people after you—they won’t stop until they get what they want,” he explained.

I stared at him, confused. “After me? Why? What do they want?”

Daran sighed again, running a frustrated hand through his hair. “Jonea, you’re more important than you realize. There’s something in you... something they’re after. And I... I’ve sworn to protect you, no matter what.”

My chest tightened. “What are you talking about? Why me? Does this have something to do with... my sacred blood?” I asked, instinctively touching the teardrop-shaped pendant I always wore—Aland’s gift.

Daran’s eyes widened slightly, but he quickly masked his reaction. “That pendant... how did you get it?”

He stared at it intently. When I looked down, I noticed something I hadn’t before. Its once-brilliant blue hue had darkened. Panic shot through me. Did something happen to Aland?

“What’s happening…?” I asked again, louder this time. “Daran, do you know something? You can’t keep feeding me riddles, Daran! I need answers!”

He looked conflicted, like he was torn between protecting me and telling me the truth.

Before he could respond, a loud knock echoed from the front door.

We both turned toward the sound. Daran’s expression immediately hardened, his demeanor shifting to one of sharp vigilance.

“Go to your room,” he ordered firmly.

“What? No!” I protested, trying to understand what was happening.

“Jonea, please listen to me this time.” His tone was commanding, almost uncharacteristically so. “Go to your room and don’t come out until I call for you.”

I wanted to argue, but the seriousness in his expression made me obey reluctantly. Retreating to my room, I peeked out from the door’s narrow gap.

Daran cautiously opened the front door. A tall man stood outside, clad in a dark cloak that billowed in the wind. His face was hidden in shadows, but his presence radiated unmistakable menace.

“I can’t wait any longer, Daran Carver,” the man’s sharp voice cut through the night. “I’ve given you enough chances, but you keep stalling.”

“I won’t let you touch her,” Daran replied, his voice laced with defiance.

I bit my lip, gripped by an unexplainable fear. Who was this man? What was happening?

“Your time is almost up,” the man said coldly. “The Blood Moon is rising, and I won’t let her suffer at your hands.”

Daran clenched his fists, and I could see faint energy flickering around him.

But before their confrontation could escalate, Owen’s voice suddenly came from behind me. “Jonea, what are you doing?!”

Startled, I turned around to see Owen standing there, his face a mix of worry and panic.

“Get back inside now!” he hissed, pulling me away from the door. “You don’t know who that is!”

I wanted to ask more, but...