7 6 | What Are You Doing Here?

Kain pushed the door close behind him, enveloping himself in the shadow of his room when the torchlight outside drowned behind the thick surface of the door. He ran his fingers through his hair as he marched towards the curtained canopy bed, catching the scent of the strong perfume that wafted inside his room, a leftover of the withered incense that stood on his nightstand.

His bedchamber was dark, but Kain did not bother to light up a candle. The moon's soothing blue light that pierced through the window was enough for him. Or you could say he was just lazy.

Kain had gotten used to this area, from where a chandelier hung from the center of the room to the large midnight-blue nylon carpet that felt oddly pleasurable under his feet. It was a lifestyle of unmeasurable wealth and solace, one he had so craved for when he was still bedding down in the crooked and cold stone floor of the dungeon he used to call their room.

Kain closed his eyes, placed one hand on his neck, and slowly performed a neck rotation. He then grimaced, the past events plaguing his mind once again. He just couldn't, not for one second, kick that lad off of his mind at all. After all, that person was his mate-

Kain's eyes widened. Out of impulse, he grabbed the lantern resting on one nightstand and hurled it across the room. The sound of shattering glass, followed by a teeth-grinding noise, rang throughout the hushed place when the metallic enclosure slammed against the stone paneled wall. Kain grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What the fuck are you doing?" he murmured.

"What seems to have irritated my beloved nephew this time?"

Kain snapped his head around. A tanned, black-haired man was sitting on the window frame. He wore a light linen shirt, loose pants, sandals and resembled Kain. Exclude the creases, long hair, grown beard, and the scar that ran down on his right eye.

"You'll ruin that good-looking face."

Kain scowled. "The bloody hell are you doing here, old man?"

Ark emitted a soft chuckle. His nephews' reactions, especially with Kain whose eyes always seemed to scream "screw you" have never failed in amusing him. "We just saw each other after a few months, and that's how you welcome me? Where's my hug?"

"Search for it on your own," Kain grumbled, moving towards his wardrobe. "And it's a year, get it right."

Ark chuckled again. "Care to share what seems to have transpired?"

"We killed a vampire, the end."

"Doesn't seem like that's what's been bothering you."

Kain scowled and turned his back to his uncle. He picked up his gray pajama, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it to his bed, remaining silent. Ark eyed him hurl a towel over his shoulder.

"Come on, Kain. I was there ever since you three were brought out of glory hole. I know when you are absolutely troubled."

Kain shot Ark a dirty look.

"You tilt your chin down," Ark added.

"What's the connection?"

"You're a naturally egoistic bastard."

"... Are you trying to insult me?"

Ark smiled. "Nope. That was a fact."

Kain held himself back from lunging at his uncle.

"So, what is it? What's been bothering you?" Ark sought yet again, crossing his thick arms against his chest.

Kain clicked his tongue. "I told you, 'nothing.' Why are you poking at someone else's business?"

"Because that nothing is something and you're doing so lousy at hiding it," his uncle pointed. "Spill it."

Kain traded sharp gazes with his uncle. But even now, he still couldn't win from Ark. If Kain was an egoist, Ark was the persistent bastard.

Kain plopped down on his bed, pressing both his palms against the comforter. He threw his head back, avoiding his uncle's eyes when he uttered, "I found my mate."

Life flooded in Ark's eyes. "Really? Well, isn't that great news?!"

Kain was the opposite. "Depends," he said.

"What do you mean?" Ark looked confused.

"He-" Kain paused midway. Should he say it to his Uncle Ark? Surely, he will understand, right? "It's a werecat," Kain reconstructed.

"What?"

"My mate is a werecat," he repeated, much firmer.

"Your mate's a werecat?" It was a rhetorical question. Ark paused for a moment, then he readjusted his position. "So be it. What's with the gloom?"

"... You won't get it."

Kain never dreamed or even wanted to find his mate. Yes, he had his curiosity before, but at his current age, his preferences have frozen quite deeply. Kain hated getting serious, or being tied down, forced by some nature's will to stay, love, protect and be with someone he never really would have loved if it weren't for the pull. He had enough of getting dragged around, driven by something or someone else's will. Not to mention, his loins had never heated at the thought of another man. And this just added more fuel to the fire.

"I really don't," Ark huffed. The man raised his brows, watching his nephew sink deeper into his thoughts. This was the second time he had seen this kind of Kain. He felt weird, yet amused at the same time, since usually, in Ark's own words, Kain was just a rampaging gorilla.

Ark heaved a sighed and decided to leave it alone for the time being. "My my, the oh-so-great Kain is troubled."

Kain twisted his neck to look at him, staring at Ark with narrowed eyes.

"You're always so reckless, I didn't know you can also be caught up in your thoughts. Azrael will be so proud of you," Ark chuckled.

There was a slight hint of nostalgia on Kain's face. And as sudden as Ark's appearance was, the corner of Kain's lips curled up a bit. "And you're still as retarded as ever," he huffed. "And I use my brain, you old fart. We just have a different way of handling matters."

Ark chuckled. "I don't think your mate is going to enjoy having a flailing cock around when handling those said matters." Ark felt Kain drill holes at him with his eyes again. "I still bid you luck on winning over your amore. It's too bad the cats don't sense the link as we do. I'm really starting to pity the great Kain."

"And I'm ninety-nine percent inclined to shove you out the window."

Ark laughed at him. "Come on, give your uncle a hug." He beckoned Kain over.

"Screw your hugs," Kain spat, glowering at him. "And quit it with the mate matter. I'm still not convinced about this... commitment. It's just not my kind of deal."

"Oh, you won't be able to say that for long," Ark smirked at him. "You can take me as an example."

Kain ignored him and massaged his neck. "What are you doing here anyway, old man?"

"I'm here for the meeting tomorrow."

Kain scowled when he heard about the meeting again. Just what is up with it? And why is he the only one that knows nothing about it? He then blurted, "What's so important about this meeting that's got everyone so riled up?"

"It concerns the vampires," Ark said as he plopped his feet down inside his nephew's room. His words stole Kain's interest right away.

"What about those bastards?"

Ark paused for a moment, grasping that Kain had not heard of the recent information just yet. "We found out that they were behind the continuous disappearance of the local civilians." The man plucked an angel figurine from its display case and brushed a finger on its halo. "... And that they were from the Du Marais."

Kain's eyes widened at what he heard. They thought they had already abolished that hell from Earth, but it seems like it wasn't hard for the demons to build another.

Ark placed the angel's figurine away and looked at Kain. "... Looks like we're in for some puppet show again."