Don't Cry Alone.

"What are you doing here?"

Carolina was still surprised by his presence. Still marvelling on how he came in. She was informed that she would be using a carriage alongside Allen by Theodore because of how much time they would need to recover their soul essences. Since it was not advisable to use a magical teleportation device to travel long distance in such state. It could kill them the longer the distance to teleport in between because it had something to do with Soul's Synchrony.

An in-depth knowledge only sorcerers studied about.

But Cain and Theodore had large reserves of soul essences. Could last on for days. Their stamina was inhumane. Excluding Levi, the Duke of Russex.

H..He was a monster.

So she somewhat expected them to travel with or without the teleportation device or the carriages.

Cain could shapeshift to any animal that suited him and travel to the Russex duchy which only toke three days that included the constant stops along the way while two days for traveling non-stop.

Theodore had always been mysterious.

But she knew he could disappear and appear like Levi could with one of his hidden abilities. So she wasn't worried of riding with the Reigns family's males in anyway.

But her luck seems pretty bad.

He was still dangerously close to her face. Streaks of moonlight that entered the carriage from the window rested on his sharp features.

His piercing gaze and sharp jawline that made her fear a little that it would cut her if she touched it. His white curly hair softened his masculine looks. He always looked like an art sculpted to perfection by a godlike sculptor.

All men in the Reigns' family were like that.

Terrifying beauty that will lure you dazedly to their snares. It was more surprising they didn't share the same blood.

At least naturally.

An old tale told to her by her father.

Cain's eyes seemed to shimmer under the moon light. Making his dark blue eyes glow ethereally.

For a moment,

She felt she was looking at a beast. A beast waiting for the right moment to pounce on her and devour her alive.

Carolina gulped.

"Looking for you, Tiger. Then hiding away from an old Grandpa who won't let me rest."

He replied cheekily. Before he's gaze abruptly turned intense. He toke another deep lick on her other cheek, which had traces of tears.

She nearly choked on her saliva. Feeling her mouth utterly dry and thirsty.

"S..Stop that w..will you?"

She managed to weakly warn him which made he's grin broaden.

"Am glad I found you. Crying alone isn't an option you promised, remember?"

Carolina turned defensive. Feeling a familiar overwhelming anger run in her veins. Struggling to focus on the anger so she wouldn't succumb to the intense emotions she had at the moment.

She shifted her head farther away from him and impossibly closer to the carriage's wall, harshly glaring at him.

"I promised Angel, my cat. Not a heartless and conniving, spy who put up with all of those years together with me, because he was ordered to."

Something dangerous flickered in his eyes. That hypnotized Carolina as well as ran chills down her back. She stilled her face, relaxing her facial features. Looking him at with dead eyes. Reluctant to let him know how much she was affecting her.

But her efforts went down the drain when he unexpectedly pinned her down to the comfy seat of the carriage.

Her eyes circled almost animatedly. Before her face heated up like a cooked lobster both from sheer anger and fluster.

Hell, why did she feel so hot under him. W..was this what it meant in books when when a girl was a..ar..aroused?!

The redness in her cheeks only increased. She gritted her teeth.

"Y..You Hooligan!!! What the bloody hell are you doing?! Let go of me this instance!!!"

Cain chuckled, ignoring her while taking his time to lick her eyes.

Carolina freezed in shock. What was wrong with Cain? When did he start becoming so...

She didn't have words to describe what she, herself didn't understand.

She wriggled under him. Trying to twist her hands out of his one hand grip.

" Let go of me. Now!!"

She whisper-yelled at him. Afraid to attract attention to the carriage. Afraid Allen would see them.

What he said next, baffled her.

"But you don't want me to."

He licked every tearstains in her face, almost too carefully and judiciously. He was looking at her with an unfathomable expression. So different from his crazed bloodlusting personality.

"W..what? I don't want to? You have no idea w..."

"If you lie... I kiss you, Carolina."

Huh? Carolina's mind shut down for a moment when he blew hot breath on her lips. If anyone in the noble society spotted her in such a scandalous position with a man. Her reputation would be tarnished along with her father's. Reinforcing the public disagreement for ladies to become hunters in Ravenguard. While questioning her chastity. Not that she minded the rumors. She only didn't want to drag her doting father into more deeper shit because of her. Seeing all these resolve in her mind's eyes, what the hell does he mean when he said she didn't want him to let go?

Especially after he betrayed her in the past!

That thought alone resurfaced her anger.

"You idiot!! Why in the hell..! Will I try to lie?!"

Cain sighed, staring at her lips. Not minding the blood stains all around her body.

"Carolina.."

The way he called her name. Made her pause.

"If you did want me to let go... You could have left easily. My grip isn't tight enough to hold you down. Right tiger?"

Carolina freezed, she then noticed he was right afterall. She could easily force herself away from this position and at least crushed him with her gravity manipulation. But she didn't think of it not one bit.

Was it an excuse to remain with him?

She ripped herself away from him. Seating opposite him in the spacious carriage that now seemed oddly cramped.

She felt so embarrassed.

Not wanting to lose to whatever battle she felt they were having. She gritted her teeth.

"I don't know what game you are playing but.. Pleasee...stop. I have already gained the trust of the Russex's Duke. So you don't need to look after me.. not anymore. I won't betray the Reigns family. I don't think I want my head to be on a stake yet. So you don't have to pretend any more either. Afterall, am just a puppet in your master's hands, right Mr. Cain Reigns?"

Cain watched her for a long period of time. His dark blue eyes almost looking pitch black. It wasn't an eye of a human...

At least not anymore.

But an eye of a beast on the verge of breaking loose. Carolina almost let go of the facade she managed to pull up until now. Uncomfortable under his persistent, sharp gaze. He looked like he wanted to say something really, really important. And when she was so sure he was going to speak.

At least giving her an insight of what he truly felt inside.

Of what happened to them, few years ago.

Whether it was an illusion of love her childhood self created or whether it was real.

Whether her first encounter with him was the biggest mistakes of her life. Picking up an injured, unassumingly beautiful white cat from the Croyso's gardens. Not knowing she picked up a boy a year older than her. Acting as a spy to get rid of threats like her.

However, she was left disappointed. He left the carriage. Walking away.

"Please, don't cry alone again, Carolina."

With that he disappeared from the line of her sight.