Episode 19 & 20 : The Showdown at Royal High
MOB MANSION
Aaron was waiting for his brother Blue to come back; he wanted to talk to him about the mission. The tension in the air was palpable, and Aaron’s thoughts raced as he paced back and forth in the opulent living room of the mansion. He hated the idea of the mission, the danger, and the inevitable confrontation it would bring. The silence of the mansion was suddenly shattered as the door burst open.
“Brother!” Aaron exclaimed, rushing towards Blue, who immediately started inspecting him for any wounds.
“Brother, I’m fine,” Aaron said, confused by Blue’s frantic behavior.
“You will stop going to Royal High School,” Blue said abruptly, making his way upstairs without waiting for a response.
“No,” Aaron said firmly, causing Blue to stop in his tracks.
Turning around, Blue faced his brother with a stern expression. “What do you mean, no?” Blue asked, his voice icy.
“I don’t want to be a part of this, brother. I love Seraphina as a younger sister, and she’s really nice. She’s the first real friend I’ve ever had, and I don’t want to stop being her friend just because of your revenge and your beef with Finnian,” Aaron said nervously, but with determination.
“Well, Aaron, Finnian already knows that you’re my brother,” Blue yelled, and Aaron’s eyes widened in shock.
“That’s why you’re stopping Royal High,” Blue said as he turned back, heading upstairs again.
“No, brother,” Aaron called out, making Blue turn angrily toward him.
“Do you want to die?” Blue yelled, his face red with rage.
“If Finnian wanted me dead, I’d be dead by now. But he didn’t kill me,” Aaron countered, his voice trembling but resolute.
“You don’t know Finnian at all,” Blue said, his voice dripping with disdain. “My word is final. You aren’t going back there.”
“I am,” Aaron said, his eyes locked with Blue’s in a silent challenge.
“We both know that Finnian would only hurt someone if you hurt the ones close to him, including Seraphina. I don’t have any plans to hurt her. I’m tired of living this life, brother. Homeschooled, scared of when Finnian will attack. I want to go to school, know what it feels like to be in a school, have friends, go out. I don’t want to live my life in fear,” Aaron said, his voice rising with each word.
“No, Aaron, just a little more time and everything will be okay. I’m doing this for you, for us,” Blue said, trying to sound convincing.
“No, you’re doing this for yourself!” Aaron yelled, his face red with anger. “Everything you’re doing is for yourself, brother. We both know that Finnian isn’t the cause of her death.”
Blue’s eyes widened in shock. He walked towards his brother before hitting him across the face. Aaron staggered back, eyes wide with disbelief. Never in his life had Blue ever raised his hand against his brother.
“How can you say that? Finnian killed her!” Blue said, trying to mask the guilt and pain in his voice.
Aaron looked at his brother, tears streaming down his face. Blue’s heart broke at the sight.
“You just hate Finnian because he’s always been better than you. You hate him because you know you’ll never be on the same level as him. You should have been a big brother to him rather than a jealous prick. That’s why you’re using her death as an excuse for your pathetic self,” Aaron yelled, his voice shaking with emotion.
“You’re older than Finnian by five years, Blue. Sometimes I wonder if you’re being stupid. Finnian is messed up; we both know that. He can’t even differentiate between right and wrong. But at least he treated me with love and never hurt me. He looked up to you as an elder brother, but you looked at him with jealousy and envy. All this revenge you’re seeking where has it gotten us? How many lives have we lost?” Aaron said, staring daggers at his brother.
“Shut up, Aaron! You know nothing!” Blue screamed, his face contorted with rage and pain.
“There’s no difference between you and Dad. But Dad is even better. He became the way he was because of Mom’s death, and he still feels sorry for what he did and apologizes to this day. But you, there’s no excuse for your pathetic, jealous behavior. I’m going to live with Dad from now on,” Aaron said, walking out of the house and slamming the door behind him.
Blue was at a loss for words. Never had he and Aaron ever fought like this.
“Fuck, fuck,” he yelled, the words echoing in the empty hallway.
“I have to do something. After everything is over, we’ll be a family again, Aaron. Just a little more time,” Blue muttered to himself as he grabbed his phone and dialed a number.
SHADOW VIPERS MANSION
“Where the hell is Finnian?” Rafferty said.
“Maybe he’s fucking Seraphina,” Stellan said, laughing.
“Finnian is getting weak,” Rafferty said, getting more angry with Finnian’s new behavior.
“Shut up, Raff,” Jasper said before sitting on the couch.
“You guys know I’m saying the truth. Seraphina is making Finnian weak. He fucking apologized!” Rafferty yelled.
“Rafferty, shut up. Whatever way Finnian wants to live his life is none of our business. At least we brothers should support him because Finnian is changing, not for the bad but for the good,” Stellan said, trying to reason with Rafferty, noticing Jasper’s change in mood.
“No, I hate it, and I hate her!” Rafferty yelled.
“Mind what you fucking say, Rafferty,” Jasper said, his aura changing.
“I need to take care of the mole. Because of her, Finnian almost killed you. It’s best I kill her before sh—”
Before Rafferty could finish his statement, Jasper stood up from the couch with lightning speed, grabbing Rafferty by the neck and slamming him against the wall.
“Touch her, and I’ll fucking kill you,” Jasper said dangerously, his eyes getting red, veins popping out. Fear ran down Rafferty’s spine.
“Jas—” Stellan whispered shakily.
Jasper was as dangerous as Finnian. He was like the mother of four, the quietest of the four of them, but the second most dangerous. He was known as the “Silent Reaper,” quiet but deadly. He hardly ever got angry, but when he did, he became like Finnian when he lost control to his demon. He showed no mercy.
He and Finnian shared the same traits. But the difference was Finnian was the devil himself, while Jasper was the reaper.
“Let go,” Rafferty said, choking.
“Jas, please stop,” Stellan said as he tried to get close to Jasper, scared he would get hurt.
Slowly, Jasper let go.
“Don’t try anything funny, Rafferty. Before I get to you, Finnian will decapitate you. You know he doesn’t give second chances. Don’t poke the monster inside him because it’ll call for your blood,” Jasper said before walking away.
“Have you lost your mind?” Stellan yelled.
“She’s breaking us, and I hate it,” Rafferty said.
“She isn’t. You’re just jealous that all the attention is now on her, and she might replace all of us,” Stellan said, rolling his eyes. “You know Jasper hardly gets angry, so please let this not repeat itself again. And if Finnian hears of this, God, you’ll be six feet under the ground,” Stellan said, but Rafferty just stormed out, and Stellan sighed at his childish behavior.
“So hot-headed,” he whispered before grabbing his knife, looking for his next victim’s blood to taste.
ROYAL HIGH SCHOOL
The bell rang, signaling it was time for lunch. Finnian, who had just arrived at school, waited outside Seraphina’s class. He pulled out his phone to text her, letting her know he was outside.
Jessica, who had just spotted Finnian, rushed toward him, her face lighting up with excitement.
“Hey, Finnian,” she said, smiling widely. God, she’s in love with him.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at the two of them. Finnian didn’t bother to look up from his phone.
Everyone knew that Finnian hated being touched and was conscious not to touch him. Jessica, despite knowing this, couldn’t help herself.
“Finnian, I just wanted to tell you how much I love you. I’ve admired you for so long. You’re amazing, and I just can’t stop thinking about you,” she babbled, her words falling on deaf ears as Finnian continued typing on his phone, ignoring her completely.
Seeing that Finnian wasn’t responding and was focused on his phone, Jessica took a step forward. “Who are you texting?” she asked, trying to peek at his screen.
Finnian, noticing her breath on his shoulder, immediately grabbed her by the hair and slammed her against the wall.
“Ouch!”
All the students in the hallway said together. Stella, who was watching everything, made sure to video it. “This will really go viral with some memes attached to it,” she murmured to herself.
Jessica started bleeding from her nose. The pain was excruciating, and her head pounded. But when she noticed Seraphina walking toward them, her anger increased. She couldn’t just give up like that.
In a desperate move, she kissed Finnian on the lips.
Seraphina, who had just come out of the class and noticed Finnian, was walking toward him when she saw Jessica kissing him. She didn’t even know where the anger came from. She marched toward them.
Finnian immediately pushed Jessica away, glaring hatefully at her. Before he could punish her, Seraphina grabbed his gun from the back of his uniform and pointed it at Jessica’s forehead, staring angrily at her.
The students immediately gasped. “Oh my God,” they whispered.
Seraphina glared daggers at Jessica, who shivered in fear.
“Listen closely, because I won’t repeat myself,” Seraphina hissed, her voice icy and dangerous. “Touch him again, and the next kiss you give will be to the barrel of this gun.”
Episode 21 & 22 : Unyielding Rage
“Listen closely, because I won’t repeat myself,” Seraphina hissed, her voice icy and dangerous. “Touch him again, and the next kiss you give will be to the barrel of this gun.”
Her words cut through the air like a knife, and the tension in the hall was palpable. Everyone fell silent, and Jessica stood there, trembling in fear.
“Little lamb,” Finnian broke the silence, his voice cold yet laced with a dark amusement.
But Seraphina didn’t hear anything; her eyes were glued on Jessica. The sight of Jessica kissing Finnian made Seraphina’s blood boil, and she felt an almost uncontrollable urge to pull the trigger.
“Everyone get out,” Finnian yelled, his voice echoing through the hall. Within moments, the room was empty, with Jessica fleeing in terror.
Seraphina slowly lowered the gun, her hands still shaking with anger. She turned around and walked away, not even sparing Finnian a glance. Finnian, with a smirk on his face, watched her go, unable to suppress a smirk.
Seraphina immediately reached for her phone and dialed Jasper’s number. After the first ring, Jasper picked up.
“Jasper, can you meet me at the back of the school now?” she whispered urgently.
“Be right there,” he responded without hesitation.
Within a minute, Jasper found Seraphina standing alone, her hands trembling. He rushed to her side, taking her shaking hands in his.
“I didn’t know what happened. I just grabbed the gun and pointed it at her,” she whispered, her voice trembling with confusion and fear.
Jasper pulled her into a comforting hug, trying to calm her down. “Phina, do you like Finnian?” he asked gently as they sat down on the grass.
Seraphina looked at Jasper, her mind racing. “I don’t know. At first, I was scared of him. The thought of him killing me terrified me, but then… I don’t know when it started, but I began to feel something in my stomach whenever he was close to me.”
She paused, her eyes distant as she tried to make sense of her emotions. “I loved the way I was the only one who could touch him and get close to him. It made me feel special, something I never felt before. I’m scared, yes, but sometimes Finnian terrifies me, yet at the same time…”
She struggled to find the right words. “At the same time, he makes me feel alive, like I matter. It’s confusing and terrifying all at once. Today, I don’t know what happened. I just grabbed the gun,” Seraphina said, her voice breaking as she finished.
Jasper smiled gently, understanding dawning in his eyes. “Phina, that’s love. You love Finnian,” he said, his voice filled with warmth.
Seraphina, lost in thought, didn’t seem surprised by Jasper’s words. She was more scared that Finnian might not feel the same way. Jasper, noticing her fear, laughed softly.
“Don’t worry, Phina. I know Finnian feels the same way.”
Before Seraphina could respond, someone pulled her up and towards them. She looked up to see Finnian staring daggers at Jasper.
“She’s mine, you fucking asshole,” he growled possessively, his grip on Seraphina firm yet protective.
“Sure, sure,” Jasper said before walking away, but not before leaning in to whisper into Finnian’s ear. “If she’s yours, then mark her because she looks like she doesn’t belong to anyone.”
Finnian clenched his fists, his eyes darkening. “Finnian,” Seraphina whispered, her voice tentative.
Finnian’s cold gaze bore into her. “Little lamb, don’t ever hold my gun again,” he said with all seriousness.
Seraphina felt a pang of sadness that this was all he had to say. She nodded, feeling a bit dejected. “Okay,” she whispered before starting to move away from him.
Noticing her change in mood, Finnian pulled her back into a tight embrace. “What I meant, little lamb, is let me do the dirty work. I don’t want you doing anything with those innocent and pretty fingers of yours,” he said, staring into her eyes. Seraphina couldn’t help but smile.
Before she could respond, Finnian silenced her with a rough kiss, leaving her breathless. Seraphina smiled widely at Finnian, realizing she was deeply in love with him. She pecked him on the cheek before hugging him tightly.
“Little lamb, I have something to take care of, okay? But leave your room window open. I’ll come to you tonight,” Finnian said. Seraphina wanted to ask what it was but decided to stay silent and nodded instead.
Throughout the rest of the day, everyone started to look at Seraphina with a mix of respect and fear, but she couldn’t care less. She and Aaron spent time together, with Aaron always making sure to be there for her.
Two hours ago…
Finnian had dragged Aaron out of the cafeteria. Aaron, looking terrified, stammered, “I swear I didn’t tell my brother anything. In fact, I’m currently living with my dad, so please don’t kill me.”
Finnian’s cold gaze didn’t waver. “Listen to me carefully because I hate repeating myself,” he said icily. “I don’t care about any of that. You protect my little lamb for me. And if anything happens to her, even a scratch on her body, I’ll make sure you wish you were never born. I’ll ruin you in ways you can’t even imagine.”
Aaron swallowed hard and nodded fervently as Finnian walked away.
Present…
“Aaron, chill. Stop doing everything for me. It’s not like this book will fall on my head,” Seraphina whispered, as they were in the library.
Aaron just shook his head, thinking to himself, If only she knew.
BLACKMAN MANSION
Seraphina entered her car, her driver greeting her with a smile. She was so happy that she couldn’t contain her joy. However, upon arriving at the Blackman mansion, her smile immediately faded when she saw her parents’ car parked outside.
The moment she stepped into the house, the rain began to pour heavily. She was heading upstairs when she heard her father’s voice.
“Come here,” he commanded, and she sighed before walking towards him. She didn’t greet or acknowledge them as she used to.
Steven, noticing Seraphina’s change in behavior, boiled with anger. He rose from the couch and slapped her twice across the face. “What are you doing with that bastard of a gangster?” her father yelled.
Seraphina’s eyes widened. “Don’t call him that,” she said defiantly.
“What?” her mother exclaimed, shocked that Seraphina talked back to them.
Seraphina glared at them, her anger palpable. “I said don’t fucking call him that because the only bastards I see are you both,” she yelled furiously.
Steven and Mariam were stunned, unable to believe this was Seraphina speaking. Steven slapped her three more times.
“How dare you! Do you know who his father is?” Steven yelled.
“Hit me one more time and I swear to God I’ll slap you back, you bastard,” Seraphina yelled, her eyes blazing. “I don’t care who his father is or what he is. Stop acting like you actually care about me. And you are not my father, so stop hitting me, Steven.”
Steven was speechless, shocked to hear Seraphina call him by his name for the first time.
“Seraphina, that is your father!” Mariam yelled, walking towards her daughter. She raised her hand to hit her, but Seraphina caught it, staring dangerously at her.
“Listen here, you fucking whore. I’m not the one who told you to open your legs and sleep with your husband’s best friend. So shut that mouth of yours and start acting like the mother you should be,” Seraphina yelled, pushing her mother away. Mariam stumbled and fell to the floor, eyes wide in shock.
They both were speechless. “Get out!” Steven yelled. “Get out of my fucking house!”
Seraphina grabbed her school bag, still in her uniform. “Gladly,” she said before walking out of the mansion into the pouring rain. She had nowhere to go; she was alone.
Finnian, who had just finished torturing a member of a rival gang, was making his way to Seraphina’s room after promising to meet her there. Riding his motorcycle, he spotted her in the rain.
“Little lamb,” he said, stopping as he walked towards her.
Seeing Finnian, Seraphina immediately began to cry and hugged him tightly. Finnian hugged her back, his eyes darkening as he wondered who made her cry. Breaking the hug, he noticed her red cheeks.
His demon stirred within him, eyes darkening to a dangerous red, his aura becoming more menacing, veins popping out.
“Little lamb, who did this to you?” he asked, his voice icy and dangerous.
Seraphina shivered, noticing his change. She looked away.
“Seraphina,” he yelled, making her eyes widen. He never called her by her name. “Who fucking hit you?” he demanded. “And don’t fucking lie to me.”
His demon roared in his mind, “Burn them! Burn them! Burn them!”
“My father,” Seraphina whispered, and that was all Finnian needed to hear. He immediately grabbed his phone and called Jasper, telling him to meet up.
Within two minutes, Jasper arrived, the rain still pouring down. He noticed Finnian’s darkened aura and pulled Seraphina away, seeing her red cheek. His own eyes darkened in anger.
“Where are you going?” Seraphina asked, but Finnian didn’t reply. He grabbed his gun and rode off to the Blackman mansion.
Episode 23 & 24 : At the Blackman Mansion
Finnian’s motorcycle roared through the rain-soaked streets, his mind seething with rage. His demon, barely contained, screamed for blood.
“Burn them! Burn them!” it roared in his head.
His eyes glowed red as he drove like a madman, the rain doing little to cool his fury. Arriving at the Blackman mansion, he pushed the gate open and strode in. The security guards, recognizing him immediately, crumbled in fear, making way for him as they saw the gun in his hand.
Bursting into the house, Steven, deep in thought, looked up. “Didn’t I tell you to get the fuck out of my house?” he yelled, only to freeze when he saw Finnian. He immediately rose, his face draining of color.
Finnian, hearing Steven’s words, was boiling with anger. He didn’t need the gun. He was going to teach him a lesson personally. Pushing his gun away, he walked towards Steven. Without warning, he slammed Steven’s face into the glass table, shattering it into pieces.
Mariam gasped, seeing her husband bleeding. “Yo– you rascal,” she stuttered, walking towards Finnian. She raised her hand to hit him, but before she could, he grabbed it and twisted her arm.
“Ahhh,” she yelled in pain.
“So, that means you hit her too,” Finnian said dangerously. An idea flashed in his head. He walked to the kitchen, grabbing two knives. Rather than getting his hands bloody and risking Seraphina’s anger, he decided to let them do the work for him. He threw the knives at them.
Mariam, shaking in fear and sobbing, could only curse her daughter in her mind.
“Who hit Seraphina?” Finnian asked, and both of them kept quiet.
He grabbed a knife, seizing Steven and Mariam’s right hands, placing them on another table before stabbing them both. Their screams filled the room, and the servants, watching from a distance, shook in fear at the horrifying sight.
“I won’t repeat myself again,” Finnian warned.
“It was Steven!” Mariam yelled, and Steven growled in pain.
“Stop acting like you didn’t do worse. You literally gave her poison when she was young,” Steven yelled, glaring at his wife.
“You did what?” Finnian’s voice boomed, making both of them shiver in fear.
Finnian grabbed a piece of broken glass and walked towards Mariam. “Why don’t I design that ugly face of yours?” With that, he dug the broken glass into her skin, causing her to scream in pain. He continued to cut and cut, his laughter echoing through the room like a maniac.
He wanted more. Blood flowed like rivers.
“More! More! More!” his demon screamed in his head.
Finally dropping the bloodied glass, he stared at his work of art. “Beautiful,” he said with a wide smirk on his face.
Steven, watching in horror, peed his pants, shaking in fear. He was terrified of a high school boy.
“And now, for hitting and hurting my little lamb,” Finnian said, grabbing his gun. He shot Steven in the toe. Each bullet for each toe on both feet. Steven’s screams were like music to Finnian’s ears, and he enjoyed every bit of it.
Steven writhed in pain, staring at his mutilated toes. Mariam sobbed uncontrollably, unable to touch her once-beautiful face, now marred by cuts. Their hands were glued to the knives Finnian had embedded into the table, and they couldn’t move.
“I’ll let you both live on one condition,” Finnian said, staring at them with cold eyes. “Whoever is the first to remove the knife from their hand and stab the other in the shoulder gets to live.”
He sat on the couch, watching them like it was a show. Though he didn’t plan on killing them, he would make them suffer for Seraphina’s sake.
Mariam quickly grabbed the knife, trying to pull it out, but screamed in pain. Finnian smirked, enjoying every bit of their torment. Steven, thinking about his company and his life, forced the knife out of his hand, yelling in pain. He looked at Mariam, who stared back at him in fear.
All the hatred he had harbored for her for sleeping with his best friend boiled to the surface. This was all her fault. Everything was her fault.
“Dear, you wouldn’t do that, right?” she said, trembling.
Finnian, watching with amusement, smirked. This was the best entertainment he had seen in a while.
Without thinking, Steven stabbed Mariam in the eye, shocking both the servants and Finnian. Mariam’s scream filled the room. Finnian burst out laughing.
“I give you a hand, Steven,” he said, standing up, his aura quickly changing. “The only reason you’re alive is because of Seraphina. Lay your filthy hand on her again, and you won’t live to see another day.”
He walked towards the door. “I’ll be awaiting your apology to her, or else…”
Steven swallowed hard, watching Finnian leave.
Finnian rode back to the Shadow Vipers mansion, craving the comfort of his little lamb.
SHADOW VIPERS MANSION
As soon as Seraphina arrived at the mansion, she was shivering from the cold and fear.
“What’s she doing here?” Rafferty asked, his eyes filled with hatred as he stared at Seraphina.
But Jasper’s aura quickly silenced him. Jasper immediately pulled her upstairs to Finnian’s room.
“Get a warm shower. Finnian will be back,” he said before slamming the door, not waiting for Seraphina to respond. Jasper was furious. He wanted to rip the hearts out of her parents, but he knew Finnian would handle it better. He walked downstairs, trying to calm down.
“You okay?” Stellan asked.
“That bastard hit Phina,” Jasper yelled. Both Rafferty’s and Stellan’s eyes darkened at the word “hit.” They were both victims of physical abuse.
Stellan grabbed his knife, wanting blood. “How dare he hit Seraphina.”
Rafferty grabbed his gun, wanting to tear the person apart. “Name?” they both asked simultaneously.
“Finnian is handling it,” Jasper whispered.
“I don’t care!” they both yelled, and Jasper sighed, regretting he had told them.
“Finnian will handle it,” he said, trying to calm them down, even though he was struggling to keep his own anger in check.
“Too late,” Stellan said, clearly eager for blood. An idea came into Jasper’s head.
“There’s a gang fight tonight. Why don’t we go to calm down?” he suggested, knowing it was the only way to appease their demons.
Jasper, Rafferty, and Stellan drove away, but not before Jasper texted Seraphina.
Upstairs in Finnian’s Room.
Seraphina stood under the warm shower, trying to let the hot water wash away the chill and the fear. She felt her phone buzz. Picking it up, she saw a text from Jasper:
Jasper: We’ve gone out. Stay safe. Finnian will be back soon.
She dried off and changed into some of Finnian’s clothes, feeling a bit more secure. She curled up on his bed, waiting for him to return.
As soon as Finnian arrived at the mansion, he rushed straight to his room. Bursting through the door, he saw Seraphina sitting on the bed.
“Finnian,” she whispered, and he immediately pulled her into a hug as if she were his lifeline.
“Everything will be alright, little lamb,” he whispered.
Seraphina, detecting the faint scent of blood, pulled away from the hug. Despite the rain having washed most of it away, the remnants were still there. “Did you… kill my parents?” she asked, fear evident in her eyes.
Finnian studied her intently. “What if I did?” he replied.
Her breath hitched, and tears immediately started to fall. Even though her parents had made her life miserable, they were still her parents.
Seeing her tears, something inside Finnian shattered. He immediately wiped them away. “Don’t cry, little lamb. I didn’t kill them,” he whispered, kissing both of her eyes tenderly.
This action shocked Seraphina, making her heart race. She immediately pushed him away, her cheeks turning as red as tomatoes.
“Are you sick, little lamb?” Finnian asked, his eyes still cold, devoid of any affection.
Seraphina blushed even more, pushing Finnian into the bathroom and closing the door behind him. “Jeez,” she muttered before lying down on the bed, her hand on her chest.
Finnian, confused but brushing it off, decided to take a bath. Afterward, he put on his pajamas, though he never wore a shirt to bed. With his hair still wet, he walked out.
As Seraphina stared at him, it felt like the world froze. He had a towel draped over his head, and his chest, adorned with a few tattoos, was exposed. Noticing Seraphina’s gaze, Finnian smirked as he walked toward her.
“Little lamb,” he said, smirking.
But Seraphina was lost in thought. He bent down and kissed her on the lips. “Finally got you,” he smirked before turning to dry his hair.
That’s when Seraphina saw a viper tattoo on his back. It was huge, with something written in another language at the bottom.
Finnian climbed onto the bed, pulling Seraphina into his arms. She stared at his chest, unable to resist placing a kiss there.
Finnian smirked. “Don’t provoke me, little lamb. I’m not nice,” he said, his eyes filled with desire.
Then Seraphina noticed a tattoo on his chest. It was a coffin with a boy sitting on it. “What does this mean?” she asked, curious.
Finnian’s face darkened as memories flashed. Each tattoo on his body held a story of his past.
Seraphina, noticing his discomfort, said, “You don’t have to tell me if you—”
“It’s the past me inside the coffin and the new me sitting on the coffin,” Finnian said, cutting her off.
Seraphina looked confused as she stared at him. “What do you mean?” she asked.
It took a while before Finnian responded. “Acacius Leonard Alexander is in the coffin,” he said. “Finnian is sitting on it.”
“Acacius is the past me, Finnian is the present,” he finished.
Seraphina stared at him, understanding dawning on her. Acacius was a Greek name meaning innocent and not evil. She wondered what had happened in Finnian’s past.
“Acacius,” she whispered, and Finnian’s eyes widened. No one had called him that name except his mother.
“Acacius,” Seraphina whispered again with a smile on her face.
Finnian froze. For the first time since she had met him, Finnian smiled genuinely, catching her off guard.
“You can call me Acacius. That’s just for you. To everyone else, I’m Finnian,” he said softly, the genuine warmth in his smile revealing a vulnerability he had never shown before.
Episode 25 & 26 : Hidden Scars
Seraphina looked at Finnian, and for the first time since she had met him, he smiled.
Her eyes widened in surprise. “You smiled,” she whispered.
Finnian immediately stopped smiling and pulled her into a hug, burying his head in the crook of her neck. Seraphina chuckled softly before wrapping her arms around him, feeling the tension in his body slowly ease.
“Acacius,” she whispered gently.
“Hmm,” Finnian responded, his voice muffled and sleepy as he closed his eyes. For the first time in years, he let his guards down, allowing himself to drift into sleep.
Seraphina watched him closely, noticing the lines of worry and fatigue that softened as he slept. She smiled, her heart swelling with an emotion she had tried to suppress. She didn’t know how long she stared at him, but it felt like hours had passed. The world outside seemed to disappear, leaving just the two of them in this quiet, intimate moment.
“I love you,” she whispered, a smile playing on her lips. “I’ll always love you, Acacius. Even though you hide behind that mask. You’ll always be innocent and not evil, just like your name.”
Her words hung in the air as she watched Finnian’s peaceful, sleeping form. Slowly, she allowed herself to succumb to the drowsiness that tugged at her, her eyelids growing heavier until she finally fell asleep beside him.
Meanwhile, outside the room, Rafferty, Jasper, and Stellan returned. Stellan, overwhelmed by his thirst for blood and struggling to maintain control, had been injected to subdue him. Rafferty supported his unconscious friend, guiding him with careful steps.
“I’ll take him upstairs,” Rafferty said, his voice firm yet gentle.
Jasper nodded, heading to his room to clean up. After a few moments, he decided to check on Seraphina, who was in Finnian’s room directly across from his. He walked to the door quietly and slowly opened it.
Jasper’s face broke into a smile at the sight before him: Seraphina and Finnian, sleeping peacefully together. Finnian, usually such a light sleeper, didn’t stir even with the door opening. It was a rare and precious sight.
With a mischievous grin, Jasper tiptoed into the room. He picked up Finnian’s phone and snapped a picture of the two of them, setting it as both the home screen and lock screen wallpaper. He did the same for Seraphina’s phone, feeling a sense of satisfaction at capturing this tender moment.
He stood for a moment longer, just watching them. Quietly, he walked away, closing the door softly behind him.
The house fell into a peaceful silence, the bond between its inhabitants growing stronger with each passing moment.
Aaron was sitting in the living room when his father came in.
“Father,” he said, standing to greet him.
But his father did not look happy.
“Dad, what’s wrong?” he asked, concerned.
His father stared at him for a moment before speaking. “Dad, I told you I have forgiven you, and no one is perfect, so stop worrying.”
“It’s not that, son,” Lawin said.
“What is it?” Aaron asked, staring at his father.
“Promise you won’t hate me,” Lawin said, and Aaron nodded.
“Two years after your birth, my best friend was getting married, and I was supposed to be his best man. But the night before his wedding, his fiancée drugged my drink at the bachelor’s party. I really didn’t know how she got in, but the next morning, I woke up in bed with her, naked,” Lawin said, and Aaron’s eyes widened.
“As I was processing things, my best friend came in and saw both of us. That was the end of our friendship. It took years before your mom forgave me. But I just found out that my best friend’s fiancée was actually pregnant with my child, and she gave birth to a girl,” Lawin whispered.
Aaron was shocked for a few minutes. “Are you saying I have a stepsister?” he asked.
“Yes, and she will be turning 17 this year,” Lawin said, looking at Aaron.
Aaron was speechless. Did he hate his father? No.
“I know it’s hard to take in, but don’t worry if you hate me. I was ex—”
“Dad,” Aaron said, cutting his dad short, “I don’t hate you.”
“It clearly wasn’t your fault,” Aaron said, trying to make his dad feel less guilty. “Do you know who my sister is?” he asked.
“I found out today that her name is Seraphina Blackman.”
“What?!” Aaron froze. Seraphina was his stepsister—the same person that Blue is trying to kill. Then his eyes widened even more.
“Dad, we need to stop Blue,” Aaron said, standing up.
His father looked at Aaron, confused. “What’s going on?”
“Seraphina is my friend, and Blue is trying to kill her. That’s why I left him.”
Hearing that, Lawin’s eyes widened in shock. Immediately, he stood up, and they rushed to the mob gang mansion.
UNKNOWN
He stood at the window, staring at the night sky as the smoke from his cigarette filled the room, casting ghostly shadows on the walls. The city lights below flickered like distant stars, and the silence of the night was broken only by the soft hum of traffic.
A knock echoed through the room. His cold, chilling voice cut through the silence, “Come in.”
The door creaked open, and a man walked in, his head bowed, shivering in fear. “Boss, everything is ready,” the man said, his voice trembling.
He turned around, his piercing gaze falling on Lex, who stood before him, visibly shaking. The boss’s eyes were like shards of ice, cold and unfeeling. He exhaled a plume of smoke, letting the tension build before speaking.
Slowly, he reached for his gun, checking its weight and making sure everything was intact. The metal gleamed ominously under the dim light. “We will be taking 130 men with us. In case things go wrong, we go with Plan B,” he said, his voice a menacing rumble.
“Yes, boss,” Lex replied, his head still down, unable to meet the boss’s gaze.
The boss took another drag from his cigarette, the ember glowing brightly before he flicked the butt into an ashtray with a sharp snap. He straightened, his demeanor commanding and deadly serious. “Now, let’s fly to England and bring my son back,” he said, a sinister smile curling on his lips.
Lex nodded, quickly stepping back as the boss moved toward the door. The cold air outside was a stark contrast to the smoky warmth of the room, but the boss didn’t flinch. He stepped out, his coat billowing in the breeze, and made his way down the hall where his guards were already lined up, a sea of disciplined soldiers ready to follow his every command.
The boss whispered to himself, his voice barely audible over the sound of his footsteps, “You’ve been far too gone, my dear son. It’s time to return.”
With a final glance back at his loyal men, he descended the stairs, each step echoing with purpose. He reached the car, where his driver stood at attention. The vehicle was sleek and black, a fitting chariot for the dark mission ahead.
SHADOW VIPERS MANSION
Seraphina slowly opened her eyes and looked around to see that Finnian wasn’t in bed with her. She stood up and looked out the window to see the day was dark. She picked up her phone to check the time and smiled when she saw the picture of her and Finnian sleeping, holding each other. This must be Jasper’s handiwork, she thought before getting down from the bed, still in Finnian’s clothes, and rushing downstairs.
But she couldn’t find anyone. Then she heard voices coming from the kitchen. She rushed towards them but stopped when she overheard something.
“You like her, right?” Jasper said, but Finnian stared at him with his usual cold eyes.
“What do you mean?” Finnian replied.
“You like Seraphina,” Jasper said, smiling as he poured Finnian a glass of alcohol.
Seraphina, who was listening to their conversation, stepped forward to hear more, unable to help but smile.
“No,” Finnian said, wiping the smile from her face.
“What?” Jasper said, shocked.
“No, my demon just wants her to please him for his sexual desires. That’s why I’m keeping her longer,” Finnian said.
Seraphina’s eyes widened, and her phone dropped to the floor with a clatter. The sound made Finnian and Jasper turn to see Seraphina standing there.
“Phina, little lamb,” they both said simultaneously.
Finnian noticed Seraphina hearing their conversation, and his heart began to beat faster. “Little lamb,” he whispered, but Seraphina took a step back, tears falling from her eyes. She was just a plaything to him. She thought he loved her, but he didn’t.
Finnian’s heart broke when he saw Seraphina crying. He walked towards her, but she moved away, shaking. “Don’t come any closer,” she said, sobbing.
“Phina, calm down,” Jasper said, trying to approach her, but she moved further away.
She stared at Finnian, her heart breaking. “Do you mean what you said?” she asked, hoping he would say no. If he did, she would forgive him.
Finnian stared at her before saying, “Yes.”
That was it. She froze, her heart shattering into pieces.
“Finnian!” Jasper yelled, but Finnian stared at him, confused.
“Little lamb, come here,” he commanded, but Seraphina glared at him hatefully.
“I hate you,” she yelled, and it was Finnian’s turn to freeze. His eyes opened wide.
“I hate you.”
“You shouldn’t have been born.”
“Can’t you just die?”
“You’re a monster.”
Those voices were back.
“Everyone in school was right about you. You’re a monster,” Seraphina yelled, and Finnian’s eyes widened.
“You don’t care about anyone but yourself, and I don’t know why I still love you even after that,” she yelled, shocking Finnian even more.
“You love me?” he stuttered.
“Not anymore. I don’t want to love a monster who only uses people for his sexual desires,” Seraphina said before running away.
Finnian stood frozen. Rafferty and Stellan had seen and heard everything.
“Finnian,” Jasper whispered.
“You’re a monster.”
“Why?”
Finnian looked at Jasper. “I’m a monster,” he whispered, Seraphina’s words hurting him more than ever. He had heard those words before, but why did it hurt more now?
“She loves me, but not anymore,” he whispered. Why does the thought of her not loving him anymore hurt so much?
He stared at Jasper, who looked like he wanted to cry.
“But why does it hurt me?” he said, tears falling from his eyes.
And for the first time, his demon was silent, not knowing what to say or do. Both of them were seriously in pain, even more than when his mother had died.
Seraphina was sobbing as she walked through the streets. It hurt, it really hurt, but she hated herself even more.
Jasper had once told her that Finnian was a messed-up person with a horrible childhood. He couldn’t differentiate between right and wrong, and he had a really dark past. It might take some time for Finnian to understand his emotions because all he was used to was pain, anger, violence, and blood. Emotions like caring and love weren’t in Finnian’s dictionary.
But despite that, just hearing what Finnian had said, she had lost it and called him a monster. She didn’t mean any of it. She was just angry.
Even so, she still loved him and hated herself for it. Even though he used her as his plaything, she didn’t mind as long as she could be by his side.
He projected her, he made her happy and brought a smile to her face
He was the one that made her feel alive after so many years.
Wiping her tears, she turned back, making her way to the vipers’ mansion. She wanted to apologize to Finnian, to tell him she was sorry, that she didn’t mean anything she had said. He was already messed up, and hearing her call him a monster would only make things worse.
As she was walking quickly back to the mansion, a tall man blocked her way. Before she could react, he injected her with something. The last thing she heard was, “Hello, Seraphina,” before everything went black.