“Episode 58”
“When I first saw you, I thought you would be easy to toy with.” I desperately kissed Ray’s forehead, which had become violent.
“But each time you looked at me warmly, and each time you followed me as if I was the only one in your world, I started to like it. It wasn’t so bad.”
Although avoiding his hand as if to reject it, Ray’s eyes were clearly wavering. “Please, look at me. Okay?”
“…….”
“Ray.”
I pulled Ray’s face, which was struggling to escape, to meet my eyes. Seeing her eyes blazing with unextinguished anger, a sigh escaped from Clodan. “How long are you going to keep this up?”
“How long…?”
“Do you want to spend twenty years with me in total darkness, with nothing else?”
The resolution to wait kindly for her eventual agreement was fading. What if this stubborn girl didn’t change her mind? Clodan’s anxiety brought forth a hurried anger.
“Answer me.” “…….”
“Ray.”
At that moment, Ray raised her arm high and brought her hand down on Clodan’s cheek with a loud smack. After the sharp sound passed, Clodan tasted the metallic tang of blood in his mouth. It seemed his lip had split. Who would have thought Ray’s hand, now stronger than most men, would be so harsh? However, the curse that didn’t allow death soon restored Clodan’s split lip to its original state.
“Doesn’t make a difference, though. Want to hit me more?” “Get away from me.”
As I ran my tongue over my healed lip and looked at her, she already seemed exhausted. Whether her patience was strong or her hatred for me was stronger, I couldn’t tell, but it didn’t feel good. By now, she should have attacked, but the solitary and noble Ray was holding her ground.
“Hit me more. You might even see the blood you like so much.”
Suddenly, Ray stopped her attempt to escape. Instead, she lunged at Clodan, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him toward the bed. Despite not being heavy enough to actually pull him, Clodan compliantly lifted his knees and followed her lead. He thought she might be leading him to a place where it would be easy to transition from satisfying hunger to satisfying lust, but Ray’s eyes were busy searching for something else.
“Ray.”
She threw Clodan onto the bed and began groping around like a madwoman. She didn’t seem to care what her hands landed on until she finally settled on the blanket. As soon as she grabbed it, she tore it lengthwise with all her strength and immediately began tying him to the bedpost. It was clear that she intended to restrain him completely, but anyone could see that the white blanket wasn’t strong enough for such a task. It was a desperate act of defiance from Ray, whose sanity was on the verge of collapsing.
“Stay still, stay still.”
Clodan looked at Ray with dry eyes. There was a desperation that made him reconsider the thought that she should simply give in to her hunger. What was she trying so hard to protect, to the point of resisting such strong desires? He couldn’t understand; he had lived for centuries dominated by the curse and its desires.
“Hah, uh…”
Ray was so focused on tying him to the post that she could barely breathe. Though the bindings seemed weak enough to break with a single tug, Clodan obediently stayed still as she had asked. He had thought she was a person like him, despite their different temperaments. Clodan found Ray’s unfamiliarity unbearable.
“Now, don’t move.”
Staggering, Ray collapsed onto the bed but didn’t stop there. She tried to make her way back to the door, as if it were crucial to sit by the unopened door. Clodan closed his dry eyes and then opened them again.
What am I staying still for? Clodan asked himself. He could easily free himself from the blanket and throw her back onto the bed. Why was he letting himself be bound by such feeble restraints?
“…Ray?”
Ray, who had been staggering off the bed, suddenly stopped and collapsed like a leaf bidding farewell in the fall. “Ray!”
Clodan quickly freed himself from the bindings and rushed over to gently lift her. She was burning with fever. At this rate, if she didn’t drink blood soon, there was a real chance he might lose her.
