Episode 35

“I’m holding Henry, aren’t I? Hurry up.”

Kyle hesitated but eventually used the handkerchief to wipe Rosanna’s cheek clean. She kept her gaze fixed on him, while Kyle, blushing, focused entirely on the task.

Henry, observing the interaction closely, leaned in and whispered into Rosanna’s ear, “You look like Mom and Dad.”

The innocent comment from the boy brought a smirk to Rosanna’s lips. She gently rubbed her forehead against Henry’s, her amusement barely contained.

“All clean now,” Kyle said, stepping back and tucking the handkerchief away. For the first time, he looked at the man standing nearby—Raymond, who had moved a step closer.

“Nice to meet you, Brother. Call me Basilio; that’s my baptismal name.”

Kyle was the first to extend his hand, his warm gesture exuding friendliness. Raymond stared at the offered hand for a moment before taking it.

“A seminarian… so that’s who you are.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ve heard about you.”

Raymond’s gaze shifted toward Rosanna, his expression asking if this was the owner of the rosary she had bought.

“I’m Raymond. I recently opened a dessert shop called Ruby’s.”

“I’ve heard about it. I’ll stop by sometime when I visit the orphanage.”

Raymond’s eyes trailed slowly up and down Kyle, his intent clearly one of appraisal. Kyle didn’t seem bothered, but Rosanna, standing between them, sensed the tension and felt uncomfortable. She was about to intervene after setting Henry down when Raymond spoke again.

“The orphanage under the cathedral’s care?”

“That’s right. I grew up there, so I still visit the children from time to time.”

“Perfect. I’ve been thinking about bringing desserts there occasionally. I heard they’re close by.”

“That would be appreciated. Snacks are always in short supply.”

“My sibling and I… we know what that’s like.”

Raymond nodded, as though sharing an unspoken understanding of the hardships of growing up without parents. The camaraderie softened Kyle’s expression noticeably.

“Oh, you have a sibling?”

“Not by blood. But for people like us, blood relations don’t mean much anyway.”

Rosanna, signaling Henry to stay quiet, listened intently to the exchange. The more she heard, the more bizarre it seemed. Raymond, usually aloof and detached, was now initiating conversation with Kyle. His sudden interest was baffling.

Kyle’s demeanor was equally frustrating. It was obvious his jealousy was melting away as he chatted with Raymond, his spirits visibly lifting. Rosanna frowned. How could someone be so soft in this harsh world? Clearly, Kyle was meant to be her attachment toy, protected and sheltered by her.

“Enough.”

Rosanna interjected, stepping between them to end their bonding session. She tried to block Raymond’s line of sight to Kyle by moving him behind her, but she was the smallest of the three, making the effort futile.

“What are you doing, making friends?”

“Why not?”

“Don’t bother.”

She turned to Kyle, her voice firm.

“Don’t get too close to him. He’s got a bad personality—it might rub off on you.”

Kyle, looking flustered, tried to respond, but Rosanna was quicker.

“Raymond, wait here until I get back. Henry, keep an eye on him. If he tries to leave, shout as loud as you can. It’s a game.”

“A game?” Henry’s eyes lit up.

“What are you making the kid do now?” Raymond frowned.

Ignoring the contrast in their expressions—Henry’s excitement and Raymond’s annoyance—Rosanna took Kyle’s arm and led him toward the seminary gates. Kyle barely managed a rushed goodbye before being whisked away.

“Why the sudden retreat?”

“It was time to leave anyway. I just saved you the trouble of ending the conversation.”

Though he had no pressing responsibilities—his exams were over, and only the ordination interviews remained—Kyle chose not to argue. Rosanna’s childlike eagerness for praise as she looked at him made him chuckle.

“Thanks for seeing me off.”

“Not everyone gets this kind of treatment, you know.”

“Haha, I’m honored.”

As he spoke, Kyle noticed her hair ornament slipping out of place. Without thinking, he reached out to adjust it. It was an uncharacteristic move for him—touching an unmarried woman’s hair would have been unthinkable before.

‘I’ve changed,’ Kyle thought. And he knew who had brought about that change: the captivating woman before him.

Rosanna seemed to have something on her mind. She fixed him with a curious look.

“I’ve got a question.”

“What is it?” Kyle asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.

Rosanna’s fingertip lightly brushed against the back of Kyle’s hand. It traced a small circle on his bare skin before sliding upward along the black fabric of his cassock. From his wrist to his arm, and then to his shoulder. Though she wasn’t touching his bare skin, Kyle’s senses were acutely heightened, his nerves on edge.

“Why did you give him your baptismal name? To Raymond, I mean.”

“That’s how it’s usually done. It’s formal… I always share my baptismal name with parishioners.”

“But you told me your real name.”

“That’s….”

Kyle swallowed hard, his voice faltering.

“I don’t know. It just… happened.”

“Good choice.”

Rosanna’s hand settled on his broad shoulder, as if to commend him. Her long, slender fingers pressed lightly on his shoulder and near his neck, almost like they were playing a piano. Then, just as quickly as they’d come, they withdrew. The restrained touch left Kyle craving more.

“I have a gift for you, but I didn’t bring it today. I’ll give it to you next time.”

“Next time?”

“You never know, we might run into each other again. By chance.”

The way she said “by chance” made it clear she wasn’t leaving their encounters up to fate. She was planning for them to happen, creating opportunities. It was so quintessentially Rosanna.

Kyle decided to let it slide. After all, keeping his distance to focus on his path hadn’t helped at all. A month without seeing Rosanna had filled him with endless worry and doubt. There was no way he could endure the rest of the season with his sanity intact.

If he could see her even briefly now and then, the memories of those moments would sustain him during the days he couldn’t.

“Yes, by chance. I’ll look forward to it.”

* * *

A few days later, Rosanna cleared her emotional debts entirely. Over a meal at a fine dining restaurant, she wrote out a check from her checkbook, signed it, and handed it to Raymond, who accepted it without comment.

‘And that’s that.’ Rosanna felt a weight lift from her shoulders as she paid the bill and exited the restaurant. She had brought Henry along as a buffer, fearing another argument if she met Raymond alone. Henry, happily full from the meal, followed her out with a bright expression, while Raymond, holding the boy’s hand, remained impassive.

“That settles everything. Don’t come asking for more later.”

“I have no intention of doing so.”

“Then let’s part ways here. Henry, say goodbye and let go of his hand.”

Rosanna extended her hand, beckoning Henry to take it, but the boy clung tightly to Raymond’s hands, shaking his head. His determined expression made his intentions clear: he wanted to go to Ruby’s.

“I want dessert.”

“You just had mint sorbet.”

“I didn’t like it…”

Raymond ruffled Henry’s hair, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

“Not exactly a kid-friendly flavor.”

“Is that so?” Rosanna remarked, her tone indifferent. As a vampire, she couldn’t fully appreciate such nuances.

Inevitably, Rosanna found herself at Ruby’s, where she decided to buy enough desserts for everyone at the townhouse. While waiting for the order to be packed, she and Raymond sat off to the side, their view of Nina and Henry at the counter unobstructed.

“You seem pretty indulgent with your nephew.”

“I’m just letting him have his way.”

Rosanna’s gaze shifted to Raymond.

“Henry is more human than you are. As he grows, he’ll be ostracized by the clan. It’s disheartening. That’s why I let him act out now. He should grow up doing what he wants.”

“I thought you were taking care of him begrudgingly. Do you really see him as family? Even though he’s mixed-blood?”

Raymond’s voice dropped slightly.

“At first, I hated it. Why should I bear the burden of my foolish brother’s mistake?”

“And now?”

“Living with him, I realized Henry isn’t a mistake—he’s family.”

Rosanna stared intently at Raymond’s green eyes.

“You must’ve had it rough. Discrimination and scorn were probably worse when you were a child. You’re from Sobern, right? That region is cold, remote, and known for its brutal clans…”

“Let’s not talk about me,” Raymond interjected curtly.

“Touchy, aren’t you? I’m not trying to dig into your past.”

Rosanna’s gaze returned to the counter, watching as Nina carefully packed the desserts.

“I was going to cut ties with you. But Henry likes you. Maybe there’s some sort of affinity between mixed-bloods. I guess the reason you care for him is that same sense of kinship. You two can be each other’s allies.”

“…”

“So let’s get along. No more picking fights. Stick to that, and I’ll upgrade you from acquaintance to friend.”

Raymond glanced at the hand she extended for a handshake, his expression unreadable.

He had lived his life fueled by hatred born from his mother’s death and the suffering he endured as a dhampir. It was that hatred that had pushed him through hellish training and into his role as a hunter. Yet now, he found himself interacting with Rosanna—a vampire unlike the ones he had grown to despise, and not just any vampire, but one of the highest rank.

Could it be that not all vampires were inherently evil?

No. Such doubts were poison. Before they could take root and undermine his faith in the Order of the Holy Cross and Breeder’s mission, Raymond pushed the thought aside. For now, his orders were clear: get closer to his target.

Raymond grasped her hand.

“Fine. I’ll accept you as a friend.”

Rosanna leaned in and whispered, “But… your little sister keeps sneaking glances at me with that sly grin.”

“She’s… peculiar. Ignore her.”

Just then, Nina’s artificially cheerful voice rang out. “Your order’s ready!”

Rosanna approached the counter, pulling Henry along behind her as she accepted the bag of desserts. Nina’s face was alight with over-the-top enthusiasm.

“I love beautiful women! You have to keep that face just as it is, okay?”

Avoiding trouble with such a character seemed the wisest course. Rosanna quickly exited the shop, signaling Raymond to follow. Once outside, she handed him both the dessert bag and Henry.

“I’m going across the street for a bit. Since we’re friends now, you can carry this for me.”

Raymond narrowed his eyes but didn’t object to being treated like a porter.

“What are you buying?”

“Sleep incense.”

“It won’t work on you.”

“It’s not for me. I have… another use for it.”

The knowing smile Rosanna flashed made Raymond wary. It wasn’t hard to guess that the “sleep incense” would be used for some suspicious purpose.

 

 

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