Leanna

*WARNING! Chapter contained tortured scenes not suited for young audiences. Skip to the next chapter if you're not comfortable with this type of scene.

You've been warned.

----

[Warm Up]

Lawrence woke in the early morning when he felt the mattress sunk.

He was not in a deep sleep. He was half awake ever since his sister woke up –– again, by nightmares.

He wanted to ask and comfort her, but he knew she didn't want that. He knew his sister would only feel guilty because she didn't want anyone to worry about her.

That's just how she is.

She didn't want to trouble anyone.

When his sister got up, he knew where she went and who the person she seeks refuge.

He was pained and frustrated that he couldn't do anything to help her. He wanted to grow up quickly so he could support her as the demon could.

He fixated his attention on his surroundings, particularly on the demon's movement. One wrong move and he would kick that demon back to hell.

The demon covered his sister with a blanket. Then he tucked her hair behind her ear as he stared at her for what seemed to be an eternity.

At that moment, even though the demon's eyes were scary as it glowed under the dim room –– he couldn't help but wonder.

Do demons love too?

He didn't have the chance to ponder as his eyes widened when the demon kissed his sister's lips, her nose, then her forehead.

His fingers curled against his palms under the blanket.

This asshole! No one molests my sister and gets away with it!

He was ready to jump at him and wrestle him down, but the demon turned around, exposing the red marks on his shirt. At the sight, he noticed the faint lingering smell of blood. Then it was gone the moment the devil left the room.

. . .

. . .

Did his wounds re-opened because he carried my sister all the way here?

His eyes fell on the peaceful smile on his sister's sleeping face.

. . .

. . .

That man is a demon. He concluded.

He is also brainwashing me!

----

[Ashes]

A few days later.

In an underground facility in an unknown island, ten meters deep from the ground –– cries and howls bounced along the bright-lit room where six people were being tortured non-stop.

Their hands and legs were missing nails, shackled against the wall. Their lips were stitched shut as their eyes were stapled open to watch the horror unfolded before them. Their groin was barren as the rotten smell of flesh, and the nauseating scent of blood mixed with antiseptic engulfed the room.

"My wife has nightmares every night because of what you did."

Cain approached the six men.

The six felt like every step he took; they were plunge deeper into hell. They were trying to say that they didn't know. That they were just following orders –– but their tongue was cut as their lips were stitched shut. Their bodies battered, and their mental strengths were exhausted dry. They couldn't even move their vocal cord to let out a squeak.

"Do you know how that feels? Helpless as you watched the one you love the most being tormented in their dreams."

Urk!

Saber groaned when a jab hit his stomach. Cain's fist burrowed deeper into his flesh, making sure every organ felt the impact.

"No . . . You can't possibly understand."

Cain's eyes were enough to send chills down to their very bones.

"Aargghhh . . . Mnghhhh . . . Aargghhh."

Saber forced out the words beneath his bleeding mouth, yet Cain just twitched his lips and went back to his seat.

"Kill you? Now that would be a swift death, isn't it?" Cain tilted his head, supporting it with his fingers as he crossed his legs.

"I want you to feel, a thousand times of what my wife. Of what I'm feeling . . . then maybe . . . just maybe, it can appease my anger."

Cain waved his hand, and a group of black suit men barged inside –– dragging a group of men, women, and children even the older ones and babies were not spared. Their hands all tied behind their back.

Mnngrrgghh!!

The six all wanted to rip their hands free. Their eyes watered as their howls grew louder and louder, not minding the cuts in their throat.

The women screamed, and the children cried.

"It's good to know that you recognize them," Cain said. His tone was dead as much as the expression on his face. "Some may not be related to you and have the unfortunate luck to have your last names."

Cain tapped his finger as he stared at the bunch of people with bored eyes.

"They are the last of your bloodline. Say your final goodbyes."

----

"Young master, what should we do with the bodies?"

Cain stared at the corpses with a blank expression.

The women were naked battered black and blue. The men were missing limbs, and the children and babies were nowhere to be found –– even the bones turned animal fodder.

He glanced at the six lifeless men on the wall.

"Burn their bodies."

He then made for the door, but before he went out, he paused and said with a dead voice, "Patched their wounds. I don't want them to die just yet. After that, administer dream eater." Then he disappeared from sight.

Dream eater, a drug that attacked the brain, making the victim sleep in an eternity of nightmares.

Russell snapped his fingers to get everyone's attention. "You heard, young master. Get to it." Russell took another glanced at the six without a bit of pity nor emotion on his face before he strode to Cain's side.

"Young master." Cedrick, Cain's secretary, bowed and opened the door into a room similar to the bright room just beside it.

Cain went inside, ignoring everyone except the two elders who were sipping tea in complete nonchalant as a bunch of people were lined and gagged –– shackled on the other side of the wall.

"Ah, Cain. It's nice to see you again. You never visit me, you ungrateful child." The elder woman stood from her seat and kissed Cain on the cheek.

"It's good to see you again grandmother and . . . Grandfather," Cain greeted with all respect as he bowed before he kissed his grandfather's ring. A family heirloom passed down to generations of Fay's.

"Sit, my boy! We brought you a present!" The elder man said in all enthusiasm.

Cain took a seat between them and glanced over the screen, which showed a bunch of corpses and six men chained on the walls. His attention then flicked at the line of people in front of them.

Mmnngghhh!!

"Hmm . . . ," The elder woman slid his obsidian eyes over at the people shackled on the wall. "It seems like elder Goldwood would like to say something~."

The elder man put down his cup and tapped a napkin on his mouth.

"Ungag him!" he ordered, and a line of black suit men followed the elder man's command.

"Y-you . . . h-have . . . Ho-li . . . s-spare . . . rest." The elder Goldwood said even with all his teeth pulled out.

Holley's eyes widened as she snapped her swelling head at her grandfather. Her face full of tears while her mother, Evelyn, struggled to break free. Their constant howls and cries cringed the ears.

"Well, that won't do~," the elder woman said in a sing-song voice. "It's been our philosophy to cut down the roots of our enemy. You know . . . just to be safe~." She then smiled like she was talking about the weather.

"Won't . . . r-revenge . . . ," the elder Goldwood spat the words with his blood and saliva.

THUD!

The loud thump of a cane silenced everyone as the elder man sneered, "Enough of this chit-chat!"

He then gazed at his grandson, eyes softer than usual. Very different from the way he acted from the rest. "Cain, my boy. This is our present to you. You can do whatever you want with them."

. . .

. . .

Cain closed his eyes for a moment before he said with a flat tone, "I've given your granddaughter leniency when she spread rumors and brought harm to my wife. But this time, she actually dared to kill my Leanna."

His eyes were boring at the pretty –– now battered Holley Goldwood.

"That will cost you your blood. Your entire generation. Your lineage. Your wealth. Your fortune." He raised his hand, signaling his men. "You can slowly kill the rest . . . except for Holley Goldwood."

The black suit men gagged the elder Goldwood and started their assault.

"Cain, when will you introduce us to your wife to be~?" The elder woman squeezed Cain's hand, not an ounce of interest at the cries of the tortured.

"Cain, my boy," The elder man slid in the conversation, "If you want to marry her, then . . . don't put her in the dark. You have to tell her the future of marrying in our family." He then tapped Cain's shoulder while the latter remained expressionless.

"Don't worry, grandfather, grandmother . . . I'll introduce her to you one of these days."

"Splendid~!" The elder woman clasped her hand and drunk her tea in a good mood. "Now, enough about that and tell us what you've been up to these days enough for you to forget to visit your grandmother."

They continued their idle chatter while a group of people was tortured as if it was just an everyday occurrence.