Echoes Of Kin r18

Chapter 19 : Echoes of Kin

Raven watched Seraphine tremble before him, her golden eyes red from crying, her face a mess of tears. Panic flooded him as he gently placed his hands on her shoulders, his voice soothing but desperate.

"What happened? Can you tell me? Please, calm down. Tell me what's wrong, and I'll try to fix it."

But Seraphine only continued to sob, her shoulders shaking violently. Without thinking, Raven pulled her into a tight hug, his arms wrapped securely around her as he whispered, "It's okay. Just let it out. Tell me what happened, and I'll help you."

For ten minutes, she cried in his arms, her anguish pouring out like a storm. When her sobs finally subsided to ragged breaths, Raven carefully led her to the sofa and helped her sit down.

"Wait here. I'll bring you some water," he said softly before heading to the kitchen.

By the time he returned, Seraphine seemed to have calmed herself a little. She accepted the glass of water with shaky hands and drank it slowly. Once she finished, Raven took the glass from her and set it on the table.

"Now," he said gently. "Tell me what happened."

Seraphine's gaze dropped to the floor, her voice quiet but steady. She explained everything to Raven, her words filled with fear and uncertainty.

After listening carefully, Raven spoke. "Do you believe in your sister?"

"Yes," she replied firmly. "I believe in her."

"Then you should wait for her. Something must have happened to keep her away, but if she's as smart as you say, she wouldn't put herself in danger. But..." His expression darkened.

Seraphine's shoulders tensed, but Raven continued calmly, "Why don't you try calling her tomorrow morning? Maybe she'll be free then. For now, you should get some rest."

She hesitated before nodding. Raven stood up and helped her to her feet, guiding her to her bedroom. The room was bright and vibrant, a soothing contrast to the darkness of her troubled mind.

As he placed a blanket over her, Raven said, "I'll be going now, but I'll come back tomorrow morning to check on you."

But she reached out and grasped his hand, her eyes pleading. "Please... stay here. Don't go until my sister comes back."

The innocence and desperation in her gaze pierced through Raven's resolve. He sighed softly. "Alright. I'll stay here tonight. But I'll be outside. If you need anything, just call my name, and I'll be here."

"Promise me," she whispered.

"I promise," he replied gently.

He waited until she drifted off to sleep, her breathing evening out. Raven found himself gazing at her peaceful face, her crimson hair splayed over the pillow, her lashes still damp from crying.

"Good night," he whispered softly before leaving her room.

Raven walked to the living room, collapsing onto the sofa. His body ached with exhaustion, and before he even realized it, he had already fallen into a deep sleep.

---

The Next Morning

Morning light spilled through the curtains as Raven continued to sleep on the sofa. Meanwhile, Seraphine had woken up and was still lying in her bed, her mind replaying the events of the previous night. A slight blush crept onto her cheeks as she remembered how desperately she had pleaded for Raven to stay.

But she shook her embarrassment away and got out of bed. As she stepped into the living room, she saw Raven still sleeping on the sofa.

Curiosity got the best of her, and she once again activated her ability, her golden eyes shining with power. When she looked at Raven, her expression twisted into one of pure shock.

The words hovering above him read:

"Player. Game not started yet. You can see the profile in the game."

She stared at him, utterly confused. It was the same text she had seen above her own head when she looked into the mirror. But why was Raven also a "player"? And what game was it talking about?

Lost in thought, Seraphine didn't realize Raven had opened his eyes and was now staring at her with a confused expression of his own.

"Uh... why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, his voice groggy from sleep.

Her gaze snapped away from him, her face quickly morphing into a warm, cheerful smile. "Good morning! How was your night?"

Raven raised an eyebrow, clearly noticing the sudden shift in her demeanor. "Uh, good, I guess. Thanks to you, I slept pretty well here."

"I'm glad," she replied softly. "Why don't you go freshen up? I'll make you some breakfast."

Raven nodded, standing up and stretching. "Alright. But anything you make is fine. I know it'll be good if it's made by someone this beautiful."

She blushed slightly at his words but quickly composed herself. "Just go. I'll take care of everything."

He chuckled and made his way to the bathroom. After freshening up, he returned to the living room and found Seraphine preparing breakfast in the kitchen. He leaned against the wall, watching her work, noticing how focused she seemed.

It didn't take her long to finish making breakfast. As they sat down to eat, Raven couldn't help but flirt with her between bites, enjoying the way her cheeks flushed softly each time.

"By the way," Raven said, his tone turning serious. "About that job you mentioned. What exactly is it?"

Seraphine met his gaze, her golden eyes shining with determination. "My sister owns a management company. She's given me a department to handle, managing players — sports players, e-sports players, basically any kind of player you can think of. It's a big company, and I want you to be my manager. I need you by my side, guiding me, giving me advice, and helping me whenever I need it."

Raven frowned. "But why me? Even if I was capable, the one million you offered is way too much for something like that. If you're hiding something, you should tell me. If we're going to be partners, we need to trust each other."

Seraphine tightened her fists, her eyes glistening with pain. "You're smart and strong. You can guide me and... protect me at the same time."

"Protect you? From who?" Raven asked, his voice dropping low.

She hesitated before speaking, her tone laced with fear. "From my brothers and my father. They're after me and my sister. They're jealous of her success and afraid of her power. They want to eliminate us from the family."

---

Luxe Haven appartment 102 (Grim's New appartment)

The apartment in 102 was bathed in the pale light of the morning, but Grim and Aurelia hadn't slept a bit. Grim was pressing her into the bed, his lips tracing along her neck, his teeth sinking into her skin with just enough pressure to leave a mark. His kisses were relentless, demanding, leaving trails of heat that made her body tremble.

Aurelia's breaths came out in shallow pants, her eyes glazed over from the intensity of the night they had just gone through. "It's enough... I can't take anymore... please, stop..." she pleaded, her voice weak, her body feeling like it would melt into the bed.

But Grim only looked down at her like a predator eyeing his prey, not stopping even a bit. His hands held both her wrists above her head, pinning her down with ease, his smirk growing as he saw her desperation.

"Please stop..." Aurelia whispered again, her voice breaking. "I lost count of how many times we did it after twenty... I'm tired... I can't take anymore..."

Grim's dark eyes gleamed with satisfaction, his expression showing no signs of exhaustion. In fact, he looked like someone who had a limitless amount of energy, like he could go on for another night or two without stopping.

"Begging already?" he taunted, his voice low and full of amusement. "You were quite active last night. All the marks you left on my body are probably more than my scars."

Aurelia's eyes widened, her cheeks turning crimson as she realized the truth in his words. The embarrassment flooded her senses, but her body was far too tired to respond properly.

She let out a frustrated whimper, her body aching from the sheer intensity of the night. But right now, there was only one thing she needed.

"Water..." she rasped, her voice strained. "Before you continue, at least let me have water or... I will die in this pleasure..."

Grim's smirk only deepened, his grip on her wrists loosening slightly. "Alright. I'll give you a break. Let's go have some water."

But then he remembered something important. He had just bought this apartment, and there was no drinking water here yet.

"Looks like we'll have to continue without water," he remarked casually, his eyes glinting with mischief.

"No... no more," Aurelia begged, her exhaustion evident. "First water... let's go to my apartment. It's here only... in Luxe Haven..."

Grim raised an eyebrow, amused by her desperation. "Alright. What's your number?"

"101," she replied, her voice soft.

A wicked grin spread across Grim's face. "Looks like we're neighbors. That means we can do this anytime."

He finally released her hands and rose from the bed. His white pants hung loosely around his waist, his upper body completely bare. His chiseled abs, broad chest, powerful biceps, and triceps all looked incredibly well-defined, like a sculpted masterpiece.

He glanced back at her, still lying motionless on the bed, her breathing shallow. "Get up."

But she didn't have the strength to move, her body utterly spent.

Grim let out a sigh. "Looks like I have no choice."

He bent down and scooped her into his arms effortlessly. Her body felt light against his chest as he looked down at her with that same dangerous smirk.

"Wear my shirt. There are no clothes for you here."

Aurelia obediently reached for his shirt and slipped it on. The fabric hung loosely over her frame, its scent carrying Grim's distinct presence.

Grim held her in his arms as he walked toward the front door of his apartment. He opened it with ease, stepping out into the quiet hallway.

Just beside his apartment was hers. As he stood outside the door marked 101, he glanced down at her. "What's the password to your apartment?"

Aurelia's gaze was dazed, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's... my sister's birthday. The password is 0521."

Grim punched in the code, and with a satisfying beep, the door unlocked.

---

Apartment 101 (Aurelia's apartment)

Raven and Seraphine had finished their breakfast and were now sitting on the sofa, their conversation flowing as naturally as the morning sunlight pouring through the windows.

"So, you're really planning to go against your family for this?" Raven asked, his gaze curious yet cautious.

Seraphine shrugged, her expression unreadable. "It's not really 'going against' them. It's more like... making sure they understand I'm not some fragile doll that needs constant protection. And to do that, I need to be stronger. That's where you come in."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "And the work we'll be doing? What exactly does it involve?"

"Mainly bodyguard duties. Protecting me when necessary, but also helping me gather information on certain individuals. You're skilled at being... unnoticed. I need someone like that."

"Sounds like a lot of sneaking around," Raven said with a slight smirk. "I'm good at that."

Seraphine smiled. "I noticed. And the payment will be well worth your time, I promise."

Before Raven could respond, the door swung open abruptly. The sudden sound made both of them jump to their feet, their eyes darting toward the entrance.

What they saw was a man stepping into the apartment, holding someone in his arms. Raven's eyes widened as he took in the familiar figure.

His brother.

Grim was standing there, wearing only white pants. His upper body was completely bare, revealing the countless scars littering his back and shoulders. Raven had never seen his brother shirtless before. The sheer number of scars shocked him, each one telling a story of violence and pain.

But it wasn't just the scars that left Raven stunned. It was the aura Grim exuded — a forceful, almost suffocating presence that seemed to dominate the very air around him.

Raven realized then how far his brother was from him. To reach Grim... to even think of defeating him... he would have to push himself much, much harder.

As he continued to stare, he felt Seraphine's hand on his arm, her grip trembling slightly. In a low, almost breathless voice, she whispered, "Sister."

Raven snapped his attention back to his brother, and only then did he notice Grim was holding someone in his arms.

Just as Raven was about to speak, Grim turned his head slightly, his black eyes cold and sharp.

"Why don't you get out of the way, you two?" Grim's voice was deep, the intensity of his tone enough to make Raven and Seraphine's knees feel weak. They could barely hold themselves up under the pressure of his words alone.

The weight of his presence was terrifying. But somehow, they managed to remain standing.

Grim's gaze narrowed. "Didn't you hear me? You're in the way."

Raven swallowed hard, his instincts screaming at him to retreat. He grabbed Seraphine's wrist and guided her toward her room, his steps quick and cautious.

Now, only Grim and Aurelia remained in the hallway. Aurelia's arms were loosely draped around his neck, her face still pale from exhaustion.

Grim's eyes shifted down to her. "Where's your room? And where's the water?"

Aurelia let out a weak chuckle. "My room is on the first floor... and I have water in there. So... let's go to my room."

Grim said nothing as he carried her up the stairs, his steps confident and unbothered by the weight in his arms. Once they reached her room, he pushed the door open and walked inside.

Spotting a bottle of water on the small table near her bed, he grabbed it and handed it to her. She eagerly took it, drinking greedily until her thirst was finally quenched.

Grim took a swig from the bottle himself before placing it down. His gaze returned to her, a familiar smirk curling his lips. "We should continue what was left."

Aurelia's eyes widened, her exhaustion suddenly replaced by panic. "No... not when my sister is present here."

Her words came out hurriedly, her expression tense. She looked at Grim and realized her mistake. This was not a man she could refuse. The darkness in his gaze made her remember the reality of who he was.

Immediately, she corrected herself, her voice trembling, "I-I mean... Let's do this when we're both alone. I... I don't want anyone to come between us."

She leaned forward and gave him a tight kiss, desperate to appease him.

Grim's gaze softened just slightly, but his smirk didn't fade. "I'll let that slide today. But I'm not going to listen from tomorrow."

Without waiting for a response, he gently laid her down on the bed and turned to leave. But before he could take a step, she reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Stay with me," she whispered. "Even if it's morning, we should at least sleep for a while. And... I'll make you something to eat after we wake up."

Grim looked at her for a moment, as if weighing her words. And then, with a slight nod, he agreed and lay beside her.

As soon as he settled down, Aurelia crossed her arms over his chest and hugged him tightly. The warmth of her body pressed against his own was strangely comforting. And within moments, she had drifted off to sleep, her breathing soft and even.