Chapter 29

LUCIEN WARNING ⚠️: “Ohh? What’s this? Why shouldn’t they read?? What do you mean I can’t read too??”

I love everything you do
When you call me fucking dumb
for the stupid shit I do
—Training Wheels

THEIR POINT OF VIEW

Redd’s second cigarette ran out so he stared at Leo sitting by the headboard in front of him, wondering if he could borrow the lighter again. Leo was still glaring at him as he flipped open and closed the lighter repeatedly, as if planning to set the other male on fire.

Jude was face down on the bed sobbing in Leo’s clothes. Not in pain, but horrible embarrassment. He had to make Leo c*m with just his mouth while Redd watched as punishment. The medic didn’t mind, because he was allowed to masturbate into a second climax. But now Jude is sobbing with a pillow over his head to hide from Leo’s jealousy.

“So uhh…” Redd started a conversation with his dear friend Leo, “Are you gonna tell—”

“Nobody’s telling ANYONE!” Jude demanded, finally emerging from the pillow only to get pushed back down by Leo’s firm hand with multiple rings.

“Stay down or I’m gonna make myself c*m in your *ss this time.” The very sore Jude immediately backed down and covered his head with the pillow again. Noticing Redd with a third cigarette staring at his *ss, Leo begrudgingly threw him the lighter as a warning. “You want to go round two?”

“Nah, I’m just concerned… y’know I’m a nurse,” Redd mumbled.

“Satan has been gaining control so easily the past few days. If the Monsignor finds out, he’ll ship me to the Vatican. So if you want to steal Jude from me, there’s an opportunity.”

Redd scoffed while gently slapping a hand on Jude’s leg to comfort him from Leo’s punishment, “No way, man. He’s yours as much as I’m Glass’. But my blood is in him too, yeah? So that’s on you if you let me. If you keep silent to Glass, I’ll keep this ‘lil secret of yours, too.”

Leo smiled, knowing both of them will be in deep sh*t if their secret gets out. As Redd lights his cigarette, his eyes tell Leo there’s one more secret yet to say, too.

Jude can be heard sighing under the pillow, before he lifts it slightly to look at Redd. “If we’re gonna be talking about secrets, I think Leo deserves to know why we were kissing, Redd.”

“What do you mean?” Leo looked confused now, because he truly thought Redd only wanted to sleep with Jude at that time. With Jude’s blessing, Redd decided to speak out.

“Forgive us, for we have sinned… Jude has been keeping a secret as big as Satan in your head right now,” Redd confessed, “I was privately mentoring him for a power that no one knows he has, except Glass and I: Jude not only has the Sheltering, but the Echoing as well. He has two powers.”

“Oh sh*t.” / Oh, sh***t~
Salve and Satan said respectively.

Leo snatched the pillow off of Jude’s head, who now looked guilty and nervous. “Wha—you have what?! What do you mean he has—wh—Glass and Redd, what?! I thought you only had one!”

“Glass figured out I could look into memories simply by looking at me, but then the Sheltering incident happened! He accidentally told Redd when we were recovering in the clinic, and now you caught us practicing the Echoing—”

“You could LOOK INTO MEMORIES?!” Leo whisper-yelled, “Jude, not even—”

“Not even Pryce could do that, I know, Redd and Glass told me!”

Leo only now realized, “So that’s why you’re so close to Redd and Glass?! But you couldn’t tell me?!”

“I didn’t mean for them to find out, I didn’t want anyone to find out!” Jude exclaimed. “Don’t tell me you’re jealous about that, too! You know I like you the most!”

“Oh, so the three of us can f*ck you all we want but only two of them know about your powers? Wow, I’m definitely the most liked,” said with heavy sarcasm.

Both Salve and Redd looked at the two of them on the other edge of the bed, with similar facial expressions.

Redd mumbles, “Evie and Glass… and now them?”

“I know,” Salve nodded, “See, if it’d be you and Jude, you wouldn’t… because you’re pretty chill, right?”

“L,” Redd called out, cutting off their argument before it breaks them up, if that is possible. “Forgive Jude for keeping a secret. But it’s not his fault he’s trying to keep the witnesses to a minimum. Me knowing was an accident… same with Glass. If he wasn’t so scared about his powers, you’d be the first one to know. Don’t get mad at him.”

Leo looked at Jude, still pissed, but those glossy puppy eyes filled with guilt is making him feel knots in his heart and below the stomach. Eventually, Leo sighed, pulled Jude’s head to kiss it, “As if I’ll ever stay mad at you…”

“Attaboy, L…” Redd reached out to high five him, but Leo only glared back.

“You’re not pretty enough for me to stop being mad at you,” Leo snaps, making Redd sigh in disappointment. “So if Archer is mentoring him with the Sheltering… you were mentoring him about the Echoing? First of all, what do you know about mental powers? And second of all… why is kissing involved?!”

“Calm down, L…” Redd said, “Like Jude said, he can look into memories. But it’s triggered through touch, which he can’t control yet. It’s more intense with intimate touches.”

“That’s why I tried to sleep with Evie and Pryce,” Jude added, a guilty look still laid on his face. “I wanted to find out if Evie really is hurting Glass, and I wanted to find out about Lucien through Pryce.”

Somehow, that fact seemed to calm down Leo and reassured him that Jude may not have feelings for them, which eased his jealousy.

“And the kiss—” Redd added, pissing Leo off at the reminder, “Is an intimate touch. We thought maybe he could look into my memories with a kiss. We were practicing control over it. But the memories are painful for him… he could feel exactly what we felt when it happened: physically and emotionally.”

Leo looked at Jude, asking with a low voice, “Did you… see anything with me?”

“You were the first person I ever had that experience with,” Jude admits, looking at Leo’s hand and yearning to hold it, but he’s uncertain.

“And… what have you seen?” Leo asked.

“Your experience with the Vatican… them imprisoning Satan inside you,” Jude is currently fighting back tears, “It hurt, Leo. I know exactly what you felt… that’s why I’ll do everything I can to keep Satan happy… so you won’t get hurt anymore.”

Leo can’t help but pull Jude into a tight hug he doesn’t want to be separated from. “I’m so sorry… f*ck, you shouldn’t have felt that horrible memory. I believe you, baby… you’re my guardian angel, you know that right?”

Salve sighed while Redd shrugged, preferring this sappy scene over the dumb argument earlier. No matter how hard and manly Leo acts around the convent, he just melts into a clingy housecat when it comes to Jude.

“No one else should know about Jude’s two powers…” said Redd, “The Vatican will use him as a weapon, or worse kill him for the threat he is against vampires and humans. I hope you understand how dangerous it is for a vampire to have two powers…”

“Lucifer has more than one,” Jude recalled.

“You didn’t listen to class, baby?” Leo smiled at his naivety. “Lucifer has everything. All vampire powers that ever existed, it was Father Morningstar‘s first. He only gifted us one each for our survival. Two powers makes you closer to Lucifer than all vampires that ever existed.”

Meanwhile, Lucien was alone in the garden again, mumbling sweet nothings to the flowers; even the weeds are watered by him. His overgrown blonde hair is messily braided by himself, so he attached flowers on it to make it look more presentable.

The wind blew against the trees, and he looked up at the sky where the gentle sun warmed up his eyes. “Don’t worry, Mother… Jude isn’t being hurt. If he is, nothing a few flowers can’t fix.”

The wind blew through the grass this time, so Lucien looked at the convent where Jude was walking through the halls with windows overlooking the garden. He seemed to notice someone was watching, so he looked back at Lucien who excitedly waved his hand.

“Hi, Jude!”

Jude was about to lift his hand off the Bible, but Archer behind him laid a hand on his shoulder. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. An unstable newborn with the gift of Sheltering… who knows what accident you could bestow upon Lucien?”

As much as Jude wanted to greet Lucien, his mentor was right. So he laid his hand back down the Bible and kept walking.

“Good boy,” the Geisha complimented.

“He’s not a dog!” Salve barked at him from behind.

Seeing Jude walk away without even smiling made Lucien’s smile falter. He could only ever talk to the flowers with teary eyes. “I guess… I could never really have a friend for long. I was hoping he’d stay longer than Redd…”

Speaking of, a red frisbee landed on the lake, and Lucien stood up to look at it. The frisbee seemed to come from upstairs, but as he looked for the source, he spotted Redd walking towards him.

“H—” he was about to greet, but he didn’t want him to get in trouble again. So he could only watch Redd walking towards the lake.

But this time, Redd stood by the edge of the lake with both his hands in his pockets, right across Lucien. “Hey, Luce.”

Lucien’s eyes lit up in a way the sun shines when clouds leave it. “Redd! Hi! Do you need to get your circle?! I can help!”

“Nahh, don’t… this gives me an excuse not to go to class. Evie’s debates have been driving me nuts,” the big man chuckled.

Lucien was hiding a smile, swinging his body shyly. “So you’ll stay for a while?”

“Yeah… as long as I look like I’m actually trying to get the thing?” Redd said as he went to the reeds to search for a big stick.

“I’ll help!” Lucien looked around and followed the direction the flowers are dancing. He walked towards Redd, since they’re telling him to do so. “There’s new students inside? I’ve seen two people I didn’t see before.”

“Ahh, that’s Archer and Elio… they’re old students. I’d stay away from the one that looks like a doll. You’re pretty safe with Elio,” Redd said as he looked up the trees to see if there are any branches.

“I think I remember the doll one,” Lucien said, referring to Archer. “She looks very pretty.”

“Mm, because you haven’t seen him up close. His face is full of warts, he looks like a witch under all that make-up—so stay away,” Redd joked, which Lucien laughed at.

“Witches are nice, they make wishes come true! It’s the people that can’t pay the price,” Lucien rambled off.

“You make a good point, kid…”

“Kid? Aren’t you 19, Redd? You’re only two years older than me!”

Redd looked down sadly. I was 19, two years ago. Lucien doesn’t really have a sense of time, huh. “I’m just calling you kid because you’re like a little brother to me.”

“That doesn’t make me a kid.”

“Your head doesn’t reach my armpit, you’re a rat.”

“Hahahahaha! Rats are mice’s big brothers, so you’re the rat,” Lucien giggled as some tall grass were opened up by the wind to reveal a nice thin stick long enough to reach the disk in the middle of the lake.

“You’re right, Luce. Maybe I am a big brother rat—whoa! Where’d you find that?”

“Given by the trees, of course…” Lucien says as he went to the edge of the lake to fish it out.

“Hey! Careful…” Redd ran to his side to make sure he won’t fall on the water. “I know ‘you still clumsy…”

“Don’t worry, Redd… the water won’t hurt me, even if I fall.”

Redd looks at Lucien, who is very focused on retrieving the disk. “When’s your birthday, kid?”

“October… ooh, it’s very close. I hope to have a party with everyone eating cakes and fruits,” Lucien suddenly yells at the sky, “Please, please, please! I’ll be good, I promise!”

“You’re speaking to your ghost mom again?” Redd makes fun of him.

“She’s not a ghost,” Lucien pouts, “She is my faith that everything will be nice and good, no matter how many problems are in the world. Good things will happen to good people…”

“But why does bad things keep happening to good people?” Redd asked as Lucien failed to reach the disk.

“Ahh… it’s not long enough…” Lucien looked back at Redd. We can’t control the bad things from happening. All we can do is stay alive and remain good… so we don’t scare the good things away.”

That’s when the wind blew through the trees and created a ripple in the water enough for the frisbee to float closer to the edge of the lake. Lucien gasped and immediately fished it out with a stick.

“Here! I got it!” He ran to hand Redd the toy, but stopped within 3 feet away. His smile fades upon realizing he may get Redd in trouble if he gets too close.

But Lucy is worth the trouble, Redd thought as he stepped forward and gently took the frisbee from the nervous boy’s hands. Having Redd this close made Lucien’s eyes smile through the worry. That smile seemed to stretch with gratefulness and love, as Redd ignored the eyes watching him. I can’t stop them from punishing me… all I can do is stay alive and remain by your side, so I don’t scare you away.

Later at night, Lucien goes through the designated hallway only for his use.

Redd isn’t scared to be with me anymore… I wonder if the others can talk to me, too. I hope Jude meets me again… ahh? Maybe Chef Leo?

He rushed to his bedroom, knowing Leo would be there laying his food on his table. Since Lucien is home this early, he managed to catch the chef in the act.

“Hi, Leo! What’s for dinner?” Lucien peeked at the tray, seeing baked lamb chop with green beans and buttered vegetables. “Wow, it smells so good!”

The chef barely even looked at him as he arranged the utensils.

“Can I have milk with it, please?” Lucien requested, but Leo didn’t make a sound. Still, he followed the chef as he walks out of the room. “Wait! I don’t get my milk!”

Leo wanted to close the door, but Lucien pulls it open. “Can you please send a message to Jude?! Please…”

That’s when Leo stopped, and finally looked at the forbidden student. Lucien’s eyes are full of concern, desperate to catch Leo’s attention.

“Tell him to beware of false idols…” Lucien said, “God has a purpose for him, God is watching over him. But so are the bad things. God cannot protect him alone… you have to make sure he’s safe, too.”

The gears turned in Leo’s head as he wondered what the boys meant. “Jude is fine. Don’t worry about him.”

He pulled the door close, but Lucien wasn’t finished.

“Only Jude can help me!” Lucien exclaimed, tears pooling in his eyes as the wind blew over the trees to knock against his windows eerily. “Please… if Jude is gone, nobody else can help me. Please protect him.”

Leo cannot say anything more to Lucien, but he nods his head to ensure, Jude is safe with me.

That’s when Lucien finally lets him close the door, and he’s alone yet again. The trees knocked against his bedroom window, so he climbed over his bed to open it. That’s when the wind calmed down and became nonexistent.

He left the window open as he sat down to eat, but never really had an appetite. He only ate the vegetables, as he does not want to eat the meat. That’s when a gentle knock came to his door, and it wasn’t the trees this time.

“Father?” Monsignor Sinclair stood by the door with eyes as gentle as a man looking at his begotten child. “Ahh… sorry, I started eating before I said my prayers…”

“Don’t worry, my child… one missed prayer won’t undo your gratefulness for God’s blessings…” he pointedly looked at the untouched lamb. “Although, refusing the blessing may be of great insult to Her.”

“I don’t like eating animals,” Lucien confessed, and the Monsignor can’t help but rub his hair in admiration.

“Everything in creation eats each other, Lucien.” The Monsignor’s pure silver hair is perfectly reflected off the chalice containing Lucien’s water. His height indicating his superiority “These animals eat the very same plants and flowers you take care of, which are still full of life. And those on top of the food chain like lions and bears will not hesitate to eat you as well.”

“Lions and bears will not eat humans if you don’t starve them. And God feeds them well,” Lucien replied.

The Monsignor was taken aback by this sudden argument. “My dear Lucy… have I not advised you not to talk to the sinners of this convent? Now you are using your voice against me.”

Lucien sighed softly, acknowledging his mistake of speaking against the Monsignor. Yet he asked, “Have I sinned, father?”

The wind blew through the room and the Monsignor noticed the unusual breeze that wouldn’t be possible because trees are blocking this room’s window.

“No, my child… you could never sin. You are a child of God… Her perfect son. Pray to Her, and these sinners will never touch you.”

The Monsignor walks to the window and closes it himself. “It is unsafe to keep this open at night time. You will be inviting nightly evils into your room.”

“Yes, Father…”

“You are a good boy, Lucien. And soon, a man. After your birthday, you can travel the world, and see all of God’s creations. Till then… you are not to mingle with the sinners, do you understand?”

Lucien sadly repeats, “Yes, father.”

The Monsignor exits his bedroom, his shoulders tense and one of his eyes slightly squinted. When he exited the forbidden hallway, Archer was already waiting there for him.

“You don’t look happy, Monsignor…” the Geisha said with a round fan covering half of his painted face. White as a base, sharp eyeliner, and lips as red as the blood on his nails.

“He spoke against me,” the man said, walking with the alumni.

“Mmm, Redd is innocent to that, he didn’t say anything about going against you earlier…”

The Monsignor stopped abruptly. “Redd spoke with Lucien again? Have we not made it clear he is not to go near the boy?”

“We? Sir, I have not made it clear to him because you refused to have me punish him.” He waved the fan with tiny strokes, “He’s already used to Pryce’s Echoing… let me sink my fingers into him, then he’ll think twice about talking to God’s child…”

“Using your powers against another will make them turn against you.”

Archer smiled politely even with heavy jewelry adorning his pinned up black hair, “I do not want to punish Sir Redd. I simply want to… make it clear to him.”

The beautiful geisha was right: Redd no longer cares about Pryce or Evie’s punishment. He broke the rules and talked to Lucien repeatedly, he deserves a worse punishment. And so, the Monsignor declares, “He’s yours.”

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Idk why but Baby Author is scared of Lucien—I mean how could you be scared of him of all characters