MY GOLDEN BLOOD - JossGawin FanFiction

CHAPTER 12: TETHERED BY FATE

The dungeon was eerily quiet as the moon began its slow descent. Mark's body still ached, the silver chains now barely holding him, their once-powerful grip weakened by the strength surging through him since drinking Tong's blood. He could feel it—the change. His senses were heightened, his reflexes sharper, but more than that, the thirst was relentless. Tong's blood had given him new life, but it also brought with it an unbearable longing, both physical and emotional.

As the first light of dawn began to filter through the narrow window of the dungeon, Mark knew he couldn't stay here much longer. The chains would break, and when they did, he'd have no choice but to find Tong again. His mind swirled with guilt and desire, battling between wanting to protect Tong from the curse and the insatiable hunger that Tong alone could satisfy.

Mark stood up, testing the chains again. The silver links rattled, groaning under the pressure. He clenched his jaw, fighting the impulse to break free. His mind raced, trying to come up with a way to keep Tong safe, to stop himself from becoming the very monster he feared.

But deep down, Mark knew the truth: he couldn't escape the curse. It had shaped every part of him, and now, with Tong in his life, it had only intensified. Tong was both his salvation and his destruction.

---

---Tong's Apartment

Tong hadn't slept at all. The night had stretched on, leaving him restless and confused. His thoughts kept circling back to Mark, to that strange connection they shared, and to the unsettling feeling that he was missing something important. The full moon had passed, but its effects lingered, leaving Tong with a nagging sense of dread.

He paced the length of his apartment, rubbing his arms as if trying to shake off the cold. But it wasn't the temperature that bothered him—it was the emptiness. His apartment felt too large, too silent. For the first time in his life, he realized how lonely he was.

Mark's presence had unsettled him, yes, but it had also filled a void he hadn't known was there. There was something about him that drew Tong in, something magnetic and dangerous, but also... comforting. Tong didn't understand it, but he couldn't deny the pull.

He paused by the balcony, staring out at the fading night sky. Where is he? The question hung in the air, unanswered. Tong had no way of knowing where Mark was or what was happening to him. All he knew was that he felt Mark's absence like a physical ache.

"I need to find him," Tong muttered to himself as if saying it aloud would somehow make it easier. But where would he even start?

As if in answer, a soft knock echoed through the silence of the apartment. Tong's heart leaped into his throat, his pulse quickening. He hesitated, staring at the door, fear and anticipation warring within him. He wasn't expecting anyone—could it be... Mark?

Tong approached the door slowly, his hand trembling as he reached for the handle. He opened it cautiously, half-expecting to see Mark standing there, his intense gaze meeting Tong's. 

But it wasn't Mark.

Instead, a young woman stood in the doorway, her expression calm but her eyes sharp. She was dressed simply, but there was something regal about her, something that spoke of power and authority. Tong blinked in confusion, his mind scrambling to place her.

"Tong," she said softly, her voice soothing yet firm. "I need to speak with you."

Tong frowned, not understanding. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

The woman's lips curved into a faint smile, though there was no warmth in it. "I know a great deal about you. But more importantly, I know about Mark."

At the mention of Mark's name, Tong's pulse quickened again. He stepped aside, motioning for her to enter, though his mind raced with questions. She moved gracefully into the apartment, her eyes scanning the room before turning back to Tong.

"Who are you?" Tong asked again, closing the door behind her.

She paused for a moment as if considering how much to reveal. "My name is Lyra," she said finally. "And I've been watching over Mark for a long time. You... you've become involved in something far more dangerous than you realize."

Tong crossed his arms, feeling a mix of suspicion and curiosity. "What do you mean? What's going on with Mark? Why hasn't he come to see me?"

Lyra's expression softened, and for the first time, Tong saw a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Mark is fighting a battle within himself. The blood he took from you has awakened something in him—something he's been trying to keep buried for centuries."

Tong's stomach twisted. "What do you mean? What does my blood have to do with anything?"Lyra sighed, stepping closer to Tong. "Your blood is special, Tong. It's not like any other. You carry something within you that can either save Mark or destroy him. The curse he's been living under for centuries—the Moon Drop—it's connected to you now. Your blood is the only thing that can break his immortality. But there's a cost."

Tong's heart raced, his mind struggling to keep up. "A cost? What kind of cost?"

Lyra looked away for a moment as if trying to find the right words. When she met his gaze again, her expression was grave. "If Mark drinks more of your blood, he will become mortal again. But in doing so, he will take your life."

Tong felt the floor drop out from under him. His life? Was this what Mark had been hiding from him? The connection between them wasn't just some supernatural bond—it was a death sentence.

"But he wouldn't do that," Tong whispered, shaking his head. "Mark wouldn't kill me."

"No, he wouldn't," Lyra agreed. "But the curse, the hunger—it's growing stronger. Mark's resolve is weakening. That's why I've come to you. You need to stay away from him."

Tong's mind reeled. Stay away from Mark? After everything they'd been through, after all the unanswered questions, the strange connection between them? How could he just walk away?"I can't do that," Tong said firmly. "I need to help him."

Lyra's eyes hardened. "You can't save him, Tong. Not without sacrificing yourself. If you stay close to him, the curse will consume him—and you. You have to understand, that Mark is not entirely in control anymore. He's dangerous."

The weight of her words pressed down on Tong, but even as fear gripped him, something inside him resisted. He didn't believe Mark would hurt him—could hurt him. There had to be another way. There 'had' to be.

"I won't abandon him," Tong said, his voice steady, despite the turmoil inside him. "I can't."

Lyra's gaze lingered on him, a flicker of respect in her eyes. "I see," she said softly. "Then I pray you're strong enough to handle what's coming."

With that, she turned and walked toward the door, leaving Tong alone in the apartment, his mind a storm of confusion, and fear.

---

---Mark's Dungeon

The first link of the silver chain snapped, and Mark's body tensed as the restraint loosened. His senses flared to life, and through the haze of pain and thirst, one thought consumed him.

Tong.

The scent of Tong's blood, even miles away, called to him like a siren's song. He could almost hear the beating of Tong's heart, feel the warmth of his skin, taste the sweetness of his blood on his tongue. Every fiber of Mark's being screamed for him to go to Tong, to find him and drink the life that pulsed through his veins.

But Mark fought it. He had to.

For Tong's sake.