MY GOLDEN BLOOD - JossGawin FanFiction

CHAPTER 20: GATECRASHER

The night had fallen over the city, casting long, dark shadows across the narrow streets.

Tong sat by the window of his apartment, lost in thought, his mind still wandering through the fragments of his last encounter with Mark.

The quiet of the evening was broken only by the occasional hum of traffic from below, but otherwise, the world outside seemed as still as his heart felt.

Just as his thoughts began to drift once more toward Mark's mysterious absence, Tong felt a strange chill sweep through the air.

He blinked and looked out the window, his eyes scanning the darkened streets below.

The city was never completely quiet, but tonight there was something different—a tension in the atmosphere, something unsettling.

A figure moved in the shadows.

At first, Tong thought it might just be a passerby, someone taking a late-night stroll, but there was something off about the way the figure moved. It was too fluid, too quick—almost inhuman.

Tong leaned closer to the window, narrowing his eyes as he tried to make out the shape in the darkness.

Then, suddenly, the figure stopped, standing perfectly still in the alley across from Tong's apartment building.

Tong's breath caught in his throat. He couldn't see the person's face, but something about the way they stood, the way they seemed to be watching, sent a shiver down his spine.

His phone buzzed on the table, the sound startling him. He glanced down, expecting a message from one of his friends, but when he picked it up, the screen was blank. No calls, no messages. Tong frowned, confused, and was about to put the phone down when the chill in the air intensified.

Tong slowly turned back to the window, his heart pounding in his chest. The figure was gone.

He stared at the empty alley for what felt like an eternity, waiting for something—anything—to happen.

But there was nothing.

The street was quiet once again, and the strange presence he had felt seemed to have vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

Just as he was about to step away from the window, a knock came at his door.

Tong froze, his pulse quickening. It was a soft knock, barely audible, but in the silence of the apartment, it sounded like a thunderclap.

He glanced back at the door, his mind racing. Who could it be at this hour? He wasn't expecting anyone, and the unease he had felt only moments ago still lingered in the air.

Another knock, this time louder.

Taking a deep breath, Tong slowly approached the door.

His hand hovered over the doorknob for a moment before he finally turned it and opened the door, half expecting to see Mark standing there.

But it wasn't Mark.

A tall man, draped in a long black coat, stood in the doorway.

His pale skin gleamed under the dim hallway lights, and his eyes—sharp, dark, and piercing—bore into Tong's with an intensity that sent a ripple of fear down his spine. There was something unsettlingly familiar about him, yet Tong couldn't place it.

"Good evening," the man said, his voice smooth as velvet, but cold, like a breeze on a winter night.

Tong didn't respond right away, his mind still trying to catch up with the situation.

"Who... who are you?" he finally asked, his voice quieter than he intended.

The man smiled, but it was a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"My name is Kael. I've been watching you for some time, Tong."

At the mention of his name, Tong's blood ran cold.

He stepped back instinctively, but Kael didn't move. He simply stood there, his gaze never leaving Tong's face, as if he were studying every flicker of emotion that passed over it.

"Watching me? Why?" Tong asked, his heart pounding harder now.

Kael's smile widened slightly, but it was still devoid of warmth.

"Because you're important," he said, his tone was as though it were a simple fact.
"More important than you realize. And... because you've been spending time with someone who shouldn't be in your life."

Tong's breath caught in his throat again.

"Mark?" he whispered, his mind racing. "You know him?"

Kael's expression darkened at the mention of Mark's name.

"Yes, I know him," he said, his voice colder now. "And he's dangerous. You shouldn't be involved with someone like him. He's a mistake from another era—someone who should've disappeared long ago."

Tong's heart was pounding now, his thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and fear.

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

Kael stepped forward, crossing the threshold of the apartment without waiting for an invitation.

Tong stumbled back, suddenly feeling cornered by the man's presence.

"You don't understand what you've gotten yourself into," Kael continued, his tone soft but dangerous. "Mark is not who you think he is. He may have hidden the truth from you, but I won't. He's cursed, bound to a fate that he's too weak to escape. And now, because of him, you're in danger."

Tong's head spun with Kael's words.

He felt an overwhelming urge to defend Mark, to refute what Kael was saying, but deep down, the uncertainty gnawed at him.

There were so many things Mark hadn't told him, so many secrets.

"What do you want from me?" Tong finally asked, his voice trembling.

Kael's eyes softened, though his demeanor remained icy.

"I want to protect you," he said, his tone almost soothing. "From Mark. From the chaos that follows him. You don't know the whole story, but trust me when I say... you'll be better off without him."

Tong shook his head, stepping back further. "I don't believe you. Mark wouldn't hurt me."

Kael tilted his head, his expression unreadable.

"We'll see," he said, his voice carrying an ominous weight. "But remember this, Tong—Mark isn't the only one drawn to you. Others are watching, and they won't be as forgiving as I am."

With that, Kael turned and left, his coat billowing behind him like a shadow.

Tong stood frozen in the doorway, his mind reeling from the encounter. The chill in the air lingered long after Kael disappeared into the night.

For the first time, Tong felt truly afraid. Not just for himself, but for Mark.