Moonlight Flower

Chapter 19 - The Cruel Cure

It had been six months since Claire and Clarence started living together in the Fontaine City. However, even in this setup, they could only really get to see each other for few times. Claire would only go home during her two-day off while Clarence was mostly away with his job as an Argent Securities agent. She would also opt not go home if he would be away.

For the last two weeks, Clarence was finally free and was mostly at home. Claire was also at home during her off. Yet, she felt like she's alone in their unit because her brother would just stay in his room. She knew he was inside because he was responding to her from his room. She also noticed that he was not eating because the foods she would leave for him looked like it wasn't consumed even a little. She knew there was something wrong with him but she couldn't force him to tell her, given that the door of his room was always locked.

Then one day, she was awoken when she heard a loud sound of falling glassware from outside her room. She immediate went out and finally saw her brother in the dining area. For some reason, she instantly felt a chill deep within her when she saw him standing on the other side of table.

He looked different – his head was a bit lowered; his gaze was cold and expressionless. The gentleness of his face and his whole aura was gone. There seemed to be blood on his mouth. His right hand was bleeding.

She stood there frozen but she tried to take control of her body by saying something to him. "Good morning, bro--"

But fear started to overcome her when he slowly walked toward her. She took a step backward, nothing more, as if she was totally frozen now.

He stood in front her.

She met his blank blue eyes that seemed not like his. He grabbed her left hand forcefully with his bleeding right hand. He moved it near to his face, his fangs growing and bit it.

Claire's eyes widened in horror in what she was seeing. The sharpness of his fangs sinking on her hand - specifically the side palm - was deepening and was getting painful every second.

"What is brother doing? Why is he drinking my blood? What's going on? Is he a vampire? No, vampires are not real!"

"Wait. He told me he turns into wolf, but I never really saw him transform."

Her thoughts and confusion were racing on her head.

She wanted to pull her hand away but she seemed powerless. Her strength left her.

That moment seemed forever...

... Until Musica and Sora came.

Musica pulled Clarence away from her. Sora came between him and Claire, whose knees was now down on the floor. She still looked confused, her head lowered.

"Clarence, what are you doing?" Musica angrily scolded him, who did not resist nor fight back.

Clarence also fell on his knees. His eyes were now not blank, as if he was back to himself, yet he did not meet anyone's gaze. He remained silent.

The whole place became quiet for long until Sora came forward to Clarence and grabbed his shirt.

"Do you know what did you just do?" He glared at his expressionless face.

Clarence finally spoke up that sounded more of a command, "Let go."

Sora let go but remained in the middle, in fear he might come at Claire again.

Clarence let out an angry sigh which made the three felt more uneasy.

Still with his head down, he put an arm to his chest-level knee.