Chapter 7 – Fallen and Found (v1)

Red Marks

Cyrus’s POV

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the warmth. Despite the cold, damp cellar floor beneath us, I felt wrapped in a comforting heat. My eyes fluttered open to find Kate still asleep, her head resting on my chest. Her ponytail had come undone at some point during yesterday’s battle. Her hair, a messy cascade of chestnut waves, framed her face, and even in sleep, she seemed troubled, her brows furrowed slightly. I lay there, taking in the moment, the closeness, and the unexpected tenderness of it.

Kate had been incredible last night. She had faced down demons, fought with everything she had, and even used a power she didn’t fully understand to save us both. A strange, fuzzy feeling spread through me, something unfamiliar but comforting. During the chaos, she had shown a strength and bravery that went beyond anything I had expected.

As I watched her sleep, I saw the faint streaks of tears on her cheeks, the traces of the fear and exhaustion she had faced. Her breathing was steady now, her body relaxed in sleep, and I realized just how much she had been through. She had clung to me last night, seeking comfort and safety, and I had held her tightly, determined to protect her at all costs.

Seeing the tear streaks on her face brought back memories of my own first real demon battle. Despite coming from a long line of demon hunters and years of intense training, nothing had prepared me for the sheer terror of actually facing a demon in person. I nearly died that day, and the nightmares that followed haunted me for years. I couldn’t even imagine how Kate must feel, thrown into this world with no preparation, yet she handled it all with remarkable bravery.

Eventually, Kate began to stir, her eyes slowly opening. She blinked a few times, her gaze focusing on me, and a small, sleepy smile appeared on her lips.

“Morning,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from the events of the previous night.

“Morning,” I replied softly. “How are you feeling?”

She stretched slightly, grimacing at the stiffness in her muscles. “Sore, but alive. Thanks to you.”

“Thanks to both of us,” I corrected. “You were amazing last night, Kate. I wouldn’t have made it without you.”

Her cheeks flushed slightly at the compliment, and she looked down, suddenly shy. “I just did what I had to do.”

“Well, you did great,” I said firmly. “But we need to get out of here. It’s not safe anymore.”

Kate nodded, the reality of our situation sinking in. I wanted to hold onto that moment just a bit longer, feeling the warmth of her presence, but we had to move. Hesitantly, I helped her up, and we both stood slowly, our muscles protesting the movement.

As I straightened up, I took a moment to inspect my body.

Pulling up my shirt, which had been slashed and torn by the demon’s claws, I traced my fingers over where the demon’s claws had raked across my chest. Instead of deep, jagged wounds, there were only faint red marks.

The memory of the healing surged back, the strange, ticklish tingling sensation that had flowed through me as Kate’s power healed my injuries.

“How does it look?” Kate asked, her voice tinged with curiosity and concern.

I glanced up at her, then back down at my torso. “Incredible,” I murmured, more to myself than to her. “It’s like it never happened.”

The healing process had been unlike anything I’d ever experienced or even imagined. There was no pain, only a peculiar sensation, a mix of tingles and subtle muscle twitches. I could feel the muscles and skin fusing itself back together, the gentle force of her power moving through me. It had been soothing and comforting, despite the dire circumstances.

As I examined the marks, Kate stepped closer. Her fingers absentmindedly brushed over the area she had healed, lightly tracing the faint lines left behind.

I held my breath, a shiver running down my spine as her fingers gently ran over the side of my torso. We both froze, the touch electric. She quickly pulled her hand back, her cheeks turning a deep shade of red.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, looking away.

“It’s okay,” I said softly, my heart pounding. “You did an amazing job.”

We both turned away awkwardly, and I pulled my shredded shirt back on, hoping our possessions upstairs were intact enough to find some fresh clothes.

We made our way to the cellar door. We paused, both holding our breaths as we listened for any sign of demonic presence upstairs. After a while, I cautiously opened the heavy door, peering out to ensure the coast was clear. The cabin was eerily silent, the aftermath of the battle stark and unsettling.

Kate was waiting for me at the cellar door. We paused, holding our breaths as we listened for any sign of demonic presence upstairs. After a while I cautiously opened the heavy door, peering out to ensure the coast was clear.

The cabin was eerily silent, the aftermath of the battle stark and unsettling. We climbed up the stairs and stepped into the main room.

The cabin was a wreck. Broken furniture, shattered glass, and deep claw marks marred the walls and floor. Deep marks on the cellar entrance revealed the demons’ efforts to breach it, but the engraved protective magic had kept it intact. The wards around the cabin on the other hand were completely shattered, leaving us vulnerable.

Kate gasped at the sight, her eyes wide with shock.

“It’s worse than I thought,” she whispered, her eyes sweeping slowly across the room.

I nodded grimly. “We need to move quickly. This place is compromised.”

We carefully made our way through the cabin, checking for any lingering threats. The morning light filtered through the broken windows, casting long shadows across the destruction.

Outside, the forest was quiet, but the signs of the battle were everywhere. Trees were scarred, and the ground was churned up where the demons had fought.

As we moved through the wreckage, Kate’s eyes fell on the scattered books and documents. Many were destroyed, but some had survived the chaos.

“We can’t leave these behind,” she said, her voice tinged with sorrow. “Some of these documents are irreplaceable.”

“We’ll take the most important ones,” I said, understanding her distress. “We need to travel light, but we’ll bring what we can.”

We decided to check our bedrooms next. Mine was relatively untouched, but the demons had completely ransacked hers, probably drawn to her presence.

I left her to go through her possessions in privacy, assuring her I’d be right next door if she needed anything. After changing into a clean shirt from my backpack, I headed back to the main room to salvage what I could. Kate returned to the room a few minutes later, her half-empty, torn backpack in her hands. It was noticeably lighter than it had been just a day earlier when she first arrived at the cabin.

I discovered a pack of cookies in a kitchen cabinet, which we shared for breakfast since all the other food had been destroyed in the demons’ rampage.

We gathered the intact books and documents, packing them carefully into our bags. As we packed, I grabbed my sword from the corner where it had been knocked during the battle. The blade was still sharp, though it bore new nicks from the previous night’s fight. Kate watched me with curiosity as I strapped it to my side.

“Why do you use a sword?” she asked. “Wouldn’t guns be more effective against demons?”

I shook my head, tightening the strap. “Guns do work, but fights with demons often happen in more populated areas. Gunshots attract unwanted human attention. Swords and daggers are mostly silent. I personally prefer the sword because it offers more reach and damage than daggers.”

Kate nodded, absorbing the information.

While Kate gathered the rest of her belongings, I stepped outside to find a spot with a better signal. The air outside was brisk and fresh, a sharp contrast to the suffocating stench of demons inside the cabin.

I dialed the number of the regional commander in the organization, hoping for a quick response. After a few rings, a familiar voice answered.

“Cyrus, it’s good to hear from you. What’s the situation?” asked Marcus, one of the senior hunters and a long-time family friend.

“We were attacked last night,” I explained, keeping my voice low. “The wards are down, and the cabin is compromised. We need to relocate to a secure location.”

There was a brief pause before Marcus replied. “Understood. Can you explain what’s happening?”

“I found something… someone,” I said, hesitating slightly. “A saint. She’s the reason the demons attacked.”

“A saint?” I could hear the disbelief in Marcus’s voice, even over the phone. “Are you sure?”

“Positive,” I confirmed. “She used her powers last night. We need to get her to safety.”

Marcus was silent for a moment, then spoke decisively. “There’s a safe house in Hunedoara. It should provide all the protection you need.”

“Hunedoara? That’s quite a distance,” I said, concerned. “It would take us twelve hours on foot.”

“You’ll have to make your way to the nearest village and wait for a pickup,” Marcus suggested. “I’ll arrange for someone to meet you there.”

“Thanks, Marcus,” I said, relief flooding through me. “We’re on our way.”

I ended the call and made my way back to the cabin. Kate was there, her backpack filled with the few more items that survived, her face a mixture of exhaustion and weariness.

“We have a place to go,” I said. “There’s a safe house in Hunedoara. It’s well-protected and secure. We’ll be safe there.”

Kate nodded, weary but determined. “Let’s go.”

We set out through the forest, moving quickly and cautiously. Every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs put us on edge, but we kept moving, focused on reaching the village and getting to safety. The journey was tense and exhausting, but knowing we had a destination kept us going.

By the time we reached the edge of the forest, the sun was high in the sky. We could see the village in the distance, a small cluster of buildings that represented safety and respite. We quickened our pace, driven by the promise of security.

Approaching the village, we noticed a car parked discreetly at the edge. The driver looked up as we approached, recognition in his eyes.

“Get in,” Marcus said, his expression serious but relieved to see us. “We have to get moving.”

We climbed into the vehicle, and as we drove away from the village, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. We were on our way to safety, and for now, that was enough.

Kate leaned against me, exhaustion catching up with her. I wrapped an arm around her, providing what comfort I could.

“Kate, meet Marcus,” I said as the car moved forward. “He’s a senior member of the organization and an old family friend.”

“Hello, Kate,” Marcus greeted, his eyes meeting hers in the rearview mirror.

“Hi,” Kate replied softly, managing a tired smile.

I recounted the events of the past few days. I was investigating demon activity in the area and found Kate being attacked by one. She is an archaeologist at the nearby site and had discovered her healing powers just recently before the attack. We don’t know the source of her powers yet but suspect that it’s somehow related to an artifact they had unearthed a few days prior.”

“A saint, huh?” Marcus remarked, clearly surprised. “That’s something you don’t see every day.”

“Exactly,” I said. “Last night, demons breached the wards around our cabin. Kate managed to use her powers against one of them, but she can’t control it. She did heal my wounds, though, and we spent the rest of the night in the cellar.”

Marcus nodded thoughtfully. He looked at the backpack sitting next to Kate through the rearview mirror. One of the few surviving books was visible through a big tear on the backpack. He pointed at it over his shoulder.

“And the documents?” he inquired.

“Nothing conclusive,” I said. “We need to learn more about her powers and teach her control.”

Kate, leaning against my shoulder, started to drift off to sleep. I absentmindedly played with a strand of her hair while thinking of the next tasks ahead of us. Marcus noticed in the rearview mirror, his expression unreadable, but he didn’t comment.

After driving for about an hour, we arrived in Hunedoara. The town was quaint and quiet, with narrow cobblestone streets and colorful old buildings. Marcus pulled up in front of a heavy gate. The plot of land was surrounded by a tall wall with metal spikes running around the upper edge of it, a clear warning to unwanted visitors. From the street front, the building itself was mostly hidden behind the gate and wall, only the red brick roof visible. The gate slowly opened with a heavy squeak and quickly closed behind us as soon as Marcus pulled the car into the inner yard.

The house was a simple single-story building, painted in terracotta orange. The windows were protected by intricately forged metal bars, masterfully decorated with a pattern of swirls. A large canopy of grapevines protected us from the early afternoon sun.

“Kate, wake up. We’re here,” I said, giving her a gentle nudge.

She stirred, looking up groggily. Her face turned red with embarrassment as she realized she had fallen asleep on me. “Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you.”

“It’s okay,” I reassured her. “You needed the rest.”

The heavy doors creaked open as Marcus led us into the safe house. Inside, the building was sturdy and functional, with thick walls and a secure feel. Marcus guided us through a small living area and into a hallway.

“Welcome to our safe house,” he said, ushering us inside. “It’s not much, but it’s secure. There are bedrooms in the back. You can rest there.”

Kate looked around, her eyes still showing signs of fatigue. “This place looks solid.”

“It is,” Marcus confirmed. “It’s been used for situations like this before.”

He showed Kate to a small room with a bed and basic amenities. She gave me a grateful smile before entering. “Thanks, Cyrus. For everything.”

“Get some rest,” I said. “We’ll figure out the next steps after we’ve had some sleep.”

Once Kate was settled, Marcus and I sat down in the living area. “We need to discuss our next steps,” Marcus said. “Kate’s powers are a significant discovery, but they also put her at risk. Should she stay here?”

“For now, yes,” I replied. “We need to understand her powers better before we move her again.”

“And you?” Marcus asked, raising an eyebrow. “Your mission was to investigate the demon activity. You’ve done that. It looks like you’ve found the source.”

“I want to stay and help her,” I said firmly, feeling a surge of frustration. “I can’t just leave her, Marcus. She needs guidance, and I want to be there for her.”

Marcus leaned back, studying me intensely. “I see your point, but we need to think about the bigger picture. We can’t have you out of commission.”

“I’m not asking to be sidelined,” I insisted. “I’m asking to stay and help. She’s too important, and I feel responsible for her.”

Marcus sighed. “We’ll need to report back and get approval. For now, get some rest. We’ll sort this out later.”

I nodded, feeling the exhaustion settle in. “Agreed. We’ll deal with it after some sleep.”

I made my way to one of the rooms Marcus had pointed out. Closing the door behind me, I finally had a moment to myself. I pulled up my shirt again to look at the marks left by the demon’s claws. They were faint now, barely even visible thanks to Kate’s healing power. As I ran my fingers over them, I remembered the way she had touched them in the cellar. Her fingers had been soft, almost tentative, yet they had left a lingering sensation that I couldn’t shake.

Lying down on the bed, I thought about how long it had been since I’d felt this way. My life didn’t leave much room for relationships, and it had been a while since I’d had a girlfriend. We only met a few days ago but Kate’s presence stirred something in me, a mix of protectiveness and a deeper, warmer feeling that I wasn’t quite sure how to handle.

As I lay down, I recalled the morning when she had slept on my chest. The memory brought a sense of peace, a rare moment of calm amidst the chaos. With that thought in my mind, I closed my eyes, letting the exhaustion pull me into sleep.