The air in the Xelt Manor was heavy with tension as Augustin tried to rouse Adrian from his deep, unresponsive state. His normally calm deanor had fractured, worry etched into his delicate features. When Adrian remained still, Augustin picked up his phone with trembling hands and called Lucas, the one person he trusted to help in such a situation.
Lucas was in Ethan’s room, ticulously checking his vitals, when the call ca. Augustin’s voice was hurried and panicked, the words tumbling out before Lucas could even greet him.
"Adrian’s not waking up. I’ve tried everything, Lucas. He’s... he’s pale, and it’s like he’s not there anymore."
The weight of those words hit Lucas like a brick. He straightened, alarm flashing across his face. "I’ll be there imdiately," he said, already moving to grab his dical bag.
As he stepped into the hallway, he nearly collided with Leclair and Isaac, who had just returned to the manor. Both n stopped when they saw the urgency in Lucas’s expression.
"Lucas, what’s wrong?" Leclair asked, his voice firm but laced with concern. Beside him, Isaac frowned, his sharp eyes scanning Lucas for answers.
"It’s Adrian," Lucas admitted, gripping his bag tightly. "He’s unresponsive. Augustin called from the Xelt Manor."
The blood drained from Isaac’s face. "Adrian was kidnapped just hours ago—how can this be happening? He’s safe now, isn’t he?"
Lucas nodded. "He’s back, but sothing’s not right. I need to check on him."
Isaac didn’t wait for more details. "I’m coming with you," he said imdiately. His protectiveness as Adrian’s elder brother was evident in the way his shoulders stiffened.
Leclair exhaled deeply, glancing at Lucas. "I’ll go too. Knowing my wife, there’s going to be a lot more surprises waiting for us."
The Xelt Manor was grand and imposing, a testant to the power and wealth of Augustin’s forr life. When they arrived, both Lucas and Isaac were struck by its opulence. Lucas had heard whispers about the Xelt Mafia family, but seeing it firsthand was sothing else entirely.
Isaac’s jaw tightened as he scanned the grand hall. "So, this is Augustin’s background," he muttered under his breath.
Leclair, however, looked entirely unbothered. He crossed his arms and gave a faint smile. "My wife does have a talent for surprising people," he said with a touch of amusent.
Their conversation was cut short when Augustin appeared at the top of the staircase, cradling a small bundle in his arms. He was dressed in warm clothes, his gentle appearance at odds with the tense atmosphere. The worry in his eyes was unmistakable.
In his arms was Seraphina, one of Ethan and Adrian’s seven-month-old twins. She cooed softly, her tiny hands reaching out as Augustin descended the stairs to et them.
Leclair stepped forward and carefully took Seraphina from Augustin, cradling her with practiced ease. "You’ve done well," he murmured, offering his wife a reassuring look. "Now let Lucas do his job."
Augustin nodded, his expression pinched with anxiety. "This way," he said, leading them to a room at the far end of the manor.
The sight of Adrian lying pale and motionless on the bed was like a punch to Isaac’s gut. His younger brother, so full of life and resilience, now looked as if he were hovering on the edge of death. His chest rose and fell faintly, but his face was unnaturally pale, his lips almost colorless.
Lucas imdiately went to Adrian’s side, placing his dical bag on the bedside table and pulling out his tools. He checked Adrian’s pulse, his breathing, and his pupils, his movents swift and thodical. But the more he examined Adrian, the deeper his frown grew.
Isaac stood frozen at the foot of the bed, his hands trembling as he clutched the edge of the bedfra. His eyes filled with unshed tears as he whispered, "Lucas, please... save my brother."
Lucas looked up briefly, his expression grim but determined. "I’ll do everything I can. But you need to stay calm, Isaac."
Isaac shook his head, his voice breaking as he said, "I can’t lose him. Not after everything we’ve been through. Not now." Tears slipped down his cheeks as he turned abruptly and left the room, unable to bear the sight of Adrian’s lifeless form any longer.
Leclair followed him, pausing at the door to glance back at Lucas and Augustin. "Keep us updated," he said before stepping out.
Lucas worked in silence, his focus entirely on Adrian. He ran his hand over Adrian’s forehead, checking for fever, and then examined his limbs for any signs of injury or trauma.
"He’s not responding," Lucas said finally, his voice low. "But his vitals are stable. Whatever this is... it’s not physical."
Augustin, who had been hovering by the bedside, clenched his fists. "Then what is it?" he demanded. "He was fine before... before they took him."
Lucas looked at him, his gaze piercing. "Trauma, Augustin. Sothing happened to Adrian while he was with those people. It may not have left a physical mark, but ntally... emotionally... he’s in shock."
Augustin’s shoulders sagged, and he sank into the chair beside the bed, his hand covering his face. "I should have gotten to him sooner," he muttered. "If I’d been faster—"
"Stop," Lucas said firmly. "This isn’t your fault. You brought him back. Now we just need to help him recover."
Augustin looked at Adrian, his expression softening. He reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from Adrian’s face. "He’s been through so much already. He doesn’t deserve this."
Lucas didn’t reply, his attention back on Adrian. He placed a hand on Adrian’s chest, feeling the faint but steady rhythm of his heartbeat. "Adrian’s strong," he said after a mont. "He’ll fight his way back to us. We just have to give him ti."
--
"Ethan," Adrian whispered, his voice trembling slightly. "Is this... a dream?"
Ethan didn’t answer imdiately. Instead, he reached out and cupped Adrian’s face with his hands, his touch warm and steady. His piercing eyes locked onto Adrian’s, as if he were searching for sothing in their depths. Slowly, he leaned in, and before Adrian could say another word, Ethan’s lips captured his in a passionate kiss.
Adrian’s eyes widened in surprise, his breath hitching as Ethan’s lips moved against his own with a fervor that left him dizzy. The kiss was intense, filled with a desperation and love that Adrian could feel in every fiber of his being. He tried to pull back, wanting to speak, to ask Ethan what was happening, but Ethan only deepened the kiss, his hands moving to the back of Adrian’s neck to keep him close.
"Ethan," Adrian managed to mumble between kisses, his voice muffled. "Wait... let ..."
But Ethan didn’t stop. Each ti Adrian tried to speak, Ethan silenced him with another kiss, his lips soft but insistent, claiming Adrian’s with a determination that made Adrian’s knees weak. It was as if Ethan was trying to convey everything he couldn’t put into words through the intensity of their connection.
Finally, Adrian pushed gently against Ethan’s chest, his lips tingling and slightly swollen from the relentless onslaught. "Ethan, stop! My lips hurt," he said, his cheeks flushed a deep crimson as he pouted slightly.
Ethan pulled back, a chuckle escaping his lips as he looked at Adrian with a mixture of amusent and adoration. His hands slid down to rest on Adrian’s shoulders, his thumbs gently brushing against his collarbones. "I couldn’t help myself," Ethan admitted, his voice deep and filled with warmth. "Every ti I kiss you, it’s like... I feel whole. Like I’ve been cured of a sickness I didn’t even know I had."
Adrian’s blush deepened at Ethan’s heartfelt words. He lowered his gaze, his hands fidgeting slightly as he muttered, "You should control yourself, Ethan. This is too much..."
Ethan tilted Adrian’s chin up with a finger, forcing him to et his gaze. "Too much?" he repeated with a teasing smirk. "How can anything be too much when it cos to you? You’re everything to , Adrian."
Adrian felt his heart skip a beat at Ethan’s words, his resolve wavering under the intensity of Ethan’s love. He couldn’t bring himself to look away from those piercing eyes that seed to hold his entire world within them. "Ethan... I..." Adrian started, but his words faltered, his emotions threatening to overwhelm him.
Ethan leaned in again, this ti pressing a softer, more tender kiss to Adrian’s forehead. "You don’t have to say anything," he murmured. "Just let hold you."
Adrian nodded, his heart swelling with a mix of love and vulnerability as he allowed Ethan to pull him into a warm embrace. As Ethan’s arms wrapped around him, Adrian felt a sense of safety and belonging that he hadn’t experienced in years. In that mont, surrounded by the golden light of the dream world and the steady heartbeat of the man he loved, Adrian let himself relax, knowing that as long as Ethan was by his side, he would never be alone.
Suddenly, Ethan let go of Adrian and said to Adrian. "It’s ti to go Adrian. You should go back."
Adrian looked up and asked. "And you?" Ethan smiled when he saw how cute his beloved looked. "I will wait for you."
Reviews
All reviews (0)