HEART BOUND

I'M NOT AFRAID...

(Season 1)

CHAPTER 52

She was scared and she had no idea what to do...... This wasn't Kalen. It can't be him...... She had to do the only thing that came to her mind....

His lips responded, the kiss turning almost... tender. The red in his eyes flickered, and Kalen's gaze locked onto hers, shocked. He stumbled back, gasping, releasing her neck. Liora slid to the floor, coughing hard, as Kalen's eyes cleared, and he looked at her, horror-struck.

"Liora..." he whispered, his voice raw..... Instead of saying "you don't know what I am", he should say "Stay away..." and she will try again, but this time he will flame up in anger and yell "Stay the f*** away from me!!!"

Kalen's eyes widened as he realized what he'd done, his gaze dropping to his hands like they belonged to someone else. He took a step back, his voice barely above a whisper.

"No...." Liora struggled to breathe, rubbing her sore neck, her eyes locked on his.

"Kalen..." she croaked, her voice broken. He shook his head, like he was trying to clear it, and turned to leave.

"Stay away..." he whispered, but Liora took a step forward anyway. Kalen's face twisted in fury, and he spun around, his voice exploding.

"Stay the f*** away from me!!!" Fire danced in his eyes, like he was on the edge of losing control again. Liora froze, her heart pounding.

Liora's eyes locked onto Kalen's, fear and hurt warring in her expression. She remembered what happened in the elevator, how he was almost dying and how he pushed her, refusing her help. But She took a step towards him anyways, her voice barely a whisper.

"Kalen... what's happening to you?" The words seemed to fuel his anger, and Kalen's face contorted, like he was fighting a losing battle with himself.

"You don't understand... I can't control it," he growled, his fury simmering just below the surface. Liora shook her head, tears welling up.

"I want to understand... let me help." Kalen's laugh was a cold, harsh sound.

"You can't help. No one can." He turned away, like he was done talking, but Liora's next words stopped him dead in his tracks. If she could bring him back with just a kiss, then they has to be a way to help even though she had no idea what was going on.

"I kissed you," she whispered. "You responded." Kalen's body went rigid, his anger checked for a moment. He turned slowly, his eyes narrowing.

"That was a mistake."Kalen's words hung in the air like a challenge, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and... something else. Liora's cheeks flushed, but she didn't back down.

"It didn't feel like a mistake.....even if it was..... It snapped you out" she said, her voice steady now, a quiet defiance in her tone. Kalen's gaze intensified, like he was searching for something in her eyes. For a moment, the tension between them was palpable, the air thick with unspoken words. Then he turned away, his voice low and rough.

"You don't know what you're playing with, Liora." The warning was clear, but she saw a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes before he masked it. "Leave. Now."Kalen's gaze pinned Liora to the spot, his tone dropping to a flat, warning whisper.

"You shouldn't be here... You were not supposed to see this." The words were a cold dismissal, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of desperation. Liora hesitated, unsure if she should push or retreat.

Liora's eyes searched Kalen's face, like she was looking for the man she thought she knew. Her voice was soft.

"I saw. And I'm still here." Kalen's expression didn't change, but his jaw tightened, like he was clamping down on something.

"Then you should know... this isn't a game. You can't fix me, Liora." His tone was a warning, but she detected a hint of... plea? Before she could respond, Kalen turned away, his movements stiff.

"Leave. Before I... " He didn't finish, but the threat hung in the air. Liora's eyes widened slightly as she looked at Kalen, taken aback by the intensity of his emotions. The Kalen she knew was ice-cold, always in control, never letting his guard down. This... this was different. She saw the tension in his shoulders, the way his eyes seemed to burn with a fire he was struggling to contain. A small, surprised laugh escaped her lips.

"You're... scared," she said, the realization dawning on her. Kalen's head snapped up, his gaze piercing, but he didn't deny it. For a moment, they just stared at each other, the air thick with unspoken words. Then, like a mask slipping back into place, Kalen's expression turned cold, his eyes hardening.

"I'm warning you, Liora. Leave."Liora took a step closer.

" I don't know what is going on Kalen.......but I'm not leaving, I have told you this before. I want to see what you hide beneath your cold armor."Liora's words hung in the air, a challenge to the walls Kalen had built around himself. Kalen's head snapped towards her, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before he reined it in. He remained silent, his eyes locked on hers, a battle raging behind his cold exterior. The tension between them was palpable, Liora's words echoing like a dare.

Kalen's eyes narrowed, his expression unreadable. He took a step closer, his voice low and menacing.

"You've seen enough. Leave before you get hurt." His words were a clear warning, but Liora stood her ground. She looked up at him, her eyes locked on his.

"I'm not going anywhere" Her voice was firm, a quiet determination in her tone. Kalen's jaw clenched, his control hanging by a thread. He turned away, his voice dropping to a growl.

"Fine. Stay. But don't say I didn't warn you." The silence that followed was oppressive, heavy with tension. Kalen's shoulders were rigid, his fists clenched at his sides. He was a man on the edge, and Liora was playing with fire.

The silence stretched, Liora's bravery hanging in the balance. Kalen's back was to her, his body a rigid line. Then, without turning, he spoke, his voice low and rough.

"You don't know what fire you're playing with." The words were a warning, but also a test. Liora's eyes locked onto his back, her gaze burning with determination. She took a step forward, her voice soft.

"I'm not afraid of fire." Kalen's body tensed, like he'd been punched. Slowly, he turned to face her, his eyes blazing with a mix of anger and... something else.

Kalen turned silently, his movements economical, and walked past Liora to the door. He paused for a heartbeat, his hand on the doorframe, like he was about to say something. Instead, he kicked the doorframe hard, the sound echoing through the space, and walked away, leaving Liora standing alone.

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

After the encounter in kalen's study. Liora did not hear anything from Kalen. She did not even see him around the house. It was like he suddenly vanish........ She was worried even though she doesn't know why she was.

She tried to understand what she saw, but no matter how much she tried, she just couldn't understand anything. Then that name That had been nagging at her for a long time crossed her mind. Lara!!!

She wasn't dreaming or hallucinating at all, she really heard him say that name when he was in that dark secret room in his study. She gasped at the realization that what she experienced in kalen's room that day wasn't really a dream. It happened for real. Those red demonic eyes.... His paled skin, his teeth then that name.

"What's going on..... Why does everything suddenly feels like a huge mystery??" she whispered to her self, looking round her room that suddenly felt too quiet.

She paced her room, her fingers drugging along the edge of her bed. Lara... who was Lara? And what did she have to do with Kalen? The more she thought about it, the more questions swirled in her head. She stopped pacing and dropped onto her bed. She need to talk to someone, before she goes crazy. She wants to see Zach or anyone.

TBC