Chapter 402: The Lens union

Chapter 402: The Lens union


Tayme took a moment before raising her eyes to 'him'.

“We're united by something much bigger than symbolism, now, Tayme.” He said and pointed to his own heart. “You're here now. Your feelings are no longer private. Be careful what you feel, starting today...”

“That means I'll know your feelings too.” She said, still looking at her hand. Although the ring wasn't visible, she could feel it burning on her hand.

He smiled.

“Yes. I'm experienced at blocking out anyone in my mind, I hope to continue doing so with feelings. You won't be able to tell the difference between your feelings and mine.”

Tayme thought of something terrifying.

“I dreamt I was pregnant. Our children are going to be... Have I turned into one of those disgusting creatures?” Tayme asked, trying to shake off the feeling of the ring on her finger.

“You can't undo the diamond bond, Tayme. But don't worry. Only the two of us will know of its existence, if that's what you want.”

Tayme gave up and glared at him.

“What have I become?”

“We'll talk about it later.” He said and turned to leave the room, when he felt Tayme's firm grip on his arm.

“We'll talk about it now!” She demanded.

He turned and grabbed Tayme's arm violently and his eyes indicated danger, but Tayme didn't back down.

“Do you think that if a Firecold served me as a wife, I'd be here tolerating a spoiled little girl? A woman in her thirties with frequent childish outbursts?” He said and when he saw her satisfied smile, he let her go.

“What are you laughing at?”

“It's an inappropriate attitude for this moment, but I can't help it.”

“Are you going to explain yourself?”

“Not yet. First tell me about yourself and the Firecolds. You're not a Firecold, but it's very obvious to me now that they exist because of you.”

He looked at her suspiciously before answering.

“Yes. I'm... The only monster that breeds of your kind are the Lens.”

“The Firecolds are not your children.”

“They are my creation.”

“That's the same as breeding.” Tayme said and took a step back. “Wait... If only the Lens breed monsters...”

He arched an eyebrow.

“You understand.”

“But how can you be a Lens? What about those seven children? And everything you said...?”

“I didn't become an adult, Tayme. That portrait is a good, elaborate work of art by the first Lens. You focused only on the children in the picture and missed the obvious. The man, even though he had a ridiculous moustache, was a Lens. I died and was born again seven times, until the last time... I was no longer depicted in that photo. I was born with all the characteristics you know about Lens, but with the power of the bear. I'm a werewolf too, when it suits me.”

Tayme's eyes filled with tears.

“Why did you choose me...”

“Because the child that will be born to a destiny that you cannot yet understand, had to be a woman of a... pure lineage.”

Tears washed Tayme's face as she concluded what she had just understood, feeling a strong pain. The pain of disappointment.

“I'm the first Lens woman.”

“You are.”

“So... You never loved me. I was just... Necessary. Convenient.”

He was silent for a while. He raised his hand to wipe away Tayme's tears, but the repulsive look on her face stopped him.

“It would be impossible to meet you and not fall in love.” He finally said.

Tayme took another step back.

“I've made everything easy for you! What an idiot I am!”

“I wish our story was different, Tayme. I wish I'd been born at the same time as you. To have been brought up with you and things and feelings would have been more genuine.”

“You mean you wouldn't have fallen in love with my mother?”

“Yes. Meeting Anna was my undoing.”

“Did you always know?”

“Knew what? That the most beautiful and formidable woman would be born and choose me? I would have waited as a virgin if I had known.”

“But when did the bear manifest in you?”

“It always existed inside me, but it grew much stronger as you developed into a woman and a witch.” He put his hands in his trouser pockets. “You're the perfect creature, Tayme. You've brought together everything supernatural.”

“The Lens blood and the witch lineage?”

“Yes.”

“And I'm still a phoenix.”

Baron took the green ring out of his pocket and, after playing with it, held it out to Tayme.

“You can change that. There are a thousand phoenixes inside this ring.”

Tayme looked at the outstretched hand, but made no gesture to take the ring.

“This is the ring of the Mists.”

“The twins gave it to me.”

“I would accept being your wife, even if I knew you were a monster.” Tayme said, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

“You... I had to make sure Hope was born.”

“Are you two people or are you just... You.”

“I'm two personalities. And when necessary, three.”

“Three? The first vampire? You're the spy.”

“I thought that of all the people I could fool, you would always know the truth and yet, with me in front of you, you still can't really see me.”

Tayme took the ring and as soon as she put it on her finger, her eyes shone golden for a while, before she turned to Baron.

“Which personality are you now?”

“What does it matter, Tayme? You've already understood that everything I need from you is already growing in your womb. I don't need you anymore. I've already...”

“I know. You fought and still fight against yourself because of how you feel about me. Did you turn into a monster to disguise how you feel about me?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You didn't have to end the world to experience this love, Ryan.”

His face lost its cold look and he smiled, as his eyes took on the unmistakable hue of the Lens' sparkling blue eyes.