Chapter 74 Don’t Let Me Go
Luna’s POV
“Kai…?”
My voice came out softer than I intended, like saying his name too loudly might shatter whatever fragile control he still had left.
He stood in front of me…but not fully. His posture was wrong, too still and too precise. His fingers were slightly curled, like he was testing how they moved, like they didn’t belong to him.
Or worse…
Like they did, but just not entirely. “…interesting,” he had said.
But that wasn’t Kai.
I knew his voice. I knew the way he spoke, the way he hesitated sometimes, the way he filled silence with sarcasm or nervous humor.
This… this was something else wearing him like a mask. “Kai,” I tried again, forcing my voice steady. “Look at me.”
His head tilted slightly..Slow and deliberate. Like a predator studying prey.
“I am looking,” he replied.
The words were calm. Too calm. But under them, I could hear it.
A second tone, it was layered and wrong. My heart slammed against my ribs.
But inside him, Kai was still there. I could feel it. Faint, like a flicker of light behind thick glass…but it was there.
Fighting.
“Listen to me,” I said quickly, stepping closer despite every instinct screaming at me not to. “You’re stronger than this. Whatever it is…it’s feeding on fear. Don’t give it that.”
His lips twitched. Almost like a smile.
“Fear?” the voice echoed through him. “No… this one is resistant.”
My stomach dropped. This one, it is not Kai. It is a vessel.
I clenched my fists. “Get out of him.”
That made him pause. Then slowly….slowly….he took a step toward me and my breath caught. Every instinct told me to run.
But I didn’t.
Because if I ran… I might lose him.
“He let me in,” the thing said through Kai’s mouth. “Curiosity is such a dangerous trait.”
“That’s not permission,” I snapped. “Isn’t it?”
Then I took another step closer. I could see it now.
Kai’s eyes.
It is still his….but something flickered behind them. A faint darkness, like smoke curling under the surface.
“I only needed a moment,” it continued. “A touch and a connection.”
My pulse pounded louder. “You’re a parasite.”
Then a soft laugh slipped from his lips. “Such a harsh word.”
And inside him, something shifted.
And suddenly…. “Kai, fight it!” I shouted.
His body jerked violently and his hand flew to his head, fingers digging into his hair.
“Luna….!” he gasped.
Relief surged through me. “Kai!”
“I’m trying,” he choked out. “It’s…”
Then his body suddenly froze again and just like that. It was gone.
The presence surged forward again, stronger this time. “…persistent,” it murmured. My chest tightened.
“No,” I whispered. “No, no, no…stay with me, Kai.”
The thing tilted his head again. “You care for him deeply.”
“That’s none of your business,” I replied.
“It makes him vulnerable.” The thing answered. Anger flared through me, hot and sharp. “Touch him again and I’ll….”
“You’ll what?” it interrupted, amused. “You won’t harm him. You can’t.”
Then it took another step closer. Now only a few feet away, and I realized something terrifying, that it was right. If I attacked… I could hurt Kai.
My hesitation stretched just a second too long and I noticed.
“See?” it whispered. “You are already compromised.”
My hands trembled slightly. Think. Think. There had to be a way. Because I couldn’t fight it head-on and I couldn’t risk hurting him.
So that left only one option. That was to reach him. “Kai,” I said softly.
There was no response. Then I took another step forward. “Remember the first time we met?”
His eyes flickered, but just slightly. Then I pushed on.
“You were late. You tried to act like you didn’t care, but you kept apologizing anyway.”
A small twitch in his eyes again, then his fingers tightened. “He’s still here,” I said, more firmly now. “You’re not strong…you’re hiding behind him.”
The presence inside him stilled and then…
A sharp inhale. “Kai?” I whispered. Then his body trembled. “Luna…” his voice cracked through, strained, breaking. “Don’t… let it….”
His head snapped back violently and the control shifted again. Faster this time and stronger. “Enough.”
The word echoed, deeper now and colder and more certain that this thing was done playing.
Kai’s body straightened and became completely still. And then… He smiled.
But not a human smile. It was something empty and something that didn’t belong on his face. “You’re making this difficult,” it said.
The air around us felt heavier and oppressive, and then I took a slow step back.
Not out of fear, but strategy. “What do you want?” I asked.
Then its eyes locked onto mine. “Survival.”
That made my heart skip. “You can’t survive without a host,” I said.
“Correct,” it replied.
“And you chose him?.” I asked.
“Yes,” it replied.
My jaw tightened. “Why?”
Then a pause followed and then…
“He touched me,” it said simply. “And he resisted.”
My breath caught.
“He didn’t break,” it continued. “That makes him… suitable.”
Anger flared in me again. “He’s not yours.”
“Everything becomes mine,” it replied calmly. “Eventually.”
Then something inside me snapped. “No.” The word came out sharper than I expected and stronger. And this time…. I didn’t hesitate, I just stepped forward again. Right into its space and its expression shifted slightly and curious.
“Luna, what are you….” Kai’s voice flickered faintly under it. “I’m not leaving him,” I said.
“You risk everything.” He said.
“I know,” I replied.
“You will lose.” The thing said.
“Maybe,” I replied. Then I met its gaze directly. “But so will you.”
And for the first time… It hesitated, but just slightly and that was all I needed.
Because now I understood, that it wasn’t all-powerful. It was careful and calculating. Which meant….
It could be challenged.
“Kai,” I said firmly, but not breaking eye contact. “Listen to me. You’re stronger than it thinks. You always have been.”
Inside him, something stirred. I could feel it. It was faint, but real.
“You’re not alone,” I continued. “I’m right here. And I’m not going anywhere.”
His fingers twitched and the smile faltered. “Luna…” his voice broke through again, weaker this time.
The presence surged back, angry now. “No.”
Then its voice deepened and became more forceful. “You will not interfere.”
“Watch me.” I reached out and grabbed his hand. The moment our skin touched…
Everything exploded.
A sharp pulse shot through both of us and the thing recoiled violently.
Kai gasped. And for one brief, and fragile second…. He was fully back.
“Luna!” he shouted. “Don’t let go…!”
“I won’t!”
But the presence wasn’t done. It surged back with a force that made him scream.
His grip tightened painfully around mine. And then…his eyes snapped open again darker now, stronger and angrier. “You shouldn’t have done that,” it said coldly.
My heart dropped. Because this time… It felt more in control than ever.
And I realized something terrifying, that I hadn’t weakened it. I had challenged it.
And now…
It was done playing games.