Kiss Me Not

At Lewis Mansion, the couple, Cain and Kimmy stayed inside their bedroom the next day and would only come out to join Senior Lewis for meals like breakfast and lunch.

"So, when can we leave?" Kimmy teasingly asked while they were cuddling each other on their worn-out bed. "I was thinking as early as tomorrow morning."

"I don't think we should go that early," Cain cooly responded, much to his fiance's chagrin. "We should at least spend some time with our friends and family while they're still here."

"Eh, it's not like we can't see them again," Kimmy pouted. "I've been waiting so long for this getaway, you know? And I just wanna spend it all with you."

Cain let off a small sigh. As much as he wanted to say yes to her, he just couldn't bring himself to do so. For all intents and purposes, he was stuck in place until his blood results came out. At the very least, he'd then be confident enough to make himself spend time with the one that he cared about the most.

"I know, Kimmy, but we should also value our time with the family, right?" he reasoned out. "It's already pretty rare that we're all in one place, let alone be free to mingle without so much as a time limit. Cedric's even here right now."

"Yeah, but they're still not you though," Kimmy pouted. "That's still a major difference, right?"

Cain inwardly cringed at his fiancee's tone. He was doing everything that he could to keep her composure in check, to not just cave into his desires and finally say yes to everything she said. Cause why wouldn't he? He loved her so much that he'd do everything for her. He even came back to life just to see her. Well, technically, it wasn't his choice to get reanimated into some sort of weird vampire, but it was the thought that counts.

"And I promise you, you won't regret spending a bit more time with family," Cain insisted with a smile. "Now why don't you go and pester Cedric for a bit? He seems to be skulking his way back to his cave."

"Hmm… Now that you mention it, maybe I will…"

Watching Kimmy smirk to herself, Cain could only let off a sigh of relief as she flashed her one last smile before going out of the bed to get ready to see her cousin. He felt bad siccing her onto the guy, but at least that was one problem off his nose as he went on to focus on the other. Namely, on how he could possibly stall for enough time for his lab tests to come back to him.

****

Cain accompanied Kimmy to Derhan Palace and walked Kimmy to Cedric's Wing.

"I should probably check on Cedric after this," Cain mumbled to himself as he watched Kimmy begin her reign of terror on the poor man. "Well, assuming he won't be mad at me for directing Kimmy's attention to him."

Inwardly cringing, he shrewdly decided to make himself scarce for the time being. It'll only make things worse if Cedric actually saw him smiling at his own predicament.

'Who cares about the plight of petty men?'

Just as he was about to step out, Cain's eyes widened at the disembodied voice that echoed out inside his mind. It was the same woman, judging by her tone. Though for some reason, she sounded just as petty as she seemed to imply.

'What is pettiness for someone with the gift of immortality?'

"Okay? That was weird…"

Cain mumbled to himself at the woman's words. Immortality? Surely such a thing doesn't exist.

'Oh, but it does…'

But was it true immortality? Such a thing would mean that he can survive a literal nuke being dropped on top of him, and he was pretty sure that he couldn't even handle basic injuries more than any human could.

….

Blinking at the lack of a response, Cain went ahead and waited for Cedric to become available for a talk. At least he could share some new info with this mystery woman again.

***

After waiting for Kimmy to get tired of pestering the prince, Cain finally managed to have a one-on-one with Cedric as soon as Kimmy left to see Brione. The man was less enthused with the fact that he sicced his fiancee on him, but he at least understood his reasons why he did so in the first place.

"Esmeralda talked to you again?"

"Esmeralda?"

"Haven't I told you that?" Cedric casually asked, his back leaning against the wall as he crossed his arms over his chest. "She's the one that infected me in the first place."

"Well, you haven't told me her name."

"Consider yourself informed then," the prince deadpanned. "Anyway, what did she say this time?"

Cain shrugged as he replied, "She told me that I was immortal for some reason. That, and I shouldn't somehow involve myself in the 'petty squabbles of man' as she put it."

"Still the same old woman then," Cedric scoffed out loud. "She didn't say anything else afterward?"

"Well, I questioned the concept of immortality right after she told me that," Cain admitted with a pondering frown. "After I asked myself if her immortality meant that I could somehow survive a nuclear bomb dropped right in front of my face, she became eerily quiet for some reason."

Cedric immediately chuckled at his words. "Now that's a funny story, Cain. Though, she wasn't lying about the immortality thing."

"She isn't?"

Cedric nodded, "Well, it isn't the indestructible type of immortality if that's what you let her hear. Instead, it's just the usual ageless version where you can live forever if you're careful enough."

Cain could only nod at the prince's explanation. "Then that isn't immortality?"

"Not really, but it's close enough," Cedric sighed. "Either way, you can still die."

"Well that's a relief," the doctor chuckled aloud. "Anyway, before I forget, how are the blood tests coming along?"

Cedric quickly replied, "They're coming along nicely, so stop worrying about them too much."

"Yeah, but-"

"You're just itching to go out with Kimmy, aren't you." Cedric goaded. "Don't think I didn't hear you trying to distract her earlier."

"And for the last time, I'm sorry," Cain sighed, "And yes, I do wanna go out with my fiancee. Isn't that just normal?"

"You're so transparent, Cain… Just wait for a few days. I'll have the tests result ready by then."