[Chapter 240: Not Leaving Tonight]
Crack...
A sharp sound of breaking echoed through the air.
As the intense light faded, Ivanka opened her eyes to find that the mass of red monsters had completely vanished within the golden lightning and thunder-fire. The terrifying red door, oozing with fresh blood -- the one that had kept her awake for half a month -- was now covered in spider-web-like cracks.
Finally, with a crisp explosion, it shattered into countless dark red fragments and disappeared into the gray mist.
The ticking of the surrounding clocks ceased. The deadly silent wasteland returned to calm.
Daniel turned to look at Ivanka, whose face had regained a faint flush, and smiled slightly.
"The door is broken. No one's knocking on your door tonight."
...
The real world.
The curtains of the second-floor guest room fluttered gently in the breeze. Daniel slowly opened his eyes; the Mind-Linking seal at his fingertips had already turned into a pile of ash.
He relaxed his hand and looked at Ivanka beside him, still asleep but with a noticeably more peaceful expression. He exhaled a long breath of heavy air.
"Huff... huff..." Daniel panted, exhaustion etched across his face.
Using his power in that mental world was more draining than drawing several seals in reality. Because it wasn't truly his power. It was a force simulated within the mental realm through sheer Mental Energy. Although it had all kinds of incredible transformations, it was far more taxing than using power in the real world.
He reached for Ivanka's pulse, once weak, now beating steadily and strong.
"Master's charm is something even demons can't resist," Chris, the Succubus, whispered in his ear.
Daniel glanced sideways. Chris had slipped into her human form at some point and was sitting in the rocking chair next to the bed. Her long legs were crossed; her gaze playful as she surveyed them on the bed.
"Haven't gotten enough sleep?" Daniel ignored her teasing.
"I was watching over Master."
Chris stood, walked to the bedside, and leaned down to press her red lips close to Daniel's ear.
"That Lady of the Trump family... she must taste very sweet, right?"
Daniel pushed her away before she could lean in further. "Go prepare some warm water. She's about to wake up."
...
Not long after, Ivanka let out a soft moan from the bed.
Her eyes opened slowly, and the first thing she saw was the magnificent crystal chandelier above. The oppressive feeling of death and cold had completely vanished.
She sat up with a sudden jerk, and when she saw Daniel beside her, her eyes instantly filled with tears.
She threw herself into his arms recklessly, letting loose a flood of sobs. Months of fear and dread finally found a full release in that moment.
Daniel allowed her to soak his shirt without complaint. He gently patted her back, steady and comforting.
Ivanka's crying slowly tapered off into faint, shaky sobs. She still clung tightly to Daniel's neck, her forehead pressed to the crook of his shoulder.
Daniel felt the subtle stiffness in her fingertips from how tightly she gripped him. The uniquely feminine warmth of her body seeped through his thin shirt.
Chris stood quietly to the side, holding a glass of steaming warm water. She smiled playfully as she watched the two embrace but didn't interrupt. She set the glass on the nightstand, then dissolved into a plume of pink smoke, slipping back into the phone.
"All right, it's over now."
Daniel noticed a large patch of dampness spreading across his shirt at the shoulder. He continued gently patting Ivanka's back.
"The red door is broken. That thing won't be able to invade your dreams for a while."
Ivanka finally lifted her head slowly. Her makeup was smudged, and her eyes red-rimmed. Her usually proud, self-assured face was now filled with fragile vulnerability.
The strap of her gown had slipped halfway down her shoulder from her sudden movements, revealing flawless, porcelain-white skin.
She stared into Daniel's eyes for a long moment, her gaze distant and uncertain.
"Just now... I really thought I was going to be pulled into that door." Her voice was hoarse, shaking with the memory of her narrow escape. "That gray place, and that red-faced monster... Daniel, if it weren't for you, I don't know what would've happened."
Daniel stretched out his hand, his fingertips gently brushing away a tear glistening on her cheek.
"That's my job," he said evenly.
"No, it's more than a job."
Ivanka grasped his hand, the warmth of his palm filling her with an inexplicable sense of safety. She didn't let go. Instead, she pulled his hand closer, pressing it to her heart.
"You have no idea what I've been through these past weeks. Everyone said it was just hallucinations; even my father thought I was just exhausted."
She gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Only you saw the mark at a single glance."
An unspoken tension filled the small bed.
Moonlight spilled through the sheer curtains, draping the two in soft silver light.
Ivanka studied Daniel's profile -- tired yet still sharp and icy -- and her heart suddenly began pounding wildly.
Not from fear, but from a deeper, instinctive reliance on the strong.
She leaned forward slightly, their noses nearly touching.
Suddenly, Daniel remembered something. "Right, check the mark on your body. Is it still there?"
Ivanka blinked, her daze replaced by wary focus.
She didn't answer but leaned on Daniel's shoulder and reached behind to find the delicate zipper on her gown.
Zip--
The soft sound of metal sliding broke the night's silence.
Ivanka lay facedown on the bed, her black silk gown slipping down her smooth back to pool at her waist, revealing that section of ivory-colored lower back, which shimmered with a lustrous glow under the moonlight.
Daniel leaned in, spiritual perception aligning with his vision as he scanned the area.
That dark red, twisted pattern resembling a child urinating -- a grotesque brand -- was still clearly visible.
Not only had it not faded with the destruction of the red door, but its color had deepened -- like a fresh scab.
He reached out, gently touching the mark with his fingertip.
"Mm..."
Ivanka's body jerked violently, a muffled groan escaping her throat. Her hands clenched the bedsheets beneath her.
The coolness of Daniel's touch passing through that scalded skin sent an indescribable shiver through her.
"It's still there." Daniel withdrew his hand, voice heavy and somber. "It's not just a projection in your dreams. It's already been etched into your fate's energy field."
Ivanka stiffened, quickly pulled up her gown, turned to sit up fully. Her face paler than before, her blue eyes clouded with helplessness.
"Didn't you say the door was broken? Why is this disgusting thing still here?"
"The red door was their gateway into your mind. It being broken means they can't pull your soul away tonight." Daniel's tone was flat, devoid of emotion. "But this mark is a 'coordinate' left by the Ram Cult. It reminds those things that you're still their designated soul."
Ivanka wrapped her shawl tightly around herself, her breathing quickening. She suddenly leaned forward and grabbed Daniel's arm, nails digging into his skin.
"Then... monsters could break into my bedroom at any time, or tear me apart when no one's looking?"
Daniel was silent for a moment, then nodded. "As long as the mark isn't removed, you'll always be under their watch."
"Then I'm not leaving tonight."
*****
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