Children of Sins37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzdlpVGQJ0
Chapter 1 – Found Beneath the Rain
Jayden
The rain poured down relentlessly as I took another step. I pulled my cloak’s hood tighter over my head. I was too exhausted from just finishing a demanding task to spare any extra energy on drying my hair. I did my best not to soak my sweater.
As I kept walking, something entered my line of sight besides the wild plants and trees of the forest — a struggling figure: a child.
I quickly approached. In that moment, I noticed a shadowy presence around him, but I chose to ignore it and knelt down beside the child — my mind liked to play tricks on me from time to time; I assumed this was one of those moments.
As I knelt down, the first things I noticed were the severe beating he had endured… and that he wasn’t human. He was either a demon or a hybrid. Since he hadn’t healed himself, he was likely a hybrid — maybe even a weak variant. But I didn’t have the luxury to ponder that. The child was on the verge of losing consciousness. I immediately checked for fatal wounds — there were none — so I undid the ties of my cloak, slipped off my sweater, and carefully dressed him in it. I lifted him gently, doing my best not to cause him any pain, and walked quickly toward home.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOBvwP2ocB
I didn’t run — I didn’t want to hurt him more or worsen whatever damage had already been done to his tiny body.
When I arrived, the first thing I did was clean his wounds. The cuts on his body weren’t deep enough to need stitching, but there were so many bruises and contusions. Whoever had done this...37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4By0DVMOd
In that moment, I wanted to rip them apart.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VEqxGZGtc
Why would anyone do this to a child?37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3WUVyCvQM
What could he possibly have done?
As I examined the bruises around his neck and shoulders, I realized something I hadn’t at first — they weren’t normal bruises. They looked more like... bite marks.
Disgusting creatures. How? Why?
My blood boiled. I realized I’d been holding my breath out of rage and forced myself to take a few deep breaths. I needed to stay calm — for the child’s sake.
I gently bandaged the cuts, trying to be as soft and careful as possible. I didn’t want to scare him more or push him into shock. Lastly, I placed a small bandage on the cut on his forehead. His snow-white hair hid it from view. I dried his hair slightly and brushed it so it wouldn’t fall over his eyes. Then I took a dark navy sweater from my closet and gently pulled it over him.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7vzg0eseb
It was far too big, of course, but I folded it at the waist and sleeves so it wouldn’t restrict his movements.
Then I took a dagger, moved behind him, and carefully cut slits in the back of the sweater at shoulder height. His wings emerged. They, along with his horns and tail, were black.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLp5wrw2DOd
His eyes were completely black as well, the irises empty and hollow — not like a child’s, but like a being forced to keep living.
I sat him on the couch and gently wrapped a blanket around him. The house might be cold — I was used to it and didn’t feel it anymore — but the child was already shivering. I couldn’t risk him falling ill; he needed warmth.
Now what?37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ68UliqK9N
Food!37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe38rdFmaCl
He had to be hungry. He was clearly exhausted.
I headed to the kitchen and opened the wooden cupboard. As expected, there wasn’t much — despite three of us living here. Just a few pastries and some fruit Luke had gathered, though I had no idea when he found the time.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0C7TiGdhii
Speaking of the three of us... how was I supposed to explain this?37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkL83I1DoCj
Bringing the child here hadn’t exactly come with a plan.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOiyOBRGtu
How would they react?
Zane, despite his intimidating appearance, had a kind heart — most of the time. My real concern was Luke.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1657dKs6e
He wasn’t cruel enough to suggest throwing the child out, but he might not want him here either. And understandably so — this child couldn’t even take care of himself. He would be a burden.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JevSlQTt3
Worse yet, Luke hated demons. Hated them to the bone.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeg8eoDX7sZ
And we still didn’t even know if the boy was a hybrid or a full demon…
For now, I pushed the thoughts aside, grabbed a plate, and returned to the room.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGzj3dewZT
The boy hadn’t moved. He looked exactly the same — frozen in place.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqgPkYHmJH
Either he was terrified, or he was too exhausted to react. Probably both.
I placed the plate gently on his lap and spoke softly, trying not to sound cold or intimidating:37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8eZXfV2OE
— “You must be hungry. I brought these for you. If you need anything, just say the word, okay? There’s no need to be afraid.”
At that moment, I heard the door open.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0tdE0hgr4
They were back.
I stood up, glanced one last time at the boy, and headed to the entrance. Zane was there, his boots caked in mud. He stepped onto some old papers to avoid dirtying the floor, hung up his cloak, and straightened his clothes.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDHIlWy6HU
Though the black streaks in his white hair stuck to his face, his light blue eyes still sparkled. With his usual smile, he turned to me and shrugged:37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2rCT2DN8jL
— “Don’t even ask about Luke, Jay. He disappeared last minute again — probably off picking fruit or something.”
He was walking inside as he spoke. I needed to stop him and explain, but he kept going:37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLMmj8S1KNS
— “Zane—”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUM8VsLxsT
— “And, and, and I swear—”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJq3HhiN72
— “Zane!-”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOsczmUqE8x
— “And I promise that this week I’ll—”
Right then, he entered the room where the child was. I was still trying to explain when he saw the boy and froze.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRjk2K9CoY
His expression shifted to curiosity, and he turned back to me:37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgDzASynGE
— “Uhm... Who’s this little guy?”
I let out a deep sigh, pinched the bridge of my nose, and gently pulled him back out of the room. He tensed — odd for him, since he usually loved physical affection — but that wasn’t my concern right now.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDV8X1yiktx
I took another deep breath and started explaining.
After I finished, Zane’s face had taken on a more thoughtful look. He rubbed his chin for a few seconds while I stood with arms crossed, waiting.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCgrQcZbud
Then he looked at me, his expression softening, and gave a small nod:37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlC8NoUqzg
— “He can stay. No way we’re tossing him out. I’ll help you take care of him. And don’t worry about Luke — he’s not heartless. I’ll talk to him.”
That eased me, even if just a little. If anyone could talk to Luke, it was Zane. They were childhood friends — they had a bond I never quite understood.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFISv3tnXTb
Noticing my relief, Zane smiled, glanced at the boy, and patted my shoulder. Normally I wouldn’t have allowed it, but this time I let it slide. He grinned in satisfaction and headed to his room to change clothes.
I returned to the child. He had eaten most of the food on the plate — only a few pieces of fruit remained. He’d placed the empty dish beside him. I picked it up and asked:37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMa6bhUSlF
— “Do you want anything else?”
He didn’t answer. He just looked at me with those empty, hollow eyes.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAynHI18SEK
My heart sank for a moment, but I composed myself.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy54KjLlv6u
I adjusted the blanket that had slipped from his shoulder, then went back to the kitchen and put the plate away.
When I returned, Zane was sitting next to the boy, seemingly trying to talk to him. The child was facing him — not entirely vacant anymore.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk87jk4kM9U
He seemed to understand Zane, but for some unknown reason, he still didn’t respond or change expression.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphgVV4SZwF
Zane was speaking in a big-brotherly tone, warm and playful. I could tell he had already started to feel for the boy — it was just in his nature.
Standing in the doorway, I watched them for a while, lost in thought. I didn’t even notice how much time had passed.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiIYY0hy18W
My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkc2H56iWgR
Luke had arrived.
I could hear him removing his cloak and boots. I took a deep breath. Zane must have heard it too — he stood up and headed to greet him. I followed close behind.
The first thing I noticed was that Luke was limping.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ap9eEILIg
His expression, as usual, was hard to read — the black cloth mask covering his mouth, the dark navy and teal-streaked hair tied into a low ponytail, the strands falling over his left eye…37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70bfBe5Qe7
I knew his right eye was amber. Zane once told me that the way Luke dressed and hid himself was his own choice — and that I shouldn’t pry. I hadn’t.
As Luke entered, Zane asked:37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2KaXZJapA1
— “Luke, what happened?”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdX6dqpjUEm
— “It’s nothing. I just tripped while walking. Nothing serious.”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73XdolVF9s
— “But you’re limping—”37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6szhISHaf
— “I said it’s nothing, Zane. Drop it.”
Despite his limp, Luke moved quickly into the room. When he saw the child, he froze for a moment.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESssvDAHbN
He looked at Zane, then at me, and then back at the child.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI7MkftBERJ
His gaze lingered for several seconds longer than expected.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eIW3E5pfD
Then he turned back to us:37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKC058T7QG
— “The hybrid is your responsibility. Don’t drag me into it.”
As if we’d already told him everything and he was just giving his verdict.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eWBZRwjaY
It was odd.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhl1TLkMfk3
But I was grateful nonetheless — at least he wasn’t stopping us.
