"Ren! Stay with me."
Li Wei's voice was sharp now, the calm veneer shattered. He caught Ren before he fell completely, lowering him onto the floor as the light from the serpent mark pulsed like a heartbeat gone wild.
Ren's breathing came in quick gasps. "It's… spreading—"
"I know." Li Wei's hands moved over the glowing skin, whispering ancient syllables under his breath. The mark only flared brighter, the glow spilling through the thin fabric of Ren's shirt until the scent of iron filled the room.
A thin line of blood trickled down from the edge of the mark.
Ren shuddered. "Why—why does it hurt like this?"
"The hunter's curse latched to the bond," Li Wei said grimly. "It's trying to tear you from me."
He pulled Ren against his chest, the gesture both protective and desperate. His own power rippled to the surface—gold scales shimmered along his neck and shoulders, veins glowing faintly beneath his skin. The human disguise faltered under the pressure of his fury.
"Stop fighting it," Ren managed through clenched teeth. "You're changing—"
Li Wei forced a thin smile. "Then let it see what it tried to kill."
He placed his palm over the bleeding mark and chanted again. The sound wasn't just words; it was vibration, resonance. The air trembled. Ren's body arched as the curse reacted, sparks of divine light scattering around them like shattered stars.
Then, silence.
Ren slumped against him, drenched in sweat. The bleeding had slowed, but the skin around the mark still glowed faintly, pulsing in rhythm with Li Wei's heartbeat.
Li Wei brushed damp hair from Ren's forehead. "It will scar for now. The curse won't kill you tonight, but it will linger."
Ren opened his eyes, unfocused. "It burns every time you touch me."
"I know," Li Wei murmured. "The hunter's spell makes your body sensitive to my energy. I can't undo it yet."
Their eyes met. The tension between fear and need hung heavy in the air.
"I'll keep you safe," Li Wei said, tightening his hold. "Until I can strip the curse away."
Ren tried to protest, but exhaustion dragged him under. Li Wei stayed where he was, unmoving, the faint shimmer of scales still tracing his skin as he kept vigil.
Outside, dawn threatened the horizon. Inside, the serpent did not sleep.