Resident Evil 4: Cursed Blood (Leon Kennedy x OC)

{•Chapter Twenty-One•}

"That bastard made your life a living hell for eleven years. I'd be surprised if you were over it. You don't just forget shit like that so easily."

"And it doesn't help that I have a damn reminder." Gwen raised her hand and cupped the back of her neck.

Leon was puzzled as to what she was referring to. "A reminder?"

In the entirety of the ten years she's known Leon, not once had she shared the secret she spoke of. She brushed her fingers across the back of her neck as she traced the brand burnt into her flesh. "When I turned twelve, Doctor Griffyn branded me."

"What?" Leon questioned in shock with a hint of anger.

Gwen turned her body and lifted her short locks to reveal the back of her neck, unveiling the logo of Umbrella inscribed into her skin. Leon leaned closer, reaching a hand out towards the brand. His thumb sketched out the insignia slowly and felt the raised, pinkish skin. The woman felt a chill creep down her spine at feeling Leon's gentle touch against her skin. "Sometimes, it still feels like it burns."

Leon wasn't angry at her for keeping the brand a secret. He was more shocked at how he didn't notice the symbol earlier especially with how long he'd been dating the young woman. He retracted his hand and Gwen immediately stood up. "Sorry, Leon. We need to save Ashley. I shouldn't have gotten us side-tracked. Let's see what we can find."

Gwen didn't even make it two steps before Leon shot to his feet and wrapped an arm around her waist. He pulled her back flush against his chest and used his other hand to lift her sable locks to gain access to the insignia. Perplexed at what Leon was trying to do, the archivist voice shook as she tried to question him. "W-What're you doing, Leon?"

Without any response, Leon pressed his chapped lips against the brand. At the feeling of his lips against her neck, her heart skipped a beat and she bit her bottom lip to keep herself from moaning. After the blonde kissed the back of her neck, he kept his arm wound around her waist and moves to rest his head on her shoulder. "I should've been the one to kill him, not you."

"And let you steal my revenge? Never," Gwen giggled as she felt Leon's warm breath brush against the side of her neck. "Now that I think about it, we should've let William dealt with his ass. That would've been more enjoyable to watch."

"I would've paid to see that," Leon chuckled, releasing the archivist.

"I would've paid extra if I could've requested a way to torture him. Too bad William lost control of any cognitive thinking by the time we ran into him. Now," Gwen clapped her hands and rubbed her palms together to create a small amount of friction to warm herself in the cold room. "Let's see what goodies we can find."

"You sure you're okay?" Leon asked, wanting to make sure she was truly fine and wasn't forcing herself to smile for his sake.

Gwen nodded with a warm smile. "I'm a hundred percent a-okay, ya worrywart."

Leon nodded before checking in the back of the room. Gwen sauntered over to a gurney with a light hanging by a wire. It swayed back and forth, illuminating the blood on the walls. A note with familiar handwriting and pictures laid atop the gurney.

*****
Luis' Memo 3

The hideous creatures such as the El Gigante and the Novistadors are merely by-products of the diabolical and inhumane experiments conducted on the specimens that were once human.

But there's one type of creature that clearly distinguishes itself from the rest.
These creatures are called Regenerators.