"They were a history cut into his body: the map of a life of endless war."
-Cassandra Clare
Your eyes were heavy.
Pain shot through your entire being as you slowly blinked, the sun pouring in through the window on the other side of the room in which you were now laying.
You wanted to sit up, but you couldn't find any strength within your body to do so, heart beating slowly within your chest as you licked your dried lips.
A soft groan came from you as you turned your head slightly, glancing around the room you were in.
You recalled what happened to you--Jungkook, his voice....his threats.
You don't think that you'd ever really be able to forget any of that...The look on his face as he watched you suffer...You'd never forget it.
Your body tensed up at the sound of the door creaking open, hands clenching into fists as you prepared yourself for the worst possible outcome.
Hoseok eyed you from the door, a tray full of food in his hands as he entered into your small room, closing the door behind him.
Your brows furrowed in confusion as you watched him set the tray down on the nightstand, turning to face you, an unreadable expression on his features as his kelly green eyes looked you up and down, scanning over your face.
"Wh-Why are you here?" You asked, voice hoarse. "Did Jimin make you check up on me?"
Hoseok didn't respond, only giving you a disapproving look as he leaned down towards you, arms wrapping around your figure.
Your eyes widened slightly at his actions, but you waited before showing a reaction.
He lifted your upper body from the bed, hands resting on your shoulder blades as he helped you adjust to your new sitting position.
You hissed in pain at the sudden movement, causing Hoseok to pause for a brief moment, eyeing you cautiously before continuing to put your pillow on the headboard, leaning you back comfortably.
Your chest heaved in exhaustion.
You could hardly believe how weak you seemed. You'd only moved two inches and yet, your entire body felt as though it were on fire...like you'd just run a marathon of some sort. Every breath you took was like ice, your chest hurting every time you inhaled.
You'd never felt like this before.
Hoseok grabbed the small tray, placing it in your lap as he sat on the edge of the bed, offering you a small spoon.
You glanced at him, breathing heavily as sweat dripped from your brow, pale skin shining in the sunlight that poured from outside.
You extended your hand, slowly grabbing the spoon from his hand and dipping it into the warm soup he had presented you with.
The dirty blond man was silent as he watched you ingest the first spoonful, flinching as you swallowed the hot liquid.
"Are you alright?"
You nodded your head weakly.
"I'm fine, just a little-"
Your eyes widened, head snapping up to stare at the green-eyed man in awe.
"You can talk!?"
Hoseok sent her a hard look, raising his finger to his lips, shushing her harshly.
"Be quiet." He scolded, glancing around the room. "We can't be too loud."
You blinked in surprise, finding comfort in the familiar sound of his voice.
"I-I thought you were mute."
His brows furrowed as he tilted his chin upwards, green eyes searching your face closely.
"How odd..." He hummed. "I thought you would know me...A real siren would..."
You tilted your head in confusion, eating another spoonful of soup.
"You know," You said, swallowing. "I have no idea what you're talking about, so unless you want to have this conversation while looking at a confused face, I'd suggest you start explaining a few things."
Hoseok tsk'd, rolling his eyes at your behavior.
"To put it simply," He started, bringing his gaze back to yours. "You've been marked."
You blinked.
"Huh?"
He rolled his eyes in annoyance, reaching forward to grab your left wrist.
You flinched in pain as he pulled it to his face, the sudden movement causing your tired muscles to tense even further.
He gripped your ring finger gently, holding it up and bringing your attention towards it.
You let out a sound of surprise at the small black mark that rested right in the middle of your skin.
Your hand shook as you pulled it away from him, inspecting the faint, black mark even closer, aggressively trying to wipe it off with your thumb.
"What is this?" You asked, glancing towards the blond man. "How did this even get here?"
Hoseok frowned, running a hand through his hair as he stared at the mark on your hand.
"It's a siren's mark." He explained.
You raised your eyebrows, giving him an annoyed look.
"I literally have no idea what that means." You deadpanned.
He huffed out in annoyance, rolling his eyes at your words.
"Do you know nothing?"
You clenched your jaw.
"I may be able to know more if you'd stop being such a dick and just tell me what's happening."
He grumbled under his breath in annoyance, inhaling deeply before beginning.
"A siren's mark is essentially a curse." He stated. "So, basically, you're cursed."
You stared at him, an unamused look on your face as you let out a yawn.
"Is that it?" You asked. "No big deal."
Hoseok's eyes widened slightly at that, brows shooting upwards.
"Excuse me?" He called. "I just told you that you were cursed...and you think it's no big deal?"
You took a bite of the bread on your tray, shrugging your shoulders.
"I've been cursed like three other times." You explained. "This is nothing new for me."
The green-eyed man stared at you in absolute shock for a few moments before speaking again.
You took another bite of your bread, waving your hand, signaling for him to continue his explanation.
"You may proceed."
He scoffed, shaking his head in annoyance before speaking.
"There are three types of siren marks," He said. "The first is a Trading Mark, the next is a Death Mark and the third is a Mating Mark."
You nodded in understanding, eating a few more spoonfuls of your soup.
"Only people who have gone through great pain can be marked," He continued, watching as you ate. "Which is why I had believed that you were a siren...as you are far too young and good-looking to have known any real pain."
You opened your mouth to retort, but had no words to say, deciding to accept the compliment and move on.
"The pain can be either physical or emotional...although it is much easier to bestow a mark on a broken heart than a broken body....It is because of this rule, that sailors are the primary target of Siren's who wish to mark them." He said. "We are often hurt physically at sea...Be it shipwrecks or a wound--pirates are the best option for marks...Not to mention, we lose a lot of friend's out there...makes it easy for the sirens to smell broken hearts."
You tilted your head to the side.
"They can smell broken hearts?" You asked.
He nodded in response.
"Almost as well as they can smell blood." He gritted, anger evident on his features. "There aren't any real sirens--at least not many of them...The sirens that were truly born of the sea are rare indeed...Which is why it is so rare to see such a mark on a human."
You frowned in confusion as he stared at the mark on your finger.
"I don't understand." You said. "What kind of mark is this?"
Hoseok grabbed your hand, gently tapping the mark with his forefinger.
"Each of the different marks begin in different places." He said. "The Trading Mark begins on the hip and works it's way down your legs until it reaches the very tips of your toes...When that happens...you trade places with a siren and take on their tale while they walk on your legs."
You furrowed your eyebrows.
"That's what you meant by no sirens are born..." You said. "Because they're not born...they're created..."
He nodded his head slowly.
"The Death Mark begins over your heart," He sighed. "And it spreads along your body until it covers your lungs...that's when you die a painful death...water filling your lungs. You're drowning on dry land. Vengeful sirens favor that mark, loving the idea of watching someone die painfully at their hand."
You swallowed hard, eyes falling to the mark on your hand.
"That-" You sighed. "That sounds terrible."
"The Mating Mark," He breathed, tapping your finger, "Begins on the ring finger. It's the only mark that is in a spot easily seen by others--sirens are quite possessive that way."
You furrowed your eyebrows, heart beginning to beat aggressively.
"What-What happens with this mark?" You asked, unsure that you wanted to know the answer.
"This mark can only be placed by a true siren..." He said. "Which is why it is so rare. There are only seven true sirens in this world...one born of each sea. I wonder how unlucky you must be to be one of the only people in the world to come across one and it take a liking to you."
You wanted to laugh at that. Of course. It wouldn't be an adventure if you didn't have the worst possible luck.
"What happens with this mark?" You repeated.
He huffed, waving you off.
"The mark starts on your ring finger and works it's way up your arm until it covers your heart." He explained. "There are different accounts of what happens after that, as this type of mark hasn't been seen for centuries...but the most common idea is that it bonds the soul of it's victim with the soul of the siren who cast it. As the mark grows, it takes away your humanity and gives it to the siren who cursed you, giving it legs to walk beside of you."
"So, I'll turn into a siren?" You asked.
He shook his head.
"When I say it will take your humanity, I only mean that it will give you ever-lasting life," He said. "As a true siren lives on for centuries, naturally, it will want it's mate to be there through it all...This mark will ensure that one of you cannot live without the other...you'll be trapped together for all eternity constantly moving between the sea and dry land."
You swallowed hard, trying to digest his words as you stared down at the mark on your arm.
"People who have gone through great pain," You repeated quietly. "Can they see marks?"
Hoseok's eyes widened slightly, head nodding slowly.
"Once a person has been hurt beyond repair, they can see a siren's song." He said. "Their songs are like their fingerprints...different and unique to each and every one of them...they take it very seriously if a human sees it...it either means certain death or taking their place-"
"Or mating with them..." You finished, eyes wide in realization.
Hoseok swallowed hard.
"You saw his song?"
You rubbed your temples.
"How can we stop this?" You asked, ignoring his last question. "There has to be some way to make it go away."
He stared at you for a few minutes, taking into account your reluctance to answer his own question.
"Once, the curse stops, there is no stopping it." He stated. "If I had known sooner, I could have helped you prevent this."
You frowned.
"What do you mean?" You asked. "And how do you even know all of these things?"
He exhaled heavily, closing his eyes before reaching for the strings of his shirt and undoing them.
You watched cautiously as he pulled the cream material down, revealing a small, black mark over the skin of his heart.
Your eyes widened.
"You were-"
He nodded, pulling his shirt back up.
"To a siren, the voice is everything." He stated. "The mark's curse is only activated if the siren hears your voice."
"That's why you never talk." You breathed out.
He clenched his jaw.
"I can't talk near the sea." He said. "She'd hear me...and I'd be dead the next day. The Death Mark is the fastest acting, after all."
"Since he heard my voice," You started. "There's no way to stop this?"
He sighed.
"That blue in your eyes," He said. "That means it's been activated, over the next few days that blue will continue to get brighter and brighter until the curse is completed and you're stuck with that monster forever."
"But that doesn't make any sense." You said. "My eyes were blue before-"
"Mating Marks are different." He interrupted, standing to his feet. "I've told you that real sirens are possessive. They want to make sure everyone knows that you belong to them...so, as soon as they mark you, your eyes are blue, even before the mark was activated."
"But-" You cut yourself off. "That means he would have known me since I got here."
Hoseok furrowed his brow at your words, clearly not understanding them.
"That's probably true..." He said. "I'm sure he's been waiting for thousands of years to find a mate."
You blinked.
"Are you telling me that a man who is literally thousands of years older than me is trying to get with a girl who is way younger than him?"
He nodded slowly.
"Yes?"
You frowned.
"Pedophile."
"Either way," He sighed, cutting you off. "I don't think you will be able to get out of this one."
You furrowed your brows.
"What do you mean? I can always find a-"
"Did you forget that you're a prisoner?" He asked. "Jimin still intends to sell you to the sirens. If I were you I'd hope and pray that he doesn't find out what that mark is..."
"Why?"
Hoseok frowned.
"Because then, he'd raise the price....
and sell you to the siren that's marked you."
A/N,
AWWWWWWW MY BABIEESSSSSSS
I'm back! I just finished my last final today and I knew that I could not keep you guys waiting anymore! I've seriously missed each and every one of you and writing this chapter had never been more fun and easy!
You all have been making my days! Thank you for being so supportive of me and the upcoming WEBTOON! Takumi and I are so excited and we hope to get the Prologue published before the end of the year!
I know you're all confused on who the male lead of this book is, but I can assure you that it will become apparent soon enough.
I love you all very much!
I adore you all very much!
I purple you all very much!
And I'm very much out!
Bye Babies!
-Max