I stared into the mirror, the dim light of the room casting shadows across my face. My reflection looked back, unchanged, but not quite the same. My eyes—those damn grey eyes—had always been the one thing that stood out. They were sharp, unrelenting. They saw through the lies and the nonsense. But tonight, something was different. My left eye... darker.
It wasn’t obvious at first. Not to anyone else, anyway. But I could see it. Feel it. There was a shadow, just barely creeping around the edges of my iris, like it was trying to consume the grey. I leaned in closer, my breath fogging the glass for a moment before it cleared again. The contrast between my right and left eyes was subtle, but enough to make my stomach turn.
The presence. It had been quiet, mostly, for the past week since the kidnapping. But now, it felt like it was stirring again, pressing against the edges of my thoughts. I didn’t understand it—not fully, anyway. All I knew was that something had shifted inside me on the day the powers manifested. Since then, I could feel it lurking beneath the surface, coiled like a serpent, waiting.
I stepped back from the mirror, dragging a hand through my hair. A laugh escaped me—short, bitter. This was what I had become, wasn''t it? A man trapped between worlds, fighting the darkness within while pretending everything was fine on the outside.
Not that anyone had the answers. Lyrian tried to help when he could, and even Aria had her moments. But neither of them could understand what was happening inside me. No one did. And I wasn’t sure what to do next—or if there was even a way to control whatever this was.
Except Varyk. The memory of him surfaced suddenly, uninvited. The leader of those mercenaries... the one who had dragged me into this mess. Something about him lingered, like he knew more than he let on.
I grabbed my coat, throwing it over my shoulders as I moved toward the door. I wasn’t sure where I was going, but my feet seemed to know the way. They always did when it came to that place.
The streets outside were quiet. Almost too quiet, like the world was holding its breath. I didn’t need to look to know where I was heading. My legs carried me through the familiar paths, avoiding the well-lit streets and sticking to the shadows, where I felt more at home these days.
I wasn’t in the mood to see anyone. Not that there were many who could help, anyway. I’d gotten good at keeping people at a distance, and the more the presence inside me stirred, the easier it was to isolate myself. Whatever this power was, it wasn’t something anyone could understand. Not Lyrian, not Aria—no one. And that made pushing them away feel... inevitable.
The house came into view before I even realized how close I was. The boarded-up windows, the sagging door—it looked just as abandoned as it had the last time I was here. But this place... it had been more than just a building once. It was a piece of me. A reminder of who I used to be, before everything changed.
I stood there, staring at it, and I could feel the shadows stretching toward me, like they recognized me. Like they wanted me to step into them, become one of them. There was a time when that idea terrified me. Now? It was almost comforting. Almost.
The street around me was quiet, empty. Just me and the shadows. My thoughts churned, the weight of everything pressing down on my chest as I stared at the old house. This was where it had all begun—the choices, the mistakes. Everything that had led me to where I was now. I could hear the faint echo of old voices in the back of my mind, ghosts from a time long past.
I stepped closer, feeling the pull of the darkness around the house growing stronger. It wasn’t just in my head. The shadows were thick here, like they were waiting for me. Or maybe they were just a reflection of the things I didn’t want to face. Either way, I felt them.
I stopped just short of the doorway, staring at the worn wood, the memories crashing over me with an intensity that almost made me dizzy. I didn’t want to be here. But somehow, I always ended up back at this place. Maybe it was a reminder. Or maybe I was just a coward, unable to let go of the past.
With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and tried to center myself, pushing back the dark thoughts swirling in my mind. It didn’t help. The presence had a way of creeping in when I least expected it. And now, with whatever was happening to my eye, I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold it back.
I opened my eyes and glanced down at my hands. They looked the same—steady, controlled. But I could feel the tremor beneath the surface. The energy that pulsed through me was different now. Stronger. Darker?
What had changed? When did I lose control?
I could feel the edges of the presence brushing against my mind, whispering things I didn’t want to hear. Things I couldn’t ignore. The power had always been there, but lately, it felt closer. Like it was waiting for me to stop fighting. Waiting for me to give in.
But I wasn’t about to do that. Not yet, at least.
I clenched my fists, my jaw tightening as I stared at the house one last time. This was where it all started, but I wasn’t that person anymore. I couldn’t be. I didn’t have that luxury.
At first, I didn’t know where I was going—just moving, letting the streets blur around me... until I realized I knew exactly where I was headed. And why.
I didn’t bother with the main roads, sticking to the narrow alleys that threaded between buildings, the world dimly lit by the flickering glow of streetlamps. The night air was cold, biting against my skin as I moved with purpose, even if I wasn’t ready to admit it to myself yet.
The closer I got, the more focused I became. The sharp lines of rooftops and the distant hum of the city faded into the background. There was only one thing on my mind.
When I reached her building, I slowed, my eyes narrowing at the sight before me. The door to her apartment hung slightly ajar, a sliver of light spilling out onto the cracked stone of the hallway. My pulse quickened.
As I approached, I could hear the faint sound of movement inside. Quiet. Quick.
I reached the door just as she was stepping out, already halfway into the corridor, her bag slung over her shoulder. Dressed in black leather that clung to her curves, her smooth bronze skin gleamed under the dim hallway lights. She hadn’t seen me yet.
"Knock, knock."
Before she could react, I was already moving. I pushed the door wide, stepping inside in one fluid motion. By the time she took a breath, I had her pinned against the door, her face pressed against the wooden surface. With one hand, I locked her wrists behind her back, while the other pressed against the door above her head, bracing myself. The bag she had been holding slipped from her grasp, falling to the ground with a dull thud.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
“What the—?” Her voice was sharp, laced with shock and frustration. She struggled, but it was futile. My grip was firm, her face pressed against the wooden surface of the door.
"Going somewhere, Rhea?" I kept my voice calm, controlled, though my heart pounded in my chest with rage.
“Let go of me,” she hissed through gritted teeth, her cheek pressed against the door.
“Not until you tell me where you''re running off to in such a hurry,” I said, my tone deceptively casual, but there was no mistaking the edge behind my words. “You weren’t going to make it easy, were you?”
Rhea tried to twist out of my hold, her breath quickening. She wore sleek black boots, her outfit tailored for stealth, and I could feel the tension in her muscles, the readiness to act. But she wasn’t getting out of this that easily.
“Kaelen, you have no idea what you’re doing,” she spat, her voice venomous.
“I’m starting to get a pretty good idea,” I replied, tightening my hold just slightly. “Care to explain what’s so urgent that you’re sneaking out in the middle of the night? Or is this just part of your charm?”
Her back eyes flickered with frustration as she strained against my grip. “You think you can just walk in here, push me around, and get answers?” She paused, a sharp breath escaping her lips. “What do you want, Kaelen? Or should I guess?”
I leaned closer, just enough for my voice to drop, but not enough to loosen my hold. “I want the truth, Rhea. About Varyk. About why you’re here. About everything. And I want it now."
She let out a bitter laugh, her cheek still pressed against the door. “I don’t know who the hell Varyk is.”
I could hear the tremor in her voice, but she wasn’t breaking. Not yet. She struggled against my grip again, but I tightened my hold, my hand pressing her wrists harder against her back.
"Don’t lie to me," I said, my tone cold. "You don’t just slip out of your apartment in the dead of night dressed like this for no reason."
"I’m not lying!" she spat, the frustration rising. "I don’t know anything about this Varyk. I’ve never even heard the name."
For a moment, I almost believed her—almost. But then something shifted. Something inside me. It was like a switch had flipped, and suddenly, I could feel her emotions like they were my own. Fear, sharp and visceral. The pulse of her anxiety thudded in my chest, and her words... her words tasted wrong, coated in something bitter and deceitful.
She was lying.
The realization hit me like a punch to the gut, and a wave of anger surged through me. My grip tightened, the edges of my patience fraying.
“You’re lying,” I growled, leaning closer. “I can feel it. I don’t know how, but I can feel it. You’re scared, and you should be.”
Rhea froze, her breath catching in her throat. “Kaelen, you’re not—”
“Enough.” My voice was dangerously low now. “You don’t understand the stakes here. This isn’t about me. It’s about Lyrian.”
She stiffened at the mention of Lyrian’s name, her body tensing under my grip. Her silence told me everything I needed to know. This wasn’t just about information. They had gone after us for a reason, and she had played a part in it.
“You think this is a game? You don’t get to play with his life, not after everything we’ve been through. You think I care what happens to me? This is about him. And you crossed the line.”
“I didn’t—” she started, but I cut her off.
“You think they’ll protect you? Whoever it was that came to you—do you really think they’ll keep their word?” I could hear my heartbeat in my ears now, each thud a reminder of how much she had endangered Lyrian. “Tell me who came to you. Who offered you money to sell us out?”
Rhea’s breathing grew more erratic. I could feel her heart pounding through the tension in her wrists. She was unraveling, and she knew it.
“They—someone approached me,” she finally admitted, her voice strained. “I don’t know their name. I never saw their face. They offered me money. A lot of money.”
“For what? What did they want from you?”
She swallowed hard, her voice barely a whisper now. “Information. About you. They wanted to know everything—where you went, who you spoke to. I... I didn’t think it would go this far.”
My blood boiled. I pushed her harder against the door, the anger simmering just beneath the surface. “You didn’t think?” I bit out, every word dripping with venom. “You put Lyrian in danger. That’s what you did.”
“I didn’t know!” she gasped, the panic rising in her voice. “I didn’t know they would come after him. They promised me protection...”
“Protection?” I spat, disgust flooding my veins. “From what? From me?”
Rhea’s response was sudden, unexpected. She let out a low, mocking laugh, her body relaxing slightly even as I still held her pinned against the door. Her lips curled into a knowing smirk, eyes flicking back toward me.
“From you? Oh, Kaelen, you’ve never been the one I needed protection from.” Her voice dropped, more amused than frightened now, taking on a dangerously playful tone. “Not with the way you use your tongue. Like you’d rather use that anger of yours... for something else.”
Before I could react, she shifted her weight, pressing herself back against me, the movement slow, deliberate. My grip tightened on her wrists instinctively, and for a moment, I felt the heat rising in my chest—an involuntary reaction, something primal that I didn’t want.
“Get off me,” I growled, but it didn’t come out with the force I intended.
“You sure about that?” she whispered, her voice low and teasing. “You’ve been on edge, haven’t you? You’re wound too tight, Kaelen. You can feel it—the frustration. I’m just giving you what you need. “That’s how it’s always been with you, hasn’t it, Kaelen?”
I clenched my jaw, my body stiffening as she continued to move, brushing against me in ways that made it harder to focus, harder to maintain control. The last thing I wanted was to give her the satisfaction of thinking she was right, but my body was betraying me.
It hit me then—how I’d been on edge for so long, always keeping everything in check, always in control. But now, the tension was about to break. I could feel it, like a dam ready to burst, my primal instincts clawing to take over.
Rhea turned her head slightly, her breath hot against my neck. “It’s not like you’ve had time to... unwind. You’ve been fighting for too long, Kaelen. You’re burning out.” Her words were punctuated by the subtle movement of her body against mine, and I could feel my self-control slipping, piece by piece.
I hated that she was right.
“Stop playing games, Rhea,” I warned, though my voice lacked the sharpness it should have. My mind was screaming to focus, to keep control, but she knew where to push, how to twist the knife just enough to weaken me. I’d been so focused, so on edge, that her touch—the insinuation of release—felt like a temptation I hadn’t realized I’d been craving.
“What was I supposed to do?” she continued, her voice a mix of vulnerability and something darker. “They came to me. I had no choice, Kaelen. And what was I going to do? You think I’d risk my life for you? I did what I had to. Just like you’ve always done.”
Her words hit me harder than I expected. The anger was still there, but it was tangled now with something else. Frustration, exhaustion. She wasn’t wrong. I had been fighting for so long, pushing myself beyond my limits. And this—this was just another moment where I was being tested.
Rhea shifted again, and I let out a slow, controlled breath, my head spinning with the mix of emotions. “You think this is going to make me forget what you did?”
Her smirk faltered, just for a second. “I never wanted to hurt Lyrian,” she said softly, her tone more genuine now. “But you... you don’t get it, Kaelen. They were going to kill me if I didn’t give them something.”
Her words had a sliver of truth. The fear in her voice was real, but she was still trying to manipulate me, using every weapon at her disposal. I hated how well she knew this part of me.
I released her wrists, stepping back slightly, but not far enough to give her space. “You made your choice,” I said, my voice hardening again. “But if you think you can manipulate me into letting you off the hook, you’re wrong.”
Her smirk returned, though this time it was tinged with a bitterness I hadn’t expected. “Who said anything about manipulation? I just know you, Kaelen. Better than you want to admit.”
A macabre laugh escaped me, surprising even myself. "You think you know me?" I shook my head, leaning in just enough to catch her gaze. "You only know what I’ve let you see. Don’t forget, Rhea. We’ve used each other, and it was never for anything more than pleasure. Nothing else." My voice dropped, dark and cold. "Don’t pretend it was ever more than that."
Rhea’s lips curled into a smirk. “Who said I wanted anything more?” she shot back, her tone daring, almost mocking. Before I could respond, she moved swiftly, closing the distance between us and pressing her lips to mine, fierce and unapologetic.
The suddenness of it caught me off guard, and before I could regain my footing, she pushed me back, sending me stumbling onto the bed behind me.
I hit the mattress, the breath leaving my lungs in a sharp exhale. But before I could react, all I felt was the weight of her body, her curves pressing against me as she leaned over, her hair spilling across my face.
For a second, all the tension, all the anger and frustration, melted into that single moment.