Crimson Eyes

meant to

, the memory of Elias's pulse still echoing through his fing

've sent

at the oldest parts of Lucien-the parts he'd buried long ag

s ache. That deep, silent hunger. The kind that couldn't be satisfied by sex or drink or

. Centuries ago. In anothe

d gotten

s. Not from thirst. From restraint. He could've had Elias then and there-to

ias wasn't

tempt

a hand through his dark hair. "

y. Not now. Not after th

ngly. But it wasn't just sex. No-Lucien had tas

ing of something. D

ta

s centuries of wisdom,

ough to glimpse the outside world. The city was soaked in night an

mess, Luci

g wet.

ng behind

than hunger. Lucien had tasted thousands of lovers. Taken them into his a

ked at him

. Not a god.

n hat

f Elias's wrist. The way his scent clung to Lucien's skin like

as if they discovered what Lucien was feeling. The laws were clear. No emotional

s walk away untouched.

p, just enough to feel the pressure, the

he said aloud, voice

parted, chest rising and falling like he couldn't catch his breat

pered the

for

or co

he wanted it

ias

didn'

it wasn't the thirst or the noise

scent, still

eyes-that soft surrende

rtbeat, echoing in Lucien's

oks and glass bottles filled with deep red liquid. Blood-collected, pre

.. Elias w

as sweet and dangerous. It whispered of things Lucien had spent

o

let the boy go. He had to. One more taste, and he'd fall. One

body bet

like armor. Before he knew it, he was outside, walking the streets with i

d for the night. Second floor. A flickering light through t

t the edge of his bed. Shi

h caught-if on

ldn't b

ds hel

nted

e most dangerou

rain sliding over his coat like a seco

owed in the soft lamplight-pale from exhaustion, still flushed from memory

here, pulsing faintly beneath the surface. A thread of red

closed

nto the warmth of Elias's room. He could be there in a breat

he d

ge of the rooftop

lust. It was wo

e most dangerou

, throat bare and exposed-Lucien vanished into th