Crimson Eyes

hadn't

ith sweat. The clock blinked 3:47 AM. Rain tapp

gling. Still warm from where L

er felt like that. No one had ever touched him like that-with re

the window. The city glowed under the storm-silver stree

Elias knew he

chi

at should've made him roll his eyes. But it wasn't just attraction. It wasn't just

The raw, aching

it," Elias

, something d

u're finall

face of his skin, som

ran them through his damp hair. The room felt too small, too quiet

man had loo

ormal. It w

ght it to his lips without thinking, brushing his mouth over the skin. It wa

cturne-had wo

the apartment was amplified-the hum of the fridge, the faint buzz of the rai

against him, alive with

ibs, there was a strange ache. Not

ng

and sat down hard on

l did you do

t didn't

ng in him a

only the

dn't

ould count. His body was restless, charged with a strange energy that didn't feel like his own. Every time he

ci

inside. Nothing appealed to him. He tried toast. Coffee. W

sink and leaned against the

ll is happe

hone

ber: "You'r

blood

e, heart thudding. He d

, ag

anging. Come back to Noctu

ructions. But he

ci

hovered over

he message. He should'

he grabbe

back into

ias made his way through the early morning dark. Every step felt heavier

y was quiet now-no red glow, no music, ju

s approache

teps. Just darknes

reshold, every instinct screaming don't, bu

pped i

, rich with shadows, warm and scen

ding beneath a blood-red

yes. Same presence. Like

you'd come," Luc

Elias replied. His voice felt to

as no mockery in it. Only

it now,

d. "What am

stepped

in

athe as Lucien s

ted. Warmer

-his throat, where his pulse jumped visibly beneath the skin. E

en murmured. "Your body is

wh

almost sadly. "To what

it wasn't denial-it was di

fingers grazing Elia

if Lucien were memorizing him bef

erstand," El

u w

t. His body ached for contact, for meaning, for him.

d. It was

spark buried deep inside him, an

Lucien's mouth,

ck, voice low. "

s wasn't about lov

becoming so

ng... n