Payal and William started walking toward the entrance—each step echoing softly across the stone path, matching the erratic rhythm of her heart. The massive wooden doors creaked open as if welcoming them into the mansion's centuries-old secrets. William didn't let go of her hand, his gentle pinches a silent promise: "I'm here." In the dusky foyer, candlelight flickered against oil paintings and dark-paneled walls, their shadows twisting with every movement. The chill of the night air followed them, but William's presence was a steady anchor—she kept her eyes fixed on his back, finding more comfort and fascination in his familiar silhouette than in the unfamiliar grandeur around her.
As they entered the great hall, surrounded by marble columns and sweeping staircases, William slowed unexpectedly. Without warning, Payal bumped softly into his strong back. "Sorry," she whispered, cheeks flaring pink. "I didn't see…" Her words trailed off as she noticed Julian and Asra standing ahead—both their gazes glued to the hands Payal and William still had intertwined.
William met their eyes, his own expression a subtle challenge, refusing to let go—though Payal, suddenly shy, instinctively dropped her head to hide the heat in her cheeks. The silence between the four was charged, full of emotions that words hadn't caught up to yet.
"Payal," Julian said gently, his voice drawing her from her embarrassment. It was the voice she'd been longing to hear, and her heart fluttered as he crossed the marble toward her. He bent close, his breath warm against her ear, sending a wave of goosebumps down her arms. "Did you miss me?" he whispered, voice teasing yet full of longing. "Because I do miss you."
The moment seemed to pause—a single heartbeat stretched into eternity—as Payal let herself lean into Julian's warmth, braced by William's steady tenderness and the ancient, secretive pulse of the mansion around them.
Asra's fierce gaze swept over the small gathering, his voice cutting through the heavy silence. "Can we begin the wedding rituals?" His intensity filled the room, demanding attention.
Julian nodded easily, a rare ease in his tone. "Yeah, this is the first time I truly feel you're right." He glanced at Payal, who gently took his hand, a silent question in her eyes. "Just the four of us?" she asked softly.
Julian smiled down at her, squeezing her hand. "Yeah, just the four of us getting married—so definitely, we've gathered here."
Confusion flickered across Payal's face. "What do you mean? No family, no guests? No wedding gathering?"
William's voice broke in, dry but with a hint of amusement. "Julian forgot that Payal is not one of us. She is from a different planet—a mere human." His teasing comment made Payal's confusion deepen. This wasn't the wedding she'd imagined; it felt more like the eerie silence before a storm—more creepy than the latest horror movie she'd watched.
Julian caught the distress in her gaze and stepped closer. His voice softened as he locked eyes with her warm brown orbs. "Do you trust me?"
Without hesitation, Payal nodded. Julian always had that magic—one look into his eyes and she was lost, surrendering to the calmness he offered.
He smiled, brushing a stray hair from her face. "Don't be scared, okay?"
In this intimate setting, the wedding rituals would be unlike any traditional ceremony—more deeply personal, layered with meaning shared only by the four of them. No crowds, no fanfare—just the strong bond between their intertwined lives, their chosen family.
William, Asra, and Julian sat down together on the floor in lotus position, their eyes closed, calm yet powerful. Payal watched, confusion and curiosity swirling in her mind, but she wisely kept quiet. Julian had told her to trust him, and she couldn't bring herself to do otherwise. She settled near them, feeling the air shift.
In an instant, the atmosphere transformed. A sudden rush of wind swept through the hall, carrying a chilling breeze that prickled Payal's skin and made her shiver in place. Her eyes widened in disbelief—the windows and doors were firmly shut, yet the cold air swirled around them. Panic fluttered in her chest as she glanced back at the three men, still seated in perfect silence. No one else was there.
The reality of the moment crashed down on her, and a rising tide of fear shook her limbs. The hall's shadowy corners seemed to lengthen and deepen, and the room's stillness crept in like a scene from a horror movie. She wanted to flee, to escape the eerie mansion and its supernatural hold.
But then—her gaze caught something impossible. William, Asra, and Julian were floating, suspended gently above the floor, their bodies unwavering in the sacred lotus pose. Payal gasped, her fear tangled with awe and confusion. Relief and nervousness warred within her.
Their upper bodies were bare, muscles tense yet serene in the low light and ancient ambiance. The glowing skin contrasted with the shadow-draped room, as if the three men were channeling some deep and sacred power. Their heirs shining in this darkness ,
As she stared, a quiet voice—or perhaps it was the room itself—whispered that this was no ordinary wedding ritual. It was a binding of more than hearts: a weaving of souls and destinies, echoing through realms seen and unseen