Elena sat on the edge of the bed, her hands twisting the hem of her dress. The silence of the manor was too thick, pressing against her skin like a second shadow. She could still hear echoes of the demon's shrieks, smell the smoke clinging to her hair.
Adrian leaned against the far wall, watching her with that unreadable expression. His coat was gone, his shirt stained at the cuffs with dried blood. Yet his presence filled the room more than any demon ever could.
"You're quiet," he finally said, his voice low. "Too quiet."
Her throat tightened. "What should I say? That I watched you tear a monster apart with your bare hands? That I don't know whether to thank you or run from you?"
A faint smirk curved his lips, though his eyes remained sharp. "You wouldn't get far, Elena."
She shot him a glare, but it faltered under the weight of his gaze. Every time she tried to push back, he pulled her deeper. And maybe—just maybe—part of her wanted to fall.
Adrian pushed off the wall, stepping closer. The shadows seemed to move with him, curling at his heels. "You're shaking," he murmured, his hand brushing hers before she could pull away. "Not from me. From them."
Her heartbeat stuttered. "From both," she admitted.
He chuckled darkly, fingers curling around hers, warm and steady. "Good. Fear is the only thing that keeps you alive. But listen carefully—" His tone shifted, sharp as steel. "You are mine to protect. No Hunter, no demon, no prophecy will take you. If they want you, they'll have to rip you from my hands."
Her chest tightened at his words, a dangerous comfort threading through her veins. "And what if they succeed?" she whispered.
Adrian's smirk vanished. For a long moment, silence pressed between them, heavy and dangerous. Then he leaned closer, his lips brushing her ear.
"Then I'll drag them into hell itself."
Elena's breath hitched. She should have been terrified, and maybe she was. But she also felt something far more dangerous—safe. Too safe.
"Adrian…" Her voice broke. "I don't know how to live in your world."
"You don't need to," he said simply. His hand lifted, tilting her chin up. His eyes glowed faintly, fire and shadows swirling together. "You just need to live in mine."
For a heartbeat, she forgot everything—the Hunters, Damian's warnings, even the terror she'd felt hours ago. There was only Adrian, his promise wrapping around her like chains she wasn't sure she wanted to escape.
But deep inside, a whisper lingered. Chains could protect. Chains could also bind.
And Elena wasn't sure which ones Adrian was giving her.