The night was unusually cold, yet the room felt suffocatingly warm as his presence lingered.
Arjun's breaths were coming faster, and the glowing mark on his wrist pulsed again and again, pulling him toward the stranger—as if some invisible force was guiding him.
"You're thinking of me again, aren't you?"
Arjun's eyes widened as the shadowy figure stepped closer.
The stranger stood so near that Arjun could feel the heat of his breath on his skin.
His eyes shimmered faintly, dangerous yet captivating, and a slow, knowing smile curved his lips.
"I… I don't want you here," Arjun stammered, though his body betrayed his words.
A strange warmth surged within him, contradicting his denial.
The stranger moved even closer, his gaze both intoxicating and commanding.
"Then why does your body call for me?" he whispered, the words sending shivers down Arjun's spine.
Arjun tried to step back, but his feet felt rooted to the ground.
The mark on his wrist flared crimson, and the stranger's fingers traced the air, conjuring a small whirl of red light in his palm.
The light surged and connected to Arjun's mark, weaving an invisible thread that bound them together.
"What… what are you doing?" Arjun's voice trembled.
A soft, dangerous chuckle echoed in the room.
"If I wanted distance, would I have come here at all?" The heat in his voice spread like wildfire across Arjun's body.
Arjun's fear and anger surged at once. He shoved the stranger—
"Stay away from me!"
But the stranger did not flinch. He stepped closer, lips hovering near Arjun's ear.
His voice, low and burning, whispered:
"Whether you accept it or not… you're already mine."
Arjun's heart pounded like a drum.
His eyes reflected a storm of fear and desire. He knew he shouldn't be drawn in, yet his body refused to listen.
The stranger's hand firmly held Arjun's wrist.
"See… this bond isn't just a mark. It's destiny.
And now, whether you're ready or not, every beat of your heart is tethered to me."
Arjun felt his pulse ignite with every touch, every glance, every subtle movement of the stranger.
It wasn't only physical attraction; it was a connection far deeper, an undeniable pull between their very souls.
He took a deep breath, trying to center himself, but the truth was inescapable.
He couldn't resist, nor did he want to anymore.
"I cannot run… I am accepting this, whether it terrifies me or excites me," he whispered to himself.
The stranger's gaze softened slightly, yet the smirk remained.
"Good… now you're ready. And this is just the beginning. Every heartbeat of yours will be bound to me from now on."
Silence engulfed the room, yet the energy between them thrummed loudly.
Arjun's pulse and the stranger's proximity created a dangerous, intoxicating rhythm—one that consumed the air, their bodies, and even their spirits.
The night stretched on, heavy with tension and desire, and Arjun realized that there was no turning back.
Every touch, every glance, every shared breath had sealed the bond between them.
The fire was no longer just in the mark—it was in them both, blazing hotter than the night itself....