The fire in the chamber crackled, casting restless shadows that danced across the stone walls.
Arjun sat with his back against the pillar, breath heavy, heart still reeling from the stranger's last words.
"You're already mine."
Those words echoed in his mind, refusing to leave him in peace. His palms trembled. Why did that voice—dark, commanding, and yet unbearably magnetic—pull him closer even as he wanted to run?
Suddenly, the silence shattered. Footsteps. Slow, deliberate, and too confident for comfort.
The stranger was back.
He stepped out of the shadows, tall frame illuminated by the dim glow of the fire. His cloak hung loosely, revealing a toned body beneath—every line of muscle carved as though the gods themselves had sculpted him. His eyes, molten crimson, locked on Arjun's, sparking the mark on his wrist to life again.
Arjun gasped as heat surged through his veins, his mark glowing brighter, as if it was answering him.
"Still fighting it?" the stranger whispered, his voice like velvet laced with flame. He leaned against the pillar, just inches away, his presence suffocating and intoxicating at once. "You can't deny what your body already knows."
Arjun clenched his fists, trying to push the trembling out of them. "Stay away. I don't… I don't want this."
The stranger smirked, lowering his face until his lips brushed the air near Arjun's ear.
"Don't lie to me." His breath was hot, setting Arjun's skin on fire without even touching it. "Your heart is betraying you. Can you hear it? The way it races when I come closer?"
Arjun swallowed hard, his chest rising and falling faster. "You… you're manipulating me."
The man chuckled, dark and soft, his voice vibrating through Arjun's bones. "If I wanted to manipulate you, I wouldn't have to try this hard. The truth is simpler… you crave me as much as I crave you."
Before Arjun could respond, the stranger lifted his hand. Flames curled in his palm—controlled, hypnotic, burning bright yet never consuming him. Slowly, deliberately, he let the fire hover near Arjun's wrist, where the glowing mark throbbed in rhythm with his heart.
The flame didn't burn. Instead, it sent waves of warmth deep into Arjun's veins, pulling a gasp from his lips. His body betrayed him, arching ever so slightly toward the heat.
The stranger's eyes narrowed, drinking in every reaction. "See? Even your body reaches for me. You can resist with words, but your soul…" His lips curved dangerously. "…your soul has already chosen."
Arjun's breaths came uneven, his face flushed. He wanted to shove him away, to scream, to run—yet a dangerous curiosity rooted him to the spot.
Why did this man's touch feel like home? Why did his presence stir both fear and desire in equal measure?
The stranger shifted closer, his thigh brushing Arjun's. Sparks shot through him.
Arjun jerked, whispering harshly, "Don't touch me."
"I haven't even started touching you." The stranger's smile widened, wicked and knowing. His fingers hovered millimeters from Arjun's jawline, never quite making contact, just close enough that Arjun could feel the phantom warmth. "Tell me to stop, and I will. But say it with your heart, not your lips."
Arjun froze. His lips parted, but no words came. His chest tightened, his pulse out of control.
The man leaned closer, their foreheads nearly touching now. His voice was molten silk, dripping with promise.
"You can keep pretending you don't feel it. Or…" His eyes glowed brighter, the mark on Arjun's wrist blazing in response. "…you can surrender. Just once. Just to see what it feels like."
Arjun's mind screamed No! but his body betrayed him again. His eyes flickered down—just for a second—to the stranger's lips.
The man caught it instantly. His grin turned feral.
"There it is. The look I've been waiting for."
He tilted Arjun's chin up, finally brushing a single finger across his jaw. The touch was scorching, electric, as though fire itself had caressed him. Arjun's entire body trembled violently, a shiver shooting down his spine.
"Stop…" Arjun whispered weakly, but the protest lacked conviction.
The stranger chuckled, his lips ghosting along the edge of Arjun's ear, sending him spiraling.
"Do you really want me to?"
Arjun's breath hitched. His hands, once pressed against the pillar for resistance, slowly loosened. He hated it—hated how his body leaned into the heat, how his skin ached for more.
The man's fingers trailed down Arjun's arm, stopping at the glowing mark. His thumb pressed against it, sending a jolt of searing energy through him.
Arjun gasped, arching slightly, his head tipping back against the stone.
The stranger's lips curled into a devilish smirk. "That's it. Feel it. The bond between us isn't weakness—it's power."
Arjun tried one last time, forcing out, "I… don't belong to you."
The man leaned so close that their noses almost brushed. His voice was a dangerous whisper, each word dripping with heat.
"No. You belong with me."
The fire in the chamber flared, wild and uncontrolled, mirroring the storm inside Arjun's chest.
For one unbearable second, the world held still—just the stranger's burning gaze, his breath fanning against Arjun's lips, the undeniable gravity pulling them together.
And Arjun… couldn't move away....