The flames still roared in the chamber, wild and untamed, as though they too had been stirred by the stranger's words.
Arjun's chest heaved, torn between fear and a dangerous hunger he could no longer deny.
The stranger's hand never left his mark. That searing thumb pressed down, controlling the fire inside him.
"Look at you," the man whispered, his voice rougher now, no longer playful but commanding.
"You fight me with your mind, but your body…" His lips curved as his gaze dropped to Arjun's trembling form. "…your body has already chosen."
Arjun bit his lip, trying to keep control. "Stop… I don't want this."
A dark laugh escaped the stranger's mouth. "Then why are you trembling like this? Not in fear… but in need."
His words sliced through Arjun's defenses. His face burned, his pulse thundered.
"No," Arjun whispered, but the denial cracked like fragile glass.
The man leaned closer, so close that their noses nearly brushed. His heat poured into Arjun, suffocating and intoxicating. His voice was low, husky—every syllable wrapping around Arjun like fire.
"Say you don't want me. Say it while looking into my eyes."
Arjun's eyes flicked up, meeting that crimson gaze. The fire swirling in them dragged him under, making his words die in his throat. He couldn't say it. He couldn't lie.
The stranger smirked knowingly. "That's what I thought."
He moved his hand from Arjun's wrist, sliding it slowly—deliberately—up his arm, across his shoulder, until it rested against the side of his neck. His thumb brushed the hollow of Arjun's throat, feeling the frantic beat of his pulse.
"Your heart betrays you," he murmured, his lips brushing the shell of Arjun's ear. "It beats only for me now."
Arjun gasped, his head tilting back against the pillar, exposing his throat without realizing. His breath came in shallow waves, his entire body burning with sensation.
The man's lips ghosted down, just barely skimming the edge of Arjun's jaw.
"Do you feel it?" His voice was velvet and fire. "This pull between us… it's unbreakable. No spell, no power, can sever it."
Arjun's fists clenched weakly at his sides. "Why… why me?"
The man's smirk softened into something darker, more dangerous.
"Because you were born for me. And I was born for you."
Before Arjun could respond, the stranger pressed closer, his chest brushing Arjun's. Their breaths mingled, hot and uneven.
The mark on Arjun's wrist blazed so bright it hurt to look at. The connection between them pulsed like a living flame, tying them together.
Arjun's mind screamed for distance, but his body betrayed him—leaning forward ever so slightly, seeking the heat.
The man noticed instantly. His grin turned wicked, and he lowered his lips until they hovered a whisper away from Arjun's.
"Do you want me to stop?" he asked softly, almost tenderly.
Arjun's lips parted, trembling. Silence stretched between them, heavy with desire.
And then—barely audible—Arjun whispered, "…no."
The stranger's eyes flared, crimson fire devouring the last of the distance. His lips brushed Arjun's—just a feather-light touch, a dangerous promise, enough to set every nerve in Arjun's body ablaze.
Arjun gasped sharply, gripping the pillar behind him as though it was the only thing keeping him upright.
The stranger pulled back just slightly, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Good," he whispered, his thumb stroking Arjun's jaw. "Because once you surrender to me… there's no turning back."
The chamber fell into silence once more, but the fire within Arjun raged louder than ever...