The city was quieter than usual, wrapped in the slow rhythm of midnight rain.
Riah's shift had ended an hour ago, yet she still lingered by the hospital doors, watching the storm rage through the streets. The rain fell in wild, unrelenting sheets, drumming against the pavement, the sky split occasionally by pale flashes of lightning, she
She reached for her sketchbook from her bag the one she used when she couldn't clear her head, flipping through pages of half-finished drawings, she stopped at one that made her breath catch.
Lucian.
Drawn from memory — his sharp jaw, the faint crease between his brows, the quiet sadness he always carried like a shadow, her fingers brushed over the page. "Why do you feel so far away, even when you're right here?" she whispered. She pulled her coat tighter around herself and sighed. Her body ached from the long night the endless rounds, the faint smell of antiseptic still clinging to her hands all she wanted was her bed, her silence. But the city had other plans.
The moment she stepped outside, the downpour swallowed her whole. Her umbrella was useless against the wind, and within minutes, her hair was plastered to her face, her scrubs damp against her skin. She hurried toward the main road, hoping to catch a cab, but traffic had come to a standstill. Headlights blurred into long streaks of gold through the rain, horns blaring in frustration.
She leaned against a lamppost, shivering. The night air was sharp, biting, and every breath she took carried that faint electric scent before thunder — something that made her heart quicken for reasons she couldn't explain.
Somewhere beyond the rain, a familiar chill brushed through her, soft but deep — the kind that wasn't from the cold.
The rain poured steadily, turning the street into a shimmering canvas of reflections, Riah stood at the bus stop, her hair clinging to her face, her scrubs soaked through. She checked her phone for the time, hoping for a bus that seemed like it would never arrived, she sat back down on the sit close to the streetlamb, sketching the mysterious man that won't leave her head, the other night she had dreamt of him being close to her. Riah cheek turned bright pink and her skin tingled. She was pulled back by the harsh reality,
No buses. No cars. Not even a single person walking by, she hugging her soaked coat tight against her trembling body.
The rain poured down in merciless sheets, blurring everything around her, making the world feel hollow… empty, she just wanted to go home.
But the sound of rapid footsteps cut through the rainfall, two masked men appeared out of nowhere, their faces hidden, knives gleaming under the streetlight. Riah's blood ran cold. She staggered backward on the slippery pavement as one of them barked:
"Give us your bag."
Her hands shook violently. She dropped her bag on the ground and stepped away, shielding her face, her body hunched with fear.
But they weren't satisfied.
One of the men stepped closer, using the tip of his knife to push a wet strand of hair away from her face, Riah flinched hard, before she could move, he grabbed her wrist and yanked her toward him, pulling a sharp cry from her throat.
"P-please…" she whispered, her voice breaking. "Please stop. I—I gave you my bag already."
The other man chuckled, low and smug, he leaned closer, inhaling her scent like a predator savoring prey. His grip on her waist tightened, fingers pressing cruelly into her soaked scrubs, a wave of disgust shot through her.
"No—don't touch me!" Riah pushed him with every ounce of strength she had.
The man stumbled back, surprised — and she ran,
Her heart pounded wildly as her feet splashed through puddles, racing toward the small bridge nearby. The rain blurred her vision, but she didn't stop, behind her, the men chased, shouting curses, closing in fast,Riah slipped, she hit the ground hard, the world spinning, her palms stinging from the impact, one of the masked men approached, breathing harshly through his mask, hands reaching for his belt buckle.
"Stay away from me!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the rain.
A blinding, sharp beam flooded the night, cutting right through the storm, the masked men shielded their faces with their arms.
A black SUV rolled to a smooth stop right in front of them, its presence loud without a single sound. The engine hummed low, deep, controlled, the doors opened.
A tall figure stepped out — broad shoulders, powerful build, standing around 186 cm. Dressed in a long, sophisticated all-black coat. Beneath it, a relaxed but elegant three-piece suit: a collared shirt, a fitted waistcoat with a buttoned closure, and tailored trousers. The rain slid down the fabric like it dared not touch him,He lifted his head.
His midnight blue eyes locked onto Riah — eyes that burned with an otherworldly glow, sharp, cold… dangerous, his black hair was wet, messy from the rain, strands sticking to his forehead. His expression was unreadable, but something inside his gaze shifted when he saw Riah curled on the ground.
The air changed.
He walked forward — slow, intentional, majestic — and grabbed one of the masked men by the throat with a single, effortless motion, the man's feet left the ground, he choked, kicking, clawing at the strong hand wrapped around his neck. Lucian's eyes darkened, the pupils narrowing into thin, vertical slits… monstrous, ancient, terrifyingly calm. The other masked man didn't wait he fled — running into the darkness like his soul depended on it.
But Lucian didn't look away, his grip tightened.
The man's face turned red, breath slipping away, hands trembling as he silently begged for mercy from the creature holding him.
Riah watched in stunned horror — and awe, he looked unreal. Inhuman. Yet familiar, her heartbeat stumbled, as her lips parted, trembling.
"…Lucian…"
He froze.
The masked man dropped to the ground with a heavy thud, gasping as he scrambled away into the rain, Lucian turned toward her slowly, his dark blue slitted eyes softening just a fraction at the sound of his name.
He stepped toward her, the storm bending around him like it wasn't brave enough to touch him, when he reached her, he lowered himself slightly, extending a hand — his voice low, steady, impossibly gentle despite the scene she'd just witnessed.
"Riah… come here."