**Episode 7 – *"Touched by Darkness"***
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Isha kept replaying Lucian's last words in her mind.
**"You're mine."**
**"I belong to you."**
She barely ate.
Barely slept.
Barely functioned.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the look in his silver gaze — that mixture of fear, longing, and something he refused to name.
But by the next morning, she forced herself to get up and go to college.
She needed normal.
Or at least whatever normal she had left.
Except the universe didn't care.
Because sitting at the far end of her campus courtyard…
leaning casually against a tree like he belonged there…
was Raven.
Her stomach dropped.
He waved at her with a lazy smile.
"Good morning, sunshine."
Isha froze.
"Why are you here?" she whispered.
Raven pushed off the tree and strolled toward her.
"Lucian isn't the only one allowed to visit the human world."
"But you shouldn't—"
"I came to see you," he said simply.
Her eyes widened.
"Why?"
Raven circled her slowly, as if analyzing her from every angle.
"Because you're interesting," he murmured.
"And because your mark is reacting more strongly than it should."
Isha stepped back instinctively — straight into his chest.
Raven's hands settled lightly on her shoulders.
She stiffened.
His breath brushed her ear.
"I can feel your fear. Your heartbeat is trembling. So…"
His lips curved.
"Why didn't you react like this when Lucian touched you?"
Her heart thudded painfully.
Raven chuckled darkly.
"Ah. So I am right."
Isha pushed away from him.
"Stay away from me."
Raven smirked.
"If you say so, moon-marked girl."
But before he could continue, a cold wind whipped through the courtyard.
The sky dimmed for a second.
Raven turned toward the shadows, grinning.
"Speak of the devil…"
Lucian appeared behind him — silent, deadly, eyes blazing silver.
Isha exhaled in relief.
But Lucian didn't look relieved.
He looked furious.
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## ⭐ **Lucian's Jealousy**
Lucian stepped between Isha and Raven, pushing Raven back without touching him.
"What did I say about coming near her?"
Raven raised his brows innocently.
"We were just talking."
Lucian's voice dropped into a threatening growl.
"You don't talk to her. You don't look at her. You don't breathe near her."
Raven smirked.
"Someone's territorial."
Isha stepped forward.
"Lucian—"
He didn't look at her.
He kept his cold, lethal stare fixed on Raven.
"Leave," Lucian commanded.
"Or I will tear your heart out."
Raven sighed dramatically.
"Relax, cousin. If I wanted to hurt her, she'd already be dead."
Isha tensed.
Lucian moved so fast she barely saw him —
one second away from her,
the next pinning Raven against the courtyard wall, hand around Raven's throat.
Lucian's voice was ice.
"Say anything like that again," he hissed,
"and I won't stop myself."
Raven raised both hands in surrender.
"Fine, fine."
He smirked sideways at Isha.
"See you later, sunshine."
Lucian tightened his grip.
"No. You won't."
Raven vanished in a burst of shadows.
---
## ⭐ **The Storm Inside Lucian**
Only when Raven disappeared did Lucian turn to Isha.
His eyes were still glowing.
His breathing too sharp.
"I told you to stay away from him," he said slowly.
"I didn't go to him," Isha replied softly.
"He came to me."
Lucian closed his eyes for a moment as if in pain.
"Did he touch you?" he asked quietly.
Isha hesitated.
Lucian opened his eyes again, burning silver.
"He touched you."
It wasn't a question.
"He only—"
Lucian vanished.
Isha gasped.
A second later, she felt a cold presence behind her.
Lucian's voice whispered near her neck — low, strained, trembling with anger and something else.
"Don't… let him touch you again."
Isha turned to face him.
He looked lost — and furious — and terrified.
"I don't want him anywhere near you," Lucian whispered.
"I don't trust him. And I—"
He stopped.
As if he almost confessed something he wasn't ready for.
Isha took a small step closer.
"What are you afraid of?"
Lucian's jaw clenched.
"You," he whispered.
Isha froze.
Lucian continued, voice barely audible.
"The more I'm near you… the harder it is to stay away. And if I lose control — even for a second — you'll get hurt."
Her heart ached.
"Lucian… you saved me. Every time."
"That's the problem," he breathed.
"I want to save you. I want to protect you. I want—"
He cut himself off.
Isha stepped closer, so close their breath mingled.
Her voice was soft.
"What do you want?"
Lucian stared at her like she was a question he didn't dare answer.
"Isha…" he whispered.
"I don't want to lose you."
Her chest tightened.
"You won't."
Lucian shook his head.
"You don't understand. The mark… the bond… everything is changing too fast."
She reached for his hand—
but misstepped on the uneven pavement.
Her foot slid.
She stumbled forward—
—and crashed into Lucian's chest.
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## ⭐ **The Accidental Intimate Moment**
Lucian caught her effortlessly, arms locking around her waist.
Their bodies pressed together.
Her palms rested on his chest — cold, hard, warm underneath.
Lucian froze.
Silver light spread from her wrist, crawling up her arm like glowing veins.
The bond pulsed.
Lucian inhaled sharply.
"Isha… don't move."
"I'm not," she whispered breathlessly.
"Then don't breathe."
"I have to breathe—"
Her words died as Lucian's grip tightened—
not painfully, but desperately.
Their faces hovered inches apart.
Lucian's voice broke.
"If I kiss you… I won't be able to stop."
Isha's heart pounded violently.
"Then don't stop," she whispered before she could think.
Lucian's eyes darkened.
He leaned in—
their lips barely separated by a breath—
But suddenly—
The sky cracked with thunder.
Isha jerked back.
Lucian's eyes widened.
"No… no, no—this is too early."
"What's happening?" she gasped.
Lucian grabbed her hand.
The mark was glowing uncontrollably bright.
Silver sparks crackled across her skin.
Lucian looked terrified.
"The bond," he whispered.
"It's activating again."
"But why?"
Lucian swallowed hard.
"Because you're starting to feel what I feel."
Isha blinked.
"And… what do you feel?"
Lucian met her eyes — raw, open, unguarded.
His voice was barely a whisper:
"You."
The world stilled.
The wind stopped.
Even her heartbeat hesitated.
But before she could speak—
an enormous shadow shifted across the sky.
Lucian pulled her behind him instantly.
His expression turned sharp, lethal.
"They found us."
Isha's chest tightened.
"Who?"
Lucian's silver eyes glowed like moonfire.
"The council."
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**EPISODE 7 COMPLETE**