Chapter 5 – A Demon's Touch
It had been two nights since Nosi last saw Fred. She tried to pretend it didn't bother her, but she caught herself glancing at every corner of the club, hoping to see his shadowy figure appear again.
The strange heat inside her hadn't faded. If anything, it grew worse. Her dreams were filled with fire, soft whispers, and the feeling of cold lips brushing her skin. She'd wake up breathless, confused, and wanting something she didn't understand.
When the message finally came—"Fred requests your presence. Rooftop. 9 PM"—she nearly dropped the phone.
She debated not going. She told herself it was foolish. Dangerous. But by 8:45, she was already on the stairs, climbing to the club's highest point.
The rooftop was breathtaking. Golden lanterns floated gently in the night breeze, casting a soft glow over the stone floor. Strings of light hung from the railings, and in the center stood Fred, his black coat moving like smoke behind him.
He turned when he heard her steps. "You came."
Nosi didn't respond immediately. Her heart raced, her palms sweaty. She wrapped her arms around herself. "I… I wasn't sure I would."
"I wasn't sure you'd want to," he said, his voice unusually soft. "But I hoped."
She looked at him under the moonlight. He didn't look like a demon right now. Just a man—tall, graceful, beautiful in a way that made her breath catch.
"You confuse me," she admitted.
Fred smiled. "I confuse myself, sometimes."
He walked toward her, slowly, giving her time to pull away if she wanted. She didn't.
"You feel it, don't you?" he asked.
"I don't know what I feel," she said. "My body reacts like I've known you forever. But my mind is screaming to run."
Fred nodded. "That's what fate does. It bypasses logic. Goes straight to the soul."
She shivered.
"Are you cold?" he asked.
She shook her head. "Just overwhelmed."
He stepped behind her, so close she could feel his breath. "Let me show you something."
She tensed as he gently took her hands in his. "Close your eyes."
"What are you doing?"
"Trust me."
Against all better judgment, she did. The moment her eyes closed, she felt heat rising from her palms. A pulsing, deep energy. Like flames dancing beneath her skin.
"You feel that?" he asked near her ear.
"Yes," she whispered. "What is it?"
"Your power," Fred said. "Your true self is waking up. Slowly, beautifully."
She opened her eyes, and their hands were glowing softly. Shadows curled from her fingertips like smoke.
Startled, she pulled away. "That's not normal."
Fred moved to face her. "You're not normal, Nosi. You're extraordinary."
She backed away, heart pounding. "Why are you doing this? Making me feel like this? I didn't ask for it!"
Fred stepped closer again, voice steady. "You didn't choose fate. But fate chose you. And I—" He paused. "I would never force you into anything. But I can't lie about what I feel. What we are."
Their eyes locked. Something inside her gave way. It was like falling—terrifying and exhilarating all at once.
She didn't even realize she was crying until Fred reached out and brushed a tear from her cheek.
"You don't have to decide tonight," he whispered. "But let me give you one truth."
She nodded, unable to speak.
His hand cradled her face gently, reverently, like she was made of fire and stars. Then he leaned in and kissed her.
It wasn't fierce. It was soft, like a secret. A promise.
Nosi melted into it. Her hands clutched his shirt, her lips trembling against his. Her heart was no longer hers—it beat for him in that moment.
When he finally pulled back, she was breathless.
"That's not fair," she said quietly.
"What?"
"You kiss like that and expect me to think straight."
Fred laughed—a deep, rich sound that filled the night. "Then don't think, Nosi. Just feel."
She rested her head against his chest, eyes closed, body humming with warmth.
"I'll stay," she said. "Tonight, I'll stay."
And under the stars, wrapped in moonlight and magic, they stood—two souls beginning to burn as one.