I dreamed of the memories between him and me, those moments I had tried so hard to bury. In the dream, everything felt slightly off, unreal. We were back in the game where we first met, capturing snapshots with my friend.
Suddenly, he appeared in one of the photos, looming behind us like a shadow that shouldn't exist. My friend recoiled, disgusted, muttering something I barely registered, but I couldn't look away.
That fleeting, impossible presence sparked a curiosity I couldn't contain… and perhaps it was that curiosity that marked the beginning of that fateful day.
We talked, cautiously at first. Every word felt electric, every silence heavy. I was like a puff of wind; he was a rock. I shared, he listened. His quietness sometimes drained me, yet I couldn't stop being drawn to him.
Then the dream shifted. I could see the confessions, the misunderstandings, the pain we caused each other, looping in a way that felt both intimate and haunting. And then I woke.
Groggily, I realized I was lying in his arms. The light was on he knew I feared the dark and the rain tapped relentlessly against the window. My chest tightened as he hugged me closer. Awake or asleep, dream or reality, one thing was clear: he would never let me go.
I looked down at my changed shirt. Perhaps while I was unconscious, he hadn't heard any of my movements, so finally he opened the basement door, carried me to the room, and gently changed my clothes.
My mood felt slightly lighter, but a dull ache still throbbed in my waist. Kael's arms tightened around me, as if he feared I might disappear at any moment. A strange worry welled up inside me.
"Kael… did you have a nightmare? I'm here… you don't need to hold me so tightly," I whispered, my voice soft yet filled with concern.
He stirred, blinking awake, as if he had only just dozed off.
"My little monkey is awake… are you hurt anywhere, Erica?" His voice was soft, warm, and familiar. I knew he had returned to himself. When anger, jealousy, or darker shadows took him, his voice would harden, his eyes would sharpen, and I would endure his punishments—the basement, the silence, the fear.
Perhaps because of the dream, guilt surged through me. "Kael… I'm sorry… for everything," I murmured, the words barely escaping, yet heavy with truth.
He looked at me as if I had said something wrong and stupid. I didn't understand why, so I asked, "Did I just say something wrong and make you angry?"
He nodded, his gaze locked on me. I felt nervous—after being locked in the basement earlier, I feared he might punish me again. I hurriedly said, "I'm sorry for making you unhappy."
It seemed that the more I spoke, the more impatient he became. Suddenly, he flipped over and pinned me beneath him, pressing his face against mine. I still didn't understand what was happening, and then he kissed me. It was a surprise, and I barely had time to react. I closed my mouth, and it seemed to make him angrier.
He broke the kiss and slid his hand under my shirt, touching me. A shiver ran through me, and I moaned. He used his finger to hold my mouth slightly open and started kissing me again.
His tongue explored every corner of my mouth, like a predator savoring its prey, while his hands continued to touch the sensitive areas of my chest. The stimulation was overwhelming, and I couldn't help but move against him.
When he saw me responding, lost in the heat, he pulled back just slightly.
"I better stop this naughty mouth of yours, or I'll go crazy and punish you again," he murmured.
I gasped, trying to catch my breath. He rested his head on my chest, holding me like I was his bed.
"If only you would always listen to me… that would be perfect," he whispered.
I couldn't hear every word, but the last words cut sharply through my haze:
"Dirty, but you belong only to me. Anyone who touches you, I'll eliminate. Be good and sleep now, my little monkey."
He covered my eyes with his hand and gently lulled me to sleep.
[Kael Pov]
Maybe it was the rain today, or the few hours she spent locked in the cellar, or perhaps the kiss I gave her, I don't know exactly when, but my soft voice had lulled her to sleep.
Watching her finally drift into peaceful slumber, I buried my face in her neck, inhaling her scent. I pressed a light kiss to her skin, gently sucking on her collarbone, leaving a faint red mark.
"I lost you once… I can't lose you again," I whispered to myself, the words heavy with possessiveness.
I greedily traced her scent, starting at her neck, slowly lifting her shirt to kiss and caress her chest.
"You're truly an addictive poison… you taste so good. Only mine. Who would dare touch you?" I murmured, fighting the surge of desire and the anger burning quietly inside me.
I held her hand in mine, bowing my head to lick her palm softly.
"You have no idea how much I restrain myself… if not for fear that you'd hate me, feel disgusted, and leave again. Otherwise… maybe you'd still be crying beneath me, begging for forgiveness."
My eyes burned with lust, always ready to act, yet when I looked at her sleeping in the mirror, I still couldn't understand how she could rest so peacefully while my mind ached with need