Page 13 of Demon Seed

"I have a message for you," Dorian growls, his voice a raw, gravelly snarl. "And I didn't think bringing my entire pack to your doorstep would alleviate the simmering tensions."

“What kind of message?” I surge to my feet, tossing off my cloak and offering it to Dorian, still shivering from his transformation.

Cassian suddenly appears by his side and offers him a glass of whiskey. He gratefully accepts it and takes a seat across me by the fire.

"First and foremost, congratulations on finding your mate. It's a rare occasion when a demon is graced with eternal love.” Dorian runs a hand through his dark hair, using his fingers like a comb until he's satisfied with the results.

I nod, struggling to keep a triumphant grin from breaking free. He’s right. I’m extraordinarily blessed. Dorian is the alpha of his pack and has spent hundreds of years searching for his mate—his Luna. That’s an unusually long time for a Lycan. They typically find their fated mates before their fiftieth birthday.

Dorian wraps the cloak around his shoulders and sighs. “The witches are being led by Calista, and she’s been told you kidnapped Selene from her home and dragged her here. The Lunaire family convinced her that you claimed your mate against her will. If she knows the truth, she may cease their incessant stalking.”

“Why do you have so much interest in my mate? You’ve risked your life crossing into my kingdom. There must be a reason.” I regard Dorian’s face carefully as I ask the question that’s been on my mind since I first spotted him guarding my mate.

Dorian's eyes narrow slightly, that aristocratic mask of his slipping for a heartbeat before he regains control. "My interestin Selene?" he echoes, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. The firelight catches in it, casting golden shadows across his sharp features. "Is it so unusual to take an interest in a woman of her… qualities?"

"Cut the bullshit, Wolfram," I say, leaning forward. The chair creaks beneath me. "You've been tracking her movements for the past two days. And gathering information on her family. Why?"

Dorian smiles a predator's smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "Perhaps I simply find her intriguing. Don't you, Vesper?"

The way he says my name makes my skin crawl. Dorian Wolfram has always been dangerous, but there's something different about him lately. Something hungrier.

"What I find," I say carefully, "is that men like you don't spend resources on mere intrigue. You want something from her."

Dorian sets his glass down with deliberate precision. "We all want something from someone, don't we? But unfortunately, I can’t disclose my motivation." He stands and downs the rest of his whiskey. "I promise I have good intentions and no desire to remove Selene from your care. Time will reveal everything."

"That’s convenient," I mutter.

Dorian sighs, "I understand your suspicion. In your position, I'd feel the same." His eyes meet mine, surprisingly earnest. "But I give you my word—I am honor bound to protect her."

"Your word?" I repeat. "That’s the currency of liars."

Dorian strides to the window where the moonlight carves his silhouette into something almost ethereal. "There are forces at work far beyond your comprehension, Vesper. But I swear I'm here to aid, not harm.”

Selene

"Come home, Selene, before it's too late." My sister's voice wakes me from a restless sleep. Although it was only a dream, it clings stubbornly to my worried mind.

Vesper's bedroom is eerily quiet, the silence thick and suffocating like a heavy velvet shroud. Moonlight filters between the heavy curtains, casting long, ghostly shadows that stretch and dance across the floor like ethereal specters.

I'm alone, yet an unsettling sensation of being watched prickles insistently at the back of my neck, like a cold breath against my skin. My eyes dart nervously to the corners of the room, searching for lurking shadows or any sign that the darkness might reveal a hidden presence.

The sheets beside me are cold—Vesper must have left some time ago. I sit up slowly, the silence of the cavernous bedroom enveloping me, and listen intently for any hint of footsteps beyond the door. But all I hear is the oppressive quiet, a stillness that fills the room.

"Hello?" I call out, my voice a timid echo against the vastness of the space. It sounds small and uncertain, swallowed by theshadows that cling to the corners. There's no response, just the lingering silence.

I slide out of bed, the sensation of the cool stone floor against my bare feet sending a shiver up my spine. The feeling intensifies, an unsettling awareness of eyes on me, watching, waiting. I spin around abruptly, half expecting to find a figure lurking behind me, but the room remains empty, its emptiness almost tangible. The shadows seem to shift and breathe, but no one is there.

My sister's warning echoes hauntingly through my mind once more.Come home.She knows I can't return home. But if I did, what awaits me there? Do they intend to separate Vesper and me?

A chilling sound reverberates from outside my window, and I freeze, my heart pounding like a frantic drum against my ribs. "Vesper?" I whisper into the shadows, though deep down, I know it isn't him.

Vesper moves with the silent grace of a ghost, never announcing his presence. The unsettling realization dawns on me—someone else is in my room.

I stand frozen, my breath caught in my throat as the mysterious figure gradually takes shape in our dimly lit bedroom. The air shimmers with an ethereal glow, like steam rising from a hot spring as if the very molecules are rearranging themselves into something tangible. At first, there is only an outline—tall and daunting—but soon, finer details crystallize into view. The apparition's dark hair flows like a river of shadows cascading down her shoulders, and her eyes, deep and ancient, seem to hold entire centuries within their depths.

"Selene," the woman utters, and the sound of my name on her lips chills me to the core. Though we've never crossed paths before, I recognize her instantly—it's Calista. Her presence is a paradox, both intimately familiar and enigmatically foreign,weaving a tapestry of recognition and mystery that sets my heart pounding with a blend of fear and awe.

"You shouldn't be here," I manage to say, though the words escape my lips in a fragile whisper that even my own ears struggle to catch. "This is my mate's domain. I'm under his protection."

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