Page 25 of Bear Naked Truth
But the space between them was narrow, and her balance was off, and when she brushed past, her hand, traitor that it was, landed right against the bare skin of his chest.
Just a second.
Not even that.
But it was enough.
The vision slammed into her like cold water to the lungs.
Blood.
Everywhere.
Not splashed, not spilled—drawn. Carefully, precisely, in a wide circle etched into dark stone. Candlelight flickered over wet surfaces. A woman stood at the center of the circle, tall, cloaked,trembling. And a man beside her. Not Dorian. Butlikehim. Same eyes. Same presence.
The woman held out her hand.
“I won’t let him go,” she whispered, voice breaking. “Not again.”
The man stepped forward, no hesitation. Only grief. And then a scream.
It echoed across the memory, splitting through Autumn’s mind like lightning in dry air.
She ripped her hand back from Dorian’s chest and stumbled, gasping, grabbing the counter to stay upright.
“Autumn!” Dorian dropped the kettle, reaching for her. “Hey—what just happened?”
She shook her head, heart slamming. Her legs were shaking. The room spun.
He touched her elbow, steadying her with one warm hand. “Autumn, talk to me.”
She looked up, meeting his eyes. Still golden. Still warm. Stillhis. But that wasn’t what haunted her.
It was the man in the vision. Because he looked too much like Dorian not to beconnected.
“I saw them,” she whispered. “The ritual. The woman… she didn’t want to let go. She wanted to keep someone.”
“Was she hurting him?”
“No.” Her voice was faint. “She was trying to save him. But the magic—it twisted. It cost too much.”
Dorian’s brows furrowed. “Do you think it’s Evelyn?”
Autumn nodded slowly. “And the man… he looked like you. Not justsimilar. Youfeltlike him.”
His face went still. The only movement was the muscle twitching in his jaw.
“Maybe this spirit’s not just haunting the house,” she said. “Maybe it’s tied to your family.”
He looked down, like he could see the ghost of the vision still etched across his chest.
“You said Alaric was involved in blood rituals,” she added, stepping back just slightly to give herself space.
“I didn’t think they worked,” he said. “Or that he went through with any of them.”
She wrapped her arms around herself. “Something went very wrong. And I think… I think she’s been waiting ever since.”
“For who?”
