Noor stood before the mirror, the soft morning light casting a gentle glow on her skin. She tilted her head slightly, studying her reflection.
A fleeting smile danced across her lips, her reflection flickered. The veins under her skin darkened for a brief moment, turning ink-black. Her pulse quickened as a faint sound of chains clinking echoed in her ears. Something inside her was stirring.
"You shall never be free," she whispered to herself, but even she didn't believe it. She blinked, and the darkness disappeared, replaced with the serene, flawless face of Noor.
"Not long now," a voice murmured inside her head, like the rustling of dry leaves. "You can't hide from me forever."
"No... you..," she murmured, clenching her fists. Her reflection in the mirror twisted, warping with shadows that seemed to stretch out, reaching for her. The whispers surged.
"You belong to him."
"My Lady?" Zeyla's voice called from the doorway, pulling her from the trance. Noor quickly turned,though her skin still tingled with the fading presence of the darkness.
"Yes?" Noor answered, her voice sounding deceptively calm.
Zeyla eyed her carefully, her gaze hesitant. "You look... different." She stepped into the room, pausing just a few steps away, her eyes not quite meeting Noor's.
"Do I?" Noor's smile grew, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm fine."
Zeyla nodded slowly, but her gaze lingered. "If you say so." She moved quickly to the window, the air between them heavy with something unsaid.
But Noor stayed by the mirror a moment longer, watching as the smile in the reflection slowly faded.
Later, they sat at the breakfast table.Zeyla glanced at Noor, her eyes betraying an unspoken concern.
"The boy is still asleep," Zeyla said, her voice low and tight. "It's been more than two weeks. Doctors can't figure out why." She frowned, the worry in her voice heavy.
Noor's eyes flickered briefly to the boy's room across the hall, and her pulse subtly quickened, a coldness settling in her chest. "Strange... or perhaps not?" Her tone was casual, but the dark ink beneath her skin throbbed in rhythm with the unexplainable silence that clung to the house, pressing against her.
"Could be," she replied quietly, pushing the unsettling thoughts aside.
The mood at the table was lighter, but the tension still curled in the corners of the room. Zeyla glanced at Maya, a playful glint in her eye.
"Imagine if they had a little one." She gestured between Sanlang and Noor with a teasing smile. "Can you imagine a little Sanlang running around, obsessively staring at Noor, making everyone feel like they're nothing but an afterthought?"
Maya raised an eyebrow, half-smirking. "Oh, come on. Noor would probably have stronger genes. Look at her—tall, graceful, almost ethereal." She turned to Sanlang, her voice teasing. "I'm not sure your genes could compete."
Sanlang shot back, a wicked grin pulling at the corner of his lips. "Oh, really? I think a little of both would be a perfect blend. Imagine a little one with her beauty and my... charm." His gaze slid over to Noor's empty seat. "And my handsomeness, of course."
Zeyla snorted, shaking her head. "Right, we'll call it 'perfect chaos,' if that's the case."
Maya leaned back, her smirk deepening. "You know, I bet they'd inherit all of Noor's otherworldly grace. The whole 'divine being' vibe, you know? But with a bit of that... dangerous edge from Sanlang. Could be a deadly combo."
Sanlang chuckled darkly, his eyes softening at the mention of Noor, though his obsession was unmistakable. "Well, with Noor's genes, that 'dangerous edge' would be something else entirely."
"Sure," Zeyla crossed her arms, skeptical. "But it'd have a hard time outshining Noor's strength."
Maya nodded, confirming with a quiet certainty. " Her genes are far stronger."
Their laughter broke the tension, but as the door opened, it was Noor who entered, her presence immediately shifting the atmosphere. The room seemed to hold its breath.
Noor stood at the threshold for just a beat too long. Her eyes, darkened by something far beyond the present, swept over them.
Sanlang, ever the one to break silence, cleared his throat, though his voice betrayed a hint of tension. "Just discussing the future," he said, offering a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
Noor's lips curled into a small, enigmatic smile. " I'm sure it's nothing important then."
And as quickly as it had arrived, the moment passed, but the undercurrent of tension remained, wrapping its tendrils tighter around them.
Later, she stood alone in the cold spring, the chill biting into her skin, and the fire burning in her core was agonizing. Her body ached, a deep, raw pain that felt like she was being torn apart from the inside out. The chains inside her clinked again, louder this time, and her hands gripped the edge of the stone as she fought against it, her breath coming in shallow gasps.
"Kang..." The word whispered inside her mind. The darkness inside her surged, swirling, an ink-black tide rising, seeking to drown her. The cold offered no relief as the chains within her tightened, the clinking louder.
"You're mine. You belong to me."
The voice was deeper now, older, heavier. It felt like it was born from the very bones of the earth itself. The whispers and shadows pressed in tighter around her, until she couldn't see anything but the dark.
"Kang!"
The word fell from her lips, but it wasn't a whisper anymore. The world around her shifted, and a presence filled the space. The air became electric. Her heart raced.
And then, there he was. Sanlang.
The darkness faltered, and the air seemed to shift. The shadows wavered as if something—someone—had intervened. Sanlang moved toward her, his presence consuming her, sweeping through the suffocating dark. The chains rattled and then stilled, quieted under the weight of his being.
"Noor," he whispered, his voice low and possessive, like a brand marking her soul. His fingers brushed her face, tilting her chin up, his touch sending a tremor through her. "I've always known, haven't I? You've always been mine."
The shadows receded, dissipating into nothing as Sanlang pulled her close, his grip possessive, undeniable.
"You are mine," he repeated, a vow, a claim. And as he said it, the whispers in her mind fell silent.
As the sun began to dip beneath the horizon, casting the room in hues of amber and gold, the air thickened. The space between them, once just an open room, felt suffocating now. Noor stood by the window, her mind still a swirl of chaos, when a figure approached from behind. Sanlang.
His presence was unmistakable, the weight of it pressing against her skin. Before she could turn, he was there, his hands gripping her arms, pulling her with a force that both startled and thrilled her.
"Noor," he whispered into her ear, his voice low and rasping, tinged with hunger. "You think you can run from me?"
The whispers in her mind were growing louder, the shadows stretching, reaching for her.
He pushed her against the wall, the coldness of the stone biting into her back. His lips were on her neck, hot and demanding, as his body pressed into hers, hard and unyielding. His chest brushed against her, his hands moving over her, pulling her closer, impossibly close.
"Noor..." His name fell from his lips in a breathless plea, but it sounded more like an order. His hands slid down, gripping her hips, pushing her against him.
She could feel it—feel the heat of him, the hardness of his body against hers. His manhood, thick and rigid, pressed against her back.
She gasped as his lips found hers, his kiss frantic, desperate, as if he were claiming her in every possible way. His tongue swept into her mouth, exploring, demanding, and she responded instinctively, caught in the surge of emotions that she couldn't fight, that she didn't want to fight.
But before she could lose herself completely, before she could give herself fully, she felt him push her again—this time into the dark, cramped confines of the closet. The door slammed shut behind them with a sharp click, trapping them in the small, suffocating space.
Sanlang's hands were on her, holding her in place as he kissed her with a ferocity that left her breathless. His skin, warm and taut, slid against hers as he pressed his body even closer. His pulse hammered against her as he tilted her head back, his lips trailing down her jaw, the stubble on his chin grazing her sensitive skin.
Noor's breath came in ragged gasps, her hands gripping his shoulders, fingers digging into his flesh. The world outside the closet felt distant, almost irrelevant. There was only him, only the overwhelming need to have her, to claim her.
But then, the sound of footsteps outside—faint but unmistakable. Zeyla and Maya, searching for her. The sound made Sanlang pause, his lips hovering inches from hers. His chest rose and fell with the weight of his breath.
Noor's heart beat wildly in her chest, the fear of being caught mixing with the intoxicating desire coursing through her veins. But Sanlang didn't let go. He was a wall against her, his body a fortress she couldn't escape, his hands gripping her tighter.
"Do you want them to find us?" His voice was low, a growl against her lips, full of both menace and longing.
Noor could only shake her head, her breath shallow. She couldn't even form words. All she could do was feel him—feel the pressure of his body against hers, the heat of his breath on her skin.
The moment the door clicked shut, the air shifted.
She could feel him before she heard him. A low breath. A slow step.And then—he was behind her.
He reached out, and with the back of his knuckles, he brushed her hair from her neck.Her breath caught. His lips replaced his hand—soft, hot, deliberate. He kissed the curve where neck met shoulder, open-mouthed and slow, and she shivered.
"You smell like something I shouldn't touch," he murmured against her skin."Too bad I'm not the type to behave."
His hand slid around her waist, pulled her back into his chest.She felt him—hard, wanting.And she melted.
"You waited for me," he whispered.
She nodded, breathless.
In one swift movement, he turned her to face him. His eyes were dark, blown wide with heat.
Then—
He devoured her.
Mouth on hers, urgent and aching. His hands roamed—gripping her hips, sliding under the thin fabric of her dress, pushing it up, off. He heart pounded like a drum.
"God, look at you," he growled, eyes roaming her like she was the last thing worth worshipping. "So fucking perfect."
He backed her toward the bed, kissing her—neck, shoulder, between her breasts. His hands were everywhere.
The backs of her knees hit the bed.
He pushed her down gently—then crawled over her like a storm about to break.
He kissed her again, deeper this time. One hand held her chin, tilting her head just the way he liked. The other moved lower. Slower. Down her stomach, between her thighs. Her breath hitched. Her back arched.
"Already shaking for me?" he whispered, voice dark silk.Her only answer was a moan.
She was laid bare for him, and he—He looked feral.
He hovered at her entrance, teasing, tormenting.
"Tell me you want this," he demanded, eyes locked on hers.
She breathed but before the words could come out of her mouth___
He thrust into her with a raw, aching hunger. A sound escaped her lips—half gasp, half sob. She clung to him, fingernails digging into his back as he moved, deep and unrelenting.
Every stroke was a promise. Every kiss, a confession.He was claiming her—body, breath, soul.
Her eyes fluttered shut, but he caught her jaw.
"No," he said. "Look at me when you fall apart."
The room was still. Sanlang slept, his breath steady, his body sprawled across the bed.
She slid into her dress, bare feet quiet against the cold floor, and stepped out onto the balcony.
The moon was full.
Under its gaze, her eyes flickered gold. Her hair, once dark as night, shimmered silver. Her lashes bled into silver tips, and her skin glowed faintly beneath the moonlight.
A figure emerged from the shadows, cloaked in black. His hair was silver, his skin pale as milk, his eyes glowing red. He moved like a predator, each step measured, controlled.
He stopped a few feet away, then knelt.
"It's time," he whispered.
Noor said nothing, her eyes locked onto his, gold and silver in the moonlight.