I stood frozen, staring at my diary lying open, words appearing as if by an unseen hand:
One of you must bleed so the other may remember.
My fingers trembled, but Lucian stood calm, staring at the words as if they were a judgment he'd anticipated forever.
– Is this some kind of sick joke? – My voice wavered, though I tried to hide my fear.
Lucian finally looked at me, his eyes burning with a warning and an irresistible longing.
– It's not a joke, Emma. Every word written here becomes our fate. There are rules, and we must follow them – even if we don't fully understand.
– Rules? What are you talking about?
Lucian rose slowly, stepping toward me with a confidence that claimed ownership. My back hit the wall, leaving no room to retreat.
He leaned in close, face mere inches from mine, and whispered softly:
– First rule: every word bears consequences. Your fears, desires, and fantasies – they're no longer yours alone. They're mine now, too.
My pulse quickened as he placed a hand beside my head, trapping me deliciously.
He leaned even closer, his breath warming my neck, sending a shiver down my spine. His voice dropped lower, intimate, and dangerous.
– Second rule: once written, it cannot be erased. The price must always be paid.
Questions flooded my mind, yet my body responded only to the tension hanging between us.
I swallowed hard, feeling vulnerable yet strangely exhilarated.
– What's the third rule?
Lucian pulled back slightly, locking his gaze onto mine. His voice, smooth and possessive, stated firmly:
– You belong to the one who answered your call from the other side – and that's me.
The room seemed to vanish. It was just him and me, and the frantic rhythm of my heart.
– You can't decide that for me, – I whispered.
His thumb brushed gently against my cheek, possessive and impossibly seductive.
– You already made that choice when you wrote me. You summoned me.
I searched his eyes, hoping for doubt, but found only certainty and a devotion that terrified as much as it drew me in.
Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced my palm, making me gasp. Lucian took my hand, revealing a tiny wound dripping blood.
– The first page has been paid, – he murmured reverently.
I watched, horrified and fascinated, as my blood dropped onto the diary and vanished as if never there. New words slowly appeared:
The next payment must be with the other's blood.
Lucian held my hand firmly, raising it gently to his lips. His gaze never left mine as he softly licked my wound, sealing the dark pact we'd unknowingly created.
– Now – he whispered, his voice caressing my senses – you're truly mine.
And as his lips finally claimed mine, I realized there was no turning back.
I still didn't know the true cost.