Aiden Knight's POV
The hot water cascades down my shoulders as I stand under the shower head in Chloe's guest bathroom. Steam fills the small space, but my mind drifts back five years to a different kind of heat. The scorching sun of that godforsaken island where my master first brought me.
I can still smell the blood and fear from that day. The old man had thrown me into a pit with nothing but my bare hands and a starving tiger that hadn't eaten in weeks. Its ribs showed through matted fur, eyes wild with desperation and hunger.
"Survive, boy," the old man had said, his voice echoing from above. "Or become food. Your choice."
I'd never felt terror like that before. The tiger circled me, muscles coiled like springs, saliva dripping from yellowed fangs. When it finally lunged, instinct took over. We fought for what felt like hours, claws raking across my chest, my hands finding its throat. By the end, only one of us walked away.
That was the beginning. Five years of hell that forged me into something far removed from the broken boy who'd crawled out of Cloud Lake Manor.
I turn off the water and grab a towel. Through the bathroom window, I can see storm clouds gathering over Everbrook City. Rain begins to patter against the glass, light at first, then harder.
Perfect weather for what I have planned tonight.
The guest bedroom is comfortable, but I don't plan to use it for sleeping. From the dresser drawer, I pull out clothes that must belong to Chloe's military brother. Dark jeans and a black shirt that fits well enough. As I dress, my phone buzzes with a message from one of my contacts.
Graves family patriarch returned from seclusion. Oscar summoned him tonight.
I smile coldly. Let them bring their strongest fighter. It won't matter.
The apartment is quiet as I move through the living room. Chloe's bedroom door remains closed, and I can hear her steady breathing. She's finally found peace tonight, probably the first real rest she's had in months.
She won't have to worry about the Graves family much longer.
I slip out of the apartment like a shadow, taking the stairs instead of the elevator. The rain has intensified by the time I reach street level, turning the sidewalks slick and reflecting the city lights in fractured patterns.
The Graves family villa sits in the most exclusive part of Everbrook City, surrounded by high walls and electronic security. But walls and cameras are useless against someone who moves like smoke and strikes like lightning.
Inside the opulent Graves family mansion, Oscar Graves paces frantically across the marble floor of his study. His expensive suit is wrinkled, his usually perfect hair disheveled. Across from him, his son Leo lounges in a leather chair, seemingly unbothered by their predicament.
"This is your fault," Oscar snaps, pointing an accusatory finger at Leo. "If you hadn't provoked that bastard at the auction..."
Leo shrugs, swirling brandy in his crystal glass. "How was I supposed to know he could fight like that? He looked like nothing special."
"Nothing special?" Oscar's voice rises to a near shriek. "He put Elder Kane in the hospital! Kane is a third-level Qi Transformation master, and that nobody destroyed him like he was a child!"
"Kane was getting old anyway." Leo takes a sip of his drink. "Besides, we've summoned grandfather. He'll handle this Aiden Knight."
Oscar stops pacing, his expression shifting from panic to something darker. "Yes. Yes, grandfather will know what to do. And when he's finished with Knight..."
"I get the girl," Leo says, his eyes gleaming with lust. "That Chloe Pierce thinks she's so high and mighty. I'll show her what happens to women who associate with our enemies."
"We'll make Knight watch before we kill him," Oscar adds, warming to the fantasy. "Let him see what his heroics cost the people he tries to protect."
"I'm thinking we start with her fingers," Leo muses, setting down his glass. "Work our way up slowly. Really make it last."
Both men are so lost in their vengeful daydreams that they don't notice the temperature in the room dropping. The rain outside intensifies, drumming against the windows with increasing force.
"The tea is quite good."
Both men freeze. The voice comes from directly behind them, calm and conversational, as if commenting on the weather.
They turn slowly, their faces draining of color.
Aiden Knight sits comfortably on their antique sofa, legs crossed casually. In his hands is Oscar's personal tea set, the expensive porcelain that was a gift from a Japanese business partner. Steam rises from the cup as he takes a measured sip.
"A bit strong for my taste," I continue, setting the cup down with deliberate precision. "But the craftsmanship is excellent. Eighteenth century, if I'm not mistaken."
Oscar's mouth opens and closes like a fish gasping for air. Leo has gone completely rigid, his brandy glass forgotten in his lap.
"How..." Oscar finally manages to croak.
"Did I get in?" I finish his question, picking up the teapot to pour myself another cup. "Your security system is impressive. Motion sensors, thermal imaging, pressure plates. Very thorough."
I pause to add a sugar cube, stirring it slowly with a silver spoon.
"Unfortunately, such systems are designed to detect normal intruders. People who move at normal speeds, generate normal amounts of heat, weigh normal amounts when they step."
Leo tries to reach for something under his chair, probably a panic button or weapon. He moves so slowly he might as well be underwater.
"I wouldn't," I say without looking at him. "You'll only embarrass yourself further."
His hand freezes mid-reach.
"Now then," I continue, settling back into the sofa cushions. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. Something about fingers? Making things last?"
The cup rattles against the saucer in Oscar's trembling hands as the full implications hit him. This man had somehow bypassed millions of dollars worth of security, entered their home without triggering a single alarm, and sat calmly making tea while they planned torture and murder.
"We weren't... I mean, we didn't..." Oscar stammers.
"Please," I interrupt, raising one hand. "Don't insult my intelligence. You were discussing what you planned to do to Chloe Pierce after you dealt with me. Very detailed plans, I might add."
I take another sip of tea, savoring the flavor and their terror in equal measure.
"The question now is what I'm going to do about it."
Leo finally finds his voice, though it comes out as barely more than a whisper. "You can't touch us. Do you know who our family is? What connections we have?"
I set down the teacup and lean forward slightly. Both men instinctively step back.
"Tell me about your grandfather," I say conversationally. "The one you summoned from seclusion. I'm curious about his cultivation level."
Oscar's eyes widen. How could this man possibly know about that?
"He's... he's a master of the ancient arts," Oscar says, trying to inject some defiance into his voice. "When he arrives, you'll pay for this intrusion."
"When will that be?"
"Soon," Leo adds, seeming to gain confidence from thoughts of their patriarch. "Very soon. And when he gets here, we'll make you beg for death."
I nod thoughtfully, as if considering this possibility seriously.
"I see. And in the meantime?"
The question hangs in the air like a blade. Outside, thunder rumbles overhead, and the rain pounds against the windows with renewed fury. The lights flicker once, casting dancing shadows across the luxurious room.
Neither man answers. They're both staring at me with the growing realization that they've made a terrible mistake. Not just tonight, but from the moment they decided to target Chloe Pierce.
I finish the last of my tea and place the empty cup on the coffee table with a soft clink that sounds unnaturally loud in the sudden silence.
"Excellent service," I say, standing slowly. "Thank you for your hospitality."