I was in trouble

I left Aeliana standing there, her eyes full of questions, as I forced myself to turn away. My mind was a mess of conflicting emotions, but one thing was clear: I needed to get away from her. With a muttered curse, I teleported myself back to my room, the familiar surroundings doing little to calm the storm inside me.

Goddamn it, Ciara, I thought, collapsing onto my bed. What the hell are you doing? You're supposed to be strong, in control. Not falling head over heels for someone like Aeliana. But no matter how much I tried to push her out of my mind, she kept creeping back in, her image burning behind my eyelids.

I rolled over, punching my pillow in frustration. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. I wasn't supposed to get tangled up in emotions. I was supposed to keep things simple, straightforward. No attachments, no complications. Just a series of flings, one-night stands, and nothing more.

But Aeliana... She was different. There was something about her that got under my skin, made me feel things I didn't want to feel. She made me vulnerable, and I hated it. Hated the way she made me question everything, the way she made me want something more.

"Fuck," I muttered, staring up at the ceiling. "Why does she have to be so damn irresistible?"

It wasn't just her looks, though those were enough to drive any sane person wild. It was the way she carried herself, the strength in her eyes, the fire in her soul. She was a challenge, a puzzle I wanted to solve. But more than that, she was someone I could see myself caring about, and that scared the hell out of me.

I wasn't supposed to care. Caring meant weakness, vulnerability. It meant opening myself up to pain, to rejection. And I wasn't ready for that. Not with Aeliana, not with anyone.

I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. "Get a grip, Ciara. You're acting like a lovesick fool."

But no matter how much I tried to convince myself, the truth was, I couldn't stop thinking about her. The way her lips had parted when I leaned in, the hitch in her breath, the way her body had trembled under my touch. It was all burned into my memory, driving me insane.

Why did I have to feel this way? Why couldn't I just walk away and forget about her? It would have been so much easier, so much simpler. But no, I had to get myself tangled up in emotions I didn't want, didn't need.

"Damn it, Aeliana," I whispered into the darkness. "What are you doing to me?"

I rolled over again, trying to find a comfortable position. Sleep seemed like an impossible dream, but I knew I needed it. I needed to clear my head, to get some distance from the chaos inside me. Maybe then I could figure out what the hell I was going to do about Aeliana.

Eventually, exhaustion took over, and I drifted into a restless sleep. My dreams were filled with images of her, her eyes burning into mine, her touch searing my skin. Even in my sleep, I couldn't escape her.

When I woke the next morning, I felt no more rested than when I had gone to bed. The sun was just starting to rise, casting a soft glow over my room. I sat up, rubbing my eyes and letting out a deep sigh. Today was a new day, but the same old problems were still there, waiting for me.

I got up and headed to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face in an attempt to wake myself up. The reflection in the mirror stared back at me, looking just as tired and conflicted as I felt. What was I going to do about Aeliana? How could I deal with these feelings without losing myself?

I knew I couldn't avoid her forever. Sooner or later, I'd have to face her, have to deal with the mess I'd created. But for now, I needed to focus on something else, anything else. Maybe if I kept myself busy, I could push these thoughts aside, at least for a little while.

I got dressed and headed out, determined to distract myself with work. There were always demons to hunt, rogues to chase down. Anything to keep my mind off Aeliana. But even as I threw myself into the chaos of my job, she was always there, lurking in the back of my mind.

Hours passed in a blur of activity, but the nagging thoughts about Aeliana never fully disappeared. Every now and then, I'd catch myself thinking about her, wondering what she was doing, if she was thinking about me too. It was maddening.

By the time evening rolled around, I was exhausted, both physically and mentally. But the thought of going back to my empty room, where I'd be alone with my thoughts, was unbearable. I needed a distraction, something to take my mind off her.

I found myself at one of the local bars, the familiar noise and chaos a welcome relief from the silence of my own mind. I ordered a drink, trying to lose myself in the rhythm of the place, in the buzz of conversation and laughter.

But even here, she was with me. I couldn't stop thinking about her, couldn't stop replaying our encounter in the alley. It was driving me insane. I took a long sip of my drink, hoping the alcohol would dull the edges of my thoughts, but it only seemed to make them sharper.

"Get it together, Ciara," I muttered to myself, shaking my head. "You can't let her do this to you."

But even as I said the words, I knew it was too late. I was already in too deep, already too far gone. Aeliana had gotten under my skin, and I didn't know how to get her out.

I ordered another drink, hoping to drown the frustration and longing that gnawed at me. But no matter how much I drank, the thoughts wouldn't go away. She was there, always there, a constant presence in my mind.

By the time I finally left the bar, I was no closer to finding a solution. If anything, I was more confused, more tangled up in my own emotions. I stumbled back to my room, the alcohol buzzing in my veins, but it did nothing to numb the ache in my chest.

I collapsed onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling. What was I going to do? How could I deal with these feelings, with the chaos that Aeliana had brought into my life? I didn't have any answers, only more questions, more confusion.

As I lay there, the events of the past few days played over and over in my mind. The encounter in the alley, the way she had looked at me, the way I had felt when I was with her. It was all too much, too intense. I couldn't handle it, couldn't make sense of it.

"Fuck," I whispered into the darkness. "What the hell am I supposed to do?"

But there was no answer, only the silence of my room and the turmoil inside me. I closed my eyes, hoping for some respite, some peace. But even in the darkness, she was there, haunting my thoughts, driving me mad.

I knew I needed to figure this out, to find some way to deal with these feelings. But how? How could I move on when every part of me was drawn to her? How could I let go when she was all I could think about?

As I drifted into another restless sleep, one thing was clear: I was in trouble. Big trouble. And I had no idea how to get out of it.