Chapter 27

The chilling night air nipped at my exposed skin, a stark contrast to the inferno raging within me. Torrance's hand slid up, cradling my face, his thumb tracing the curve of my lip. An electric current surged through me, a forbidden dance of fear and fascination. His sapphire eyes, pools of midnight intensity, locked onto mine, holding me captive in their depths.

"Are you certain, Isabella?" he murmured, his breath ghosting over my lips. "Once we cross this line, there's no going back. Your world will never be the same."

I, Isabella, Queen of Northernglades, a kingdom bathed in eternal twilight, trembled. My mind, usually a disciplined fortress, was besieged by conflicting commands. Duty, responsibility, the weight of my crown - they all screamed for caution. But a primal, untamed force, ignited by this man, threatened to drown out all reason. He was a danger, a shadow lurking in the corners of my life, a stalker who should inspire fear, yet... he ignited something within me I couldn't deny.

"I'm certain," I whispered, the words barely audible, swallowed by the oppressive quiet of the car.

A growl, low and guttural, rumbled from his chest, sending shivers down my spine. Then, his lips crashed against mine, a fierce, possessive claiming that stole my breath. The world outside ceased to exist, consumed by the raw, untamed hunger of his kiss. I melted into him, my fingers tangling in the dark silk of his hair, pulling him closer, desperate for a connection I knew was dangerous, yet craved nonetheless.

He tasted of secrets and shadows, of power and control. A dangerous combination, especially coming from a man who existed on the fringes of my life, a protector from the darkness I never knew existed. His hand traveled down my neck, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. I gasped against his mouth as his fingers traced the delicate curve of my collarbone, venturing lower, igniting a firestorm I couldn't control.

Suddenly, he pulled back, leaving me disoriented and breathless. His blue eyes blazed with a wild, untamed desire, pupils dilated, reflecting the inferno within him.

"Not here," he growled, his voice roughened with barely restrained passion. "You deserve better than a quick fuck in a car."

Before I could formulate a coherent thought, he'd started the engine, the roar shattering the tense silence. The city lights blurred past as he drove, one hand gripping the wheel, the other resting possessively on my thigh.

He'd been watching me. I knew it. Wilson, my loyal bodyguard, had warned me. He'd seen the glint of Torrance's blue eyes in the crowd, the way he lingered at the edges of my public appearances. He distrusted Torrance with equal measure.

He pulled the car to a stop in front of a discreet building, its entrance shrouded in shadow. "This is my sanctuary, Isabella," he said, his voice a low rumble. "A place where we can be ourselves, without the eyes of the world judging us."

I swallowed, my heart hammering against my ribs. This was it. The point of no return. Stepping into his world meant accepting the darkness, the danger, the possessive intensity that radiated from him.

He led me inside, the air thick with the scent of sandalwood and something else, something wild and untamed, like the man himself. The room was dimly lit, furnished with plush velvet couches and antique furniture. It was a world away from the sterile formality of the palace.

"My brothers wouldn't approve," I blurted out, the thought popping unbidden into my head. Ace, Mason, Jacob, and James, my overprotective brothers, the rulers of the Solar, Element, Mystic, and Wing Kingdoms respectively, would have his head on a silver platter if they knew I was here. They were each powerful in their own right, fiercely protective of their only sister.

Torrance chuckled, a low, throaty sound that sent another shiver down my spine. "They don't need to know," he murmured, his eyes gleaming with a possessive light. "This is our secret, Isabella. Ours alone."

He cupped my face in his hands, his touch both gentle and demanding. "I know this is a lot to take in, Isabella. I know I'm not the kind of man you're supposed to be with. But I can't stay away from you. I have been watching you, protecting you, from the shadows, from the day you were born. You're mine, Isabella. You just don't know it yet."

His words were a declaration, a claim staked in the darkness. And as his lips descended upon mine once more, I knew, with a terrifying certainty, that my world would never be the same. As it should, because I didn't want to be the queen everyone wanted me to be, I wanted to be the queen I needed to be. And if Torrance was the key to that, I would take him, darkness and all.