One Year Later

"..."

Astrea mumbled softly, "I am a Celestial Reaper… and you're not… but we love each other…"

Arvian met her gaze. "Yeah… so now what?"

She hesitated before whispering, "My parents don't know anything about you… so how could we…"

Before she could finish, Arvian—still under the control of his rotten heart—stood from his chair and stepped closer to her. Without a word, his hand moved slowly, starting from her foot, tracing over the fabric of her thin socks.

Astrea's face turned red as warmth spread across her cheeks.

From her foot, Arvian's fingers moved upward, slipping past the sock's edge and onto her exposed flesh. His fingers moved slowly over the warmth of her leg, almost in a playful manner.

For a moment, Astrea's body tensed and her breath caught, and then she felt a gentle chill. The only sounds in the room were the distant whisper of the night breeze coming through the open window and the slight rustle of pages.