The fatal Attraction

Chapter 5: The Fatal Attraction

The shallow gasps of Evelina's breaths came as she leaned against the cool stone wall of the alcove, her heart pounding in her chest. Distant, but growing closer, were the sounds of battle still echoing down the halls: the clash of metal, the snarls of demons sending a shiver down her spine. Yet, it was not the sounds of war that harnessed her attention. It was the man-no, the demon-who had saved her life.

Kaelen.

His name whispered through her mind, an echo, yet it was not only his name that lingered in her memory but how his eyes had looked at her in that passing moment when their eyes had met. Red eyes, aglow like embers, fierce, raw, made her heart do something silly in her chest. A feeling stirred deep inside, which she could not explain. She was not only attracted to him, but she was pulled into his world, wanted or not.

She shook her head, trying to push the thoughts away, but they clung to her like some invisible thread. What was it about him that made her feel this way? He was a demon, someone dangerous, someone who should have been a threat from afar. She should be terrified of him, not… fascinated.

A soft, muffled thud broke her thoughts, and in an instant, she straightened, the pulse racing anew. The sound of footsteps sounded louder, closer. With bated breath, she waited, strained her ears for anything else. Thick, tangible was the tension in the air, as though every step did carry the weight of impending disaster.

The footsteps stopped right outside the alcove, and Evelina's heart skipped in her chest. She wasn't alone.

A form melted out of the dark, towering above her. Him.

Kaelen.

His presence was almost too much to bear; his tall figure cut through the dim light of the corridor like a specter. The crimson of his eyes gleamed with an unnatural intensity as it flickered across her before he looked away. The dark, billowy folds of his cloak rustled around him as he moved one step closer.

Evelina tried to speak, her throat tightening as if no voice was going to come out. Her mind was racing with words-questions, doubts, that inexplicable pull toward him-and faltered under the weight of his gaze.

"What are you doing here?" Kaelen's voice was low, cold, and the dangerous edge in it made her shiver. It wasn't a question of curiosity but one of command. His words sounded like a warning, one she had no choice but to heed.

Evelina swallowed, finally managing to speak. "I… I was trying to find out what's happening. The demons—

Not my problem." His voice was sharp, dismissive, the words cutting as he took another step forward, closing the distance between them. There was no warmth in his gaze, no recognition of a connection that might be. He was a demon, a creature of darkness, and with every step, he took, the reminder to her of that fact remained constant. "You shouldn't be here. This is not a place for humans like you.

His words stung much more than she had anticipated. She had grown up with the assurance that her life, her choices, were ruled by the strong power of her family, by the royalty in her blood. But again, in this creature's eyes, she realized how small, just how fragile she was.

"Not going anywhere," Evelina said softly and with an unhindered determination. The words sounded like a dare, even to herself. Even with his chill, even with the space he placed so unmistakably between them, she couldn't help how her heart quickened when he was near. She didn't know why, why she couldn't pull herself away. It didn't matter. She wouldn't heed his warning. Not when the world outside was falling apart.

Kaelen stopped in his tracks, his red eyes narrowing, flicking toward her as though measuring her. "You should," he replied, his voice softer, but there was still that undeniable command. "I'm dangerous, princess."

The word "princess" makes Evelina flinch a little, and she tried not to let it show. He was pulling away again, being as clear as crystal that they were nothing similar. He wasn't human. He wasn't somebody with whom one could get friendly. Yet her feet planted there, her eyes locked with his.

"Dangerous?" she repeated, canting her head just a bit to one side. "I am not afraid of you.

The words were out before she could catch them, and the air between them seemed to vibrate with something raw, something unsaid. Kaelen's eyes went hard, his lips pressing into a thin line as he stared at her. For one long moment, neither of them budged, stuck in some invisible web. It wasn't just the words that flowed from her lips, but it was the unsaid truth in the air, the undeniable pull that kept them tied to one another.

"You should," Kaelen finally said, his voice lower now, but laced with a dark promise. "I am not like the men you know. I am not like your people. I am a demon, Evelina. I've done things that would haunt you, things you couldn't understand. You think you can stand beside me, but you can't. It's too dangerous. Stay away from me."

The pounding of Evelina's heart, the shallow breaths.She didn't understand him—didn't understand why he was pushing her away so violently. Cold, he was, but beneath that cold veneer, there was something in his voice, something underneath those words, like a shadow hiding behind the sun. Fear? Something darker, nameless?

"Why do you continue to push me away?" Evelina whispered, shaking despite the resolve. "What is so hazardous about me? Why do you want me to leave?"

Kaelen's eyes flashed to her lips for a second, his breath hitching barely perceptibly. His gaze was unreadable again, but she could see the turmoil behind those red eyes. He fought something, something he could not control.

"You don't know what you're asking for," he said finally, his voice raw. He looked away, running a hand through his dark hair. "Stay away, Evelina. This—whatever this is—it won't end well for you."

A chill ran down her spine at the words, but she refused to back down. She straightened a little more, her shoulders squared. "I'm not afraid of you, Kaelen. I don't know why I can't stay away from you, but I won't let you push me away. Not when I need to know more."

Kaelen's eyes flared with something dangerous, something she didn't understand. His jaw clamped down, and for a heartbeat, she thought he might break, but then he turned, cloak swirling around him as he stalked away.

"Then you're more foolish than I thought," he said over his shoulder in a voice chillier than any she had ever heard, "foolish to think you can waltz into the darkness and emerge unscathed.

She said nothing, but stood very still, racing heart, while his words swirled around her brain. She did not know what was happening between them, but neither could she retreat at this stage. There was something about Kaelen-something that had made her want to stay, even if it was dangerous. Even if it might break her.

And so, as night fell and the sounds of battle raged on, Evelina made a decision. She wouldn't leave him. Not now. Not ever.