AkumaQuil

He inches closer, a single finger roaming her heated skin. Breath mingling with breath. 

A loud bang vibrates through the room, so thunderous as if god himself was furious.

Slowly he looks up staring out the large glass windows to the backyard, 

"You have a visitor." His rasps calmly.

"Who?" Rose quickly fires, feigning ignorance. She knew well enough who it was. Her nightly visitor has arrived.

Surprising, He only visits when she is alone.

"One who comes out at night. Lurking in the shadows, in the darkness... just like its intensions."

He looks down still leaning on top her, once more pinning her with his intense gaze.

"Are you afraid?" His voice dead serious, eyes going back to look outside.

And Rose lied, "No." 

But is it a lie when her fear was never really rooting enough to make her run the other way but instead often getting mixed with exhilaration.

"You should be."  

He leaves her staring wide eyed on the sofa and goes to stand before the glass panes.

"It's not happy to see me here. I can see the raging pits of fire in it's gaze. Ready to burn me right where I stand." he chuckled, sounding most sinister, "It definitely wants to rip my innards out."

"You should take off your shirt." He suggests casually.

"Excuse me?"

"Let's see if it riles him up even more to shatter instead of just slamming the windows like a wuss." He rouses under his breath, his excited provocative tone not escaping Rose's attention. 

What the hell is he up to?

"This isn't funny." Rose sputters out, standing up from the couch.

"I'm not trying to be." He faces her again, sporting a deadpan face. 

"Whatever. You think I'm one of your stupid fan girls to take my shirt off just because you want to rile someone up? Besides, there's probably no one outside and you're only making it up to see my boobs like a pervert."

His eyes roams her from top to bottom, there was distaste evident in his gaze.

"When he comes at night and leaves a little something for you, maybe then you take off your clothes for him... like a slut." Rome stared into her eyes with nothing behind those icy orbs to show for a lack of meaning behind his words. Because he means every single thing he says to her.

"Get. Out. Now!" Rose boomed furiously. 

"Whatever, I was leaving anyway. This has become boring." He walks towards her front door.

"Wait. How do you know he comes at night and leaves something?" her eyes narrow.

"Because I've seen it before."

"You saw him? It is a real guy?" Rose wanted to confirm, for some reason she thought otherwise.

"I never said I saw him. I've only seen it happening to someone else." 

"Whom?" 

"You don't need to know." He closes off.

"Then at least tell me what happened to her? Can I meet this person?" 

"You can't." Refusing calmly he was almost out the door when Rose pleads against hope.

"Please."

"You can't because she disappeared." Those were the words that finally did it. Brought her racing heart and buzzing head to a sudden halt. "Never to be seen again." 

 "When he stops visiting, that's when you should be most afraid." His words rang like a siren in the silence of her mind as he left.

Now she felt true fear for the first time.

==

In the embrace of her ancestral town, Rose seeks refuge from the echoes of her past. 

Little does she know, her return to her roots will awaken dormant shadows, shattering ordinary her existence. 

For when the darkness falls over the town, from the pitch black rises a shadowy figure that haunt her nights. 

In the darkness he sweeps her off the ground in terrible fear and the allure of sinister intrigue.

And once the sun comes, a man with a god awful attitude, haunts her in the broad day light. Causing her to swell with pure disdain. 

With each passing night, it draws closer to Rose, casting a chilling spell that both terrifies and exhilarates her.

Thrust into a labyrinth of mysteries can she navigate the treacherous path laid before her, or will her nightly visitor consume her whole?

He Comes At Night

"Jokes aside, I actually came over to apologize," he said. "About earlier today. I shouldn't have acted the way I did. It wasn't my intention to make it seem like you needed someone to swoop in and save you. I just—" He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck again.

"I lost my temper for a second. I thought he was messing with you, and I didn't like it. But things escalated, and I take full responsibility for that."

He paused before adding, "I promise it won't happen again. At least, not from my side. Can't say the same for that smug bastard."

His honesty caught her off guard. It wasn't just some half-assed apology; he meant it. She studied him for a moment before sighing.

"I was kinda hoping to make you grovel a little more," she mused, tapping a finger to her chin in mock thought. "But I suppose I'll let you off the hook."

Leo grinned. He placed a hand over his heart, sighing dramatically. "Shall I carve your name into a tree and recite poetry under the moonlight, or will a simple 'I owe you one' suffice?"

That did it. Rose burst into laughter, and even Aria couldn't contain herself. Leo straightened up, laughing along with them.

"I admit that was a bit much," he said, still grinning. "But I do appreciate the second chance."

Rose arched a brow. "Who said anything about a second chance?"

"Oh?" His smirk returned. "My mistake. I guess that just means this alpha male has to work a little harder to win over the fair maiden."

Aria rolled her eyes. "Cocky much?"

Leo shrugged. "Confidence, darling. There's a difference."

"And we weren't born to make it easy," Rose shot back smoothly.

Leo chuckled. "Is that so, Ms. Gabrielle?"

Then, glancing at the time, she sighed. "As entertaining as it is watching you try to out-charm yourself, I have an actual appointment with Mr. Aspen."

"Want me to walk you there?" Leo offered.

"You're doing your alpha-male thing again." Rose pointed that out with a look .

Leo winced before retracting his offer and smiling sheepishly. "Force of habit?"

Shaking her head she got up, "Thanks, I think I can manage. Wish me luck." She threw the words over her shoulder as she sauntered away throwing her satchel over her shoulder, leaving Aria and Leo to continue their banter.

Finding Mr. Aspen's office was easier than expected.

With the university's prospectus in hand, she followed the listed directions, making her way down a long, nearly deserted hallway.

This makes things whole lot easier. She was glad she held onto this thing against her judgment of getting rid of it the moment she got it at the registration office,

The quietness of the corridor sent a faint shiver down her spine. Only two other rooms lined the hall, both of them empty.

The time was late in the afternoon. Most of the classes were over and the students went on about their day, doing their own activities, some leaving till the next morning and so were the staff.

Shaking off the unease, she reached the door labeled "Prof. Charles Aspen" and knocked.

A breath she drew in, a muffled voice reached her ears from inside.

"Come in," came a gruff voice from inside.

Rose pushed the door open, stepping into the office—

—and immediately her eyes opened wider in surprise.

Sitting comfortably in one of the chairs across from Mr. Aspen's desk, as if he owned the damn place, was none other than Draken.

She stiffened before blinking to see if she was actually seeing him their or not.

Can't she go anywhere in this place without finding him already there.

29. Professor's Office