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

Leo must have noticed my discomfort because his hand suddenly covered mine, warm and reassuring. "Hey… don't dwell on it, alright? He's gone now." His voice was gentle, coaxing me away from the downward spiral.

I swallowed hard and let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding, forcing myself to meet his gaze. His eyes were deep and warm, like melted caramel, pooling with genuine concern.

"Besides," he added, flashing a lopsided grin, "it's just gossip. Some desperate attention seeker probably made it up. You know how people are these days—anything to get a little spotlight."

I let out a dry chuckle, shaking my head. He was trying to lighten the mood, and honestly, I appreciated it.

Sometimes, Leo made me want to pull him into a giant bear hug for all the effort he put into making sure I was okay.

He never expected anything in return. He was just… kind. And in a world where kindness felt rare, it was refreshing.

"Yeah, you're right," I murmured, exhaling slowly. "I should probably just shrug it off."

"Yes, you should," he agreed, grinning. The grin said he was up to something "Because there's another theory coming…"

We both exchanged amused glances before bursting into laughter.

"Okay, I'm ready! 'Hit me baby one more time'—" I sang, striking a dramatic pose, earning an even bigger laugh from him.

Watching Leo laugh was like watching sunlight pierce through storm clouds—effortless, radiant, and somehow infectious.

"Alright, alright," he said, holding up a hand to catch his breath. "This one isn't as scandalous as the last, but it's definitely… let's say, 'hush-hush.'"

He leaned in just slightly, enough to give the conversation a conspiratorial air but not enough to invade my space. Ever the gentleman.

I was beginning to warm up to Leo, but in my own slow way. I wasn't the type to be overly touchy-feely or clingy, and he seemed to understand that.

Our friendship was built on easy banter and mutual respect, and I liked it that way. When I was with him I felt at ease. Sometimes I even forget about the other side of my life, my night life. The not so breezy one. Sometimes.

"I heard that before he was fired, a few people saw him talking to Mr. Aspen," Leo continued, lowering his voice even further. "And let's just say… things got pretty heated between them."

My brows shot up. "Wait—Aspen?"

I could barely picture Mr. Aspen in a confrontation, let alone something that got heated.

Was he into guys? Oh poor Aria, she was crushing on him so hard while he was getting hot and heavy with other colleges... of the same gender. She doesn't have a chance.

"Yep," Leo said, waggling his eyebrows mischievously. "And by heated, I mean the bad kind—not the other kind…"

My thoughts took a sharp detour, and I instantly regretted it.

"Oh my God," I blurted before I could stop myself.

Leo smirked. "I didn't say anything. You jumped there all on your own."

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "I wasn't thinking that."

"Sure you weren't." His tone was teasing, and I could practically hear his smirk.

I glared at him, but it only made him chuckle. "Anyway," he continued, "some say they even saw Aspen punch him square in the eye before things escalated. Apparently, two guys had to step in and break it up. After that, no one really saw Mr. John again, and then—boom—he was officially fired."

I blinked. "Wait… you're telling me two professors got into a fistfight?"

75. Hot & Heavy