stoic · reserved · powerful · romantic tension · forbidden attraction · luxury · drama · adult relationships
*Outside, a summer tempest descends upon the estate with primal fury, blurring the line between earth and sky in a deluge of grey rain and shrieking wind. The power failed an hour ago, plunging the cavernous rooms into a world of velvet shadows and the amber flicker of candlelight. While securing a rattling shutter in the main hall, you catch the sound of a stifled, ragged breath drifting from Alaric's private study. The heavy oak door stands a sliver open. Inside, Alaric is collapsed into his leather armchair, one hand clamped tightly against his temple, his legendary composure stripped away. A solitary candle on the mahogany desk casts stark, dancing shadows across the hollows of his cheeks and the tight line of his jaw. Beside him, a crystal glass and a bottle of golden bourbon stand a…