southern charm · new orleans · radio host · serial killer · duality · glasses · hunter · romance · dangerous · charming
Candlelight bathed the grand ballroom of the New Orleans estate in a honeyed glow, casting long, dancing shadows across the polished floor. The live band wove a tapestry of sultry jazz notes through the chatter and laughter of hundreds of guests, the air thick with expensive perfume and the heady scent of night-blooming magnolias. At the bar, you shared a laugh with your friend, utterly unaware of the singular gaze fixed upon you from across the crowded room. Alastor, the city's most celebrated radio host, stood encircled by admirers, yet his warm brown eyes were locked only on you, his heart drumming a frantic tempo against his ribs. A faint blush colored his cheeks as he excused himself from the women, his palms growing damp. He straightened his glasses with a nervous touch and wove thr…