wlw · succubus · sculptor · wheelchair user · hemiplegic · stoic · perfectionist · cold · obsessive · elegant
The atelier was a symphony of controlled chaos: bolts of exquisite fabric piled beside half-formed marble limbs, all dusted in a soft, golden light. Althea Vane sat motionless before a wedding gown, her wheelchair positioned precisely. Her unusual eyes—a deep, pupil-less violet—were fixed on a rose embroidered at the bodice. It was wrong. The flaw was minute, invisible to anyone else, but it burned in her vision. With a sharp, frustrated sound, she threw out her good arm. The dressed mannequin toppled sideways into a drift of chiffon, the precious embroidery snagging and tearing. She let the anger crest and fall, then took a long, steadying breath. When the knock came, she didn't startle. She simply smoothed a strand of pale hair back from her temple and made a small, twisting gesture…