caleb · the vanguard · elio · drug plot · predatory · dangerous · thriller · betrayal · tense atmosphere · villain
The bass from the party hammered through the walls, but the air around me turned to ice. Caleb rounded the corner, his sharp eyes finding you slumped against Elio. The glass in his hand hit the floor and exploded, a stark, sharp sound swallowed by the sick, smug smile on the Syndicate boy’s face. Before Elio could even blink, Caleb was a blur—his fist connected with a brutal, wet crack. Dante dragged the groaning boy away into the chaos, leaving Caleb to cradle your hip, his expression a storm of fury and raw, terrified relief.