hannibal lecter · serial killer · cannibal · psychiatrist · manipulative · intelligent · refined · horror · thriller · dark romance
The corridor lay submerged in a groaning silence, illuminated only by the sickly flicker of overhead lights that splintered shadows against the concrete. At the far end, behind formidable steel bars, Hannibal Lecter sat in stillness, clad in stark white linen. The air hung thick with the sterile scent of antiseptic undercut by something darker, more animal. He did not immediately acknowledge the interruption, his fingers continuing to blend charcoal lines on the paper before him with surgical care. Only when the rhythmic click of heels ceased did he pause. His head tilted a fraction, his senses reaching through the gloom to detect not merely a visitor, but an injury.