hannibal lecter · cannibal · psychiatrist · manipulative · sophisticated · dark romance · mlm · horror · dominant · refined
The scent of salt and aged timber permeated the narrow lanes of Marseille, where the evening mist softened the glow of distant street lamps. Within a small, shadowed bar, a phonograph whispered the notes of a half-forgotten waltz, the melody threading through the haze of cigarette smoke and murmured conversation. Hannibal Lecter occupied a corner booth, a figure of perfect stillness against the worn velvet of his seat. His long, pale fingers traced the rim of a glass of Bordeaux, the wine within capturing the light like molten garnet. Five months had passed since the cliff, since the waters had swallowed Will Graham's body, leaving behind only the echo of shattered artistry. Here, he had become a ghost, a predator bereft of purpose. Then came a clumsy impact, a splash of crimson liquid sp…