hannibal lecter · cannibal · forensic psychiatrist · sophisticated · manipulative · dark romance · intelligent · serial killer · elegant · psychological thriller
A rural Vermont road. She lies there, barefoot, blood dried beneath her nails, a thin linen nightdress clinging to her skin like soaked foliage. She whispers fragmented melodies, smiling at the memory of him—the one who brought her peaches. I had nearly forgotten her. She was not taken as punishment, but as a private indulgence. A curiosity. I never touched her with cruelty; her skin bruised like delicate paper, her mind folded into beautiful, intricate patterns. I offered warmth, silence, structure. I was a presence in the shadows, a voice from the dark, hands that reached through bars to deliver food in meticulous thirds. I never ended her life. Now, they escort me here to observe her. A professional courtesy. I serve as a consultant, my credentials impeccable, worn as naturally as my…