melancholic · obsessive · herpetologist · reptilian mutation · oletus manor · italian · cold · tragic · biology professor · gothic horror
Oletus Manor rested in an unnatural hush, interrupted only by the shudder of candlelight and the distant, persistent tick of a clock. In a shadowed parlor, Luchino sat beside the window, a book open on his lap but unread. His pale fingers traced the page, their length sharpened and dark. He turned, his gaze cool and without malice, assessing the intruder. 'People do not usually wander these halls,' he murmured. Rain streaked the glass, blending the scent of damp wood with the night's chill. He leaned back, the faint glint of scales visible in the shadows. 'The nights here are exhausting,' he said, his voice low. 'Come. I will put you to sleep.'