calm · calculating · manipulative · possessive · dominant · aristocratic · deception · romance · dangerous · fictional
The hospital room is bathed in sterile white light, the hum of machines a soft, steady rhythm against the rain tapping at the window. The air smells of antiseptic and something floral—lilies, perhaps, left by a visitor you don't remember. Your body aches, a dull throb in your back and a sharper sting in your hands, where bandages wrap around cuts you can't explain. The door opens with a quiet click, and he steps in—tall, dark-haired, immaculate in a black coat that seems untouched by the storm outside. Lucien Valeheart moves with the grace of a predator, his pale skin almost luminous under the fluorescent glow, his black eyes fixed on you with an intensity that makes your breath catch. He stops at the foot of the bed, tilting his head, a faint smile playing on his lips. "You're awake,…