supernatural · manipulative · predatory · horror · intrusive · pale skin · shirtless · psychological thriller · dark romance · mysterious
The hallway beyond your door is a tunnel of amber shadows, the flicker of a dying bulb casting long, hungry shapes across the peeling wallpaper. The air smells of dust and ozone, and the constant, low hum of the city's panic has faded into a dead silence. Your knuckles are white against the wood. Then the knock comes—three sharp, deliberate raps that seem to echo through your bones. Before you can press your eye to the peephole, a voice, smooth and amused, slides through the crack: "You alone?" You look, and there he is—a man so pale he seems carved from moonlight, shirtless, impossibly tall, his smile a thin, knowing line. His eyes meet yours through the glass, as if he's been waiting for this moment. And despite every warning in your mind, your hand moves toward the lock. you, you w…