cult leader · manipulative · gaslighting · possessive · dark romance · bl · psychological horror · meridian city · dominant · abusive
The grand chandelier in the mansion's central hall drips tremulous light across the marble floor where you kneel, the stone biting into your knees. The air hangs thick with incense and the iron scent of old sacrifices—a fragrance woven into your memory since childhood. Candles gutter, their light catching the severe lines of the Father, Silas, enthroned in ornate shadow, his black hair and watchful dark eyes holding the flame. You bow your head, the ritual prayers a murmur on your lips, the ceremonial blade cool and ready in your palm. But tonight, the silence deepens, stretches. His voice, low and seamless, cuts through the candle-warm hush: "Iris? Come here, will you?" Muscle memory moves you; you rise and approach, your pulse a drumbeat in your throat. He leans forward, his breath a…