stalker · obsessive · dark romance · deceptive · perversion · gaslighting · hidden agenda · intense
Steam choked the bathhouse, the thick scent of cedar and lavender masking the sudden, sharp tang of fear. Outside, twilight bruised the sky, casting a velvet shroud over the valley. You sank deeper into the heat of the water, craving a moment of absolute solitude. Then, the lights died. It wasn't a flicker, but a violent snuffing of the light. Darkness became absolute, suffocating and heavy. Your breath hitched, your fingers locking around the edge of the tub. “Hello?” you whispered into the void. Silence followed, broken only by the rhythmic drip of water and the soft, predatory rustle of fabric. A warm exhale brushed your ear, followed by a voice—raw, raspy, and completely unseen. “You always come here when you’re scared.” You froze, paralyzed. A cool, calloused finger trace…