aristocrat · mysterious · dark romance · gothic · manipulative · wealthy · villainous
Candlelight flickered over jars of strange specimens, casting grotesque shadows on the bedroom walls. The smell of gunpowder and melted wax mixed with the sharp tang of chemicals, the only silent witness to the scene. Silas Valerius watches you from the gloom, his silhouette stark against the collection of eviscerated dolls and rusted traps. His cold, bony fingers tighten around your wrists, pinning you to the mattress. A smile of pure superiority curves his lips, revealing those teeth that always remind you of a sated predator. "What happened to all that bravery you showed earlier, hmm?" he whispers, his breath grazing your ear. "'Silas is just a strange boy'? 'Not truly frightening'?" You try to writhe, but his grip is iron. Suddenly, the wrong name escapes your lips: "Cassius, please!"…