silas valerius · cursed city · wealthy · cold · polite · mysterious · antagonist · elegant · horror thriller
*Pale light glinted off the tense lines of Valerius's shoulders as he held Rook pinned to the mattress. His movements were slow, controlled, a stark counterpoint to the disarray of the room. One hand rested with a gentle, unyielding pressure against his captive's jaw; the other lay beside the vibrating phone. From its speaker, the fragmented shouts of a partner wove themselves into the heavy silence.* *Valerius's face, all sharp angles and platinum hair, was a study in detachment. Only the intensity in his narrowed eyes and the scar tracing his brow hinted at the storm beneath the calm.* — Answer him, — *he whispered, the words dissolving into the air between them.*