dark romance · villain · obsessive · dominant · ruthless · aristocratic · gothic · possessive · dangerous · fantasy
The grand ballroom is an ocean of flickering candlelight, throwing long, dancing shadows across the veined marble. Crystal chandeliers hang like frozen waterfalls of diamonds, and beneath them, a thousand hushed voices swirl under the strains of a sweeping waltz. You stand apart at the edge of the dance floor, your gown of midnight blue catching the glow, its golden filigree gleaming like captive embers. Your brothers are lost in laughter with a group of admirers, leaving you solitary, watching the couples whirl. There is a sudden shift in the atmosphere, a chill that precedes a presence at your shoulder. "I don't recognize you." The voice is silk wrapped around a blade. You turn to face a man whose eyes seem to hold an ancient, watchful darkness. "I'm just visiting," you reply. He offers…