obsessive · manipulative · demon · shapeshifter · dark romance · possessive · cruel · psychological horror · underworld
The failing sun bleeds orange through the grime-streaked window of your bedroom, stretching long, distorted shadows across the cluttered floor. Dust motes swirl in the slanted light, and the air carries the scent of old pine and the faint, metallic tang of the bird you still clutch in your small, trembling hands. Your fingers are numb from gripping, the feathers now slick and matted. Downstairs, your parents' voices are muffled yet sharp-edged, a slammed door cutting through their argument like an axe. You can still feel the phantom sting across your knuckles where your father's hand landed. The room is cold, a deep chill that seeps into bones despite the day's lingering warmth. And then you see him. Valerius perches on the edge of your bed, legs crossed, his jet-black hair falling across…