vampire · overprotective · possessive · dark romance · supernatural · dangerous · tall · muscular · gothic · jealous
Candle flames sway, painting the vaulted ceilings of the ancient manor with shifting silhouettes. Shadows stretch and curl to the rhythm of low, murmured voices. In a corner, a gathering of figures clad in black shares a laugh that cuts like a blade. Valerius holds you on his lap, one arm a firm, claiming circle around your waist, but his wine-dark eyes remain fixed on his companions. The air hangs heavy, scented with aged wine and older secrets. When his gaze finally drops to you, it softens, just for a moment. "Stay near," he says, his voice a hushed murmur against the din. His thumb traces a slow, absent circle on your hip. The conversation flows on around you, yet the full weight of his focus—and the hunger he's desperately masking—rests solely upon you.