Novels by Night Raven

Third POVJulian’s head throbbed. His vision blurred, not from any injury, but from how tightly the panic coiled his chest. His arms were shaking, lips trembling, and no amount of wiping could stop the tears. They just kept falling—fast, hot, and helpless.He barely registered the harsh tug on his arm until he stumbled, dragged by Enzo toward the sleek black car waiting just outside the warehouse. His legs moved, but his mind didn’t. He was just… floating in a nightmare.Cassiel sat in the back seat. Hands clasped, expression cold, jaw locked. Not even a blink as Julian was shoved into the seat beside him like a broken toy.The door shut.Julian didn’t look at him. Couldn’t. He stared ahead. Still seeing Bash. Still hearing him scream. Still smelling burnt flesh.Cassiel leaned forward slightly. “Drive.”Enzo didn’t say a word. He obeyed immediately, tires screeching as they pulled onto the road.The silence in the car was brutal. Suffocating. Ju

Third POVWhat could Cassiel be up to? Why hadn’t he said anything? Was there something more going on — something Julian wasn’t being told?The questions circled in his mind, and he found himself at the base of the grand staircase without remembering how he’d gotten there. He paused, staring up at the darkened hallways above, wondering what he might find if he went looking.He’d always been good at reading people, at picking up on the smallest details. But Cassiel… Cassiel had always been an enigma, a puzzle he couldn’t quite figure out. And that frustration, the constant tug of curiosity, made it difficult to let go. To accept that some things weren’t meant to be understood.He closed his eyes for a brief moment, willing the thoughts to quiet down. But they didn’t. They only grew louder, more insistent.Something was happening. And Julian wasn’t sure if he was ready to find out what.As the morning stretched on, Julian found him

Third POVThe bed beside him was empty.He had known it would be. He'd woken up earlier than usual, his internal clock already attuned to the routine that had settled between them. It was a routine that kept the silence from becoming too uncomfortable, the distance from becoming too obvious. Cassiel had always been an early riser, his movements graceful yet purposeful as he left the bed. Julian, on the other hand, had become accustomed to lying still until the weight of reality pulled him fully awake.Rolling over onto his side, Julian stared at the empty space where Cassiel had been moments ago. The absence was familiar, like the echo of a song long forgotten. It wasn’t that Julian expected anything different, but some mornings, the emptiness felt more pronounced. He ran a hand over his face, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before swinging his legs over the side of the bed.He stretched his arms above his head, the muscles in his back a

Third POVJulian lay on his side, watching the shadows dance across the ceiling. Cassiel’s breathing beside him was slow, steady, the rise and fall of his chest almost hypnotic. He looked peaceful in sleep — something that seemed ironic considering the kind of man he truly was.Julian exhaled quietly and glanced at the clock.3:17 AM.He waited a few more minutes, letting time stretch as he lay perfectly still. Then, slowly, he turned to Cassiel. He reached a hand over his sleeping form and waved it softly in front of his face. No reaction. Cassiel’s breathing didn’t hitch. His eyes didn’t flutter.Julian allowed himself a tiny sigh of relief. Slipping the duvet aside, he planted one foot silently on the floor, then the other. His bare feet padded soundlessly on the cold hardwood. He tiptoed toward the door, his hand closing around the brass handle —"Going off to sniff through my computer again?" came the low, unmistakable voice

Third POVCassiel turned, meeting his gaze. "You tell me."Julian stepped forward, voice low. "I went into your study because I needed to see if what I suspected was true.""And?""You tell too many lies with too calm a face."Cassiel slipped his shirt on. "Then stop trusting me."Julian flinched. "Maybe I already have."The silence that followed was sharper than any argument. Cassiel finished dressing, adjusted his collar, and walked toward the door."Where are you going now?" Julian asked.Cassiel paused, looking over his shoulder. "To finish what you just made harder."And then he was gone.Julian sank onto the bed, the quiet roaring in his ears.He had poked the sleeping typhoon.And now the storm was coming.It was well past midnight when the screech of iron gates raked through the silence of the estate. Julian, stretched out on the leather couch in the sitting room, didn’t move. He’d been there for hours, unmoving, e

Third POVEven if it meant pretending to be in love with a monster for a little while longer. Even if it meant crawling into bed each night beside the man who wore a devil's smile.Later that morning, Julian put on a robe and walked downstairs. Miss Maria was already preparing breakfast, humming quietly."Morning, sir," she greeted, offering a soft smile."Morning," Julian returned with a small nod. "Has Enzo left already?""Yes, sir. He set off to meet Mr. Cassiel earlier this morning."Julian nodded again, hiding his relief behind a sip of coffee. So, the study would remain untouched for a while. He had time to think, to regroup.He'd come too close.Back upstairs, Julian took out a notepad and began listing everything he’d seen. He wrote carefully, coding each word. Cassiel might be watching. He always was.As the morning sun filtered through the blinds, Julian sat at the edge of the bed, plotting.No more mistakes. No more underestimating