10• Crimson EMBRACE 2

"You’re wondering why, aren’t you?" His voice was low, smooth, and filled with an underlying intensity. "Why I’ve brought you here, why I’m keeping you close."

Zafira’s breath caught in her throat, her thoughts spinning. He had hit the mark.

"You think you’re just some stranger to me," Azrael continued as his eyes never left hers. "But you’re wrong. The moment I saw you, I knew. You were meant to be mine, Zafira. No one else can have you. Not now, not ever."

His words left her speechless. The possessiveness in his tone was suffocating, yet there was something in the way he said it that sent shivers down her spine. 

He wasn’t just speaking about protection- he was claiming her heart, body and soul.

Zafira's heart pounded in her chest and she was torn between fear and the strange pull she felt toward him. She wanted to fight it but part of her was drawn to the fire in his eyes and the certainty in his voice.

Azrael’s lips curved into a small, dangerous smile. "You’re mine, Zafira. And nothing will change that."

Zafira’s pulse quickened and her mind battling the words he had just spoken, 'MINE'. 

The way he said it was both a promise and a warning. She felt like she was standing on the edge of a cliff, staring down into the unknown.

"You don’t even know me. How can you say that?", she whispered and her voice was barely audible. 

Azrael’s expression softened but his grip on her remained firm. 

"I don’t need to know everything about you to understand what you are to me. I just know and you will, too", He reached out and his hand was brushing a lock of her hair away from her face.

Zafira shivered at the touch and was unable to fully process what was happening. 

His confidence, his certainty—it was overwhelming. She could feel the walls around her heart trembling under the weight of his intensity. 

She wanted to push him away, but she couldn’t deny the magnetic force that pulled her closer to him.

"I don’t belong to anyone. You can’t just claim me like I’m some... some possession", she said and her voice was trembling.

Azrael’s gaze darkened and a flicker of anger in his eyes, though it quickly faded. 

"You don’t understand yet, but you will. I don’t need your permission, Zafira. You already belong to me. Whether you accept it now or later doesn’t matter. But you will accept it", His hand slid down her arm, resting on her waist as he leaned in closer, his breath warm against her ear.

Zafira’s body tensed and her heart was racing faster as his words sank in. 

There was no escaping this man and no outrunning the possessiveness that surrounded him like an aura. 

She could feel it tightening around her like invisible chains, and despite her fear, a part of her was drawn to the dangerous pull of his world. 

"I will run away from here, and you can't stop me," Zafira challenged, her eyes fierce.

Azrael's response was unexpected. He laughed, a deep, amused sound that sent a chill through her. "Then go ahead," he said, his tone casual. "Who is stopping you?"

Zafira clenched her fists in anger and defiance fueled her next move. Without a second thought, she turned swiftly and bolted out of the room, past the house, and into the building’s corridor. 

Her heart was pounded in her chest as she rushed down the stairs and she was determined to get as far away from him as possible, even though the building had twelve floors and she had no idea of the exit. 

As the sound of her footsteps faded, Vesper turned to Azrael and his brow furrowed with concern. "Azrael, do you know what you're doing?", he asked and his voice was serious.

Valerian and the other five brothers exchanged uneasy glances as they watched their eldest brother closely. Though Zafira had seemed tough and determined, they were all worried. They knew Azrael too well- his possessiveness, his madness and his intensity.

"I’m not sure this is a game, brother," Draven said quietly as his voice was filled with concern."What if she gets hurt?"

Throne nodded in agreement, "You can’t push her too far. We’ve seen what happens when you lose control."

Azrael's eyes were still fixed on the door Zafira had run through and his smile faded into something colder and darker as he said quietly, almost to himself, "She’ll come back. She doesn’t know it yet, but she won’t be able to stay away."

His brothers watched him with a mix of fear and concern. They knew their brother’s obsession with Zafira could consume him, and if that happened, there was no telling what he might do.

On the other hand, Zafira ran as fast as her legs could carry her while her heart was pounding wildly in her chest. 

The corridors seemed endless, it was twisting and turning as she desperately searched for an exit. 

She had no idea where she was going, but all she knew was that she had to get away from Azrael.

Her breaths came in short, sharp bursts, and her legs started to burn from the effort. 

She glanced around, only hope to see a door or a stairwell that would lead her out. But the building felt like a maze, each hallway leading her deeper into confusion.

Panic began to creep in. 

'Where is the exit?', She thought. 

Her surroundings started to blur and the air felt thick and heavy. 

Zafira’s chest tightened and she stumbled slightly, while clutching her side as the familiar tightness of her breathing problem began to grip her.

She pressed a hand to her chest and struggled to pull in air. Her breaths became shallow and quick gasps. 

She tried to push through but her body was betraying her. Her vision swam and she leaned against the cold wall as her hand was shaking as she struggled to steady herself.

''I can’t... I can’t breathe".

She couldn’t keep running. Her legs wobbled, and she slid down to the floor and her back was against the wall as her breath came in strained gasps. 

Her body was trembling, and her mind screamed for her to move, to keep going, but she couldn’t.

She was trapped. Not just in this building- but in the suffocating reality that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t escape him.

She could not escape AZRAEL SARTORI. 

His name echoed in her mind as a constant reminder of the power he held over her. No matter how far she ran, he was everywhere—his presence, his control, his possessiveness. 

Her chest tightened further, and she gasped for air. Zafira clutched at the wall as she was trying to fight off the panic that threatened to overwhelm her. 

But deep down, she knew the truth. Running wasn’t an option. He would find her, always.

Azrael Sartori had made it clear, he wasn’t letting her go.

Zafira's eyes slowly closed as her body gave in to the tiredness. She lay on the cold floor, her breathing heavy, mouth slightly open as she struggled to catch her breath. Everything around her started to fade.

Then, she felt something, a presence. Warmth surrounded her, comforting her tired body. 

Before she could understand, a strong arms gently lifted her from the ground.

Even in her weakened state, she knew it was him. The warmth, the strength- it could only be Azrael.

Her head rested against his chest as he held her tightly. His heartbeat was calm and steady, so different from the panic she had felt. 

In his arms, for a moment, she felt safe, as if nothing could hurt her while he was holding her.

His eyes were fuming as he understood that something was wrong with her body and the way she breathing heavily was not normal at all. 

It was his fault. 

He accepted her challenge and played along with her. 

Azrael watched Zafira run, her footsteps echoing through the hallway as she tried to escape him. He didn’t move, didn’t chase her; he didn’t need to. He knew this building better than anyone, and he knew her too well. She wouldn’t get far.

As the minutes passed, he could sense her growing desperation and her fear was visible on her face. 

His jaw tightened. She didn’t understand yet, how much he needed her, how much she belonged to him. This wasn’t just about control. It was something deeper, something neither of them could escape.

When he finally found her, collapsed on the cold floor, struggling to breathe, something different, kind of rageful stirred in him. 

His chest tightened, and a flicker of anger rushed through him, not at her, but at the idea that she was hurting, that she would push herself this far just to get away from him.

Without a word, he moved to her side and scooped her up into his arms. 

She was in a CRIMSON EMBRACE.

She was light and fragile in his hold. Her breath was ragged and her skin was hot, sweaty and pale. His heart hammered in his chest but outwardly, he remained calm while his arms were holding her close.

As he looked down at her peaceful face, her body finally gave in to exhaustion and something shifted inside him. 

She was his. She didn’t understand it yet, but she would. He would never let anyone or anything harm her. Not even herself.

Azrael cradled her tightly against him, feeling her relax in his arms. There was a strange peace in that moment, knowing she was safe with him. He wasn’t just claiming her—he was protecting her, even if she couldn’t see it yet.

He whispered, almost to himself, "You’re mine, Zafira. You’ll never run from me again."

Her eyes opened slightly as she looked at him. Staring at her teary eyes, He lowered his head, his pupils were burning like a ignited flame.

"Maybe you think you can escape from me... BUT YOU CAN'T GET AWAY FROM ME. I will not allow you to hurt yourself like this again", He whispered softly in her ears, causing her to shivered under his gaze. 

He was her WARMTH.

She was his PEACE.

...

Thank you 

ShineeSunshine ♥️