11• Crimson SHADOW

"He whispered promises 

of pain and pleasure, 

and I knew 

I would beg for both."

ZAFIRA 

... 

Zafira slowly stirred and her consciousness was returning as a dull ache settled in her limbs. Her eyes fluttered open and the first thing she felt was warmth. A strong and protective warmth that enveloped her body. 

She blinked and realized she was lying in a soft bed and the familiar scent of him wrapping around her like a cocoon.

'Azrael Sartori'. 

Her heart raced and her gaze shifted as she found him lying next to her. 

His dark eyes were watching her with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. His hands rested on her thighs and she could feel the tension radiating off him. He was barely controlling himself.

"You are awake", He said softly as his voice was low and husky. 

It was not a question. His gaze never left her as though he had been waiting, watching and protecting.

Zafira's throat tightened. 

She tried to sit up but her weak body was exhausted from her earlier attempt to escape. Still, she managed to push herself out of his embrace slightly while her heart was thudding in her chest as the memories rushed back- the running, the breathlessness, and then collapsing on the cold floor.

"You… Why are you here, holding me?" she started as her voice was barely above a whisper. 

She was confused, angry, and yet… something else tugged at her, something she didn’t want to admit.

Azrael's gaze softened slightly, but there was still that possessive edge to it. 

"This is my bedroom. If I am not present here then where will I be?", He asked and his voice was dangerously calm.

"I did not say that you should make arrangements for my stay in your room", She said and the next second, He leaned closer and his face inches from hers. 

"Zafira, you’re mine. I won’t let anything happen to you, even if it means saving you from yourself", His eyes darkening

His words sent a confusing mix of emotions through her- fear, anger, but also an undeniable pull. A magnetic force she couldn’t resist no matter how hard she tried. Her breath hitched as his hand came up, gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

Zafira’s chest tightened and she couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. His touch was soft yet there was an underlying possessiveness in the way his fingers lingered on her skin. 

"You fainted because of lack of air. You were unable to breathe because of the nose clogging. Your heart was beating wildly, Unrythmatically, not normal than a normal human heart", Azrael spoke and his words caused her eyes to widen. 

Zafira shook her head as she was unable to understand this man. He was an untouchable man and was supposed to be ruthless to her but all he was giving to her - was warmth, care and something more. 

"Why do you care? You barely know me", she asked him and Azrael’s gaze darkened and he leaned in even closer and his lips were almost brushing against her ear as he spoke, "Because you belong to me. And I don’t need a reason to protect what's mine. I understand your disease now. Got to know about the medicine and all."

Her breath caught in her throat, and she could feel the heat between them and the intensity of his words were sinking deep into her core. 

‘He knows about my health issue’

She wanted to push him away, to fight the strange power he had over her but her body betrayed her and she was drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

Without warning, his hand cupped her cheek and turned her face toward his. Their eyes were locked and in that moment, the tension snapped. 

Azrael’s lips crashed against hers with a force that took her breath away. 

It wasn’t gentle, but it wasn’t harsh either. it was a kiss full of hunger, possessiveness, and something deeper, something that scared her more than anything else.

Zafira’s mind screamed at her to resist but her body melted into him and her hands were instinctively gripping his shirt as he deepened the kiss. 

His other arm wrapped around her waist and pulling her closer until there was no space left between them.

Her heart pounded wildly in her chest and her body was burning with a mix of confusion and desire. 

She had never been kissed like this- like someone wanted to claim her soul, not just her body.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing heavily. 

Azrael’s forehead rested against hers and his eyes were still dark and unreadable as he spoke in a low and rough voice, "You can run all you want but I will always find you. You'll never escape me". 

'I have known you for the last thirteen years and have been in love with you one-sided for the last ten years', Azrael thought while staring at her stunned face. 

Zafira's heart pounded in her chest and her mind was swirling with conflicting emotions. She knew she should be angry, scared even. But all she could think about was the heat of his lips on hers and the way he held her like she was the only thing that mattered in the world.

And the scariest part was... a small part of her didn't want to escape.

Azrael’s eyes burned with an intensity that sent shivers through Zafira. 

The room seemed to shrink and the air thickened with the weight of his gaze. 

Before she could process what was happening, he reached for her as his hand slid behind her neck and pulled her toward him with a force that left her no room for hesitation.

His lips claimed hers in a fierce, possessive kiss again. 

This kiss was demanding, urgent, and raw. 

It was not gentle. It was a declaration and a promise that he was not going to let her go. His mouth moved against hers with a hunger that ignited something deep inside her, something she had never felt before.

Zafira’s breath hitched and her body instinctively started reacting to the heat of his touch. Her hands gripped his shirt tighter and clung to him as if she was drowning and he was the only thing keeping her afloat. 

Despite her mind screaming at her to resist, every part of her body was responding to him,

Azrael deepened the kiss as his tongue swept across her lips and demanded entry which she hesitated to give. 

But the intensity of his need and the sheer force of his presence simply broke down her defenses and soon she found herself opening up to him. 

His tongue slid into her mouth and his tongue commanded her to match the tune and was consuming her senses and sending waves of heat that was coursing through her veins.

His hands tightened around her and pulled her closer until her body was pressed fully against his. She could feel the steady, powerful beat of his heart against her chest, and it only made her pulse quicken. There was no escape, no space between them, only the overwhelming sensation of being completely engulfed by him.

Azrael kissed her like she was his only source of air. He kissed her like he couldn’t get enough of her. It was intense, relentless, and it left her dizzy as her thoughts were scattered in the whirlwind of sensations.

...

Thank you 

ShineeSunshine ♥️