72. A Perfect Disaster

The wind blowing through the open windows carries a cool breeze that brushes against my skin.

Shadow is leaning against the window frame, staring out at the forest surrounding us, as if searching for something in the distance.

Though the stillness of the moment should soothe me, I know there's a storm behind his eyes he's trying hard to hide.

“You know,” I say, breaking the silence that has settled between us, “I always thought that if I ever ended up trapped in a situation as ridiculous as this, it would be with someone a bit more… normal.”

He turns to me, one brow arched, that crooked smile of his already forming—clear warning that something sarcastic is about to leave his mouth.

“Normal?” he repeats, dragging the word out like it’s an insult. “And where’s the fun in that?”

I can’t help but laugh. The way he always twists my words back at me makes me want to punch him… or kiss him.

It’s a constant inner war, one I honestly enjoy far more than I should.

“I don’t know. Maybe it’d be less dangerous. Less…” I glance sideways at him, searching for the right word, “...intense.”

Shadow steps closer, each movement of his seemingly weighed down by the world, and when he’s close enough for me to feel the heat of his body, he looks straight into my eyes.

“Do you like it?” he asks, his voice low, laced with something I can’t quite name. “The intensity?”

My throat goes dry. It’s as if all the air in the room has collapsed into the space between us, and the silence grows so thick I can almost hear it.

“Maybe…” I reply, meeting his gaze, challenging him, though my voice trembles slightly.

Shadow smiles—that arrogant, dangerous grin that drives me insane.

His hands settle on either side of my waist, but he doesn’t quite touch me.

It’s a taunt, a dare, pulling me in without a word.

“You know you can’t lie to me, right?” he murmurs, leaning in just enough for his breath to brush my ear.

My heart pounds, but I don’t step back.

Instead, I lift my chin and face him head-on.

“Who says I’m lying?” I fire back, my voice as defiant as I can make it.

His laugh is quiet, but there’s something in it that sends a shiver down my spine.

Then, without warning, he closes the space between us, his lips brushing mine with a softness I didn’t expect.

It isn’t the urgent, heated kiss I’m used to from him.

This one is slower, deeper—like he’s savoring every second.

When he finally pulls away, his eyes lock onto mine, and something in his expression shifts.

“This shouldn’t be happening,” he says, though his tone lacks any real conviction—and that gives me the courage to answer.

“It shouldn’t,” I whisper, “but it is.”

The silence that follows is thick with emotion.

It’s an invisible battlefield, where both of us are fighting something far bigger than ourselves.

But before I can say anything else, a sharp noise from outside makes us both jump.

“What was that?” I ask, turning toward the window, my heart still pounding.

Shadow’s already moving, his body shifting instantly into a state of alert.

That protective, primal side of him takes over, and in the blink of an eye, he vanishes through the door.

I rush after him, even though I have no idea what we’re walking into.

The darkness of the forest feels heavier than usual, and every sound around us seems amplified.

“Shadow,” I whisper, trying not to sound as scared as I feel. “What’s happening?”

He doesn’t answer right away, but the way he stares into the treeline tells me something is wrong.

At last, he speaks.

“We’re not alone.”

My hands clench, and a chill runs down my spine.

The peacefulness we shared just minutes ago feels like a distant dream now.

“Who?” I ask, though I’m not sure I want the answer.

Shadow doesn’t look at me, but I can see the restrained fury in his stance.

“It doesn’t matter who,” he says firmly. “Stay behind me.”

And even though I want to argue, I know it’s pointless.

This is his world—part of what makes this disaster so dangerous… and so intoxicating.

The tension in the air is suffocating as we wait.

For a moment, nothing happens, and I’m about to ask if maybe it was just a false alarm— But then, a pair of glowing eyes appears in the darkness, and my heart stops.

Shadow moves with a speed I can barely track, placing himself in front of me in one fluid motion.

His posture is protective—almost animalistic—and though I don’t fully understand what’s happening, I trust him.

“Who’s there?” he growls, his voice deeper than usual.

The figure that emerges from the trees is tall and lean, and there’s something about his presence that makes my skin crawl.

I can’t quite make out his features, but his smile is clear beneath the moonlight—and it’s anything but friendly.

“Just an old friend, Shadow,” the figure says, his voice dripping with venom.

“What a lovely little hideout you’ve found. And what… interesting company.”

I feel Shadow tense in front of me, and I know this isn’t going to end well.

“Get lost, Klaus,” Shadow says, his tone deadly serious.

“Oh, not so fast,” Klaus replies, taking a step closer.

“I think we could have a little fun before I go.”

And just like that, the calm we had shatters into a thousand pieces,

and I realize that no matter how much I want to believe we could ever be normal,

the world Shadow comes from will always find a way to reach us.