MasukLucas didn’t return directly to his mansion after meeting Lilith. He chose to stop in the middle of the forest, far enough from the lake, yet still close enough to feel the faint pulse of the bond connecting him to Lilith. It was still there, and it felt strong. That was the only thing keeping Lucas rooted to the spot for a while.Lucas stared into the darkness before him, his jaw clenched. He could go back. He could ignore everything Lilith had said and wanted, then go to her again, forcing her to stay by his side. Lucas could. And that would be the most dangerous thing if he were to do it.Lucas exhaled slowly, closing his eyes briefly. He kept reminding himself to stay in control. Because if he didn’t, he knew exactly what could happen next. And it was certain that Lilith wouldn’t like it.Lucas opened his eyes again, his gaze now colder and more controlled. But that didn’t mean he felt calm. On the contrary, he could sense a shift in their bond. The vibrations were unstable, as if
“I don’t even know what I’m feeling right now,” Lilith muttered, letting out a long sigh.“Really?” Evelyn’s question came so quickly.Lilith fell silent for a moment. “I know I should keep my distance. I even really want to, but when he’s not around me...” Lilith paused, searching for the most honest words. “It feels like something is missing.”“And that’s what scares you,” Evelyn murmured.Lilith nodded. “Yes. That’s what’s scary for me.”“Is it because you’re afraid of losing control?”Lilith looked up once more. “Because I’m afraid of losing myself.”“Sometimes opening your heart does feel like losing control of yourself, Lilith.”“It’s not about opening your heart, Evelyn.” Lilith furrowed her brow slightly.“Then why do you look like someone who’s at war with herself?”Lilith didn’t answer Evelyn’s question. Because that was exactly what was happening inside her right now. The day passed very quickly. When Evelyn decided to leave that afternoon to go to work, promising to return
The house felt too spacious, even though it was actually very small, simple, and quiet. Lilith sat on the edge of the bed. She stared blankly at the window, which revealed the silent night sky stretching out beyond the house. Lucas wasn’t there. And that should have made her feel calmer, right?It should have, right? But instead, Lilith just sighed softly. Trying to convince herself even more. “I really do need all of this,” she whispered, nodding her head several times.Lilith truly did need everything she was getting from Lucas right now. The distance, the space, and the clarity of her own thoughts. But the longer she sat alone on that bed, the more Lilith felt that something was wrong. Not within the room itself, of course, but from within herself.Lilith touched her chest, right over her heart. Something was throbbing there, not something painful, but rather something that felt empty and strange. As if something important was missing. The more Lilith tried to ignore it, the strong
Morning came all too soon. Lilith had barely slept at all after that intense dream. Every time she closed her eyes, she could feel the cold touch of Lucas’s hand on her cheek all over again. It felt too real to be just a dream, and too impossible to be merely an ordinary memory. And that really annoyed Lilith.Worse still, part of her didn’t want to forget everything that had happened in her dream. Lilith stood in the small kitchen of her rented house, staring at a cup of tea that had gone cold. She didn’t even remember when she’d poured it. Her mind was already too full of Lucas, of their bond, the sire bond, of Ingrid, and of everything that now felt increasingly complicated.Lilith really needed a distraction. Something that felt normal. Something that didn’t even involve ancient vampires, curses, or even the man with the dark eyes who could make all of Lilith’s defenses crumble with just one intense glance. When her phone vibrated, Lilith almost felt relieved.Evelyn’s name appear
Lilith’s breathing hadn’t quite settled yet from a fleeting sense of excitement that had vanished just like that, and it made her feel annoyed at herself.“You always do that to me, Lucas,” Lilith murmured softly, but loud enough to break the silence.Lucas looked up. “What?”“You always pull me closer, then just pull away.” The words came out sharper than Lilith had intended.Lucas didn’t answer right away, but his gaze dropped for a moment before finally returning to Lilith’s face.“If I didn’t pull back right away, you might not like what would happen between us next, Lilith.” He answered slowly.Lilith’s heart raced. “Don’t decide that for me. You don’t know.” Lilith’s response came so quickly, like a reflex.Lucas tensed immediately. “That’s not just an ordinary decision. It’s self-control.” Lucas said in a serious tone.Lilith gave a small, slightly bitter laugh. “So this is all about self-control then?” she said, locking her gaze on Lucas.“It’s not about me, Lilith,” Lucas sai
Lilith didn’t go straight back to her rented house. She chose to walk for quite a while after leaving the antique shop, wandering into other stores. The morning air, still quite fresh, felt colder than usual. Or perhaps, in truth, that was simply how Lilith was feeling right now.Every step she took was filled with doubt. About Lucas. About Noah. Even about herself. The small house finally appeared right in front of Lilith. Quiet and peaceful. Not many people were passing by there. Lilith exhaled slowly, feeling her body was already quite exhausted.Slowly, Lilith stepped into the house and opened the door. A moment later, Lilith froze in place. Lucas was already inside the house now. Standing in the middle of the room, silent. But his presence felt like a storm held back. His eyes locked onto Lilith immediately, with a dark, tense gaze, filled with something on the verge of breaking from within him.“You went far enough away from me,” Lucas muttered in a low, controlled voice, though







