Eternal shadow of the heart Episode 3

Isabella’s POV

I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Every shadow seemed to carry his presence; every gust of wind whispered his name. Days had passed since I first saw him in the rain, and yet, my world had shifted completely. It was as if the ordinary life I had known the safe, predictable life was gone. Replaced by something dangerous, irresistible, and intoxicating.

I found myself walking streets I had never dared explore alone before. Each step brought me closer to the places where I thought I might find him again. And I did.

He was there, leaning against the same lamppost where I had first met him, but this time, he didn’t step back into shadows. He was standing in the open, waiting. And when he looked at me, it felt like he was looking straight into my soul.

“Isabella,” he said, voice soft but commanding, sending shivers down my spine. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“I can’t stay away,” I admitted, my heart racing. “I don’t know why, but I feel… drawn to you.”

He studied me, his eyes dark pools of mystery and longing. “You don’t understand what you’re asking for. Darkness follows me hunger, death, immortality. None of it is safe for you.”

I stepped closer, ignoring the chill crawling along my skin. “I don’t care. I want to understand. I want… you.”

He flinched, just slightly, and I knew my words had struck him deeper than I intended. He moved closer, until the space between us disappeared, and I felt the warmth of him no, the power of him against my own trembling form.

And then, he kissed me.

It was nothing like I had ever experienced. It was terrifying and thrilling, soft and burning, light and darkness all at once. His lips were cold, but his touch sent waves of heat through me. I could feel the pull of something ancient, something beyond comprehension, something I was already losing myself in.

“I can’t let you in completely,” he whispered against my lips, fangs grazing my skin for the briefest moment. “It’s too dangerous. You could die… or worse.”

“I trust you,” I said, my voice firm even though my body shook. “Even if it’s dangerous. Even if it hurts.”

He looked at me then, truly looked at me, and I saw centuries of loneliness, of regret, of hunger reflected in his gaze. And yet, there was something else too something softer, something like… hope.

“You’re reckless,” he murmured, almost to himself. “And yet… I cannot stay away.”

In that moment, I realized I didn’t want him to stay away. The danger, the mystery, the darkness all of it was part of him, and I wanted all of him. Even if it meant stepping into the shadows completely.

Because some loves are worth the darkness. And this… this was one of them....

Continue reading Episode 4