Bound by Shadows

12

I perused the fragrant blooms in the flower shop but couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Glancing around, I saw no one, but the sensation lingered like a ghostly presence. Shaking off the unease, I focused on selecting a bouquet, drawn to the cheerful yellow daffodils.

"Those are a lovely choice," the cashier commented as I approached the counter.

"Thank you," I replied with a smile, relieved to have the attention diverted.

As I reached for my wallet to pay, the sweet old lady hesitated, her expression puzzled. "Actually, someone already paid for your flowers."

Confusion clouded my mind. "Paid for them? Who?"

Her brows furrowed, probably trying to remember. "A gentleman, but he was wearing a mask. He purchased a bouquet of roses for you too."

My heart skipped a beat, a mixture of curiosity and apprehension swirling within me. "A mask? Did he say anything?"

She shook her head. "No, he simply asked me to pass along the roses to you."

I was at a loss for words, my mind racing with unanswered questions. Who could this masked stranger? Despite my apprehension, I accepted both bouquets.

With a sense of unease lingering in the air, I bid the cashier farewell and stepped out of the shop, the cool breeze offering little solace from the unsettling encounter. As I walked down the street, with the weight of the flowers in my arms, I turned back to look back at the shop.

"Zanya."

I pivoted on my heel. Heart pounding, I took a cautious step backward, my pulse quickening with fear. The figure stepped forward into the dim light, and horror washed over me, blood running cold.

The flowers in my hand began to wither and decay, their once vibrant colors fading to a sickly shade of crimson, fused to my hand, held by an otherworldly grip.

The masked figure advanced toward me, his movements slow and deliberate. "You love roses right? I bought them for you," his voice was enough to make me on high alert as I turned to run but he lunged forward, his hand grabbing a fistful of my hair as he slammed me against the wall.

I groaned on the impact, and with a swift and brutal motion, his hands now encircled my neck, thumbs pressing down on my airway, cutting off my breath with chilling intent. "P..Please..."

Struggling for air, I frantically clawed at the mask shrouding his face. Just one look. Just one...

My skin prickled with cold sweat as I sat up in bed, my mind a whirlwind of confusion. Glancing beside me, I noticed Caelus wasn't there. With a heavy sigh, I reached for my phone on the nightstand and checked the time: 3:45 am. Inhaling deeply, running a hand through my disheveled hair.

It dawned on me that Caelus must have moved to another room after our conversation the previous night, while I drifted off to sleep.

Feeling a sense of urgency, I quickly typed the name of the shop from my dream onto my phone screen: Petal Palace. As I hit the search button, a list of results appeared, but one stood out—it was the exact same shop I had seen in my dream.

A surge of disquiet washed over me. Could it have been a memory resurfacing? Lately, I had been plagued by a series of peculiar dreams. Some were of Caelus, some were of children playing.

Pushing aside the unsettling thoughts, I rose from the bed and made my way to the kitchen, clutching the empty glass in my hand. However, as I neared the doorway, I suddenly paused, my attention drawn to the muffled murmurs emanating from the other side of the wall.

"How many have we lost?"

It was Caelus. He wasn't asleep after all. He was on a call.

"Do I need to tell you how to do your job? Find him," his voice carried authority. The other person on the line was indistinct, their responses muted until the call abruptly ended, presumably with him hanging up.

"It's not nice to eavesdrop, darling."

Startled, I emerged from hiding, offering a sheepish smile. "Didn't mean to," I replied, walking closer to the fridge and retrieving the water jug, setting my glass on the counter as I poured myself a drink. Caelus leaned against the counter near the sink, shirtless, his hands casually gripping the edges, clad in sweatpants from the night before.

After quenching my thirst, I met his amused gaze head-on. "I just realized, you don't have tattoos."

He glanced down at himself and then back up at me. "How would you know?"

Perplexed, I inched closer, leaning against the counter beside him. "What do you mean?"

Closing the distance between us, he teased, "How would you know if you haven't seen anything beyond my waist?"

Caught off guard, I stammered, "Well... uh, my brother has tattoos on his arms. Tadashi too. Isn't it common for others to tattoo their upper bodies?"

Caelus's expression shifted, a hint of displeasure evident. "Are you saying that your eyes have been wandering elsewhere?"

Flustered, I hurriedly clarified, "Of course not! I meant in general, people tend to tattoo their upper bodies. That's all I was trying to say." My explanation only seemed to amuse him further, his lips quirking up in a teasing smile.

His intense blue eyes, set against the darkness of the night, stirred something within me, causing me to instinctively look away. "I know I might be overstepping, but what was that call about? You seemed pretty worked up," I asked, trying to break the tension.

"It's a long story," he began, his expression serious as he turned to face me. "We've got a problem with a certain someone who's been causing chaos in our operations—Korea, Japan, Russia, and now LA. The call earlier was about losing my men in New York to this troublemaker," he explained, his brow furrowing in frustration.

"So, you think..." I trailed off, trying to connect the dots.

"Yeah, he's in New York now," he confirmed. "And based on his movements, it's clear he's been closely following ours," he said gravely, turning to me fully. "It's possible he's behind the attack on you. While I have my suspicions, it's better to be safe than sorry."

Fear gripped me as I tried to speak. "Was there any CCTV footage from where I was attacked?" I managed to get the words out, albeit shakily.

"The police haven't found anything yet. There weren't any cameras where you were. Tadashi thoroughly searched the area," he reassured me, his touch gentle as he cupped my cheek. "Don't worry, we'll track him down."

Nodding, I found solace in the gentle touch of his hand against my cheek, drawing me closer to him. Once again, my gaze couldn't help but linger on his features—the intensity in his eyes, the contour of his nose, the shape of his lips. With a surge of boldness, I rose onto my tiptoes and pressed my lips against his, savoring the softness of his mouth against mine.

The warmth of his firm skin beneath my touch sent a shiver down my spine. As his head tilted, his breath brushed against my lips, igniting a mix of anticipation and apprehension within me. The initial sweetness of the kiss quickly intensified, becoming more demanding, more possessive. I gasped as he deepened the kiss, his tongue meeting mine in a sudden, electrifying sensation. Panic and pleasure intertwined within me, overwhelming my senses as my hands explored his body, tracing a path downward.

"We shouldn't," he interrupted abruptly, pulling away from the kiss, leaving me dazed as I blinked open my eyes.

His dark hair fell forward, casting shadows across his features illuminated by the moonlight, and I noticed his lips were as swollen as mine.

"That would be easier to believe if you hadn't kissed me back," I whispered, my voice barely audible, sensing his inner conflict. Despite that, I slowly went down to my knees, my fingers pulling back the elastic part of his sweatpants.

"Zanya..."

"Please, Caelus. Take what you want from me. I'm offering myself to you, and," I paused to catch my breath, meeting his gaze, "I want you."