blood orange sky (bwwm horror)

of the damned

The fire crackled in the pit, sending sparks spiraling into the night sky. Calliope sat across from the flames, feeling the warmth on her face as she leaned back into her chair. Lucas sat next to her, his face lit up in the soft glow, calm and unreadable as always. Ben, Lucas's older brother, sat on the other side, his longer brown hair catching the firelight, but it was his eyes—strikingly green—that drew attention. They glinted as he turned toward Calliope, a playful grin spreading across his face.

"Mind if I join you?" Ben asked, already lowering himself onto the seat next to her. His voice was warm, relaxed, and there was a hint of something in his tone—something easy, like a subtle flirtation.

"Not at all," Calliope replied, smiling faintly as she shifted in her seat, aware of the way Ben's eyes lingered on her for just a moment longer than necessary.

He leaned back, casually stretching his arms over the back of his chair, his gaze settling on her as though studying her in the flickering light. "You know, Lucas didn't tell me he had such interesting company tonight," he teased lightly, his lips curling into a half-smile. "Guess he wanted to keep you all to himself."

Calliope chuckled, feeling Lucas glance over at her, but she didn't look back. There was something mischievous in Ben's tone, but also harmless, like someone who enjoyed testing boundaries just to see how far they'd go.

"You must be Callie, right?" Ben continued. "Heard a lot about you—how you've been keeping this guy company out here in that shack of his."

Calliope raised an eyebrow, amused by how easily he slipped into conversation. "Heard a lot, huh? From Lucas?" she asked, glancing over at Lucas, who was now staring into the fire, jaw clenched but silent.

Ben smirked. "Not exactly," he said, his green eyes flashing in the firelight. "I might've been curious myself." He leaned in just a bit, lowering his voice. "But, don't get too flattered—I'm already taken."

Calliope tilted her head, caught off guard by his sudden confession. "Oh?" she asked, glancing at Lucas again, who remained stoic, though she sensed the tension in him.

"Yeah," Ben said, sitting back in his chair, his tone softening. "My wife, Amber. You'll meet her soon enough. She's been feeling under the weather lately, but I'll bring her by Lucas's place next week. I think you two would get along."

Calliope smiled, nodding slowly. "I'd love to meet her."

Ben gave a small nod in return, his flirtatious edge fading into something more genuine. "Yeah, she's great. You'll see."

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The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden glow over Lucas's small cabin as Calliope stood on the porch, anxiously smoothing the hem of her shirt. The soft hum of the forest surrounded her, but the nerves in her chest tightened as she thought about meeting Ben's wife, Amber. Ben had talked about her at length , and though he was playful and teasing, there was a softness when he spoke of Amber that made Calliope feel curious—and a little uncertain. She didn't know what to expect.

From the distance, she heard the low rumble of a truck and moments later, Ben's familiar voice floated through the trees as he led Amber up the path toward the cabin. Calliope stepped off the porch, trying to catch her first glimpse of the woman who had been such a mysterious presence in her thoughts.

As they emerged from the woods, Calliope spotted Ben first, his brown hair tied back loosely, his green eyes bright as always. Beside him was Amber—a striking woman with sun-kissed skin, long chestnut hair that fell in waves down her back, and a smile that seemed to radiate warmth. But as they drew closer, Calliope's breath caught in her throat.