Eclipsed by Lust

Chapter 8: "Beneath the Surface"

The dim lighting of the café flickered above Seraphine, casting long shadows on the walls as Rafe leaned forward, his eyes narrowing slightly. The tension between them thickened as Seraphine waited, her breath catching with every heartbeat. This man held the answers she needed, but the cost of learning them was unclear.

“You’re stubborn, I’ll give you that,” Rafe said, his voice low and gravelly. “But determination won’t get you far in the world Victor is tangled in. You need more than just resolve.”

Seraphine swallowed hard, determined not to let her fear show. “I don’t care what it takes. I’ll do whatever it takes to find him.”

Rafe regarded her for a long moment, as if weighing the truth of her words. “You’re not the first woman Victor’s brought into this mess, you know. His life isn’t just dangerous—it’s toxic. People have died trying to protect him.”

The weight of his words hung in the air like a noose tightening around Seraphine’s neck. She knew Victor’s past was riddled with danger, but hearing it spelled out so bluntly chilled her. Still, she couldn’t turn back. Not now.

“I’m not them,” she replied, her voice firm. “I’m not walking away.”

Rafe smirked, but there was no humor in his eyes. “Fine. You want to know where Victor is? I’ll tell you. But when you find him, don’t expect things to be the same.”

Seraphine’s chest tightened. “Where is he?”

Rafe leaned back, crossing his arms. “He’s gone underground. Victor is holed up in an old estate just outside the city—an abandoned place that used to belong to his family. He’s lying low, waiting for the storm to pass. But that’s not what you should be worried about.”

“What do you mean?”

Rafe’s gaze darkened. “Victor isn’t just hiding from the people after him. He’s dealing with something far worse—something personal. If you go to him now, you’ll be walking into the eye of the storm.”

Seraphine felt her stomach churn. “What’s happening to him?”

“Victor’s family… they’re involved in things that run deeper than you could ever imagine. Dark, twisted legacies tied to power, control, and blood. He’s trying to sever ties with them, but it’s not that easy. And if you show up now, you might just get caught in the crossfire.”

Seraphine’s heart pounded in her chest. The stakes were higher than she realized, but the fear didn’t deter her. If anything, it only strengthened her resolve.

“I don’t care,” she said, her voice steady despite the anxiety gnawing at her. “I need to see him.”

Rafe shook his head slowly. “You have no idea what you’re getting into.”

Seraphine stood up, her hands trembling but her eyes burning with determination. “Tell me where the estate is.”

After a moment of silence, Rafe sighed, then scribbled something on a napkin. “Here’s the address. But consider this your warning. You go there, you’re on your own. I can’t protect you.”

Seraphine snatched the napkin from the table, her heart racing as she looked at the address. “Thank you,” she murmured, turning to leave.

As she stepped out of the café, the cool night air hit her face, but it did nothing to calm the storm of emotions brewing inside her. She clutched the napkin tightly, her mind swirling with fear, uncertainty, and the undeniable pull she felt toward Victor.

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The next morning, Seraphine stood at the edge of a long, winding driveway leading to the estate. Her breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight before her—a grand, old mansion cloaked in ivy, its windows dark and lifeless. The air was thick with an eerie silence, as if the house itself was holding its breath.

She hesitated for a moment, fear gnawing at the edges of her resolve. But then she thought of Victor—alone, surrounded by the ghosts of his past—and pushed forward. She wouldn’t abandon him now, not when he needed her most.

The closer she got to the house, the more oppressive the atmosphere became. It felt like walking into another world, one where the shadows were alive, lurking just out of sight. Seraphine’s heart raced as she approached the massive front door, her fingers trembling as she knocked.

For a long moment, there was only silence.

Then, the door creaked open, revealing Victor. His face was pale, his eyes dark and hollow, as if he hadn’t slept in days. The sight of him sent a jolt of fear and relief through Seraphine in equal measure.

“Seraphine,” he said, his voice rough and weary. “What are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t stay away,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “I needed to see you.”

Victor’s gaze softened, but there was a flicker of something darker beneath the surface—something he was trying to keep hidden. He stepped aside, letting her into the house, and as the door closed behind them, Seraphine felt the weight of the shadows pressing in on her.

The inside of the mansion was even more foreboding than the outside—dusty, cold, with long hallways that seemed to stretch on forever. Victor led her into a dimly lit room, where a single lamp cast long, eerie shadows on the walls.

“You shouldn’t have come,” Victor said, his voice strained. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, his movements tense.

“I had to,” Seraphine replied, stepping closer. “I couldn’t just wait while you dealt with all of this alone.”

Victor’s eyes flicked toward her, a storm of emotions swirling within them. “It’s not safe for you here, Seraphine. I’m in deeper than you realize.”

Seraphine took a deep breath, her resolve hardening. “I don’t care. I’m not leaving you.”

Victor’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, he looked as if he might argue. But then his expression softened, and he stepped closer, his hand gently brushing her cheek.

“I’m sorry I dragged you into this,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “You deserve better.”

Seraphine reached up, placing her hand over his. “Don’t say that. I’m here because I want to be.”

For a long moment, they stood there, locked in each other’s gaze, the weight of everything unsaid hanging between them. Seraphine could see the exhaustion in his eyes, the fear that lingered just beneath the surface. But more than that, she saw the man she had fallen for—the man who had become her world, despite the danger that surrounded him.

“I’m not going anywhere, Victor,” she said softly. “Whatever happens, we’ll face it together.”

Victor’s grip tightened around her hand, and for the first time since she had arrived, Seraphine saw a flicker of hope in his eyes.

But that hope was fleeting.

A sudden noise echoed through the house—a sharp, metallic clang that made both of them freeze. Victor’s expression darkened instantly, and he moved toward the door, his body tense.

“They’re here,” he muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible.

“Who?” Seraphine asked, fear creeping into her voice.

Victor turned to her, his expression grim. “The people I’ve been hiding from. They’ve found me.”

Seraphine’s heart raced, her mind spinning as the reality of the situation hit her. She had walked into the very danger Victor had tried to protect her from.

“What do we do?” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Victor’s eyes darkened, the familiar mask of control slipping back into place. “We fight.”

The tension in the room was suffocating as the sound of footsteps grew louder, echoing through the mansion. Seraphine’s heart pounded in her chest, fear gripping her like a vice. But as she looked at Victor, standing tall and determined, she knew she couldn’t let fear control her.

Together, they would face whatever was coming.

And no matter what happened, Seraphine knew she would not back down.

Not now. Not ever.