Chasing Shadows

Shadows from the Past

The next morning, the sunlight streamed weakly through the curtains of Alina’s apartment, but it did little to chase away the lingering cold from the night before. She sat at the edge of her bed, clutching her phone in her hand. It was pointless to check, she knew. Damon never left traces—no missed calls, no texts, no evidence of his visits. He appeared and disappeared like a shadow, and she was left to pick up the pieces of her mind afterward.

She glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Dark circles had formed under her eyes, a testament to her sleepless nights and the toll Damon’s presence had taken on her. But this wasn’t the first time she had felt like this. She had felt it before… long before Damon had ever physically stepped into her life.

Even when he wasn’t there, his influence haunted her.

Alina’s fingers tightened around the phone as she scrolled through old messages from friends—friends she had slowly pushed away since Damon came into her life. He had a way of isolating her, making her doubt everyone except him.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. How had she let this happen?

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Flashback - Six Months Ago

It was around six months after their first meeting at the gala when she first began to notice the subtle changes. It wasn’t as if Damon had demanded she cut ties with anyone, but somehow, his presence in her life had made everyone else seem irrelevant.

It started with her friend Lena. They had been close for years, practically inseparable since college, but Damon had a way of inserting himself into their conversations, making Alina question Lena’s intentions. Little comments, subtle suggestions that perhaps Lena wasn’t as supportive as she seemed.

“She’s always so critical of you, isn’t she?” Damon had remarked once, his voice smooth as silk. “Are you sure she’s really happy for your success?”

Alina had brushed it off at first, but the seed was planted. Over time, she found herself doubting Lena more and more. Their conversations became strained, full of awkward pauses and misunderstandings. Eventually, they stopped altogether.

Then came Mark, a co-worker who had always been friendly, if not a little flirty. Damon had never outright told her not to talk to him, but there was always that underlying tension whenever his name came up.

“Men like him don’t respect boundaries,” Damon had said once, his tone casual but firm. “You should be careful. You never know what his real intentions are.”

Alina had believed him. She started avoiding Mark, pulling back from any interaction that felt too personal. Damon’s words echoed in her mind, and she couldn’t help but feel that he was protecting her, looking out for her in ways no one else ever had.

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Present Day

Now, sitting alone in her apartment, Alina realized just how isolated she had become. She had pushed everyone away, and in their absence, Damon’s presence had grown stronger. He was always there, lingering in the back of her mind, controlling her thoughts, her decisions.

A sharp knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts, her heart skipping a beat. She stood up slowly, the familiar sense of dread creeping into her chest. Damon. It had to be him.

But when she opened the door, it wasn’t Damon.

It was Lena.

“Alina, we need to talk,” Lena said, her voice filled with concern. She pushed past Alina and into the apartment before Alina could protest.

“Lena… I—” Alina started, but Lena cut her off, her eyes flashing with frustration.

“Where have you been?” Lena demanded, her voice a mix of anger and worry. “You just disappeared. No calls, no texts. I’ve been worried sick!”

Alina’s throat tightened. She hadn’t expected to see Lena, let alone have this conversation. She could feel the familiar pull of Damon’s voice in the back of her mind, warning her, telling her not to trust Lena.

“I’ve been… busy,” Alina muttered, unable to meet her friend’s eyes.

Lena crossed her arms, her gaze hard. “Busy? With what? You’ve been completely out of touch. You don’t even come to work gatherings anymore. People are starting to ask questions.”

“I… I’ve just had a lot going on,” Alina said, her voice weak, knowing how hollow her excuses sounded.

Lena took a step closer, her expression softening slightly. “Alina, what’s going on? Is there someone in your life? Someone you’re not telling me about?”

Alina felt her pulse quicken. Damon had always told her to keep their relationship private, that no one would understand. She could hear his voice in her mind, reminding her of how no one else could be trusted.

“You wouldn’t understand,” Alina whispered, her voice trembling. “It’s… complicated.”

Lena’s expression darkened with concern. “Alina, please. If there’s someone controlling you, manipulating you, you need to get away from them. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

Alina opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, the air in the room seemed to shift. A cold presence filled the space, and Alina knew, without even turning around, who it was.

Damon.

He stood in the doorway, his eyes locked on Lena, his expression unreadable.

“You should leave,” Damon said softly, but there was an edge to his voice that made it clear it wasn’t a suggestion.

Lena’s face paled, her eyes flickering between Alina and Damon. “Alina, who is this?”

Alina swallowed hard, her voice failing her. She wanted to tell Lena the truth, but the words wouldn’t come. Damon’s presence was suffocating, and she felt the familiar pull of his control tightening around her.

“Go, Lena,” Alina whispered, her eyes pleading. “Please, just go.”

Lena looked at her, hurt flashing in her eyes, but she didn’t argue. She turned and left without another word, the door clicking shut behind her.

As soon as Lena was gone, Damon’s gaze shifted to Alina. His expression was calm, but there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

“I thought we agreed that no one else needed to be involved in our little arrangement,” Damon said, his voice low and menacing.

Alina’s hands trembled at her sides. “She was just worried…”

“And now she’ll stay away, won’t she?” Damon interrupted, stepping closer to her.

Alina nodded, her throat tight with fear. Damon’s control was slipping deeper into her life, and no matter how hard she tried to fight it, she couldn’t break free.

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