Crimson Bonds

Breaking Point

I wake up on the cold hardwood floor, the hallway dimly lit by the soft, grey light of morning. My body is stiff, the remnants of sleep leaving me disoriented for a moment, until the memories from last night rush back. The argument, the confrontation, the revelation about my ancestry—it all weighs on me like a lead blanket.

I sit up, my head heavy with exhaustion and confusion. My heart is still racing from the whirlwind of emotions I've barely been able to process. My fingers instinctively brush over the tender bruises on my wrists, reminders of the moment when Dante's frustration boiled over. But it's not just the physical pain that hurts—it's the deeper truth that now gnaws at my core.

The revelation of my lineage, my connection to ancient power, has torn something open inside me. What was a simple investigation has turned into something much more dangerous and complex. I never asked for this, never imagined I would be thrust into a world where my very existence carries such weight.

And yet, despite everything—despite the fear, the anger, the betrayal—I still want them. Dante, Nikolai, and Lila. I want to belong to them, with them, no matter what that means.

I can feel it deep inside, the pull toward them like an invisible tether. They are dangerous. They came for me with ulterior motives, but I'm not ready to walk away. My mind spins with thoughts of what could have been if I hadn't met them, if I hadn't dug too deep. I might have never known about this part of myself. I might still be safe, still human in the ways that matter most.

But now... now I am something else. My bloodline ties me to the supernatural world in ways that terrify me, and yet, it also anchors me to the trio. The truth has changed things, but one thing remains clear: I need them. And they need me.

I can't deny the connection we share. No matter how much it scares me, no matter how angry I am, I can't push them away. I've chosen this. I've chosen them.

With a deep breath, I stand, feeling the heaviness in my limbs as I make my way back into the main room where they wait.

The argument has quieted when I enter, but the tension in the air is unbearable. I sit in the center of it all, feeling the weight of their emotions pressing down on me. Dante stands apart, his eyes fixed on the floor, his jaw clenched tight. I can feel the frustration radiating off him, and though Nikolai has fallen into a tense silence, I know he hasn't let go of his anger. Lila, always the calm center, lingers between them, trying to mediate, but even she seems worn down by the strain.

And me? I feel like I'm caught in a storm, the emotional energy swirling around us, leaving me breathless. The argument between Dante and Nikolai has revealed the fractures beneath the surface—their different ideas about how to deal with the rogues, their fears for our future. But under all of that is another tension, something that has been building between all of us for days.

Desire. A pull so strong, so undeniable, that it makes the air around us feel electric. And at the heart of it, there is Dante, standing with his back to me, refusing to look at me even as I feel the weight of his presence pressing against my skin.

He wants me. I know that. I can feel it as clearly as the others' desire, as if our bond has deepened to the point where their emotions bleed into mine. But with Dante, there is more than just want—there is fear. A fear that I know is holding him back, that is keeping him distant.

I can't let that happen. I can't let him keep pushing me away.

"Dante," I say softly, breaking the silence. His shoulders stiffen, but he doesn't turn to face me. He won't look at me.

Nikolai shoots him an exasperated glance, though his teasing is gone, replaced by a deeper frustration. "You're thinking too much again, Dante," he says, though there's no bite to his words, just weariness. "She's already with us. You can't keep pushing her away."