--- Tara sensed him before she saw him-Ekansh, standing silently in the flickering temple light, his eyes closed as if in meditation. When his gaze finally met hers, she felt an invisible pull, binding her in place. "You've entered a world you don't understand," he murmured, stepping closer, his hand brushing a strand of her hair away. His voice was soft, but laced with something dark, something magnetic. "Once you're here, there's no going back. I know your secrets... even the ones you hide from yourself." She whispered, "Why me?" A slow, dangerous smile. "Because you're the only thing I can't control. And that makes you...irresistible." In that instant, Tara felt both trapped and drawn, unsure if he was her protector or captor-but helplessly entangled, either way. ---
4 parts