🔞⛔️Please refrain from opening this chapter if you are under 18 years old. Exercise discretion; this is a work of fiction with all its imaginative elements.
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"You're not a monster, Raven. You're a sociopath. And that's far worse. Poor monsters compared to you."
Raven furrowed his brow, then laughed.
At that moment, Alaric noticed for the first time that Raven had two slightly protruding canine teeth among his otherwise neat rows of teeth.
But something strange was happening to Alaric.
He felt a fiery passion within him, and his body temperature rose. The strong desire to unleash his deep desires on Raven began to emerge.
Confusion mixed with growing anxiety as Alaric felt a strange sensation wash over him. Primitive energy flooded his being, making his heart beat fast and his breath quicken.
Unconsciously, primal instincts began to stir, urging him to satisfy his most basic desires.
Alaric imagined scenes where he untied the restraints binding Raven to the bed, but then he would let the bindings on his wrists remain.
Alaric would tear off the hospital gown clinging to him, pull the cables from the young man's chest, and kiss his pale lips deeply.
What would it feel like?
Alaric desperately wanted to know.
Of course, Raven wouldn't be able to resist in his bound state.
But Alaric quickly regained control of himself. He realized that he couldn't let his growing desires overpower him. He didn't want to succumb to his primal instincts.
With a sharp gaze, Alaric locked eyes with Raven, his eyes filled with a mix of astonishment and hatred swirling in his piercing gaze.
"No one can save me, Alaric," Raven whispered, his voice trembling. "I'm just a waste, a futile existence."
*
Alaric struggled to regain control over his tumultuous thoughts, his fingers whitening as he gripped the bed railing tightly.
He could feel the heat radiating from Raven's body, the magnetic pull drawing him closer, tempting him to surrender to his primal instincts.
"Hey!" Raven called out. "HEY!" he repeated.
Alaric blinked, forcing himself to refocus.
He took a deep breath, refreshing his mind from the dangerous temptation earlier. He needed to stay focused on his primary objective.
Yet, in Alaric's heart, he couldn't deny the dark allure triggered by Raven's presence.
It was a dangerous temptation, enticing Alaric to disregard all reason and surrender to the dormant darkness within his soul.
"Where's your mind at? Dazing off in the middle of a conversation?" Raven taunted.
Alaric closed his eyes and centered his attention.
"Yes, basically, after you're declared fit, Raven, you'll be immediately transferred to a mental health institution. Maybe around 6 months of rehabilitation, could be more, could be a year, or even longer."
"Hm, possibly even a lifetime. Your actions earlier fall under the category of dangerous suicide attempt. You won't just get off easily this time. Enjoy your limited life there, until you're old. Or...,"
"Or?"
"Or you could join my club. I can vouch for your freedom because, well, I'm really good at persuasion. Your mother has experienced it."
"Tch...," Raven scoffed in annoyance.
Alaric grinned. "I'll come again tomorrow. Think carefully about my offer."
Alaric tousled Raven's hair with one of his large hands.
"And btw, you look good with the bindings like this, I do like it. I'm aroused just looking at it." Alaric smirked mischievously and winked with one eye.
"Pervert, bastard!" Raven cursed as he watched Alaric leave the room.
Alaric raised one hand in the air. "See you tomorrow, loony!" he jeered, laughing heartily as he exited Raven's presence.
*
The atmosphere in the basecamp was vibrant, with the sound of Gavin's laptop keys, lively conversations among club members, and neon lights radiating around the room.
As their central hub of activity, the basecamp was where ideas were born, work was planned, and laughter and complaints were heard.
The room itself looked cozy, with industrial-style walls adorned with various posters and artworks, creating a creative and energetic atmosphere.
"Come on, Al, show me a little sympathy." Ryder continued to try to persuade Alaric at the basecamp.
At that moment, Alaric had just finished a small meeting with Gavin about monthly expenses, water bills, electricity, and other household matters.
Meanwhile, Gavin was busy maintaining the club's applications.
Alaric sighed and relaxed in his comfortable chair.
"If you keep pushing to skip over small-paying client offers for the bigger ones, it's really not fair to our regular clients, Ryder. They've been loyal and waiting their turn; why should they be pushed back just to cater to your financial needs?" Alaric pointed out, his tone firm yet fair. "You're in the service industry, Ryder. Part of our job is to understand and respect the queue."
"But what about my financial issues?" Ryder retorted, his frustration palpable. "My credit card debt is sky-high, and I've maxed out my borrowing limit at the club. I literally can't take out another loan."
Dhimas, who had been quietly listening, chimed in with a suggestion, "Maybe you should reconsider some of your spending habits, like cutting back on your drinking. What's the real benefit of booking a table every weekend anyway? Just to impress your hedonist friends?"