The city was bathed in moonlight, its streets quiet and still, the kind of night where the shadows stretched long and deep, providing ample cover for a vampire like Viktor.
He stood across from Mikel's art studio, cloaked in darkness, his keen eyes never leaving the windows, watching every movement inside.
Mikel was there, as usual, absorbed in his work, the light from the lamps inside spilling out onto the empty street.
Viktor had been watching from a distance for days now, protecting Mikel without his knowledge.
His heart ached each time he saw him, longing to step out from the shadows, but he stayed hidden, knowing the space between them was necessary.
Yet, as Viktor observed, he couldn't stop the thoughts that swirled relentlessly in his mind. He'd done the right thing by giving Mikel the time he needed, but that didn't stop the hurt.
