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Chapter 15 - Fading Echoes

Lena's eyes snapped to the mirror again, and she froze. Damien stood behind her, his reflection a dark presence in the glass. He was so close that she could feel the heat of him radiating against her back. Her breath hitched, and she couldn't hide the way her heart fluttered at the sight of him, despite herself.

"What happened last night?" she asked, her voice steady but laced with a quiet urgency. She had to know, even if she already dreaded the answer.

Damien's lips curled into a slow, malicious smile, his gaze predatory as it swept over her. "You don't remember?" he mused, stepping closer until his chest brushed against her back. "What a shame… I thought you'd be more interesting than that."

Lena's muscles tensed as she tried to remain calm, not showing the fear that churned in her gut. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her rattled. But his voice, the way it dripped with dark amusement, made it hard to focus.

"I'd say you're a good little pet," he continued, his words cruel but slow, like a caress. "But I guess even pets forget their place sometimes."

Lena clenched her fists, feeling the familiar weight of anger pressing at the back of her throat. She didn't respond. She wouldn't respond. His taunts wouldn't break her.

Damien's fingers brushed her hair aside, the touch so gentle it made her skin crawl. His breath was hot against her ear, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. "You smell different now, you know," he murmured, his voice low and dangerous. "I can still taste it... the sweetness of your blood. The way you trembled when I fed from you."

Lena braced herself against the dresser, her fingers digging into the wood, trying to steady her breathing. The urge to run flooded her, but she knew it was useless. She had learned that lesson the hard way last night. There was nowhere she could go that he wouldn't follow.

Before she could react, Damien pressed a soft kiss to the side of her neck, his lips brushing against her skin in a way that made her stomach churn. His fangs grazed her skin, and she could feel the delicate scrape of them as if they were almost daring her to make a move.

Her heart hammered in her chest, her pulse thrumming in her ears. She tightened her grip on the dresser, bracing for the sharp, searing pain she knew would come. His fangs sank just a bit deeper, the sensation sending a shiver of discomfort down her spine.

Lena's breath caught, her body stiffening as his scent wrapped around her like a poison she couldn't escape. She couldn't outrun him, and she couldn't fight him off—not in this position, not with the way he held all the power.

"Do you feel that?" Damien whispered, his lips hovering near her skin, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "I can feel you, little shadow. Feel your heart race... feel how much you hate me. It's beautiful, really."

But before she could respond—or before anything could escalate further—there was a sharp knock at the door, and a voice broke through the thick tension.

"Damien, enough," came the deep, steady voice of his brother. "You're running late."

Damien pulled away slowly, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Don't get too comfortable, little shadow," he murmured, brushing his lips lightly against her neck once more, a mocking kiss before he stepped back. "We'll pick this up later."

Lena's body was still trembling, but she didn't say anything. Damien's presence lingered, the sharp edge of his words still cutting through the air. He gave her a final, lingering glance before he turned and left the room, leaving her breathless and unsettled.

The door clicked shut, and the lock turned. Lena stood frozen for a long moment, her chest rising and falling with every ragged breath as she tried to regain some semblance of control.

Damien's brother, a tall man with an almost indiscernible gaze, stood in the doorway now. His presence was quieter, colder in a different way. "You need to get ready," he said calmly, his voice like stone. "If you don't hurry, Damien will come back for you." He looked at her with that unblinking, impassive stare before adding, "Pack a small bag. You'll be gone for a couple of days."

The words barely registered. All Lena could do was nod as he turned to leave, locking the door behind him. She stood there for a moment, still trying to steady her breathing, still trying to fight off the lingering panic. She had learned, the hard way, just how much control Damien had over her.

But it didn't mean she wouldn't try to find a way out. Even if it felt like it might destroy her.

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