Rose's cheeks flushed as she stared at Sylus, whose confident smirk hadn't wavered since she tied the blindfold. He remained seated, his hands bound with the delicate silk ribbons she'd used moments ago. Yet somehow, even like this, he exuded an aura of control.
"Well?" he drawled, tilting his head slightly toward her. "Are you just going to stand there and admire me all night?"
"I'm not admiring you!" Rose snapped, though the heat in her face suggested otherwise. She quickly turned her gaze away, her heart pounding.
Sylus chuckled, a deep and amused sound that only made her more flustered. "Sure you're not. But you might want to hurry, kitten. I can feel your hesitation from here."
Her fists clenched as she tried to gather her courage. The glowing mission prompt remained floating in the air, taunting her. She didn't have a choice—not if she wanted to avoid the dreaded consequences of failure.
Rose squared her shoulders and stepped closer, her movements hesitant but determined. "Alright," she said, her voice firmer than before. "You think you're so clever, don't you? Let's see how smug you are when this is over."
Sylus's grin widened. "Oh, I'm looking forward to it."
Ignoring him, Rose leaned in, her breath hitching as she got closer. She could feel the heat radiating from him, the faint scent of cedarwood and something darker that made her head spin. Her lips hovered near his ear, the proximity sending her nerves into overdrive.
"I…" she began, her voice trembling. Her mind raced to find the right words to fulfill the mission. "I think you're… infuriating."
Sylus raised an eyebrow beneath the blindfold, clearly amused. "Not exactly sweet or loving, kitten."
Rose scowled, biting her lip. "Fine. Let me try again."
She leaned in closer, her voice soft but steady this time. "I think you're… captivating. The way you command attention, the way you… make me feel like I'm the only person in the room."
Sylus went still, his smirk fading slightly as her words hung in the air. For a moment, he seemed caught off guard, though he quickly masked it with his usual teasing demeanor.
"Now that's more like it," he said, his tone lower, more intimate. "But I think you can do better."
Rose's cheeks burned, but before she could retort, the glowing prompt flashed: Mission Complete: Sylus's trust has increased.
The ribbons binding his wrists unraveled in an instant, as if they'd been waiting for the mission to conclude. Sylus removed the blindfold, his crimson eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her breath catch.
"Well done, kitten," he said, his smirk returning. "Though I have to admit, I didn't think you had it in you."
Rose crossed her arms, her confidence bolstered now that the mission was over. "Don't underestimate me. I can handle whatever this game throws at me."
"Is that so?" Sylus asked, stepping closer. The playful glint in his eyes returned, though there was a flicker of something else—something that made her heart race. "Then maybe it's time I upped the stakes."
Before Rose could respond, a new prompt appeared in glowing letters between them: Bonus Challenge: Kiss Sylus.
Her eyes widened in disbelief, and Sylus chuckled, clearly reading the reaction on her face. "Oh, this just keeps getting better," he said, leaning in slightly. "What's it going to be, kitten?"
Rose groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I hate this game."
Sylus grinned. "Funny. You don't look like you hate it."