Adrian's POV
Valeria was mine. I knew it sounded mad, maybe even reckless, but I didn't care. She'd become a fixation, a need that gnawed at my mind and settled deep in my bones. Watching her now, the way she moved around the room with that grace no human could ever possess, I knew I'd do anything to keep her close. The idea of anyone else—even someone like Talon—trying to claim her made my blood run cold with jealousy.
She was at the window, staring out into the night, and I found myself drawn to her. Every fiber of my being was wired to keep her within reach, to keep anyone else from staking their claim on her.
"What are you thinking about?" I asked, unable to stand the silence any longer.
She turned, those ethereal eyes meeting mine, and for a moment, I felt a pang of something raw and terrifying—a possessive need to consume her, to make her see that I was the only one who could protect her.
"Just… everything," she murmured. "Talon. The danger I've dragged you into. It's more than I wanted for you, Adrian. I should have left you out of this."
The thought of her leaving me behind sparked a dark, desperate feeling I hadn't known was there. "You don't get to decide that," I replied, a bit sharper than I intended. "I'm here. I'm with you. And I'll be damned if anyone, especially Talon, thinks they can keep me from you."
She sighed, crossing her arms as she leaned against the window frame. "Adrian, this isn't a normal fight. Talon isn't human. He's… something beyond that."
"I don't care what he is," I growled, stepping closer. "And frankly, I'm tired of hearing his name. He has no claim over you, Valeria. You're free. You're—" Mine. I almost said it, but the word stuck in my throat, burning with an intensity I barely understood.
She tilted her head, her expression softening. "You don't know how deep this goes, Adrian. Talon and I… there are things in my past I haven't told you."
My jaw tightened. The thought of her past with him twisted in my gut like a knife. I didn't care how far back it went. He was still a threat, and I wasn't about to tolerate it. "I don't care about your past. I care about now, Valeria. And as far as I'm concerned, any part of it that has him in it is over."
I couldn't stop the dark thought that lingered. If I had to tear down every supernatural being that tried to stake a claim on her, I'd do it without hesitation. She didn't need to know just how far I was willing to go for her.
"Adrian…" she began, but before she could say more, a knock sounded at the door.
I tensed, instinctively positioning myself between her and the door. Whoever it was, I was ready to make it clear they weren't welcome. Her safety was all that mattered, and I wasn't going to let anyone get close.
She moved to open it, but I stopped her, holding up a hand. "Let me."
She sighed but didn't argue, stepping back as I cracked the door open. Standing on the other side was a tall man, his dark eyes intense as he looked past me and directly at Valeria. He didn't even acknowledge me, as if I didn't matter in the slightest.
"Valeria," he greeted her, his voice soft, intimate. It made my skin crawl. "I came as soon as I heard. Talon's been… on the warpath."
"Rafael." She nodded, her expression calm, but I could see the hint of familiarity in her gaze. "I appreciate the concern, but I can handle it."
Rafael's eyes flicked back to me, and I could tell he wasn't impressed by my presence. It was the way he looked at her, like he thought he knew her better than anyone else could, that made my blood boil.
I stepped forward, making it clear that he was unwelcome. "You've got her message. She doesn't need help."
He arched an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "And who are you, exactly? Her new guard dog?"
"Enough." Valeria's voice was calm but firm, cutting through the tension. "Adrian is with me, Rafael. You should respect that."
There it was. She was choosing me, and I wanted him to hear it loud and clear. But Rafael, of course, had to make it difficult.
"Fine," he said, eyeing me up and down like I was nothing more than an obstacle. "But I'm not here to fight. I came to help." He looked back at her, the possessiveness in his gaze unmistakable. "You know where to find me, Valeria, if you change your mind."
He turned and left, but the air still felt charged, every nerve in me on edge. The way he looked at her… I wanted to tear him apart for it.
Once he was gone, I shut the door and turned to her. "Why is every supernatural being in this damn city obsessed with you?"
She gave me a small smile, but there was a sadness in her eyes. "It's complicated. Power draws people in… and sometimes, they can't let go."
"Well, I won't let them have you," I said, my voice harder than I intended. "Rafael, Talon—none of them get to just show up and decide to act like you belong to them."
For a moment, there was silence between us. She seemed to search my face, as if seeing something in me she hadn't noticed before.
"What is it, Adrian?" she asked, her voice softer now.
I hesitated, wondering if I should say it. If she should know the truth of how deep this went. "I don't like sharing, Valeria. Not when it comes to you."
The words hung in the air, heavy with the truth I'd been hiding. Her expression softened, and for a second, I thought she might step closer, might let me close that distance. But she only nodded, a faint smile on her lips.
"I know," she said simply, as if it were something she'd always known.
But before I could respond, she lifted her hand, and once again, that light enveloped me, wrapping me in warmth and something else I couldn't quite place. I felt its power, but I also felt her in it, something protective and fierce, like she was shielding me from every danger that lurked in the shadows.
"What's this for?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
"It's so they know you're under my protection," she replied, her eyes flashing. "Anyone who sees this light will know that they'll have to go through me to get to you."
I looked down at the shimmering aura surrounding me, the same one I'd seen when Talon tried to get close to me. It was bright, almost blinding, yet it felt like home, like she'd wrapped a piece of herself around me.
"Valeria," I whispered, reaching out to take her hand. "You don't have to protect me. I want to be the one protecting you."
She smiled, a sad, knowing smile, and squeezed my hand gently. "Adrian, you already are. More than you realize."
And in that moment, I knew I'd never let anyone take her from me. Not Talon, not Rafael, not anyone.
She was mine.