Chapter 17: A Darker Threat
These days of peaceful quiet between Emilia and Dorian were never going to last. The moment when the walls had crumbled and their trust had been solidified, the shadows in Dorian's world stirred again. For all their progress, the danger lurking just beyond the surface was not finished with them yet.
The coming of a new figure, one wrapped in darkness and secrecy, would soon prove to be the real test of their bond.
She had been sitting by the window one rainy afternoon when she first saw him—tall, imposing, with eyes that seemed to see straight through her. His presence was like a chill in the air, colder than the storm which battered the windows. There was something about him that immediately set her on edge, something darker than she had ever felt around Dorian or Lyla.
Dorian had never spoken of him, but the moment he entered the room, the air thickened with tension. His gaze swept the room, cold and calculating, before settling on Emilia. She froze under his scrutiny.
"Emilia, this is Viktor," Dorian said, his voice low, his usual calm demeanor slipping for just a moment. "Viktor has been a part of my life for a long time.
Viktor. The name alone sent a shiver down her spine. There was nothing about him that suggested anything remotely friendly. His broad shoulders and sharp features were like a shadow in the room, his presence overwhelming. He did not extend a hand in greeting, nor did he make any effort to soften the oppressive air around him.
Emilia could raise a polite smile to greet them, but the smile felt like an act, something she'd rehearsed a long time ago and that had now gone terribly out of place. "Nice to meet you," she said, although it sounded quite hollow.
Viktor didn't respond to her greeting. Instead, he stepped closer, his gaze never leaving her face. "I've heard much about you, Emilia," he said, his voice smooth but with an edge that made her skin crawl. "I must admit, I'm intrigued. How does it feel to be caught in the web of someone as. dangerous as Dorian?"
Emilia's breath caught, and she instinctively looked at Dorian. His expression was unreadable, but his jaw was clenched, a sign that he wasn't pleased by Viktor's words.
"Enough, Viktor," Dorian said, his tone sharp. "We're not here to discuss Emilia."
Viktor snorted low and ignored Dorian's command as if it was the mere inconvenience of a mosquito flying around his head. "Of course, not. Still, the question would be better put: what do you mean to do about this, Dorian? Are you seriously to allow a human woman to come between you and everything that you have built?"
Emilia's heart skipped a beat. The weight of his words hung in the air like a promise of something sinister. She knew Dorian's world was complicated, but she hadn't realized just how deep the shadows went.
Dorian's eyes flashed with something darker. "You know better than to test me, Viktor," he said, his voice now low, dangerous. "I'll not be intimidated by your games."
Viktor smiled, but the smile held no warmth in it. It was a smile of a predator, one that had already decided his prey was his to control. "We'll see how long that lasts, Dorian. Humans are fragile things, after all. And I have a way of making even the strongest crumble."
Emilia's chest tightened as she met Viktor's gaze. There was something about him-something in the way he looked at her-that made her feel as though she were nothing more than a pawn in a much larger game.
But Dorian wasn't done. His hand found hers, his fingers gripping hers tightly-a silent promise that he wouldn't let Viktor's threats affect them. "You won't touch her," he said firmly.
Viktor's eyes flashed, and for one instant, the air between them vibrated with tension that sent shivers down Emilia's spine. But then, Viktor's smirk was back, and he stepped backwards, as if relishing the unease he had elicited.
"Very well," Viktor said with a nearly bored shrug. "For now, I'll let you have your little truce. But remember, Dorian, I don't forget easily. I'll be watching.
With that, Viktor turned and left the room, leaving behind him a trail of silent footsteps.
Emilia couldn't breathe. The weight of Viktor's presence still lingered in the air above her, heavy and suffocating. She looked up at Dorian, her heart racing. "Who is he? What does he want?
Dorian's face was tense, his eyes darker than she had ever seen them. "Viktor is someone from my past. A rival. And now, a threat."
"Threat?" Emilia repeated, her voice trembling. "He. he scares me, Dorian. He doesn't care about anything, does he? Not even you.
Dorian's jaw clenched, and for a long moment, he didn't answer. When he did, it was low, almost like he spoke more to himself than to her. "He wants power. And he thinks he can break me, break us, to get it.
Emilia's heart sank. She hadn't realized just how deep the dangers of Dorian's world went. Lyla had been bad enough, but Viktor was a different kind of monster.
"I won't let him hurt you," Dorian said abruptly, his voice firm, and brought Emilia back into the present. He took her hands in his, the touch warm against her cold skin. "You're not just someone to be controlled. I won't let anyone touch you—no matter who they are."
But as she looked into his eyes, Emilia couldn't help but wonder if that was enough. Viktor was far more dangerous than she had ever anticipated, and she wasn't sure if Dorian could protect them both from the storm he was about to unleash.
In the days that followed, tension remained between Dorian and Viktor-a silent undercurrent that nobody was blind to. The quiet threats and subtle manipulations coming from Viktor left a lingering, uneasy feeling in the air. But no matter what he threw their way, Emilia and Dorian stood together, united by a bond that neither of them could explain, yet one they knew was more powerful than anything Viktor could tear apart.
But as the shadow of Viktor's influence drew closer, Emilia had a feeling that this
was only the beginning of something far more dangerous.