Page 3 of The Darkness Within
He glanced over at her again, watching her laugh with her friends, oblivious to the storm he is grappling with just a fewfeet away. She deserved better. She deserves normalcy, a life untouched by the darkness that follows him everywhere he goes. But as much as he wants to walk away, he knows he won’t. He can’t.
The bond is too strong, the pull too deep. She is his now, whether she knows it or not. And he will protect her, even if it means tearing through any rogue, demon, or human that dares to come near her.
Scar is right. He’d figure it out. He always did. But for the first time, he felt like he was fighting a battle he wasn’t sure he could win.
He pushes the thought aside. For now, all he knew was that he wasn’t letting her out of his sight. Not until he understood what this bond meant and how he could keep her safe.
The bar seems to shrink, the walls closing in as he watches her, her friends pulling her toward the dance floor. He can still feel the electricity crackling between them, his senses heightened by the way her presence stirs something deep within him. The colour that had bled into his vision hasn’t faded; instead, it intensifies, bringing the world to life in a way he hadn’t thought possible.
Scar is saying something, but he doesn’t hear him. His focus is locked on her as she moves, her laughter reaching him over the noise, a siren call he can’t resist. She turns and glances back at him, her gaze holding his for just a heartbeat longer than necessary. It was all the invitation he needed.
Blade is on his feet before he even registers the movement, his body acting on instinct. He crosses the room, weaving through the crowd, until he is standing just a few feet from her. Shelooks up, surprise flashing in her eyes, but there is something else there too—a spark, a hint of the connection that had been simmering between them since they first locked eyes.
“Rayne,” he says, trying her name on his lips for the first time, having heard her friends calling her. His voice is low and rough, filled with a need he can’t contain.
“Yes,” she replies, almost a whisper. He can see the curiosity in her eyes, the way her chest rises and falls with each shallow breath, mirroring his own anticipation. He reaches out, his fingers brushing against her cheek, marvelling at the softness of her skin, the warmth that seeps into him from the lightest touch.
“What are you doing?” she asks, her voice trembling, but she doesn’t pull away. Instead, she leans into his touch, her eyes searching his, as if she is looking for answers he doesn’t yet have.
Blade hesitates, the intensity of his emotions warring with his sense of duty, with the knowledge that he should walk away, leave her in peace. But he can’t. The need to be close to her, to feel her against him, was stronger than anything he’d ever known.
“Something I shouldn’t,” he murmurs, his face just inches from hers. He can see every detail of her, the way her lips part, the hint of vulnerability in her gaze. He can smell her, a sweet, intoxicating scent that makea his head spin.
And then he can’t hold back any longer. He closes the distance between them, capturing her lips in a kiss that is as fierce as it is tender. Rayne gasps, her hands finding their way to his chest, clutching at his shirt as if she were trying to ground herself.Blade feels a surge of satisfaction, knowing that she feels the same intensity, the same hunger that is consuming him.
The kiss deepens, and Blade loses himself in the sensation of her. Her lips are soft, yielding to him, and he can taste the faint sweetness of her drink mingling with something uniquely hers. It is intoxicating, more potent than any demon’s brew, more dangerous than any enemy he’d ever faced. He wraps his arms around her, pulling her close, feeling the warmth of her body pressed against his. The world around them fades, leaving only the two of them locked in this moment, as if time had stopped.
Rayne responds with equal fervour, her fingers trailing up to his neck, tangling in his hair. Blade shivers, a low growl rumbling in his chest as he deepens the kiss, pouring everything he couldn’t say into the way he touches her, the way he holds her as if she were the only thing that matters.
When they finally break apart, both are breathing heavily, their foreheads resting together as they try to steady themselves. Blade keeps his arms around her, unwilling to let her go, even as the rational part of his mind screams at him to step back, to put distance between them before it was too late.
Rayne looks up at him, her eyes wide and searching, filled with a mixture of wonder and uncertainty. “What…was that?” she asks, her voice barely a whisper.
“I don’t know,” Blade replies, his own voice thick with emotion. “But it feels like something I can’t walk away from.”
She nods, and he can see the same conflict mirrored in her gaze, the same need that is pulsing through his veins. She touches his face, her fingers light against his skin, as if she’s afraid hemight disappear. “I feel it too,” she admits, her words a soft confession.
Blade closes his eyes, savouring the feel of her, the way she seems to fit against him, as if they are two halves of a whole that has finally found each other. He knows this is dangerous, knows he is risking everything by allowing himself to be close to her. But he also knows that he can’t turn away, not now. Not ever.
For a long moment, they stand there, wrapped in each other’s arms, the world around them forgotten. Blade knows that this is just the beginning, that there are still secrets to be told, dangers lurking in the shadows. But for now, he allows himself to hold her, to let her warmth seep into him, anchoring him to a world that, for the first time in centuries, felt real.
As they pull away, Blade meets her gaze, a silent promise passing between them. Whatever this is, whatever it means, he will protect her, will keep her safe from the dangers that would surely come. Because she is his now, in a way that transcends words, in a way that he knows will change everything.
And he is ready to face it, whatever it takes.
Blade reluctantly pulls back, his lips tingling from the kiss, the taste of Rayne still lingering as he gazes down at her. Her cheeks are flushed, and her breathing uneven, but she doesn’t step away. Instead, she holds his gaze, her eyes filled with questions and a hint of something that makes his chest tighten.
“I don’t even know your name,” she says softly, her voice a bit unsteady.
“It’s Blade,” he replies, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He let’s the name hang in the air, watching as she processes it, as if she can feel the weight of it, the history and the darkness that comes with it.
“Blade,” she repeats, testing it out, a slight smile appearing on her face. “Well, that suits you.”
He chuckles, the sound low and almost surprised. He wasn’t used to feeling this light, this… connection. But he knew he couldn’t stay. The night was darkening, and there were shadows moving that needed his attention, dangers lurking too close for comfort.
Before he can pull away completely, he reaches into her back pocket and pulls out her phone, holding it between them. “Your phone,” he says, raising an eyebrow as he waits for her to unlock it. She hesitates, clearly caught off guard, but then complies, handing it back with a curious look.
Without another word, Blade punches his number into her contacts, the motions quick and practiced. He pings his own phone, ensuring the connection went both ways. He needs a way to reach her, to keep her safe in a world she doesn’t yet understand.