*******************
Lucien stood in the quiet space of the library chamber, where the early sun filtered through high windows like soft gold. Dust floated in the light, and the air still held the weight of last night's discovery. The magic between him and Kai had surged, almost uncontrollably—brilliant, wild, and full of warning.
Behind him, Kai stirred under a light blanket on the couch, his silver lashes fluttering before his eyes blinked open. Lucien turned, meeting those eyes with a calm that barely masked the storm inside. "You didn't sleep much," Kai whispered, sitting up slowly.
Lucien gave a small smile. "Didn't need to. My mind wouldn't stop. And you… you were glowing again." Kai blinked. "I was?" Lucien nodded, moving closer. "Your aura. It's reacting to mine more and more. I think our bond's accelerating."
There was a silence before Kai whispered, "Do you regret it?" Lucien froze for half a second. Then slowly, he shook his head. "No. But I fear what it's waking up."
Later that day, Kai reached for a book enchanted with sigils across the spine. When his fingers brushed the page, it pulsed—a hot current rushing up his arm. He stumbled back, gasping. Lucien caught him, hands gripping Kai's shoulders as blue and violet light surged between them. "Kai! Are you okay?"
"I—I touched it and something answered back." Lucien's eyes flickered with shadow. "That book isn't just old. It's cursed. Bound to the bloodline of one of the founding families—mine included."
They both stared at the open page now glowing faintly. A sketch of a forest grove filled the center, and at its heart—a symbol: a flame curled inside a broken circle. "It's the same symbol from your mark," Kai murmured. Lucien nodded grimly. "It's a beacon. Someone… or something… will feel this."
******************
Lucien led Kai into a hidden chamber beneath the estate—a mirrored room, once used for private spellwork. There, he activated the bond circle with a flick of his fingers and a word in an ancient tongue. As the symbols around them lit up, Kai staggered. His reflection in the mirror shimmered—no longer just him. For a moment, he saw two shadows behind him. One looked like Lucien. The other… not quite. Lucien steadied him. "Our powers are beginning to echo across planes. What you see isn't madness. It's memory… or warning."
Kai turned to him. "Lucien… why is this bond different from the ones I've heard about?" Lucien's jaw clenched. "Because mine isn't a normal bond. My blood carries a fragment of an ancient curse—one that merges too deeply, possesses too fiercely. That's why I've been resisting. Not because I don't want you."
Kai's breath hitched. "Then what happens… if we don't stop?" Lucien looked away. "We might wake something neither of us can control."
**************
That night, Kai couldn't sleep. He stepped into Lucien's private lounge, finding him shirtless by the fire, holding a glass of dark liquor. Shadows danced across his skin—pale runes glowing faintly along his back.
"Couldn't sleep either?" Lucien asked without turning. "No." Kai stepped closer, his voice soft. "My mark hurts… every time you're too far." Lucien set the glass down. "That's the bond calling."
Kai nodded. Then hesitated. "Can I…?" Lucien finally turned. His eyes—once sharp and cold—looked tired. But in them burned heat. Longing. "You don't have to ask," Lucien whispered. Kai placed a hand on Lucien's chest. Their bond flared—a warm hum under the skin. No fire. No violence. Just pull.
"I'm scared," Kai admitted. "But I don't want to run anymore." Lucien leaned in, resting their foreheads together. "Then stay. And whatever we wake, we face it together."
They didn't kiss. Not yet. But their breath mingled, hands pressed together, magic quietly weaving around them like threads of starlight.
**********
In the deepest part of night, a crack echoed from the library.
They both jolted awake. Lucien moved first, hand raised with light. As they entered the room, a gust of wind blew through—though no windows were open. On the floor, the enchanted book was open once more. The flame symbol burned. Below it, new words had appeared in ancient script:
"Two become one. The seal breaks not by blood—but by desire."
Lucien's face went pale. "Kai… this isn't just about us anymore. Something is watching. And it wants us bound completely." Kai swallowed. "Then what happens if we give in?"
Lucien didn't answer.
Because somewhere beyond the walls of the city, something ancient had just awakened.