The moon hung low and heavy in the sky, casting eerie shadows that danced macabrely across the walls of Abigail's chambers. She paced like a caged animal, her mind a whirlwind of Victor's words, each one a barb that dug deeper into her psyche. The room was stifling, the air thick with tension and the faint scent of old blood and decay that seemed to seep from the very stones of the palace.
Her heart pounded in her chest, a primal rhythm that echoed the battle raging within her. She could feel it, the dark force she had kept chained for so long, straining against its bonds. It whispered to her, a seductive voice that promised power, release, and a savage, brutal freedom. But she knew the cost, the price of unleashing such darkness. She had seen it before, felt its icy tendrils wrap around her soul, threatening to consume her entirely.
It had been there for as long as she could remember lurking beneath her skin, coiled deep in the marrow of her bones. A force that was not just rage, not just pain, but something rawer. Hungrier.
It spoke in whispers, in the stillness between breaths, in the quiet moments before sleep. It was not born of weakness it was the consequence of survival, of a life shaped by loss, power, and the careful balance between control and destruction.
It had saved her before. It had made her unstoppable.
But it had also threatened to consume her.
She had spent years mastering it. Taming it. Suppressing it. Because the moment she let it take hold, the moment she allowed it to breathe there would be no going back.
Tonight, though... it pushed harder.
Victor's words had been a catalyst, a carefully placed blade sliding between ribs. He had seen something in her something dangerous. And now, the darkness stirred, restless, waiting.
And that was when Dimitri found her like this.
A wild creature trapped in a gilded cage. He stood in the doorway, his silhouette framed by the faint glow of the moon, his silver eyes reflecting the turmoil within her. He didn't speak immediately, just watched her, his gaze intense and unyielding. Abigail could feel the weight of his stare, a physical pressure that bore down on her, challenging her, daring her to break.
"You fight it," he said finally, his voice a low rumble that seemed to resonate within her very bones. He stepped closer, his movements predatory, deliberate. "But what happens when you stop?"
Abigail's breath hitched, her body tensing as she fought to maintain control. The monster inside her stirred, a hungry, violent thing that yearned to be set free. She could feel its power, a dark and twisted energy that pulsed through her veins, threatening to overwhelm her.
Dimitri pressed her, his words a deliberate provocation. "Nocturna rewards power, not restraint," he murmured, his voice a soft, dangerous purr. "You think holding it back makes you strong? I think you fear that unleashing it will feel too good."
His words struck a chord deep within her, a primal, visceral response that sent shivers down her spine. She faltered, her resolve wavering as the monster inside her roared, demanding to be freed. But she did not break. Not yet. She clung to the shreds of her control, her nails digging into her palms as she fought to maintain her composure.
The room seemed to spin around her, the shadows twisting and writhing as if alive. She could hear them, the whispers of the catacombs, the dark and ancient power that called to her, beckoning her to descend into their depths. But she resisted, her will a fragile, trembling thing that stood between her and the abyss.
Dimitri watched her, his expression inscrutable. He knew the battle she fought, the struggle between control and chaos, between light and darkness. He had faced it himself, had stared into the void and emerged victorious. But Abigail was different. She was a wild, untamed thing, a force of nature that defied containment. And he wanted her, wanted to see her unleashed, to witness the storm that raged within her.
"Let it out, Abigail," he whispered, his voice a soft, deadly caress. "Let it consume you. Let it make you strong."
She shook her head, a desperate, denial. "No," she gasped, her voice a ragged, broken thing. "I won't. I can't."
Dimitri's lips curled into a slow, cruel smile. "Can't?" he mocked, his voice a soft, dangerous purr. "Or won't? Because you're afraid?"
His words struck a nerve, a deep and primal fear that she had fought to suppress. She lashed out, her hand connecting with his cheek in a sharp, stinging slap. He didn't flinch, didn't react, just stood there, his expression unreadable, his eyes burning into hers.
"You know nothing," she spat, her voice a low, dangerous growl. "You have no idea what I've faced, what I've done to keep this... this thing at bay."
Dimitri's smile faded, replaced by a look of cold, calculating intensity. "Then show me," he challenged, his voice a soft, deadly whisper. "Show me your strength, Abigail. Show me your power."
She hesitated, torn between the desire to prove herself and the fear of what she might unleash. The monster inside her roared, a savage, primal sound that echoed through her mind, demanding to be set free. She could feel it, the dark and twisted energy that pulsed through her veins, threatening to overwhelm her.
She trembled, muscles coiled, every breath sharp and uneven. The darkness wanted out it clawed against the edges of her mind, screaming for release.
She forced it down. Bit by bit, piece by piece.
But it fought back. Harder.
Pain flared behind her eyes sharp, searing, like something tearing through flesh from the inside. Then, she felt it the slow trickle of warmth sliding down her cheek.
Blood.
It slipped past her lashes, staining her skin like war paint, dripping onto her fingers as she pressed shaking hands against her face.
Dimitri's smirk faltered.
He had wanted her to break. To lose control. He hadn't considered what it would cost her.
"Abigail," his voice dipped no longer a taunt, but a realization.
She exhaled shakily, eyes burning, darkness writhing beneath her skin.
"You don't know what you're asking for, Dimitri."