A Dangerous Choice

Dorian’s embrace was like a lifeline, anchoring Ivy to the reality she desperately needed to hold onto. His warmth, his familiarity, made the madness of the past few days feel like a distant nightmare. But she knew that the nightmare was still lurking, just out of sight, with Lorne’s shadow hanging over her like a storm cloud.

“Hey,” Dorian’s voice was soft as he pulled back slightly, his hands resting on her shoulders, his eyes searching her face. “Talk to me. What’s going on? I feel like I’ve lost you these last few days.”

Ivy opened her mouth to respond, but no words came. How could she explain the darkness creeping into her life? How could she make him understand that there was something—someone—tangling her thoughts and emotions in a web she couldn’t escape?

“I’m fine, really,” she said weakly, trying to muster a smile. “It’s just been…a lot.”

Dorian frowned, not buying her answer for a second. “Ivy, I know you better than that. You’re not fine. You’re shutting me out, and I don’t know why.”

Her throat tightened with guilt, the weight of her secrets pressing down on her like a heavy cloak. She wanted to tell him everything—about Lorne, about the strange pull she couldn’t shake, about the way her life was unraveling. But how could she? How could she explain something she didn’t even fully understand?

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, lowering her gaze. “I just… I don’t know how to talk about it.”

Dorian’s hand gently cupped her chin, lifting her face so their eyes met. His expression was full of concern, but also determination. “You don’t have to go through whatever this is alone. I’m here, Ivy. I’ll always be here. But you have to let me in.”

Tears stung her eyes as she nodded, her emotions threatening to spill over. She wanted to let him in, wanted to lean on him like she always had, but something stopped her. Something that felt like a chain around her heart, binding her to the darkness that had entered her life.

Before she could say anything else, Dorian’s phone buzzed in his pocket, breaking the tension in the air. He glanced down at it, his brow furrowing. “It’s work. I’ve got to take this.”

Ivy gave him a small, understanding nod, though a part of her was grateful for the reprieve. As he stepped out of the room to take the call, she sank down onto the couch, running her hands through her hair, her mind spinning.

She couldn’t keep this up. She couldn’t keep pretending everything was normal when her life was anything but. Lorne’s words echoed in her mind—You’re mine. You’ve always been mine.

A shiver ran through her. The thought of him watching her, waiting for her to surrender to him, made her skin crawl. But deep down, buried beneath the fear, was something else. A twisted sense of longing, a desire that both repelled and attracted her.

Before she could dive deeper into her own spiraling thoughts, a knock at the door echoed through the apartment.

Her heart leapt into her throat. Dorian had already come inside. It wasn’t him.

Lorne?

Panic gripped her chest, and for a moment, she couldn’t move. But then she heard it—a soft, rhythmic tapping, nothing like the heavy knock that Lorne would use. She swallowed her fear and walked cautiously to the door, her fingers trembling as she opened it a crack.

A woman stood on the other side.

She was tall, with sleek, raven-black hair that fell over her shoulders and sharp, angular features. Her eyes were a deep, unnatural shade of violet, glowing faintly in the dim hallway light. Ivy’s stomach twisted with unease. There was something off about this woman, something that set her on edge immediately.

“Can I help you?” Ivy asked, her voice wary.

The woman smiled, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “You must be Ivy.” Her voice was smooth, like silk over steel. “We need to talk.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know you,” Ivy said, her hand tightening on the door, ready to slam it shut.

“Oh, but you do.” The woman’s smile widened, a glint of amusement in her unnatural eyes. “You just don’t realize it yet.”

Before Ivy could respond, the woman stepped forward, her presence filling the doorway, making it impossible for Ivy to close the door without being rude—or worse, weak.

“My name is Celeste,” the woman continued, her voice dropping to a lower, almost conspiratorial tone. “I’m here because of Lorne.”

The name sent a shockwave through Ivy, her stomach lurching. She had suspected that this woman had something to do with him, but hearing it confirmed sent her pulse racing.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ivy lied, hoping to end this conversation before it went any further.

Celeste chuckled softly, shaking her head. “You can’t fool me, Ivy. I’ve seen it. The way he’s drawn to you. The way he’s claimed you. But there are things you don’t understand about Lorne—about the world you’re stepping into.”

“I didn’t ask to step into anything,” Ivy shot back, her voice laced with frustration. “He’s the one forcing his way into my life.”

“That may be true,” Celeste said, her gaze never wavering, “but you need to make a choice. Either you let Lorne pull you into his world, or you fight to stay out of it. But let me warn you—once you’re in, there’s no getting out. Not without paying a price.”

Ivy’s throat went dry. “What are you talking about? What price?”

Celeste’s smile faded, her expression growing serious. “Lorne is more dangerous than you can imagine. You’ve only seen a glimpse of what he’s capable of. If you’re not careful, he’ll consume you. Mind, body, and soul.”

Fear coiled tight in Ivy’s chest. She had already felt Lorne’s power, his hold on her, and the idea that it could get worse—that it could devour her completely—terrified her.

“What do you want from me?” Ivy asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I want to help you,” Celeste said, stepping closer. “But you have to decide. Do you want to fight this, or are you willing to let Lorne take you down with him?”

Ivy’s heart raced, her mind spinning. She was at a crossroads, and every choice seemed fraught with danger.

And no matter what she chose, she knew she couldn’t escape the darkness that had already begun to swallow her whole.

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