Love At First Death

Elysia slammed the broken door shut as best as she could, though it hung limply on its hinges, like it had given up on life. She huffed in frustration and turned to glare at Damien, who was casually dusting off his sleeves like he hadn't just stabbed a shadow demon out of existence.

"Unbelievable," she muttered, pacing the room. "First creepy voices, then you stab some nightmare fuel, and now you're acting like it's just a Tuesday."

Damien leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his usual cold composure firmly back in place. "Would you rather I panic? Because that would be productive."

"I'd rather you explain," she shot back, throwing her hands in the air. "What was that thing? Why was it here? And why did it call me 'little dove'? Is this some weird cult thing you're into?"

His lips twitched, but not into a smile– it was more like the ghost of one that had been scared off. "You ask too many questions."

"And you answer none of them!"

Damien sighed, rubbing his temples like he was dealing with a particularly stubborn child. "That thing was a shadow wraith. Dangerous, but manageable."

"Manageable?" Elysia repeated, incredulous. "It broke through a door, mocked me, and then melted when you stabbed it with a glorified butter knife. That's not 'manageable,' Damien!"

"Fine," he said, his tone clipped. "It's mostly manageable. Better?"

She groaned, sinking into the chair by the window. "I hate you."

"Noted," he replied, completely unfazed.

For a moment, they sat in tense silence, the air between them heavy with unspoken questions. Finally, Elysia broke the quiet.

"Why did it come here?" she asked, her voice softer now. "What does it want with you... with me?"

Damien hesitated, his icy mask slipping just a fraction. "Wraiths are drawn to... unresolved things. Secrets, fears, guilt."

Her brow furrowed. "So, it was here because of you?"

He didn't answer right away, his gaze fixed on the floor. "Maybe," he said eventually. "Or maybe it was here because of you."

"Me?" she exclaimed, sitting up straight. "What unresolved things do I have? My biggest regret is binge-watching an entire season of a show instead of studying for finals!"

Damien finally looked at her, his piercing gaze making her squirm. "You've been through more than you realize, Elysia. You just don't remember it yet."

She opened her mouth to argue, but the words got caught in her throat. His tone was too serious, too certain. It made her stomach twist with unease.

"Care to elaborate?" she managed to say.

"No."

She groaned again, dragging her hands down her face. "You are impossible."

"And you're persistent," he countered. "We all have our flaws."

She glared at him, but there was no real heat behind it. "Fine. Keep your cryptic secrets. But if another wraith or whatever shows up, I'm calling an exorcist."

His lips curved into the faintest smirk. "Good luck explaining this to a priest."

"Oh, don't tempt me," she muttered, slumping back in the chair.

As she stared out the window, the remnants of fear and frustration still bubbling under the surface, a thought struck her. She turned to Damien, who was now inspecting the broken door with an almost amused expression.

"Why do you even care?" she asked suddenly.

He glanced at her, his brows furrowing slightly. "What?"

"Why do you care if I'm safe?" she pressed. "You barely know me, and yet you're acting like my personal bodyguard. Why?"

For a moment, he didn't say anything. His jaw tightened, and his gaze shifted back to the door.

"It's complicated," he said finally.

She rolled her eyes. "Of course it is."

Damien's lips quirked into a humorless smile. "You'll find that most things in my life are."

Before she could respond, he straightened and headed for the door. "Get some rest, Elysia. You'll need it."

"For what?" she called after him.

He paused in the doorway, glancing back with an unreadable expression. "For whatever comes next."

And with that, he disappeared into the hall, leaving Elysia alone with her racing thoughts and the lingering smell of smoke.