Love At First Death

Elysia couldn't shake the feeling that everything was spiraling further out of her control. The woman who had just entered the office left without saying much more, but her presence lingered in the air. Damien hadn't returned yet, and Elysia was left alone to try and process the strange encounter.

She paced the office, her mind racing with questions. Who was the woman? What did she want with Damien? And most importantly, what was Damien hiding from her?

Her stomach growled again, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since that morning. She grabbed a bag of chips from the desk and sat down on the cot, trying to distract herself with the crunching noise. But no matter how hard she tried, her thoughts kept circling back to the strange man in the hallway, the warning, and the mysterious woman.

She sighed, leaning back against the wall, eyes closed. It felt like she was in some twisted version of a nightmare, where every day brought a new mystery, a new danger, and a new part of Damien's life that seemed darker than the last.

After what felt like hours, the door creaked open, and Elysia jumped.

"Damien," she said, her voice a little too high-pitched for her liking.

He stood in the doorway, his eyes cold as ever. "We need to talk."

Elysia's heart skipped a beat. "What's going on? Who was that woman?"

Damien didn't answer immediately, his gaze flicking over her as if gauging whether she was ready to hear the truth. Finally, he stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

"Her name is Selene," Damien said, sitting down at his desk. "And she's part of my past. Part of the reason I don't want you involved in this."

Elysia frowned. "Involved in what? What are you hiding, Damien?"

He exhaled sharply, his fingers drumming on the edge of the desk. "There's a lot you don't know. A lot that would only complicate things if you get too deep."

"I don't care about the complications," she said firmly, standing up. " I'm not going to sit here and pretend I don't know something's wrong. You can't keep shutting me out."

Damien's eyes softened for just a moment before his usual coldness returned. "You should have stayed out of it when you had the chance."

"You didn't give me that option," she fired back, her voice trembling with frustration. "You dragged me into this, remember? You can't just keep me in the dark and expect me to be okay with it."

For a moment, Damien was silent, his gaze unreadable. Finally, he stood and walked over to the window, looking out at the city below.

"There's more to this than you realize," he said quietly. "Selene and I were… involved in a world you can't even begin to understand. A world that's dangerous. And when you get involved with people like me, you don't walk away unscathed."

Elysia felt a chill run down her spine. "What do you mean, 'a world I can't understand'? What is it you do, Damien? What are you really?"

Damien turned to face her, his expression hardening. "I'm not who you think I am. And that's for your own good."

Elysia shook her head, her chest tightening. "No. You don't get to do this. You don't get to keep pushing me away and expect me to just… to just accept it. I deserve to know the truth."

Damien's gaze softened, and for a fleeting moment, Elysia saw something vulnerable in his eyes. But it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared.

"You're right," he murmured. "You do deserve to know. But I can't give you all the answers yet. Not until you're ready."

"Ready for what?" she asked, her voice trembling. "What are you asking me to be ready for?"

He took a step closer, his eyes locking onto hers. "I'm asking you to trust me. And I'm asking you to stay away from this mess."

Elysia's heart raced in her chest, her mind reeling from everything he was saying. But deep down, she knew she couldn't walk away from this now.

"I don't want to stay away," she said softly. "I want to help you."

Damien's face hardened, and he stepped back. "No, Elysia. You don't. You have no idea what you're asking for."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Elysia's heart pounded in her chest as she tried to make sense of everything. Damien was holding something back, something that could change everything. But he wasn't ready to let her in yet, and the more she pushed, the more distant he became.

"I don't know if I can do this anymore, Damien," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Damien froze, his jaw tightening. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying…" She took a deep breath, her mind clouded with confusion and fear. "I don't know if I can stay here, like this. I need to know what's going on. I need to know who you really are."

Damien's eyes softened for a split second before his expression turned unreadable again.

"You'll regret it," he said, his voice low. "This isn't a world you can just walk into and leave unscathed."

But Elysia didn't care anymore. She'd already crossed a line she couldn't uncross. She was in this, for better or for worse.

"I'm not afraid," she said, her voice steady.

Damien stared at her for a long moment, before a flicker of something– maybe respect– crossed his features. But then, just as quickly, it was gone.