~DARIUS~
The pale, fragile light of dawn filtered through the tall window of the guest cottage, casting long, cool shadows across the white stone floor.
I traced the skin of Anora’s bare back as she slept soundly and softly beside me, the thick white covers, pooled around her hips.
My fingertips traveled the delicate, smooth landscape of her spine, memorizing the gentle curve of her waist and the soft, steady rise and fall of her ribs.
Her dark hair, despite being tangled and rough from the previous night, accentuated her natural, striking beauty properly, framing her face like a halo of midnight silk.
Her soft, rhythmic snores were the only thing loud in the suffocating silence of the room.
As I gazed upon her, a heavy, dark frown pulled at my brow. A thought—persistent, terrifyi
