Sera’s pov:
The training room had been a furnace of focused energy, but the silence of the mansion’s upper corridors felt even more intense. My lungs still burned slightly from the exertion, the sharp, metallic scent of gun oil and floor wax clinging to my skin. Every time I blinked, I still saw the targets, still felt the kick of the weapon vibrating through my marrow. But as we reached the heavy oak door of my bedroom, the adrenaline didn't fade. It transformed. It shifted from a cold, survivalist hum into a hot, pulsing throb that settled deep in my belly.
Damien stood before me, his silhouette cutting a rough shadow against the dim hallway lights. He didn't just walk me to my door; he loomed over it, his presence heavy and inescapable. His sleeves were still pushed back, revealing t
