Chapter 3 The Darkness Within

• Ariana’s head was a swirling mess of fragmented thoughts as she sat in the steaming bath, her body still tingling from the intense heat that had built up inside her. Every inch of her felt sensitive, as if the warm water had brought every nerve ending to the surface. The coldness of the room, the chilling emptiness, contrasted sharply with the fire that raged inside her. The world outside the tub seemed to fade as she became more acutely aware of the man standing silently by the door, his back to her.
• Damien.
• The sound of her breathing, shallow and erratic, was the only thing that filled the silence between them. She couldn’t focus on anything else but him—his presence seemed to permeate every inch of the room, suffocating her, making her aware of her every movement, her every breath.
• Ariana’s body had never felt so exposed, so raw. Her pulse raced as she felt his eyes on her, and even though he wasn’t physically touching her, his gaze felt like it was burning her skin. She swallowed hard, her throat dry despite the water around her.
• “Why did you bring me here?” she managed to ask, her voice weak, the words sounding foreign even to her. The question lingered in the air, unanswered, as the moments stretched on.
• Damien didn’t speak for a long time. He remained silent, as if considering the right words, but ultimately, his expression remained unreadable. His jaw clenched as if he were restraining something, but his gaze didn’t waver. She could see it now—the power he exuded, like a storm just waiting to break free. And in a way, she could feel it in herself too, this growing need, this undeniable pull between them that both terrified and intrigued her.
• “You’re safe here,” Damien finally said, his voice low, colder than the air around them. “You need to rest. The doctor will be here soon.”
• Ariana nodded weakly, her mind too foggy to question anything. The words barely registered as her gaze lingered on him, drawn to him despite herself. She couldn’t deny it—the attraction was undeniable. She had never been this close to a man like him, and it felt... dangerous. But at the same time, a strange, dark part of her craved that danger.
• Damien stood motionless, the outline of his tall, broad form filling the doorway as if he were the one who commanded the space. He didn’t approach her, didn’t offer her comfort. He was a figure of control, of power, and she was just... a pawn in a game she couldn’t understand.
• The minutes ticked by, and Ariana’s mind was racing. The strange sensation in her body hadn’t eased—if anything, it had intensified. The heat inside her, the sensation that something was building, something that demanded to be released, was overwhelming.
• She couldn’t fight it anymore. She needed to speak. She needed to break the silence.
• “Who are you?” she whispered, the question escaping her lips before she could stop it.
• Damien’s posture stiffened, his eyes flickering toward her, and for a split second, something in his expression darkened. He didn’t answer immediately, and Ariana could feel the tension thickening in the air. He didn’t want to tell her.
• But then, almost imperceptibly, his lips parted. “I’m the one who’s going to help you,” he replied, his voice still cold, but there was something there—something beneath the surface.
• Ariana shivered.
• His words hit her like a slap in the face. She wanted to be angry. She wanted to demand more from him. But the way he said it—like he already had control over her, like there was no room for argument—made her swallow her pride.
• The door opened then, breaking the intense silence between them. A woman in a white coat stepped into the room, the doctor, Ariana assumed. She was a middle-aged woman with glasses perched on her nose, her movements quick and efficient as she made her way over to Ariana.
• Damien stepped aside, his eyes flicking briefly to the doctor before returning to Ariana. He didn’t say anything to her, and Ariana couldn’t help but notice the way he seemed to retreat into himself when the doctor entered. He was still here, standing at the edge of her world like a silent shadow, but now, he was more of an enigma than ever.
• The doctor’s attention was solely on Ariana now. She checked her pulse, her temperature, asked a few routine questions—though Ariana barely registered the answers. The fog in her mind remained thick, and her body still felt too hot, too out of control.
• “Her temperature’s dangerously high,” the doctor said, looking at Damien. “She’s in a state of shock. The dehydration, combined with the… trauma, is affecting her more than we anticipated.”
• Damien nodded, his jaw tightening slightly as he looked over at Ariana. “Do what you need to do,” he said flatly, as though the situation didn’t faze him at all.
• Ariana wanted to protest. She wanted to scream at them both, to demand to know why she was here, why she was being treated like some fragile doll. But her body wouldn’t cooperate. It felt like a prison, as if her own skin had betrayed her.
• The doctor worked quickly, giving Ariana an IV drip to help rehydrate her. The cool liquid flowed into her veins, slowly easing the heat inside her. As the drip took effect, Ariana began to feel a slight sense of relief. The dizziness ebbed away, but her thoughts were still clouded, still disjointed.
• Damien remained silent the entire time, watching from the corner of the room, his expression unreadable.
• Once the doctor finished, she gave a few more instructions, making sure Ariana was stable enough to be left alone for the moment. She turned toward Damien. “She’ll need rest. Keep her hydrated and make sure she gets some sleep. The shock to her system could take a while to recover from.”
• Damien nodded and watched as the doctor left. His gaze lingered on the door for a moment, but then, without a word, he turned back to Ariana.
• “You’re not leaving until you’re better,” he said, his voice steady, yet the words carried an undeniable weight.
• Ariana wanted to argue, to push him away, but she knew she didn’t have the strength to do either. She could barely keep her eyes open, let alone fight him.
• Damien moved closer, his steps silent but steady, until he was standing at the edge of the bed. He didn’t touch her. He didn’t need to. His presence alone made her pulse quicken, her breath catch.
• He stared down at her for a moment, his gaze lingering on her lips before lifting his eyes to meet hers. “Rest,” he said quietly, his voice almost... gentle.
• Ariana’s heart hammered in her chest as she watched him, still unable to fully comprehend what was happening, what he was doing, or why. But for some reason, the tension between them seemed to stretch, the air thick with unsaid words, dangerous possibilities.
• With a final glance, Damien turned and left the room, the door closing softly behind him. Ariana lay back against the pillow, her body exhausted but her mind still reeling.
• There was so much she didn’t understand. But the one thing she did know was that Damien Blackwood was not a man to be underestimated.
• And somehow, she was in the middle of a game—one she didn’t know how to play.