Eliane barely slept that night. The weight of Seraphine's words lingered in her mind like an unbearable pressure, squeezing the air out of her lungs. She had been so close to giving in, so close to letting go of the resistance she had spent so long building. The memory of Seraphine's touch, the way it had made her pulse race with a mixture of dread and longing, was a sensation she couldn't shake.
She rose early, her heart heavy with the knowledge that she couldn't stay in this place forever. The walls were closing in, suffocating her in a cage of her own making. If she didn't escape soon, there was a very real chance she would lose herself entirely to Seraphine.
But just as she gathered her thoughts, preparing to make a plan, there was a knock on her door. Soft, yet insistent. She froze.
"I don't want to see you," she muttered under her breath, but her feet betrayed her as they moved toward the door, drawn by an invisible force.
When she opened it, her breath hitched at the sight before her. Seraphine stood there, framed by the dim light of the corridor, her presence filling the space with an unnerving calm. Her eyes, dark and piercing, held Eliane captive in a silent, yet overwhelming gaze.
"Did you really think you could run?" Seraphine's voice was low, almost mocking, as if she already knew the answer. As if she was always one step ahead.
Eliane stiffened, her back pressed against the door. "What do you want, Seraphine?"
Seraphine's lips curled into a slow, deliberate smile. "I want you, Eliane. And I think you're starting to realize you want me too."
"I don't want anything from you," Eliane hissed, her words laced with the venom of someone trying to convince herself. "You're nothing but trouble. Stay away from me."
Seraphine took a step forward, closing the distance between them in a single, fluid motion. "You're lying," she said softly, her breath warm against Eliane's face. "I can see it in your eyes. You want to break free, to feel something. And I'm the only one who can give you that."
Eliane's hands shook at her sides, her fingers curling into fists to keep them from betraying her. She wanted to slap Seraphine's smug face, to scream at her for being so insufferably confident. But instead, she stood still, rooted to the spot, torn between rage and an inexplicable desire she refused to acknowledge.
"You don't know anything about me," Eliane spat, her voice trembling despite her efforts to remain strong.
"Oh, but I do," Seraphine whispered, leaning in so close Eliane could feel the heat of her skin, the intensity of her presence. "I know exactly who you are. And I know that deep down, you're terrified. Terrified of me, terrified of what this is, and terrified of how much you want me."
For a moment, Eliane couldn't breathe. The intensity of Seraphine's words hit her like a tidal wave, crashing over her with the weight of a truth she wasn't ready to face. Her chest tightened, the air thickening around her, and for one brief moment, all she could do was stare into Seraphine's eyes, caught in the gravitational pull of the woman before her.
"Stop," Eliane whispered, her voice barely audible. "Please…"
Seraphine's expression softened, almost tender, though there was an edge to it that made Eliane's stomach churn. "You think you can stop this. You think you can run away and forget about everything. But you can't. You and I… we're tangled now. We're bound by something stronger than anything either of us can control."
Eliane backed away, feeling her pulse race as panic clawed at her insides. "You're wrong."
Seraphine took another step forward, and Eliane's feet faltered, her back pressing harder against the door. "No," Seraphine said, her voice like a soft, dangerous lullaby. "I'm not wrong. And you'll understand that soon enough."
Eliane shook her head, trying to steady herself, but every instinct told her to run, to flee this place before Seraphine could dig her claws in any deeper.
But before she could react, Seraphine's hand shot out, grabbing her wrist with an iron grip. The touch sent a jolt of electricity through Eliane's body, and she gasped, her breath caught in her throat.
"I won't let you run from me," Seraphine murmured, her lips brushing against Eliane's ear as she leaned in closer. "You're already mine."
Eliane yanked her wrist free, her pulse racing as she pushed Seraphine away with more force than she thought she had left. "Get out. Now."
Seraphine's eyes flickered with a dangerous gleam, but instead of retaliating, she stepped back, her lips curving into that same, all-knowing smile. "For now, Eliane. But you'll come back to me. You always do."
With that, Seraphine turned and walked away, her steps slow, measured, as if she were savoring the moment. And Eliane, despite her anger and her fear, couldn't help but feel the crushing weight of those words settle deep into her chest.
She had been warned. She had been told. And yet, she couldn't stop herself from wanting to follow.
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End of chapter 7
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