Eliane stood there, her body trembling from the force of Seraphine's touch. Her mind raced, her heart hammering in her chest. She had never felt so powerless, so exposed, and yet... there was a part of her that was desperate for more.
No, she told herself, forcing the thought into her mind as if it would somehow shield her. You don't want this. You can't want this.
But the truth gnawed at her. Seraphine had left a mark, not just on her skin, but on her soul. The woman had reached inside her, exposed the parts of her that she kept hidden even from herself, and made her crave what she thought she feared most.
The words echoed in her mind again, haunting her: You're already mine.
---
It was only a few hours later when Eliane found herself walking the streets of the city, aimlessly drifting through the familiar but now alien landscape. Her thoughts were a whirlwind—her entire existence, her careful control, slipping away with every step.
She had to get away, she knew that. She had to leave before Seraphine consumed her entirely, before the abyss swallowed her whole. But where could she go? Who could she turn to?
Her gaze shifted to the street ahead, and she saw nothing but darkness. Her vision blurred, and the images around her seemed to fade, as if the world was losing its color. All she could hear was the echo of Seraphine's voice—soft, alluring, and dangerous. The grip of the woman's power over her was undeniable.
You always come back to me.
The thought sent a shiver down her spine.
Eliane tried to shake the lingering warmth from Seraphine's touch from her skin, but it remained, a fire that couldn't be extinguished. She stumbled, barely catching herself as she realized her surroundings had shifted.
Without meaning to, she had walked straight into a dark alley, one she had never seen before.
At the far end of the alley stood a figure—a silhouette, tall and commanding. Her heart skipped a beat when she recognized the woman, her stomach flipping in a strange mixture of fear and yearning.
"Seraphine..." Eliane whispered, though she hadn't meant to speak the name aloud.
Seraphine's lips curved into a knowing smile, her presence dominating the narrow space. She looked almost ethereal, like she belonged to a different world entirely. Her gaze was unwavering, and it felt like the air around them had thickened, pressing down on Eliane with an intensity that took her breath away.
"Did you think I wouldn't find you?" Seraphine's voice was a seductive melody, her words carrying an undeniable promise. She stepped forward, her steps deliberate, each one echoing like a warning.
Eliane opened her mouth to protest, but no words came. She couldn't speak, couldn't form a coherent thought. Her body betrayed her, moving closer to Seraphine, her will crumbling like sand slipping through her fingers.
"You're not as strong as you think, Eliane," Seraphine continued, her tone a mix of amusement and something darker. "You can run, you can try to resist, but it won't work. You're already mine. And I'll make you understand that."
Eliane felt the world spinning, her heart racing wildly. She could see the cruelty in Seraphine's eyes, but there was something else there too—something that drew her in, something that made her crave the torment that was about to come. It was wrong, it was terrifying, but it was also... addicting.
Seraphine reached out, cupping Eliane's face with a tenderness that contrasted sharply with the storm raging within her. "I'm not going to hurt you," Seraphine whispered, her breath ghosting over Eliane's skin. "Not yet. But you'll beg me to."
Every instinct in Eliane screamed to pull away, to escape before it was too late. But she couldn't. She was trapped—not just by Seraphine's presence, but by the longing, the desire, the need that had already taken root in her heart.
"I won't let you have me," Eliane gasped, her voice breaking as the words slipped out.
Seraphine chuckled, her fingers brushing against Eliane's lips. "You already belong to me. You just don't know it yet."
And before Eliane could protest, Seraphine's lips were on hers, a kiss that was both cruel and tender, both an end and a beginning. Eliane felt her world collapse inward, every thought, every resistance, crumbling beneath the weight of the woman's touch.
She was lost—completely and utterly lost.
---
The kiss ended as quickly as it had begun, but the damage was done. Eliane could feel her body trembling, her mind swirling with conflicting emotions. She wanted to run. She wanted to scream. But more than anything, she wanted to fall into Seraphine's arms, to surrender to the dark pull of the woman who had already claimed her in ways she couldn't understand.
Seraphine stepped back, her eyes burning with a strange satisfaction. "You'll come back to me, Eliane. Don't fight it."
With that, Seraphine turned and walked away, her figure disappearing into the shadows, leaving Eliane standing alone in the alley, her breath ragged and her heart pounding in her chest.
---
Eliane didn't know how long she stood there, her mind reeling, her body still trembling from the kiss. When she finally found the strength to move, it was as if a piece of her had been torn away. The woman she had once been—strong, independent—was no longer who she was.
And she didn't know whether to hate that or embrace it.
---
The Choice
As Eliane stumbled through the streets back to her apartment, she knew one thing: there would be no escaping this. No matter how far she ran, no matter how hard she tried to resist, Seraphine had already rooted herself deep inside of her. And soon, Eliane would be forced to make a choice.
The question was—would she resist until the end, or would she surrender to the darkness and give herself completely to Seraphine?
---
End of chapter 8
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