The arena outside was still chaos fans screaming, security running, lights dimming into confusion. But Aiden barely heard it. His body was still trembling from Lucien’s touch, his throat throbbing where sharp fangs had left marks like burning signatures.

Back in the hotel penthouse, silence pressed around them. The room glowed gold with city lights bleeding through the windows, but between them, the air felt heavier, electric.

Lucien paced like a caged predator, jacket off, shirt torn from the fight. His chest rose and fell with unsteady breaths, though he never truly needed air. His eyes kept flicking toward Aiden hungry, restless, angry at himself.

“You shouldn’t have been on that stage,” Lucien muttered. His voice was low, shaking with restraint. “Every second you spend in their world, you’re bait. My enemies will never stop coming.”

Aiden sat on the edge of the bed, still flushed, still aching in ways he couldn’t admit. “I can’t just quit, Lucien. Singing, performing… that’s my dream. It’s who I am.”

Lucien stopped, turning sharply. His crimson gaze locked on Aiden, intense enough to steal the breath from his lungs. “No. Who you are now is mine.”

The words sent a shiver down Aiden’s spine. Possessive. Terrifying. And yet… he didn’t want to resist. The bond thrummed inside him like a living heartbeat, drawing him closer to the vampire even as fear curled inside his chest.

Lucien moved suddenly, closing the distance. One hand cupped Aiden’s chin, tilting his face up. “You don’t understand, do you? Every time you step into the spotlight, you burn brighter. And every predator sees you. You’re too beautiful… too alive. They’ll always want to steal you from me.”

Aiden swallowed hard. “Then keep me safe.”

That broke Lucien’s restraint. His lips crashed down, fierce and demanding, as if trying to claim not just Aiden’s mouth but his very soul. The kiss deepened quickly tongues colliding, breaths harsh, bodies pressing. Aiden’s hands slid over Lucien’s chest, feeling the hard lines of muscle, the rapid pulse of restrained hunger.

Lucien pulled back just enough to whisper, voice raw, “You don’t know what you’re asking. If I keep you safe the way I want… There won’t be anything left of you but mine.”

Aiden’s pulse quickened. His lips curved into a shaky smile. “Maybe that’s exactly what I want.”

Clothes hit the floor.

Lucien lifted Aiden onto the bed effortlessly, pinning him down with the weight of his body. Every touch burned hotter than fire, sharper than fear. His fangs traced Aiden’s neck again, drawing a gasp that blurred into a moan.

The bond flared with every kiss, every bite. Aiden felt Lucien’s hunger not just in his mouth but inside his own body, craving to give more, to feel more. Every shudder was mirrored, every rush of ecstasy shared through the connection that tied them.

“Say it,” Lucien demanded between kisses, his voice rough, desperate. “Say you belong to me.”

Aiden arched beneath him, breathless. “I… belong… to you.”

The words unleashed him. Lucien’s movements grew hungrier, more frantic, every kiss bruising, every bite intoxicating. It was too much and not enough. The line between pain and pleasure was shattered, leaving only fire and need.

When the wave finally broke, Aiden lay trembling, body weak, heart hammering like it might explode. Lucien hovered above him, face softening, eyes glowing faintly as if lit from within.

He brushed sweaty hair from Aiden’s forehead and whispered, almost tenderly, “You don’t understand how dangerous this bond is. The deeper it gets, the less of you there will be left. One day… You might not know where you end and I begin.”

Aiden, still dazed, smiled faintly. “Then I guess… We’ll be lost together.”

Lucien’s chest tightened at those words, his gaze darkening with something between love and obsession. He kissed him again, slow this time, reverent.

For the first time, the predator felt almost fragile.