Needing a companion

Chapter One — The Boy W Ethan didn’t go home. He told himself it was just for one night. Just until he figured things out. Just until the uneasiness in his chest settled into something he could explain. But deep down, he knew the truth. He stayed away because of him. ⸻ The park was nearly empty. A single streetlamp flickered above the old wooden bench where Ethan sat, his hoodie pulled tight against the cold. The wind moved strangely tonight—too soft, too deliberate, like it was searching for something. Or someone. Ethan checked his phone again. 7:58 p.m. No new messages. For the first time in weeks… silence. And somehow, that felt worse. “Guess you’re not coming after all,” he muttered, trying to sound annoyed, not disappointed. The words barely left his lips before the air shifted. It wasn’t dramatic. No thunder. No flash of light. Just… a change. Like the world had taken a breath—and forgotten to let it go. “You shouldn’t be here.” The voice came from behind him. Low. Calm. Close. Ethan spun around so fast his phone nearly slipped from his hand. And then— He froze. The boy standing a few feet away didn’t look real. Not in the way people say someone is “too attractive” to be real—but in a way that made reality itself feel… wrong. His eyes were too sharp, catching the faint light like glass. His skin seemed untouched by the cold, his dark clothes unmoving despite the wind. And there was something else—something Ethan couldn’t name, couldn’t understand. Something inhuman. “You…” Ethan’s voice faltered. “You’re the one texting me?” The boy tilted his head slightly, studying him like a puzzle he hadn’t decided to solve yet. “You weren’t supposed to listen.” That wasn’t a yes. But it wasn’t a no either. Ethan swallowed. “You told me not to go home.” “I did.” “Then why are you acting like I made a mistake?” A pause. Then, quieter— “Because now they know where you are.” ⸻ A branch snapped somewhere in the darkness. Ethan’s heart jumped. “They?” he asked. The boy didn’t answer immediately. His gaze had shifted—focused on something beyond the trees, something Ethan couldn’t see. “They’re already close,” he said finally. A cold shiver ran down Ethan’s spine. “Who are you?” For a moment, the boy said nothing. Then he stepped closer. Too close. Ethan’s breath caught as the space between them disappeared. Up close, the strange feeling was stronger—like standing too near the edge of a cliff. Dangerous. Unsteady. But impossible to walk away from. “You shouldn’t ask questions you’re not ready to hear the answers to,” the boy said softly. Ethan should have stepped back. He didn’t. Instead, he found himself asking, “And what if I am?” The boy’s eyes flickered—just for a second. Something changed. Not softer. Not safer. Just… different. “Then you wouldn’t be here,” he said. ⸻ Another sound. Closer this time. Something moving between the trees. Fast. Ethan turned, trying to see—but the darkness felt thicker now, like it was hiding things on purpose. His pulse quickened. “What’s out there?” The boy’s jaw tightened. “Hunting you.” ⸻ Before Ethan could react, a hand closed around his wrist. Cold. Not painfully so—but enough to make him gasp. “Don’t run,” the boy said. “They’ll catch you before you make it three steps.” “Then what am I supposed to do?!” Ethan whispered harshly. The boy stepped even closer. So close Ethan could feel the faint brush of his breath. “Trust me.” ⸻ It was a ridiculous request. A dangerous one. Trust a stranger who admitted something was hunting him? A stranger who knew things he shouldn’t? Who appeared out of nowhere and spoke like he didn’t belong in Ethan’s world? Everything about this screamed wrong. And yet— Ethan nodded. ⸻ The boy’s grip tightened slightly—not hurting, just… anchoring. “Whatever you see,” he said quietly, “don’t let go of me.” Ethan’s heart pounded. “Why?” For the first time, something like emotion crossed the boy’s face. Not fear. Not quite. Something deeper. “Because if you do,” he said, voice barely above a whisper, “they’ll take you somewhere I can’t follow.” ⸻ A shadow moved. Not in the distance. Right behind them. Ethan’s breath hitched— But before he could turn— The boy pulled him closer. Too close. Their bodies nearly collided, the world shrinking to the space between them. “Don’t look,” he murmured. Ethan’s hands instinctively grabbed onto his jacket, heart racing uncontrollably. “Who are you?” he whispered again. This time— The boy answered. “My name is Lucien.” ⸻ The air split. Not like lightning. Not like anything natural. Darkness twisted, forming something that shouldn’t exist—tall, shifting, wrong in every possible way. Ethan couldn’t stop himself. He looked. And instantly wished he hadn’t. ⸻ Lucien’s hand moved—faster than Ethan could see. Suddenly, the thing was gone. Just like that. Silence returned. ⸻ Ethan’s chest rose and fell rapidly, his grip on Lucien still tight. “What… what was that?” Lucien didn’t pull away. Didn’t even try. “It’s what’s been watching you,” he said. Ethan’s blood ran cold. “And you?” he asked quietly. Lucien hesitated. Just for a second. Then— “I’m the reason it wants you.” ⸻ The words should have pushed Ethan away. Should have made him let go. Run. Forget all of this ever happened. Instead— His grip tightened. ⸻ Because standing this close… feeling the strange, dangerous calm that came with Lucien’s presence… Ethan realized something he couldn’t explain. Something that didn’t make sense. Something he definitely shouldn’t feel. ⸻ He wasn’t just scared. He was drawn to him. ⸻ And somehow— That was the most dangerous part of all