Holy Ruin

Chapter 9

Selene looked between both men while screams echoed through the nightclub behind them.

The stranger with storm-colored eyes.

And Noctis.

Both standing too close. Too tense. Too dangerous.

"Come with me," Noctis repeated calmly.

Casiel's expression darkened instantly.

"She shouldn't be alone tonight."

The possessiveness in his voice irritated Noctis immediately.

"And you believe she should go with a stranger instead?"

Selene blinked. "Actually, both of you are strangers."

Fair point.

For one brief second silence settled between them again.

Heavy silence.

The kind that felt like violence waiting patiently beneath skin.

Casiel looked toward Selene carefully.

"I am Casiel."

"You are still a stranger."

" And you're still a target."

"So is everyone else in this building," she muttered.

Noctis stepped closer slightly.

"The police will flood this place in minutes. Media too."

Selene closed her eyes briefly.

Wonderful.

Tomorrow every news station would be screaming: Elysium Nightclub Attack.

Again.

Her life was exhausting.

When she opened her eyes again, Noctis was still watching her carefully.

Not lustfully this time.

Protectively.

Strange.

"I'll take her," he said finally.

Casiel immediately looked ready to argue.

Then stopped.

Something unreadable crossed his expression briefly while he stared at Selene.

Almost concern.

Almost recognition.

But gone too quickly to understand.

"You should stay away from him," Casiel said quietly.

Noctis laughed softly. "You're becoming repetitive."

Selene sighed heavily.

"I genuinely do not have the emotional energy for whatever this rivalry is."

Neither answered.

Because neither fully understood it either.

Casiel's gaze lingered on her one final moment.

Then reluctantly-

he stepped backward.

"Fine."

Noctis looked surprised for exactly half a second.

Casiel ignored him completely.

Instead, he looked directly at Selene.

"If anything feels wrong," he said quietly, "leave immediately."

Something about the seriousness in his voice unsettled her.

Before she could answer, Casiel turned and disappeared into the chaos of the nightclub.

Gone.

Just like that.

Selene stared after him briefly.

Why did it suddenly feel disappointing watching him leave?

Annoying.

Noctis noticed the look immediately.

His jaw tightened faintly.

"Come."

The single word snapped her attention back toward him.

Selene folded her arms. "You always order women around like that?"

"Yes."

"At least you're honest."

Noctis smirked faintly before leading her through the private corridors of Elysium.

Outside, rain still poured violently across Aurelia.

Several police cars already surrounded the nightclub while flashing lights painted the streets in blue and red.

The moment Noctis' black car appeared, security quickly opened a path through the chaos.

Selene slid into the passenger seat silently.

The city blurred past them afterward beneath rain-covered windows.

For several minutes neither spoke.

The silence should have felt awkward.

Instead- it felt strangely intimate.

Dangerously intimate.

Selene leaned her head lightly against the cold glass.

Tonight had felt unreal.

Gunmen. Impossible reflexes. The strange tension between those men.

And Casiel-

God.

Even thinking his name felt strange now.

Beautiful stranger.

There had been something almost inhuman about him tonight.

Noctis suddenly spoke.

"You're thinking too loudly."

Selene glanced toward him. "That doesn't even make sense."

"It does to me."

"Cryptic billionaire behavior. Cute."

A faint smile touched his mouth.

Small. Rare.

She noticed immediately.

And annoyingly- liked it.

The car eventually left downtown Aurelia entirely before ascending through quieter hills overlooking the city.

Selene frowned slightly.

"Where exactly are we going?"

"My home."

That startled her more than it should have.

"You bring all your prostitutes home?"

Noctis' grip tightened slightly around the steering wheel.

Something dark flickered briefly across his expression.

"No."

The answer came colder than expected.

Selene blinked faintly.

Interesting.

Rain continued falling softly as massive iron gates finally appeared ahead.

They opened automatically.

And beyond them-

stood a mansion that looked less like a home and more like something carved from darkness itself.

Black stone. Towering windows. Elegant architecture wrapped in shadows and silver rainlight.

Selene stared openly.

"Jesus Christ."

Noctis parked calmly. "He's not here."

That made her laugh despite herself.

The sound echoed softly through the quiet car.

For one brief second-

Noctis simply listened to it.

Like he enjoyed hearing her laugh.

Dangerous thought.

Inside, the mansion felt enormous.

Silent too.

No servants. No music. No warmth.

Just expensive darkness.

Selene slowly removed her heels near the entrance while staring around the massive living room.

Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the stormy city below while black marble reflected dim golden lights across the mansion.

"This place looks like a vampire built it."

Noctis removed his coat slowly.

"Close enough."

Selene paused.

Then narrowed her eyes. "See? Stuff like that. That's weird."

Noctis ignored the comment entirely before walking toward the kitchen.

"Drink?"

"Do you have anything capable of erasing tonight from my memory?"

"No."

"Tragic."

He poured whiskey anyway.

Selene wandered slowly through the massive room afterward, fingertips brushing across expensive furniture absentmindedly.

Then suddenly-

she noticed something.

A piano stood near the windows.

Old. Beautiful. Lonely somehow.

Selene looked toward Noctis.

"You play?"

"Yes."

"Rich people really do collect hobbies."

Noctis handed her a glass.

Their fingers brushed briefly.

Electricity shot instantly through her body again.

God.

This man was becoming a problem.

Selene quickly looked away before he noticed.

Too late.

Noctis noticed everything.

"You're quiet," he murmured.

Selene stared down into the whiskey.

"I almost died tonight."

The humor finally vanished from her voice.

Noctis' expression softened slightly.

Barely noticeable.

Yet real.

"You didn't."

"That's supposed to comfort me?"

"It's reality."

Selene laughed weakly before moving toward the massive windows overlooking Aurelia.

Rain streaked softly across the glass now.

The city looked beautiful from up here.

Far away.

Safe.

“Why were those men after you?” He asked, though he already knew the answer. His jaw was tight, voice low like he was holding back something rougher.

“Well…” She shifted, avoiding his eyes for half a second before forcing a smirk. “I did so and so. Promised to do a thing or two for them, then decided I wasn’t going to. So I took their money and left.” She said it fast, like if she didn’t, the weight of it would catch up to her.

He exhaled sharply. “Do you realize what danger you got yourself into?” His tone was matter-of-fact, but there was an edge under it—frustration, maybe fear he didn’t want to name.

She finally looked at him. Really looked. Past the flat expression, past the club owner mask. Her throat tightened before she asked the only thing her mind could latch onto: “Why? Have you started to care about me all of a sudden?” Her voice came out steadier than she felt, a little raw at the edges.

He recoiled like she’d slapped him. “No!” The word hit harder than it should have. “You idiotic dunce. I only saved you because you were in my club. And I didn’t want problems in my club.” He said it fast, clipped, like he was trying to convince himself as much as her.

"I keep feeling like something's wrong," she admitted quietly. Chuckling despite herself.

Noctis watched her silently.

"Tonight changed something."

Yes.

It had.

Neither of them understood how much yet.

Selene turned toward him slowly.

"Who are you really?"

The question lingered heavily between them.

Noctis held her gaze for several long seconds.

Then finally-

he stepped closer.

Too close.

Close enough for her heartbeat to betray her instantly.

"You don't want the answer to that question," he said softly.

Selene swallowed.

And for some reason-

she believed him.