"Don't come any closer!" Hadrian's voice thundered as he shoved me away from the edge of his bed.
"You know this is the only way!" I cried, my voice trembling with desperation.
"I know..." His reply was faint, almost a whisper, as he turned his head away.
I could see the tension etched on his face, the way his jaw clenched tightly. He was gritting his teeth, fighting a losing battle against the bloodlust that threatened to consume him. It was a war he could not win.
"The bookshelf..." he rasped, his breath shallow and uneven. He pointed to the corner of the chamber. "Look for John Milton's Paradise Lost and pull it out... just a bit."
I didn’t understand his meaning, but I obeyed, my feet carrying me to the shelf. My fingers found the book, trembling as I pulled it out slightly. To my
