shadows in the dark
989 Words
Chapter 12.
The night was silent. Too silent.
Serena lay awake in her bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind tangled in a storm of thoughts.
Damian’s words still echoed in her head.
"Now, you learn how to survive."
She didn’t know what terrified her more—the fact that he had killed for her or the fact that she wasn’t sure she wanted him to stop.
She should have felt disgusted.
She should have been afraid.
Instead, she felt something far more dangerous.
Protected.
The thought made her shiver.
Serena turned onto her side, forcing herself to close her eyes. But the uneasy feeling in her gut wouldn’t leave.
Something wasn’t right.
Then—
A sound.
Soft. Almost imperceptible.
Her breath caught.
Footsteps.
Slow. Measured.
And they weren’t coming from the hallway.
They were inside her room.
Serena’s heart slammed against her ribs.
Her fingers gripped the sheets. Every instinct in her screamed at her to move, to run—
But she was frozen.
Then—
A whisper.
“You should be more careful.”
A hand clamped over her mouth.
The Attack
Serena struggled instinctively, her heart racing with pure terror.
The grip on her mouth tightened, strong fingers pressing against her skin.
“Don’t scream,” the voice murmured.
Cold. Calculated.
A man’s voice.
Not Damian.
Someone else.
Panic surged through her veins.
She thrashed, kicking wildly, but the intruder was too strong.
“Stop,” he hissed, his breath hot against her ear. “Unless you want me to hurt you.”
A fresh wave of terror crashed over her.
No.
Not like this.
Not again.
Serena forced herself to think.
Damian had taught her one thing already—never hesitate.
So she did the one thing she could.
She bit down on the intruder’s hand. Hard.
He cursed, jerking back in pain.
Serena didn’t waste a second.
She screamed.
Damian’s Wrath
The door slammed open.
And then—
Chaos.
Gunfire.
A deafening roar of bullets as the room exploded into action.
The intruder lunged for Serena, but before he could reach her—
Damian was there.
Fast. Deadly.
His fist collided with the man’s face, sending him crashing into the nightstand.
The lamp shattered.
Serena scrambled back, her pulse wild.
Damian didn’t hesitate.
He grabbed the man by the collar and slammed him into the wall.
“Who sent you?” Damian’s voice was lethal.
The intruder coughed, blood dripping from his mouth. “Go to hell.”
Damian smiled. And it was terrifying.
“I’ll see you there.”
Then—
He snapped the man’s wrist.
A scream tore through the room.
Serena flinched.
Damian was merciless.
He twisted the intruder’s arm, yanking him forward. “I won’t ask again.”
The man gasped in pain. “You think killing me will stop them?”
Serena’s blood ran cold.
Damian’s grip tightened. “Them?”
The intruder grinned, his teeth stained red.
“They’re already coming for her.”
Damian’s expression darkened.
And then—
A gunshot.
No Mercy
The intruder slumped, a single bullet lodged in his skull.
Serena gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.
Damian stood over the body, his gun still smoking. His face was unreadable.
Cold.
Unshaken.
Serena’s pulse thundered.
“Damian—”
His gaze snapped to her.
And for the first time, she saw it.
The full force of the monster he was.
Not just a billionaire.
Not just a protector.
A killer.
A man who didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.
A man who had just ended a life without blinking.
Serena’s breath shuddered.
She should have been horrified.
She should have run.
But the worst part?
She felt safe.
Because as terrifying as Damian was—
He was hers.
The Aftermath
The body was gone within minutes.
Damian’s men moved fast, disposing of it like it was nothing more than an inconvenience.
Serena sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the bloodstain on the carpet.
Damian knelt in front of her, his hands resting on her thighs. “Are you hurt?”
Serena shook her head. “No.”
His fingers brushed against her wrist, his touch surprisingly gentle. “Did he touch you?”
She swallowed. “No.”
A flicker of relief crossed his face.
Then, his expression hardened.
“This won’t happen again.”
Serena’s pulse spiked. “Damian—”
His grip tightened. “I swear to you, Serena. No one will ever touch you. Not while I’m breathing.”
Something dark coiled in her chest.
Fear.
Desire.
Something she couldn’t name.
“Who sent him?” she whispered.
Damian’s jaw clenched. “I don’t know.”
But she could see the rage simmering beneath his skin.
Whoever it was—
Damian would find them.
And when he did—
He wouldn’t show mercy.
The Warning
An hour later, Damian stood by the window, a glass of whiskey in hand.
Serena watched him from the bed.
The room was quiet, but the air crackled with tension.
Finally, she spoke.
“Is this my life now?”
Damian turned to her, his gaze unreadable. “Yes.”
Serena exhaled shakily.
She had known things would change.
But this?
This was war.
Damian set his glass down and crossed the room, stopping just inches from her.
His hand cupped her jaw, his thumb brushing against her lips.
“You’re mine, Serena.” His voice was dark. Possessive.
“And I don’t share.”
Serena’s breath hitched.
She should have been scared.
Should have pulled away.
But instead—
She whispered the most dangerous words of all.
“Then keep me safe.”
A Storm is Coming
Damian’s lips curled into something dark.
“I intend to.”
And as Serena stared into his stormy gray eyes, she knew—
This was only the beginning.
Because whoever had sent that man tonight?
They weren’t done.
And neither was Damian Blackwood.
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- Writer
