Marcus remained silent, his gaze fixed on me, unreadable yet heavy with centuries of restraint. I could see the battle in his eyes—the raw sincerity of my words tearing at his defenses in ways he couldn't fully express. Every instinct in him seemed to scream to reach out, to gather me into his arms and protect me with everything he was, but the caution born from an eternity of survival held him back.
“You do not understand,” he said at last, his voice barely in a whisper. “I am not just dangerous… I am hunted. The entities I contend with… the dark forces that linger… they do not forgive weakness. They do not spare those who love me.”
My eyes filled with tears, but I refused to look away. “Then let me face it with you,” I said, my voice trembling but resolute. “I don’t care about the dang
