An unexpected feeling

chapter 8

That night stretched on forever. I woke around midnight, stomach twisting with hunger. Sleep had barely touched me—maybe the steady drumming of rain on the roof, or maybe the stubborn memories of Lucius that refused to leave my mind. I sat up, listening. The house was completely still; no one else was awake. I slipped out of bed and padded quietly down the hallway to the kitchen.

I didn’t turn on the lights. The moon poured silver through the windows, bright enough to see by, and I didn’t want to draw attention. I found the leftovers—cold chicken and a few pieces of fried potatoes—and carried them to the high stool tucked beside the cabinet. The first bite hit like salvation. I exhaled hard, eyes closing for a second.

finally.

Food.

I was starving in my miserable half-sleep.

I was happily devouring my midnight meal when the overhead lights snapped on.

I froze, fork halfway to my mouth.

Lucius.

He stood in the doorway, dressed in loose nightclothes—a soft gray shirt and drawstring pants—looking far too awake for the hour. But I was still in that short white nightgown, the one that barely skimmed my thighs. Heat flooded my face. Embarrassment and surprise collided inside me as I stared at him.

He smiled—slow, easy, genuine.

I had never imagined his smile could be this magnificent. It seemed to fill the entire kitchen.

Without a word, he walked over, reached past me, and plucked a small piece of chicken from my plate. He sat on the stool right beside me, close enough that our knees almost brushed, and took a bite.

“Hmm,” he murmured, eyes locking on mine. “This is nice.”

I blinked rapidly, trying to catch up. “What are you… you’re not asleep?”

“I was hungry,” he said simply. Then, before I could react, he leaned in and stole the fried potato right out of my fingers, popping it into his mouth.

“Hey!” I pointed at my now-empty hand. “I was eating that. Why would you—”

“Because that was the last one,” he said, glancing down at my plate with mock innocence. “So… why are you here?”

“Well, I got hungry all of a sudden, and I couldn’t sleep, so I figured I had to eat something, and…” My explanation trailed off as deep, rumbling laughter rolled out of him.

“Why are you laughing?” I asked, genuinely curious now.

“You’re such a foodie,” he teased, still chuckling. “And you explain way too much.”

I paused, watching as he reached for another piece of chicken. Then I said quietly, “Madam Maddie told me about your family.”

He stilled for a second. “Well… did she? Hmm. I figured .”

“I’m sorry. I kind of forced it out of her.”

“No, it’s okay.” He set the chicken down and turned to face me fully. “After what happened last time, if I were you, I’d be dying to know too.” His gaze softened. “I’m glad she told you. Honestly, I don’t even know how I would’ve started explaining it myself.”

We looked at each other for a long, quiet moment—something unspoken hanging between us.

Then the lights flickered once and died, plunging the kitchen back into moonlit darkness.

I shot to my feet. “What happened?”

Lucius stood too. “I think the rain messed with the wires.”

“I’ll go check it out,” I said quickly, starting toward the hallway.

But his hand caught my waist, stopping me gently but firmly. “No. I’ll do it myself.”

Neither of us moved.

I swallowed hard. He stepped closer—close enough that I could feel the warmth of his body, the soft rhythm of his breathing against my skin. In the dark, his fingers found my face, tracing lightly down to my parted lips, then lower, brushing along the curve of my neck.

His voice came out low, almost a whisper, right against my ear.

“I want to kiss you.”

Before I could even form a reply, Lucius captured my lips with raw hunger. The kiss felt desperate, like he was starving for more than just my mouth. He pressed his body closer, hands cradling my face as though I might vanish if he let go. Neither of us could get enough.

I melted into him, kissing him back with the same urgency. A low moan rumbled in his throat when our tongues met, and the sound sent heat spiraling through me. Without breaking the kiss, he lifted me effortlessly and set me on top of the cabinet. My fingers dove into his hair, tugging and stroking as he deepened the kiss, devouring me.

My legs instinctively parted. He stepped between them, fitting perfectly against me. His hands roamed—slow at first—gliding up and down my thighs before sliding higher, tracing the curve of my waist, then pressing me flush against him in a fierce embrace. I no longer knew what I was doing. All I knew was want. I wanted his hands everywhere, his mouth on every inch of me.

A sharp moan tore from my throat when his fingers brushed the swell of my breasts. I was unraveling. He dragged his lips to my ear, licking the sensitive shell, and I dissolved in his arms, boneless and trembling.

Then, soft as a breath against my skin, he whispered my name.

“Rose…”

I bit my lip hard as he moved to my neck—kissing, sucking, marking me with gentle teeth. Pleasure sparked behind my eyes.

Suddenly the lights snapped back on.

The harsh brightness flooded the room.

Lucius froze, his forehead dropping to rest against mine. His breathing was ragged, matching my own. I couldn’t bring myself to open my eyes—too shy, too exposed—but after a long moment I forced my lids apart.

He was staring at me, eyes dark and stormy with guilt.

“I’m sorry,” he rasped. “So… so sorry.”

And then he was gone—fleeing for the second time—leaving me perched on the cabinet, chest heaving, lips swollen. I watched him retreating back until he disappeared from sight.

Slowly I slid down, smoothed my clothes with shaking hands, and made my way to my room. I collapsed onto the bed, tears slipping silently down my temples. I closed my eyes, willing the ache to fade.

Minutes later—or maybe hours—my lashes fluttered open again.

Lucius stood by the window, moonlight carving sharp lines across his face. He turned, and the softest smile curved his lips. My heart lurched.

I rose from the bed and crossed the room on unsteady legs. When I reached him I whispered, “Hold me.”

In one swift motion he pushed me against the wall, lifted me so my legs wrapped around his waist, and claimed my mouth again—deeper, hungrier than before. Clothes disappeared in a frantic rush—mine, then his—until there was only skin against skin.

He carried me to the bed and laid me down gently, covering my body with his. His lips mapped every sensitive place he could reach, worshipping me with slow, reverent kisses.

Then he leaned close, voice low and velvet-dark against my ear.

“I’m going to take you to a world you’ll never forget.”

He entered me in one smooth, deep thrust.

My eyes flew open.

The room was quiet. Moonlight still spilled across the floor. The bed was empty beside me.

It had only been a dream.