Chapter 2: Shadows of Desire

(From Book 1: The Devil’s Bargain – Dark Temptations Series)

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Seraphina had spent her life walking the fine line between danger and survival, but standing before the masked stranger, she realized she had crossed into entirely new territory.

Everything about him was designed to ensnare—the deep timbre of his voice, the way he held himself like he owned not just the room, but the very air around them. And then there were his eyes. Even behind the mask, she felt their weight on her, dark and intense, unraveling her piece by piece.

The music swelled around them, a haunting melody that thrummed in her chest like an unspoken promise.

“You never answered my question,” Seraphina said, forcing her voice to remain steady. “How do you know me?”

He lifted his glass of dark red wine, swirling it idly. “I make it my business to know the people who intrigue me.”

A chill rippled down her spine, though whether it was from fear or something else, she couldn’t tell.

“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the only one you’ll get for now.” His lips curved slightly, and for a moment, she thought he might laugh, but he only watched her, as if waiting to see what she would do next.

Seraphina’s fingers tightened around the stem of the untouched champagne flute she had taken moments ago. She wasn’t used to being scrutinized like this, especially not by men like him—men who exudes power without effort, men who could ruin someone’s life with a whisper.

She wasn’t stupid. This was dangerous.

And yet, some reckless part of her didn’t care.

“I don’t belong here,” she admitted, the words slipping out before she could stop them.

The stranger’s eyes darkened, his head tilting slightly as if considering her.

“On the contrary,” he murmured. “I think you belong here more than you realize.”

Before she could respond, he reached for her mask, his fingers grazing her skin as he adjusted the delicate lace. His touch was brief, almost fleeting, but it sent a shiver down her spine.

Seraphina wasn’t sure if she should pull away—or step closer.

“Who are you?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

A shadow of a smile flickered across his lips. “You can call me Lucian.”

Lucian. The name slid through her mind like silk, smooth and dangerous.

She had no doubt that it wasn’t his real name. A man like him would never offer something so simple.

“I should go,” she said, even as her body betrayed her by remaining rooted to the spot.

Lucian leaned in just slightly, his breath warm against her skin. “Then why haven’t you?”

She exhaled sharply, hating the way her pulse jumped at his nearness.

Because she didn’t want to.

Because she wanted to stay.

Seraphina had spent her whole life building walls—walls to protect herself, walls to keep people from getting too close. And yet, with just a few words, with just a few glances, this stranger had cracked something in her.

The air between them felt electric, charged with something neither of them had spoken aloud.

Lucian studied her for a long moment, then extended a hand. “Dance with me.”

It wasn’t a question.

Seraphina hesitated. The rational part of her mind screamed at her to refuse, to leave, to forget she had ever received this invitation in the first place.

But the other part—the part that ached for something more, something unknown—silenced the voice of reason.

She placed her hand in his.

The moment their fingers intertwined, the world around her shifted.

Lucian led her onto the dance floor, guiding her effortlessly into the rhythm of the music. His hand rested against the small of her back, his touch firm yet careful, as though he was testing just how close she would allow him to be.

Seraphina had never been much of a dancer, but with Lucian, it felt natural—like breathing, like slipping into something inevitable.

Their bodies moved in sync, shadows flickering around them from the chandeliers above.

She was hyper aware of him. The scent of him—something dark and intoxicating. The way his fingers pressed just slightly into her waist, a silent reminder that he was in control of this moment.

And for the first time in a long time, Seraphina let herself be led.

“Tell me, Seraphina,” Lucian murmured, his lips dangerously close to her ear. “Are you afraid?”

She swallowed.

“Yes.”

His grip tightened ever so slightly. “Good.”

A slow, deliberate twirl, and suddenly she was flush against him, their bodies pressed together in a way that left no space for uncertainty.

Lucian’s lips curved against her ear. “You should be.”

The music slowed, but neither of them moved apart.

Seraphina’s heart pounded against her ribs, her breathing shallow.

She should run.

She should leave this place and never look back.

But when Lucian’s fingers traced the bare skin of her arm, leaving a trail of fire in their wake, she knew she wouldn’t.

Because despite the warnings screaming in her mind, despite the knowledge that this man was not someone she should get involved with…

She wanted more.

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The night stretched on, and Seraphina found herself swept into Lucian’s world—a world of whispered secrets and stolen glances, of silk sheets and hushed laughter behind closed doors.

She never should have stayed.

She never should have let herself fall.

But in the shadows of desire, she had already made her choice.

And there was no turning back.