SHADOWLESS LOVE

The dim corridors of the research center were lifeless, save for the rhythmic click of Erika's heels. The air was sterile and oppressive. Behind her, ten guards in black and white suits moved in unison, their steps echoing against the cold steel walls. Erika's ice-blue eyes, void of emotion, scanned her surroundings with a predator's precision. She didn't miss a thing, not the reluctant bows of the researchers nor the discomfort in their eyes. Her presence, sharp and suffocating, was a shadow they dared not challenge.

She paused before a towering glass window overlooking the intricate process of drug manufacturing. Machines hummed in synchrony, lights flickering like a pulse. Yet her mind was elsewhere—on him. On Aeron.

A shiver climbed her spine as she recalled those crimson eyes. Once a symbol of passion, they now radiated unrestrained cruelty. The image of Aeron Valentino—flawless, devilishly handsome, but utterly ruthless—haunted her. She had seen his savagery firsthand: the methodical beating of a man until his life drained away, the callous way he fed live bodies to his rabid dogs. Rumors of HADES had always circled, but witnessing its reality had carved fear into her soul. Fear... and something darker.

Her fists clenched as her thoughts shifted to the basement. Ten Ghost Fleet spies awaited their fate, among them Kaizan, the boy she had trained from nothing. His green eyes and unruly brown curls haunted her memories. He was her prodigy, her shadow in the art of death and deception. She had molded him, taught him to be both invisible and unstoppable. And now he stood in Aeron's grasp.

Erika stopped abruptly, her chest tightening with rage. How dare he test me like this? Aeron wanted to gauge her allegiance and force her hand. But she wasn't one to bow to games of power. Kaizan is someone who will carry my legacy or even suppress me and Lotus in 10 years. He will survive because I made him that way. But abandoning him? That is not who I am.

Turning sharply, her heels struck the floor like gunshots. The guards exchanged uncertain glances but followed her down the winding path to the basement. The stone stairs were ancient, their jagged edges worn smooth by time. Cold seeped from the walls, carrying whispers of agony. Each step was a descent into a pit of dread, the dim lanterns above flickering like dying embers.

The basement reeked of blood and damp stone. The iron door loomed ahead, rusted but impenetrable. Erika's heart raced as she caught sight of Aeron lounging like a monarch on a leather sofa. Cassian, his ever-present shadow, was bandaging his left hand while a cigar smoldered in his right. He exuded a dangerous allure, his crimson gaze flicking toward her with predatory amusement.

The spies stood shackled against the wall, their faces pale and drawn. Kaizan's head hung low, his curls obscuring his expression. Relief flooded Erika's chest, quickly replaced by fury. He's alive, but for how long?

Aeron's lips curled into smirk as she entered. "Ah, Princess," he drawled, his voice honeyed with malice. "To what do I owe the honor? Surely, this isn't your preferred setting."

Her gaze snapped to his, sharp and unforgiving. "Aeron," she began, her tone deceptively sweet, "as Lady of Valentino, I trust I have certain privileges."

He chuckled, leaning back like a cat toying with its prey. "Of course, princess. None of us would dare question your authority."

"Then I'll take him," she said, pointing to Kaizan. Her voice was a blade, cutting through the tension.

Cassian gaped. "Are you insane? That's—"

Aeron silenced him with a lazy wave of his hand, his amusement deepening. "You make demands as if asking for a trinket, Princess," he murmured, his eyes narrowing. "Do pawns hold such value to you?"

"They're not human, are they?" Erika's smile was venomous. "Just pieces on a board."

The room stilled. Aeron's smirk faltered for a fraction of a second before he regained his composure. Her words had struck, but she had left her true intentions buried. He studied her, his gaze dark and calculating.

"And what will you do with him?" His voice was soft, lethal.

She stepped closer, the guards holding their breath. The distance between them vanished, her presence a storm clashing with his. "I need him," she whispered, resting a hand on his cheek. Her fingers were ice, her smile a challenge. "For information, of course. Ghost Fleet's secrets don't come cheap."

Aeron's eyes flashed. Her honesty was too perfect, her calm too calculated. Yet he couldn't find a lie. His hand snaked around her wrist, and with a sharp tug, she fell onto his lap.

The room crackled with unspoken tension. Cassian froze, his mind racing. Are they flirting or about to kill each other?

"Tell me, Princess," Aeron murmured, his lips dangerously close to hers. "Do younger men excite you?"

Erika's eyes widened at the absurdity, her heart pounding. She hated how his presence unraveled her composure. "You're delusional, Aeron Valentino."

His laughter was low, mocking. "Perhaps. But I'll be disappointed if you stoop to chasing boys."

"Think what you want," she snapped, her voice steady despite her racing pulse.

He leaned closer, their faces mere inches apart. "What if I refuse?"

"Then I'll take him anyway," she countered, her voice dripping with defiance.

For a moment, Aeron considered his options. She was playing a dangerous game, but he couldn't deny the pull she had over him. Finally, he released her wrist, his smirk returning.

"Take him," he said, his voice laced with venom. "But don't forget, Princess, everything comes with a price."

Erika rose gracefully, her eyes locking with his. "I always pay my debts," she said, her voice cold and commanding.

As she led Kaizan away, Aeron's gaze lingered on her retreating form. For the first time in years, he felt something unfamiliar: doubt.

Erika had outmaneuvered him, and he hated how much he liked it.