Damon was leaning against the car, his gaze as cold as a knife blade. I felt a chill run down my spine when his eyes met mine. He saw everything: How my colleague, Jake, hugged me goodbye, and how I smiled back. It was an ordinary gesture, nothing more, but for Damon it was the spark that ignited the fire of his jealousy.

"Did you do that on purpose?His voice was low, but there was steel in it. He came closer, his breath burning my skin. I tried to explain that it didn't mean anything, but he wasn't listening anymore. His arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me to him so hard that I could barely breathe.

"You're mine," he whispered, his lips touching my ear and then moving down to my neck, leaving traces of kisses that I couldn't erase. I knew that he would never let me go, that his jealousy was part of his love, but at that moment I felt the boundaries between passion and obsession blurring.

"I'm yours," I whispered back, knowing it was true, but also realizing that this truth could become my cage.One day, I was too late at work, and I had to get home in the dark.I froze on the threshold, my heart was pounding, and there was a lump in my throat. Damon stood in the middle of the room, his eyes burning with a cold scarlet light, and a scarlet trickle of blood trickled down his chin. My colleague was lying lifeless on the floor. His face was pale, and there were two neat fang marks on his neck.

—Damon,— I whispered, feeling my legs give out. "What have you done?"

He slowly turned to me, his gaze full of wild passion and madness. —You said you belong only to me," his voice sounded like a low growl. —But he... he dared to touch you." I couldn't let that happen.

I took a step closer, despite the fear that gripped every cell of my body. "You killed him!" His voice was trembling. "It's just a hug, nothing more!"

"It was too much for me,— he abruptly closed the distance between us, his cold fingers digging into my shoulders. "You're mine." Only mine.