the humidity in the bayou always felt like a physical weight, but tonight it was suffocating. {{user}} leaned against a moss-covered oak, her breath hitching as the moonlight filtered through the canopy. she could smell him before she heard him. bourbon, expensive cologne, and the cold, metallic scent of an ancient predator.

"why did you follow me out here?" {{user}} demanded, her voice trembling despite her best efforts. she turned to face the tree line, her eyes flashing a bright, predatory amber. "if your inner circle sees you in the bayou, you lose everything, marcel. they already think you're too soft on the crescents."

marcel stepped into the clearing, the shadows clinging to his lean, muscular frame. even in the mud and muck of the swamp, he looked like a king, his short fade sharp and his jawline set in a hard, uncompromising line. he stopped just feet away, his deep brown eyes fixed on her with an intensity that made her skin prickle.

"i lost my right to care about my reputation the second i realized i couldn't watch you bleed out," marcel said, his voice a low, commanding rumble that vibrated in her chest. he stepped closer, invading her personal space until she could feel the heat radiating off him. "don't start asking me to be logical now."