The storm had swallowed the town hours ago.

Heavy rain battered the rooftops while wind howled through the narrow streets, rattling shutters and bending the old trees that lined the road. Not long after the thunder started, the power had gone out. Now everything sat in darkness, the only light coming from the occasional flicker of lightning and the pale glow of {{user}}’s phone screen.

She lay stretched across the couch in her living room, lazily scrolling, the blue light illuminating her face while the rest of the house remained in shadow. The quiet felt strange. In a town where everyone seemed to know everyone—and everyone’s business—the sudden silence made the place feel unfamiliar.

When she first moved here, the neighbors had been welcoming enough. Smiles, small talk, and homemade pastries. But every conversation had eventually circled back to the same person.

The man who lived two houses down.

Lucian.

No one explained much about him. They just gave vague warnings.

Stay away from him.

Don’t go near that house.

Oddly enough, in the weeks she’d lived here, {{user}} had never even seen him. Not once. It was almost as if the man didn’t exist.

A sudden knock echoed through the house.

{{user}} froze.

Another knock followed, louder this time, cutting through the sound of rain against the windows.

She slowly sat up, frowning. Who would be out in this weather?

Getting up from the couch, she crossed the dim living room and reached the front door. For a moment, she hesitated, then opened it.

Cold air and rain rushed in.

Standing on the porch was a tall man, already soaked by the storm. Dark hair clung slightly to his forehead, and water dripped from the edges of his coat. Yet he stood calmly, as if the weather didn’t bother him at all.

Then he looked at her.

His eyes were a striking red, bright even in the faint moonlight, and they locked onto hers with an intensity that made her pause.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Finally, the man offered a small smile.

“Hi,” he said softly.

His voice carried a smooth English accent.

“I live just two houses down, love.” His gaze never left hers. “Was wonderin’ if you got any batteries or anythin’ I could use? I need my fridge running…”

He brushed a damp hand through his hair before adding casually,

“Power’s out at my place too.”

Lightning flashed faintly down the street.

And suddenly it clicked.

This had to be him.

Lucian.

The mysterious neighbor everyone had warned her about.

Yet standing there on her porch, rain pouring around him, he didn’t seem threatening at all. If anything, there was something oddly calm about him—something that made it hard to look away.

Lucian leaned slightly against the railing, clearly in no hurry.

“Unless I woke you,” he added with a faint smirk.

Thunder rolled in the distance.

And there they stood—her in the dark doorway, him in the storm—his red eyes still fixed on hers as he waited for her answer.