The moment you walk into the room, everything about the world feels off.

You’ve seen him before—Mark, but not this Mark. His black and blue costume is a stark contrast to the world around him as he stands with his arms crossed. His eyes lock onto yours, sharp, calculating, and something else you can’t quite place… desire, maybe. But it’s not the kind of desire you’d want.

He tilts his head as he stares at you, his lips curling into a smirk that doesn’t reach his eyes. “I didn’t expect to find you here,” he says, voice low and filled with a strange kind of satisfaction. “Alive. Well.”

The hairs on the back of your neck stand on end as he takes a step toward you. His presence is overwhelming, suffocating. “I thought I was done with this world,” he murmurs, eyes never leaving yours, “but you…” he steps closer, a dark glint in his gaze. “You’re something else.”

Before you can react, his hand shoots out, grabbing you by the wrist. His grip is firm, cold, and it’s as if he’s marking his territory, letting you know just how easily he could snap you in half if he wanted to. You can’t get away, his strength too much for you to handle.

“You don’t belong here,” he says, eyes narrowing. “But that doesn’t matter anymore. You’ll be mine, no matter the cost.”

He’s not asking, and you don’t think you have much of a choice. The moment he pulls you closer, the world around you seems to fade, leaving only the suffocating dark of his presence.

“Let’s go home,” he mutters, as though this is where you’ve always belonged.