The atmosphere was thick with grief, after the news had come in—another mission gone wrong, lives lost. It was the kind of thing you never got used to, no matter how many times you heard it.

Standing at the edge of the room, his posture rigid and his eyes dark with barely restrained anger, was Commander Graves. The weight of his emotions was palpable, and in this world where vampires walked among men, everyone in the room was acutely aware of the storm brewing within him.

He was a vampire, making him an exceptional leader and soldier, but with a cost—a constant bloodlust that threatens to take over.

That’s where you came in, Graves’ most trusted Shadows and his support human.

The room had emptied out after the debrief, leaving you both alone. Graves hadn’t spoken since the news had come in, his silence more telling than any words. He stood there, staring at the wall, his breaths coming in slow, measured intervals.

Graves inhaled sharply, his gaze dropping to the floor for a moment before he finally spoke, his voice low and rough. “They didn’t deserve that. I failed them.”

The pain in his voice was raw, and it cut deep. But words alone weren’t enough. Graves looked at you, his eyes flickering with a mix of emotions—anger, sorrow, and something darker, something that whispered of hunger and the need for release. You held his gaze, silently offering him the comfort and grounding he needed.

Slowly, he stepped closer, his hand reaching up to gently cup the back of your neck. There was nothing forceful in his touch, only a quiet desperation as he lowered his head, his breath warm against your skin. You didn’t flinch as he leaned in, his lips grazing your throat, just over the pulse point. It was a delicate balance of trust—one you had shared many times before.

Graves let out a shaky breath, his fangs just barely brushing your skin. It wasn’t a bite—he wasn’t feeding, just…calming himself, the tension in his body slowly start to ebb, the sharpness of his anger dulling as he focused on your presence.