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The girl's fear was palpable, a heady scent that wafted through the cracks of the old house. I watched her retreat from the window, the fragile beat of her heart a symphony to my ears.

How delightful it is to play with mortals, to sow the seeds of uncertainty in their minds. As she sunk into the bath, trying in vain to wash away her unease, I revelled in the power I still held in this world. Humans were fragile, like flowers.

It's been so long since I last interacted with a real living soul and the sensation of causing terror was exhilarating. I don't want to frighten her, not really, but there's no denying the rush her reaction gave me.

I wait in silence as she soaks in the water, the steam rising around her like a shroud. With my brothers standing guard over her bedroom, I allow myself to relax and enjoy as she washes that long silvery hair of hers.

Jas is like a pup, a sucker for a lady in need, eager to please. Sax on the other hand is protective, he takes his role as our leader very seriously. Probably too seriously, with the way he likes to dole out punishments and remind us who we belong to.

But me? I'm the odd one out. I don't fit. Jas and Sax complement one another, but I'm the dark one. I know they think I'm going feral…that I'm becoming a monster.

I try to tell myself that I don't care about her as anything more than a warm body to sink into, but I already know that I'm lying.

I want her. Want to protect and watch over her.

Want to make her mine…ours.

So I bide my time, watching while the water slowly cools around her skin as she loses herself in her thoughts. When the moment is right, when she least expects it, I make my move. With a soft whisper, I send ripples across the surface of the bath using what little power I have, causing her to startle and look around in confusion. She sees nothing but the empty room, the steam swirling lazily in the air.

But I am there. Always.

As she relaxes back into the water, I let myself be seen. Barely a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye, a shadow that dances just out of sight. She tenses, sensing my presence, though she cannot quite pinpoint it.

"Who's there?" she calls out, her voice barely more than a murmur. It thrills me to know that I hold sway over her even without revealing myself fully.

The sun has just set, the magic washing away and leaving me tingling. I could do anything now, stretch my wings and fly away, or enter the bathroom and join her. But I do neither. Instead, I linger at the edge of her vision, a shapeless form cloaked in darkness, perched and watchful.

Eventually she relaxes and her eyes soon drift closed.

I don't know how much time passes, but the steam has cleared and her skin has taken on a blue tinge. She doesn't move, the water almost covering her lips as the waterline sits dangerously close to her nose.

Gathering all of my strength, I fight against the magic bonds which keep me locked in place. It's excruciating, but my tail lashes like a whip against the glass, startling her with a loud cracking noise.

She needs to be more careful.

Reeling from the sudden disturbance, the girl's eyes snap open, wide with alarm. She scans the room frantically, searching for the source of the sound that shattered the tranquil ambiance of the bath.

Her gaze lands on the window, and there I still am, my stone visage twisted into a wicked grin, fangs bared. The fear that grips her now is almost palpable, a living thing that wraps around her like a suffocating blanket.

With trembling hands, she removes the plug to drain the bath and stands. Water sluices over her naked form and it takes every ounce of self-control I have to remain on my perch. My breath catches, each inhale like trying to draw in air through a straw. The anticipation of what comes next coils like a serpent inside me while my heart hammers against my ribcage, the erratic beat a drum solo.

Time slows to a crawl as I take in every exquisite detail of her naked form, etching an indelible image into my mind that I know I'll carry with me forever.

She reaches for a nearby towel, her every movement cautious and deliberate, and dries herself off quickly, her eyes darting around the room as if expecting me to pounce at any moment.

But I remain unmoving, a mere statue carved from stone as she wraps the towel around herself. A glint of defiance enters her eyes and she squares her shoulders, a determined set to her jaw as she speaks, her voice steady despite the panic that lingers in the air.

"I don't know who or what you are," she says, her words echoing in the silence of the room. "But you don't scare me."

It's a lie.

I can taste her fear, but I admire her bravery. She stands before the window, her stare fixed on me with an anxious curiosity.

I consider revealing myself to her fully, letting her see the truth of what I am. But something holds me back, a nagging voice in the back of my mind cautioning against it.

Sax would be furious with me. He said we have to wait.

Instead, I remain with my grin frozen in place as she examines me, almost daring me to move. The tension between us crackles like electricity, a tangible force that binds us together in a dance of danger and desire.

Time seems to stop as we face off in silent challenge until she shivers, her skin breaking out in goosebumps. With a frown, she finally turns away, and begins dressing.

With her back turned to me, in a flicker of movement too quick for the human eye to follow, I vanish from the window.

Soon, little dove.

Soon.