The silence didn't last long.
It never did.
Adam could still feel the weight of the man's presence lingering in the air, like something had been left behind on purpose.
A warning.
Or worse…
A promise.
He pushed himself up slowly, ignoring the sharp pain running through his body. His muscles resisted, his ribs burned, but none of that mattered now.
His eyes were already on Lia.
She hadn't moved.
Not really.
She stood a few steps away from him, her back slightly turned, her shoulders tense.
Too tense.
"Lia…" he said quietly.
No answer.
Only her breathing.
Slow.
Uneven.
Wrong.
Adam took a step forward.
"I'm fine," he added. "He's gone."
Still nothing.
Then—
"I know," she whispered.
Her voice wasn't normal.
It was lower.
Strained.
Like she was holding something back.
Adam stopped.
Something inside him tightened.
"Lia… look at me."
A pause.
Then slowly—
She turned.
And for a moment—
Adam felt it.
That same cold feeling from before.
Her eyes.
They weren't stable.
Gold flickered… then dark… then back again.
Her pupils slightly dilated.
Her breathing sharper now.
"I told you not to come closer," she said.
But Adam stepped forward anyway.
"Yeah," he replied softly. "I'm not good at listening."
A weak attempt at calm.
It didn't work.
Her hand twitched.
Her fingers curled slightly… like claws trying to form.
"Adam…" she whispered.
This time—
There was fear in her voice.
Real fear.
"Stop."
He didn't.
Another step.
"I'm not leaving you."
Her breathing broke.
"You don't understand…"
Her body trembled.
Her gaze dropped.
To his neck.
To the faint pulse beneath his skin.
And everything changed.
Adam saw it.
That moment.
That shift.
Not emotional.
Instinct.
Predatory.
Her lips parted slightly.
Her breath slowed.
Focused.
Hungry.
"Lia…" he said carefully.
But she was already moving.
Fast.
Too fast.
She was in front of him in an instant.
Her hand slammed against the wall beside his head, trapping him in place.
Her other hand gripped his shirt.
Tight.
Too tight.
He didn't fight.
Didn't move.
He just looked at her.
And she was shaking.
"I can hear your heartbeat," she whispered.
Her voice was breaking.
"It's too loud…"
Adam didn't respond.
Her face moved closer.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
Her breath touched his skin.
Warm.
Unstable.
"I don't want to hurt you…"
But her grip tightened again.
"…but I don't know if I can stop."
Silence.
Heavy.
One second.
Two.
Three—
Adam raised his hand.
Slowly.
Carefully.
And placed it on her cheek.
She froze.
Completely.
"Then don't fight alone," he said quietly.
Her eyes snapped to his.
For a moment—
Everything stopped.
The hunger.
The tension.
The danger.
Only them.
Then suddenly—
She pushed him away.
Hard.
Far.
"GO!" she shouted.
Her voice wasn't fully hers anymore.
Her eyes darkened again.
"I said GO!"
Adam didn't move.
His expression hardened.
"No."
Her body trembled violently.
And this time—
She didn't stop it.
Something inside Lia… had finally started breaking.