"Midnight is the witching hour, they say. A time when the veil between worlds is thinnest, when the living and the dead can touch, if only for a moment."
The rain was relentless, a steady drumbeat against the windows of my apartment. I sat curled up on the couch, a blanket draped over my legs, a half-empty glass of wine on the coffee table. The TV was on, but I wasn't really watching. My mind was elsewhere, as it often was these days. Aiden had been gone for weeks, his absence a constant ache in my chest. He was supposed to visit last weekend, but something had come up work, as usual. I understood, of course. He was ambitious, driven, and I loved that about him. But still, I missed him. I missed the way he made me feel alive, the way his presence filled a room.
I glanced at the clock on the wall. 11:58 PM. The witching hour was approaching, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen. Maybe it was the storm, the way the wind howled outside, or the way the shadows seemed to stretch and twist in the dim light. Or maybe it was just the wine, making me paranoid. I took another sip, the bitter taste lingering on my tongue.
And then I heard it.
A knock.
Three sharp raps against the door, so faint I almost thought I'd imagined it. I froze, my heart skipping a beat. Who would be knocking at this hour? I wasn't expecting anyone, and the building's security was tight. No one could just wander in off the street.
The knock came again, louder this time, more insistent.
I set my glass down and stood, the blanket falling to the floor. My bare feet padded across the hardwood as I made my way to the door. My hand hovered over the knob, my breath caught in my throat. I told myself it was probably nothing a neighbor, maybe, or someone who'd gotten lost in the storm. But deep down, I knew better. Something about the knock felt… familiar.
I opened the door.
And there he was.
Aiden.
He stood in the doorway, drenched from the rain, his dark hair plastered to his forehead, his clothes clinging to his body. His eyes were shadowed, his face pale, but it was him. It was really him.
"Aiden?" My voice was barely a whisper, trembling with disbelief.
He didn't say anything. He just looked at me, his gaze intense, almost desperate. And then he stepped forward, his hands reaching for me, and I didn't think, didn't hesitate. I let him in.
The door closed behind him with a soft click, and suddenly he was everywhere his hands on my face, his lips on mine, his body pressing me against the wall. The kiss was fierce, almost bruising, his cold lips devouring mine like he was starving for me. I gasped into his mouth, my hands tangling in his wet hair, pulling him closer. He smelled like rain and something else, something faintly metallic, but I didn't care. All I cared about was the way he felt, the way he made me feel.
"Aiden," I breathed when he finally pulled away, his forehead resting against mine. "What are you doing here? You didn't tell me you were coming."
He didn't answer. Instead, he kissed me again, slower this time, his hands sliding down my sides to grip my hips. His touch was cold, but it sent a shiver of heat through me, igniting something deep inside. I moaned softly, my body arching into his, and he groaned in response, his fingers digging into my skin.
"I needed to see you," he murmured against my lips, his voice rough, almost pained. "I couldn't wait any longer."
I didn't ask questions. I didn't want to. All I wanted was him, here, now. I tugged at his shirt, my fingers fumbling with the buttons, and he helped me, pulling it off and tossing it aside. His skin was cold to the touch, but I didn't care. I pressed my lips to his chest, tasting the rain on his skin, and he shuddered, his hands tightening on my hips.
"Amara," he whispered, his voice breaking. "God, I've missed you."
I looked up at him, my heart aching at the raw emotion in his eyes. "I've missed you too," I said, my voice trembling. "So much."
He kissed me again, his hands sliding under my shirt, his fingers brushing against the sensitive skin of my stomach. I gasped, my body trembling with need, and he took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, his tongue sliding against mine. I could feel the heat building between us, the tension coiling tighter and tighter, until I thought I might burst.
"Bedroom," I managed to say between kisses, and he didn't need to be told twice. He scooped me up in his arms, his strength surprising me, and carried me down the hall to my bedroom. He set me down on the bed, his hands immediately going to the waistband of my pants, and I helped him, kicking them off along with my underwear. He stripped off the rest of his clothes, his eyes never leaving mine, and then he was on top of me, his body pressing me into the mattress.
"Aiden," I whispered, my hands roaming over his back, his shoulders, his arms. He felt different thinner, almost fragile but I didn't care. All I cared about was the way he made me feel, the way he looked at me like I was the only thing that mattered in the world.
He kissed me again, his lips trailing down my neck, my chest, my stomach. I gasped, my back arching as his mouth found the sensitive skin between my thighs. His tongue was cold, but it sent a jolt of heat through me, and I moaned, my fingers tangling in his hair. He didn't stop, didn't slow down, until I was trembling beneath him, my breath coming in short, desperate gasps.
"Aiden," I begged, my voice breaking. "Please."
He didn't make me wait. He moved up my body, his lips capturing mine in a searing kiss, and then he was inside me, filling me in a way that made me cry out. He felt different colder, almost but it didn't matter. All that mattered was the way he moved, the way he made me feel, the way he whispered my name like a prayer.
It was over too soon, our bodies trembling together as we reached the peak, and then he collapsed on top of me, his breath coming in ragged gasps. I held him close, my fingers tracing patterns on his back, my heart still racing.
"I love you," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I'll always love you."
I smiled, my eyes closing as I drifted off to sleep, his body still pressed against mine. For the first time in weeks, I felt whole.
But when I woke up, he was gone.
The bed was cold, the sheets tangled around me, and for a moment, I thought it had all been a dream. But then I saw the wet footprints on the floor, leading from the bed to the door, and I knew it had been real.
Aiden had been here.
And now he was gone.
"They say love transcends time, space, even death. But what happens when the one you love is no longer of this world? When their touch is cold, their presence fleeting, and their goodbye is just the beginning of a haunting echo that lingers long after they're gone?"