Evie was busy getting things back on track at the bookstore. Now that she didn't have the constant pressure of rent looming over her, she could finally afford to close the shop for a while and focus on the deep cleaning and organization she had been putting off. The space needed more than just dusting—it needed a transformation.
She didn't just want this place to be a bookstore. She wanted it to be a sanctuary. A place where people could step inside and feel like they were being wrapped in warmth, a world apart from the harshness of reality.
Somewhere cozy yet modern, with just enough personality to make people feel at home. A haven where someone could get lost between the pages of a book and forget their troubles for a while.
Evie sighed and stretched her arms above her head, surveying the work she had done so far. It was still a mess—books stacked haphazardly, stray papers scattered about, and a fine layer of dust clinging stubbornly to some of the older shelves. But it was progress.
She was in the middle of rearranging a stack of novels when she heard the unmistakable sound of the door creaking open.
Her stomach clenched. The door was locked.
She would have sensed Rohmir if it was him—his presence was something she had grown used to, a dark pulse of energy that lingered in the air like a whisper in her mind. But now, there was nothing. Just silence.
Heart pounding, she slowly stepped out from behind a bookshelf and made her way to the front of the store. The door stood ajar, but there was no one there. She hesitated for a moment before stepping forward, peering outside. No one.
Then, something caught her eye.A dark gold envelope.It hadn't been there before. It was placed neatly on the wooden table where she had been working just moments ago—right next to her. As if someone had materialized out of thin air and left it there for her to find.
There was no name. No writing. Just an engraved symbol on the front—an intricate flame pressed into the fine, expensive paper. The craftsmanship was undeniable. This wasn't just some random note.
With a slow inhale, she opened the envelope and pulled out a single card.
Rohmir is dangerous. He cannot be trusted. He is a criminal. If you want more information,Mint Café. 2 PM. Tomorrow.
Evie's breath caught in her throat. She read it again.
Her mind raced.
Someone knew about Rohmir. Of course, she hadn't expected to be the only person aware of his existence—he had been bound to countless masters before her, and who knew how many people had crossed paths with him? But this…
This was fast.
Whoever they were, they had contacted her within days of Rohmir's arrival in her life. That meant they had been watching.
And the quality of the paper, the precise engraving, the almost elegant manner in which the message was delivered—this wasn't the work of some paranoid loner.
This was an organization. Had Rohmir angered someone in his past servitude? Had he left a trail of destruction behind him?
Her fingers clenched around the card. She had to go to the meeting. She needed more information. But it could also be a trap.
Her only real clue about Rohmir's curse was the book, the one she could barely read. She wasn't about to ignore the first real lead she had.
The door behind her opened again. This time, she felt the shift of energy before she even turned around.
Rohmir.
She turned to see him stepping inside, his expression unreadable. He was wearing an off-white polyester hoodie and matching sweats—casual, yet impossibly attractive. he was the perfect embodiment of her type—broody, dark-eyed, devastatingly handsome, with full lips that looked made for sin and hair that framed his sharp features like he belonged in some dark, beautifully drawn fantasy—a villain crafted with such impossible perfection it blurred the line between danger and desire...a walking fantasy. Her fantasy. Which only proved one thing—she had a very specific taste in men, and Rohmir was the physical manifestation of it.
Evie swallowed, a little distracted by the way the soft fabric clung to his frame.
Where had he even gotten these clothes from, they looked like really good quality. Perks of being a powerful immortal being huh? She hadn't seen any shopping bags. Had he gone into town? Had other women seen him dressed like this?
What the fuck was that train of thought?
"Did something happen?" Rohmir asked finally, his sharp eyes sweeping over her, taking in her stance, her expression. His gaze lingered on her a little too long, and she felt warmth creeping up her cheeks.
"I got a letter," she admitted, opting for honesty. "About you."
Rohmir didn't look surprised. If anything, he just sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. "They already got to you, huh?"
Evie blinked. "You knew this would happen?"
He walked past her and settled into a chair by the table, glancing briefly at the envelope but making no move to pick it up. "Every one of my masters gets one."
"You're saying this has happened before?"
"Every time," he confirmed. "Always the same letter, with the same flame symbol." He leaned back lazily, his expression almost bored. "They want to talk to you. You might not realize it, but that message is written in the same magic as my curse. I can't read it."
"Who are they?"
"No idea." He shrugged. "But they've been around for a long time. Even from my first master, they reached out. Always watching. Always trying to get to me."
She frowned. "And what happens when your masters meet them?"
"They always go to the first meeting. They talk. I don't know what's said because I can't get close to them—something about them repels me."
Evie realized that not knowing seemed a recurrent theme in the existence of Rohmir. He was bound by magic, but even he didn't fully understand the forces at play.
"So youve never known what they talk about?"
Evie sighed, rubbing her temples. "Great. Another mystery to unravel."
"You get used to it," Rohmir said with a smirk. She ignored that.
"Okay well we need to talk about something else." Evie realized that the only way she would get answers about that part was by going to the meeting. Going back & forth with an unknowing Rohmir was pointless.
"About how you were going to suck my dick yesterday?" Rohmir raised an eyebrow, and Evie nearly had a heart attack.
"You want to talk about that?" She asked.
"If you're up to it." He shrugged. "But it seemed you had a more important question. Ask yours instead. Forgive my interruption."
Evie was momentarily speechless. Her face had a pink tinge to it, the hue deepening with every word Rohmir had been speaking. How could he just casually bring that up & dismiss it like it was nothing?
His forwardness was definitely something she needed to get used to. But gosh was it unnerving....and hot? Evie was beyond turned on by this man. That's why she needed to get back on track.
She cleared her throat. "What I wanted to talk about...was the part of the bond that you haven't told me about yet. That sacrifice bit. I want to have all information that I can."
His playful expression darkened. "The bond is broken through the death of the master."
Evie's breath hitched. She would have to die? "And you're sure there is no other way?" Evie asked quietly. Contemplating all the information.
"Probably somewhere in that book, but I couldn't tell you."
Evie nodded. Then headed to a drawer from her desk. She pulled out the book in question and set it on the table, then took a seat next to Rohmir.
"Also you need to know my real name." he said softly.
Evie mulled this over, biting her lips subconsciously, deep in thought.
"And you don't remember anything from when you were human?" Evie turned to look at him to see him openly staring at her lips.
Rohmir slowly dragged his eyes from her lips to her eyes, unashamed that he had been caught.
At that moment tasting him was the only thing on Evie's mind. The question she asked long evaporated into the atmosphere.
Rohmir lifted a finger and traced it along her arm leaving goosebumps in it's wake. Where his finger met her skin the bond heat curled in her veins. Coursing all through her body.
"I was thinking maybe going back to that conversation I wanted to have." he murmured, his voice low.
"You think that's a good idea?" Her voice was a breath.
"I think it's the best idea." He said, his fingers having trailed their way all the way to her cheeks. Evie was beyond turned on. She probably could physically wring her panties.
"I've been craving for a taste." He whispered then lifted his hand, trailing his fingers up her arm, over her shoulder, up to her jaw. His touch was gentle, but commanding. He tilted her head slightly, exposing the curve of her neck. He closed the distance between them in a dizzying speed. And inhaled. Taking his slow time to take her scent in. Then his impossibly soft lips started moving, brushing against her skin, his breath hot against her pulse.
Evie's grip on the chair tightened as his mouth moved slowly, tasting her, ravishing her senses through soft but deep kisses. And the worse part....the damn bond heat burned wherever his lips touched, sending molten fire through her body.
His other hand that was not holding her face was making its way under her shirt, his skin hot against her stomach.
Then—
A loud thud.
Evie's breath hitched as Rohmir's gaze darkened and he brought his face impossibly close, his lips hovering just inches from hers. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, lazy and knowing.
"Saved by the book." he murmured, his voice a slow, deliberate drawl that sent shivers down her spine.
Unlike last time, they didn't break apart in a startled rush. Instead, Rohmir unraveled himself from her slowly, deliberately—his fingers lingering against her skin, tracing, tempting. Each touch felt like a promise, a quiet indulgence, as if he was savoring the moment just as much as the surrender he knew was coming, his eyes never leaving her face.
Evie returned to reality, annoyed at whatever had taken her away from that sweet torture his lips were giving her.
But she didn't have long to be mad about it. Because the source of the noise had slammed open. And the letters on its page were shifting, rearranging themselves before her eyes.