The night air was cool against Daniel's flushed skin.
He tossed and turned under his thin blanket, his body restless, his mind clouded by the lingering taste of his latest dream.
Lucian's touch, his mouth, his weight — it was all burned into Daniel's senses now, impossible to ignore.
Daniel buried his face into his pillow, groaning softly.
How had he gone from a quiet, ordinary college student to someone who woke up aching for the arms of a vampire?
He sat up, rubbing at his face.
Maybe he needed fresh air to clear his head.
He swung his legs off the bed and stood, walking toward the window of his studio apartment.
He pushed it open, letting the crisp night breeze rush in.
The city lights flickered beyond the trees, distant and blurred.
He was about to turn away when he felt it.
That presence.
The same one from his dreams.
Only this time... it wasn't a dream.
Daniel froze, heart hammering wildly in his chest.
From the darkness outside the window, a figure stepped forward.
Tall. Strong. Graceful.
The moonlight caught on dark hair, pale skin, and piercing blue eyes.
Lucian.
In the flesh.
Daniel stumbled back a step, his breath catching painfully in his throat. For a second, he wondered if he was still asleep.
But no. This was real.
Lucian climbed through the window easily, landing on the floor with a predator's effortless grace.
Daniel backed up until his legs hit the edge of his bed.
"What — what are you doing here?" Daniel whispered, his voice barely more than a breath. "This is the third floor...how did you get so high up"
Lucian's gaze burned into him, intense and unyielding.
"I simply jumped. Vampires can jump pretty high up," Lucian said simply. "I couldn't stay away from you."
His voice was low, rougher than Daniel remembered. It sent shivers skimming down Daniel's spine.
Lucian took a slow step closer.
"I tried to fight it," he continued, his mouth curving into a grim line. "But something about you... it pulls me in. Stronger than anything I've felt in centuries."
Daniel's heart thudded so loudly he was sure Lucian could hear it.
"Centuries," Daniel repeated stupidly, swallowing hard.
Lucian gave a small, humorless smile. "You don't know what you're doing to me, little human."
Another step closer.
Daniel could feel himself losing his balance. Almost crushing backwards, onto the bed.
Lucian stopped a foot away, close enough that Daniel could feel the coolness radiating from his body. But it wasn't an unwelcome chill.
It was a relief, a balm against the heat burning under Daniel's skin.
"I shouldn't be here," Lucian murmured, reaching out to brush his fingers lightly over Daniel's cheek.
Daniel flinched — not in fear, but because the touch was too much, too overwhelming.
"Then why are you?" Daniel whispered, his voice shaking.
Lucian's hand dropped back to his side. He looked almost pained.
"Because I'm selfish," he said softly. "Because when I saved you... something inside me woke up. Something I thought I had lost a long time ago. Something I tried to ignore because I knew better than to get entangled with humans."
Daniel stared up at him, breathless, confused, overwhelmed.
"But why save me then? You said it was on a whim…you could have just turn away and let me die." he said.
Lucian gave a soft laugh — not mocking, but almost sad.
"It wasn't a whim," he admitted. "I just…couldn't walk away. My instincts were screaming to save you. And I did. And you're all I can think about ever since. I see you when I close my eyes. I feel you when I sleep. I dream of you."
So, Lucian had been going through the same thing that he had? Daniel's knees felt weak.
He reached blindly behind him, sitting down hard on the bed.
Lucian crouched in front of him, moving so carefully, so slowly, as if afraid he might scare Daniel away.
"I'll go if you want me to," Lucian said. "But if you let me stay..."
His voice trailed off.
Daniel swallowed past the lump in his throat.
The rational part of his brain screamed that this was insane. That he should tell Lucian to leave.
That this was dangerous, reckless, wrong. That Lucian was a vampire and even though he had saved his life, they should still keep their distance.
But his heart — his heart whispered something else.
Stay.
Stay with me.
Stay forever.
Daniel lifted his hand, reaching out hesitantly.
His fingers brushed against Lucian's cheek.
Lucian closed his eyes at the touch, leaning into it like a starving man savoring his first taste of food.
"You can stay," Daniel said softly.
Lucian's icy blue eyes snapped open, glowing with something fierce and beautiful.
Without another word, Lucian leaned in and captured Daniel's mouth with his own.
The kiss was everything the dreams had promised and more.
Hungry. Possessive. Desperate.
Lucian kissed him like he was breathing him in, like he needed Daniel more than he needed blood or air or life itself.
Daniel gasped against his lips, and Lucian deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue into Daniel's mouth. Daniel clutched at Lucian's shoulders, pulling him closer, moaning softly into the kiss.
It was wild.
It was raw.
It was perfect. So much better than any of the times they had kiss in his dreams.
When they finally broke apart, Daniel was panting, dazed, trembling.
Lucian pressed his forehead to Daniel's, his hands cradling Daniel's face as if he were something precious.
"I don't want to scare you," Lucian whispered.
"You're not," Daniel whispered back.
And it was true.
Daniel wasn't scared.
He was exhilarated. Terrified, yes — of how much he already wanted Lucian. But not scared of him.
Lucian pulled back slightly, studying him with a look so tender it made Daniel's chest ache.
"I'll knock next time," Lucian said with a small, crooked smile.
Daniel laughed, a shaky sound that felt too loud in the quiet room.
"Please do," he whispered, wiping at his eyes where a few stray tears had escaped.
Lucian kissed his forehead gently, reverently.
Then he rose and, with one last lingering look, disappeared back out the window into the night.
Daniel sat on his bed for a long time after he left, staring into the darkness, his heart full to bursting.
This wasn't a dream anymore.
This was real.
And somehow, Daniel knew — deep in his bones — his life would never be the same again.