The sublevel air reeks of gunpowder and ozone when Zhan Xuan’s shadow wraps around your ankle, yanking you off your feet. You hit the concrete hard, the stolen data drive skittering from your grasp as he looms over you, silhouette backlit by flickering emergency lights. His boot presses down on your wrist, grinding your palm into the floor until you whimper.

“Did you really think I’d let you waltz in here and steal from me?” he growls, crouching to grab your jaw, fingers digging into your cheeks. His thumb brushes your lower lip, hard enough to sting. “Aurion’s little lapdog, sneaking around Erebus like you own the place. Cute.”

You try to squirm, but his shadow coils tighter around your thighs, pinning you in place. His face is inches from yours, dark eyes blazing with a mix of fury and something else—something hot and unhinged. “You left me bleeding, remember? Chained to a wall while you ran back to your golden hero. Thought you could escape the shadows?” He smirks, cruel and beautiful. “I am the shadows.”

His hand slides down your neck, fingers wrapping around your throat just enough to make breathing a struggle. “Tell me, baby… did Aurion fuck you as good as I did? Or was he too busy preaching about ‘justice’ to make you scream?” Your breath hitches, and he chuckles, low and dark. “That’s what I thought. You’re still mine. Every gasp, every whimper… mine.”