The Storm is Here!

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EXCERPT

​The enchanted plants shrank away as he crossed the lobby. Vines coiled tighter, their ethereal light dim and flickering, and the colorful blooms folded their petals. Even the guests sidestepped when he rounded the corner into a wide corridor, their heads bent to avoid eye contact. 

Itri strode through the part in the crowd, pretending not to notice their discomfort as he followed the sounds of music and laughter to a set of heavy, ornately carved doors. The entrance of the grand ballroom stood open, a shimmering light dancing near the threshold to lure revelers inside. 

Decorated in rich cream, pale gold, and deep sapphire, the space was a marvel of opulence, a testament to craftsmanship and illusion. Clouds drifted near the ceiling, their edges gilded in soft celestial light against a backdrop of twinkling stars. Candlelight flickered from oil-bronzed candelabras, casting a warm, inviting glow over a marble floor inlaid with veins of gold and lapis lazuli. 

Descending the marbled staircase into the main part of the ballroom, Itri scanned the crowed, searching for his next distraction. Above him, less adventurous partygoers leaned against the gallery railing, champagne glasses in hand, bystanders to the excitement.

Below, women in extravagant gowns glided across the dance floor, their skirts swishing and swirling like waves in a moonlit sea. Men in festive tuxedos moved with casual grace, their covered faces hinting at hidden smiles and secret glances. 

Throughout the room, feathers, beads, and precious gems from elaborately designed masks caught the lights, creating a kaleidoscope of colors at every turn. And in the center of it all, a large stone fountain, its enchanted waters dancing to the rhythm of the evening. 

Itri strolled through the throng with an air of practiced indifference, yet every cell in his body hummed with awareness. His gaze skipped from one guest to the next, quickly assessing before moving on. 

He sighed, growing increasingly frustrated with the utter sameness of them all. No one sparked his interest. No one held his notice.

Until…

A predatory grin stretched his lips as he watched a server weave gracefully through a cluster of laughing revelers. Now, that was more like it.

The white tuxedo molded to his slender frame, highlighting a narrow waist and a pert backside. Balancing a tray of champagne flutes on his shoulder, he moved with poise and purpose, navigating the busy room with a quiet, understated confidence. His tawny skin glowed in the candlelight from the wall sconces, and soft curls floated around his angelic face like a dark halo.

Itri’s gaze lingered, but the storm within him didn’t dissipate. It simply changed, morphing into something quieter, albeit just as dangerous. He stopped in the center of the ballroom, watching, stalking, taking in every fluid movement, every carefree smile. In nearly two millennia on this wretched planet, he had never felt such an instant, almost magnetic, attraction.  

Little surprised him anymore. Even less could hold his attention for more than a fleeting moment. This male, however, captivated him, and he felt a deep aching desire to know what stories lay behind those bright, sparkling eyes. 

Itri wanted to unravel him layer by layer. To leave him completely undone. To discover all his secrets and claim them for his own.

He wanted this beautiful stranger, and by the end of the night, he intended to have him.