The Library

Sebastian

A s I sit there, holding the ring in my hand, my mind races through everything that’s led us here. Every drop of blood, every life I’ve taken, every dark corner I’ve navigated in this world—it all pales in comparison to what I feel for her. Lilith isn’t like anyone else. She’s everything. The thought of losing her, of her being taken from me, gnaws at my very soul, the soul I didn’t know I had until her. And after that last job… well, things shifted. My entire perspective on timing changed. My perspective on everything changed.

I already knew I wanted her forever, but the moment that bullet ripped through my shoulder, something snapped inside me. The thought that I might not come back to her, that she could be left in this world without me, filled me with a fear I never thought I was capable of feeling. That fear didn’t cripple me; it drove me. It fueled every step I took after that.

After Valen stitched me up, his hands moving with the precision only a man used to the darker side of medicine can possess, I knew what needed to be done. Valen’s a ghost, a shadow. He’s the man who patches up those of us who live on the edge of life and death, not just for the Society but for anyone willing to pay enough. He doesn’t ask questions, doesn’t flinch at the blood or the violence, but he knows better than to get involved beyond his needle and thread. I trust him with my life, but not with hers. He was able to close up the wound, but the decision to solidify my bond with Lilith—that was something no doctor or patchwork could fix.

As soon as Ty and I left Valen’s dark little lair, we went straight to the jeweler I’d scouted out weeks ago. The guy looked terrified when we walked in, both of us still covered in blood, but he didn’t dare say a word. I tossed a small vial of my blood on the counter, the glass clinking against the wood, and gave him his instructions on exactly what I wanted.

“I want this made into a stone. And I want it done by tomorrow,” I said, my voice steady, controlled, and cold as ice. I could see his hands trembling, but he nodded, taking the vial like it was a fucking holy relic.

In this world, blood is everything. Words are meaningless without action, and an oath means nothing unless it’s sealed in blood. The Society functions on those principles, and Lilith needed to understand that being with me wasn’t about rings or vows whispered in candlelight. It was about something far more permanent, more dangerous.

The jeweler worked through the night. Ty and I waited in the shadows, keeping our eyes on the streets, making sure no one came looking for us after the job we had just finished. I could still feel the sting of the bullet wound, but it was nothing compared to the fire burning inside me. I wanted Lilith. Needed her.

When the jeweler handed me the ring, the blood stone now set in the center, I felt something darkly poetic about it. This wasn’t a normal engagement ring—this was a promise bound by blood, a symbol that no matter where I was, a part of me was always with her.

The assignment Ty and I had been sent on was brutal. The man we killed wasn’t the first target, and he wouldn’t be the last. The Society had its claws deep in every corner of this city, and this particular mission was tied to a power struggle brewing beneath the surface. We weren’t just cleaning up loose ends; we were eliminating threats—men who thought they could challenge the order we upheld. The bloodshed was necessary, and I didn’t flinch. But the whole time, all I could think about was getting back to her, putting that ring on her finger, and making sure she knew exactly what she meant to me.

When Lilith sent that text, saying she wanted me to fuck her in every hole, the hunger I already felt for her intensified tenfold. I wanted to claim her in every way imaginable, to remind her that no matter what, she belongs to me. So when we pulled up to the house, my blood was pumping not just from the job but from the anticipation of seeing her again.

The moment I walked into the house, covered in blood and bruises, and saw her standing there, everything else faded away. All the violence, all the chaos—it disappeared. There was only her.

As I fucked her in the shower, the intensity of it mirrored everything I’d felt since leaving her a week ago. It was raw, brutal, and honest. I held nothing back, not with her. I never do. The way her body responded to me, the way she came undone beneath my hands, trembling as I filled her—mind, body, and soul—left no question in my mind. She was mine, and I wanted her forever.

Now, I sit on the edge of the bed, staring down at the ring in my hand. The weight of it grounds me in this moment. The blood stone gleams in the dim light, its deep red a reminder of everything I’ve sacrificed, of the blood I’ve spilled for her and for the Society. I know more blood will come, but for her, I would burn the fucking world down if it meant keeping her.

I glance up at her, and for a moment, I’m completely in awe. Lilith lies back, her body relaxed, her chest still rising and falling as she catches her breath. The way she looks at me, her eyes dark and full of something that goes deeper than desire—it fucking destroys me. I don’t know how I ended up here, with her, after everything I’ve done, but I do know that I can’t lose her. Not now, not ever.

She reaches up, her hand trembling slightly, and gently touches my face. Her fingers are soft against my skin, the contrast of her tenderness to the brutal way I had just fucked her sending a shiver through me. Her eyes search mine, and when she speaks, her voice is soft but laced with meaning.

“I should hate you,” she whispers, her words hanging heavy in the air between us.

I swallow, the weight of her words sinking into me. She should hate me. After everything I’ve put her through, the way I fuck her like she’s my possession, the way I drag her deeper into the darkness that surrounds me—she should run. But she doesn’t. Instead, she stays. And I give her one last chance, the words coming out low, almost a growl.

“You should hate me, Lilith.” My voice is thick with emotion, almost daring her to make that final choice, to escape this life with me.

For a moment, silence stretches between us. Her hand remains on my face, and I watch her, waiting for what she’ll say next, almost holding my breath. Then, her lips curl into the faintest smile, and she whispers, “But I’m madly in love with you.”

The words hit me like a punch to the chest. The weight of her love, her acceptance—it’s everything. It’s too much, but at the same time, it’s exactly what I need.

She’s wrapped in one of my shirts, her skin still flushed from the shower, her breath coming in slow, steady waves.

I lean in closer, my hands aching to touch her, to claim her all over again. She’s sitting there, looking at me like I’m still the monster she doesn’t fully understand.

Maybe I am, but she doesn’t realize she’s already become the darkness in me, the only thing keeping me grounded in this hell.

“Lilith,” I start, my voice low, but heavy with the weight of everything I’m about to say. “I’ve killed for you. You know that. I’d do it again-without hesitation. I’d tear apart anyone who even thinks about taking you away from me. There’s no line I wouldn’t cross, no blood I wouldn’t spill, if it means you stay by my side.”

She starts to speak, but I can’t let her. Not yet. I grab her wrists, pulling her closer until I feel her heartbeat pounding against my chest. “You don’t get it, do you? You’re not just something I want, Lilith. You’re the air I breathe, the fucking reason my heart still beats. Without you, my life isn’t worth living. I’d rather burn everything to the ground, including myself, than live in a world where you’re not mine.”

I feel the rage and possessiveness building inside me, and I know she sees it, but I can’t stop. “You are mine, Lilith. You always will be. I’d chain you to me if I had to. Hell, I’ll chain you to this goddamn house if that’s what it takes to make you stay. I don’t care what anyone thinks. You belong to me.”

Her eyes widen, and I see the mix of fear and something else-something darker, deeper-that makes my blood surge with need. “You complete me,” I whisper, voice rough. “Without you, I’m just a hollow shell, a man consumed by the shadows inside me. But with you… with you, Lilith, I can feel again. You make the darkness bearable.”

I cup her face, forcing her to look into my eyes. “Marry me,” I breathe, the words coming out like a demand, like a command. “Bind yourself to me, in every way that counts. I don’t want anyone else. I’ll never want anyone else. It’s you, or it’s nothing. I can’t live in a world where you’re not mine. So be mine, Lilith. Forever.”

I pull out the ring, holding it between my fingers—a stunning piece, centered with a massive red stone that catches the light just right. It’s bold, extravagant, and impossible to ignore. Just like her.

She stares at the ring for a long moment, her mind trying to process what I’m asking—no, what I’m telling her. Finally, she looks up at me, her lips parting as she speaks, her voice soft, almost breathless. “Yes.”

* * *

“What’s the stone in the middle?” she asks, her fingers trembling as reaches out to touch the ring.

I lean in close, my breath hot against her ear. “It’s my blood.”

She gasps, pulling back slightly, her eyes wide with shock. I can see the gears turning in her head, trying to understand what I’m saying, trying to make sense of it. But this isn’t something you can rationalize. It’s not something most people would understand.

“Your blood?” she whispers, her voice barely audible.

I nod, my gaze locked on hers, my voice low and steady. “Do you really think I would kill men for you but not bleed for you as well? This ring binds me to you with blood. Blood is more of an oath than any word will ever be.”

In the Society, blood is the only currency that matters. It’s how we make promises, how we seal fates. And Lilith is no different. She’s my everything, and I need her to know that this isn’t just about love. This is about possession, about claiming her in every way possible.

Slowly, she reaches out and takes the ring from my hand, her fingers trembling as she slides it onto her finger. The blood stone gleams in the dim light, a symbol of everything we are—dark, twisted, but irrevocably bound.

“Forever,” I murmur, my voice low and rough as I lean in to kiss her. “Until death rips me away from you.”

She looks up at me, her eyes filled with tears, but I know they’re not tears of fear. They’re tears of love, of acceptance. She nods, her voice barely a whisper. “Forever.”

As I press my lips against hers, claiming her once more, I know there’s no turning back now. She’s mine—body, mind, and soul. And I’ll protect her with my life, no matter the cost.

As we lie back in bed, her head resting on my chest, the warmth of her body soothing the rage and adrenaline still coursing through my veins, I let my thoughts drift back to the assignment. To the men we killed, the blood that was spilled. It’s not over yet. The Society’s work is never done, and there’s still a lot of danger lurking in the shadows. But right now, with Lilith lying beside me, her fingers tracing the tattoos on my chest, I feel a sense of calm I haven’t felt in years.

There’s a storm coming—I can feel it. But I’ll be damned if I let it take her away from me. No matter what happens, I will always come home to her.