Chapter 25

I watched as Callie ushered Detective Doe into the living room, his trench coat draped over his arm despite the mild spring weather. He seemed out of place amidst the floral arrangements and cozy decor, his presence a reminder of the twisted game I’d found myself playing.

“I’ve got some news I figured I would share in person since I was in the neighborhood,” he began, his voice gravelly with the promise of revelations to come. I offered him a cup of tea, a small act of hospitality that felt absurdly normal under the circumstances. He accepted with a nod, cradling the steaming mug between his hands as if seeking something to ground himself.

The detective pulled out a stack of photographs from his coat pocket, each one a grainy still from various CCTV cameras. “Haides,” he said, pointing to the figure captured on the footage, “has been spotted in stores not too far from here. Maybe a forty-five-minute drive.”

My heart skipped a beat at the sight of him—his dark hair, the broad set of his shoulders, the way he moved with a predator’s grace. It was surreal, seeing him in these candid shots, as if he were just another person going about his day. But he wasn’t. He was so much more than that.

Detective Doe’s expression turned grave as he continued. “My connections have confirmed that The Lord is as real as they come. And he’s not someone to be trifled with.” He explained how Haides had cultivated a cult-like following in the red rooms, a dark corner of the internet where the unspeakable thrived. “If The Lord doesn’t get you, his followers will. They act in his stead, like a shadow extending from his hand.”

A shiver ran down my spine, but it wasn’t fear that I felt. It was a thrill, a dangerous excitement that coursed through my veins like wildfire. The man I’d created, the one who’d haunted my dreams and invaded my reality, was even more powerful and enigmatic than I’d imagined.

I didn’t care about the danger. I didn’t care about the warnings. All I cared about was finding Haides, this man who’d somehow stepped out of the pages of my book and into the flesh. The knowledge that what I’d written was real, that Haides wielded such influence in a place where darkness reigned, only served to heighten my obsession.

Detective Doe seemed oblivious to the effect his words were having on me. He sipped his tea, his eyes never leaving mine, as if gauging my reaction to the information he’d just shared.

“Thank you for this,” I said, gesturing to the photographs spread out on the coffee table. “It brings me one step closer to him.”

The detective set his empty cup down on the table, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer before he stood to leave. “Just remember, Ms. Lappa,” he warned, “Haides Anastos is not just a character in your book. He’s a very real man with a very real reputation. Be careful.”

The detective’s words hung in the air like a challenge, and I felt my pulse quicken at the thought of being closer to Haides than I’d ever imagined. But as Detective Doe opened the door, his body stiffened. I watched, my heart pounding, as he seemed to freeze in place, his back to me.

“Detective?” I called out, concern creeping into my voice. I rose from my chair, my gaze fixated on his unmoving form. The room felt unusually still, the ticking of the wall clock the only sound breaking the silence. What was happening?

I took a tentative step toward him, my curiosity piqued. “Detective Doe, is everything alr—”

The words died in my throat as I rounded the detective and saw the figure standing on my doorstep. The world seemed to tilt on its axis, and a rush of adrenaline surged through me. Haides. My Haides. His dark eyes held mine, and for a moment, it was as if the rest of the world had ceased to exist.

Detective Doe turned to face me, a wry smile playing on his lips. “Looks like I found him,” he said, his voice a low rumble that barely registered over the pounding of my heart. “I’ll bill you for my time. If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to give me a call.”

I heard Callie’s voice from the other room, a high-pitched protest that it didn’t count if Haides just showed up. But her words were just background noise, a distant echo that couldn’t compete with the reality of Haides’ presence.

Without a second thought, I closed the distance between us, my shock giving way to exhilaration. “You know, if necrophilia was a kink of yours, you could have just told me instead of hitting me in the head and leaving me there.” I playfully reprimanded but that didn’t quite mask my excitement.

Haides’ lips curled into a smirk, even as his gaze remained unyielding. “You’re fucking crazy,” he said, his voice a low growl that sent shivers down my spine. But the words held no malice—they were a testament to the connection that sizzled between us, a bond forged in the fires of the darkest corners of our imaginations.

He didn’t give me a chance to respond, not that I needed one. His hands found my face, his touch electric as he pulled me into a kiss that was both a punishment and a reward. It was fierce and demanding, a claiming that left no room for doubt. I was his, just as he was mine, and nothing else mattered.

As our lips moved together, the world seemed to right itself once more. At that moment, I knew that every twist and turn of my journey had led me to this point, to Haides, the man I’d created from ink and imagination, now flesh and blood and standing right in front of me.

Detective Doe slipped away, leaving us alone, and I could feel the weight of Callie’s wide-eyed astonishment from where I stood. But none of that mattered. All that mattered was the man before me, the one who’d turned my world upside down and made my heart race with a mixture of fear and desire.

The door clicked shut behind me, the sound a mere whisper against the pounding of my heart. Haides’ arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer, and I knew that whatever came next, I was ready to face it—as long as I had him by my side.