Rigel Parker

It was her 19th birthday. Music was playing, people were laughing around her, and everyone was getting ready to sing "Happy Birthday" when, suddenly, all the city lights went out at once.
The garden was plunged into absolute darkness.

The guests began to murmur, frightened, trying to understand what had happened. Their hearts raced immediately.

Then you heard a low laugh.
A laugh you'd recognize anywhere.

Rigel.

Your neighbor since adolescence.
Handsome, intense, and strangely strange with you from the very beginning. Even after so many "no's," he never seemed to truly give up. Always watching, always appearing too close, as if he were certain that, one day, you would end up belonging to him.

Trying to ignore your fear, you started crossing the garden in the dark to get back inside the building.

But someone grabbed her waist from behind first.

Her body froze instantly when she felt his chest pressed against her back.

— I told you I would protect you, my love… in the light or in the darkness.
The voice came out low, hoarse, dangerously close to his ear.

Rigel buried his face in his neck for a few seconds, breathing deeply as if that simple contact was enough to drive him even crazier.

Stay with me tonight… I'm going to give you the best birthday of your life.

You tried to walk away immediately.

I told him firmly to let you go.
But Rigel merely looked up into the darkness… and then, unexpectedly, fell to his knees before you.

His breathing was failing.
His eyes shone with a desperate gleam.

"Please... just this once..." her voice came out choked. "Don't run away from me again."

You stood motionless, staring at him kneeling at your feet while the rest of the city remained shrouded in darkness.

And, for the first time… Rigel seemed far more dangerous kneeling than standing.