Run: 2026-02-17-01KHMPFJN0AYXHK7A4A9DNGPRN

The doorbell echoed through the cluttered flat, a shrill intruder on the quiet symphony of rain pattering against the window. Aurora, buried under a mountain of research notes, didn't stir immediately. Ptolemy, the tabby cat, lifted his head from his paws, yawned, and stretched languidly before returning to his slumber. The bell rang again, more insistent this time. Rory sighed, marking her place in the ancient tome she'd been poring over. She pushed herself up from the worn couch, her small frame unfolding like a pocket knife. Her bright blue eyes narrowed as she glanced at the clock. It was late, too late for unexpected visitors. She crossed the room, her steps muffled by the threadbare rug. Her left wrist, bearing the small crescent-shaped scar from a childhood accident, brushed against the wall as she passed. She reached the door, her hand hovering over the three deadbolts. "Who is it?" she called out, her voice steady despite the sudden flutter in her stomach. "Lucien," came the reply, smooth and accented. A shiver ran down Rory's spine at the sound of that voice. She hadn't heard it in months, not since their messy parting. She took a deep breath, her fingers wrapping around the cold metal of the doorknob. She turned it, the locks clicking open one by one. The man on the other side was as impeccably dressed as ever, his slicked-back platinum hair glistening under the harsh fluorescent light of the hallway. His tailored charcoal suit hugged his frame, and his heterochromatic eyes, one amber, one black, met hers coolly. He leaned on his ivory-handled cane, the thin blade concealed within a silent threat. "Lucien," Rory acknowledged, her voice neutral. She stepped aside, allowing him entry. "What brings you to my doorstep at this hour?" Lucien stepped into the flat, his gaze sweeping over the chaos of books and scrolls. "Charming as ever, Aurora," he commented, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. He turned to face her, his expression sobering. "I need your help." Rory raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. "My help? After all this time, you show up here, unannounced, and expect me to drop everything to help you?" Lucien's gaze flicked to the scar on her wrist, a silent reminder of the past they shared. "I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important," he said, his voice low. "It's about your friend Eva." Rory's heart skipped a beat. Eva was the reason she'd left Cardiff, the reason she'd fled to London. She was the reason Rory had gotten entangled in Lucien's world of supernatural intrigue in the first place. "What about Eva?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Lucien hesitated, then sighed. "She's in trouble, Rory. Big trouble. And I can't help her without your expertise." Rory's eyes narrowed, suspicion warring with concern. "What kind of trouble?" she asked, her voice sharp. Lucien's gaze met hers, steady and serious. "The kind that involves ancient artifacts and powerful beings from realms beyond our own," he said. "The kind that could get her killed if we don't act quickly." Rory's breath hitched. She knew all too well the dangers that lurked in the shadows of London's supernatural underworld. She knew the price of meddling in affairs that were none of her concern. But Eva was her concern. Eva was family. "Alright," Rory said, her voice resolute. "Tell me what you need." Lucien's shoulders relaxed, a hint of relief in his eyes. "I need you to come with me," he said. "I need you to help me navigate the human world. I need your quick thinking and your out-of-the-box ideas. I need you, Rory." Rory's heart fluttered at the sincerity in his voice. She looked away, her gaze landing on the stack of books by the window. She thought of Eva, of the countless times they'd faced danger together. She thought of the past, of the attraction and the hurt and the things left unsaid between her and Lucien. She turned back to him, her expression determined. "I'll help you, Lucien," she said. "But I have conditions." Lucien raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Of course you do," he said. "What are they?" Rory held his gaze, her bright blue eyes steady. "First, no lies. No half-truths. No secrets. I want to know everything, Lucien. Everything." Lucien nodded, a hint of respect in his eyes. "Fair enough," he said. "What else?" "Second," Rory continued, "we do this my way. I'm not following your orders blindly. I want a say in the plan, in the strategy. I want to be your partner, not your pawn." Lucien's gaze softened, a hint of admiration in his eyes. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Aurora," he said. "You've always been more than just a pawn to me." Rory's heart skipped a beat at the sincerity in his voice. She looked away, her gaze landing on the stack of books by the window. She thought of Eva, of the countless times they'd faced danger together. She thought of the past, of the attraction and the hurt and the things left unsaid between her and Lucien. She turned back to him, her expression determined. "Alright, then," she said. "Let's go get Eva." Lucien nodded, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Thank you, Rory," he said, his voice low. "I won't let you down." Rory raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "You'd better not," she said. "Now, let's get to work. We have a friend to save." As they stood there, the rain pattering against the window, the past and the present and the future all seemed to blur together. Rory knew that this was just the beginning, that there were dangerous times ahead. But she also knew that she was ready, that she was strong enough to face whatever came their way. With Lucien by her side, she knew that she could face anything. And so, with a determination in her heart and a plan in her mind, Aurora Carter stepped back into the world of the supernatural, ready to face whatever dangers lay ahead. Little did she know, the road to saving Eva would be a long and winding one, filled with ancient artifacts, powerful beings, and a love that had never truly faded. But that, as they say, is a story for another time.