AI The doorbell echoed through the flat, a harsh, unexpected sound that sliced through the quiet hum of Rory's laptop. She looked up from her desk, her heart pounding as she pushed her glasses up her nose. The clock on her screen read 10:30 PM. Too late for Yu-Fei's deliveries, too late for unexpected visitors.
Rory stood, her chair scraping against the wooden floor. She crossed the room, her steps echoing in the silence . She peered through the peephole, her breath catching in her throat. Standing on the other side was a figure from her past, a face she hadn't seen in over a year. Lucien Moreau, the Frenchman, leaned against the doorframe, his heterochromatic eyes looking straight into hers.
Rory took a deep breath, steeling herself before unlocking the three deadbolts. She swung the door open, her voice steady despite the turmoil within her. "Lucien. What are you doing here?"
Lucien pushed off from the doorframe, a smirk playing on his lips. "Aurora Carter. Still as charming as ever, I see." His gaze swept over her, taking in her worn jeans, the oversized sweater, her hair tied up in a messy bun. "You're a sight for sore eyes."
Rory crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. "Flattery won't get you anywhere, Lucien. What do you want?"
Lucien held up his hands in surrender, his smirk fading. "I come in peace, Rory. May I come in?"
Rory hesitated, then stepped aside, allowing him to enter. Ptolemy, her tabby cat, chose that moment to make an appearance, rubbing against Lucien's legs. Lucien chuckled, bending down to scratch Ptolemy behind the ears. "Still the welcoming committee, I see."
Rory closed the door, locking it behind her. "He likes you. I, on the other hand, am still undecided."
Lucien straightened, turning to face her. "I deserve that. I deserve a lot of things from you, Rory. But I'm here to make amends."
Rory raised an eyebrow, her arms still crossed. "Amends? After a year of silence ?"
Lucien sighed, running a hand through his slicked-back hair. "I know it's been a long time. I know I hurt you. But I had my reasons, Rory. Reasons I can't explain right now."
Rory uncrossed her arms, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. "You can't explain? Or you won't?"
Lucien met her gaze, his amber eye flickering. "Both. But I promise, I will. Just... give me a chance, Rory. Let me make this right."
Rory looked at him, her bright blue eyes searching his face. She saw the sincerity in his eyes, the regret. She remembered the man she had fallen for, the man who had made her feel alive. She remembered the hurt, the betrayal. She remembered the love.
"Fine," she said, her voice barely above a whisper . "But you have a lot of explaining to do, Lucien."
Lucien nodded, relief washing over his face. "I know. And I'm ready to do it. Can I sit down?"
Rory gestured to the couch, watching as Lucien took a seat. She sat down on the armchair across from him, her body tense. "So," she said, her voice steady . "Start talking."
Lucien took a deep breath, his eyes meeting hers. "I know you have questions, Rory. I know you deserve answers. But I need you to promise me something first."
Rory raised an eyebrow . "Promise you what?"
"That you'll hear me out," Lucien said, his voice serious . "That you'll let me explain everything before you make any judgments. Can you do that?"
Rory hesitated, then nodded. "I can do that."
Lucien smiled, a genuine smile that reached his eyes. "Thank you, Rory. More than you know."
He took another deep breath, his eyes flickering as he searched for the right words. "I know I hurt you, Rory. I know I pushed you away. But it wasn't because I didn't care about you. It was because I cared about you too much."
Rory frowned, her eyes narrowing. "What does that mean?"
Lucien leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "It means that I knew, from the moment I met you, that you were different. That you were special. And I knew that being with me, being a part of my world, would put you in danger."
Rory's frown deepened. "Your world? What are you talking about, Lucien?"
Lucien looked at her, his eyes filled with a mix of fear and determination. "I'm talking about the world I come from, Rory. The world of the supernatural. The world of demons and magic and things that go bump in the night."
Rory stared at him, her eyes wide with shock. "You're joking," she said, her voice barely above a whisper .
Lucien shook his head, his eyes serious. "I wish I was, Rory. But I'm not. I'm half-demon, Rory. My father is from the realm of Avaros. And my world is dangerous. Especially for someone like you."
Rory looked at him, her mind racing . She thought of the things she had seen, the things she had experienced since meeting Lucien. She thought of the creatures she had fought, the magic she had witnessed. She thought of the man she had fallen in love with, the man who had broken her heart.
"You're telling the truth," she said, her voice barely above a whisper . "Aren't you?"
Lucien nodded, his eyes filled with pain. "I am, Rory. I wish I wasn't. I wish I could take it all back, wish I could go back to the day we met and change everything. But I can't. All I can do is try to make things right."
Rory looked at him, her heart aching. She remembered the man she had fallen in love with, the man who had made her feel alive. She remembered the hurt, the betrayal. She remembered the love.
"Why now, Lucien?" she asked, her voice steady . "Why come back now, after all this time?"
Lucien took a deep breath, his eyes meeting hers. "Because I need your help, Rory. Because the world I come from, the world I've been trying to protect you from, is in danger. And I need your help to save it."
Rory stared at him, her mind racing . She thought of the man she had fallen in love with, the man who had broken her heart. She thought of the danger, the magic, the world of the supernatural. She thought of the love, the hurt, the things left unsaid.
"What do you need me to do?" she asked, her voice steady .
Lucien smiled, a small, hopeful smile. "I need you to trust me, Rory. I need you to believe in me, in us. I need you to help me save the world."
Rory looked at him, her heart aching. She remembered the love, the hurt, the things left unsaid. She remembered the man she had fallen in love with, the man who had made her feel alive.
"I can do that," she said, her voice steady . "I can trust you, Lucien. I can believe in you. I can help you save the world."
Lucien's smile widened, relief washing over his face. "Thank you, Rory. Thank you more than you know."
He stood, walking over to her. He took her hand, his thumb brushing against her small crescent-shaped scar. "I promise you, Rory. I promise you that I will make this right. I promise you that I will protect you, that I will keep you safe. I promise you that I will love you, always."
Rory looked at him, her heart aching. She remembered the love, the hurt, the things left unsaid. She remembered the man she had fallen in love with, the man who had made her feel alive.
"I know you will, Lucien," she said, her voice steady . "I know you will."
And with that, she leaned into him, her lips meeting his in a soft, tender kiss. A kiss that promised a second chance, a kiss that promised a future. A kiss that promised love, always.