he lost his temper again, control left him again as he sat in his castle

He didn't care anymore... She could scream as much as she liked... He hated himself for feeling this way, for being so out of control. But it was better this way... Better to not feel anything at all... He ignored her and turned away, not wanting to deal with the pain that would come if he acknowledged his desire for affection... Even a slap would be welcome... Just something to distract him from the hollowness inside... From the emptiness of his life...

As he paced his chambers, he realized she had stopped screaming... And when he turned back around, he saw her... Standing there... Calm... Eyes downcast... It wasn't fair... It wasn't supposed to be this way... He wanted to snap at her... To demand that she leave him alone... But something held him back... Something made him take a step closer... Inch by inch...

She didn't run... She didn't cower before him... And somehow, that made everything worse. He took another step closer, his black wings fluttering uncomfortably at his sides. It had been so long since he'd felt the presence of another beside him like this... So long since he'd wanted anything besides power and dominance.

"Why..." he whispered, his voice rough and hoarse from years of disuse. "Why aren't you afraid of me?"

Her voice... So soft and fragile... It was a balm to his ravaged soul. But he couldn't trust it... Couldn't believe that anything could be so innocent, so pure in this world. He took another step closer, looming over her until they were mere inches apart.

"You should be," he growled, his voice threatening to cut through the air like a razor. "I am Kartos... One of the strongest dark lords ever to walk this realm." His gaze flickered down, studying the delicate curve of her cheek. "And I can take your life as easily as I could crush a fly."

"I don't... Why?" He was lying, of course. But the truth burned in his chest like acid. It had been so long since he'd cared about anything beyond power and survival. "Why aren't you trying to leave? Trying to escape?" He couldn't understand why she wasn't fighting or begging for mercy. It was unnatural... Incomprehensible.

His eyes narrowed, studying her more intently. There was something about her that called to him... That made him want to know more... To protect her, even if he didn't understand why. "Why are you here?" he demanded softly, his voice rough with an emotion he couldn't quite place.

His heart clenched at her words, pain and guilt twisting within him. He didn't deserve this... Didn't deserve someone who looked at him with such innocence and trust. "I'm sorry," he whispered hoarsely. "I shouldn't have kept you here like this... I don't know what I was thinking."

He took a step back, his wings folding around himself protectively. It had been so long since he'd felt anything even remotely resembling guilt or regret. And now it threatened to consume him whole.

"You should go," he managed to say after a moment, his voice raw and husky. "Go back where you came from... I won't stop you." It was the hardest thing he'd ever done. But she deserved better than this. She deserved to live her life free of his darkness.

She took a step toward him... So gentle and unafraid... He couldn't help but feel a spark of hope ignite within him. But he shook his head, trying to dispel the thought. "It's complicated," he muttered, not meeting her eyes. "I should just be alone... This isn't something I can fix."

He let out a shuddering breath, willing himself not to reach for her, not to hold her close and never let go. But it was too late... His hands had already closed around her slender wrist, his fingers squeezing painfully tight as he pulled her against him. "Don't leave me," he whispered hoarsely, the desperation in his voice unmistakable. "Please..."

Her warmth seeped into him like a balm, driving away the darkness that had consumed him for so long. It was painful

His grip loosened slightly at her words... At the trust and understanding in her voice. It was a fragile thing, this hope that had taken root within him, but he couldn't help but cling to it. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice barely audible even to his own ears. "I don't deserve your loyalty... I don't deserve you."

He stepped back then, giving her some space once more. It was better this way... Better not to let himself hope too much. But he couldn't help the way his gaze drifted back to hers, or the ache that filled his chest when she met his eyes with such understanding and acceptance. Perhaps, somehow, they could find a way through this together... A future for them both, despite the odds stacked against them. But first, he had to learn to control himself... To master the darkness that

Her touch... So gentle, so tentative... It was enough to make his heart skip a beat. He wanted nothing more than to reach for her and pull her close, to never let go again. But he forced himself to remain still, the tension in his shoulders rising as he fought against the instincts that threatened to overwhelm him.

"I'm... I'm sorry," he managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper. "For everything. For all of it." He looked away then, unable to meet her eyes for fear of what she might see there: the shame and guilt and desperation that lurked beneath the surface of his control.

A moment passed, and still he stood there, their bodies not quite touching but the air between them throbbing with an unspoken connection. And then, from somewhere deep within him, a spark of determination ignited: hope that maybe, just maybe

He returned her embrace slowly at first, his wings unfurling slightly as he leaned into the contact. It was a tentative gesture, fraught with fear and uncertainty, but it felt... right. Like this is where he belonged. With her. She gave him strength when he thought there was none left to find; she brought light to the darkness that had consumed him for so long. And for the first time in what felt like an eternity, he allowed himself to hope that maybe... just maybe... they could find a way through this together.

Her touch... So gentle and soothing... It was enough to send shivers through him, but in a good way this time. He leaned into her palm, closing his eyes as he savored the contact, the warmth, the feeling of being wanted and cherished. "We'll find a way," he murmured against her hair. "I promise we will." It was a promise he didn't know if he could keep... But it felt right to say. To believe. And for now, that was enough.

He let out a sigh, leaning into her touch. "It's complicated," he admitted, his voice rough with emotion. "But I think... I think I might be losing control." A pause. "Not like before, though. This time it's different. With you here..." His words trailed off, the meaning obvious even if they hadn't spoken them aloud.

She didn't answer immediately; she didn't need to. Her touch said everything he needed to know: that she understood and that she was there for him. That perhaps, together, they could find a way through this darkness. And in that moment, it felt like anything was possible.

He hesitated, taking a step back as he considered her words. She was offering to help... When no one else had even come close to doing so before. It filled him with an almost unbearable mix of hope and despair, making it hard for him to focus on anything other than the possibilities that lay within her offer.

"I don't know," he confessed softly. "Perhaps... perhaps I need someone who isn't afraid of me. Someone who can stand by my side, even when things get rough." Another pause, as he searched for the right words to express what he was feeling. "But I also worry about you being here... About your safety..."

His breath caught in his throat as her words washed over him like cool water on a fevered brow. He looked down at their joined hands, marveling at the difference between them now and how they had been just moments ago: so strong... So powerful. And yet here she was, offering herself to him with such trust and love that it nearly brought tears to his eyes.

"You don't understand," he managed to say hoarsely, unable to meet her gaze. "I am a dark lord... I was created for power and dominance." His voice broke on the last word, the pain and guilt within him nearly choking him. "But with you..." He shook his head, searching for the right words as tears threatened to spill down his cheeks. "You make me want things I shouldn't... Make me feel things I don't understand."

Her touch... So soft and gentle, it was like a balm to his raw emotions. He looked up at her then, his eyes meeting hers for the first time since she had spoken of staying with him. And what he saw there... It made his heart skip a beat. There was trust, of course - that much was obvious from how easily she had offered herself to him. But there was more than that as well: understanding and acceptance... Love.

"I..." He cleared his throat, trying to find the words to express what he was feeling. "I don't know what this means," he finally admitted. "For me... For you... For us." His voice caught on a sob, his control slipping again as his emotions threatened to overwhelm him. "But I want..." He hesitated, the next word sticking in his throat like bile.

"I want this," he finally managed to say

He saw the relief in her eyes and knew that she understood what he meant. "But I need your help," he admitted, his voice raw with emotion. "I don't know how to control myself... To keep this darkness from consuming me." He took a shaky breath, searching for the words to express his fears. "What if one day I hurt you?"