Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Sylvia froze, not quite sure what Rupert meant.

It almost sounded like he was asking for a label-like he wanted to define their relationship or something.

But how could there even be a label between them?

He was in love with Bridget. To him, Sylvia was just someone to use.

She was the kind of person he'd sacrifice without a second thought.

Sylvia felt her chest tighten. Her voice came out cold: "Oh, right. I forgot. You're my Uncle Rupert."

Rupert's eyes narrowed, shadows swirling in their depths. Suddenly, he lost his patience and grabbed the back of her head, pulling her into a rough, punishing kiss.

Their breaths tangled, the air between them turning electric and wild. She barely had time to resist before her strength gave out and all she could do was let him take what he wanted. A low, helpless sound escaped her throat.

"Mmm..."

Rupert's breathing hitched. He gripped her waist, his voice gravelly, almost desperate: "Sylvia, you're going to drive me insane."

She frowned, about to protest, but her back hit the wall, making her flinch in pain.

"Ah-"

Rupert let out an exasperated sigh and gently pulled her down to sit. "Turn around. Let me put something on that cut."

Sylvia wanted to say no, but her body just gave in and she sat down, exhausted.

Rupert grabbed some disinfectant from the table and dabbed it on the scrape along her back.

surface

Rupert's eyes only

blemish in sight, so perfect it was almost

phone and shot off a message to

Don't hold back.

sensing his pause behind her, fumbled with her torn shirt.

later, something warm landed on her shoulders-a jacket. She recognized it immediately:

thinking, she shrugged it off and handed it

but when he saw how pale she looked, something seemed to

"It's not about "

could finish, the sharp sound of police sirens cut through the night

feet, panic in her eyes. "What's going

the curtains for a quick look, then grabbed her

leaning down so their eyes

Sylvia hesitated, then nodded.

pointed to a

on

into that before

She hurried to the bathroom, changed, and walked straight for the

leaving, she glanced

lighting a cigarette, his face hidden in a haze

she was gone,

other end, he heard Mark's muffled

had this freakish obsession with collecting human skin-always bought it off the dark web, so nobody found out. He came here

stream of smoke. "The cops