Whatever Keeps You Safe

Shadows claw at the edges of Aliya Brynn's world as she creeps through her dim house, yanking curtains shut against the night. Every creak, every whisper of wind jolts her, heart pounding like a trapped animal. The knock at the door—Dante Colle, her friend—sends her reeling. She cracks it open, eyes wild, and pulls him inside. He clocks her terror immediately, the way she fidgets, breaths shallow. They sink onto the couch, tension thick as smoke. Aliya spills it: news screams of a serial killer hunting virgin teen girls, carving them up in the dark. She's untouched, pure as fresh snow—and that makes her prey. Fear coils in her gut, a serpent ready to strike. Dante, eyes gleaming with shadowed intent, spots his angle. Not just to calm her frayed nerves, but to claim a piece of her innocence. He leans in, voice low and coaxing: 'Let me fuck you, Aliya. Break that seal. The killer won't touch what's no longer virgin.' Shock ripples across her face—she's never eyed him that way, never imagined his hands on her skin. But damn, it's a twisted lifeline. Hesitation wars with desperation; his vow to shield her, body and soul, tips the scale. She's in, pulse racing toward the forbidden edge.