Foxfire and The Demon's Heart

Zane's POV

I never chased.

People—humans, demons, even Celestials—were drawn to me, pulled in by my presence, my charm, my power. It was the nature of things, the way the world had always worked in my favor. So why was it that, with Selene, I found myself lingering, circling, seeking more than I should?

I leaned against the brick wall of a dimly lit alleyway, watching her reflection in the bookstore's window. She stood inside, lost in thought, fingers trailing absentmindedly over the spines of books. The golden light illuminated her features, highlighting the soft curve of her lips, the slight furrow in her brow as she concentrated.

She had no idea I was near, no idea how closely I had been watching her these past weeks. Completely unaware of the predator lurking in the shadows.

At first, it was curiosity. A woman who shouldn't be of any consequence, yet something about her was different. The way her energy hummed, subtly different from the other humans around her. There was a hidden depth, something lurking beneath the surface that even she wasn't aware of. And I wanted to know what it was.

No, I needed to know.

But the more time I spent near her, the more tangled my thoughts became. I told myself it was all for the sake of discovery. I needed answers. And yet, every time she looked at me, I felt something foreign—something that unsettled me.

I stepped out from the shadows, closing the distance between us as she pushed open the door. A small bell chimed above her, and the scent of old books and vanilla drifted toward me.

Then, as if sensing me, she turned.

Her eyes met mine through the glass. For a second, she hesitated. Not in fear, but in something else—curiosity, perhaps. A flicker of recognition, though she had no reason to recognize me.

I smirked.

"Zane?" she said, uncertainty lacing her tone.

Hearing my name from her lips sent a strange thrill through me.

I tilted my head slightly. "Didn't expect to see me?"

She crossed her arms, studying me. "You always seem to show up at the most convenient times."

I chuckled. "Or inconvenient, depending on how you look at it."

She watched me carefully, as if trying to decide whether I was trouble. A smart instinct.

She raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"

I took a slow step forward, closing some of the distance between us. "Maybe I was looking for a book."

Her lips twitched. "Do you even read?"

I grinned. "Only when I'm bored."

She let out a small laugh, but it was short-lived. The wariness returned to her gaze, that sharp human instinct whispering that something wasn't quite right. I liked that about her. She wasn't easy to fool.

And yet, she was already caught in my web.

Stepping closer, I let my voice drop just slightly. "What about you, Selene? Out late all alone?"

"I could ask you the same," she countered.

Touché.

I watched her closely, searching for something—some sign, some clue as to what made her so special. The air around her hummed, faint but unmistakable. There was power within her, buried deep, and she didn't even know it.

Yet.

"You're different," I murmured, watching for her reaction.

She frowned. "Excuse me?"

I reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. A bold move, but I wanted to see what she would do.

She stiffened but didn't pull away.

Interesting.

"There's something about you," I said, my fingers lingering near her cheek. "Something… unique."

Her throat bobbed with a swallow. "Different how?"

That was the problem. I didn't know yet. I had theories, of course. Perhaps she had dormant power, something untapped within her. Or maybe she was linked to something far greater than she realized. Celestials didn't usually take interest in humans unless there was a reason. And Orion… well, his presence confirmed that Selene was more than she appeared.

I gave her a lazy smirk. "Call it instinct."

She shifted her weight, clearly debating whether she should stay or walk away.

"You're impossible," she muttered.

"And you're fascinating."

Her breath hitched, and I could see the battle playing out in her mind. She wanted to understand me, to figure me out just as much as I was trying to figure out her. But Selene didn't realize she was the one being hunted.

Not yet.

She stepped back, creating space between us. "I don't know what you're talking about."

I let out a low hum, watching her reaction. She was lying. Maybe not intentionally, but she felt it too—the pull, the feeling that she was not just another ordinary human.

That was what made this so interesting.

"I think you do," I said smoothly.

She let out a frustrated sigh. "You're impossible."

I grinned. "And you're fascinating."

Her expression wavered, torn between suspicion and something else—something she didn't quite understand.

But just as I was about to push further, something shifted. A whisper of energy brushed against my senses, subtle but familiar. Orion.

My jaw tightened slightly, though I kept my expression relaxed. He was watching. Of course, he was. The Celestial had been lurking in the shadows for days now, always close but never interfering. I smirked to myself. He was losing his patience.

Good.

I reached for Selene's hand, lifting it gently. She stiffened but didn't pull away. I turned her palm upward, running my thumb over her pulse point, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath my touch.

"You should be careful, Selene," I murmured, my eyes locking onto hers. "There are things in this world that you don't understand."

Her lips parted slightly. "Like you?"

A slow smile spread across my face. "Exactly."

I released her hand and took a step back, letting the tension settle between us.

"Get home safe," I said smoothly, my voice lingering in the air as I turned away.

I could feel her watching me as I disappeared into the night, but I didn't look back.

Orion was still there, hidden in the darkness, seething.

I smirked to myself.

This was going to be fun.