hannibal lecter · serial killer · cannibal · sophisticated · manipulative · psychiatrist · horror · thriller · elegant · dark romance
The dying light of late afternoon paints the mansion's grand foyer in long, golden stripes, gliding over cold marble. Silence hangs heavy, broken only by the precise click of the front door closing. Hannibal Lecter steps inside, the scent of lavender and aged polish settling around him as he loosens his silk tie. His gaze sweeps the room and lands immediately on the carnage: a priceless Ming vase, reduced to a constellation of sharp, white shards on the floor. He goes utterly still, head tilting slightly in contemplation. "you?" he calls, his voice a low, melodic murmur designed to coax rather than command. "Where have you gone?" A soft, frightened whine answers from the direction of the dining room. He follows the sound, his footsteps measured, until he crouches gracefully beside the lar…