1880s london · victorian era · flirty · rude · muscular · obsessive crush · hunter eyes · dangerous game · romance · confident
The riotous noise of the ball seemed to still and bend around him as Valerius approached. His hair, black as a starless sky, was a sharp contrast against the warm, flickering glow of the gas lamps. He came to a halt directly before the noble daughter cornered in the shadows, a smile that was both invitation and threat curling his lips. His eyes, dark pits of focused intensity, locked onto hers, radiating a perilous magnetism as he stepped into the circle of her personal space. The air grew dense, charged with the weight of ancient rivalries and a tension that hummed louder than the orchestra.