Rehab for SuperVillains (18+)

Lital's glossy black lips curled into a faint, knowing smile, her black eyes glowing faintly as she pressed her hand flat against his chest, her black nails splaying wide.

With a sudden but controlled push, she guided him backward. Kael let out a startled breath as his back met the couch cushions, the fabric yielding beneath him.

Her lips landed onto his again, harder this time, the sweetness giving way to hunger.

The kiss was deep, pulling, dragging him into her rhythm, her tongue sliding against his with a heat that made his head spin.

He tried to push gently against her shoulder, a reflex to create space, but her shadows stirred, rising like liquid tendrils from the floor.

They wrapped around his wrists, tugging them down with a silken grip, cool and unyielding.

The tendrils crawled—up his arms, across his chest, down his sides, their touch cool but deliberate, tracing his skin like ghostly fingers.

He gasped into her mouth as the shadows slipped beneath his shirt, unbuttoning it with unnatural precision, each fastening popping loose with a soft, deliberate snap.

"Lital—" he managed between breaths, his voice rough, caught between protest and surrender.

She didn't stop, her kiss silencing him again, shadows tightening around his wrists and ankles like silk restraints, holding him in place without pain.

Her glossy black lips moved with purpose, claiming him as her tongue teased his, drawing him deeper into her.

His shirt peeled open, sliding off his shoulders under the shadows' guidance, exposing his chest to the cool air of the room.

Her fingers traced over his collarbone, down the line of his chest, her black nails scraping lightly—not enough to cut, but enough to make his skin prickle with goosebumps.

His muscles tensed under her touch, his breath hitching.

Her own clothes followed more slowly.

A shadow slid up her dress, pulling one strap from her shoulder, the ink-like fabric slipping down to reveal pale, smooth skin, glowing faintly in the TV's static light.

Then the other strap fell, the dress loosening, clinging to her curves before sliding further.

Kael's breath caught, his hazel eyes wide as he took her in—her full-figured form, the strength and softness intertwined, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders like a dark veil.

She pressed harder against him, her breasts against his chest, her body flush with his as her shadows worked, tugging at his belt with a soft metallic click that echoed in the quiet.

His pants slid halfway down his hips, the fabric yielding under the tendrils' touch.

He tried to turn his face away for air, his chest heaving, but her lips followed, pressing against his jaw, his cheek, the sensitive curve of his throat.

Her teeth grazed his skin lightly, a teasing nip that sent a jolt through him.

"Wait—" he gasped, his voice trembling.

She didn't wait, her presence overwhelming, her affection a tide he couldn't swim against.

Her dress slid fully down, shadows tugging it away like liquid peeling from her body, pooling on the floor.

Her bare skin pressed against his, warm and soft, her long black hair cascading down his shoulders and chest, the faint scent of smoke and night-blooming flowers filling his lungs, intoxicating and inescapable.

Kael was naked before he realized it, his clothes stripped away by her shadows, discarded in silence on the floor like shed skin.

Lital straddled him now, her thighs gripping his hips, her body a commanding weight above him.

She kissed him again, slower this time—deep, savoring, like she wanted to drink his breath, her tongue brushing his lip in a teasing caress before pulling back just enough to whisper against his mouth.

"You're mine, Kael."

Her shadows tightened faintly, not hurting, just reminding him of the truth, their cool touch a contrast to her warmth.

"You've always been mine."

The static on the TV hissed louder, filling the silence like the crackle of a distant fire, the only sound beyond their ragged breaths and the soft rustle of skin against skin.

Kael swallowed hard, his body trembling under hers, his mind caught in a storm of fear, desire, and the heavy realization that he wasn't just trapped by her power—he was trapped by her love, a force as relentless as her shadows.

And still—he couldn't tell if he feared her… or if he wanted her, the line between the two blurring with every heartbeat.

.

.

.

The night had grown heavy, shadows draped across the forest, each tree standing tall and skeletal against the faint, silvery light of the moon.

The air was damp, thick with the scent of earth and pine, carrying a chill that sank into the bones.

Liss crouched low on a high branch, her lightning dimmed to the faintest sparks, barely flickering at her fingertips to avoid detection.

Her blonde hair caught the moonlight, and her blue eyes stayed locked on the clearing ahead, sharp and unyielding.

The cottage.

It stood like a ghost out of time—wooden, weathered, but alive, pulsing with a quiet warmth.

Soft light flickered from within, slipping through cracks in the shutters, casting faint golden streaks onto the grass below.

Her pulse hammered, a steady thrum in her chest.

Kael was in there.

She could feel it, a certainty rooted deep in her gut.

But so was Lital.

And that was enough to keep her firmly in the trees, muscles coiled like a spring, every instinct screaming not to approach—not yet, not in the dark where Lital's shadows held dominion.

The green-haired girl balanced beside her on the branch, small and quiet, her emerald eyes scanning the house with an intensity that matched Liss's own.

Her cream sweater was slightly rumpled from their journey, her pleated skirt catching the faint breeze, but her posture was steady, her silence heavy with focus.

Liss whispered, her voice barely audible over the rustle of leaves. "You sure it's him?"

The girl nodded firmly, her green hair shimmering faintly as she moved.

Then, hesitating, she raised two fingers, her expression cautious but certain.

Liss frowned, her brow creasing. "Two?"