~ Immortality unveiled ~Tom Riddle x Reader 🐍🌶

Chapter 44 ~ The Nharzan~

"Tom, you need help." My voice is desperate now, panic clawing at my chest. "Who did this to you? What happened?"

His gaze darkens, and for a moment, I think he might push me away, but then his body sags, and he sinks to his knees, his strength finally giving out. I drop down beside him, my heart hammering in my chest as I cradle his face in my hands.

"Don't be weak," he snarls, but there's no venom in his voice—just exhaustion.

"I'm not weak," I whisper, my voice trembling. "You are."

He gives me a bitter smile, and I realize, in this moment, that I've never seen him so human. Vulnerable. He's always been an enigma, untouchable, a force of nature I could never truly understand, and yet... here he is, broken and bleeding in my arms.

"Who did this to you?" I ask again, my voice softer this time, as if speaking louder would shatter the fragile moment between us.

He doesn't answer immediately. His eyes drift, unfocused, as if he's looking for something beyond the room, beyond me. For a second, I wonder if he's slipping away, but then he speaks, his voice barely audible.

"It doesn't matter," he says, and I can hear the anger simmering beneath the surface. "I'll deal with them. I always do."

I bite my lip, trying to stay calm, but fear gnaws at me. Tom Riddle never shows weakness. If he's like this, if someone or something could hurt him... what chance do I have?

"You're not invincible, Tom," I say, and the words feel like a betrayal even as they leave my mouth. I know it's the truth, but admitting it, to him of all people, feels dangerous.

His eyes snap back to mine, sharp and piercing despite his weakened state. "I am more than you could ever imagine, Eva." His voice is a low growl, and I feel the familiar dread that comes with being near him—a fear that always lingers in the background, no matter how much I desire him.

But that desire... it's overwhelming, even now. My heart races for him, my breath quickens as I kneel there beside him, cradling his head in my lap. He's broken, but still so powerful. Still so... him. I want him. Too much.. Am I still only Dumbeldores spy.. or did I already go over the edge.

"Tom, let me help you," I plead, my voice thick with emotion.

He shakes his head, his hand weakly gripping my arm. "You can't help me," he says, his voice filled with disdain. "No one can."

His words cut deep, but I refuse to let him push me away. Not now. Not when he's like this.

I feel the darkness stirring within me, the same darkness that's been growing ever since I became entangled with him. It's always been there, lurking in the background, but now... now it's awake. And it wants him. I want him.

And I want power.

The thought is like a whisper in the back of my mind, quiet but insistent. I've always resisted the darkness, fought against it, but now... now it feels like I'm teetering on the edge, ready to fall.

I lower my head, my lips brushing against his ear as I whisper, "Tom, please. Let me in."

His body stills, his breathing heavy as he turns his head to meet my gaze. There's something unreadable in his eyes, something dangerous. "Why do you care, Eva?" His voice is softer now, almost a taunt. "You know what I am. You know what I want. You should leave me to die."

But I can't. I could never leave him, no matter how much I know I should. Even as I watch the darkness inside him consume everything good, I'm drawn to it. Drawn to him.

"I can't," I whisper, my voice barely audible. "I care too much."

His hand moves to my face, and for a moment, I think he's going to push me away. But instead, his fingers trace the line of my jaw, his touch cold and possessive. "You're weak," he murmurs, his eyes narrowing as he studies me. "You think this is love, don't you?"