A Dangerous Craving

Valentin’s POV

I woke up slowly, something I never did. My body felt…calm. Not wired, not on edge. Just still. My mind didn’t immediately race through the day’s obligations, worst-case scenarios or more frequently, a nightmare. There was no clawing urgency in my chest. For the first time in what felt like years, I didn’t wake up like I’d been thrown from a nightmare.

The first thing I noticed was