Ever since he met Eloísa, Gabriel felt like the world had stopped around him. She was a beautiful woman, with eyes as black as the abyss and a voice capable of calming storms. They met one rainy afternoon in an old market, where she sold handmade candles and herbal soaps. Her stall smelled of incense, wet earth, and mystery.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” she told him, as if she already knew he would arrive.

Gabriel smiled, taking it as a strange but seductive compliment. He didn’t know that with those words, Eloísa had just sealed his fate.

They were married six months later. Everything happened quickly, almost like a spell. The wedding was small, in the garden of the old house she had inherited in a remote village, where the streets were cobblestone and the electricity occasionally failed. Gabriel didn’t mind. Eloísa enveloped him in a hypnotic calm. In her presence, he didn’t think, he didn’t doubt, he simply existed.

But little by little, something began to change.

—

First Sign: The Raven

The night before his first anniversary, Gabriel woke with a start to an insistent tapping on the study window. When he approached, he saw a black raven with one eye staring at him. He threw a rock to scare it away, but the bird didn’t move. It only left when Eloísa appeared behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Leave him alone. He knows what he’s doing.”

“Who? The raven?”

“Don’t ask so many questions, love.”

The next morning, the raven lay dead in the doorway, its wings spread as if it had fallen from the sky. Eloísa picked it up with disturbing gentleness, wrapped it in a black cloth, and carried it into the woods. Gabriel never heard from it again.

—

Second sign: the whispers in the basement

The house had a basement that was always locked. Eloisa said it was dangerous, that there was dampness and mold. But starting in his second year, Gabriel began hearing voices at night. Female voices, deep, ancient. Murmurs that sounded like prayers or spells. At first, he thought he was dreaming. But one morning, he went downstairs silently with a flashlight and heard clearly:

“A man’s blood gives eternal power.”

His blood ran cold.

He went back to bed, pretending he hadn’t heard anything. Eloisa slept peacefully, a half-smile on her lips.

Part 1: The Beginning of the End

Gabriel stood at the window of their small home in the remote village, staring out at the rolling hills in the distance. It was a picturesque view, one that used to bring him peace. The village was quiet, almost too quiet, with the occasional sound of birds and the distant rumble of thunder. He glanced at the clock—midnight. The house was still, save for the faint glow of candlelight flickering in the other room, where Eloísa had been sitting all evening, quietly sewing something, her presence always calm, always soothing.

But Gabriel hadn’t felt peaceful in a long time.

Six months had passed since they had married, yet it felt like a lifetime. It wasn’t just the unfamiliarity of village life, nor was it the isolation of the old house—though both weighed heavily on him. What bothered him was Eloísa’s presence, her mysterious aura, the way she seemed to be always just slightly out of reach, like a dream that couldn’t be fully grasped.

He thought back to their meeting at the market, to the way she had spoken those strange words: “I’ve been waiting for you.” It had been seductive, enticing, like something from a storybook. She had been the perfect woman—beautiful, composed, and enchanting. At first, Gabriel had dismissed her strangeness as charm, but now he wasn’t so sure. There was something off about her.

He tried to shake the feeling, but it lingered, like a shadow that wouldn’t leave. The raven had been the first sign.

First Sign: The Raven

The night before their first anniversary, Gabriel had been alone in the study, reviewing some papers, when he heard a tapping on the window. It was faint at first, like the wind knocking against the glass. But then it grew louder, more insistent, like something trying to get his attention.

He stood up from the desk and walked over to the window, curiosity gnawing at him. The dark sky outside was clouded with a storm, the air thick with moisture. The only light came from a flickering lamp on the desk. Gabriel squinted into the dark night and saw it: a black raven, perched on the sill, its single eye gleaming in the dim light. Its gaze was fixed on him, unblinking, and its presence felt unsettling, like an omen.

The raven tapped once more, its beak tapping against the glass with an eerie rhythm. Gabriel felt a chill crawl up his spine. He grabbed a nearby stone and threw it at the bird, hoping to scare it away, but it didn’t flinch. It stayed there, staring at him.

“Who’s there?” he muttered, his voice barely a whisper.

Before he could react, he felt a soft hand on his shoulder, and he jumped, startled. He turned around and saw Eloísa standing behind him, her face calm, her black eyes holding something he couldn’t place.

“Leave him alone. He knows what he’s doing,” she said in her soft, melodic voice.

Gabriel didn’t understand what she meant. The raven? What did Eloísa know about it? But he didn’t have time to ask. He turned back to the window and saw the raven flying away into the storm, its wings disappearing into the darkness.

“Why did you say that?” he asked, his voice shaky with unease.

Eloísa didn’t answer. She only smiled, her lips curving slightly, as though she knew something he didn’t. She took his hand gently and led him away from the window.

The next morning, Gabriel was woken by a loud knock at the door. He rushed downstairs to find the villagers gathered outside, murmuring among themselves. One of his neighbors approached him, a concerned look on his face.

“Did you see the bird last night, Gabriel?” he asked, his voice strained.

Gabriel nodded. “The raven?”

The neighbor nodded gravely. “It wasn’t just any raven. It was a bad omen. We all know what happened when the ravens came through before. It means something’s about to change.”

Gabriel felt his heart sink. Was it just a coincidence? Or was it something more? His thoughts were interrupted by Eloísa’s voice, calm as ever, behind him.

“Don’t worry, love. The raven is gone. It was never meant for us.”

The words unsettled Gabriel, but he couldn’t explain why.

Part 2: The Whispers in the Walls

The days following the raven incident felt like a blur, as though time itself had stopped in some strange, quiet reverence. Gabriel had always been a man of logic, of reason. But now, the mystery surrounding Eloísa seemed to unravel him. The village, the house, the inexplicable moments—everything was slipping beyond his understanding.

He couldn’t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the raven’s dark, staring eye, unblinking, as if watching him, waiting for something. And Eloísa—her calm demeanor, her silence—only deepened the unease. There were moments when he caught her staring at him from across the room, her eyes too knowing, too calm, as though she had seen beyond him, beyond the layers of the man he was pretending to be.

It wasn’t the first time that Gabriel had doubted their marriage, but now, those doubts felt like an avalanche gathering in his chest. Something was wrong. The house itself had begun to feel like a stranger to him, and he wasn’t sure which was more unsettling—the silence, or the creeping knowledge that Eloísa might be hiding something darker than he could comprehend.

He spent days going through the house, trying to find some clue that would explain the strange atmosphere. The basement door remained locked, just as Eloísa had insisted, and every time he approached it, he was greeted by an almost palpable sense of danger. The air around it felt thicker, as if the walls themselves were holding something back.

One night, unable to contain his anxiety any longer, Gabriel decided to investigate. He had to know what was down there. His curiosity, mixed with his growing fear, had driven him to the brink. What if Eloísa was keeping something from him? What if the secrets of this house—of her—were buried beneath the surface?

With his heart pounding in his chest, he crept toward the basement door. The floorboards creaked beneath his weight, and the air felt unnaturally cold. There was something about the house—its creaking, its groaning, the constant shifting of the walls—that made it feel alive, as though it were watching him, too.

He reached for the door handle and turned it slowly. The lock gave way easily, and he opened the door just a crack. Darkness spilled out, thick and impenetrable. Gabriel hesitated for a moment, then grabbed the flashlight from the shelf and stepped inside.

The basement was cold. Damp. The light flickered as he moved deeper, his footsteps echoing in the silence. As he ventured further down the narrow, musty stairs, the whispers began again. This time, they were louder, more distinct, as though they were calling his name.

“A man’s blood gives eternal power.”

Gabriel froze, his blood running cold. The voice was female, ancient, the words layered in an accent he couldn’t place. He turned the flashlight toward the sound, but the beam of light only revealed more shadows—more darkness.

He moved forward cautiously, the whispers growing clearer. The words echoed in his mind as he searched the room, his heart hammering in his chest. His fingers brushed the walls, cold and slick with moisture. His flashlight flickered one last time before going out, plunging him into complete darkness. He stood still, holding his breath, trying to make sense of it. The whispers had stopped, but the air was thick with something else—something heavier.

Suddenly, there was a shift—a sound of footsteps behind him.

“Gabriel,” Eloísa’s voice floated through the air, her tone soft, almost soothing. “What are you doing here?”

He turned quickly, his pulse racing. Eloísa stood at the top of the stairs, her silhouette framed by the faint light from the hallway.

“I… I thought I heard something,” Gabriel muttered, trying to steady his voice. “I— I had to know what was down here.”

Eloísa stepped forward, her eyes locking onto his. Her gaze was calm, too calm. “You shouldn’t have come down here, love. There are things here that are not meant for us. You’ve already heard too much.”

Gabriel took a step toward her. “What are you hiding, Eloísa? What is this place? What is this—this power you keep talking about?”

For the first time, Eloísa’s expression faltered. There was a flicker of something in her eyes, something he couldn’t identify. But just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone, replaced by that serene smile he had come to know so well.

“You should go upstairs, Gabriel. It’s safer up there. Trust me,” she said softly.

But Gabriel didn’t trust her. Not anymore.

The air between them was thick, charged. “What’s really going on, Eloísa? Who are you?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Eloísa didn’t answer. She simply turned away and walked toward the stairs. But before she disappeared from view, she spoke one last time.

“I told you, love, you’re not ready to understand. You never will be.”

Part 3: The Final Truth

The following days were marked by an uneasy quiet. Eloísa remained distant, her behavior colder than usual. Gabriel’s mind raced with the images of the basement, the whispers, and the unsettling sense that something had been awakened inside the house—something dangerous. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Eloísa was hiding something from him, something tied to the house and the strange rituals he had stumbled upon.

He tried to confront her again, but each time he approached the subject, Eloísa would deflect with her calm demeanor, her soothing words, and her practiced smile. The more he pressed, the more distant she became. He began to question everything he had believed about their marriage—the love, the trust, the calm assurance that had surrounded them for so long. Now, nothing felt certain. Not her, not the house, not even himself.

One evening, as Gabriel sat alone in the study, he noticed a peculiar change in the house. The air felt thicker, the walls almost pulsing with an invisible energy. He stood up, heart racing, and began pacing. His gaze was drawn to the portrait on the wall—the one of Eloísa’s family, the one she had never spoken of. He had never paid much attention to it, but now something about it seemed wrong. The faces seemed… too still. Too perfect.

Gabriel’s curiosity got the best of him. He stepped forward and reached for the frame, pulling it off the wall. As he did, the back of the frame gave way, and a hidden compartment fell open with a soft click. Inside was a stack of old papers, yellowed and worn.

His hands shook as he pulled them out, flipping through the pages. They were written in the same language he had heard in the basement—the language of the whispers. The words were strange, but a few familiar terms jumped out at him: blood, power, eternal life.

The last page contained a note, written in Eloísa’s neat handwriting.

“The ritual is complete. His blood will awaken the rest. There will be no turning back.”

Gabriel’s heart stopped. His blood. The realization hit him like a punch to the stomach. Eloísa had been planning something with him all along. The wedding, the house, the strange rituals—it had all been leading up to this moment. She hadn’t married him because she loved him. She had married him because he was the key to something darker—something beyond his understanding.

“No,” he whispered to himself, shaking his head. “No. This can’t be real.”

But the more he read, the clearer it became. The woman he had married, the woman he had trusted, was part of a much older, much darker tradition—one that involved the sacrifice of blood, of life, and the promise of power beyond death.

The sound of the door opening behind him broke his thoughts. Eloísa entered the room, her eyes locked on him with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

“I see you’ve found it,” she said softly, her voice dripping with a calm that sent shivers down his spine. “You weren’t supposed to see that yet.”

Gabriel’s mind raced, but his voice was steady. “What is this, Eloísa? What have you done?”

She walked toward him, her expression serene, almost affectionate. “What we’ve always done, Gabriel. What we’ve always known. It’s not about love. It’s about power. And you, my dear, are the final piece of the puzzle.”

Her words sent a chill down his spine, and before he could react, Eloísa stepped closer. “This is who I am, Gabriel. This is who I’ve always been. And now, you will be too. Forever.”

Gabriel stood frozen, the papers falling from his hands as Eloísa placed her hand on his chest. Her eyes locked onto his, and in that moment, he realized the truth. She hadn’t just loved him. She had been preparing him—preparing them both—for something far more sinister than marriage.

“I’m sorry, Gabriel,” she whispered. “But it’s too late now.”

And with that, the darkness consumed him. The last thing Gabriel saw was Eloísa’s smile—calm, cold, and eternal.

The End.