“We meet again, little thief,” the man from the garden chuckled darkly. My mouth fell agape as I stared into his icy blue eyes. That can’t be Elliot Lakin. The prince whom I’m supposed to woo with my spectacular contract. Everything around me stood still as I stared into his eyes. The inky swirls swam within the blue, mesmerizing me. Almost like I was entranced once more, unable to look away. He smirked, snapping me out of it, and I scowled at him. “Elliot, must you be late for everything. Including a meeting discussing your future,” Agustus growled. Elliot shrugged, not moving his gaze from mine, “I’m not sure there is much to discuss. I’ve already made up my mind.” “Elliot, you will sit down and listen to what Ms. Pershing has to say,” Meredith growled, narrowing her eyes at Elliot, who was still smirking at me. “Yes, mother,” he drawled out, making his way over to the seat next to Emmet. I hated how my eyes followed him. He was even more handsome and impre
“Why the fuck would you do that?” My temper has never been this bad with him, but for fuck’s sake, he just signed my life away. “I own you, remember? That means your mind, body, soul, and life. I didn’t ask for this, you did,” my other half muttered disgruntled in my head. How the fuck was I meant to forget? I never realized the mistake I was making two years ago. Regret is a feeling I deal with every single day like a fucking slow acting poison. Death would have been a better option. “We could at least discuss these things, as they affect us both! I don’t want to be the King of Nymeria.....I don’t even want to be the King of Valtarin and I sure as hell didn’t want to be her chosen....” He separated from me, taking my breath away, and standing before me in true form. Black smoke curled around him in soft plumes, creating a cover for his body to adjust to being human again, “What can I say?” he shrugged, chuckling. With every heave of his chest, the large black wings pro
I slept terribly last night. My mind was going a million miles a minute and I just couldn’t stop my brain long enough to actually find sleep. Even when I did sleep, I dreamt of him. The way the black danced in his eyes. The way his chest rose and fell with every breath when he looked at me. I dreamed of him feeding me fruit from the garden. Goddess, that one got me. It was so sexy, so sensual. I’d never considered a man feeding me fruit to be a turn on, but Elliot wasn’t just any man. He might be an asshole, but he’s easy on the eyes. The last dream though, was different. I’d woken up soaked in sweat and arousal. He dominated my body in every way. Ways that I didn’t even realize were physically possible. But the entire encounter was strange. As if I was blind to him around me. I could feel him, but not see him. I still feel the ache between my thighs despite a very long, cold shower. Now, I’m standing outside of his door, questioning my decision to even come up to this floor. Em
Ezra drove me through the main cities within Valtarin, which were vastly different from Nymeria. Nothing within Nymeria was modernized and it was almost as if you took a step back in time. Most vendors sold from carts or small tents set up around. Most eating establishments used to be houses that the owner transformed to accommodate cooking and indoor eating. Only the wealthiest parts of Nymeria had modernized structures. Valtarin was modernized everywhere. I have a phone, so I’ve seen the advances, but it’s so much more interesting in person. “Do you mind if we walk around?” He shrugged, “Sure thing, let me find parking.” That was another interesting thing here. Everyone had vehicles. It seemed like you utilized them to drive anywhere, even if you could walk. After we parked, he rushed over, opening the door for me, “Thank you. You don’t have to do that.” “Elliot would more than likely murder me if I showed you any form of disrespect,” he retorted. “I would har
My eyes widened as we pulled back up to the packhouse. Standing next to Emmet and Hartley was the Queen, my mother, in all her glory. She’d gone all out. Perfectly styled hair. A long, flowing dress fit for a ball, not everyday life, and a guard posted on either side of her. I sighed audibly, chewing on the inside of my cheek. “Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise. I get to meet the Ice Queen herself,” Ezra chuckled. “There is nothing pleasant about my mother,” I groaned, trying and failing to ignore the anxiety that crept its way into my mind. My heart was racing as she turned, locking eyes with me. Her face remained hard as stone, not even a single twitch as she stared at me. “Uhm, princess, you’re bleeding,” Ezra stared down at my clenched fists. It was then that the pain in my palms became apparent, releasing a fresh wave of fear. I hadn’t felt the pain. I was numb staring into my mother’s eyes. I don’t want to be numb. I want to feel. Pain reminds me that I'm aliv
Ezra followed us to Nymeria under the guise that we would need the additional vehicle now that my mother was joining us on the trip home, much to her dismay. My mother insisted that Seb ride with him so that she could get to know Elliot better, but he was having none of it. Elliot hopped into Ezra’s vehicle with earbuds in before my mother could get in a single word. She attempted to brush off the encounter, but I could feel the anger filling the vehicle. A small part of me wished that I could have ridden with Ezra. He was so easy to talk to and allowed me to be Lilly, a regular girl, not the Princess of Nymeria with a crazy mother. The ride was awkward to put it lightly. Sebastian rode in the front next to the driver and I, in the back with my mother. She typically wouldn’t have taken a car anywhere. Yet another thing that was beneath her. She’d take a Jet within Nymeria’s lands. I found sleep troubling. Each time I’d closed my eyes, I’d see Elliot in all his glory. The man w
Small pups were running around out front of the tall looming building. It was outdated and in desperate need of repair, something that I would dedicate more funds to once I become Queen. “Princess,” one of the pups squealed, alerting them all. Everyone came rushing over, bowing their heads. “Princess, have you brought gifts?” little Finnley questioned with bright eyes. He was five years old when his parents were killed in a rogue attack. He was now seven and no closer to finding a suitable family. Most of these pups wouldn’t. It broke my heart the first time that I’d come here. Many faces were still the same as the fateful day, and I vowed to make it my mission to make sure that they never went without. It was another one of my dirty little secrets. Mother’s head would probably explode if she knew that I came here so frequently. “Is that your boyfriend?” Ember questioned, her bright blue eyes staring wide at Ezra. Collective ooooohs were heard throughout the crowd, making me
“What are you doing in here?” Sebastian was sitting at the edge of my bed with his hands crossed waiting for me to return. “What is he doing in here?” Seb mumbled, standing quickly. “He is going to be my King. This is OUR room now.” “Why can’t he stay down the hall?” Seb whispered. “You think my mother is going to break tradition?!” “Can you two take your lover’s quarrel somewhere else?” Elliot stared at the two of us. “There is no argument, Seb, you need to leave.” “Lily, please. Don’t push me out. Not because of him,” Sebastian glared angrily towards Elliot, “Hear me out.” “I’m not pushing you out for anyone but your own actions, Seb. You should go.” Sebastian lingered, “I don’t want to leave things unspoken.” “She said to leave,” Elliot growled, his eyes growing dangerously black. Without another word, Sebastian stormed out of my room, slamming the door behind him. “Thank you for that, but I can handle myself.” Elliot stared at me for a moment before ret
“I think these may have been the greatest idea you’ve ever had,” I moaned, savoring the taste of another blueberry. My basket was nearing full, despite the fact that I’d eaten probably a hundred while picking them. Elliot had suggested we plant a garden full of fruit trees and bushes so that "we could relive meeting every day." Those were his words, not mine. The moment he'd said them, I swore someone had switched out the man I knew with some strange creature. “Aren’t all of my ideas superb?” Elliot quipped, watching me with a smile on his face. Standing on my tip-toes, I pushed a blueberry into his mouth, causing his eyes to widen, “See?!” “I’m just shocked you’d stick those dirty fingers into my mouth,” Elliot shook his head in mock irritation, “But the blueberry is delicious.” “Such a pain in the ass.” Elliot winked, “You knew what you were signing up for.” Sitting the basket on the wood, I pushed myself up onto the deck before flopping onto Elliot’s lap dramatica
A soft knock on the door startled me, “May I come in?” Stella whispered, holding out a tray of coffees. “Of course.” She held the tray up, “I brought enough for everyone. Chaos knows he’s welcome to hang out. In the open,” Stella raised a brow, pulling a coffee out and handing it to me. “He says he prefers to be closer to me. Apparently next to me isn’t close enough,” a soft laugh escaped my lips, “Inside of me is the way to go.” 'Don't act like you don't love when I'm inside of you,' Chaos quipped. I could imagine him wagging his brows at the double meaning. He's not wrong. In either respect. Though I couldn't fathom the thought of being intimate right now. Maybe ever if I can't figure out how to fix this gaping hole that I call my heart. She rolled her eyes, “So dramatic, that man.” I nodded in agreement as Chaos separated from me, narrowing his eyes at Stella, “You do realize that I can hear everything. Is it a crime to want to be inside of an amazing woman?” he w
Do you ever feel like your life is a series of moments threaded together, but one piece pulls away, unraveling everything as you know it? My father’s death created somewhat of a domino effect for me. I was like a rosebud. I had the potential to be something amazing, but without the proper nutrients, I would die before I bloomed. My mother had tried to starve me of everything I essentially needed to flourish. But in the end, she gave me the one thing that would change everything. I’ve been staring mindlessly out this window for what feels like a lifetime, but it couldn’t be more than a week. I've lost track of days, hours, minutes, seconds. None of that matters anyways.It’s stormed every day since he’s been gone. When I was a pup, the storms terrified me. I’d cry until Dallas relented, allowing me to stay in his room with him. Then, when he was gone, I’d welcomed them. Needed the sound of the thunder to fall asleep, like a baby needs a pacifier. Now, it simply feels as if it’s
“El..... It.... hurts,” I choked out, as pain spread through my body like wildfire. My body tensed up, feeling as if I’d been tased, “Di.... did I....do it wrong?” Elliot offered me a small smile. Even through the pain, I noticed his eyes were red and glassy, “It’ll be over soon, baby. You did perfect. Just, squeeze my hand.” Screwing my eyes shut, I focused on baby blues in the darkness, feeling the warmth of his hand while I waited for the pain to pass. Then, everything was numb. My body felt as if I were floating on a cloud. Warmth enveloped me as I opened my eyes. I felt different. Like parts of me were missing while simultaneously being filled with something new. Something better. “Fuck, kitten. I’m so proud of you,” Chaos praised in my head, “So fucking proud.” A choked sob escaped my throat, my eyes finding Elliot staring at me with his head tilted to the side. The glassiness was still present in his eyes. Relief flooded his features when I nodded at him, silently
I’m so close to destroying everything. This mortal Earth is nothing without her. It would cease to exist without her presence. Her eyes haunt me every time I close mine. I’d wrap myself in every variation of emerald, green just to feel closer to her. I underestimated that walking fucking garbage can. Cassius was a waste of space and a disgrace to our kind. He’s been on some sick power trip for hundreds of years, mingling with the lowest of our kind. After we figured out what he was doing, my father sent me to murder those who aided him in becoming who he is. It is forbidden to go against the laws in hell. Despite being demons, we are to follow the law of Hades and never stray. We abide by a strict code, where Hades has the final rule. It prevents literal chaos from ensuing. Without order and discipline, Hell would be a madhouse. But we each hold ourselves to a certain standard and it typically worked until him. He consumed unwilling souls, learning ways around the law to bene
TRIGGER WARNING: Mention of suicide Have you ever thought that you’d experienced the worst kind of pain, but really, it was nothing compared to the next thing? Or something that even follows that? In one moment, you think to yourself, ‘It can’t get worse than this,” but then, it always does? That’s what this feels like. Lilliana asked me what I thought would happen if she sold her soul to Chaos.... Would I feel our souls tearing apart? Would I feel the pain of rejection.... or would it be so much worse? Is she choosing him over me? “Elliot, you’ve been silent for what feels like a lifetime,” her soft voice broke me from my thoughts. “I....I’m not sure.” “Stella explained to us that Cassius wants to combine our magic. Light and dark. If I am the light magic, and Chaos is the dark magic; Do you think it’ll have the same effect? Will Chaos then become the stronger of the two of them?” Lilliana paused for a beat, “It has to be the same. Maybe better, because I’d be willing to g
I had a dream last night. I wasn’t here, in this cell anymore. I was back at the little, dilapidated house near my oasis. Everything was as it would have been. No broken walls or rotted wooden floorboards. It was a home with light and warmth. The little home felt like it was mine.In the background, the sound of a record player ticked. Like the needle wasn’t quite hitting the groove as the record spun, creating an eerie sound.I walked towards the sound, lifting the needle, and causing pure silence. The type of silence that created a ringing in your ears. It was too much. Was I all alone here? Carefully adjusting the needle, a soft, haunting melody began playing. When the party’s over by Billie Eilish I stood before the warmth of the fire, hearing nothing but the soft piano in the background of the song. Closing my eyes, I swayed to the beat, humming along with the words. The urge to dance with someone was strong, "Elliot, dance with me," I called out into the silence, turning
TRIGGER WARNING:SA Sleep never comes easy when you lose track of time. I’m officially unsure of how long we’ve been down here or what time of day it is. That goddamned light flickering invades the darkness every time I close my eyes. Drip. Drip. Drip. “Where are you even coming from?!” I screamed at the water slowly dripping, then disappearing into the concrete. “Are you yelling at water right now?” Elliot groaned, making me gasp. He’s been unconscious for what feels like forever. “Thank the goddess,” I scrambled over to the adjoining wall. My heart beat rapidly as I stared at him with pleading eyes. Elliot looked like he’d been through the wringer. Dried blood surrounded his mouth as well as dripped from his temple. He had bruise marks around his neck in the shape of hands. The rise and fall of his chest seemed labored with every breath. “Never felt better,” Elliot forced a smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes. His icy blue looked like they’d lost their light, appearing g
Elliot looked at the ground before running his fingers through the mess of hair on his head. I stared, waiting for what he was going to say. The more I watched him, the more I realized how nervous he appeared. “The last few days without you kind of sucked,” his voice was low as our eyes met. I couldn’t fight the laughter that bubbled out. Shaking my head, I smiled, “I missed you too.” He relaxed, chuckling softly while shaking his head, “Just call me out like that.” My laughter died down as I shrugged, “If you’re going to tell me a truth. Make it the truth. Deal?” “Okay,” Elliot whispered softly, “Your turn.” “Are we making this a game?” “How about twenty-one questions?” Elliot raised a brow, watching my reaction. Before I could say anything, he read my mind, “I promise to be honest.” Heat flooded my cheeks, nodding slowly, “What’s your favorite food?” “Starting off cutthroat with that question I see,” Elliot winked, “A good burger does it for me. Extra pickles. Pepp