Not only did I avoid visiting Tessa for the next three days, but I also made it a point not to think of her or what she knew.I stumbled back into my routine even though everything felt off kilter. Chris made warrior training worth it, but my heart was no longer invested in my magical studies. There was only one thing I was fixated on, and that was dark magic.The one and only time I used it was almost enough for it to corrupt me. There was nothing more terrifying than feeling the sickening euphoria of ultimate power, and ultimate evil. I wanted to learn everything I could so I could make sure it never happened again.There was just one problem.Since only a handful of witches successfully pulled from that kind of power, there wasn’t exactly any information on it. There were a few vague descriptions, but nothing going into detail on how or why those witches did what they did.I voiced my frustration to Asher every spare chance I had, along with the absolute terror I felt when I looked
I was so unfathomably tired of death.The pale rider and I knew each other intimately. We were partners in a dance I no longer remembered the movements for, one I wished would end already but knew never would.There were so many fallen wolves. So many families to contact, so many devastating blows to land.Just as many, if not more, witches littered the ground.They had friends, I’m sure. Families that would wonder where they were or if they were ever coming back. They would be mourned by someone, somewhere.It had taken me months to no longer have nightmares of my father’s severed head tumbling from his shoulders, rolling across the ground in a sea of blood. Every time I escaped the pull of a nightmare, a new one sprouted in its place, brought on by all of the death and carnage.Even now, after all these months, I couldn’t even look at grass without seeing flashes of it covered in blood.I kept to Asher’s side, shifting between human and wolf as I killed in both forms. Each life I to
We left that day for the safe haven, not bothering to pack or say goodbye to our families.It didn’t matter that I was on the verge of passing out, not when the place we promised would remain safe had been attacked. There was no more time to wait. I needed to use my magic to protect them, and I needed to do it now.Asher gave me enough of his blood to keep me standing up right. The only pit stop we made before peeling out of town was to pick up Tristan and Giovanni. Now that the sun was finally setting, they could safely leave the house.I cried out with relief when Giovanni passed two blood bags into my hands and quickly tore into them. It wasn’t nearly enough, but it would have to be.We were just under a mile away and already I could tell something had happened. Smoke lingered in the air, crisp and heavy like someone had started a very large bonfire. Even coasting down the main road, the gouges in the forest were visible. Trees were knocked down and bushes trampled into the dirt. I
I floated suspended in this blissful darkness for what felt like hours. Nothing could touch me here. Not the weight of exhaustion pulling me down or the agony squeezing at my muscles and bones.It was a reprieve, but one thing about reprieves is that they never last too long.At first, it started in small flashes. An explosion of light here and there, a flicker of pain, a whisper of voices just outside my minds reach.Eventually, those flashes became longer and more drawn out. The light became blinding, tinted with colors and shapes that moved. Voices took form, names flashing in my memory as I began to recognize them.Each time I gathered the strength to open my eyes, it was sucked away by some intangible force. With each sensation that returned, my least favorite was my dry throat.I couldn’t seem to keep my eyes open for long enough to drink anything, but what I wanted most was some damn blood. A few times I swore I saw the outline of Asher’s face, always hovering over me, silently
Midnight, that was when Rowena would start the spell that would crack open Tessa’s mind and unleash her innermost thoughts.There were risks involved, serious risks.For one, Zeke could go insane. His own subconscious shredded in an attempt to reach Tessa’s. Two, what Tessa said earlier could be right.What if doing the spell doesn’t matter? What if the witches are already here?We had all day to kill, and I was seriously not looking forward to it. Well, that was until Asher said he had something planned for us, something we needed to do.“You’re not going to tell me where we’re going, are you?” I grumbled; my voice disgruntled even though my insides were twisting with excitement.Asher’s laugh was low and smooth, rumbling in his chest. It tickled the spot in between my shoulder blades, right where his body met my back. Thanks to the blindfold he tied around my face, all I could see was red, scraggly fabric. He’d put it on right after we stopped by his parent’s house and made me keep
There’s nothing soft about the way his lips claim mine. His kisses embody who he is down to his core. They’re all consuming, a raging inferno that devours and destroys everything it touches. The way his hand rises to snare my throat claiming everything, even the air I breathe, as his own.My body ached, throbbing with the desperate need to be filled, to be as close to our mate as humanly possible.“Asher, you’re killing me. I can’t wait any longer.” I whimpered, lifting my hips until the firmness of his cock rubbed against my opening, grinding into the little bundle of nerves that had me seeing stars. “Please…please fuck me.”With one last resounding snarl, Asher complied.The lake, the beach, even the gorgeous waterfall in the distance faded into nothingness. We could’ve been in a piss poor tent in the middle of the woods, and it wouldn’t have mattered. Every touch dragged me further into his depths, while every seductive word he whispered pulled me under, the currents so strong that
I woke to the tang of blood in my mouth and the stinging pain of something sharp prodding me in the ass.“Agh.” I hissed in pain.Turning onto my side, which wasn’t any better, I felt around blindly for the perpetrator. My fingers froze when I registered the gritty substance covering the floor—the ground, I mean.It was dirt, scraggly and moist as it became compacted under my nails. Just about every muscle in my body ached like I’d ran a marathon. I tried to push past that pain, stretching out my senses until my eyes decided too corporate.Cold lapped at my bare skin, grazing places that should’ve been covered by clothing but most definitely weren’t. If I had to guess, I might’ve assumed I was outside somewhere but that couldn’t be possible.Other than the heavy pants of my breathing, there was nothing but silence.If I were outside, I should’ve been able to hear crickets chirping and leaves crunching beneath the feet of the smaller forest dwellers. There was none of that, not even th
It was all a blur up until the moment my feet hit the polished tile floors of the towns Hospital.Breyona steadying me as I screamed, the air melting from between my fingers, replaced with shadow and night, was vacant from my memory.“Room 232…” A faceless woman in cheery, rainbow scrubs said to Breyona.I blinked and we were down the hall. The second time and a set of elevator doors were closing, a third and we were in another hall, approaching an open doorway where the scents of my friends and family poured from within.Every step we took was another chance to get ahold of myself, to control the ragged breaths that slid past my lips.It wouldn’t have mattered. I wasn’t sure even Asher himself could put together the broken shards of my heart, not when I stepped into the room and saw her.The woman on the hospital bed, frail and much too thin, couldn’t have been my grandma.This couldn’t be the same woman that put her entire heart and soul into every pastry she baked to the point wher
Reunion Lola’s P.O.V. 10 Years Later… “Ramona, so help me! If you don’t stop stealing your cousin’s toys I’m going to sick Aunty Ember on you, and you know she won’t hold back.” I shouted from the kitchen, craning my head to look over my shoulder where I locked eyes with my dashing mate. Asher was leaned against the wall, his arms downright bite-able in the fitted t-shirt he wore. He brought the beer in his hand to his mouth, lips twisted in a knowing smirk that had me contemplating a fourth child. If this man doesn’t calm down, we’re going to have to hire a second nanny. He returned his attention to Zeke and Brandon as though our little heated exchange hadn’t occurred. On cue, Ramona let out a shrill scream that quickly morphed into pulses of erratic laughter. A familiar pang of longing hit my chest as it did every time I heard my daughter’s laugh. She sounds just like Mom. Ember’s monstrous roar emerged from the living room, followed by a cacophony of giggles from the other c
Ember and BrandonSeven Years Later – Ember’s P.O.V.“Darcy Mathews, if I see so much as a single snowflake in the bathroom’s you’ll find yourself in detention for a week.”This was the fourth time this month that the pipes had nearly burst from being frozen solid. Damn water elementals.The squirrely brunette with her spattering of cinnamon freckles jumped a foot off the ground at the sound of my voice, unwittingly letting out a pulse of elemental magic that spiraled down the corridor in a gust of chilly wind. It slammed several lockers shut, startling a handful of students.“Sorry Headmistress.” She hung her head sheepishly.There was once a time where Tessa and I couldn’t control our magic. It was easier for my twin. No one looked twice when you sprouted flowers in your wake or animated the topiary bushes trimmed into animals. Starting fires, however, that drew attention.“It’s alright…” I sighed, taking it easy just this once. I already had a reputation of being a hard ass, but on
Tessa and ZekeSix Years Later – Tessa’s P.O.V.“What do you say we wrap up early and head out to the cabin—just the two of us?”A voice I spent the last six years memorizing called out from across the room. I lifted my head from the mountain of paperwork I was sorting through, a smile already tugging at my lips as I spotted the playful light shimmering in Zeke’s eyes.My mate and fiancé—a term I couldn’t seem to stop using—was peering at me from across our shared office, a shameless grin tugging at his velvet soft lips. I drummed my fingers across the top of the desk, tapping out a pattern that filled the silence between us.A jolt of electricity crackled along my skin, delving past my flesh to settle in my stomach. Once upon a time, I couldn’t bare more than a few seconds staring into those eyes of his. Now I couldn’t seem to get enough.We’d come so far from where we’d once been. Not as far as Ember and Brandon, who had a sea of troubles even six years later, but those two were ano
Breyona & GiovanniFive Years Later – Breyona’s P.O.V.I appeared in a plume of inky shadow, emerging from the darkness like I’d been there all along. If there were any humans nearby—which my hearing told me there wasn’t—they’d see nothing more than a lingering shadow dancing along the brick walls of the abandoned store front I lurked outside of.This wasn’t my ideal hangout spot, but for whatever reason, this was where Freya had chosen to hide a bunch of magical texts and artifacts. I absolutely adored my job of traveling the country via shadows, collecting information that was thought to be lost among the witches.It was similar to what my parents had done, a realization that never failed to bring tears to my eyes.Even after all these years, I missed them so much.I slinked along the back wall, past the rusted dumpsters that hadn’t been used in Goddess knows how long, to the backdoor Ember’s source promised would be unlocked. Sure enough, when I tugged the handle, it swung open wit
Clara & MasonFour Years Later – Clara’s P.O.V.“Don’t you dare, little witch.” Mason warned in a low voice.A shiver worked it’s way down my spine when he placed his hand against my back. Even through the thin fabric of the dress I wore, I could feel the heat he exuded. One of the first things I’d learned about Werewolves was that they ran hot. Despite how hard I tried, a smile worked it’s way onto my face. My chest quite literally ached with the urge to cackle, but I couldn’t help it. It’s not my fault Tristan’s expression was absolutely to die for. Even Lola was having a hard time containing herself, snickering behind her hand as she watched the scene unfold.Tristan had been locked in place for the last minute in a half, staring at Holly like she had grown three extra heads. No one could blame the poor guy considering he was the only one who didn’t know his mate was pregnant.“You’re pregnant.” He repeated for the thirteenth time.A laugh exploded from my mouth seconds before Ma
Holly and TristanThree Years Later – Holly’s P.O.V.The breeze was blissfully cold against my skin, the sunlight a slight tingle that rippled over my exposed arms and shoulders.Winter was approaching, tainting the air with its crisp scent. No matter how much I ventured outdoors and basked in the sunlight, I wasn’t sure I’d ever get enough. Even though I burned easily—thank you, Vampire genetics—it was a wonderful taste of freedom that I’d never take for granted.The shrill screams of children playing pierced my ears. I didn’t find it irksome the way some of the parents here did. Despite how loud they were, their wails were full of joy and innocence that could never be replicated or replaced.I looked up from the stack of papers in my hands, focusing on the children racing across the mulch just ten feet away. The tiny font had been giving me a headache for the past two hours now.“Honey, you need to stop and tie your shoe! You’re going to trip and fall.” The woman on the bench beside
One Year LaterIt was hard to believe how much time had passed, even as I stood at my own wedding reception, surrounded by the people I loved most in this world.So much had changed in three hundred and sixty five days, and it wasn’t just my marital status. There had been some uprising within the other packs in the country, but with Zeke as an ally and assuming leadership over Bran’s pack, they were easy to defend ourselves against.The packs that wanted nothing to do with this new world closed themselves off, shutting their gates and increasing their security even though we had no intention on retaliating. It would take time before those packs changed their ways of thinking, and despite what they believed, violence was not the answer.Rather than wage war, we focused on our own lands and doing all that we could to welcome any Vampire or Witch that needed a place to call home. Towns similar to the Vampire’s safe haven were currently being built on neutral territory.Never in a million
Six Months Later“Does this ever get easier?” I groaned, swiping a hand over my forehead. A thin sheen of sweat clung to my skin, running from temple to temple.There wasn’t one specific person I spoke to, rather the entirety of my friends and family that had gathered for this historical event. Naturally, my eyes strayed to my mate, the beacon that never once failed to lead me through the dark.His lips quirked up at the side, eyes sparkling with significantly less shadows than before. He was slowly learning to forgive himself for the death’s of our pack members. “I wish I could say it does, but I’d be lying.”Zeke let out a cheeky snort. “Way to make her feel confident. You’ve got this, Lola. You’re a natural.”Breyona peeked her head from around Giovanni’s massive shoulder. “Besides, if you choke you can always work a little magic and make everyone forget about it.”“Hah! With my luck I’ll get a little too magic happy and make the whole pack forget about me.” A genuine chuckle slid
Half an hour later, I stumbled away from Tristan’s body and into Asher’s warm embrace.My legs had been reduced to jelly, and my magical reserves drained so low they might never recover. I could only imagine how much blood and rest it would take before they were back to normal again.Asher’s voice washed over my shoulders, his breath fluttering against my cheek, but the blood roaring in my ears kept me from hearing.I’d poured everything into Tristan—everything.Holly and Giovanni remained rooted in place, searching for any sign of life whether it be a heartbeat or an influx of breath. The inky strands of my half-sister’s hair cascaded down Tristan’s shoulder, hanging off the side of the table he’d been placed onto.With her ear placed against his chest, she waited and waited.I understood her worry. Really, I did. Her mother had to sacrifice ten witches just to lock my father’s soul into my body. While I didn’t have ten innocent people to slaughter, I did have something else on my si