She woke up suddenly in the middle of the night. At least she felt it was quite late, although in the dim light that fell through the frosted glass pane into the bathroom, she couldn't find a clue of the time. In addition, the sight of said sliding door instantly gave her a memory of the previous day, and for a twisted moment she saw the large square of glass lying on the floor, shattered, felt the heat that had prevailed. A bad conscience flooded her mind, her soul.
My God, how was she ever going to face Pareios again?
As a reflex she wanted to suppress this thought, a look beside her showed that Dante was still deeply asleep. His eyes twitched under his lids in REM sleep, his breathing was slow and shallow. Looking at him brought a warm glow to her. The affection for him had intensified, had become a part of her heart that swayed back and forth as if drunk between guilt and love, happiness and despair. The chaos made her dizzy.
But at the same time she w
While she waited, she received a coffee, but she was too deep in thought to take a sip of it. At the moment her actions seemed to be the only way to check her thesis and to rule out that Dante had come into contact with the stones before he met Pareios. She dared not think about what it might mean if her fears came true, and if she was being completely honest, she wasn't sure she could take any more surprises. Although she had gained strength from the rendezvous with Dante, she still felt exhausted. Her handicap became more and more noticeable, she could almost feel how the uncertainty about the whereabouts of her gift gnawed at her. Took off her bit by bit, undermined her self-confidence. The resulting weakness paralyzed her limbs and mind, so that she had to fight for any further movement, be it mental or physical.In addition, her thoughts and memories were Mienenfelder. Any picture could bring up the tangled emotions she felt about her affection for Pareios and at the sam
Even with combined forces, they could not open the steel door. It was not for nothing that it was the most secure room in the whole bunker. In addition to their dismay that it had become their prison by surprise, the question arose who had made sure that they never got out of here."Markus!" Viktor spat at the metal. They all shared his fears and immediately checked their cell phones. No signal. Aiden tried the computers one by one, but everyone was dead. Soon they ran out of ideas on how to get out of this situation. Hour after hour passed as they puzzled over the reason why they had been arrested and the suspicion arose that it had something to do with the stones . They had been the only and sole concern of this issue lately, so it had to be related to that. But what was going on out there that they weren't supposed to see?"Ok, let's think, what do we know?" Viktor started a brainstorming session. They had already spent too much time puzzling around and were g
All of a sudden, chaos broke out.Her people were in shock for just a tiny moment, then they all went into combat mode. All those involved were experienced fighters, even if they hadn't done it for years, they still kept themselves fit. It was part of the Legion's code of honor. The people were brave too, but they had no weapons, they had apparently not been admitted to this meeting. There was fighting everywhere and there was loud roar. Aurelia couldn't see who the attackers were, but they were all Elevender, and they kept growing. She didn't have time to wonder whether or not these phantoms were from her own ranks. And if they were strangers, how did they get into the bunker? Soon different groups formed, their team quickly closed around the people, but they were already reached by the first wave.Aurelia gritted her teeth and pushed the fear into the farthest corner of her mind. Without her intuition, she wasn't much better protected than the members of the Order be
The newcomer grimaced at her roar. "Well, well, well!" He sighed after her voice and its echo had subsided. The Elevender was very tall, with golden hair and eyes the color of lapis lazuli. Absolutely calm, he strolled to the scene of the event and looked around carefully and obviously absolutely satisfied, then looked directly at Aurelia.Heaven help, it was so awful! Everything in her stiffened, raw, wild fear threatened to engulf her. The sight of him sent her on a journey into the past, because he still looked exactly like that December night when she had been captured by the Legion. His gaze was as cold and clear as she remembered him, his voice still had the familiar tone. Goosebumps formed all over her body and she looked anxiously between the blonde intruder and Dante.'With eternal affection, O.' it echoed through her head. My God, why didn't she think of it earlier ?!O like Orcus!Although Aurelia made no noise on th
Aurelia burned with hatred. Disgusted by his touch, she couldn't help but spit right in his face. Suddenly she made her anger and disgust clear. Orcus backed away and let go of her, but that didn't last long. After he had wiped off her legacy in a piqued manner, he paid her back in the same coin and hit her so hard that she saw stars and tears welled up in her eyes."You have to be good if you want to hear the story through to the end, Aurelia!" He admonished her, but didn't touch her again. He rose slowly to step through the pinned opponents. Aurelia lay dazed on her side, drops of moisture rolling down her cheek. The council members, like their team, appeared highly concentrated. They had all been excellent hunters and knew they had to be ready if there was the slightest chance of escape. Aurelia noticed that although she no longer had intuition, maybe the connection with this beast offered her a way to free the others. She had to pull herself together now, she couldn't fre
Orcus' laughter rang in Aurelia's ears as she stared stunned at the corpse. The beautiful Elevender's hair lay spread around her head, but while Aurelia was still staring at the red-blonde waves as if in a trance, she noticed how the mane was losing color bit by bit, turning gray. Suddenly she looked very much like Jesper Svenssen and Aurelia finally understood.Jesper had n't been human, at least not from the start!"You ...!" She breathed. “You lousy pig! You filthy piece of shit! ”She wanted to jump up and pounce on Orcus, but was immediately thrown back on the seat of the pants. A grim Elevender pressed her down, only the black eyes flashed through the slits in the balaclava. Aurelia continued to squirm, her anger raging within her. Orcus had not only attacked her, no! Through her connection to her counterpart, she had felt how Orcus had also made use of him, had shaped his emotional world like a gifted sculptor. That meant he had used his son, his own
Orcus looked more than astonished, the hateful expression suddenly fell from his face and he abruptly let go of Aurelia. Even as she fell to the floor, she felt him trying to influence his son. He wheeled inside himself as if he were moving the furniture in a room until Dante's eyes were empty and dispassionate again. Whatever had made him refuse, Orcus had buried it again. Only a moment later, her counterpart stepped in front of her, looking down at her. Aurelia could hardly recognize him, he looked so withdrawn, and her heart went cold. Had she lost him? Had Orcus stolen the last parts of himself from him?“Go ahead, my son. It'll be done soon. ”Orcus encouraged and put his hand on Dante's shoulder, but shortly afterwards he took a step to the side. Got himself to safety, that poor worm. As if by remote control, the Elevender with the auburn hair raised his arm, he held a black stone.Oh no!Suddenly she was put into a déjà vu, the me
There was heavy sadness over the whole group, or over those who were left. After the horrific events, Row, Evrill, Pareios and Aurelia wanted to return to Viktors' home. But even though they were all in shock, duty called them first. They helped to search the bunker and also to restore security.They found the rest of the residents in the outside barricaded dining room; the intruders had locked them all there. The guards at the entrance to the underground tunnels were dead, slaughtered like half the council and their friends.The Order of Venus was the only one that emerged from the matter without harm and although it was cruel, Aurelia was glad that at least the people and thus the emerging alliance did not have to suffer from this loss. The division went home unmolested and further discussions were postponed until order was restored within the Legion.Aurelia dared not calculate when the time would come, for word of Markus' betrayal got around quickly, as did
Dareon sprinted out of his room. As he walked, he tied the bow tie that went with the black tuxedo. He often wore suits when he went on his nightly jaunts and in his long life he had worn every kind of fine thread. Until yesterday he would have said nothing could surprise him anymore. But then Cat showed up and taught him otherwise.It had struck like a comet, into his halfway orderly world and now he had to grapple with unsettling thoughts. About the way she looked at him. How did her skin feel and how comfortable her lips?He hated the way he reacted to her and he wanted to just get in his car and sneak away. But what he said this afternoon was true. He wanted to fix what he had screwed up. And his sudden obsession with this woman had absolutely nothing to do with it!Determined to get tonight off the stage professionally, he turned the corner and reached the stairs to the foyer. His gaze fell on the assembled crew at his feet. Most were wrapped in the dark le
The swinging double door slammed shut and they were alone.Her heart pounded from the unexpected contact with him when he had freed her from Christian's grip. She could still feel the warmth of his body on her back, the firm arm around her stomach, the breath that had brushed her hair. She hadn't been able to classify his reaction and was paralyzed.She stood still now, too, but for a different reason than before. Though she was really determined to act confident, she just wasn't. She wasn't really afraid of Dareon, but the angry look that surrounded him earned her a good deal of respect. Like trying to get close to a cobra. Better not to make sudden movements.Dareon had his broad back to her and was staring at the door as well. Her eyes stayed on her strong shoulders, her fingers tingled. She wanted so much to touch him. But when he turned to her, he looked so upset that she decided to postpone the fulfillment of this wish. She nervously pushed back her hair,
A little later, Cat was on the way to Ceiling. Xandra and Blaise were also in the car, the former driving.“What's going on between you two? Did something happen today at noon? ”Xandra asked after a while of quiet harmony. Much to Cat's chagrin, there was no need to discuss who 'you two' were. Dareon's behavior in Ferroc's office had been conspicuous enough, and apparently Cat's quick approval of the deal confirmed Xandra's suspicions. Since she already knew that Cat was into the guy, she hardly had to add one and one together."I'd like to know that too ...", Cat only mumbled and that was the truth. She had no clue what was going on in the object of her desire. Why he'd acted like that and then treated her so dismissively. "Dareon behaved quite ... inconsistently ... I can't figure him out.""So there was more to it than his rejection?" "Slightly."Blaise appeared between the two front se
"And what did he say?"Cat had barely stepped off the elevator on the third floor when Xandra was already attacking her. Less enthusiastic, she reported without going into details, only that Dareon had refused. Especially the fuck off she left out.An arm came comfortingly around her shoulders. “Oh, that'll be fine. Give me a little time and I'll find someone else who can help you. I promise you, I won't leave you alone with this. "Cat looked into the sincere eyes and she almost came to tears. She couldn't believe that an almost stranger wanted to stand up for her like that. Besides, the idea of honing her gift with someone else didn't make her particularly happy. It should be Dareon. She couldn't get him out of her head and the need for his presence hadn't subsided despite his rejection."No. I'm ... just doing it with him ... "she mumbled to herself, lost in thought, while she thought of the pressure of his hands on her waist. The Elevender at he
Dareon stood in front of a group of Elevender and tried to bring them closer to the benefits of close combat. He had put the people in pairs and was now watching them repeat the exercise he had shown them. It was about contact, because one of the basic rules of this technique was: Once you are close enough to the opponent that he can hit you, you have to forestall him. Therefore, he trained his students to seize control of the fight at this moment, to internalize the techniques in such a way that they forced their will on the opponent from this point on. He was not allowed to play again. At least that was the ideal. Of course it would be a while before his students were ready and he would teach them many other things that could save them from sticky situations.But for today he ended the lesson. He wasn't happy with the results they'd gotten, but wasn't sure if it was due to the ineptitude of his students, or maybe more to his miserable mood.More and more Elevenders h
The next morning came too fast for Cat's liking. The rays of the summer sun cheated through the gaps between the curtains that she had drawn up the night before. One of the bright spots of light finally blinded her when the golden ball in the sky had moved a little further, which put an end to her cozy doze. Sighing, she heaved herself out of bed and shuffled into the bathroom to freshen up. In the morning she slept for a long time and could also get a bit bitchy. She took her time and put on makeup again, as she used to wear with her goth look. She found the mascara and cajal she needed behind the mirror over the designer washbasin.In this way she regained a bit of her identity, which had been taken from her again yesterday. She wistfully wished for dark clothes, but then, resignedly, pulled on the forest green sweatshirt dress. It was long, but the length seemed fine. The hem came up just below her knees. She didn't even want to try the jeans, she would have needed a belt
After an hour in this tiny office, he couldn't take it anymore.Hard to believe, but the room was really losing size. The walls seemed to get closer and closer, it got darker and darker. But maybe the latter was just his eyesight. When a panic attack loomed, he got tunnel vision that was announced by a dark and blurred field of vision. The other signs of it were also raised. His neck felt like an elephant was sitting on it, and his hands and feet went numb. He figured he had about fifteen minutes before snogging the carpet. All the emotions in the room made him dizzy, he had to swallow hard as his stomach rebelled.Roman's inner fear billowed through Slater, his subliminal agony crashing against him like waves in the ocean. They tugged on him and he had to put both legs firmly into the ground to brave the onslaught. If Roman was around, it was worse. Then every smallest nuance of the Puerto Rican's emotional world spilled over to him and the more intensely the other fe
Cat looked around the large room. If that was a hotel, it was probably five stars or something. She was standing right next to the entrance and to the right of her was the bathroom. Then the small hallway opened and widened into a huge room, the sand-colored walls of which were lit by soft skylights. The opposite front of the room was almost completely taken up by a frameless window, only the balcony door at the left end had room.The bed stood with the headboard on the right side, the wall behind it was covered with upholstered fabric in a pale gold tone. Two magnificent reading lamps hung down from above and enabled the separate lighting of both beds in the seductively comfortable double bed.Cat walked over and dropped into the chocolate-brown blankets. She landed face first on heavenly scented, soft pillows. A real boon after she hadn't slept or allowed herself to relax for a while. The exhaustion was not only physical but also mental and left her no peace even now
Xandra granted the young woman's wish. She had thought Catlynn Campbell was a fragile, withered branch, but today the young woman had shown amazing strength. After that day that would have blown even the toughest cop, she was still standing upright in Ferroc's office. Although she looked tired and had dark circles down to the back of her knees, her long, thick hair was tousled, the expression on her face was determined. The hand that held out the glass to Xandra did not tremble.After handing out vodka again to everyone involved and each taking a sip, Xandra decided to speak."Listen, Cat. You don't have to decide now whether you want to believe us. You can rest and maybe stay for a while while we try to get to the bottom of your gift. You can move around freely and watch Blackridge and how we live in peace. ""We have more than enough space!" Agreed Ferroc.Cat looked around, then gave them both a quick look. Finally she took a deep breath and nodded. "O