Persephone watched as the clouds gathered in the sky. It was a good night to hunt. It was dark, and the occasional lightning that rends the sky cast ghostly shadows over the whole terrain. "What a pretty sight this is." She could already picture it, everyone would be indoors and the unlucky prey who ventured out into the night would become a meal that even the gods would approve of, but she was not in the mood for it. Seth had not returned after their little quarrel that Fatimah had interrupted. The girl had been her nemesis for decades. There was nothing but bad blood shared. "I wish I could get her, just once. Maybe watch her bleed a little before I let her off".Persephone sighed. She missed Seth. He was never around these days. It felt just like when he had been in love with Masika in the past. He had loved Masika so much that no one else had existed where she was concerned and it was the same now.Even if it was a completely different girl and Seth was only after her blood. It w
PAST. SETH POV.I woke up in agony and I knew I was different. I also felt thirsty, very thirsty. My throat was parched as the desert sand and It felt as if I was going to die if I didn't get a drink soon. I was also sure it was not for water.I saw father talking to the sorcerer in a low whisper but I heard it like a loud drum beating in my ear. He was different. I was different. Persephone stirred beside me and I knew she was different too. Glancing around the room, I could see everything clearly even tho the whole room was shrouded in darkness.The sorcerers approached me with my father behind. Seeing his face made the hate in my chest, mingled with confusion grow like molten lava waiting to erupt. Father offered me a bowl and the scent was so wholesome it had my mouth watering and fangs I didn't know I had elongated shocking me. I couldn't stop myself from snatching the bowl from him and draining the red liquid. I gasped in shock, staring at the bowl I held with trem
Fatima entered the club and saw the cute bartender still serving drinks. She grinned, knowing exactly what might have happened after she left the bar. Silver was always looking for competition, so he must have undone her spell she reasoned.It was tough for her to decide which side she stood on. Seth didn't want her, and neither did Alaric, even tho he claimed to. She was waiting for the confirmation and with the way the sky rumbled and howled, she felt that she didn't have to wait long. The bar was pretty much empty. Either all the drinking folks hadn't felt like drinking or some person by the name of Silver had come to Clear them out.She turned towards the bartender. "I remember I told you to hang yourself right, so why didn't you do as you were told," she asked sweetly and he looked surprised."What?! I'm sorry, but what was that question? I don't think I heard you right"She ignored his bashful rumble. "Oh that's right, you won't die for me because you love someone else".His br
"What the hell are you worrying about?" Gracie asked and tapped Dawn making her jump in shock. Exhaling she turned to face her. It was a miracle that she didn't drop the mug she held."Nothing Gracie" she sighed, then proceeded to clean the mug."You're not fooling me you know. I mean you look like you had a bomb ass night and yet, here you are looking all gloomy and shit and why are you so pale" she observed and Dawn's eyes widened."I guess maybe I got the flu or something. And how do you know I had a bomb ass night?""Cause you have this super glow around you, also, you didn't bother to hide that sexy-looking hickey on the side of your neck," she said clicking her tongue and wearing a lazy grin.Dawn blushed, her hands going up in reflex to cover it before she thought better. "Nothing happened last night"Gracie looked horrified. "Really... But how's that even possible? You're freaking sexy, so I don't see the problem, or..." she gasped, her eyes widening. "Is he impotent or what?
GRACIE's POV.Ok, the outing was a bad idea considering that Dawn was chugging down her drinks instead of savoring them and I knew after more glasses, she was going to be shit-faced drunk and I'll have to drag her ass home, which was not how I usually spent my me time. I was so not looking forward to it. I knew Seth was freakishly too hot to be natural, but I always thought Dawn leaned more on the cool-headed side, but I guess she did not, and it was safe to say she was totally wrecked.I stopped the bartender from pouring her another shot since he looked too enthusiastic to keep refilling Dawn's glass.Dawn glanced from her empty glass, a confused frown on her face when she met my gaze, that was if she could still see straight because I highly doubted she could. "What are you doing?" "No, what are you doing... I said we were going to talk and in case you haven't noticed, there is more drinking going on here and zero talking"Dawn's eyes narrowed, and her voice slurred when she fin
"Isn't this such a pretty sight" Alaric tsked, shaking his head as he inspected his prisoner. "It's such a thrill when old friends are finally reunited, don't you think," he asked, his eyebrows arched when Persephone screamed through the gag.Her father head hung forward, his hands strung up to a pole as he stood unmoving, he was the very picture of defeat."Oh, I'm sorry. I should have known you wouldn't be able to share my thrill with that covering your mouth, forgive my manners princess" he said, and reached to yank the rag off her lips. Persephone spat at his face immediately after it came off."You murderer. You'll pay for this. Alaric cleaned the spit off his face, his brows twitching in barely held in rage. "That was not very nice, Princess, and if I wasn't using you as bait to lure your brother here, I'd have had your pretty little head chopped up.Persephone glared at him, the hatred she harbored in her chest growing with every passing second. "Spare me your bullshit, Seth
SETH POV The sun was setting as we made our way toward Alaric Massimo's hideout. It had not taken that long to find, considering that Fatimah was guiding me. I trusted that she wouldn't turn against me, not because she was obsessed with me but because she had that trait of giving over her loyalty and never changing her mind after she'd decided to. Alaric was not one to appreciate loyalty even if it was thrust into his face, it was his mistake, one that I now played to my advantage. My mind went back to Dawn without me meaning to. I hadn't gone to see her, because I knew if I did, I'll not want to leave her side. Her pheromones were like a healing balm to my soul, calming me down, yet driving me insane. I was hooked on her blood, I was addicted. I'll get back to her after I destroyed Alaric. Leaping onto the tall tree, I scanned the vicinity with my enhanced vision. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, just acres and acres of land and trees that stretched across the vast space. The
PAST.SETH POVIt was raining cats and dogs again, but the sound of it was soothing. Listening to the waves of rain pattering against the awning, the sound of it like a brawl of different voices- whose muffled words were incomprehensible but whose crackling release of built-up tension I understood perfectly and watching my mother weave me the white woolen coat she has been working on for a while was one of my favorite past time. But now as I watched her struggle to put the thread between the hoop, a pained look on her face as her hand shook, I wanted nothing more than to get the offending item away so she didn't have to feel the crushing weight of being unable to do things she normally did with ease. Reaching to stop her, my hands met with the sharp tip of the needle and I forced myself not to flinch, so she didn't notice that I'd been pricked. "Maybe you should stop for today mother".She tried to reply but ended up coughing so hard that her blood spilled onto the white cotton she
Epilogue. Getting back home took three whole days, but Dawn enjoyed every bit of it as she learned more about the extent of her powers. Seth taught her how to haunt, and after their hunting session, they explored and strengthened their mate bond until it felt as if their heart beat as one.Dawn could hear all of Seth's thoughts after she drank from him twice during their journey back home. She tried to keep it from him, but he soon figured it out when she kept laughing and blushing around him even when he was quiet. His thoughts made her feel good because they showed how whipped he was for her since he couldn't stop thinking about her. It was as if he totally changed from the brooding chaotic vampire to a lovable cuddly one with a dazzling smile that made her heart skip thousands of beats anytime he directed it at her.Seth pulled closer to her as they finally stepped foot into Syracuse."I'm thirsty" he whispered and Dawn looked at him incredulously."Are you never not thirsty"."Y
Masika blinked her eyes open as she waited, and felt nothing on her skin. Seth stood in front of her, his hand mere inches from her exposed throat. Masika dropped her hand, and stared at him, waiting for him to cut her down. "You will not be performing your stupid sacrifice tonight Masika, and look at that," he said pointing at the little hole in the walls. "The sun's already rising, and the little portal that would have provided you with your indestructible armies closed up," he told her, pointing to the charred circle where the two crosses stood.Masika looked at it, then at the red lights slipping through the holes in the wall. It was all over. Even if she wanted to perform the sacrifice it would take another century before she could attempt opening another gate to the underworld, and during that time, Seth would have gotten stronger and his Mate would no longer be a fledgling. It was all for nothing, but she wasn't going to accept defeat. She wasn't going to go down alone after e
DAWN POV.I'd welcome the cold feeling of both pain and pleasure as he gulped down my blood, and every euphoric feeling he felt overwhelmed me until it felt as if my heart was going to stop and for a second it did, or maybe it was more because I found myself floating through an endless spaceI saw and heard nothing. There was only thick darkness, and I felt cold, too cold. Voices seemed to reach me from a faraway place. I could tell that a war raged on and that the room was filled with supernatural beings trying to kill each other, but the pain of a particular person seemed to rend through my heart each time his voice reached my ear. My Mate. Seth. "You do not get to touch her" he roared, and I could feel him punching the various beings in the room as they rushed at him."You are not strong enough to stop me. I am the most powerful sorcerer, and I am going to finish this sacrifice even if I have to use your dead heart and hers." Masika screamed and a blast of dark energy was sent h
Seth gasped, his eyes flying open. And without even checking for Dawn, he could feel the heat that surrounded him from the warmth of the mate bond he shared with her, but she was different. Her scent was stronger and that awoke a hunger in him that had his fangs aching."Seth" her voice reached him and he turned to face her, his eyes greedily taking in every inch of her as he struggled with everything in him that wanted him to follow his instinct and quench his fiery thirst. "Are you alright" he forced out of his throat Instead, his fangs ached and refused to retract.Dawn stared at him before a smile touched her lips and that alone made him feel that his dead heart was suddenly thrumming in his chest and trying to beat its way out."I never thought I would be so happy to see you," she said, shaking her head as she stared at him, her gaze piercing through his soul.Seth swallowed, his throat parched dry as he watched her. His mate. The one he was destined to be with all his life."I
"What do you mean not to involve the cops? My daughter has been missing for two whole days. Are you going to keep lying to me that she is on an errand... I bloody know she is not, so you both better start talking" Amore yelled, her chest heaving as her gaze darted from Gracie to Gabriel. "Say something" she screamed when they both remained quiet."You wouldn't believe it if we told you. You'll think we were a bunch of raving lunatics" Gracie got out in a small voice as she twisted her fingers in worry, her gaze darting towards Gabriel, an unspoken question of what to do in her eyes each time."Bunch of raving lunatics... What the hell are you talking about... Just tell me where Dawn is, or I am going to go to the cops and you both will have to explain yourself there" she yelled, her hands making wild gesticulations in the air just to get a reaction out of them.Gabriel rubbed his hand over his face as he released a big sigh, his shoulder sagging dramatically.Amore lost her will to sc
A DAY LATER."I found her" Alaric announced as he stepped into the room where all the preparations for the sacrifice were being made. "She put up a good fight for a fledgling dragon, but there was nothing I couldn't handle on my own, especially with the substance you gave me." He bragged, his gaze fixed on Masika's back. A group of vampires accompanied him, and in their midst was a huge cage where Dawn lay. Her eyes were closed, and the pained expression on her face distorted her features even as she lay unconscious. Masika let out a loud sigh, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the table she stood against. "Can you believe it father" she got out gravelly, her fingers tightening against the edges of the desk she stood in front of. "Seth choose that pathetic being over me... I thought I was the love of his life, I thought he had hated you all this while because he thought you were the reason why I betrayed him, so imagine my shock when he told me that it was never because of me and
SETH POV. The energy around us burned as it started fading away and then we were all standing in the middle of the apartment. Masika had managed to get us to the island in a day with her dark powers. The blood I had taken from Fatimah-although not much-still flowed through my veins and it dispelled all the weakness that I had been facing all the while.Once, the energy of her powers faded away, the scent of Dawn's blood wrapped around the house thickly and my fangs elongated, my heart warming up at the thought of seeing my mate again, that was until the putrid scent of the dead vampire who laid a few feet from us distorted the scent in the air."Where in the dark hell are we? What the hell happened here" Fatimah asked, looking around the building before gazing back at me. She moved towards the body, her eyes taking in every little detail of it. "That is a gruesome way to die, but I must say it looks so clean, it's like a piece of art," Fatimah said as she inspected the severed head o
Gracie forced an assuring smile on her face as she walked towards the table where Gabriel was seated with Dawn's mother. They had managed to calm her down but she still looked agitated, especially since they couldn't exactly tell her that Dawn was missing and that they might never be able to find them."Where did you say Dawn went to. I have been trying to reach her and she's not been answering my calls. Do you think she is angry at me"."Of course not, Miss Amore, Dawn loves you so much, she is not angry with you"."Then why won't she pick up my calls? I was so worried, I had to rush here. I've... " She faltered, her throat moving as she swallowed. "I've been having nightmares".Gabriel reached to take her shaking hands in his and the woman finally managed to take in a deep breath."It's ok Miss Amore. Dawn will be back before you know it. She's on an errand right now, but I assure you she'll be back soon. You just have to be patient. "I know. I know" she said in a shaky voice and h
Dawn POV.The world was quiet, but inside me, a fire raged and I couldn't even scream out anymore. I closed my eyes, welcoming every scorch and the pain that accompanied it. I was changing into something I didn't know and I could tell that it was triggered by the bite of Seth on those countless occasions that he'd almost drained me dry. Speaking about Seth, I could feel him getting closer, and with that feeling came a certain level of relief, then dread because without opening my eyes I could see everything that was bound to happen once they got here. Masika would be able to carry out her sacrifice and Seth was going to die at the hand of the woman he loved, the one who killed his mother and destroyed his whole life without ever finding out the truth. He was going to die at the hands of the woman who made him into a monster and drove him to run from anyone that tried to understand and love him.I didn't know how or when but I'd learned to accept Seth for who he was. He wasn't perfe