Masika gasped, eyes bloodshot as she stared at the result that she had been working on for a whole two hours. It made her blood boil. It was not what she had been expecting and seeing that there was going to be a stumbling block in her path once more after all the length she had gone to make her dream come through, made it seem that everything she had been doing so far was all for nothing.All her plans were going to be thwarted by a girl, a mere human_ if she could still refer to her as that after what she had found out_ that shouldn't have even mattered, but she did and Masika berated herself for not knowing from the start. It had all been so very obvious from the onset and yet Masika had missed all the signs. Dawn's future could not be seen, her thoughts could not be read and no manipulation ever worked on her. It was all so very glaring yet, she had missed it all even with the dark powers that she possessed. Masika scolded herself for not knowing. How could Dawn possess such a po
SETH POVAs we flew through the trees, I could feel the weakness coursing through every inch of my skin, but knowing that Dawn could be going through worse kept pushing me forward even tho all I wanted to do was collapse.Not feeding, losing a lot of blood, and exerting myself were starting to tell. I felt like I was moving in slow motion. Fatimah didn't have to even sweat to catch up to me."How about a break for a snack"."No, we take no breaks," I growled, flying over a boulder that stood in my path. We didn't have the chivalry to waste even a second. Fatimah increased her speed until she was running in front of me. Her voice floated over to me before she stopped a far way off from me. "If you do not feed now, you might kill Dawn when we finally find her".Her words made me stumble to a halt and she was right there in front of me once I stopped, her gaze serious as she stared at me."You said you could barely resist the scent of her blood even when you were at your hundred percent
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
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
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
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
"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
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
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