Noah and I started driving by 2 p.m. Our hope was to drive as late into the night as we could and find a motel along the way when we couldn’t stand the drive anymore. The first leg of our journey began smoothly. We made it out of the city without any stops or other cars around us, a rarity on any
I awoke to the sterile smell of cleaning chemicals. As my eyes fluttered open, fluorescent bulbs blinded me, causing me to squint and blink several times before I could finally keep my eyes open. Even so, my head pounded when I tried to take in my surroundings. It was a setting that I was all too
“Good evening, Ms. Blanchard, Mr. Bernard,” Officer Dunnigan said politely. “Ms. Blanchard, it has been a while.” “It has,” I replied. “I wish that I could it say it was a pleasure.” “Same here.” Officer Dunnigan pulled out a pad of paper and a pen, while Officer Kibet did the same. “Here’s
Andrew stood tall beside Princess Aurora. She entwined her arm lightly in his, exhuming an air of confidence that Andrew had not seen in one of his partners at a press conference since his last deceased Luna. She waved to the crowd of reporters that stood in front of the stage, occasionally blowing
Noah and I were able to escape the hospital after only a week. We were still sore, but our werewolf genes had helped everything—even the worst of our injuries—to heal. With Bob dead set on keeping his promise, we just wanted to get out of the territory as quickly as possible. Terri happily gave me
“Since you faxed over the paperwork before you arrived, all there’s left to do is show you to your new apartment,” Serena said as she handed a key to each of us. “You’ll be Apartment 10, on the first floor of this second building over here. Come, I’ll show you the way.” Noah and I did our best to
Andrew sat in his home office, reviewing the latest report on vampiric incursions in the northern territories. The gravity of the issue had grown heavier, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not get his mind to focus on it. He knew that this problem needed his full attention—that was why he to
I lay on the bed I shared with Noah, curled up on my side. My hair hung, tangled and unbrushed, in my face. My pajamas clung to me like a second skin. I had not left our apartment—or even changed out of my pajamas—for several days. I barely even left our bedroom. All I did was lie on our bed, eat
That night, long after the last of the guests had left for their rooms, Andrew and I returned to the presidential suite to find that the staff had decorated it in preparation for our stay. All the décor, right down to the bed sheets, had been switched out for matching red and gold pieces. The light
Andrew’s eyes met mine as I approached the altar. He smiled at me, and I smiled back. He looked so handsome in his classic black tuxedo that I could hardly wait for after the reception to be with him. As I took my place across from Andrew, I handed my bouquet to Lily. The priestess bega
One month later, I stood in a suite at a private beachside resort, admiring my wedding dress. It hugged my curves in all the right places while still gently brushing against the ground like a low-hanging cloud. Crystals glistened in the room’s fluorescent lights, and the train flowed behind me effor
“Let’s continue this in the bedroom,” I said, breathless. Andrew nodded his agreement. I pulled Andrew to his feet as he stuck the ring box back in his pocket. Then I dragged him back to the bedroom, leading him by the tie. Not that he needed to be dragged; he would have followed me anywhere by th
Andrew texted me and said his flight was delayed by a few errands he had to run, so I waited. And waited. I waited for an entire day, and even began to worry that Andrew had changed his mind. Then I heard a knock at my door. I leapt off the couch and rushed to answer it. Stopping just short of the
Noah left the next day. I took him to the airport, we exchanged a hug and a brief farewell, and then I watched him walk through the gate. That was the last time I ever saw him. With a heavy heart, I returned to an empty apartment. All our furniture and my belongings—what little I still had—were the
Sensing the urgency in Noah’s voice, I leaned in closer. “What is it?” I asked, trying to suppress the anticipation in my voice. Noah’s grip on my hands tightened. “I’m going to study financial law in the human world.” I froze. My heart thumped hard against my ribs, so hard that I thought th
The nightmares did not stop. In fact, they got worse. By the end of that week, I was having at least one every night, and it was showing in behavior during the day. I could scarcely stay awake. At my new branch of Ever After Weddings, I had to sneak off into the breakroom whenever there were no cu
I dreamt of the Lunar Festival. Noah and I walked hand-in-hand through the stalls, enjoying the sparkling lights and the company of our new pack mates. Yet something was off. I could feel a chill in the air, a foreboding that I could not quite shake off. “We should get out of here,” I said, tryi