Paul - The Retezat MountainsAuburn leaves fall kissed by the cold winds. A cold mountain that still hasn’t welcomed winter. An owl hoots a few times and, as I pass, flies away, out of reach. I can feel the change in the air, now thick with the scent of incoming rain. The sky above the tree’s canopy is gathering heavy clouds, soon to be released in a torrent of droplets. The first few stars peeking through the dark gray curtains are a sign that I don’t have much time left to find Laura. I know I'm close. To her. And I know why she ran away, putting distance between us. Because I'm possessive and selfish, not wanting to give her what she needs. I can't give her what she wants without losing everything I love. And I love her. But it seems I'm doomed to lose her anyhow.I've lost so much time denying reality, turning a blind eye to the truth. "I'm coming, Laura," I whisper to myself. The trees seem to go on forever, the forest floor stretching into the distance. Laura is nowhere in s
Laura - AliveThe world is teeming with life and sensations I couldn’t see before. The air itself sizzles with electricity, and my skin tingles under the sun’s warmth. My heart is beating so fast that I can hear its thumping in my ears. Oh, how good it is to be alive. But then again, what is death?It’s a void, a nothingness, the absence of everything.So even though death is the ultimate lack of all existence, isn’t it also a state where we are given a chance to start anew?I’m not sure what I expected, but the reality is better than anything I could have imagined. Every day is a new adventure, and I love every minute of my life, full of laughter, hugs, and kisses. I must admit, destiny has one hell of a way of playing tricks on a girl. When I was young and wanted to live, I died. When I was an abomination and wanted to die, I was born anew. Sometimes, nothing goes the way you want it to, but not always what you want is what you get. And maybe it’s for the best. I am free of my c
Laura - 1963Darkness. Fear. My heart thuds, almost breaking free from my ribcage. I gasp for air, but there isn't enough for my thirsty lungs. Fear can be a dreadful thing, killing you before your time comes. Reaching out in the dark, I touch a wall in front of me. Same on my left and right. A hard floor beneath my back as I am lying flat. Where am I?Mama always tells me to be home by the time the darkness engulfs the land. But I am young and headstrong. Life screams at me to live it wholeheartedly. Mama talks all the time about creatures lurking in the shadows, waiting to catch children and young virgins. Mostly, I nod, rolling my eyes internally.A sliver of light shines through the hinge of the door above me. Sounds. People are talking, but I can't understand a word they're saying. The roaring in my ears must cease for me to hear what is going on outside. I take long, slow breaths to calm myself and lower my heart's rhythm."The Council has reached a
Paul - Present Day"Don't you dare talk with me about bonds!" I shout so loud that all my men stare at me.When my eyes dart toward them, they all lower their gazes to avoid mine. But I don't have time for this. Alin is the problem, and he doesn't look at the floor as the rest. The defiance in his eyes is a problem that I must solve before it spreads like a plague among the pack."I mated with Ana," he declares with a snarl. "She's already mine!"So be it if he believes he can take me on."Ana is a member of the Oltenia pack. We don't mix!" I want to slump into my cozy chair, but my wolf doesn't let me. He is harsher than I am. "Goddammit, Alin. I shouldn't have to explain this. You understand how things work better than anybody else.""But I love–"My fist plunges onto the table between us, cracking the surface in two. For the first time, Alin flinches and looks down. Finally, he shows me the respect I deserve.The wolf
Laura - 1963I struggle to breathe. My lungs seem empty as if they've been dormant for a long time. While I try to inhale as much air as possible, a muscular arm wraps itself around me, its touch frigid against my skin. Its earthy scent mingles with the smell of mildew.The air seems stale as if no one has thought to open a window in years. What am I doing here? How did I end up here? Who's standing next to me? A whirlwind of questions invades my head, and I can't tell them apart.As I remember the scene with the hooded men, the blade comes into focus, along with the pain and numbness. My fingers reach for my neck. No cut there, no pain. I struggle to move, but the man's grip holds me like in a vise. This is not how I pictured my first time laying with a man or sharing a bed and cuddling.My fingers go through the mattress, and I feel something crumbly and hard, granules beneath my nails. I raise my hand and it's filled with dirt, black, dry soil. Never m
Paul - Present DaySturdy strides carry me to the closed double doors while a hammering heart chisels away inside my chest. A soft scent of lilac persists in my nostrils, bathing me in bliss. The girl is asleep in my arms. I have to resist the urge to gaze at her rather than where I am going.Ana opens the main doors. "What happened? Who is she?"I finally look down and see her face. That's what makes my knees go weak. She's so beautiful that it hurts to think about anything else. The light from the chandelier above us illuminates her pale skin as her eyelashes lay gently over her upper cheeks."She's—" My voice trails off when I realize I don't know the answer to any of Ana's questions.Dan follows me inside the house. "From what I could tell from Paul's stuttering on the way here, someone tried to shoot him, and the girl leaped in front of him."Ana darts forward to examine the girl. She tugs the ruined blouse down over the girl's sh
Laura - Present DayThe door closes shut behind him. This man is quite a character. Ha! I guess this is how one acts when the entire world revolves around him. Sure as hell, I’ll not save his life again. I can find another alpha to kill me, but he’s the strongest, the surest bet. That is if the old hag didn’t lie to me when she said only the Dacian Draco could kill me.I’ve researched for years, trying to grasp the ancient legends and the true lore of Dacian culture. Draco, or Dracon, was the battle flag of the Dacians, Costobocs, and Tyrrhaites from the current territory of Moldova as well as the Dacians south of the Danube.It had the shape of a wolf's head with an open mouth, which continued with a dragon's body, made of textile or leather that swelled in the wind, making a noise that mimi
Paul - Wolves Inc Office BuildingI press a finger over the mouse. The screen wakes up, revealing a shit ton of emails and other official notifications. But not even the silence of my empty workplace can help me concentrate.My mind goes wherever it wants, without any consideration for my duties. Two days have passed since that girl saved my life, and for whatever reason, I can’t stop thinking about her. Every time I close my eyes, I see her sleeping in my arms. I have to keep reminding myself she’s a strigoi, not just a beautiful woman.Instead of reading those tedious emails, I watch the crowd rush from one location to another. Their noses buried in their phones and fingers typing away at tinted glass displays entertain me. Students carry bulkier backpacks that can hold books and binders, while others