Raven's POV Going back to school wasn't an option. All day, I stayed in my room, haunted by the recent events that have left their mark on my tired, restless soul. Wasn't I too young for these compounding problems surrounding me? All the accusations and worries threatened to steal my sanity. If I continued this way, wrinkles and high blood pressure would hit me before I clocked twenty. Clarissa was in the hospital with Nova when my dad returned, knocking gently on my door. "Honey, are you okay?" His concerned voice seeped through the door. I responded with silence, staying on my bed. His knocks grew more insistent. "Raven, come on, talk to me, honey." His pleading tone and heartfelt apology almost made my heart soften, but I didn't want to see him. My dad was a good man, the best father I could ever ask for, but knowing how impulsive he could get, he'd probably end up screwing things up or make me cry. "Honey, I'm sorry about yesterday. I know the recent happenings have been ha
Raven, Dora's head tilted, and her gaze met mine, breaking into a smile and waving like a child on Christmas morning. My legs felt like lead. I stood there, not knowing whether to turn around and gallop out of there or brace up and go to them. My breathing felt compressed, like two hippos with a chest cold. I wasn't foolish to mistrust them. They were vampires, after all, and I had no idea what they were up to. The almost empty coffee shop had only a handful of patrons, old men arguing over politics. Gradually, I approached them and played it cool, glazing at Vlad's twin like a wolf in a trap. My eyes surveyed for any escape route when he swung around and shove upright like he was sitting on a cactus when our eyes met. His mouth widened in alarm like one who'd seen a ghost. Dora must either be telling the truth or they were damn good actors. I would go for the latter one. "Come on," Dora gestured with her hands. I approached them, giving Vlad's twin a crisp nod, and slipped int
Lucian My mind wobbled with lots of thoughts. Dora and Raven's expectant gazes were on me, waiting for me to speak. The pressure was too much, and I didn't know what to do or think. "Listen, guys, this is not as easy as you think. First of all, that place is filled with lots of Dimitri's bad men. Secondly, Dimitri doesn't trust me anymore. And thirdly, even Vlad himself hated me the last time I tried to see him. He beat me so hard." "We know all of this, but there's no harm in attempting to at least try. You need to help us get Vlad out of there, not just for his life but for the life of the kingdom." Raven was staring at me. I could tell she didn't trust me, and she had every right not to. All I wanted was for this to end. I was surprised and even ashamed that she knew I was a phony all along. After about an hour of planning and strategizing, darkness descended upon us. "Here's what you should do. Don't attempt to hide, because that would rouse their suspicion. Go through the ma
Raven My heart pounded like a frightened bird, racing to escape, as I ran through the night. The darkness was consuming, making the hairs on my nape raise with raw fear, but I moved swiftly along, ignoring my rising panic. The area was a vampire coven, so I couldn't shift into my wolf. I had to trust my human gut feeling and continue running. "What if something goes wrong? What if Vlad has been caught? What if you die?" Several nasty thoughts kept flying in, causing me to get frightened beyond measure, but I put a fire under my feet, attempting to lighten my mood with the hope of seeing Vlad tonight. "I'll see Vlad tonight," I chanted like a mantra. I hastened because it was almost midnight. The hotel Lucian recommended didn't seem to be popular. I stopped to take a breath when I began seeing spots in my vision and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath to regain control. A screech made me jolt into motion and I staggered slightly, my breathing unstable, and scrunched my nose i
Raven Vlad grinned at me and our breaths mixed hotly. It was an intimate moment for us as we forgot about our problems and focused on each other, savoring the warmth and peacefulness that emitted between us. My legs felt like jelly after he made me orgasm so hard. Vlad leaned back, breathing heavily and stroking my arm. "That was… wonderful." I nodded with a satisfied smile and my heart slammed with love for him. "You're so beautiful," his breath came in soft pants. " I still can't believe you're here by my side and I'm not in that fucking Manor. It feels like a dream." He stopped smiling and his face held a whiff of bitterness in it. I kissed him, whispering gently to him. "You're out and I'm the happiest person alive right now." He broke into a small, tight smile, trying hard not to ruin the moment but I could see the string on his face as he held himself from ranting. I straddled him and kissed his anger away. Despite the surplus of problems we were facing, Vlad made me f
Lucian I couldn't take any more of that heartless bastard's manipulations and wickedness. It was time to do what I should have done a long time ago. Yanking the microchip off my ear, the stupid tracking device Dimitri forced me to use, I held the device in my hand and my heart pounded. It was time to break myself away. Dimitri was constantly monitoring me and Dora advised me not to destroy it yet until Vlad was safe so as not to raise any suspicion. "What are you doing?" Anna whispered harshly, with her widened gaze focused on me. "Time to rebel." My breath sounded loud in my ears and my heartbeat pounded with blinding, pitiless hatred for Dimitri. My fingers clenched around the microchip until the fragile casing began to crack under my pressure. Blinking light flickered faster as if gasping for survival. "Enough is enough," I muttered, applying more pressure. With a satisfying snap, the microchip split in two. The blinking light died and relief washed over me. "What have
Nova Nothing felt right when I blinked, trying to adjust to the brightness of the hospital room. My head spun like wheels and the room thickened in a blur. Why was the damn fluorescent light overwhelmingly harsh for my eyes? I shut my eyes, taking several breaths before trying again. The first thing I noticed were the bandages wrapped around my arm. It dawned on me that I was in a hospital judging from the smell My parents sat on a sofa opposite my bed, facing each other and speaking in hushed tones. They hadn't noticed that I'd woken up. My dad nibbled from a half-eaten plate of fish and chips while my mum yawned, exhausted with bed hair. It made me wonder how long I have been here. The accident flashed back in my mind. I remembered walking aimlessly past a two lane road, close to my modeling agency and was trying hard to clear my head after the crazy heartbreak Vlad had hurled at me. He treated me like a dog and shattered my heart beyond repair. I'd never felt so devasta
RavenI stood by the window, fixated on the bustling street below as people hurried back and forth. Vlad's desperation to retrieve the staff was becoming more evident, evident in his suppressed anger and edgy behavior.Small things would annoy him now, and our conversations would often turn into arguments. The staff had consumed his thoughts, and the abduction had left him on edge. It was clear that his life was at stake, aside from his father's.One day, when I tried to discuss telling my dad about our situation, he snapped at me, and I couldn't take it anymore."Listen, blood," he said, trying to control his temper. "I know how important finding the staff is to you, but it's not easy for me either. You have to understand. This situation is tearing us apart. Look at where we are now, separated from our families. I can't even tell my dad where I am. I should be in school right now, preparing for my aptitude test."His gaze softened, and he reached out to cup my chin. "I'm sorry, baby,