AYRA“Interesting cart you’ve got there.”I swiveled around to find Dalia standing a few feet away from me with a smile on her face.“Long time. Should you be here? Nathaniel doesn’t like you very much,” I said, checking out a pink onesie on the rack.“That’s his cup of tea. I’m here to check on you. So, you’re pregnant.”“Why would you think that?”“The cart is a dead giveaway.”“Oh, these aren’t mine. Reese is pregnant. I’m doing the shopping for her because she’s not comfortable being seen in public.”She frowned at me, her eyes fixated on my stomach like she could see directly into it. “So, the rumors were wrong?”“What rumors? You’re acting weird right now. Side note, you can’t see a baby growing inside my stomach just because you’re staring hard.”She shook her head, looking up at me once again. “Sorry. I just thought the rumors were right, since you had the fertility ceremony a while ago.”“We didn’t. They said something about it being pushed later down the year because of some
AYRAEver since Nathaniel mentioned Ryker was waking Draven up, he’d been on the edge, doing some research in his well-stocked library.He never came down for meals. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were in his office or the library. He spent every waking hour in one of those two places, and at this point, I was frustrated. Whatever he was looking for, he wasn’t finding it, and that left him frustrated.“At some point, you’re gonna have to sleep,” I said, pressing my lip into a flat line when I found him in the library, bent over yet another book. “You’re fucking crazy, Nathaniel. Stop, okay? You’re slowly losing your mind.”“You don’t understand, Ayra. I have to stop this.”“Stop what, exactly?”“Draven. If he wakes up, we won’t survive the attack,” Nathaniel replied with a crazed look in his eyes. Fuck, I wasn’t getting through to him.“The baby!”That effectively snapped him out of his haze. “What happened to the baby?”“How about we talk about that in the bathroom? You stink.” I snapp
NATHANIEL“Do you remember Martha?” I asked Ishmael, who had a book in his hand, assembling some vials on a table.I briefly wondered what they were for. He was always busy every time I came to visit.He paused momentarily, a smile teasing at the corners of his lips. “Who the fuck doesn’t know Martha? She’s the crazed Nighthowler who scowls at everyone that looks her way.”“Well, I met her today.”He grinned at me. “What’d she do? Chase you out of her house with a broom?”“I don’t even think she owns a broom.”Ishmael chortled, nodding in agreement. “You’re right. Her place is a dump. What did you go there for?”“Information on how to wake a demon from his stasis.”Ishmael looked at me like I’d grown an extra head. “And somehow, you thought Martha holds that information.”“She usually knows things, and during my past times dealing with her, she was never wrong. Her solution to my question this time around was rather disturbing.”“Why? What did she say you have to do?”“Kill Ayra. We b
AYRA“You want me to practice this spell with you?”“Yes,” Ishmael agreed.I turned to Nathaniel, who sat across from me on the kitchen island. “Are you sure he hasn’t lost his mind?”“Nah, babe. He’s alright.”“I don’t think he is. How does being a vampire and a sorceress correlate?”“You’ll see. Just do as I asked.” Ishmael slid a note over to me. “Or you could practice on your own. Just make sure you let me know if you succeed. It’s the most basic thing a mage could ever do.”“Yeah, well, I’m not a mage. You seem to have forgotten that, and for some fucked up reason, Nathaniel agrees with you.”“I just think it wouldn’t hurt to try.”“Sure. When do I start?”“Anytime you feel like it. If you need any help, my door is always open to you.”“Thanks,” I said absentmindedly, staring down at the paper.“Ayra!”I snapped my head up to find Nathaniel glaring at me. “Were you calling me?”“Was that question supposed to be asked five times ago or we’re just counting the sixth?”I smiled shee
NATHANIEL“The map says we go right,” Kai said, looking down at the map in his hand.“Are you sure we aren’t lost?” Andino asked. “We’ve been weaving our way through the woods for quite a while now.”“Maybe you should question Ishmael. He gave us this map.”The sorcerer in question was far behind us, and who did he choose to bring along with us? Ayra. He explained his reason, but I’d been too distracted to listen. Hence, I couldn’t remember shit.They were both engrossed in whatever conversation they were having, and they looked to be the least tired of all ten of us.“Liar. I see the way you look at her,” Ayra giggled.“I know exactly how I look at her. I want to fucking strangle her at times,” Ishmael retorted.“And slam her against the wall? I see where your mind is going.”“You have a dirty mind. And no. Not everyone fantasizes about fucking against a tree.”“Hey, that was supposed to be a secret!”“Fuck, I think we just did a full circle,” Logan said, pulling my attention from th
ISHMAEL“I don’t suppose you asked to see me just to stare at me,” Keela said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.“I didn’t,” I confirmed.“Good. Want something to drink?” She asked, pouring out two glasses of wine.She refused to meet me anywhere but here. Here being a fancy restaurant she frequented. It was in the public eye too, and I understood her logic for coming here.Supernaturals couldn’t risk their identities in front of humans, or so we thought. I wouldn’t put it past Samuel or Ryker to try something here.“I say we finish what we’re here to discuss before you order any food.”She groaned at my response, throwing her head back against the chair. The neck of her halter dress slid down her neck, and my eyes zeroed in on the mark there.Interesting.It was just convenient that she spotted a mark that said she belonged to a vampire while she lived with Zachary. It could very well be anyone’s, but my instincts told me it was Zachary’s.So, the vampire king was also involve
AYRAI stood on a podium in front of an immense crowd, fear licking every inch of my spine. Their faces were blurred, but I could still make out their anger.Was the anger directed at me?I panicked, my palms turning clammy while my mouth dried up. I took steps backward, ready to flee the scene, when a hand clamped down on my shoulder.I immediately felt calm soar through me, and my racing heart slowed down. I turned my head to the side to look at the woman, but her face was also blurry.Frustration replaced that calm. Why couldn’t I see anyone?“What’s going on?” I asked, pointing at the crowd.“Come here, honey,” the smoky voice said, but there was no mistaking the femininity it held.I knew that voice.“Mom?” I asked, tears suddenly pooling at the bottom of my lids.I could make out the outline of her smile as she raised her hand to cup the side of my face. “Yes, honey. It’s me. You’re all grown up now.”“What do you mean?”“It’s been a long year. I’ve missed you.”“Me too. Where a
AYRAI paced the halls of the hospital, fear and anxiety making me jittery. I was anxious because Reese was in the delivery room, and afraid because I did not know how and what Nathaniel was doing right now.He left first thing in the morning with Ishmael and all his Enforcers, including Sawyer, so he wasn’t here to support Reese during her delivery.I had no idea where Nikki was, and Kimberly was busy with work, so I was here alone. Kimberly wanted to be here, but Reese ordered her not to. She said Kimberly could see the baby when it was born.“Anxious much?”I sighed in relief, turning to face the Nighthowler. “Dalia.” I needed someone to vent to, and she appeared at the right time.“What’s going on?”I pointed at the door behind me. “A friend of mine is in the delivery room.”“I see. The one you were shopping for.”“Yes.”“Anything else on your mind? Where is Nathaniel? Shouldn’t he be here?”“Why should he be?”Dalia shrugged noncommittally, dropping onto a chair placed in the hal