Kairos's POVI left the window without looking back at Lux, making my way to the door just as the lock clicked open. She stood there, her posture relaxed, her eyes distant, still completely under my influence, and I entered without wasting a minute, softly closing the door behind me."Go back to bed," I told her, and she quickly turned and walked back to her bedroom. I barely saw her pass through the doorway before turning around and heading for Lake's room.I did not have to ask which way it was. I could feel him. The pull was subtle but constant, like an invisible tide pulling me toward him. My steps were slow, but my pulse betrayed me, beating faster with each one. And when I got to his door, I paused, taking a slow breath as I reached for the handle, Reed's words echoing in my mind, followed by Darian's, who warned me that having Lake as a mate would be a curse. It didn’t feel that way to me.It was terrifying and confusing—so many emotions tangled inside me that I couldn’t begi
Lake's POVMy eyes snapped open at Kairos’s words. “A mer prince… fated mate?” But the meaning barely registered before I noticed the veins. Dark and twisting, they crawled across his skin, blooming beneath the surface like black cracks in porcelain. “Veins,” I whispered, my heart slamming against my ribs while the terrifying images of earlier when he attacked me flashed through my mind. Just then, he swayed as if his strength was dwindling right in front of me. His body grew heavier and he rolled off me, sitting next to me with his fingers running through his disheveled hair, attempting to push it back as it fell all over his face.I shot up, my breath quickening while my pulse thundered in my ears.“What’s happening to you?” I asked, watching him as he appeared to be struggling to breathe, sweat streaking across his brow. But his response froze me in place. “Blood,” he rasped, barely above a whisper. “I need your blood.” My mind refused to process it, to accept that I had understo
Lake's POVA knock at the door startled me awake. My eyes blinked open, blurry from sleep, as did Kairos's beside me. He spoke in a low whisper, still drowsy. "Good Morning." He sat up slowly, sweeping his hand through his tangled hair, his gaze darting around, mine following suit in search of my boxers as I responded.Morning had come way too soon. My body ached in ways I didn’t mind, but I was still exhausted. I slid out of bed as another knock came, this time followed by Lux's muffled voice. I grabbed my briefs, slipped them on, and headed to the door.Lux didn’t even wait for me to fully emerge before blurting out that she had the craziest dream last night as I ripped the door open. "Kairos was here in our dorm," she said as I stepped out into the hallway, but stopped mid-sentence when she saw my appearance. Her eyes widened as she scanned me up and down. My hair was wild, and the love bites on my neck were probably still visible, I realized. “He’s here?” She whispered, looking o
Lake's POVMy heart sank to the pit of my stomach as Kairos's words resounded inside me like thunder in a hollow room, the kind that rumbled long after the storm had passed. “A cursed love… no place in this world.”The silence between us was excruciating. Then, without warning, he shifted again, and the golden tail and webbed fingers vanished. In their place, the human version of him stood once more, still breathtakingly beautiful. Just… not mine."My brother's here," he said suddenly, moving quickly toward the bed and grabbing his clothes, as if the air had changed and he could barely breathe. I watched him numbly as he pulled on his pants, then his shirt, his movements stiff and tense. He did not look at me. Not until he was fully dressed, and as he turned to face me, brushing his hair away from his face, there was a knock at the front door. He whispered, “I’m sorry,” and opened the door. Just like that, he was gone.I didn’t know how long I sat there. My knees remained on the floo
Lux's POV“I’m coming!” I yelled, approaching the door as the knock came again. I opened it to find the breakfast delivery as expected. The guy smiled politely as he handed me the food bags to which I thanked him, trying to shake the heaviness in my chest from what Lake had just told me. Making my way back to the living room, I placed everything on the table, and the aroma of Lake's food made my stomach rumble.A moment later, he emerged from his room and sat down on the sofa next to me. I passed him his food, and he thanked me. I was still trying to figure out how I was going to help him by keeping that bastard away from him."We still need to do groceries," I said, opening my container and deciding not to bring up the depressing topic of Kairos. "We could order online, but I would like to check out the shops around here. Take a look around. Of course, if you are up for it."He looked at me and nodded. "I am game." And I smiled with relief. I figured getting out might help him, even
Lake A rush of excitement coursed through me as I stepped off the jet at Silverglate Airport. I couldn’t believe I was finally here, ready to start my varsity journey and embark on a new chapter of my life. Alec and I hurried to the curb, where our ride awaited us. As we got in the car, I could not help but feel both nervous and excited. This was the first time I was so far away from my family and the familiar comforts of home, but the excitement of all the new experiences that lay ahead quickly drew me out of it. As we began driving through the city, I realized it was even more beautiful than I had imagined, and there was a sense of freedom in the air. My cousin Alec was in his fourth and final year, and he told me that life was fast here. "Wow!" I marveled at how the city sparkled at night. It was one of its most striking features, and as someone from a small, quiet town, it captivated me. It also made me understand why Alec almost failed his first year. Silverglate was syno
Two days earlier Neridia Kingdom Prince Kairos "Are you ready?" Father asked, to which my brother and I enthusiastically responded, "Yes, sir!" This was the day we had been waiting for, and we were ecstatic. We were heading to Silverglade, where we would study for the next two years. We had grown up and spent our entire lives in the ocean, as future kings, constantly in the spotlight and under the scrutiny of our parents and the general public. We enjoyed our lives, but sometimes the pressure got to us. This was our opportunity to relieve some of the pressure, as we would not be known as princes where we were going. As part of our disguise, my brother and I had to wear contact lenses all the time to hide our golden eyes, which were a defining feature of us, and Father reminded us of this. Otherwise, we appeared human, albeit taller than the average human, which was not a problem. We also went by Kairos and Darian Neridia because we were required to have a last name. Merpeople
Kairos My brother and I entered the club and the music's throb struck us like a wave. It was harsh, electric, and unrelenting; it had nothing in common with the melodic songs of the currents or the soft murmur of the sea. Reds and blues danced across the walls and reflected off a huge, mirrored ceiling as lights flashed in frantic bursts. For a moment, I could not tell if we had entered a celebration or a battlefield because of the chaotic way the bodies moved together. I looked at Darian, and for once, he seemed as out of place as I did. His shoulders were stiff, his usual confidence drained by the sheer force of it all. We were laughing a minute ago, teasing each other about who could blend in the best. We believed we were prepared. But now, standing in this room packed with people, their energy crashing over us like a storm, I was not sure we were prepared. The air felt heavy—almost too thick to breathe—and I was sure that if I could smell scents, they would be mixed and d
Lux's POV“I’m coming!” I yelled, approaching the door as the knock came again. I opened it to find the breakfast delivery as expected. The guy smiled politely as he handed me the food bags to which I thanked him, trying to shake the heaviness in my chest from what Lake had just told me. Making my way back to the living room, I placed everything on the table, and the aroma of Lake's food made my stomach rumble.A moment later, he emerged from his room and sat down on the sofa next to me. I passed him his food, and he thanked me. I was still trying to figure out how I was going to help him by keeping that bastard away from him."We still need to do groceries," I said, opening my container and deciding not to bring up the depressing topic of Kairos. "We could order online, but I would like to check out the shops around here. Take a look around. Of course, if you are up for it."He looked at me and nodded. "I am game." And I smiled with relief. I figured getting out might help him, even
Lake's POVMy heart sank to the pit of my stomach as Kairos's words resounded inside me like thunder in a hollow room, the kind that rumbled long after the storm had passed. “A cursed love… no place in this world.”The silence between us was excruciating. Then, without warning, he shifted again, and the golden tail and webbed fingers vanished. In their place, the human version of him stood once more, still breathtakingly beautiful. Just… not mine."My brother's here," he said suddenly, moving quickly toward the bed and grabbing his clothes, as if the air had changed and he could barely breathe. I watched him numbly as he pulled on his pants, then his shirt, his movements stiff and tense. He did not look at me. Not until he was fully dressed, and as he turned to face me, brushing his hair away from his face, there was a knock at the front door. He whispered, “I’m sorry,” and opened the door. Just like that, he was gone.I didn’t know how long I sat there. My knees remained on the floo
Lake's POVA knock at the door startled me awake. My eyes blinked open, blurry from sleep, as did Kairos's beside me. He spoke in a low whisper, still drowsy. "Good Morning." He sat up slowly, sweeping his hand through his tangled hair, his gaze darting around, mine following suit in search of my boxers as I responded.Morning had come way too soon. My body ached in ways I didn’t mind, but I was still exhausted. I slid out of bed as another knock came, this time followed by Lux's muffled voice. I grabbed my briefs, slipped them on, and headed to the door.Lux didn’t even wait for me to fully emerge before blurting out that she had the craziest dream last night as I ripped the door open. "Kairos was here in our dorm," she said as I stepped out into the hallway, but stopped mid-sentence when she saw my appearance. Her eyes widened as she scanned me up and down. My hair was wild, and the love bites on my neck were probably still visible, I realized. “He’s here?” She whispered, looking o
Lake's POVMy eyes snapped open at Kairos’s words. “A mer prince… fated mate?” But the meaning barely registered before I noticed the veins. Dark and twisting, they crawled across his skin, blooming beneath the surface like black cracks in porcelain. “Veins,” I whispered, my heart slamming against my ribs while the terrifying images of earlier when he attacked me flashed through my mind. Just then, he swayed as if his strength was dwindling right in front of me. His body grew heavier and he rolled off me, sitting next to me with his fingers running through his disheveled hair, attempting to push it back as it fell all over his face.I shot up, my breath quickening while my pulse thundered in my ears.“What’s happening to you?” I asked, watching him as he appeared to be struggling to breathe, sweat streaking across his brow. But his response froze me in place. “Blood,” he rasped, barely above a whisper. “I need your blood.” My mind refused to process it, to accept that I had understo
Kairos's POVI left the window without looking back at Lux, making my way to the door just as the lock clicked open. She stood there, her posture relaxed, her eyes distant, still completely under my influence, and I entered without wasting a minute, softly closing the door behind me."Go back to bed," I told her, and she quickly turned and walked back to her bedroom. I barely saw her pass through the doorway before turning around and heading for Lake's room.I did not have to ask which way it was. I could feel him. The pull was subtle but constant, like an invisible tide pulling me toward him. My steps were slow, but my pulse betrayed me, beating faster with each one. And when I got to his door, I paused, taking a slow breath as I reached for the handle, Reed's words echoing in my mind, followed by Darian's, who warned me that having Lake as a mate would be a curse. It didn’t feel that way to me.It was terrifying and confusing—so many emotions tangled inside me that I couldn’t begi
Lake's POVLux froze at my words, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "What?"Exhaling sharply, I ran a hand through my hair. “You heard me.” She blinked as if she was trying to comprehend what I had just said. "Lake, what are you saying?" I could see it right away, the way she looked at me as if I was insane. It was the same expression Alec gave me before laughing, but it was worse because I needed her to believe me more than anyone else. “I’m not crazy,” I told her firmly.“Lake—”“I’m not.” I yanked my phone from my pocket and held it up so she could see the cracked screen. “Look at this. You see this?” Lux's expression changed slightly as if she didn't understand where I was going with this, but she nodded. "This happened when Kairos attacked me," I explained, still holding out the phone to her. She knew my screen was not cracked when we left the house. “After the dance with Olivia, I went outside to get some fresh air and saw him. He looked like something was wrong wi
Third Person's PovReed exhaled sharply, running his hand through his hair before turning to face Darian. "Help me put him to bed." Darian bent down and grabbed Kairos's legs, but before they could lift him, he spoke. "What did Lake tell the cops?" Reed's jaw clenched. “I don’t know,” he admitted. But don’t worry, I’ll handle it.” He continued, but Darian’s grip on Kairos’s legs tightened. Regardless of Reed's words, worry churned in his gut. Lake had begun telling people what he saw. How else would the police be on their way? His heart pounded from frustration. This was exactly what he had feared. Reed must have noticed the tension in his face, because he spoke again, this time in a more reassuring tone. “The guys the sheriff sent over are friends. I’ll find out what Lake told them, and I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry.”Darian swallowed hard, but the unease persisted."Now, help me."Darian exhaled slowly and adjusted his grip, while Reed took Kairos's shoulders. They lifted him
Lake's Pov I stood frozen amid the chaos, my chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. My eyes continued to dart around the room, my pulse hammering in my ears. And just then, I felt eyes on me, so I turned around and locked eyes with Reed. His gaze fixed on mine, and for a split second, he appeared genuinely surprised to see me. But then, something changed. His expression softened, his lips pressed into a thin line, and I could tell he was not just surprised; he was calculating. A shiver ran down my spine as I followed his gaze, my stomach twisting into knots. He wasn’t looking at me anymore. He was looking at Darian, who gave me the same expression as Reed. It was like Reed had just told him something without speaking, and Darian’s entire demeanor shifted. He stiffened, turned his head sharply toward the door, and that was it. I was through with this place. Something inside me screamed to get out, and I yanked my gaze away from Darian, catching my breath as I returned my g
Lux’s POVI didn't have to say it twice before Alec closed the gap between us, and fire erupted as our lips collided in a fierce kiss. He lifted me off the floor, and I let out a moan as we fell onto the sofa.Our bodies molded in raw longing, and his hands reached for my back and undid my shirt before tossing it aside. My back arched on its own as his hands moved to my breasts, his thumbs drawing circles around my already erect nipples, and my hands gripped his arms as his lips continued their sweet torture, moving from my neck to my jawline and then back to my lips.The kiss was tender, intense, sweet, and fiery all at once, and our breaths became heavy as I pressed my hips against him. Before I knew it, my hands were fumbling with his belt, the heat between my legs intensifying. His hands slid to mine and assisted me in undoing it before sliding down and gripping my hips as he began kissing my stomach and going down my chest.My moans grew louder, my pussy clenching at the contrast