"I enjoy it, Riley; I enjoy punishing them. I am a demon; it's a part of me.""Just stop, stop saying that; it makes me scared of you, and I don't want to be scared of my own son.""Son." He calls the word like it disgusted him. "I don't like when you call me that."Those words cut deep; what on earth was wrong with him?"I told you once that my heart can only belong to one person, Riley, and you want to know who that person is?" he asked. I gave no response. "It's you, Riley. I love you, and I've said that to you over and again, but I don't love you like a son loves his mother; I love you like a man would another woman."The revelation stunned me into silence.Wait... what?"Daemon, you can't...""I can, because that's all I feel. Every single time I think of you, I think of what it would feel like kissing you; I think of fucking you and making love to you..."I slapped him hard. He seized both my hands. He leaned down and kissed me. I struggled against his firm grip, but damn, was h
ISABELLA'S POV...."If you had a day left, what would you spend those few hours doing?" I asked Thane.He gave me a calculative look. "Why would you want to know that?" he asked."Nothing; I am just one curious creature.""Well, if I did have a day to live, I wouldn't spend a minute thinking about death; I would live through the day like it was every other." he said, and I couldn't help but smile at that. "Bella, I have a question for you. Have you ever thought about having a family?"The smile on my face disappeared. I had thought about that so many times; anytime I looked at Thane, I knew if I could have a family, he would be the one I would want to have that family with."No." I lied, "I will worry about that when the time comes."I rose from the bed."Where are you going?""I need to use the bathroom." I said to him, but I had been trying to hide the tears; they had once again ruined my makeup. Hiding this was getting harder. I took out my powder; I just needed a few more touches
THANE I stood before the tiny cottage that had once belonged to Bella. I didn't know exactly why I was here, yet here I was. The little cottage, which had been abandoned, was barely holding together; termites had infested the woods, cobwebs filled every corner. I walked into the house. Dust layered over every piece of furniture and dried leaves littered the floor, this place which had once been full of life, was empty and lifeless. Not much furniture survived the years. There was a sound from the inner room, and I headed there. The squirrel ran past me; that must have been the source of the noise. I stared at the couch— rather, what remained of it, that had been the very couch Bella had died on. I remember the pain I had felt waking up to see her lifeless body; at first I had been in denial; it couldn't possibly happen— I'd thought to myself, but then the pain set in, Bella had become a part of me and a part of my life, with her gone I'd felt oddly incomplete. I picked up t
"Say the words, and I will kill him.""He's not that easy to kill," she says, but I knew that she didn't exactly want him dead; for some reason I failed to understand, she sorted for another option rather than killing him because she still ‘cared’ for him despite everything. I had to try and understand that she still wanted to spare the very person who hurt her, simply because she gave birth to it. Riley had a kind heart, and in times like this, I wish she were less innocent."Come here." I said to her, and she does. Riley didn't need an avenger right now, all she needed was someone to comfort her, and if that's all I could do to help, I'd gladly hold her for hours if she wanted that. She finally stopped crying after an hour. I couldn't help but wonder why she shedded tears over Daemon; he wasn't really worth it. I placed her on the bed before taking off my shirt and joining her. She rolled once more into my arms, just as she always did each night. When Riley was close by, she alo
She wouldn't leave; I could hurt her, and she knew that, yet there she stood. "Mark me, Thane, do it, and this will be over." "I... can't." "You can; it doesn't have to mean anything..." In the next second I was right in front of her; she didn't run; she stood still. It was either this or I completed the transformation and killed her. I bit into her neck, marking her. She staggered backwards, her hand holding back the blood now spilling from her neck. I felt the bone in my body break one after the next. "Stop," she says. "I am here." She wasn't talking to me, I realized, but to my wolf, and under her command he obeyed. My breaths came out labored. "You risked your life." I said to her, and she nodded. "I knew it was going to work," she responded, and she was right; it did work. The pain disappearance was almost instant; I was in control again; it was over. "What did you do?" "I stopped it." "How did you know how to stop it?" I asked, but she only tossed a
Something had changed since I marked her, and I knew she was right; I was bound to have feelings for her."I guess that's what you've wanted, and now you have it." I said to Isabella."No, I didn't take advantage of your situation, and if I ever wanted you to love me as you once did, I would prefer it happened the right way.""The right way?""Yes, the right way, but I know by now that with Riley in place, you will never admit what you feel for me. I don't want to hurt her either, Thane.""You don't?" I questioned, I didn't exactly believe that."No. Riley and I are actually on the verge of becoming friends; and I don't want this to come between you both, so I will stay away. That doesn't mean I don't still love you; I'm only doing this for her." She said."Here I was thinking you hated her?""No, I don't think she has done me any wrong has she?; the fact that we love the same man doesn't mean we should hate each other."She was talking about me like I wasn't seated right in front of
RILEY'S POVI felt Thane's absence; that must have been what awoke me. He sat on the edge of the bed."Thane?" I called, and he turned to me. He seemed... different."Riley, hope I didn't disturb your sleep?""Why aren't you sleeping?""Do you want me to join you?" he asked, and I couldn't help but see that as a bizarre question. "Of course."He lay by my side, a bit too stiff."Are you okay, Thane?""Yes, I am."I moved over him, kissing his lips. "Aren't you cold? You are freezing.""I'm not." He rolled over so we were close enough and placed a light kiss on my lips. I kissed him back, and then it got more heated; his hands trailed down my cleavages. It was a little past midnight, but I didn't feel like sleeping anymore. He helped me out of my clothes, and I was surprised he didn't rip them off; he cupped my breast, and I let out a small moan; his cool lips took my nipples into his mouth, gently sucking on them."It tastes like... milk.""Oh shit. I'm sorry." That was meant for the
"You enjoyed your time; I did too; that's all that matters.""No, it had been Thane in your place.""It was a new trick I learnt. It turns out I can switch forms; I didn't think you would buy it, but I might be better at this than I gave myself credit for.""You raped me?""Rape? Should I remind you of how many times you moaned for me, Riley?Tears streamed down my eyes as I climbed off the bed; I could still feel him between my legs. I could still remember how many times I moaned, begged even."I trusted you.""I don't feel guilt or whatsoever. I want you; I've always wanted you, and I still do. When I want something, I have it."But I am your...""Don't, don't say the word.""Or what?""Trust me, you don't want to know," he said."You deceived me.""That was the plan. He walked closer to me, and I backed away till I was against the wall. "You are all I think about, and this was better than my imagination."I slapped him hard in the face, and he pinned my hands against the wall. I co
Maybe Thane was right; I didn't have to push him away. Isabella could stick around, but that didn't mean I would have to leave just so she could be with him. I made a decision. I was going to fight for what belonged to me..When I returned back to Thane's room, I was met with the sight of Thane on the floor, unconscious; claw marks marred his body, and a few more identical marks on Isabella."What's wrong?" I asked her."It happened again, and it's getting worse.""You need a healer.""No, I will heal, and so will he.""How can I help? Just tell me what to do.""Nothing. There is nothing you can do Riley, and it's not safe for you to be around him anymore.""I'll be the one to decide that.""Riley. You need to listen to me. I thought this would work, but it won't. You cannot be around him.""But you can?""Do you know what happened to Logan's mate?""He told you about Logan?" I asked, feeling a bit betrayed."No, he didn't. I've been getting some fragments of my memory back. Logan ha
RILEY"Finally you show up." I muttered, letting Thane in."Are you mad at me?" he asked; of course he sensed that almost immediately."No, I'm not.""You sound mad, Riley.""How did you think I would feel? I hate the fact that you have to be with her.""You said this was what you wanted. I wanted none of this, but I did it for you, and now you are going to put it all on me?""I didn't know what I was thinking.""So does that mean you'll return back to the room and stop all these?"I shook my head but said nothing."When I brought up the idea of both of you in one room, it didn't occur to me that you will both have to share a bed.""You saw that, didn't you?""Yes, I did.""Nothing went on between the both of us.""I know that, but I couldn't help but see how perfectly matched the both of you were. She had her legs wrapped around you, and you seem to enjoy her company. I don't know what to think anymore.""I love you.""Where is it? I keep hearing those words, but I can't see it; I ca
Once again, the bed was empty by the time I awoke. I felt a hollow in my chest; once more, I would have to hold onto the memories he had left, until his next visit. I was sore, but I managed to get out of bed. I took my pills."Good morning," the voice called, and there Daemon sat, still looking through my notebook."You stayed." "Yes, I did.""Why? I mean, I am happy—you know what? Don't answer that."He gave me a small smile, and it might just be the most human thing I had ever seen him do."You don't have to be uncomfortable around me; I won't harm you." he assured. I couldn't come up with anything to say. "It occurred to me that I don't know anything about you — except that you are the pack healer. I didn't know you drew. This drawing is really nice.""Thank you. I have been drawing and painting for years now; it’s something I do to keep calm."This was the most he had said since I knew him, and I wanted to keep the conversation going, but I didn't want to say the wrong words."W
DAISY'S POVIt wasn't the same.When Daemon made love to me, when he bit me, all I felt was pleasure. Maybe I didn't realize it at the beginning, but he had become like an addictive drug, the more I got, the more I wanted. I thought it had just been the bites, and so I had tried getting that from Riley, but it wasn't the same.The Luna knew where he was. Why wouldn't she tell me?Each day, it got worse. I scrolled through my notebook; he occupied every single page.I had drawn him about a hundred times, and yet, I picked up a pen, ready to make another image. This was the only way I could keep myself from losing my mind thinking about him.Twenty minutes later, I was done with a perfect drawing of him. In this drawing he was shirtless, those locks of shiny black hair fell over his eyes. Damn, was he sexy."Hello, Daisy," the voice called.For a moment, I had thought it was all in my mind. It sounded so real. Slowly I turned, and there he stood, yet I couldn't be sure, this could jus
**DAEMON** "I have every reason to kill you." Bruce said to me as he tended to my wound. I should have kept an eye out for Thane; maybe I did underestimate him."I know.""No, you don't. You are a fool if you think you have a chance with my daughter; you don't. Many have tried; she has eyes for only one man.""I've learned from my mistakes; I won't repeat them.""Of course you won't; I will not let you," he says.We were back in Bruce's home. I hated this place; for some reason it made me feel powerless, totally helpless.Bruce had helped me escape from Jade; together we locked her away, but I always felt like I escaped from one prison only to fall into another. Just like Jade, Bruce wanted to control me, but unlike her, he made me feel like I had an option even if I didn't."You gave them the pendant; why?""Why else do you think? I know about what you did to my daughter, against her will.""You don't really care, so stop the pretense.""Is that what you think? That I don't care?Ju
RILEYI paced in my room. What if he had something important to tell me?I shouldn't have slammed the door at him as I did earlier, it was wrong of me.He was right; I was pushing him away, and I feared he would go to the only one available and ready to give him a listening ear.You know what? Fuck it.He was right; I couldn't pull through with this; it was simply impossible. I headed back to the Thane room. Nothing has changed since I moved.I headed to the inner room, moving as silently as I could... I stopped short. Bella had her legs wrapped around Thane's waist. I stood there, watching them; it took everything in me to hold in the tears and turn around.It was too late. I had pushed him right into Isabella's waiting hand. If I had any tears left, I would have let them out. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't think, and for the first time I wondered if I should have taken Isabella's offer while it was still on the table.I visited Ethan because I needed someone, anyone, to be with.Wa
"Do you know Logan is also a Lycan, like me?" "I had no clue that any of you were lycans; believe me, I am proud of you, but if I had even a single clue that you were a lycan, then I would have killed you, then haunted him down and killed him too, just to remain in power.""What do you know about the Lycan's curse?" I questioned Slade."I thought you would never bring that up. I've been doing my homework, and I heard a thing or two about it.""By doing your homework, you mean 'snooping around?""Yes, that. It had been interesting watching your relationship with the Luna stumble. It's like history repeating itself; maybe this thing called 'love' was never meant for us.""Leave her out of this, will you?""But it is so much more fun talking about her. You know, If I were alive, I would have had a taste of her.""Just as you did to her mother?" I asked, holding back my anger because I couldn't hurt him, not when he was a ghost."Kate was such a sweetheart. You know, there came a time th
"Slade." I called again, but there was no response. Of course, when I needed him the most, he chose to play a disappearing scheme on me. I was not going to have that. "Would you prefer I beg?"This felt stupid; I was alone in my office, calling for my dead father's ghost, but of course anyone stumbling upon this scene would find it very...unsettling."I can tell you need something." The voice called. Slade was finally here. "I thought I had finally lost you.""You don't say that like it is a bad thing.""I mean, I need answers, but if I could stop seeing your ghost, then that is even better.""I should feel sad, but I've gotten accustomed to your manner of caring."I watched my father, once I feared this man; the whole world feared him. He was a walking, breathing terror, and now he was...nothing. I couldn't help but feel a little pity for him, even if he had been the one digging his own grave from the very beginning."Do you by any means know a man called Logan Dimintri?" I question
"What has life in the shadows been like?" I questioned Logan. "What do you think it would be like?" he threw the question back at me. "Perhaps sad, lonely, pitiful." "It was all of those things, but I had to be that, knowing you were the complete opposite." "So, about Isabella, had you been the one who awoke her?" "No, I wasn't — what do you think I am? I don't know how she awoke but strange things happen, brother. She told me she lost her memory, but I recognized her almost instantly, and I knew she was your mate. I believe it's all fate. I mean, she came in the time you needed her the most." "And what about you? Do you have a mate?" "I did; I killed her." "I just might have found a match." I mused with a smile on my face as I took another sip of the whisky. "It had been a mistake; just like you, I had no idea about the Lycan's curse, and then all of a sudden it happened. It had been an accident, but, well, I wouldn't let you go through what I did." "So let me get