The soft rustling of leaves blends with the gentle lap of the river against the shore, creating a soothing backdrop to the surreal moment unfolding around me. The night air feels cooler now, brushing against my skin with a teasing chill that stands in sharp contrast to the heat pooling low in my stomach.“Kassian, you were telling me about your high school?” I prompt softly, hoping to draw him back to our conversation and ease the tension between us.He hums a reply, low and distracted, like someone lost in thought—or something far deeper.The sound unsettles me, yet it pulls me closer, as if I’m teetering on the edge of something unknown.When he doesn’t elaborate, I exhale a quiet sigh and turn my attention to the dishes scattered between us. The faint scent of grilled shrimp and tangy marinade lingers in the air, mingling with the salty freshness of the river breeze. I focus on gathering the plates and utensils, the familiar motion grounding me.But nothing about this moment stays
I force my trembling legs to push me upright, the unsteady motion making my body wobble like a fawn taking its first steps. My knees threaten to buckle beneath me, still weak and shaking from whatever just happened. My breaths come shallow and uneven, the burning sensation in my chest making it hard to think straight.The night air presses against my flushed skin, sharp and biting, a cruel contrast to the overwhelming heat that refuses to leave me. The faint scent of damp earth and saltwater lingers, mingling with the metallic tang of rage rising in my throat.I stagger backward, almost stumbling, but manage to catch myself. My body feels wrong—lightheaded, unmoored, like all the strength has been sapped from my limbs. Whatever Kassian just did to me, it’s toxic. Too overwhelming. Too consuming. And he’d barely started.A violent shudder rolls through me, and tears prick my eyes. They burn, hot and unrelenting, pooling against my lashes but refusing to fall. Rage shakes me to my core,
Kassian steps forward, his towering frame cutting through the moonlight like a shadow. The sound of the waves grows louder, crashing rhythmically against the shore, as if echoing my racing heartbeat. The air is cool but charged, carrying the faint tang of salt and damp earth, the kind of crispness that always feels heavier at night.Before I can process what he’s about to do, he bends down swiftly and sweeps me off my feet.A startled scream bursts from my lips as Kassian effortlessly sweeps me off my feet. My hands fly to his neck, holding tightly for support, and fingertips brush against the scruff of his skin, rough yet warm, and my nails press lightly into his neck as my heart pounds against my ribcage.His jaw tightens briefly, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes before he shifts his gaze back to the path ahead. The motion is so quick I almost miss it, but for a moment, it looks like regret—like he’s fighting something within himself, something he’s not rea
“I started painting when I was four,” I say softly, my voice barely rising above the whisper of the wind rustling through the trees around us. The air is cool and carries the faint tang of salt and damp earth, mingling with the lingering scent of the sea.Kassian’s strides are steady as he carries me away from the shoreline, the soft crunch of sand beneath his boots marking each deliberate step. The rhythmic sound mingles with the distant murmur of waves, now quieter, as if retreating into the background.“According to my brother,” I continue, glancing up at him, “I was obsessed with colors. It was the only way they could ever get me to shut up. By the time I turned four, I started painting. Despite everything they did to stop me, I kept going. I just… loved the way colors come together, like there’s some kind of mystery behind it…” My voice trails off as I lose myself in the memory.The faint light from the car’s interior spills into the darkness as we approach, illuminating the surr
A week has passed since my date with Kassian, and the grueling days on set have left me physically drained but no closer to peace of mind. Today, with some rare free time, I find myself craving an escape. At first, I thought staying at home would help, but the silence of my sprawling mansion feels oppressive, magnifying the whirlwind of thoughts I can’t seem to escape.Since the date, Kassian hasn’t called or texted. Neither have I. My pride refuses to let me reach out first. If he isn’t going to make the effort, why should I? I won’t chase someone who swings between being the embodiment of warmth and charm one moment and an aloof, impenetrable fortress the next.My chest tightens, frustration mingling with an ache I can’t shake. Why do I let myself endure this emotional tug-of-war? I like him. Maybe I even love him. Or maybe it’s just infatuation, a desperate yearning to resolve feelings that never fully bloomed.Or, worse, what if it’s something else entirely? What if my connection
Quincy and I are in the kitchen, the soft hum of the stovetop blending with the rhythmic clatter of utensils. The air is heavy with the rich aromas of dinner—the smoky scent of sizzling vegetables, the sweet warmth of baking brownies, and the faint tang of something spicy simmering on the stove. It feels strangely comforting, like stepping back into a part of my life I’d almost forgotten.We’re catching up, sharing snippets of the years I’ve missed. Or rather, Quincy is doing most of the talking. She rattles on like a runaway train, her words tumbling over each other as though she’s afraid the silence might swallow her whole. I’m content to let her fill the space, listening as I carefully slice the brownies into neat squares, their edges still warm and slightly gooey under the blade.Quincy’s voice rises, animated and bright, as she recounts the girls’ antics—how much they’ve grown, their mischief, their quirks. It’s a warm, nostalgic flow of chatter that makes the kitchen feel cozier
I bite down on the rising unease in my chest and quickly gather the brownies and muffins from the tray, carrying them to the dining table. The smell of chocolate feels oddly comforting, but it does little to ease the tension crackling in the air like an approaching storm.Quincy follows me, carrying her own plate of food, though her movements are shaky. Tears streak her face again as she sets the plate down with a clatter. Her sobs start to break free, and the sight of her crumbling is like a punch to the gut.I place a hand on her shoulder gently, trying to steady both her and myself. “Just calm down, Quincy. She has nothing on you.”Quincy shakes her head violently, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. “She does!” she cries, her voice breaking.I crouch slightly so I can meet her eyes, my voice firm yet soothing. “Quincy, you are not ugly. You’re gorgeous and charming. Your blonde hair doesn’t make you ugly—it makes you the beauty you are now. And your eyes? They aren’t hideous. Th
I rack my brain, my thoughts churning like a storm-tossed sea, trying to figure out what to do about this. The Tyson I know might not be who he is now, but why does it feel like all of this is some cruel trick? My chest tightens with the weight of it, a suffocating pressure that makes it hard to breathe. It’s not just because I’ve known him the longest—though that thought nags at me like a splinter in my mind. No, it’s something deeper. A conviction that Tyson would never betray Quincy.The room around me feels cold and lifeless. The faint hum of the refrigerator buzzes in the background, the air tinged with the aroma of food. The gray light from the overcast sky filters through the window, casting everything in muted tones, as if the world itself mirrors the heaviness in my heart.I’ve always admired their relationship. The kind of bond they share seemed impossible to me, a skeptic who scoffs at the idea of true love. But with them… I don’t know. Something about Tyson and Quincy made
“Please, don’t be afraid of me,” Zalie sobs, her voice raw with desperation. “I’d never hurt you, Lynette. Please…” she reaches for me again, but before her fingers can so much as graze my skin, Ivanna yanks her back.“Don’t, Zalie,” she says firmly. “You’ll scare her more than she already is.”Scare me? More? The room is still spinning, my chest tightening with something I can’t name. The sharp scent of blood lingers in the air, iron-thick, curling in my throat. The horror of everything I’ve seen—the bodies, the monsters, the things I cannot unsee—sits like a lead weight in my stomach. And yet, even through the panic clawing at me, a strange numbness has settled in, wrapping itself around my mind like a fog, dulling the sharp edges of reality.“She’s actually taking this better than Lyla did,” Ivanna continues, her voice attempting to sound light but failing. “She’s not screaming the roof down or collapsing—”“That’s because I never collapse.” The words tumble out before I can think.
Vampires are real. Vampires are real. Vampires are fucking real.The words hammer inside my skull, looping over and over, but they do nothing to ground me. Time distorts, stretching impossibly thin, every second dragging as if the universe itself is holding its breath.The bloodthirsty monster lunges, his face twisting into something even more grotesque midair. His already inhuman features warp—cheeks hollowing further, his mouth widening far too much, revealing rows of jagged, gleaming fangs dripping with saliva. His eyes gleam with manic hunger, locking onto me like a predator savoring the moment before the kill.My breath catches. A sharp, involuntary inhale.Every instinct in me screams to move, but I can’t. My body feels disconnected, as if my mind is still trying to catch up with the sheer impossibility of what I’m seeing.If I were the type to faint, this would be the moment. The fear—the shock—is suffocating, pressing down on me so hard my limbs feel like dead weight. But I do
A voice drifts through the haze of my sleep, a whisper slicing through the thick fog of unconsciousness.“Lynette.”The sound is distant at first, barely more than a breath against the silence, but then hands grasp my shoulders—too rough, too frantic. A sharp jolt rocks my body as the grip tightens, fingers pressing into my skin with a desperation that yanks me from the comfort of slumber.I groan, swatting at the unseen hands, trying to burrow back into the warmth of my blankets. But the shaking doesn’t stop. It’s insistent. Urgent.“Lynette, wake up, please. We’re in danger.”The words drift around me, sluggish and weightless, refusing to fully register. I mumble something incoherent and roll onto my side, chasing the remnants of sleep, the lingering warmth of dreams.A pause. A breath. Then, a different voice—sharper, more impatient, cutting through the haze like a knife. “Oh, let me do it!”Silence hangs for a moment, thick and heavy, before— “Lynette, you’re drooling. And Kassian
I stare at Zalie, but my mind is miles away. She moves with fluid precision, her arms slicing through the air like ribbons, but I barely register it. The soft hum of the music, the rhythmic thud of her feet against the wooden floor—it all feels distant, muffled, like I’m underwater. The air smells faintly of honey and amber, mixing with the sharp tang of sweat, yet even that barely sink in.Something is wrong with my head.A cold prickle creeps up my spine, a dull ache blooming at the base of my skull. I’ve never been someone who forgets easily—I remember things with unsettling clarity, possibly even from infancy. But sometimes, especially when strange things happen, my mind turns foggy, as if something is deliberately blocking me from realizing the truth.It’s never mattered much before. Honestly, I never cared. I never gave a damn about anything, not even enough to sneak into Rowan’s secret room, despite knowing every single password he uses.But this—this is different.I’ve never l
Ice erupts from the ground like a living beast, devouring the room in jagged, ruthless hunger. Spikes explode in every direction, sharp as spears, glistening with lethal intent. The walls freeze over in an instant, a thick layer of frost crawling up like veins of an ancient beast awakening. The very air stiffens, every breath clouding white.Oliver, Brian, and Lucian barely manage to avoid the deathly onslaught, their movements sharp, instinctive. One warrior isn’t as lucky—a jagged spike rips through his arm, another through a leg, blood staining the pristine ice in crimson streaks.A thick, glass-like sheen coats my vision. My skin burns—not with heat, but with a frostbite so intense it feels like my veins are solidifying into shards of ice. Every fiber of my being pulses with raw, bleeding cold, the kind that doesn’t just freeze flesh—it kills.And at the center of the carnage, the rogue hangs impaled against the ceiling, thick ice spears bursting through his torso, pinning him lik
A wet, sickening squelch fills the hallway as my boots crush flesh and shattered bone, the blood-soaked remains of the rogues sticking to the soles like a grotesque second skin. The stench is unbearable—a mix of burning meat, rot, and something fouler, something wrong. The air itself feels heavy, thick with the metallic tang of spilled blood and the lingering heat of battle.I move forward, my steps measured, my heartbeat steady, but inside, my mind is anything but calm.Tracking the children had been easy once Lynette sent me the location of Rowan’s old tracking data. It led me to a hidden underground chamber I hadn’t even known existed—despite living in that house for three years. That alone was unsettling, but what really ate at me was the certainty that Lynette had never been in there either. She isn’t the curious type, never the kind to dig for secrets. If she had gone in, she would have seen things she couldn’t unsee—truths about Rowan that would have sent her running for the hi
Kassian’s POVI pace up and down my office, my claws scraping against each other as I bite into them—a nervous habit I can’t seem to shake. The room feels smaller than usual, the walls pressing in, the faint scent of leather and recycled air doing nothing to settle my nerves. The air is thick with tension, stagnant with the weight of everything I’ve screwed up.Lynette is passed out on my couch, her breathing steady but shallow. My heart clenches at the sight of her, fragile and unaware. This isn’t how she was supposed to find out—not like this. I was planning to tell her slowly, ease her into it. But now? Now I’m as good as rejected.I run a hand through my hair, fingers tangling in the strands as I force myself to keep moving. The tiled floor squeaks beneath the pressure of my steps. Oliver and Brian sit nearby, their eyes tracking my movements like wary hunters watching a wounded animal. They say nothing, but their silence is heavy, suffocating.This is partly their fault.First, I
My heart pounds against my ribs as the car rolls into the parking lot of Kassian’s company, a nervous flutter twisting in my stomach.I haven’t seen him in five days. Not since the news broke out. It’s not that he’s avoiding me—he’s just buried under work. Every time we talked on the phone, his voice was laced with exhaustion, tension leaking into even the smallest words. I wanted to do something, anything, to show my gratitude for his support. And since Kassian always makes me feel cared for, I thought it was time to return the favor.Which is why I spent the last five days attempting to cook something edible.With Elliott and Tyson’s reluctant help, I dedicated every free moment to taming my disaster-prone kitchen skills. But I underestimated just how incompatible I am with cooking. What was supposed to be a simple dish turned into something that looked more like a monster summoning circle than an actual meal. I don’t know how it always happens—but viola! It does.Still, I couldn’t
The air shifts instantly. The arm wrapped around my waist tightens, his grip no longer gentle. His entire body stiffens, muscles coiling beneath me. A faint tremor ripples through him, his entire presence turning rigid.The silence is suffocating.“I’m sorry,” I whisper, my voice cracking under the weight of it all.A low, guttural growl rumbles from his chest, vibrating against me, raw and primal. The sound is nothing like the Kassian I know—it’s something deeper, something untamed. I flinch, but I still don’t dare lift my head. I don’t want to see the fury I know is in his eyes.His voice is sharp, shattering the tension like splintering glass. “Is this the first time?”I nod, my throat tight, trying to hold back the sob building inside me. The air around us grows heavier, thick with something unseen but powerful. The sheer force of his anger radiates off him in waves, an intensity I recognize all too well. It’s the same kind of presence I felt in the temple, the same suffocating pr