Achilles stared into the direction Seraphina had flew off, he contemplated shifting and going after her but, he decided it was probably best to leave her to gather her thoughts. He knew her outburst was because her and her dragon’s personalities were morphing but, her words were the truth. He was wracked with guilt at having wasted time with other women. He always knew his past indiscretions could affect their relationship when he eventually found her but, knowing what she had endured, having to fight to keep her virginity. He felt disgusted with himself. Achilles didn’t know what to do to make amends, no number of apologies could change the past. He just wanted to make everything right and continue to start a life with Seraphina. He pulled himself out of the lake and returned to his room to dress, he needed to speak to someone, he needed advice and reassurance that he hadn’t lost Seraphina after only just finding her.
When Achilles arrived at his room, he saw Seraphina was nowhere to be seen, she was still avoiding him and he understood why. He sat on the chaise lounge at the foot of the bed and sighed with his head in his hands. It really was his intention to marry Seraphina, he picked out her engagement ring when he was 15. He had searched relentlessly for her but by the time he turned 18, he had lost all hope of ever finding her. Since then, he had spent the better part of 10 years whoring himself about.Achilles stood and walked to a chest of drawers in the corner of the room and open one, he took out a small leather box with a pearl on the clasp. He opened it and looked at the ring inside. It was a large pear cut diamond surrounded by small sapphires. The band was woven like a vine with small amethysts cushioned into it. The large diamond was Seraphina’s
Ethena titled her head as she spied Seraphina’s bare feet. Seraphina blushed “I have never worn shoes before, I tried a pair on when I was getting dressed, they were terribly uncomfortable, and I struggled to stand in them” she explained shyly. Ethena laughed and picked her dress up to reveal her feet which were also bare. “I share the same distain for shoes.” Seraphina joined in laughing with Ethena when she remembered her question from earlier. “Ethena, Achilles mentioned that you are very knowledgeable with familiars, I was wondering, do you know what my extra elemental mark is?” Ethena frowned “Truthfully, I hadn’t noticed it.” She moved towards Seraphina and leaned down to look at her marking. “I have never seen one like it before, actually, I can’t recall ever learning of anyone with anything other than earth, wind, air or fire markings.” Seraphina’s face fell sli
Seraphina looked around at the faces watching her expectantly. She felt a bead of sweat begin to from on her brow. “You want me to shift…now? Here?” she asked. “Yes! Of course, we do!” Aurelia shouted at her, her excitement brimming over. “Whilst it would be an honour to witness your dragon, only do so if you feel comfortable to.” Ethena told her sweetly. “Thank you, mother,” said Achilles, “Seraphina is not a show pony, you can just demand tricks from her!” Achilles shouted at his siblings and father who were all jumping up and down in their seats waiting to see the dragon. “It’s okay.” Seraphina said tentatively. “I do not mind however, it made me feel quite…trapped to shift indoors. Do you mind if we go to the gardens?” Seraphina hadn’t even finished her sentence before everyone started to rise from their seats.
Seraphina realised what was happening, she looked back down at Achilles who looking at her as though she was the only woman in the world. “Seraphina, from the moment of your birth, I have loved you. I was only a boy, just 9 years old yet, I loved you so fiercely. I didn’t think it was possible to love anyone or anything more but, you proved me wrong. In the 6 months I got to spend with you, I loved you more each day. I would do anything and be anything for you. When you were taken from me, I never thought I would recover from that, a part of my heart died. Everyday for the last 18 years, I have thought about you, about what you would look like, how you would have grown. I was so so wrong. I never in my wildest dreams could’ve imagined you be to as beautiful and simply perfect as you are,” Achilles paused to take a breath.Serap
After the proposal and their love making, Achilles and Seraphina felt on top of the world. Achilles picked out Seraphina’s dress; a cream coloured silk dress, decorated with gold floral embroideries, that sat off the shoulder showing off all of her markings. She twisted her hair back into a loose chignon and fixed it into place with amber coloured pins. She opted against wearing any jewellery except for her engagement ring.During the proposal, Achilles had been so swept up in emotion, he forgot to open the ring box and give Seraphina her ring. He was silently thankful though, as this gave him to opportunity to explain her rings origin in private, more specifically so, the diamond. Seraphina had cried when she learnt that, not only had her mother given Achilles the large pear shape diamond, when Seraphina was a baby, to give to her, he had desig
Seraphina thought she may be the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Seraphina saw all the colour drain from Achilles face. “What are we celebrating?” the stranger spoke, her voice sounded like a song. Seraphina felt a pit form in her stomach, she gulped. “It seems my invitation didn’t quite reach me?” she spoke again as no one had answered her previous question. There were scowls all around. “Who are you?” Seraphina asked softly. The stranger glared at Seraphina, the newcomer didn’t recognise her as a noble girl and her anger immediately rose. “Who am I? Who the hell are you? How dare you speak directly to me; do you know who I am? I will have you lashed 1000 times for your insolence!” the stranger screamed at Seraphina. “Hold your tongue you slut, you are speaking to your future Queen!” Aurelia roared, slamming her hands down on the table. The stranger paled for a moment befo
Achilles ran after Seraphina in his snow leopard form. “Seraphina, please stop running away from me,” Achilles asked her through their mind connection. “I’m not running, I am flying,” Seraphina responded coldly. Achilles rolled his eyes. “I felt you roll your eyes!” Seraphina snapped at him. “Seraphina, my love, my sweet flower, please just talk to me,” Achilles pleaded with her. “This is just as much of a shock to me as it is to you, we need to talk about this, please.” Achilles begged her.Seraphina could feel her heart aching for him. Achilles was starting to catch up with her, he could tell Seraphina was slowing down, he watched as she started to descend into a small wooded area. As Achilles reached where Seraphina had landed, he saw she had shifted back to he Dhampir form. Achilles
He could feel his hard member twitching up against Seraphina’s sweet flower, hitting her bud gently making her moan in delight. He let out a groan of his own as she titled her head to the side and bit into his neck, drinking from him deeply and savo
“Do you think it will work?” Seraphina’s eyes followed Isobella as she paced back and forth.
Grief. Bone chilling, stomach turning, blood curdling grief. That’s all Seraphina could feel. She collapsed and let out a wail that sounded almost demonic. She clawed at her naked skin and screamed into the night. Her screeches loud enough to disturb the heavens. Raging fires encircled her like a protective wall.She wrapped her arms around her stomach, feeling empty, hollow, lost. She could hear the sound of laughter, a cruel, demented laugh. Turning her head towards the sound, her eyes reflecting the flames dancing as they were slick with tears. Stepping through the flames, she stalked towards the person laughing at her, her hands partially shifted into the claws of her dragon. Ready to tear out the throats of whoever had dared to mock her.
It felt as though a lifetime had passed by the time they arrived back at the manor. All the while, Seraphina had been calling out to Achilles in her mind, hoping and praying she would hear from him. A response, a whisper, a cough, anything…but nothing came.As the courtyard came into sights, she came to a halt as she hovered in the air, gently allowing herself to descend onto the ground.Cheers erupted as soon as they landed and she was immediately surrounded by anxious and tearful faces.As the mages dismounted with the children, Matteo came rushing over to Seraphina holding a robe open in his arms. Nodding her head at him, she shifted back and shrugged her arms into the robe before tying it in place.
The two older girls looked at each other before settling the babies down and stepping forward, careful to keep the younger girls behind them. Crouching down, they dug their hands into the dirt before looking up at the crowd before them, their eyes glazed over as roots and vines shot out from the ground and began to wrap around the legs of the soldiers, winding their way up around their torso and arms.The vampires among the soldiers made effort to free themselves though, the humans for the most part were completely stuck in place fighting against their little cages.Freeing herself from the vines, Seraphina bent down to get onto their level and opened her palm out skyward. Whispering words in the air, a small handmade doll appeared in her hand as she
A wave of nausea passed over Seraphina as she approached the circle of mages. Swaying on her feet, her hand shot out to grab Aurelia’s arm, steadying herself.“Is everything okay Seraphina?” Aurelia whispered under her breath.She gulped audibly before nodding and gesturing for them to continue forward.The circle of mages parted as Seraphina, Achilles and Aurelia came to meet them. Isobella opened her arms out to embrace Seraphina, as they parted she paused momentarily and cast her eyes over Seraphina’s body. An unsettling look came across her face before she shook it away and gave a solemn smile.“Are you sure it is wi
“Violence will be avoided if possible, our main priority is to get in, get the children and get them out. The mages along with Princess Seraphina will be entrusted with bringing the children back to the manor. Magnus?” Aurelia addressed the solider.“Yes Princess,” the aforementioned stepped forward with a salute.“You will stay here with your men to await their return in case anyone tries to follow. The children will stay the night here with their families, they will be seen to by the palace doctors, Helga and Bethel to see if they require any treatment. You are to guard them at all times. I want 2 soldiers stationed inside each of their rooms and an additional 2 guarding the doors.”
An electric buzz coursed through Thea as the mages chanted their syphoning spell. Seamus had warned her that she would feel the absorption of the magic but, she had no idea it would feel so…thrilling. Butterflies, more akin to flying rocks, danced around in her stomach, a radiant sensation passed through her body, warming her from head to toe.The notion that she was absorbing her father’s magic suddenly occurred to her. She had never felt connected to her parents, having no memories of them whatsoever. Moving to the DeBeaux Angelo manor, she thought she would’ve felt a connection, a spark, something but, she didn’t. It just felt like a house.Now, for the first time, she felt connected, she felt the love her father had for h
“I should have known your father would’ve kept an alter hidden somewhere,” Isobella grinned as she walked into the secret room.
*A light breeze drifted through the hallway twirling Seraphina’s sk