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19|Wallflower
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2022-01-14 10:21:20~Rory~
This year’s Seattle Hope Foundation fundraising event is a lot different from their traditional organized party. It’s a scavenger hunt theme held on Senator Richardson’s Washington estate. There will be a party later in the night of course, for the oldies, rich and influential people who’d find this hunt somewhat unfitting for their age and status.
It was a nice change.
The Senator’s daughter, Gail, had a different perspective than her parents. I’ve met her a few times at formal events when Dad dragged me as his plus-one when Mom wasn’t available.
Gail Richardson is a law student, but instead of diving into politics like her parents and older brother Keat, she is tackling a path in social work. It is still in line with ser
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Hellbound: The Last Tribute 20|The Game
~Rory~ I hoped to have a normal day, spend this weekend with my friends without the strange troubles of Salvatore Hills looming over my head. Was that too much to ask? Jace’s hands dropped to his side when I stepped back, creating a safe distance between us. “Nothing,” I lied. The quirk in his brows says he’s unconvinced. “Uhm, I just needed to make a phone call. What are you doing here?” Giving him a once-over, I noticed the number 173 pin attached to his flannel shirt. The first few buttons were undone, a gray shirt peeking underneath, and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows stretched to accommodate his sinewy biceps. He wore dark fitted jeans and biker boots, his rich brown hair tumbling over his forehead. “To hunt, o
Last Updated : 2022-01-17Hellbound: The Last Tribute 21|Guilt-trip
~Rory~I stood there, cold and confused. I’m not sure what happened, or if there was even a reason for it. If it was even real in the first place.It’s like he took a part of me with him, leaving a black hole in my chest that sucked all the air from my body. And right now, there’s a huge jackhammer digging it deeper and deeper. It’s fucking painful.A tear rolled down my cheek, followed by another and another. And as soon as he disappeared through the corner leading to the garden, the fucking damn broke. I gave in, allowing the ache I felt when I saw him smiling down at Nolani to overpower me.I can’t hold myself upright. I took a few steps to the side, needing something to hold on to, dropping on the wet wooden bench, not minding that it wa
Last Updated : 2022-01-21Hellbound: The Last Tribute 22|Reflection
~Rory~“You’re doubting my abilities now, mio principe?” It was Nolani who answered Elijah. [my prince]I couldn’t put a finger on that certain edge of her voice, but it was different from the sultry tone she had as she spoke with him at the parlor before.“How many times did I tell you never to call me that?” was Elijah’s stone-cold response.Movements followed his statement, and soon their voices sounded closer to one another. The dome shape of the atrium enhanced even the smallest sound. I was afraid they would hear the pounding in my chest.Jace hasn’t moved an inch, his face so close to mine, which also meant that he could see straight into my eyes. His creased brows indica
Last Updated : 2022-01-24Hellbound: The Last Tribute 23|Lightning
~Rory~ I pushed Jace by the chest the moment my eyes locked with the wolf’s reflection. I am certain that we were breathless for an entirely different reason. Jace’s blue eyes were dilated and wild with lust, while mine were surely wide with confusion. The quick worry that washed over his face was proof of that. “Rory,” he reached for my face, I flinched before he could touch me again. Jace stepped back, giving me the space that I can’t get on my own, since I’m still unable to move with the shelf on my back. I wasn’t even worried that he kissed me. Even without my verbal consent, I allowed him to kiss me. But what the hell was that? It wasn’t a snippet from my dreams. I know this because I relived them repeatedly in my h
Last Updated : 2022-01-28Hellbound: The Last Tribute 24|Pinky Swear
~Elijah~ Mental and physical torture was nothing new to me, but the despair in my heart is something I can never overcome. As ironic as it may seem, even a creature of the night like me wasn’t invulnerable to heartache. Aurora. My light. My better half. I’ve tried so hard to get her out of my mind, but a stubborn heart can ruin even an immortal being like me. “We should go.” Henry stood beside me while I watched Rory’s car leave the Richardson estate’s premises. “We got everything we came for.” “Go and take Nolani before she kills her playmate,” I instructed. Henry replied with a sigh, not moving an inch. We can smell it, the bl
Last Updated : 2022-03-01Hellbound: The Last Tribute 25|Angel in the Dark
~Rory~Hidden in the dark and harsh beating pellet of rain, my heart stilled, and so did every part of my body. I hardly took a gasp before another lightning strike. The man - not human, whatever he was - audibly sniffed my neck, appraising, evaluating me. For what? I’m not sure I want to know.Surprisingly, knowing he isn’t human didn’t cite fear in me.“You’re not afraid,” he murmured, a whisper in my ear in duet with the roar of angry thunder slicing through the storm’s holler.Both hands fencing me by the car, he inhaled and exhaled, not for breathing but to sniff me like a wild animal nosing its food. Another lightning and I caught a glimpse of his tongue running over his protruded teeth.
Last Updated : 2022-03-02Hellbound: The Last Tribute 26|The Reality
~Rory~With the ongoing state of my mind, I can’t be certain how long it took for Elijah to reach the Vitale estate. It could have been minutes, but what I am sure of was his inhuman speed, his agility, the feel of his muscles with each movement, and the warmth of his body that kept me from getting hypothermia.How the hell is he so warm? If he’s a vampire, shouldn’t he be cold? Undead? A practical walking corpse?If there are vampires and werewolves, what other creatures are out there?The world I grew up knowing is not what it seems. I wanted to know more, and I got what I wanted, but I’m not sure where to go from here.All these thoughts bouncing all over my head turned my stomach into knots. It&rsq
Last Updated : 2022-03-03Hellbound: The Last Tribute 27|I Felt It Too
~Rory~Bathed in darkness, I remained curled in a fetal position, hugging myself. It’s cold; everything around me provides no comfort or warmth. But I was afraid to open my eyes, knowing that everything I knew would not be the same.The throbbing pain in my neck reminded me of the vampire who bit me. The stabbing ache in my ribs and the numbness of my toes and fingers, everything... It reminded me it was not a dream, but unlike before, I’d rather stay in the darkness's comfort than wake up.I shivered as sudden warmth blanketed me. A hand looped around my waist, breaking through the safety cage I surrounded myself with.“Cara mia...” Elijah whispered, “I’m here. You don’t have to be afraid.”
Last Updated : 2022-03-04
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Hellbound: The Last Tribute 101|A Lost Hero
“Jace…” “Sh…” I cooed, kissing her quivering lips. Her cheeks were wet from crying. I wiped it away with my thumb as our lips grew frantic, unwilling to pull apart. Her kiss was different. It wasn’t of love but of sadness, of fear. Fear of what? I do not know. “I love you, Aurora,” I said, cupping her face. “I will come back.” “There must be another way….” She whimpered, pinching her eyes close, setting her hand above mine. “You know there isn’t. Plus, I get to be the hero in this story.” She shook her head. An outcry followed, and she was snatched away from me. “No!” I pushed up from the bed, sweat rolling down my skin. Running my fingers through my drenched hair, I exhaled the emotions brought by that dream. This night was different. Usually, it would end with me telling Aurora I would come back. Now I am boasting about being a hero? What the hell does that even mean? A dream about Aurora was another sleepless night for me. The full moon made me restless. I shouldn’t have taken
Hellbound: The Last Tribute 100|Epilogue 2
~Elijah~Henry sighed. “Can you at least pretend that you’re listening to what I’m saying?”We are on our way back from inspecting the western border of Sapiro. The peace in the kingdom was monotonous, but boring is better than war. Last month, there was a conflict between the Lockwood pack of the west woodland and the Riverstone pack of the northern woodland. Alpha Lockwood believed that the members of the Riverstone packs were crossing the border to hunt for food. And Alpha Riverstone was throwing the same accusation towards the Lockwood pack. They could hunt in each other’s territory, but they had to ask for permission from the other pack.We did an investigation, and it turned out that Alpha Lockwood’s firstborn son had been sneaking out to meet Alpha Riverstone’s youngest daughter in secret. Both teenage wolves were afraid their parents would disagree with their blooming romance. They recently found out they were mates.Lockwood and Riverstone had a century-long rivalry. And it w
Hellbound: The Last Tribute 99|Epilogue 1
~Rory~For weeks, I’ve been dreaming of a boy with gray eyes, dark brown curls, and a snooty smirk. He was playing on the beach, sitting on the sand. His trousers were wet from the waves hitting his leg on the side, hands and toes were covered in sand... his cheeks too. He kept rubbing the back of his hands on his cheeks, leaving traces of wet sand there.He looked up and met my eyes, smiling brightly. Those gray eyes twinkled as his eyes narrowed to slits. He dropped the shells he was playing with and raised those tiny hands, opening and closing, asking to be picked up. When I didn’t, his lips quivered, eyes widened as a saucer, clouded with tears. His cry was so loud that I woke up from my sleep, discovering I was alone in our bed.Looking on Elijah’s side, a red rose lay on his pillow, weighing down a paper folded in half.The sun hasn’t risen yet, but he told me he’d be out the entire day to check the western border of Sapiro, accompanied by Henry.I reached for the rose, sniffing
Hellbound: The Last Tribute 98|Endgame
~Rory~ I refused to live in the castle. It was aesthetically beautiful but a constant reminder of what I lost when I stepped inside its vicinity. The council disagreed with my choice, but Elijah was adamant about giving me what I wanted. We compromised on building our home close to the castle. Surrounded by trees in the clearing ten minutes away from the citadel, they turned it into a keep, a fortress, yet I got to design how our house would look like. It was inspired by Elijah’s estate in Salvatore hills. The place where Elijah and I had been the happiest. I am happy to be with him, truly, and I could never ask for more. But life as royalty was not as glamorous as I thought it would be. As the crowned princess, responsibilities weighed upon my shoulder even in my sleep. It’s different from working a nine-to-five job where day-offs and holidays are offered. In fact, rest has become a foreign word in this household. Elijah was always out. He spends more time with his council, meeting
Hellbound: The Last Tribute 97|Rest In Peace
~Rory~The moment my eyes fluttered open and saw the familiar gray ceiling of Elijah’s room, tears brimmed in my eyes.I feel the same old me, but not. The fear in my chest deepened as the seconds ticked by. I’m alive. Jace’s plan worked.I pushed myself from the bed, hearing footsteps echoing through the hallway. Not a second later, Elijah barged into his room, hair disheveled and eyes wide with worry and relief in equal measure.“Rory…” he breathed out, eyes clouding as he ran to my side.“Elijah…” I buried my face in his chest as he cradled my body, murmuring how grateful he was that I was alive, worried, and much he loved me.Words are not enough to voice out my happiness. My throat was tight, with emotions storming inside me.We are alive, Elijah and I. We survived the ritual and that damn prophecy.“Cara mia,” Elijah cupped my face, leaning to press his lips against mine.His kiss did it if his touch wasn’t enough to convince me how alive we were. The familiar taste of him. The
Hellbound: The Last Tribute 96|Silver Eyes
~Elijah~“Do you want to have children?” Rory asked, glancing up at me with those big brown eyes. Her cheeks were flushed from our previous coupling, hair wild from my tugging and pulling. The warmth of her naked body entangled with mine was heaven under the silk sheets.“Children?” I repeated my thumb, drawing circles on the small of her back. “Plural?”She hummed a yes, circling the crown of my nipple. She knew it was my tickle spot, but she loved tickling me. I caught her fingers and playfully bit them.“Yeah.” She giggled, squirming. “Being an only child is sometimes lonely.”I honestly wouldn’t know. I didn’t actually have a normal childhood. King Emilian was kind and did everything to give me what a child my age must have. But circumstances didn’t allow him to be a father like he did with Greco and Orme. He was forced to take me out of Lira to protect me.I relished the way she talked about the future. A glow in her eyes only appears when she doesn’t worry about the prophecy or
Hellbound: The Last Tribute 95|A Backup Plan
~Rory~Tayen and Jace were just leaving with reinforcements when we arrived at Salvatore Hills. After bringing them up-to-date on what happened with Elijah, we had to devise a new plan in under ten minutes.They were keeping Elijah on the estate’s west side ruins. It was the highest part of the land and the best spot to see the eclipse at its peak.Even if Henry, Tayen, and Nolani knew this place like the back of their hands, planning this attack was difficult. We cannot be overconfident with the advantage we have.Jace and Henry did a quick sweep of the area, taking details on the number of the enemies waiting for us to come. Meca was with them. She was Agata’s witch friend and Greco’s mistress. Our best guess is that she’s the reason Greco was able to survive the Lycan venom he attained two thousand years ago. She has grown stronger, is what Henry told us. She also cast the warding in Greco’s room; hence, the witch we have to unbind Elijah from.About thirty vampires were guarding t
Hellbound: The Last Tribute 94|It’s Ironic
~Rory~“What do you mean he was taken?” I threw my hands in the air.After Elijah vanished from my grasp, I called Henry, Nolani, and Ali into Greco’s room.I told Ali what had happened after he left. There wasn’t so much to tell, anyway. He literally just disappeared, as if he suddenly harnessed Ali’s disappearing act and did the trick on me.We’ve turned the room inside out. Nolani and Henry went to the other quarters to see if there was a witch’s hex bag or any clue that might lead us to where Elijah went but came out bereft of answers.“It’s the only explanation I have right now,” Ali murmured dejectedly. The three of them looked tired and shaken. They have been in the heart of the war, and Elijah’s disappearance clearly imposes a toll on their morale.“But how can someone as powerful as Elijah be taken with no trace?” I asked, desperate to know where he was.We’ve completed the mate bond, but I can’t feel him or reach him. Our bond was supposed to be stronger than ever, which mea
Hellbound: The Last Tribute 93|The Only Way
~Rory~Something is happening to me. There was an unfamiliar, simmering energy inside me.Like a spring suddenly appeared somewhere in my core, an endless energy flow blossoming into a beautiful sensation that enticed my body to wake up from a deep sleep.It was exhilarating.“Open your eyes, cara mia,” Elijah’s melodic voice floated in my thoughts. “Please… come back to me... I love you.”I searched for the will to do as he asked. His pain was excruciating. He was in agony, and I wanted to ease his torment away.Forcing my body to move, I squeezed my eyelids and obliged them to part. The bright light blinded me. The war’s outcry brought me back to where, how, and why I felt so much pain in my body. Greco. Recollection of what happened before I lost consciousness flooded my brain.Like an image that suddenly made sense, my pupils adjusted to focus on the man holding me.Elijah smiled down at me. His eyes were wild with a mixture of emotions, cheeks drenched with tears and crimson liqu
