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55|Poking The Beast
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2024-10-29 19:42:56~Rory~
I’ve been watching Elijah sleep, fascinated by how calm and serene his face was. I didn’t even know that vampires sleep as well. Sure they need to rest, but he kind of snores, which I found so damn adorable.
Smiling to myself, I bit my lip and traced his face with my eyes. His dark curls had fallen in waves, covering almost half of his face. Long dark lashes kissed his cheeks, concealing his steely gray eyes I love staring at me with fondness. Soft freckles dusted the perfect slope of his nose, leading down to his slightly parted lips.
I couldn’t help it. I reached to gather his hair, tucking the soft fallen curls in the back of his ears.
He stirred awake, eyelids parting, as I smiled shyly for waking him up. “Hi.”
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~Rory~Crickets. Thousands of them singing inside my head.Of all the possible conclusions of this prophecy, me being a sacrificial lamb has never crossed my mind.“Fuck,” Elijah rubbed his hand over his face, looking at me with clouded emotions.“I...” I swallowed hard, groping blindly for the back of the chair within my reach, grabbing onto it; the marbled floor beneath my feet turned to puddles. It makes sense now. The gruesome deaths, the six-pointed star carving on each victim’s forehead, the missing hearts... It’s a sacrificial ritual. “Your soul,” I murmured, each puzzle piece slotting together now. “I am your twin flame, and my death will complete your soul.”
Hellbound: The Last Tribute 57|Cage
~Rory~Elijah’s kisses had always been out of this world. The kind that turned my knees to jelly and muscles to mush. However, this one was different. It’s not only emotionally exhilarating but there was a physical charge of electricity that cascaded from where our skin touched to my entire body.Prickles of gentle fire ignited under my skin, setting my world to burn with flames of impetuous passion. It was uncontrollable. Each slide of Elijah’s lips against my own had my heartbeat walloping wildly.My blood simmered - literally - I had to set my hand on Elijah’s chest, needing space to breathe. It was too intense; the emotions enveloped me.“Focus on me,” he murmured, hooking his thumb under my chin. His eyes clouded with affection, h
Hellbound: The Last Tribute 58|The Situation
~Rory~ I hope I had lost count of how many times I watched Elijah drown; the darkness devouring us together, but to no avail. My consciousness of the agonizing torment remained intact every time we’d go back to the beginning, knowing where we would end. I was exasperated by not finding out the solution to our recurring situation. This is my cage. Elijah cited this repeatedly through the past fourteen sequences of us living and dying, but I still haven’t figured out the problem that needs to be solved. My tears were real. My fear and pain of losing Elijah were real, but why is it that all my efforts into saving him were futile? We went back in circles, an actual limbo of death and life. “Elijah…” I clung to him. Every par
Hellbound: The Last Tribute 59|For Argument’s Sake
~Rory~ “Is something wrong?” I asked, growing conscious of the way everyone was gazing at me. I sat up straight, pushing a lock of my golden hair out of my face. I froze, twirling a few more locks so I could scrutinize it. I was struck dumb when I realized I didn’t see things the wrong way. Indeed, my hair was gold. Frantic, heart pounding in my chest, I took a few more strands. They were golden, like the streak of the sun passing through the mountain pass at the crack of dawn. In search of an explanation, I met Elijah’s gaze. “Leave us,” he said. Ali vanished into thin air while Nolani and Henry exited the room through the door. Jace, however, didn’t leave as uncoerced as everyone else.
Hellbound: The Last Tribute xx
Hi guys, this is not such a nice way to start a new month, but I kind of uploaded an older version of chapter 59 Argument's sake. Even the chapter title was wrong. I'm so sorry. Because of this, I have to wait until Monday, Apr 4, for my editor to approve the upload change of the right chapter.I went to the mountains for a few days. I think my mind was still in vacation mode.Anyway, there's not much change in the thought of the chapter or the scenes. It's just that the presentation was a bit messed up. I mean, drafts are always messy.Again, I apologize for being so messed up these last few weeks, and thank you for understanding. xx 4.2.22
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Hellbound: The Last Tribute 62|Being With You
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Hellbound: The Last Tribute 101|A Lost Hero
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Hellbound: The Last Tribute 100|Epilogue 2
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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
