*Thelma*The car drives down a dimly lit curved driveway. Artificial lights shine on the battered roof of what looks like a renovated nineteenth-century mansion. My breath catches at the sheer size and magnificence of the residence.As the car slows down and eventually comes to a stop, I marvel at the beautiful green ivy crawling across the stone facade of the mansion. Sterling silver buttresses line a wide porch where Rhia stands with the other man from earlier, and a young girl who looks almost my age. Chic surface designs hint at wealth. The well-manicured garden around the manor looks very well-kempt.“Show Thelma to her room,” Kyle barks as he throws the car keys at a young man that comes running toward us.The young girl steps forward with a wide smile on her elegant youthful face.“Hi. Where are your bags?” the girl asks in an overly cheery voice.I point at my small satchel. She seems perplexed at my lack of actual luggage. Kyle hadn’t given me enough time to pack much of anyt
*Thelma*The steam from the hot water in the shower has a calming effect on my taut nerves. In a matter of only three days, I have managed to meet more members of the Kwaad pack; some of them welcoming like Kim, and some like Yasmeen, not so much.Rhia has been so patient with me when teaching me how to get in tune with my powers. Luckily, we don’t learn in an actual classroom, which is a huge relief. Yesterday she took me to a creek where there was a beautiful fountain. The scenery was so relaxing I wish I could have just stayed there forever. If school always had this kind of backdrop, maybe I wouldn’t have minded it so much,The sound of the waterfall had put my mind at ease, paired with encouraging words from Rhia. I welcomed every part of the relaxing exercise; a complete paradox to my first night with Kyle which had been a total disaster. I still can’t believe that he threw me out of his room like a used tissue.I had just laid in bed, oily, like a fucking greased-up hog.Why ha
*Kyle*I slowly walk down the hallway toward my room; knowing Thelma is already waiting for me there, I wonder what to expect. The last time I saw her naked, I had been tempted to skip the foreplay and just take her. The way I am so sexually attracted to the witch is perplexing. I had planned to take her in every way possible, but I backed out right at the end. I am not a virgin; I have had my fill of women, but never one was a virgin themselves. She even told me she had never been with a man; I had broken her mouth virginity when I kissed her. That’s a lot of pressure…for the both of us.How is a man supposed to take a woman’s virginity? I had been told the first experience is always painful for the woman…how, then, do I restrain all this pent-up passion I have toward Thelma?I am nervous as fuck…I chuckle. The almighty Kwaad is anxious about having sex with a woman. I walk into my room, conflicting emotions overtaking me. It is dark, except for the moonlight and a few candles lit
*Thelma*The golden rays of the sun pour through the drapes. I blink, tears stabbing my eyes, and I turn to my side. I didn’t sleep a wink the whole night.Standing up, I walk toward the window. I shove the drapes aside and allow the light to wash over me.“Breathe, Thelma. Breathe! Happy thoughts!” I say to myself. How I wish my siren abilities could work on myself….But what they say is true: a physician can’t heal themselves.I cover my face with my hands and hold in my sobs. I took a shower after leaving–wait–after getting thrown out of Kyle’s room again. Afterwards, I felt so worthless, and had just laid on top of the bedcovers naked. I guess I was an idiot to think there could be an amendment to our agreement. I have to let the fact that I am nothing but his incubator sink in. All he wants is to impregnate me, period. He hadn’t made any promises of any kind, so why did I expect an ounce of compassion or softness from the ruthless beast?I feel exploited…gods, I want to go home
*Yasmeen*The look on the pathetic witch’s face when she saw me and Alpha Kyle exit his room was priceless. I have no doubt she thinks I spent the night with him. What she doesn’t know is that he summoned me to bring him his morning herbal tea; he needs it to keep the migraines away.Walking into his room had left me repulsed and hurt. There was no mistaking the scent of the witch and the stench of their intimate juices clinging to the air. I had wanted to scream my lungs out at the thought of Alpha Kyle touching and making love to her.I guess it’s my fault for allowing Alpha Kyle to friend zone me. I had stepped aside, for so long, hoping that one day he would see me as the right match; a woman that is strong, and a shifter just like him.It’s not too late, though. The wench is only here to give him a child…The wench had better get pregnant soon so that she can stop stinking up my man’s room. I heard Alpha Kyle telling Beta Mathias that she will leave as soon as the birth happens.
*Thelma*The extraordinarily dense clouds of smoke approach like pillars, ready to flatten anything that lies in their way. Any sliver of daylight seems to be completely consumed by the fast-approaching darkness. All of my control is gone, replaced by a deep urge to hurt something or someone.The water in the creek begins bubbling and rising in angry waves. I feel a burning ache inside my veins, and a sharp stabbing pain in my temple, but I can’t stop. All the frustration I feel seems to be pouring right into the water.“Thelma, calm down! Remember to breathe, honey. Breathe,” Rhia’s voice pleads from somewhere in my head.I take a deep breath and exhale.Huge waves are thrown around and explode like lava from a furious volcano as a result of the ruthless winds that have gathered beneath me. I don’t have to look down to know that I am no longer on the ground but hovering somewhere in the air. I feel one with the raging water as it divides like a ferocious wild beast. With all of thei
*Thelma*“Are you okay, sweetie?”Hearing Ma’s voice on the phone fills me with sadness. I miss her so much and want to tell her everything that is going on, but that will just make her worried. I have to summon all the strength I can muster to put on a great performance.“I am fine, Ma. The people here are very nice.” I lie and swallow hard.Although there are some very nice people around here, like Rhia and Kim, some still eye me suspiciously. There are others who ignore my presence entirely, and then there are Yasmeen and Kyle who belong in their own categories.“Is Mr. Kyle treating you alright?”I clear my throat as a tear streams down my face. I’m suddenly grateful we are doing a voice call, because if we were on video, Ma would be able to call my bluff.“Yes. He treats me like a…princess,” I say, choosing to use the pet name he seems to have adopted for me.“That’s lovely dear. We have some of his men patrolling the house here. I don’t think your uncle likes them very much, but
*Thelma*Here I am again, sitting on the edge of Kyle’s bed, naked under my robe. I didn’t even bother noting the silk belt, as I know the routine. To him, clothes are just an unnecessary hindrance to his mission.I take a strand of hair and twirl it between my fingers. I can’t believe how long my hair has grown since I arrived here. I swear my hair follicles are receiving injections of steroids. I sometimes almost sit on my ends, but cutting or trimming my hair will be useless since it grows longer even as I sleep.I cross and uncross my legs impatiently. I am excited to see him, and maybe I shouldn’t feel that way, but I do miss his touch…Still, I am nervous as hell. This beast of a man probably killed my father, yet here I am, sitting pretty, waiting for him to give me the release I so ache for. Was I betraying my father’s memory by sleeping with his murderer?No. I am doing what is necessary until I find out the truth and am strong enough to take my revenge. At least, those are th
*Tobias*I look at the bloody mess in my bathroom and am thankful the maids paid attention when I demanded no one enter my room. Before leaving, I had made sure to lock the doors behind me for extra measures.I take a small cloth and begin wiping the blood on the walls. I open a tap and try to wash the one in the sink down the drain. Damn it. This particular move had really cost me a tooth. How else would I have made my attack believable? Pulling out my tooth had been excruciating.After I am sure the bathroom is clean and disinfected, I start washing off the makeup on my face and the fake blood from my hair and body. I wince when the towel makes contact with an open wound. The makeup had tied the whole look together, but I had to actually cause my body harm in case a doctor took a look at me.
*Thelma*What? Tobias attacked? By whom? I turn and run after Kyle wondering if whoever was trying to attack me is who attacked Tobias. I pray not; Kyle told me this place was safe and protected. How or where did Tobias run into danger?I smell blood as four men rush into the corridor with a wounded man on a stretcher. A pained sound comes from the man, who I hardly recognize as Tobias, is bleeding and both of his eyes are swollen shut. I push past Kyle and kneel beside the stretcher.“Tobias, are you okay?” I ask.The man struggles to open his swollen eyes; his cheekbones and jaw are bruised purplish-blue. Tobias rests shirtless on the stretcher that has been placed on the floor. It looks like someone whipped him mercilessly…repeatedly. The shredded f
*Kyle*The scotch I’m drinking feels great as the spicy liquid goes down my throat. I feel it as my Beta tries to mind-link with me, and I wonder what the problem is. It has only been an hour since I last spoke with him. Had Rhia given him a magical wedgy for leaving her in bed to run to my call?“What’s up?” I answer.“After I left the house, I went to see Leo and asked him to check if he can find anything about Tobias,” he starts.Ahh, how had I forgotten about Leo? He works with the human police. I could have asked him myself, but the thought slipped my mind.“Good catch, Beta. Does Leo know anything?” I ask and wait impatiently for his answer.
*Tobias*I survey my brother’s gray eyes and smile, which is more of a permanent scowl that has been etched on his face since my arrival. Although we are identical twins, I have always felt the absence of the bond twins usually share, partly due to the fact that we are a very rare breed of twins.Kyle inherited both vampiric and wolf powers from our biological parents, but I on the other hand was born devoid of the physical attributes and powers that my brother is blessed with. He has always been the best of our pair; he has everything I wish I could lay claim to.Our adopted Leviathan father had always praised Kyle for his power and level-headedness. He had trained with Kyle day and night to make him even stronger than he already was.I am the one who needed
*Thelma*I watch the spiral of the stairs below me as Kyle continues to carry me up them. I decide to stop struggling, as I am afraid this will just cause the giant monster who is carrying me to lose his footing and fall, which wouldn’t be beneficial for either of us.Once we reach the top, Kyle enters a dimly lit room; I can tell it’s his bedroom by the woody scent. He locks the door before walking over to the bed and throwing me onto it. I close my eyes and brace myself for the painful impact; I am surprised that the bed is soft and cushions my landing very well.When I open my eyes, they meet him, his orbs blazing with anger as he surveys me. Kyle’s eyes seem to flicker a red hue….I wince. Pure rage and disappointment, not like a parent has with their apathetic teenager, but something eve
*Kyle*The floorboards make a weird sound as I walk toward my bedroom for my date with Thelma. I can’t help but wonder if the house needs new floorboards already. Hasn’t it only been a year since Billy, the construction guy, put in new tiles?The thought quickly is pushed to the back of my mind as I hasten my footsteps toward the bedroom. I am both nervous and excited to see Thelma today.Hopefully my request for a bottle of champagne over ice with two flute glasses and a tray of chocolate-dipped strawberries has already been prepared.Glancing at my Rolex, I realize I only have about thirty minutes to spare before Thelma arrives. I must prepare myself because tonight I plan to get her to fall in love with me–well, maybe a little bit in love.
*Tobias*Looking dejectedly in the mirror, I shudder. The scuffle between my anxieties and my bad mood is ongoing. The migraines aren’t doing anything to improve my disposition.Coming here was a gamble. I knew that this would put me back in the depressing position of always being compared to Kyle.He is always the better one, right? More handsome, stronger and obviously much more responsible. I am tired of being known simply as Kyle’s brother; I am a man with my own two legs to stand on. I have my own identity, and this time, I will claim my place just as Tobias Logan, not Kyle’s weaker sibling.Tobias the drunkard, the one who always needs saving…I am so over that narrative.The healer I went to see
*Yasmeen*I whirl at the sound of someone sniffling, probably weeping. The witch rushes past me and I can see from her wet cheeks that she is crying. I can’t help but smile, despite my head, which feels like an army of ants is marching up and down my scalp. My day has been going quite miserably considering how Alpha Kyle seems to be avoiding me and ignoring my advances. What the hell does he want? I am the type of woman men crave, lust for, think of when they pleasure themselves, and more. I raise a hand to my head and try my best to scratch at the itchiness caused by the stupid wig I am wearing. I can feel the headgear shift clumsily as I attempt to scrape aggressively underneath its lace surface. Damn it! How do other women manage to wear these things on their heads for hours on end and still look graceful? This thing feels like a hair hat that was made with remnants of lice. Trying to distract myself from the discomfort, I walk down the corridor toward where the witch came from.
*Thelma*An earthly scent swarms around the new arrival; it should be enough to quench my curiosity, but there is something unsettling about Tobias.He has a devilish grin that tells me he has more of a quirky and flirtatious side to him, unlike his brother, Kyle. With his dark curly hair, a tanned skin tone, defined cheekbones and almond-shaped brown eyes, Tobias looks nothing like his brother.“The two of you don’t look alike at all,” I muse. I clasp my hand to my mouth realizing I have spoken my private thoughts out loud.“Who is more handsome,” Tobias asks with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.I find myself mentally comparing the two men. Tobias is a little shorter than Kyle, but he is just