OpheliaThe first thing Nova did as we entered the restaurant was plop a gargantuan binder in my hands.“This,” She tapped the cover, “has all the herbs and spell ingredients in a witches arsenal, along with their properties. Study it because I’ll be testing you on Friday.”I set the binder on one of the tables and quickly put the two of them to work.The food truck was coming today to drop off meat and fresh produce, which meant I had a long day ahead. Everything needed to be measured out, labeled, and dated for opening day. Come tomorrow the chefs would arrive expecting a fully stocked, functional kitchen to begin their prep.While we worked, Nova and Sterling plied me with lecture after lecture on magic.“Spells are a specific application of magic. They usually require some form of incantation and ingredients. The outcome can also depend on the time of day it’s performed. I’ll get you some more worksheets on the lunar cycles and how they affect magic.” Nova explained as she carted
OpheliaNot that it mattered, but I half expected Ryker to tell me to turn my ass around and get back to my lessons. The last thing I anticipated was hearing his smoky, accented voice roll through my mind.“The door is unlocked.”So lost in my anger, I hadn’t bothered to check my phone to see how long of a walk it was to his place. Half an hour later I was dripping in sweat.I had just reached the end of the gated neighborhood where his villa sat, looming over the town like a palace comprised of pale stone, sharp balconies, and reflective windows. A gentle breeze kicked up, and as I basked in it a trickle of tart cherries hit my nose, faint yet noticeable.I froze, cursing myself because I hadn’t thought to bring the scent blocker with me when I left the restaurant.Setting my jaw, I decided I had no choice but to go inside and hope my scent was too weak for the bond to solidify. If I turned back now, I’d lose hold of the anger that drove me here in the first place.The inside of Ryke
OpheliaHis fingers tangled in my hair, gripping the strands tightly as if to say, I will have this moment whether you like it or not, I will have you.And I wanted it. Oh, how I wanted it.Even the scalding pain of the dark-bond mark hidden on my wrist didn’t ease my desperation for him. For an Alpha that didn’t belong to me. For a man I could never have.I expected our parting to be slow and sweet, the opposite of the kiss that left my mind a mess of need, but it wasn’t.Ryker tore himself away from me with such vitriol that a few strands of my hair were removed in the process. I hissed, reaching up to ease the pain in my skull when he snarled.“Is this why you came here? To seduce me?” He raked his fingers through his hair, his eyes bright and wild. “I see you’ve already gotten control of your magic, strega (witch).”My jaw went lax. What was he insinuating?“What does magic have anything to do with—with what just happened?”Ryker turned his back on me, and the bond wriggling in my
Ophelia When we entered Nova’s house, I couldn’t help but look around for Coop. There were traces of him everywhere, from the muddy shoes sitting on a shoe-rack by the front door, to the damp swim trunks on the back patio. Noticing my wandering gaze, Nova smiled. I couldn’t help but notice that it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Coop’s not here. He spends a lot of time with those friends of his.” “Arielle, Sarah, and Denver?” I asked, to which she nodded. “They’re nice.” She didn’t get the chance to reply to that. A woman’s voice came from within the kitchen. “Oh, dear. Where did I put those dang car key’s again?” Nova’s eyes went wide, “Nana! What are you doing up?” I followed her into the kitchen to find an elderly woman shuffling about. Her curled hair was frosted with white and stuck up in random tufts. She had on a robe, which was partially undone, and a pair of velvet slippers. “Little girl, have you seen my keys?” She was talking to Nova, I realized. While Nova seemed to
RykerChe cazzo?! What the fuck was wrong with me?I slammed my fist into the punching bag and snarled as it swayed just beyond my reach. The second it was within range I landed another blow.I’d come down to the basement gym the second the maga—the fucking enchantress—left.I’d kissed her. I’d fucking kissed her. Kimberly would have my balls for it, or at least she’d try. As much as I had on my plate, the last thing I needed was for her to become even more clingy than she already was.I threw another punch, then another, and another. I didn’t stop until my teeth rattled and the roar of my wolf drowned out my screaming thoughts.How her scent had called to me. The small hints I caught had caused my damn mouth to water. Had it been cherries I’d smelled? The mere memory had my cock twitching.With a snarl, I shoved those thoughts down. I needed to think rationally.I knew she hadn’t used magic on me. As fucked up as it was, I knew it would hurt her for me to assume so. I needed to drive
RykerAfter showering and changing, I hopped in the car. After making a pit stop at a local butcher, I made the hour drive to the facility I’d had built deep within the densely packed forest on the eastern side of the island. If I continued for another few hours, I’d reach the cliffside that dipped down into the ocean.Surrounded by a silver-plated fence topped with barbed wire stood the building where my father—what was left of him—resided.The guards, who kept to their shacks on either side of the paved road, ushered me in through the gates. They opened with a mechanical whirr and closed just as quickly.Nurse Beverly, who had taken care of my father for the years that he’d been here, walked me up to his room. She chattered about how he’d been doing, and how his condition hadn’t really changed since the last time I’d visited.I entered my father’s padded cell to find him strapped in a chair that had been bolted into the floor. The straitjacket held his body in place, keeping him fro
OpheliaI felt a bit better after hearing Nova’s explanation on why it was so important for me to join the coven. The secrets had been wearing on me, tainting my dreams with images and symbols I couldn’t quite understand.Even as we spent the rest of the afternoon in her bedroom, I couldn’t erase the feeling that I was still missing something. Perhaps she hadn’t told me everything or twisted some of the details.I wanted to ask, but I couldn’t bring myself to do so.Of course, my evening was ruined when Lucille called and barked at me to get my ass home. One of the maids had caught a stomach bug and spread it to the rest, so someone needed to clean the house.“There’s this party on the western part of the beach tonight. Did you want to go?” Nova asked from inside her obscenely large closet.I snorted as I stood from the bed. “I think I’m good on beach parties for a little while.”Her head of pale-blonde locks appeared from around the doorway. Heavily glossed lips popped open in an O s
Ophelia“What’s the rush, little dove? Always trying to fly away.” He clicked his teeth and shook his head, then proceeded to step onto the path. “Follow me. Oh, and try to keep up. Wouldn’t want you getting lost.”I bit my tongue against that insane nickname of his, not wanting to somehow set him off, and followed him into the shadow-laden forest. Tree branches seemed to move out of our way as we ventured deeper.The path curled left and right before straightening out once more. For several minutes we walked in silence. I counted the quiet, shallow breaths that left Jude’s lips, and trailed my gaze up the back of his tattooed neck to the dark hair that was shaved short around the sides.He turned, as though he could feel my eyes on him.“Not much farther now.”Fifteen or so minutes later we entered a clearing. The trees towered over our heads, blotting out most of the sun. The shade provided was thick and cool, helping to dry the sweat that had beaded along my back.Jude spun on his
OpheliaWe left the manor exactly as it had been, shifting into our wolf forms to travel to the nearest town. The run helped dull the sharp edges of my thoughts, but the moment we arrived, reality came crashing back down.The town was small and worn. The kind of place where the streetlights flickered, and the air smelled of cheap gasoline.The motel wasn’t much better with its peeling paint, flickering sign, and lobby that reeked of mildew, but it had a bed and hot water. That was plenty enough for me.Inside the cramped room, I told the others, “When I was traveling with my father, I met a demon. One of Hell’s princes.” At this Nova paled. I knew she was thinking of the demon currently trapped in her bedroom—the incubus. “It showed me a vision where my mother was alive and well. She wasn’t twisted by dark magic, or corrupted, or anything like that. She was just herself.”I left out the other parts. The ones I couldn’t say without severing ties from my father entirely, and that would
OpheliaThe front porch creaked beneath our weight, the sound deafening in the silence. Every whisper felt like an accusation, every breeze a paranoid thought that chilled me to my core. I was sure my father would step out from behind a pillar, or a hedge.I inhaled deeply, reaching out with my magic. “There aren’t any wards on the house.”Nova made a face. “That’s surprising. We had a hell of a time making it through the forest, but this place has nothing?”“Morningstar likely assumed no one would get this far.” Sterling crossed his arms. “Or, depending on which point we entered, the wards we encountered could have varied entirely.”“It did feel like they intersected in some areas,” I pondered aloud.“That is elaborate. Like a moving puzzle.” Ryker huffed. “I’d expect nothing less.”I reached for the door handle, my fingers grazing the cold, swirling metal. A sharp sting shot through my finger, and I jerked back with a wince. A drop of blood welled on my fingertip.“Damn it,” I grunt
OpheliaHe balled his hand into a fist and the earth trembled before splitting open. Vines with wickedly sharp thorns, curved like the blade of a scythe, lunged from the ground like vicious snakes. There was a yelp, followed by a wail of pain as Jude’s vines struck the wolf closest to us.Nova fell to the ground, her mouth open in a soundless scream. Blood spilled from a deep gash across her chest, one right below her collarbones. Jude turned, his eyes wide with curiosity. “Well, fuck, that’s not good.” “Grab below her arms!” Ryker bellowed at Sterling, who jumped into action to haul Nova up. She let out a pained groan that twisted my stomach into knots. There was so much blood. So much crimson. “Focus, tesoro. We need you to keep up the protection shield as long as you can. Sterling has herbs on him that will heal her, but we need space to use them.”His voice snapped me out of my panic, and I nodded. Drawing magic from the earth was slower with all the wards in place. I was confide
OpheliaFor the next hour we trudged through the uneven terrain, navigating over thick roots and jagged rocks, the towering trees pressing in from all sides.I continued to rely on a mix of my magic and the blood racing through my veins to lead the way. My fathers house was still mine to some degree—still mine by blood. I was beginning to realize that in the magic world, blood held power.The further we delved, the harder it became to see ahead—especially with the fading light. Branches hung low like skeletal fingers, clawing at our clothes.Eventually the air thickened with humidity, and soon, fog curled along the ground, rising in creeping tendrils. It clung to our skin, damp and warm, carrying the scent of earth—rich, almost sweet.“Watch your step,” Ryker said a moment too late.Nova’s mouth flew open as her foot caught on something unseen, her balance pitching dangerously forward—straight toward a steep drop-off we hadn’t even noticed. Jude reacted first, clamping his hand over h
OpheliaRyker found me alone the following morning putting some final touches on a few potions. They were a bit hasty—especially the fire repellant potion—but they would do the job should my father’s protection methods turn … violent.I felt him approach as I always did, his soul brushing up against my own.“I shouldn’t have said it,” he admitted to my back, his voice quieter than usual. “Threatening to dark bond you wasn’t just wrong, it was abhorrent. Unforgiveable. I knew what it would do—”Exhaling sharply, I spun around, the bubbling cauldron now at my back. If this acid potion singed my hair off I’d be pissed.“It was smart. You were thinking like an Alpha.” He blinked at me, shock morphing the handsome contours of his face. “Seriously, it drove the nail home. It was my reaction that convinced him. I know that’s why you didn’t tell me beforehand. My father firmly believes we hate one another now. He’ll never suspect what we’re doing tonight. So, I don’t need an apology.”Whateve
OpheliaI used to be the kind of girl who wore every emotion for the world to see. Blame it on the choices I’ve made, or the things I’ve done, but I now had this box deep inside of myself where I stuffed the emotions deep.They bled out. They always did. It wasn’t an impenetrable box by any means, but the world no longer had to witness my emotions devouring me one bite at a time.It was in this box that I stuffed the pure terror of seeing my father standing in Edwards’ living room.My father stood beneath the light fixture; his hands clasped in front of him. His suit was the color of ash and neatly tailored to fit his body. I let my eyes linger on the harsh set of his jaw—on the sharp line his facial hair made as it carved its way up his cheek.Stuffing the last finger-trembling crumbs of fear into that box, I met his cold gaze.He was furious.I could feel his magic here even though he wasn’t casting. His shadow stretched along the back wall; this distorted thing.My stomach dropped
OpheliaThe scent of salt clung to the air in Shreveport, carried in by the crashing waves at our backs.Aisha stood at my side; her braid twisted into a tight knot at the back of her head. Her face was expressionless, eyes trained on the street ahead.Lamps on either side flickered in the humid light, casting golden pools onto the pavement. Music trickled from the open doors of nearby bars, blending with the chatter of people. Shops were still open this Friday evening, their signs buzzing softly, drawing in customers.Kids ran around with bags stuffed full of candy from the shop at the corner. Several times since moving here I had passed that very store, my mouth watering for something Lucille would’ve never let me have. Tourists snapped pictures beneath hanging lanterns, oblivious to the danger breathing down their very necks.I hid in the shadows between two shops, four warriors at my back flanking me on either side. They remained in their wolf forms, their heavy breathing a reassu
OpheliaThe night air drifted in through the open window, warm and slightly humid. Crickets chirped in the distance; their song broken by the occasional cry of some animal deep within the trees. The ocean was too far away for me to hear the waves, but I could still taste the sea on my tongue.Ryker sat across from me, his silver eyes unreadable. His fingers were threaded as he processed what I had just told them. The soft light from the chandelier, and the protection charm I cast over the room, caught the sharp angles of his face, casting shadows along his jawline where his black curls brushed against his skin.Jude, on the other hand, didn’t have the patience for silence. He kicked his combat boots onto the coffee table and flashed me that familiar, razor-sharp grin. “So let me get this straight. You want us to help you break into your father’s manor, which is most definitely crawling with enough magical wards to fry our brains, to search for proof that he stole your mother’s soul?”
NovaI slammed my binder shut, startling several people at nearby tables. Running my fingers through my hair, I felt the tension ease from my scalp as I pulled my ponytail free. The notes I had spent months taking were all blurring together, the dark ink forming thick lines—lines like the ones that ran across the demons body.Everything about him was so terrifying and peculiar. The stark black hair with the white stripe. The crimson eyes. The bands tattooed around his arms and throat. And don’t even get me started on his tongue.Shaken from my thoughts, I realized I’d been sitting there with my fingers pressed against my lips, my entire body trembling.“Sterling,” I called out over the mind-link, the one thing I had that the demon couldn’t track. “You available?”“What’s going on, beautiful?”“Need you to pick something up for me, but it might be hard to find.”“How long do I have?”“Um, a few hours.”“You are very lucky I love you.”My attention drifted back to my hair. Just a few st