OpheliaAfter Ryker left, I was forced to face the mess I had made.Somehow, I’d shattered the entire window with my magic, and now I had no clue how to fix it.I tried again and again, for the better part of an hour, to will the shards of glass back into place or, at the very least, send them scattering off my bed.The cheap alarm clock on my bedside table read 2 a.m. by the time I managed to scoot all the pieces into a neat pile in the corner of my room.I was exhausted, embarrassed, and running on fumes. The enchanted liquor had slowly begun wearing off, leaving me even more bereft than before.Goddess, I made such a fool of myself.Well, it was never going to happen again. I wouldn’t allow it. Jude had played my body like his own personal instrument but didn’t hesitate to crush me under his boot when I stepped out of line.Fuck that and fuck him.I crawled into bed slowly, wary of any stray shards of glass I might’ve missed. The air inside was balmy, but the cool breeze rushing th
OpheliaI looked up at Lucille, who really hadn’t changed much since I’d pulled out my phone. My mind was soupy, thoughts swirling and churning without any rhyme or reason.I blinked. “I think you blew a blood vessel.”Had I said that already? Oh well.“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” She snarled, grabbing my wrist as I moved to walk past her.I looked down, frowning at the sight of her nails digging into my skin. A few inches higher and she’d be touching the dark-bond mark. We locked eyes, and I could tell she knew what I was thinking.She inched her nails higher, digging them in deep. Scorching pain shot up my arm.I blacked out.Seconds—or minutes—later I blinked. It felt like no time had passed and yet everything was different.Lucille was several feet away, cowering against the wall. Her skin had gone ashen white, eyes wide as saucers.There was glass everywhere.I stumbled, drunkenly turning in a circle.The numerous vases perched on expensive coffee tables had been s
OpheliaStaring at the five of them, I pinched down hard on my arm. The pain came in a short burst. Well, this wasn’t some kind of fucked up dream. That meant what they were saying had to be real.“Demons…” I trailed off. “Like, actual demons? That sounds impossible.”Sterling snorted dryly, “I’m sure my father thought the same thing before one tore him to shreds.”“At least yours died with a speck of honor.” Kimberly huffed, “Mine ran like a little bitch. He was a pathetic human, so of course he fled the island.”My entire life I’d thought Lucille was my mother. The one time I asked her who my father might’ve been, she shunned me for a week. Eventually, I learned not to ask questions.Sterling shook his head, dislike flashing within his dark eyes as he glared at my cousin.“Our parents cast the spell over the island seconds after the demons tore their way through. Our mothers didn’t make it,” Nova said quietly, “Along with Jude’s.”At the mention of her, Jude stiffened.Ryker jumped
OpheliaThe reflection in the water shifted.Gone was the orange glow from the single candle. Gone were our haggard, severe-looking faces.The water showed us the room we were in, but at what had to be a different point in time. Both curtains were drawn, pinned to the far wall. The moon hung like a droplet of blood in the sky. Even the stars had vanished, blotted out by its harsh light.Large pillar candles dripping wax sat in clusters, their flames casting a glow upon our faces. The furniture was pushed against the wall, leaving the majority of the room open and bare.On the floor, painted in dark ink, was a circle. There were runes dispersed like the numbers on a clock, their shapes unlike anything I’d ever seen before.There was something blunt about them that instantly set me on edge.“A blood moon.” Ryker murmured, “The demons were released on a blood moon.”Jude stiffened, “Not just by anyone. By our parents.”A man and woman appeared within the room. I knew instantly that the m
OpheliaRegina, her bun askew on her head, screeched at my mother.“Where is he? Where is Morningstar?”Our parents, what was left of them, were fighting the demons with everything they had. Morningstar, whoever he was, was nowhere to be found.It was a pointless fight, anyone with eyes could see that. The demons were unlike anything in this world, nightmare given form.Some spat acid that melted through the marble floors, others cackled and chittered, limbs protruding from their warped bodies as they scuttled forwards, blasted back by wave after wave of magic. Blood, black and scented like rotted flesh, coated the walls.And still, more continued to pour through.The image in the water wavered as my mother returned her attention to the portal. She flung her hands out once more, eyes glowing with magic. As the water rippled, the scene sped up.Abraham, Sterling’s father, was battling several demons at once. My heart slammed against my ribcage as I caught one creeping along the floor,
Ophelia A simple freeing spell was all it would take to unlock the doors of the prison my mother had been thrust into. Matteo Romero, possessed by a demon, had trapped my mother within the pages of the journal, hoping it would break the chantment she'd placed on the island. Plot twist, it didn't. Unfortunately, I had to wait until the third quarter moon at the end of the month. It was a time for release and new beginnings. According to my mother, its energy would be needed to perform the spell. After skimming her instructions, I swallowed my nerves and scribbled out a hasty reply. ‘Does the name Atticus Morningstar mean anything to you? He’s my father, isn’t he? I know you’re the one that put the spell on the island. Is there any way you can undo it?’ I wasn’t sure why, but her reply came faster this time. Right before my eyes, my questions melted into the page, replaced by a neat, delicate script. ‘Yes, Atticus Morningstar is your father. Tread carefully, daughter. There is muc
OpheliaI was screaming, screaming at the top of my lungs but the sound refused to escape my lips. Instead it lived within my head, scraping and scratching against the walls of my skull.“You want to keep me.” I sounded dead, dead, dead.I couldn’t even feel his fingers as they brushed down my cheek and across my jaw. “I made a mistake doing what I did, but I had to ensure you’d help me. My father thought it best I eliminated any inkling of doubt.” He shook his head, “I can see this is upsetting you, but you can’t possibly think that Alpha and his sadistic brother would care for you the way I could.” He paused, “You do, don’t you? Do they have feelings for you?”“I don’t know.”Hunter nudged my chin, forcing me to look him in his eyes. “Tell me what you think, then. Be sure to tell the truth.”“I think,” I dragged my tongue over my dry lips, wincing when Hunter’s gaze tacked the motion. “I think they want me. I think sometimes they might feel something more, but they throw it away so
OpheliaI followed Ryker back to Lucille’s. As we entered, magic seeped from him, cloaking us in an iridescent sheen.His eyes flicked back to where I stood, dripping in the foyer.“If Lucille hears us, Kimberly will find out. She will take her anger out on you.”“She’s been doing it for years. I can handle it.”Pushing away his magic, I walked past him and headed up to my bedroom. He followed, of course. I could feel his presence hovering over my shoulder. His scent, dark chocolate and spice, left my head permanently swimming.“Do you have something I can wear?” he asked as the door clicked shut behind us.I snorted, “You do realize you’re like five times bigger than me, right?”“Yes, I’m aware.” His lips twitched. “You do realize I am a witch, yes?”How that mattered, I wasn’t sure. With a shrug, I walked over to my lopsided dresser and found an old t-shirt and a pair of oversized sweatpants. They were both several sizes too small.I tossed them at him, hoping to hit him in the head
OpheliaAfter one last game we returned to our table for another round of drinks and for some crappy bar food.“Cheese fries.” I moaned, not caring that the waitress had given Jude the food whilst completely ignoring me. My stomach let out a snarl, the vicious kind that came when you had a few too many drinks. “At least there’s one good thing left in this world.”Jude took a drink of his whiskey. “Is that what you think? That there’s nothing good left in the world.”I licked some cheese off the tip of my thumb. “It’s what I know.”“If you’re here that means there’s good left in the world. That’s what I know.” He said, simply put. This wasn’t him trying to be charming, it was just Jude.The laugh I let out was one I didn’t recognize. “I’m not good anymore.”“That’s a load of shit. Since when?”“Doesn’t matter.”“No, you said it, now follow through. You’re not good anymore, fine. When did it happen? What made you go full dark side? I’m going to assume it wasn’t Ryker and I, because you
OpheliaAs we stepped inside, the scent of leather, whiskey, and cigarette smoke assaulted my senses.I was enveloped by the low rumble of conversation and the clinking of glasses. In the background I could hear the squeal of an electric guitar from the classic rock music playing from a jukebox in the corner. Men and women of all shapes and sizes filled the dimly lit space. Several of them, though not all, had tattoos and leather vests full of patches. A motorcycle gang, then.Jude's hand rested on my lower back as he guided me through the crowd. I could feel the heat of him through the thin fabric of my jacket. The phantom caress of sparks licked up my spine and I shuddered. His lips twitched and I knew he felt my reaction to him, the bastard."You brought me to a biker bar?" I asked, more than happy to change the subject.He looked downright sinful in his long-sleeved Henley. It clung to every ripple of muscle across his broad chest and arms. The sleeves were currently pushed up to
OpheliaPlot twist, it meant Ryker was full of shit.When I finally received Edward from Jude’s greedy clutches he was battered to hell and had a broken wrist. The broken wrist, as it turned out, was from Ryker. He didn’t even bother to be gentle as he grabbed him by the back of the neck and hoisted him off Jude.The bond was thrilled. I was annoyed and had a mild case of heartburn.When Edward trudged up to me with his shirt torn and stained with blood he did so with his nose in the air. I wasn’t sure why I thought he had the decency to at least act ashamed. I still had a lot to learn apparently.“Come the hell on before I kick your ass too,” I snarled under my breath. Spinning around, I began to storm off in the direction of his car. Anger had my blood boiling. When paired with this heat it was a deadly combination. “I can’t believe you both just did that, and over what? Over your own silly egos! You’re worried about what my father will think. Well, what’s he going to think about th
OpheliaCome on, baby. You’re smarter than this.They were wrong, the two of them. They didn’t know the truth. All they knew was what we were shown the day we scried. I was sure I could’ve found a way to show them the truth myself, but was there a point? Did I really want them on my side?They weren’t on it before. Why would they be now?Just two days later I managed to evade Edward and shift into my wolf to run to the library. I needed to research what might’ve happened to my mother’s soul without him hovering over my shoulder. Surprisingly, Jude and Ryker had been busy the past couple of days. Neither one bothered to tell me what they were doing, but I didn’t care.A twinge started in my chest.Correction, the mate-bond cared.As soon as the library’s door closed behind me I shuffled behind the nearest stack and followed it deeper into the room. There were a few students seated at tables in front of the librarian’s desk. I’d have to avoid them. Word traveled fast when you were a par
OpheliaIt was tempting to change into something flat and lifeless. Some black scrap of fabric that would act as armor between me and the world. I was going to conjure something along those lines when I turned and caught a glimpse of the sunset through the window.The sun was hovering just a few inches above the ocean, painting the waves in such vibrant color that they looked like a sea of living flame. It was life and beauty, and I wanted to hold onto that even if it were for just a night.I conjured something simple. Something that wasn’t quite the old me, but also wasn’t quite the new me either.The sundress had thin straps that tied at the shoulders, along with a square neckline that showed off my chest and throat. The fabric was a rich green and soft to the touch, with a lace overlay embroidered with black roses. A slit ran up the side, exposing my bare foot and part of my calf.I held my breath as I emerged into the kitchen. There were warriors everywhere, lounging and grabbing
OpheliaThe ripples in the water fell flat and the herbs began to float to the surface. I stared at them, watching them swirl around and around, while my silencing spell slowly crumbled.Edward walked back in as the final shards of it disintegrated. He leaned against the doorframe, arms folded over his chest. The picture of wealth and good genetics. His lips quirked up into a self-satisfied smirk as he caught me staring.I didn’t have it in me to tell him I wasn’t checking him out in that way.I tried to picture myself standing by Edward’s side—by any male’s side that wasn’t Ryker or Jude. It wasn’t just the bond that revolted at the thought, but my very soul. I wanted to tip my head back and laugh up at the heavens. I wanted to demand an audience with the goddess. With the damned deity who gave me three Alpha-hole mates.Even worse, I was fairly sure I’d never be able to feel anything for another man in my life. Wait … that might be a good thing.I was halfway through planning my lif
Ophelia“Are you sure about this, dad? They’re going to try and use the bond against me.” I winced and rubbed my chest. The phantom ache was right there, stronger than ever. If I listened hard enough, I could hear it urging me to them. “It’s not the most pleasant thing, but I can resist. I’ll do what needs to be done, I promise.”The words tasted like poison, sweet and deadly.Edwards shock turned to disbelief. He looked up at me again and shook his head, miming zipping his lips. I held up a hand and told him to wait. He thought my father would be angry with me, but he didn’t know my father the way I did.My father wasn’t like his.“I know you will, my girl.” Warmth filled his voice. “Accept the Romero brother’s terms. You’ll spend your days with Edward seeing to our plans, and your nights under their roof. There are ways to temporarily dull the effects of a mate-bond. The ingredients are hard to come by, but I’ll have a friend procure them and bring them to the island. It may take a
Ophelia“They won’t get away with this,” Edward snarled.Ever since the others left he’d been on edge. The vine situation didn’t help his mood, but I wasn’t sure that was what had him all worked up. One look at his pink cheeks and I could tell it definitely wounded his pride a little, but this was something else.Shaking his head, he flicked his sun-bleached hair out of his eyes. They were the color of the ocean, and that should have been enticing considering I loved the waves surrounding Lunar Isle, but I felt nothing when I looked into them.“Their family has done nothing but suppress the people since they stepped into power. There hasn’t been a good Alpha since Alpha Lorenzo. That’s Alpha Ryker’s grandfather if you weren’t already aware.” Pulling back his shoulders splayed each hand out on the counters surface and leaned forward so that our eyes were level. “You won’t be staying with them. I won’t let it happen, and more importantly, your father won’t let it happen.”Who was he to t
OpheliaThis was not going to go well.I looked around at the sea of familiar faces staring out at me. Ryker, Jude, Sterling, Nova, and Edward all scattered about, perched in seats around a rattan dining table.“You didn’t tell me we were getting the Brady bunch back together.”“You are still a part of this coven, Ophelia. As a coven we make decisions together. It’s important we stick to that now that we have a new member.” Ryker replied from his place at the head of the table. His hands sat clasped in front of him. A strip of tanned skin peaked out from his shirt where the fabric was unbuttoned. I caught a glimpse of hard muscle as he leaned forward in his seat.He continued speaking, but my mind was lost. Snagged on something he had previously said.… now that we have a new member …Astrid was a part of our coven now. I knew this would happen when I made the decision to put Kimberly in that room, but for some reason it hadn’t hit me as real until now.Goddess, did she know?The shar