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
Ophelia“Hopefully this won’t be necessary, but I’m going to leave this paste here with you.” I told Nova, referring to the foul-smelling gunk bubbling away in a mason jar beside her window. It was my first ever spell made using dark magic, and even now I could feel the oily substance clinging to my insides. Nova kept a healthy distance away. “Only use it to draw the entrapment sigil. There’s no dark magic being used in drawing it, so you’ll be fine.” Another bubble popped, and a small cloud of noxious yellow fumes came out. We both cringed. “Just to be safe, wear gloves.”Heavily armed with all manner of potions, I flicked Nova’s lights off and headed downstairs to wait until her demon appeared.I drifted between rooms for a while, lingering in both the kitchen and the lounge for the longest. I opened the pantry, but Nova’s house was very much an ‘ingredient household’. I opted for a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips, which I left on the counter, and moved on. Grabbing the mug of tea
Ophelia“We’re insane. This is insane.” Nova fisted her hands in her hair and groaned something unintelligible about dark magic, demons, and her soul withering away. I recognized the pure hysteria in the sound. “But I need to sleep before I dismantle this house board by board and rip the slimy fucker out of the walls—”“Inhale,” I cut her off and she sucked in a ragged gasp. “Now hold it and exhale.”She remained silent.“Exhale, Nova.”Her face began to turn red.I rolled my eyes and made sure she saw it, but had to turn away as the urge to smile made my lips start twitching. Nova had always been dramatic, but Nova without her beauty sleep … whew. I could relate, and that’s the only reason why I was being nice to her about it. We were both being haunted by demons, mine were just of my own making.“Holding your breath won’t kill you, it’ll just make you pass out, which will likely bring the demon out sooner than we want.” I flicked her nose. “So, exhale.”Nova let out a long, shudderi
OpheliaI forced open an eye and grumbled, “Nova’s here? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”Edwards snarky reply came a moment later. He was still annoyed from earlier. “Oh, I don’t know. It’s not as if you look like the physical manifestation of death or anything. You’ve also been incapacitated for eight hours. Besides, she’s not going anywhere. She’s been sitting on the front porch pouting since four.”Slapping my hand around until I found my cellphone, I tapped at the screen until the display popped up. The time read 6:58pm.She’s been out there for three hours?I dragged myself out of bed, my joints creaking in protest. The mirror confirmed Edwards’ assessment - my hair was a tangled mess, dark circles ringed my eyes, and my clothes were wrinkled. Still, the pain had all but faded since I’d vomited up the potion.Cautiously, I drew on my magic. Other than a bit of lingering nausea, I was able to conjure a change of clothes in minutes.Edward watched me skeptically as I stumbled out o
NovaSunlight crept through my curtains, assaulting my eyes until I had no choice but to peel myself off the floor. My body ached horribly from the uncomfortable position. The metallic eyeliner sigil had smudged, leaving glittery streaks across my cheek and arms. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and couldn’t help but gape at the disheveled witch staring back at me.Milkshake meowed again, likely for her breakfast, reminding me that it was well past morning. Not caring what I looked like, I trudged downstairs. Dad was in the kitchen making coffee, as he did most mornings. Most people ceased to function after losing their mate. Dad didn’t, he just stopped doing everything else.Upon entering I tripped over my own two feet and caught myself on the counter. Sitting there was the plate of cookies I’d hastily made last night. White chocolate macadamia. Frustrated with the spirit’s lack of response, I had shoved one into my mouth and stormed upstairs.Two sat on the plate currently
NovaEarlier that night…After seeing the shadow more frequently over the last two weeks, I should have never let my guard down. I had just been so tired. It had been three, going on four, nights where I’d got little to no sleep. The shadow man wasn’t just a blip in my peripheral now. He was a fixture in the corner of the room, a feeling that swept over me like a wave of vertigo. The worst part was, I couldn’t tell if what I was seeing were real or if it were due to lack of sleep.The guilt intensified until I could no longer think straight.I picked a spot the size of a quarter along my temple. The platinum strands, so similar to my mother’s, littered the carpet around my vanity. Using a comb, I swept my part to the side an inch. It would cover the damage until I made another hair replenishment potion.Dad suggested I call the therapist, which is about the full extent of his advice these days. When he leaves his office, which isn’t often, I catch glimpses of him in the hallway. Sile
OpheliaI waited until I heard his bedroom door close before letting out a slow breath. Turning back to the scrying bowl, I placed a quick silencing charm over the room to ensure the conversation would be private. I wouldn’t put it past Edward to eavesdrop.Magic spilled out of me in a steady stream. I let it seep into the herbs as I hastily poured them into the water. It was my sloppiest work, but I couldn’t focus more than a few seconds at a time. My mind would drift to those birds, and to the feelings stirring in my chest, and my hands would begin to shake.Scrying was an imperfect art. Much like a vast city with a network of alleyways, there were many ways to get to one place. I merely chose the straightest, fastest one.“Dad!” I shouted and my own voice echoed back at me. The water rippled, like rain disturbing the surface of a puddle, when my father’s face appeared. He stood over me as if I were lying on the ground. It made the angle of the image seem off. As the water was distu
OpheliaMy eyes fluttered open as a set of harsh whispers pierced through my consciousness. It was impossible to keep still when my soul recognized the voices.“We know exactly how they got on the island. What I want to know is why that pezzo di merda sent a flock of demons …” His words were laced with venom, ending on a growl that left the rest unintelligible.Jude’s reply was softer, but no less intense. “And we will find out.”My heart began to race. They had to be talking about my father. Again. I took a steadying breath and pushed myself up. There was a dull throb in the places where I’d been wounded by the demon birds. I glanced down and saw white bandages covering parts of my body.“Bird wounds weren’t healing right.” At the sound of Jude’s voice I looked up. My mouth went dry. He was leaning against the wall of my bedroom, his fists jammed in his pockets. An indolent smile unfurled across his face as he caught me staring. Thankfully, he didn’t comment. “There was some kind of
OpheliaAnother one of their strange cries split the air, followed by another, and another, until they melded into a chorus of screams. I closed my eyes, but it only made it worse. They sounded just like wailing infants, their voices far higher and shriller than they had any right to be. The hairs on the back of my neck lifted.“Ryker,” I breathed, my voice trembling. “What the hell are those things?”There was a strange rumble as the red eyes began to rise in height and grow brighter, burning like hot coals. Their cries continued to build, grinding against my skull like a hacksaw. I fought the urge to clamp my hands over my ears.“No clue, but I don’t think we should stick around to find out.”“Well, we can’t just move. They’re clearly watching us.” I hissed back.Flicking my eyes upwards, an idea popped into my head as I looked at the streetlamp. It was one of those that hung from an arch, making it possible to bend. Ryker followed my line of sight and made a small sound under his b
OpheliaRyker blinked once, then threw his head back and roared with such veracious laughter that the entire pizza shop went silent. He cleared his throat, his eyes darting around. I watched in awe as the Alpha of the island blushed.I pointed at him, the smile on my face for once genuine. “That’s exactly what you get for laughing at me.”“Tell me what happened next,” He said, his eyes sparkling. “What did your teachers do? What about the other students?”“They were all horrified, obviously! It was dead silent too, and when I made it to the door I tried to pull myself up, but my damn foot was still asleep.” Laughter was bubbling out of me now too, trickling like a leaky faucet. “I had to nudge the door open and crawl out into the hallway. Goddess, it was mortifying.”“That is pretty bad, but it’s got nothing on my story.” Ryker said with such assurance that my laughter faded, and I instead raised my brows at him.“Really? Pray tell, Alpha. You don’t seem like the type to embarrass.”H