I know you guys are waiting for that moment where they notice the dark bond mark, and I’m here to tell you that it is coming very soon. It’s going to be big. It’s going to be dramatic. It’s going to be worth every minute, and every chapter you all have been waiting, I swear it! <3
OpheliaEven as Jude’s scent wrapped around me, mixing with the warmth of his body to slowly coax me into awareness, there was a part of me that didn’t want to wake up.I wished I could forget. I wished I could write it all off as one big nightmare, but the moment my eyes fluttered open I knew that would never be the case.Arielle, Sarah, Denver…they had been torn apart. And Coop, kind-hearted, goofy Coop was possessed. It was a fate worse than death.Trauma was a cage forcing you to relieve the darkest moments of your life, and that’s exactly what happened as I sat up in bed, pulling myself out of Jude’s hold. My stomach twisted until I keeled over, dry heaving until my eyes watered.It wasn’t until I felt Jude’s hand on my back, rubbing it in soft, awkward circles that I finally snapped back into the present and remembered he was here.We locked eyes, and I hated what I saw there.Jude, the psychopath, the enforcer who killed mercilessly, was looking at me with pity.I scooted furth
OpheliaThat day, after Jude and Ryker reluctantly left, I set about making the first of many changes.Neither one of my mates wanted to go, but I couldn’t get things done with them hovering over my shoulder, constantly waiting for me to break. Little did they know I was already broken.This was me piecing myself back together, and it was something I needed to do on my own. Letting them do it for me would’ve been easier, but it would’ve resulted in me being even more attached to them than I already was.If Ryker could bottle all his emotions up, and Jude could funnel his into rage, then I could do the same.First thing first, I tossed out every crumb of Dark Matter I owned. Every speck hidden in the back of the top drawer of my bedside table was thrown into the trash, consumed by the smoldering embers of what had once been my favorite sundress and jacket.The mere scent of the herb brought me back to last night, causing me to run to the toilet before I could vomit on the floor.I skip
OpheliaThe next three days went exactly the same.Ryker would pick me up early in the morning, always with breakfast despite me having absolutely no appetite, to take me to the library where I’d read everything I could get my hands on until my classes started in the evening.He didn’t comment on the bags forming under my eyes, or the fact that I’d worn the same long sleeve t-shirt twice in a row. Just as he didn’t comment on the slight tremor in my hands, or the fact that I was more irritable than usual.I could tell he wanted to. I could practically feel his brain working every time he noticed an after effect of trauma or the withdrawal of the Dark Matter, but he didn’t.He continued to try and take care of me though, being there for me in his own way.So long as I ate what food he brought me, he didn’t blink when I snuck into the crafting lab to pilfer ingredients for various potions and spells. It was oddly calming having him there, interjecting with tips that might enhance my spe
OpheliaA wave of nausea hit me at the sight. My fingers trembled, and not from the Dark Matter withdrawal.Dark Bonds weren’t well known. In most packs they were nothing more than twisted folklore, legends of darkness and slavery. Even now, I had no clue how Alpha Hunter knew about them. I had thought it was an infected mate bond until he told me the truth that terrible day.I quickly devoured the text, latching onto the bits of history that detailed the festering mark on my wrist.In 1492 Alpha King Archibald Westland retaliated after a Luna of a nearby settlement rejected his advances for marriage. Desiring offspring with her powerful magic, the Alpha King called forth his witch practitioners, each one masters in the dark arts. On the night of the Blood Moon, Alpha King Archibald Westland sacrificed seven of his strongest warriors to summon forth the father of all demons. The demon granted the Alpha King with magic of his own, along with the ability to bestow a mark containing pur
OpheliaI looked up at her, scanning my eyes over the sheer cardigan, pink blouse, and dark slacks she wore. “Yes?” Her eyes crinkled at the corners, “I noticed you’ve been in here a lot this week studying. I know exams are awhile away, but I wanted to offer you something that might help with your…ah, spells.” She motioned for me to follow, and I did. “These rooms are typically reserved for seniors since they aren’t as reckless with their magic, but I think a safe space to practice might do you some good.”The Librarian led me down a hall to the left of the room, one hidden behind the third row of book cases. Along the walls were doors trimmed in silver. They had symbols stamped on them in dark paint.She unlocked the first door with a standard metal key and ushered me inside. The room was entirely empty apart from a metal table against the far wall. One look and I knew it was bolted down. In between the light fixtures embedded into the ceiling were heavy duty sprinklers.“What is th
Ophelia“Ryker! Hello Ryker? I need you to talk to Jude! I’m pretty sure he’s hunting me.”My hair whipped at my face as I took off down the hall. I shoved past students who cursed and snarled at me for slamming into them, but I couldn’t stop. Adrenaline was keeping me going, forcing my legs to run faster and faster.Goddess why did this school have to be so damn big?I reached out again through the mind-link, trying to call for Ryker. A gasp tore from my throat as I took the hall to my left, only to see a flash of dark clothes, pale skin, and arms covered in ink.Nearly tripping over my own two feet, I stumbled back and took the hall to the right, clipping several students in the process. Picking up speed, I ducked under an open locker. At the very end of the hall were a set of double doors leading outside.“Hello? Damn it! Ryker, answer me right now.”I felt a rush of awareness as Ryker tuned in to the mind-link. Several seconds of silence rang out where I could hear only the beatin
OpheliaJude kicked open the front door and sauntered inside. My mouth dried up as I spotted the rows of prison cells on the first floor. They were made of silver and had several symbols painting the outside. I knew from my week in the library that they were binding symbols, meant to suppress a witches power.He bypassed them all, veering towards a curved staircase at the very back of the warehouse.I lifted my head and locked eyes with Ryker. He was several feet behind us, wearing only a pair of loose-fitting slacks. They hung low on his hips, showing off the deep v carved into his muscle.His lips were pressed into a harsh line, and I knew in my gut that whatever Jude had planned for me, Ryker would show me no mercy.Jude kicked the door at the top of the steps open and carried me into a large studio apartment. The entire back wall was nothing but windows, covered in thick black curtains that blocked out most of the light. A gothic-looking bed with black silk blankets sat off to the
Ophelia“Please,” I begged. “Fuck me, Jude. I need it.”Ryker groaned quietly, his cock now freed from his slacks and fisted in his large hand.My words seemed to shatter something within Jude, some last shred of worry that I might not want this. He surged forward, his cock slipping into my pussy. The burn was immediate, radiating down my legs and up my pelvis, causing me to cry out. Jude fell forward, his breath fanning across my shoulder blades.“Shhh, baby.” He cooed, his cock throbbing inside of me. “It’s alright. It won’t hurt for long.”As he began to thrust, dragging his length almost all the way out only to slam it back in, the red-hot pain was quickly overshadowed by the guttural sounds he was making.I might have been drowning, obliterated by the feel of his balls slapping my clit and his cock stretching me wide open, but so was he.Before long, I was begging him for more. Harder. Faster. Anything that would prolong the concoction of pain and pleasure he’d created.He clawed
NovaKaelith stepped back. I hadn’t noticed, but during our conversation the shadows had stretched behind him, forming a backdrop of darkness that reached out almost lovingly towards him. They coiled around his wrists, his ankles, his throat, like hungry serpents.His last look lingered on me like a bruise.And then he took another step into the darkness, melting into it like he’d never been there at all.The memory shattered like glass before my eyes.I blinked, my lungs dragging in air that tasted of chemicals and bitter loneliness. I was back outside Coop’s room, the linoleum floor spotless beneath my sandals. The corridor was quiet, but that was to be expected. The asylum had to be minutes away from closing, but that’s what I got for visiting so late in the day.Pressing my fingers to my lips, I held them against Coop’s door, silently scoffing at my own stupidity for this silly ritual of mine.I pushed away from the wall, my mind torn between thoughts of my brother and thoughts of
NovaSometimes the only way to draw a monster—although a beautiful monster—out of hiding was to pretend like you weren’t scared of it.That was the logic, anyway.Ophelia and I figured if we acted normally, went about our lives like nothing had changed, Kaelith would emerge on his own. And I would be lying if I said I didn’t want him to.That, in itself, was a problem. A massive, soul-staining problem.Because the demon haunting me wasn’t some wrinkled, gnarled horror crawling out from a crypt. Instead it wore shadows like skin, had lips that made me forget how to breathe, and eyes like polished rubies dipped in sin.So, we played the game.Each afternoon, once my classes let out, we went to the beach, burying our toes in the hot sand, our hair sticky with salt and dry from the sun. I brought homework I never worked on. Ophelia brought books she never opened. We talked about stupid things—pack gossip, Sterling’s weird fixation on this witch that had just moved to the island a month pr
OpheliaSucking his lower lip into his mouth, Jude set me on my feet and tangled his hand in my hair, drawing my lips to his while his other hand worked on my pants. I tried to swat his hands away, but his magic came out, yanking them both behind my back. I could have broken his hold, but my pussy was throbbing, begging for a taste of the mate who had fucked us first.Jude spun me around and kicked my pants to the side. Cold air licked up my pussy and I shuddered as his voice cracked with command.“Hands on the wall and spread your legs wide. I want to see my pretty cunt.” Not a second later I heard him drop to his knees and cried out as he buried his face in my pussy, his lips sucking and tongue tasting. His groan was a broken thing, low and deep and so very desperate it had me bending forward to give him access to all of me. “Nnnmm, you said I could eat your pussy, baby. I’m just being a good mate and doing what I’m told.”Fuck, he was right. I did say that.My restraint was a fickl
OpheliaPaintball. Of course it had to be paintball.I shouldn’t have been surprised. It was Jude, after all. This wasn’t the wildest thing he’d done by any means. However, it wasn’t the location that got me. It was the guest list.“You invited Ryker, Sterling, and Nova?” I stared at him like he’d grown a second head. “Since when do you voluntarily share me on our dates?”Jude just grinned, one sharp canine pressing down into his lip. He leaned lazily against the back of the Jeep, black hair tousled from the wind, scar catching in the light. The sun highlighted the swatches of ink along his arms. I itched to peel his shirt back and see the newest addition to his collection—the dove tattooed right over his heart. My dove.“Coven bonding,” he replied.I supposed it was better to shoot at one another over the alternative: wait for my father’s summon. My anxiety was growing with each passing day, and as if that weren’t bad enough, Edward hadn’t been seen all week. Apparently his father wa
JudePsychopath. Sociopath. That’s what they called me. They weren’t wrong wither. I’d gotten the fancy diagnosis years ago. Funny thing about labels, everyone used them like they were some kind of weakness. A vulnerability to exploit.The only vulnerabilities I’d ever known were currently gathered around Ryker’s obnoxiously large dining room table.Nova was mated to a fucking demon.The air felt thick, charged with tension as Nova quietly recounted exactly how she’d ended up entangled with that creature. Sterling watched silently, sitting rigid in his chair, hands clasped under his chin and eyes unreadable. He was protective over Nova. Often the very thing that kept me from wringing her skinny neck. Ours was a tolerate-hate relationship. Meanwhile, Ryker glared at a spot on the wall as if he planned on burning a hole through it.My gaze, as always, lingered shamelessly on Ophelia. My beautiful, perfect Ophelia. She leaned forward slightly, her pouty lips parting just a sliver. Her ha
NovaMy fingers itched to touch my hair. Kaelith’s eyes flicked up to my hands as if he saw the temptation.I managed a hoarse whisper. “He lost it. Trashed the house. Didn’t speak for m-m-months. My fault. It was my fault.”“No.” That one word was spoken with such absolution that my tears dried up, and my sobs quieted. I couldn’t look away, not while his eyes burned crimson, his tattoos dark against smooth skin. “You were a child whose innocence had not been beaten from them. Your actions did not warrant his response. It was not your fault.”I choked back the slew of responses that bubbled up. You need to learn how to think before you react, Nova, my old therapist had said. The world isn’t responsible for your emotional instability. Kaelith’s gaze searched mine, and I felt utterly naked—no, worse than naked—I felt fucking flayed beneath him. Quiet frustration simmered beneath his angelic face as he saw my denial.His expression darkened further, understanding shifting into something
NovaIf the Goddess hadn’t punished me enough by taking away my family, she had apparently decided to double down by giving me a suicidal demon for a mate.I stared at the incubus sprawled shamelessly across the foot of my bed, an inky stain against the lace and floral perfection. A smirk was etched onto his face as if he owned the entire world—as if he weren’t magically trapped to my bedroom. Then again, he could be smirking at what went down between Jude and Edward.Talking to Kaelith … it surprisingly wasn’t terrible. He was witty and sharp tongued, but his emotions were entirely unpredictable.“Are all demons allergic to boundaries, or is it just you?” I asked dryly, hoping my voice didn’t betray how my body responded to his presence.His crimson eyes danced with amusement. “Boundaries are a human invention. In my realm, we take what we desire.”“Yeah, well, we’re not in your realm,” I said lightly, adjusting the lace hem of my skirt. The way his gaze followed my fingers made my s
OpheliaI think I made a sound, something involuntary and small, because Jude went rigid. Slowly, he rose to stand his head tilting slightly as he turned to face us. His eyes found me, clear and bright, and so very blank. There was a knife in his hand. It dripped blood onto the floor in a steady rhythm.This was the real him, I told myself. The part he kept tucked beneath the charming smiles and clever words. It was the truth laid bare. Cold, hollow, and beautiful in the way a tsunami was before it devastated an entire island.Bile stung the back of my throat as I looked down at Edward, who lay curled into a ball at Jude’s feet. Thorned vines, thick and thin, were wrapped around his body so tightly that they cut into him in some areas. His right eye was nothing more than a fleshy cavern. Blood trickled from the wound, running down his nose and mouth. If that wasn’t bad enough, there was a gouge running across his forehead that nearly made me flinch.Goddess, I thought to myself, was h
OpheliaThe first thing we did was mind link the others to let them know we were alive, and to promise them we’d explain what happened to Ryker. After that we decided to spend the night—or at least, the next few hours—recuperating in this nice family’s home.We recuperated in the marble, clawfoot bathtub, and in the recliners in the lounge while some old action movie played in the background. Currently, we were recuperating in the master bedroom, which had a lovely view of the forest.Ryker’s hand slid around to grasp my throat. His hand, large enough to cradle half my face, pulled my head back until I was forced to look into his eyes. They were hooded, dark with lust, as they had been for hours now.“Enjoying the view?” He asked, his other hand traveling down, to toy with my clit. “Lo so, lo sono, amore.”He snapped his hips, driving the thick length of his cock deeper. I held onto the vanity, glancing at my own red-cheeked reflection in the mirror. Ryker’s eyes were dark as he watch