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119 - This Real You
Dernière mise à jour:
2024-10-05 23:00:20GILDEON
He stood under the massive showerhead, cold water hammering his heated skin, washing away the grime, sweat, and blood with a sharp hiss. Foamy soap pooled at his feet, swirling in murky streaks before slipping down the drain.
For a prison block, this shower room was surprisingly clean. Decent. Probably the witches’ doing. Drusden’s coven lived a mainstream lifestyle—nothing like what he’d come to expect from most witches. How someone as straight-laced as Roselia had ever belonged to them baffled him. Gildeon still had no idea what had pushed her out.
The fight with the witches had drained him a bit, but nothing a solid meal and some rest couldn’t fix. His wounds had nearly closed, but the deeper damage—whatever traces of poison lingered—was taking its time to heal. He kept his dragon scales over his thigh and arm, pushing his body to mend faster.
One hand braced against the tiled wall, the other slicking his wet hair back. In his
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MAD END'S DECEPTION 120 - Rescued Her
ARAHShe gasped as his skin rippled before her, like ink bleeding into parchment. His face blurred then vanished—or rather, fused with the hard lines of the mask that took its place. He looked exactly as he had when she’d crossed the Mad End’s Wall.Warmth crept up her chest as her eyes took in the intricate lattice of black and gold scales, shimmering like polished metal. They blended seamlessly with the contours of his muscles, each movement alive, pulsing with energy. Even in the cold drizzle of the shower, she could feel his heat. His presence alone made the air thrum.Her memories of salamanders and their beast forms were limited, so she didn’t have much to reference, but she knew none could compare to Gildeon. To her, no one else would ever come close to how breathtaking he was. She had no words. He was surreal. He was beyond beautiful.“This is the real me, Arah.” His voice was deep and hoarse, almost animalistic. It made her stoma
Dernière mise à jour : 2024-10-06MAD END'S DECEPTION 121 - When All Of This Is Over
ARAHHe shoved her back into the shower, spinning her around before she could catch her breath. Her palms slapped against the cool tiles as water cascaded over her back, the chill biting into her skin.Gildeon was right behind her—heat, hard muscle, and raw power. She felt his erection, thick and demanding, pressed hot against her lower back. A needy moan slipped from her lips. He wanted her just as badly as she wanted him.“I don’t think the witches will burst in and stop us,” she muttered. “Why can’t we just do it?”“They will,” he rasped. “Trust me.”Was there something else he wasn’t telling her? Before she could ask, his teeth sank into her shoulder. The sharp bite stole her breath, and she cried out—a mix of pain, yes, but pleasure too. “I want to fuck you hard, Arah. But not yet.”His words intensified the throb between her legs.
Dernière mise à jour : 2024-10-07MAD END'S DECEPTION 122 - Exactly Like Roselia
ARAH“Then who did it?” she asked, her pulse pounding in her ears. Her mind flashed back to that night—to her terrifying encounters with each man. “Are you saying someone else gave the order?”“That is impossible,” the guard replied. “Once they are tethered to me, no one else can control or compel them without my knowledge.”“So what, you just… lost control?” Her fingers tightened around the edges of the box she was holding. As disturbing as the idea of Stringmaster trying to kill her that night was, it was at least better than this—the uncertainty, the lack of explanation for what had really happened.On a more positive note, it could be a weakness. If Arah and Gildeon could figure out how to exploit it—how to push Stringmaster into losing control of their puppets—it might just give them the edge they needed to bring down the cloaked witch.
Dernière mise à jour : 2024-10-08MAD END'S DECEPTION 123 - No Manipulation In That
GILDEONThey didn’t waste a second. He’d sworn never to leave Arah alone with the witches again, but this situation with Roselia demanded immediate action.Ghulik had guaranteed Arah’s safety, even with her hanging out with Stringmaster. That was enough to settle his mind. For now.During the drive, all he could think about was how he’d convince Roselia to help with the fight tonight. Knowing he might need her again for moments like this, asking her to stay at their place instead of allowing her to return to her farmstead, had already been a lot. Now he needed her to help the very people who once—and still—wanted her dead.He’d have to brace himself for a long, drawn-out argument.“How’s she been?” Alaunus asked, breaking the silence. He’d been staring out the passenger window, watching the shops and houses blur by. The way his red hair caught the late morning sunlight reminded Gildeon so much of Roselia. Had he not known better, h
Dernière mise à jour : 2024-10-09MAD END'S DECEPTION 124 - Savant Witches
GILDEONRoselia took a long gulp of her tea. “I can’t believe you’ve got the nerve to ask me that, My Lord,” she seethed, glancing up from the table, throwing him a pointed look. “You made a deal with them behind my back, and I made peace with that. Yet now you need me to help them?”Barky briefly stole his attention. The dog was sprawled out in the middle of the kitchen floor, front paws extended, hind legs tucked beneath him like a sphinx. His tail wagged in a slow, heavy rhythm, dark eyes fixed on Gildeon. Something about it felt off, unsettling, but he didn’t know much about Earthland’s domesticated animals, so it could be nothing.Roselia spoke again, and his eyes flicked back to her. “You’ve no idea how much every single one of them,” she said, waving a hand toward the far window, “even Alaunus, would want me dead the first chance they get.”“You’re part of the deal, Roselia,” he said, pinching the spot between his brows. “No one’s
Dernière mise à jour : 2024-10-10MAD END'S DECEPTION 125 - Another Puppet
ARAHShe had no idea what was about to happen, but she steadied herself, bracing for the worst. The guard glanced at the ceiling camera and raised a hand, signaling to someone unseen. Seconds later, the control panel lights buzzed and shifted from red to green. Her head whipped from side to side, scanning the block. There was no upper level, which was a relief. But with six doors on each side clicking open—except for the last three at the far end—the numbers were still overwhelming.Her pulse hammered in her ears. She flexed her left arm, ready to call on the power of her wind tattoo if things went sideways.She held her breath.Her skin crawled as the escort guard let out a deep, unnatural roar, something no human throat should be able to produce. What the hell was that? A chorus of growls erupted from the prisoners’ cells, as if they were responding to the guard. The collective sound sent a fresh chill down her spine.
Dernière mise à jour : 2024-10-11MAD END'S DECEPTION 126 - It Was Never Enough
ARAHCrystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, casting a soft, golden glow. Velvet curtains draped along the walls. The decorations were sophisticated yet outdated.“Where am I?” Arah whispered, glancing around. Stringmaster and the inmates were nowhere in sight. How had she ended up here? Drusden’s fog came to mind. Had she been caught in it again?This looked nothing like Shamibar. It couldn’t be another memory. This was still Earthland—but from a completely different time. People in tailcoats and ball gowns filled the room. Some were seated on plush chairs, others standing with glasses of wine, a few men with cigars between their lips.“My love, I have been cursed!” A woman’s voice rang out, drawing her attention to a small makeshift stage at the front of the room. It felt like a theater play, but with only one performer and a smaller, intimate audience. The room had a private air, as if it were part of a wealthy person’s home.
Dernière mise à jour : 2024-10-12MAD END'S DECEPTION 127 - A Vindictive Woman
ARAHThe scene shifted to a cemetery. Arah watched as Marianne knelt before her mother’s tomb, fidgeting with a faceless doll in a worn dress. Marianne spoke about how she’d sometimes pretend her mama was in the doll—one that Anne had once owned. It was dirty now, nearly bald.Tears welled in Marianne’s eyes as she spoke about her work. Arah could feel the burden of it all, the pressure Edmond was placing upon her. She knew exactly what that was like.Marianne’s face clouded with sadness as she vented about how her papa would’ve been happier if she had been the one who died instead. “You should have lived, Mama,” she whispered, brushing dry leaves from the stone. “I should never have been born.”The words triggered something in Arah, a familiar ache tightening in her chest. Though she couldn’t remember the exact details, she knew she had once said and felt something similar—that she should’ve been the one who died. That Siegfrid and Irmee
Dernière mise à jour : 2024-10-13
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MAD END'S DECEPTION 172 - Tainted
GILDEONHe panted, surprised at the effort to land that punch on Drusden. Being trapped in the witch’s domain clearly had its disadvantages. Still, watching the bastard skid across the ground, his boots kicking up dirt and his body crashing against a jagged rock, was satisfying as hell.Drusden let out a grunt and propped himself up. Blood trickled from his split lip, and a dark bruise was already forming along his jawline where Gildeon’s clawed fist had connected.“You don’t have a fucking clue what she went through,” Gildeon growled low, the urge to end the bastard clawing at him. But he couldn’t ignore the possibility of more traps lurking around. Drusden wasn’t the type to leave himself defenseless. A reckless attack could backfire, and Gildeon wasn’t about to let it blow up in his face tenfold.“I’ve got to hand it to my ex-wife,” Drusden said with a small chuckle, sitting up and swiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. “She managed to wrap a higher mortal arou
MAD END'S DECEPTION 171 - That's Human Nature
GILDEONHis mind raged with questions. Kana wasn’t special—just a pure human. But what truly gnawed at him was Zylas’s father. He had to be a higher mortal. A salamander.Gildeon couldn’t begin to wrap his thoughts around the idea of a salamander coming down to Earthland and mating with a human. There had been stories of deserters—salamanders who had gone rogue and vanished. Copulating with a lower mortal was plausible. But to conceive a hybrid offspring? That was something else entirely.The shamans led Kana into a cave not far from the village. They moved through a narrow, twisting passage before emerging into a wider chamber. At its center lay a shallow pool of water, its surface rippling faintly. Sunlight streamed through holes in the ceiling, casting shifting light patterns across the water and the rough cave walls. It gave the space an almost otherworldly glow—reminding him of the caves in Shamibar.But what seized Gildeon’s attention the most was the limestone formation shaped
MAD END'S DECEPTION 170 - Keep Watching, Salamander
GILDEONHe followed Drusden’s gaze upward. They watched Dragon Zylas as it roared and thrashed against the fog restraints. Each movement of the beast was a futile clash against the binding force.“You know,” Drusden said, breaking the silence, “I couldn’t figure out what you were at first. Had my suspicions, of course.” He shrugged. “But it wasn’t until I saw you like this that I knew for certain.” He leaned forward in his seat, clasped hands dangling loosely between his knees. “I thought Zylas was the only one.”Gildeon had wondered the same, but there was no way he’d share that with the bastard. “Where did you find him?” he asked, crossing his arms. Deep down, he burned to know. Uncovering Zylas’s origin might shed light on his own existence.Drusden tilted his head, his cryptic smile widening. “If I show you, will you answer a question of mine?”Gildeon’s brow furrowed, instincts kicking in as he studied the Headwitch. That smile, the gleam of curiosity in his eyes—it all felt like
MAD END'S DECEPTION 169 - Now That They're Gone
GILDEONHe could still feel Zylas’s dragon spirit, but Drusden had clearly disrupted his connection to the beast. The Headwitch had likely managed it while Gildeon focused on freeing himself and Roselia and keeping track of Arah.When Zylas had been about to attack Arah, Gildeon had been on the verge of shifting into his full beast form, consequences be damned. But Alaunus had beaten him to it. Unexpected, but favorable. Arah had been safe, and another of Drusden’s witches had fallen.Fortunately, Roselia had escaped the moment they broke free from the fog restraints. Gildeon was deeply worried about Arah, but he trusted Roselia to keep her safe.Gildeon glanced around the fog enclosure Drusden had trapped him in. He stood in the heart of it, a space eerily calm—like the eye of a storm. Dense mist coiled around him, lit by flashes of lightning cracking through the shrouded skies above. The air reeked of sulfur, every breath a sharp sting that burned his throat. Beneath his feet, the gr
MAD END'S DECEPTION 168 - The Plan's Changed
ARAHShe rolled hard to the side, her movement barely outpacing Tiger Lokius’s crushing pounce. His claws swiped through empty air as she scrambled to her feet, snapping into a defensive stance. She put as much distance as she could between them, her breath tight in her chest.The striped beast skidded to a halt beside Vienna’s lifeless body. His growl vibrated through the air before he began to shift. In a blur, his massive form condensed, fur melting into skin, until Lokius stood in his human form—tall and lean.His green eyes softened as they fell on Vienna. He knelt beside her, his fingers brushing tenderly over her blood-soaked blonde hair. “You rest well now, my darling Vienna,” he murmured, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. Then he lifted his gaze to Arah, one arm resting loosely across his bent knee. He appeared relaxed, but his eyes remained guarded.He didn’t look like he’d attack her outright—but his calm was unnerving. Her instincts screamed for her to stay ready.
MAD END'S DECEPTION 167 - Chaos and Pain
ARAHShe didn’t know how this was supposed to work. Obviously, there hadn’t been time for Alaunus to spell it out for her. But she trusted her instincts to kick in.At the end of the hallway, Vienna stood—a shadow of the person she used to be. Her eyes locked onto Arah’s, cold and final, like someone who had already lost everything worth fighting for.Arah’s pulse hammered in her ears. The sweet Vienna she used to know was gone—she had died with Alaunus. This version had let the darkness in.“Was it worth it…” Arah broke the silence, buying precious seconds as her thumb traced the jagged edge of the mirror shard hidden behind her back. Vienna didn’t seem lucid enough to notice. “Whatever you sacrificed to gain power... to join Drusden’s coven?”No response.Arah pressed, “You wanted to avenge your parents?”Vienna’s gaze flickered. “The hunters,” she finally muttered, bitterness dripping from every syllable. “They’re cruel. They think they’re saving the world, protecting mankind.” She
MAD END'S DECEPTION 166 - Kill Her Easy
ARAHShe couldn’t move—not just because Alaunus’s lifeless, still-warm body was resting heavily on top of her, but because of shock. It was one thing to imagine killing enemies, to picture the justice they deserved for the horrors they’d inflicted on innocent people. But to witness their deaths in such unexpected ways was something she wouldn’t forget anytime soon.She was a soldier. She had torn lives apart with her own hands more times than she could remember. Yet here she was, pinned under the weight of a moment she couldn’t comprehend, her chest tightening with questions she didn’t want to ask. How had her past self survived this much violence without crumbling? Was she really that unbreakable back then, or had her time away on Earthland softened her too much?A sharp sob snapped her out of her thoughts. She blinked, disoriented, only now noticing the weight on her chest was gone. Alaunus’s body had been moved. She saw Vienna cradling him from the corner of her eye, his head resti
MAD END'S DECEPTION 165 - Vienna's Weakness
ARAHShe was still reeling. The winged beast towering before her—the one Gildeon had called out to—was Zylas. Her mind flashed back to their conversation in the kitchen, his cryptic mention of flying. Now it made sense, and yet, it didn’t.This creature definitely didn’t belong to Earthland. What kind of shifter was he?Everything had moved too fast for her to process. One moment, she’d been sure the beast would crush her; the next, Vienna had dragged her along, the other collar now clasped tightly around the witch’s neck. Whatever spell Vienna had cast had left Arah paralyzed, her body refusing to obey even the simplest command. Her feet were frozen in place, and frustration clawed at her chest.Then came the sharp, insistent pain in her temple, like tiny bolts of electricity surging through her skull. It wasn’t just pain—there was something else. A flood of emotions and thoughts poured into her mind, and they weren’t hers. Panic rippled through her. Was she connected to Vienna’s min
MAD END'S DECEPTION 164 - It Wasn't Impossible
GILDEONHe stepped back. His claws dug into the ground, shattering the concrete beneath his feet to anchor himself, bracing against the impact. Where had Zylas come from? Even with the thick fog, Gildeon should have sensed the dragon’s approach—but his attention had been drawn to Arah.Nothing else mattered to him in that moment but her.His gaze darted back to her. She had been pushed back, slamming into a concrete wall. Arah regained her footing, but she was clearly in shock.Gildeon’s pulse raced as Dragon Zylas turned its head toward her. His body burned with readiness, poised to strike the beast at any moment. Then it hit him—this was the perfect chance to test his theory. If he was right—fuck, he had to be right—this might be their only way to win.Claws launched into the air.“Zylas!” Gildeon growled, the power of his voice rattling his bones. A bolt of lightning seared through his mind as he felt a connection to Zylas’s dragon, just like the first time he had commanded Raudr.
