“Did he touch you?”Damon asked in a whisper. I looked up into his eyes. He waited again for my answer. I hesitated again, giving him an answer.The fire in the fireplace suddenly exploded, raining ash everywhere. Jane screamed and ducked down, protecting her face and body from the heat. Michael turned to the fireplace in alarm but then looked at Damon again with big eyes. Damon still looked at me with his fingers on my face, a stone expression on his face and not fazed by the fire behind him. He stared into my eyes. Michael stepped forward, touching his shoulder. His hand suddenly lit on fire and he let out a scream and released Damon in an instant. “Damon! Control yourself!” Michael shouted, looking around at the spreading flames.“What is happening!?” I asked no one in particular. I didn't think I would get an answer from Damon, he looked far away in his mind.Michael looked dumbfounded for a moment. He looked at me, where his fingers touched my skin and his mouth opened to answer m
We heard Logan screaming from the upper floor. I bolted down the stairs towards his pained screams but before I could open the door, Damon grabbed my wrist and held me back. “Tris. You don't want to see this. Don't go in.” He said to me.“You're joking right? Of course I'm going in.” I said stubbornly and I went inside with Jane and Kenna by my side.In the corner, laying flat on his back, lay a screaming Logan. Screams full of pain, terror and agony. “Logan.” I said but he didn't hear us and the screaming continued. Tears sprang into my eyes. Kenna started sobbing and Jane just stared at him with fear.“Logan,” I said again and I walked towards him, ignoring Damon's protests. I knelt beside him and put my hand on his arm. Heat penetrated through his shirt. “He's burning.” I said as a statement but nobody came forward to help. “What can we do?” I asked the group as I turned my head around. Damon, Keddrick and who I thought was Emrys stood by the door, looking at Logan with hooded face
“F*ck it, I'm not going,” I whispered to my reflection in the mirror as I took in my frizzy hair, new zit on my forehead and the two new stains that mysteriously appeared on the shirt I was going to wear today. Lie to me by Tate McRae was playing in the background and my head was bopping to the music. Maybe I should just call in sick and try again tomorrow. I scratched the scar on the back of my neck and I frowned as I thought I have no choice but to go today, it's the first day of the second year of university. By not showing up on the first day you won't have a good track record for the rest of the year.I knew my hair was a risk, with wavy hear you never know if the next day will be a good hair day. Of course the hair gods didn't bless me today with shiny, curly and smooth hair even though it sat badass right before going to bed yesterday. While I grabbed the brush to just brush the half-curls out and put it in a bun or pony tail, my phone blared the alarm, signalling the end of my
As we all gathered together, the school bell rang. That's it. End of summer holiday. As an united front, we walked into the school to our classes. Me, Kenna and Logan, being in the same class, said goodbye to Rose and James and went to our lessons. Jane was supposed to be with us although I was not surprised she wasn't here, she loved to sleep in and didn't mind skipping school for a few extra hours in her bed. First up, social class. In this class we were being prepared for emotions of people, anger management, delivering bad news and how to calm people down. The class I hated. Emotions are not for me, especially when strangers start shouting at me. I rather just walk away than engage with them. Luckily the teacher kept it short with an introduction class. Watching videos, explaining what to expect for rest of the year and getting to know each other. Logan was nodding off against my shoulder, using me as a pillow. Kenna sat on the other side of me and was texting James. “Why don't
“Guys, did you hear we have a new school coordinator? I hear he's super hot.” Kylee said to us, who stood just behind us. We turned around and greeted her and her friends. Kylee and her friends were considered the mean girls of the school. But since there was no beef or drama between us, we were alright with them. “I heard that he's going to introduce himself in our class today,” Hailee said, who stood next to Kylee. “He's only 28, how he got the job as school coordinator is beyond me, but if he's as hot as they say he is, I won't mind faking an illness to spend some time with him.” Kylee said laughingly. Her fiends laughed at that and I rolled my eyes at Jane and Kenna. “What's his name?” I asked. ''Damon, which is like the sexiest name ever.” Hailee answered. The door of the classroom opened and our teacher, Ms. Melissa called us in. We called her by her first name to get more comfortable in the classes, but put Miss before her name, because we were adapting to the British and Iri
When Mr. Hayes walked past my desk, he slowed down a bit but kept walking. I chose that moment to look outside as if there was something really interesting out there. The scent of cinnamon, the beach and old books washed over me. I frowned at myself, am I that delusional I can actually smell this guy? I didn't turn around to see where he was but Ms Melissa started the class again so I guess he found his spot. “Alright leftovers,' she said with a wink, 'let's move on. The continents that are left are Africa, Asia, South America and Europe, the other continents have 4 people in them and are grouped. There are 2 spots free left in Europe and Africa, Asia and South America are empty.” She said gleefully, like this was the best idea ever to make groups. “We are picking flowers next, write down your favourite from the board!'' She said and wrote down: 1. Tulip (Europe) 2. Protea (Africa) 3. Lotus (Asia) 4. Rose (South America) I was all over the place. I felt eyes burn
Once inside, I went to my locker to get books for the next class. I opened my locker and confusion rose inside me. My lips parted in surprise as I looked at the new item in my locker. A single beautiful flower lay on top of my books, the smell filling my nostrils. I carefully picked it up, admiring the beautiful coloured petals. The leaves were orange with a red stripe in the middle, the edges white. “Tris, come, we will be late!” Kenna called me. She looked at me and her eyes zeroed in on the flower. “Wow. Where did you find this?” She asked. “In my locker, but it doesn't have a note or anything attached,” I answered to her, looking around. “That is weirdly super romantic, I wonder who it is from though. Anybody that knows your combination?” Kenna asked and I shook my head no. The hallway was emptying by now, the lessons almost starting. I put the flower back in my locker and grabbed my books, not wanting to be late and determined to figure it out later. The next class was our ment
I put the song Dog years by Maggie Rogers on and started walking into the woods, letting Moose off his lead. I thought about the flower which I stupidly left in my locker. I started researching on my phone which flower it was and found out it was the Treasure Flower. Looking at the path in front of me, I wondered who had given me this flower and who broke into my locker to put it there. Maybe Javier? He was the only one I could think of. I sent him a text, sending him the details for the party on Friday, ending my text with a flower emoticon. I looked around me, feeling happy with all this greenery around me and taking breaths of fresh air. I was lucky to be living so close to the forest, where you could just escape the hectic life for a bit. I came here almost every day, always with Moose. We often visited the lake in the middle of the forest and the waterfalls surrounding it. We tried to make some bird friends but once they saw Moose they all flew again, watching us from a safe dis
We heard Logan screaming from the upper floor. I bolted down the stairs towards his pained screams but before I could open the door, Damon grabbed my wrist and held me back. “Tris. You don't want to see this. Don't go in.” He said to me.“You're joking right? Of course I'm going in.” I said stubbornly and I went inside with Jane and Kenna by my side.In the corner, laying flat on his back, lay a screaming Logan. Screams full of pain, terror and agony. “Logan.” I said but he didn't hear us and the screaming continued. Tears sprang into my eyes. Kenna started sobbing and Jane just stared at him with fear.“Logan,” I said again and I walked towards him, ignoring Damon's protests. I knelt beside him and put my hand on his arm. Heat penetrated through his shirt. “He's burning.” I said as a statement but nobody came forward to help. “What can we do?” I asked the group as I turned my head around. Damon, Keddrick and who I thought was Emrys stood by the door, looking at Logan with hooded face
“Did he touch you?”Damon asked in a whisper. I looked up into his eyes. He waited again for my answer. I hesitated again, giving him an answer.The fire in the fireplace suddenly exploded, raining ash everywhere. Jane screamed and ducked down, protecting her face and body from the heat. Michael turned to the fireplace in alarm but then looked at Damon again with big eyes. Damon still looked at me with his fingers on my face, a stone expression on his face and not fazed by the fire behind him. He stared into my eyes. Michael stepped forward, touching his shoulder. His hand suddenly lit on fire and he let out a scream and released Damon in an instant. “Damon! Control yourself!” Michael shouted, looking around at the spreading flames.“What is happening!?” I asked no one in particular. I didn't think I would get an answer from Damon, he looked far away in his mind.Michael looked dumbfounded for a moment. He looked at me, where his fingers touched my skin and his mouth opened to answer m
I was blasted by memories. Memories of my father when I was a little girl. Six years of my life clicked back into the empty spaces of my head. Making sandcastles on the beach, baking pies, walking the dog, moving house, brushing my teeth with music playing in the background, singing songs in the car, playing in the playground and watching movies on the couch till I fell asleep. All the memories that I made with the man in front of me who still looked exactly the same.I looked at Michael with pain in my eyes. But then other memories surfaced, memories that I made with Alex. Things he had done to me, he had shown me. All lies and deceit.“I'm going to ask you again. Is Alexander Hudson your blood mate?” My father asked me but before my lips opened, a hand snaked around my neck and pulled me backwards. A snarl left Michael but Alex took me back further. A sharp tip touched my side and pierced my dress. A gasp left me and I tried to get away but Alex held me tighter.“One wrong move and
All I felt was despair as Alex turned me towards him, grabbed the back of my neck and pushed his lips onto mine. Disgust filled me and I tried to push him away but I couldn't. My body was frozen. All I could do was stand there as Alex forcefully pulled me against him. His lips moved against mine and his other hand encircled my waist painfully tight. He pulled his face back and looked at me. He gave me another feather light kiss. I stared into his eyes, making my feelings very obvious. “You can't fight me any longer, my dear toy. Nobody will ever be able to save you now.” He whispered very softly. That was right before the doors of the ballroom blasted open with a loud Bang. The entire crowd, including me and Alex, turned towards the source of the sound. Damon. Damon stood in the door opening, two knives protruding from his chest. Blood covered his chest, dripping on the ballroom floor. There was a head wound on the side of his face. Keddrick and two other guys were next to him. The
A vampire woman with long black hair and a white dress entered the stage. “Silence!” She hushed the crowd. She said it in a normal tone but her voice boomed through the ballroom, demanding attention. “Another one of us has found their blood mate.” She continued and whispers went through the crowd. I stared at Alex and he looked back at me, not breaking eye contact. He was wearing a dark blue suit and his light brown hair was styled back. He stepped closer to me, running his fingers over my neck in front of the crowd. Shivers ran down my body. “It is Alexander Hudson who has found his mate, one of the contenders to take over the crown.” The woman said and gasps ran through the crowd. I looked up, finding everybody staring at us. I still couldn't locate Damon. Where was he? The crowd started to blur in front of me and it was the tears in my eyes that caused it. I blinked them away. Logan and Kenna stared at me and I pleaded with them in my mind. They looked from me to Jane with terrif
‘‘But I immediately noticed you as soon as you stepped through my doors tonight. You're my daughter. Your mate Alexander will become the prince, and next in line, once he has claimed you tonight.’’ He talked further but I shut my mind off. I was absolutely sick and tired of everybody compelling my thoughts, my memories and my head. I was a person, not some toy. From the moment I was a child, compulsion lay on my mind, compelling me to forget my own father and my emotions were stashed away and not validated. It was easy for this man, just compel the humans, your own children, and don't look back. I was absolutely seething with anger. I turned back to the table, downed the rest of the whiskey or whatever it was without a hitch, and stepped past Michael, who stopped talking when I turned around. ‘‘Beatrice?’’ He asked me and I didn't answer, instead walking to the door. ‘‘Don't leave.’’ He said and it almost sounded pleading. I turned around. ‘‘Or what? You're going to compel me to stay?
I stayed moving and focused on calming down. About a thousand thoughts ran through my mind and I still felt the compulsion Alex put on me weighing me down. “What do you want?” I said in a steady voice and I felt him smile. “Alexander came to me earlier this evening. Told me something interesting about you. It seems like you're already taken. You have an interesting life ahead of you as Alexander's mate.” He said and I froze. My body kept moving with him but I looked around for Damon or Jane, hoping they could get me away right now. Instead I looked straight into the eyes of Alex. My heart stopped for a second. He looked at me, an evil smile on his face and he put his finger in front of his lips, motioning for me to stay silent. I swallowed heavily. My fingers tightened on Michael's shoulder and he turned me around, facing me away from Alex. He made me do a twirl and then caught me again, taking me to the edge of the dancefloor. “Come with me.” Michael said with authority and I looked
As soon as Kenna and Logan saw us, I was swept away in the arms of Logan in the form of a big hug. “You daredevil. Keddrick told us Damon compelled you to stay at home. He should've known better.” He said in my ear and I smiled. “I wasn't going to let you fight this alone. We are in this together. We all are.” I responded and that was true, I wasn't going to abandon them. While I couldn't tell them about what exactly happened, I still pulled Logan closer to me. “I need your help tonight.” I quickly whispered to him. He nodded and then let me go, looking away as if we didn't speak at all. He gave me a wink before turning around to the rest of the group. Kenna stood next to me and touched my arm. “I'm happy you guys are here. It was a bit nerve wrecking.” Kenna said with a nervous smile and I grabbed her arm, pulling her towards me for a half hug.My mood instantly turned sour when I heard a loud, flirtatious voice next to me. “It's starting, Damon. So exciting.” Elise said and I turne
Mania by Aaryan Shah was playing when we walked in, the whole party set in a sensual but clubby tone. I was blasted by a lot of sights. It looked like a club, the walls red and the lights dimmed. Apparently they dimmed the lights more as the night went on, raising the anticipation for hunting the pets once the doors locked. I stood in the doorway with Jane, us both gasping at the grand place. Gold statues adorned the floor, paintings of people hung all over the place and the ceiling was painted with art of naked women and men. There were hundreds of people, dancing, drinking, eating and talking.Most people were dressed in their best outfit, women wearing ball gowns and men wearing their best suits. Waiters walked around with different drinks and food and I spotted several humans with barely any clothes on, covered in puncture wounds. I saw some humans with grand dresses on as well, their cheeks already reddening by the alcohol and other activities. It looked pretty tame so far, disc