SERENA'S POVI wake up the next morning with a burning anger simmering beneath my skin. Frustration coils in my chest like a snake, tightening its grip with every breath I take. The events of yesterday replay in my mind on an endless loop—my father's controlling grip on my life, his suffocating rules, his ruthless determination to keep me away from Damon. It all fuels the fire raging inside me, a wildfire of defiance that refuses to be extinguished.Throwing the blankets off me, I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and sit up, running a shaky hand through my tangled hair. My jaw clenches as I try to will away the sharp sting of helplessness curling in my stomach. I refuse to be powerless. I refuse to let him dictate my life. With renewed determination, I yank open my wardrobe, pull on my uniform in stiff, deliberate movements, and sling my backpack over my shoulder. Every motion feels like an act of rebellion, no matter how small.Downstairs, the house is eerily silent, but the ai
SERENA'S POV*What are you thinking, Serena?*Cassidy and Luna's voices barely register in my mind as I remain trapped in my own thoughts. My bodyguard, Lucian, is an oppressive shadow behind me, his presence suffocating, a constant reminder of the cage my father has placed around me. My stomach churns with frustration, my fingers tightening around the edge of my locker as I glance toward my friends. Lowering my voice to a whisper, I murmur just loud enough for them to hear."I need to find a way to evade him," I breathe, desperation lacing my words. "There has to be some way to slip past him, even for just a few minutes."Before I can even process my next thought, a firm, unrelenting grip clasps around my wrist. My heart lurches as I snap my head up, locking eyes with Lucian's unreadable, piercing gaze."I can hear you," he states flatly, his voice devoid of any amusement. "Enhanced senses. Your whispers might as well be shouts."Damn it. A sharp pang of realization cuts through me.
SERENA'S POVRight now, the only thing consuming my mind is finding a way to evade the relentless presence of Lucian, the ever-watchful vampire bodyguard standing like an immovable force at the entrance of my classroom. Cassidy, Luna, and I have already devised a plan—a desperate attempt at freedom. Whether it will work or not, we don't know. But at this point, we have no choice but to try.Lucian is no fool. He knows we're up to something, and his suspicion lingers in the air like a storm waiting to break. We are well aware that he has likely heightened his senses, making him ten times more perceptive than before. He is watching us, analyzing our every move, waiting for us to slip. But that's fine. Because we are watching him too.Throughout the entire class, I can feel his gaze drilling into me, a constant reminder of the chains wrapped around my freedom. His frustration is palpable, especially since he cannot decipher what we are plotting. Our whispers would have given us away, but
The air between them is thick with heat, a wild, uncontrollable force that neither of them can fight any longer. Damon's grip on her tightens, his hands pressing her against the rough bark of the tree as if she is the only thing keeping him tethered to this world. His breath is ragged, his chest rising and falling with the same desperate hunger that courses through her veins.His lips trail along her neck, his fangs grazing her skin, sending an electric shiver down her spine. She clutches onto his hair, her fingers weaving through the soft strands as he presses his body against hers. A soft gasp escapes her when his tongue brush down her chest, tracing the curves of her body with possessive intent. Every touch is a claim, a silent declaration of a desire too long restrained.Damon moves with unrelenting need, his hands sliding beneath the fabric of her shirt, his fingers slowly undoing each button with agonizing precision. The moment her bra comes undone, his lips find her skin, press
Isabella sits motionless in her classroom, her fingers drumming lightly against the polished surface of her desk, her expression a mask of simmering rage. Around her, the school buzzes with the aftermath of the earlier chaos—the fire alarm has sent students into a frenzy, but now the initial excitement is fading. None of it matters to Isabella. The world outside her seething thoughts is insignificant. Her mind is fixated on a singular purpose: revenge.She replays the events of yesterday, the sting of betrayal carving deeper into her heart with each recollection. Damon had dared to strike her—to slap her—over that wretched half-breed. The memory of it is a scorching brand against her pride. Her blood burns with indignation, her magic simmering just beneath the surface, aching for release. Serena will pay for this. For all of it.As her anger churns, her power responds instinctively. The pen on her desk lifts into the air, spinning slowly at first before picking up speed, a silent exte
DAMON'S POVThe evening garden feels increasingly suffocating under Isabella's seething presence. The ornamental trees and flowering bushes that should provide comfort now seem to close in around us like a verdant prison. Her threats echo through the carefully manicured landscape, venom lacing every carefully articulated word, each syllable dripping with malicious intent. I hold Serena close to my side, her warmth against me the only reassurance in this nightmare, my mind racing through our dwindling options like leaves scattered in an autumn storm. None of the possibilities that present themselves are ideal or even remotely promising. Fighting Isabella outright is dangerous—perhaps suicidal given her growing powers—and running blindly through unfamiliar territory could lead us straight into another meticulously planned trap."We need to get out of here," I murmur against her hair, my grip tightening protectively on Serena's slender hand, feeling the delicate bones beneath her soft s
DAMON'S POVThe library is quiet and still with no soul in sight, the tall wooden shelves standing like ancient sentinels among the dust motes that dance lazily in the beams of afternoon sunlight filtering through the high windows. Serena clings to me tightly, her breathing still uneven and shallow, her slender body trembling slightly against mine, radiating waves of fear that I can almost taste in the air between us. I can still hear Isabella's venomous threats echoing in my mind, her unbridled rage vibrating through the air like the aftershocks of an earthquake even though she is no longer physically present. And judging by the way Serena's grip on my arm tightens with painful intensity, her fingernails leaving crescent-shaped indentations in my skin, she can hear those threatening echoes too.She looks up at me, her normally bright blue eyes now clouded with worry and uncertainty, resembling a stormy sea rather
SERENA'S POVOh, good goddess, we are definitely screwed this time. My heart pounds relentlessly in my chest, each beat hammering against my ribs like a desperate warning as I watch Lucian storm toward us, undisguised fury radiating off him in palpable waves. His chiseled features contort into an expression that is an alarming mixture of righteous rage and unyielding duty, his knuckles turning white as his grip on his sleek black phone tightens. He is clearly preparing to make the fateful call that will inevitably seal my doom. My father will hear about this transgression—this blatant defiance of his explicit orders—and I cannot even begin to imagine the volcanic eruption that will follow. A cold shiver races down my spine as countless possible scenarios flash through my mind. I know one thing for absolute certain—he is not going to take this betrayal lightly, not after everything he has sacrificed to keep our family
DAMON'S POVI've never been this afraid in my entire immortal life.Not when I first turned and felt my humanity slipping away like sand through desperate fingers. Not during my worst hunts through pitch-black forests with nothing but instinct guiding me. Not even when I fought my way out of a vampire pit at seventeen with nothing but a broken fang and pure, undiluted rage burning through my veins like acid.This—this—is something else entirely. Something that makes my ancient blood run cold.Serena is on her knees in the middle of the ruined living room, surrounded by splintered furniture and shattered glass. Her arms are bent at unnatural, impossible angles behind her, trembling violently like leaves in a hurricane. Her head is thrown back at a painful tilt, her mouth slightly open in a silent scream, and her eyes... gods, her eyes are rolled up so far I only
SERENA'S POVThe pain is indescribable—beyond any human language's capacity to capture its essence.It's not just in my head—it is my head in its entirety. It feels like someone's driving razor-sharp claws straight into the soft tissue of my brain, methodically twisting and shredding every coherent thought, every cherished memory, every fundamental shred of who I am at my core. I can't breathe through the agony. I can't form a single rational thought.I can barely maintain a sense that I exist at all.Isabella watches me with predatory intensity, her expression twisted into a sick, delighted smile that reveals too many teeth. Her glowing crimson eyes drink in my excruciating pain like it's an exquisite feast prepared solely for her consumption. There's unmistakable hunger there. Desperate, primal need. Something infinitely deeper and more disturbing
SERENA'S POVThe air turns heavier with every breath I take. It doesn't just press on my chest—it crushes it with the weight of impending doom. Like trying to breathe through viscous tar. Thick. Suffocating. Oppressive. Every labored inhale feels like it might be the last, my lungs straining against an invisible force that seeks to silence me forever.I see it in the others too—the unmistakable strain, the slow, painful unraveling of their strength. Damon's broad shoulders sag visibly, his normally perfect stance losing the military precision that usually defines him. His once-fluid movements grow increasingly sluggish, as if he's fighting through waist-deep water, each strike requiring double the effort. Cassidy stumbles mid-swipe, her dancer's grace momentarily abandoning her as she barely dodges a vampire's yellowed claw that slices the air mere inches from her flushed face. A fraction slower and her fles
SERENA'S POV The fear around me isn’t just thick—it’s suffocating, pressing into my chest with invisible hands, making it hard to breathe. It’s not panic. It’s worse. It’s the knowing kind—the kind that seeps into your bones when your body realizes you might not survive.Vampires pour into the room like a flood let loose. Their eyes burn with frenzy, fangs gleam wet with blood, and every last one of them is locked on me. I can feel their hunger like heat against my skin. My breath catches in my throat, shallow and useless. My legs refuse to move. Every muscle in my body screams to run, to fight, to do something—but I can’t even figure out where to go. There’s nowhere safe. No space left.“Hold the line!” Damon’s voice slices through the chaos like thunder cracking the sky.And then—just like that—they’re around me.Damon, Cassidy, Luna, Brooke, Ryan, Brian—they close ranks with the kind of coordination that only comes from shared survival. It’s instinctual. Protective. Fierce. They d
SERENA'S POVThe moment Brian and Cassidy step into the living room from their hiding place, I see it in their eyes. That shimmer of gold, pulsing beneath the surface like molten metal struggling to break free, tells me everything I need to know. It's their werewolf instincts kicking in—heightened senses, sharpened awareness, primal intuition thrumming beneath human skin. We were not the only ones who felt it. That oppressive pressure in the air, like the sky itself dropped a few feet lower, crushing us beneath its invisible weight. That split-second stretch of time, how the shadows dragged just a little too long, as if something unseen pulled at them, toying with reality itself. Something is terribly, dangerously wrong.Cassidy's eyes narrow, sweeping over the large space like a blade ready to strike. Her posture shifts, muscles coiling tight beneath her skin, tense and poised like a predator se
SERENA’S POVThe warmth still lingers between us—tender, quiet, and deeply comforting.I tug my shirt over my head and smooth my hair down with a soft exhale as Damon finishes buttoning his jeans. There's a softness in his gaze, a kind of afterglow that transcends the physical—it's emotional, magnetic, and hard to look away from. We don’t need to speak. The way he reaches over and intertwines our fingers says more than a thousand whispered words ever could. We’re wrapped in something real, something deeper than desire.As we step out of the room and descend the winding spiral staircase, the low hum of laughter and conversation rises to greet us. Down in the cozy living area, Luna, Ryan, and Brooke sit huddled around a rustic wooden table, a deck of cards splayed between them like a colorful puzzle. Luna’s fingers move with elegant flair, each shuffle deliber
DAMON'S POVHer words, raw and demanding – "Give me all of you. Now." – resonate deep within the core of my being, echoing through me like a physical blow. They send a powerful tremor down my spine, a vibration that has absolutely nothing to do with the lingering, pleasant tension of bringing her to a shattering release just moments before. This is something new, something fiercely reciprocal. My gaze locks with hers, instantly captivated, drowning in the brilliant, almost feverish shine that illuminates her eyes from within. I see the deep, becoming flush staining her high cheekbones, spreading down her neck – undeniable, visceral proof of the inferno I deliberately stoked within her soul. An inferno that now rages with an almost desperate need for completion, for absolute possession. She wants me. All of me. Badly. The knowledge is a potent drug, intoxicating and overwhelmingly satisfying.A lo
DAMON'S POVI can't help it. The need claws at me, an overwhelming tide that’s been building for hours, days, maybe longer. It’s a physical ache deep in my gut, a frantic energy buzzing just beneath my skin. And now… now she’s here. Right in front of me, in my apartment, the very place my fantasies have played out a thousand times. There’s nothing between us, no watchful eyes, no imminent interruption – at least, not yet.I know this is borrowed time. A stolen moment before the world, before her father, inevitably discovers she’s gone and rips her away again. That knowledge sharpens the edge of my desire, making every second precious, potent. There’s no room for discussion, no time for hesitant talk. Action is the only language that makes sense right now.With a low growl rising in my chest, I surge forward, pinning her against the cool wood of
SERENA’S POVThe night air is cool on my skin as Damon holds me close, carrying me as though I’m the most precious thing in the world. His strong, steady arms beneath me feel reassuring, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat vibrating against my cheek as I rest my head against his chest. It’s the only sound I focus on as we finally reach the apartment, my heart pounding—not just from the run, not just from the fear, but from the overwhelming swirl of emotions inside me: relief, joy, love... hunger.Damon pushes the door open, the scent of warm takeout and something faintly herbal filling the air, but there’s something else too—a tension, thick and unspoken. Inside, his friends are sprawled across the living room, a deck of cards scattered across the table between them. Brian, Ryan, and Brooke all look up in unison, their eyes widening slightly as they take in the sight of Damon cra