I took a deep breath and stepped towards Draven's bookshelves. I reached for one of the paper folders and briefly looked through it, hoping to find any documents signed by Draven. I found nothing. I took out a few more folders and put them on the floor. Then I crouched down and skipped the pages, but they were only printed. In another folder, I finally found his handwritten initials, D.E., but it was far from being any kind of proof. I sighed nervously and put the paper folders back in their place.
It looked like I had to go through the huge pile of documents on Draven's desk. When I got my hands on the page with Draven's full signature, I almost screamed out of happiness. My heart started to pound while I examined each letter he had written with great attention. Even from his written name, I could see that he had beautiful handwriting. His letters were perfectly curved and flawless. The edges were smooth, and each line was solid. There was nothing edgy or aggressive in his w
Draven's voice sounded calm and still, and it was probably the most terrifying tone I had ever heard. My eyes widened while my throat went perfectly dry, making me unable to swallow. Draven's eyes slowly roamed down my terrified body. Then he slammed me against the wall and caged me between his hands, on each side of my hand."I'm sorry!" I choked out hoarsely."Why are you here, Lilith?" His eyes drilled deeper, forcing me to answer his every question.The raw force Draven released upon me, considering that he stood almost naked, should have felt as intimidating as arousing, but it was the intimidating part that swallowed my brain. Within less than a second, all the possible answers ran across my head. Every lie sounded ridiculous and had the potential to get me into even more trouble."I…" My throat clenched so tightly that a single sound felt painful.Unknowingly, my eyes roamed down to my pocket, and his eyes followed. A tiny piece of th
I was the one who wanted to participate, and I was the one who agreed to be tested, but I hadn't expected a brutal wake-up before sunrise! Nonetheless, fifteen minutes later, I was wearing sports shoes, leggings, and a spandex top, following Draven to the training hall. It was still dark outside and hardly anyone was around the area, except for the patrolling guards, who were bowing to Draven as we passed them by. As soon as we walked inside, Draven went towards the table where a few swords and knives were prepared. "Pick your weapon," he said, pointing at the series of short, sparkling blades. I grabbed a ten-inch long tanto knife with a dark wooden handle. It was light, comfortable to move, and sharp enough to cut through werewolves' thick flesh. I raised the blade, presenting my choice to Draven, and he nodded, approving it. Then he smirked and walked to the middle of the training hall, dropping his sweatshirt along the way. "Attack me, Lilith." He grinned
Draven finally made me feel more comfortable by putting on a pair of sweatpants he had in a training locker. I could handle him being shirtless, and I didn't insist he wore a shirt without patching the nasty cut I gave him on the nape of his neck."I'm sorry," I said for the millionth time."Stop it, Lilith." Draven frowned. "I didn't go easy on you either, and it's good. Besides, I heal fast," he claimed with a sly smirk on his face and messaged poor Melinda to come over and patch us up.I had to admit that the bite Draven gave me hurt like hell. I limped over to the wall and leaned against it while waiting for the painkillers. Although the parts of my flesh stabbed by his teeth were already regenerating, I could only feel that the pain was getting worse. Draven stepped towards me and placed his hand on my forehead."You're getting feverish. That is my fault," he smiled apologetically."Now you're apologizing?" I chuckled, slightly shivering over
My head was spinning. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. I sat down on my bed with the phone stuck to my ear and sank into the restless silence on the other side of the phone."Lilith." Sariel exhaled my name, sending a tickling sensation across my body."Why… why do you have Martha's phone?" I asked, my voice trembling."She gave it to me… She said that you would answer knowing that it's from her," he explained.At that moment, I was both, mad and grateful for what Martha did. I thought that I would be better off without Sariel, but only after hearing his voice did I realize how badly I missed him. Nonetheless, along with the feeling of longing, heartache struck me hard."Why are you calling me?" I squeezed out of my throat. "The bond between us is already broken…""Did you seriously believe that it was the blood bond that made me be with you?" he asked softly."I think that not even the blood bond prev
I tossed and turned in my bed for long hours. My heart couldn't rest. The pounding overwhelmed my eardrums, making me deaf to any other sound. My mind replayed each one of Sariel's words over and over again. I could recall every audible breath he took and the taste that his sound left on my body. He used to be my addiction, and it hit me back hard. At that moment, I could take him back even though I knew it wasn't healthy. I think I reached the point where I couldn't differentiate whether I craved Sariel's love or love in general. It was simpler to establish what I didn't want, and that was to be hurt. As much as I couldn't deny the feelings I had for Sariel, I also knew that I was unable to trust him, especially when Elora was around. Nonetheless, with all my rationality applied and functioning, my heart still hammered for him like crazy. I needed a serious Sariel-rehab… The problem was, I couldn't just replace one drug with another.Speaking of the other potential dr
Draven grabbed my hand and led me to the seat he chose for me, which was on the left side of his. Of course, Beta Ari sat on Draven's right side. Draven pulled out a seat for me, smiling and gesturing like a true gentleman, but his kind behavior towards me quickly caused a wave of freezing air aimed at me from the opposite side of the table, where the hostile bitch was sitting. I heaved a sigh, trying to ignore my annoyance while the golden-eyed woman in front of me looked like she was preparing for a catfight. Turning my head to avoid her unexplained anger, my eyes quickly registered two more seats that stayed empty. Then I noticed that Ari was looking at the same spots with concern and impatience. Someone was running late. Draven checked the time on his watch and took a deep breath. "We'll wait," he said to Ari. "I will introduce Lilith in the meantime." Once his words sounded out, the golden-eyed stood up, hitting the table with her flat palms. "What is sh
I kept staring at the note. There was no doubt: it was the same handwriting I saw on the notes to Elora. My hands were trembling while my throat squeezed as if someone's invisible hand was wrapped around my neck, tightening the grip. I ran towards the balcony and looked through the window. There was no one there. Whoever had done this was long gone. I suspected that much, but I had to check.I wrapped my armsaround my chest as if I was trying to keep myself from falling apart. The sense of insecurity was excruciating. Someone was watching me. Which intimate parts of my life had he seen? How thoroughly had he known me? Had he hidden somewhere near me? Or was he still around to watch my every move…?Whoever it was, it must have been someone who either belonged to the pack or had access to its territory. Considering the tone of JD's notes to Elora, I doubted that he was someone who could just blend in and become an ordinary pack member. I'd rather assume that
Draven's eyes were burning with fury. He was panting dangerously close to my face, sending me an urge to step back, but I didn't. I looked into his eyes, struggling to keep my composure the best way I could. I didn't do anything wrong, and I wasn't his. The only thing I owed him was a simple explanation of my presence there, merely because he was an Alpha and I was living within his pack. "I needed to discuss something with Commander Kim. It was urgent," I explained calmly. "You looked like it was a very pleasant meeting." Draven grabbed my wrists and pulled me closer. "It must have been a very satisfying discussion." His unsubtle accusation drove me on the edge of irritation. A million smart-ass lines popped into my brain. All I had to do was choose the way to talk back. Nonetheless, I decided to be better than that. I hurriedly swung my wrists and released myself from his grip. "Patrick is my friend. He helped me with something, and I felt better an
Fucking Adragna! I could barely stand sitting in front of the Marquess or his sons, knowing that they were the ones who planned the attack on my parents. I should have squeezed my fingers around their necks and watched smug smiles disappear from their faces in agony, and yet, I was forced to keep calm, pretending I didn't know because I had no way to prove it. Those fuckers were good at killing witnesses. I hated them just as much as I hated those mongrels from the Southern Woods Pack. I was the Duke and a future king. I had the strength to crush those bastards to dust, but I had to sit there doing nothing. Why? Because King Mael said so! This old vampire thought that it would be refreshing if our annual meeting were held in his mansion in the Blue Valley, completely ignoring the fact that it was in the middle of fucking nowhere. I couldn't stay there a minute longer. I didn't care if King Mael would be pissed. I wouldn't lose his favor anyway. I was the strongest of all the
"My friend will finally wear the crown!" Martha's enthusiasm nearly made my eardrums explode. Truthfully, I couldn't care less about the crown. It was the wedding dress that was freaking me out. Who would have thought that the vows "till death do us part" would actually mean being together for at least a few centuries? I didn't doubt Sariel's love or mine for him, but still… I still hadn't sorted out the whole "vampire issue". After a month of living as a super-duper-commoner, I knew that I didn't need human blood; drinking Sariel's blood was enough for me. I was ecstatic to find out that he didn't need to drink any other blood than mine either. Will told us that it was a "mates' thing", and that this dependence would bind us forever as well as make us stronger. Yet, it didn't solve all the issues that made me anxious. Commoners lived forever, literally, and nobles had extended but limited lifespans. Would I be forced to live without Sariel? The thought of that formed a knot
"Good morning, my Queen."I would never get enough of hearing it. Sariel made it sound amazingly enticing. His smiling eyes were eating every piece of me. The intensity of his gaze made me flush. We were both naked, although I couldn't recall the moment I lost my silk nightgown. Sariel's arms were wrapping me tightly, and our legs were tangled. The air around us was saturated with arousal, so electrifying that the mere spark could cause an explosion. As my eyes roamed down from Sariel's eyes to his lips, I saw a smug grin. One breath later, his hands cupped my buttocks, lifting me slightly so I could feel his erection against my sex. I gasped."I see you're all healed," I chuckled nervously."Almost…" he smirked. "Now I need a different kind of therapy."His lips blocked mine before I could say anything else. He pinned my hands down on both sides of my head and deepened the kiss with passionate, lush licks. As I surrendered to his caresses, his han
According to the legendWill found, the mate's blood had the greatest effect on the full moon. Well… no surprise there. Conveniently for us, the full moon was tomorrow. The problem was that the whole ritual was quite risky since it required unplugging Sariel from any monitoring equipment in order to grant us an intimate environment. The healing ritual should have been performed between the two mates alone, without any disturbances. I could actually agree with that last one. The moment when we exchanged blood last time, well... I wouldn't want anyone to be around when it happened. Still, I was restless. What if we unplugged Sariel because we believed the legend, and he would die because of this choice?I asked Will if I could read everything he found about that legend, and he agreed to bring me all the centuries-old books that had mentioned something like "mates" among vampires. The moment I began to read it, my heart started to pound. The words describing the bond
After coming back to the Palace, I was dragged away from Sariel. The King was unconscious, and the reign of the kingdom had to be settled immediately. I was led to the study, where I met Gabriel, a group of lawyers, and Leo. I had no idea what my role was in all of this, and I didn't care. I would rather sit by Sariel's bed until he woke up, yet Leo firmly held my hand, convincing me to stay. He told me that there was a certain protocol I, as the queen-to-be, should follow. Reluctantly, I gave up and decided to listen.One of the lawyers stepped forward. He held a sealed envelope. He showed everyone the unbroken seal, and then he opened the content. It was an emergency protocol. It was only supposed to be open if something happened to the King. Acknowledging the reason we were gathered in that room made my head spin. I was suffocating. I stumbled, taking a step back. It was too much. Sariel wasn't dead! I couldn't bear to do anything as if he had already died!"It's on
When I saw Jarred standing over Sariel, who was lying on the ground, my heart stopped beating. My King was bleeding heavily from multiple cuts on his chest, his shoulders, his arms… When I ran into the arena and stopped in the middle, everyone's eyes shifted to me. I struggled to take a breath as the tears flooded my cheeks. Jarred growled and gestured at two standing-by guards so they could take me out of there. Jarred should have known better than to send two rogue werewolves against me. As I roared warningly and pulled out my claws, the wolves stepped back, recognizing my strength.I knew that I couldn't interfere in Sariel's fight. I was no match for Jarred, nor did I want to take away Sariel's pride. The only thing I could do was to bring back his will and courage. I couldn't lose him when we had just gotten each other back. As he turned his head towards me, I met his eyes. Their fire was slowly dying. The view devastated me, but I was not allowed to give up.
I ran towards the screen, processing the situation. The arena was surrounded by a rising ring of metal constructions with wooden boards lying on them, creating a provisional place to stand or walk. A few seconds later, Sariel and Jarred were joined by the audience. They stood on each floor of the construction. They were Jarred's men: rogue wolves and commoner vampires, hiding their flesh under the thick hoods and robes. The outcasts. They were all chanting Jarred's name and spitting underneath Sariel's feet. I could hear their spiteful voices coming through the speakers. Hearing their hatred tore my heart apart, but Sariel seemed unmoved. My King stood proudly, glaring at his enemy while he enticed the crowd, fueling their furious shouts. "Where's Lilith?" Sariel clenched his fist, seeking my presence in the audience. Jarred raised his hand, silencing the crowd, before speaking, "My Sister is safe. She is resting in her room." He curved his lips into a smile, but his
I turned towards the door and observed the overly tall shape of a man emerging from the shadows of the corridor. As he passed the threshold of my cell, I stepped back, soaking my bare feet in the puddle of Ian's blood. My instincts forced me to keep the right distance despite the circumstances. His dangerous aura filled every corner of the room, making every breath more and more uncomfortable.A second later, I saw a man with wavy, naturally ruffled black hair. The irises of his eyes were green with light shades of gold, captivatingly glowing in his olive complexion. He had strongly underlined cheekbones and a sharp jawline, giving him a highly intimidating look. As he entered, his eyes were locked on me. He never spared a glance at Ian's bloodied corpse. He stepped forward, and I instantly stepped back. Once I did, his full faint-pink lips formed a wicked smirk. He walked my way until my steps back brought me against the wall.He easily towered over me, shutting me in
"Lilith." Someone cautiously called my name, pulling me back to awareness.Waking up was hard. It instantly brought me pain before I could even open my eyes. My mouth twisted in a silent scream as I felt my body burning from the inside. My senses were dull, and I could barely feel anything except the pain."Silver is still in your blood. Try not to move; it will be less painful that way," the low voice advised.As more of my consciousness came back, I found myself lying on the bed. I opened my eyes and saw my hands in shackles, restrained by chains on both sides of the bed. There was also a cold metallic collar on my neck. The advice I heard was accurate: the pain lessened as soon as I stooped to move, yet I needed to find out more to evaluate my situation. I slowly turned my head to the source of the voice and saw Ian standing beside my bed.I instantly frowned. "Traitor," I mumbled.He smiled wryly. "I merely chose to be someone better than a dri