NaomiCal slams the heavy wooden door behind us, his strong arms hauling me up the creaky stairs. His grunts and heavy breaths echo through the narrow hallway, alerting the others of our arrival. At the top of the stairs, Odette stands with a smug smile on her face, her eyes glinting with mischief as she watches me being dragged towards her. Cal stops us in front of her, her hand resting possessively on his chest as she gazes up at him. Her fingers trail lower, dancing lightly over his abdomen as she purrs, “Everything is ready.” Her eyes finally turn to me, and I feel a sudden wave of unease wash over me. “I hope you enjoyed your time with your little pet,” she taunts, her lips curling into a sly smirk. The tension in the room grows thicker as I wait for what’s coming next.Cal’s gaze never wavers from her, studying every inch of her face with intense focus. She returns his stare, her brow furrowing in confusion before she turns to Tobin, who has appeared beside her in a flash. “Tobin
NaomiI was confined to my room, with Tobin and Ataz standing guard on either side of the door. Their silence was suffocating, but their disdain for wolves and rogues echoed through the stone walls, their harsh words stinging like barbed wire. I tried my best to ignore them, focusing instead on the delicate threads of the gossamer white gown they had given me to wear for the ritual. The fabric clung to my skin like a second layer, revealing every curve and dip of my body. It was almost transparent in its sheerness, but they insisted I wear it as if it held some significance. Perhaps it was meant to showcase my purity before the gods, or perhaps it was simply another form of humiliation. Either way, I felt exposed and vulnerable as I waited for the ceremony to begin.I sat on my bed, fingers nervously tracing the intricate patterns of the quilt beneath me. The stars twinkled outside my window, their brilliance amplified by the dark night sky. The moon, nearly at its peak, cast a silvery
NaomiThe rhythmic chanting of the group swirls around me, carried by a gentle breeze that tickles my skin. Goosebumps rise and trail over my body, sending shivers down my spine. My breath catches in my throat as I glance up at the full moon, its pale light casting a spine-chilling light over the scene. With each passing moment, it feels like there is ice coursing through my veins, making it harder and harder to catch my breath. “Fuck!” I mutter under my breath.I can feel my magic, like a gentle stream flowing through me, but no matter how I try to grasp it, it slips through my fingers like fine grains of sand. The only warmth I can sense is from the flickering light of the candles placed at my ankles, their flames dancing and crackling with an intense energy. As I strain my neck to look up, “It is time,” I hear one of them speak, their voice muffled and distorted by the unnatural angle. The flames around me seem to grow taller and fiercer, casting an orange glow across my skin and i
CalyxAgonizing pain consumed me, as if my heart and soul were being scorched by flames. The thread that connected Naomi and I disappeared, severing our bond. I could see her writhing in the grass, bound under the light of the full moon, and I feared that even my most powerful magic may not be enough to save her. She contorted and shook, her body struggling in her binds. Odette muttered something beside me, but my eyes remained fixed on Naomi as tears spirted from her eyes. Then, with a jolt, she collapsed to the ground, her once vibrant and energetic spirit now reduced to a lifeless heap. The candles that had flickered around us in a circle now sputtered and died out as she lay in a pool of her own blood.Dead.She was dead. I pushed through it and stood up, letting out a guttural roar that reverberated through the surroundings. “WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE!!!” My voice boomed with rage and grief. Odette, Tobin, and Ataz looked visibly unsettled as they stood before me, their metal m
CalyxAs I chanted the incantation, my magic fizzled and sparked, but ultimately did nothing. Frustration gnawed at me as I waited for some sign of success. Nothing … my magic did nothing. Perhaps because it had worked, and I just had to wait. It was something witches could do. Reincarnation would increase their powers. I had done it several times but there was normally a spell you had to say prior and the faint amount of magic Naomi possessed, I wasn’t sure if it was enough. The air hung heavy with disappointment as I realised my mistake and wondered if it was too late to fix it.My magic had been used to heal her wounds, and now she lay before me, seemingly at peace. Her cheeks, still stained with tears, were evidence of the pain she had endured. And yet, she looked ethereal in her white gossamer gown, which billowed in the breeze like an angel’s wings. I needed to complete the rest of the process by clinging to the hope that it might help her transformation.“Careful pet … you’re m
NaomiI watched it all. My body crumpled on the ground as Calyx mourned me. His fight with his coven. How he recoiled from the bond Odette had forged between them. I watched it all a wisp on the wind separated from my body as I tried to focus on what had happened but there was no denying it - I was dead. The air around me felt cold and heavy, as if even nature itself was mourning my passing.Despite the cruel and cold demeanour of Cal, seeing the look on his face as he lifted my broken body shattered me. The fear and vulnerability in his expression were unlike anything I had ever seen from him before, as he cradled me in his arms and gently placed me on the nearby bench. His pristine grey robes were now stained with my blood, but it seemed to have no effect on him as he paid them no mind, fully focused on me.“Cal,” With tears stinging my eyes, I tried to call out to Cal as he frantically dug into the earth. His face was twisted in intense concentration, muttering to himself like a ma
NaomiI sat by Cal’s side, watching him sleep as I tried to come up with a way to help him. Suddenly, time seemed to reverse and everything that had just happened was undone. Odette walked backwards down the stairs, meticulously retying Cal’s robe and sealing up his wounds as the blade slid back into place. Tobin and Ataz appeared before them, lifting Cal and carrying him back up the steps. The sun rose and set in rapid succession as they all came and went from the cellar. I even witnessed the disturbing interactions between myself, Odette, and Cal - how he used my body for his own pleasure without any remorse. Time sped up until the Manor around us transformed, its walls now adorned with unfamiliar faces that I could no longer recognise. It was disorienting and unsettling to say the least.As I stood in the open field, a sense of emptiness washed over me. The once grand Manor House, with its promise of luxury and opulence, was yet to be built. But even in its absence, the surroundings
NaomiI waited with bated breath, my body quivering in anticipation as I heard the voice speak to me once again. “Arise Naomi West!” The words rang out like a command, and suddenly my soul snapped back into my body with a heavy jolt. As I opened my eyes, I could feel the weight of the dirt-packed ceiling pressing down on me. But instead of feeling weak and drained like before, my magic now felt alive and electric, pulsing beneath my skin like a live wire. It was as if every cell in my body was humming with power, ready to unleash its potential.The weight of the ground was crushing, my chest heaving as I struggled for breath. Why did he have to pack everything down so tightly? My arm trembled as I desperately tried to wiggle it free, channelling my magic in a feeble attempt to escape. Unlike Cal, Tobin, Ataz and Odette, I had no formal training in harnessing my powers. I could feel the energy within me, pulsing and wild, but I had no idea how to wield it to do my bidding. My heart pou