LOGINShare
24. Painful Awakening
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight 25. Desperate Decisions
(Quinn's POV)With each step I take away from home, the weight of my decision becomes heavier. Am I insane for doing this? It's not like I have another choice. Magnus cast me out, and he won't let me back in the pack until I choose my mate. If my plan works, everything goes back to normal. If I fail, and I'll have to return home and choose a mate. Alone in the darkness, a shiver runs down my spine. Maybe I am just being paranoid, but I just can’t shift the feeling that I am being watched. It is after dawn and instead of the sun rising and the birds singing, there is only silence, and I hate it. I didn’t enjoy living in the middle of nowhere before. I have always been a social person, or at least I tried to be. It isn’t easy when the only people I could interact with were the ones in the pack. When I got to London, I realised everything I had been missing out on, and I wanted it back.I think I will ever truly be happy within the confines of the pack. It's not like I have a choice in t
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight 26. Flickering Lights
(Quinn's POV)The fluorescent strip lights lining the wall of the subway flicker on and off. I don’t know what's wrong with them, it can’t be the bulbs as they are doing it at the same time. No one else exiting the station seems to pay any attention, but I am intrigued with the smallest of details, because I don’t know what is going to help me later. Even something this minor could have some significant meaning. As soon as I step foot on the street, I can tell that the city has become a ghost town. The shops are open, but there are few customers. This is worse than I thought. I walk into a small convenience store close to campus to get some supplies. I hope I can get in the dorm building, otherwise my journey here would have been for nothing. Supplies are limited, but I take as much food as I can carry. I can’t live off crisps, chocolate, and energy drinks for very long. Hopefully, there will be something healthier in the dorm from the shop we did before we left. When I reach the un
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight 27. Dangerous Desires
(Salvatore's POV)The perpetual twilight has brought the once bustling city of London to its knees. It’s a stark contrast to just a few weeks ago, when the streets were full of life and now they are eerily quiet. The pavement is worn from the countless feet that have walked over them through the decades. Each step once held a story of their own. Now they are a part of a singular tale embedded into the bones of the city. The buildings, once bustling with life, have become silent sentinels. The bricks hold the secrets within their sturdy walls. They seem to have absorbed the history of the city, like ancient mentors guarding knowledge only they possess. As I move through the historically intricate streets. The air itself carries the weight of time. It's as though the past is desperately trying to bring life back to the practically abandoned city. With each breath, I become a part of the collective experiences of those who have walked these streets before me. London has always been a cit
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight 28. Vampire Takeover
(Quinn's POV) The streets aren't what they used to be. The vibrant nightlife that's been buzzing with life only a few weeks ago is empty. From what I gather, the only bar that is open is one the vampires have taken over. It's a shame because it was the one that my friends and I loved the most. I don't want to be going in there, especially not alone, but I have no choice. I need to get answers, and I know I will not get them inside the laboratory or my room. If I could observe the vampires and see how they're reacting, it might give away more than I could find out just by listening to them. If I were a vampire, I wouldn't be out wandering the streets even though the eclipse had made it nighttime twenty-four seven. At least, not unless I was certain that there was no risk of the sun coming out. It would kill them all in an instant, and I don't think that they're suicidal. I leave the lab and head up to my room so that I can get changed. I doubt I'll fit in where I have to go, and the
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight 29. Tainted Country
(Quinn's POV) The country was far from pure before all this happened, but now it is even worse than before. What was once normal has turned into a dark seedy world, that the people here seemed to be okay with. In fact, a lot of them seemed to thrive in the new environment. I cannot understand how they can just be okay with what is happening to them, but they don’t seem to care. They are oblivious, and it is almost like they are walking around wearing blinkers. There is nothing I can do to help the people here. I take a seat at the bar and order a vodka soda. I hadn’t planned on drinking, but I need to fit in. There doesn’t seem to be any alternative to alcohol on offer here, so I just have to go with the flow and sip my drink. I need to keep my head clear and focused. It wasn’t about partying or trying to enjoy myself because the main thing is to get information, and I can’t do that if I was inebriated. A shifty looking vampire walks past me, and I can tell from his skin colour and
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight 30. Vampiric Encounters
(Quinn's POV)I follow the emo vamp inside the building and head straight to the bar. From my seat, I can see most of the open-plan layout, and the vampire I am watching isn’t hard to spot. The people here are a different class from where we had come from, and I stand out like a sore thumb.Thankfully, no one is paying any attention to me. They are all too busy trying to win it big on the casino floor. Hypnotic dance music plays in the background, and it is just another tool that they are using to keep the people here for as long as they can.Inside the building, it is a different universe from what is happening outside, and I cannot believe how far away from reality this place is. The lights and sounds are overwhelming my shifter senses, making it difficult for me to stay focused on the vampire. The car that brought him here is waiting outside for him, so at least he won’t be able to get out of here without getting past me.The bartender slides a drink in front of me and when I frown
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight 31. Compound Regrets
(Quinn's POV)Jumping onto the bed, I let my body sag into the soft mattress. I have been so stupid, and none of this would have happened if I had just stayed at the compound and choose between the twins. Now that I think about it though, I know I wouldn’t have been able to go through with the mating ritual, and if I had stayed at home, there would have been nothing I could do to stop it. No, I had done the right thing. Magnus would not have allowed me to stay otherwise. I need to stay positive and figure out a way to get out of here so that I can get on with my mission to fix whatever the vampires have done. Jumping off the bed, I stomp to the door, and pound my fists against the hard wood. I continue to bang on the door. “Let me out,” I scream at whoever is listening.It doesn’t matter how much I scream for someone to tell me why I'm here. No one answers me, not that I am shocked by the silence. I stop yelling for a minute and listen. There was someone outside my room earlier, but
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight 32. Bloodsucker's Dare
(Quinn's POV)The vampire rubs his chin as he stares at me. I feel like he is daring me to make a move. I'm not dumb enough to fall for another of the dirty bloodsuckers traps, though. It's not my style; I am smarter than that. “My name is Kai,” the vampire states in a thick Italian accent. Even from the sound of his voice, I can tell that he is old and powerful. Now that I am paying attention to him, I realise he is nothing like the other vampires I have encountered. He tosses his sunglasses on the table, and his irises are rimmed with a rich scarlet hue. I try to remain composed, refusing to show fear, and trying to remain stoic in my expression. I don’t want Kai to know that he is the first ancient I have encountered. “We have been expecting you,” He smirks.I do not know who he is or what he knows about me, and to be honest, I don’t want to find out. He thinks he knows me, which proves my theory that the vamps have been watching me. I just don’t know how long I've been on their ra
Latest chapter
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight 69. Hunter’s Revelation
(Quinn’s POV)We get dressed quickly. The air in the library is freezing against my clammy skin. Salvatore watches me as I put on my jeans. I check my pocket to make sure that Arion’s relic is still tucked safely inside. When I feel the small, solid pendant, I let out a sigh of relief. We are going to have to be more careful now that it is in our possession. It’s so tiny that it will be easy to lose, and although what just happened between us made me feel amazing, tossing my jeans on the floor with the relic in the pocket was kind of reckless. As Salvatore and I leave the mine shaft, I feel like everything is finally falling into place at last. We have something that will help us use the obsidian veil. Although we don’t know exactly how it works, I have faith that the relic changes everything. As we make our way through the dense forest, we try to be as quiet as possible. I move with caution. Every step I take is calculated. My heart pounds in my chest and adrenaline courses through
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight 68. Library Liaisons
~*~Warning the following chapter contains a sexually explicit scene. ~*~(Salvatore’s POV) We follow the path around the village until we reach an old abandoned mine shaft. It’s the most random place for a library I have ever seen, but the supernatural said it was here and I have to believe him. We venture inside the tunnel that runs into the cave, following the old cart tracks that run underground.Wherever this secret library is inside the maze of tunnels, the tracks will lead us to it. As we move deeper into the tunnels and further underground, the air is heavy with the scent of dirt and dampness. How anyone could have spent their lives working underground in such harsh conditions, I do not know. It is difficult enough for me to breathe easily in here, so I can only imagine how hard it must be for a human. We walk in silence, focusing on trying to find the hidden library. I use my vampiric sight to scan the area, looking for anything out of place, and then I see it.“Over there
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight 67. Settlement Secrets
(Quinn's POV)As the final particles of the supernatural fade out of sight, I am left standing open-mouthed. I have no idea what the gift is that she gave us, where she went, or how she knew about our encounter with Arion. Then again, nothing in this place has been straightforward. Actually, it’s like the entire universe has gone crazy since the eclipse. Hopefully, when we find the obsidian veil, things will return to normal when the sun is back. “Come on, let’s head deeper into the forest to see what we can find,” Salvatore says. “Alright,” I reply, but I am not sure if I want to explore anymore with all the strange things we have found so far. We move further away from where we met Arion, and I hope we are on the right path. The relic he said we needed to use the veil is the most important thing right now. There are way too many things that we have to do, and it’s best to focus on one thing at a time. I’ve come a long way from my mission to bring back the sun. I knew it would be
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight 66. Secluded Seduction
~*~Warning the following chapter contains a sexually explicit scene. ~*~(Salvatore’s POV) The icy chill of the air surrounds us as we stand at the edge of the secluded forest. I lock eyes with my Quinn, her piercing blue eyes seem to glow in the strange light emanating from the trees and plants inside the clearing. It is a stark contrast to the darkness that has sucked the life out of us. Quinn is determined to complete our mission, but as she looks out into the unknown, there is a vulnerability there, buried beneath her fierce exterior. We move deeper into the forest in search of the being who is allegedly causing problems for the other supernaturals who call this place home. There is something about this place that feels different. It is almost like the air around us pulsates with an energy of its own. The whole area, in fact, seems to have its own heartbeat. We don’t even know what this creature we are hunting looks like, which could cause problems if we run into more than one
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight 65. Power & Pathways
(Quinn’s POV)Even though it’s dark everywhere, somehow it seems to engulf us as we follow the path further into the dense forest. It isn’t easy to do, even with my shifter eyesight, because the path isn’t straight. It weaves through the trees, over ancient roots, and fallen branches that are thicker than my thighs. I’m glad that Salvatore is by my side. I can lean on him when it is too difficult for me to navigate. Ever since the eclipse, my senses have become more heightened in the darkness, making every rustle and whisper of the wind feel like a threat.“Are you sure this is the right way?” I ask, as we pass by a large tree that looks exactly like one we walked by five minutes ago. Even though I’m panicking, I try to keep calm despite feeling like we are lost in the middle of nowhere. I’m half expecting something to jump out on us any second. Salvatore looks at me, his eyes glow, even in our black surroundings, he presses his lips tightly together so they form a thin line as he tri
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight 64. Spring of Hope
~*~Warning the following chapter contains a sexually explicit scene.~*~(Salvatore’s POV)As we sit amongst the trees, a sense of hope washes over me. There was never any doubt in my mind that we can do anything together. But with the odds stacked against us, it seems at times an impossible task. When we walked away from the first trial unscathed, I felt a sense of accomplishment. Our strange encounter with Arion, and his words of belief, makes me feel a little lighter. I can’t help but feel like the universe has given us a push in the right direction. Maybe we aren’t as alone in this as we thought. I glance over at Quinn and she appears to have a similar belief. The fierceness that has been engraved in her aura since my brothers captured her seems softer, and there is a glimmer of optimism.I turn to Quinn, “We should get moving. We still have to find the relic.” She stands up, and we move deeper into the dense forest. As we walk, I am on high alert, looking for any sign of the nex
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight 63. Thunderous Quest
(Salvatore’s POV)The loud clash of power echoes through the glen like thunder. Quinn stands by my side, ready to fight with every inch of her being. Her presence is like a beacon fuelling my strength. Together, we will do whatever it takes to get to the mysterious relic, that is supposed to be the key to unlocking the obsidian veil. The grotesque figure looms before us. Its size makes it a formidable adversary, but we won’t back down. We have faced so much the past few weeks and we have overcome every single one of them, even when they seemed impossible. This fight is no different. I look over to Quinn and see a fire in her eyes that mirrors my own. In this moment, she is more than a powerful shifter. She is the woman I love. She is a warrior and a force to be reckoned with. Her strength fuels my own, pushing me forward.We launch at the figure, and it moves with agility that contradicts its size. It takes all of our strength just to keep it away. I watch closely as it moves, lookin
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight 62. Eerie Woods
(Quinn’s POV)We move deeper into the glen, guided by Arion’s prophecy. The air inside the ravine is filled with magic and mystery. The powerful energy I felt at the glowing rocks grows stronger with every step we take.“Quinn, look,” Salvatore says, pointing towards a clearing along the overgrown path.I squint, and notice what looks like the crumbling remains of an immense structure that seems to have been hidden from the rest of the world.“We should go check it out,” I suggest, and Salvatore nods. I’m on high alert as we carefully manoeuvre through the dense trees. Not only are we stepping into sacred ground, but I’m also on high alert. Arion said the relic was heavily guarded, and I have to be ready for anything. As we enter the clearing, I’m amazed at how beautiful the ruins are. Ivy covers the once magnificent walls. Between the vines, there are several intricate carvings poking through, and the images seem to depict some sort of great battle.“This could be where the relic is
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight 61. Echoes of Destiny
(Quinn’s POV)As we leave the cabin, the chill of the early morning air nips at my skin. Today’s plan is to head deeper into the forest so that we can make our way to Wales undetected. The sky is a canvas of muted greys, blues and purples that should give way to the warm hues of dawn, but since the eclipse happened, we haven’t seen the sun. It feels like a lifetime ago, but it’s only been a few weeks. My heart sinks at the thought of this never ending night being a permanent thing. As much as we have been trying to stop it, it feels like we keep hitting dead ends. We stick to the dusty track, following a bend in its path, until we reach a secluded glade that seems to appear out of nowhere from deep within the shadows. As we get closer, I can feel a shift in the air. Someone has cloaked this place in ancient magical. That has created a mystical aura that sends a shiver down my spine. It’s as if time stands still inside here. Even the trees seem to whisper secrets, and I’m strangely dr
