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38. Shadows of Trust
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2023-09-18 23:06:31
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Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight   39. Veil of Secrets
(Quinn's POV) The air in the mansion is heavy with secrets. Every floorboard inside the old building holds a story of a time long ago. Itâs been hours since my conversation with Salvatore, but his words weigh heavy on my mind. Trusting a vampire seems like another one of my stupid ideas, and I have been making a lot of them recently. Itâs like I enjoy playing stupid games with my life, but I donât. Iâm helpless and, as the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures. There is nothing more miserable than a lone wolf an outcast from the pack. Or at least that was what I thought until I was captured by a shifterâs mortal enemy... A clan of vampires. With the other members of the Seven preoccupied with whatever has been keeping them away from the living quarters, it feels like I can breathe a little easier. Despite the weight of the collar, that is still wrapped around my neck. The absence of their evil presence makes me feel like some of the darkness that has been weighing
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2023-09-20Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight   40. Shadows of Revelation
(Salvatore's POV)We have been inside my study for hours. Having someone else in here with me feels strange. The fact that it is Quinn brings me a little comfort. I just hope the others donât come home and realise she is not in her room. As we look at the text, Quinnâs concentration is commendable. She moves a stray hair away from her face, and frowns at the intricate drawings in the book. Every part of her face shows her determination. Her fingers trace something on the page, and she turns to me. âSalvatore, what is this?â she asks. I glance at her book. âIâm not sure, but I donât think it relates to the perpetual twilight,â I reply. âWell, Iâm sure I have seen it before. I just canât remember where,â she frowns. âItâs not just a random mark, itâs a symbol of some sort.âI study the intricate lines, tracing the curves with my fingers. âYouâre right, Quinn. Thereâs something precise about the design thatâs more than just random lines.âQuinn gasps, âThis could be the breakthrough we
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2023-09-21Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight   41. Sanctuary and Secrets
(Quinn's POV)The metallic taste of blood assaults my tongue as I blink against the darkness. Flashbacks of Dante hitting me over and over, flickers, between my focus as the room gradually fades. Iâm in so much pain, every breath sears through my body like a hot poker. Another brutal reminder of what he did to me. How he knew I had been upstairs, I donât know. Maybe he smelt me, or maybe he was somehow watching the mansion while he was away.Pain. Darkness. Bedroom. Brutality, itâs a constant loop. I catch a glimpse of the room and notice the walls are a deep shade of blue. I wish I could keep my eyes open long enough to make sure Iâm safe, but Iâm fighting against my injuries and my body needs to heal. Eventually my surroundings come into focus, every inch of my body screams in pain. I try to sit up, but a sharp stabbing pain stops me. Every muscle in my body aches. I can sense Salvatoreâs presence in the room, but I canât see him from this position. But the fact he is here with me m
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2023-09-22Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight   42. Enigma Unravelled
(Salvatore's POV)The air in my room hangs heavy with the weight of everything we are up against. I only left Quinn alone for a few minutes while I went to the study to get the book containing the mysterious symbol. When I return to my bedroom, Quinn is still staring at the painting, as she frantically tries to write each letter and number hidden within the artwork in the hopes of decoding the cryptic message. I carefully place the book on an ornate wooden table in the centre of my suite. Quinnâs body still bears the marks of my brotherâs brutal assault, but despite her pain, her eyes remain fixed on the painting that holds the key to our salvation.Each of us has a task, and we are both determined to uncover our part of the mystery. We work in silence. The only sound in the room is a pen on paper, but in my heart a storm of rage and guilt churns. I know I am not the one who physically hurt Quinn, but I still feel responsible. If I hadnât let her roam the mansion freely in their absen
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2023-09-23Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight   43. Darkest Desires
(Quinn's POV) My heart pounds so hard I think itâs going to burst right out of my chest. I stand in Salvatoreâs bedroom. My body is battered and bruised from Danteâs beating. My mind is swirling from the kiss and everything we have discovered. I should be feeling broken, yet I feel strangely alive. There is something about Salvatoreâs lips on mine. I should feel disgusted. He is supposed to be my enemy, but in this moment, I want him, more than I have ever wanted anyone. My body hums with desire, and I feel more powerful than ever before. A warmth spreads through my core, and I feel compelled by his presence. The way that he looks at me tells me he is feeling the same, and seeing how much he wants me causes the ache between my legs to throb even more. When I came back to London, I was trying to find out about the perpetual twilight so I could bring back the sun and take back my life. When I was captured by the seven, I thought it was the end, but now I know that we can do this, an
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2023-09-24Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight   44. Twilight Conspiracy
(Salvatore's POV)Now that we have a location, I look at the map for where I need to go. I will have to investigate it out alone. It is too risky to take Quinn away from the mansion. My brother hurt her enough for just going upstairs. Thankfully, he does not know that she has been in the study with me. Before I leave, I want to fill her in on the vampire hierarchy, so she understands how we work, in order to protect herself not only while Iâm away, but also for when this is all over. The single candle bathes the room in a dim glow, casting shadows on the walls. I lean back and the worn leather chair creaks beneath my weight. Quinn looks up at me, her eyes wide and eager. âThe vampire mafia operates on with a delicate balance of power,â I state, my gaze fixed on Quinn. âMy family is at the top. We oversee every major decision within our organisation. Over the centuries, we have seen many empires rise and fall, some under our hand. My brothers are not like other vampires you may have c
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2023-09-25Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight   45. Candlelit Confessions
(Quinn's POV)As I walk inside the study, I realise I will never get used to all these candles. The dimly lit room casts eerie shadows on the ancient artifacts and dusty books inside, making the atmosphere feel heavy with mystery. My heartbeat slows down as I take a seat next to Salvatore at the wooden table. I glance across at him, as he starts looking through an old manuscript looking for any information about the obsidian veil.âAre you sure weâll find something in here?â I whisper. âSurely if any of these books mentioned the veil, we would have found it when we were looking for information about the perpetual twilight.âSalvatore nods absentmindedly as he tries to focus. His amber eyes glow red in the flickering candlelight. âThat was before we knew anything about it. If it truly does exist, then it will be in here somewhere. If we can unlock its secrets, it could change everything.âI bite my lip, considering the implications. Finding the Obsidian Veil has quickly become an obses
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2023-09-26Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight   46. Intense Desire
~*~Warning the following chapter contains a sexually explicit scene. ~*~(Quinn's POV)Salvatore stares at me intensely. His gaze burns into my soul, igniting a spark that quickly turns into an inferno of passion deep inside me. âQuinn,â he whispers, his voice rough with need. âI want you.â He points at the spot in front of his feet, and I move towards him. He wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer as his lips crash into mine in a frenzy. Iâm completely consumed by him, as I surrender to my desire.One by one, he slowly removes my clothes and tosses them in a pile on the cold stone floor. Salvatoreâs muscly tattooed arms wrap around me as he pulls me into his embrace. I crave his touch. Thereâs nothing I want more in this moment than his hands on my body. Finally, he breaks away and starts to explore every inch of me. His hands wander lazily over the curves of my breasts, before they trail towards my bum. âPlease,â I whimper, arching into him as my desire turns dark with need.
āļāļĢāļąāļāļāļĢāļļāļāļĨāđāļēāļŠāļļāļ : 2023-09-27
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Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight   69. Hunterâs Revelation
(Quinnâs 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 Arionâs 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. Itâs 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 donât 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. ~*~(Salvatoreâs POV) We follow the path around the village until we reach an old abandoned mine shaft. Itâs 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.âOver 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, itâs 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. âCome on, letâs head deeper into the forest to see what we can find,â Salvatore says. âAlright,â 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 itâs best to focus on one thing at a time. Iâve 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. ~*~(Salvatoreâs 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 donât 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
(Quinnâs POV)Even though itâs dark everywhere, somehow it seems to engulf us as we follow the path further into the dense forest. It isnât easy to do, even with my shifter eyesight, because the path isnât straight. It weaves through the trees, over ancient roots, and fallen branches that are thicker than my thighs. Iâm 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.âAre you sure this is the right way?â I ask, as we pass by a large tree that looks exactly like one we walked by five minutes ago. Even though Iâm panicking, I try to keep calm despite feeling like we are lost in the middle of nowhere. Iâm 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.~*~(Salvatoreâs 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 canât help but feel like the universe has given us a push in the right direction. Maybe we arenât 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, âWe should get moving. We still have to find the relic.â 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
(Salvatoreâs 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 wonât 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
(Quinnâs POV)We move deeper into the glen, guided by Arionâs 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.âQuinn, look,â 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.âWe should go check it out,â I suggest, and Salvatore nods. Iâm on high alert as we carefully manoeuvre through the dense trees. Not only are we stepping into sacred ground, but Iâm also on high alert. Arion said the relic was heavily guarded, and I have to be ready for anything. As we enter the clearing, Iâm 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.âThis could be where the relic is
Rejected Crown: Perpetual Twilight   61. Echoes of Destiny
(Quinnâs POV)As we leave the cabin, the chill of the early morning air nips at my skin. Todayâs 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 havenât seen the sun. It feels like a lifetime ago, but itâs 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. Itâs as if time stands still inside here. Even the trees seem to whisper secrets, and Iâm strangely dr
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