CereliaThe closer we get to our pack house, the more out of control my nerves get. Damon is unpredictable at the best of times and I don’t know what his reaction will be to seeing Hilda and King Arlo.He accepted Soren as my mate only because he knew the mating bond had snapped into place and he didn’t want to hurt me by denying me close proximity to my mate. Our pack members believed he was also tired of the constant losses caused by the war with Soren’s pack, but Damon likes war.I love my brother. He looked out for me all our lives and protected me like I’m some fragile treasure. My father wasn’t around much after my mother died, as though being at home with his children was some kind of terrible burden. Damon stepped into the void left by my parents, loving and caring for me all through my childhood.I adored him growing up and it was only at around 16 or so that I became aware that our relationship wasn’t completely normal. He didn’t like other boys looking at me and the way he
DamonI don’t know what the hell is going on here, but I definitely don’t like it. They’ve infected my sister with magic and turned her into one of those harpies who think they should act like one of the boys. I won’t turn my back on her. We’ll find a way to get her back to normal.“What happened to you?” I ask in a low voice, trying to pull her away from Soren. “Did he have you enchanted in some way? Don’t worry, we’ll find a way to fix…whatever this is,” I say, gesturing at the glowing orb.“Damon, please, there’s no time,” Cerelia begs, her big blue eyes staring up at me. I’ve never been able to resist that pleading look.After my mother died, my dad kind of disappeared from our lives too. There was always food in the house, but someone had to prepare it. I was 10 and Cerelia 3 when I made her a sandwich and a cup of milk for the first time and she looked at me like I hung the moon.Nothing else in the world has ever come close to the way I felt that day. Like a hero. Someone to be
Arlo“I’m just dying to know what those plans were, Damon,” I say silkily. Feeling great satisfaction when he flinches away in fear. I can smell his agitation and it makes me want to attack so badly. He’s weaker than I am and he’s a threat to my mate, I should eliminate him right here and now. It would be over in a second.Unfortunately I promised Hilda I wouldn’t. She got impatient with how long Soren and Cerelia were taking and convinced me that time was of the essence and I had to control my inner beast for the sake of everyone’s lives. I’m not sure at this moment if it’s worth it.Hilda wraps both her hands around one of mine. “Save your energy for a real challenge, baby. He’s nothing but a distraction.” Damon wants to snarl at her, but his survival instinct seems to override his bad judgment and he settles for pretending not to have heard Hilda.I have to stop thinking about him putting his hands on her or I’m going to lose it. “Soren, is it okay if Arlo and I go to your cottage
Hilda I’d love to stay right here and roll around on the floor with my king, but we have to get this done. It feels less weird being in Soren’s cabin with my true mate than I could ever have imagined, but it’s still a bit strange.“See, just like a puppy, no self-control,” I keep baiting Arlo, loving the way he bristles in mock annoyance. “Now get up, we have to…Ohhhh,” I moan shakily when he starts lightly rocking his incredible hard-on against me. One hand is already slithering under my shirt and reaching for my nipple, tweaking it through my bra.“You’re right,” he admits huskily, “When it comes to you I don’t have any self-control.” He’s pushing my shirt up, groaning hungrily when my breasts are exposed. “Do you want me to stop?” he asks, tonguing my flesh through the flimsy fabric of my bra, those polished amber eyes glowing up at me, before closing his teeth around my nipple and suckling on the tip.A jolt of desire lights up my entire body. “Never,” I whisper tremulously, bury
HildaCerelia reads the entry aloud so Arlo and Soren are also brought up to speed.“5th Night of the Harvest Moon.The veil grows thin with the turning of the seasons, and again, I feel the weight of my duty. The Veilbreaker rests as it has for generations, untouched beneath the watchful gaze of the whispering stones. There, where the moonlight spills unbroken upon the earth, it lies within the roots of the lone ash, its heart wrapped in silver-threaded cloth. Only the blood of our line may stir it from slumber, and only in dire need shall it waken.I have walked the glade many times, counting the standing sentinels, tracing the ancient runes chiseled by hands long gone. The wind carries their whispers still, and in their counsel, I am reminded: the Veilbreaker does not serve lightly. It unravels the falsehoods spun by magic, sundering illusions and piercing deception. Yet, such power demands balance. That which is revealed cannot be unseen, and the bearer must be strong enough to wi
ArloShe wants to breed with me. In spite of Tara and her doom prophesying, Hilda still wants me to fertilize her eggs with my sperm and see if her belly will swell with our child. I can already picture it. How ripe and lovely she would look. How unbearably protective I’ll be of her. I want it so much. To raise a family with her. To have as many offspring as I can manage to put inside her.But not if it means flipping a coin and the other side is her life. “I can’t lose you,” I tell her huskily, my throat swollen with emotion. “You won’t,” she says with more certainty than she has any right to feel. “I’m yours, Arlo. Death can’t have me, I belong to one man only.”She’s so bloody infuriatingly stubborn. “Yet you refuse to listen to that man,” I argue back. “Belong as in give myself freely to, not as in a slave,” she tells me patiently. “You know I have the strength to do this. I need you to believe in me.”“That’s not fair, Hilda. This has nothing to do with me doubting how tough you
HildaI didn’t mean to tell Arlo about my desire to get pregnant while we were arguing in Soren’s attic and I feel awful about everything that happened in the past hour. He’s holding my hand, but he hasn’t said a word since we left Soren’s pack behind.Cerelia and Soren are staying well behind us, probably terrified that I’ll start spewing more intimate secrets and arguing with my mate in front of them. I’ve felt more comfortable during battles than I do right now.“Baby, I’m sorry,” I finally say, unable to stand the silence any longer. “I should have talked to you about wanting to try and have a baby regardless of Tara’s prediction. I planned to discuss it with you once things quieted down slightly. You get to have a say about that, I didn’t mean to decide on behalf of both of us.”Arlo looks at me askance, sighing from the depths of his soul. “Dammit Hilda, do you really think I’m upset that you want to have my child? I’ll gladly have 20 kids with you if that’s possible. What I can
CereliaHilda barely touches the tree when an opening appears at the base of the trunk. She reaches inside and pulls out a piece of gossamer-thin silver fabric which seems to be woven from the threads of moonlight and starlit mist.We’re all gathered around her as she unfolds the fabric and reveals a ring resting inside. It’s carved from almost translucent white bone and etched with swirling patterns that seem to shift when looked at directly.Hilda looks up at King Arlo before slipping the ring on to her finger. I doubt the others see it, but the air around her distorts briefly, as if a thin veil of reality is being peeled back. It’s the most powerful object I’ve ever been around.“If you feel it draining you, take it off immediately,” King Arlo begs her. The stark terror in his eyes breaks my heart and I wish I can tell him Veilbreaker won’t harm Hilda. Ironically, it won’t kill anyone who doesn’t offer their life freely. It will take the life essence it needs in order to nullify ev
HildaThe moment I see Cerelia shift, I don’t hesitate. I rush forward, wrapping my arms around her before she can say a word. She laughs into my shoulder, squeezing me just as tightly, and for a moment, I let myself sink into the familiarity of her presence.“I missed you,” I murmur, pulling back just enough to look at her face. She looks the same, stunningly beautiful, smart and amazing, but there’s a softness in her eyes when she meets my gaze.“I missed you too,” she says. “I swear, every time I turn around, another letter from you is demanding I come visit.”I scoff. “Because you don’t take the hint the first time. If I didn’t harass you, you’d never make your way here and I’d be left lonely and bereft. I can’t come and see you at the moment, it’s too difficult to travel so far with Scarlett and the warriors would all insist on coming along.”A low chuckle reminds me that we aren’t alone. Soren stands behind her, watching us with amusement. “Are you two done, or should I come bac
TaraThe knock at my door is soft but certain. I know who it is before I even get up, because there’s only one person who visits without hesitation, without waiting for an invitation. Scarlett.I open the door, and there she is, standing on my porch with her hands on her hips like she owns the place. In a way, she does. The pack would move mountains for her, and she knows it.She’s not bratty in a ‘I’m a princess’ kind of way, acting like she’s better than anyone else. She’s just Scarlett, unapologetically curious, unnervingly perceptive for someone who’s only been 2 for a couple of months, and my favorite visitor by far.“Hi, Tara!” she chirps, strolling past me before I can say anything, “I came to see you. Mommy says she thinks you’re lonely, but I told her that’s silly, because I’m your friend and I come to see you all the time.”“That’s very kind of you,” I say dryly, closing the door behind her. “You’re getting taller.” She grins, “I know! Daddy says I’m growing too fast and Mom
CereliaThe letter arrives in the late afternoon, the familiar scrawl on the envelope immediately making my heart ache. I open it carefully, running my fingers over the parchment before I begin to read.My dearest Cerelia,I miss you.It feels ridiculous to start with that when there’s so much to tell you, but it’s the truth. I miss you fiercely, and it’s been far too long since we last saw each other. Which is why you and Soren need to visit soon. I mean it. No excuses. Pack up your bags, drag that stubborn mate of yours along, and come stay for a while. Please.Now that my demand is out of the way, let me fill you in on everything happening here.First things first, I’m pregnant. I know, it’s a miracle, given how difficult it is for werewolves to conceive, but Arlo is very pleased with himself. I’m about 3 months along. We didn’t want to say anything until the end of the first trimester and Scarlett was the first one we told. She promptly informed us that it’s a boy.Speaking of our
NixieI take a deep breath before knocking on the heavy wooden door. My hand lingers in the air for a second longer than necessary. It’s not that I’m nervous, exactly. It’s just that this is big. Huge, actually. And saying it out loud makes it real in a way I haven’t quite wrapped my head around yet.The door swings open before I can knock again, revealing Hilda, looking as radiant as ever. Her hair is loose around her shoulders, catching the morning light, and she’s wearing a soft cream dress that drapes over her form in a way that should have been my first clue.“Nixie!” she says warmly, pulling me into a quick hug before stepping back and giving me a once-over. “You look happy, but you were lurking on my doorstep, what’s going on?”“I am,” I admit with a grin, stepping inside. “And you’re right, I do have news.”“Tell me everything,” she says, leading me into the sitting room. She settles onto the couch with a satisfied sigh, tucking her legs up beneath her.I sit beside her, run
HildaThe sun is warm against my skin, the scent of fresh grass and wildflowers thick in the air as we sit beneath the sprawling oak tree next to the creek. A checkered blanket is spread beneath us, weighed down with a picnic basket, filled with an assortment of sandwiches, and a sticky-fingered toddler who’s currently smearing honey across her chubby cheeks.Scarlett giggles as she waves her piece of bread in the air, utterly unconcerned with the mess she’s making. Of course, she’s not the one who’ll be cleaning it up, so why worry? “Mama, the bees are gonna love me,” she declares proudly, looking at her honey-covered hands.Arlo chuckles, reaching over to wipe her hands with a damp cloth before she can rub it all over her dress. “They already do my sweet princess, just like everybody else.” She beams up at him, “You too daddy?”Arlo picks her up and swings her in a wide circle, to her shrieking delight. “Especially me,” he assures her. The little minx already knows she has her daddy
AshThe morning light casts a warm golden glow over the tangle of limbs sprawled across my bed. The sheets are a mess, bodies lazily draped over each other, the scent of perfume and sex lingering in the air.The brunette to my right stirs, nuzzling into my shoulder with a satisfied sigh. The redhead to my left mutters something unintelligible in her sleep and shifts, her fingers skimming over my chest.Yes, life as a human has its compensations. It didn’t take me very long to find that out and indulge prodigiously in every single one of them.I eventually extract myself from the tangle, stepping over discarded clothing as I make my way to the bathroom. I glance at my reflection in the mirror, rubbing a hand over my jaw. Not a single flaw, I’m absolutely fucking gorgeous.I can’t detect any changes in my features. Still not aging it seems. Perhaps 2 years isn’t long enough to make such a determination, but I suspect I’m still immortal, even without my powers.I smirk, “Guess that makes
AshI tilt my head, inspecting my reflection in the mirror with a critical eye. Still devastatingly handsome. Still possessing a jawline sharp enough to cut glass. Still absolutely irresistible to anyone with functioning eyesight and a pulse.I smirk. Honestly, the world should thank its lucky stars it got me.I run a hand through my dark hair, the thick waves tousled just enough to look effortless but not unkempt.I may have lost my power, but the body I was blessed with nearly makes up for it. I occasionally miss others cowering in fear at my approach and my name being whispered in terror, but in truth, I far prefer being idolized and adored.Instead of making them shriek in fear, I have them screaming my name in passion. Instead of relying on demonic power to get what I want, I have to use charm. Fortunately, I have that in abundance.“Ash, you’re up in five.” I turn away from the mirror, flashing my most rakish grin at the harried stagehand peeking into my dressing room. “Darling,
HildaThe fire crackles low in the hearth, casting long shadows against the stone walls of our chamber. I press a hand to my belly. It’s still flat, but I know it will start rounding soon. I’m nearly at the 3 month mark. There’s life inside me again. Another piece of Arlo and me, growing.Scarlett sleeps soundly in the adjoining room, her soft breaths a gentle reassurance that all is well. She’s nearly 2 now and precocious beyond belief. She knows nothing about her bloodlines and being a nexus of power. For now her only job is to be a busy little girl, adored by everyone.Arlo watches me from where he stands near the fireplace, shirt unbuttoned, those deeply carved muscles making me long to touch him. His tawny eyes hold a hunger that hasn’t waned despite the years, despite the child we’ve made and the kingdom we rule. If anything, time has only made it more potent, more consuming.“I can hear your heart racing,” he murmurs, voice thick with that dark, commanding edge that unravels me
HildaI wake up feeling like a person again. A person who’s had sleep. A person who isn’t entirely on the verge of collapse. A person who now has to keep a promise to a demon.Dread coils in my stomach. The moment I remember what Astaroth said, it’s like I never rested at all. I glance at Arlo, who’s staring at the ceiling, jaw tight, eyes shadowed. He knows too. We have to go.Scarlett shifts in my arms, her tiny body warm against mine. I hold her closer, pressing my lips to the soft, dark curls on her head. She makes a small sound of contentment, utterly unaware of what we’re walking into.I murmur an apology to her as we walk. “I’m so sorry, my love.” She looks so content. So happy to be outside.My feet feel heavier with every step toward the temple ruins. Arlo’s hand rests protectively against my back. Whatever happens when the demon receives Scarlett’s blood, we’ll both fight to the death to protect her. Fear presses in on me, cold and suffocating, making it harder to breathe th