(PERCY POV) Dane fell onto the bed, his clothes tattered and bloody. He was a mess, covered head to toe in wounds and bleeding bite marks. I had never seen a vampire so close to the true death. It was horrifying.Deirk and Jo's faces said it all. They were scared shitless. They reminded me of the first days after kids were brought to the orphanage, yanked out of their toxic homes. The only homes they ever knew.Seeing that same fear on their faces tore at my heart. The raw panic in their eyes, the way Jo clung to me like a lifeline, and Deirk trembling... it was a mirror image of those frightened kids. The same desperate need for security, the same overwhelming uncertainty. They were my family now, and I couldn't let them down. Not like this.I wrapped my arm around Jo as we watched Deirk undress Dane. He worked quickly, removing the torn clothing and revealing the full extent of Dane's injuries. Each layer revealed more bruises, cuts, bites, and deep gashes that oozed blood. I
(DEIRK POV) Percy and I snuck down to the local blood bank. The streets were deserted, the eerie silence adding to the stress. We both knew what was at stake... Dane's life hung in the balance, and we couldn't afford any mistakes. "Just keep her talking," I whispered to Percy as we approached the building. "I'll handle the rest." Percy nodded. He walked ahead, pushing open the glass door and stepping inside. I waited a moment before following, keeping to the shadows. As Percy approached the receptionist, I slipped into the hallway leading to the storage area. "Hi there," Percy said. "I'm interested in becoming a donor. Can you tell me more about the process?" The woman looked up at him and smiled big. "Of course! Let me get some pamphlets and information for you. It's a wonderful thing you're doing." She fell for him instantly. He had her eating out of his hand without even trying. He just had that effect on people. His natural charm, perfect Nordic blonde hair, and strik
(DANE POV) I drifted in and out of consciousness when I caught his scent. At first, I hoped it was just remnants of his blood inside Jo, but I knew better. Mag was near. Every instinct I had screamed danger, but my body was weak, and my mind was foggy.I took Jo's hand quietly, the warmth of her skin a small comfort in the encroaching dread. I pushed my nail into the pad of her thumb, and she jumped. I held her tight and whispered, "Just a little... I just need a little until they get back, okay?" As soon as her blood touched my tongue, I pulled her into the whitespace. "He's close, Jo. I can feel him." "What does he want?" she asked."I don't know, but he's watching us for some reason," I replied. "Don't panic, whatever happens, okay? I will kill him before he hurts you.""But that'll kill you," she said."I don't care at this point. I'm going to do whatever I have to do to protect you," I assured her.We left the whitespace when I pulled her finger out of my mouth, and I snugg
(JO POV)I was livid, thrashing in the back seat of the car with Mag. I lunged at him, aiming for anything I could hit. "You bastard!" I screamed, swinging wildly. "How could you do this?" Mag effortlessly caught my wrists mid-air. "Calm down, Jo. This isn't helping." "Calm down?" I snarled, trying to yank my hands free. "You took me, you maniac!" He pushed me back against the seat, easily holding me there. "You need to relax before you hurt yourself." I kicked at him, my foot connecting with his shin. He winced but didn't release me. "Let go of me!" I demanded, "Jo, enough," he said firmly. "Fighting me won't change anything." I lashed out again, but my energy was waning. I finally slumped in the seat next to him, crossing my arms tightly across my chest. My breathing was heavy, and my entire body was shaking. I glared at him, hating how composed he looked. After a few minutes, he spoke. "Dane loves you, you know. He's beside himself in love with you." I blinked, the sudden
(DANE POV) I lay there until I healed enough to get up. Slowly, painfully, I started dragging myself toward the school. Each step was a struggle, every movement sending waves of pain through my battered body. After what felt like hours, I heard Deirk's voice."Shit, there he is!"Percy and Deirk rushed over, lifting me and carrying me the rest of the way. I wasn't doing well at all. My vision was blurry, and my strength was nearly gone."We have to go see Mag," I croaked. "We don't have a choice and must be calm. He has Jo."Deirk tried to convince Percy to give me some blood, but I refused. "I can't be high for this," I insisted.They prepared to confront Mag, tense and ready for anything. When we walked into the office, we found Jo sitting at her desk, dressed well and looking rather composed for what had happened to her. Relief washed over me. She stood and grabbed me, pulling me into a tight embrace. Tears flowed as we held each other, the fear and tension finally releasing.
(DEIRK POV)After Percy and I moved a bed we could fit into the new room, I checked it up and down for bugs. I wasn't going to rest until I found it. I was in there for hours with Percy, looking through everything Mag did.I never found one. Maybe Mag was trying to change. Maybe. The jury was still out. It would be out for a long time.When we finally walked out, Jo and Dane were already mid-meeting in the big meeting room, where many of the teachers were present. Jax was cuddled up to Vikki in the corner and looked up at me when Percy and I walked in. He was freaked out.I sat next to Jo, directing Percy to sit next to me. Dane was going over new rules. Some were relaxed, others more strict. All aimed at creating authentic relationships between the vampires and humans as he and I had found. Like Jax had found with Vikki.I wondered what my role would be. I decided to wait until after the meeting was concluded to talk to him about it. I was ready to take on some of the responsibility
(PERCY POV) Deirk's eyes went black, and the veins started to dance as he traced his nail along my femoral artery. I lay back trembling, my skin prickling under his watch. He leaned down. His breath against my skin made my pulse race when he pressed his lips to my thigh."Are you ready?" he whispered."Yes," I replied, even though I was shaking. "Do it."His fangs pierced the skin, and I gasped, arching my back as a rush of sensation flooded through my entire body. The rush from the pain... It was so damn intoxicating.He roamed over my body, his movements predatory and deliberate. When he wrapped his hand around my cock, stroking me slowly as he fed, I started moaning as he started growling.It seemed to drive him wild, his grip tightening, his strokes becoming more urgent."Fuck," I groaned, gripping the sheets. "That feels so good." I made sure to keep my hands on the bed. I knew better than to touch his head while he was feeding there.He moved faster, his thumb rubbing over th
(DANE POV) The office, once Cami's, felt like a place stuck in time, filled with echoes of her decisions and the consequences that followed. Now, it was mine... a truth that felt too surreal to grasp fully. I sat behind the desk, holding the worn leather collar in my hands. I didn't always wear it... but when Magness was around, I had no choice. If I didn't, the punishments were severe.A reminder of his control over me that I now had over him.Talk about surreal.The collar was a relic of everything I'd endured. I hated it, but letting go felt impossible. Throwing it away would mean losing a piece of myself. Even now, with Cami gone and the school under new leadership...my leadership...I couldn't escape its hold.Cavanagh entered the room, stopping when she noticed the collar on the table. She approached me, and I could sense her hesitation and the unspoken questions."You know," she began, "I never thought I'd see you without that thing.""Neither did I," I admitted, staring at th
(DEIRK POV) The struggle had been almost overwhelming for hours. Mag was vulnerable and weak, and all I could think about was how easy it would be to rip him apart. Every time I tried to push the thoughts away, the memories came flooding back, vivid and sharp, slicing through my mind like the knives he used on me for centuries.I leaned back, trying to escape the constant loop of flashbacks. Percy lay beside me, close enough that I could feel his heartbeat against me. He always knew when I was close to breaking. His touch was steady, tracing shapes across my chest.He was trying to remind me I was still here, still in control. But the memories were relentless.The first time Mag strapped me down, I thought I'd die from the pain. I could still feel the cold metal biting into my wrists, the restraints cutting into my skin as he stood over me. The blade he used wasn't sharp. It was dull, dragging across my chest just deep enough to make me scream but not enough to kill. He enjoyed it
(DANE POV) I stood outside the room where Mag was held, feeling the moment's gravity. For 1,200 years, this man had been my "Daddy," inflicting pain, manipulating me, and shaping my life in his twisted image. Yet, there were times when he provided care and shelter, giving me some stability in the chaos. Now, the roles were reversed, and it was my turn to take care of him. A responsibility I never imagined. I opened the door and stepped inside. The air was thick with the smell of blood, remnants of the recent horrors that had unfolded. Mag lay on the floor, battered and broken, his once formidable presence reduced to a fragile shell. "Mag," I said as I approached. "It's time to get you cleaned up." He didn't respond, his vacant stare fixed on the ceiling. The man who once controlled everything now seemed utterly defeated. I crouched beside him. "Let's get you up and into the shower," I said, offering my hand. "I'll make sure it doesn't hurt more than it has to." Mag's eyes f
(DANE POV)I didn't want her to deal with my insecurities right now. She had enough on her plate. Between last night's chaos and everything still unresolved, burdening her with my doubts felt selfish. But I couldn't shake the nagging thought clawing at me for what seemed like forever.She pulled away slightly, her expression shifting as she processed what I had said. "What? No, Dane, you know I chose you. How long have you been dealing with that and not said anything? What the hell?"Oddly enough, seeing her getting worked up over this made me feel a little better. It was like a reminder that she did care, that this wasn't just something trivial to her. I shrugged, trying to downplay the unease that had been messing with me for days. "I didn't want to upset you more."Without hesitation, she pulled me down until I was practically kneeling in front of her so we were at eye level. She gripped my shoulders, and the intensity in her eyes forced me to focus on her and nothing else. "I ch
I left Deirk, Jo, and Percy curled up in bed asleep, intertwined after the chaotic night. They refused to sleep in different rooms, insisting on sticking together. They insisted on the same during sex with us, effectively turning it into our first foursome. I didn't dwell on why. Maybe they sought comfort, or perhaps they were afraid of us. Nevertheless, it was the right decision. I had to restrain Deirk more than once to prevent things from escalating. I hoped I had done it subtly enough that Jo and Percy didn't notice, but I wasn't so sure. They seemed more aware than they let on.As I stepped out of the room, I found Dom and Marshall loitering in the hallway. Seeing them there so early wasn't surprising, but there was something different about them. There was a hunger and eagerness in their eyes that I hadn't seen before. Lately, they had been pushing boundaries and testing limits, as usual, but this time it felt different."What's up?" I asked, heading toward my office. I had a
(JO POV) I woke up to the unsettling emptiness beside me. Percy was still there, deep in sleep. Dane and Deirk were gone. I slipped out of bed. The silence weighed heavily, broken only by a distant, rhythmic sound that made my skin crawl.As I moved closer, the noise became unmistakable.Agonized groans accompanied the sharp crack of a whip. My heart pounded as the sound pulled me toward a door I had never noticed before. It was slightly ajar, with a sickly maroon light spilling into the hallway. I pushed it open and stepped inside.The room was a nightmare. Mag knelt in the center, shackled and bleeding. His body was crisscrossed with fresh wounds. Dane and Deirk stood over him, their eyes solid black, their faces crawling with red veins that pulsed with rage. Their need for total vengeance was consuming them. The brutality was terrifying to witness."Did you think you'd escape this, Mag?" Dane snarled in that thick accent, lashing the whip across Mag's back. "That we would just o
(DEIRK POV)The moment I saw Marshall with those knives, everything I thought I had buried came surging back, tearing through the mental walls I had so carefully constructed.I was thrust back into the nightmare, and suddenly, it wasn't Marshall holding the blade...it was Mag.His twisted grin, the way he'd relish in our pain, the unbearable torture that followed. Mag didn't just inflict physical wounds. He cut into our very souls, leaving scars that never truly healed.He always started slow, like he was savoring the moment. The first cut was an intro, a reminder that the nightmare was beginning all over again. He'd look me in the eye, a sickening smile, and then drag the blade across my skin, just deep enough to make me scream but not deep enough to be fatal. The real agony came later, drawn out over hours, sometimes days.The burn of silver seared through my skin, leaving marks that would never fade. The scent of burning flesh, my own flesh, still haunted me. Mag would just laugh,
(DANE POV)Marshall had always claimed to be bisexual, so I decided it was time to let him prove it. It was the only way I'd consider letting him continue attending the male events he enjoyed so much. Tonight was his test, and Mag was about to become his plaything.I turned to Marshall, who was already eyeing Mag with a dark gleam that matched the twisted grin spreading across his face."Have your way with him," I said as I tossed him a set of knives. He caught them mid-air with ease, his excitement noticeable. "Break him from the inside out. Make it count, and don't hold back. You might want to stretch him a bit, loosen up... you know, to get things going in easily."Mag's eyes went wide, his bravado shattering as the reality of his situation hit him. The fear consumed him, and the blackness in his eyes betrayed his panic. He began to unravel, his desperation flooding the room."Dane, please! You don't have to do this!" he stammered out in a rush. "I didn't mean it... I was just tryi
(DANE POV)Mag slid into the leather jacket, his excitement radiating off him like heat from a fire. He looked at me, his eyes gleaming with what he believed was shared anticipation. "I knew you'd like it," I said, forcing a smile that didn't reach my eyes. "Figured it would help you settle in before you dive into things at the school."He beamed, completely convinced that he had finally won me over. Inside, though, all I felt was cold resolve. I might have been excited...if he hadn't crossed the line, if he hadn't forced Jo into that unbearable situation. But he had, and now, he had to pay.Deirk played his role perfectly, not giving anything away as Mag eagerly shrugged off his sports coat and slid into the jacket like it was a badge of honor. It fit him like a second skin, making him look every bit the predator he fancied himself to be. Deirk and I exchanged a brief knowing glance. The first part of our plan had succeeded. Mag, completely oblivious, was wrapped up in his delusions
(DANE POV) I slammed my phone down, the sharp sound breaking the silence. Two weeks had passed since we found out Jo was pregnant, and now, after what seemed like forever, the message I'd been waiting for finally came through. Mag was coming home.Tonight.Deirk looked up from across the room, his eyes meeting mine. He didn't need to ask what had me on edge, but he did anyway. "What now?""It's happening," I replied, leaning back in my chair. "He's coming tonight.""Tonight," Deirk echoed, a slow smile creeping onto his face. "Perfect. Full moon and all.""Yeah," I agreed, the plan solidifying in my mind. "We're going all out."The hunt had been meticulously crafted, not just as a hunt but as a punishment. Tonight, the academy's halls would become a battlefield. Slaves and wards who had stepped out of line, or those whose masters wanted to teach them a brutal lesson, would be let loose. They could run, they could hide, but escape wasn't an option. The vampires would be released to hu