DavidI woke up to the scent of Lucy's hair in my nose. A low, content rumble shook through me as I pulled her closer and adjusted the blanket. I was about to drift back into sleep when the sound of my phone ringing yanked me back to consciousness. I pulled it out as Lucy started to stir and answered. It was Trent.“David, we have a problem,” he said in a serious tone. I could hear the vroom of an engine in the background. "There's been… an incident, and it's not isolated."For fuck's sake. I sat up, tucked the blanket tighter around Lucy and left her my suit jacket before walking a few paces away. "Go on.""There was an attack the territory. I'm headed to the SCF office now… Oren's made a move, of a sort. He's here in Blood Moon apparently, demanding reparations."I grit my teeth. "Was anyone hurt?""… Blue and Amos.""How badly?""I don't know yet. They aren't giving me details. They're both in custody, apparently Amos killed a few people."I frowned. "That's…" I set my jaw. "Wher
DavidOren looked like he had alot more to say to me, but it didn't matter. He snarled and whirled around, leaving with stilted steps. "Aren't you going to take your precious pack members?" I asked, glaring at his back. He snarled over his shoulder and left without another word. The Council representative stammered and stuttered as he was taken into custody. "I want to know how he got into my territory without anyone alerting me," I said. "And have the barrier deployed.""Of course," Trent said.I turned to look at him and placed my hand on his shoulder. "If you find a way to murder him first, I'll stand aside."He blinked and looked at me with a sly smile. "I can't tell if you know, or if you're just being gracious."Know what? I narrowed my eyes. "Something tells me I'll find out soon enough." I turned to an Enforcer. "If you could make arrangements to get his pack members' remains shipped back to him... with all the respect due."He nodded and left. A sense of satisfaction washe
LucyI couldn't sleep. Despite my exhaustion, I lay awake in my bed, my mind racing with questions and fears. I tried to focus on the scent of David still lingering on his jacket. The memories of our time together among the fairies were bittersweet. We had been so close there, and now I felt like I was being punished for that bit of happiness. it felt like I was being torn away from him. I couldn't help but wonder what the future held for us.I buried my face in David's jacket, taking in the familiar scent of his cologne. It was a scent that brought me comfort. I closed my eyes and let myself get lost in the memories.I remembered the first time I had seen David after we parted as kids. Looking back, he had been so confident and strong, yet so kind and caring. I had always been drawn to him from the moment I laid eyes on him when were kids. I couldn't help but feel a connection to him, a bond that went beyond words.A bond?I swallowed. Was it the mate bond? My stomach turned with a
TonyI woke up early, feeling a bit groggy. I stretched my arms and legs, trying to shake off the last remnants of sleep. I needed to be awake for this, to catch him. It had been a long night of waiting, but I hadn't been awake when he got back. Was he back yet? I got out of bed and made my way to the kitchen. I started to look for something for breakfast, but as I searched for something to eat, I heard a strange noise coming from Matt's room. I dashed from the kitchen. He was back, and he had a lot of fucking explaining to do. When had he gotten back? I slowed to a stop as I heard a grunt. It sounded pained. Then something fell with a heavy thud. "Fuck," he cursed, barely grasping. Something else clattered to the floor. “For fuck’s—”"Matt?" I opened the door, my heart in my throat, but Matt was still standing. A thick book was on the floor, part of the things that were probably on the dresser had been swept to the ground, and in his hand was a potion glowing a bright white. My hea
Lucy"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," she said. "I-If I'd know what was going to happen... If I'd known..."She reached for me, wrapping her arms around me. Her scent enveloped me, and for a moment, I was a child again in a room I barely remembered, cuddled close to her. Her sobs vibrated against my cheek. Her embrace felt so real, warm, and so familiar. A flickering firelight danced on the nursery walls, painting shadows that stretched and danced. I was bundled in a fleecy blanket that smelled just like her and another scent. Her hands traced soothing circles on my back. Nearby, a low voice hummed a low tune. Was it a lullaby? I couldn't make out the words, but I knew the voice belonged to my father."You've had such a day, haven't you, little one?" She whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "It'll be alright."His voice, low and warm, filled with concern, came from behind me. I felt his presence drawing closer, his warmth. I could smell him."She knows,
LucyMy heart lurched into my throat. I almost jumped from the table. What was she doing here? Was she going to tell me to go back to them? Was all of this just a trick by Selene?Eve's expression remained calm as she met my gaze. There was none of the malic I was used to from Selene in her gaze, but that could just be a trick. I couldn't put it past Selene to be using all of this against me, to be watching. "I'm not going back," I said stiffly. "I—""You misunderstand," Eve said gently. I went still meeting her gaze, and there was a flicker of something in her eyes that made me stay silent. "If any of us has reason to want Oren and that bitch dead more than anything, it's me and you."I frowned, searching her gaze for a lie, but she wasn't lying. "Your mother was murdered. Your will-be mother-in-law gave her life to thwart Selene, and I..." Eve swallowed and dropped her gaze. "Endured... The four of us are the most recent and most direct victims
TonyWhat lie would he tell? Would I even be able to tell it was a lie? He frowned. Then, he snickered. “Right. My adventure. Well, after I got chased into the subway by Cline and his merry band of would-be kidnappers, a nice old lady directed me to a bookstore across town. Not sure how she did it, but she kept them from finding me.”I narrowed my eyes. "She was a supernatural.""A witch." He pulled the book out of a drawer, dropping it on the counter with a grin. “Sorry to say, but running for my life kicked my ass. I passed out on the couch.”I frowned, pulling the book across the counter to me as Matt kept pulling stuff out of the cabinets.“A bookstore?” He hummed. I skimmed the cover. “Potion Efficacy for the Everday…” He hummed. As I flipped through the pages, I realized that it was more of a potions textbook than a recipe book, though a lot of the dishes were ones that Matt had made. The beef stew from the night before was inside. I scanned the p
MattI did my best not to laugh, cry, or growl with frustration on the ride there. That woman was still hanging around. Moon Goddess, my ass. Instead, I asked Quillan about which Power Ranger he wanted to be. The Crescent Festival would be the day before Halloween, so we had a bit of time. Tony pulled up to walk Quillan inside the daycare, and my communication watch chimed with a message. Do you have time today?I narrowed my eyes. Depends on what for?I'm taking you to get fitted for the Festival.I grimaced and glanced out the window. I haven't decided to go.Do you really think that Tony isn't going to go? I was under the impression you weren't going to let him walk into that shitstorm alone.I bit my lip. I'll check with him, but I'll need a ride, probably.Done. I'll pick you up.Tony got back in the car with a deep breath, resting his head on the headrest. "That bad?"He shook his head. "Just… Getting oddly easier and harder…
LucyThe morning sun, a mischievous wink through the blinds, painted golden stripes across our bed. I snuggled deeper into the warmth of David's embrace, the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest a soothing lullaby. He slipped his hand across my lower back. The warmth of his bare skin against mine set a spark of pleasure through me. He rumbled low and content into my hair. “Wake up,” David rumbled. He kissed my head and twined a curl around his finger. “We have things to do.”“You shouldn’t have kept me up all night.”He chuckled. “You didn’t say that last night.”I nudged him. He dipped his head to nip my lips. “You know, if it’s too much, you can always tell me to slow down.”He’d been saying that for five years now, and I never found a reason to tell him to. He knew that. His eyes flickered between colors. I nipped his lower lip. “Give me a reason.”He smirked and rolled me onto my back. “To slow down or…”“To get up,” I said as he kissed
LucyI sat on the cold stone, watching her, but she didn’t move another muscle. I didn’t know how long it had been, but it didn’t matter. The spectral glow around her was starting to dim, and my mind was just too stressed to do too much thinking. The light of the ritual, the spell I’d used, the blood on my hands all flashed through my mind, and part of me wondered if it was all just a dream. I looked down at the stained and ruined gown. The armor was as pristine as ever, but most of the embroidered roses were torn or stained. This dress would never be white again, let alone whole. I flicked a piece of the long, gossamer fabric and shook my head. I really liked this dress.“Lucy!”I turned my head toward the sound of David’s voice, wrung out and relieved to hear him. He was rushing through the air towards me. He dropped down a few feet from me, looking so worried I could cry.I smiled at him as he dropped to his knees beside me and threw his arms around me,
LucyI sailed through the air, landing with a jarring thud within the ritual circle. With a trembling hand, I pushed myself up, my senses on high alert. A figure, cloaked in darkness, appeared in front of me. My blood ran cold. Selene."Well, well, Lucy," her voice, honeyed yet laced with venom, slithered into the darkness. "Thank you ever so much for making this easy at last.”I grit my teeth. I wouldn't go down without a fight. Straightening my shoulders, I met her gaze, my voice shaking but resolute. "You underestimate me.” “No, Lucy,” her voice dropped, and a cruel smile twisted her lips. "You underestimate me.” The chanting grew louder around me. I lunged for the necklace, my fingers grazing its cold surface before Selene snatched it away, a triumphant gleam in her eyes. But that touch, fleeting as it was, ignited something. I felt her pushing at my mind. I felt her shoving me back until I could see the forest from before, and we were fighting in a ci
MattMy vision pulsed and flickered, a strobe light of pain blurring the edges of reality. Tony rained blows down on me, slashing with claws. Each hit chipped away at my resolve and my control, leaving behind a raw desperation to end this quickly. My armor protected me from most of the damage, but still. He was always the stronger of the two of us. I thought it was just because he was the older of the two of us, but this was different. I thought for sure he was going to bite off my head. Then, a flash of golden light arced through the air, and a spear lanced past my shoulder, catching Tony square in the chest. I turned back to see Ginevra hovering in the air. Her golden dress glowed as she passed me with a glowing winge spreading from her back. What the absolute fuck?Tony staggered, falling to the ground, and Dad darted forward, encasing Tony in a shimmering web of light. The wave turned to chains. He thrashed and howled, straining against the magical bonds, but t
LucyPeter's breath hitched, rasping, and shallow, then deepened into a cough that wracked his battered body. His eyelids fluttered, eyelids so pale they were almost luminous in the dim torchlight. He struggled to get up, leaning on his Spear and on Michelle. The light pulsing through the Spear rippled over his skin. He let out a soft sigh and stumbled a little. “Peter?”“I... It’s gone.”“What?” Michelle gasped as his hair started to change, losing the gray color and growing dark. His face turned younger until I was sure that he was all of twenty-something. He grew a bit taller, too, bigger until his shirt strained against his chest and his buttons popped. He flushed. “Well… that’s not…” He cleared his throat as Michelle smiled up at him. “So this is what you looked like in your youth?”He scoffed. “I’m much younger than you think.”He grunted, pressing a hand to his side. “Wish the Spear would heal the wound, though.”I winced. “Sorry… it’s a
PeterMy feet pounded a frantic rhythm against the uneven earth, branches whipping at my face, thorns tearing at my clothes. How long had I been running? How much further did I have to go? I didn’t know, and it didn’t matter so long as I got there. My lungs burned, legs screaming in protest, but still I ran. The trail of blood behind me and the patchwork of wounds across my body, chunks of missing and regrowing flesh, weren’t my concern right now. The creature—the wolf was after me, and unlike before, it didn’t seem willing to back off or slow down. It was going to kill me, and what happened after that was anyone’s guess. Behind me, the guttural snarl of the wolf echoed through the trees. Too close to be comfortable. Too close to make sense. This was too much like that dream, but worse. So much worse. The sky was a kaleidoscope of images I could barely make out. They flashed in the sky and in my vision, making it hard to see. I saw Lucy. I saw Michelle. The long
LucyAdrenaline surging, I grabbed Michelle and pulled her after me deeper into the inky depths of the tunnel.“Quick!”She panted. “What’s going on? Peter—”“He’s possessed,” I said. “Just keep running for now!”I saw my Allison up ahead, leading me down another tunnel. Behind us, I heard Peter's guttural snarls, the rhythmic thud of his feet echoed eerily in the confined space. We had to lose him and the other one quickly, but we didn’t seem to be putting enough distance between us. Panic coiled in my gut, urging me to run faster and push my body beyond its limits. Michelle kept up relatively well. We twisted and turned, navigating the treacherous path by torchlight and the spectral murmurs of White Moon's fallen. But the passage seemed to twist back on itself. When we were back at the forked path, the faint light that had been illuminating the tunnel went out, plunging us into darkness.Michelle shuddered. She drew closer to me and tightened her grip on m
LucyI was back in that house with that couple that adopted me. I felt the floorboards creaking as I went downstairs. I saw the men in suits. I shrieked, turning. Not again. I couldn’t be back here. Where was David? How had I gotten back here? I looked down. I wasn’t… wearing the dress or the armor. I had no daggers. My hair was just as uncombed and dry as it had been then. When I looked in the mirror, the skinny young woman who had barely had anything more than ramen and school lunch stared back at me. My stomach lurched. The door opened, and I turned to run, knowing what was about to happen. I dug my heels in as dark shadows pulled me towards the door. I felt myself being lifted onto someone’s shoulders. I fought and kicked, but all my training and all my strength were gone. I saw the calendar on the wall, but the date was different. It wasn’t my birthday. It was the day of the Crescent Moon Festival. I screamed, grabbing anything I could manage. Then, Sele
DavidOren's head arced through the firelit air, landed, and rolled. His body dropped to the ground, still spurting blood. Then, all hell broke loose.The shimmering barrier around the Ball faltered, rippling like a pond, before collapsing entirely. Hunters poured into the arena, their snarls blending with everyone's shocked gasps. “Defensive measures, now!” I yelled, my voice carrying over the sound of the attack. A group of dragon shifters took to the sky as my blade clashed with the first hunter. How had they gotten through the barrier? I saw a flicker of a ghost and growled. “Selene!” I shoved the hunter back, slicing through him before sending out a shockwave of air. She’d been behind this, and maybe she’d been planning this for years, using the werewolf virus to spy on the preparations. It would make sense to try and get rid of me. I was the direct descendant of Fenris. More than that, it was their movements. Each and every one of them moved e