KEILAH Her words felt like a punch to my gut. “The Underworld Kingdom?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. My mind raced, trying to process what that meant. The name itself sent chills down my spine, and I had to fight the urge to shiver. “So… this means I'm in a different realm?”Garbie nodded, her eyes meeting mine. “Yes. This is where our kind resides, away from the human world. It’s safer for us here.”I looked around the room, suddenly feeling like the walls were closing in. Everything had felt strange from the beginning, but knowing I wasn’t even in the human world made it worse. “So, I’m stuck here? In the Underworld?”She hesitated before nodding slowly. “For now, yes.”My chest tightened, and I had to take a deep breath to steady myself. “And there’s no way back?”Garbie’s face softened. “It’s not that simple. The passage between the human world and the Underworld is guarded. Only those with permission from King Draven or a high-ranking vampire, which is my dad, ca
KEILAH "Are you happy now?" I muttered, my voice laced with frustration even though it was for my own good. He didn’t respond. Instead, he turned and walked a few steps away before sitting down on a wooden stool in the corner of the room. His cold, intense gaze locked onto me, and he said nothing for a long moment. The silence was suffocating. I let out a long, exasperated breath, the tension in the air unbearable. My eyes bore into him as I sat upright, still bundled under the covers, my voice laced with irritation. "Can you now tell me why you brought me here? Garbie told me there's no way back to the human world and that the only person who can take me back is—" “Me,” Damien interrupted, his voice sharp. His eyes remained fixed on mine, unwavering. “Me, and Seth.” I blinked, caught off guard by the interruption. "But—" “You can’t go back now,” he continued, his voice low but firm. “It’s too dangerous for you out there.” “Where exactly do you mean?” I shot back, narrowing m
DAMIEN I heard the door slam shut behind her.I didn’t need to look up to know it was Keilah. Her scent, sweet and earthy, lingered in the air. She must have caught a glimpse of me just as I was pulling on my clothes. A small, amused smile tugged at the corner of my mouth, but I didn’t dwell on it. I wasn’t the type to get embarrassed or flustered easily.I continued dressing without so much as a pause, pulling on a black shirt and then buttoning it up with measured precision. My mind was elsewhere. Keilah’s reaction was amusing and annoying, but it wasn’t surprising. She was still adapting to my world, and there were many things she didn’t understand—yet.As I finished getting dressed, I allowed my thoughts to wander, calculating my next move. The truth was, I had every intention of keeping her safe, but her stubbornness made it... challenging. The constant questions, the distrust—it all boiled down to one thing: Keilah didn’t belong here, not yet. And I wasn’t ready to let her go e
DAMIEN I paused in the middle of the room, my eyes scanning every corner. The window—my first suspicion—remained sealed, the latch untouched. No one had gone through it. Frowning, I stalked over to the bathroom, pushing the door open with a swift motion. It was empty, too, no sign of her, not even a wet towel hanging by the sink. My frustration deepened. Where could she have gone?I returned to the centre of the room, inhaling deeply. Her scent, usually vibrant and fresh, was fading. It lingered most strongly by the door and nowhere else. My fists clenched at my sides as confusion gnawed at me. Her presence vanished as if she had simply stepped through a wall. A low growl rumbled from my chest. "Where the fuck is she now?" I muttered under my breath. "It’s not like she’s a witch or a ghost to just disappear like—" I stopped mid-sentence, a thought, unbelievable and absurd, slipping into my mind.My eyes widened as the pieces clicked into place. Without a moment’s hesitation, I vanis
KEILAH Panic surged through me, the fog thickening around my ankles like a heavy shroud. My heart raced as I spun in place, desperate for any familiar landmark, but the mist enveloped everything, rendering my surroundings completely unrecognisable. “Where am I?” I whispered, my voice trembling, barely audible against the oppressive silence.The world felt unreal, like a strange dream I couldn't wake up from. I took a few hesitant steps forward, each one echoing in the stillness. The cold seeped through my clothes, biting into my skin and sending shivers racing up my spine. I hugged myself tightly, trying to ward off the chill that clawed at my body. “This can’t be real. It has to be a nightmare,” I muttered, though deep down, a nagging doubt festered.“Damien?!” I called out, my voice cracking. The only answer was the soft rustle of fog swirling around me, taunting me with its silence. My breaths quickened, and I could feel my pulse pounding in my ears, each beat a reminder of how ut
KEILAH I stumbled back, the jagged stone still lodged in my arm, my legs trembling as I tried to put as much distance as possible between myself and the group of vampires. "Stay away from me!" I shouted, my voice cracking with panic. But they didn't listen. They took slow, deliberate steps toward me, their movements graceful, predatory, as if savouring the fear that radiated from me in waves. Their glowing eyes tracked every shaky step I took, and I could feel their bloodlust thickening the air. I swallowed hard, my pulse pounding in my throat as the reality of the situation sank in. I was human. They were vampires. Faster, stronger, relentless. There was no way I could outrun them. They knew it, and worse, I knew it. One of them licked his lips, a chilling grin spreading across his face. “Oh, don’t be scared, darling,” he drawled, his voice smooth and taunting. “We won’t bite... too hard.” The others chuckled darkly, their steps unhurried, as if they were relishing the chase that
AUTHOR'S POVIn the dim, eerie silence of the castle, a mysterious figure emerged, stepping out from the shadows with an air of quiet authority. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with mid-length blonde hair flowing around his unreadable face. His sharp gaze drifted to the floor where droplets of fresh blood were, a trail Keilah had left behind. He knelt, his movements deliberate and graceful, studying the drops with a keen interest.Lowering himself to a crouch, he examined the jagged stone still smeared with Keilah’s blood. He lifted it, bringing it to his nose for a deep, appreciative sniff before lightly licking the blood-stained edge. A flicker of satisfaction crossed his features, the barest hint of a devilish grin tugging at the corners of his mouth as he stood.With a sudden burst of speed, he vanished from his spot, only to reappear at the far end of the castle, following Keilah’s bloody scent through every shadowed corner of the labyrinthine halls. Her blood, though faint, wa
KEILAH The bed beneath me felt soft, impossibly warm, like being wrapped in a cloud. I opened my eyes slowly, groggy, my mind drifting in and out of a haze as I tried to orient myself. The last thing I remembered was—my chest tightened, memories flashing back: that cold, dark castle, the vampires, the suffocating silence of that nowhere place. I looked around, my heart beating steadily as I took in my surroundings. I was back in my room, in Damien’s house. “Oh, my good heavens, you’re awake!” The familiar voice belonged to that old woman, her face a mix of worry and relief as she snapped her book shut, her gaze trained on me. I blinked, shaking off the last remnants of dizziness. “How… How long was I out?” She gave a light chuckle, her hand resting gently over mine. “Long enough to worry everyone senseless. I pushed myself up slowly and sat upright. The light in the room held no trace of the sun’s glow, yet everything was softly lit, as though daylight had snuck its way into a
KEILAH Bringing Ralph to the Underworld had been a difficult decision. I did it for one reason—to reunite him with his wolf so he could go back to his life. I never planned to tell him the truth of everything. But the way he acted, the way his anger—no, his jealousy—burned toward me, I knew Damien must have told him something. I knew Damien cared about me. I also knew he and Ralph were far from friends. But seeing them fight in front of everyone like schoolboys because of me? That wasn’t something I wanted. I pressed a hand to my shoulder, swallowing a wince. I had lied when I said I was fine. The pain shot straight to my skull, and from the deep ache spreading through my arm, I suspected my shoulder was dislocated. But admitting that would only give them another reason to start fighting again, and I wasn’t about to let that happen. Then I felt it. The presence of Ralph’s wolf. It was close. So close. The shift in the air was undeniable, thick with tension. I didn’t even n
DAMIENThe car’s engine hummed steadily as we drove along the winding road toward the tunnels. The others followed behind in their vehicles, including Ralphs’. My fingers tapped against the steering wheel, my thoughts clouded with frustration and something I didn’t want to name.Why am I even drawn to her decisions? Why does it bother me? The fact that she didn’t explain why she wanted to ride with him, why she insisted on being in his car—it gnawed at me. I raked a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply.Ralph is her mate. That’s what I should be reminding myself.The words tasted bitter in my mind, and I forced my grip on the wheel to relax. It shouldn’t matter to me. It had nothing to do with me. And yet, I couldn’t shake the irritation that settled deep in my gut.I replayed the moment in my head—Keilah’s face when she suggested coming with Ralph and riding with him. She hadn’t hesitated. If anything, she seemed... determined. Like she had a reason I wasn’t privy to. But why? What
DAMIEN For a moment, the world went still. The sound of the wind, the pulse of magic from the portal, the chaos of everything else—it all faded. There was only her. I didn’t know what I was expecting, but the warmth that surged through me, the pull I felt toward her, was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. It wasn’t guilt. It wasn’t pity. It was something deeper, something terrifyingly real. Keilah froze against me, her body stiff and unyielding, as if she were trying to process what had just happened. For a split second, I wondered if I’d made a mistake—if I’d crossed a line I couldn’t uncross. But then, she moved. Her lips softened against mine, and I felt her fingers clutching at the fabric of my shirt. The hesitant energy melted into something deeper, something neither of us seemed prepared for but couldn’t resist. The kiss was messy, filled with all the tension, confusion, and frustration that had built between us for so long. It wasn’t perfect, but it was real. Th
DAMIEN Your girlfriend is mad. Aren’t you going to follow her?" Marina asked, her tone grating on my nerves."Are you enjoying this?" I snapped."It’s not like I am," she replied, crossing her arms. "But it’s the truth. She’s really mad."I ignored her and turned to the dwarf. "Did you know she was fae? Did you use that to your advantage when you asked for her… uterus?"The dwarf nodded, unfazed. "I did. And I used it for what I needed.""And what exactly did you need it for?" I demanded my voice tight with anger."That," he said coolly, "is none of your business.""It is my business," I growled through clenched teeth. "It’s absolutely my business.""Alright, I get it," he said, cutting me off. "It’s your business because she’s your girlfriend. But she agreed to it. She gave it willingly as payment for us to help you. And she’ll still do the job you originally wanted her mother to do. He said, gesturing to Marina. Isn’t that why you’re keeping us here?"Marina interjected before I co
KEILAH I locked eyes with Damien, trying to see if there was even the faintest hint of a joke in his expression, but his face was as stiff as stone. My stomach twisted painfully. “You’re joking, right?” I asked, my voice tight, almost pleading. “I’m not, Keilah.” His tone was calm, and measured. “It’s time I let you go.” My mind reeled, the words hitting me like a slap. “What the hell are you saying? It’s been barely a few days since you told me I couldn’t leave your side. Now you’re saying this? What happened?” “I told you, vampires aren’t trustworthy,” Marina interjected smugly from the corner. I snapped my head toward her, glaring. “You shut up. I’m not talking to you.” She raised her hands in mock surrender, a smirk playing on her lips as she leaned back in her chair. I barely spared her another glance, but my gaze briefly flicked to the short witch sitting silently nearby, watching the exchange as if he didn’t have a care in the world. I turned back to Damien, frus
KEILAH “Get me out of here,” I said, my voice trembling as I clung onto him. The cold seemed to seep into my bones, the chill of the night biting against my skin. “Please, just take me anywhere that’s not Ralph’s pack house. I don’t care where.”Damien’s lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes scanning me as though searching for something. But he said nothing. Without a word, he took off. When we finally broke through the air, Damien’s car came into view. I blinked, momentarily disoriented, as the passenger door opened and a familiar figure stepped out.“Allan?” I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper.But I couldn’t muster the energy to feel the excitement I should've. My emotions were a tangled mess, and my body felt like it was running on fumes. “Allan, get in the back,” Damien ordered without so much as glancing at him. Allan looked between us but obeyed, sliding into the backseat without protest.Damien opened the passenger door and gestured for me to get in. “Keilah.” His
KEILAH I clung to Damien as if letting go would shatter me into pieces I could never put back together. My sobs tore through me, loud and messy, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t stop. The weight of everything—the pain, the secrets—came crashing down all at once, spilling out of me like a dam that had finally given way.His arms wrapped around me, solid and unyielding, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I felt safe. Truly safe. The kind of safety that came not from being protected but from knowing, deep down, that someone understood me without judgment.I buried my face against his chest, the familiar scent of him grounding me even as my world spiralled. “I missed you,” I whispered again, my voice breaking.Damien didn’t say anything right away. His hand slid up my back, his touch firm yet soothing, as if silently promising me that he wasn’t going anywhere. I needed that promise right now. I needed him to be here, solid and real, to hold me together while I fell apart.The
DAMIEN His words hit me like a punch to the gut, freezing me in place. My breath came in sharp, controlled bursts, my gaze snapping to the unconscious figure sprawled on the floor. I didn’t want to believe him. It had to be another trick, another lie. The bastard was desperate, and desperate men said anything to save their skin.But something about the way he said it—the crack in his voice, the way his eyes darted between me and her—made me pause.“What did you just say?” I demanded, my voice like the edge of a blade. My magic pulsed around me, still coiled and ready to strike, but now held in check by a thread of restraint.The dwarf swallowed hard, his throat bobbing as he pointed a trembling finger at her. “She’s the one. Jessica's daughter. I swear it.”“Why the hell didn’t you tell me this last night?” My voice was low, dangerous. “You knew where the witch’s daughter was, and you said otherwise.” The dwarf hesitated, his eyes flickering with guilt or maybe calculation. “I had
DAMIENI pried her hands off me and fixed her with a hard stare. "What do you mean? Are you talking about Keilah?" "Yes," she replied, her tone sharp. "I’m talking about her. She’s where she belongs—with her wolf mate. You two aren't supposed to stick together." Her words set my blood on fire. I grabbed her by the hair, yanked her up, and pinned her against the wall. My voice was a low growl as I demanded, "How do you know Keilah went to Ralph?" She glared at me, her grey eyes glowing ominously. I froze. A fae.This bitch was fae. I let her go abruptly, stepping back. She straightened her clothes with deliberate calm and turned her gaze on me. "I can take you to the witch you’re looking for," she said coolly. I narrowed my eyes. "How do you know where he is?" She smirked. "Didn't you just figure out what I am?" "Then lead the way. What are you waiting for?" I barked. She tilted her head, her smirk fading. "I will, but only after you promise me one thing—you will sta