DAMIEN “Do it already—I can’t stand the coldness radiating from you anymore,” she said, pulling me out of my thoughts. My mind had drifted, stuck on the one word that lingered after everything she said: *trust.* What the hell made her say that? Trust? From her? I let out a low chuckle, more to myself, at the absurdity of it. Trust was a concept I couldn’t even entertain, yet hearing it from her did something strange to me. It left a faint buzz in my chest—a feeling I couldn’t name. My attention shifted to her mate’s wolf, who had risen and now stood protectively at her side, its piercing gaze fixed on me. “Do I need to grab a knife from the kitchen and cut myself to get you started?” Her sharp words pulled me back again. I looked down at her, taking in the determination etched across her face. She wasn’t going to back down. With a quiet sigh, I reached for her and pulled her closer, my grip firm but careful. “It’s going to sting,” I warned, my voice low.“I know,” she repli
DAMIEN The scream sent ice down my spine. Before I knew it, I was dashing up the stairs, each step heavier with dread. Seth and the others followed close behind, their footsteps echoing in the tense silence of the house. When I reached my room and shoved the door open, my senses went into overdrive.I scanned the room for any sign of danger. The windows were intact, no strange scents lingered in the air, and everything appeared undisturbed. It didn’t make sense. Nothing about this place screamed threat.My eyes darted to Keilah. She was leaned against the headboard, clutching the blanket tightly around her body, her eyes wide and darting between all of us. “What happened? Are you hurt?” Garbie asked, his voice steady but concerned. It was a question I should’ve asked, but deep down, I already knew the answer. Keilah’s fingers twisted into the blanket, and she let out a shaky breath before forcing an awkward smile. “Not really,” she said awkwardly, her voice shaky. “I’m good. I mean
DAMIEN The oppressive silence of the Red Castle bore down on me, each heartbeat echoing in my ears like the toll of a bell. My breaths were shallow as I tried to piece together what had just happened. One moment, I had been in the forest, confronting Aaron—or what I thought was him—and now, I stood here, trapped in my domain.I reached out with my senses, probing for any signs of life, magic, or danger. The air crackled faintly, a telltale sign of a powerful spell. It wasn’t my magic—it was something foreign, invasive, and far stronger than I’d anticipated. My jaw clenched as I realised just how badly I’d been played.The laughter from earlier still echoed faintly in my mind, sending a chill through me. It wasn’t Aaron’s voice now, nor was it the voice of anyone I recognized. It was distorted, layered with malice, a voice meant to unsettle and provoke.“Draven, the monarch,” the voice intoned, each word laced with a sinister melody that reverberated in the stillness. It didn’t echo t
KEILAH The moment Damien closed the door, I let out a long, shaky breath, the tension in my chest finally easing. "That was embarrassing," I muttered under my breath, slumping against the edge of the bed. My body felt like it had been wrung out, my nerves still buzzing from his presence.I stayed there for a moment, letting my heartbeat slow before deciding it was time to pull myself together. With a sigh, I pushed myself off the floor, only to feel the cursed blanket wrap itself around my legs. Before I could stop it, gravity had its way, and I tumbled back down, landing hard and awkwardly on my face.“Holy shit,” I hissed, tasting blood on the tip of my tongue where I’d bitten it during the fall. I groaned, untangling myself from the blanket. The sting in my forehead added to the indignity of the moment.Finally freeing myself from the blanket, I stumbled to the bathroom. Flipping on the light, I leaned over the sink and stared into the mirror. My reflection wasn’t as bad as I fear
KEILAH I froze. My fingers flew to my neck, touching the place where Damien’s mark had been, the one that had been a constant reminder of him and everything that came with it. It was smooth now, unblemished. No trace of the mark remained.Gone. Just like that.I stared at Garbie, disbelief and confusion swirling in my mind. “How is that possible?” I asked, though I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer.I pushed myself up, my legs feeling too light, like they weren’t quite holding me properly. The floor beneath me seemed distant, and for a split second, I thought I might collapse again. But before I could fall, Barbara was there, her hands steadying me.“Keilah, take it easy,” she said, her voice filled with concern.I nodded, barely registering her words as I shook off her hold, moving with urgency toward the stairs. My heart pounded in my chest, and I couldn’t make sense of what was happening. The need to see myself i
KEILAH I clenched my fists, her words cutting deeper than I wanted to admit. I hated feeling powerless. I hated standing still while Damien was slipping further away. Every fibre of my being screamed at me to act, to do something, anything, but Garbie’s words were a harsh reminder of my limits.I turned away from her, my chest heaving as I struggled to calm the storm inside me. My mind whirled with thoughts of Damien, of those black veins crawling across his skin.What was I even doing here? How could I possibly help?But no matter how hard I tried to convince myself to step back, to listen to reason, a small, stubborn part of me refused. I couldn’t just wait. I couldn’t just accept that there was nothing I could do.I turned back to Garbie, determination hardening my voice. “You might think I can’t help,” I said, my voice steady despite the fear bubbling inside me, “but I have to try. Your king… he’s not just some vampire to me. He saved me and protected me, even when he didn’t have
KEILAH Seth stared at me, his eyes cold. For a moment, the room was silent, save for the heavy beat of my heart in my chest. I held my ground, refusing to let his words rattle me. My mind was focused on one thing—Damien. If there was even the slightest chance my blood could help him, I wasn’t going to back down.Finally, Seth broke the silence with a low grunt, his eyes flickering toward Garbie. “You heard her. Get it,” he muttered, his tone laced with reluctant agreement. He turned his attention back to me, his glare never leaving my face as if daring me to reconsider. “I hope for your sake this works, Keilah. I’d hate to see what happens next if it doesn’t.”Garbie returned a few moments later, holding a knife that looked like it hadn’t been in use for years and a black bowl. The blade was worn and dark, the handle smooth with age. I glanced from the knife to Seth, my mind racing with questions I couldn’t quite master into words.My heart thudded painfully in my chest, and the weig
DAMIEN Deirdre's soft laughter vibrated against my chest, a melody that soothed the storm inside me. “You’re holding me so tightly, Damien,” she murmured, her voice tinged with gentle humour. “Are you sure you’re okay?”I pulled back just enough to look at her, searching her face for any trace of deception, any sign that this was another cruel trick of the throne or my own fractured mind. But there was none. Her eyes held nothing but love and warmth.“I don’t want to let go,” I admitted, my voice raw. “Not after what I’ve been through. I can’t lose you again.”Her expression softened, and she reached up to brush her fingers along my jawline, her touch featherlight. “You’ll never lose me, my love. I promised you that a long time ago, didn’t I?” She smiled, her thumb tracing the edge of my cheek. A mischievous glint lit up her gaze, and her lips curved into a teasing smirk. “Did you forget who I am?” she said, her tone a playful
RALPH The immigration officer, a woman with brown eyes that held a piercing stare, didn’t say anything at first. She just looked at our passports for a long moment, flipping through the pages. The air around me felt thick, and I could almost hear the ticking of my pulse in my ears.“Purpose of your visit?” she asked sharply, her gaze still fixed on Dahlia’s passport.“Tourism,” Dahlia answered smoothly, her voice steady. “We’re here to see the Rwenzori Mountains.”The officer didn’t respond immediately. She looked at Dahlia for a moment longer before flipping through her documents, her fingers brushing against the pages slowly. Then she glanced up. “And how long do you intend to stay in Uganda?”Dahlia didn’t hesitate. “Two weeks.”The officer raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing her. “Two weeks. And where will you be staying?”“Fort Portal,” Dahlia replied, without missing a beat. “We’ll be staying at a lodge near the mountains.”The officer continued to flip through the pages of Dahlia’
RALPH The moment we stepped onto the plane, I felt the weight of exhaustion settles deep into my bones. We had been running on pure adrenaline for hours, but now, with nothing to do but sit through the long flight, fatigue hit me like a freight train.I slid into my seat, adjusting my position until I was comfortable enough. Dahlia took the seat next to me, scrolling through her phone with a look of deep concentration. Across the aisle, Damien leaned back, his eyes closed, arms crossed over his chest. He was pretending to sleep, but I knew better. His mind was working through a thousand scenarios, trying to figure out the next move. And next to him was Jay.As the plane taxied down the runway, I turned to Dahlia. "So, any updates on this whole government crackdown thing? Are we walking into a trap the moment we land?"She sighed. "Not exactly a trap, but Uganda has been tightening its security on foreigners. There's been a lot of strict screenings lately. If we don’t have all our pap
KEILAH The old woman didn’t flinch at Aaron’s warning. Instead, her sharp eyes studied me, her expression unreadable. The people around her murmured in hushed voices, their gazes shifting between Aaron and me as if we were pieces of a puzzle they couldn’t quite fit together.Garbie moved closer, her arm brushing against mine. “Keilah,” she whispered, “I don’t like this.”Neither did I.The old woman took a step forward, her long robes whispering against the ground. A faint golden mist trailed her movements as if the air itself bent to her will. “Step aside, Aaron,” she said calmly, but there was an unshakable authority in her tone. “The girl is ours.”I turned sharply to Aaron, confusion tightening my chest. “What is she talking about?” I demanded. “What does she mean I’m theirs?”Aaron didn’t answer me. He ignored me completely and stepped forward, his eyes locked onto the old woman. “Enough of this, Elira,” he said, his voice dangerously smooth. “She’s mine. I found her first, and
DAMIEN Ralph let out a frustrated growl. "Africa? Are you serious?"Sylra gave him a pointed look. "Do I look like I'm joking?"Dahlia sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Okay, fine. Where exactly in Africa?"Sylra hesitated for a moment before answering. "Uganda.Ralph let out a scoff. “Great, I’ve never even heard of Uganda before.”Sylra rolled her eyes. “Not my problem. But if you want your girlfriend back, you better figure it out fast.” There's an elder there, a powerful fae who might be able to help you."I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. "Might?"She shrugged. "Depends on his mood."Ralph cursed under his breath. "Great. So we have to fly across the world to beg some moody fae elder for help?""Pretty much," Sylra said flatly.I glanced at Seth, who had been quiet the entire time. He met my gaze and gave a small nod. We didn’t have a choice."Fine," I said. "Give us his name and where to find him."Sylra stepped back into her house, leaving us standing there. A f
DAMIEN I parked the car at the side of the road, the wheels crunching over gravel as I threw it into park. I turned to Seth, keeping my voice steady but firm. "Stay in the car. I’ll be right back."Seth didn’t say anything, just nodded as I got out of the car. I walked to the backseat, opened the door, and carefully lifted Marina into my arms. Her body was cold, unnervingly still.As I moved towards the woods, I noticed Ralph getting out of his car right behind mine. He didn’t say anything, just leaned against the side of his car, his arms crossed. He wasn’t trying to make this more complicated than it already was.James met me halfway as I carried Marina, walking quietly beside me, his eyes scanning the forest. We made our way towards the boundary where the barrier that separated the woods from Greenery Village stood visible, a shimmering line of magic hanging in the air. It felt like stepping into another world, one that was both calming and dangerous at the same time.When we reac
DAMIEN I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails cut into my palms, drawing blood. The scent of it filled the air, but I ignored it. The urge to destroy something—anything—coursed through me, but I forced myself to stay still. Losing control would get me nothing. Seth spun me around by my shoulder with a rough jerk, forcing me to face him. A guttural growl rumbled in his throat, his eyes burning with fury. "Where is Garbie? Did she go with the human?" His voice was sharp, laced with accusation and barely contained rage. A snarl erupted from Ralph before I could even respond. "She fucking has a name," he snapped, stepping toward Seth, his wolf flickering beneath his skin. Seth didn’t even glance at him. His glare stayed fixed on me as he spat, "To fucking hell I care about that." His chest heaved with frustration as he ran a hand through his hair before stabbing a finger in my direction. "I never liked that little thing from the first time you brought her here, and now look—she
KEILAH A deep, bone-chilling growl rumbled through the air, cutting through the steady downpour. My breath hitched. The creatures didn’t move, but I could feel their presence pressing in, watching.“How do we stop the rain?” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the storm.Garbie let out a frustrated sigh. “If I knew, we wouldn’t still be here!”I clenched my fists. My soaked clothes clung to me, making the cold settle deeper into my skin. I could barely tell where my trembling ended and the shivers from the cold began.I tilted my head slightly, careful to keep my eyes shut. “What if… what if we change the way we feel about it?”“What?” Garbie asked, confused.“The rain,” I said quickly. “What if it feeds off fear? I mean, think about it—when it started, we panicked. What if that’s what made it stronger?”Garbie went quiet again, then, after a moment, said, “That’s ridiculous… but I have no better idea, so let’s try it.”Before I could concentrate my mind, a strange, hollow soun
KEILAH The world spun violently around me as I tumbled down the rocky hill, my body rolling uncontrollably over jagged stones and patches of rough dirt. Pain shot through me with every impact, but I couldn’t stop. I had no control over my descent, and the speed at which I was falling only increased with every passing second.Above me, I could hear Garbie’s frantic voice, shouting something I couldn’t make out. My head slammed against the ground, sending a sharp, dizzying pain through my skull. I gasped, my arms flailing, trying to find something—anything—to stop my fall. But the hill was too steep, too cruel, and all I could do was brace for the inevitable.Then, suddenly, my body collided with a thick patch of grass, soft compared to the harsh terrain above. The impact still knocked the air from my lungs, but it slowed me enough to let me twist and dig my hands into the dirt. My fingers curled around a thick root, and I clung to it desperately, my chest heaving as I fought to catch
RALPH I watched her, every muscle in my body tense with a mixture of rage and something far darker—something I couldn't name. Her lips, soft and warm against mine, had been a shock to my senses. I could feel the bond snap into place the moment she kissed me, my wolf roared to life. It was everything I needed to reconnect with the beast inside me, but nothing had prepared me for the flood of emotions that came with it.I pulled away, gasping for air, my eyes snapping open to find Keilah still frozen in place, her expression unreadable. I saw it, though—the conflict, the confusion, the pain in her eyes. She wasn’t unaffected. She felt it, too. But her body was betraying her. She hated me. I could see it in every movement, in every cold, calculating glance she sent my way.I swallowed the anger rising in my throat, my chest tightening. “Damn it,” I muttered under my breath, pushing away from her.I needed to control myself. I couldn’t let her see how much it had affected me. My wolf was