Serena felt heat rising unbidden to her cheeks as her traitorous mind instantly flashed back to that mortifying incident she'd witnessed on her first day. The lewd scene sprang to life behind her eyes with vivid clarity. Sevens naked, sculpted body glistening with a sheen of sweat as he moved with an inhumane intensity, limbs tangled in a knot of ecstasy, breathy moans and the slap of flesh on flesh filling the air.Serena gave her head a sharp shake, desperately trying to banish the X-rated images from her mind. “I’m fine.” She cleared her throat roughly, unable to meet Seven's piercing gaze. She could feel the weight of his stare boring into her as though he could through her feeble attempt at nonchalance with those unnervingly perceptive eyes of his.Killian, ever the one to bulldoze through awkward silences, immediately piped up with one of his trademark crude remarks. "Well, this spread looks absolutely scrumptious," he drawled, raking an exaggerated look of appreciation o
~At a different location~The gigantic mahogany double doors creaked open, revealing a massive hall that seemed to stretch on forever. The vaulted ceiling disappeared into darkness, giving the unsettling impression that the room opened up directly into some vast, starless void. The room was packed with faces that ranged from curious to perfectly drawn, hardly concealing the blatant desire for power that was burning in their eyes.They were all seated in elaborate high-backed chairs that looked straight out of a medieval torture chamber décor. The strange symbols carefully carved on each chair gave off a very occult vibe. Looking closely, one could swear some of the carved figures were subtly shifting positions when not being stared at directly. All attendees were dressed in all-black attire, with men sporting fitted suits and women donning dresses. All were adorned with faint runes that almost seemed to glimmer with an inner glow in the dim lighting.Some of the symbols wer
The air itself seemed to vibrate with residual energy even afterward.Knox, Enzo, and Meredith strode in at the front while their small entourage followed a few paces behind. The two men cut imposing figures in their crisp, tailored black suits, while Meredith's slinky black dress hugged her curves in a way that would make a Renaissance artist weep. They didn't seem even remotely fazed that the royal family remained stubbornly, insolently seated upon their arrival in a blatant snub. Their masks glinted in the candlelight, adding an air of mystery and danger to their already intimidating presence.Knox's mind was racing behind his stoic mask. His thoughts were whirling as he analyzed every subtle shift and nuance. He knew this whole dramatic meeting was nothing but an obvious trap conspired by that wicked fake Queen Sahar. But he'd decided it was finally time to stop hiding behind others. It was time for the supernatural world - hell, maybe even the human world too - to know
The silence that followed Sahar's shocking words was defining. It seemed to stretch on for an eternity, sucking all the air from the cavernous hall like a vacuum. A rising tide of confused murmurs and gasps rippled through the crowd as the prolonged, awkward silence dragged on interminably. People shifted restlessly, exchanging bewildered glances and hushed whispers as they struggled to process this earth-shattering revelation. Some brutally dug their nails into -their skin, as if seeking reassurance that they weren't hallucinating this surreal moment.Even the normally unflappable King Frederick appeared completely blindsided with his eyes widening to saucers as the implications of his wife's words slowly sank in. Son? What in the name of all that was holy did Sahar mean when she claimed Knox was not truly her son? And more mind-boggling still - the man they all knew as the Imperial, their mysterious and immensely powerful council leader, was his own flesh and blood? Frede
Knox moved with an aura of elegance and tyranny. He strode forward, each step resonating with an otherworldly power that sent tremors through everyone. The assembled members shrank back, their faces etched with terror as Knox came to a stop before Isolde.He stared at the most powerful sorceress in the realm, now looking like a broken doll. Isolde had tried invading Knox's mind the second he stepped into the hall with his entourage. It was a technique that had never failed her before, allowing her to slip past even the strongest mental defenses and bend the strongest wills to her whims. However, her mind had been the one invaded instead, and she had been fighting to fend him off from her deepest secrets until this moment when her powers couldn't sustain it anymore. Too late, she realized she had severely underestimated her opponent.Knox was no longer the naive prince she had once manipulated with ease. He had become something... else. Something terrifying beyond her comprehen
"Amar!” A shrill of agony tore from Sahar's lips, shocked to have watched her firstborn slain before her eyes. “My precious boy!" Her scream shook the very foundations of the castle as her powers roiled up from deep within her being. Her eyes shone with a searing light and face contorted into a mask of purest fury and hatred as she glared at Knox. The power building within her suddenly burst forth in a blinding blaze of raging energy that threatened to consume everything in its path.She prepared to unleash it with everything she’s got but a deafening roar like the peal of a thousand thunderclaps shook the entire hall. Frederick who was driven into a berserk rage by his son’s death, had shifted into his massive dragon form. He towered over thirty feet tall, its dragon scales gleaming like burnished steel. He opened his cavernous maw and fangs as long as swords glinted in the flickering light. The dragon let out another earth-shaking roar before charging straight at Knox w
~Meanwhile~ The convoy of blacked-out luxury cars rolled through the cemetery gates. The procession moved with an eerie, funeral-like slowness, as if the very air was thick with grief and accusation. Serena sat in one of the customized vehicles. She looked poised yet visibly tense in her stylish mourning attire - a black customized over-the-knee dress that probably cost more than most people's monthly salary. To her left sat the silent, stone-faced Seven. On her right lounged Killian, sprawled with casual arrogance with a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. His grey eyes glinted with barely contained malice as he gazed out at the gathering crowd. As soon as the convoy rolled to a stop, the army of bodyguards burst out of the surrounding vehicles like a well-oiled machine. They moved with the precision and intensity of a Navy SEAL team preparing for combat, swarming the middle car in a protective formation. Their eyes scanned the gathered crowd, searching for an
The gathered press corps seemed to sense the shift in the air as well. Their shouted questions died down to an uneasy murmur of confusion and speculation between the Montgomery family, which stood like a united front of seething hatred, and the Glovers. Their eyes bore into Serena with an intensity that could melt steel. Alex, his father Vaughn, his mother Sylvia, and a veritable army of aunts, uncles, and cousins formed a wall of barely contained rage. Even Kayla’s father, Governor Glover known for his cool demeanor in the face of political crises, looked ready to spit nails. He stood stiffly beside his new wife - a woman young enough to be his daughter with a face that owed more to skilled surgeons than genetics. The governor's second daughter, Kayla’s little sister hovered nearby, her own children fidgeting in their somber black attire while her husband tried to keep them quiet. The atmosphere was saturated with a powder keg of emotions, ready to explode at the slight