AVERY’S POV:Every detail of him—his warmth, the sheen of sweat along his skin, the steady pulse of desire—held me captive.I parted my lips and welcomed him in, My tongue, wet and agile, traced every ridge, beginning its deliberate exploration along his sensitive tip. I swirled it in slow, circular motions, savoring the unique taste of him—a heady blend of salt, musk, and raw desire.Axel cradled my head, tilting it slightly as he explored. His touch was deliberate, as though teaching my body a new language of pleasure.With each flick of his tongue and tender press, he coaxed moans and gasps from deep within me. Though I was inexperienced, his guidance was as clear as his passion.With each slow thrust, it felt as though he was unlocking something deep within meEvery flick of my tongue was measured, teasing, and when I slid my lips further down, I could feel him twitch with anticipation.Axel’s eyes fluttered shut as he exhaled a slow breath.I gagged softly, breath hitching as Axe
AXEL’S POV:Avery saw it. She saw the circle around my heart—something only I had ever been able to see. How the hell was that even possible? Who was she? I stared at her sleeping face, my mind running through every insane possibility. The mysterious woman’s words echoed in my head, but there was no Orion. No grand destiny. Only Avery. Finding out who she truly was—who her biological parents were—was my priority now. Maybe then, I’d get some goddamn answers. But none of that mattered at this moment. Right now, she was in my arms, tangled up in me like she belonged there. Avery’s head rested on my chest, her soft breaths fanning against my skin. I lay face forward, my arms wrapped tightly around her, my hand moving up and down her back in slow, absent strokes. I told myself I wasn’t getting attached, but the way my grip instinctively tightened every time she shifted said otherwise. I didn’t sleep a wink. Not because I couldn’t, but because I didn’t want to. If I closed my e
AVERY’S POV:When I asked Axel for sex last night, I knew exactly how he shut me down—made me feel like a desperate, needy girl unworthy of his touch. Yet, desperate as I was, I craved him. The next morning, with the first rays of the sun warming my face and an aching reminder between my legs, I rolled over with a triumphant smile. I had decided then: today, I was going to get what I wanted.I reached out, expecting the warmth of the body I had grown used to. Instead, my fingers met nothing but cool sheets. My eyes snapped open. Axel was gone.I told myself he’d just stepped out—maybe to the bathroom, maybe for air. I laid back down, pretending nothing was amiss. But as minutes stretched into an hour and he still hadn’t returned, a cold, unfamiliar dread settled in my gut. Had he woken up disgusted? Had I crossed a line so deep he couldn't face me? I forced myself out of bed—the bed that wasn’t mine—and trudged to the small restroom. The cold water shocked me awake, but it couldn’t
AXEL’S POV:It had been two weeks. Two whole weeks of trying to exorcise her from my mind. I kept myself busy—hunting for the perfect virgin maid, tracking down the so-called Orion. I even went through five women who fit the description of the mystery girl that crazy woman had described, testing them in the only way that mattered to me. But none of them could get me off. No matter how tight they were, they weren’t her. And they sure as hell weren’t healing me either. In fact, it only got worse. I had convinced myself that my obsession was about control—about needing to reclaim whatever hold she had on me. But it wasn’t just that. It was the way she had changed. Avery was no longer the terrified woman I had brought into my world. She wasn’t cowering anymore, wasn’t swallowing her words just to avoid setting me off. She had learned to fight. Not just physically but in every way. She took care of Sea like she had been born to do it. She challenged me in training, standing her g
AXEL’S POV:"...and I'm Don Orlando of the Black Horse faction," a gruff voice said, pulling my attention back.I nodded politely, my eyes returning to the mysterious stranger.Finally, he stepped forward, his eyes locking onto mine with unnerving intensity. "Vaughan Zedar, Don of the Four Square faction," he said, his voice smooth as silk.I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by his confidence. His suit was pristine, his posture too at ease for a man who looked like he'd just stepped out of a boardroom. Something about him set my instincts on edge."Four Square's Don is Don Zak," I said, testing him.Vaughan's expression remained neutral, but a flicker of something – amusement? – danced in his eyes. "He passed away two years ago, and I took over."I nodded, my mind racing with questions. "I see."Vaughan's smile was a thin, mirthless line. "Welcome to my home. Let me know if you need anything.""I don't deserve that politeness, Don Axel," Vaughan said, his voice laced with sarcasm. "But I'
AXEL’S POV: Ryan’s request was clear as daylight now. The admiration, the silent nods, the stolen glances when he thought no one was watching—it had all been leading to this. Still, I never took it seriously. Ryan hated Avery down to his bones. Or at least, that’s what I thought. When did that change? And to the point where he wanted her as a damn birthday present? "Ryan, you’re not one to joke around, so I know you’re serious. Why do you want Avery?" His hands slid into his pockets as a smirk tugged at his lips. His entire posture shifted—light, almost boyish, like a kid about to confess to his first crush. I already knew what he was going to say, and I didn’t want to hear it. Keeping my expression blank, I tilted my head, my gaze cutting into him. "Ryan, ask for something else. I have a purpose for Avery. She’s out of reach." The smirk faded. "I figured you’d say that." His voice carried no disappointment, only a quiet determination. "But I know her main purpose is
AVERY’S POV:I forced myself to ignore whatever I was feeling, pushing down the anger that bubbled up every time I thought about him with another woman. It wasn’t like I had proof, but the whispers were there. Axel was looking for a new maid. Axel was sleeping around. Baron had been talking about it with the guys when I overheard them. Still, I focused on my training, harder than ever. The inked circle on his chest had faded into nothing, and no one spoke about it—not even Cedric when he came for a routine checkup. I was left in the dark, like always. This morning, even before the first streak of light broke through, everything felt different. The entire estate buzzed with activity. Extra security. People rushing in and out. But Axel and Ryan were nowhere to be seen. Whatever was happening, I wasn’t allowed to know. Even the girls wouldn’t talk. I tried to get them to slip up in the kitchen earlier, but Katie caught us, and the conversation ended before it began. Then they black
AVERY'S POV:The heat cooled, but I could hear the unsaid "yet" floating between us. My fingers curled against his chest, gripping the fabric like it could steady me. I tried to ignore the pang in my chest, tried to pretend I didn’t feel the weight of the word he hadn’t said. I locked my expression down. He couldn’t know that I felt it. That I cared. Because I didn’t. This was temporary. We both knew it. Embrace it. Use it. Move on. “I guess it’s handy that I’m willing to wait until you’re done with me,” I murmured, forcing a lightness into my voice that I didn’t quite feel. It was the truth. I wanted more of him before he either killed me, sold me off, or let me go. Axel didn’t lose any of his intensity as he lifted his other hand, framing my face like I was something delicate. Like I mattered. I thought he would lower his mouth to mine, thought I’d finally get another taste of him, but he didn’t. “Avery, do you seriously want this?” His voice had softened, quieter this t
AVERY’S POV:"His base would be in Miami. That’s our territory," Axel muttered, scrolling furiously through search results. "He has to be somewhere we already have dominance and power. So why the hell am I finding it difficult to trace him?""Maybe try your own homes," I said, biting into the cracker the hostess handed me. “The biggest and most discreet ones. You know, the kind no one ever talks about but everyone knows not to touch.”He stilled, glanced at me, then nodded slowly. “You’re right. He’s smart enough to hide in plain sight.”As he resumed his search, I finally allowed myself to chew. The snacks weren’t much, but they beat the dry, tasteless scraps I’d been surviving on at Orion. This was the first thing resembling real food I'd had in days."Serena," Axel called suddenly, not even lifting his eyes from the screen."Yes, Mr. Blackwood?" the flight attendant responded immediately, turning like she’d been waiting."Contact the tech team. Tell them I want the real-time locati
AVERY’S POV:We never noticed how much Orion had changed the nights we snuck out. The darkness cloaked everything, and in our desperation, we didn’t pay attention or question anything.But daylight doesn’t lie.It wasn’t until we came back down the slope—mud caking our boots, sunlight breaking through the trees—that we saw the truth. Burnt farmlands. Caved-in homes. Charred wooden posts where old lanterns used to hang. The trail had looked enchanted once. Now, it looked like a forgotten battlefield.The two men who guided us stopped near a cluster of boulders, gave a respectful nod, and wordlessly turned back. They didn’t look back once. Axel and I kept walking. And walking. It was torturous, but eventually, we came to a little town that looked almost deserted.Axel hurriedly found a payphone and made a phone call which my brain couldn't register due to how hungry and tired I was. My legs throbbed and my stomach kept reminding me how long it had been since that quick meal back in Or
AXEL’S POVIf I was still sane, it was only because my mind had already survived worse. That was the only explanation I had for not snapping the second we stepped foot back in the village.They saw us before we saw them.A shrill scream pierced the air, followed by the unmistakable hiss of metal drawn from sheaths. Blades flashed in the fading light. Men ran toward us with their swords raised, eyes wide with terror—not rage."Stay back!" someone yelled. "Don’t come any closer!""You shouldn't be here!" another man cried, backing away with trembling hands. "We buried you! You’re not real! You’re ghosts—vengeful spirits!"I tensed, stepping in front of Avery instinctively.Akira raised both hands, her voice strong but calm. "Peace! Peace, it's us!" she called out. "It's truly us. We've returned."The group hesitated, their weapons still raised, eyes darting between us like they were waiting for us to vanish in smoke. A woman dropped her bowl of water. It shattered on the ground."How is
AVERY’S POV:“What?” Axel blinked. “That has to be a joke.”Akira gave him a look. “When have you ever known me to joke?”“But—seven years?”She nodded. “It started counting differently once our spirits left the House of Judgment. One day in this temple equals one year in the human world.”I stared at her, trying to process. “So... when I was yelling at you two to wake up, that was normal time. But once we began the process—”“Time shifted,” she said. “You experienced four normal days and seven spiritual days. In the human world, it’s been over seven years.”Axel let out a breath. “So technically, I’m fifty-two now? Avery’s thirty-one? And Sea—” He paused. “She’d be thirteen.”“Not quite,” Akira replied calmly. “You didn’t age. None of us did. We still look, feel, and are the same age as when we first entered. But the world we’re going back to… it moved on.”I looked at my hands, then at Axel’s face. He hadn’t changed. Neither had I.“But everyone we left behind…” I whispered. “They c
AVERY’S POV:Apparently, I might not get everything back.But I have Axel. I have Akira. And for now, that was enough.Nothing’s been the same since I woke up seven days ago. Not even the way the air feels in my lungs. It’s lighter—but heavier, somehow. Akira had waited until the second morning to tell me.“There’s no heartbeat,” she said.Just like that.Axel looked just as stunned as I felt. His grip on my hand didn’t loosen, though. If anything, he held tighter.Later that night, while I stared up at the cracked ceiling, unable to stop the tears from creeping into my ears, he pulled me against him and said, “I’d rather let a child I’ve never met go than lose you. We’ll make another one, Avery. Don’t be too sad.”He’s been like that ever since.Solid. Ridiculous. Unshakable.When my sadness slips in, he trains with me. When I get too quiet, he cracks a joke—sometimes awful enough to make me roll my eyes, but it works.What surprised us both was how different we were. I took time to
AXEL’S POV:"You can’t mention any of this to anyone," Akira stated. "The last time we tried to be inclusive, half of us were wiped out, and the rest were exploited. Once this is over, we’d prefer to be left in peace. Our existence must remain a secret. We have so much to rebuild. Our land… it was ripped in two."That was my doing. I meaning the ripping the land into two part.And I swore, right then, to rebuild it for them. Every stone, every torn root, every inch of earth that had felt the weight of destruction—I would give it back.I understood her fear. People destroy what they don’t understand. And this place—this divine, terrifying place—was a miracle the outside world would dissect like a corpse. They wouldn’t see wonder; they’d see something to own. Something to use."I’ll respect your wish," I said quietly."Thank you."But my curiosity wasn’t done with me yet. "Tell me about this place. How was it founded? Who rules here—do you have a president? Prime minister? Or is this mo
AXEL’S POV:An invisible force surged through me like a pressure wave, ripping the air out of my lungs. Before I could blink, I was flung backward—lifted off my feet like a ragdoll and hurled through the air. The floor caught me with a punishing thud, pain ricocheting up my spine as the breath whooshed from my chest.I groaned, sprawled across the cold earth, my limbs momentarily useless.“Axel, quit it!” the woman snapped. “You’ve done enough already to piss off everyone. Just sit and wait.”I sat up slowly, dust clinging to my skin and frustration burning in my gut.“Do you think you care more about her than I do?”I didn’t reply. I didn’t have to.Because she didn’t love Avery as much as I did to care. So I thought. I didn’t need to hear it from her mouth to know I’d been screwing up left and right. Every time I acted on impulse, people paid the price. The burden of my mistakes stared back at me, and I reflected on the catastrophic consequences of my errors. If only I had been mo
AXEL’S POV:I came back like I was clawing my way through layers of nothingness. Everything was silent—then not. It was like drowning in an ocean without water, suffocating on something I couldn’t see until I burst through some invisible surface and inhaled like I hadn’t breathed in centuries.My eyes shot open.Bright. Too bright.I blinked, once—twice. The light didn’t burn. I could see. Both eyes. Clear, like someone had lifted a veil from the world.The realization slammed into me harder than the bullet had: I was alive.No. No, that wasn’t possible.I tried to move and found myself tightly bound from neck to ankles. The rough texture of cloth wrapped around every inch of me—like a preserved relic, like something meant to stay buried.I’d been dead.The memory returned like lightning. The sound of gunshots. The searing heat in my chest. Blood. So much of it. And then the dark."Avery," I rasped, voice hoarse like it hadn’t been used in weeks—or ever.Her eyes widened like she’d se
AVERY’S POV: Swallowing hard and exhaling, my body felt like brittle glass. “If anyone should be punished... it should be me. Yes, it should. I—” I staggered, stammering, my chest tightening as guilt tore through me. “I brought all this... on them. I cursed. I lashed out. I lost control. Take my life, just bring them back. Please—please!”My hands shook as I looked down at the blood still clinging to my skin. “The child... the child was innocent,” I mentioned, then screamed, “Do you hear me?! They didn’t do anything! This baby has never done a single wicked thing in their entire life! What about Akira that lived a pure life? And Axel—he didn’t even know about the baby! He never got to know!”I choked on my own sob, clenching my fists. “Oman!" I shouted, lifting my head. “Kore! Where are you?! If I am yours—if I carry even a drop of your blood—then show up! Do something! Show me mercy! Please! I’m not begging as a warrior or a vessel. I’m begging as your child. I’m just a daughter ask