My heart jumped and heat pooled in my gut. Images flashed through my mind, images I usually only thought about in relation to Candido, but I could see him. I could almost feel the heat of his hands on me. I didn’t… want it, but I didn’t feel like it would be the worst thing I had ever experienced.I tried to push the thought away. I didn’t know why this man was having this effect on me. I loved Candido. I’d die for him, just the same as he would die for me. We were mates, and as soon as all of this was over, we’d get married and start our life together. Yet, the thought of it flashed through my mind, and I couldn’t but think more about it.I bet… I bet Cillian wouldn’t hesitate to have me now that I was twenty. I wonder if back when I first met Candido, if Cillian had been in his place, would he have hesitated to take what I had been offering that night? I didn’t know either way. Did vampires have an age of majority like werewolves? Based on what Raven said about her life, they didn’t
He turned, and I was stunned that he just flat-out refused. Raven didn’t even look back at me as they walked away. Messiah and Shiloh were laughing loud enough to be heard even as they reached the end of the road. I moved to go after them.“Come on, we—”Candido’s hand wrapped around my arm and pulled me back. His face was flushed. He was still fuming.“Werewolves don’t get involved in vampire business,” Candido said.“It could be important!” I tugged on my arm. “He was going to invite me!”“But not me,” Candido said. “And I think you’ve done enough for one day.”He pulled me along. I pulled back.“Let me go! You can’t just drag me around like a child.”“Then stop acting like one,” Candido said. “You’ve been running head first into danger and acting recklessly. I don’t know what this is all about, but you’ve done enough.”“I saved their lives,” I growled, stumbling after him. “You’re hurting me.”“Doubtful,” he growled.I pulled back, trying to fight to get free. “You can’t treat me l
It didn’t long for Claire to get to my room. I let her inside. She looked frustrated. Her eyes were hard. I closed the door behind her and looked at her.“What wrong?”“Have you looked on the forum?” Claire asked, softly, shifting her weight back and forth nervously.I shook my head.“Everyone knows I’m still alive. It’s everywhere.”She offered me her phone and I read the message. I was a little jealous. Everyone seemed to be reaching out to her, wanting to see her, wanting her to come to a party that was coming up soon. I grinned.“We should go.”“What?”“They don’t want us here,” I said. “And we’re being invited. We should go.”I looked at my phone and found that I did have the same invitation in my inbox. There were a few messages from the rugby team. I was glad they were still alive.Claire licked her lips. “Okay, but how are we going to get out of here?”“Easy,” I said.I wasn’t sure if it was easy or not, but I had to say it. I gave her some of the clothes that Raven had given
I got up and followed a guy to the dance floor when he asked me to dance. He wrapped his hands around my waist and pulled me close. He was blond like Candido with dark eyes. I could almost imagine he’s what Candido would have looked like in his youth back before Sibyl. It made it easy to smile at him and press in close. There was a bit of whiskey on his breath so he smelled a little like Candido too.“You know I never got a chance to talk to you,” he said. “When we were still in school. I wanted to, but you always seemed uninterested… what changed?”I shrugged. “A lot of things. Does it matter we’re talking now?”He grinned. “No, I guess it doesn’t. I hear you liked math.”I nodded. “Yeah. I do.”“I was majoring in Physics,” he said. “I wanted to design cars. I’ve learned to like math as a matter of survival. I'd still rather not pick up a book if I don’t have to.”“Me either,” I said grinning. “What year?”“Senior. I was finishing up my senior project. I know that makes me older than
The van bumped and shook as it raced away from the party scene. I heard other people whimpering and scared around us as were jostled around.“It’s the vampires.”“I bet Claire brought them!”“I didn’t.”“Quiet!” Someone shouted. “Next one who talks is getting a bullet in the leg.”“Just let us—ah!” The gun went off and the woman who talked screeched in agony. I could smell the blood. Claire started to pant, staring at the woman’s leg.“Her eyes…”“She’s a vampire!”They shuffled away from Claire as she continued to stare at the growing pool of blood.When the van came to a screeching halt, the doors were flung open and people dragged us out. The woman who had been shot was dragged away screaming. A group of vampires forced her down and bit her wherever they could reach, draining the last of her blood.Claire panted.“We got them both.”“Good, take them to him.”I tried to struggle and fight, but the man punched me in the gut. I felt my ribs crack as pain exploded through me and the ai
Ian chuckled. “Perhaps I was wrong. Dear girl, how could a hybrid entity like your Francium have turned you? Did you not consider it? Do you even remember your turning?”I shuddered at the thought.“I… choose not to remember it.”“Oh please, it is not something you could choose to forget.”“He choked me…”“And then?”“I woke up.”He sighed heavily. “Must you be coy about this? Or perhaps are you hiding it from Francium. I assure you, now is not the time to be reticent.”“That’s all!”Ian huffed. “I am not asking you how he killed you. That is irrelevant. I am asking about your turning. You were called, Claire, by the Goddess. She told you something, did she not?”Claire went silent, but I knew the look on her face. She knew exactly what he was talking about. What could the Goddess have told her? Why hadn’t Claire told me about it? Why hadn’t she told Francium? He looked just as shocked as I was.“Point proven,” he said. “Your turning started long before Francium delved into choking or
I looked at Candido who kneeled beside them with a grim expression.Gilgamesh was Candido’s cousin?“Just hold on,” Vanessa said and screamed again. “What are you all standing there for? Get a fucking medic!”“It’s too close to his heart,” Candido said softly.She shook her head and looked at Ian and Cillian. “Please. You have magic. You can do something.”“It brings me no joy to tell you that I can do nothing,” Ian said grimly. “My magic is not of the healing variety.”“You’re lying!” She screamed. “You’re the one who came up with this plan!”“I merely gave you the opportunity. Extended a suggestion,” Ian said. “It may not register to you, Vanessa, but this is war. Lives will be lost, as tragic as that is.”“It’s all your fault!” She screamed. “You vampires… My son…”I didn’t know what to say or do. I considered going to Candido, but I couldn’t speak and that was irritating, so what good would it do. I turned away, stepping back. Yggdrasil glared at me, pushing past me with a bullet
Estella? I had never heard the name before. Not once had he ever mentioned her, but I went still and cold at the hope and happiness that seemed to fill his voice. I looked over at him. He didn’t even look at me. He was star-struck, staring at her. She turned her head, and I saw a glint of silver in her ear.She seemed frozen in his gaze, eyeing him.“…’Dido?” She asked.I clenched my jaw. What a stupid nickname. He should be offended. I was offended that she would talk to him so familiarly. She should be addressing him properly. Only me and his family got to call him by his first name. Who the hell did she think she was?He burst into incredulous laughter. “I can’t believe you’re still alive. I—”He stilled and turned, but it was too late. A vampire screeched and lunged out of from under a jeep, tackling Estella to the ground. Vanessa twisted, planting herself between Van’s unconsci
She cocked an eyebrow. “They might be related, but there’s no way to know if they’re compatible.”“They’re both golden wolves. That should be enough.” I swallowed. “I don’t care what you have to do, you have to keep him alive.”Her eyes drifted down to Candido with an odd expression on her face. “I’ll see what I can do,” she looked up at me. “But… there will be a hefty cost.”“I don’t care,” I said. If Candido was really being used to stabilize Solare, whatever that meant, then I had make sure that he had enough life force, that his body still remained, after that was done to wake up. “I developed a drug that strengthened wolves,” she said. “I have a feeling that it would at least help.”My eyes bulged. “You’re… You’re the one who made the drug for the vampires.”She smiled. “I am. And?”I growled at her. “You’re a traitor.”Her smile turned cold. “And you aren’t the alpha king’s mate.”She cocked an eyebrow. “Given the state of the world, do you think they’ll care?”“Of course, the
“It was unsure if my Beloved King would have ever risen again and to what world,” she said. “It was for the best that I changed the path.”“We’re mates,” I said again. “We’re mates. Nothing you say can change that.”“Mates,” she scoffed. “A tool for conquest. Were you not listening? The vampiric power you inherited from your mother was the only reason you could fake the moon mark. The white fur you inherited from your father turned platinum because of it. When you were no longer a vampire, after Cillian had drained the last of that power out of you, you were just a plain werewolf…”“I don’t believe you,” I said. “I won’t believe you. You’re just trying to trick me.”“Your real moon mark vanished the night that your mate died trying to protect you.”I saw the senior diving in front of me and jerking as the bullets hit him in the chest. “Him?” I growled. “No. I can’t believe that.”“Neither could your mother,” she laughed. “By the time you met your grandfather, I had already been makin
I pushed at the wall, trying to get over there and drag Estella away from Candido. Then, Vanessa appeared dressed in a wispy gauzy red dress. She looked younger than the last time I had seen her. Two younger men followed her, chatting with her though I couldn’t make out what they were saying. They were dressed in red tunics. Then, I saw Claire and Francium striding towards them in red. They were holding hands. Her hair was gathered up in a flower wreath as they smiled together. They looked so happy together as they sat beside Candido and Estella. Soon, I saw other people. I saw Claire’s parents and the people I remember dying over the course of the war. They sat together in a circle around Candido and Estella, chatting happily. “Don’t be happy!” I yelled, banging on the wall. “Claire! You’re supposed to be my friend! Get her away from my mate!”No one even noticed I was there. They laughed and chatted, welcoming other people as they came to join them. Everyone else was wearing red,
Weeks passed, and in that time, I made the remaining people do what needed to be done. They fixed up the building Candido and I were in. While they couldn’t get the water or electricity working, there was a roof and the floors were cleaned. They brought me food when they came to check on Candido and busied themselves with trying to contact whoever else might be alive. “Miss Hedy.”I looked up, glaring at them. “How many times have I told you to call me luna?”The man lifted his head. “Until the king confirms it, I would never disgrace the position that way.”I glared at him. “Then, I suppose you’ll be tried for treason, then.”His eyes narrowed as two people entered the room. “You’re supposed to be regent, right?” The woman asked. “You have some authority.”I lifted my head. “I’m luna.”She pointed at the man beside her. “Then tell this man that I want nothing to do with him and he should leave me alone.”“We’re mates!” He growled. “You’re not going to leave me.”“There is no mark,”
When I opened my eyes, I knew I wasn’t awake. Candido wasn’t there with me. I was seated across a long table that I had never seen before. The windows were all made of stained glass. Moonlight filtered through the colorful glass and sent the colors splashing everywhere. At the other end of the table was the vampire king. He was darker than I remember, but his hair glowed the way it had in that castle. The crown on his brow twinkled with light. To his left, like an odd reflection, was Marius. His blonde hair didn’t glow, and he didn’t wear a crown, but looking at the two of them it was so obvious that he was related to the thing. Their eyes glowed the same. I clenched my jaw and glared at them both. “Where am I?” I asked. “If you think you can change my mind about—”“The time to change your mind has long since passed, Hedy,” the vampire king said softly. His lips twitched into a small smile. “The time to make different decisions is long since over.”He took a deep breath and shook h
I shook my head. “You’re lying. You have to be lying. How would you know if the door was closed?”He laughed. “It was closed to her and all the other traitors. No child of Lunae who still walks in the Goddess’ grace would be turned away from returning home.”I swallowed and shook my head. “She never got Candido’s grandfather or father… I imagine she’s burning with jealousy that you’re so close to what she wanted,” he smiled. “Or maybe she’s proud that you share the same tastes.”“None of that matters,” I said. “I’m not a vampire. I never was. I’m a werewolf. I’m Candido’s mate. Tell me what you plan is. What are trying to do? If you’re trying to hurt Candido, I’ll never forgive you.”He laughed, throwing his head back. “Why would I give a fuck about your forgiveness, traitor?”“I— ““You’re even worse than Hedwig in some ways,” He laughed. “At least Hedwig mourned Candido’s father and grandfather. At least she was faithful in her pursuit. You jumped at the chance to get as close to f
I fell to the ground, choking. For a moment, I imagined Candido stroking my hair like we were in one of the parlors at the Estate before the war. I could almost hear him reading a book to me, some book that I was supposed to read for class but didn’t want to. I didn’t remember the words. I wasn’t even paying attention to his words or the book. I didn’t care. I just loved that he was spending time with me. It was all that I wanted. It was all that I had ever wanted. I closed my eyes and let myself sink into the memory. Slowly, the darkness faded. I felt his lips on my forehead then he was gone. It was so cold. I shivered in the wind that picked up over the mountaintop. I opened my eyes. Dawn was coming over the mountain. I shook and rolled over and tried to get up. I could see Candido there. His fur was still golden. He hadn’t turned back. He didn’t move. I crawled toward him. “Candido?” I whispered. “Candido? You can’t be gone… She promised me. I… You promised.”I got to him and we
“Fuck!”I rolled over and tried to see what was happening as I sucked in breath after breath. I choked, trying to catch my breath as I saw a glint of silver cut through the air. The man barely choked as his head tumbled through the air. His body went up in flames. Then, I saw Raven’s face. Her eyes were filled with blood-red light.She walked toward me. A flash of silver went by me and the gag loosened. I spat it out and my hands fell apart like the cuffs were broken. Her sword was aimed at me. Her expression was cold as she looked at me. Her hand trembled. Tears streamed down her face. Her jaw trembled. Then, she lowered her blade. I couldn’t believe it. I looked around, searching for someone else, but there was no one. It was just the two of us behind the barrier. Then, the wall of light shimmered and started to fade.I heard a stroke of thunder and turned as lightning fell from the sky and slammed into the side of the mountain. I smiled. Candido was using his power and winning. W
The fury simmered behind the tears in her eyes before she turned back to the group. They talked a little longer When they broke apart, none of them came my way. Most of them went with Wren, but the man with bandages headed toward a different truck. I eyed him suspiciously. What was he doing separate from the rest of them? Were the rest of them going to Candido and leaving him behind? Where were they going?I looked across the way as Harper and Wren and the others looked at me, glaring. Their eyes were filled with red light. They drove away, never taking their eyes off me. One of the women was crying. I looked over at the bandaged man as he hauled himself onto the back of the truck, still leaning to one side. Then, the truck I was in started to drive away. I turned back to see where were going and knew we were headed toward the mountain from my vision. My heart started to race. It seemed like we were heading to the end of the war now.“Black Team,” someone said. “En route to Gold Tea