~MEANWHILE~The air was thick with tension and the metallic scent of freshly spilled blood in the Blackthorn ancestral manor.Grandma Eva sat rigid in her high-backed chair, her hands trembling with a fury that threatened to consume her.Her sharp and piercing eyes were fixed unwaveringly on the figure of her grandson, Zavian who stood before her with an imposing presence radiating cold indifference.His features betrayed no emotion as he casually stepped over the lifeless body of a stunningly beautiful chestnut-haired woman sprawled on the intricately patterned marble floor.The woman's hair fanned out around her head like a halo, contrasting to the growing pool of blood beneath her.Her once vibrant hazel eyes stared vacantly at the vaulted ceiling, all life extinguished from them.The sight was one of brutality and a reminder of the cold, heartless nature that ran deep in the Blackthorn bloodline.Grandma Eva had always known her grandson was a monster, a creature devoid of empathy
~FLASHBACK CONTINUES~Grandma Eva turned to her spy with a new resolve. "We make our move. Zavian will be at his most vulnerable now."The spy nodded, understanding the gravity of her words."I want every detail of his interactions with this woman. Leave nothing out.""Yes, my lady," the spy replied. "We've already gathered significant intelligence. Master Zavian was seen with her at the Bar. They appeared... intimate."Eva's lip curled in disgust. "And?""He took her aboard his yacht, the 'Night's Whisper'. They were alone for some time."Eva closed her eyes, fighting back a wave of nausea. When she opened them again, her gaze was steel. "And what of Yuna's people? I know that witch wouldn't miss an opportunity like this."That conniving snake Yuna was undoubtedly hatching some nefarious scheme, and she would be damned if she let that upstart witch get the upper hand.Her grandson might not care if Yuna found out about his new obsession but she wouldn’t let the damn woman have her wa
The air around Zavian was frosty as he strode toward the awaiting black Maybach whose rear door was held open by his right-hand man, Luca.The big guy had his head down in a deferential bow, not daring to make eye contact while his volatile boss got into the luxurious vehicle.Luca closed the door behind Zavian before hurrying around to get behind the wheel of the luxury sedan.An uneasy, suffocating silence descended on the car as Luca navigated it through the winding city streets and toward their destination.The bodyguard could feel all the hair on his body standing on end the entire time. The aura of menace radiating from Zavian in the back was like waves of Arctic cold.Luca didn't dare even breathe too loudly, let alone speak. His nerves were frayed to the breaking point.Zavian was truly in a murderous, psychopathic rage right now after the events at the manor, and one wrong move could potentially prove fatal.Luca regretted listening to Zavian that night when he dismissed all
Emmeline froze in the middle of the hallway.Her heart stuttered in shock when she lifted her head and saw none other than the devil who had been tormenting her sleep since their last encounter standing there in an impeccably tailored suit. What’s more, his expression was dark. Very dark and unsettling.Emmeline stared at him, momentarily unable to move or speak as she struggled to comprehend the situation."M-Mr. Blackthorn? What are you doing here?" she finally managed to stammer out.Zavian’s hungry gaze raked over every inch of her, lingering lecherously on the deep vee between her breasts and the teasing glimpses of thigh and leg exposed by the daring dress slit.He seemed to be devouring her with his eyes alone, no doubt able to make out every curve and swell through the sheer fabric."I'm the one who should be asking you that question!" his voice sounded low and extremely dangerous. Like he was barely holding himself back from descending on her like a ravage beast.It was only
One of Zavian’s hands slid up to splay possessively over Emmeline’s abdomen, holding her firmly in place as the other landed on the wall beside her head. "Let's just pretend we never had this...encounter on the corridor," he purred silkily against the feverish skin of her neck. "That you didn't get in my way and tempt me so deliciously with your sinful beauty. That I didn't see you at all."Emmeline flinched instinctively when his free hand moved, stiffening against the wall in fear even though all he did was brace it there beside her head, caging her in.Zavian’s jaw ticked. The reaction clearly angered him."Did you buy this little get-up specifically to seduce your husband?" he demanded in a low, dangerous tone.Before she could respond, he gripped her chin firmly, forcing her to meet his piercing stare. "Trying to please a good-for-nothing man who abuses you, Emmeline?" he bit out, his furious breaths fanning hotly over her lips.Shock and confusion flooded Emmeline’s features at
Emmeline instinctively tried to pull away, but Zavian tightened his grip on the nape of her neck and drew her closer still.She attempted to push him away by placing both hands against his broad chest but found herself weakening under his relentless assault.His grip around her waist was ironclad; she couldn't break free even if she wanted to."Stop fighting it and give me a damn kiss!" he commanded through clenched teeth when they finally broke apart for air.Emmeline looked up at him through half-lidded eyes, mirroring his own lust-filled gaze.The heat between them was palpable…it threatened to consume them both."You need to get your act together, Mr. Blackthorn," she admonished weakly, struggling against the magnetic pull that threatened to sweep away all reason and logic. "Your wife is under this very roof."Zavian responded by brushing his nose against her cheek. "Don't overthink this, babe. Just let yourself melt into my arms and savor the forbidden pleasure of my touch."Desp
"I don't have the right to think about you," Emmeline’s voice trembled as she spoke. "But I can't get you out of my mind. The corner you occupy is getting wider little by little, and I'm afraid you'll monopolize my thinking." She admitted.Zavian’s lips curled into a sly smile and a wicked glint danced in his eyes. "I will live in your memory forever," he promised drily, leaning in closer to leave a trail of kisses down her neck.Each touch sent a shiver through Emmeline’s body, and she felt herself melting under his attention, her resolve weakening with every passing second."I want you to think of me even when you're in his arms," he murmured. "I know I beat him the moment we met but remembering me when you're with him will make me feel better.”His fingers moved with practiced skill, exploring her with a touch that was both gentle and demanding.Emmeline's lean frame trembled and a soft, barely audible whimper slipped past her parted lips.Zavian silenced her with a fervent kiss th
Tears of frustration stung at the corners of Emmeline's eyes as she hurried away.She couldn't fathom how Zavian could so brazenly make licentious advances and suggestive remarks one moment, only to shut her out entirely the next with cold indifference. His mercurial shifts in behavior left her reeling, unmoored.Had she read the situation completely wrong? Misinterpreted the heated looks and the undeniable chemistry that seemed to crackle between them with every weighted glance? Or was there something deeper, darker at play - secrets he was harboring that prevented him from acting on his apparent desires?The sound of shattering glass from the direction of the bedroom made Emmeline jump.She couldn't discern if it was the product of Zavian's rage, or simply an accident. Part of her was tempted to turn back if only to ensure he hadn't hurt himself. But the larger part knew that retracing her steps could prove dangerous, like willingly stepping into the eye of the storm.So she pressed
“Your Majesty. It’s Cara.” A soft, feminine voice whispered, barely carrying across the lavish bedroom. “I’ve come as summoned.”Zavian didn’t turn. His focus stayed locked on Emmeline, on the fragile rise and fall of her chest and the pale strain in her face.The cords in his neck tightened as fury simmered like a storm restrained by threadbare control.Then he moved.The shift was subtle but it sent a chill rippling through the air.Slowly, he rose to his full height and turned to face the person near the door.Cara froze when Zavian’s eyes landed on her, and whatever words she meant to say died in her throat.His glare burned into her with blistering intensity… with an unspoken warning passed with a single look.“Keep my mate safe. Or you’ll understand what true destruction feels like!”Cara gave a quick, frightened nod. She dared not meet his eyes again.The air shifted once more when the door opened behind her. This time, the presence that filled the room carried a different energ
"Home," Zavian replied, a new warmth entering his voice. His hand moved to stroke her hair gently. "Our home."Seeing the confusion in her eyes, he elaborated. "Not the estate you're thinking of. This is different. We're in another realm entirely."His voice took on a note of reverence. "This is my true homeland, the place I was born. A world parallel to the one you know but governed by different laws and energies."Emmeline's eyes widened in surprise and wonder. Throughout their relationship, Zavian had hinted at his otherworldly origins, but she had never fully understood what that meant.The reality of it… that she had crossed between dimensions was almost too much to process in her weakened state.Instinctively, she tried to sit up, wanting to see more of this new world, but the movement sent sharp pain lancing through her body.Emmeline gasped, falling back against the pillows."Careful now," Zavian was quick to move one hand to support her head while the other rested lightly on h
Emmeline's eyes fluttered open to a bright light that streamed through tall windows.She squinted, allowing her vision to adjust gradually while trying to make sense of her surroundings.Her body felt as though it had endured a tremendous ordeal. Every muscle ached, every joint protested, and a profound weakness permeated her entire being.The pain was particularly intense from her waist down, radiating in waves that made movement seem like an impossible feat.Her limbs felt disconnected from her commands, heavy and unresponsive despite her mental efforts to move them.Emmeline felt an unusual sensation in her left hand after several moments of disorientation and she managed to lift it slightly into her field of vision with considerable effort.An intravenous line had been inserted into her vein, connected to a clear bag of fluid hanging from a sleek medical stand positioned beside her bed.Emmeline blinked slowly, allowing her gaze to wander around her.The room was surprisingly spaci
The room seemed to grow darker and heavier.It suddenly went dead quiet. Not peaceful quiet… the kind of silence that crushes your lungs and makes your skin crawl.The fire that had danced so merrily before had withered to pathetic embers, their feeble orange glow mocking the darkness closing in.Frost slithered up the walls like hungry fingers turning their sanctuary into a tomb.Emmeline trembled violently beneath Zavian, her heart hammering against her ribs. Not from the biting cold, but from the terrifying wrongness radiating from the man she loved.His touch—God, his touch had transformed completely. Those hands that once traced her skin with reverence now moved with mechanical precision like a puppeteer yanking invisible strings.His eyes kept fracturing before her, flashing between the current molten gold, blood-red, obsidian like the very abyss and a silver so bright it hurt to look at.Each transformation felt like a knife twisting in her gut, screaming the truth she couldn't
Emmeline’s chest rose and fell in uneven waves, still trembling from the aftershocks of everything he had unleashed within her.Her skin glistened with sweat and every inch of her painted in the memory of his touch.The raw and soul-rending pain had receded at last, melting into something distant, hazy… almost dreamlike.Whatever Zavian had done to her... It was like a balm to her broken edges, a breath of cool air after drowning in a sea of fire.She blinked slowly, eyes dazed and glassy as the sensations gradually settled into her bones.Her lungs dragged in air hungrily, as though she had finally surfaced after being submerged in a flame licking at every nerve and every thought.A sweet, dizzying relief coursed through her veins, loosening the tight coil of agony that had gripped her since the moment he claimed her.Her fingers curled weakly against his chest. “That’s it? Have I truly lost my virginity?” she whispered, dazed, as though she hadn’t just been wrecked beyond repair.A d
Emmeline felt as though her entire being was being shattered, only to be reforged in the same breath again and again in an endless, excruciating cycle.Her body was no longer her own. It was his canvas, his battlefield, and his altar all at once.Pain seared through her hot and unrelenting, blurring the lines between agony and ecstasy until she couldn’t tell them apart. Her brain felt liquified, scrambled, as if it were melting beneath the weight of every thrust, every stretch… every unrelenting claim.Black spots flickered at the corners of her vision like cinders floating in smoke, and her breath came in shallow, desperate gasps.She could no longer see Zavian clearly save for the gleam of his eyes and the heat of his penis pounding into her in a savage branding.Every brutal snap of his hips sent her body lurching forward, sent her spine arching in protest and raw need, only to be wrenched back again before she could even catch her breath.There was no mercy in his rhythm only relen
A guttural growl rumbled through Zavian’s chest as her slick walls clamped around him, struggling to accommodate his size.The stretch was unbearable for Emmeline. Her body trembled beneath his weight and her breath came in shallow gasps as she adjusted to the brutal invasion.“You’re so tight.” Zavian’s gaze lingered, devouring every expression that flickered across her face.“I’m fine so far,” Emmeline struggled to articulate her thoughts, squeezing her eyes tightly shut as she struggled to contain the tears that threatened to spill. Yet, the way her nails dug into his skin revealed the truth behind her facade.Zavian clenched his teeth so tightly that the sound reverberated through the room, evidence of his struggle for control. He thrust deeper, inch by inch, splitting her open but paused when a sharp cry tore from her throat and her back arching in protest.“It hurts… fuck, it hurts so bad,” Emmeline choked out in a voice cracked and broken, trembling with the rawness of it.Her b
Zavian’s grip tightened on Emmeline’s shoulder as he captured her lips in a fierce, possessive kiss.His tongue slipped into her mouth, demanding, tasting, claiming her as his own.Emmeline was too numb with pleasure to resist—not that she wanted to.Their mouths moved in a synchronized dance.Emmeline breath caught in the moment as his taste lingered on her lips, mingling with the remnants of her own essence that he had just devoured.She traced her fingertips over his chest, teasing the taut peaks of his nipples.Zavian let out a deep, guttural groan that sent her already oversensitized body quivering. His saliva trickled down her throat, laced with her arousal and setting her senses ablaze. Zavian finally released her, just as she was on the brink of breathlessness and fainting.“What do you think of your food?” he murmured.Emmeline licked the taste of her from his lips. She hesitated before scoffing lightly. “Either you’re exaggerating, or I’ve lost my sense of taste because I do
A tremor ran through Emmeline at his words and his tongue swirling around her aching bud. She gripped the sheets tighter, desperate to ground herself against the pleasure consuming her."Zavian," she whispered breathlessly. "You always know how to push me to the edge."Another strangled moan ripped from her throat when his tongue flicked over her clit.Zavian groaned in response, the vibrations sending another surge of pleasure through her."You're driving me mad," he rasped before sucking her into his mouth, drawing her deep, consuming her essence like a man starved.“Oh, Zavian!” A sharp cry escaped Emmeline. She writhed beneath him, every nerve in her body igniting like wildfire as her thighs quivering around his head."If only you could see what I see," Zavian mused. "How your folds swell for me, how they burn with need. Your lips don’t need rouge, love… their blush is natural, painted just for me."His gaze remained locked on hers, dark and filled with something primal. "You're be