(Brielle’s POV)There was magic in Kione’s bed because I immediately fell asleep as soon as I lay my back on the fluffy cream-colored bed sheet. I had never owned one in my life, and back in the days when I had to train, sleeping in a good bed was a luxury.It was the soft moaning that woke me up, ripping me from sleep, and had me open my eyes to see what it was. I rolled to my side where the movement was coming from and squinted to see if I was still dreaming or was really seeing Gen and Kione naked. Gen was on top, giving Kione much pleasure as she kneaded her mounds.“Woah! What’s happening?” I asked, rolling to my other side until I fell on the floor.I heard the two women chuckle. Gen crawled and peered her head on the edge of the bed to check on me. “I’m giving our host a massage. Want to join us, Barbie?”My eyes widened when Gen closed her eyes and moaned. Kione must have done something to her that she had forgotten I was there. She just kept on howling lowly as she bit her bo
(Cole’s POV)I was sure Brielle was freezing, but as soon as my lips molded on hers, she had forgotten she was shivering. I was only supposed to press my mouth on her soft lips, but I could not resist deepening the kiss. I slipped my tongue out, hoping to urge her lips apart, but I didn’t need to do that because Brielle was a good girl, parting her lips and welcoming me.Something inside me was screaming that I should stop, but something was addicting in her. The moment my tongue tasted her, I didn’t want to end the kiss, just wanted more. My fingers moved fast, unbuttoning her top pajamas, and I could not help feeling triumphant about a very small thing, finally feeling her smooth skin as she wrapped her arms around my neck and arched her body on mine.“Brielle,” I whispered, breaking our kiss to let her breathe.“Cole.”Her eyes were filled with desire, or maybe she only reflected what she saw in me. A little more of this, I was not sure if I could still stop myself from sinking my
(Cole’s POV)Just one night, it was my promise to everyone, but another night would not hurt us, especially me. I spent the whole night gazing at Brielle, who slept like a baby. Whenever Gen called her barbie doll, I wished to correct her that she looked more like the moon goddess than the fashion doll.My fingers brushed the few strands of hair in her face and tucked them behind her ears. Feeling her soft skin and looking at her gorgeous and alluring face, I sometimes forgot who we were and why we had to stay strangers.She took me by surprise last night when she went into the tub to get me out of the water, and if Aarush didn’t come, I would not stop and would not dare care about her being the enemy of my kind. The Order of the Orion misunderstood our existence, including us in the rogue vampires they met and hunted, but we were not like them.“You can kiss me, you know. I’ll just pretend I’m still asleep,” Brielle murmured, curving her lips into a smile. Slowly, she opened her eyes
(Brielle’s POV)“I never thought I’d say this, but I wish we weren’t human,” I teased Cole as I opened my duffel bag.Gen or Kione must have placed them on his bedroom’s doorway when I didn’t come back after what I witnessed last night. Still, I wanted to thank Gen for giving Kione a ‘really good massage’ because if not for that, I would not flee to Cole’s bedroom, and all these would not happen.The word ‘made love’ or ‘good sex’ were not words that could describe the heavenly emotions I felt when we both reached seventh heaven and bit me in the neck. My hands found the clothes I was looking for, but I did not move, still thinking of the uncanny but remarkable feelings.I clutched my hand on the clothes I found inside my duffel bag as I thought it could be my imagination that he bit me because when I stared at his mirror wall, there was no mark on my neck except for the love bites.When Cole didn’t say anything, I turned my head in his direction and saw him leaning on the bathroom do
(Brielle’s POV)“You don’t have to answer that question, Brielle,” Cole said as he picked up his cup and sipped coffee.“What?” Aarush shook his head. “We had to know and…” he looked at Kione. “We should celebrate, right?”Gen released a laugh as she looked at Aarush. “Why? Did Cole have a hard breakup and barbie doll here… I mean, Brielle helped him move on?”“Darling,” Kione reached for her hand and squeezed it. “My brother’s very picky, and the woman there,” she raised her hand, her index finger pointing at me as she said, “was like one in a million for us.”“Darling?” I muttered, raising my eyebrows at Kione.Her lips curved into a sexy smile, intertwining her fingers with Gen’s, and she announced, “We’re official.”“Huh?” I gazed at Gen stupidly.“What?” Gen widened her eyes and smirked at me. “Can’t I choose whom I want?” She made a bold move, moving her head closer to Kione and claiming her lips.I was sure it was not only me who was gawking at them as they French kissed. One o
(Cole’s POV)“Don’t ever think I don’t want you to be happy, brother,” Lucilla muttered sadly.Even without looking at who opened the door, she knew it was me, and without her inviting me, I stepped and entered her bedroom. While mine had been renovated into the modern bedroom style I wanted, my sister had kept hers classic. Hers was timeless and elegant, and all her bedrooms were never far from the ancient Greek and Roman designs, and she always placed antiques and relics to get the classic bedroom design she had always loved. She had never allowed anyone in this bedroom except me. Among our adopted siblings, only Aarush had the chance to see her room when he had to put stocks in her fridge, which sometimes Xian said that even Lucilla would deny; Aarush was her favorite.Lucilla was standing, facing a six-hundred-year-old oil painting of our family. She always had the habit of keeping one in her bedroom, and this painting somehow captured the best smiles of our family.As I stood bes
(Cole’s POV)When I entered my bedroom, Brielle turned her head in my direction and smiled. It didn’t stop her, though, from preparing for the night; only she wasn’t preparing for a dinner date but for a long search in the woods for Monty, and if lucky, we would probably find Raven.I could not help licking my bottom lip as my eyes swept her from head to toe. Without breaking my gaze from her, I walked toward the bed and sat on the edge just right before her. She flickered her eyes at me but continued to zip the front button of her short romper jumpsuit, which the faux leather material hugged her hourglass body.“Do you really have to wear that?” I pressed my lips to suppress a smile and lay my back on the mattress, placing my hands behind my head to control myself from pulling her to me.“How else can I move fast, Cole?” she smirked, now wearing her black belt and holster.My eyes narrowed, memorizing every instrument she could use for attacking or defending herself, watching her mov
(Brielle’s POV)It was a full moon.I looked heavenward, wishing the lunar disk was visible to the naked eye, but the clouds assembled above like puffs of cotton, only gray, blocking the moon’s luminescence to earth. Even the sparkling diamonds of stars were shielded, making it look like they were not interested in guiding us tonight on our journey in the dark woods. The full moon had always represented transformation with more intense-emotional energy, but as it hid in the clouds, it was challenging to see the trails snaking through the woods. It took my eyes to adjust in the dark, and I had to trust my other senses to walk the rich earth.No one dared to use the flashlight, but suddenly, the light brightened the ground, making the twisted aerial roots, twigs, and sprawling weeds visible to us. Gen hissed as if she was an animal or insect startled when she saw the light.“What? Flashlights are invented for times like this, you know,” Kione chuckled nervously as she explained.We wer
(Brielle’s POV)“So?” Xian blinked curiously at Bryce.I was still in shock at what Bryce did to Lucilla. Although I could not say if what I felt was jealousy, there was a prick in my heart, remembering Cole and Levana’s union and now him kissing Lucilla. I clenched my hands, hiding my worries about what she might do to him. I couldn’t shake off the disturbing thoughts that he gave her a reason to kill him.“So… What?” Bryce asked, wiping his lips on the back of his hand as if he had something awful in his mouth.“No magic?” Xian’s eyes were wide as she asked. “Spark? Or…”Bryce scoffed. “If you think I can be her life mate, you’re wasting your time. I told you I want to kill her with irritation, thinking I was -”Ichiro burst into laughter, interrupting Bryce. “Wow! I can’t believe you fell for that,” he exclaimed.“You said…” His face turned crimson as he pursed his lips tightly.“You really believe that? God, how would we know?” Xian rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Our sister’s eight
(Brielle’s POV)“I thought they could not read our minds?” Bryce asked, followed by his surprised gasp.Lucilla smirked. “Idiot! I don’t need to read her mind to know what she’s thinking.” She rolled her eyes and continued to climb the stairs.Bryce opened his mouth to retaliate, but Xian grabbed his arm, taking his attention.“I need your blood, hunter,” she smiled and blinked her eyes adorably. When he didn’t move, she sneered. “You need me to check if your blood’s healthy or…”“No need,” he sighed, frowning at the stairs. “If she can fly, why does she have to use the stairs?”I pressed my lips to suppress a smile, but when I looked at Xian and Ichiro, I was glad a laugh did not leave my mouth. They frowned, not finding his joke funny.“Not funny?” Bryce smirked.I glared at him, warning him to stop before Xian decided to get every ounce of blood from his body.““What? I can’t joke, but she’s allowed to hurt my feelings?” Bryce smirked. “Is she always like that?”Xian rolled her ey
(Brielle’s POV)“Gen, what have you done?” I murmured in horror, gasping in disbelief and standing beside Bryce.Bryce stood frozen in the doorway, his eyes widened and his mouth agape. His hands tightly gripped the knife handle, but he seemed unable to move it. He had probably tried to pull it out, but what he had witnessed inside the luxurious log house immobilized him. Like Bryce, I was in a state of shock. We both stood there for what seemed like an eternity, trying to process what had just happened.“Brielle, help me.”Immediately, I wandered my eyes around the room, looking for Kione. She was sitting in the farthest corner of the room, almost like hiding. Her body shook as she sobbed, and when our eyes met, I felt a pang of sadness in my heart. Gen was on the couch, motionless, and her left arm was hanging limply on the floor. The blood on her wrist told us what had happened before we arrived.Gen…I could not believe Gen was dead.“Oh, dear heaven! Kione, what have you done?”
(Brielle’s POV)I parted my lips, welcoming his tongue, hoping that when it touched mine, it would bring a surging reaction inside me, but nothing melted… nothing exploded. But I could say that Bryce was not only a skilled hunter but also an expert kisser.As Bryce wrapped his arms around my waist, closing the gap in our bodies, I lifted my arms, clinging like a vine to his neck, closing my eyes, and kissing him back with the hope of pushing away the pain of remembering Cole, not wanting me in his life, andHow should I define our kiss?It was sweet and…Bryce broke the kiss before I could finish describing it and eased back. His lips turned into an amused grin. He lifted his hand and grazed my cheek.“Done analyzing?” He chuckled softly.I bet my cheeks blushed because he laughed again. “I am not analyzing, Bryce,” I denied. “If it wasn’t obvious, let me tell you… I am kissing you, and I can say you’re good.”“Good?” he smirked, his eyes on my lips.I swallowed hard, looking elsewher
(Brielle’s POV)The diamond in the engagement ring on my finger sparkled when sunlight kissed the stone. I didn’t know why I still wore it when, in my heart, I knew I would not marry Bryce. After Levana left, I decided to stay and sit under the tree, looking blankly at the woods, not caring if there was a danger ahead of me.Even if the highest official of the Order of the Orion would come and threaten to kill me, I would not care. What I had seen in the cabin and what Levana had said were enough to make my body numb, and if anyone pierced a knife to my heart, the pain was too much to feel anything.“Brielle.”He seemed distant, and his worried call made me blink in confusion as I listened to the familiar voice. “Brielle,” he called again, shaking my shoulder.When I craned my neck to see who it was, I blinked again and saw Bryce standing before me. My eyes narrowed as I looked at him from head to foot. I noticed he was dressed in full gear, with all his weapons strapped to his body.
(Brielle’s POV)A cry escaped my mouth, remembering Cole, moaning Levana’s name. It shattered my heart into a million pieces, and the pain was beyond incomparable to anything painful that I could think of. I didn’t know how I managed to move, but as soon as I could, I ran away from the cabin. My eyes were blurry because of the endless tears rolling down my face, but despite that, I didn’t stop running. I didn’t care where my feet led me; I just wanted to get out of this place… of this island. Then I stopped abruptly, pressing my hands against the rough bark of the tree trunk and gasping for air, realizing one thing. I was running in a circle and never reaching the inside of the protective sphere. My body was still shaking from running and crying, and when I looked around to gather my thoughts and steady my breathing.“Damn it!” I hissed, looking up and planning to get up on the tree to see where I was exactly.Four days ago, as I set foot on this island, I admired its beauty, but n
(Brielle’s POV)Lying on the couch in the dimly lit living room, my eyes were drawn to the old grandfather clock standing in the corner. It was five minutes before one in the morning. I didn’t have to spend eternity with the Kirkwood not to know Aarush’s pattern. At this wee hour, he would go down, walk to the kitchen alone, and have his midnight snack before going to bed.Humming, Aarush’s steps creaked on the wooden floor as he walked toward the kitchen. I leaped to the ground, landing softly in front of him.“Uh-oh!” Aarush groaned and turned around, trying to escape.I lunged forward and grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him towards me. Determined to keep him under control, I maneuvered his arms behind his back quickly, pinning them in place with a firm grip. I could feel the tension in Aarush’s body as he wriggled, trying to escape, so with one hand holding onto his wrist, I used my other arm and applied pressure to his neck, making sure he could not move an inch.“Not so
(Brielle’s POV)Lucilla stood before the grand, arched window wall from the living room. In her slim but long white summer dress, she could pass like a ghost as if waiting for the return of a loved one. After getting the result from the sample I gave, Xian gave me medicine that knocked me out, and when I woke up, it was past four in the afternoon. I thought Lucilla was alone, but when I climbed down the stairs and got to the living room, Gen was on the couch, brushing Kione’s hair with her fingers as her girlfriend rested on her lap. Xian and Travis were on the floor, sitting with crossed legs and heads almost sticking together while their eyes pinned on the screen of a laptop, murmuring what seemed to be a heated discussion, while Aarush and Ichiro were in the bar area, drinking beer. Not that I was worried about Bryce, but not seeing him inside made me anxious. I didn’t trust Travis, and he could have done something terrible to him. Bryce may be a skilled hunter, but Travis be
(Brielle’s POV)“How did you know?” My eyes were wide as I asked curiously.Gen pressed her lips tightly and guffawed when she could no longer hold it. “God, I can’t believe I got you,” she said, her face red from laughing. “Brielle, you graduated at the top of your class. You’re the best hunter in your batch, and yet, you’re… you’re -”“Stupid?” I continued for her. Her eyes filled with tears, and she gasped for breath until she was able to calm down. She took a deep breath and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes before turning to me.“Brielle, Levana’s family is like the Kirkwood’s protector,” she said with a look of amusement and disbelief. “Didn’t Travis tell you they’re twins, and their family has been serving the Kirkwood for a very long time? Their dad serves in their council, like your dad to the Order.”I sighed and pursed my lips, not answering her question. I knew the first one, but Travis didn’t need to tell me what they do for the Kirkwood. Levana came to rescu