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23|Closer
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The Forsaken 24|Far From Home-Part 1
They awoke in the early evening, just as the sun was dipping on the horizon. But it was still unbearably hot, as April and Rosalie discovered when they left their tents. A gentle breeze blew from the west, sending wisps of their long hair and fine particles of sand flying in their eyes."How was your rest?" Rosalie asked as they headed for the female restroom."What rest?" April frowned at the witch. Plagued by thoughts of her meeting with Ethan and the curator, she'd barely slept. She was excited and nervous all at once, and she couldn't believe how close they were to their goal. Twenty long years without Julian were finally coming to an end. She grew sad and mournful when she thought of all the days they were forced to spend apart, and all the time they would have to live apart, too, because there was no way Julian would forgive her for her indiscretion."Is this it?" Rosalie couldn't hide her horror when they pushed the rickety door and stumbled inside.April felt guilty for not pre
The Forsaken 25|Far From Home-Part 2
While Luca spent a relaxing evening at the market, April, Andrew and Rosalie didn't have such a luxury.They got flat tire halfway to the tomb of Djet, one of the most photographed sites of Ancient Egypt.It took Andrew over fifteen minutes to change the tire with the inadequate tools they had in the rental car. By the time they reached the rendezvous point, they were all irritable and annoyed.Since Andrew knew the place inside out from his past visits, they easily located the entrance.Once inside, April and Rosalie were disappointed to see the tomb only had one main room. Other than the treasure chest Andrew had told them contained fragments of the Kings' sarcophagi, there was nothing much to gush over.Andrew ushered them down the narrow stairs to a secret room in the basement and activated a switch on the floor.Rosalie gasped when a secret door materialised on the wall and slowly creaked open, revealing Ethan and a distinguished-looking man lounging in two of the four armchairs
The Forsaken 26|Always On Your Side
Her mom had tried the whole morning to get her to join her for breakfast, but Cadence had held steady, refusing to leave the safety of her room and head to school, choosing instead to curl up under the covers and drown in her heartache."Cade, you have to eat something," Sonja's muffled voice on the other side of the door broke through her foggy sleep again, and Cadence rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. Her stomach grumbled loudly at the mention of food, reminding her that her hunger strike couldn't go on much longer and that her pity party would have to end soon.She was famished and in desperate need of a bathroom, shower, and change of clothing. In that order. But seeing her mom would remind her of her foolish belief that Luca could be anything more than what he was, and she wasn't ready for that."Cade?" Sonja tapped on her door lightly. "Are you okay?""I'm fine, Mom," Cadence said with a tinge of sharpness in her words."Okay, I have to run to the store. But I've ma
The Forsaken 27|Fall Into Place-Part 1
Over five thousand kilometres away, Luca cut the call when he saw Andrew and the two ladies approach. He sighed as he shoved his phone inside his pocket. He desperately wanted to hear Cadence's voice and tell her about his trip. Not everything. But some stuff, like his friendship with Aziz and the snake charmer he saw at the market. It would have to wait, it seemed."So, how did it go?" he asked Andrew when they were close enough. April looked at everything but him, while Rosalie clung to Andrew's arm for dear life."Here." Andrew held out the small pouch with the Star of Chaos."Great. Let's get out of here," Luca murmured as he snatched the bag from him, the dreadful knot in his stomach melting away instantly. But his relief was short-lived."We can't leave the country without the proper documents for the star. Ethan has them," Rosalie explained quickly. And Andrew filled him in on the rest."That son of a bitch! I'll fucking kill him! Where is he?" Luca seethed, glaring at April. He
The Forsaken 28|Fall Into Place-Part 2
Across the desert, about five hundred meters from their base camp, Luca and Andrew approached the Tomb of Enlightenment, well aware of why Ethan had sent them there. The place was rigged with all sorts of traps, and he didn't expect them to make it out alive. But with the fate of their clan resting on their shoulders, they were determined to prove him wrong. Having explored the tomb in its entirety before put them at a great advantage, but Ethan didn't know this.They paused inside the entrance to re-familiarise themselves with their surroundings. The room seemed to have shrunk since their last visit about eight months earlier. It looked much smaller. The stone walls and floors seemed gloomier too.Barely speaking, they moved deeper into the tomb, to the second room to the left of the entrance. It was much bigger, and from past visits, they knew the stacks of barrels lining the wall were empty, so they didn't bother with them. Whatever homebrewed beer or oil they'd once held had since
The Forsaken 29|Not Always Black And White
When Cadence walked into the kitchen the following morning, her mom was already seated at the table, reading the day's paper and sipping her tea. She mumbled a quick hello and headed straight for the fridge."Do you want me to fix you some breakfast?" Sonja got up from the table and hovered around her. "No!" Cadence pulled out the milk, wishing she would back off a little. She wasn't a child anymore, and she could get through the day without any hand-holding."Okay." Sonja returned to the table and picked up Shadowbrooke Times.Cadence stared at her, the carton in her hands turning her palms to ice. But the cold was oddly comforting. At least she still felt something. The numbness in her heart hadn't spread to other parts of her body."Mom, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you." Cadence dropped her gaze and stared at the white tiles, absently scanning them for specks of dirt and grime, some traces of imperfection. But there wasn't any. The floor was spotless, like the rest of t
The Forsaken 30|The Truth About René
Cadence didn't know how to feel when she saw Luca's van in his front yard the next morning on her way to school. A part of her was thrilled he was back. But another—a huge one at that— wasn't looking forward to the challenge of staying away from him. She had to, though, for so many reasons. He was married. He was a vampire. He wanted her blood to free his brother. And how could she forget the most important reason: the whole town hated him. Her coven would cast her out if she so much as admitted to anyone she was in love with him. This insane love she felt for him was hopeless and a waste of space in her heart. She had to clear it out soon to make room for Mitchell."The coven would love that, wouldn't they?" She scoffed to herself as she walked into her dance class.Emme smiled at her in the mirror. Cadence returned it with one of her own. A silent promise was made in that briefest of moments. They'd never mention their chat again. In her moment of weakness, her mentor had lost
The Forsaken 31|A Beautiful Mess
Cadence was done talking and listening. Done giving her mom chances too.She went to her room and rummaged through her closet. She dug out her overnight bag and an armful of clothes, and dumped them on the bed, two pairs of shoes and toiletries. She didn't even check to see what she was packing. She was in too much of a hurry to leave.But her mom wouldn't let her go without a fight. She begged and cried as she clung to her, grabbing anything she could get her hands on, her arm, her leg, just to hold on to her and make her stay."I'm so sorry. I didn't know what else to do!" Sonja wailed.Cadence carried on with her packing spree, paying her no mind, pausing briefly when her phone chimed on her desk. She snatched it up, relief flooding her as she read Rachel's text. Her bestie was cool, with her staying over for a few days."Cade, I didn't lie." Sonja tried yet again to plead her case, the rims of her eyes red and moist from her tears."You didn't tell the truth either. You made me th
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The Forsaken 62|A New Dance
Luca reached up and caressed her cheek.Cadence closed her eyes, wishing he wouldn't, but at the same time, she didn't want him to stop. He was her own little pill, her addiction, one she knew was bad for her, but couldn't give up or refuse all the same."Luca," she whispered as he pressed her body close to his.They didn't say anything for some time as they stood there, revelling in their heated embrace.Soon, though, just having Cadence in his arms was no longer enough for Luca. He had to have to her. So he picked her up and placed her on the altar bed.It was cold and hard, but Cadence didn't notice. All she was aware of was the heat between them as he covered her body with his.Their kissing was tentative at first, but grew more heated and urgent as he greedily pried her mouth open, demanding more of her while removing their clothes, stripping them of everything standing between their desires.Cadence was stunned by how easy it was to put aside all her uncertainties and give in to
The Forsaken 61|Things Changed
Long after she'd called Sonja and asked to hitch a ride with them to Bridgetown, Cadence was still in her room, sobbing in her hands, crying over the Origami swan Luca had left for her on her desk at some point during the day.Like that first time, his message was short and to the point. 'We need to talk'."Oh, Luca!" Cadence thought sadly. He'd picked a hell of a time to want to talk. She honestly didn't see how talking would change anything. Her father was right. She had to go to Bridgetown for Emme, if not for herself. She had to honour her mentor's memory. And she knew in her heart that Luca would never leave his brother, especially when he missed twenty years with him."It wouldn't have worked out anyway. Long-distance relationships hardly ever work out," Cadence consoled herself as she got up from the bed and wiped away her tears. She stuffed her music box in her backpack and took one final wistful look at her room before she headed out. She was going to miss her home and Shado
The Forsaken 60|Out Of Love
Warwick took small sips from his mug as he stared at Sonja. He knew his unwavering gaze was unsettling for her. But for the life of him, he couldn't look away."You are staring," Sonja admonished quietly, unable to take his scrutiny any longer."I'm sorry." Warwick smiled, showing his fangs briefly as he crossed the room and took her hands. He turned them over and kissed her palms like he used to back then, before that night all those years ago. His simple gesture reminded Sonja of how much she'd missed out on. All the little things she'd forced herself not to think about until now made her want to cry."How is it possible? You haven't aged a day," he murmured as he brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. "It's like time stopped the day I left, and now it's picking up right where we left off."Sonja wept harder at his words. They were absurd. As much as she loved her daughter and didn't regret a single moment with her, Cadence's existence was a painful reminder of how much time
The Forsaken 59|Your Dream
Luca hated to break up the reunion party, but the newly freed vampires had to feed and get ready to clear out of Shadowbrooke. So while everyone prepared for their departure, Cadence and her father went to the crypt to talk.Cadence sat on the altar bed, and he joined her and took her hand."You did nothing wrong, Cadence.""I locked you away." Cadence shook her head. She knew he was trying to make her feel better. But nothing would change the fact that her blood had sealed him in and robbed him of twenty years of his life he would never get back."And your blood has freed me now," Warwick reminded her.Cadence gave him an incredulous look. "You read my thoughts?""I can, but I didn't have to. I can see it in your eyes, the guilt you feel. It's time you forgave yourself."Cadence didn't say anything after this. There was so much she wanted to say to him, though, but she barely knew him, barely knew what he liked and didn't like."There'll be plenty of time for that," Warwick smiled and
The Forsaken 58|Freed
The anxiety in the cellar had mounted to an unbearable point. It was so intense that Luca could almost taste it in his throat. He swallowed hard, unable to believe that in just under an hour, it would all be over. All the years of tireless searching for the star and hoping for a miracle had finally come to this moment.April tugged at his arm and led him to the corner of the room, away from the ritual space.Rudolf, now awake, looked subdued as he sat on the cot with his back pressed against the wall and silently watched the excitement in the centre of the room."Do you think it will work?" April asked, her voice barely audible. But Luca had heard her. He gave her a sidelong look to reassure her. "Of course, it will!"April tried to smile. But her eyes clouded up with tears as she played with her hair.Luca pulled her close and asked, "what's wrong?""I am terrified." April bawled on his chest. Her sniffling drew the attention of the witches, and they stared at them for a bit before r
The Forsaken 57|Closure
They all took Emme's death hard, but none of them had the luxury to grieve. They still had a lot more to do. And Sonja gave them just the distraction they needed. She got everyone to work as soon as they returned to the manor.While the three younger witches prepared the cellar for the ritual, she went to her house to pack a few things and close off the place.She was surprised to find her sister and Romulus waiting for her."What do you want now?" she asked impatiently."That was a hell of a risk you took." Luann rose and stretched her limbs. Romulus also stood up and moved aside to let Sonja through.Sonja knew her sister was referring to Ethan, and she didn't want to get into it with her. "It worked. That's all that matters.""And we are grateful."Sonja was about to turn the key on the door. She stopped and looked at Luann, surprised to see something close to sincerity, or maybe remorse, in her eyes."So, what's the plan? You're going to open the door?" Luann asked."Nothing will
The Forsaken 56|The Price Of Magic
"What took you so long?" Luca demanded as soon as Emme took on her human form again in the woods where she'd left them. "I got tied up," she replied. "Did you find them?" Sonja asked, sounding a little anxious. Emme nodded her head and filled them in, giving them as much detail as possible.When Luca heard about Ethan's small army, he wanted to abort the plan. It was too dangerous. They'd banked on the fact that Ethan's fledglings would be resting and at their weakest since it was daylight. But knowing they were awake and in bloodlust, he didn't want to take a chance and risk all their lives."He's locked them up in cages. If and when he realises what's happening, he won't have enough time to release them all!" Emme argued.But nothing anyone said would change Luca's mind. "No! It's too dangerous. We're dropping this whole thing and heading home. NOW!"April decided to settle the matter the old school way. She called for a vote. Cadence understood the urgency, but on the other han
The Forsaken 55|Ethan's Lair
By the time Rachel reached the manor, she was hysterical and almost breathless from running. It took some time for Sonja to calm her down and get the whole story from her."I told you it wouldn't work! Ethan's figured out the star we gave him is a fake." April was the first to fall apart. And it wasn't long before everyone had something to say, and the tension in the room reached an unbearable point.April wanted to open the door urgently, get the hell out of Shadowbrooke, and leave the pack and Sonja's coven to deal with Ethan's wrath.Luca and Andrew refused to entertain her. They couldn't sit back and watch the town go up in flames. They had an obligation to help. After all, Ethan's retaliation was solely on them this time around."Did they fucking help us twenty years ago?" April couldn't keep a lid on her emotions as she and Luca went head to head, exchanging heated words. The tension brewing between them for years now had finally bubbled over, and their verbal war was devastatin
The Forsaken 54|Tricked
Hours after he'd left Luca, Ethan was still fuming. He couldn't believe how Sonja's daughter had messed up his plan at the last minute. He should have accounted for the fact that she might change back, but the thought had never crossed his mind, in all honesty.He'd had no intention of returning Cadence. In fact, he would have killed her right there, while in her spectral form, and hung her on that same tree where Luca had hung his father. Yes, he had planned to make Luca watch him take away what was most precious to him."Damn that fucking cat!" He slammed his fist on the glass tabletop. The untouched goblet toppled over. Surprisingly, it didn't break, but the liquid inside made a mess all over the cracked surface.Eugénie was a picture of calmness. She'd been with him long enough to get used to his fits of rage. They no longer disturbed her."We'll get him soon enough." She purred as she got up from her seat and draped her arms over his shoulders. Ethan grunted his displeasure, an
