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32|The Confrontation
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2024-10-29 19:42:56
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The Forsaken 33|What It Takes
"There you are. I thought you were skipping school again," Emme beamed at Cadence when she walked into class the next morning. And it didn't take her long to figure out why her dance instructor was as excited as a teenager high on space cookies.Three serious-looking suits—two males and one female—sat in the front of the class, appraising one of her classmates while she went through her modern dance choreography. They looked a little unnerving with their cynical smiles as they typed something on the iPads glued in front of them on the long steel table. From their expensive, stylish clothes, Cadence figured they weren't from Shadowbrooke. No one dressed to the nines around here. Not unless there was a funeral, a wedding or a job interview.Emme confirmed her suspicions about the strangers. "They are from the Bridgetown Dance Company, and they are looking for the next big thing. Cade, you have what it takes! You must impress the one in the middle—his name is Fernando, or Fern as he like
The Forsaken 34|I Can't Give You Forever-Part 1
The day of the meteor shower dawned sunny and bright. Cadence wanted to stay indoors and laze around in her pyjamas, but Rachel wouldn't have any of it. And since Cadence was living under Rachel's roof, she had to follow her friend's rules."Come on Cade, it will be fun. I bet Luca will be there," Rachel bounced up and down the bed, yanking at the covers.Cadence closed her eyes tightly, wishing she could block out her friend's whining with as much ease. Luca was exactly why she didn't want to go to the beach. She and Rachel had spent the whole night talking about his pissing contest with Mitchell.Her bestie was torn. She liked Mitchell. But she loved Luca for her. She thought they'd make a cute couple, and was convinced Luca was her soul mate. Of course, Cadence had scoffed at the idea of soulmates, since she didn't believe in them. That shit only happened in movies and romance novels. Never in real life. And definitely not in Shadowbrooke."If you don't get up in the next five minut
The Forsaken 35|I Can't Give You Forever-Part 2
The whole time she ran to Pirates Cove, Cadence kept hoping Luca was there and she wasn't going crazy. She almost broke down and cried from sheer relief when she saw him, waiting, his dark clothes making him one with the night."You came." He sounded gentle, relieved almost. The menace she'd heard in his voice earlier was gone."You didn't give me much choice," Cadence retorted.Luca didn't say anything for some time, and an unsettling silence wove its way between them as they stood appraising the other.His eyes glowed blue in the dark, giving away nothing and making it hard for her to figure out what he was thinking."I'm thinking about how beautiful you are," Luca answered her thoughts as he slowly approached her.Cadence suddenly felt overwhelmed by his sheer presence when he stopped in front of her, but she couldn't move away."Why don't you ever listen?" he growled as he cradled her face in his big hands and kissed her eyelids. His touch, cold as it was, set her ablaze as he dip
The Forsaken 36|First Cut Is The Deepest
The days following the meteor shower were unbearable for everyone in the Delacroix manor. Luca's mood changed from gloomy to enraged very quickly. When he wasn't staring mournfully outside his window, he was constantly on everyone's throats. Little things, like when they innocently mentioned Cadence in passing, sent him flying in a rage.He ventured less and less to the cellar, too, choosing to spend his days in the crypt. On more than one occasion, April had to lie to Julian and the others when they asked after him, assuring them Luca was fine and they were on track with their plan.But truth be told, their plan was going pear-shaped, fast. And if nothing was done soon, if Luca was left to self-destruct, they were afraid he'd take everyone down with him."We have to talk to him, get him to open up somehow. If you were all not so obsessed with hating Cadence, he'd take a chance with her, risk her coven's wrath. But he's worried about the clan too. Worried about everyone's feelings, an
The Forsaken 37|Wouldn't Mind A Lie Or Two
As Cadence packed her bags and prepared to leave, her heart was as heavy as it was when she first arrived at Rachel's house. She thought some time apart from her mom would put things into perspective, but it hadn't. Instead, being away from home had left her feeling more confused and even more vulnerable.She'd hoped her mom would initiate the first contact and ask her to come home. But so far, she'd listened to her parting words and stayed away, giving her all the space and time in the world to work through her anger.Another person who'd stayed away from her was Luca. Cadence had seen him around town a few times. But apart from a courteous nod and a brief smile, he'd said nothing to her. She didn't blame him. After all, she asked him to stay away from her."Guess this is it?" Rachel asked when she walked into her bedroom and found her gazing listlessly out of the window. She'd just come back from her morning jog with Rudi."Yeah, my vacation is over," Cadence replied as she crossed
The Forsaken 38|Ready To Know The Truth
It had been years since Cadence visited the library, and she had no clue where to start. The long aisles stacked with ancient books looked scary, and Mrs Ludwig, the now-retired kindergarten teacher, sitting at the front desk was just as terrifying. There was no way she'd go up to her and ask for help."It's Cadence, right?" A squeaky voice broke through her haze.Cadence whipped around and blinked at the guy in front of her. There was nothing remotely interesting about him. He looked like the typical geek one always saw in movies, with glasses and braces."Yes?" Cadence frowned, racking her brain, trying to figure out where she knew him from, if at all."I'm Dustin. We were in the same class in Grade 11. I don't think you remember me. But that's okay." The smile in his brown eyes made him a little more interesting."Hi, Dustin," Cadence returned his smile."So, are you working on a term paper?" Her old classmate nodded at the heavy volume in her hands. It was an encyclopaedia on Asia
The Forsaken 39|Fair Warning
After her classes the next day, Cadence decided to head to the Delacroix manor. She ran into Ava on her way there. Their meeting wasn't a coincidence, though. If she hadn't had a lot on her mind, she would have noticed the hunter had been tracking her movements for days now.The wild, crazy look in Ava's eyes as they strolled to the bayou made Cadence a little uneasy, and her gut screamed at her to make up some excuse and ditch her. But she couldn't exactly run off without raising suspicion, so she forced herself to remain calm as she made small talk with the hunter, asking her about the rest of her gang even though she had no interest in their wellbeing.Ava happily confirmed everyone was fine, and all was well again in Shadowbrooke now that they'd destroyed the star."He won't win, Cadence. He's wasting his time. And if I were you, I'd stay away from him. You don't want to find yourself on the wrong side when we go after his clan." The whole time she nodded at her, Ava's mouth was c
The Forsaken 40|Revelations
Cadence's humourless laugh echoed through the sparsely furnished room, bouncing off the ancient stone walls. She waited for Luca's punch line and for him to tell her he was joking, or at least confirm her ears had deceived her, and he never said he would take her to meet her father.But his denials never came. The deadpan look never left his eyes either."You're not kidding, right?" she asked, shaking her head, unable to come to grips with his announcement."Warwick is alive and well. Maybe not so well, but he's hanging in there," Luca replied.Cadence didn't resist when he pulled her close to him and massaged her temples to drive away the start of a migraine. She didn't even question how he knew a raging headache wasn't too far off, the same way she hadn't asked him how she could hear his voice in her head at Pirates Cove."How's that even possible? I don't understand? It's been twenty-one years. He's human. It's impossible he's survived this long. Are you sure he's alive? How do you
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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
