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23. Into His Lair
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Emma could hardly breath as she heard the voice on the other end of the phone.
James was accusing Matthais of almost killing Carsten.
He could be banished or killed for his crimes.
She didn't doubt for a second that James was beyond dishonest.
She took Matthais' hand and held it tight as he continued to fight with his brother, refusing to reveal their whereabouts.
They would be gone before the security forces could catch up with them.
"Emma, we will leave my phone here and head out to a friends house. He is a little strange but I trust him."
"What kind of strange?" asking as her curiosity was building.
"Vampire strange!" he said as he raised his eyebrows in a taunting way.
He set his phone down on the kitchen counter and left it on the charger, so that the security forces would waste time searching her place for clues.
They walked out into
Cerulean NachtHi Readers! I hope that you are enjoying the story so far. Hang tight for there is treachery around every corner of the castle. Matthais and Emma will need to stay strong and figure out just who can they trust. Oh what a tangled web of shadows....
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The Shadow Effect 25. 1114 A. D. Soul Stealing
A cloaked figure was sitting alone in the back of the local pub, if you could call it that. His eyes were silver, and immediate giveaway that he was a Schatten and Viktor sensed his desperation. He was ripe for the picking and he knew it wouldn't take much to take advantage of this lonely sapling wallowing in his despair. Viktor approached with two mugs of watered down beer, knowing that the alcohol wouldn't impair this Schatten but it would be a friendly jester. "Go away blood sucker!" the Schatten growled. "Oh my, you look like you need a friend. I mean no harm." Viktor's voice was sweet harmony to this man's lonely soul, but he knew better. He had been raised in an Elder's home and he was well versed on the wiles of vampires and their desires. Snarling at Viktor, he got up and walked out of the pub, after leaving several coins for the bar maid. Viktor left the glasse
The Shadow Effect 26. The Castle Dilemma
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The Shadow Effect 27. Learning to Trust
"I just want you to leave!" Matthias was growing angrier as he stared at her and yelled back. "No! I will not leave. We will discuss this now. You are to be an Elder and you cannot run away from your problems." Crossing her arms, she glared at him as she turned her back and walked to the other side of the room. Matthias bounded after her and turned her to face him, "We will not fight like children, Emma. Grow up." "Grow up! Grow up! You're over a thousand years old and you play with people's lives, like; it's like their nothing but toys to you!" Emma shouted at him as tears started streaming down her face. Through clenched teeth and black eyes, he glared at her wondering how to fix this situation. Holding onto her shoulders he tried to calmly say, "Emma, you need to learn about these things, these creatures exist and they are dangerous. You cannot behave like a child, every time you learn something new, something scary."
The Shadow Effect 28. Unforgivable Sin
"Emma! Emma!" Matthais continued to scream as he held his throat. Matthais was exhibiting the pain that Emma was in and he was incapable of saving her. Viktor watched Matthais writhing on the floor and faded without a word, leaving him there in his own private hell. Appearing within seconds inside of his library, he came upon a ghastly scene. Emma's blood was everywhere and Saphira was standing over her, ready with the knife. Ready for the kill. She turned and looked at her master, with eyes full of flames. Viktor slowly walked up to her, taking control of her mind.
The Shadow Effect 29. The Renegade Mate
Sitting alone in her room, she stared at the iron cuffs that bound her to the wall. Since she refused to mate with Daan, she was not to be trusted and therefore, she was paying the price of her decisions. Anger was permeating through her and outwards as she glared at Daan. She hated him with every fiber of her being. He was a bastard and she didn't care that her heartstrings were longing for him. Janna was not going to give into him, regardless of how he pleaded with her. She was not weak like that stupid girl Emma, who gave into Matthias becasue she couldn't keep her desires in check. Weakling. Well, that would not be her.
The Shadow Effect 30. Into the Wind
"I am better off alone." Her words echoed in his head. How could she be better off alone? They were soulmates. He needed her. She needed him. Damn it all to pieces! She was just too independent! Her words and his anger were rattling him as he faded and flew out over the castle grounds following her. Keeping his distance, Matthais trailed behind her as they raced over the green valley just outside of Viktor's village. Emma raced into the trees, trying to lose
The Shadow Effect 31. Mysterious Tales
Emma settled into his embrace, trying hard to concentrate but she was so exhausted. Within the hour she was fast asleep and safe with Matthias protecting her. She felt a warm blanket wrap around her and his warm kiss upon her forehead. His whispers penetrated her consciousness, "Sleep tight, my little shadow." Then nothing but darkness as sleep enveloped her until she walked into a dark room without any windows. She wrinkled her nose at the stale smell of blood and oh... it was horrible. The cloaked figure raised her head and stared at Emma with purple eyes. Eyes that penetrated into Emma's soul as she heard, "Child, remember my words. The day will soon
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The Shadow Effect 51. Captured
Searing pain raged through his body as the tip of the knife pushed into his chest. The wound wasn't yet fatal, but if she continued on her path of destruction he would most certainly fade to the netherworld within the next few minutes. Screaming in agony, he begged "Please! Stop! I have done nothing to deserve this!"Her laughter filled the room as she just held the knife in place, twisting it ever so slightly. Suddenly she pulled the knife out and traced the edge of the blade down his leg. Carsten tried to move away, but the chains left him little room for movement. His eyes opened wide, when he realized where she was holding the blade and he watched as the tip of the blade was once again ready to inflict more damage to his already broken body.He continued to plead and beg for her to stop torturing him to no avail. After she inserted the blade in several locations throughout his body, she took out other instruments of torture. Before she used any of the instruments on him, she
The Shadow Effect 50. Rekindling Brokenness
Fading from the library they traveled to their room, as their passion continued uninterrupted. Soon their clothes were falling around the room as they made their way towards their bed. They desperately desired each other and stayed under the covers until the morning light signified that they needed to face their responsibilities. Matthias whispered, "Emma, I love you for who you are and just the way you are. You don't need to change to earn my love. I want you to understand that. If you refuse your place as an Elder and we pass that responsibility onto another family, it will not change my feelings towards you. Likewise, if you decide to face my parents and their training and take your place by my side next month, then I will be proud to rule with you. I just don't want you to be pressured into having to take on this role in order for me to love you."Emma just looked at him and remained silent for some time before finally replying, "Matthias, I now understand the bond of mat
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The campers started to pack up their campsite the next morning and Carsten controlled the idiot's actions so that he would leave him food. He was too weak to fade and fly long distances and or to remain in his shadow form for a long journey. So, he decided to stay in the park for a few more days, surviving off of food and blood from the unsuspecting campers.It was a great plan until the torrential rains came and he was left outside in the elements as he watched the campers packing their wet gear and taking off and within the hour the campground was deserted. He decided to fade into a large van and hide in the back until the group arrived twenty minutes later at the security gate. He left the van and made his way into the tourist trap, souvenir and general store. He appeared in the bathroom and then walked out, pretending to look around at the clothes. He picked up a new outfit and walked over to the cashier, who cut off the tags and wrapped the Rocky Mountain sweatshirt and
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Watching his hands start to fade, he felt the pull and the disorientation that followed. It was as if his body was flying through a vortex, as images of his past life were stolen from him. Memory after memory disappeared from him regardless of how hard he tried to retain his past. The harder he tried to cling to those he knew, the harder it was on him as he screamed obscenities at Matthias until all memories of him were erased. He traveled through the darkness silently once his past was erased completely then his broken body slammed into the hard unforgiving earth. The air was sucked out of his lungs, as he heard his ribs snap and he remained motionless for what seemed like hours. Alone, somewhere in the world, he was lost and couldn't remember anything about the long and privileged life that he had lived. He could not recall a face or a conversation from his life, nor could he remember ever being loved or the fact that he loved. It was simply all gone. As he looked
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The Shadow Effect 45. Resistance at the Border
The echo of voices rang through the valley as swords clashed and voices shouted orders. The battle was in full force as Matthais and Emma appeared at the edge of the skirmish. Before entering the fray, Matthias held Emma back to assess the situation. Viktor was a bloody mess, but he wasn't sure if it was his blood or the blood of those he had already defeated. Daan was in a fierce battle and Katana was silently using magic to stem the wrath of the Toten and tilt the balance of power to the Schatten. Turning to Emma he asked, "Are you ready to unleash the fire bound inside of you?" Emma looked a bit green but replied "All of the training these last weeks, truly doesn't prepare you for this. Does it?" Matthias felt his heart sink as he looked at his mate, afraid yet somehow exhibiting her newfound strength. "Emma, it is never easy to face your enemies in battle, no matter how much you prepare. We will go in with our fire, to push them back and into a circle of
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Several weeks later...mere moments that seemed to fly by without a private moment with her mate or time to relax alone for there was just too much for her to do. She felt inadequate and not up to the task but she muddled through daily with Matthias by her side.Suddenly Emma was thrown into a leadership position in a new world that she was so unprepared for. She was helping to run the castle and preparing for the arrival of the remaining Elders, including Matthias' parents. She was certain that their visit would not be a pleasant one, as Matthias would be investigated for all that occurred over the last month.There was no joy in all that surrounded her and she so wished for the simple days when she was just mad at him for turning her and their alone time. She so longed to be in his arms and problem free, but she wondered if this castle would ever know peace after all of the tragedy that occurred.Betrayal after betrayal.Emma was still thinking a
