LexOpal breathes quickly, her chest rising and falling as she recovers from another orgasm. I rest my cheek on her thigh. I’ve set up shop between her legs. She is truly insatiable. If she could live on orgasms alone, she would do it.“You’re good at that,” she murmurs, her voice drowsy. “How are y
I stop to really look at Opal and her perfect face. I have always seen her as petty and shallow. That’s the version of herself she shows to the world. There could be hidden depths there she wouldn’t let anyone see.“Why are you looking at me like that?” she inquires.“I just forgot how pretty you ar
I have always enjoyed dancing, and Opal is graceful on her feet. I accommodate her and take her to the dance floor for the waltz. We’ve danced together ofte before, so I easily lead her through the steps. We glide on the ballroom floor like we’ve been doing this for centuries. The dance gives me t
EmoryI can feel cabin fever settling in after being stuck inside the castle for too long. Being confined to my room doesn’t help as there are only so many books to read and card games to be played. Even castle gossip is growing stagnant. I’m getting ready to climb the walls when my mother and maids
“I just want to take a look around,” I reassure Helga. “I’m not going to try and climb the ruins.”“Why do you want to be running around the ruins anyway, Emory?” my mother asks. “What’s so fascinating about an old church?”“It’s a church that was for worshiping Selene. The vampires used to revere t
“That might be it,” Willow cut in with a conspiring tone. “We were too jealous of the Moon Goddess’s favoritism, and we turned on her. Vampires don’t play second fiddle to anyone. We’re a proud lot.”Lola purses her lips. “Who do vampires worship now?”“We don’t,” Willow answers. “After King Aeneas
Emory“Willow is a witch,” Lola says like she’s not talking about the impossible. I remember what Willow told me about her life before she was turned, but it’s hard for me to grasp. In my mind, witches aren’t real. No one has seen one in centuries. Growing up, I thought they were a fairy tale to mak
I know I have to tell Kane about this. Learning that one of the vampires in his castle is also a witch with magical powers is too great of a secret to keep. As much as I feel sorrow for Willow, this is too important to keep to myself. Even if I swore my maids and my mother to secrecy, there is a hig
Fractured memories of the night I nearly drank myself to death careen to the forefront of my mind. There was a woman. I don’t remember her face or her name. I was so far gone with drink and self-loathing that I gave in to whatever kind of attention and stimulations she had to offer. It was consensua
ColeThe letter came in the dead of night, rain-soaked and smeared, but I’d know her handwriting anywhere, in any condition. She’d written that she needed to see me, urgently, that it couldn’t wait, and she couldn’t explain why, not in a letter, not at the risk of what she needed to tell me going pu
EmeldaIt’s a quiet night. A long, silent walk from the castle. I needed this quiet, this stillness in the late summer air. Ravenfell comes into view beyond the trees, twinkling in the darkness. I smile, shaking my head as I look down at my shoes. I can still feel the weight of the twins in my arms
MichaelI haven’t been to Scarlet Thunder in… years. I didn’t realize how long it’s been until I pulled up to the back of the castle, somewhat startled by how small it looks compared to my memories from my childhood. Not that it's a small castle, but I'm much bigger now. I step out of my car, my fac
Faye“Oh, Faye, this is beautiful,” Emory says as she walks around the wide room on the second floor of the newly constructed manor. She runs her fingers over the pale blue and pink floral wallpaper and white trim, her jade eyes sparkling as she takes in the lace curtains and soft cream carpet. “I l
EmeldaIn the week since the twins were born, I’ve been busy with the final touches on my cottage. I spent days this past spring digging in the front garden, planting herbs and vegetables, and fixing the front path. I hired a group of shifters to replace the roof and update the inside, installing ne
Emelda“Thank you,” I say, hurrying at a near run as a maid takes my cloak. The castle is buzzing with nervous energy but remains quiet with even the maids tiptoeing around, trying not to make a sound. I’d remained in Ravenfell for the birth. I spent all night and most of this morning at Alma’s hou
FayeSomething’s wrong. Something has to be wrong. “You’re doing great. Keep pushing, Faye. You’ve got this,” Alma says, her face glistening with sweat and determination while I roar in pain. Michael clutches my hand, his other hand bracing my inner thigh as I bear down with all the strength I hav
Michael“It could be hours–or a day,” Alma says quietly as she arranges her tonics on a table just outside the bedroom where Faye’s finally getting some rest. “It’s been hours already,” I tell her, motioning toward the window in my suite in the castle where moonlight drifts through the panes, casti