I bristle at the insult. “I am not my brother’s dog.”“Do you not bark when he commands it?” he retorts. “Roll over? Play dead? Be a good boy?”My fists clench in anger. I need to calm myself and not rise to his baiting. He’s doing this on purpose. I will not give him the satisfaction of winning by
RainerGeorge Nightstone is a tall, muscular man that hovers over Ivy while she is trying to read the grimoire. Ever since we brought the male shifter to Ivy’s cottage, he’s been watching her like a bird of prey. Willow and I exchange looks, wary about this development. Ivy seems to mostly ignore hi
KaneLex calls me after his meeting with King Matthias. My brother has gone above and beyond and was able to get the information we need. King Matthias is aware of the Blood Takers abducting people that are passing through his kingdom. It’s an operation that’s been in place for a while now.“King My
RainerKane informs me that the Blood Takers will be in Rouge Curve by tomorrow. I have no time to spare as I have to make my way from Crimson Peak to Red River within the day. I don’t take any personal items with me that can point to my real identity. I pack a small bag of clothes, a supply of bloo
EmoryI’m not expecting Coit to show up at Castle Graystone. It’s early in the morning, and I’ve just finished getting ready when he barges into my suite, followed by the castle guards. He looks furious, his eyes like emerald fire. I gesture toward the castle guards that everything is fine, and they
WillowI’m distracted as I reshelve books in the castle library. My thoughts are far away while I move the book trolley to another aisle and rearrange the books. I can’t even be annoyed at whoever put the books back in the wrong order. There are even books from a different section of the library her
LydiaMy head fucking hurts.While shifters can heal fast, head wounds take longer and slow down healing other injuries in the process. Cataloguing my injuries, I have a sprained wrist and bruises all over my body. besides the concussion Sleeping in the semi-truck is uncomfortable. All of us, human
LexI don’t bother knocking as I enter Opal’s suite. She wouldn’t have stopped if I walked in on her with another man again. I know from experience. Thankfully, she’s alone this time.Opal is sitting at her vanity table and applying her make-up. I watch as she applies a thin coat of powder to her fa
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