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May 27 - December 19, 2020
I didn’t know exactly what I’d witnessed in the woods, but I knew it was nothing good. And now I was in serious shit because of the way I’d reacted. The stars were refusing to let me cut her out of my life. But I wasn’t done trying yet. I had a will of steel, though right now it felt flimsy, made of cheap plastic.
“Regardless of what you feel for me, if people knew what I felt for you...” I shook my head. “It just isn’t worth the risk of you getting hurt.”
“It doesn’t matter what you think. The stars have decided it. But I’m trying to undecide it. Maybe we can dodge fate together.”
“We have to stay away from each other. It’s the only way we might have a chance at stopping the stars from drawing us out in the night to answer the question of fate. If it comes to that, I’d have to choose to be star-crossed with you and I really don’t want to spend the rest of my life pining for you, Elise.”
“You know what that stuff does, right? It’s not just some recreational buzz, it digs right into your soul and tugs on all of your deepest emotions, forcing them to the surface. It can make you want to fucking kill yourself if it latches onto something bad enough. Is that what you want, Elise?”
“I didn’t take it,” she said indignantly, not answering my other question. “Someone drugged me.”
Like being bound to me for life was some hideous fate. Well fuck him. I wasn’t his and I never would be. And fate could suck my dick if it wanted to have any other say in the matter.
“Scarlett Tide,” she replied slowly. My heart thumped wildly at that name. Because she wasn’t just some random member of The Brotherhood, she was Ryder’s second in command. The woman rumored to have killed every man she’d ever screwed. The Ice Killer, Frozen Butcher, Cold Hearted Queen.
Somehow, she’d brought the King of the Brotherhood to his knees in some piss-ridden alley and I still wasn’t getting up. I dropped my hand and the spell was broken, the strange tugging in my chest replaced with abject rage once more.
“Well maybe he had a fucking point!” By the pissing stars, did I just agree with Nox? “You realise they would have killed you, right?” Her eyes glazed in a way that told me she didn’t really care and that hurt me more than anything else had this morning.
“We’re done, Elise. You’ve made that clear as fucking day. That includes hanging out.” She used her Vampire strength to break the vine, glancing back at me with a scowl. “Good. I don’t need you in my life anyway.” She sped away and something shattered inside me like glass. I grunted as pain spilled through me, filling up my magic reserves. I was ruined and made at once.
“I’ll always be here for you when you need me, little monster,” Leon replied
He insisted that I was meant for him, but if that was the case then why was I here now in Leon’s arms without the slightest desire to be anywhere else? Whatever the hell was going on with Gabriel, it wasn’t my problem. But maybe I did owe him a proper thank you. I could manage that much at least.
“You know, relying on other people from time to time isn’t the worst thing in the world,” he teased. “Well, everyone I’ve ever relied on has either lied, left or died. So I don’t make that mistake anymore,” I said simply, climbing off of him and out of the bed.
I could only stare after him as he took off into the sky and something ripped open inside me. When was I going to learn not to put my faith in people? Why did I always keep trusting in others when all anyone ever did was let me down? Even Gareth had abandoned me in the end.
Faeker: It looks like you’ve missed a few payments, you’d better rectify that before your files go public.
Shit! Who has Gareth’s phone? How can this be happening again? What if they know what I did?
Faeker: I think you know.
Faeker: I’m still waiting for that payment. Looks like you missed a few since the Solarid Meteor Shower. Now why would that
Gabriel: I know for a fact you’re not the real owner of this phone. And if you think fucking with me is a good idea, maybe you should think about how he ended up.
Faeker: Maybe I’m a ghost returned to haunt you for what you did.
Gabriel: I didn’t do shit. Our business deal ended the night ‘you’ died. So go back beyond the veil, ghost.
“I’m thinking that Gareth only had a certain number of people in his life who might have gotten their hands on that phone and would care enough to message me.”
A woman exited a room a few doors down, her hood drawn up over her head. She glanced my way, her shoulders hunched and her head bowed a little. The stars hummed in my ears and I knew what to do. I plucked my Atlas out of my pocket, kicking my foot back against the wall and pretending to study the screen. The woman drew closer, hurrying past and I flipped my eyes up just as she went by, frowning as I caught sight of a scarred face buried deep within her hood. One of her eyes was glassy and white, but I didn’t see it for long as she dipped her head again and hurried up to a vending machine at
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“Leon hit the spot,” I purred, watching as his eyes flashed, though it wasn’t with anger as I’d expected, it seemed more like desire to me. “Do you want me to tell you about it?” Dante growled and the static crackled between us again, but his anger still didn’t come. His eyes lit with a strange kind of hunger that made me wonder if he really did want to hear about it.
“If you want to keep me, Leon, don’t try and cage me. I’ll only run.” I pulled my hand back and he let out a long breath as he relaxed into his chair. “You’re hard work, you know that?” he teased. “Too much work for one man alone,” I agreed, winking at him as I blew a bubble with my gum. Leon huffed but he was half smiling too. “Maybe I need some help then,” he teased and my smile grew. “Yeah, maybe you do.”
“Hey Tinkerbell, wanna go on a date with me later?!” I called across the room at him. He turned to me with a smirk while his Beta, Tabitha, ordered the wolves about to lay out a spread of food for him. “Only if you plan on putting out,” he called back. “Otherwise I’ve got another offer from a Captain who said he’ll put his hook up my ass.”
A heavy crash sounded out on the pitch and I looked up to find Dante pinning Elise to the ground. It didn’t piss me off for once though, something about the sight of them like that sparked a purr deep in my chest. I shook off the feeling, figuring I was losing my mind. But then again…they sure did look hot together.
“I cieli si scontrano per te, carina,” I purred. The heavens collide for you.
“Well if you really are my Elysian Mate then you’ll want me for who I really am,” I said, grabbing my wash bag. “And I’m not the type to be tied down to one guy.”
“Hello?” she said, a little breathlessly like she was excited about whoever was calling her. Or maybe afraid. “Is it done?” a voice came on the other end of the line. It was almost impossible for me to make out at this distance even with my gifts and I couldn’t be sure if it was a man or a woman. “I think so,” Nightshade said, dropping her voice. “I destroyed the referral records so no one will be able to connect him to me even if they did find the-” “Good. Double check everything you did to make sure,” the voice interrupted and I cursed as I failed to hear the next thing they said. “Thank
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There were four hers in my life that mattered to Nightshade. My mom, Mariella Oscura, Professor King and now Elise Callisto.
Nightshade uncrossed her legs, placing the clipboard flat down on her thighs. “As we’ve established, Professor King fulfilled a need for you, allowing you to indulge in your masochistic and sadistic desires while in return she received pleasure in the form of sexual gratification and you as a blood Source.”
“At a very young age you were exposed to the trauma of losing your mother.” My gut pinched and I tried not to let her feel that, but I knew she did. “Though your father sheltered you from gang life up until her death, afterwards you began to witness more and more bloodshed even before your tenth birthday. Your father quickly became the only constant in your life. You shared your home with several gang members, witnessing both sexual and violent acts on multiple occasions.”
“The cataclysmic moment for you occurred when your father was brutally murdered by the Oscura Clan and you ended up in the hands of Mariella Oscura for thirteen months. At the sensitive age of fifteen, you were susceptible to Coercion and in a fragile state due to the loss of your father.” “Fourteen months,” I corrected sharply. Or more specifically four hundred and twenty six days.
“During your captivity with Mariella, you were subjected to torture which warped your view of pain. As she began to reward you for enduring longer and longer bouts of suffering, you became hardwired to start anticipating the release at the end of the torture.”
“As you spent more time enjoying the rewards she gave you, from free time, to books, food and your own gym to work off your frustration, the lifestyle she’d created for you became your new normal. As you weren’t yet Awakened or Emerged, you had no magic or Order to fight her off and therefore eventually fell into the role of her slave. Which was precisely where she wanted you. But, as is fairly obvious nowadays, you are not naturally submissive, so what she had created instead was a ticking time bomb.” I realised my right fist was crushed around the razor blade and blood was spilling onto my
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“Which is why you live between the boundaries of pleasure and pain, and why your relationship with Professor King was so fulfilling to you. But Ryder-”
“You are finally starting to move beyond the trap of those boundaries and I think it’s because of-”
Elise was dancing between the fucking Lion King and Inferno, her body grinding into theirs. When Dante caught her chin and pressed his lips to hers, a switch flipped in my head. She pawed at him, leaning into his kiss and my shoulders began to shake. I was frozen in place, feeling like a gun was placed firmly to my temple with Elise’s finger on the trigger. Bryce tucked his Atlas back away. “You alright, boss?” I remained silent, my teeth grinding to dust as a toxic rage took hold of me. “Contact the Eyes,” I spat. “Get me both of their locations. Now.”
Elise planted one hand on my chest and the other on Dante’s. “ENOUGH!” she commanded and the numbness washing over me peeled back, allowing me to focus on her for a second.
She moved forward in a blur, her hand cupping my jaw and her mouth suddenly pressing against mine. I tasted the whole world on her lips before she pulled away just as fast, her eyes dark and wide with some emotion I couldn’t even begin to comprehend. “Like that meant nothing,” she whispered, but it was loud enough for Dante to hear as he folded his arms, glaring at us. Her mouth was tainted red from my blood and as she realised it, she raised a hand to heal my broken nose, her brows knitting together as the soothing flow of her magic slid under my skin. Nothing sure tasted a lot like
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Elise’s hand caught mine and she tugged to turn me around. I found her other hand wrapped around Inferno’s and nearly recoiled from the connection her body made between us. But it felt too good to have her skin against mine and it suddenly felt easier to breathe. “I can’t keep going through this,” she said seriously, looking between us. “I’m never going to choose between you two.”
“Friends can be construed whatever fucking way you want,” I growled and her hand tightened around mine as if she sensed I was about to pull away. “I know. Which means we’ll need some rules,” she said and my gaze drifted to Inferno. His jaw was set and he nodded in agreement, meaning I immediately nodded mine too, because fuck, I was so done not having Elise in my life. And if this was the only way, then hell if I was gonna relinquish her to Dante Oscura. “No more kissing,” Dante said and I nodded easily. I did not want her mouth anywhere fucking near Inferno’s ever again. “No fucking either,”
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“I’m Rosalie. Carlo got caught and they almost got the stash because he’s a total lemming. Luckily me, Fabrizio and Lucia were close enough to see it go down. So they both attacked the agents while I grabbed the bag. It was my idea. The FIB can’t shoot kids.” She smiled proudly and I frowned at her.
I’d heard rumours that the FIB had been looking into Leon’s father, Reginald Night, for the theft which hadn’t even surprised me. The Nights were the best thieves in Alestria and quite possibly the whole of Solaria too. But I hadn’t considered the fact that they might have been working with the Oscuras. Either way, Lionel Acrux, the Celestial Counsellor, Dragon Master and one of the four rulers and most powerful Fae in the whole world was seriously pissed about this going missing. On the news clips I’d seen, it seriously looked like he might murder whoever was responsible when he found them.
“We don’t have parties. We study old magics and practice the art of group power sharing and co-conjuring. It’s not the sort of thing someone of your Order would be any good at.” What was with the Vamp bashing? Okay so we didn’t tend to work too well with others but was it necessary to tar us all with the same brush? What an asshat. “What kind of magic do you do in these power orgies?” I asked. “None of your business,” he snarled. No surprise there. “Dark magic by any chance?” His heart beat a little faster there but he gave me no answer. That was as good as an admission for me though. “Fine.
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“The Black Card have you marked, Vampire,” he snarled at me as he reached the door. “And the Brotherhood know your face, asshole. One move against Elise and I’ll cut you into ten myself. And I’ve perfected the art of making sure you won’t die until I cut the last piece off,” Ryder hissed. Adrian’s eyes widened with fear and he turned and sprinted away.
“I shouldn’t have threatened you like I did,” he said slowly, the words so quiet they were barely there at all, but something unfurled in my chest as he made the admission. “You don’t want to hurt me then?” I asked, watching his hands as he unhooked my top button. “I didn’t say that,” he replied, his fingers slipping down to the next button as he loosened that too. “I desire your pain more than you could possibly understand.” My heart beat harder at the words which should have terrified me but instead I felt myself growing calmer. Because despite what I might have liked to think about myself,
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“Your eyes are brighter,” he said, brushing a lock of hair behind my ear. Every touch he made on my skin was innocent, within the rules he’d laid out with Dante and yet utterly charged with sin at the same time. “Brighter?” I asked in confusion. “Because you let yourself feed the part of your soul that needs this.”
