Romans de Western.R

Lyra's POVI woke up gradually, my head hurting so badly that it felt like someone was smashing me over the head with a hammer, again and again.Initially I thought my eyes were shut. But as I reached for a way to muster them wider, further open, I saw with rising horror that they were already open.I was in pitch darkness. Not night-dark, where shapes and shadows still exist. This was the complete lack of all light, the Void that the cultists so feared.I struggled to move, but heavy chains were binding my wrists and ankles painfully.I was tied down to something that felt like a cold slab of stone; its surface was rough and old against my skin.My pathetic Luna spark was fluttering weakly inside me, attempting to manifest itself with no success in attaching itself accurately. Somehow the chains were actually dampening my powers with evil sorcery.My added collective powers which had linked me to the other Lunas were now impossibly far away, like trying but failing to hear tiny whisp

DRAVENI could only stand there after she ran off, staring at the empty space where she had been, my chest heaving like I’d run a marathon."Boss?"Linn’s voice was tentative. Weak. Scared.As it should be.I didn’t turn. I couldn't. Because if I looked at him right now, I’d rip his throat open. I stared at the sterile white floor, listening to the roar of the blood in my skull.It wasn’t until after a while that I finally looked up and growled at him. “Move to the holding room, now.”I started off down the staircase after that, the blood still pounding in my skull at the realization of what I’d done.I was the Devil. I accepted that title years ago when I bathed in the blood of my enemies. But I had a code. Sangue per sangue. Blood for blood. Only the guilty paid.But I had made the innocent pay.I felt dirty and my skin felt too tight, itching with a phantom layer of filth I couldn't scrub off.When I reached the holding room, I kicked the door open to see my elite guards alrea

Lyra's POVI sped to where the explosion had taken place at a speed my body had never attained before, an otherworldly velocity. The new electricity running though me was foreign and disorienting, like I was linked to dozens of outlets at the same time as opposed to a single one. There was an energy vibrating just under my skin that felt strange but also like nothing I had ever known.The crater was huge by the time I got there, still smoldering with lingering heat and destruction. The stone floor was gone, replaced by a huge hole in the ground. Obviously deadly to anyone unfortunate enough to be located in the direct impact zone.No one could have lived through an explosion like that.I felt the familiar clench of panic in my chest, as the truth started to soak in.Draven and the rest of them rushed around to come up right after me, we all searched frantically for survivors in the debris and wreckage. Air was heavy with dust, and the sting of dark magic remnants.We found Elara’s bod

Nathan’s POVMy mind raced as I tried to process Terra's outburst. The change in her was jarring, and I found it difficult to accept the woman standing before me. Where had the Terra gone who had once been so soft, so devoted to me? The Terra I remembered was filled with love, with hope, and trust. But now, she was a stranger, full of anger and defiance.I swallowed hard, still grappling with the flood of emotions. My heart longed for the Terra I had once known—so warm, so full of love for me. That connection we had, the bond we shared, seemed to have faded away with the years. But the hope lingered in me, the hope that I could reignite that spark, that I could somehow bring back the Terra I loved.Cole's voice broke through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. "What are you going to do about this, Terra?" he asked, his tone slightly sharp. "You can’t keep letting her treat you this way."I stiffened my jaw, my gaze flickering toward the door where Terra had stormed off. "I do

KAYLA'S POVI began to run the minute they gave the all clear. Down the mountain road, through crowds celebrating everywhere, to a car that would return me to sanctuary and Elena. Alexander was right beside me in two seconds, his vampire reflexes as frantic as my human need."She's fine," he kept saying. "Tessa confirmed she's completely safe.""I need to see her," I said. "I need to hold her."The drive felt endless. When we got there at last, I ran through the security checks without looking back, with Alexander on my heels.Tessa joined us in the nursery, her face sympathetic. "She's been sleeping peacefully. Remarkably calm considering everything."I made directly for Elena's crib. My daughter was sleeping with a peaceful face, her small hands curled up by her cheeks. She looked perfect. Unscathed by the violence and anarchy that had all but destroyed it.I lifted her and Elena made a noise but didn't wake up. Just pressed close to my chest, making these little sounds of content.

Lyra's POVI sped to where the explosion had taken place at a speed my body had never attained before, an otherworldly velocity. The new electricity running though me was foreign and disorienting, like I was linked to dozens of outlets at the same time as opposed to a single one. There was an energy vibrating just under my skin that felt strange but also like nothing I had ever known.The crater was huge by the time I got there, still smoldering with lingering heat and destruction. The stone floor was gone, replaced by a huge hole in the ground. Obviously deadly to anyone unfortunate enough to be located in the direct impact zone.No one could have lived through an explosion like that.I felt the familiar clench of panic in my chest, as the truth started to soak in.Draven and the rest of them rushed around to come up right after me, we all searched frantically for survivors in the debris and wreckage. Air was heavy with dust, and the sting of dark magic remnants.We found Elara’s bod

Valentina stood in front of the mirror, dragging a brush through her damp hair in slow, steady strokes. Her robe clung softly to her shoulders, sleeves slipping down one arm as condensation fogged the glass from her earlier shower. The coughed, the sound echoing slightly in the silence.She looked around, and chuckled when her eyes settled on the frame of her in a shimmering silver dress from one of the shoot. Lucas had insisted he made a frame for it, and he hung it just above his bed, or their bed now? He wouldn't let her go back to her room.She shook her head in amusement and sighed. Tomorrow, she’d go back to work.She didn’t feel ready, not exactly. But she also couldn’t stay buried in this house any longer, waiting for everyone to shut up or something new and interesting to pop up. The world had been feasting on her silence like it was some kind of game, they were speculating, spinning rumors, throwing words like ice queen and fallen wife around with the kind of carelessness th

CHAPTER 181 – People Who Shouldn’t Be ThereAlecia quickly packed up, not caring if she did so properly. She just yanked a duffel bag from the closet, stuffed it with enough clothes to get her through a week, maybe two, and left before Marco could say one more thing to make her feel like she was insane for expecting basic respect from the people around her.It seems they all saw her as easy, nothing.She drove into the De Luca mansion and the sound freightened the working staff.Why was she back again? They all wondered.Alecia sighed, looking at the building. She’d always hated how quiet it got at night. The place echoed when she walked, like even the walls were bored. But for now, it was the only place she could go that didn’t feel like she was choking. Her father wasn’t around, thankfully. And she wasn’t stupid—she knew where he probably was. Bianca had returned to town, and if history had taught her anything, it was that men like her father didn’t age with dignity. They aged with

The sky had already turned a dull, swollen gray by the time Valentina stirred awake. It m sat heavily above the earth, pressing down like an unrelenting bad omen. She sat up slowly, blinking past the haze of sleep, and heard the faint sound of rain tapping against the window.Lucas had already gotten up. His side of the bed was cool and empty, the sheets pulled tight. The curtains hadn’t been drawn back, but the light in the room was already a tired blue and it made her want to go back to sleep. She didn’t speak as she got up and padded toward the bathroom, rubbing the back of her neck. There really wasn’t much to say. It was a funeral day.By the time she was dressed, Lucas was seated by the window, phone in hand, dressed in black. With an umbrella leaned against the wall next to him.“It’s raining,” she yawned, reaching for her coat.He looked over, and gestured for her to come over. “Bring the black one. Yours is too thin.”She picked the heavier coat from the hanger and buttoned i

The early morning felt quieter than usual, even for them and the event they came for. It seemed as if they packed into their suitcases and carried along with the folded clothes and shoes, like it was tucked between carry-ons and lukewarm cups of airport coffee.Their flight left just after seven. Neither of them said much on the drive to the airport. Lucas had taken a call the entire way, angry responses to someone she couldn’t hear on the other end, it was as if he woke up on the wrong side of the bed because he's been grumpy since the first cock crow.Olive drove without saying anything either, and Valentina just sat in the backseat, Rue curled up quietly beside her in the travel bag with one paw sticking out, twitching every now and then. She couldn't bear to leave her alone in a house so big like that.She hadn’t even asked if they were stopping for breakfast. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t in the mood to think about it, but immediately their car screeched into a stop in the hanger

The morning started with a soft yawn from Rue, who was already sitting by the bedroom door before Valentina even stirred. The pup’s tiny frame and eager eyes blinked up at her like a silent nudge. Outside, the sky was still a pale blue, it looked like the weather was confused abd didn't yet know whether it wanted to warm or chill the air. Inside, the house was quiet, peaceful and it made her happy. She was bubbly today.Val pushed off the covers with a low groan and sat up slowly, watching Rue scamper across the room as if she’d been waiting all night for someone to join her in the day. She reached down and scratched gently behind her ear, murmuring, “Alright, alright… you win.”Olive was already waiting downstairs, leaned casually against the kitchen counter with her phone in one hand and a cup of something hot in the other. She looked up when Val entered, dressed in sweats, her hair loose and still a little rumpled from sleep.“Good morning, ma'am, the car is ready and running, woul

The foundation resumed at full speed that morning, just as expected. After the brief pause yesterday to let things cool down, everyone was back in motion again—meetings, calendar updates, and a campaign schedule that didn’t leave much room to breathe. Ten days of on-ground activity across different cities was a lot even on a normal week. But with the online post still echoing in comment sections and people whispering behind corners, things didn’t quite feel normal.Valentina had planned to sleep a little longer after yesterday's unexpected detour with Lucas, but the soft movement in the hallway pulled her out of sleep. She heard a coat sleeve rustle, keys slipping into a pocket, and a quiet breath as someone passed her room.When she finally got up, the sun had only barely pushed its way through the curtains. She took her time getting dressed, unsure if she wanted to acknowledge how the quiet hum of domestic life had felt oddly comforting. In the kitchen, Lucas only looked up from his