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Chapter 23: A Sacrifice
Last Updated:
2025-04-12 01:45:03
Scarlett T. WHello, everyone. I would first like to apologize for going MIA. I recently lost someone dear to me and found myself having to take time off. Thank you so much for your patience. I'm back now and I'll be updating regularly.
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Third Person's PovReed exhaled sharply, running his hand through his hair before turning to face Darian. "Help me put him to bed." Darian bent down and grabbed Kairos's legs, but before they could lift him, he spoke. "What did Lake tell the cops?" Reed's jaw clenched. “I don’t know,” he admitted. But don’t worry, I’ll handle it.” He continued, but Darian’s grip on Kairos’s legs tightened. Regardless of Reed's words, worry churned in his gut. Lake had begun telling people what he saw. How else would the police be on their way? His heart pounded from frustration. This was exactly what he had feared. Reed must have noticed the tension in his face, because he spoke again, this time in a more reassuring tone. “The guys the sheriff sent over are friends. I’ll find out what Lake told them, and I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry.”Darian swallowed hard, but the unease persisted."Now, help me."Darian exhaled slowly and adjusted his grip, while Reed took Kairos's shoulders. They lifted him
Last Updated : 2025-04-13Coming Out of the Deep Chapter 25: Crazy
Lake's POVLux froze at my words, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "What?"Exhaling sharply, I ran a hand through my hair. “You heard me.” She blinked as if she was trying to comprehend what I had just said. "Lake, what are you saying?" I could see it right away, the way she looked at me as if I was insane. It was the same expression Alec gave me before laughing, but it was worse because I needed her to believe me more than anyone else. “I’m not crazy,” I told her firmly.“Lake—”“I’m not.” I yanked my phone from my pocket and held it up so she could see the cracked screen. “Look at this. You see this?” Lux's expression changed slightly as if she didn't understand where I was going with this, but she nodded. "This happened when Kairos attacked me," I explained, still holding out the phone to her. She knew my screen was not cracked when we left the house. “After the dance with Olivia, I went outside to get some fresh air and saw him. He looked like something was wrong wi
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Kairos's POVI left the window without looking back at Lux, making my way to the door just as the lock clicked open. She stood there, her posture relaxed, her eyes distant, still completely under my influence, and I entered without wasting a minute, softly closing the door behind me."Go back to bed," I told her, and she quickly turned and walked back to her bedroom. I barely saw her pass through the doorway before turning around and heading for Lake's room.I did not have to ask which way it was. I could feel him. The pull was subtle but constant, like an invisible tide pulling me toward him. My steps were slow, but my pulse betrayed me, beating faster with each one. And when I got to his door, I paused, taking a slow breath as I reached for the handle, Reed's words echoing in my mind, followed by Darian's, who warned me that having Lake as a mate would be a curse. It didn’t feel that way to me.It was terrifying and confusing—so many emotions tangled inside me that I couldn’t begi
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Lake's POVMy eyes snapped open at Kairos’s words. “A mer prince… fated mate?” But the meaning barely registered before I noticed the veins. Dark and twisting, they crawled across his skin, blooming beneath the surface like black cracks in porcelain. “Veins,” I whispered, my heart slamming against my ribs while the terrifying images of earlier when he attacked me flashed through my mind. Just then, he swayed as if his strength was dwindling right in front of me. His body grew heavier and he rolled off me, sitting next to me with his fingers running through his disheveled hair, attempting to push it back as it fell all over his face.I shot up, my breath quickening while my pulse thundered in my ears.“What’s happening to you?” I asked, watching him as he appeared to be struggling to breathe, sweat streaking across his brow. But his response froze me in place. “Blood,” he rasped, barely above a whisper. “I need your blood.” My mind refused to process it, to accept that I had understo
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Lake's POVA knock at the door startled me awake. My eyes blinked open, blurry from sleep, as did Kairos's beside me. He spoke in a low whisper, still drowsy. "Good Morning." He sat up slowly, sweeping his hand through his tangled hair, his gaze darting around, mine following suit in search of my boxers as I responded.Morning had come way too soon. My body ached in ways I didn’t mind, but I was still exhausted. I slid out of bed as another knock came, this time followed by Lux's muffled voice. I grabbed my briefs, slipped them on, and headed to the door.Lux didn’t even wait for me to fully emerge before blurting out that she had the craziest dream last night as I ripped the door open. "Kairos was here in our dorm," she said as I stepped out into the hallway, but stopped mid-sentence when she saw my appearance. Her eyes widened as she scanned me up and down. My hair was wild, and the love bites on my neck were probably still visible, I realized. “He’s here?” She whispered, looking o
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Lake's POVMy heart sank to the pit of my stomach as Kairos's words resounded inside me like thunder in a hollow room, the kind that rumbled long after the storm had passed. “A cursed love… no place in this world.”The silence between us was excruciating. Then, without warning, he shifted again, and the golden tail and webbed fingers vanished. In their place, the human version of him stood once more, still breathtakingly beautiful. Just… not mine."My brother's here," he said suddenly, moving quickly toward the bed and grabbing his clothes, as if the air had changed and he could barely breathe. I watched him numbly as he pulled on his pants, then his shirt, his movements stiff and tense. He did not look at me. Not until he was fully dressed, and as he turned to face me, brushing his hair away from his face, there was a knock at the front door. He whispered, “I’m sorry,” and opened the door. Just like that, he was gone.I didn’t know how long I sat there. My knees remained on the floo
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Lux's POV“I’m coming!” I yelled, approaching the door as the knock came again. I opened it to find the breakfast delivery as expected. The guy smiled politely as he handed me the food bags to which I thanked him, trying to shake the heaviness in my chest from what Lake had just told me. Making my way back to the living room, I placed everything on the table, and the aroma of Lake's food made my stomach rumble.A moment later, he emerged from his room and sat down on the sofa next to me. I passed him his food, and he thanked me. I was still trying to figure out how I was going to help him by keeping that bastard away from him."We still need to do groceries," I said, opening my container and deciding not to bring up the depressing topic of Kairos. "We could order online, but I would like to check out the shops around here. Take a look around. Of course, if you are up for it."He looked at me and nodded. "I am game." And I smiled with relief. I figured getting out might help him, even
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Kairos's POVWalking into our dorm's living room, I found Darian already there, lounging on the couch as if he had been waiting for me. His gaze followed me the moment I walked in, and I felt the tension in the room rise.“You’re not going to the game?” I asked, but knew he wouldn't bite, and I was right because, instead of responding, he leaned forward slightly with that expression I knew all too well. "Kairos, what happened last night? Or rather, this morning? What did you do?”The question made my heart clench, and I sighed and looked away, but before I could respond, he said, "And how did the conversation with Micah go? What exactly did you tell him? You cannot shut me out like this, brother." He was right, and my jaw clenched. I didn’t enjoy keeping him in the dark, but I also didn’t know how to tell him what I did. When Darian went looking for me earlier, we returned to find Micah, Reed's father waiting for me. He wanted to talk about everything Reed had told him had happened
Last Updated : 2025-04-16
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Coming Out of the Deep Chapter 48: Hell
Third-Party POVReed emerged from the ocean with Lake in his arms, salt stinging his eyes and throat as he gasped for air. But his relief was shattered when he looked up and saw hell.The road they had been driving on was no longer there. Entire stretches of asphalt were submerged, with only broken street signs and lampposts sticking out from the raging water. Their cars floated like forgotten toys, and Reed's heart lurched in his throat as he looked at his own car.Further up, a gas station was half-buried in the water, with fuel pumps bobbing like corpses, and he could not believe his eyes. Houses along the curve of the road were drowning, and the water was not just coming in waves; it was surging and he realized he needed to get away.His feet sank into the muddy slope of the shoreline as he adjusted Lake's limp body, feeling for his pulse, which he found. "Hang in there, man," he said quietly, adjusting Lake over his shoulder.His legs pumped furiously as he dashed through the ris
Coming Out of the Deep Chapter 47: Fury
Third-Party POVLux was still frozen in the crashing waves, staring at the impossible vision in front of her, when the world was suddenly swallowed up in darkness again.The lightning was gone and Kairos, or whatever version of Kairos she had seen, vanished into the black. That was when the terror truly sank in.Her breath hitched and caught in her throat. The image of Kairos, the one with the tail suspended in the storm, burned itself into her memory like a curse. She had no idea what she had seen, but she knew one thing for certain: she needed to get out of there.Her feet pivoted before her mind could and sand kicked up behind her as she sprinted away from the shore, wild and ungraceful. Her knees buckled once, but she caught herself scrambling forward in the pitch black.The water's roar faded behind her, and her own ragged breaths became quiet, leaving only the pounding of her heart, which thrashed in her chest as if trying to claw its way out.A voice screamed in her head, "Run!
Coming Out of the Deep Chapter 46: A Twisted Nightmare
Lake's POVI watched Darian as he directed the car to pull over to the side of the road, his movements remaining eerily calm. My hands clenched in my lap as he stepped out and shut the door without saying anything, and I leaned forward, looking around for Kairos.But it was not just dark, but pitch black. There were no lights along this stretch of the beach, and no signs of life either. The only thing I could see was the ocean ahead, and the sound of it crashing and churning filled my ears, becoming louder with each passing second.I stared out, my heart racing, as Darian began walking down to the water, his steps unhurried. Pushing the door open, I stepped outside, my feet crunching into the sand as I took a step forward, but then I came to a halt.My legs would not allow me to move. "Is he over there?" I called out, pointing ahead into the darkness, hoping, needing Darian to say something that would calm my racing nerves and give me the courage to continue, and he stopped."Yes," he
Coming Out of the Deep Chapter 45: Pleading
Kairos's POVI lost all sense of reason and direction as Lake's phone rang and rang without an answer, and I removed my phone from my ear, checked the screen as if that would change anything before hitting redial. However, there was still nothing."Come on, come on," I muttered, pacing in a circle before coming to a complete stop. I couldn’t find my car keys. My heart slammed so hard it hurt as if it was trying to punch its way out of my chest, as I ran back to Darian's side of the dorm, still calling Lake as the phone rang again.The door was still ajar from before, and I saw his car keys immediately as I stumbled in and I snatched them without a moment’s pause. I had no shoes on. Just my pajama bottoms, but I didn’t care.My mind was too loud, my thoughts too jumbled, and I did not even try to hide my superhuman speed as I leaped down the staircase. There was no time to run like a human now. "Please help me," I begged any power that would listen, switching back to calling Darian as
Coming Out of the Deep Chapter 44: Complicated
Lux's POVThe cool air forced me to pull my robe tighter around me as I went outside. Reed's car was parked right in front of the building, just as he had said. He stepped out as soon as I appeared, and our gazes met in the orange glow of the streetlamp.He smiled, and I found myself returning it instinctively as we walked toward each other. Meeting halfway, we shared a quick hug."Sorry for bothering you so late," he said, pulling back.“It’s not a bother,” I quickly replied. “If it was, I wouldn’t be out here.” My voice came out sharper than I expected, but that was not the only thing that surprised me. The statement also surprised me, and I wondered if I was telling him or myself. He didn't seem to mind it, though, as he opened the car door for me. I slid inside, adjusting my robe and tucking my slippers under the seat.He took his seat on the driver's side. "So, did everything go well with what you needed to do earlier?" I asked, hoping to quickly relieve the tension that only I c
Coming Out of the Deep Chapter 43: In trouble
Lake's POVLux yawned softly and stretched her arms above her head before suggesting we call it a night. I glanced at the clock and realized how late it had become. I had finished my meal a while ago, and for the past hour, we had been sitting in the kitchen, talking about everything and nothing.I didn't think I had the energy to discuss what happened between me and Kairos. But despite my best efforts to avoid it, it came up, and I told Lux what had happened, how I wanted to talk to Kairos, what we said, and how we decided to be friends.She asked if it was not better to cut ties and avoid each other rather than hang out. But I told her that we would make it work.Lux did not press it; she was dealing with her own issues, such as Alec. The way he treated her still irritated me, and I didn't want to break my promise to Lux, but I was not going to let it slide. I planned to see my cousin first thing in the morning and talk to him.Getting up, I took my plate and mug to the sink for a q
Coming Out of the Deep Chapter 42: Excuses
Third-Party POV "I'm stupid for being heartbroken," Lux said. And Lake froze before the eggs in the pan sizzled and popped forgotten. He walked around the counter and wrapped his arms around Lux, engulfing her in a firm, protective hug that she fell into. Something twisted deep inside his chest. He was familiar with Alec and his friends' operations, having heard their stories when Alec returned home during breaks, the bravado, the casual bragging, the way girls were reduced to themes and moments. But he had hoped Alec would not pull such a stunt with Lux, knowing how much Lake cared for her. Lake's jaw tightened, and Lux gently drew back, just enough to look up at him, as she told him everything that had happened, including how Alec behaved as if he had never seen her before, how it broke her heart, and finally about Charlotte. She told Lake everything Charlotte said about Alec and his friends. But she paused as Lake's face turned red, and his eyes hardened with each word she s
Coming Out of the Deep Chapter 41: Played
Lux's POVReed looked at me as he ended the call, his expression changing to apologetic in a matter of seconds. “Hey, I'm really sorry… I need to go somewhere. Right now.”“It’s okay. I understand.”"I promise to make it up to you," he said quickly, and I nodded again, smiling slightly. One of the guys nearby must have overheard and chimed in, "She could hang with us; I will drop her off later—""–Absolutely not," Reed interrupted before the guy could finish, giving him one of those long, knowing stares that made me look between them both.Charlotte's words returned to my mind. They are all players. I shook the thought away as he gently touched my arm and motioned for us to leave. We turned and walked away, back towards his car. I could sense the tension in the air, as if he was half in his head and half trying to hold it together.“I really am sorry,” he said again as we reached the car. “It’s fine,” I replied. I was actually getting into the racing thing, but whatever was pulling hi
Coming Out of the Deep Chapter 40: Genuine
Lux's POVThe ride through Silverglade was breathtaking. After leaving the stadium and the chaos behind us, Reed suggested we stop for ice cream, which we did. There was this cute little roadside stand with the aroma of sugar and waffle cones dancing in the air. He chose mint chocolate chips, while I went with salted caramel.We talked as we drove, and the blur of streetlights and people faded, leaving only the quiet edges of town. Silverglade looked stunning in the evening light. And I stared out the window, watching everything pass by.Reed followed a winding road up a hill surrounded by trees that arched slightly over the road. The way the light hit them made them appear almost enchanted, and I pointed out the trees with curiosity. “What kind are those?” I asked, leaning forward to take in the long trunks and far-reaching branches.“Those..” he said, his eyes flicking between the road and me. “Jacarandas. You’ll see them bloom soon, purple flowers everywhere. My father refers to th
