Serena’s POVI stared at this demon, contemplating what to do, but there was nothing more to think about.If he wanted me to follow him and that was the only way to take revenge on my mum and also the man who took my father’s life, then I was going to follow him.“Fine,” I said without looking up, but I could see the shocked expression on his face.“Okay, do you have anything to pack?” I nodded.I went to my room, dragged out a box and pulled some clothes inside. Within a few minutes I was back in the sitting room.A broad guy walked up to me, helping me with the luggage.“Come on, let’s go.” He offered me his hand. I stared blankly for a minute, knowing fully that taking his hand was saying yes to a devil, but I didn’t have a choice.I took his hand and he led me to the black car waiting outside.A guard opened the door and he gestured for me to step in. I stared at him for a few seconds before stepping in.He also sat beside me and the door was closed.“You can call me Lucas,” he sa
The constant nightmares were wearing me down, eating away at what little strength I had left. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw twisted faces and heard whispers that made my skin crawl. The visions were getting stronger, more vivid, bleeding into my waking hours until I couldn’t tell what was real anymore. I was exhausted, desperate, and standing in my own living room facing a creature that shouldn’t exist.But as I stared at him, sitting so casually in my chair like he belonged there, a dark thought crept into my mind. Maybe this was more than just survival. Maybe this was my chance—not just to escape the torment that was slowly driving me insane, but to finally get back at my mother for everything she’d put me through.“Fine,” I heard myself say, the words coming out before I could stop them. They seemed to hang in the air between us, heavy with consequence. “I’ll do it. I’ll marry you.”His eyebrows raised slightly, and for a moment something that might have been surprise flickere
Serena’s POVThe weeks that followed blurred together in a haze of rejection and desperation. Job after job, interview after interview, each one ending the same way. "We'll be in touch." "Thank you for your time." "We've decided to go with someone else." My savings were nearly gone, and the baby seemed to grow heavier in my belly with each passing day. I'd started showing just enough that I had to be careful about how I sat, how I stood, how I dressed. Another reason employers found to look elsewhere.Today had been no different. Three interviews, three polite rejections. I was walking home in the gathering dusk, my feet aching and my mind spinning with worry, when I heard the screech of tires.I looked up just in time to see a sleek black sedan swerving to avoid me. I'd stepped right into the street without looking, lost in my own misery. The car came to a stop just inches from where I stood frozen.A woman emerged from the driver's side, her face etched with concern. She was elegan
The creature stared at me for quite a moment before smiling widely and his next words hit me like a slap."Of course, you'd have to marry me first."I recoiled as if he'd physically struck me. "What?""The power of Bloodburn isn't something I can just give away freely," he explained, his tone maddeningly casual. "It requires a bond, a commitment. Marriage is the most binding contract humans have, so that's what I require."Disgust rolled through my stomach in waves. "Are you insane? You're engaged to my mother!"But instead of looking ashamed or concerned, the creature threw back his head and laughed. The sound was rich and genuinely amused, as if I'd just told him the most delightful joke."I don't see any problem with that," he said, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "In fact, it adds a certain... poetry to the arrangement, don't you think?"I stared at him in horror. "You're talking about marrying a mother and daughter. That's sick. That's—""That's power," he interrupted,
Ryker’s POV The house was easier to infiltrate than I had expected. Alpha Kane's security was impressive by normal standards, but normal standards didn't account for the abilities that came with being what I was. I'd slipped through shadows that shouldn't have been able to conceal a man my size, moved with a silence that defied the creaking floorboards of the old mansion.Now I sat on Kane's bed in the master bedroom, perfectly still in the darkness, waiting. The plan was simple – drag Kane outside where Alec and Jaxon were positioned, then deliver the beating I'd been promising myself since learning what the bastard had done.The sound of footsteps on the stairs made my muscles tense with anticipation. Kane was finally home.The bedroom door opened, and Alpha Kane stepped inside, reaching for the light switch. When the room flooded with warm yellow light, he froze, his hand still on the wall, staring at me with a mixture of shock and rapidly growing anger."What the hell are you doi
Serena’s POV The words felt like a punch to my gut and left my lips wide open."You're thinking too hard about this, Serena," he said. "You don't have to be surprised. I know everything about you. Every detail of your life, every secret you think you're keeping."My heart hammered against my ribs. "How is that possible?""Ryker is a close friend of mine," he said, and my blood turned to ice water. "Or rather, he was."The words hit me like a physical blow. I pressed myself back against the leather seat, my mind racing. Had Ryker sent this creature after me? Was this some twisted form of punishment for what I'd done?"He sent you," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "He sent you to—""Oh no," the creature interrupted, his smile widening. "Quite the opposite, actually. Ryker and I are enemies now. Have been for some time."Despite my terror, I found myself leaning forward slightly. "Enemies?""Very much so. Which is why I find your current situation so... interesting." His eyes glit