FAZER LOGIN*Emily đ¤* Just one night. Thatâs all it was supposed to be. I never knew one night could change everything. Could burn through every wall Iâve built. Could leave me craving someone I shouldâve walked away from. Heâs handsomeâdark in the way shadows linger even when the lights are on. Powerful. Dangerous. Magnetic. Everyone says heâs a hero. That heâs the man who takes down the monsters hiding in plain sight. But he doesnât look like the hero to me. Not when Iâve seen the way he watches me. Not when Iâve felt the way his hands command and control. Thereâs something heâs not telling me. Something I shouldnât have seen⌠something I canât unfeel. And now my sister is involved â and thatâs when the truth dawned. This isn't just danger. It's a storm. I should run. Heâs mafia. Iâm just a college girl with a sharp tongue, a guarded heartââand one secret. Iâm not built for his world. But near him, all the strength I thought I had crumbles. Iâm bold. I donât bend. But with him, I shatter. And the worst part? I donât want to be saved from it. I want him. All of him â the light, the dark, the secrets, the sins. But one thing I know for sure: Love like this? It always ends in blood. *Xavier.* ⏠One night. Thatâs all it took. She thinks it was nothing, but from the moment I saw her, I knew. She was mineâher body, her mind, her chaos. She cracked the OmertĂ file. She doesnât know it yet, but sheâs already in my world. In my world⌠Thereâs no way out. ---
Ver maisYoung Raven had been on the streets since she was 14 and her mom died. She spots a help wanted sign in a pub run by three seemingly normal brothers but what happens when they are anything but normal. Will she find her way back to then after being kidnapped or will she live without the love of her life and forever be trapped in an abusive relationship.
As I walk through the streets of the Rave, my stomachs growls reminding me that the last meal I had was a scrap of bread the day before. It's a dog eat dog world here in the Sapphire realm and I'd prefer not to be eaten.My name is Raven, I've been living on the streets of the Rave for 2 years now. Since my mom, Amanda died when I was 15 I had nowhere else to go so I was left to fend for myself since Then. Jobs would come and go but normally I'd have to scavenge.
The streets aren't as bad as they sound, some people take pity on us and give us food, sometimes even shelter but nothing in this world is free. They always expect some kind of favor in return. I may not have much but I'd like to keep a hold on my dignity.
I kick a small pebble that skitters into the darkness of the pavement as I walk down, I hear festive sounds coming from the pub at the end of this street but I ignore it. No use hoping to have something you never will. Even though I have magical blood, I'm a fire slifer. I have no clue how to harness my power so it's basically useless. I've only had one or two incidents of nearly burning a house down but other than that I feel basically human.
Normally children are taught by their parents at their coming of age, when they turn sixteen. My mom didn't make it more than 5 days after my 15th birthday before she died. I couldn't save her, she had what the humans call cancer, all over her lungs. It's illegal for us supernatural beings to go to human doctors and nobody could save her.
There is no use dwelling on the past, I think to myself as I kick the pebble a second time. Right now I need to focus on getting food. I look through the window of the pub, glancing at all the people in the warmth and glow of the light. A flyer in the window catches my attention 'help wanted, residency included'
That doesn't sound half bad I think to myself. I push the door open triggering a small bell in the entrance. Everyone glances in my direction. Taking in my torn and dirty clothes, cropped, dirty black hair and scuffed shoes. It only takes them a moment to return to their conversations like I never even walked in, which is honestly how I prefer it.
I walk up to the bar and plonk myself onto one of the stools.
"Are you still hiring" I ask the young looking man behind the bar.
"That depends who's asking girly" he responds with a deep and gruff voice.
"I was wondering if I could fill the position" I say, trying to sound soft and feminine, men love a 'damsel in distress'.
"You look like you'll fit in just fine here" he says, giving me the once over.
"Tommy!" He yells louder than necessary, as a skinny looking boy, no older than 18 comes rushing out of the kitchen.
"Yes, you called" he says in an impossibly quiet voice.
"Take this young lady to the employees quarters, she can have the room next to yours. Also make sure to give her a uniform so she can start work tomorrow, give her some bread as well, she looks scrawny as hell" The gruff bartender says.
"sure thing" the timid boy responds before scurrying off towards the kitchen after beckoning me to follow.
As he leads me into the kitchen. I take in the tired looking stove with an equally old looking oven underneath it. There are shelves and shelves stacked with cooking supplies and pots and pans hanging from hooks attached to the ceiling. He hands me a small slice of bread which a wolf down immediately, muttering a thank you through my full mouth.
He continues to lead me down a thin, dimly lit passage That has four doors aligning it.
"This will be your room" Tommy says as he gestures to the door at the end of the passage,
"It's just opposite mine so let me know if you need anything." I barely know Tommy but I can already tell that we are going to be friends.
"Thanks Tommy" I reply with a smile.
"I'll let you get comfortable," Tommy says as he begins to exit the room, "I hope you stay longer than our last waitress did" he adds with a smile as he leaves the room. I don't have anything to unpack, except my small backpack, in it are clothes, some cash and 1 Lone toothbrush. I set it down the rickety bed as I take in my surroundings.
The room isn't big by any stretch of the imagination but it isn't small either, there is a small closet in the corner with uniforms in multiple sizes, in the other corner there is a door that leads into an adjoining bathroom. The bathroom has a tiny shower in the corner, a basin and a toilet too. The bathroom seems pretty stocked up with soaps and toothpaste.
As I head back towards my bed a see a small bedside table with an even smaller lamp atop it, next to it sits a tiny old fashioned alarm clock. The lamp is so tiny it barely lights the room but it's better than darkness. I'm only starting work tomorrow but I'm not sure what time I start so I head out of my room, back down the passage and through the kitchen.
As I walk through the kitchen I bump into a wall-like being.
"Hey watch where you're going" says a big burly man who looks similar to Tommy, only bulkier.
"Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going" I murmur as I pull away from the man but he catches me by my forearms.
"Whoa little lady, didn't mean to be rude." He says, giving me an appreciative once over.
"What is a pretty lass like you doing in the kitchen?" he asks, still not releasing me.
"I'm the new waitress, the guy at the bar hired me", I respond as an uneasy feeling creeps up my spine.
"Oh you mean you mean Jason", the burly man says, "he's my brother, my name's Damian by the way" he adds, extending his hand
"Raven black", I state as I reach out mand shake his hand.
"is Tommy also related to you?" I question with an arched eyebrow
"Yeah, he is only 17 though, I'm 23 and Jason is 21, Tommy is still just a kid" he continues with an almost wistful look in his eye.
"how old are you sweetheart?" He asks with his charming demeanor.
"I just turned 17 this January" I say, hoping it won't change anything.
"Perfect", he says with a playful glint in his eye. Trying to ignore his flirtatiousness I continue
"What time should I be ready for work tomorrow?" I question Damian who is still standing to close for comfort.
"I don't usually work with the waitresses but for you I'll make an exception", he says with a wink, "I'll go ask Jason, don't move a muscle" he says as he dashes out of the kitchen.
I stand there awkwardly for about ten seconds before Damian comes dashing back into the kitchen. "Jason says be dressed in uniform and in the kitchen at 7:30 tomorrow morning, if you're an early riser you know where my room is." He adds with a smirk and a wink.
"Thanks, I'll see you tomorrow then, Goodnight" I brush past him and back into the narrow hallway, all the way to my room.
I take a quick two minute shower and scrub myself down with the coconut scented soap in the shower and brush my teeth. I twist the old alarm clock to wake me up at 7:00 before climbing into bed in one of my oversized ratty T-shirts I pull the cover over me and turn onto my side, away from the closed door. I wonder how long I'll be able to keep this job before they start asking for things I can't give them I think as I drift off to sleep.
RAVEN âSo weâre being watched right now?â Daya asked, her voice laced with concern. âYes, Daya,â I replied, for the third time. I dropped my backpack onto the table and slumped into the chair, seeking refuge in our usual sanctuaryâthe library. Daya sat across from me, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. âGuess what I found out yesterday,â she whispered. I popped an M&M into my mouth and raised an eyebrow. âWhatâs that?â âOkay, this might sound random,â she said, lowering her voice, âbut I went to visit my uncle yesterdayâ. I gave her a wary look. â okay. So..?â âWell... I think my uncle might know something about the Maranos.â That caught my attention. I sat up straighter. âWaitâwhat?â âI know, I know, it sounds crazy,â she rushed, rubbing her eyes. âBut hear me out. Heâs been around, you know? In and out of sketchy circles for years. Drugs, black-market stuff. Heâs not exactly law-abiding.â I nodded slowly. I knew about her uncleâsort of. She never went into detail.
RAVEN Would you think me naĂŻve if I admitted I believed running into Dem had been a coincidence? After everything that happened today, I convinced myself his presence in my life was some kind of divine interventionâlike a guardian angel sent to protect me. The moment he pulled me away from Marco, that suspicion I once hadâ that he might be following meâslipped quietly to the back of my mind. Gratitude does that to people. When someone shields you, you start rewriting the story in your head, painting them in softer colors. In LA, I thought we were simply in the same place at the same time. The second encounter? I told myself it was pure chance. And what happened today, I let myself believe it. But now, the truth began to dawn. Demâs subtle smirk confirmed it. âSo it wasnât a coincidence?â I asked, turning to him. He shrugged, offering no apology.I looked at Xavier, heat rising in my chest. âWhyâd you send Dem to follow me?â Xavierâs smile was maddeningly unreadable. âBecause I w
XAIVER *A Week Ago* I sat behind my desk, drumming my fingers against the armrest. Marco had been too quiet. Didnât he know what weâd done? It had been a full week since Emily helped us dismantle his cybersecurity network. The intercom buzzed, slicing through the silence. âVictorâs here, sir.â Victor entered with a heavy expression, eyes dark with concern. âI think the Marano family knows,â he said plainly. I leaned forward. âWhy do you say that?â âSomeone tried to hack into our network, but they couldnât get through. It wasnât a random attack. It was too deliberate. That means Marco suspects something. Heâll be coming.â I smirked, suppressing the satisfaction that rose in my chest. The Marano family had been bleeding for weeks. Their networks were fractured, their operations crumbling. I'd reclaimed control of the trade routes and pipelines. As if on cue, the intercom buzzed again. âSir... Mr. Marono is storming toward your office. IâI donât think I can stop him.â
RAVEN. I sat in the diner with Daya, my mind wandering. I hadn't told her about what I saw while hacking for Xavier. Why? I don't know. She only knew about the $50,000. It still felt surrealâhaving that much money, like it was all mine. Iâd sent $10,000 to Racheal, my sister, to start up a business. I made her promise not to tell Mom and Dad. She was surprised but still happy. Ever since LA, Iâd been carrying this heavy knot in my chest. The things I said, the way I actedâit had been eating at me. Maybe sending Racheal the money was my way of patching the wound, of easing the guilt just a little. At least with her, I knew it wouldnât go to waste. Racheal was smart, groundedâsheâd make something of it. Unlike Lisa. I let out a long breath. Lisa⌠Iâd sort of apologized to Racheal, in my own way, even if I hadnât said the words outright. But LisaâI hadnât even called her yet.Maybe Iâd been too harsh in LA. I shouldnât have been so mean to them. I sighed again. âEverything oka
XAIVERI leaned back in my bespoke leather chair, my gaze sharp as I addressed Victor. "Victor, our shipment losses are unacceptable. Maronoâs intercepting our cargo. I want to know whoâs feeding them intel." Marcoâs playing with fire. Since our last encounter, heâs been using our opioid supply
EMILYWe sat in the hospital hallway, silence stretching between us. The doctor had told us Dad had suffered a minor heart attack, but assured us heâd recover quickly. Nothing alarming. Just a warning sign to slow down. Still, my hands were clenched around the paper in my lap. I was angry. Dad
EMILY.I stepped off the plane at LAX, the California sun warming my skin instantly. A harsh contrast to New Yorkâs biting cold. As I rolled my small suitcase out of the terminal, a familiar weight settled on my shoulders â not the expectation of being their âperfect daughterâ exactly, but the in
XAIVER. I leaned back in my leather chair, the glass of scotch warm in my hand as the city lights flickered outside my office window. Manhattan pulsed beneath me, alive and unaware. My thoughts driftedâagainâto Emily Steele. The NYU student with piercing green eyes and raven-black hair. Sheâd gott


















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