Afterward, Jade decided we all needed a brief moment of warmth and comfort. She prepared hot chocolate for us, the rich aroma of cocoa and spices filling the air.“There’s a chill tonight,” she remarked as she set the tray down on the coffee table. The steam from the mugs swirled lazily upward, offering a small relief from the tension that had lingered in the house.One by one, we each picked up our mugs, the warmth of the ceramic seeping into our hands.“Let’s take a moment,” Jade said with a soft smile. “A small slice of peace before we dive back into the chaos that awaits us. We could use it.” She took a sip, her expression briefly relaxing.Her words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken truths.After a brief silence, Jade, seated beside me, looked at me, her voice soft and unassuming. “What is it, Julia?” Her tone carried a warmth, humble and free of judgment.“I miss Mom!” The words escaped me like a broken dam. My gaze dropped to the floor as my shoulders sagged under the weight
It wasn’t just the sound of the name. It was *how* he said it—soft, deliberate, laced with an accent so painfully familiar it twisted my heart in ways I couldn’t explain. The voice was calm, measured, and hauntingly perfect. He had studied Evan well, perhaps too well. I clenched my jaw, my nails digging into my palm as I forced a weak smile. “Don’t try to manipulate me,” I said, my voice steady despite the tears threatening to escape. There was a pause, brief but heavy, and then his tone shifted—still calm, but now laced with something darker, something that crawled under my skin. “Then why did you call me?” he asked, his words striking a nerve I didn’t want to acknowledge. “I…” My voice caught in my throat for a moment before I forced myself to continue, my throat tight with emotion. “I just wanted to hear his voice… one last time.” The admission slipped out, each word carrying the weight of unshed tears. He didn’t hesitate, his tone smooth and infuriatingly controlled. “And
Dominic, ever the practical, raised a hand. “But how do we create a trap for someone like him? It’s not exactly as simple as setting a snare. He is basically the root of all supernatural.” "And suppose we find a way to trap him---what's next?" Victoria added."Maybe there's no way to trap him... but--" Petra, who had been silent until now, smirked with an almost mischievous glint in her eyes. "Maybe we can trap his host!" She pulled a suitcase closer, snapping it open with a flourish. Inside lay an ancient, jet-black book with a velvet cover that seemed to shimmer ominously in the dim light. The book exuded an unsettling aura, its pages appearing to drip with a darkness that defied explanation. Each page looked like it had been soaked in shadows, the ink melding with the very fabric of the paper. “This,” Petra said with a flourish, “is the *Tome of Deeds*.” Her fingers slid delicately over the edges of the book as she opened it, revealing intricate sketches and cryptic writings th
He sat with us in the house for a while before the doorbell rang, its ringing slicing through the heavy silence like a blade. Jade moved to answer it, and moments later, a group of women stepped inside. They entered with an air of authority, their presence filling the room instantly. The first woman caught my attention with her striking appearance—Petra. Her long, silky hair, streaked with caramel highlights, framed her face flawlessly. She was African-American, with a polished elegance that spoke of special care. Everything about her—from her perfectly arched brows to her pristine nails—suggested that she spared no expense when it came to herself. In stark contrast to Jade’s natural, effortless beauty, Petra seemed like someone who viewed herself as a canvas, and the world her audience. Behind her was another woman, Agnes. Her appearance was a study in contrasts. She was white, thin, and clearly older, with short, curled bob hair that was a mix of more gray and less brown. The si
The icy splash of water jolted me awake, sending a shiver coursing through my spine. I let out a long, deep breath and leaned back, letting the cold clarity settle over me before I finally opened my eyes. My reflection in the mirror was a stranger—tired eyes, hollowed cheeks, and an expression that I barely recognized as my own. I swiped a towel across my face and turned to Jade, who held me with her usual calm, and now with a smile. “Coffee, right?” she asked, her voice gentle but knowing. I nodded, trying to muster any hint of normalcy. “Yes, Ma’am.” “Good. Join your friends. I’ll be there in a minute,” she said, the warmth in her smile oddly comforting. I made my way to the table where Dominic and the others were gathered. The weight of their pity pressed down on me like an anchor. I could feel their stares—unspoken words that stung worse than any blow. But Dominic... Dominic didn’t even glance my way. Not once. His silence felt heavier than their sympathy, and I couldn’t d
My words dissolved into sobs, my chest heaving as I clung to her hands like they were my last tether to sanity. My grief spilled over, raw and merciless, my sobs morphing into broken hiccups as Jade pulled me into her arms. She held me tightly, her presence a quiet balm to the storm raging inside me, even as I wished for the impossible: to erase love itself.“I can’t do that, I’m afraid,” she said firmly, her lips pressing into a thin line as she spoke, her tone cutting through the air with a conviction that was impossible to ignore. She gave a slight, almost subtle shake of her head, her eyes narrowing. “What you mistake for weakness, what you think will break you, will instead become the very strength you need, even if you can't see it yet."Her gaze softened, and she reached up to gently lift my chin, forcing me to meet her eyes. There was a vulnerability there, an unspoken sorrow that flickered in the depths of her gaze. It was almost as though she were seeing something within me