LOGIN"Lysandra," my mother called out from the hallway, her voice echoing against the bare walls of our new house. "Get your things ready! We're going down to the lake. Your father wants to do some fishing, and I thought we could all take a paddle boat ride together."She leaned against the doorframe, looking energized by the fresh mountain air. "C'mon, dear! It’ll be fun."I looked at the mountain of cardboard boxes surrounding me. "Can I stay and unpack?" I asked, my voice hopeful. "I really want to get my room organized so it feels like home.""No, we're all going as a family," she answered firmly, leaving no room for debate.I blew out a long, dramatic breath. "But I don't want to fish," I whined. To be honest, I wasn't interested in slimy scales or worms. I was far more interested in sitting in the quiet and reveling in the memory of the mysterious hottie I had met in the woods. My mind was still stuck on those piercing blue eyes and that effortless, powerful way he moved."Then you
"Well," he said, his lips curling into a slow, confident grin that seemed to light up the shadows of the forest. "Tell him that I do." The sheer absurdity of his comment answering my dog’s growls as if they were a formal challenge broke the tension like a glass pane shattering. We both burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the towering pines. His ice breaker had worked perfectly, momentarily pushing back the terror of the mountain lion encounter. Nevertheless, the peace was short lived. Even with my most soothing, melodic tone and a gentle, steadying touch on his collar, Max continued to growl. The low rumble vibrated through his chest, and he paced back and forth in front of me, his hackles raised like a row of jagged teeth. "Max!" I scolded, trying to sound firmer than I felt. "Knock it off, boy. Be nice." The stranger watched the dog with a curious, knowing expression. "Don't blame Max. It's not his fault," he said,"All dogs hate me. It’s their natural instinc
Lysandra's pov I stood there, staring at Max with my hands on my hips. That dog was something else. I had just called his name for the tenth time, and he gave me the doggie version of the "I see you-l but I don't care" look. He didn't even wag his tail. He just huffed, turned his head, and started sniffing a patch of dirt like it held the secrets to the universe. As I started trekking toward him through the tall grass, I was seriously considering signing us both up for obedience classes. Or maybe just a long session with a dog whisperer, because Max was clearly the boss of me today. My frustrated thoughts were sharply interrupted when a long, jagged thorn grazed my bare arm. "Ow!" I hissed, biting my lip to stave off the stinging pain. I looked at the red scratch and swore right then and there that I’d never let that cantankerous canine off his leash again. This was supposed to be a nice walk, not a battle with nature. I took another step and stumbled hard to the
Ezekiel's pov How long has it been since I last felt the spark of a real emotion? I honestly cannot remember. For a time that feels like forever, I have been nothing more than a walking corpse. I exist in this world, I breathe, and I move, but I have no purpose. I am an empty shell. I have even lost count of the years. How long have I been alive? Was it a hundred years? Hundreds? Thousands? To me, the numbers have lost all meaning. One century blends into the next like gray clouds in a never ending storm. There was simply no point in existing anymore. Every day was a repeat of the one before, a heavy weight of boredom and silence. Everyone I ever knew, everyone I ever shared a laugh or a meal with were gone. They are all dust and memory now. It had been centuries since Ariana died. She was the love of my life, my sun and my moon. Even though we never got back together after the terrible things I had done to her, my heart never stopped beating for her.
Year 2017 Lysandra's POV Nestled in a lush valley, surrounded by mountains and towering pine trees, Silverthorne Lake was the perfect escape into nature. Our new two story brick house, inherited from my grandmother, sat on the south shore of the lake. My parents, both writers, saw this as the ideal place to be inspired, away from the chaos of city life. After a tough breakup, my mother assured me that the peaceful wilderness would be a fresh start for all of us. Despite my initial skepticism about leaving New York City behind, I quickly fell in love with the tranquility of our new home. The honking geese and towering trees replaced the honking taxi cabs and towering buildings, and I found solace in the simple, quiet life of the small town. It was the perfect place to forget about my love life and start afresh. I had two brothers and a sister who had already moved out of the house, so now I was virtually an only child. It was only June when we moved in, so I had almo
I walked toward the balcony, watching the sun climb over the castle walls. The kingdom was beautiful now. The scars of the Great Battle were hidden under green vines and colorful flowers. I took a deep breath, feeling the cool morning air. "I told you, Bella! You can't catch me if you can't see me!" A small, joyful laugh echoed from the garden below. I looked down and saw a flash of dark hair disappearing behind a row of rose bushes. My son, Zayn, was using his witch magic to blend into the shadows. He was only ten, but he was already so strong. He had his father’s eyes the same deep, intense gaze that used to scare me but eventually made me feel safe. But he had the original Zayn’s name. Every time I called for him, my heart felt a little pinch of sadness and a whole lot of love. "Zayn!" I called out, my voice firm but sweet. "Stop teasing poor Bella and come inside. You need to get dressed for the ceremony." The shadows near the fountain wiggled, and suddenl
Ezekiel's pov Seeing her sitting on the cold floor at Zayn’s feet, like a dog, like a slave made my blood turn to pure acid.I glanced at her sister, standing nearby with that smug, traitorous smirk. I wanted to tear them both apart. I wanted to paint these white marble floors red."Now, like I sa
Ezekiel's povI didn't wait. I didn't look back at Zayn as he disappeared into a whirlwind of steel and magic. The moment my arms wrapped around Ariana’s small, shivering frame, everything else in the world stopped existing.She felt so light. Too light, It was like holding a bird with a broken wing
Ezekiel's pov “Dracula? He is a myth,” I said with a frown, though even as the words left my mouth, they felt hollow. Every creature had grown up with the stories. Vlad Dracula, he is believed to be the demon who clawed his way out of hell itself. The first night creature. The father of vampires
The banquet hall was the most beautiful place I had ever seen, but to me, it felt like a golden cage. Everything about the party was expensive and grand. The room was filled with the smell of rich food and the finest wines. Above us, huge chandeliers hung from the ceiling, sparkling like thousand







