The studio was deserted, all except for one lone figure, seated at a piano, waiting for the night to lull the Alpha to sleep so she wouldn't feel him anymore.
April knew that the lyrics to her latest song would stir up some emotions, but maybe it would prove cathartic for her heart as well.
Writing about Zade was always hard, but bringing the lyrics to life with her voice took the pain to a whole new level, it made her heart bleed, combined with her wolf's melancholy howling it sometimes drove her a little mad.
The music started out slowly, April's fingers gliding across the keys, like a familiar lover as she hummed the opening bars, losing herself in the song.
"You step into the night, complete the darkness, with your silver smile and eyes that see through the parts of me, covered in other people's prints.
You bleed me dry, tearing at this foolish heart, this foolish heart of mine, and I come undone. So take what you need from me, I give all I am to you, I bare my throat to you, put my trust in you, and yet you let me go.
So now I reach out I reach for up the sky. And I'm running out of reasons not to die. Don't let me don't let me go on. Why am I forever and always alone? You were the shadow to my light, but did you see me, did you feel me bleed?
A stranger, I'm just a stranger outside looking in at you smothered in other people's prints and right now I need a miracle I think I'm losing my mind now, set me free don't murder me, don't watch me bleed. Don't let me bleed out on the floor."
April knew the song was in its rough stages, and there were many nights ahead working with the band to polish it before she was to be put on display, singing her heart out. A part of April wondered if Zade heard her music, had he figured out the lyrics were about him?
It was the only way she could communicate her pain and she hoped deep down, her fated mate hurt just as badly.
As April crossed out lyrics and reworked them to the piece of music she had chosen, she was unaware of being watched, the shadows shimmering slightly as the Goddess who had taken an interest in her made sure the young lady couldn't see her.
NEFELE
Sometimes, she reacted before thinking things through, but the young Goddess was tempestuous and had taken a liking to the she-wolf bleeding lyrics into the mic, and, well sometimes gals just have to have each other's backs.
FLASHBACK
Nefele enjoyed creating storms.
From her vantage point up in the Heavens, the cloud Goddess put every ounce of emotion she had into making her once a year worldwide event as fierce as possible; usually, the silly little humans had enough sense to stay inside while she wreaked havoc upon the land but that year, as the heart of her creation, was nearing its magnificent crescendo, Nefele spotted a small gathering of were creatures forming a circle around two figures.
Feeling affronted, the vengeful Goddess pointed her fingers near them, sending lightning crashing into the trees behind the circle, thinking this should be enough to send the ugly creatures scurrying into their homes, but no one moved.
Piqued now, Nefele summoned a blanket of heavy rain and hurled the angry mass towards the circle, but still, no one moved.
"AAaaaaargh!" How infuriating!
Deciding that this warranted a closer look, she settled into her true form and floated closer.
The two wolves in the center were clearly going through the rejection process, a curious little ceremony that Nefele personally found distasteful.
She knew how her sister Selene agonized over each pairing she made, and rejections from fated mates tended to cause death in the weakest wolf, which was truly barbaric.
The young she-wolf stood bravely though, on her own as the male grandstanded to their audience, and Nefele's brow furrowed at his arrogance.
Against her better judgment, she seeped into both minds, trying to locate the source of the rejection. and whilst the young she-wolf held nothing but purity in her soul, Nefele could plainly see that the young male Alpha wanted a strong bloodline to bear his future pups.
The petite woman stood her ground as Nefele's storm raged around her, refusing to bow down and accept the rejection and the cloud Goddess found herself admiring her inner strength; how wrong it was to assume higher blood meant stronger children, as Nefele recalled many an underdog coming out on top and proving more worthy than those of higher rank.
Making up her mind, she whispered the words in an ancient language known only to the Gods, and set in motion a course that would change werewolf kind forever.
As transparent as mist in the rain Nefele placed a kiss lighter than a lover's sigh on the she-wolf's throat, infusing her voice with the gift of fertility, whilst simultaneously unleashing the curse of sterility on all male werewolves, the only cure would be the gift of song, the only person who could save their species from extinction would be the little wolf they were carelessly throwing away.
"Don't let them take that from you little wolf." The young Goddess whispered as the pack males led April away, and satisfied that justice had been served she let loose the storm of the century, reminding Earth dwellers of the power of the Gods.
END OF FLASHBACK
Nefele was only seen when she wanted to be, and over the past couple of years she found herself popping in regularly to check in with her self appointed charge, yes she watched as April fought against the rogue madness, stood by when she sung in the streets for a crust of bread, manipulated the weather so the young wolf wasn't too cold out on her own.
Of course, she couldn't help but meddle a little in that upstart little Alpha's life too, a fact that his wolf was only too happy to support her in.
And a cheeky smile flitted across her face as she remembered the look on Zade's face the first time Chase had torn the throat out of his bed companion; Nefele had damn near fallen off her cloud with laughter.
From within the comforting shadows of April's studio, she was able to properly see the tremors underneath the young girl's skin, it wouldn't be long now until April's wolf released herself and was ready to face the world again, blood will call to blood, soulmates will be reunited and Nefele hoped April was ready to face the maelstrom.
The days blurred in the young dragon's mind. No one spoke to him for fear of Loki's wrath, and Adrastus kept his head down to avoid confrontation. Cindelle hurried away whenever they were in the same vicinity, and although he knew why it still broke Adrastus's young heart. This day was like any other. Adrastus trained hard. He studied, ate, and performed his duties. The only saving grace was the swim at the end of it. He wandered down the familiar path to where the waterfalls of Asgaard were, only this time when he reached his destination Adrastus was not alone.Staring into the crystal, clear waters was the Oracle-Cindele's grandmother."Come closer, child, I don't have much time," The old woman beckoned, and Adrastus obeyed. She had her feet in the water, and her milky eyes shone with a strange light, yet when she grasped onto his hand Adrastus wasn't afraid, "I have had a vision, and you need to see it, close your eyes and open your heart and mind." Again Adrastus d
Sometimes living amongst the clouds made it difficult to know when one year ended and another began. And so it was for Adrastus.His form had filled out to a mass of rippling sinew and muscle. Adrastus's voice was deep, seductive, and pulled at the heartstrings of even the most cynical young maiden in Asgard. And therein lay the problem for Loki.His charge was nearing the mating age for dragons, and although they never spoke about it, Adrastus was aware that he was the only
The storm boy.Alexander Storm looked down on his newborn son, marveling at the miracle of birth while his mate Ruby took a well-deserved shower. Marcus was a small boy by dragon standards, but Alex didn’t mind. Being from a minor hoard meant Marcus could never ascend to the royal throne. Alex and Ruby didn’t even have titles, so size wasn’t an indication of power within their community anyway. To outside appearances, they were just another wealthy family living in a gated community by the sea. His only son would be doted on b
"My birthday?"Down Adrastus plummeted, a vision of jagged rocks tormenting his mind as he struggled to comprehend why his cousins would do this. Why did they want him dead? It was a keen sense of betrayal that curled its way through his body as his closest friends watched from above, and liquid fire ran so hotly through his veins it itched. Suddenly his skin felt too tight on his body, and Adrastus wondered if everyone's last moments were like these.
Hi, and thank you for reading this far. I hope you enjoyed Adrastus and April's story. A fun fact about my books is that they all tie into each other. I have created an entire world for you to lose yourself in. Whether it be high in the Desdayos mountains where the dragons live or deep in the valleys where Werewolves are the Kings, I'm sure you'll find someone to fall in love with. Join Aimee and the Aces and Eights for some good MC drama, or dream with no boundaries as the Baku guides your sleep at Ravenclaw-you are only limited by your imagination.The following series is called Fire and Ice. The first book is about Adrastus and how he came to be the King. Join him on his journey before April was even born and learn why he earned his title of the forsaken one. Please leave a review at the end of the book, so I know how you're feeling. THANKS!!Fire and Ice part one: Adrastus the Forsaken one.
"Frederico, the kingdom has fallen. We haven't much time!" Lady Lisbeth Delgaard rushed to where the babies lay, sleeping in their crib. Knowing she wasted precious moments-nevertheless, the Dragonlady gazed upon her children. The twins looked so different, yet she loved them equally as fierce. Ragnar took after her with his fiery temper and the telltale bulk that spoke of his dragon heritage. Whereas Gio was smaller, with dark eyes that changed color according to his mood, and there was no doubt that he held his father's wolf genes. Mixed species couples were killed on sight in Desdayos, and as the war reached the inner sanctum, a difficult decision needed to be made.The sound of the door being rammed downstairs caused Lisbeth to grab Ragnar and Gio, holding onto them protectively as Frederico burst into the nursery, "The guards are here, my love. There is no more time." Lisbeth handed Gio over with a gentle kiss, and her eyes filled with tears as she looked at the ma