VALERIE The shock she felt was so heavy that it made the walls of the cell shake when she fell to the ground. I was still for a moment, waiting for the next reaction before jumping to a conclusion. "What did you say?" Her quivering voice filled the dark cell, causing a smirk to tug at the corner of my lips. "You are a witch, Renee. I'm certain about it," I repeated, earning another horrified gasp from her. She slowly gripped the bars and leaned forward, her eyes as wide saucers. "Who are you?" She whispered in a ghostly voice. I smiled and leaned closer, my brows raised in pride. "Someone that you can never beat." I saw her throat bob when those words left my mouth. Silence fell on her and all she could do was stare at me like she had seen a ghost. I got tired of waiting and flickered my fingers over her face.She jumped and blinked severally, trying to put her distorted mind in order. She took slow steps forward, her face scrunched up in a deep frown. "What do you want?"
VALERIE "But…" I paused and pouted in anger. He narrowed his eyes and began to trudge away. I huffed in disappointment and forced my feet to shuffle after him. "I need to save someone!" I snapped. His silence only made my heart heavier and almost brought tears to my eyes. I had to get away as fast as I could, even if it meant committing another crime upon the crimes that I had already committed. I clenched my fist, my heart constricting in anger. I looked down at the pants that I wore, and my throat knotted. This was the only way I could escape from him and save Jasmine as well. My hand moved to the belt strapped around my waist and pulled out the blade from its sheath. I took quick steps towards him and raised the blade in the air, ready to sink it into his neck. Jasmine's words snapped into my mind and my hand froze. It felt like a force was holding me back, preventing me from committing murder. "Get back to your senses, Valerie, get back to your senses!" Jade's warning
VALERIE I stood at the spot, dazed and confused. "What did you say?" I muttered, my breath almost ceasing. He pulled the prison door open and grabbed my wrist, pulling me out of the cell. A breath escaped my parched lips as my body got dragged out of the suffocating cell room. He swung back into the cell and grabbed Jasmine, dragging her out as well. He turned and faced me, a deep frown laced against his face. "If you have anything to say to her then do it quickly!" He snapped. My heart leaped for joy and my jaws dropped, my eyes widening in surprise. I turned around and faced Jasmine, my hand wrapping around her arm. "I will miss this Jasmine," I whispered, tears gathering in my eyes. She sniffed, her face heating up and tears welling up in her eyes. "Thank you for showing up in my life, Val," she whispered. I hugged her, sniffing in the lavender scent that hung on her. "Don't ever let anyone bring down your esteem. Lift your head high no matter what people think of you
VALERIE I couldn't overcome the temptation to take a nap anymore. I slammed my eyes shut and dropped my head into his chest, drifting into darkness. I was afraid of getting trapped by the fake Valerie or another creature, but I didn't dream about them. The only thing that I saw was the dark tower standing some distance away. My brows raised as several voices followed a mocking laughter, laughing exactly the way the first voice laughed.Whispers of my name filled the air, making me shiver. I looked down at my feet and gasped when I realized that I was standing in the dark waters. I noticed that I wasn't sinking and I wasn't feeling the water beneath my feet. Everything seemed so real, including my feelings. I looked around and realized that there was nothing in sight aside from the dark waters I stood on and the dark tower some distance away from me. There was not even a single flying insect or bird flying around. The place was as silent as a graveyard— even a graveyard made more
VALERIE The man rowed the boat slowly and silently, his eyes fixed on the peak of the dark tower a distance away. I itched to say something to him to ease off the tension weighing on me. "How long will it take to row to the other side?" I asked, staring at his scarred face. He darted his one eye towards me, his lips stretched out in a thin line. He seemed to be triggered by the harmless words that I had said to him. "You… you don't have to worry about answering," I quickly added. He grunted and looked away, staring at the tower behind me. We were sitting across each other in the boat and this made it quite hard to notice anything behind me. I stared at the man's wrinkled face again, having a sickening feeling in the pit of my belly. His left eye looked like it was forcefully gouged out years ago. Perhaps, that was how he got the scar that ran down to his cheek. I wondered if it was done by the demons that always wake up when darkness takes over the sky. I didn't ask any que
VALERIE The faces of ghosts surrounded me, their mouths wide open and eyes as white as snow even though they had no life in them. I raised my hand, struggling so hard to survive the water. Is this where it all ends? I remembered my promises to Jasmine, Lucian, and Alexander. Even the promise I made to Renee and myself. Will it all end here? In the dark waters? I pinned my lips against each other, daring not to open my mouth. One of my hands touched a skull in the water and a sickening feeling inhabited my body. My heart had stopped beating, and the dull light that sneaked into the water was slowly fading away, making the underneath as dark as the surface. Just as my eyes were about to slam shut forever, a hand delved into the water, and I was grabbed by the collar. I felt myself being dragged up and out of the water before the ghosts could find a way to enter my body and eat me up from inside. I parted my lips and breathed heavily, my life returning to me as I hit the surface.
VALERIE I swerved my head around, my heart thumping loudly in my chest. I could feel my breath leaving my body as I stood in that dimly lit hallway. "Is someone there?" I asked, going against the warning that echoed in my mind to keep silent.Silence followed my question and lasted for over three minutes. I shot my head back, slowly realizing that I must have been hallucinating. My mind was probably making voices up in my head out of fear.I sighed in relief and turned around, continuing my walk to wherever the antidote might be. My heart skipped when I heard footsteps echo in the hallway. I stopped walking, my hands trembling violently beside me. I leaned on the cold wall and gripped the hem of my shirt as I tried to control my fast and ragged breathing. The footsteps stopped and I heard a grunt. My eyes widened, and my jaws dropped in dismay. My mind snapped back to the boatman and chills rushed down my spine.What if the whole story about demons eating up people in the Isle
VALERIE It seemed impossible to believe but there it was, standing gallantly on the stand in the middle of the hall. I felt like all the troubles and fights had finally come to an end. Right before me was the sole reason I was on that forbidden island. With a heart thumping in excitement and joy, I took a step forward and swiftly covered the distance between the stand and me. I paused and stared at the bottle of elixir like it was a priceless trophy. With trembling hands, I reached for it, and the moment my hand grasped it, a feeling that I had never felt before enveloped me. My lips shook and tears gathered in my eyes. Tears of accomplishment and happiness filled my eyes and rolled down my reddened cheeks.I raised it from the stand and stared keenly at it in admiration, picturing Killian sitting up on the bed, alive and well. "I promised to survive. I promise you'll survive," I muttered, a smile spread out across my face. "Are you sure about that?" A familiar voice muttered b
KILLIAN I had thought for a second that she was Valerie but when I peered closer, I realized that she was just someone who resembled her.Her chestnut eyes traveled around the room with fear and tears gathering in them.I could tell from her behavior that she was still a new girl from the club which meant that her audition could be announced that night.She swept her head to the side as she danced slowly to the beat. Her hips swayed seductively while her long smooth legs slid around the stage.Her hand reached for the sparkling red gown she wore and ripped it open, revealing the pair of gem-covered cropped top and thong.She swept her hair back and gripped the pole in the middle of the stage, running her nails along it, a false smile on her young, beautiful face.She wrapped her legs around the pole and arched her back, running her hand along her thighs as she twirled on the pole.She unwrapped one of her legs from the pole and spread it, showing off the molds hidden behind the thin
KILLIAN "Should we go over to the VIP section?" He asked as he wrapped the bandana around his neck. I hesitated, feeling a need to leave the cave after the discovery of the mark on his neck."No, I didn't book a reservation. I will leave—" "A man of your caliber doesn't need a reservation. You always have one waiting for you," he laughed and hit me playfully. I maintained a straight face, not blinking at his jokes. "If you still feel like leaving because of the reservation then don't worry…" he paused and swung his head around before moving closer. "I booked two seats," he whispered, and my eyes dimmed. "Why two?" I asked, getting suspicious."Nothing. I just felt like doing that. Besides, it turned out to be useful, didn't it?" He shrugged, grinning widely.I narrowed my eyes, not believing a single word he spewed out."Why do I have this feeling that you know of my coming?" I muttered, staring at him in suspicion. He laughed loudly, throwing his head back. "What?" He snappe
KILLIAN He shook when that question slipped out of my mouth. "What?" He whispered in a trembling voice, staggering back. I gripped his chin and forced him to look into my blazing eyes. "You are not Damion, are you?" I asked. He scoffed loudly, disbelief darting across his orbs. "I can't believe this! What the heck has gotten into you, huh? Why do you hate me so much!" He groused, tears glistening in his eyes. My throat knotted, and guilt tried to find its way into my mind, but I pushed it aside, ignoring the victim card he was trying to play. "You never liked me from the beginning. You killed my mate and yet I forgave you, and… and yet you have the guts to try to put words in my mouth! Is that your way of taking my life after doing that to my mate, you bastard?" He growled. I scoffed and shrugged nonchalantly, narrowing my eyes without any ounce of remorse."Until I'm clarified that you're Damion, I'll keep hunting you," I muttered and turned around, walking out of the roofto
KILLIAN Lucian pushed the door open and walked in when we got no response after countless knocks. I trailed after him into the room and slammed the door shut behind me. My eyes fell on a body under a duvet and I needed no one to tell me that she was the one curled up in there. "Little Val?" Lucian called out to her but got no response. I sighed in frustration and made to move closer but Lucian held me back.My eyes dimmed in shock at his strange behavior towards me."Lucian?" I muttered, slowly getting enraged.He turned and faced me, dropping his hand which held me back."You've caused enough trouble for everyone. I'll advise you to stay away from her if you want her to be happy," he muttered, and my heart clenched in fury."You think I'm the cause of her unhappiness?" I scoffed in disbelief, glaring at him.He took a step closer, his brows furrowing together."If you hadn't started this mess in the first place, little Val would have been alright and happy," he spat.I balled my
MICHELLE A smile spread out across my face as I watched her struggle to stay alive inside Valerie's body. "Give it up, Asmodeus, Valerie Garrett has returned," I snarled. Her head jerked up, and she growled in fury, then leaped towards me, knocking out my hand, which gripped her shoulder. Her hand reached for my neck and she pushed me roughly, hitting my back on the wall. My heart skipped but I maintained my stance and sank my nails into her flesh, sinking my teeth into my bottom lip. A dark cloud darted across her eyes and her grip around my neck tightened. "What did you say about my father, bitch?!" She growled in rage. I stiffened in shock and my eyes darkened as the realization hit me Valerie was back. She had subdued Asmodeus, and she wasn't just back to dominate her body and save the Lycan kings; she was back to seek revenge, to destroy. "If you didn't hear what I said then you wouldn't unlock yourself and come out," I wheezed, struggling to breathe as she choked me.
VALERIE (Asmodeus)The hall was silent as all eyes were fixed on Michelle, demanding an explanation for her behavior. My fist clenched under the table as I glared warningly at her. Sweat broke out on my back as I thought of ways to stop her without creating more suspicions around me. "I think we're being attacked," Michelle blurted out. My nails sank into my palm and my throat knotted, my burning gaze fixed on Michelle's face. She turned and stared at me, her lips twitched into a smirk. She turned and faced the Luna again, that sinister smile lurking around her sharp dark eyes. "There is something that I must confess, Luna," she mumbled I figured out that she might have nothing to lose in this as Damion was behind her and would support her against me. I had to do something before it was too late. "Luna…" she paused and looked at me before facing the Luna, fake tears gathering in her eyes. "There is a—" I screamed in agony and gripped my stomach, dropping out of my chair. E
VALERIE (Asmodeus)Damion glanced at me again and looked away, fidgeting slightly in his seat. I smiled ruefully and swerved my head in Michelle's direction. Her eyes locked with mine and she quickly looked away, shivering slightly. My lips twitched in excitement at how I had trapped them in my nest. The only way they could escape was to obey my words and demands. I looked at the woman again, knowing exactly how to use them as my pawns to accomplish what I had in mind. "The Lycan kings aren't here yet?" The Luna Queen asked for the fourth time since everyone arrived and took their seats. "No, my lady," her maidservant replied and she sighed in disappointment, shaking her head. "Luna, are you sure they'll come? I heard that they hardly attend gatherings," the woman muttered. The Luna pouted in anger and sighed again, unable to defend her sons. "I wonder who told you that," a hard voice echoed in the hall and everyone swerved their head in the direction of the voice. My throat
VALERIE (Asmodeus)I hummed as I analyzed the bracelets before me. I smelled of citrus and the suffocating scent of Valerie Garrett. "You should try this on," Bianca said, extending a bracelet towards me. I raised my head in her direction and stared down at the pearl bracelet dangling in her outstretched hand. I forced a smile into my face and took the bracelet then slipped it around my wrist. I stared at the pearl bracelet strapped around my wrist and chuckled in excitement.It was hard to believe that Valerie lived happily in the Nox household while I was locked away underneath the freezing dark waters of the Isle of the Blessed.A cold touch on my shoulder caused me to flinch in fear. I sighed in relief when I saw Bianca's face staring down at me with worry etched against her face. "You seemed to be lost in deep thoughts," Bianca blurted out. I forced a smile into my face and shook my head. "No, no, it's nothing serious," I muttered, adding a low, nervous laughter at the e
VALERIE We swerved our heads in the direction of the scream, and my eyes dimmed when they fell on Michelle. I narrowed my eyes, the worry that sprang up in my heart slowly settling down."Shit!" Garam spat in rage and let go of my neck. Michelle marched towards us, her eyes blazing in anger and her clenched fist swinging beside her. "You bastard!" She growled and grabbed his collar, throwing him off me. His back slammed against the wall and it cracked while he groaned out in pain. "What the fuck did you do to Damion?" She groused and slapped him hard on the face. My brows raised in surprise as I watched her land hit after hit on him. She raised her fist to slam his fist for the umpteenth time but he grabbed her fist, shoving her back. He staggered up and wiped the blood that dripped from the cut on his lower lip. "You are no different from me, bitch!" Garam spat at her. She was taken aback by his outburst, and for a moment, they stood still, fuming in anger and glaring at e