OpheliaThe following morning I sat cross-legged on the floor near the foot of Nova’s bed, fiddling with the strap of my sandals. I still wasn’t used to wearing anything other than sneakers or the occasional flip-flop. My fashion sense, as Nova unkindly put it, still hadn’t recovered from my trip on the ‘dark side’.It was the day of the biggest event of the year, the End of Summer bash, and coincidentally, the night of the full moon.Nova stood in front of a floor-length mirror, trying on earrings while simultaneously blending eyeshadow across her lid. Her platinum hair had been curled into loose waves, falling softly around her shoulders. I eyed the periwinkle two piece she had on, the top tying just beneath her breasts, pushing them higher.“Kaelith, get out!”Nova jumped and squealed, covering herself.I didn’t bother hiding my grin.A soft knock on the door barely registered until it creaked open. Nova’s father stepped inside, carrying two glasses of strawberry lemonade. I realiz
OpheliaJude’s answering laugher swept into my heart and chased away the lingering doubts. I felt light enough to fly, and held tight to my magic in case it was insane enough to make it happen.I grabbed him first, my nails grazing the short strands of his fade. Our lips collided on a growl, and my body molded against his in an entirely indecent way, but I couldn’t have cared less. When I pulled away, it was in time to see Ryker removing the cloaking charm over his own mark. Startled gasps rang out among the crowd as some of the many rumors were proven true.Whispers sparked like wildfire.“She’s marked—”“—both of them! She has both of them!”“Of all the luck!”The whispers melted into the crash of the waves and the lilting instrumentals of the live bands as I turned from Jude and grabbed Ryker, kissing him with just as much hunger.When we broke apart, our eyes still shining, we laced hands and made our way through the stunned crowd.For the first time, I didn’t care who saw me.I w
OpheliaSand exploded in all directions.The demons moved so quickly, all wings and teeth and eyes as they shot hundreds of feet into the sky. They tore at one another, shrieking and snapping, onyx blood spilling like droplets of rain.“Kill as many demons as possible and get that fucking ring off Morningstar’s finger,” Ryker howled over the mind-link.Taloned beasts with ribs that split open like monstrous jaws, and humanoid creatures with spider-like limbs, emerged next. They were all unique in their horror, completely different from the next. Some didn’t possess physical forms, but were wisps of shadow and smoke, clouds of poison that choked the trees and drained them of life.My father appeared at my side.“This is the most crucial part.” His voice was low and urgent, threaded with childlike excitement. “Tap into your mother’s gift. Use it to fuel the command you’re going to give them so that it reaches them all. Tell them to obey my every word. Tell them, my girl.”I hesitated, t
Ophelia “Chin up, girl! Oh, and tuck that stomach of yours in. Honestly, try not to look so pathetic, Ophelia. You’re being mated to an Alpha.” Mother muttered quietly, “Goddess only knows how that one happened.” I bit my tongue when she yanked the front of my simple cotton dress down, exposing a fair amount of cleavage. Speaking up would only make things worse. She might not be able to strike my face, but she knew how to punish without leaving marks. “Yes, Lucille.” She didn’t care for when I called her mother. Apparently, it made her feel old. That didn’t stop Astrid and Kimberly from calling her it, but they’d always been her favorites. Mother snared a lock of my strawberry-blonde hair and tugged hard. Her flat, dark eyes scoured my face in search of a flinch or wince. “You should have let me dye this mess for you. Alas, it’s too late. Not that it matters in the slightest.” She said with the wave of her hand, “Soon enough, you’ll be someone else’s problem.” A problem, that’s
OpheliaPain raced up the side of my face as Lucille’s hand made contact with my cheek.“You petulant girl, are you even listening to me?”I wasn’t.“Yes, Lucille.”Two of the movers entered in through the front door, sparing me from hearing her retort. A slimy smile wormed its way across her nude painted lips. She clasped her hands together and cooed at the men tasked with carrying the furniture out to the truck. The dirty look she shot me over her shoulder was a warning that this conversation wouldn’t be forgotten.It was hard to care when the shredded bond in my chest writhed in agony, leaving me in near-constant pain.Astrid flounced down the stairs, turning her slender nose up at me as she passed. The wheels of her designer suitcase whirled softly against the hardwood floor. Inside was all the clothes, shoes, and make-up she’d need for the week it would take the movers to transport all their stuff.With my lonesome duffle bag tucked neatly in the trunk of the Bentley, there was n
Ophelia Sun block, and ocean mist. Those were the scents of my childhood, the ones that clung to the bits and pieces of the half-formed memories rattling around in my skull. I breathed each one in through the tiny bedroom window at the tippy top of Lucille’s modernistic nightmare of a beach villa. She’d stuffed me in the attic like a frail Victorian child she was afraid of the neighbors seeing. Little did she know, she was doing me a favor. Kimberly, my older sister, was moving out of her dorm at Eclipse University and back home to be closer to our darling mother. Why she felt the need to come back when she only lived thirty minutes away, I’d never know. That made the attic my safe haven. “Ophelia!” Or so I’d thought. I rolled out of bed, sneezing when a plume of dust hit my nose. It was like she purposefully kept the attic in shambles. Whatever, at least it would give me a project to focus on. The door creaked as I opened it, “Yes, Lucille?” “Make yourself presentable and
Ophelia“Spill the tea, girl. I know Kim-Kim’s done a thing or two in her past.” Diana smacked her glossed lips as we sped down the blackened highway into Eclipse City.Chloe, the bubbly blonde in the back seat, laughed loudly.“We won’t tell a soul!”The surly, narrow-eyed Gemma mimed zipping her lips and throwing away the key. I knew what I told them would make the rounds throughout the entirety of Lunar Isle.I rummaged around, sorting through memories that bubbled in my gut like acid. Without warning, they began to spew from my mouth. Word after word, I told Diana and her friends all about the kind of person Kimberly was.Each transgression lingered in the air, and for the life of me I couldn’t stop talking.First grade she’d pelted me with rocks and clumps of mud on the walk to school. Third grade she’d chopped my hair off and laughed as I cried. Fifth she shredded every article of clothing I owned, leaving them in tatters. Seventh and she’d already rallied the entire school agai
OpheliaI brought it to my lips and inhaled, immediately chucking the thing at Denver when my lungs seized. A cough tore at my chest, so strong that my eyes watered. No matter how hard I tried to breathe in, all I could do was hack and cough.It tasted awful. Like burnt grass and chewed lavender.The four of them chuckled, descending into laughter that rang heavily in my ears. Heat warmed my cheeks, carrying embarrassment that quickly faded when Sarah herself erupted in a fit of wet coughing.When I finally managed to stop, I realized I felt different.There was this odd sensation dancing along my skin, like little bursts of electricity. As they burrowed deep, they melted into a blissful numbness that had my shoulders drooping and eyelids growing heavy.Goddess, what was this stuff?Coop rolled his head my way, “Nice, isn’t it? It’s official name is Dark Matter. Think of it as the magical version of weed. It’s blessed by a witch with an earth affinity, so it’s extra potent.”I blinked
OpheliaSand exploded in all directions.The demons moved so quickly, all wings and teeth and eyes as they shot hundreds of feet into the sky. They tore at one another, shrieking and snapping, onyx blood spilling like droplets of rain.“Kill as many demons as possible and get that fucking ring off Morningstar’s finger,” Ryker howled over the mind-link.Taloned beasts with ribs that split open like monstrous jaws, and humanoid creatures with spider-like limbs, emerged next. They were all unique in their horror, completely different from the next. Some didn’t possess physical forms, but were wisps of shadow and smoke, clouds of poison that choked the trees and drained them of life.My father appeared at my side.“This is the most crucial part.” His voice was low and urgent, threaded with childlike excitement. “Tap into your mother’s gift. Use it to fuel the command you’re going to give them so that it reaches them all. Tell them to obey my every word. Tell them, my girl.”I hesitated, t
OpheliaJude’s answering laugher swept into my heart and chased away the lingering doubts. I felt light enough to fly, and held tight to my magic in case it was insane enough to make it happen.I grabbed him first, my nails grazing the short strands of his fade. Our lips collided on a growl, and my body molded against his in an entirely indecent way, but I couldn’t have cared less. When I pulled away, it was in time to see Ryker removing the cloaking charm over his own mark. Startled gasps rang out among the crowd as some of the many rumors were proven true.Whispers sparked like wildfire.“She’s marked—”“—both of them! She has both of them!”“Of all the luck!”The whispers melted into the crash of the waves and the lilting instrumentals of the live bands as I turned from Jude and grabbed Ryker, kissing him with just as much hunger.When we broke apart, our eyes still shining, we laced hands and made our way through the stunned crowd.For the first time, I didn’t care who saw me.I w
OpheliaThe following morning I sat cross-legged on the floor near the foot of Nova’s bed, fiddling with the strap of my sandals. I still wasn’t used to wearing anything other than sneakers or the occasional flip-flop. My fashion sense, as Nova unkindly put it, still hadn’t recovered from my trip on the ‘dark side’.It was the day of the biggest event of the year, the End of Summer bash, and coincidentally, the night of the full moon.Nova stood in front of a floor-length mirror, trying on earrings while simultaneously blending eyeshadow across her lid. Her platinum hair had been curled into loose waves, falling softly around her shoulders. I eyed the periwinkle two piece she had on, the top tying just beneath her breasts, pushing them higher.“Kaelith, get out!”Nova jumped and squealed, covering herself.I didn’t bother hiding my grin.A soft knock on the door barely registered until it creaked open. Nova’s father stepped inside, carrying two glasses of strawberry lemonade. I realiz
OpheliaMy thoughts sharpened as the wind screamed past my wings, the current dragging me up and down, around and over. I felt no fear as I followed it. The pathways changed each time, and yet I knew them deep down.I followed Jude’s many forms as we circled the treetops, watching the house crumble along the mountainside. I had the distant thought that my father would be furious, but it felt unimportant this high up.Jude let out a cry I somehow knew meant to follow. I turned sharply and let the current drag me lower, coasting until we were in the clear.~We met in Ryker’s office, hidden behind layers of wards and enchantments, as if it would do any good.The lights were off. Sunlight streamed in through the windows. Rich and buttery as the sun continued to rise. I sat curled in one of the leather chairs, my legs tucked beneath me. Jude was perched like a gargoyle on Ryker’s desk behind me. He’d been stewing in quiet rage ever since I told them how my father promised me to Edward, an
OpheliaThere was no excuse, no lie that bubbled at the tip of my tongue, so I went with the truth. “I broke into the house to try and find Mom’s spirit. I know you have her, and I deserve to know why. I want to know why you didn’t tell me about her never leaving the journal.” Then, lowering my voice, I added, “And I want to know about what I saw in that hidden room.”Both Edward and his father seemed surprised by this, though his father hid it better.“I didn’t lie to you. Your mother’s spirit did vacate the journal,” he said with the sweep of his hand. “I am very curious to know where you came about this information.”It was my turn to pinch my lips shut.“Where is my mother’s spirit?”His hand lifted slowly. For a split second I thought he might actually reach for me to apologize, but instead he ran his thumb over his portal ring.“Any object, even one previously spelled, can become a prison if the witch casting the spell is strong enough.”The ring? My mother was in the ring!Godd
OpheliaKaelith’s lips pulled back into a grin as he realized what I’d only been buying time.I gave in just this once to that whisper of temptation and thought of the safety I felt in Ryker’s arms, and warmth that poured from Jude’s laughter. I thought about what they would do, would think, if I vanished tonight. If they found my bedroom cold and empty, my scent already beginning to weaken.My magic homed in on the sconces along the walls, the slight heat it could feel pulsing from the bulbs. Flame erupted from my palms as I unfurled my fingers in two messy torrents. I felt the fire’s lifeforce as this wild, untamable thing that I could shape and mold if only I could hold an image in my mind for longer than a few seconds.Kaelith exploded into a mass of shadow, while my father erected an iridescent shield with one hand. I was almost amazed, but it was blanketed by horror. All throughout his shield there were these thick, pulsing veins of dark magic.It deflected my fire effortlessly.
OpheliaSomething hot and angry settled in my chest. There was every chance Edward was lying, and that tonight was some ambush he and his father set up. That being said, I was done trusting men at their word.I turned on my heel and stalked back to Nova. There was no time for second guesses.Tonight, I was going to find out exactly what game Edward was playing.And if he were telling the truth?There would be hell to pay.~Three a.m. bled across the island in a suffocating haze of humidity and silence.I crept down the stairs like a wraith, heart hammering against my ribs with every step, even though I had checked five times now that the spell had worked. Even now I could feel it humming beneath me, stitched tightly to the fabric of my bedroom—the illusion spell I’d crafted. One that replicated the beat of my heart, the shuffle of my feet over the carpet, and even my scent.It was my strongest, most elaborate spell yet, and admittedly, inspired by Kimberly’s affinity. I didn’t let my
OpheliaThe next few days passed without much incident, which should have been a relief.It wasn’t.Somewhere in the back of my mind, tension coiled like one of Jude’s vines. It reached a tipping point, at least that’s what I thought, when an anonymous shipment was left on the porch atop one of the patio chairs. Nova helped me check it for any charms or hexes, and once we were sure it was clear, we cracked it open.Inside the package were more mate-bond blocking potions.That could mean my father had no clue we were the ones who broke into his house. Or he could simply be doing this to throw me off. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. He was the only parent I had, and he loved me. I refused to believe that was an act.I stared at the vials for a long time, the glass catching the light, before dumping each one down the drain.Saturday morning rolled around, and Nova pranced over to the house to drag me out of bed for surfing lessons. I was determined to shove the creeping dr
NovaThe following night, the moon was little more than a polished shard of bone hanging in an indifferent sky.The meet-up point I chose was located on one of the harder to reach trails at Shelly’s park. There were mountain paths leading all over the island that human tourists liked to frequent. This way if Kaelith chose to attack, Ophelia could tap into the ley line, and we could get away. It was better than engaging in a fight.Ophelia walked beside me, her hiking boots loud against the solid earth. She was in a mood, warring with anxiety and whatever doubts were circling her head about her father. We had just shifted back into our human forms for the final stretch.“Edward’s being seen by a private specialist. I slipped into one of his guards minds and all he knew is that Edward’s undergoing some unorthodox treatment to try and fix his missing eye.”Disgust flashed across her face, followed by a flicker of guilt that I assumed had to do with Kimberly. She still wasn’t over it, and