OpheliaRecognizing Kimberly’s voice, I shuffled closer to the door. Careful not to nudge it open, I flattened myself against the wall and listened.“She’s a backstabbing, conniving bitch. She’ll tear us apart and play with the scraps.” Kimberly sucked in a sharp breath as though she were on the verge of crying. “You have no idea what she’s done. She’s the reason I moved back here last year.”I bit my tongue hard enough to draw blood. She was lying, blatantly lying to Alpha Ryker’s face. Kimberly had moved back to Lunar Isle after receiving a scholarship to their university. Her decision had nothing to do with me. Not a damned thing.“Tell me what happened, mí amor.” [my love]Ryker’s voice was neither angry nor patient. It was flat, brimming with silent command that had my stomach twisting into knots.“She—She,” Kimberly took a steadying breath, “She ruined my marriage to Alpha Hunter. My mother set it up when I was sixteen, and the moment Ophelia found out about it she made it her l
OpheliaI’d been standing under the spray of the shower, drowning in the thick steam, for nearly half an hour when my phone buzzed from where it sat on the sink’s ledge.For a moment, my heart seized in my chest.The last thing I wanted was to speak to Alpha Hunter when everything was so fresh and raw. I’d have to tell him what I’d learned, and I wasn’t sure I could bring myself to speak the words aloud.‘My sister should’ve aborted you.’No, I wouldn’t think about it. Not right now.Perhaps not ever.Uncaring that I was sopping wet, I tore back the flimsy curtain and plucked my phone up, swiping at the screen with slippery fingers until it unlocked with a quiet click. Relief cascaded down my spine as I zeroed in on Lucille’s name at the top of the text thread.Wow. What had my life become that I was happy to hear from Lucille?Lucille: You’re expected at the lounge in one hour. Keys are on the hook by the door. Do not be late. I want the place ready to open by Wednesday.Well, that w
Ophelia“It’s not like I wanted to hear your super-secret conversation. I was coming downstairs for something to eat. Maybe next time you want to talk about me, try doing it somewhere other than the kitchen.”Ryker flicked an imaginary fleck of lint from his suit and said calmly, “If Lucille harms Kimberly in any way I will hold you personally responsible.”I couldn’t help but laugh. It burst from my chest without warning, dry as the tepid air whooshing down the length of Lunar Isle’s beach. My lips peeled back in a grin that had my bruised jaw throbbing.“Harm her? Lucille would never lay a finger on her darling Kimberly; I can promise you that.”His eyes, emotionless as ever, flicked down my face. Whether or not he noticed the bruise on my jaw, I wasn’t sure.“Out of the kindness of my own heart I gave you the night to process things. As it stands, you’ll start your training immediately. Nova will oversee it herself. This weekend we’ll preform the ritual swearing you into the coven
RykerI arrived at the Hawkin’s house around mid-morning.As I entered the foyer, I wasn’t greeted by the sound of my girlfriend’s preening, as Jude called it, rather the muffled blow of shouting. It was so loud, so very shrill, that it permeated the walls and filled the entirety of the villa.For good reason, the servants had scattered.As did most living things when Kimberly’s voice began to rise in both pitch and volume.Pushing my frustration down beneath a layer of cold calm, I began to pace. My mind wandered to Kimberly’s sister—ah, not sister—cousin, I meant. The girl, who was only a few years younger than myself, would soon be a part of the coven.And I, as always, would have to manage the inevitable chaos that would ensue.It helped not that Kimberly loathed the very breath that left her cousin’s lungs, nor the fact that Sterling found her intriguing. What made the matter that much worse was Jude’s involvement.By fleeing from his hold last night at the beach, the girl had al
RykerAs valiantly as she tried to cover it up, I noticed. Just as I noticed a slight bruise blossoming along her jaw. I shoved my curiosity down, blanketing it in a layer of cold.“Out of the kindness of my own heart I gave you the night to process things. As it stands, you’ll start your training immediately. Nova will oversee it herself. This weekend we’ll perform the ritual swearing you into the coven as an official member. Make no mistake, you are not one of us. We do not trust you. As far as I’m concerned, you’re an outsider.”An emerald fire seemed to flare to life within her eyes. For a moment—a very brief moment—I wondered if she’d use her magic against me.“What makes you think I want to be a part of your coven?” She snapped; her voice still soft despite the rage seeping through the cracks. “I don’t know why I have to repeat myself, but I don’t have magic. I don’t care what your spell says. I’d know if I did. Do yourself and the rest of your coven a favor and go find somebody
OpheliaAlpha Hunter’s call effectively threw me off for the remainder of the day.No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get my hands to stop shaking. I spilled freshly polished silverware, dropped glasses, and knocked over flower arraignments. Cleaning up the messes I made wasted even more time, yet I couldn’t force myself to calm down.Eventually I succumbed to the temptation and went out back to where the dumpsters resided in a fenced off area. Hidden between the two metal monstrosities, I struck a match and took a deep drag of the shriveled joint I’d been carrying around.On the first inhale, shame hit me upside the head.This wasn’t who I was, who I wanted to be. Like a piece of fruit dropped one too many times, my flesh was bruising and rotting from within.On the second inhale, I felt nothing at all.After carefully snuffing the embers out on the ground, I stuck the joint back in my pocket. It was now half the length of my pinky. A few more puffs and I’d have to throw it away.
OpheliaI’d managed to make it to the front door without stumbling or tipping sideways when the sudden roar of a motorcycle sounded somewhere close by. Within a blink, it crested the small hill leading into the neighborhood.Had I been sober, I might’ve jumped when a sleek, black bike sped up the driveway, skidding to a stop mere inches from where I stood.The person riding it was tall, with a lean body compacted with muscle. Even with the black helmet and tinted visor, my heart knew who sat atop the bike.Unable to stop myself, I drank him in. The combat boots on his feet were worn, as were the torn jeans that hugged his thick thighs. They led up to a studded leather jacket fitted over a white cotton—Well, it should’ve been white, but it was stained red. Some of the color had dried, fading into a deep maroon. My stomach twisted uncomfortably.It was blood on his shirt. Blood clinging to the dark tattoo that wrapped around his throat.Nova paused and gave the driver a bland look, “Ni
OpheliaMy head began swimming the moment the main course was brought out. Staring down at the headless fish on my plate, I cursed myself for being so stupid.I had no clue what Dark Matter was, let alone how it interacted with hard liquor. Goddess, how had I let myself get this way? My wolf began to stir, almost like she wanted to remind me that it was her who had gotten us into this mess.The damage is already done, I thought as I took another sip of whiskey.Surprisingly, the urge to vomit hadn’t faded at all.Sterling met my stare as he skewered a piece of fish with his fork. He smirked as he chewed. Did he know something I didn’t?“In time we’ll discover Ophelia’s affinity—” Ryker began.Kimberly snickered and said quietly, “If she even has one.”Of course, he didn’t bother calling her out. I wasn’t sure why part of me expected him to. It must’ve been the stupid bond acting up again. Well, there was one bright side to things.The more alcohol I consumed, the less I cared.“I’m wi
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, th
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