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While Nicholas was out, I decided to finally get out of the house as well, this time, to a place much further than the gardens. Dante had invited me out for the day to apologise for the previous night. Although Nicholas was hesitant to have me galivanting around without him, Dante suggested that Lovita and Floran come along with us. Their faces were as stoic as always and so I didnโt know whether they themselves were fond of the idea of babysitting me.โSo, weโre definitely losing Lovita and Floran,โ Dante said in a hushed tone. Heโd taken me to the marketplace, and it was much larger than Iโd ever anticipated. There were tons and tons of stalls. They were filled with fruit, food, trinkets, jewellery, gadgets and clothing. People filled the crowded streets and dirt paths, all huddling around all of the stalls. It was easy to see how weโd lose Lovita and Floran, I just didnโt understand why.โWhere are we going without them?โ I asked, matching his hushed tone.โYou do trust me, donโt y
Kiyanโs eyes widened in urgency, and he quickly grabbed me and placed his hand over my mouth before whispering in my ear, โSparrow.โ What the hell was he on about? I bit at the palm of his hand, and he immediately let me go after mumbling a cuss. โWhat the fuck did you do that for!โ he whispered. It was then that we were finally joined by Dante. Kiyan immediately rolled his eyes at him. โThe fuck are you doing here Falcon?โ Falcon? โWoah Sparrow, calm down. I was just showing my friend here one of our meetings. Donโt get your panties in a twist okay?โ So, they were using codenames. Kiyan looked beyond furious, and I could see him clenching a fist. I was brought back to that day with Stacey. But unlike the Stacey incident, he took in a long, deep breath and then gazed around before lowering his voice. โYouโre a fucking idiot. How could you bring Ariya here?โ Dante raised a brown and then folded his arms against his chest. โSo you know her and who she is to him.โ Kiyanโs eyes wid
Jasper opened the doors for us the moment we got home and the moment he saw me, he had an almost relieved look on his face. He expressed his relief before enthusiastically attempting to announce our arrival. But I urged Jasper to stay silent and I advised Dante not to join us. He was reluctant at first, but I tried to rationalise it to him. Iโd seen the way Nicholas had reacted to my bruised knuckles the first time I had arrived. There was no doubt that heโd end Dante within a second, no questions asked. And so, after we had decided not to tell Nicholas anything regarding Wolfsbane or Kiyan and Danteโs involvement in the organisation, he left. It didnโt take long for Nicholas to appear into the foyer. He had his car keys in his hand and a determined look in his eyes. But the moment he saw me, he paused briefly and almost instinctively tried to wear that calm mask again. It vanished almost as soon as he forced its appearance. His eyebrows then furrowed deeply, and he came right towards
Kiyan I barely made it through the door of the grand entrance before my sister grabbed my arm and tugged at it hard, stopping me from moving any further. I turned towards her, enraged beyond anything Iโd ever felt, and filled with more hatred than Iโd ever known. But I could see that in her eyes, Ariya couldnโt bear to see me this way. She was sad and angry, and she looked at me as though I were some sort of stranger to her. But there was also a look of desperation on her face and her eyes were pleading with me to stay, not to leave again. โSo, what, youโre just going to leave? Angry and hateful and blaming everyone else. Just like how you left me and Ophelia that day.โ I was right. Her mind was stuck on that day, the day Iโd left. But just like then, I couldnโt go back on my words or way of thinking. Iโd come too far, and my hatred had grown too powerful. So, I shrugged her hand off of me and took a step away from her before saying, โOphelia? You expect me to be grateful to someo
โAriya, are you sure that youโre okay? Your hands are shaking!โ With that, Nicholas stood up from his seat and began to walk across the living room where I was seated. He knelt down in front of me and took my shivering hands in his warm ones and gently rubbed at them.I looked down at him nervously and tried to muster up a smile.โIโm okay, just a little shaky. I havenโt eaten in a while, thatโs probably why.โAlthough I was wolfishly hungry, that was only partly the truth. Theodore had overheard the entire conversation with Kiyan just now, and I was afraid that he would tell his brother everything. My fear only increased the moment Theodoreโs footsteps were heard through the house and I began to start making up a few lies and excuses in my head.But the moment Theodore entered the room and saw me, his eyes softened, and he winked at me reassuringly. Kiyanโs secret would be safe with him.โYour brother is really something! Iโm glad that this never happened,โ he said with a sad tone to
Nicholas leaned down, his hot breath fanning against my ear, โI can smell how much you want me Airyaโฆโ The moment he said it, I shivered and closed my thighs together, completely enraptured by his words and just how true they were. โFunny thing is,โ he then placed a hot, open-mouthed kiss against the skin of my neck, โI want you just as much.โ And with that he grabbed me even closer, placing his lips on mine in a wet, passionate frenzy, and carried me over towards the bed before laying me down carefully. His lips never left mine, not even when he climbed on top of me and pinned my hands to the bed. Every inch of my body revelled in his touch, and I couldnโt get enough of the feeling of his warm lips against mine. His lips then moved down to my neck where they sucked forcefully at my soft flesh and occasionally heโd bite and nibble. My mouth was agape and heavy pants escaped my parted lips. It felt so heavenly that my legs slid across the bedsheets and pulled up, so my knees were off
As I followed Melissa down the dark, quiet hallway, my mind filled the solemn silence, flooding with so many thoughts that I could barely keep up with them. Yesterday when Iโd seen Dante, he was very much alive and well, and so I wondered what had happened between then and now to change that. Iโd admit that we hadnโt parted on the best of terms, but Dante was still a good friend of mine. Heโd been my first friend here and in him, I saw parts of myself too. Although we sometimes did not see eye-to-eye, I felt as though he truly understood me. And so, the idea of him being gone from my life, and gone from this house was heart shattering. And with every step closer to his room, I could feel my chest tighten and a sore lump begin to form at the back of my throat as the gravity of his loss began to crash down on my shoulders.Dante stayed with the rest of the staff members, in a separate section of Nicholasโ home which surprisingly still matched the grandness of the rest of the place. His
At first I thought I was hallucinating or perhaps seeing a ghost. But when Melissa uttered what we were all thinking and Nicholas began to glance at the body on the bed and then back at the doorway, I knew that the man before us was all too real.He chuckled and the scratched then back of his head before saying, โUh no, you called me on the phone earlier. I am Daniel, Danteโs twin brother.โThey were identical with each feature exactly the same from their dark hair to their perfectly chiselled noses.โW-wowโฆ Dante never mentioned that you two were twins,โ Melissa said, visibly still in shock.Daniel glanced at his brother solemnly and then gazed back at Melissa before saying, โI didnโt think heโd mention me at all. We never really got along too well. Itโs a shame that he passed away before we could change that.โA moment of silence passed before Daniel smiled and then pointed to the body on the bed. โI guess I will take him. I shall hold a funeral for him at about 5 p.m. today if anyo
His body was so warm and the heat from his skin radiated through me, intoxicating me more with the feeling of him. We were so close, entangled with each other, hips against hips. In that brief moment, right before Nicholas and I were forever bound, there was a strong feeling of anticipation mixed with excitement and nervousness. But it all dissolved into nothingness the moment he entered me. He was extremely gentle, beginning with the tip. As he gazed up at me, his eyes were tender and searching mine.โAre you alright? Iโm not hurting you am I?โ he asked softly.I shook my head before saying honestly, โIt just feelsโฆ strange. But you can continue.โHe nodded, moving his hips down further, filling me up inch by inch. The further he got, the more the feeling of discomfort and pressure increased, until it became a feeling of pain I couldnโt quite ignore. I winced slightly and he paused, once again asking if I was okay. I found it endearing how much he cared and how concerned he was. It m
My hands wrapped around his neck and he pulled me closer towards him until I was in his lap, my legs on either side of his and my hips pressed against his hips. And that was when I felt it. A hardness right against me. Immediately, I pulled away from our kiss, slightly surprised by the sudden hardness. My eyes couldnโt help but wander down his body, to that spot between his legs.โIโm sorryโฆ youโโBut at that point something insatiably lustful had taken over me. I silenced him with another kiss and that was when the sexual tension in the air only intensified. It felt as though I couldnโt get enough of the heat between us and the addictive feeling of his lips against mine.โIโm just following your leadโฆ so if you want something, tell me,โ he said softly against my lips. It was the way he said it, and the reddish hue in his eyes that completely enraptured me.โI want youโฆโ I said softly, barely able to stop myself.Suddenly, his face became a bit more serious, and he asked in a firm ton
I hesitated for a moment before I got the courage to push further and ask, โWhat do you mean you donโt have one?โHe sighed and then placed a hand on his face as he contemplated deeply.โIโm not sure how to describe it exactlyโฆ but I guess you can say that my siblings and I werenโt really born. We didnโt start off as cute little babies and develop into full grown adults. Weโve always been this way.โI couldnโt help but become feverishly confused and surprised. The norm and natural order of life started with birth and developed to maturity with growth. But what Nicholas was telling me was completely unheard of and completely unnatural. Then again, the lycan kings and queens had always been anomalies.โSoโฆ where did you come from?โ I asked curiously.โEach of us come from different places. I came from the sky. A humble cloud brought to life with Zuesโs lightning. Theo was made from fragments of lost and broken souls which were fused together into a single, individual person. Nikita was
With the number of rumours buzzing around on the internet, it was slowly becoming apparent that Nicholas and I would need to announce that we were in fact, not dead. Though before we did, weโd need to think about the way we did it very carefully. At present, Dante had a lot of influence over every human that had been subjected to the servitude implemented by the lycans and any wrong move on our part would be detrimental. And so Aura had decided that sheโd be joining Ophelia on her trip home later. After Theo had conveyed the news to Nicholas, his mood completely soured. He spent a lot of his time brooding in the room while I grew more and more uneasy and frustrated staying in the house.โPerhaps youโd like to go out and explore a little?โ Theo suggested after Iโd begun pacing around.โI can? Wonโt people recognise me?โ I asked, a little concerned.Theo shook his head, โEven if they do, they wonโt care. Remember, the other Lycan royals have absolutely no effect on Bouvardia. Itโs the o
I took the papers from him, unable to believe that heโd actually managed to get my novel notes.โIโฆ I donโt know what to say! I thought Iโd lost everything!โ and then I paused and tilted my head slightly as I thought a little more deeply about the stack of papers. โHowโd you get them?โHis eyes widened and he nervously chuckled. โI saw you writing the night of the fire, just before you fell asleep. I couldnโt contain my curiosity, so I took a peek with the intention of returning it in the morning. Then, when the fire struck, I couldnโt bear to leave them there and I hid them in my clothing.โI gulped, now a little self-conscious about him having read my work. It was always an embarrassing thing for me to let people read what Iโd written, even more so when they did it without my prior knowledge. And so, I asked, rather meekly, โW-what did you think?โโWellโฆ I liked itโฆโ he said, almost unconvincingly.I sighed and grabbed a pillow before placing it over my face and screaming.โYou hate
Once the excitement in the house had subsided, I made my way to Nicholasโ room, taking care to creep into bed as quietly as I could. It didnโt take long for me to fall asleep, and when I awoke the next morning, some part of me wished everything that had happened, had all been a terrible dream. But Nicholasโ snoring state and the unfamiliarity of the room around me, only seemed to remind me of how nightmarish reality had become.I found Theo in the kitchen, dressed and sipping a cup of coffee as he stared out the window, seemingly deep in thought.โYouโre quite scary when youโre serious,โ I said, breaking the silence in the living room.He turned to me and offered a small smile, โIโm sorry, thereโs just a lot to think of.โHis face then fell into a look even more serious than the one heโd worn before and it was followed by the question, โI must ask you thoughโฆ have you and Nicholas had sex?โI could feel the heat rush to my cheeks, and I began to choke on my saliva.Theo rushed towards
Dante had set the whole of Zestonia in uproar, rallying up rebellion and calling other humans to his cause. It was amazing to see so many humans come together. But it was terrifying to see them all under Danteโs control. He didnโt seek to free them. He wanted to use them, to draw attention to himself and he hoped that his uprising would spark more uprisings in other regions. It was diabolically clever and itโs what I would have done if I was Dante.โWeโve killed King Nicholas and his traitorous mate! Weโre taking back Zestonia and everything else that the lycan scum have taken from us. And we wonโt stop here! Join us! Rise up from your shackles! Down with the lycans!โ he yelled, with the rest of his Wolfsbane members yelling in unison behind him.โI canโt believe heโs doing this! First he poisons me and then tries to kill Nicholas and you. Why?โ Melissa asked.โVengeance.โ I said, letting the word hang heavily in the air. That was when I explained to Melissa all that had happened thus
Theyโd killed all of the guards. Every single one of them, all grossly disfigured with body parts strewn along the gate. And then, as though to serve as an example, Lovita and Floran were impaled on the palisade fencing, their blood pooling onto the floor. It was almost too unbearable to even gaze upon, and the images of blood and bodies occupied my every thought on our journey to the airport, right until we boarded the private plane with Theo.โIโm truly surprised that you called,โ Theo said after about an hour of silence. Nicholas was unconscious and sprawled out on one of the seats. I was surprised that he was breathing after last nightโs debacle. Heโd pushed himself and used up all of his reserves and now, his body was suffering the consequences.โIโฆ I had no other choice. After I found out about Danteโs absurd plan I knew we would need an escape plan. You were the only person Iโฆ trusted.โ Kiyan said with his head lowered and his eyes cast down to the ground. His words, however,
โDanteโฆ what have you done!โ I yelled out as the flames began to engulf the outskirts of the house.He frowned and shook his head, โYou donโt look nearly as impressed as I expected you to be. Did you want it grander?โโGranderโฆ youโre a sick bastard!โ I said before spitting on the floor next to him. Then, I attempted to near the house to head inside, grab Nicholas and drag him out. But just as I reached the door, Dante grabbed my arm and yanked me back. Immediately I retracted my free arm, ready to punch him in the face. But someone else beat me to it, smacking him in the side of the head and causing him to fall onto the ground.โK-Kiyan?โ I gasped out.โNo time for questions! Letโs get your fiancรฉ out of there before the rest of them come!โThe rest?But he dismissed my words and ran into the house immediately. I followed suit, rushing towards the bedroom.โCan you stand?โ he asked Nicholas who seemed half asleep still.โSort ofโฆ what the hell is going onโฆ and whatโs that smell?โ he