LOGINAnnie's eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the unfamiliar surroundings. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting golden light across the floor.And Belarie was sitting in a chair beside her bed, watching her sleep.Annie jerked upright with a gasp, scrambling backwards until her spine hit the headboard. "What the hell are you doing?""Good morning," Belarie said, his voice warm. Almost tender. "I hope you slept well.""You were watching me sleep?" Annie's heart was hammering. "That's creepy and insane."Belarie tilted his head, genuinely confused by her reaction. "Why would I not watch you? You're beautiful when you sleep. Peaceful. It reminds me of—" He stopped himself. "Well. Of before."Annie pulled the blanket up to her chin like it could protect her. "Stay away from me Belarie."Belarie's eyes travelled down to what she was wearing—the same dress from yesterday, now wrinkled and uncomfortable. His expression shifted to something almost like disappointment."Why didn't yo
Dante's car screeched into Peggy's house, tyres leaving black marks on the pale concrete. He killed the engine.He was out of the car before it fully stopped, stumbling over his own feet in his desperation to reach her."PEGGY!" His fists slammed against the door—once, twice, over and over until his knuckles split and bled. "PEGGY, PLEASE! OPEN THE DOOR!"The house was quiet but Dante knew she was there. "I know you're inside!" His voice cracked, from crying the entire drive over. "Please, just—just let me see you. Let me talk to you. Five minutes. That's all I'm asking. Please just open the door."There was no answer. Dante pressed his forehead against the door, his bloody knuckles still resting against the wood. "I lied. When I said I didn't love you—that was the biggest fucking lie I've ever told. I've loved you since the day I met you. Since you smiled at me when I took you to bury Pamela and I thought 'how the hell is she so strong?' I loved you when you laughed at my terrible
Peggy pulled away from Katherine's hug and fled down the stairs, past the others in the living room, and stormed out the front door.Dante staggered out of his room and saw Katherine standing there."Stop her!" he begged. "Mom, please, you have to do something—""Let her go," Katherine said quietly."No! I can't—she's dying because of me—""You had your chances, Dante," Katherine said. "And you ruined every single one of them.""Mom," Dante sobbed. "There has to be a way. Some spell, some ritual—""She's been marked," Katherine said. "It's final. The spell chose her because you love her. And now she's going to pay with her life...I warned you both. I told you sanguine sanguis servatur was cruel."She placed a hand on Dante's shoulder."Peggy is going to die," she said softly. "Because you love her. And there's nothing any of us can do to stop it."Dante stormed into the sitting room, Katherine behind him, and the sight of him made everyone go quiet. His face was wrecked and his eyes w
Then Kael collapsed.He hit the ground hard, convulsing, his hands going to his own throat, clutching his throat desperately. The binding spell Katherine had cast on him years ago—the one that linked their pain—Belarie was killing him too."Kael!" Dante shouted, dropping to his knees beside his brother.Kael's face was turning pale as Katherine's. He couldn't breathe. Could only suffer the same suffocation his mother was experiencing.Belarie's eyes widened with malicious delight. "Oh, this is exquisite. Killing two birds with one stone. Literally." He laughed. "Kill the witch, kill her bound son."And with her free hand—the one Belarie couldn't see—she reached into the small pouch at her waist and pulled out something tiny. As her consciousness began to slip away, Katherine pressed something into the pocket of Belarie's suit.He didn't notice."LET HER GO!" Killian roared.He and Dante both lunged at Belarie simultaneously, coming at him from different angles.Belarie didn't even lo
Mallory stood in the bathroom of her hotel room, staring down at the pregnancy test stick in her trembling hands.Positive.Two pink lines. She was pregnant.With Kael's baby.The man who was asking her for a divorce.She looked at the papers spread across the bathroom counter—official documents with legal seals, Kael's signature already there in black ink. All that was missing was hers.Her phone rang, shattering the silence.She grabbed it, saw the hospital's number, and her blood ran cold."Mallory? This is Dr Clifford. Your daughter Darlene—has had another episode. A bad one. You need to come immediately."The phone nearly slipped from Mallory's hands. "I'm on my way."She threw on clothes with shaking hands, grabbed her purse, and ran.***Mallory burst through the doors to Darlene's room and found her daughter hooked up to machines, her body looking so sickly in the white sheets.Doctor Clifford was waiting, his expression was grave."Mallory, I need to be honest with you. This
The room was still processing everything Katherine had said when Peggy stood up, her eyes fixed on Katherine with so much admiration. She crossed to where Katherine stood and took the older witch's hand, holding it gently."You're amazing Katherine," Peggy said, her voice filled with awe. "The way you implanted that scorpion inside Annie without any of us knowing. The way you gambled everything on Annie being strong enough to reject Annitore—and you were right. I've never seen witchcraft like that. So clever. So brilliant."She squeezed Katherine's hand. "My greatest desire is to become a witch like you. Clever. Powerful. Always ten steps ahead. Will you teach me? Please?"Dante groaned from across the room. "So much for going back to Panama to sip a coconut rum drink."Katherine looked down at Peggy's hand holding hers, then at the girl's earnest face. "What is it with everyone touching and hugging me today?" she muttered. "I'm not a sentimental woman."But she didn't pull her hand







