LOGIN“Grieving.”Ivy blinked. “What does that mean?”“It’s… What I did for your mom.” His throat tightened. “What I did for you for a while, too.”“That doesn’t really make sense.”“It won’t,” he said, putting his hand on her shoulder. This time, she didn’t flinch away, which came as a relief. “Not until
Kade’s POVKade, Tyler, and the others didn’t return to Nightshade for two days after they left Elena behind.Each step of the way, Kade considered turning back for her. Multiple times, he had considered marching back there and scooping her up into his arms and forcing her to return with him, even k
Eventually, the floor was as clean as it would get given the circumstances. I dumped the muddy-looking water out into the pond, then scrubbed my hands, arms, and face in the sink.Exhaustion took over me by then. I flopped onto the rickety cot without thinking twice and slept.When I woke the next m
Elena’s POVI must have sat in that spot on the porch for hours. Hell, it could have been days, and I might not have even noticed.The passage of time lost all meaning. The sun rose, turning the swamp hot and fetid with the scents of still water and rotting wood. The sun reached its zenith and the f
Kade walked up to her. He didn’t sit. He got the sense that she didn’t want that. Instead, he just let her stare at Ivy. Then down at her hands. Then at Ivy again.“It’s not your fault,” he said after a long moment.Elena didn’t answer. She just blinked, then looked back out over the swamp.Just the
Kade’s POVThe shack was quiet except for Nellie, who was making a small, whimpering sound from her chair. Kade looked at her once, then looked away.Wordlessly, Elena crossed the room and dropped to her knees beside Lana. She gathered her up, both arms pulling her close, and rocked her friend back
Elena’s POV“No! She’s not your daughter, Samson! She’s lying!”Natasha’s shrill decree may have popped the bubble of happiness, but it couldn’t fully quell the joy that Tyler, Samson and I all felt.Samson was my father. Tyler was my brother. No matter what Natasha seemed to think, it was true. I k
Elena’s POV“Samson! Father!” I pounded frantically on the door despite the late hour, tears streaming down my face in torrents. “We need to talk! Please!”I heard a grunt and shuffling inside the room. The door swung open a few moments later, revealing Samson standing there in his robe, his hair di
“She’s not dead,” Serena hissed, poking her finger into the center of Nellie’s chest. “You were supposed to make sure she was dead. What the fuck happened?”Nellie’s throat bobbed. “I-I don’t know! She was dead when I left her—”“Don’t fucking lie to me.” Serena leaned close to Nellie, partially ext
Elena’s POVThe world was dark again for a little while.I came to on an infirmary bed for the second time that day. It was becoming a little too close to a routine for me, it seemed—blacking out, only to wake up in agony in a hospital cot, blinking up at the bright lights on the ceiling of the infi







