CHAPTER 1 Let The Games Begin

　　Unknown's POV

　　For years I had searched for her, scoured the planet and beyond for signs of my angel of light and dark, my crimson queen, only for her to fall right into my lap when I least expected it. I had almost given up hope of seeing my ruby gemstone again when she turned up in the town I happened to be observing, a town that was a notorious breeding ground for supernaturals and their secrets. Never had I imagined I would stumble upon her here in plane site, degrading herself by associating with the lowest of the low and the reason I was here:

　　Wolves!

　　Fate, it seemed, liked to play games… I felt sure it was a cruel prank that the universe was playing on me.

　　But don't worry- I like a good game!

　　I had visited her many times since she arrived in this wretched cesspit, watching her try to start her life over. How had she let her standards drop so low? Had she just stayed with me and not run, she would never have wanted for anything, never been forced into hiding and a life of squalor. I admit I was taken off guard when she did not seem to recognize or sense me the first time our paths crossed. Was this a cruel trick, or was she trying to lure me into her petty games? The more I observed her, the more I realised she had no clue who I was! What we were to each other! How? Had I meant so little to her?

　　Was our time together so bad that she had to hide here in the armpit of society and mask her scent with that of a wet dog and testosterone? I had successfully wooed her once before I could do it again, and this time I had the added bonus of already knowing what made her heart race and those beautiful cheeks blush.

　　Deciding that this would be the most delicious game of cat and mouse I had ever played.

　　For a heavenly creature who had the opportunity to see the world many times over, the depths of her dreams were relatively simple—more human than divine. Hiding in the darkest realms of her mind, I watched the images flutter through her unconscious; I realised just how much she cherished the simplicity of the human world around her.

　　Images of an older blonde-haired woman whose presence seemed to unnerve my fiery princess; I could feel the pressure this woman put on her young shoulders. The older woman seemed to be born from an ancient power; she was more than angelic, almost God-like, but touched by pure darkness. It had woven itself into her naive heart and linked itself to her soul.

　　Images of the life they shared on earth filled her dreams; my crimson-haired beauty loved this woman fiercely but craved the freedom from her confines to make her mark on the world: without fear of punishment. It seemed there was more to this creature than I first thought; her ferocious need to shield the innocent and protect the vulnerable was remarkable, even if it was incredibly misguided. She wore her humanity on her sleeve with pride as she defended the weak from the world's evils.

　　"And who will protect them from you, my love?"

　　The weak mortals weren't all she dreamed of; her dream world revealed how deeply conflicted she felt about the advances of two alpha males. Her imagination had her running through a maze of luscious green woodland; the taller male seemed to be playing chase to her, calling out to her as he followed her through the maze.

　　"I see you still like to tease, my love!"

　　I wasn't surprised that the male oozed power and resilience. My angel always did have a type! His light brown hair caught the light showing flickers of gold and red. But that was not what caught my attention. My eyes narrowed in on his head; his hair cropped short on the sides, which was a cocky move on his part, considering what looked like demonic tattoos, invisible to the untrained eye, inked boldly to his scalp. They looked like specific markings; from an ancient text, that I had seen only once before.

　　My interest was thoroughly piqued!

　　Were they there for protection from a demon? Or was he protecting the monster within him?

　　I watched my ruby angel run from her suitor, turning her head now and then in hopes he was still chasing her. The long white dress she wore danced around her delicate feet as she ran through the woodland maze, coming to a stop when another figure blocked her path.

　　A supernatural of noteworthy breeding. An alpha by blood and substance. The second male wasn't as tall as the first male, but he made up for it with his confident aura, but the eyes held a fierce undertone of authority, which she was apparently attracted to.

　　"So predictable, my sweet."

　　He said nothing to her, but his eyes never left hers; I could see her fidgeting nervously. My lips curled into a vicious snarl seeing the male shift into a wolf in front of her, all dark fur with golden shimmers. His eyes were as black as the night sky. Taking a step closer, she was about to run her fingers through his dark fur when the first male approached.

　　A loathsome growl vibrated from the wolf's chest, but the larger male seemed unaffected as he approached my fiery angel. She seemed torn between them; she wanted the protection and love of the wolf but refused to give up the deep bond she felt with the mysterious stranger. She didn't know what path to take…

　　"Oh, this won't do at all." I mused, deciding to sink my teeth in and force her hand.

　　Between her path to her right, where the wolf stood mighty and with unwavering authority, and to her left and the path she had just come from, the male leaned up against a thick moss-covered tree trunk, self-assured and smug, satanic hands peeled away at the dense trees and bushes. Hands as black as the abyss devoured the lush greens she had conjured up in her dream, the branches snapping and splintering in the silence of her mind.

　　Seeing her acknowledge the path, confused by the cries and screams for help echoing from the direction the darkness had revealed. There was no way she wouldn't take the bait; she wanted so desperately to be just like her Mother, good and pure, banishing all fears that; even an ounce of her father's malice ran through her veins. As I predicted, the haunting screams were too much for this angel. She took off in the direction the screams were coming from.

　　The hands of demonic rejects sprung out at her from the shadows, grabbing her delicate skin and pulling her back into the darkness, whispering her deepest fears into her ear.

　　"You are evil, like him."

　　"You did this to them!"

　　"Their blood is on your hands!"

　　"They are dying because of you, for you!"

　　"Accept the truth… you're a monster."

　　"Like father, like daughter."

　　As quick as she broke free from their grasp, another set of hands would take their place and try to chip away at her resolve. I could feel the anger rising in her; with a frustrated scream, she exposed her glorious angelic wings, one bright white, tinged with shimmers of light, the other breath-taking ebony tainted with luscious obsidian tips.

　　They were remarkable. In one strong swop of her razor-sharp wings, she cut away at the demonic hands that tore at her before she lifted from the ground and took off in the air following the sounds of the cries.

　　Even in her dream, her wings were remarkable; watching as she flew toward the flames, a cunning grin crawled across my lips; at the centre of her wings, the black and white feathers mixed and entwined, a marble effect painted each feather. Showing that she was not as clear cut as she would like to think, she was neither good nor evil... she was a delicious mix of both! Just as I had always suspected.

　　I watched her stop in front of a burning building, angry flames climbing the structure as oranges and reds danced passionately throughout the building devouring everything in their path. The muffling cries of innocence slowly fell silent by the roar from the callous inferno.

　　I could feel her pain through the dream and magic I weaved. Her agony rippled through her trembling body, tears streaming from her beautiful green eyes. She played the part of a heartbroken angel well. I would give her that; even I would have been tempted to believe that the tears that rained from her eyes were genuine, but I knew her better than that; we both knew what darkness ate at her soul and tainted her heart.

　　It had been years since someone had surprised me, but this angel did just that by taking back a tiny portion of control over her dream. Both males appeared beside her in human form; the unmistakable look of confidence and determination they brought out in her made me wonder whether there was more to this trio than I first thought! Their large hands entwined with her dainty digits, offering her the backing she needed. I could feel the invisible cloak of safety and protection that they provided her, giving her the strength she needed to step into the burning building.

　　My little angel, it seems, is full of tricks! My considerable magic was almost without limits; however, here, this petite female stood, manipulating MY magic to her own ends. Whether she knew it or not, her powers were stronger now than they had ever been when I had known her, and the only reason I can think of this sudden change would be the men who stood beside her!

　　Never one to back down from a challenge, I decided as I weaved my magic further into the depths of her slumberland that there was only one way to remind this great beauty that even the devil was an angel once. A plan formed in my mind, one of jealousy, betrayal, and slaughter. My one end game: eradicate these growing bonds, and to do that, I would need to be cunning, patient, and above all else, show no mercy! I had never been good at sharing, so why should I start now?

　　Perhaps I would stay in this town a little longer; it appeared things needed shaking up, people needed to learn their place, and the consequences of daring to take something that belongs to ME.

　　This town would no longer be a haven for the likes of the wolves; this would not be somewhere they came to thrive, only to die!

　　"Let the games begin, my love."