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57|Closure
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The Forsaken 58|Freed
The anxiety in the cellar had mounted to an unbearable point. It was so intense that Luca could almost taste it in his throat. He swallowed hard, unable to believe that in just under an hour, it would all be over. All the years of tireless searching for the star and hoping for a miracle had finally come to this moment.April tugged at his arm and led him to the corner of the room, away from the ritual space.Rudolf, now awake, looked subdued as he sat on the cot with his back pressed against the wall and silently watched the excitement in the centre of the room."Do you think it will work?" April asked, her voice barely audible. But Luca had heard her. He gave her a sidelong look to reassure her. "Of course, it will!"April tried to smile. But her eyes clouded up with tears as she played with her hair.Luca pulled her close and asked, "what's wrong?""I am terrified." April bawled on his chest. Her sniffling drew the attention of the witches, and they stared at them for a bit before r
The Forsaken 59|Your Dream
Luca hated to break up the reunion party, but the newly freed vampires had to feed and get ready to clear out of Shadowbrooke. So while everyone prepared for their departure, Cadence and her father went to the crypt to talk.Cadence sat on the altar bed, and he joined her and took her hand."You did nothing wrong, Cadence.""I locked you away." Cadence shook her head. She knew he was trying to make her feel better. But nothing would change the fact that her blood had sealed him in and robbed him of twenty years of his life he would never get back."And your blood has freed me now," Warwick reminded her.Cadence gave him an incredulous look. "You read my thoughts?""I can, but I didn't have to. I can see it in your eyes, the guilt you feel. It's time you forgave yourself."Cadence didn't say anything after this. There was so much she wanted to say to him, though, but she barely knew him, barely knew what he liked and didn't like."There'll be plenty of time for that," Warwick smiled and
The Forsaken 60|Out Of Love
Warwick took small sips from his mug as he stared at Sonja. He knew his unwavering gaze was unsettling for her. But for the life of him, he couldn't look away."You are staring," Sonja admonished quietly, unable to take his scrutiny any longer."I'm sorry." Warwick smiled, showing his fangs briefly as he crossed the room and took her hands. He turned them over and kissed her palms like he used to back then, before that night all those years ago. His simple gesture reminded Sonja of how much she'd missed out on. All the little things she'd forced herself not to think about until now made her want to cry."How is it possible? You haven't aged a day," he murmured as he brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. "It's like time stopped the day I left, and now it's picking up right where we left off."Sonja wept harder at his words. They were absurd. As much as she loved her daughter and didn't regret a single moment with her, Cadence's existence was a painful reminder of how much time
The Forsaken 61|Things Changed
Long after she'd called Sonja and asked to hitch a ride with them to Bridgetown, Cadence was still in her room, sobbing in her hands, crying over the Origami swan Luca had left for her on her desk at some point during the day.Like that first time, his message was short and to the point. 'We need to talk'."Oh, Luca!" Cadence thought sadly. He'd picked a hell of a time to want to talk. She honestly didn't see how talking would change anything. Her father was right. She had to go to Bridgetown for Emme, if not for herself. She had to honour her mentor's memory. And she knew in her heart that Luca would never leave his brother, especially when he missed twenty years with him."It wouldn't have worked out anyway. Long-distance relationships hardly ever work out," Cadence consoled herself as she got up from the bed and wiped away her tears. She stuffed her music box in her backpack and took one final wistful look at her room before she headed out. She was going to miss her home and Shado
The Forsaken 62|A New Dance
Luca reached up and caressed her cheek.Cadence closed her eyes, wishing he wouldn't, but at the same time, she didn't want him to stop. He was her own little pill, her addiction, one she knew was bad for her, but couldn't give up or refuse all the same."Luca," she whispered as he pressed her body close to his.They didn't say anything for some time as they stood there, revelling in their heated embrace.Soon, though, just having Cadence in his arms was no longer enough for Luca. He had to have to her. So he picked her up and placed her on the altar bed.It was cold and hard, but Cadence didn't notice. All she was aware of was the heat between them as he covered her body with his.Their kissing was tentative at first, but grew more heated and urgent as he greedily pried her mouth open, demanding more of her while removing their clothes, stripping them of everything standing between their desires.Cadence was stunned by how easy it was to put aside all her uncertainties and give in to
The Forsaken 1|Blast From The Past
Sonja Youngblood marched across the marsh with purpose and determination, punctuating each stride. The dead leaves scattered on the path leading up to the front steps billowed around her. A few hit her in the face, gently grazing her cheek, silently welcoming her to the haunted house, or perhaps warning her of the approaching storm.Sonja hated the place. She hated even more that she was there. She could still taste the fear and anger of that night so long ago, and the smell of incense that hung heavy in the air. Years later, every time she lit incense, she remembered the vampire's fateful monthly court, her coven's sacrifices, and all the things they lost. Now, they were back, threatening to tear the power from their hands once more.Never again, Sonja fumed as she clambered up the crumbling steps, the rotting tiles on the porch groaning under her weight. Before she could even hammer her fists on the heavy oak door, it slowly rattled to life with a long, dreadful squeak. But all Sonja
The Forsaken 2|The Forgotten Ones
Sonja was long gone, but Luca was still seething over their encounter as he roamed the deathly silent rooms of the old manor, replaying their confrontation like a record stuck on repeat.He didn't realise how much rage and hatred he harboured for the witch until she showed up on his doorstep, unannounced and uninvited.Twenty years had done nothing to cool his fury.He'd wanted to kill her right then and there, but his mind somehow won over his emotions. Sonja could still be useful to his plans.Still fuming, Luca stalked through the courtyard to what remained of the grand library in the manor's west wing. By the time he made it across, he was drenched to the bone from the rain falling in torrid sheets. It was almost as if the heavens above were weeping with him.The weakling humans cowered close together in the corner of the room at the sight of his shadow looming over the doorway, despair and panic gripping their fragile hearts."Please, let us go." The woman wailed in her hands, her
The Forsaken 3|Night Of The Court
Luca left the cellar and retreated to the crypt. But hard as he tried, he couldn't close his eyes and silence his mind. He gave up after numerous attempts and settled on staring at the ceiling instead. He thought back to the last twenty years, conversations that took place in this very room resurfaced, and memories and feelings he'd struggled to keep locked away over the last two decades rushed forth.He'd run through that evening a million times in his head, wondering if he could have done things differently. Maybe if he'd delayed his hunting trip, postponed it for another week, and stayed, none of the misery that followed since would exist.He remembered that fateful night so clearly, as though it were just yesterday. He had awakened from a troubled sleep, and the deep sense of foreboding from his dream had haunted him throughout the day. To distract himself and shake off the ominous feeling of doom gripping his heart, he'd thrown himself at the piano, convinced music would do the tr
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