~ Aria's POV ~Thorne turned to look at me, and I shot him an angry glare. He was supposed to apologize for what he did, not threaten him."I thought you said you were going to apologize to him. Why are you threatening him?" I asked."I already apologized to him, only for me to find out you owe him money. Money for what exactly?" he returned the question."He helped me one time and paid the hospital bills," I replied.His expression shifted instantly, as though my words had struck him in the heart. "You were in the hospital?" he asked, almost choking on the words. "When did that happen?" He looked like he wanted to tear himself apart for not knowing.I let out a sigh before speaking. "It was when I was accused of killing those two vampires who attacked me.""You killed vampires?" Jeremiah blurted, but one look from Thorne’s burning eyes forced him into silence."Why didn't you tell me about it? Yes, I know Seraphina and her crew attacked you that day, but why didn't you tell me you we
~ Aria's POV ~The sweet scent of roses filled my nostrils as I slowly opened my eyes. Lucian was lying beside me, gently brushing the petals of a single rose against my nose."Good morning, Baby Girl," he greeted, his lips curved in that heart–melting smile.Feeling a little bit shy, I covered my face with the mattress. Last night still felt like a dream, but the pain between my thighs reminded me that it wasn't a dream, it was real.I had given myself to Lucian last night, which I don't regret. But last night was the first time a guy had seen my nakedness, and remembering it all made me feel kind of shy."Are you shy?" he teased, trying to tug the mattress away."I'm not shy," I whispered, clutching the fabric tighter."If you aren't shy, then let me see your face.""I don't want to.""Come on, Little Sparkles, last night was really special to me and I want to see my girlfriend's face." His tone was soft, persuasive, and almost pleading.I knew just one pull from him and the mattres
~ Aria's POV ~"Fuck!" I moaned as Lucian’s mouth latched onto my nipple like a starving child. While he sucked on one, his other hand teased and played with the other, making my body shiver under his touch."Lucian..." I whispered his name in a soft, breathy moan.He moved back to my lips, kissing me with such urgency that I could barely keep up with his pace. His mouth devoured mine while his hands continued to worship my breasts, squeezing, caressing and claiming every inch of me.He was such a touchy kisser, and that was exactly what I loved about him. "Want to help me take off my clothes?" he whispered in my ear, his breath hot against my skin, sending tingles racing down my neck.I nodded quickly, and he kissed me again. In between breaths, I tugged his shirt up and peeled it off his body.This was the first time I’d ever seen Lucian shirtless. His chest wasn’t chiseled like Thorne’s, nor inked with tattoos—but I didn’t care. He was raw, real, and perfect in his own way.Our ki
~ Aria's POV ~The moment I heard Raven’s voice, my heart slammed against my chest. I shoved Thorne away, panic spreading through me as my eyes widened like they were about to leap out of their sockets."Skylight," he called again.I tried to leave, but Thorne stopped me. "Where are you going, Bunny?" His voice was smooth, but his grip was firm."I need to leave before Raven sees us together," I whispered, every word shaky, my pulse echoing like a drum in my ears."He won't see us. He can’t hear us anyway." He tried to kiss me, but I shoved him away."I'm serious, Thorne, I need to leave," I said, my voice shaking with every word."Skylight," Raven called again, and Thorne knitted his eyebrows."Why is he calling you Skylight?" he asked."I'm not the one he's calling. My name is Aria, remember? It might be someone else," I lied."I haven't heard anyone bearing the name Skylight here," he said."It must be one of the vampires," I countered quickly, wiping the sweat gathering on my brow
~ Aria's POV ~I smiled as I watched Lucian sleeping beside me. His arms had loosened from around me, but the exhaustion on his face told me just how much energy he had burned when he turned everything against Dahlia.With a soft smile, I reached for his hair, my fingers sliding gently through the silky strands. It was still hard to believe he was two hundred years old. Looking at him now—with that impossibly young and handsome face—he could easily pass for a senior in high school.My fingers kept tracing through his hair, the calm rhythm of his breathing soothing my soul. I watched him the way one might watch a favorite drama unfold, until I remembered I still hadn’t resolved things with Raven.I tried to slip away from the bed, but Lucian’s hand moved even in his sleep, catching me and pulling me back into his warmth."I love your scent," he murmured with a sleepy smile. "You smell like jasmine… and roses."I needed to talk to Raven. How do I go to him when Lucian's hands are all ov
~ Aria's POV ~Darian offered to drive me, and after nearly an hour, we finally pulled up to Callista’s house. The ride had been quiet, but my thoughts hadn’t.As I stepped out of the car, my eyes swept over the small wooden structure. Humble and fragile. I used to think my mom’s house was small, but compared to this… Callista’s home looked like it was barely holding itself together.It was clearly obvious that they were far from being an average family. No wonder Dahlia and her fellow witches always belittled her."Aria," Darian snapped me out of my thoughts. My eyes fell on him."We should let Callista know we're here," he said.I nodded, swallowing hard, and together we walked toward the worn-out door. I raised my knuckles and knocked, and I heard Callista’s voice from inside."Hold on a sec... I'm coming," she said, and after a swift few seconds, she opened the door. She looked surprised to see me. I guess I was the last person she'd expect to show up on her doorstep."Aria," she