Violet’s P.O.V. It was hard to concentrate on the red beans and rice Norma placed in front of me, even with the smoked Boudin sausage spewing its hearty scent of mouthwatering spices into the air. My heart was throbbing in my chest, and each beat only upset my stomach further. I couldn’t even muster up more than a flimsy smile when Norma pulled out a plate with a mountain of banana’s foster on top. She placed her hand on my shoulder and squeezed, surprising me for a moment. It wasn’t everyday that someone actually touched me. Come to think of it, other than Elijah himself, Hael was the only other person who regularly touched me. The thought made me shudder, which made Norma’s concerned expression deepen. Removing the food-stained apron she wore when baking, we both took a seat on the leather couch in my suite. It squeaked as we settled in, the milky white color obscenely bright. She nudged the throw pillows to the side and clasped her hands, her eyes flickering between myself and
Violet’s P.O.V.“I knew who he was talking about, but you, your mother, and them twins were already long gone.” She concluded; her hands clasped over her lap.My stomach turned and every speck of food I’d eaten threatened to come up. The red beans and rice no longer looked appetizing, neither did the banana’s foster. If anything, their once delectable scent now made me want to hurl. I had this awful, terrible feeling in the pits of my stomach and somehow I knew it was only going to get worse.This was the price of the truth, I realized. Facing the fact that I might not be the person I thought I was.“Did—did he say what happened to him?” I asked, not realizing my voice had diminished to a whisper.Norma shook her head, and I watched in gut-wrenching silence as her face took on a green hue.“No, but when he showed back up, he was covered in wounds.” She shuddered, her wide shoulders quaking. “The amount of blood on that boy. By the Goddess, I was sure he had to have been tortured. As f
Violet’s P.O.V.I skipped outside just as Olive pulled into the driveway. She was a whirlwind of chatter and energy the moment I slid inside, but more than anything I needed the distraction.“Alright, I’ve waited long enough. Any longer and I’m going to get ulcers.” She huffed, frantically brushing away the strands of purple hair that fell into her face. “Tell me everything. Spare no details, leave nothing out.”Per her request, I launched into what happened between Hael and I, starting with the moment I ran inside the house. Olive was the perfect listener, providing commentary when needed along with cursing, and adding her own exclamations throughout. I did decide to leave out the part about Hael actually being an assassin for his father, since I was still thoroughly freaked out about it, but I did tell her the rest of what Norma had told me.Her face paled when I got to that part and stayed pale until I finished. She did get a wicked grin on her face when I told her about what I’d d
Violet’s P.O.V.“Olive, I’ve never worn something this revealing before.” I mumbled from the passenger seat of her car, fiddling with the skirt I now wore. It was soft and silky against my bare legs, comforting in comparison to the scratchy fishnets she had me in. “You can see my scars, more than I’ve ever had anyone see.”The worst one, the puckered line that rested just above my heart, was on full display for the world to see. Not only that, but it was more than noticeable considering my breasts practically spilled out of the corset she had forced me into. I felt horribly self-conscious, but I had to give it to her—the girl had style.She’d taken something as basic as a lace corset and an ankle length skirt and turned me into some kind of gothic bar maiden from the Renaissance era. The skirt itself was something I’d personally find unflattering, but when tucked into the belt around my waist, it showed off my long legs and thick thighs.“If people are going to stare at you like you’r
Violet’s P.O.V.“This is called a Fireball Orange sweet tea.” I told her, laughing when she gasped. Nervousness prickled my stomach, but Lacey didn’t sense anything amiss. I reminded myself that one drink wouldn’t hurt, and that it wasn’t nearly enough to get me drunk. “It’s a bit strong, so I’m definitely only having one, but I’ll make you as many as you’d like.”“I’m so excited. Lets do this!” She beamed, “I’ve never had a ‘girls night’ before. That’s what this is, right? We’re both girls, it’s night time outside, and we’re here together having fun!”Whoever she was, she kept up this enthusiasm the entire time I made our drinks. When she had her first sip, she sucked down nearly half the glass before coming up for breath. There was a sheen of liquid on her upper lip, sparkling above her cupids bow before she swiped it away with the back of her hand. Seeing that I’d only taken a couple of sips, she frowned.“Oh, no. Is it too strong? Should we get something else?”I shook my head, fe
Violet’s P.O.V.“What do you mean there was a girl there?” Olive asked, her knuckles white from holding the steering wheel in a death grip. “When I came out I didn’t see any girl.”“I swear, there was a girl! She was pretty and funny—a little strange, but she got me to have a drink with her, which turned into ten or so, but I actually didn’t mind most of them. Can you believe I’d never had alcohol ‘till now? How crazy is that! I make all types of drinks but never thought to try one. From now on—“ I paused, hearing Olive snort. “What?”She lifted one of her perfectly sculpted eyebrows and side-eyed me. “I would’ve never pegged you as a chatty drunk.”“I am not chatty.” I scoffed, folding my arms over my chest. “I was just trying to tell you that there was a girl, but I have no clue where she went or how she vanished that fast.”“As weird as that is, we’ve got bigger fish to fry.” She grumbled. “Luna Sylvia’s assistant and driver are coming to my house to pick you up, and you’re shitfac
Hael’s P.O.V.I turned and left Violet standing in the hallway, her face flushed with embarrassment and her chest heaving. The pleasure I’d derived from seeing pain flash across her face, it was tainted by the scent of her fucking arousal.There wasn’t an inch of my skin that wasn’t crawling with need—with desire. If I wasn’t a monster who’d done horrible things, I might’ve screamed myself hoarse shouting at the Moon Goddess for pairing me with her, for tying my soul to hers.No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t seem to stop myself.With clawed hands, I pulled at my hair. The pain radiating across my scalp sharpened things, brought some perspective to the situation. At the very least, it stopped the unsettling sensation drenching my skin, like insects were burrowing beneath my flesh and scratching the insides of my veins.The mate-bond was at play, and I’d underestimated it’s pull, but I still wasn’t yet willing to reject her. I wasn’t used to this—this lack of control. It was grati
Hael’s P.O.V.“Fuck, dude. That’s got to hurt.” Cole winced, biting into his clenched fist as he watched me carve a slice of skin off of Ethan’s back.I rolled my eyes, watching as he shifted his weight from his left foot to his right. His eyes were glued on what I was doing, tracking my every move. He had the world fooled, but Cole thrived on violence. Most with the rogue gene did.I’d come here directly after speaking with my father, needing to blow off steam. Since the cabin’s location and true purpose were compromised, I had no choice but to have him relocated. The best option was at Cole’s, deep in his basement where even the house staff refused to go.Since his father wasn’t here, Ethan had the freedom to scream and wail as loudly as he needed. Which is exactly what he did.“What were you going to do to her, Ethan?” I purred, kneeling so that my eyes could be level with his. The cement floor bit into my knees, but I welcomed the brief sting of pain.Ethan mumbled incoherently, w