Dark Ages, Spring 1459.Albu’s betrayal took us by surprise, and after that fateful day, where he tried to take me down, I had to go on a few expeditions; I had to hunt him down and also the ones who helped him plot against me. So, I left for a month or more at a time; it was a hard feature leaving her behind; she was my haven, the one who kept my demons at bay, but I couldn’t take a chance in bringing her with me, as she asked many times. I found a distraught Alizandra when I got back from one of these campaigns. And she was having night terrors, something she had never had before. Worry ate at me. Maybe my demons had found their way to her, I didn’t know, but something was wrong, very wrong.“Wake up, draga mea,” I said, gathering her in my arms. “Wake up.” I kissed all over her face, trying to appease her distress. She was swimming in sweat and her breathing was difficult. Then those lavenders fixed on me, glinting with unshed tears, and that itself crushed my heart. “What’s wrong,

Dark Ages, 1461-2.Lord, she was beautiful! I loved those lavenders, and by God’s justice to those eyes she smelled floral, lavender just like the color in them, but as soon as she stared at me something had changed. They were dead, and that made me fall on my knees right there in the middle of the room. I killed her soul together with mine, and for that, I would never forgive myself. She observed me without saying a word, a terrorizing silence. “What can I do to bring back the light in your eyes?” There was nothing else I could do to remedy the situation, but beg for her absolution.“Nothing,” she said in a blunt retort, a spear piercing my heart. “You’ve made your choice, and I hope it served you well.” There was no more passion in her voice, only disgust. “Sometimes I ask God why would he give me this burden? He knows who I am, he knows how bloody my life has been, so why did he give you to me? You don’t deserve any of this.”She sighed and considered my words for some time. “It

New York, 2018.The odor of rotting flesh made its way up to my nose again, as I knew right away I’d be in one of my nightmares. Chills would crawl all over my skin and I’d break out in a sweat, once I started hearing the screams and moans of dying people, making me shiver in agony to see all those decayed corpses falling around me. In the middle of those flying debris and dust there he was, dominating the battlefield, undaunted and powerful, staring straight at me with those forest green eyes, behind all that I saw the weight of the world, and his decisions heavy on his shoulders. I didn’t know who he was, and I was sure he gave me the creeps with such intense gaze upon me, but also something else I didn’t know how to explain as my soul longed for him somehow. How many times in the middle of my nightmares he took me in his arms appeasing my distress, and it felt so right! How did you explain longing for a person who is a figment of your crazy mind? A barbarian, for Christ’s sake! Gos

“Alizandra? Alizandra?” My heart stuttered and my muscles got heavy. No, she wasn’t leaving me again. “I forbid you to die on me, Liz! Wake up, dragă. Wake up!” But she didn’t respond at all, listless in my arms. Some sort of déjà vu and my world narrowed on her. I brought her closer, and her shallow breathing scared the hell out of me, but it was there. Her face was pale and skin was so cold against my body, bringing back horrible memories that it was better left forgotten. I had to do something or life was about to repeat itself, and I wouldn’t allow it this time! I launched upstairs with her in my arms, finding a bed close to a fireplace. The whole scenario seemed suspicious, and until I found out what took place here, making a fire was out of the question. My guts told me we were not safe and there was no need to attract any more attention. I looked around. There was a wardrobe by the corner with some blankets inside. Once she got warm enough, I could search around for another pl

“That’s my question, woman!” he said with gritted teeth, and I didn’t mistake earlier. His eyes were glowing golden in the middle of all that mess, and it mesmerized me. I was so conscious of his body against mine, I felt my nipples peak against his chest and a hard bulge against my stomach, so I wasn’t alone in this torment. A crimson blush covered me and tears pricked in the back of my eyes. I’ve never felt this lost, not even when my mother died.“Sorry! It wasn’t intentional, it happens when I lose control out of fear or anger.” A sob escaped my lips, and I was freaking crying in front of him, shit! “I’m sorry!” a whisper left my mouth. “This is too much to believe in.” Then his eyes went back to that beautiful forest green.“I didn’t mean to frighten you. Please, don’t fear me. It’s been so long since I had you in my arms, dragă. And I’ve almost lost you for the fourth time, you need to cooperate with me here.”God, I had no clue about what he was talking, or how to get out of thi