MarinaPain has become part of me now. Watching John walk ahead of me and knowing he isn't mine, it's agonizing enough to knock the air out of my lungs.I want to scream, beg and ask him to reconsider his choice of being with Amy, but it would be a terrible thing to do.If Amy is the one he truly wants, then I should respect that."You can't tell the others that I can speak,"Shocked at John's sudden stop, I look up with no time to mask the inner torment gnawing at my soul.He looks torn the moment he sees my expression, but my pride causes me to glance away. John taking pity on me isn't something I want. I don't need him, and yet, it's so hard to resist stealing another glance of him."Did you hear me?" John asks."I did," I inform him bitterly. "And may I ask why I can't tell them?"John sighs heavily. It takes every bit of willpower to keep myself from lifting my chin.My mate doesn't want me, so I shouldn't lo

MarinaThe nights are the absolute worst now that I'm spending them alone. Even though I know I'm sleeping inside a terrarium, the trees growing inside suddenly feel so frightening. Branches move like ghosts in the night while bushes rattle around me.I shudder. It's only the wind, Marina, I tell myself calmingly.It makes sense for there to be sounds. Adam told me the original use for Dave's terrarium is to harvest insects. Angels apparently eat them when they aren't swallowing humans.Therefore, the handy angel Dave built this terrarium cage—metal bars on top, glass at the bottom.I have to admit, Dave's work is impressive. It sure feels like I'm inside a veritable forest, but since I've walked around every corner and turned every pebble, the terrarium no longer feels that interesting to me.I want to what the world looks like outside of this cage, but of course, I'm a prisoner, so Adam won't let me.He thinks I would escape,

AdamI've always seen humans as monsters, selfish, disgusting creatures who only care about themselves. Suspicion fills them up like water, and it's not only for other species; they also hold doubts for their own kind!Hatred, wars over nothing, murder, crimes; humans brought everything wrong into our world. Therefore, I never blamed myself for eating them, especially after having endured the smaller species murdering the only person who mattered to me, my mate, Elena.It still makes little sense to me how the people Elena trusted the most got rid of her.Elena, she was shy and sweet. She didn't possess a threat to the humans she mingled with. Elena believed in the old ways of protecting the rotten race; she thought it was her job to guard the village that had raised her.And then, when she got pregnant, those ugly monsters saw her as a threat.The villagers didn't want another angel roaming around, and when I wasn't there to protect her, th

MarinaMy thoughts and emotions aren't in the right place when we arrive at Dave's house. Dave lives on the outskirts of the city of angels with his wife, Mary, and their three children.There is water as far as the eye can reach, and I can glimpse an entire city looking like it could be Atlantis in the distance.Rock formations and old statues touch the far skies above us. Moss and vines clad the trees, and the sound from the jungle is impossible to ignore.Everything out here is beautiful, ancient, and not very far advanced, but absolutely breathtaking.And Dave's house looks super cozy, even if it's entirely made of bamboo and standing on pillars to keep it above the water level."And this is my sweet home," Dave presents his house by holding out his hand. His eyes seek mine, and I offer him a smile, even if my head is a mess.I can't focus on anything other than Jenny, the angel queen, and my long-lost sister.Tomorrow I wi

MarinaWhen Colton takes my birdcage inside the castle and enters this colossal room, the entire world stops.The sight before me wasn't one I expected.Blonde curls splayed out over an elegant chaise lounge chair, hands belonging to a female angel excitingly reaching into a bowl of humans as she laughs; it all turns me to stone.I'm having trouble breathing as the blonde angel dangles a human in front of her waiting mouth while servants are fanning her face with gigantic leaves, massaging her feet, and collecting empty wine glasses around the marble floor beneath us.The human screams, but the female doesn't care. Her mouth opens wide as her tongue greedily slips the human into her hungry mouth."That's so refreshing,"I wince at hearing Jenny's voice, realizing this is her. Colton clears his throat, and I immediately wish he never had.Jenny, her narrow red eyes, twists her neck to observe first Colton and then flicker down h