~VaelaThe sweeping motions of his brush against the rock are hypnotic, colours muddying together to create the base of a painting I know is going to be otherworldly.Just for me to sit out in this part of the cave with Hale, I’m bundled in three thick jackets, with multiple blankets layered over me. Still, I’m cold, but Hale’s skills are distracting enough.He pauses suddenly, tugging his brush from the flat slab of rock."I wouldn't kill you during sex, by the way." He doesn’t turn, leaving me to gape at the back of his head."What?"He starts painting again, this smile evident in his voice. "Your conversation with Eyla."I’m stunned.I’m tempted to stand, strip off all my jackets and send myself spiralling down the mountain. Hale’s shoulders shake ever-so-slightly from a faint laugh."Seriously? You have super hearing or something?" I snap, wilting against the rock, wondering if it would be a swift ending to just throw my head back against it forcefully.He gives a half shrug. "Bet

~VaelaEyla smooths over the paper she has stuck to the wall in the book room, twisting back around.Hale and I sit on different chairs, having been summoned in here moments ago by my eager friend. We exchange amused glances, as Eyla pops the top off her marker, straightening.“Okay, so here’s the plan.”“This should be good," Hale murmurs over the top of his glass.“To find your mate, we are going to have to narrow down our searches. Now tell us, Vaela, what do you look for in a mate?” Eyla asks, raising a quizzical brow in my direction.Startled, I look toward Hale for help, but he merely shrugs his shoulders, smirking as he takes a long drink.“You know this isn’t how I find a mate. It could be anyone,” I remind her. I have no intuition about who my mate could be at all.Eyla rolls her eyes at my lack of cooperation. “This will help, trust me. Law of attraction.”“I don’t think that applies here," Hale muses.Eyla's fist clenches around her marker a little tighter. “We can do witho

-Mature Content Warning! Read At Your Own Discretion!*~VaelaI wander into the dining room, fatigue weighing down upon me mercilessly.Hale’s eyes glitter as I sit opposite him at the table. "Good morning.""Morning,” I grumble in response.I don’t feel well. Not sick, but my entire body feels tight, uncomfortable. I know Hale notices, watching me intently as I lean back in my seat, uninterested in any of the food at the table."You don't appear to have slept very well last night." He’s not asking. He’s making it obvious he knows, teasing me into his sick game. I’m not in the mood to play it.My jaw settles into a hard line. "Had other things on my mind."The edge of his mouth tilts up. Bastard."Well then. Any plans for the rest of the day?" He asks, stiring a small spoon through his coffee, eyes never leaving mine."Not particularly."He takes a sip of his drink. "I think I may do some painting.""Good for you."I can't believe I heeded his warning last night. Had I any sense of d

~VaelaI wish I knew what it was with Pureblood and mountainous ranges.It appears Sinful is an enjoyer of the quiet too, considering his magnificent manor is perched atop a flat mountain, looking over a few villages dotted about.Now I'm looking at him, and he’s exactly as I pictured.He's tall and slender, the graceful lines of his face at odds with his amused smile, lavender coloured eyes tracing over me with as much judgment as I inflict on him."This isn't a casual visit, I'm afraid." There's a firmness in Hale's tone, setting an immediate boundary.Sinful ignores him, still looking at me."I have a feeling this has something to do with you," he purrs. My throat tightens under his scrutiny. Being so vulnerable to powerful people has become commonplace for me recently, and yet I'm still utterly terrified.As calmly as possible, I straighten. "I'm Vaela.""Mortal, huh?" He rests his arm against the doorframe, still grinning."Not by choice,” I mutter."She fell into the spell I mad

~VaelaMy hands drag over the craggy cave walls as I struggle my way into the part of the cave Hale retreats to when he wants to paint.Sure enough, a brush is in his hand, as he crouches down, working on a particularly detailed aspect at the bottom of the painting. It's a night sky. It hurts to look at, knowing I haven't seen one in quite a few weeks.I seat my hands in my pockets. "I've made a decision."Hale straightens, dumping his brush on his metal tray. "Is that right?""I want to go out again," I decide.Finding my mate has nothing to do with this now. What I need is a distraction that isn't Hale. Being around him in most of my waking moments is getting to be too much, and with Will gone and Eyla busy, I need fresh company.Hale rubs his hands together, fingers stained with midnight purple and cobalt blue. "For how long?"I chew on my lower lip. "Not long. Just a night.""A night? You may get sick..." he frowns."Okay, for a small portion of the night, then," I sigh. I wish I