He pulled away and looked at me, holding my head back so that I looked into his pleading eyes. “I love you, only you. You know that so please don’t doubt my love for you or the twins.”I knew that, but Sabrina was standing in the living room disputing how much he truly loved me.I went to pull away but Ash pulled me back, trapping me in a long desperate kiss.And for the first time, I felt his heart beat in sync with mine. I felt his soul touch mine in a connection that was more than physical intimacy. Every single thing of him intertwined with every single thing of me. We were one and the same.And yet...“How much of an influence does my blood have on you?” I whispered breathlessly on his lips.“Like an energy drink would have on you. And yet it feels like I’ve just kissed the true you for the first time. You feel more a part of me than you ever did before. I don’t think I’ve wanted you

Then everything in the room changed. I felt sick to my stomach. I moved back and put a hand over my mouth. I was aware of everyone, even my twins felt different but more like Ben. I looked at them. For a moment their eyes looked different but I couldn’t be sure. I felt too sick to be sure of anything in that moment. Loud hisses filled the room and then I was standing far away, Ash’s arms around me. “Lee, what’s wrong?” That was Maria’s voice. I felt a hand on my cheek and I knew that was her too. It was human. “I don’t know.” I whispered. “She’ll be fine once this is over.” Ben called out. I looked at him. His eyes had changed. I turned to Joe, his eyes were gold and his grip on Maria was tight. She was tucked into him, her eyes shifting between Ann and me. I leaned my head back against Ash’s chest and bit my teeth together as the back of my neck burned. “Just take a deep breathe,” Ash whispered in my ear. I did as instructed, and with each breath the pain subsided to being be

“Felt...” the words died on her lips when a harsh burn scorched down her back. The tattoo there burnt fiercely like a fire razing down and entire forest. She wanted to scream but the only sound that parted her lips was a struggled cry. It hurt, worse than it did the first time she felt it. She felt Samson’s arms tighten around her, holding her stiffened body upright.When it was finally over, she fell into his embrace, her body still buzzing with the painful sensation.“How...?” she choked out.Samson carried her to the couch and sat down, cradling her against his chest. “Merilee is alive.”Merilee? She wanted to ask which one but it was obvious. The only time she felt her magick part from her with such excruciating pain was the night Martha came into her powers.If she was not wrong, Merilee was a few months shy of nineteen... wasn’t this happening late?She shook her head to clear her hazy mi