*VICKY*The next evening, I stood in front of my bedroom mirror and gazed at myself. My pale skin contrasted beautifully against the navy blue evening gown Leon had purchased the day before. I topped it off with some long black earrings and a black clutch bag that I had thrifted in Newtons City as a 'just in case' accessory.I looked stunning; to the human eye, even moreso. But I couldn't stop thinking about the box lying in my living room from Markus. After opening it, I couldn't bring myself to move it. Instead of facing my problems head on, I decided to leave it and go about my daily tasks. Except, everytime I returned home, it was there, like a constant reminder of my past melding with my future.God, why now? Talk about ill timing. It was like a consistent reminder that Leon's life was in danger, and now that we were bonded, whoever was after him, would have even more incentive to attack. I needed to get to the bottom of it before it was too late—but there was still that part o

*LEON*When the appointed time came, I arrived outside of a small shop. The sign attached was an old flip sign that read 'closed', but I knew better. I put a hand on the door and pressed it open. For some reason, I was very nervous, moving the journal in my hand to the other. I knew to anyone outside of myself that this looked shifty, but she wasn't telling me what was going on and clearly wasn't going to.Despite only knowing Vicky for a short period of time, I knew her, and now that we were bonded, that familiarity grew. I don't know how, but I could tell something was off, and I needed to figure it out. If I could help her in any way…"We're closed!" a voice bellowed. Two seconds later, it was accompanied by a short, elderly man with grey hair wearing a pair of glasses around his neck. "Oh, Leon, my boy. I thought you were a customer." "I'm not a customer?" I joked, approaching the wooden counter. "You've been visiting me every month since you were fresh out of high school.

*VICKY*After my evening with Leon, things went radio silent between us for a few days; at work and in our personal life. He was angry—and had every right to be—-but he was also giving me space to come to my own conclusions. Conclusions I realized I needed to deal with before it was too late. Leon was right. He could protect himself, and if he was willing to jump into the fire with me, who was I to deny him that? He was his own person making his own decisions, and he deserved the opportunity to make those choices for himself. Not have me do it for him. I picked up my phone and dialed his number. If someone was using him as a bargaining chip, and his life truly was in danger, he needed to know. The call rang three, then four times. For a minute, I wasn't sure he was going to answer. Then I heard the phone line click."Hello?"I felt instantly comforted by the sound of his voice. He was okay. The man I had talked to in the park wasn't lying, at least about that. "I'm ready to ta

*VICKY*The next day, the morning sun beat down on my face as I waited outside the fountain for Leon's arrival. I continuously looked around for movement and smelt the air for Leon's distinctive smell. Nothing. I'd been here for over an hour, long past when Lord Tybrius said they'd arrive and still saw nothing. Just then, a gust of wind came flying toward me, and when I opened my eyes, I saw the Elder Messenger and a flustered Leon carrying a duffle bag on his shoulder. The strap fell as they came to a complete halt. "When you said you'd send a Messenger…that was not what I was anticipating." I couldn't contain myself anymore. Knowing he was here and safe, I rushed into his arms and was happy to feel the hug reciprocated. "I'm so glad you're okay," I muttered into his chest. His body relaxed at my touch, and he bent down to kiss the top of my head. "Me too." He then pushed me back and held me at arms length. "But I need you to tell me what's going on. Everything." I nodded

*LEON*At night, the manor was brightly lit by prearranged lights. The young ladies and heirs of various rich families were dressed generously in expensive semi-formal dresses and button-downs. Everyone looked like a model, but my attention was fixed on the woman beside me.Vicky was wearing the champagne-coloured strapless dress I had Mason grab for her. Despite being a last-minute outfit, it was an ideal fit. The hem of the dress just covered her thighs, and the matching high heels on her feet accentuated the perfect curve of her calves. Her middle-length hair was casually draped over her shoulders. She looked so natural, but in my eyes, she was the most beautiful woman tonight. But I also saw the worry on her face as she folded up the piece of paper in her hand and held it there."What?" she asked once she realized I was staring. "You good?" I pointed toward her hand."Oh," she said shaking her head. "Yeah, just a piece of garbage. Don't worry about it. Now go. Do your thing