EVELYN.
The ticking of the clock is loud in my ears as I await his return. He said Zerachielâs going to spend time with me. I hide my smile, trying to pay attention to the movie.
Evangeline never cared for leisure much, always wanting to please others, but me? The only person I want to please is Zerachiel⦠Heâs never even looked my way, especially since my wolf died.
From all our past lives, this is the first time either Zedkiel or Zerachiel have even treated me like a being with emotionsâ¦
I donât know how to feel about thatâ¦
My heart squeezes painfully as I stare at the Screen, unseeing. All I want is his acknowledgment. And Zedkiel⦠He certainly doesnât care for me. After all, heâs the one who kills meâ¦
That time is nearing again when my own mate will kill me.. but this time Zedkielâs been almost nice⦠Or itâs all just a front because heâs planning something.
The seed of self-doubt licks at the simmering flames inside of me. The urge to destroy everything rises as that doubt grows inside of me.
Be calm.. or he wonât spend time with us.. well me, Luna is trying to get free and Evangeline, sheâs stuck in the space between the two realms.
I chuckle internally. No one can save her, not even Zedkiel, and heâll become all mine.
It was always Evangeline who was his favourite.
He took her to every occasion, every festival. She was the one he chose for everything.
What does she even have that I donât?
The darkness is growing inside of me and I quickly push the negative thoughts away.
Zerachiel will spend time with me. If I keep myself in control, things will only improve.. Maybe they will work out even better than I could ever hope for.
My eyes flit to the man in the room. Kash the loyal follower, at the same time those green eyes turn on me, watching me keenly. I simply stare back, unblinking. Neither of us speak and he just sits there.
After a few moments, he looked away first, but I know heâs still observing me from the corner of his eyes.
In every lifetime thereâs a loyal friend. oh did I mention they always die first?
I giggle at the thought; I wonder how heâd die this time? Taking a shot for his queen, trampled to death, killed by his best friend? Or a spear through the heart, maybe? Oh, the options were endless!
But it would make Zedkiel sad regardless of how he meets his deathâ¦
Oh, who cares.
I shrug to myself, glancing at the time again.
How much longer?
Itâs a short while later when the door opens and I smile as I spring to my feet when I sense him.
Heâs back.
His scent is like a drug, and I inhale it happily. He makes me feel happyâ¦
âThanks, Kash, get some rest.â He says to him.
Kash nods and I know they just mind-linked something.
Well, I have been behaving so I donât care. I want him gone quickly.
He shuts the door after Kash leaves, and my heart skips a beat when he locks it.
âHow was the movie?â He asks, pushing his sleeves up and undoing an extra button of his shirt.
I canât help but look at his chest which peeks out.
So handsomeâ¦
Why was I the one blessed with a mate who doesnât even care for me?
âNot gruesome enough. How do they think thatâs even scary? If they knew how I killed the oracle- oh, that would be fun to watch.â
I see him frown slightly and so I decide not to delve into the details of exactly how I finished her.
âHow did your talk go?â I ask.
âFine.â
âSo, did you tell him about me?âI ask. He pauses and frowns.
âNo, I got distracted.â
Heâs telling the truth; I know that much.
âShame you even had the chance away from me.
I hum as I step closer to him.
He crosses his arms and c***s a brow. âI could mind link him, if I wanted. I told you, Evelyn, Iâm going to fix this, for us allâ
He sounds like he means i.. but does he really?
Iâm always cheated..
âIl believe it when I see it.â I,say quietly, my chest brushes his and as much as I want to run my hand along his shaft. I know heâll just push me away, like he always doesâ¦
âSure.â He says, about to turn away when I quickly grab onto his shirt.
âYou said Zerachiel will spend some time with me.â I say, my heart skipping a beat.
He stops and I see his gold eyes soften. âIâm sorry, heâs being a bastard.â
There. I knew it!
My head feels like itâs being squeezed, and my heart is thumping.
âBut if you want, I can spend time with you instead.â He says softly.
I freeze, bringing myself back from the intense pounding and the doubts that were beginning to eat me up inside.
âJust to calm me.âI declare.
âNo, because I made you a promise that he refused to fulfil. We are leaving at dawn, but we have a little time before bed. Tell me, what do you want to do?â
I stare at him. A part of me wants to believe he caresâ¦
I want to dance with you.â
Because you deprived me of it.. every time you picked her to danceâ¦
âSure, I donât really dance, but we can dance.â
âMusic.â I say.
He picks up the remote and plays around until music begins playing.
âSomething softer.â I order, tapping my chin.
He nods until he presses buttons switching through the channels. âStop!â
He obeys and I take a moment to let the music wash over me, itâs soothing, soft yet⦠heart- breaking.
He places the remote down and steps closer to me.
Will I finally have my first dance with him?
Centuries later?
I place my hands around the back of his neck and he slowly places his hands on my waist as I gradually begin swaying to the music. He follows after a moment, and I can sense his hesitance, but at least heâs giving me some time even if Zerachiel doesnât want toâ¦
Neither of us speaks and I know heâs thinking about her. Even if heâs with me, sheâs the one on his mind.
She always is..
I close my eyes, resting my head on his chest.
My first dance, my first dance with my mate, and probably the last.
A single tear slips down my cheek, but I donât understand it⦠Crying doesnât make sense⦠it hasnât for centuries⦠the feeling is. foreign.
But something about this moment, I think âIl remember it.. even when this all comes to an endâ¦
Iâll remember our moment because even if he doesnât love me⦠I love him.
ZEDKIEL.
An entire day has -passed, and itâs evening. We have set out and are travelling in a 7-seater jeep. I am currently driving with Evelyn sitting in the seat next to me. That evil that surrounds her lingers constantly. Faint but present.
Yet last night, I had felt it disappear for a few moments and I had thought Evangeline was back, only to realise she wasnât. As much as that broke me inside, I realised that Evelyn needed that too.
Now more than ever, Iâm sure we are doing the right thing..
Somewhere inside is the Evelyn before the curse.
Sheâs quiet for the most part. Even when we stop for food, she simply sat there quietly.
Kash thinks sheâs planning something, but honestly, Iâm certain she isnât.
âShall we stop? Weâve been driving for hours.â
Ragnar suggests from the back. âI need to f*****g stretch my legs.â
âWeâre far too close to the Night Shade Pack,â I mutter, I can relate though. My legs are cramped up too. Weâve been driving for hours.
âAnd? Itâs momâs pack. They wonât do shit to us.
Weâre just passing by.â He says confidently.
Iâm not so sure⦠not sure that even Kash would be ok with itâ¦
âLetâs not risk it.â Kash says icily.
âWeâre not stopping.â I agree firmly.
Ragnar scoffs his displeasure but doesnât say anything else.
Itâs a short while later, and I am reconsidering that stop. Iâm tired and we need to take a pit stop because the weather is getting worse too. Iâm not driving fast, itâs too foggy and no matter how good my sight is, I feel blind.
Suddenly something slams into the car. Evelyn gasps and Adonis swears as the car is thrown off the rocky mountain pass. It hits the rocky wall of the mountain, and the windows shatter as the car is thrown around violently.
âEve!â I growl. Itâs the first thing that goes through my mind. I need to protect her and Evangeline!
The metal crunches as weâre f*****g thrown around like f*****g sacks, not one of us was belted in and my arms instantly grab Eve, pulling her close, I grab the side of the car, not caring as the glass shard cuts into my palm. My only concern is to protect her.
This reminds me of when I had pushed her car off the cliffâ¦
Guilt at the memory would consume me, but Iâm more focused on our survival.
âHold on!â I shout.
Her arms lock tightly around my neck. She gasps as I feel her tense and see her aura glow as she tries to do something and I feel the car slow slightly seconds before it crashes into the rocks beneath us.
I swear as the impact tears through the car, a sharp jagged rock pierces through Evelynâs door, where she had been only moments earlier.
Pain rips through me and the smell of b***d fills my nose as the car is thrown into the air and hits the ground once more. I donât know whoâs hurt, but someone is.
âF**kâ¦â Evelyn murmurs as someone g****s from the back.
âWe need to get out! Itâs going to blow! Jeremiah shouts, and I hear him struggling to kick the back door right off.
âGet everyone out.âI snarl, climbing out.
I lift Evelyn out, placing her down just as I rip off the back of the car.
Adonis seemed to have gotten the majority of the impact and heâs covered in b***d. His eyes are shut, and his breathing is laboured.
Shit⦠noâ¦
I lift him out just as Kash and Ragnar manage to free themselves. The smell of oil and something burning reaches my nose.
F**k⦠the engine.
Itâs going to blow.
âRun!â I shout.
We all turn, but we donât get far as the car erupts into flames and weâre all hit by the blast. I drop Adonis, as weâre thrown into the sky and then back on the ground again.
Pain envelopes my body, but at least weâre all alive⦠I can hear their heartbeats..
I g***n.
Where is she?â Zerachielâs panicked voice comes.
Evelyn..
I scan the surrounding area, trying to find her as I push myself onto my hands and knees.
My heart is thumping as I slowly begin to heal. I spot her body lying not fà r from Ragnar, when the sound of footsteps reaches me and I look up sharply.
âShit.â Ragnar mutters as he gets up, moving closer to Evelyn.
I look up, searching the area, with the fire illuminating the sky. Even the smoke canât hide them and I spot the approaching party.
There are about fifteen, if not more, all tall, powerful and in black. Yet itâs the woman in the middle who clearly holds the most power from them all.
Sheâs tall, with dark skin that glows in the flames, and sheâs dressed all in black leather and heels.
Vampiresâ¦
Her glowing red eyes are not fixed on me but on someone else, and I turn to follow her gaze as she walks over to none other than Kash. She crouches down in front of him and places a gloved finger under his chin, forcing him to look up.
âWell, well, well.. You did exactly what we wanted⦠Well done.â She says, her voice is deep, melodic and powerful.
My eyes widen in shock as I stare between her and Kash.
My stomach twists as those words sink in, but I refuse to believe them.
What the f**k is going on?