This is work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright© Avery Song & Veronica Agnus , 2021

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

The publisher is not responsible for website (or their content) that are not own by the publisher.

This eBook/Paperback is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook/Paperback may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.

Cover Design by Covers By Christian Bentulan

Editing by

Rainlyt Editing

Format: Avery S.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgement

Blurb

Prologue: Awakened To The Land Of The Merciful

1.  The Kingdoms Of Delphine

2.  Glimpse Of Our Kingdom: Part One

3.  Glimpse Of Our Kingdom: Part Two

4.  Royal Advisor Problems

5.  At Your Service And Unique Connection

6.  Farewell And Reunited As Strangers

7.  Year Two Of Blossoming Power: Part One

8.  Year Two Of Blossoming Power: Part Two

9.  Assembly Of Illusions And Position Of Power

10.  Anything For You

11.  Class Of Royal Survival And Healing Flames: Part One

12.  Class Of Royal Survival And Healing Flames: Part Two

13.  Uncertain And Dangerous

14.  Rivalries And Class Of Threatened Tension

15.  Thirst And Rejuvenation

16.  A Date In Winter Wonderland

17.  Don’t Go And Be My Puppeteer

18.  The Grand Ball Of Royalty

COMING SOON - BLOODY ROSARY 3

SNEAK PEEK - WOLF AWAKENED

WOLF AWAKENED BLURB

Prologue: Forbidden Fruit

ABOUT AVERY SONG

Also By Avery Song

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you for purchasing Bloody Rosary Academy - Year Two.

Thank you to all my readers for supporting this book series! Your patience is much appreciated.

Special thanks to my amazing Mom for blessing me with the gift to write and supporting me in all aspects. I pray to continue making you proud as I strive towards success.

Finally, I thank God for giving me the strength to achieve my goals.

Without Him, I would be nothing.

AVERY SONG

BLURB

Hail Mary, full of grace. Thanks to your mercy, the truth has been revealed.

Awakened by the blood of my ancestors, I join with those who will empower me to rise to my birthright, my throne. In this moment, I can finally breathe, and while I see the light that beckons, my future is shrouded in darkness.

Three princes stand at my side: a prince of fae on a newfound mission to claim what is rightfully his. A prince of blood who grows wiser and stronger in the depths of night. And a third prince, a mystery wrapped in rage and uncertainty, one who knows just how cruel this world can be.

Year two of Bloody Rosary is here, and the trials are far worse than previously suggested. The strong and cruel will rise while the innocent and weak plummet to their demises. Holy Mary, it is time I forsake the lessons bestowed upon me, for revenge is as sweet as a glass of my enemies’ blood.

You did not forsake me. This dreadful world did, and it’s time I show it a valuable lesson. I pray that this will not be my last spoken word to you as I cling to the golden beads of thy rosary. But, with the scythe bestowed to me by fate, I must unleash a wave of bloodshed.

I will rise, and all who disobey me will feel my wrath.

Amen.

PROLOGUE: AWAKENED TO THE LAND OF THE MERCIFUL

In the world of submerged slumber, the golden beads that reside in my grasp twinkle within the depths of darkness.

Hovering in the deep shadows of the holy waters gave me both tranquility and drive as I continued to meditate. The world around me was silent, and the bubbling acknowledgment of my submerged state was drifting away the longer I remained within the realm of the water’s captivity.

A peaceful place to be.

It was incredibly tranquil in the turquoise waters that surely carried the reaper of death that awaited my demise. The souls who had surely died at the hands of the chilled waters of desolation were all around me. The fluid that gave life and stole it with just as much grace, concealed me from the world of negativity that wished to plague my existence and stop me from aspiring to my destiny.

The evil within the flesh of men and women with power that thrums through their veins and the shiny crowns that sit upon their supernatural heads threatened me. The destructive force that wished for me to never be close to the ascension I’d proclaimed for myself not long ago wanted me dead.

These waters could either empower or kill those who weren’t worthy of salvation. My beating heart confirmed I deserved to enjoy their threatening yet divine healing properties, while I thought of my enemies.

They’d yet to acknowledge their defeat.

Their plans to belittle, silence, and be rid of my existence fell apart like sliced pieces of thread that were far too fragile to survive the blades of justice.

I pitied these individuals who wished for my demise. I pitied the adults, peers, and those who wished nothing but my downfall when they’d only heard a speck of my name. They wished to crucify me before I could get close to prosperity, and today was the day it would all end.

Today was the beginning of a revolution of bloody vengeance.

They knew my name.

They knew my heritage.

And with the snap of their fingers, they stole that away.

Those beings of selfish banter who wished for me to choose a side decided that my parents were nothing but wastes of space in this vast land of authority and magical blossoming, ending their lives before my eyes.

By God’s mercy, at the hands of Headmaster Wei, I was offered a choice.

To allow my parents to perish or to forget about them, those I love, my destiny, and my purpose until the strike of my eighteenth birthday.

Eight years of questioning and uncertainty.

I’d faced the anxiety of not knowing who I once was, and have to try to discover who I was destined to be on this path of life that was graced upon my head by the Creator.

Those bastards of authority were the reason why I now hid within these waters - meditating, concentrating, and determined to seek the ultimate vengeance. The beads of gold that were still tainted by blood were in my grasp and my body was thrumming with boiling tribulation.

The internal suffering begged for freedom, begged me to reap these beings who dared to try to ruin my life, my love path, and my prosperity.

All because of the greed of these people of royal nature, years of my blessed livelihood and position in the Delphine family were stolen out of selfishness.

My family of fae and vampires.

With my awakened power brewing within me, I was excited to identify each of them, to be the bringer of death with a cape passed down by my father and the golden crown bestowed upon me by my mother.

Their ends would come one by one, the angel of justice following my stead as I carried the scythe of my blood and the beads of my destiny, and reaped all who had wished for nothing but my downfall since the day of my creation.

My ambitions were big, far too big for an eighteen-year-old, and yet it felt so fucking right to yearn for the blood of my enemies and to devise the perfect plot to lead them to a path of bloodshed and destruction.

They had earned these consequences by trying to ruin my life prematurely, and I would take great pleasure in watching their downfalls, one by one.

Those who wished for I, Lucinda Delphine, to suffer, be mocked, be nothing but trash upon the floor, and begged for my crucifixion, would soon feel the wrath of my blade as I worked upon my own goals.

They had been lucky only because I was not awakened.

Now that I am, the tables have turned. Now is the right moment to reap each of their souls like the villain I’ve become.

I opened my eyes to stare at the surface of the water that was far above. The twinkles of the hint of sunlight began to cut through the desolate surface of the calm night, alerting me that dawn was soon approaching.

I’d been beneath these waters for hours - meditating and fighting the urge to reap destruction in the wake of the world around me.

My thirst for vengeance was difficult to control, especially with the thrumming energy that continued to pulse through me after my awakening.

I had been revived as the person I should have become. I was now the emotionless woman of omnipotence who desired to let the flood gates of blood and death wreak havoc through the kingdoms that had desired to see nothing but my family’s downfall.

The mere thought would have made me laugh like a maniac if I wasn’t within these deep waters, but my lips curled in satisfaction as I calmed my mind that wished to bring my thoughts to fruition and allow my actions to speak louder than the words I’d released for manifestation purposes.

The purpose of meditating in these waters was to put me in a state of calm, which had been recommended by Headmaster Wei herself. She was the savior of my parents, the savior I looked upon that fateful day as my parents laid there, lifeless, at my feet.

Without her tainting her hands, I would be dead. I knew that without a doubt. My survival was thanks to her mercifulness that cost me a price.

A price I’d pay again and again.

She would be one of the many individuals to aid me in the next four months of summer vacation.

My original plans of spending time with my destined lovers, Tobias Hart and Kane Mortica, were now on hold. Even the possibility of spending time with my best friend, Pearl Indigo, was pushed to the side.

My love for them was still inside me, but the priority to grow unstoppable was stronger, and they would respect my decision once they knew of the circumstances that revolved around the selfish decision.

I must grow stronger if I wish to survive whatever trials await us in Year Two at Bloody Rosary Academy.

The school was cherished by my parents. It was the place that brought royals together to train them to become the best of the best. However, the true motive was to bring together a bunch of royal children with the golden ticket: a once-in-a-lifetime shot at royal domination.

The trials we’d faced in Year One were surely nothing in comparison to what awaited us. I could feel that in my bones that trembled from the sheer cold of the waters that fought to debilitate me.

How different I felt compared to the woman who had arrived with her golden rosary in hand, ready to find some sort of truth to her unknown, blocked past. Now that the truth had been revealed, I was a changed woman.

I was a fae vampire hybrid who desired more than just revenge.

My body thrummed with the justice I would deliver to every single being who wished nothing but ill for me. It was the reason why I agreed to the vigorous training that was awaiting me. And it all began with this trivial test of wit as I continued to hold my breath at the bottom of these waters.

I closed my eyes and returned to prayer, needing Mother Mary, God Almighty, and the grace of the Holy Spirit to aid me in what I was preparing to accomplish.

My people on both sides of the spectrum of supernatural supremacy thought I would be the Son who came down to bear the sins of us all and prove that the Almighty existed.

Instead, I was the female child that had now grown into a woman. And it was now time to perform the miracles of lawfulness to those who deserved to be sentenced for their true crime that was hidden in the shadows of wealth, authority, and abundances of magic.

My mind flickered when I sensed the signal from above - the verification that my time was up, and I could now arise to receive my score that would acknowledge my strengths and weaknesses.

I couldn’t wait to receive those results and get stronger, but I couldn’t help but pause in my departure and say a little prayer.

Oh Merciful One, I call upon you, my Lord, almighty and powerful. The truth has been revealed to your daughter, thanks to your kindness and respect for my questions to be answered. I’ve lived a life of lost wonder but have prospered forward while making new connections and somehow finding my path back to my destined roots.

I paused to emphasize my statement, feeling the holy presence around me in the sacred deepness of the waters.

I’m grateful for this chance at vengeance but am more thankful to be alive with even more strength than you reserved for my uprising. Protect those I love while I focus on my growth and give me the strength to endure what needs to be sustained for the sake of my external freedom.

I paused again as the warmth of the beads told me my connection with the prime above was fierce beyond measure. This was my moment to say what had to be acknowledged before the deeds began.

I will not lie to you, Almighty. Blood will be shed. Lives will be lost. Betrayal will be the root of all evil, and all those who wished for nothing but my destruction will now reap what they’ve wished upon me. Their blood will cloak my hands and scythe, and their souls will drift from this world as they suffer the consequences of their cruel crimes. I’m a sinner, just like them, but forgive me for the deeds I must do to deliver justice.

My lips smiled widely as the bible quote flooded my mind.

May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay. Let them all enjoy my wrath, and may you one day forgive me, Father, for the extent of blood I’m willing to shed for the sake of igniting a new world of peace. Forgive me.

With that, I lifted the golden beads to my lips and pressed them firmly against the soft surface while my eyes looked at the streams of light that began to twinkle downward as if they begged for me to come to the light.

I was more than ready to reach the surface, but I had to end my prayer to seal what would occur once and for all with the Universe as my witness.

May the world bow down to my growth and authority, while all those who defy in the lands of selfishness, beg and suffer by my hands of justice. Amen.

1

THE KINGDOMS OF DELPHINE

As I cut through the surface of the water, I allowed my lungs to fill with air. It felt good to breathe again, though I already missed the silence these waters delivered compared to the thundering sound of the waterfall that was to my far left.

I swam towards the stone steps that were molded with gold engraved cement and walked out of the inner oasis. Two maids bowed in acknowledgment before rushing to don the soft magenta robe with gold trimming upon my body while one presented me fuzzy slippers after drying my feet with the warmth of wind magic.

They bowed when I was dry and wrapped in the sizzling hot robe, waiting for me to leave so they could do their own thing.

“Queen Lucinda awaits your arrival, Princess. Do you need one of us to escort you?” one of the maids inquired.

“Not necessary,” I replied and gave them a slight smile. “Your loyalty is much appreciated. Work hard and retire once your duties are complete.”

“Yes, Princess,” the second maid said in gratefulness.

“Thank you, Princess,” the first one replied. The two of them remained bowed down as I headed to the exit.

Once I was in the cool halls of the castle, I followed my instincts and the thread of magic that thrummed with power, guiding me to the one who called for me.

My golden orange orbs were unable to not appreciate the vast beauty of this new land, this place that had become the hidden fruit of our family and that was the soon to be kingdom that would arise from its shelter. Soon the world would know the Delphine kingdom was alive and well.

I was impressed that I was adapting to the sudden change so well. Or maybe it had yet to fully sink in that I was walking within these golden walls, in a space decorated with the finest furniture of gold, magenta, and red.

It amazed me how the castle lit up when it sensed your company before returning to its calming onyx walls. It was clear that it had a mind of its own.

My parents had invested well in this creation. It was as if they knew a day would come when they’d be thrown into circumstances beyond their control and so they set out on a mission to remain dead to the world.

It was a shame that such a hidden masterpiece had to be invisible to the sight of the world, but I knew it was only temporary. It was only a matter of time before we rose from the ashes our enemies set up for us.

We’d enact our revenge in due time.

Turning right, I walked down the silent hall, my steps just as quiet. My memory recalled these walls during the days when I was but a child.

“MOMMY? Why is it so dark in this castle?”

“It’s dark because it’s night time, sweet Luci,” Mother replied with a wide grin as she held my hand.

“But it was day time when we got here,” I whined.

“That’s on the outside world,” she revealed and came to a stop. I followed and moved to face her, jumping up and down as I continued to hold her hand.

“Is it magic?!” I squealed the question, which made Mother’s eyes that reflected mine soften in loving adoration.

“Definitely magic, but there’s more to it,” she whispered like it was a secret. I paused in my jumping jubilee, leaning in closer to listen carefully to what she was going to say next.

“This castle is like a universe of its own.”

“A universe on its own? Meaning…it’s a world on its own?”

“Yes.” Mother nodded. “It determines when it’s day time or night time. Just like the weather that falls upon our enclosed lands. When it’s night time for a long period of time, it means this world is trying to protect us from anyone lurking around, trying to discover its hidden walls.”

“Protect us,” I gasped. “That’s nice of the castle world! Does that mean when it’s day time with the sun, it’s safe?”

“Yes,” Mother answered and reached over to pick me up. “It means that we can exert more energy in our land without being detected. We do naturally experience day and night, but if the darkness is prolonged for a long period of time, it’s for our best interest and safety.”

“This world is amazing,” I praised and lifted my hands up as if to give thanks. “Please protect us from evil! We will serve you with gratitude in return. May our Heavenly Father bless your lands and deem you invincible!”

A soft breeze rushed through the windows to wrap around us, lifting our hair and bringing giggles out of me as I wiggled in Mother’s hold.

“Mommy! The land replied to me!”

“Yes, she did,” Mother replied and kissed my forehead. “She’s very happy that you took the time to bless her. In return, she’ll protect us when we need her mercy and favor.”

“I’m glad,” I replied with the biggest smile. “Surely, she’ll aid us when we need it the most!”

“Agreed,” Mother laughed. “Let’s get changed into our pajamas, shall we?”

“Yes, Mommy!”

I PAUSED in my movement as the memory faded back to the chambers of my mind, into the chest that kept the memories I’d forgotten in safekeeping for me to slowly review after losing them all.

I’d yet to open that chest, instead allowing memories to come and go as they pleased rather than forcing myself to review them all at once. I was still adjusting to this awakened journey that had left me feeling far older than an eighteen-year-old.

I felt as if I’d lived longer; the wisdom that flowed within my mind stemmed from the knowledge I once carried as a child from the royal training I received from my loving parents.

My hand reached out to press against the cool golden stone that flickered with red and magenta sparks of magic. Its appearance made the stone look transcendent in nature, the colors changing depending on the way the moonlight flickered upon it, or, in this case, the beginning streams of sunlight that brushed against the beautifully rich rock beneath my fingertips.

I inhaled deeply, catching onto the aroma of the vast flowers from the garden below. I remembered what Mother had stated about the flowers shifting in nature at the brink of sunrise.

I wished to smell the sweet rose aroma that brought so much tranquility to me one last time before they changed to the vast tulips and sunflowers that would dance in the sunlight that would cloak the sky in a matter of time.

Closing my eyes for a brief moment, I allowed myself to relax while mentally wishing this building more blessings for keeping my parents safe.

They were alive thanks to my sacrifice, but they had been kept within these walls for the eight years that the world deemed them perished, the Delphine throne on hold until my moment of ruling.

I could already envision what the nobles had to be plotting with me attending Bloody Rosary Academy. I could imagine them waiting to hear about my failure in the awakening ceremony so they could rejoice and fight for the throne none of them deserved to sit upon.

It was my rightful place to take, and after the truth of my parents’ survival was brought to the light, the world would bow down at our overflowing rush of power.

I knew my parents wouldn’t reveal themselves until I graduated from B.R.A. but I wished the three remaining years would fly by with a snap of my fingers.

They deserved to be free.

They deserved to walk the halls of extravagant dominance while reminding the world of the powerful blood that coursed through our veins.

Something landed on my shoulder, the soft added weight pulling me out of my thoughts and reminding me of my motive.

I glanced to my left to see a black bat sitting there. Its purple eyes with hints of red and orange left me intrigued because they reminded me of Tommy from the past. The choir boy had somehow managed to have contacts of bright blue to hide the true shade of those spheres that portrayed a sense of innocence.

With the blonde hair, he gave the perfect image of a holy choir boy - and carried the voice of a damn soprano angel who would have been the first to open the Gates of Heaven.

The boy who helped take away the innocence that came with sexual exploration seemed to come to my mind throughout the tedious journey the last eight months had delivered, but he was of the past.

Didn’t stop his name from coming to my mind.

I reached out to stroke the head of the tiny beast.

“You’ve been stalking me since my arrival,” I acknowledged as if I could communicate with the dark creature that patiently endured my curious affection. “Do I resemble my mother?”

It nodded its head slightly, spreading its wings out. The wings had inner red flaps that shifted to an intriguing purple. It settled back in place, snuggling closer to my neck as if it were readying itself for slumber.

“Don’t sleep on my shoulder,” I mumbled, but the conviction in my voice was practically nonexistent, giving the bat the opportunity to do exactly what I requested it not do.

I observed it closing its eyes, and just like that, it was sleeping away.

“I really gotta ask why this bat is following me,” I mumbled and decided to continue on my conquest to reach my mother’s room.

I’d yet to acknowledge that I’d been in this new sanctuary for three solid days.

Upon my arrival, all I could do was take it all in as I’d been escorted to my room for rest. I’d done my best to show my strength and endurance as we toured the important areas of the largely hidden castle, but my hybrid body wouldn’t manage more than that after the awakening.

Two packs of blood had been awaiting me along with some food. I finished everything, took a long shower, and had gone to bed for two days straight. Once I woke up, I was instructed to commence my training, which soon led to the meditation session I’d just experienced now.

I felt alive and wasn’t close to sleepy after a day of various activities, all while I waited to see my parents once again. I mentally praised myself for being able to stay calm and collected when I wished to let my guard down and live within the moment of being reunited with my parents after eight years. I was sure that time was coming.

I took a deep inhale, then let it out at the thought, trying to push down my desires to celebrate this hidden victory. I also had to remind myself that I wasn’t out of the woods yet. This place could harbor traps of its own and my parents would probably test me on their own accord.

I’d be lying if I didn’t acknowledge that I missed Pearl, Tobias, and Kane. I knew in the back of my mind that Professor Ara and Professor Alexander were somewhere around and knew of my unlocked awakening, but the others did not.

At the same time, I wondered if their awakenings was stealing them from our original summer plans to embark on their own journeys of growth. It felt wrong to not communicate my survival and perseverance to grow to them, but it also felt selfish for me to try and reach out to them if they were dealing with their own paths of awakened prosperity.

Summers come and go, but opportunities like these, blessed by our Heavenly Father to change our premade circumstances, were once in a lifetime. None of us could afford to push them aside for shits and giggles.

Communication was important, but situations like this? Unveiling the truth of our upbringings and what we have in store deep within ourselves was far more valuable in our development as we strove on the path towards royal matrimony.

We were one day going to be the kings and queens of our generation and kingdoms, and sadly, wickedness didn’t wait for anyone before it found a way to strike.

I secretly hoped that whatever endeavors they were enduring at this time, they would conquer them with strong hearts and the motive of us all reuniting at the start of the school term.

For now, I must focus on what must be done in preparation for the near future, strengthen myself for the inevitable.

When I reached the door of my mother’s chambers, I paused to look at the bat still perched upon my shoulder. As if sensing my intrigued gaze, it opened one eye to look at me.

“Aren’t you going to fly away or something?”

It sat there staring at me with its one eye, the single sphere clearly judging my intentions in waking up the poor creature who had some sort of fondness for me.

My lips formed into a frown but I couldn’t gather the energy to shoo the poor bat away. It felt like I’d been chosen by this bat, which only reminded me of Cinder and Ash.

I hope I’ll be able to return to those fae lands and visit them with Tobias.

“Hmph. Fine. Don’t get mad at me if you get shooed away,” I muttered, though I already doubted my mother would do such a thing.

I was basing my assumption on who I remembered from my childhood, the woman who loved life and all of Mother Gaia’s creations. Fae always had a soft side for animals, and this bat would probably soften her loving heart further thanks to the love for my father.

Turning my attention back to the door, I nervously stared at the exquisite details of the designed surface, trying to pause my movement a little longer.

Opening this door would awaken so many open wounds and yet it would deliver me the answers to so many of the burning questions I’d had for years. This was the true breakthrough I’d begged for all those years and I would finally face a part of my destiny our hidden villains were begging to be dusted beneath the rug.

The devil has failed in ridding my prosperity, for I am a child of God. The Mother Mary I pray to with the golden beads that delivered me to this very moment of time will aid me on this new path and see me through the end of this journey for justice.

The silent prayer was what I needed to take the steps forward as I opened the door and slipped into the dark room.

When the door closed, I was greeted with darkness. The inability to see what was before me wasn’t the reason why the hairs on my arms rose with urgency. The bat on my shoulder screeched in warning, which only made me smile at its kindness when I was still considered a stranger.

It didn’t realize I already knew of the approaching threat. I summoned my scythe the next second and pushed off the ground to avoid whatever crashed into the spot I’d been standing in.

Flipping through the air, I focused my energy on summoning my fae magic. The threads of elemental power came to my aid as spikes of spiraling wind exploded beneath my feet. I was carried through the air to avoid the next set of attacks.

The waves of teal wind blades glowed within the darkness, the charge of magical essence lighting my path before me as I avoided their sharp movements at the last second.

Ensuring the bat was still on my shoulder, I decided it was time to light this place up and see who my enemy was on this fine morning.

Cutting off the stream of magic that kept me afloat, I fell downward - avoiding the onslaught of flaming rings that wished to slice through me. Before my feet crashed into the ground, I sent surges of electric force to my toes, which triggered the lightning effect that exploded from my landing, sending waves of shocks that seemed to not only send sparks of lightning all around but ignited the room with rays of light. I suddenly realized that this wasn’t a living space but a training sector.

My enemy came out from the shadows, a rapier in their possession that was aimed to strike my neck in a matter of three seconds. I spun around and stopped their strike with my scythe. The impact sent waves of magic pulsing through the room and seemed to destroy whatever spell that plagued the room with sheets of black.

The room illuminated with the rays of sunlight that grew stronger by the second, all while I held my ground with my opponent, who was cloaked in a magnificent golden cloak that covered their face entirely as well as shielded their body.

I knew that I’d have to summon my own cloak that had been passed down from my father, but I hoped to use that as a last option. The individual holding me off wanted to see what I’d learned thus far on my journey, and it was about time to give them a glimpse of my power.

As if sensing my resolve, my opponent pushed me back with ease, sending me off my feet and flying back as they sliced the air with their silver rapier that glowed a vibrant gold and sent waves of flames and charged thunder that would electrocute their enemy upon impact - aka me.

“SHEILD AGAINST THY BLOOD THAT RUNS THROUGH MY ENEMY!” My command left my lips without my realization, the thrumming instinct to protect myself overriding my thinking process as the spell triggered my scythe to disappear and shields of magenta and gold to form in time to protect me from the aggressive attack.

The barrier shattered at the last attack, but it was my turn to deliver my counterattack. I slapped my hands together, which manifested sparks of dark magic that I hadn’t realized I possessed.

My surprise didn’t stop me from pursuing my purpose, and I summoned daggers of darkness to shoot my target. I kept one in my possession and sliced both my wrists in a graceful movement.

I swung my wrists, forcing my pouring blood to whip through the air, creating strings that began to multiply like a spider creating a web to capture their prey.

I moved forward in a flash, my movement but a blur until I was wrapped around my opponent and allowed more of my blood to rush out in urgency. My opponent attempted to cut through the fluid strings, but their liquid consistency solidified - stopping the enemy’s purpose as I finally pushed off the ground and mentally commanded the properties of my blood to further keep the individual captive.

The strings of blood did exactly that and more as they tightened around my opponent and the weapon they carried, all while I avoided the trap they set upon me. I swiftly turned in the air and summoned my scythe in time to block the massive needle-like icicles that fell from the sky to try and strike me down once and for all.

The weight of the single icicle that was pressed against my scythe was uncalled for as I began to fall towards the floor, but rushing waves of wind caught me. I gritted my teeth and pushed the boiling power of my magic outward through my feverish flesh, triggering a wave of heat so powerful that the heavy weight of ice began to evaporate.

In seconds, it was gone. I landed on the ground and quickly furthered my distance so I could face my opponent, who was still tied in my bloody trap. I could feel the dizziness from the loss of blood, but I fought through the urge to buckle to my own demise. I took a deep breath and widened my stance.

My fae side took that moment to come to the brink of the surface, and my wounded wrists began to heal swiftly. The action helped to reduce my sudden decline.

Catching my breath, I allowed my weapon to fade as I undid the robe that was upon me and tossed it away as if it were a weight upon my shoulders.

A target upon my flesh.

Staring at my cloaked enemy, I summoned the cloak of my father while allowing the crown of my mother to reappear upon my head. I stood there with nothing but the black cloak with the red velvet interior upon my shoulders and the royal hairpiece that sat on the crown side of my head, and awaited the judgment this individual would deliver as they took in the individual that was able to apprehend them.

The individual who deserved to carry the items of the Delphine family.

They remained still as they continued to stare at me, taking me in from head to toe as if this were my final judgment and every detail would determine if I rose up to the lands of Heaven or met my demise in the pits of Hell.

My threads of blood remained in their bundled glory. I was resolved to keep them around this individual but not tighten the force that begged to bring agony to my opponent.

We stood there in silence before the bat flew off my shoulder, flying to the middle spot between us and landing on my bloody strings. His weight was nothing at first, but my eyes widened as my bloody threads were sucked around him, the tugging force leaving me no choice but to let go as they unwrapped from my opponent and were absorbed into this spiral movement around the bat.

I couldn’t even gasp as my eyes widened at the growing figure. The tiny creature, now wrapped with my blood threads, was taller than my opponent and I. It lowered to the floor with a levitating movement, and the bloody threads burst into flickers of red that rained upon the being as their figure came to light.

My eyes widened at the tall 6′5″ male. His hair was a wonderful mix of red, orange, and purple. The roots of his shoulder-length hair were a purple magenta that transitioned to a dazzling neon orange with hints of red in a unique ombré effect.

His body was slim, but that didn’t discount the muscles that were surely hidden beneath the silky red dress shirt he wore with dark purple pants. I’d never seen such a unique dressing combination, and yet it somehow complemented this being whose black bat wings retracted into his back after they gave a final stretch in acknowledgment.

His hands were in his pockets and he was facing my opponent protectively as his back faced me. I couldn’t deny the flood of power that oozed off of his body. The vampire vibes were obvious, and yet I caught onto strands of fae that reminded me of myself.

I could see the tattoo that wrapped around his neck, and I wished to see if it was a neck tattoo only or if it moved along his tanned flesh.

The golden opponent crossed their arms over their chest, still not revealing who they were or what they wore, which seemed to trigger the protective individual before me as his soft yet enticing laughter carried through the air and triggered my hormones to jump wildly in glee.

Oh no, no, no. Y’all calm the fuck down. We ain’t claiming another boy. Can’t even juggle two boyfriends.

“Was that all really necessary, Queen Lisette?” the man inquired joyfully as the tension in his body in preparation for battle loosened significantly. “I thought grades were enough to prove Lucinda’s strength?”

I blinked at the man’s statement, looking at the golden opponent who lowered back their hood to reveal the bountiful waves of silver-white to blonde-orange curls that fell down to their original form as they cupped the woman’s flawless face.

One look brought back the moment in time when I awakened from the pool of blood and walked upon the cliff to be rewarded with the two individuals who had died in my name.

No matter the years that had passed, Mother hadn’t aged a bit.

She looks even grander than she did in the heart of my memories.

She stood at 6′2″ in height, and those golden orbs with flickers of orange locked upon mine as I stared at her in admiration. Fond memories of her radiant skin up close and the way her hair would lift up with the breeze that wrapped around us comfortably whenever we walked into the garden flooded through me.

I remembered those red lips that were just as extravagantly bright as they were in the past, their tender softness curling upward in a prideful smile that made those spheres that were identical to mine twinkle with happiness.

With the hood of the cape lowered, I could acknowledge the golden crown with the magnificent red jewel in the middle that always drew the world’s attention and utmost respect.

There was no need to think as I bowed my head in loyalty, which ignited that melodic laughter that made my heart swell in happiness.

“See, Thomas? That’s how you properly acknowledge royalty,” Mother began. “Do we need to go back to learning how to bow?”

Thomas? Why does his voice sound so familiar? Deep…but familiar.

“I’d be far too excited to participate in the lessons now that I know who I’m assigned to,” Thomas confessed with a sly tone to his voice. “Though, I expected we would have tested her after she’d donned some clothes.”

“Being naked doesn’t deem me incapable of fighting,” I voiced as I remained in my bowed position. That seemed to make him chuckle happily, the sound wrapped with a bit of madness which only left me more curious as to who this man was.

“My daughter,” Mother began, “lift thou head. You have proven your growth and pleased your queen. Carry your head up high with your victory.”

I did as commanded, noticing her loving smile that was directed at me as she snapped her fingers. The lights in the room turned on, just as I felt the exquisite set of clothing that now laid upon my flesh.

I wore a red dress that clung to my body like a glove and yet didn’t feel as though it constricted me in any way. My hair was dry and down in loose curls, and the golden rosary I’d been praying with was wrapped around my wrist as though it were the latest bracelet trend.

My feet were comfortably in a pair of red heels, and my skin was almost reflective under the light with whatever skin cream was magically placed upon my flesh.

“Good morning, Luci,” Mother greeted with softened eyes as she admired me from afar. “You’ve successfully passed the test. Congratulations.”

“Why did I expect something like that to happen?” I commented while my eyes tried to get a better view of the man whose back was still facing me.

He must have sensed my lingering gaze because he turned around there and then. Those familiar red and purple eyes danced with mirth as he took in my body like I was the most delicious-looking cake in the market.

Those eyes, his pale flesh that was contoured perfectly to accent his sharp jaw and high cheekbones…the dimples that made their appearance with his rather sickening smile, and the intense waves of lust that danced in those perceptive spheres that continued to observe me as I surveilled his appearance from head to toe, beginning to recognize him.

There was no doubt in my mind now who this man was, and the shock seemed to hit me harder than I would have wished to portray, leaving him to smile further before he bowed like a butler ready to serve his queen.

“Good morning, Princess Lucinda,” he greeted with utmost respect before he whispered, “It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

“There’s no way you’re who I think you are,” I commented with a frown. “Though, you’re a good stalker in that bat form of yours.”

“Stalking and observing are two different avenues. One is a little more dangerous than the other, but you wouldn’t allow a little bat to bring harm your way, now would you?”

“No,” I dryly commented before I whispered, “Tommy Hill.”

“One of my aliases, yes,” he replied and rose up to his full height once more. “Did you miss me, Luci?”

“No.” I purposely brushed my shoulder as if him sitting on it earlier in his bat form had left remnants of his magic upon me.

“So cold-hearted.” He innocently pouted his lips, feigning that side of chastity that had always helped him get away with any shit he’d pulled in the church years ago.

“That look ain’t going to trick anyone here,” I noted. “Especially looking like that.”

There was his manic smile once more, and he snapped his fingers, which caused his image to shift with a blink and left me gawking at the extremely attractive blond hair, blue eyes, and white suit of the man who stood in his place a second later.

“Then?” he began with a voice that had to be blessed by the angels. “What about now?”

“You’re still ugly,” I bluntly declared, even though my heart had already skipped a few beats and between my legs began to ache.

Fuck. Tommy Goody Two Shoes had a mega glow up and knows my damn family. Wait a minute.

“Why are you even here?” I continued, finally acknowledging his company. He grinned and walked over to me with a smooth movement, until he was behind me and whispering in my ear.

“I don’t know. Maybe the risen queen of these very fae lands summoned me to return to my post, which just so happens to be on your left shoulder.”

He then licked my neck.

I couldn’t even comprehend what just happened while my mother observed us with a smirk. “Thomas,” she warned when I clearly couldn’t decipher this man’s presence.

Or the enticing actions that were doing far too many things to my body.

“Leave the taunting for the bedroom.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” he happily replied as he moved to stand right next to me before bowing once more. “I apologize for getting distracted.”

“Distracted is an understatement,” I huffed while delivering a side glare. His lips of perfection merely lifted slightly upward, and I had to make a vow here and now that I wouldn’t have a fling with this man by the end of the day.

Bury those emotions, Lucinda. You have enough cock. Yes…even if Tommy was a devil in the sheets. Ugh.

Pushing away my dirty thoughts, I brought myself back to focus as I locked eyes with Mother, who had returned to her smiling grace.

“It’s good to see what you’re capable of, Luci,” Mother announced, returning us to our previous conversation. “I apologize for testing you right after your meditation session, but your father decided it would be smarter to test you before introducing your Royal Advisor.”

“Royal Advisor?” I inquired. “You mean like how Arana serves you and Alexander serves Father?”

“Correct.” She bobbed her head and turned around.

With a clap of her hands, the world around us began to spin as the atmosphere swiftly changed until we stood in an extravagant room that was decorated in various colors that screamed fae.

The exquisite bedroom was covered in golden wallpaper with a holographic effect, giving off a vintage look while retaining a trendy flare, which added to the unique projection of the room that gave off rich vibes.

The room oozed opulence, from the huge poster bed that was made of a special golden oakwood and the white curtain sheets that swiftly changed color at the slightest movement to the vintage vanity and other furniture that decorated the room.

The windows were vast and the balcony doors were open, which allowed the wonderous, cool breeze of the morning to enter the room and lift the almost transparent curtains that held a glittery finish to them.

We could get a clear view of the sunrise, and my eyes only widened as I gravitated closer. When I reached the ledge, all I could do was absorb the beauty of the lands below, the castle that sustained the Delphine name, and the massive acres of nature that went on and on for miles.

Seeing the grand horizon as the sun continued its rise above the tiny buildings in the distance with little puffs of smoke coming from the chimneys made my heart swell with multiple emotions.

I took in the sweet floral aroma and let the air out suddenly. My eyes were now brimming with tears as I witnessed the land of my childhood that I’d sacrificed to save my parents now greeting me with this grand view as if I deserved to return to these roots.

The feeling of returning home after years of insecurity was like a soldier returning from war and enjoying the moment their feet land upon their homeland once more.

A tear fell down my cheek as I closed my eyes and allowed myself to feel this moment, to truly be lost in the thrumming emotions that bubbled through me and wrapped around my internal being.

My sacrifice was something I’d never regret, but these moments of tranquility and acceptance made me wish for vengeance against those who took me away from this.

Took me away from the future that was originally destined for me.

A brush of a finger graced my cheek, stopping the next teardrop from rolling completely down my flushed face. I opened my eyes and looked over to see Thomas’s emotionless expression.

He stared at me with blank wonder, an expression I could recall from the first moment we met in the church. He’d stood amongst the other choir boys as they sang a Christmas hymn that December evening, his soprano voice the loudest and strongest as it echoed through the cathedral as the conductor continued to move his hands to direct the flow of music.

Out of all of the boys within those four rows of orphaned boys, he was the one who stood out to me the most. The one whose image was engraved in my mind as my heart skipped in the fleeting moment.

The hidden connection we somehow carried was the reason we’d started a secret fling, one that soon came to an end when he was forced to move to a different church. I never understood why he had to be taken away from me, but I knew our relationship wouldn’t have blossomed within that sinful place.

But now my heart was already taken. All he could do was comfort me as he did now with those magnificent eyes of purples and reds.

“Let our enemies walk upon a path that is dark and slippery as the angels of our Lord pursue them with bitter force,” he whispered and looked to the horizon. “Even if they prepare for our uprising, let them fear the wrath we’ll deliver for the sacrifices we were forced to carry upon our shoulders. Their flesh will burn from the sunrises and sunsets missed, and their minds will be boggled with endless thoughts of regret as they’re slashed with the blades of merciless vengeance. Allow our ears to hear their cries of agony and our eyes to see the end of the wickedness. Amen.”

“Amen,” I whispered and looked to the horizon in hopes the Lord truly heard his righteous prayer. We stood there and watched the sunrise until the glowing circle of life was up at its peak for the morning.

When we tugged our gazes away, Mother was already changed. She was now wearing a golden strapless dress that held her curvy body perfectly while her hair was now braided in a crown style that carried her crown in marvelous elegance.

She was finishing up applying an orange-toned red lipstick when we turned our attention to her, and she rose from the bench of the vanity to return our intrigued stares with a wide smile.

“I’m happy that you still get lost in the beauty of our land.” Her voice was soft as she stated the truth. “How are you feeling, Lucinda?”

“A lot of emotions,” I quietly confessed. “This…is a lot to take in, but I’m up for any quest you wish to bestow upon me.”

Mother’s smile was brilliant as she slowly nodded in understanding.

“Your task is to rest. Awakenings are harsh on the body. Your test already drained you a little bit, though you won’t feel the effect until you sit down to rest,” she explained. “Our lands are rather special in energy, consisting of intense fae magic while also carrying a level of magic that caters to vampires. You’ve adapted rather nicely, but I would like you to rest for a few weeks before we begin our intense training.”

“What will I do in the meantime?” I inquired, feeling odd at the idea of merely resting. If I had to sit and “rest” all day and night, I’d be lost in the madness of my mind. I never was good to anyone when I was bored, and it would probably ignite a wave of madness in the depths of the castle walls.

Mother smirked as she walked over to where we stood.

“I guess your hyperactive tendencies have not changed,” she commented with merriment as she continued, “You’ll have plenty of books to read during your recovery, and such resting periods include exploring the lands during the day and nights.”

“Am I allowed to go into the towns?” I inquired. “I don’t want to ruin the secrecy you’ve maintained all this while,” I admitted.

Thomas moved from my side to stand next to Mother, answering my question with, “Anyone living within these lands has sworn to speak not of what they witness and hear with their eyes and ears.”

“Meaning everyone living in our kingdom knows that the king and queen aren’t dead?” I asked in astonishment.

“Correct,” Mother replied. “Since the day of our uprising, we knew there would be a chance of us either going to war or being hunted. It’s common for those who wish to gather information on another kingdom for potential war to question citizens. When we rose in power, we decided to enforce the law that whoever remained loyal to us would magically swear to not share what is seen or heard within our lands. This applies to the fae lands and the coven world that lies beneath the underground.”

“They complied?” I couldn’t see them respecting such a law so easily.

“Many did because of our combined strength,” Mother admitted. “It’s extremely rare for two kingdoms to live upon one grand land, especially between our races, since we’re normally against one another. We created our kingdoms so that those who wished to live in harmony with another race could, which includes those who fall in love with a different race than their own. This brought many individuals, young and old, together into our lands, and with the promise of peace and safety, it was the perfect gamble for many.”

Thomas nodded as he added, “Even in our time and age, it’s rare for a fae to love a vampire and vice versa. Many still look down upon those who date or marry outside their supernatural race, which is childish in my personal opinion, but it’s been known for years that supernaturals have a tendency to struggle with the ideas of change and diversity.”

“Humans date supernaturals just fine,” I commented. “I don’t see why it should be looked down upon amongst supernaturals, especially with hybrids in the mix.”

“I agree with you, Princess,” Thomas admitted with a smirk. “However, many supernaturals aren’t in our generation of acceptance. The vast majority in power have been in the world for hundreds if not thousands of years and, well, bad habits die hard.”

“That’s true,” I muttered. I could only imagine how much longer it would take for them to change such ways.

To bring change, a mass revolution must be ignited. Would we be able to triumph if that occurred?

“That’s exactly one of the reasons why we were deemed too strong of a force to be allowed to live,” Mother admitted as she walked past me to look at the grand scene of our kingdom.

Thomas and I exchanged looks before we moved a little further to where Mother stood.

“Those who wished for our demise weren’t threatened by our unity,” she admitted before looking over to where we stood as her eyes grew serious. “They were threatened by the child we created and who she was destined to love.”

“Destined to love,” I whispered. I remembered the many times I’d wished to learn more information about my past, but Tobias and Kane were unable to tell me directly due to the spell cast upon them for our protection.

Mother nodded as she turned to face our way. “I’m sure you’ve reunited with Tobias and Kane,” she acknowledged and I nodded in reply. “Since your first encounter with one another, it was clear that you got along with both of them. Your fae side easily acknowledged Tobias, but your vampire side didn’t shy away from showing your happiness when in Kane’s company. The council and those in power across the kingdoms began to see just how close our families were becoming due to our children getting along far too nicely, and the idea infuriated those who ruled above us.”

“Why?” I asked the primary question. “We weren’t harming anyone. Why should peace be seen as a threat?”

“As much as the world tries to hide it,” Thomas began, “no matter what race of life we are, peace only ignites a wave of anxiety in the hearts of those who rule. Obviously not everyone experiences such, and our kingdoms are two of the few who enjoy the lands of harmony and peace, but others crave bloodshed,” he explained. “It’s like how humans wish for tranquility yet spend millions if not billions on weapon creation and the military for wars that none of their people truly want to ignite. World order and peace seem impossible to their kind, just like it does to ours. Though it’s far more possible in the lands of the supernaturals if we all come together with such mindsets.”

“Sadly, to any kind of race, peace is assumed to be a form of submission. We know better, but alas, there will always be someone who carries such beliefs and tries to create an army to support such morals,” Mother concluded. “Needless to say, they got worried when you seemed to get along with a third boy.”

“A third boy?” I inquired, trying to scurry through my memories in an attempt to figure out who this individual was.

“It may be a little fuzzy, seeing as it was the next day when the blast took place upon one of our homes. I’m unsure if you two have met, but does the name Prince Isaac ring a bell?”

“We’ve met,” I admitted. “His twin brother is wolf mates with my best friend, Pearl.”

“Pearl found her mate, huh?” Thomas said in intrigued wonder. “Good for her. She always glared at me whenever I came near you.”

“Because good boys scream fuck boys,” I muttered before realizing Mother was right there, which made Thomas chuckle wholeheartedly while I groaned and hoped Mother wouldn’t even ask about that.

“Anyways,” Mother dismissed and I gave her a look of thanks with my eyes as she carried along, “Isaac Yemen is a hybrid. A powerful one at that. Your interaction may have been once, but it was enough for them to notice your connection, and it’s what we presume triggered them to try to be rid of us entirely.”

“Hold on,” I requested as I absorbed what she’d explained thus far. “So, you’re telling me that because I basically got along with Tobias, Kane, and Isaac, my family and I deserved to perish?”

It sounded like complete rubbish in my mind, and I shook my head at the baffling conclusion. “Royal children can’t be friends? That’s complete foolishness,” I huffed and pointed at Thomas. “Tommy and I fucked and no one came blowing up the church!”

It took my brain a few extra seconds to catch up to my words as Mother arched an eyebrow at me while Thomas wore the biggest grin ever.

Oh, for fucking heaven’s sake!

“Get rid of that damn smirk on your face,” I huffed at him, but he walked over to stand behind me before resting his chin on my left shoulder.

“Your Majesty? Can I be fourth in line if the other three fail at loving their princess?”

Mother rolled her eyes, which was uncalled for and yet totally something I would do. I mimicked the movement, which made Thomas laugh once again. “The two of you could be identical twins if Lucinda was two inches taller.”

“You didn’t even see me roll my eyes,” I confronted.

“Don’t need to see you. I know when you’re annoyed, and that’s a common trait of yours,” he admitted. “It’s my duty to observe, acknowledge, and store common habits of my Mistress.”

“Mistress?” I huffed before lifting my hand to slap his forehead.

“Ow.”

“Go away and leave my shoulder alone,” I huffed.

“I’ll accept any form of abuse, my Princess.” He beamed as if the pain actually turned him on.

Heavenly Father, what happened to my ex-choir boy?

“Surprisingly enough, it’s not common for royal children to be romantically compatible without external influences,” Mother announced, which drew us back into the conversation.

“What do you mean?” I questioned. “Are you implying that most royal marriages are arranged?”

“Exactly that, Luci.” Thomas was the one to answer as he moved to stand off to the side as he slid his hands into his pockets. “Royal families love to control the futures of their offspring. That’s why many either try to run away, beg to be given the change to attend Bloody Rosary Academy so they can find their own purpose and love there, or become a rebellious heir. If you’re lucky to have siblings, you can always become a bum heir, which would force your parents to look down the sibling train to the next suitable option.”

The explanation reminded me of Kane’s predicament and how his brother missed out on the B.R.A. invite on purpose.

“Many royal families like to go by a variety of rules that they deem best to mold the perfect heir,” Mother revealed. “All of us are encouraged to follow them. They basically force our children into the rules and regulations of what the supernatural council wishes for us to follow. However, they’re outdated, controlling, and something neither myself nor your father wished to follow in our lands of peace.”

She turned around and began to walk forward, and I couldn’t ask where she was going as Thomas gracefully slipped his hand in mine and tugged me along. Our forward steps triggered the world to shift tremendously, like it had before.

In a few steps, we were in the garden, but the marvelous colors of the morning swiftly changed to the ghastly beauty of the night as a full moon graced us in the starry sky. The flowers around us glowed in illuminating beauty while butterflies of various glowing hues fluttered around us as we kept walking.

It was as though we’d jumped into a different dimension, even though the flowers were similar to those that were out in the garden I’d had a glimpse of earlier.

“TOBIASY! KANEY!”

The high-pitched sound of the laughter that followed made me stop in my tracks, which forced Thomas to follow suit. My eyes locked onto the little girl who looked exactly like me when I was younger.

She wore a fluffy magenta dress with golden sparkles, and her hair was wildly frazzled with a little tiara crown upon her head. The two boys were laughing their heads off, running swiftly from my approach.

One look and I knew who was who. Tobias’s attire was colorful with white, golds, oranges, and greens, while Kane wore a more sullen look of black, reds, and dark pinks. They were in dressy attire as they quickly hid behind the flower bushes in an attempt to remain hidden from me.

Little me came to a stop before she looked around and put her hands on her hips as she spread her feet further out.

“Where did my princes go?!” she called out like it was a crime.

The slight hints of snickering didn’t seem to catch her attention as her eyes scanned around the courtyard before she crossed her arms over her chest.

“I’m going to count down from ten and if you don’t come out, bad things are going to happen!” she declared, which only made Tobias and Kane snicker.

“Ten! Nine!” she counted down as she impatiently waited for their reveal, jumping up and down as she closed in on the final counts. “Two. One. A half! A quarter! Uh…what comes after quarter?”

“Point one two five!” Kane replied, and Tobias groaned, “Don’t answer her!”

She giggled and clapped her little hands. “Point one two five!”

Neither of them came out, and they both gasped as their bodies were lifted by the vines of the rose bush they’d been hiding behind the entire time.

“Zero!” she declared in glee. “Now for your punishments!”

Little me skipped right over and reached out to grab Tobias’s hand with her right hand and Kane’s hand with her left. “You have to walk me back home!”

The two of them stared down at little me before big smiles were plastered upon their faces.

“That sounds fun!” Kane declared.

“We should eat dessert!” Tobias suggested. “My parents said we can stay longer today.”

“Really?!” The squeal that left my little self made me smile as the memory seemed to trickle through my mind now that I’d somehow relived it in real-time.

“Yes! My dad will pick me up later,” Kane added.

“Yeah!” little me cheered, and the vines dropped both of the princes, which made them land on the ground. She giggled before letting go of their hands to skip around them. “My princes! My princes!”

“Silly Luci,” Kane commented. “You can’t have both of us.”

“Why not?” little me paused in her skipping manner to look at both of them. “You’re both mine!”

“You can’t have more than one prince,” Tobias added. “You’ll have to choose when you’re older.”

“No,” she huffed and crossed her arms as she lifted her head up in defiance. “Never!”

The two of them stared at little me before they looked behind her. She followed their gazes to see Father approaching in a professional suit of black, his appearance just slightly younger.

Little me squealed before skipping over to Father.

“Daddy!”

“Hello, Princess,” Father greeted and lifted little me with ease. She giggled and hugged his neck before pointing back at Tobias and Kane. “Daddy, Prince Tobias and Prince Kane said I can’t be with both of them!”

“Why not?” Father asked as he looked at the boys who stood there with worried expressions.

“It’s not allowed,” Kane quietly stated. “Right?”

“Ya. The other royal children said we wouldn’t be allowed to be together because we don’t have a connection with Princess Luci.”

“Well, well,” Father began as he walked over to the two of them and lowered me to stand in between them. “Have they seen your connection?”

“Um…no?” Tobias and Kane said as they looked at one another. “We don’t know how to prove to them we have a connection,” Kane added.

“I think the three of you are connected,” Father declared with a smile before he knelt down before us. “Luci, place your hand right here,” he said and gestured outward.

“Like this?” little me clarified.

“Correct,” Father praised. “Now, Tobias, place your hand North of Luci’s hand.”

“North…like my kingdom!” he said with pride before maneuvering himself around so he was next to Father and placing his hand so it faced her fingertips.

“Now, Kane. You’re South.”

“South!” Kane moved to hug little me first, which had her giggling before he placed his hand right in the spot that faced the bottom part of her wrist. “Did it!”

“Excellent,” Father praised.

“What now?” little me asked.

“All you have to do is think of who you love, Luci. Who would you give life to or blood to if they desperately needed it?” he inquired.

“Who would I give blood or life to?” little me stated and beamed. “My princes! Oh…and Mommy and Daddy.” She giggled in embarrassment, which made Father chuckle and reach over to pat her head. “Good, Princess. You just need to focus on helping your princes so your answer was valid,” he assured little me. “Now, behold.” His whisper made us all look to little me’s very palm, and the three children of the past gasped when a glowing gold circle began to appear on the back of my little hand, the golden tint that shifted to orange beginning to form a magic circle with a star in the middle.

As the glow heightened, a red cross formed in the middle with black outlining, and the North and South points of the cross began to glow and ignite the similar magic circle with the glowing star upon Tobias’s and Kane’s extended hands. Tobias’s glowed a brilliant green to orange, while Kane’s glowed a vibrant red to orange.

“Wow!” the three declared in amazement, and Father chuckled before he rose back up to his full height. “You see? The three of you are connected,” he reasoned.

“Then why do the royal kids and other adults tell us we’re not?” Kane inquired with a frown as he moved his hand away. The action caused his mark to disappear.

“Ya,” Tobias began and moved his hand away. “Why do they get mad when we play and visit one another?”

“Well, it’s complicated,” Father admitted with a sad smile.

“Why, Daddy?” little me asked. “Is it because we’re supposed to hate each other?”

“You’re not supposed to hate each other,” Father reasoned, a little taken aback by our words.

“That’s what others say,” Kane mumbled.

“We just don’t listen to them!” Tobias said with pride.

“Ya!” little me declared.

“Good,” Father praised before he moved in closer and knelt down to be at our level. “You see, very powerful people wish for you to not connect because it won’t benefit them.”

“That’s being selfish,” Kane huffed.

“Exactly!” Tobias agreed.

“Yes.” Father nodded in agreement. “That’s exactly why you have to keep that a secret.”

“We can’t tell anyone?” Kane asked.

“Your parents know of your potential connection, but you can’t show anyone what the three of you just did,” Father reasoned.

“Can I tell Mommy?!” little me asked with an excited smile. Father chuckled and nodded.

“Yes, you can tell Mommy.”

“Yeah!” I cheered and ran past Father, who seemed confused. “Mommy!”

I ran and hugged a rose bush, leaving the princes to stare at me in confusion before Father chuckled. “Lisette, you don’t need to eavesdrop.”

“But it’s fun,” the bush spoke back, and my little self was lifted up, which prompted the little giggles that escaped little me as a slightly younger version of mother appeared and the rose bush faded.

“Your Majesty!” Tobias and Kane ran over to greet her with a bow before they moved to hug her as well. It made younger me giggle.

“She’s my mom! Shoo! Shoo!”

EVERYONE LAUGHED THEN, and the memory began to fade until we were back in the same spot but in the present where the sun shone down upon us. I realized my hand was still in Thomas’s grasp, which led me to tug it right out and give him a side glare.

As if he gave a damn.

He returned his attention to Mother like I did, the two of us watching her as she turned around to face us.

“That connection is a mark that only reveals itself on royal children who are compatible in ruling together,” she announced.

“Why is that a problem?” I couldn’t understand how a mark that represented a child’s compatibility with another was deemed wrong.

“The problem,” Thomas began and purposely reached for my left hand to lift it up in demonstration, “is that everyone is supposed to have one connecting point.”

Holding my hand with his right hand, he moved his left hand so it hovered at the North part where nothing happened. “Tobias was up here,” he began and then moved his hand down South to mimics Kane’s placement where again nothing happened. “Kane was over here.”

“Yes,” I prompted impatiently. “Your point?”

“There should be only one point,” he announced, ignoring my hasty remark. “Royal children who are compatible to rule together should only have one point, which is usually in the North directional plane of the star.”

He moved his hand back to the top part of my hand. “It’s always on the top, and there’s one-percent chance that a royal is born who has a cross within the golden mark of royalty that shows that they have more than one potential compatible partner.”

He lifted his gaze to meet mine. “Which so happens to be you, Luci.”

“Great,” I sighed. “I always gotta be the special one.”

“Before you roll your eyes,” he taunted, which made me give him another seething scowl, “you’re more than just special. These individuals in power were threatened at the potential possibility that you have not one or two, but four potentials.”

“Four?” I gave him an odd look. “Why four?”

“North, South, East, West,” Mother replied. “Or, as in the declaration of ending of every prayer, the sign of the cross. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.” She said the last statement while moving her hand in the specific movements of signing the cross.

“Which follows the red cross that harbors within the golden star mark,” Thomas added.

“So you’re trying to say that I potentially have four compatible individuals who I’d rule with hand-in-hand,” I began. “So why is this a threat?”

“Because you have no intention of choosing a side,” Mother quietly revealed with a loving smile. “A royal who’s compatible with an individual normally ends up with them. The North point is the exact representation of such and is deemed the most powerful and compatible because it’s the only point that is presented in most circumstances and is represented by the Creator, our Father in Heaven.”

“However,” Thomas continued with a sly grin as he moved his hand to the North. “You have the North, South, East, and West. This means you’re equally compatible with all four of them, and each can be a lethal threat with you by their side.”

“Due to your inability to choose one side or another as a child, it was believed that stubbornness would only grow stronger as you grew older. I’m sure they assumed you’d be with Tobias, seeing as you’re very compatible with one another, but they came to realize that you were still close with Kane, and that was a problem due to how tensions were high between the fae and vampires,” Mother explained.

“So what did Isaac have to do with this?” I questioned.

“Well, he seemed to connect to your West point,” Mother revealed, which made me gawk as I remembered the tall, dark-skinned, muscular man.

“No way,” I muttered. “I don’t think we’d get along.”

“That’s not for you to assume,” Mother acknowledged. “Your father believes your potential West and East points would be completely opposite from one another seeing as the Holy Spirit motion moves in the sign of the cross and acknowledges both points.”

“Isaac is a fae hellhound hybrid,” I voiced. “He doesn’t seem very friendly to the average person. Very serious, determined, mysterious at first glance.”

“Which means whoever is on the East side will be the polar opposite of him,” Mother determined.

“Happy, holy, and a being of fun,” Thomas praised. “Too bad I’m your Royal Advisor, or I’d sign up.”

“What does being a Royal Advisor and being a compatible ruler have to do with one another?” I asked.

“Why? Wanna know so we can go out again?” he questioned with a seductive smirk.

I let out a loud huff and tried to tug my hand from his.

“No.”

“Aww, my Luci. I know it hurts your soul that I can’t be your advisor by day and lover in your bed at night,” he pleaded with sorrow before continuing. “As to your question, it’s not possible, seeing as a Royal Advisor is a previous heir whose throne has fallen due to war or overthrown by a competitive throne,” he revealed. “Seeing as my mother has passed on while my father has been in a coma for years due to a lost war, that leaves me, the sole heir of my family, with no throne to sit upon. Thus, the reason why I was enrolled to become a Royal Advisor and was privately hired by your parents.”

His revelation stunned me into silence. My eyes locked onto his, which hid whatever emotions must have been begging to reach the surface.

To be read and devoured with loving comfort.

“Tommy…” I began, but a golden light began to illuminate his face, which made me frown, along with Thomas. “Why is your face…” he began, but lowered his gaze, as I did. The two of us stared down at the backs of our hands where his left hand aligned with the East part of mine.

My jaw truly dropped as my eyes widened to take in the golden circle that began to manifest vibrantly on my flesh, followed by the magical star that began to draw itself until all five points were present. The symbols in each section began to form, and the mark finalized as a red cross with black outlining bled to the surface.

Thomas’s hand glowed a vibrant purple that shifted to reddish-orange that reminded me of his hair. The magic star symbol replicated what we’d seen in the visual flashback.

The glowing symbols remained as we stood there, completely speechless. It was Mother’s clapping hands that snapped us out of it before we pulled away and the marks disappeared.

“Wonderful!” Mother cheered and spun around. “Ah. I must go tell your father about this. No wonder they tried to kill Thomas when he was younger. Intriguing, intriguing.”

“What?” I gasped.

“Kill who? Me?” Thomas questioned.

“Unnecessary details,” Mother hummed in delight. “Thomas, please inform the maids that we’ll be moving on to the Plan B floor plan of the castle,” she encouraged. “Lucinda, follow me,” she practically sang.

She was already halfway through the garden before her words clicked in.

“Wait! A-Aren’t we going to talk this through?!” I reasoned and moved forward before looking back at Thomas, who was giving me a silly smile that pissed me off. “Stop smiling, dammit!”

“Yes, Princess Luci,” he said in such a happy manner that it made me even more pissed.

Before I could say another word, he was at my side and lifting my left hand up until his lips pressed against the back of it. Every hair upon my flesh rose up at the touch that sent static through me.

“I guess our Creator has bigger plans for a lost boy like me,” he quietly declared, my ears almost missing his words. With a blink, he was gone from my sight, and I looked up in the sky to see a bat heading to the castle.

That left me standing there in utter confusion as I tried to reel in the information overload and madness I’d somehow gotten myself into.

Mother Mary, what have I gotten myself into?

2

GLIMPSE OF OUR KINGDOM: PART ONE

“Mother! Stop laughing!” I complained as I paced around her room like a madwoman, thinking about the fact I was apparently compatible with four royal heirs and had no bloody idea what that meant in this power-hungry world I’d awakened into.

Mother was finishing up her cup of tea. The two of us were in her room as we waited on Father, who was apparently finishing up some sort of meeting.

Mother couldn’t stop talking about how marvelous the recent turn of events was in their “research” and how Father owed her because she won some bet.

“Why?” Mother inquired as she giggled. “This is marvelous news! You should be rejoicing, sweet Luci.”

“Mother.” I stopped with my pacing to face her sitting position. “I don’t know what all of this means,” I stressed. She lowered her cup of tea, giving me her full attention as I carried on with explaining my troubles with all of this.

“I may have gained my memories back, but I never recalled such events until you revealed them to me. I can only assume the same happened to Tobias and Kane, and I barely know Isaac and yet I’m apparently connected to him.”

Running my hands through my hair, I continued, “And Tommy! Or Thomas. There’s no way we can be connected. He said it was impossible for a Royal Advisor to be connected to me, which I’m still working on figuring out because I don’t know anything about his past. We were basically a teenage fling because we were both attracted to each other and I didn’t want to lose my virginity to some sleaze bag forty-year-old preacher who raped children in a confessional box.”

When Mother remained silent, I paused in my pacing the room to see her blank expression as she stared at me.

Oh fuck.

“Pretend you didn-”

“What did you just say?” she questioned with an authoritative voice that left me shivering.

I bit my lip nervously and whispered, “Tommy and I basically had a teenage flin-”

“After that,” she emphasized.

“I didn’t want to lose my virginity to some sleezebag forty-year-old preacher who raped children in a confessional box,” I repeated, my voice a formation of squeaks as I somehow got myself to the door while repeating myself.

“Uh. I need to…uh…pee. Yes! Pee! I’m just going to do tha-AH!” I tried to open the door to run out of the room - or castle - to avoid Mother’s wrath, but I fell back into someone else, which left me no choice but to look up to see a pair of calm magenta eyes staring down at me with their hints of red.

“Lucinda,” Father’s calming voice began, “you should know from your recollection of memories that attempting to run away from the castle when your mother is angry has been deemed completely useless.”

“Good morning, Father.” I said the greeting as if this whole scenario were a common occurrence. The sensation of déjà vu hit me as he helped me up into a standing position.

Father was definitely taller than me and Mother, standing at 6′5″. His hair that shifted from silver roots to a bright magenta hue was gelled back to give him a professional look while he wore a black fitted suit.

He looked as though he had gone to a business meeting with a bunch of humans, which could have been the case, but I wasn’t sure. He observed me as he nodded and looked over at Mother, who was completely silent.

“Do I need to repeat what made Mother upset?” I asked, the déjà vu sensation still thrumming through my veins.

Father shook his head as if it were an automatic response. “Nope. I heard what you said the first time. I merely didn’t want to intrude mid-conversation,” he revealed.

“Can I run away?” I whispered, pleading within my mind that I wouldn’t have to stay behind for whatever wrath was about to be directed my way.

“Five minutes outside,” he encouraged. He looked my way and reached out to stroke my head. The move was sudden, and yet I got a brief flashback of him doing the exact action, only I was a lot smaller. “Don’t wander around. We have to discuss how today is going to go.”

“Alright,” I replied, and with one quick glance in Mother’s direction, I was waiting outside as the door came to a close. I wished my sensitive hearing could pick up on what was being said, but my straining ears weren’t able to pick up a single word that was being spoken within the royal walls.

“Boo,” I muttered and turned my body around to rest my back against the door.

I could only imagine my younger self doing the exact same deed, wishing to hear what my parents were discussing after accidentally letting something out when I clearly shouldn’t have.

My past circumstances didn’t seem like a big deal to me, I guess because I’d desensitized myself to the ideas of rape, sexual assault, and all the other dark deeds that occurred in the hidden depth of the church.

It wasn’t because I didn’t believe they were wrong, but it happened far too often. I’d accepted that there was nothing I could do about it unless I wished to land myself in similar predicaments.

Or forced circumstances as a way of punishment.

Little did I realize that such a mindset was mine alone. I was sure Pearl viewed all of our past differently as well, since her experiences were slightly different from mine even if we shared the same room and predicaments.

Hearing of such situations occurring to their own child must have triggered something, especially with the sudden shift in emotions that my mother fought hard to not allow to come to the surface.

I could now imagine what it would be like to sit in her shoes and hear that her only child was put in situations that could have led to her being touched wrongly or invaded by someone who cloaked their actions with the use of our Savior’s name.

The sick bastards hid behind the cross like the scumbag humans they were. If we weren’t orphans, the tables would have surely been turned.

At least they’re imprisoned or something along those lines.

The tiny weight that landed on my left side brought my attention up to meet the tiny pair of purple spheres with flickering strikes of red. The sight of Thomas on my shoulder left me no choice but to frown at his arrival.

He looked back at me innocently as he blinked those very eyes before words flowed into my mind without a single use of my own magic properties.

“Lisette, you’ll make it rain,” Father pleaded.

“Leonardo! Did you not hear what our daughter just said!” Mother snapped. “What if-”

“She wasn’t,” Father calmly stated.

“You don’t-”

“I’m positive, my sweet,” Father interrupted.

“How about her firs-”

“Her first was with Tommy, which was clear from their confirmed remarks,” Father interrupted yet again. “Plus, Thomas would have informed us when we hired him if anything negative occurred to Lucinda that she couldn’t have handled on her own.”

“They knew Thomas would be connected to her,” Mother muttered bitterly. “Or else he would have remained at the church as ordered.”

“There’s nothing we could have done to alter those changes,” Father reasoned. “Plus, it may have gotten awkward between them after they decided to keep things as they were instead of being in a relationship. We would have been in trouble if they discovered their true connection with Lucinda’s castaway memories. It wouldn’t have been fair to Thomas either, seeing as he recalls everything.”

Mother sighed long and hard, leaving a moment of silence that forced me to look at Bat Tommy. I realized that he was the reason I was able to listen in to this conversation.

“I feel like an awful mother.” The soft whisper was filled with sorrow and a sniff of sadness, and then a heavy sigh came from my father. “Sweet Lisette. Please don’t believe such a thing. Lucinda decided to spare us from the clutches of death. She would feel horrible if we didn’t acknowledge and feel grateful for her sacrifice. Her actions shouldn’t deem you as a horrible mother. The Creator who watches down upon our supernatural races is just like the Universe who has aided in watching Lucinda grow from her amnesic state to her awakening. We should give thanks that she is powerful and can handle her own. It’s a bonus that she’s already met the individuals she’s potentially compatible with.”

“You realize if Thomas decides to continue forward as a Royal Advisor and enrolls in Bloody Rosary, they’ll immediately realize what fate has pulled back together,” Mother noted.

“I’m more than aware,” Father assured her. “As are Wei, Arana, and Alexander. The news won’t reach the enemy’s ears as swiftly as they may wish. By the time they hear about Thomas’s enrollment, I’m sure Lucinda would have made connections with him and Isaac. They don’t need to be romantically involved as she is with Tobias and Kane, but there needs to be enough of a relationship for them to not butt heads for the pleasure of entertainment.”

“What do we do about the church?” Mother asked. “I wish to burn it.”

“Now, now, my sweet. Be at ease with thou elemental vengeance,” Father teased. “Tobias and Kane took the organization down before Luci’s officially enrollment, which benefits us a lot since the Mortica family is in charge of the police force. Any documents will be stored accurately so there will be nothing to worry about there.”

“How about the preachers?” she asked with a deep voice.

I was sure if she had the opportunity, she’d destroy anyone who dared to touch me.

Or even look at me the wrong way…like Hendrick.

“They’ve been disposed of.” The news was surprising to me as I listened in closely.

“Thomas seemed to get a whiff of what was being investigated and who was being charged for what before he took it upon himself to murder all those who wished evil and internal misery.”

“He killed them,” Mother concluded.

“Of course,” Father replied. “Though he did it after I interrogated them.”

The revelation made me side-glance at Tommy’s bat form, shocked that he’d contributed to the end of those demons in the church who did nothing but appeal to their own desires and financial gains.

“Our Luci shouldn’t have dealt with such things.” Mother’s voice was quiet now and I caught onto the footsteps as Father must have moved over to where she was to comfort her.

“I know, Lisette.” Father’s voice was low yet tender. “However, it has molded Lucinda into a strong woman who doesn’t take nonsense from those who project themselves as more powerful than her. She’s survived incidents that I’m sure others would have crumbled from, and her experiences are what are going to aid her in surviving our world. We don’t need to like the idea that she had to deal with such things, but we can’t go back and change her decision in saving us when Wei gave her a choice.”

“Those who wished for our demise should already be dead,” Mother grumbled in dissatisfaction.

“I agree, my love,” Father agreed. “But there’s a time and place for everything, and we will surely get our justice in due time. With Lucinda discovering a bit of the truth about her connection to the others, it’s only a matter of time before the clock starts to tick away and those who wished to vanquish our kingdom will feel the wrath of our silence. For now, let us focus on giving Lucinda the opportunity to see our kingdom while she’s able to spend some resting time in our care. We won’t receive the same opportunity next summer when she completes Year Two at Bloody Rosary.”

Mother sighed. “You’re right, my husband.” She paused. “Do you believe Luci will be able to love all four of those men? I can understand Tobias and Kane, and I see a connection thrumming between her and Thomas, but Isaac. He’s been through things that his own family are unable to aid in the healing process.”

“Lucinda has always been a child with a big heart,” Father quietly praised. “She’s a woman who wishes the best for all while delivering justice like our Creator. She gives chances to those who may not deserve it and is merciless when one tries to walk over her trust and loyalty. I understand your concern regarding Isaac, and I know since our abrupt demise, he’s harbored a lot of pain. He must have not realized who Lucinda truly is, or it’s been blocked for that specific reason. Regardless, I believe Luci can aid him in his healing. His family may love him, but I believe with Luci and the others around, Isaac can surpass the anger that’s harbored in his heart and heal those open wounds that continue to bleed. We must believe in the higher purpose of our Creator and the reason our Luci has been chosen.”

“Do you believe we’ll be able to aid her in her growth in time to prepare for the future that lies ahead?” Mother pondered. The question seemed like a rhetorical question.

“It’s our duty to guide her on the path she must walk upon, but I think our Savior and the Universe will be the decision-makers of that,” Father admitted. “Lucinda grows through her experiences so I wouldn’t be surprised if she was tested in that manner.”

“I hope she doesn’t resent us.”

“Hopefully not,” Father whispered. “The best we can do as parents is give her the support we wished to have delivered in her remaining years of youth and teenage years. We’ll love and support her in the avenues ahead, and she can decide if the foundations we’ve built are something she wishes to protect.”

“Shall I take her to the square after our conversation?”

“You certainly can. I’m sure she’s curious to see our lands. If she isn’t tired by the evening, she can surely come down to see the coven. It’s her decision if she wants to walk amongst our people in disguise or as she is,” Father concluded. “Which reminds me. Why were you so happy earlier?”

“Our assumption about Thomas and Lucinda was confirmed an hour ago,” Mother announced.

“They’re connected.”

“Yes,” Mother confirmed. “Thomas is East.”

“Hmm.” Father needed a moment to ponder about it. “This is going to be an interesting rollercoaster, isn’t it?”

“It is,” Mother agreed. “Though I’m curious as to how they will all get along for the sake of being with Lucinda.”

“A challenge a true set of kings will be willing to fight for,” Father commented. “If they can handle her.”

“Our child is rather independent, isn’t she?” Mother giggled.

“I question who she got that from?” Father inquired but I had a good idea that he was directing it at Mother, who laughed even harder.

“My independence is what forced your blind arse to become my mortal enemy.”

“A mortal enemy you ended up falling in love with and who you allowed to court you.”

“Hmph,” Mother commented. “You got lucky.”

That made Father laugh. “Let us get Lucinda.”

“Are we keeping Thomas as her Royal Advisor?”

“I don’t think we have much of a choice,” Father admitted. “To be frank, he’s the strongest royal and hybrid I could possibly trust to guide Lucinda and protect her. He’s studied every book given to him, not to mention his own knowledge he carries due to his heritage. We’ll have to inform Wei and get his invitation created.”

“Wei will let him skip a year?”

“I’m sure when she tests him, she will without hesitation.”

“You have high hopes in Thomas.”

“If he’s anywhere close to his mother and father in strength, he’s the biggest threat to all the kingdoms.”

“And his father?”

“I’ve ensured he’s in a protected realm which is guarded twenty-four seven. That’s the least we can do for all Thomas has done in our stead for Lucinda.”

What he’s done in their stead?

My eyes returned to Thomas as he lifted off my shoulder, which cut the magic that allowed me to listen in this entire time. He pushed off my shoulder, and I watched Thomas fly down the hall. My head turned to the door as it opened up.

“Lucinda.” Father gave me a loving smile. “You can come back in now.”

“Alright,” I replied, but stayed in my spot to return my gaze to the end of the hall where Thomas now stood in his human form with his hands in his pockets.

When our eyes met, I could see the playfulness dancing around in those two-toned orbs, but they softened the longer I stared before he gave an encouraging wave.

All I could do was stare back as he turned around and disappeared into the darkness, leaving me this chance to discover both sides of my kingdom before being thrust back into the dark realms of my current reality as I prepared for the start of Year Two at Bloody Rosary.

Looks like this year may have me juggling four men of royal power. Great…

3

GLIMPSE OF OUR KINGDOM: PART TWO

“Iexpected you to opt out of the disguise option,” Mother genuinely commented as we walked out of the hidden portal that brought us to the very entrance of the town.

My lips curled in amusement. I’d donned a simple black dress, and my hair was now blonde. My cape still sat upon my shoulders, hidden from sight, just like my crown, and I finished the simple look with black heeled ankle boots.

“I’m a rebellious one,” I admitted. ” I didn’t want to be too predictable. Even if no one is allowed to share secrets outside our kingdom, I’d rather not instill too much hope with my arrival and awakening.”

“You don’t want to let them down?” Mother inquired.

“Sort of?” I wasn’t too sure why I decided to mask my identity in my own kingdom. “When you become an adult, you realize that many of your hopes and dreams were just that, and the disappointment that strikes you sometimes hurts more than the hope it instilled in that time and place. No matter rich or poor, I don’t want to instill a sense of hope with my arrival and future rise to strength that will promote some narrative that the kingdom will grow and expand. I may have been born into this world, but I’m left catching up because of the decisions I made in the past, and that leaves me at a disadvantage. No one needs to be hopeful about a defective product.”

I knew my mom would understand what I was attempting to explain. Her nod of understanding prompted us to begin walking into the grand town that gave me vintage vibes. Even though the buildings gave off olden day structures vibes, the surface was clearly up to date and there was a new, glossy look to the cement and wood used to create each home and shop.

The clothes everyone wore looked like country style attire but were combined with the finest fabric and materials that gave the impression they could last through various weather conditions and wouldn’t rip at the littlest strain.

We walked through the town at a steady pace. Everyone acknowledged us with waves and greetings, but gave us the space we needed. I was sure if it was just Mother everyone would be gathering around to get her attention, but I could only assume they kept a professional outlook due to my presence.

Maybe they were trying to observe me and see if I’d become a threat later on.

We walked all the way to the square, and I couldn’t help admiring the various golden statues and artwork that decorated the circle that could fit many individuals, young and old.

After settling into a private restaurant near the square and ordering some food and tea, we looked below from the patio that gave us a higher view of the vast town. The walls around us were guarded so our words wouldn’t be carried out and our actions would be cloaked.

We were delivered our hot drinks first as we waited for some brunch when Mother quietly spoke. “I apologize, Lucinda.”

Her apology wasn’t expected, leaving me to look at her in confusion.

“Why are you apologizing?” I couldn’t comprehend why when she’d done nothing wrong to me.

“You bearing the burden of our deaths and being plagued in that desolate church we believed would protect you is our fault.” She brought up the past as her eyes moved away from the sight of the town to look directly into my eyes, which were identical to hers.

I could recall how alike we looked when I was younger, and if it wasn’t for my disguise, we’d look more like sisters than mother and daughter.

Those orange-to-gold spheres stared into the hollows of my eyes, fighting to hide the emotional distress of the past that surely still haunted my poor mother.

“Mother,” I whispered, “I don’t blame you or Father for what occurred.”

“It doesn’t matter who you blame, Lucinda,” Mother commented. “It never should have occurred. As parents and rulers of the Delphine Kingdom, it was our duty to protect our pride and joy. We may have been on different soil for business purposes, but we should have acknowledged the hidden risks laid upon us, especially when bringing you along on our business trip.”

She lowered her head in shame as her eyes stared into the steaming mug that she clenched with her delicate fingers. “We trusted those we thought were our allies, thinking they would never harm us for we were of two kingdoms and close relations to the Hart, Mortica, Yemen, and Hill families. Instead, those who wished to destroy us plotted to hit us once and for all, and by the time we were warned about it, the deed had already been orchestrated and initiated.”

“You mean when your friends…Isaac and Isaiah’s parents warned you, too?” I was basing the statement from the memory of the incident before the world exploded around us.

“Yes,” Mother replied and sighed. “All three of them wished for us to leave the next day. It was an instinctive feeling, and even the Hill family was willing to send some of their strongest guards to accompany us if need be, but we were in haste to return to our protective walls, especially after the revelation that you were connected to Isaac.”

She took a sip of her tea and sighed. “We were afraid that they would find out too soon and take you away from us.”

I quietly laughed at the comment as I shook my head. “Yet, in the end, it was the other way around.” It was just funny to me that I ended up losing my parents instead, and there was the option of a lifetime to save them if I sacrificed my memories and lived in the church whose main purpose was to monitor my every move.

I’m sure they wished to control me, but that clearly didn’t go as planned.

Lifting my head up from my own mug of tea, I smiled at Mother’s sad face, noticing how glassy those orbs of sunset were.

“Mother, I hold no ill will against you or Father,” I emphasized. “If the time went back to that very moment, I’d do it all over again and save you. Everything is written in stone before it comes into light. No matter what you would have done to prevent the inevitable, something else may have occurred that would have been a lot worse, and who knows? Maybe Headmaster Wei wouldn’t have been there to save the day, leaving me to be a true orphan in a dark world that wants nothing but to take my birthright away and morph me into a puppet for their usage only.”

I shrugged at my comment and lifted my cup to my lips to enjoy the rich taste of Orange Pekoe. “In this world, we all deal with trials that surprisingly make us stronger. At the time of a heart-wrenching situation, we’re left in a pit of hopelessness where we must decide what we want to commit to. Does one rise from the pit of ashes and seek vengeance for what was taken from their grasp? Or crumble to their knees and succumb to the wickedness laid out upon them?”

Lifting my gaze once more, I admired the view to my left as I continued.

“Without trial and error, one cannot reach a level of perfection. Without sacrifice, one will not strive harder to achieve their goals and dreams. Like any experience that delivers sadness, anger, and agony, you’re left with the decision to move forward or remain in that sorrowful state forever.” I paused as the memory of their dead bodies trickled through my mind, the feeling of absolute helplessness thrumming through me as my eyes darted between the two individuals I’d loved with all my heart. “Back then, it felt like something I couldn’t overcome, but now that I look back, the decision to lose my memories and those I loved was what morphed me into the woman I am today.”

Looking back at her, I continued, “Was it easy? Fuck no. Was it difficult to be among other orphans and acknowledge that when I aged out of the system, I’d be left in a world I’d forgotten with a title of royalty and money beyond my belief? Yes, especially when there’s nothing you can do to prepare yourself for such circumstances. In a controlled environment like the church that worked day and night to waste our time on singing hymns of praise and forced us to be the golden boys and girls of our Savior rather than training us for what would occur when we were forced out of the protective system they used in their own favor, I was left having to take things into my own hands and find knowledge in ways that surely would have gotten me in big trouble if I was caught. Those incidents merely made me stronger, wiser, and able to understand that trusting those who smile and laugh to your face is the most foolish thing you could possibly do in such a greedy world.”

Lowering my cup to the saucer once more, I smirked at the memories of the adults who feigned their love and innocence.

“Humans especially are beings who are probably the fakest type of individuals in our world. They laugh with you, smile, and praise you. They’ll take the time out of their day to defend and support you when they need to, only for you to find out the grand scheme of hate they have for you.”

I closed my eyes but my smirk only widened. “On the surface, you’re the apple of their eye, the future success of the generation. Their praise goes to your head, and you think they wish nothing but well for you as your footsteps continue to climb the ladder of triumph. It’s only when you miss a step and go falling down that you realize that no one will reach out to save you from your demise. No one will try to catch you at the bottom of your fall. They all stand there and watch with gleeful smiles and waves of laughter. They mock your misery. Your suffering is their new weekly entertainment, and the more you struggle to accept the truth of their cruel, two-faced world, the more time you waste on improving yourself and seeking the ultimate revenge.”

“Lucinda.” Mother’s voice was so tiny, and I didn’t blame her.

I’d be nineteen soon, and yet I spoke like a woman reaching her thirties who’d been through it all. Been through the rejection of friends that smiled in your face and wished nothing but evil for you.

I was a woman who had stood upon a platform thinking the world supported her, only to realize all those individuals wore smiling masks that hid their raging anger towards my uprising, a woman who now understood why celebrities and people of great fame carried a small circle of friends out of the sea of supporters that swarmed for their attention.

The Lord places us in situations to see the truth within the sea of lies so we make the decision to either be fake like them or to aspire to be better, stronger, wiser, and grant ourselves the justice we deserve to claim the happiness He’s always wished for his children.

“If it’ll make you not worry from this moment forward, know that I don’t resent you. Our Lord encourages us to forgive. I forgave you many, many years ago when I realized how easy it is to fall into the trap of fake love and admiration, only to be shot down by the very people that surrounded you with their praise. I may have not understood the circumstances you’d gone through that led to your demises, but I wouldn’t use such against you, especially now that I know the truth of it all.”

“You’ve really grown, my child,” Mother whispered with a hint of pride in her trembling voice as a single tear fell down her cheek.

I gave her a comforting smile as I reached out to brush the next tear away.

“I did so not only for my own self-worth, but to make my parents of royalty proud of their daughter for not giving in to the world’s chaos.”

Mother bobbed her head and we both returned to our teas as the servers brought our food. We ate in comfortable silence, the two of us lost in our own thoughts, and the delicious food presented to us was full of flavor.

It was when we were finished with our desserts that Mother paused in eating her raspberry fudge crumble. Her pause signaled my own as the hairs on my arm began to rise, my senses telling me something dark was here.

The clouds above came rolling in swiftly, the dark grey and black hues bringing in shocks of lightning while raging booms of thunder coursed through the town. I expected squeals of fear, but those who were once playing and talking in the square now vanished from sight while restaurants closed their doors and walls of magical protection shielded the buildings and monuments.

I didn’t bother asking questions, noticing a guard in golden armor appear out of nowhere at Mother’s side.

“Queen Lisette!” the tall, dark man announced. “Dark beasts.”

“How many?” Mother calmly inquired.

“Looks to be three,” he replied in haste. “Shall we head to the castle?”

“Not yet,” Mother replied. “They may try to attack.”

“Our weapons aren’t fully rejuvenated from the last assault, my Queen,” the man declared, fighting the tremble that wished to cut through his thick voice.

“I’m aware,” Mother replied.

Their conversation made me frown as I scanned the square once more, noticing a black bat that sat at the very top of the fountain that stood in the middle of the square.

One look at the eyes made me frown as I rose up.

For the love of all things holy. Do not tell me that’s who I think it is?

“Lucinda?”

“Thomas is on the fountain,” I huffed, which led to Mother following my gaze to see the very bat, who purposely outstretched his wings to prove his presence.

“I sometimes wonder if he likes to be the center of negative attention on purpose,” Mother muttered. “He can’t handle all three.”

“All three of what?” I decided to ask. “What are these dark beasts?”

“Creatures of darkness that are fighting hard to take over the kingdoms of all living races, ma’am,” the guard explained as he bowed his head in acknowledgment.

“Wait…they attack all living creatures? Not just supernaturals or specifically us fae?”

Mother nodded slowly as she rose up from her spot.

“Dark beasts are ultimate creatures of darkness that were basically an experiment gone wrong by the humans. They were gathered and vanquished into the ends of our worlds, but that only prompted their growth as they aspired to return and conquer the worlds. The humans are rather blind to their return, but these dark beings are taking it upon themselves to vanquish our realms first so they can return to the human realms with triple the power and an alliance made along the way.”

“Do they speak?”

“No,” she answered. “They’re ranked by level of darkness, from level one being a novice and level five being a category x. We believe only the category x are able to create some sort of word exchange.”

“Great,” I mumbled as my eyes noticed the movement of the wind that seemed to almost give off the impression of fleeing away as the leaves of the trees rustled in warning. “So…how do we get rid of them?”

“We don’t know yet,” Mother admitted. “We’re worried that doing so would bring reinforcements, but at the same time, they’ve been coming through the kingdoms more and more often. We aim for peace, but unless we teach them a lesson, I have a feeling we’ll have to interfere sooner or later.”

“Can’t we just teach them a lesson?” I reasoned. “Fight back but not destroy them?”

“Not sure,” Mother replied as she moved from her spot to get closer to the ledge. “They’ve normally walked by and never acted out. I’m unsure if today that will be the case. The air is threatening.”

As if her very words triggered a reaction, a stream of black shot out from the darkness, aiming for Thomas, whose bat form was still perched upon the top of the fountain. My eyes widened as he moved off the fountain at the last second, his body shifting in a graceful movement that landed him standing on the tendril of darkness in black tights with cuts along the middle and a red tank top.

I should have been worried about his safety, but instead, I was checking out his muscled arms that were covered in tattoos. His hair was tied up in a tiny ponytail, showing me his multiple ear piercings, and a better glimpse of the tattoo along his neck.

His hands remained in the safety of his pockets and he pushed off the dark platform in time as it retracted back into the forest, the overall being still hidden in the shadows of the dimmed environment.

Thunder boomed through the atmosphere as it began to rain, but none of that bothered Thomas as he remained in his spot. He was observing the forest as if their arrival didn’t bother him in the slightest, which only made me want to join in this invisible fight and discover what he was unfolding with his eyes that continued to maintain that intense stare.

Before any of us could comment, a large shadow beast pushed out of the shadows and into the air, the loud, shrill sound practically shaking the ground itself.

I was ready to react, but Thomas smiled then, the movement so sinister that it froze me in place. Mother and the guard were also frozen, left to watch the madness that was about to ignite.

His smile displayed his glimmering white teeth as the very tattoos that cloaked his body began to glow a bold gold with hints of white. Those amber mixed strands that shifted into a gorgeous purple flooded with gold until the roots were covered in the rich color and transitioned into a silky white.

His skin continued to glow until it was a perfect shade of pale flawlessness, and his attire shifted from the dark gothic trend to white pants and a dress shirt. What took my breath away were the magnificent wings that pushed out of his back. They were extended to their great length, and the white feathers glowed with purity.

I couldn’t fathom the words to explain how angelic Thomas appeared now. The creature who was seconds from crashing into him was suddenly blocked by a charged wall of light that made it screech.

The other two creatures of darkness rushed towards Thomas, but he paid them no mind as he lifted his hand up into the air and snapped his fingers once. The action sent a wave of golden heat, the rush of magic hitting all of us but leaving no wounds in its wake while the three creatures screamed in agony and raced to get as far away from him as possible.

With a few blinks, the world of darkness was filled with bright light, the sun returning to the sky as the rolling clouds faded back to their comforting fluff. The mist of desolation was vanquished, which left Thomas standing there on the top of the fountain once more, his white wings retracting into his back before he glanced over at us.

His eyes briefly met with my mother’s, as if to confirm he’d done his duty for the afternoon. Once she nodded in acknowledgment, he turned his attention to me - analyzing my stunned gaze as I finally took in what he was.

Royal hybrid…he’s half fae…half angel?

The realization suddenly made complete sense as I recalled our conversation about the East and West points in the cross.

The East and West individuals would be opposites of one another. Polar opposites. With Isaac as a fae hellhound of the Underworld…Thomas is a fae angel…of the Heavens?

I couldn’t determine if my assumption was true or not, but our gaze told me that he was searching for my reaction. How was I supposed to react to learning the good boy gone sexy was a fae angel hybrid who wore gothic clothing, had tattoos and piercings, and made my body crazy with desire?

All I could do was stare back, but I was sure my eyes reflected my amazement and the hint of lust thrumming through me.

The world could end, and I’d get lost in those spheres of purple that harbored gold instead of red, but we were pulled out of our trance as Mother clapped her hands in praise.

“Excellent work, Thomas,” she encouraged. “Please meet us back at the castle to report.”

He nodded then, and after one last glance my way, he pushed off the fountain and with a blink was gone, white feathers raining down on the square. A soft breeze blew by then, a white feather drifting on the wave of wind and delivering the very feather to the palm of my hand.

“Well, shit,” I couldn’t help but curse as I took in the sight of the white feather that remained in my hand, the thrumming magic confirming without a doubt that Thomas held light magic. “Thomas is a hybrid…an angel one at that. I thought angels didn’t exist,” I admitted.

“They hide among us,” Mother explained. “There are various types. They have their own hierarchy system if it’s easier to understand, but their existence is definitely rare. I’m sure you’ll get a chance to see them at Bloody Rosary now that most of your peers are awakened, but they keep that aspect of themselves well-hidden because many supernaturals enjoy taking advantage of them.”

“Why?” I inquired.

“Depending on how strong of an angel or type of angelic being they are, they can have a sense of immortality because of how strong their healing capabilities are. Before, when their population was at their peak, many were captured and used to aid with getting rid of the dark creatures. Some volunteered, but many were forced into it. The problem with that was that angels can’t constantly heal. They need loads of rest to rejuvenate, but instead, for the ‘greater good’ they were slaves to the point that they lost all vigor and perished. The only reason they’re no longer sought, aside from their own techniques of hiding their powers, is due to many being consumed by the dark creatures and their healing properties being mimicked to aid the creatures. Once that was discovered, the desire for them dropped, but there were few left.”

“That’s so uncalled for,” I admitted. “You’d think they would be treated equally and respected for their power and own hierarchy, similar to how we respect our boundaries.”

“The sad part about the supernatural world is that we’re so consumed with this endless need for power that those very lines of respect are thinned to a point of temporarily not existing. It’s only when one fights back, whether it be as a single individual or a group, that those barriers rise once more and the rest of our kind realize that the chosen race isn’t a pushover one. One day we may find a balance where everyone is respected, but until then, it’s a world where power speaks.”

“Isn’t that the truth, my dear.”

We turned to see Father, and two guards further in the distance.

“Father.” I smiled at his arrival while Mother grinned in loving appreciation.

“Done with your meetings?” she inquired.

“Sort of,” he admitted as he gave her a kiss in greeting. “I was wondering if I could steal our daughter to see a bit of the coven during the day before it gets busy at the fall of daylight,” he explained. “I also noticed dark creatures were here.”

“Tommy took care of them,” I responded.

Mother nodded. “Indeed, he did. It brings me a bit of peace of mind knowing he’ll be around Lucinda more.”

“What do you mean?” I inquired, but Father tapped my shoulder.

“We’re going to be late,” he noted.

“Ah.” I was beyond curious and dying to get a chance to learn more about the coven as I got a glimpse of these parts of our hidden kingdom oasis. “Can we at least walk Mother back to the castle?” I inquired.

That intrigued both of them and I slightly blushed at my rather silly question.

“It’s been many years since I’ve gotten to walk with you both in the gardens and such,” I quietly admitted. “It would be nice to experience it again.”

The two of them exchanged looks as their eyes softened in love.

“We’d love that, Lucinda,” Mother whispered, and I swore she was trying not to cry. She offered her hand, as did Father, while he whispered, “It would be a great honor, Lucinda.”

The way I smiled surely made my eyes twinkle with elation as I placed my hands in theirs. We began to walk back to the castle, and it was amazing to be in my parents’ grasps, with the serenity our kingdom delivered around us, and the beautiful view of our approaching castle.

It encouraged me to work harder so that one day, our kingdom, our people, and the world would no longer be hidden in the shadows.

The world will hear and respect the Delphine kingdom once again.

4

ROYAL ADVISOR PROBLEMS

“You’re actually going to be my Royal Advisor and attend Bloody Rosary Academy,” I concluded as I stared at Thomas in disbelief, only to lower my gaze to his lap as he finished pressing his bloody finger to the document.

We watched in silence as the magical invitation floated into the air and with a poof, sealed the deal once and for all.

“Yup,” he said with a big smile that pissed me off.

“Tommy! You didn’t even think about it? Not to forget you have to take that test to prove yourself which enables you to skip Year One!” I put my hands on my hips, forgetting about how easygoing Tommy was as a kid.

The good boy always went along with whatever, which developed the common habit of being a pushover from those who took blunt advantage of such characteristics.

“I did that already.”

His confession left me frowning and only ignited his teasing smile as he rose up and flicked his bleeding finger, which healed instantly. He walked over to me, and I slowly backed away in an attempt to make distance between us so I could actually think logically.

And not with my damn hormones.

“W-When did you do that?!” I stuttered before my back pressed against the door of my room. The way his eyes danced with playfulness and his lips smirked as he approached had my heart skipping a few beats while I was reminded about the ache between my legs.

“When you were touring the coven with your father a few hours ago,” he revealed as he reached where I was. “Now are we done with the questions, or can I ask why you’re so nervous around me?”

“I-I’m not nervous!”

“You stutter when you’re nervous,” he acknowledged and leaned in closer until our lips were literally centimeters apart. “Do I still have that effect on you, my Luci?”

“I’m not yours,” I huffed and looked away as my cheeks flushed. “And I don’t know what effect you’re-”

My words got caught in my throat as his tongue licked the side of my neck, sending shivers of lust through me until I looked back at him with wild eyes.

“Are you sure?” he whispered, not even threatened by my intense gaze. “It’s my duty as a Royal Advisor to make sure all your needs are met.”

All my needs…fuck. Fuck, fuck, heavens fuck.

“I’m…fuck…make space!” I huffed and pushed him back. “I can never think when you’re around!”

“Why?”

“Because you always make me think with my damn pussy and not my logic!” I huffed and moved away to the washroom. Slamming the door, I heard his chuckle from the other side, and I quickly opened the door to glare at him. “Stop laughing at me!”

“Are you going to masturbate?” The direct question made my whole face flush, which made his grin widen to the point of showing those brilliant white teeth of his.

“I can aid you with that?” he offered.

“G-G-Go away!” I snapped. “Go be a good advisor of royal whatever and buy me chocolate from that expensive store in the human realms! Yes! Chocolate covered strawberries and wine!”

He chuckled but nodded his head. “As you wish, Princess.” He winked and headed to the door. “Your cellphone and other possessions from your dorm are on the bed.”

“Oh…” I hadn’t even remembered those things and I gave him a confused look, which forced him to add, “Headmaster Wei advised me to get your belongings since we’ll be shifting dorm houses for Year Two. The student count dropped after the awakenings, so I was advised to take your stuff.”

“What about my plant?” I wondered.

“Your fae boyfriend took it for you,” he revealed. “There was a note that stated he’d bring it back when school starts.”

“Oh,” I replied, and felt a little relieved and emotionally moved by Tobias’s move. “Alright.”

“I’ll be back then,” he declared.

“W-Wa…” I couldn’t even state the single word to stop him as he walked out the door and closed it behind him. Standing at the washroom door in silence, I opened it back up and let out a long sigh.

“Fuck. This is why I couldn’t manage a relationship with him. He fucks up all my logical thinking while still being an affectionate lover. What is Pearl gonna think? Actually…I need to talk to Tobias and Kane.”

I remembered that my phone was on the bed, so I walked over to it and reached for the device. I debated on who to call first. I tried reaching Pearl, but her phone went straight to voice mail.

Maybe where she is doesn’t have service. I wonder if she, Isaiah, and Isaac dealt with a different type of awakening?

Deciding with my eyes closed, I pressed wherever my finger landed upon first, and opened my eyes up to see I’d picked Kane’s number and the phone was ringing.

It rang and rang, which left me wondering if he was still asleep. Seeing as he’d have to function on coven hours, I was sure the evenings were spent enjoying the last bit of sleep before duty called.

The line picked up, but no one spoke, which made me frown as I finally decided to speak. “Hello?”

“Good evening. Mortica Residence.” The female voice that picked up made me frown further while my internal jealousy decided to peek its head into the conversation.

“Who are you?”

“I should be asking that,” the preppy girl with an attitude replied. “Now, do you have any reason for calling our Prince Mortica or are you just wasting ox-”

“Either learn how to speak to royalty with respect or be prepared for me to come all the way over there and slap the shit out of that pesky mouth of yours.” My words were so uncalled for, I was even taken aback by them. My declaration silenced the woman before the sound of a door opening in the background was followed with, “Who’s on the line?”

When the woman didn’t reply, there was a grunt of annoyance before the voice ordered, “Out. Now.”

The scurrying of footsteps was followed with a loud slam of the door, leaving me a little relieved at the woman’s swift exit.

Even though I was still pissed that this peasant thought she was better than me by her tone of voice alone.

“Kane speaking.” The extremely deep voice threw me off for a second, but I swallowed down my shock as I seemed to stand a little taller and mumbled, “If you’re cheating on me, I’m killing that bitch.”

The silence only lasted for three seconds before the wave of deep chuckles drifted into my ear, and a long sigh followed.

“Hey, Lucinda,” Kane greeted. “I’m not cheating on you,” he added in reassurance.

“Good, or I’d actually go and fuck Tommy out of revenge,” I muttered.

“Tommy?”

I let out a sigh and sat down on my bed. “Long story short, I have a Royal Advisor who so happens to my ex-boyfriend from way back when, and he’s had a devilish glow up and to top it all off, he’s connected to me, which probably makes no sense to you right now,” I rambled and let my hand run through my hair as I closed my eyes. “Not to forget that this awakening shit is fucking exhausting, I’m reunited with my parents but there’s a whole lot to learn, I’m horny as hell but that’s Tommy’s damn fault, and I miss you and Tobias. Bonus points for Pearl but her phone is out of service.”

He waited to ensure I wasn’t going to say anything more before he answered. “I miss you, too, Luci.” His soft, deep voice held far more emotion then I was prepared for, leaving my heart aching to be in front of him.

To read his expression and stare into his eyes so I could decipher just how much shit he’s gone through, or more importantly, how much was revealed to him.

“As for the Royal Advisor situation, do you still like him?”

“Our relationship wasn’t necessarily a “like to love” type of connection,” I confessed.

“So it runs off of lust,” he confirmed.

“I guess?” I bit my lip and opened my eyes. “I’m not sure you understand the connection part.”

“I know, Luci,” he whispered so lowly, I almost missed it.

“You…know?”

“Mhm.”

“As in you’ve always known?”

“As in, I remember what’s been blocked off from my own awakening and I understand what reveals itself when I place my hand at the south side of yours,” he revealed.

“Oh,” I whispered. “I guess that makes explaining easier.”

“Are you calling because you’re not sure if you can last the next three months with your ex taunting you with his existence?”

“Affirmative,” I muttered and felt disgusted at myself. “Disgusting, right?”

“How?” Kane calmly questioned back.

“Doesn’t it make me like…some type of whore?” I muttered and pinched my nose. “Ugh. I swear I’m losing myself from all this change.” I decided to just say what was running through my mind now that I had someone to listen to my odd thought process.

“When I first met Tommy, I wasn’t as confident as I am now. I had a front that was as strong as steel, and he somehow was able to cut through it all. It’s different from how Pearl perceived me. He could truly see the depths of my soul in any instance, and it’s kinda why I was okay with giving myself to him. I didn’t feel ashamed to be with him just for simple pleasure. It just seemed right because I could have sex, and explore myself and this world of pleasure without fear of it being taken away by someone else, like those scumbag adults. Whenever I was around him, I could act different and vulnerable without the worry it would be used against me, and having his support, especially as a male…it was comforting,” I explained as I stared at the floor. “Then he was transferred unexpectedly…and I never got to really say goodbye. I told Pearl we broke up before he vanished, but it was a lie. She probably knew it, too. And I hid how much his disappearance took a toll on me. I felt like it was my fault.”

Those raw memories came streaming back, and I closed my eyes and let out a long sigh.

“I thought someone had discovered about us and our relationship, and that was my punishment. I feared he was left on the streets thanks to me or, the worst-case scenario, killed. It took a long time for me to get over it, and it was the reason why I didn’t try mingling with anyone else. The memories basically faded away…or at least that minor detail did, but now he’s back.”

“You want to either decide to break up for real or try again?” Kane concluded.

I didn’t answer and I heard the creak of the bed on the other side.

“Lucinda.”

“Why aren’t you mad? Or trying to tell me that I’m yours and he can’t be in the same bed or some shit?” I muttered bitterly.

“Tommy is Thomas Hill, isn’t he?”

“How…” I trailed off in confusion, trying to remember if we’d ever met Tommy when we were younger. “We never…”

“The three of us met him before,” Kane revealed. “In fact, you were in the church when we did meet Thomas, and that was before our memories were hidden away for our own protection.”

“Are you trying to say you only remember now?”

“Exactly what I’m saying,” he concluded. “Finishing the awakening ceremony reminded me of it long ago. It’s when we were still little. Tobias, myself, Thomas, and even Isaac met.”

“Isaac,” I whispered. “That means you really do know about the details of the mark.”

“Somewhat,” he admitted. “We haven’t been told everything. I’m not sure about Tobias since we haven’t talked since awakening day. All I recall is the four of us met as children once. I’m sure the topic was regarding you, but those memories are still wishy-washy and I’d rather discuss it with all of us together than ask anyone here,” he confessed.

It was an intriguing revelation, but I was left wondering why they were forced to forget such an important interaction.

Of course they were forced to forget. This mark that apparently proves the four of them would fit perfectly with me by their sides somehow scares the kings and queens of the supernatural land so much that they decided to kill me and my parents.

“Lucinda.”

The firmness in his voice brought me back to the present as I whispered, “Yes, Kane.”

“You’re worrying too much,” he comforted. “Are you worried that we wouldn’t want to be with you if you hooked up with Thomas?”

“Essentially,” I mumbled. “It’s a sin, you know?”

“I’m aware of the human bible, but you know those terms don’t apply to marked supernaturals.”

“I guess,” I quietly replied and lay back to stare up at the ceiling. “It didn’t feel right if I didn’t ask you. I haven’t asked Tobias either.”

“Well, I feel honored to have gotten the news first,” he calmly replied. “If it’s Thomas, I’m fine with it. Anyone else, and I’ll drink all their blood and toss them into a fireplace to keep us warm.”

“That’s kinda hot.”

“I should have fucked you more,” he mumbled mostly to himself. “I regret that now that I’m gonna be here for the duration of summer.”

“Same boat,” I whispered. “Aren’t you going to get in trouble for being on the phone?”

“Nah. I was hoping to hear from you eventually. Looks like text messages don’t come through though. The reception has been spotty for me but it’s nice and clear as of now.”

“Guess the Universe wants me to speak to you,” I commented.

“Help you return to your badass self?” Kane suggested. “You’re usually the type to act out and think later.”

“True, but my thought process is usually only slightly behind in most scenarios so I don’t screw myself over,” I admitted. “As of now, I’m still struggling to play catch up and figure out this upgrade.”

“And to think we haven’t started school yet.”

“The irony,” I whispered and closed my eyes. “So that bitch isn’t your new girlfriend?”

“No.” He darkly chuckled. “She’s being removed.”

“That sounds like interesting tea,” I admitted, but was beginning to really relax.

“Are you falling asleep?”

“No. I just closed…my…” I trailed off, feeling so calm and relieved from our little conversation.

“Luci?”

I didn’t reply, the world seemingly further away, which made me realize I had to call Tobias, or at least reach out to him. There was a soft chuckle and words drifted into the depths of the darkness.

“I love you, Luci. We’ll talk again soon.”

Love you, Kane.

I wasn’t sure if my words ever reached him as I allowed myself to enjoy the falling motion in the pits of darkness, but I couldn’t wait to get back to school and meet him again.

For us to be reunited and figure all of this out before shit really hit the fan.

MY BARE FEET walked upon the soft ground that gave me a calming feeling with every step I took. The sky twinkled with many stars, the moon out and showing its serene beauty against the navy-blue sky.

Roses surrounded me as I continued to walk forward, reaching the familiar cliff that was calling for my arrival. When my feet came to a stop, I looked down to see the vivid white dress that cloaked my body, revealing all the lines of my curvy stature and the fact that I wore nothing beneath.

It didn’t bother me as I looked above to the grand view, lost in the various stars and the constellations that emphasized their beauty. Lowering my gaze, I locked onto a man.

He stood at the edge of the familiar cliff, wearing nothing but white. His long hair blew with the wind that carried his natural scent and tingled my body with desire as I recognized the person’s approaching company.

As if sensing my presence, they looked back to meet my calm eyes, the orbs of prism rainbows dancing in various colors as they took in my appearance from head to toe. It seemed to take my mind a little longer to acknowledge who this man was, but when it hit, I was left in astonishment at the predicament as my eyes widened to take in the man who began to walk my way.

I didn’t allow myself to think, my feet moving all on their own accord while I gave up overthinking and decided to go based on instinct. Within seconds, I was in the man’s arms, our lips crashing against one another’s as we kissed with so much affection, I forgot to breathe.

The movement of our lips was as desperate as my hands that searched his body. His warmth was different, carrying a muted sensation to it when the palms of my hands craved his heat. No matter how it felt, our kiss brought enough emotion to the table as the atmosphere encouraged our reunion.

We pulled back to acknowledge one another with our eyes and minds, but I knew this couldn’t be real.

“This is a dream,” I whispered, and he proceeded to nod.

“You’re dreamscaping again, Lucinda,” Tobias announced with a loving smile, one that complemented his expression as I took in his more mature appearance. He’d definitely grown a bit older, or at least that was the image his glamor was projecting.

Instead of words, I kissed him one more time, needing another reminder of intimacy in the lands we would travel up to when we left our rooted laughter behind.

The place where he planted the roses he promised me and gave me the privilege of seeing years later.

Even if we were in the midst of a dream, I could recall those childhood memories and reminisce on the happiness they brought me. I broke the kiss just to stare into his eyes, and we shared a look of understanding before he hugged me tightly.

“Hey, Lucinda,” he murmured into my flesh. “I know this is a dream, but damn, I’ve missed you and it’s only been a few fucking days.”

“I miss you more,” I confessed as I held him tighter. “I was going to call you, but I fell asleep and well, I guess that’s why I’m here.”

“Visiting my dreams like a good stalker?” he offered, which made me giggle.

“Totally something I’d do, though it wouldn’t be talking, but claiming what’s mine.”

“Ah,” he replied and plopped a kiss on my lips. “What’s bothering you enough to dreamscape?”

“N-Nothing,” I reasoned but his smirk only grew.

“Kane called me.”

“Boo.” I pouted my lips, which made him chuckle and release me, his hand slipping into mine as we seemed to walk right off the cliff. We didn’t fall but kept walking on the invisible path, and I tried not to think about all the possibilities until we walked over to another part of the forest that landed us onto a platform where there seemed to be a little garden of flowers and a place to sit.

“That was downright scary,” I admitted.

“But you went along with it,” Tobias concluded, his head looking over to me to observe me with a loving smile. “When you don’t think it’s impossible, it’s not in the lands of dreamscaping.”

“Glad I went along with it,” I concluded as we arrived at the bench wrapped in flowers and vines. He helped me sit down first, and followed before hooking his arm around me and pulling me against him.

“You’ve grown taller,” he commented. “And it’s not glamor.”

“As have you,” I admitted. “At least your voice isn’t as deep as Kane’s.”

“I noticed that,” he confessed. “The fucker better not have a better glow up than me, or I’m beating him up.”

I laughed harder than I expected, and he smiled at my amusement. “You seem happy.”

“A little stressed and relieved you two haven’t completely changed into strangers,” I confessed as my smile morphed into a sad one.

He moved to cradle my face, leaning in to brush his lips against mine.

“I’d say something comforting and deny that, but only a bit has been revealed of what we need to become to be truly worthy of rising up to our throne, and I feel as though the next three months will test us further.”

“I’d rather enjoy the harsh truth than be told a lie,” I replied and felt his lips curl up against mine before he gave me a solid kiss.

“I know.”

Pulling back, he pressed my head to rest upon his shoulder, his hand already stroking through my locks as if I were in his bed and snuggled against his naked body.

“You’re more romantic in our shared dreams,” I mumbled as we stared at the vast landscape of the night.

“I would be in real life, but we were dealing with finding those damn rosaries for the majority of last semester. As for the previous one, we were still learning about one another.”

“Valid facts.”

“What’s bothering you?”

“Kane didn’t give you the details?”

“No. He wanted you to tell me but said you were stressed about it.”

“Do you know who Thomas Hill is?”

I could already see the lines of displeasure forming on his face, which left me sighing.

“You don’t like him.”

“It’s not like I hate him.”

“But you dislike him.”

“He’s a goody two shoes.”

“That image is far from it, my love,” I admitted. “He’s…changed since I dated him.”

“You dated him?”

“We fucked for the explorative experience and I guess we considered our ongoing fling more than just that and well…” I trailed off and looked back at the scene before me. “He disappeared and we never really called things off.”

“And I guess he’s back from the darkness.”

“Yes, but as my Royal Advisor.”

“Oh fuck,” Tobias commented. “You can’t get out of that, huh?”

“You can get out of it?”

“In my case, I asked not to have one. It’s not necessary for a male to have an RA unless there’s more than one throne to claim. However, I agreed to up my readings in regards to royal law and all that bullshit.”

“You won’t get in trouble?”

“No.” Tobias shook his head. “They’re not forcing me to have a female RA.”

“Wait. They have to be female?”

“They have to be the opposite gender of you. In this case, I can see why they would choose Thomas, especially with the memory of us meeting after you were sent to the church,” he revealed and continued, “The meeting was supposed to discuss our secrecy and compliance with what happened to your parents and such, but it looks like we were forced to forget one another and our connections.”

“Makes sense,” I whispered. “So you rejected it simply because she was female?”

“Kane told me you snapped at his,” he announced in amusement.

“Oh,” I commented and casually shrugged. “The bitch had it coming to her.”

Tobias’s smile was priceless. “Thus the reason why I decided not to waste her time or my own. We’ll be fine together and it’s not like we’re rising to our thrones any time soon.”

“What about me, though?”

“You’re juggling two thrones. Whoever decided to assign Thomas as your RA had to have put great thought into it, and he may have connections of his own. He is also of royalty, though his family is struggling, from what I recall when we’d met. I’m not sure about the details.”

“I’ll have to find out,” I whispered and snuggled against him before closing my eyes.

“So you two never broke up,” he concluded.

“No…”

“The feelings are still there?”

“I’m not sure,” I admitted quietly. “He triggers all those past feelings, which are kinda making me feel all over the place. It reminds me of the past me I only showed him before I molded myself into the strong individual I show you guys. It doesn’t mean I don’t show you guys my vulnerabilities, but it’s just…you’re seeing the mature side while he saw the true insecurities I let out when we shared the same agony in the church, you know?”

“Are you afraid that having him as a Royal Advisor will make you fall in lust with him again?” He hit the nail on the head with his question.

“Exactly that,” I calmly replied. “Though….I’m more worried about what you guys would think of me is all. In my mind and with the morals I carry, it would be so disrespectful to fall in love with another man without even telling the two of you. I wanted you two to understand that it’s not necessarily me purposely trying to fall for him, and it’s not like it’s instant love. I think it’s an open wound I’m going to have to force myself to acknowledge and heal. My only concern is whether Tommy wants to embark on the same journey.”

“He’s that different?” Tobias inquired.

“When you see for yourself, you’ll notice just how far away from good he is now. Especially with you remembering him as a little boy,” I explained

“Looks like this approaching year is going to feel like a brand new one,” Tobias replied.

“Like we’re strangers,” I whispered.

“Maybe,” Tobias acknowledged. “We may be strangers in power and appearance, but when that’s all stripped away, we’re lovers in the sheets.”

“How romantic of you,” I hummed, my eyes closed as I enjoyed the way he stroked my hair.

“I miss you, Lucinda,” he whispered, and yet it seemed far away.

“We’ll…see each other soon,” I mumbled, enjoying the calm this atmosphere delivered.

“I know,” he replied, and I felt his lips press against my forehead. “All I can hope is that you survive the trials that will try to stop us from reuniting.”

His words lingered around me as I began to drift away.

“Sleep well, our Princess,” Tobias began, his noble words making my heart swell with love. “We’ll grow strong so that no one will tear us apart again.”

I continued to float through the comforting darkness, and the last words that drifted to my mind carried the seriousness of Tobias’s words.

Absolutely no one.

5

AT YOUR SERVICE AND UNIQUE CONNECTION

When I opened my eyes, a soft brush against my cheek confirmed that I wasn’t alone. I knew I should react, or at least fight whoever is within my chambers, but the comfort the brushing feeling brought was enough to help me remember the past.

“HMM? TOMMY?”

“Hello, LuciLu.”

“Why you keep calling me that is beyond me,” I mumbled, half-asleep. “You’re breaking the church rules by being here.”

Lips brushed mine and soon sealed off any attempt I was unconsciously going to make to go back to sleep. The movement of those loving lips was enough to suck me right into his delicious taste.

My moan was muffled into his mouth as he somehow maneuvered himself until the blanket covered both of us and we were making out beneath the sheets.

“I was never good at following the rules,” he finally answered, tugging my bottom lip and taking me captive once again. Things were escalating quickly, our hands moving across each other’s bodies, and if I didn’t fight to break the heated kiss, this would lead to another steamy moment that could wake Pearl and the rest of the girls in our sleep quarters.

“Tommy,” I groaned when he tried to kiss me again. “We’ll wake Pearl.”

“She’s not here,” he mischievously declared, reminding me that today either had to be a full moon or new moon.

“You plotted this out, didn’t you?”

“I’d never do such a thing.” He winked and plopped a kiss on my lips. “I’m too good for that.”

“Right,” I replied. “Except when your cock is talking.”

He chuckled and kissed my neck. “Are you okay?”

“Yes?” I opened my eyes to actually look up at him. “Why?”

“You were crying earlier, weren’t you?”

“Me? Crying? Never,” I huffed and looked away. “You have no proof.”

“Those girls were mocking you that no one would love someone like you who reserved yourself for someone the Lord would connect you with,” he revealed and watched my sleepy eyes widen for a moment. With a pout of my lips, I glanced away and managed to shrug.

“It wasn’t a big deal.”

“It was enough for you to shed tears.”

“I’ll get payback later,”

“That’s not the point,” he whispered and moved my head to face his, which hovered above me. “What made those thick walls crumble?”

I stared into his eyes and whispered, “The thought that we’re just…this?”

He remained quiet, which gave me the chance to continue.

“I know we agreed to do this, to explore these lines of lust with no strings attached…but sometimes…I want to dive into things more? To unravel you like a candy wrapper and see the true coat you wear beneath your goodness.”

With a sigh, I closed my eyes. “I just got upset because I wish we weren’t stuck in this place and I could really explore more than just the beautiful experience of pleasure. I want to know more about you…and maybe that’s stupid compared to them, who give their bodies to any reverend pastor who will take them. I just feel stupid.”

“Don’t feel stupid,” he whispered. “You’re a brilliant woman who knows what she wants.”

He maneuvered us so I was cuddled right against him, his warmth only making me melt into his loving arms. He kissed my forehead as I allowed my eyes to close.

“I want to unravel every bit of you,” he confessed, which made my heart skip a few beats. “I know what you seek, LuciLu. I see what you crave every time you look into my eyes. I want that, too. Just to be with you and let all those walls down.”

He paused as he took a deep inhale, letting it out slowly as he whispered against my flesh, “I’d let you see all of me Lucinda, but the timing isn’t right yet. So many eyes are on us…and those within these holy walls that put up a facade are watching our every move.”

“Do you think they know we’re a thing?”

“I don’t think so,” he admitted. “However, if they did, I’m sure they would do something about it, and I can’t let that result in you getting hurt.”

“Would you date me when we’re of age and get out of this place?”

“In two years?” He thought about it. “I would, but what if you don’t like me anymore?”

“Are you going to become an asshole in two years?”

“Maybe?”

“I could deal with that,” I said with confidence.

He chuckled and brushed his lips against my neck. “What if the real me that you unravel is opposite from the good boy I’m perceived as?”

“I’d simply love you more,” I quietly replied and leaned back to see his eyes, which stared deeply into mine. “The mystery of unlocking my real Tommy would be exciting and bring a thrill to our romantic life.”

“Only you’d say that.” He chuckled. “I could be a killer.”

“In this time and age, we’ll all become killers. Besides, we both carry royal blood.”

“True,” he admitted. “What if you find someone better than me?”

“Hmm. I don’t know,” I replied. “Can’t I have both?”

Now he was laughing loud enough that I grabbed a pillow and smothered his face. “Hush!”

“Sorry,” he chuckled and held me when I tried to squirm out of his hold.

“Someone may come here!”

“No one is coming,” he assured me. “No one will enter, but Pearl.”

“You did something.”

“Maybe,” he said with a mischievous smile. He reached out to stroke my cheek, drawing my attention to him once more. “When you’re eighteen and you want to discover what’s hidden behind my persona, I’ll let you in.”

My eyes widened at his words and I saw the glint of hope in his eyes.

“Really?”

“Really,” he repeated.

“And…I can still be myself, right?”

“Mhmm,” he replied and kissed me. “Though I like a balance of your sassy confidence and this hot vulnerable side, which turns me on in an odd way.”

“You’re weird.”

“You love it,” he replied with a chuckle. “Wanna sleep?”

“Can we do other stuff?” I purred and gave him a look that would signify what I was leaning towards.

“Ya,” he whispered with a grin. “We can do other stuff.”

The memory began to fade away as his lips claimed mine.

“LUCILU.” The soft voice with a hint of wonder tugged me out of the hole of my memories, and my eyes slowly opened to see the purple-red spheres that stared down at me in intrigued interest.

Blinking a few times, I allowed my vision to clear before acknowledging Tommy’s face hovering over mine. Staring up at him brought back those lingering moments in the dark church, reminding me of those rare occasions when he’d sneak into our room just to snuggle with me.

Those nights were always my calmest as I slept peacefully and awoke to an empty bed that was bathed in his soft scent that reminded me of holy oil and baby powder.

I moved without thinking, lifting my head up enough for my lips to press against his in a tender kiss. My eyes closed as I enjoyed the single moment - surprised that his lips very slightly pressed back and moved with my dominating movement.

When it finally clicked in that this wasn’t our sixteen-year-old days, I broke the kiss to see his reaction. He remained calm as he continued to peer down at me, his lips beginning to curl as he watched my cheeks begin to burn red in amusement.

“Good Morning, LuciLu.” The way he softly whispered those words tugged at my emotions, and he noticed the sadness that flooded my eyes.

He didn’t say anything more, his hand moving to brush my cheek before he leaned down and pressed his forehead against mine.

“I know,” he finally stated as we shared the silent moment. “I know you have questions. Concerns. Wish for so many answers. I want to give them all to you, Lucinda.”

The way he said his comment told me it still wasn’t the right time.

“Something is still preventing you,” I said as if confirming the truth.

“Not something,” he finally admitted. “Someone…and I won’t be able to truly share it until I know it won’t backfire in my face.”

“You have enemies?” I quietly pondered.

“More than I should,” he admitted and leaned back to really look into my eyes. “The same enemies that wish for nothing but your demise,” he admitted. “And there’s no way I can let that occur.”

“That’s because you’re my Royal Advisor,” I mumbled.

“No,” he replied and shook his head. “My only duty as a Royal Advisor is to be by your side and advise you in the laws and guidelines of royalty. It’s not my duty to keep you alive. That is, unless I feel like it.”

“Hmm,” I began. “So it depends if your cock feels like saving me?”

“Essentially,” he concluded with a smile. “But deep down I would too.”

“Liar,” I quietly commented.

“I’d never lie to you,” he whispered.

“Will you tell me about…well…what happened earlier? Will you unravel the pieces of who you are now?”

“Yes,” he replied. “But as of today, I’m at your service, Princess Lucinda, and we have lots to prepare for if we want to be strong enough to conquer Year Two at Bloody Rosary.”

“What about our unique connection?” I questioned, my eyes growing heavier as if it were time for me to go back to sleep. He noticed my struggle, which made him pull the thin blanket up to cover me.

“We can always explore that, LuciLu,” he teased with a wink. “However, tomorrow you’ll realize we’re not going to have much time for that, and though I’ve been requested to ensure you rest, we may have to bend some rules if we want to be prepared for what’s to come.”

“Why do I feel as though you’re going to become a drill sergeant and whip my ass?”

“I won’t be the one drilling you with commands, I promise,” he announced, and added, “I’d whip your ass though.”

“Calm that beast of yours,” I huffed and yawned.

He was going to get off the bed, but I caught onto his arm.

“Can you stay?”

“I’m going against my Royal Advisor position,” he teased, which made me roll my eyes.

“Cuddle me or fuck off,” I snapped, and he chuckled like he’d plotted this to happen.

“As you wish, Princess Lucinda.”

“LuciLu is better,” I mumbled.

“I know you hate formal shit,” he replied as he slipped into the bed and pulled me into his arms. “You realize your boyfriends may not like this.”

“I got their approval,” I mumbled as I inhaled his scent and let it out slowly.

Still smells so damn holy.

“How?”

“Phone called Kane…dreamed of Tobias.”

“Tobias doesn’t like me,” he noted.

“He said that,” I mumbled and snuggled against him as my eyes came to a close. “Why?”

“Complicated stuff,” Thomas replied but sounded pleased.

“You probably provoked him.”

“Maybe.”

“Not…surprised.”

“You sleepy again?”

“I’m tired,” I admitted. “I didn’t sleep much.”

“Hmm.”

“Stay till morning,” I mumbled.

“We could get in trouble.”

“Good.” My voice barely reached my own ears. “Then…I’ll punish you…by sleeping in this bed for the next four months.”

I could hear his low chuckle but it was in the distance as I began to drift off. I heard his words as I mentally prepared for what would come once I woke up from a restful slumber.

“The next four months are going to be a living hell, Lucinda. I hope you’re ready.”

I better be.

6

FAREWELL AND REUNITED AS STRANGERS

~ FOURTEEN WEEKS LATER ~

“YOU FUCKING DID THAT ON PURPOSE!” I snapped as I finished putting the new cape-like coat upon my shoulders. I twirled to look at Thomas as he leaned against the wall, his eyes admiring me with a taunting expression.

“I don’t know what you’re accusing me of this time,” he commented while checking me out. I watched him lick his bottom lip, which made me want to go right up there and bite it.

Settle down, Lucinda. No biting that fucker’s lips.

“We’ve been training for three months and you continue to feed me your thoughts.”

His acknowledgment made me pout in annoyance, and he devilishly smirked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Don’t pout like that or I’ll come and do exactly what you wish of me.”

“Fucking tease,” I huffed.

“Teasing you is my life’s purpose,” he encouraged. “Are you done ranting or are we still on the ‘I didn’t fucking sleep because of your thunder ass’ topic?”

The reminder made me narrow my tired eyes at him, and he dramatically sighed.

“Listen, you can’t blame the thunderstorm last night on me,” he complained.

“Mom and Dad said you’re the one who did it!”

“Yes,” he confessed.

“Then why the fuck are you denying it?!”

“Because the true reason is a little embarrassing for a holy being like myself.”

“You’re nowhere close to holy,” I countered.

“I won’t deny that.” He winked. “However, you’d cringe at the reason so I won’t share.”

“Tell me!”

“No.”

I stomped over to him until I was right in his face, not like my combat boots were helping the significant height difference.

Now that I could remain in my awakened form, I stood at 6′3″ with the help of these three-inch boots, but with Thomas at 6′5″, I was still short enough for him to give me that belittling grin of his, showing off those pearly white teeth and smooth, light red lips.

“I, Princess Lucinda Delphine, order you to tell me!”

My command only made him chuckle as he leaned right into my personal space until his lips brushed mine as he spoke.

“I create thunderstorms when I masturbate,” he declared with seriousness. “You happy now?”

I blinked and stared at him with a blank expression, waiting for him to tell me he was joking. We just kept standing there, barely breathing as his words finally settled in and I realized he seriously meant every word.

“You’re fucking joking with me,” I softly declared.

“Nope.” He seemed pleased with my response as he leaned back to look down at my shocked expression. “I don’t get horny often, but since a certain girlfriend returned to her homelands to kick ass and become a better badass than her usual self, it looks as though there’s been a lot of thunderstorms the last couple of weeks.” I was gawking now, and he smirked further. “I wonder why that is? Could this woman have some sort of power revolving around my cock?”

“You’re disgusting!” I huffed and stomped past him. “You’re lying!”

“You gotta decide whether I’m disgusting or lying.” He chuckled and followed me out of my washroom to the packed metallic magenta suitcase with golden magic circles all over it. “And be realistic, because you know I can’t lie.”

“You’re a disgusting ex-boyfriend Royal Advisor of a fucker!” I huffed.

“When did we break up?” His question was so genuinely spoken that I stopped in my stomping movement to turn back to look at his peculiar expression.

“What?”

“We never did break up,” he pointed out. “So I can’t be your ex-boyfriend if we never agreed to break up.”

“You’re not being serious right now,” I voiced and turned around to give him my full attention. “Even if you had a reason to leave, which I still don’t know about, just like how I don’t know a good two-thirds of you yet due to it not being the right time and place, I couldn’t possibly remain in a relationship when I had no clue where you went and blamed myself for your random departure.”

“Why did you blame yourself?” he asked, making me roll my eyes and return to my suitcase as I packed the last set of clothes Mother had gotten created just for me.

“When someone you care about, even if the relationship wasn’t one of love, disappears randomly and never returns, you’re left wondering what drove them away,” I stated as I closed my bag and began to zip it up. “You think a bunch of things. What did I do to push him away? Was he injured because of me? Did the Vatican or those in power find out that we’re dating and wish to tear us apart? Maybe it’s all my fault because someone like me doesn’t deserve longevity in the land of happiness?”

I sensed his presence behind me the next second, but he didn’t allow me to turn around as my back pressed into his chest and his arms moved to wrap around my waist. We both remained still as his hot breath brushed the side of my neck.

“You deserve happiness, Lucinda,” he whispered against my flesh and held me even tighter. “I didn’t mean to leave.”

“I know you didn’t,” I whispered and closed my eyes. “It’s not like I blamed you. I never blamed you specifically for leaving. We may have been together for a short period of time, but I knew you well enough to know you’d never desert me if it was your choice. You’d rather tell me the truth than abandon me…and I knew that…and it was exactly that reason that left me feeling like your abrupt departure was my fault.”

I finally allowed myself to turn in his hold until we faced each other. Opening my eyes, I lifted my head to see the full spectrum of sadness conjured up in his eyes.

“I know the moment we arrive at Bloody Rosary, we’re going to have to act like strangers who must work together to achieve what we wish to accomplish. I’m aware that the others will have to do the same while dealing with whatever training they’ve gone through in the last fourteen weeks to prepare us for this moment. I understand that once we leave the protective walls of my family lands, I’ll have to pretend I’m an orphan princess once more and that my family isn’t on another hidden realm where our people are awaiting my uprising. I…I realize that I’m going to have to reign in all my emotions and void myself from feeling vulnerable around you and the others.”

I paused and fought hard to not get too lost in my own emotions.

“My awakening made me realize the hidden turmoil of the past that still lingers inside me. It made me understand that I never got over you, and referring to you as my ex helped me move on from the potential emotions that would plague me if I wondered where you were in this world. I get now after training with you and learning about the realms of the supernatural world and laws of the royal manor of both thrones why things happened and that your disappearance had to have a role in my survival. It’s just…moments like these when I want to believe we can be in a relationship like before make me fear you’ll disappear again,” I finally confessed and allowed a single tear to leave my eye and run down my cheek. “That I’ll wake up one morning in the heart of my dorm room and realize my Royal Advisor is gone again and I have to close up that part of my heart that mourns for his safe return in another three years.”

He swallowed whatever was in his throat, his Adam’s apple moving up and down as he stared deeply into my eyes. He was fighting himself to not share what couldn’t be shared, and I knew as the silence prolonged that either he was bound by magic to not share what pushed him away from me, or he really did want to protect me from the evil that thrummed in our world of superiority.

Instead, he lifted his hands until they rested upon my cheeks, and without a waste of a second, he kissed me. It wasn’t like our usual random kisses of lust and desire, but a passionate one that left my body charged with pleasure as the hairs on my arms rose up and his energy seemed to buzz into me in rushing waves.

I kissed him back with thrumming force, my fae side deciding to take the lead when those very tendrils of his magic drifted around us. I held him tightly as my arms were around his neck while his hands moved from my cheeks to trail down my body until his arms wrapped around me possessively.

I thought I could never love Tommy again because of the circumstances I’d been left with, so I moved on to the relationships I’d somehow found myself in when I left the church, and yet it was these serene moments when he opened the borders of potential that made me wish for this.

For me to somehow manage to date him alongside Tobias and Kane.

I hadn’t even fully acknowledged the possibility of being with Isaac. Our connection was barely existent, based on the one encounter we had, but if the Universe had somehow appointed me four potential individuals to serve by my side, the Universe would somehow make a way for us to connect further and open those gates of wonder.

It just bugged me how there were still so many unanswered questions and it wasn’t the time to confront such issues. I understood the logistics around it, grasped the idea of the number of enemies that surely hid in the shadows and laid traps all around us to try to destroy me before I could gain a chance at reaching graduation day at Bloody Rosary Academy. I got it all, but it still frustrated my patience because it meant I was walking on a path full of darkness.

A path all my enemies wished for me to slip and fall upon before I reached my destination.

All of this was preventing me from enjoying the potential love that was brewing between me and Thomas once again, and I was sure whatever was stopping him from saying what needed to be said was why Thomas was so hesitant.

He broke the kiss and whispered, “When I didn’t follow a specific rule, my punishment was losing my mother.”

His words sliced through my insecurities like a sword, my eyes widening as he continued to stare into my eyes with sad orbs of his own.

“I didn’t grasp it at first and was angered at the idea that someone…or some people sat upon thrones in the lurking shadows and were trying to manipulate my surroundings to benefit them. I was upset that they were willing to steal the ones I loved because I wasn’t following their tune. I got so mad that I decided to not follow through with their demands and ran to find safe haven. In the end, I had to decide who was worth losing, and upon my temporary return, I’d not only placed my father in a coma, but my throne was left to be mocked as no one could rise up to claim my family’s seat. The mockery…disgrace…and agony that came with such experience made me realize that no matter where I went, I’d be monitored, and those very beings would do anything to destroy what I care about.”

He paused as he reached up to stroke my cheek as another tear had spilled and was brushed away by his thumb.

“I knew I couldn’t…lose you, too.” He choked on the words before he closed his eyes. “So I set out for revenge and that role is about to make its debut as we leave this safe haven and return to the world where all those who wish for my demise are watching in the distance.”

“You’re being my Royal Advisor to prove a point while ensuring I’m protected,” I concluded in a soft whisper. He opened his eyes and gave me a slight nod.

“That’s all I can share, Lucinda,” he admitted. “But…don’t break up with me.”

He pulled me into a hug and held me tightly. “I promise to share the passion I have for you when I can without consequences. Until then, just continue to play to my flirtatious tune until I can take your hand and move away from the dance floor to show you the true me that hides beneath the walls I’ve built for our protection.”

Our protection.

“Sometimes you’re actually romantic,” I mumbled against his chest, finding comfort in his hold. “Fine. I won’t break up with you.”

“I appreciate it,” he whispered, and then slapped my ass. “We’re going to be late.”

“Ugh.” I pushed him away. “Leave my ass alone. You already whipped it yesterday after beating the shit out of me in combat.”

“I regret nothing,” he stated with pride and surprisingly kissed me.

“Ugh. You can’t do that when we get to B.R.A!”

“Why not?” He winked. “Going to make your boyfriends jelly?

“Yes!”

“Oh well,” he replied and shrugged. “I’m your boyfriend, too.”

“Hmph.” I gave up trying to fight him, knowing damn well this argument would lead to a lost cause. “Can we go now?”

“Gotta go get snacks from the kitchen,” he said with a silly grin.

“You make it seem like we’re school children with a damn lunch box,” I huffed.

He laughed and reached for my hand, wrapping his hand firmly around mine before he tugged me forward. “C’mon. It’ll be quick.”

“Fine,” I huffed. “I want coffee anyways. I feel we’ll need it.”

“Guess we’re getting our schedules when we arrive,” he suggested as we made our way down the hall to the stairs.

“I guess so. Would make sense to prevent anyone from really ‘preparing’ for what this year has in store.”

“I doubt anyone will be able to prepare for what’s to come,” Tommy commented. “I have a strong hunch this is the year people will get eliminated left and right.”

“Eliminated as in killed,” I concluded, remembering the incident in the courtyard that had students being tossed by the strong winds that led to their stabbed demise while others were either squished or killed by the rushing boulders.

“Essentially,” Tommy replied as we reached the bottom of the stairs. “It’s survival of the fittest now. Year One was nothing but an appetizer.”

“You really believe that?”

“It’s not called Bloody Rosary simply because of its ties to our religious ways and Our Lady,” Tommy assured me as he squeezed my hand before letting go. “The golden beads are covered in the blood of those who lost their lives while trying to obtain them. The red represents those whose blood was shed at the last moments while their enemies yanked the beads out of their grasps. Gold represents one’s riches and, in many cases, the royal status that many of us are born into, the golden crowns that sit upon our heads and the treasures that are hidden beneath the thrones we are destined to sit upon. All of it can be snatched just by the act of failure, and the ultimate representation of such ends is the blood that escapes us and leaves us for death to claim.”

We came to a stop and even in the dark hall, I could see his brilliant eyes that seemed to glow in the dark that surrounded us.

“They wish to mold the best heirs our supernatural world can produce so that the kingdoms will only grow in power and be ready to dominate the true threats that hide in the shadows in these worlds that aren’t written in books or talked about in the supernatural news.”

“You’re pretty knowledgeable,” I pointed out.

“I like doing my research before attending places,” he casually replied, and I could imagine the quirk of his lips. “Ready for some snacks?”

“Sure.” I laughed and shook my head. “Jeez. Are you going to give me some limited-edition fae cookies?”

He didn’t reply as the lights turned on.

“SURPRISE!”

My eyes widened as I looked over to the kitchen island, only for my eyes to grow massive as I took in the sight of those I hadn’t seen in months.

No fucking way.

I was fighting every nerve-ending to not break down and cry at the individuals standing at the island with Mother and Father at one side, observing it all.

My eyes tried to acknowledge the tall cake that was split into two sides - one side a theme of darkness while the other gave off nature vibes - but my eyes began to acknowledge each individual that stood before us with welcoming expressions.

To my far left was Kane. There he was at 6′4″. His hair was far shorter than before, the white roots ombré to magenta with hints of silver in the mix that flickered in the light.

He wore a black outfit with a magenta to black coat that was outlined with silver trimming and silver buttons while the zipper and metal parts of the piece were made of metallic magenta. His complexion was paler, which made his lips look redder, and he wore a pair of black-rimmed glasses that emphasized his loving magenta eyes.

With black boots and a black cross earring on his left ear, he looked like a fashion model ready to jump into the gothic scene.

Next to him was Tobias, who seemed like the complete opposite of Kane’s appearance. He was filled with color, from his hair that shifted from ember orange roots to a gorgeous gold shimmer, with his ends a magnificent emerald color. His hair length had to surpass his butt, but his bulky appearance and 6′6″ height made him even sexier and a clear definition of fae.

He wore dark green pants that reminded me of the forest and sported a white shirt with a golden symbol printed on the front. His coat was sleeveless, showing his defined muscles and the magnificent tattoos lathering his arms and accenting his biceps.

The material of his coat was waterproof, sporting the same forest green but having golden trimming while the zipper and inner lining of the jacket were neon orange. Completing the look with white combat boots, he looked absolutely perfect.

What I loved the most were his colorful rainbow eyes and his extremely tanned skin that made it appear as if he’d been chilling in the sun all day and night.

Next to him was Pearl, who was almost unrecognizable. I had to take my sweet time observing her from head to toe because she looked so beyond different, it left me speechless.

To begin with, her obvious height increase; she was now 6′0″. Her short hair was now longer than ever, her neon purple and blue strands now in bountiful curls that were filled with golden tinsel that made her hair look magical. Her eyes were vivid gold and she wore a white t-shirt, ripped blue jean shorts, white tights, and Nike runners that matched her hair combination.

She had intriguing tattoos that almost reminded me of henna, the ink black but carrying a magical sensation to its appearance. Aside from the gold sparkly lip gloss that graced her lips, she wore no other makeup, which allowed me to appreciate her flawless tanned skin. Finishing her look was a bright purple cape with blue trimming, one that simply rested on her shoulders as if she didn’t need it.

Tugging my eyes away to acknowledge the double men, I took in Isaiah and Isaac’s appearances, which were pretty identical. They were both 6′6″ in height, looking just as bulky as Tobias, while their various tattoos covered their arms and the chests that peeked out from their tank tops.

Isaiah wore a white tank top with navy blue shorts, while Isaac wore a black tank top with red shorts. They both wore the same brand of running shoes, following the pattern of white for Isaiah and black for Isaac, and their long black strands were both up in ponytails.

Both of them carried hints of gold strands in their hair and wore golden crowns as though they had just left their kingdoms with their African cloth capes that were made of what I once searched up was Kente cultural material. They were outlined with a gold silk trim, had pockets, and were completed with a golden zipper.

Pearl couldn’t stand being silent anymore as she practically leapt from her spot and was seconds from crashing into me.

“HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY, BITCH!” she declared and tackled me. I went crashing back into the floor, groaning at the impact before I giggled and hugged her as tightly as I could.

“I leave you for four months and you undergo the biggest wolf glow-up of the century? Who the fuck gave you permission to look better than me? Huh?!”

“Bitch, please!” Pearl laughed and pulled back from her tight hug to give me the biggest grin. “Just say your ass missed me because I missed your overconfident ass and I need all the deets on how the fuck you got bigger breasts, are taller than me, and look like you got fashion sense from Morticia of the Addams Family.”

“What?! My fashion is on point! You see this red dress with magic circles?! Where would you find such quality? And plus, this huge jacket that we’re supposed to wear to represent our royal families is covering its flawlessness!” I emphasized and leaned in to whisper. “It’s strapless.”

“Shut the fuck up?!” she squealed. “Strip!”

“Hey! I’m not actually stripping here!”

“Well, either strip or say you missed me, or I’m taking all your clothes with a snap of my fingers.”

“I missed you!”

“Yeah! I knew you did,” she exclaimed. “Now, jacket off and let me see the girls up close!”

I was laughing like a maniac as we hugged again. The others were watching us patiently as they decided to make conversation.

“Jeez. We leave Lucinda for a few months and she looks like a fucking maiden of the devil,” Kane mumbled.

“That’s another way of saying she’s hot, right?” Isaac inquired.

“I believe so,” Isaiah commented.

“Yup. That’s his way of complimenting her.” Tobias shook his head. “Which is stupid.”

“I knew I didn’t miss your fucking ass,” Kane groaned and Tobias chuckled.

“Fuck you too,” he retorted.

“Do you guys always argue?” Isaac questioned in annoyance. “My ears hurt from all the bickering you did on our way here.”

“Maybe they have a bromance going on, brother?” Isaiah suggested.

“We don’t!” Tobias and Kane replied in bitter anger.

“Sure,” Isaiah and Isaac replied in unison.

“So, you’re Lucinda’s boyfriends?” Thomas inquired.

“Everyone but me,” Isaiah said with a smile. “Pearl’s all mine.”

Pearl giggled as she got up and helped me back to my feet. “He’s my mate. Lucinda has enough cock…wait a fucking minute!” she snapped and pointed at Thomas. “TOMMY FUCKING HILFIGER!”

“It’s Thomas Hill,” he dryly declared. “It’s been almost two years and yet you still call me that?”

“Well ya, shit head!” she declared and pushed me back before she was launching at him.

“Ah! Pearl!” I shrieked as the girl literally shifted into her wolf form and tackled Tommy.

“Oh,” all four of the guys declared and cringed at the growling white wolf whose fur was glowing with magic.

“P-Pearl?! Don’t eat him! Or hurt him! Or whatever!”

She merely growled in menace as she bared her sharp teeth at him.

“Uh. Help?” Thomas feigned innocence, enough to make Mother laugh while Father shook his head.

“I find it utterly amusing to see Thomas requesting help,” Mother said and giggled happily.

“Must be nice to be young,” Father concluded.

“Pearl! No killing Tommy. I’ll explain the deets after cake!” I reasoned.

That was enough to make Pearl back off, but she backed away slowly while baring her sharp white teeth and narrowing her eyes.

“Hmm. I actually did nothing wrong for once,” Tommy declared as he sat up and put his hands up. “Happy Birthday, Lucinda!”

“How the hell did you plan something like this?” I questioned as I walked over to stroke Pearl’s head, which made her go from a growling wolf to a happy, panting one in three seconds.

Mother and Father walked forward before Mother pointed to Tommy.

“Thomas did all the planning. How he was able to reach your friends is beyond us. We were merely in charge of the decorations and cake.”

“Gotta admit, it was a smart move,” Kane admitted. “Doesn’t mean we like you, by the way.”

“Agreed,” Tobias announced.

“Who’s this guy?” Isaac asked with a bored expression.

“Brother, you told me you remembered him?”

“I forgot,” Isaac huffed.

“On purpose,” Isaiah concluded with a sigh. “Your jealousy is showing.”

“Is not!”

“Is too!”

“AWOOOO!” Pearl howled and tackled me again with her weight, which made me fall down yet again.

“Ugh. Pearl. I know you’re happy, but stop trying to kill me,” I whined, which did nothing but make her pant happily before licking my face.

Thomas walked over and offered me a hand, making Pearl growl once more.

“Your best friend still hates me,” he mumbled.

“I wonder why?” I feigned innocence while giving him a look, my hand landing in his before he helped me up.

Returning my gaze to admire the cake before me, I couldn’t help but stare at the beautiful creation. One side was clearly the vampire side with red, purple, and black designs that were accented with glitter and whipped cream, while the other side was decorated with gold, orange, various greens, and gold shimmer.

Mother and Father moved to join the group as they gathered around.

“Is it okay for my friends to know that you guys are…well, alive?” I asked Mother and Father as my gaze darted between the two of them.

“Well, it’s too late for that one,” Mother teased as her eyes softened. “It’s perfectly fine, Lucinda. We trust them as we have trusted their parents in the past.”

“We knew you’d be returning to Bloody Rosary on your birthday, thus figured you deserve to celebrate turning nineteen,” Father calmly announced.

“You…didn’t have to,” I whispered, feeling moved by their effort to even celebrate the day of my creation. I could recall how lively my birthdays used to be. How we’d celebrate throughout the kingdom and do various events that led to the glorious day.

With the memories of those times in comparison to those days when my birthday was what I used to count down the years left before I reached eighteen, this was something so unexpected and heart moving that I couldn’t help but be baffled.

Thomas patted my shoulder, and I looked over to him to see his softened smile. It was the first time I was seeing a smile pure of hope as he whispered, “You deserve to be surrounded by those who love you. Enjoy this, so we can fight harder towards our goals and do this again next year.”

I looked at the others’ approving smiles as Pearl howled happily.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

May the Lord bless me and the avenues I’m about to face, and may these individuals who love, support, and cherish my life be shielded with your grace of protection. Amen.

7

YEAR TWO OF BLOSSOMING POWER: PART ONE

“Well,” Thomas began as he looked around. “This isn’t starting too well.”

“How did we enter the portal together and get separated?” I huffed in pure annoyance, already knowing the answer to my announced inquiry.

Uncrossing my arms, I quickly gathered my hair up to put in a ponytail, knowing damn well from the way my body was reacting that shit was about to go down as we stood at the very top of a cliff that overlooked Bloody Rosary Academy.

Tommy stood to my left, eating the last bit of the birthday cake we’d just enjoyed with the others, who had clearly been separated from us.

The birthday celebration was the calm before the storm, and being reunited with Tobias, Kane, Pearl, Isaac, and Isaiah was a completely unexpected turn of events.

Mother and Father explained that Headmaster Wei, Professor Ara, and Professor Alexander had to prepare for the school year and sent their good wishes and would apparently give me my gifts upon my arrival back at school.

After the festivities, I said my goodbyes and we ventured into a portal - together - to bring us back to Bloody Rosary Academy.

We weren’t supposed to be separated, which hinted that something was up.

Pulling out my phone from my inner coat pocket, I checked to see if the others had tried to text us, but I frowned at the sight of having no signal.

“Interesting,” I muttered and looked to Thomas as he finished his cake and licked his lips - a bit of gold icing left on the corner of his mouth.

“Let me guess. No service?” he offered as I walked to stand in front of him and reached out to swipe the icing from his lip and popped my finger into my mouth.

He observed me with surprised eyes before a teasing grin morphed on those soft lips.

“Thanks for the clean-up, Princess,” he happily stated before he leaned in to add, “Next time, just kiss me. It would skip the process of using those precious hands of yours.”

“You’re stupid,” I huffed and pushed his face away, leaving him to chuckle as the paper plate and plastic fork disappeared and he stretched his arms upward.

“I knew we’d be tested, but I didn’t think it would be right upon arrival,” he voiced.

“Don’t you still have your test to take to give you a pass from Year One?”

“I took it already,” he replied with a shrug.

“When?”

“Long time ago.”

“You didn’t tell me.”

“Yes, I did,” he smirked at the idea of my memory slacking. “You were busy spending time in the coven getting those last bits of teachings from your Father. I didn’t think it would be appropriate to intervene with my announcement of surpassing the easy trial,” he explained.

“Easy, huh,” I replied and scanned the area until I noticed two individuals standing on a cliff of their own. “Looks like others are beginning to arrive.”

“Or being set up in the testing spots,” Thomas reasoned. “The girl is a student. The guy is a Royal Advisor.”

“Is everyone supposed to have a Royal Advisor now?”

“No,” Thomas replied. “You can bring them along if you wish, but they have to attend Bloody Rosary, which may not be possible for them to achieve. Not all chosen to carry the title of RA are trained in the field. Some purposely partner up with those who they believe will give them a chance at survival and do it that way.”

“Won’t that backfire in the future when they have to claim their thrones and the person has to become their advisor?”

“Yup,” he replied and looked my way. “Lucky for you, we’re both royalty so I have options, though my throne isn’t really close to being ready for ruling.”

I wished to pry into the subject more, but the ground shook beneath our feet - strong enough that Thomas reached for my hand and held it in case we were about to fall downward.

Screams could be heard as more students seemed to arrive while the whole ground continued to shake, and a part of the cliff immediately crumbled before our eyes. The two individuals were not prepared for the sudden form of destruction, which left them screaming towards their demise.

I couldn’t help but gawk as their bodies were one with the crumbled rocks they once stood on. Their screams of agony and fear soon silenced as the boulder of orange and red rocks buried them in their graves.

The shaking soon came to a stop, but no one moved or said a word, as if all of our attention was glued to the two lost souls who had perished so easily.

Shit. Why does seeing death hurt so much in real life?

“Because you’ve had no choice but to acknowledge they were individuals like you and me, and their lives were cut off in a matter of seconds,” Thomas replied. “A circumstance we could have easily fallen into if we weren’t lucky.”

I looked his way, only for my eyes to widen and for me to tug his hand hard enough to force him to fall into me. The two of us crashed back onto the ground.

Missing the blades of magic that soared right over us.

“Well, that was surprising,” Thomas stated with a gleeful banter that made me roll my eyes as he lifted his head to look down at me. “You know, you’re hot when you’re naked beneath me, but even hotter when you’re in uniform and saving my life.”

“Thomas,” I seethed with eyes that narrowed in warning. “We have to be serious.”

“Only if you call me Tommy instead,” he offered. “It’s sexier when you call me that.”

“Tommy is nowhere close to sexier than Thomas,” I whined.

“Sure,” he reasoned. “Except in my mind it is.” He winked and rose up before he raised his hand up. I didn’t understand what he was about to do until I flinched at the sudden blades that stopped right before the palm of his hand.

“These things are getting annoying,” he huffed and his eyes suddenly darkened as they flooded with a glowing force of gold. The sharp, spinning blades suddenly froze in place as they got consumed with bolts of thunder which burned the weapons into specks of ash.

“Much better,” he declared and blew the flakes away before they could rain down upon me. He returned his happy gaze to me as he continued. “So Tommy when we’re together. Unless we’re fucking,” he reasoned with an added wink. “Then you can call me whatever you want, including Daddy.”

“You’re disgusting.” I sighed. “We’re in the middle of a potential battle and we’re discussing what to call you during sex. By the way, you haven’t seen my naked body in a good while, and unless you take me out on a date, we’re not fucking.”

“Are those the terms and conditions now?” he pondered as he offered me his hand. Placing mine in his, he tugged me back up but quickly put an arm around my waist and twirled us around while his free hand lifted up in time to block the blast of magic that was seconds from obliterating us.

“Yes,” I commented while trying to recover from what just happened.

“How about we make this a romantic date?” he offered as he took a moment to appreciate me while his arm still hooked around my waist.

“We’re in the middle of a battle!” I emphasized. My bewilderment was a mere understatement as to how shocked I was that we were really having this conversation here and now.

“Romantic date of survival,” Tommy offered. “I think that’s a wonderful first date for us.”

“You just want to get in between my sheets!” I huffed in annoyance as I caught the glint of blades from behind us. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

I turned in his hold, only for him to let me go while my spike of frustration encouraged the surge of my vampire traits. My magic suddenly thrummed through my body and rushed to my very eyes that glared at the approaching set of blades.

There was not a speck of doubt in my mind as I let all my fury be centered on the metallic blades, and we watched them begin to disintegrate until their arrival was nothing but flakes of black dust.

Tommy’s hand moved before me when the very flickers of ash attempted to rain on me. The wind moved swiftly to the right and took the remains with its immediate departure.

I purposely looked at him as his smile was priceless.

“Can’t let you get a speck of dirt on your pretty, fearless face, now can I?” he offered as he leaned in closer. “You’re so sexy when you let that anger of yours free to rain havoc on the unworthy.”

“If you whisper it like that, you’re only going to make me want to do it more often,” I confessed and shook my head. “I can’t believe we’re flirting.”

Not to mention his deep, seductive voice is doing things it shouldn’t in the heat of a battle.

“I can’t believe they’re working overtime to get rid of us this early in the game,” Tommy countered and I noticed his seriousness.

“You have an idea why?”

“Perfect way to set our beginning ranks based on performance,” Tommy suggested but still didn’t appear pleased. “They also changed the dorms. This could be what determines which sectored space we receive and the offered services and advantages. That would be something that lines up with a common reward system in the realms of royalty.”

“Intriguing.” I was fascinated by his words, but we had bigger things to worry about as the ground beneath us began to shake once again.

“It looks like we need to head into the air.”

His warning only encouraged us to move as the ground beneath us cracked and shattered in three seconds flat - leaving us barely enough time to push off and giving us the advantage to escape.

Tommy caught my hand and the wind around us swirled swiftly beneath our feet to lift us further up, creating a platform that continued to rise while we watched the madness below.

Others were fighting to get into the air. Some were attempting to use the water within the ground to shoot them up in the air, while others summoned vines from the earth’s depths to aid their rise.

They may have been good ideas at the time of initiation, but we watched in hidden horror as their summoned elemental aids vanished and their screams announced their approaching dooms.

I swallowed the lump in my throat while I fought the urge to reach out to aid them. Tommy’s arm was around my waist once more, drawing my attention to his emotionless expression as he stared into my eyes.

“Our Savior may wish to aid the world with their suffering, but not all appreciate one willing to share the fruits of their labor,” he quietly stated. “It’s not our position to create alliances with everyone. Help those you wish to stand at your side, and those you know will not strike your back with a blade of vengeance.”

I understood what he was trying to conclude. That he was offering me the advice as my Royal Advisor and that in this world of good and evil, all ranks were put aside when it came to survival.

No matter if you were the kindest individual in the world or a devil’s advocate, when push came to shove and your life was on the line, no one else mattered but yourself and those you wished to protect.

“We must hurry,” Tommy encouraged.

“Right,” I replied and looked to where the school was. “Can you manage to keep us afloat with these winds?”

“I doubt we should,” he admitted. “The weather is already changing.”

His words seemed to trigger the rolling dark clouds, and those who’d managed to survive thus far now began to bicker loudly.

“HEY! We should help one another by joining forces!” a guy with a female advisor called out from further left.

“We don’t have time to coordinate a plan! A storm is coming!” another girl with her male advisor screamed from the far right. There had to be ten partners in the sky compared to what I could only assume was twenty-five partnered sets when we began whatever this entrance trial was.

It amazed me how death could be something witnessed and dismissed when projected as a sacred moment of our cycle of life in the scriptures.

At Bloody Rosary, life is nothing but fuel to the blood that cloaks the very beads of the golden rosary. Only the powerful and worthy will survive.

Some of the partnered groups decided to take the guy’s advice as they rushed over to his side, leaving us and three other partnered sets to decide our fates.

“The others have to be somewhere around here,” I noted quietly to Tommy. “I’d rather find them.”

“I agree,” Tommy approved. “Would you like to ride on my back?”

“Now why would I do that?” I gave him a stare of disgust, leaving him chuckling as he slipped his arm away and knelt down like we weren’t on a damn wind platform that was fizzling out.

“Because you trust me, Sweet LuciLu.”

Of course he’d used that nickname in this prime time of survival to entice me to do his bidding.

“This moment of embarrassment better be worth it,” I voiced. “It’s hard to piggyback in a dress.”

“It’ll be worth it,” he assured me as I began to get onto his back. My arms hooked around his neck while I let my dress roll up enough to have my legs around his waist. My butt cheeks may enjoy the chill wind slaps, but I didn’t want to deal with my enemies seeing my butt.

“I’ll speak within your mind,” Tommy warned.

“What?” I questioned, but he pushed off the spinning wind platform and further into the air. I had at least twenty-one questions to ask but my attention was diverted by the shocking sight of the very winds and levitation magic all of us had been using suddenly being cut off like a plug was pulled.

Shrill screams and curses slashed through the sky, but Tommy was shifting beneath me, his body cloaked in black and red, and suddenly he was in bat form but was quadruple his normal size.

He was big enough for me to sit comfortably on his back, while his wings of purple spread to their full length as he soared downward with a warning screech.

“Help!” The cries for aid merely passed us as we soared by, but my eyes began to scan those who began to fall to the ends of their fated paths.

“Hmm?” My eyes paused on a familiar girl, her look definitely different than when I’d first met her, but her golden locks made those red eyes and fangs stand out more against her pale skin while she fought to figure some sort of way out of her current situation.

What surprised me was seeing her alone without any advisor, which only made me realize she was going to be a sitting duck until she crashed into the very ground she swiftly approached.

“What has caught your interest?” Tommy’s voice drifted into my mind.

I know her. Marigold. She carried knowledge that aided me last year and isn’t on good terms with the vampires here.

“A vampire, huh. She won’t survive the fall.”

I agree.

“You wish to help her?”

As my Advisor, do you think it’s worth it?

“It’s not about worth. It’s about whether you believe she is worthy of your continued kindness. I’ve known you long enough to confirm your attention lingers on those who catch your interest and deserve your hand in salvation. If you wish to save her, I suggest you make your decision now for our dive to retrieve her will be swift and might take you a little queasy.”

“Let’s not delay then,” I said out loud. “I want to help her.”

It was weird to feel the foreign emotions of pride and understanding that flickered within me as we began to arch downward.

“As you wish.”

I was already impressed that Tommy could change into such a huge bat, but with the knowledge of what he hid beneath this cloak of dark mystery, I wasn’t sure how he was able to do this at all.

He was an angel hybrid indeed, but the number of abilities he carried led me to wonder if he held a third variant.

The dive forced me to hold on to him a little tighter as the wind whiplashed around us. It wasn’t until we were getting closer that Marigold noticed us. Her eyes of vibrant red widened in shock as she paused in whatever attempt she was trying to figure out.

“Princess Delphine?!” she screamed over the whipping winds as she clearly took in my appearance even with her approaching doom.

“Onto the back of the bat!” I encouraged as Tommy maneuvered us so we were parallel to Marigold’s body. She moved like she was swimming through the air to crash into the spot behind me, and I looked over my shoulder to see her swiftly turn around and secure herself on Tommy’s back.

“I’m secure!” she declared, and I looked away to determine how close we were to the ground.

Tommy!

He screeched in reply as he swiftly corrected himself before we could crash into a set of approaching buildings and moved upward once more.

The last set of screams from those who couldn’t recover from the fall split the air, followed by crashes through glass, thumps against cement, and a few screams of high-pitched agony that could haunt me in my nightmares if I allowed them to.

I couldn’t help but look back, noticing the group that decided to make an alliance had somehow managed to use some sort of fae magic to aid their descent, but my eyes locked onto the approaching tornados while my mind understood where the threads of winds had all gone.

They’re really working overtime to kill us.

“Princess Delphine,” Marigold breathed. I turned myself enough to see her wide eyes that were filling with tears as she looked at me. “W-Why? Again…”

“Apparently, it’s good to make alliances, and no one else piqued my interest,” I voiced and added a shrug. “Nice to see you again, Marigold. You look swell.”

She was in a black dress with red rhinestones and a red jacket that somehow managed to remain on her shoulders even though her arms weren’t within the long sleeves.

“I’m grateful for your kindness and mercy,” she replied and literally bowed her head to the floor. “I will aid anyway I can.”

“Would you perhaps know the objective of this test?” It only made sense to ask just in case she did know something.

She nodded and pointed to the tallest point of the academy’s castle walls.

“The clock tower. I was instructed by my RA that we should head to the clock tower and then make our way to the main courtyard where we’ll choose our dorm members.”

So she does have a RA.

“Why didn’t your RA come with you?” I inquired.

She began to blush slightly before she answered. “He lacks sight. It would be dangerous for him to participate in such trials. I wouldn’t allow him to get hurt due to the potential recklessness that lies ahead. It was rather obvious an entrance trial would commence,” she admitted.

He lacks sight…

“Blind,” Tommy suggested. “He must carry abilities to see the future.”

Would make sense.

We were approaching the tower, but the very hairs on my arms began to lift.

“Tsk. Unnecessary trouble,” I voiced.

Tommy, get Marigold to the tower. I doubt she’ll be able to aid with this threat.

“Your selfless ways are showing,” Tommy noted.

Your disapproval is just as obvious.

“You shouldn’t have to get your hands dirty.”

I’d agree, but I don’t think I have much of a choice here.

Rising up suddenly, I looked over to Marigold. “Thomas will take you to the tower. Once you get there, make your way to the courtyard. Feel free to choose whatever team you wish, but our alliance still stands.”

“Princess? Where are-”

I knew she wouldn’t be able to finish as all of our attention was brought to the soaring vines that burst out of the ground. They were as thick and as big as pillars as they shot upward with every intention of piercing whatever got in their way.

“Showtime,” I whispered, and without further thought, I pushed off Tommy’s back, my wrist already at my lips. Biting into my flesh, my eyes burned with power as I flicked my wrist to let my blood flow into the air.

The movement ignited the formation of my scythe. The heavy weapon in my grasp, I spun it around while bringing my legs up in preparation for the approaching vine heading up my way.

My fae side saw the delight in this challenge and pushed right to the surface to take ownership of what my mind was molding into reality.

With the spread of the fingers of my free hand, the approaching threat’s piercing edge peeled away like it was now a flower, giving me the perfect platform to land on while it continued to rush upward.

My eyes locked onto Tommy as he fought hard to maneuver through the vines, but from their thickness and multiple onslaughts, he wouldn’t make it to the tower without immense struggle.

Time to change that.

Twirling my scythe in my hands, I envisioned its exact path before releasing its spinning force. “INCOMING!” I screamed in warning.

I noticed Marigold look behind to see the approaching scythe that was cutting through the thick vines like they were mere weeds and not coliseum pillars. She had to have said something to Tommy, but I knew he sensed it as he rushed upward before one of the vines that wished to strike through him.

My scythe cut through it all until it crashed its blade into the very clock of the tower. I cringed and bit my lip.

“Oops,” I whispered. “I hope I don’t get in trouble for damaged property…actually, my parents probably don’t care.”

Shaking my head, I got back to business. My eyes found Tommy as he did an aerial flip in the air and soared through the cut vine path that headed straight for the clock tower. I wanted to see his landing, but I felt something approaching my left. My head moved to acknowledge the massive boulder that made me feel like I was within a pinball machine.

“They’ll just find any way to kill us,” I grumbled and raced off the platform in time to miss the crashing stone that easily destroyed the vine I’d been riding on. My descent landed me crashing into the next one, but that was temporary as I pushed right back in time to avoid the next boulder.

Outstretching my arms, my fae magic swiftly bled around me, commanding the lingering specks of wind to come to my aid. Their resistance was futile against my commanding intentions as gusts of wind caught me and began to lift me up.

I went higher and higher - enough to avoid the swinging back and forth boulders that continued to swing away, but I wasn’t expecting the crash that collided into me.

“Oomph!” I couldn’t stop myself from crashing into the stem of one of the vines I cut, my body sliding downward until I snapped out of it and began to smear my wrist against the green surface enough to create a rope of red that I held onto that stopped my fall.

Looking down, I noticed that the ground was flooding with water, the depths of which had whatever shadow creatures begining to swim around the spot I would have crashed into if I hadn’t stopped myself.

“Oops? Was that my fault?”

I looked up to see a dark cloud that carried Vera and a masked man. Her smug look was one that made me want to roll my eyes, but it was the masked man that caught my attention; he was the clear culprit of the attack.

If it wasn’t for the fact I was hanging from a thread of my own blood, I’d get payback, but I had bigger problems and wasn’t going to perish at the teeth of whatever was down in those waters.

“TSUNAMI!”

The scream caught my attention as I peered behind me to see the approaching wave that was carrying buildings, broken vines, and the bodies of those who got caught in the massive destructive force.

“Heavenly Father, don’t let me end this way,” I quietly prayed before taking a deep breath and tugging on my rope to get my feet pressed against the surface of the vine. With adrenaline on my side, I fought against gravity as I sprinted up the vine like it was a wall.

I may get hit by this thunderous wave, but the higher I got, the less damaging it would be. I reached the cut top of the vine and with a final push into the air, I arched my back and let my body soar with the rush of the wind keeping me afloat. My body moved over the tip of the tsunami wave as if I were at the heightened peek of a high jump.

My upside-down view only revealed a second wave much bigger than the first - leaving me no choice but to flip my body through the air in an attempt to dive into the waters with my feet first. Outstretching my hand, my blood that drenched my wrist began to take the shape of my scythe, and with one final second, I shifted the metal of the very blade to become a flat surface while holding the staff like a pole I held for dear life.

Crashing against the waters made the blade a perfect surface for a shifted surfboard, and I fought to keep myself afloat upon the waters while manipulating the beads of water beneath me to keep me alive rather then swallow me whole.

I watched in horror as the first wave crushed through the vines, the buildings, and stopped slightly short of the clock tower. The first wave may have missed it, but the crashing force it held would certainly destroy it entirely.

If it didn’t, this wave surely will.

My eyes locked onto Tommy at that moment, his eyes wide as he noticed my approach. None of our training had prepared us to ride destructive tsunamis or colossal vines, but he stood his ground as he opened his arms in the hopes I’d just jump into them.

I shook my head at him. “RUN, TOMMY!”

He shook his head right back and yelled, “COME HERE AND TRUST ME, LUCINDA!”

The way he commanded me to come with my full name made me bite my lip hard as my previous decision to ride this wave was voided with a new determination to get into that man’s arms.

With a curse and silent prayer, I tugged on every strand of my fae magic and urged the water to shoot me forward. It did exactly that, sending me flying forward as I let go of my scythe that shifted back into blood drops and disintegrated out of existence.

I spread my arms out as I used the lingering bits of wind in the air to encourage my soaring movement as my eyes were locked on Tommy’s.

The balcony opening was big enough for me to soar right through, and I crashed right into Tommy, who caught me and fell right back from the impact. We smashed into the floor, but he turned us over, summoned his angel wings, and wrapped me in their protective feathers.

The tower rocked at the water’s impact, screams coming from all around. I could only imagine students that had just reached the tower, only to get lost in the waves of the crushing waters.

I knew Marigold had a chance with her vampire speed, but we wouldn’t know until we survived this and arrived at the courtyard.

If we’d be able to find where it was after all the chaos and debris.

Tommy moved enough to let me have some space to see how we somehow survived the attack, and to my surprise, we were still underwater, but his wings had created some sort of golden orb of protection that not only secured our spot but also the very place we sat upon.

He retracted his wings and watched with me as we took in the underwater movement that kept the very tower beneath its treacherous waves, but what made my throat tighten was the number of bodies that were passing by - dead men and women in dresses and suits of their royal heritage.

A part of me understood that sacrifices had to be made in the realms of royalty, but moments like this reminded me of how fragile we were, even as supernatural beings like fae and vampires.

This trial was a huge disadvantage to vampires and even fae to a certain extent, because not all fae were easily attuned to the elements. I never would have even been able to create this bubble of protection, and it was thanks to Tommy that I was alive.

The water began to lower as if the wave were coming to an end, until the balcony part of the clock tower was no longer underwater but littered with debris and bodies that got out of the current.

We rose up, and I needed a moment to not feel so queasy. The balancing act on the water was one thing, but it was the scent of blood and death that made me feel light-headed.

Tommy reached out to hold me in his grasp, pulling me against him.

“Are you okay?” he asked with great seriousness as he looked down at me with a hint of worry.

“I just need a moment,” I admitted, and had to give myself the mental ‘suck it up’ speech because this was what we signed up for. Year One was considered a “breeze” and Year Two was where the masks of fakeness would come off and the real competition would come out to get rid of any weak heirs.

Tommy nodded in understanding, his eyes scanning our surroundings. I was shocked the tower somehow managed to survive, even though there were broken parts here and there.

My wrist was lifted up by Tommy’s grasp, and I watched as he gently kissed the spot I’d cut, the warmth of his lips healing the very place while his eyes locked onto mine.

Surely they were wild thanks to our crazy circumstances, but I bet the further dilation in my irises was due to how hot it was to see him kiss my wrist like that.

Yup. I’m a horny hybrid princess getting turned on by a kiss when I almost died and can potentially still die if we stand here like fools.

“You’re going to lose consciousness if you just let yourself bleed like that,” he scolded against my flesh. “Be careful.”

“Yes, Advisor,” I breathed. I hated how shallow my voice was. I really sounded like I’d gotten lost in a steamy kiss rather than survived a tsunami.

Something crashed into the building to our right, and the two of us looked at the approaching sabretooth that was big enough to swallow both of us.

WHAT?!

Tommy and I had the same thought as we pushed against one another to make enough distance to avoid the sudden new threat. It came to my attention that my move was completely miscalculated because I crashed into a broken bookshelf that slashed at my side.

“Fuck,” I cursed and clearly caught the sabretooth’s attention as it crashed into the ground and spun around to immediately dart in my direction.

With a hiss, my vampire instinct kicked in. I blurred in movement while conjuring another bloody scythe. Avoiding the sabretooth’s attack was child’s play as I rushed to its side and sent my scythe flying into attack mode.

Its blade sliced through the beast’s body. The outcry echoed through the air, while my spinning scythe retracted back to my raised hand. Catching it and twirling it around, I watched in horror as the sliced half of the creature’s body rushed back into place - the blood, organs, everything gluing together until the sabretooth was spinning back around and growling menacingly in my direction.

“Oh c’mon,” I exaggerated and literally let my scythe dematerialize. “Seriously? What ancient voodoo is that?”

“It’s black magic,” Tommy answered from right behind me, causing me to flinch, but his arms hooked around me as the sabretooth roared and charged towards us. Tommy pushed off the ground and lifted us up to a broken part of the rooftop of the tower.

His wings were already retracting when I tried to admire them.

“Boo,” I muttered.

“You’re really trying to admire me while we’re fighting, LuciLu?” he taunted with a judgemental smirk.

“I need a bit of excitement in my life that keeps getting threatened thanks to all this chaos,” I voiced. “And why are we facing black magic?”

“That’s a question I’d like answered, but then again, it’s the perfect destructive magic that can carry a hallucination effect to it,” he voiced.

“Meaning?”

“The damage we see isn’t real to the environment, but the damage done to ourselves is real enough to kill,” he elaborated. “If one thinks they’re drowning, their body will go into panic, struggle to breathe, and go into cardiac arrest. It may not be real, but the mind is stronger and can make anyone, human or supernatural, believe what they mentally accept.”

“Can’t we pretend it isn’t real?” I offered.

“Sure, but its bite will still sink into your pretty flesh, LuciLu,” he hummed with a bit of amusement in his tone.

“I love how that excites you in some sick way.”

“Nah,” he replied and kissed my neck. “The idea of my teeth sinking into your flesh is a little more amusing than that sabretooth.”

“You’re not a vampire, you know,” I acknowledged.

“Maybe yes, maybe no,” he sang. “Doesn’t make my statement any less valid.”

“I can’t believe we’re having this conversation,” I concluded. A sudden high-pitched noise made us hiss, and the two of us cringed at the sound that was far higher in pitch than the average nails on a chalkboard.

I didn’t realize it until I was already falling back, my consciousness wavering unexpectedly from the sound that seemed to paralyze me for a mere second.

“Lucinda!” Tommy called out, but even if he dove after me, it would be a lost cause at stopping me from being one with the ground or getting eaten by the sabretooth charging towards me. I still wouldn’t give up, though. I snapped out of it and spun around swiftly to face the approaching ground while my head lifted to see the sabre-tooth in mid-air - its mouth open wide and ready to collide into my flesh.

Something else crashed into me instead, spinning me around in their captive grasp until I was being held in their arms while our bodies came to a twirling stop - just in time to see a massive wolf of flames collide with the sabre-tooth tiger.

They crashed into the ground but the new arrival went right into its prey, mauling it with its teeth, claws, and flames until it was ripped to shreds, and its flesh, bones, and even blood were burned to ash.

My shock was obvious as I stared at the wolf that was triple the size of the sabre-tooth and was of black fur with orange and gold markings all over its body. It growled menacingly before howling as if to ensure the world knew of its victory.

“Show off.”

I looked up at the deep rich voice and met the red eyes of Kane as he looked down at me.

“Kane,” I said in relief as my expression brightened up at his acknowledgment. He smiled slightly in return and didn’t give me a chance to say more as his lips pressed firmly onto mine and we shared what I’d call a ‘very steamy’ welcoming kiss.

“Catches her and acts like he saved the day,” Tommy muttered.

“Woof!”

“Ya. That’s what happens when you’re not the main character of the story,” Tommy replied. That had me literally losing my shit as I broke the kiss to laugh.

“What the fuck, Tommy?” I giggled and looked at him as he casually stood next to the wolf that stared down at us.

“What? It’s true.” Tommy shrugged.

“Just admit you’re jealous that you can’t romantically kiss Luci the way I just did,” Kane stated as if it weren’t a big deal. “I still hate your guts.”

“Thanks,” Tommy muttered and rolled his eyes as if he actually gave two cents. “How were you able to withstand that piercing sound?”

Kane turned his head enough to show us the earbuds in his ears.

“Was warned they like to use high-frequency sounds. They affect fae more than vampires and other breeds. Luci’s pretty strong on both ends of the spectrum so I figured it would still affect her. Glad we made it in time. Thanks, Isaac.”

The wolf howled as Kane lowered my feet, but kept his hold on me until he knew I was okay. “Wow. That’s Isaac?” I inquired and took a moment to admire the massive wolf. “He’s bigger than Pearl. Way bigger.”

“Hellhounds are bigger than regular wolves,” Tommy answered. “Though he looks like a hellhound on steroids.”

Isaac huffed and let out a stream of smoke in Tommy’s face.

“I thought we were allies,” Tommy dryly stated as he waved away the smoke that lingered in the air around him.

“Woof!” Isaac lowered onto all fours, his attention on me as he stared in our direction with interest. I figured the least I could do was thank him by walking over to him.

Letting go of Kane, I waltzed over to Isaac, who remained still in wait for me. Reaching him, I moved to gently stroke a small part of his very large cheek.

“Thank you, Isaac,” I expressed. “Though you’re kind of scary and angry in human form, this side of you intrigues me.”

It was my turn to be submerged by smoke as he huffed. I coughed and pouted my lips in disappointment, which left Isaac to stand up and begin to happily pant at my displeasure.

“I love how her discomfort pleases him,” Tommy noted sarcastically.

“At least he can find some joy in this rather apocalyptic situation,” Kane voiced.

“I’m glad you two found one another,” I admitted. “Have you seen Tobias, Pearl, or Isaiah?”

“Not yet,” Kane admitted. Isaac stretched his body out before the cracking of bones began to echo into the air as flames flicked off his furry flesh until a spinning vortex of flames emerged and extinguished to reveal Isaac standing there with a Kente cloak on his shoulders and black pants.

He had that scowl of pure annoyance on his face, but his eyes looked over to meet mine.

“My brother is with his mate,” he acknowledged. “As for the fae prince, I’m unsure.”

Isaac was clearly in battle mode because his stance alone embodied power while his tattoos held a molten glow.

“Meaning Pearl’s with Isaiah and probably safe,” I concluded. “But Tobias…”

“I’m sure Tobias is okay,” Kane spoke calmly. “He’s rather hard to kill, and after our awakenings, I think he’s a bigger threat to this environmental catastrophe than we perceive.”

“So we just have to worry about ourselves,” Tommy concluded. “We need to move.”

“Don’t tell me another wave is coming?” I said with a hint of exhaustion - or at least enough to get all of their attention.

“You alright, Luci?” Kane inquired.

“I feel a little off,” I admitted. Ya, sure, I’d just survived getting killed from every angle and what felt like every element aside from fire, but with the adrenaline beginning to fade, I felt far too exhausted for my own good.

Even with the ear-piercing sound thing, it shouldn’t have made me lose consciousness like that, but it had weakened me enough to leave me in a vulnerable situation that I didn’t approve of, and now I was feeling that crippling feeling all over again.

Isaac stared at me intently before he cursed.

“Lay her down,” he ordered. I actually arched my eyebrow at him, but with a blink, it felt like I was falling back, a more out-of-body experience that left me falling.

What the hell?!

Now I went from confused to frightened in three seconds flat because it felt like I’d left my body with my very soul and was being called by something that tugged me further downward.

I screamed as if someone would possibly hear me, but as I fell into the realms of darkness, golden strings shot downward and a golden magic circle from far above formed across what I assumed was the sky’s surface.

The strings caught onto me, wrapping around my body and keeping me from falling any further, but my hope of survival was beginning to dim as creatures that blended perfectly into the darkness around me opened their glowing golden eyes and drifted towards me.

The heir of two kingdoms.

The heir of fae and vampire.

A supernatural prodigy.

Or catastrophe.

To kill or free?

Her power is ours for the taking.

Connected to four by the cross of our enemy.

Be one with us, child of God.

Be ours and we shall never forsake you!

They gathered to quickly tug at my body, fighting against the strings that fought to save me.

I’d experienced fear in my life, but nothing like this, nothing like the fear of their black claws that cut at my soul flesh and fought to claim me into this world of darkness.

Their touch ignited frigidness that sought through me and rendered me shaking as gasps left me at the pain their touch brought. I screamed and tried to get away, but nothing could get me out of their desolate hands.

Biting my lip, I did the only thing I could think of in this heightened point of vulnerability.

Surrender to my Creator.

“Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee!” I began to pray, my words laced with foreign power. The creatures began to scream as I continued, my spoken declaration beginning to empower the golden strings further as they began to tug me upward.

Their claws had no choice but to let go of me as the golden light spread through my body and outlined my flesh like I was but a silhouette of energy.

I kept praying and praying while I sought the light above that grew bigger as I rose higher towards its warmth. The sounds of howling and voices urging for someone to keep going pushed me to hold on a little longer.

You will return, child of the Bloody Cross. We will never allow you to rule.

The echoed words pierced me like they were claws entering my back.

NEVER!

The press of lips that blew air into me made a gasp escape as I coughed and quickly sat up as if it would get me away from the black void of creatures.

“Luci!” Tommy had to stop me from crashing into Pearl’s furry body, but it ended up taking Isaac and him to keep me from trying to get out of their grasps.

“Let go! I won’t submit to you!” I snapped with anger.

“Lucinda,” Isaac grunted. “She’s still fighting.”

The sound of cracking bones hit the air, but I slipped right out of the guys’ hold, sending them both falling back as I got up, trying to escape from wherever I was, only to crash right into another person and send us both falling.

“Luci! It’s okay!”

The sound of Pearl’s voice cut through my panic, and I opened my eyes and lifted my head to see her wide jewels of glowing pink. “You’re okay! I’m here! See?” She placed her hand on my cheek as if to confirm she wasn’t some vivid hallucination while my frantic eyes somehow managed to remain on her softened ones.

“You’re okay. See? You’re alive. Just stay still for a minute so Tommy and Marigold’s Royal Advisor can heal you.”

Still? Wait. Alive…Tommy…Marigold? When did Marigold come back? What the fuck is going on?

Tommy was next to us a second later, his worried eyes meeting my shocked ones.

“What…happened?” My voice trembled because I was actually scared shitless. That definitely couldn’t have been a part of the ‘entrance exam’ or whatever we were currently stuck in.

“I’ll explain when we’re done healing you,” he assured me. “I need you to stay still, LuciLu.”

That made me slightly anxious, but Pearl commented, “I’m right here, Luci. Just focus on me for a moment while they work on your back.”

My back. What happened to my back?

“Pearl? When did you get here?” I decided to distract myself by getting some information to reorient myself.

“We just got here,” she voiced and looked relieved that I was paying attention to her and not whatever was going on with my back. “Marigold found me and Isaiah at the courtyard, but her Royal Advisor appeared and said you were in danger and we headed back here.”

“In danger…” I whispered. “I was fine moments ago.”

“You haven’t been breathing for ten minutes, Luci,” Pearl said with seriousness.

Well…if that ain’t news.

Kane was at my right side as he knelt right down and reached out to press his hand against my cheek to draw my attention.

“At least your body’s warming up,” he said in relief. “Fuck, Luci. Why didn’t you mention you got hit by a blood seal?”

“A blood what?” Pearl and I said in unison while staring at him in bewilderment.

“Neither of you know what that is?”

“No,” we replied.

Kane didn’t look pleased as he focused specifically on me. “Did anything hit you prior to you and Tommy reaching here?”

“Define hit, because I got hit by a lot of things trying to survive,” I admitted. “I crashed into a broken bookshelf?”

“That shouldn’t have given you a mark on your back,” he pointed out. “Tommy healed the wound on the side of your ribs already.”

“Oh,” I replied and tried to think harder. “I don’t know. I was trying to reach the clocktower earlier and ended up crashing into the vines because something hit me from behind…oh.” It clicked there and then. “Vera.”

The mere mention of her name had Kane’s eyes darkening while his whole expression looked like he was ready to murder his whole damn coven.

“That fucking bitch.”

“Does that answer why I felt like I left my body and was being tugged by evil spirits that said I’d never rule?”

Pearl was speechless while Marigold came into view as she stood a foot from our heads.

“Of course it was Vera! That’s how she gets payback on people,” Marigold revealed. “Klaus, can you heal it?”

“Yes,” a very soft voice replied. “It would be smart for her friend to move from her place.”

“Oh.” Pearl blinked and grinned slightly. “Sorry, bestie. I gotta move.”

I didn’t mind, though her absence and my sitting movement left me shivering like I was outside in a blizzard.

“Why is she shaking like that?” Pearl questioned. “She wasn’t shaking before.”

“It could have been due to the heat you normally emanate after you shift back,” Isaac answered as he stood next to Pearl to look down at me. “Do you need her alone for the healing method?”

“No,” Klaus answered, and I wished I wasn’t shaking so hard or I would have attempted to acknowledge him. “However, I’m unsure of her reaction and I doubt Pearl can hold her down.”

“We don’t have much time,” Kane warned. “Something’s coming.”

Isaac sighed and went down on his knees before me, outstretching his arms.

“Come here.”

“Why?” I questioned with chattering teeth. He gave me an ‘are you actually asking stupid questions right now’ look, but answered, “My body temperature will keep you warm, and out of all of us, I’m probably the strongest at keeping you in my grasp.”

“You failed previously,” Tommy noted.

“That was an error of judgment on my part,” he confessed. “I didn’t expect her to be that strong in the spur of the moment.”

“Never…underestimate…a woman!” I seethed.

Kane sighed. “Luci, you have more important things to worry about than defending the power status of supernatural women.”

“Whatever,” I huffed but gave up on the idea of remaining a shivering mess as I crawled to Isaac and hugged him like my life depended on it.

It sure felt like it did.

Isaac’s arms wrapped around me, his muscled chest bringing an array of warmth as the tattoos that decorated his flesh began to glow softly. I sighed in relief as my body suddenly relaxed in his comforting embrace, and he began to hum a tune that gave off a traditional energy. The humming further aided in easing my body’s tension.

I could feel the work being done on my back, and I wondered how bad the damage was when I didn’t even feel any pain. Since I’d been using wind to aid my body to remain afloat, my cape had been high enough to leave the upper half of my back exposed thanks to my dress, but if something had burned or tainted my flesh, I surely would have felt it - right?

My consciousness ended up drifting until it felt like I was on some sort of up and down ride and screaming was coming from around me. It took me fighting through the tired fog to pull myself out of losing consciousness yet again, and I opened my eyes to see Kane was the one holding me.

His gaze lowered to acknowledge my awakening before he shouted something that was barely translating through my somewhat muted hearing. My senses were all whacked, and I was already tired of it.

“Luci?” It took Kane repeating my name a few times for it to cut through as my hearing began to return.

“Fuck. Why is my hearing fucked up?” I croaked.

“There was an explosion,” Kane said in frustration. “The courtyard is gone.”

Isn’t that just grand...

“Where do we go?” I couldn’t understand what the point was with this entrance exam. What was our purpose? We were encouraged to essentially survive as if this were some sort of elemental war on the very lands of our academy, but what was the point of all this bloodshed if there was no point of salvation?

“We’re not sure,” he admitted. “We’re approaching another tower. You think you can fight?”

“Yes,” I whispered and slowly worked on sitting further up in his grasp. It took me blinking a few times to clear my vision further, and more time to adjust to the loudness of our surroundings before I could get a grip on what was happening.

We were riding on a flaming back that had to be Isaac, while Pearl and Isaiah were running at his sides. Marigold and what I could only assume was Klaus were on Pearl’s back while Tommy was on Isaiah’s.

Turning my attention forward, I noticed the very tower we approached. It was taller than the clock tower, probably double its height, as if it were a lighthouse. We’d never gone to this area of the massive academy lands, but with the chaotic mess of destruction following us, I doubted there would be an academy left for us to return to at this rate.

Kane helped me up as we balanced ourselves. We reached the stairs to the tower, and Marigold took the initiative to jump off Pearl and head to the doors while the three wolf beasts turned right around to face the approaching waves, flames, vines, and mudslide coming our way.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I whispered in pure shock. “We…we can’t survive this,” I whispered.

“I’m aware,” Kane admitted as he held me a bit tighter. “There’s nowhere else to go. This is like the last surviving place.”

“What’s the objective, other than survival?” I whispered.

“The door won’t open!” Marigold called out. “It needs a rosary!”

“Of course it would need a rosary,” Tommy huffed and jumped off Isaiah’s back to rush over to the doors where Marigold continued to try and open the sealed surface.

Even if they got it open, I realized, like Kane and the others, that we wouldn’t survive this.

Pearl whimpered while Isaac and Isaiah howled as though they didn’t want to admit defeat.

“No way can it end like this,” Kane whispered and hugged me against him.

“Kane…” I whispered.

“I love you, Luci. Just know that,” Kane whispered to me as he kissed the top of my head.

I couldn’t believe it would end this way, but Kane further pressed the side of my head against his chest as we braced for the end. My eyes began to close as I decided to accept our doom, but a rose scent hit my nostrils - one that reminded me of the clearing in the fae realms.

The field of enchanting roses…

“Our little rosey secret,” I whispered as my eyes widened. “Tobias!”

I turned in Kane’s hold and his arms loosened slightly as his attention moved.

The waves of collided destruction were mere seconds from us, yet there was Tobias, taking the final steps a few feet from where we stood, his body turned so his back faced us while his attention was completely on the approaching force.

He raised his arms, and we watched as his cape fluttered upward as magic wrapped around him. It was as if he’d been conjuring this magic the entire time because the sudden spike was far too intense to have been created in such a short period of time.

“HALT AND DISPERSE! ELVERA LE ROOT!”

The booming command halted the very waves right before him - as if a wall of invisible protection had formed to stop everything. We stared in disbelief, none of us saying a word as we watched everything begin to evaporate into the air: the treacherous waters, the thick mud, the raging flames, and whatever else had the intention of killing us.

It felt like we were watching a magic trick, and when the threat was gone and the carried debris and everything else caught in its annihilation was left on the ground, we acknowledged that Tobias just stopped an army of elemental destruction.

“It’s open!” Marigold’s call brought us back to our senses, and the others moved swiftly, but I looked back to see Tobias was still standing there.

“Kane! Tobias.”

Kane was already on it. He let go of me to jump off Isaac’s back and moved in a blur of movement that landed next to Tobias - catching him just as his knees buckled.

The door was big enough for Pearl and Isaiah to fit, but I quickly got down so Isaac could switch back. He was back in human form in mere seconds, and already lifting me off the ground and heading in after Kane rushed through and headed up the spiraling stairs.

Marigold shut the doors and rushed up with us. None of us spoke until we were in a circle. Kane lowered Tobias in the middle and Klaus began analyzing him.

It gave me a brief second to take in the very tall, slender man. He had long white hair that made him look more feminine with his soft, pale skin and the oval shape of his face, but I could tell he had a bit of muscle to him as he wore tight black pants and a long-sleeved white dress shirt.

His sleeves were rolled up to his muscled biceps, giving us a view of the various incantations tattooed on his flesh, and white energy that gave me angel vibes like Tommy carried rushed to his aid as he began to spread the healing light around Tobias.

Poor Tobias looked pale as hell, and I bit my lip in worry, which made Isaac reach out to place a comforting hand on my shoulder. When I sought his expression, he was focused on the healing process happening before us and his anger was obvious, but the tiny gesture was more than words could say in a prime time like this.

“He’ll be okay,” Klaus quietly revealed, allowing us to let out our held breaths. “He’s extremely exhausted from stopping that attack. With rest and a boost of magic, he’ll be okay.”

“What now?” Marigold questioned. “That wasn’t normal. None of this is normal.”

Pearl and Isaiah began to howl, and we tensed up at the sense of another approaching threat. I rushed over to the balcony with Kane, and the two of us took in the charging darkness that was heading straight for us.

I couldn’t even describe what these creatures were, but it was Tommy, who arrived on my left side, that whispered what I wanted to not acknowledge.

“Dark beasts…impossible. They shouldn’t be here.”

“That many?” Kane hissed.

I didn’t say anything while Marigold cursed and drew our attention. She was at some type of switchboard. “We need another rosary!”

We rushed over to where she was and looked at the electronic panel. My eyes devoured the instructions that would activate some sort of protective force field of what they called the Rosary Lighthouse.

“I have one,” I voiced and quickly reached into my bra to pull it out.

Tommy, Kane, and Isaac, who I hadn’t realized joined us, all looked at me with impressed looks. “I wasn’t expecting that,” Kane admitted.

“Me neither,” Tommy confessed.

“Impressive,” Isaac commented.

“It’s nice to know I can grasp your attention when we’re on the verge of death,” I voiced and offered the beads to Marigold, who put them in place. She pressed the button to activate the shield, but nothing happened.

“Shit. I didn’t activate the bottom rosary!” she urged.

“I’ll do it,” Kane began, but Marigold shook her head.

“No. It has to be fae magic! It says so right here.”

We followed where she was pointing and sure enough, the words ‘fae magic error’ blinked next to the door in the diagram.

“I’ll do it!” I voiced. “I’ll be quick.”

“Wait. Bring an extra rosary just in case,” Kane urged and ran over to Tobias, then reached into his pocket to retrieve the golden beads. “I didn’t bring mine, but I knew Tobias did.”

He was back in front of me and laying the beads in my grasp the next second.

“Alright. Be right back!” I skipped, racing down the stairs by jumping right off the platform to drop downward. Summoning a hint of wind was more than enough in this controlled space to land me safely upon the surface of the bottom floor and I raced out the doors and closed them to get a good look at the rosary.

Marigold had definitely inputted it in properly, but it lacked the fae magic to go with it. Placing my hand over the beads, I allowed my fae side to push forward and fill the beads with enough juice to make the door beep and lock in place.

Uh oh…

I saw the panel on the side and noticed the flashing light that read ‘BARRIER ACTIVATING - STAND BACK’.

I hissed and moved back in time to miss the charged golden walls that skyrocketed to the very top of the lighthouse. The walls covered the space and created a rectangular barrier.

Leaving me right out of it.

“Shit…” I whispered and took further steps back to see Kane and Tommy at the large windows, fighting to break through them as their eyes caught onto me.

I slowly turned around to see the approaching shadow beings, noticing that a creature that gave me the impression of a hooded man riding a horse led them.

I tried to look around and see if there was anywhere I could run, but the darkness was approaching from all directions and my only line of protection had just locked me right out.

“I’m literally screwed,” I whispered in disbelief as a hollowness began to grow in my chest. It felt like the chill seeped through my back and began to spread outward as I continued to grasp the realization that there was nowhere for me to run or hide.

“You’ll never rule.”

Those dark voices began to repeat the same words into my head, their words like a chorusing hymn sang in various octaves. The darkness left the world growing pitch black. The only light was from the shield that protected the lighthouse.

I unsteadily walked a few steps forward, as if to ensure that when I died, the creatures wouldn’t come too close to the lighthouse, and yet the idea of my actual approaching death made me angry.

Tears left my eyes and washed over my flushed cheeks, and I had no choice but to lift the very beads in my grasp as I acknowledged the way my hand trembled.

After all the close calls, I was now realizing I wasn’t ready to die. I’d just gotten used to the fact that my parents were alive and waiting for me to return the next time we had some sort of break. I’d been reunited with my friends and celebrated my nineteenth birthday.

The chaos we endured the moment we entered this place was simply madness and I couldn’t believe that after my prayers, I’d end up on the chopping block of life.

I’d never…rule?

It felt weird to admit this feeling of disappointment, but what hurt more was the fact that I felt like I didn’t achieve what I should have. I didn’t achieve what our Creator had planned for me. The level of deceit made me want to break down in hopelessness, but instead, I clung to the beads as my eyes locked onto the approaching threat that was thirty seconds away.

“If I’m going to die…” I whispered. “I’ll die as a warrior and not a helpless lamb!”

With a few deep breaths, I let my tears fall as I headed down the stairs and stood at the very bottom step. The creatures cried out in rebellion, their eerie sounds intended to further frighten me. But they only made me cling to the beads of the rosary as I lifted my hands to press them together, the golden cross swaying side to side, like a ticking metronome.

All I could think of was the simple verse we were taught in the hollows of the church, the popular one many used at funerals.

“The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want,” I began as more tears filled my eyes and made my vision glassy. ” He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters.”

The vampire part of me worked on bringing calm to my troubled being, but I felt the rebellion of my fae magic that couldn’t accept that this was the end.

“He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

As if the words didn’t tug on every emotional string inside me, the banging of glass was picked up by my ears over the galloping forces that thrummed all around me.

I couldn’t imagine what Kane, Tommy, Isaac, Isaiah, Marigold, Klaus, and Pearl were thinking. There was nothing they could do to interfere. Nothing to stop what was about to happen. And I didn’t want to think of how Tobias would feel.

It was only seconds until my fated end, the ground shaking as the scent of despair hit my nostrils. I never knew a feeling could carry a scent to it, but the approaching sent of ash and coal was what connected me to the feeling I was currently consumed by.

I closed my eyes and whispered the final words I needed to say.

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil.  My cup runneth over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…and I will dwell in the house of the Lord…forever.”

My fae side finally gave in, and her acceptance brought a calmness that ran through me like icy cold water. The tension, fear, and uncertainty faded away, and I was left with only tranquility as I ended the prayer.

“Amen.”

My nose dripped what I could only assume was snot, but when two more droplets left my nostrils, I had no choice but to look down and open my eyes to view the droplets of blood just as the cross swung back.

A single droplet fell upon the cross - and the beads began to glow as the blood rolled down the cross’s surface.

All I could do was look up, only to find the wall of black before me and that the shadowed horseman stood right in front of me. My head lifted further up to acknowledge the eight-feet-tall figure and its hollow eyes locked onto my wide ones as I awaited death.

We stood there in a world of black silence until the creature spoke.

“Queen of our Savior.”

His words made no sense to me and I was confused when the man reached for the staff at what I could only assume was his back and had the edge of a scythe hovering right over my head.

The slight clinking sound made me realize that the blade had hit something, and it took an extra second to understand that my crown was out from hiding and sat upon my head.

I couldn’t confirm if that was what stopped them in their tracks, but the creature retracted its scythe.

“Spared is thy queen.” Those were its final words as the horse neighed and turned around. The creatures suddenly backed away and I watched while my nose continued to bleed. They literally retreated, growing further and further away until I was left in the oasis while hints of sunlight peeked through the clouds that were beginning to disperse.

I held my breath as if waiting for something else to approach, and my body grew tense as I took in the three approaching horses. It took me narrowing my tired eyes to see it was Headmaster Wei, Professor Arana, and Professor Alexander.

The relief that consumed me made me look up to the sky as the sun came out into full view and its warm rays washed over me. It was as if the Heavens were opening and my Lord and Mother Mary were praising me for my unexpected victory.

I couldn’t fathom that my prayers brought me salvation, but this was proof that I had a purpose to fulfill and now it had something to do with me being queen.

My eyes slowly closed as I smiled at the warmth that licked my flesh. Even as I fell back onto the ground, the pain was nothing compared to my immense gratification that thrummed through my exhausted body while my consciousness slipped away.

Voices called to me, but I didn’t care. All I could do was tighten my grip on the very beads of the bloody rosary in my grasp and mentally thank my Savior.

Mother Mary…my Almighty Father…Holy Spirit…thank you for my redemption.

8

YEAR TWO OF BLOSSOMING POWER: PART TWO

“Wake for me, LuciLu…”

Someone called to me. A being of light that brought warmth to the depths of the darkness I’d been floating within. I wasn’t uncomfortable in this place of pitch black. It was a temperature that wasn’t too hot or cold, and it felt like I floated right in place.

Various scents would come and go, taunting me in this realm where thought was too much to dwell in. I felt a piece of comfort that was hard to describe. It felt almost sinful to wish to be out of this tranquil paradise, but I also felt as though I was yearned for elsewhere.

That the light above would deliver me to a world of purpose.

It was a hard debate and the longer I tried to think it over, the more mentally drained I felt, but my exhaustion was comforted by a voice that held a hint of anger along with compassion in their words.

“Awaken, Queen. The realms of darkness can enjoy your presence when the time is right.”

This voice held dominance within these realms of shadows, and whatever tendrils of power this world had on me released their hold around my soul. I drifted upward, and the light grew brighter until I was consumed with light.

MY EYES SQUEEZED TOGETHER as I hoped to get a few more minutes of sleep, but the light stroking against my cheek was beginning to tempt me. I knew right away from the floral scent I was in Tobias’s arms, and the mental acknowledgment gave me a form of comfort while prompting me to open my eyes.

I was lying on Tobias’s chest, the muscled surface moving up and down at a relaxed pace while his finger continued to brush my cheek.

“Luci?” Tobias’s voice was barely audible, but it was loud enough to draw my attention.

“Tobias,” I croaked back.

I could hear his heart skip a few beats before his very fingers went through my long locks. He tipped my head just slightly, enough for me to see those magically rich eyes that filled with relief while they softened.

“Hey,” he whispered.

“Hey.” I wasn’t sure how to describe how amazing it felt to get lost in those prism eyes of his. Awakening in his arms reminded me of the few instances I’d awakened in his arms during Year One, but it felt more rewarding now after what I began to recall was absolutely horrifying.

“We survived,” I quietly commented.

Tobias’s eyes reflected his worry as he leaned down to brush his lips lightly against mine as if to comfort me the best way he could while trying to recover himself.

“Yes,” he finally replied. “The others were just here, but Headmaster Wei encouraged them to get some rest. Tommy and Isaac have been working overtime on helping you out.”

“Helping me?”

“Kane explained you got a blood seal placed on you,” he brought up. When I nodded just slightly, he continued. “That explains the army of dark beasts.”

“How does that explain that?” I inquired.

“Blood seals are forbidden black magic. They call it black magic but honestly, it’s shadow fae magic that attracts dark creatures in a very large radius. The entrance exam was very close to their borders and they somehow gained access.”

“You’re trying to say that Vera somehow got a hold of shadow fae magic and had every intention of getting my ass and, well, all I love and care about killed in the process.”

“That’s exactly what she aimed for,” Tobias answered and it was difficult for him to hide his anger that leaked through. “What’s pissing us off is that they can’t charge her.”

“Why can’t they?” I questioned. “Headmaster Wei doesn’t believe me?”

“No, she believes you,” Tobias assured me. “However, all the cameras and surveillance were destroyed from the mayhem. There wasn’t even time to backup the footage. Apparently, if we take this situation to the higher courts, we’d need evidence first before they would try and force the truth out of anyone.”

“Why? That seems rather un-supernatural like,” I acknowledged.

“I agree,” he confessed while he lowered his voice. “But dark fae magic is pretty forbidden. If they were going to bring this to court to judge, it would involve all four fae courts, and because none of us necessarily died in the incident, it’s not worth the hassle.”

“Isn’t that just pleasant,” I muttered. I wished to go right back to sleep - or my blood would just boil in anger until I got out of this bed and claimed my own vengeance.

Tobias sighed and hugged me a little tighter.

“How are you feeling?”

“Aside from a tad murderous?”

“Aside from that.”

“Tired,” I muttered and snuggled against him. “I missed you.”

“As I missed you, Sweet Luci,” he practically hummed. “Cinder and Ash missed you more.”

“I’d love to visit again,” I mumbled while further relaxing in his hold. “School hasn’t started and I’m exhausted.”

“Couldn’t agree more,” he admitted. “Not like the summer of politics was any easier.”

“Politics. Did your awakening consist of a lot of learning, too?”

“More of political introductions, emphasis on the high expectations of others, and the idea of me marrying soon.”

“Marrying?” That made me go from relaxed to high alert in three seconds. I moved so I was now hovering over him with my hands pressed against the soft cushions of his pillow.

He blinked and slowly took my body in, leaving me no choice but to sigh and roll my eyes.

“Eyes up here, fae lover.”

He smirked at my command and reached out to gently place his hands on my cheeks. “Relax.” His voice carried a melodic tone to it that immediately eased my worries. “You’re the only one I have eyes on, Lucinda,” he assured me.

“Then why are they trying to rush you into marrying? We haven’t even started our second year, and they’re well aware that you have three years left.”

“They’re hoping for engagement, first,” Tobias elaborated. “It’s complicated.”

“Complicated or not, they can’t force you to marry.”

The way he looked at me only made my gut sink as if my words were invalid. “They can?”

“My parents wouldn’t,” he muttered, but he didn’t sound so sure.

“Unless pressured?”

“The reputation of a fae is far more important than the happiness of a fae.”

“That’s fucked up and we both know it,” I voiced.

“I know, Luci,” he whispered and pulled me down for an intimate kiss. “You know I only want you.”

I sought his eyes of prism jewels and nodded slightly before kissing him.

“I know,” I replied. “Yet, I’m scared I’ll lose you.”

“Never,” he muttered against my lips. “The only woman I’ll marry is you.”

“Even if I’m a hybrid that has some sort of bloody cross connection with three other men?”

“Even if you’re the most unique of the lands,” he summarized with a smirk. “I still don’t like Thomas.”

I quietly laughed and rolled my eyes. “You two can sort whatever you dislike. I’m not getting into the middle of a feud between a fae and an angel hybrid.”

“Angel hybrid?”

“Oops.” I bit my lip and cringed. “Pretend you didn’t hear that.”

He arched an eyebrow and I decided to distract him with another kiss. It worked; he moaned and ended up rolling us over and lifting the blanket to cover us.

“If it wasn’t for the slight chance of us getting caught, I’d fuck you here and now,” he moaned while one of his hands moved down my body. I had to be wearing some sort of gown over my lingerie, but that was lifted up while Tobias began to explore further, his warm hand cupping my breast.

“You and I know that’s not stopping you,” I purred and captured his lips. His deep chuckle vibrated against the walls of his throat while he managed to kiss me back.

“You’re right,” he whispered. “I just want to make sure you’re okay first before I fuck the hell out of you.”

“That’s hot,” I commented. We kept on making out, the two of us lost in the heated sensation of each other’s company. I seriously missed our intimacy.

We’d been so stressed last year with him getting his rosary that we’d enjoyed a quick fucking and then were tossed into our awakenings. With his body so different and sculpted with muscle, I wanted to take my time to appreciate him.

To love him with my body and relieve any tension he must be carrying beneath.

“I should be good and let you sleep,” he mumbled against my neck after leaving a good five hickeys.

“I don’t need sleep,” I muttered but yawned. “Sleep is…for the…tired!”

“For the weak, Luci.” Tobias chuckled and wrapped his arms around me and turned so I was resting on top of him. He left an arm around me while the other moved to rest behind his head.

I couldn’t help but relax against his chest once more, while I wondered what was going to happen now.

“When we wake up, what’s going to happen?” My eyes were closed but I didn’t feel comfortable to sleep until I knew what we’d be waking up to.

“We’ll be gathering for an assembly. Probably to explain what that fiasco was all about,” Tobias answered.

“So it wasn’t planned?”

“Not in the least,” he whispered. “Someone fucked up and I think Headmaster Wei is trying to figure out exactly who screwed things over for everyone.”

“Are we the only ones who survived?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Hmm. Guess our questions will be answered when we wake up.”

“Wasn’t how I thought we’d be starting Year Two.”

“Agreed,” I whispered. “At least we’re together.”

“Exactly,” he whispered. “Sleep, Luci. We’ll tackle this together with the others.”

What does this school year have in store for us?

“KANE, we’re supposed to be drinking blood from the packs,” I hissed while he completely ignored me to continue to suck my flesh. “Not each other.”

“You know how much I’ve yearned for your blood?” he growled against my flesh, his hot breath leaving me shivering in lust.

“I can imagine,” I grumbled, attempting to feign displeasure though my body was singing the hymns of a horny school girl ready to be fucked in this private medical washroom if I didn’t tread the waters carefully. “But I don’t want blood to stain my uniform.”

“You and I both know I wouldn’t let a damn drop of your addictive blood leave my tongue’s grasp,” he reasoned.

Alright, that was a true fact and we both knew it.

“Don’t drink too much,” I whispered, deciding to give up on the idea of fighting him. I missed him and frankly, it felt like a blessing to be ‘hiding’ in this space with the excuse of needing my hair taken care of.

I did need some helping hands with that too because multiple instances of death usually meant your hair became a frizzy mess. Not to forget Tobias had his hands running through my locks for a while after I’d fallen asleep.

We’d been given our set uniforms and were instructed to get ready - literally in the medical rooms - for this emergency assembly. I had no clue who was left after that crazy mayhem, but I knew my set of friends, including Marigold and Klaus, were safe.

I’d woken up with Isaac watching me, and he encouraged me to change and get ready for this assembly that was happening in twenty minutes. He was still his anger-filled self, but to a lesser degree.

I really couldn’t wait for us to get these crazy times over with so I could unravel his personality aside from its current association with anger and impatience. The few instances thus far showed I wasn’t necessarily an enemy to him.

I liked that he gave me some sort of respect in the heat of battle, but if he was bonded to me like the others, I’d have to learn more about him.

I was a little thankful this private medical room had a shower, and I took every advantage of it for the sake of not smelling of death, but my hair was now more of a frizzy mess because I couldn’t tame its wet bird’s nest.

That was when Kane came to aid me in my dismay, but he didn’t last combing one strand of my locks before he started kissing my neck in hunger.

“Turn around for me,” he commanded with that deep voice I’d yet to get used to. It did crazy things to me and it was a big warning sign that this bite was going to leave me far more aroused than the previous times.

I did as he commanded and faced him as his red eyes met mine. His hair of silver and magenta was spiked perfectly, and if it wasn’t for his red tie that rested along the collar of his black uniformed dress shirt, he’d be ready to go dominate the halls of Bloody Rosary with his hot, bad boy look.

The glow up was seriously real for my vampire lover, and with how confident he’d been since we reunited in the entrance ‘whatever that was’ exam, I could tell it would be rather difficult to peel him away to think seriously.

“I want to do something first,” he admitted and didn’t delay as he moved right along to kissing me like our lives depended on it. The way he devoured my mouth should have been considered a sin because it was beyond my mental capacity to fathom how he riled up my emotions, tumbled them into the pits of my stomach, and made me all wet for him in a few passionate movements of his delectable lips.

“Kane,” I breathed when he gave me a moment to do so, the two of us breathing heavily while our eyes were lost in each other’s lustful appearance. “Your wasting time that you could be using to feed.”

“I don’t want to until I’ve showered you with affection,” he muttered and gave me a light kiss on my lips. “You’re not just some concubine, Luci.”

Oh…damn. That’s romantic as fuck.

“That’s appreciated,” I whispered.

“I may be hungry and horny for you, but I still value you as my girlfriend, and you deserve to be treated with immense care and affection.”

Now he was really tugging on my emotions as I stared into his eyes.

“Kane,” I whispered, and wrapped my arms around his neck to pull him into a tight hug. He lifted me up so I sat on the sink, and the two of us were completely still while we enjoyed this moment of compassion.

“I missed you,” I whispered. “A lot.”

“I missed you far more,” he admitted. “You’re so beautiful, Luci. You always have been, but now I envy anyone who gets a mere look at you.”

“That’s probably going to drive you insane,” I pointed out. “Especially with an assembly coming up.”

“Valid point,” he said with a bit of amusement. “But that can be fixed.”

“By what exa-” I didn’t finish as a long moan left my parted lips while my head fell back the moment his fangs sank into my flesh. I knew from our relationship that he didn’t need to warn me when he was going to bite, but the element of surprise turned me on and left me running my hands through his hair and gripping those silky strands to keep him in his place.

I forced him to drink a little more, knowing he probably deprived himself of drinking when he necessarily needed to. I’d completely forgotten the fact he’d gotten attuned to my blood and that the taste of the blood packs was probably horrendous compared to having blood from the source.

It had to be due to my hybrid body that I was perfectly fine with either. In my mind, I knew it was a part of my life source, and though the taste didn’t make me moan and be filled with the blissful harmony a mere bite brought, it was enough to make it feel like I was drinking a favorite smoothie.

Kane finished with one final suck, retracting his fangs and kissing the very spot until I was positive it was bruised up. I swear they were doing this on purpose. Tobias had lathered a bunch of hickeys on one side while Kane now had his lovely bite mark masterpiece on the other.

It was a good thing I’d established a relationship with them first, prior to this awakening, and was only now being given the understanding that Isaac and Tommy would be joining in on whatever this was, or I doubt I’d be able to handle four of them making an advance at once.

So far, it was a balance of dating Tobias and Kane versus getting to know Isaac and Tommy - though I knew Tommy a little too well, and that cunning man was going to find a way into my bed if I wasn’t careful.

Kane gave me a few more loving kisses before releasing me from his captive hold.

“Ten minutes to do your hair, hmm,” he hummed happily and I gave him a look.

“Not horny anymore, huh?”

He chuckled and kissed my cheek. “Trust me, I’m horny as fuck right now, but I sense your Royal Advisor and he’s a sneaky bastard.”

I laughed and shook my head. “I love how you speak as if you really know how diabolically sneaky he is,” I voiced.

“To be fair, my parents warned me of him.”

“Really?” That intrigued me as he slid me off the sink and turned me around so he could work and talk.

“Mhm.”

“As in competition warning?”

“Pretty much,” he replied. “They heard through the grapevine that he’s your Royal Advisor and were trying to press me to bring that bitch along.”

“I thought she was fired?” I knew who he was referring to because the bitch with no respect was on my ‘kill’ list.

“She was, yes,” he began. “But apparently until I can get a new one in her stead, I’m out of options so far.”

“I thought you could decline to have one?” I reminded.

“You can decline, but there’s going to be some instances where things get complicated without one. Certain royal kingdoms don’t have one, and if they don’t, they have a second-in-command as they would when you rise to the throne. A beta, if you will. We may not need a Royal Advisor for our time at Bloody Rosary, but it would be smart to find one and along the path form a trusting relationship enough to rely on them.”

“That’s true…” I admitted. “But Tommy can’t be my Royal Advisor forever. I mean, he’s of royalty as well, just in tricky circumstances.”

“I feel the kingdoms are uneasy with him being your advisor,” Kane quietly noted.

“Why? It’s not their business. I mean, wasn’t our attendance and such supposed to be private?”

“In the beginning,” Kane admitted. “But with our awakenings, we’re essentially officially a part of this royal society, if you want to call it that. We have the knowledge and the potential power to rule. Bloody Rosary’s purpose now is to drill us until we know the very art of survival. Obviously, that was tested with the unexpected entrance exam, but I think it wasn’t supposed to be that intense, or have those demon creatures.”

“Right,” I whispered.

He began working on curling my hair while he carried on to the main topic. “Going back to the rumors regarding Tommy, his family has some major enemies, but I think that’s because he’s a triple threat.”

“Triple threat…” I whispered. “How so?”

“They say he’s a triple hybrid.”

Triple. I’ve seen his angel aspect and he can change into a bat. Does that make him a vampire angel hybrid?

“Did they mention what aspects?”

“They did, but it sounds rather impossible.”

“How so?”

“Seraph. Vampire. Fae.”

Shit. I was…right. He’s not some ordinary angel. He’s a fucking seraph?!

“Three? Are you sure?” I gasped quietly while looking at him through the reflection of the mirror. “I knew of his angel side, but seraph? Like, isn’t that some high-class, overpowered version of an angel ready to destroy the realms of the world or some shit?”

“Close,” Kane commented with a deep chuckle and an unexpected lick to the sensitive part of my neck where he bit. I couldn’t help but moan, arcing my back, which prompted him to suck on the spot that sent me into a shivering fest of pleasure.

“Kane,” I moaned in warning, knowing damn well I wouldn’t be able to stand - or concentrate - if he kept doing that.

“It bothers me how his power enlightens you,” he admitted quietly and flicked his tongue at the bruised spot. “It makes me envious.”

“You know I don’t care about power, Kane,” I whispered and turned my head enough to see his face in my line of vision. He took a moment to stare into my eyes as if to make sure I wasn’t playing with him.

“I know,” he finally replied. “And yet I still fear his mere status of power will sweep you away from me…from the rest of us.”

I couldn’t take his negative talk so I turned to face him while he lowered the curling wand to the counter.

“You understand I’m dating you and Tobias because I want to, right? That I’m in this relationship not solely based on the bet we made but because I actually take it close to my heart and acknowledge how you each make me feel.”

The tension between us was magnetic, and he couldn’t help but wrap me in his hold while his lips taunted mine with light brushes.

“I know,” he whispered, and he let me get a glimpse of that vulnerable side I hadn’t seen until he was smashing his hands against the windows of the lighthouse in defiance of my approaching doom.

He sighed and leaned further in to press his lips to my forehead.

“Politics, Luci,” he muttered in disgust. “They’re so fucking discouraging and disgusting.”

“You and Tobias have both mentioned that,” I acknowledged. “Yet, I’m not understanding what is being said through the grapevine. I don’t get what the problem is. Or maybe I lack information about what is being said,” I concluded.

“Supernatural politics are all about power and status,” Kane confessed. “They have meetings every damn week about which side is getting more power, which side is regarded as a threat. It’s a bunch of power-hungry old fuckers who are just concerned about not being at the end of the long stick that rates whether you’re weak or fucking overpowered.”

His sigh was heavy, as if he were really beyond tired at this point with this aspect of our royal responsibilities back home.

“Every week they bring you up. They obviously don’t know your parents are alive or anything, but they know you exist, that you’re a potential threat, and of course, that you are dating Tobias and me.”

“What about Isaac and Tommy?” I inquired. “Like, do they think of them as a threat? Obviously, we’re not dating officially and they definitely don’t know about the cross directional bonds, but ya.”

“They don’t care about Isaac which is stupid in my personal opinion,” he admitted. “I don’t know if it’s because he’s what they would think is an underdog with a leash around him or due to their dismissive interest in our political structures, or maybe they’re just racist assholes. I don’t even know.”

“You think they ignore the threat simply because their culture is traditional in the sense of ancestry and not one that would ‘grow’ with the times?” I had to base this off the bringing up of racist tendencies.

Due to my sheltered upbringing in the church, I’d obviously had very few instances where I met someone other than the color of my skin or a close shade to it. I never cared about the color of one’s skin and was only fascinated by the various cultures of the world that were defined amongst humans - far different from our usual categorized system of supernaturals.

In our world of vampires, fae, magic, and all the other cycles of supreme power, the color of your skin was probably as useless as the clothes you wore on a daily basis. It was a mere reflection of your image, style, and overall taste.

It would never be the determinator of how powerful one was.

“That’s exactly what I think,” Kane huffed, and I could tell he was getting angry by the way his eyes flickered with rage. “They belittle almost everyone but their own. They have political talks of all the others’ weaknesses and threats but they don’t want to talk about the elephant in the room regarding our own weaknesses. We should be working on alliances, not trying to control those who are more powerful than us.”

“Is that what they wish for Tommy?” I quietly asked.

I could remember how he mentioned that his mother’s passing was no accident and his father’s coma was another punishment for going against these powerful beings.

My parents had helped to ensure Tommy was safe, which I was becoming more grateful for, but why would these individuals be monitoring Tommy over his triple hybrid aspect?

“Thomas…” he began, using Tommy’s actual name. “His parents were really fucking strong, Lucinda.” The way he said it emphasized his words.

“There had to be some sort of foul play toward his mother to get her killed, but his father being in coma is some crazy shit.”

“You know about that?”

“I was told for the sake of ‘knowing who I’m up against’ or whatever bullshit they like to say to back up their selfish ill intentions,” Kane brushed off. “I think his mother was seraph, which would be weird because she shouldn’t have been considered ‘easy’ to kill because their healing abilities are insane, but his father was fae vampire like you.”

“Like me,” I whispered. “So…is that why they worry about me and Tommy?”

“Your compatibility with anyone is a worry for them,” Kane huffed. “It all depends which court of power your ball falls into. They’ve been trying to put me against Tobias for years, but when we weren’t awakened, it made no sense to us. We understood the power dynamic and the roles we played, but now with our awakening, I can see why they’re working overtime to try and get us to feud over you.”

“Whoever’s side I choose - which they think I’ll be choosing - is the one who will carry the potential power of two thrones and their own, correct?”

“Yes,” he replied. “An alliance they do not wish for.”

“But what about us now?” I brought up. “We’re dating, and though I’m not sure with Isaac, I do have some sort of lingering feelings for Thomas.”

It would be stupid to try and hide the obvious. He turned me on in all the right ways with his existence, and though our current connection was all lust with a few romantic instances, it was enough for me to bring him into this band of lovers.

“Now they’re sitting on the edges of their seats because they don’t know what your scheme is.”

“Scheme?” He kissed me suddenly, something I wasn’t expecting, but I didn’t dare push away from him, and he groaned and pressed his body against mine, making me hum in pure desire.

“Why am I not surprised to see LuciLu wrapped in your possessive arms?”

I broke the kiss and looked to the door to see Tommy leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed. His face was masked, which was weird when I always got to see that playful side of him, but he was in the black, red, and blue uniform like we were.

“Tommy,” I breathed. “Are you here to pick me up?”

“Certainly, Queen.” There was his playful side as those eyes of his twinkled at my acknowledgment.

“Jeez. What about me?” Kane huffed.

“Oh.” Tommy blinked. “I didn’t see you.”

Okay, that was fucking funny in a weird, bitter way and I giggled. “Oh no. My boyfriends are about to duke it out like crazy bitches. Hold my hair curler!”

Kane rolled his eyes at my dramatics but purposely moved right in to give me a passionate kiss that could surely make my toes curl while his hands moved through my hair to finish the touches of the curls he’d created upon its magenta ombré gold surface.

He purposely left me breathless and tugged at my bottom lip before releasing me. His eyes were dark with a reflection of mischief of his own accord before he let his fingers fall from my hair of loose waves.

“I’m going to check if Tobias is all good,” he announced. “See you in a bit, Luci.”

“See…you,” I breathed while my cheeks actually began to swarm with heat.

Yes. Newly awakened Kane is dangerous as hell.

He acknowledged Tommy with a slight head bob and was out of the washroom and leaving the medical room before we knew it.

“Guess I really did interrupt something,” Tommy declared with a smug grin that had me shaking my head.

“On purpose.”

“You know me well, LuciLu,” he replied and offered his hand. “Best not delay. I believe this year is going to be a blossoming one and I’d rather we secure our spot in the ranks of power.”

His words weren’t making much sense to me, but the urgency to get going to this assembly was loud and clear.

I placed my hand in his but needed a second to check the mirror to make sure I looked adequate enough to face whoever was going to be in that crowded auditorium.

My golden crown with ruby jewels sparkled at my inspection from where it sat comfortably in the middle of my head. My hair looked extra spectacular and shiny from whatever Kane had done effortlessly.

I enjoyed how this uniform was so unique for the females. The top part was a strapless leather top with plaid trimming that outlined the top and a silver zipper in the middle. The remainder of the top was tucked into the plaid skirt that was just long enough to reach my thighs.

Obviously, if we went right into battle, it would show off my butt, and though I wasn’t ashamed of my plump ass or looks thanks to my long legs - especially with my awakening - I wore panty hose that gave me a boost of comfortability while shielding my precious properties that were saved for those I was intimate with.

Black calf-high boots finished the look, but I shivered at the slight draft in the washroom as if a window were just opened.

“Are you cold?” Tommy inquired.

“Not really?” I wasn’t sure. “It just felt windy all of a sudden, which I feel is a mental game.”

Tommy nodded but I was surprised by the sudden weight of a black leather jacket upon my shoulders, prompting me to check the mirror once more to see the very jacket that was cropped, but long enough to cover my exposed back.

I couldn’t help but stare at Tommy’s reflection in the mirror as he grinned.

“I’m your RA remember?” He enjoyed reminding me of his position by my side, but it was the way he pressed behind me and suddenly kissed the back of my neck that left me surprised and fighting the urge to not lose all grasp of my thinking capacity to my lust bunnies that loved to hop encouragingly in the pit of my stomach.

“I have to ensure your comfort is a priority,” he whispered against my flesh. “And I find it a little amusing that they think their marks will stop me from placing my own.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat while heat swarmed all over my face and my body tingled.

Tommy tugged my hand then as if to pull me out of my swirling mayhem, knowing well I’d be lost in the sensations if he didn’t. We’d wasted enough time with our exchange, and I was ready to tackle this new curriculum once and for all.

Year Two of Blossoming Power…here we come.

9

ASSEMBLY OF ILLUSIONS AND POSITION OF POWER

“It was an illusion?” I whispered, and I was sure the rest of the mass group of individuals were just as baffled as I was.

Our group was lined up in the first row of the medium-sized room full of chairs. I could tell from the fact they were half empty that regardless of the mental game placed upon us - if it was true – it had certainly taken some students out for the count.

Tommy sat on my left side with Isaac, Isaiah, Pearl, Marigold, and Klaus, while on my right were Tobias and Kane. Tommy’s role was what “forced” him to sit next to me during this assembly or I was sure Tobias and Kane would’ve found some way to sandwich me.

With Kane having fed on me moments earlier, I was still rather sensitive and if we sat next to each other, I was rather positive we wouldn’t be listening to the importance of this assembly.

It would be hard to keep our hands off one another, let alone stay still.

Tobias was being rather possessive with his hand resting on my upper thigh while Tommy was ‘casually’ resting an arm along my shoulders. The tension between the two of them was obvious, but we were all focused on Headmaster Wei.

“The exam was based on illusionists with a hint of fae magic to aid in the environmental challenges you all faced,” she began. “However, there was an error in the translation of the intensity of this entrance trial, and the result led to multiple elemental challenges being triggered at once. The distress of those manipulated circumstances resulted in a temporary opening of the protective walls of our world, inviting a glimpse of the very darkness that we can all conclude is our worst enemy.”

Her words reminded me of the very creatures of black with their glowing eyes and the essence of death they carried with their mere presence. It made me shiver, something Tommy and Tobias noticed.

They instinctively comforted me in their own ways - Tobias squeezing the spot his hand rested on while Tommy’s hand that rested on my right shoulder gently squeezed the spot.

The actions were appreciated, especially with that lingering hollowness in myself I was hoping would disappear. Since that seal was placed on my back thanks to Vera’s forbidden witchcraft, that part inside me still felt like a sucking black hole that needed to be filled.

It could be why Kane and maybe the others were giving me extra affection thus far - or they missed the hell out of me and could show their affection without worrying about my parents’ company. It was very appreciated, especially in times like now with this bomb of revelation.

The tension in the room spiked further and Headmaster Wei looked around the room.

“You all are well aware that there are forces behind many of your kingdoms’ protective walls that shelter you from the darkness of our supernatural world. With your awakenings, I hope for you to further look into those avenues of danger to know what you’re up against when you graduate and become official royals to claim the future inheritances of your kingdoms, but until then, it’s our job at Bloody Rosary Academy to aid in your growth and heightened wisdom. It’s also our duty to ensure the strong are well rewarded, and the weak understand the risks their flaws and disadvantages can bring to their attendance here.”

She lifted her arms up as if to gesture around us.

“Every chair here counted for one individual who had been accepted into Bloody Rosary’s second year set of students. As you can see, only half of you survived the unexpected mayhem, and though I’m extremely impressed, I’m also disappointed by a few aspects.”

Her words confused a few individuals and she carried on, answering our curious gazes. “Only five percent of you decided to join forces and aid one another with the sudden conquest. Many of you showed no remorse or effort to aid your falling comrades. Some made the right decision to not aid those they felt no pull to. However, many were given the opportunity, skills, and power to aid those who were helpless and could have contributed greatly to their alliances and were bluntly ignored.”

Her words seemed to shock a few people, and even I recalled my desire not to aid anyone until I noticed Marigold. With Vera’s actions against me, who knows if some people prompted a few students to end on purpose.

“Year One was designed for you all to focus on yourselves while working on your teamwork skills. It’s extremely disappointing to watch some of you discard a single soul that our Heavenly Father and our Lady has blessed us with, but what disgusts me the most was how some of you took it upon yourselves to be Our Savior and contribute to the failures of your fellow peers.”

No one dared to say a single word. The pin-drop silence was almost deafening in its own way while the power oozing off of Professor Wei was of pure anger.

“There’s a difference between the Universe playing its hand in punishment and killing the weak and one selfishly taking it upon themselves to crucify those they are threatened by. It’s only due to the breakdown of many security cameras that we haven’t been able to gather all the culprits of these devasting actions, so the punishment will have no choice but to be a collective one.”

She let her words sink in before ten individuals walked upon the stage. All of them wore attire similar to Headmaster Wei, giving off authoritative vibes. She waited for them to be lined accordingly before she decided to inform us who these people were.

“This week I’ll be working on changing your entire curriculum. You will be tested once a week, but also have various group challenges. The details will be explained in your syllabuses. Each sectioned dorm house will be assigned two Bloody Rosary Advisors who will ensure your knowledge portion is up to date and will participate in training your designated group for the exams to come.”

She then gestured to the line. “These individuals are Bloody Rosary’s Elite Professors. They have been chosen from all over the world and vary in supernatural strength and wisdom. One of them will be assigned to you for the entire year, and I will stress this quite literally: they are not your friends. They are not responsible for your rise or fall in power. They have trained many past heirs, and I will not go against their judgment when final grades come into play. You cannot bribe them with your royal status or, in some cases, bodies. Do not bother, or you’ll be expelled and robbed of your royal ranks.”

I was shocked, as were many of us. No one was expecting such harshness on the first day of school, but damn. Headmaster Wei wasn’t playing around in the slightest.

“The top five percent of students who performed outstandingly are asked to stay behind. Your chairs will light up to acknowledge your successful performance and reward you with this rare opportunity to ask any questions that need to be answered. You will also be given first dibs on the top five mansions on campus for second-year students. Once the chairs of these individuals have lit up, the remaining students can find their way out and to the boards all through the halls where you’ll find your assigned dorms and teams.”

With those words, the chairs began to light up – and our row ended up lighting up all the way down from Kane to Klaus. A number of students seemed shocked by this, but there was a certain hiss that caught my attention as I turned my head enough to see Vera sitting next to her cloaked man.

She looked like she could kill, and boy did it amuse me to the point that I gave her a slight smirk and winked.

Dumb bitch.

When the last set of chairs lit up, Headmaster Wei had one final thing to say. “This year, remember the importance of our golden rosaries. All of you carry one. If you left it back home, I suggest you return to grasp it or get another to bring it to you for it’s vital to have on you at all times, like a weapon or piece of armor. Our Mother graciously watches over us and aids our victorious growth in a world of growing darkness and power. Not only do we show her respect, as well as our Heavenly Savior, but we show thanks to the Universe that continues to aid in our coexistence with those who may look at supernaturals in dismay and the dark creatures that wish to execute us. Remember that at the brink of death, your guide of power waits for you to request their aid. The same applies to our Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit that cloaks us with immense power when we submit to their assistance. A few of your carry doubt in your hearts of what Bloody Rosary can do for you, and it shows. I will be the one to warn you like I would my own child: be grateful to the power that runs within your veins and the opportunity to be in a place of royalty that wishes to aid in your progression. If you’re unable to do such, I’m sorry to say that you will not last to your third year.”

Her heavy words rendered the room silent once more.

“You are dismissed.”

Why does it feel like this assembly was made to warn us all of what devasting challenges are coming to us?

“ARANA. ALEXANDER.”

I’d be lying if I said the sight of the two individuals didn’t give me immense relief and a hint of excitement as we finished the brief tour of our new dorm mansion, which I could only assume would be for this year only.

The place was massive, luxurious, and came with so many amenities, we had to keep the given brochures just to have more time to review them and their benefits.

I originally didn’t see the need for the ten-bedroom and bathroom structure with pools - indoor and outdoor – a maze garden, a bunch of sporting fields, a training and gym center, and a spa massage area that was a little off in the mountains where there was an array of hot springs, but an I’d be damn lying if I didn’t say all of it didn’t impress me enough to not give it to anyone else.

We’d honestly earned it seeing as we were ranked the top alliance set and got first dibs on the top mansions of the grand lands of Bloody Rosary Academy.

To be honest, we were all a little shocked that these areas existed, seeing as we never saw them last year. The academy was huge, no doubt about it, but this year felt like an expansion of it had either opened up or that very illusion magic was the cause of what we considered was big last year.

As many questions as we had regarding what had gone down during the entrance exam, none of us took the opportunity to ask them. Not because we didn’t believe Headmaster Wei wouldn’t answer them, but because of the fact that we weren’t in an enclosed space that guaranteed privacy, and with what we’d experienced thus far, our group had a few trust issues.

Arana and Alexander looked the same as always, only they wore similar professional attire that mimicked the red, black, and blue themes of our uniform. I also noticed that Alex was standing comfortably close to Arana and had his arm casually around her waist like it was no big deal.

They better have hooked up. I have to ask Ara.

“It’s been a while, Princess Lucinda,” Ara greeted as our group reached the two of them. “Looks like you’ve made a few extra allies?”

She was specifically referring to Marigold and Klaus. Marigold was looking around with wide eyes while Klaus calmly stood at her side. I wondered if his blindness meant he couldn’t see a thing or if he had some degree of sight via the energies of individuals around him and the world itself.

“Indeed,” I replied and looked to Alexander. “I hope you two had a nice summer break?”

Alexander smirked, obviously getting what I was trying to push at while Ara stared at me for a long minute before it clicked.

And there was the flustered blush that spread through her face.

I giggled and we decided to get comfortable as we all gathered around the island and caught up with Ara and Alexander. They were going to assist us with our growth this year, and I was excited because though their training was difficult some days, it had aided us last year with our challenges in retrieving our rosaries.

“Does everyone have their rosaries?” I inquired. We may have been given a week to adjust to our dorms and get our schedules sorted, but the moment things hit the fan, there would be no going back to retrieve anything from home.

“Klaus needs his,” Marigold spoke up, drawing our attention to her and her Royal Advisor.

“Oh wait. Klaus is attending?” I asked.

Marigold nodded. “Yes. He got to do the exam to skip Year One to attend. It just made sense for him to attend to be close to me and not deal with me having to summon him whenever I need his knowledge or assistance.”

“Will he need extra assistance?” Alexander inquired. He was obviously acknowledging the fact that Klaus was blind, but the way he expressed his question wasn’t necessarily offensive.

“My loss of sight isn’t something that will debilitate me,” Klaus calmly replied. “I can see in my own unique way. Feel free to treat me like the rest.”

Alexander and Ara nodded in unison and took a look at each of us.

“Anyone else need to get their rosaries?” Ara offered.

“Me,” Pearl replied with her hand up. “So does Isaiah.”

“Brother? Do you wish for me to bring yours?” Isaiah asked Isaac.

“Sure,” he replied. “I’ll remain here to listen in.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Isaiah concluded.

“Luci will catch me up.” Pearl was confident in that one and she was exactly right. I’d let her know what she missed when she got back. “Let’s get going!”

They said goodbye, which left Tobias, Kane, Tommy, Isaac, and me at the kitchen island. Ara and Alexander waited until the others were officially gone to snap their fingers - and the familiar protective walls rushed up until we were boxed in.

Their eyes locked on Thomas first.

“Nice to see you again, Thomas,” Alexander acknowledged.

Tommy nodded just slightly. He’d somehow managed to take a stool next to me while Kane was to my right. Tobias was next to Kane and Isaac, who seemed to not mind at all that Tommy was situated next to him.

“Likewise,” he greeted with a slight smirk. “I’m going to assume the next set of words is vitally important?”

“Indeed,” Ara replied and crossed her arms over her chest in seriousness. “Are you guys truthfully okay from that ambush?”

Ambush?

“Are you guys able to make sure Lucinda is okay?” I was surprised by Isaacs’s request as my attention turned to him. His expression was impossible to read, but the seriousness of his voice forced Ara and Alexander to acknowledge his request.

“Lucinda, you were pretty hurt from an attack from Vera, you stated?” Ara inquired as if to confirm what we’d spoken of after we’d been given our uniforms and encouraged to change for the assembly.

“Yes. I had no sight of it, so I can’t necessarily describe what the attack looked like, but it hit my back and did some crazy stuff during…well, whatever you’d like to call what happened,” I explained, the mere memory forcing me to shiver.

Kane reached out to hold my hand, encouraging me to continue with his comforting grasp.

“I think I temporarily died or something. It felt like my body was sinking or at least floating downward in a sense, and a bunch of dark creatures were stating I’d never rule. It…was scary as fuck, but golden strings sought out for me and pulled me out. I heard Tommy and I think I heard Isaac,” I admitted.

Neither of them commented, but Alexander nodded in understanding.

“Do not worry about it anymore,” he urged. “Your aura is still rather weak, which is expected, but we had two professional healers look at your back when you were recovering and everything was clear. You’re very lucky because most don’t survive such attacks or tainted usage of dark fae magic. It’s forbidden for a reason.”

“And yet we can’t get Vera kicked out,” Kane hissed. “She’s been a hindrance since last year. Why can’t we get rid of her?”

“If it was any other situation that was properly recorded, we would have indeed handled it,” Ara admitted with a troubled expression. “However, there was a big breach in Bloody Rosary’s system, and whoever fucked it up made sure that finding the culprit would be like discovering a needle in a field of haystacks.”

“Is that why you’re calling it an ambush?” Tobias inquired. “Even though it was a big elemental fuck up?”

“The beginning was an elemental fuck up,” Alexander voiced and Ara bobbed her head and continued, “But the intrusion of dark creatures was not. Someone purposely tore open a big enough space to allow a huge amount to enter our territory. Even if the exam was filled with illusions and on land that wasn’t necessarily the actual academy’s headquarters, it did some serious damage that we’re now working on fixing this week.”

“Is that the real reason why we’re getting a week off?” Isaac inquired.

“Yes and no,” Ara replied. “Yes, because Headmaster Wei would never want any of you to be in immense danger that wasn’t in the form of an actual test that has been mapped and approved by her, so she now needs to investigate what happened to create this damaging situation. No, because she had the intention of changing the curriculum, but the lack of cooperation was uncalled for and a bit of a backpedal from what we expected from your year.”

“Does that mean other years have cooperated better?” Tobias inquired.

“Far better than your batch,” Alexander stated and shook his head in dismay. “Your group was simply savage with the desire to survive. Losing fifty percent of the students in Year Two has never occurred. It’s understandable in years three and four, but so early in the game like this? Not good.”

“So…what now?” I questioned. “We know someone outside tampered with the original entrance exam and upped it to obliterate everyone, while there’s the possibility the person who planned the whole hacking could be the culprit of opening that gate for the dark creatures to waltz in.”

“For now, your group simply focuses on your performance. Each dorm has been split into two set groups and your schedules will be based on that,” Ara explained.

“What groups are we in?” I pondered.

“Pearl, Isaiah, Marigold, and Klaus are one group.”

I looked to the men on my left and on my right. “Then are we a group of five instead of four?”

“Yes and no,” Alexander replied. “Tobias, Kane, Thomas, and Isaac are the second group, but Lucinda is the leader of both groups, which means depending on the designated class test, you can determine to opt into either group. There may be circumstances where both groups will be involved in a test or challenge, but your role is to lead.”

“Intriguing,” I admitted. “Each dorm has this?”

“Yes,” Ara replied. “Due to the sudden cut of numbers, everything is rather uneven. This is the best way to get you all in even groups with a designated leader.”

I bobbed my head but looked at the guys on my sides. “Are you guys okay with me being the leader?”

“Don’t care,” Isaac replied.

“No issues here,” Kane declared.

“Wouldn’t want it any other way,” Tobias calmly replied.

“Only if you stroke my head when I do good,” Tommy offered, which made all of us look to him as I rolled my eyes and actually reached out to stroke his head.

“Fine.”

“You spoil him like a child,” Tobias growled bitterly.

Kane laughed. “Your jealousy is showing.”

“Showing? More like shining like the beacon of the rising sun,” Isaac dryly stated. “What about the incident afterward?”

Isaac’s comment gathered our attention as he elaborated. “Why did those dark creatures stop before Lucinda and didn’t kill her? Did it have something to do with the rosary in her hands or did she use some sort of power against them?”

That was a good question and one we hadn’t even addressed. We looked to Ara and Alexander, but from their facial expressions, I wasn’t sure they even knew the answers to our burning questions regarding the dark creatures.

Or specifically, that horseman with the scythe.

“We’re not sure,” Alexander finally answered. “I doubt your royal heritage has anything to do with being able to control dark creatures, but there will be no more close calls.”

Guess that means we have to rest easy on it.

“We suggest you all get comfortable, figure out your designated rooms, and get your items settled. In the middle of the week you’ll all go through physical examinations to make sure you’re in good health, but if you feel unwell, let us know,” Ara explained.

“Alright,” we replied. There was nothing to really ask and until they had the answers to their own questions, we were just sitting ducks.

“Let’s drink?” I suggested.

“Down for that.” Kane sighed. “All of this has been rather intense.”

“Agreed,” Tobias admitted.

Isaac shrugged, which told me he was down for whatever seeing as he hadn’t moved from his stool.

After this week, things will go down. Mother Mary, aid in our rise to power within the walls of thy academy.

10

ANYTHING FOR YOU

“Tobias? What happened to my plant?”

I walked into his room and watched him slide on his black dress shirt. He paused in buttoning it as he acknowledged my entry, those prism eyes taking my uniformed self in.

This week had started off decently, nothing too hard or crazy, but we were going to be introduced to our Elite Professor and I had a growing hunch he or she was going to test our abilities to some extent.

Due to my instinctive assumption, I’d put my hair up in a ponytail today and wasn’t wearing the jacket Tommy gave me that I’d somehow meshed into the uniform. I actually loved it because it was easy to work with while still being very exquisite leather material.

“Your plant is a good size for your room at this point,” Tobias noted with a slight smirk. My eyes widened at the thought; our rooms in this mansion were double the size of our previous rooms.

“Seriously?”

“Mhm,” he replied. “Your plant really loves the fae realms.”

“I guess no plant on my nightstand,” I whined. It wasn’t a big deal, but I got used to having that plant next to my bed. Just seeing its growth gave me a bit of excitement and a weird purpose to aid its blossoming potential.

“You want another one?” Tobias questioned as he walked over to meet me halfway and didn’t hesitate to wrap me in his arms and pull me in for a deep kiss. By the time we finished, I’d forgotten what he’d asked me.

“What?”

He chuckled and kissed my nose. “You want another one?” he repeated.

“I wouldn’t mind, though that one was from the confessional box back at the church. I’m kind of glad you guys dealt with the situation. Mother wanted to burn the place down or go reap some souls. Crazy shit,” I summarized.

“Of course she did,” he agreed. “Every right to do exactly that, but I got something a bit better for you.”

“Wait. You actually have something?”

His smile was priceless as he moved to his closet before returning with a little plant in a black pot. It looked like it just sprouted, but I could tell right away that it was a nice coral pink, which was unique in and of itself.

“What type of plant is that?”

“They’re very rare plants from the fae lands. You can only pick them during the spring time and they’re rather tricky to handle,” he admitted as he offered it to me. I took it in my grasp, staring at the fine details of the single sprouted beauty.

The color alone was honestly mesmerizing up close because it was coral pink but held hints of a holographic teal and neon pink.

“How am I going to take care of it if it’s tricky?” I inquired. “And spring time? Does that mean you’ve had this since last year?”

“Yup,” he answered my second question before he stretched his arms out to rest his hands behind his head - giving me a lovely flexed view of his divine chiseled chest.

“Luci?”

“Hmm?” I blinked away to look at him, acknowledging the very wide smile on his lips.

“You’re drooling.”

“I am not!” I gasped in horror and checked to see if I actually was, which made him chuckle deeply.

“I like when I can capture your attention with my body alone,” he stated with pride. “Makes me want to stick to my workout routine.”

“You work out now?” I inquired. “And wait…does that mean you haven’t been using any type of glamor?”

I asked because if he hadn’t been, he’d seriously gained some major muscle. His height aided him in not looking as bulky, but he looked like back when we used to do glamor to attend certain situations. If he kept at it, he’d become bulky, similar to Isaac’s body frame.

Not like I mind.

“Nope. No glamor for a while now. I haven’t felt the need to use it yet. I think all our awakened versions of ourselves gave us a glow up, don’t you think?”

“Yes,” I replied. “Though your voice didn’t go down an octave.”

“All that awakening did for Kane was make him a horny, deep-speaking fucker.”

I burst out laughing and shook my head. “I’d love for you to be wrong, but you’re absolutely right.”

“I do like how he’s more confident though,” Tobias admitted. “Though I wonder what nonsense he went through.”

“You mean the whole politics thing?”

“Ya,” he replied. “Let’s go put your plant back in your room.”

“Sure.”

We headed back to my room, only to find Tommy was ensuring my bed didn’t even have a wrinkle in it.

“Tommy?” I questioned as he fixed a part of my blanket. “I thought I fixed my bed this morning? Well…maybe.” I actually couldn’t recall. I’d slept like a log and it was actually Kane who woke me up to get ready so he could aid with my hair.

And get a make-out session in there.

“There were a few wrinkles in it,” Tommy went along with my sad assumption, but I could tell from the devilish twinkle in his eye that my sleepy self did not make the bed. “As a queen, you need to sleep on a fitting bed that will ensure you get enough beauty sleep.”

“Thanks, Tommy,” I replied as I walked to the nightstand to place the new plant there. Tommy inspected it with his eyes and looked over to Tobias, who was scowling at Tommy’s company.

Typical.

“You got her a Coralline Ivy Rose plant?” he inquired. “Your dedication is rather romantic.”

“Dedication?” I inquired.

“Coralline Ivy Rose plants are some of the rarest plants in the fae realms,” Tommy revealed like he had been asked to break down the entire definition of the plant. “The coral replicates the beneficial properties that coral has in the ocean, but it benefits its owner, especially. While you sleep and inhale the properties, it aids in rejuvenating your energy faster so you’ll feel well-rested, or at least your fae side will. The ivy of the plant carries protective properties. As the plant grows and gets used to your energy, you’ll be able to summon its essence in battle, no matter the distance. As for the rose part, every spring, once it’s grown to its adult size, it will blossom roses that can be used for healing potions, or if you’re in a really dark forest or place, you can summon the roses like you would the plant itself and they’ll light up the way to where you want to go.”

“Wow…” I was honestly speechless.

“What makes them hard to take care of is that you need to have an extremely strong fae affinity to nurture them. Your intentions for the plant have to be pure, and normally these plants can only be given to those you really love. When they sprout, it’s confirmation that the love from the individual that nurtured them is genuine, and the plant is ready to be given to that individual for it to protect and share the love onward.”

I slowly looked to Tobias and noticed how red his face was while Tommy chuckled and moved to lean in and whisper in my ear, “So essentially, it’s like a fae presenting an engagement ring to the person they give it to.”

“That’s not it!” Tobias snapped

Tommy laughed like a schoolboy and made his way to the door. “Bye, LuciLu. I’ll go make sure your desk is clean and ready for your arrival.”

His departure left Tobias fuming, while I was smiling from ear to ear.

“Was his definition accurate?” I inquired as I approached him. His face was still tomato red, and his eyes looked away.

“Yes,” he muttered.

“How romantic,” I purred and got his attention as my arms slipped around his waist and I pulled him against me. “Do you want a reward?”

“Define reward?” he whispered.

I looked up at him while my tongue slowly moved along my lips. I was unzipping his pants all at the same time, and his eyes widened and filled with desire with hints of excitement as I slid my hand in to retrieve what I was looking for.

Soft strings of wind wrapped around us, moving straight to the door that was slightly closed and shutting it with the flick of the lock. I smirked at his little magic trick then released his length from the fabric of his boxers.

The fact that it was already hard gave me a feeling of triumph. Aside from kissing, we hadn’t been doing anything really intimate since the day of our awakening ceremony, and I wanted to change that.

Falling to my knees at a slow, enticing pace, I began to move my hand up and down his length while my tongue licked the precum off the tip and circled around it. His agonized groan encouraged me to take him right into my mouth, and he rewarded me with a sigh that surely made his eyes flutter close and his head drift back to enjoy the rather pleasurable sensation of my hot mouth.

I moved slowly at first, then picked up the pace since I knew we didn’t have much time.

“Fuck, Luci,” he cursed while I continued to move up and down his length, my fingers wrapped around the base between his flesh and the zipper. It felt so damn good to hear him moan as I continued to please him.

I rarely got to enjoy this part of foreplay because I’d never dived into these realms with Tobias or Kane, and with Thomas, it was years ago when I was far less experienced in the realms of pleasing my man.

In this case, I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and had the confidence to do it. That only encouraged me to keep going.

At one point, I tried to take him all in, doing it slowly so I didn’t gag. The way Tobias hissed told me he was close, but he wasn’t going to wait for my taunting lips to get this final show on the road.

His hand moved to gather my ponytail in his grasp and he leaned my head back enough that only his tip was in my mouth. One look up allowed me to witness the hooded lust in his eyes that were dancing between colors.

The level of patience was gone as a fierce desire took over and he began to thrust himself into my mouth. I was perfectly fine with the ride, my lips tight against his cock that glided in and out of my wet mouth.

“Luci, fuck,” he growled and hissed while his hips moved even faster. He was beyond close from the sound of his heavy panting and moans. I was ready for his hot release, and he didn’t disappoint as he said my name through gritted teeth and grunted as his hips stilled.

His cock was deep in my mouth and I felt his tip shoot out his release that went right down my throat. I took it all - as if I had much of a choice - and watched the high of his climax wash over his face and limbs as he caught his breath.

“Fuck….that was good,” he sighed through breaths and looked down to watch as he pulled his cock right out of my mouth.

I purposely showed him my mouth and the remnants of his cum on my tongue before swallowing it. He watched every damn movement, his eyes totally turned on while he released my tied locks so I could stand up.

I made sure to slip his cock back in place and zip up his pants before I rose up, but I wasn’t expecting him to pull me against him and kiss me long and hard. I was breathless when someone knocked on the door.

“Luci? We’re going to be late.” It was actually Pearl who called to me from the door.

“I’m coming,” I replied and continued to catch my breath, noticing the way Tobias smiled with pride at leaving me struggling to breathe thanks to his intense kiss.

“Okay! We’ll wait for you downstairs,” she called out.

I bet my bestie could smell what was going on in here, and I had to give her bonus points for not ratting me out.

Tobias couldn’t help but give me a few more kisses while I helped him button his shirt - knowing if I didn’t, I’d want to take it off and lather his body with kisses.

We’d never leave for class if I did that.

He released me after delivering a very intense hickey on my neck that was obviously visible thanks to my ponytail.

“Tobias,” I huffed with a pout, but he didn’t care as he pressed a kiss to my temple.

“I want others to know you belong to us,” he quietly confessed. I wasn’t expecting that as he pressed those very lips lightly on mine. “No one else gets to enjoy the creamy flesh of our Queen.”

Our Queen…

“Let’s get going,” he encouraged, and finally moved away so I could think - and seriously fix my damn breathing.

I was coming to realize that Tobias and Kane were becoming bolder with their affection, which left me wondering what the future held.

I may not know the details of whatever political conversations they had to deal with in the presence of their family members, but would their friendship with one another ensure that nothing came between us?

Tobias finished fixing himself up and got his tie.

“Thank you, Tobias, for the new plant,” I whispered as we entered the hall. He smirked as he moved his arm to rest on my shoulders.

“Anything for you, Luci.”

Anything for someone like me…Mother Mary, you’ve really brought love to my corner of the ring.

11

CLASS OF ROYAL SURVIVAL AND HEALING FLAMES: PART ONE

“Just us left!” I told Isaac. The two of us nodded in unison before we sprinted forward and jumped right off the broken bridge - soaring through the air as we aimed to reach the other side.

Landing and cartwheeling forward, we continued our sprint like we hadn’t just jumped over a whirlpool of deadly water and headed to where Tobias, Kane, and Tommy were at the final checkpoint.

“Almost there,” I encouraged.

“This test was a pain in the ass,” Isaac dryly huffed, sweat dripping down his face. We were slowing down because it felt like we were going against intense winds, but it wasn’t going to stop either of us.

“You got this, Luci!” Tommy encouraged. “Almost there, Isaac! A bit more.”

I knew we’d get through it and we were steps away from the final point.

“Oh shit!” It was Kane’s voice that caught my attention, just as Marigold shrieked, “PEARL!”

Isaac and I paused and turned around, noticing Pearl was literally shoved by Vera and another girl, Charlotte, that was on her team. Isaiah was already at the checkpoint, which meant Pearl was the only one left on their set team that had to reach the finish line.

We watched the other two build enough momentum to push off one end of the bridge and reach the other side, but even as Pearl fought to recover from the shoving motion, it deteriorated her speed by at least half.

There was no way for her to stop. That part of the bridge held a slippery surface that was only encouraged when you attempted to stop versus running at full speed.

“She’s not going to make it.” Klaus’s usually calm voice held a bit of worry to it, and one look at Isaac’s eyes that burned with fury told me he knew exactly what was going to happen.

“We have to assist her!”

He knew I wasn’t going to argue with that, but Vera and Charlotte arrived, the two of them checking in and finalizing their team’s spot.

“Didn’t the rules say you can’t help once checked in?” Vera hummed like this was some funny matter.

“Professor Mika said exactly that,” Charlotte added to the apparent gleeful situation. I tuned their laughter out. I could hear Marigold attempting to calm Isaiah down as he growled menacingly at the bitches.

Pearl had no choice but to race off the edge, and we held our breaths as she approached the edge - only to begin what I’d call the death drop.

“NO!” Isaiah screamed.

I cursed and was already attempting to sprint back but the wind spiked to the point of sending me right off my feet.

“AH!” I shrieked and crashed into Isaac, who caught me. The two of us crashed to the ground as Pearl’s shrill scream followed with a crashing sound into the water.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” I cursed.

“You have to combat the wind, Luci!” Tobias ordered. “Combat it with double the force.”

“You guys are wasting your time.” Vera sighed. “It’s not like she’s going to die. This is just a classroom challenge.”

The way she said it really ticked me off, but Professor Mika’s voice cut through.

“No matter if it’s a challenge or examination test, these circumstances are very real, Vera,” she seethed. “She can die from drowning or the power of the whirlpool.”

“Isaiah?!” Marigold’s worried voice forced us to look back to see Isaiah on his knees as he hugged himself and fought against whatever pain he was going through.

“The waters are tearing at Pearl,” Isaac hissed. He was fighting not to show it, but the distress on his face was spreading and I could only imagine what pain he was experiencing with his connection to his twin brother.

No more delaying!

I was up and using my vampire speed to aid my next onslaught of sprints, my fae magic thrumming through me in preparation of aiding my best friend. No way was I going to let her perish when this wasn’t close to her fault, and my brain was already deciphering a plan.

“WINDLA RE VUK!” I commanded the moment I felt the resistance of wind coming at me to sweep me off my feet. My spell was not just double but triple the power - nullifying the defiance which allowed me to move in a blur.

I immediately cut my wrist, my blood gushing out as I swung it forward to form my scythe, only this time it was triple its usual size and was wrapped in a chain of blood that was still morphing as I spun around.

I let my momentum and sudden stop of movement become my greatest advantage as the surface beneath my feet did what it was meant to achieve. The surface was now an icy oasis that sent me sliding right off the bridge like I was some sort of skier.

My eyes grasped the obvious gazes of my classmates as my body continued to soar through the air. The chains of blood finally reached their heightened fruition, the solid red chains with gold accenting the rope I needed to get us right out of the waters once I figured that shit out.

My spinning scythe in my grasp began to aid in my fall, and I took advantage of my descent as I sent the very weapon outward. It spun through the air like a frisbee until the thick blade shifted from a flat rotation to a vertical movement that reminded me of a spinning saw.

The spinning weapon sliced through the initial bridge but the thick blade got caught in the thickness of the bridge, enough to give me the perfect leverage as the chain was finally long enough for me to grasp.

I allowed my body to spin around once, triggering my flowing blood to further lengthen the chain and make a harness around my waist, and with its creation, I slapped my hands together above me, took a deep inhale of air, and dove right into the middle of the spinning waters.

My fae essence took complete control as my eyes opened wide to glow with a thrumming force that suddenly slowed the spinning vortex. I immediately caught onto Pearl, who was barely conscious, her cheeks still puffed as she fought to hold her breath, but her body was filled with cuts and bruises from the pulling energies of the vortex.

Her weak eyes finally acknowledged me, growing wider as I turned myself while my body continued to further descend through the middle funnel of water I was commanding. Lifting my hand up, I magically yearned for her to follow my lead. The water around her paused in its spinning force as a second channel of tugging control pulled her body downward.

She was shocked and mentally, I was too, because I’d never used this much fae magic in my life, but I’d do anything to save my best friend, and this was what my brain, high on adrenaline, was telling me to do.

The moment she was in my grasp, I tugged her right against me and mashed my lips against hers to give her as much air as she could grasp. Her shock morphed into worry, and it almost amused me that she was worried about me when her life was standing upon a pedestal of jeopardy.

Letting her go, I encouraged her to hold onto the chain, noticing how the waters were already beginning to return to their full speed of spinning. She did exactly that, and I looked up to try and figure out how we’d get back up to the surface.

This vortex was going to be the biggest hindrance, but the magic riled up at my very fingertips begged to be freed. Spreading my arms out as my very feet touched the bottom of the ocean floors, I let my eyes roll to the back of my head while the pulsating magic surged outward with my desire to grasp enough air and time to think of a way out.

The revolving current suddenly grew faster - the speed doubling, tripling until it was as if I’d conjured up a water hurricane that rose upward until the very middle was stolen out of the revolving waters and gave us a moment to breathe as we gasped for air.

“Wow! Luci!” Pearl’s body dropped to the floor now that the water was absent, but she fought hard to get up, even with her body looking like it got beat up. “Are you insane?!”

“Define…insanity?” I stated through gritted teeth as I fought hard to keep the flow going. “I need…help…thinking of a way to stop…this!”

I was running out of energy fast, and there was nothing my vampire side could do to further aid us. If I ran out of fae energy, the waters would cave in on us, and that was a bad sign.

“Those damn bitches did this!” Pearl hissed in anger. I didn’t know what she was doing, but the sudden cracks of bones echoed around us, and a loud howl of anger was followed with loud sounds that replicated falling glass.

I forced my eyes to open as I felt the cut off of movement from the intense spiraling waters, only to see them being frozen solid as Pearl’s howl shifted from a booming force of power to a melodic serenade that bounced off the iced walls and morphed into something rather beautiful to listen to.

When she stopped, the entire whirlpool was frozen solid. This was our chance to get up. Pearl tried to move, but she whimpered. She wasn’t used to using magic, especially not at this caliber.

“I’ll get you up, Pearl!” I declared and ignored my own struggling concerns as I clapped my hands together to warm them up for what I wished to do.

“Lucinda!” Isaac called from above, and I looked at him and gave him a nod.

“I’m bringing Pearl up first!” He quickly assessed Pearl, looking relieved that she was alive but already noticing that my best friend was going to run out of juice any moment now.

Closing my eyes, I let my voice be filled with gratefulness.

“I call to the winds within the air we breathe. Let my hymns of worship project my gratefulness while carrying the beast to escape the hands of death.”

With prayer hands, I took a deep inhale and let my melodic voice escape. The operatic register of sound only heightened thanks to the very cylinder of the walls of ice around us. The amplified sound triggered the immediate flow of wind that spun around Pearl and easily lifted her upward, the movement following the pace and tune of the hymn I sang in Italian.

It was one of the many hymns we’d learned through the years at the church, one that praised our Creator for all He’s done for our tainted souls, and to Mother Mary for carrying Him no matter the pain and torment it once brought her.

The threads of my magic felt empowered by the song, growing stronger as my stance widened at the chorus that changed octaves and vibrated with commanding power.

I could hear Isaac commanding Pearl to switch back, and as I finished the final verses of the almighty hymn, I caught onto the words ‘got you’ and racing footsteps that were fading swiftly.

The relief was what I needed to end the song, and the dancing winds ceased, as did my magic. I fell to my knees and caught my breath, feeling drained, but knowing I wasn’t out of the woods yet.

With a huff, I forced myself up. My legs trembled from my exhaustion, but aided in keeping me up before I began to further walk and gather my red chain. Reaching the spot where my chain was hanging from, I tugged on it to ensure it was still secure and began the long climb with the help of the icy wall of my imaginary rock surface.

No one would tell you that being a royal sometimes lands your ass in the middle of a frozen vortex that requires you to use your own solidified blood to climb up like a rock-climbing champion, but I guess those details were in the fine print of surprises this curriculum was beginning to teach us.

It had to have taken me a bit of time to reach the top, but a loud cracking sound caught my attention as Isaac hissed. The sound encouraged me to gather enough strength to pull myself right up, and I was on my hands and knees as I noticed Isaac wasn’t far from me but had frozen in place with his hands up in caution.

One look at his fearful eyes - something I’d yet to see until this moment - only confirmed that something bad was going to happen, and loud cracking sounds began to spread through the ice bridge surface all the way to where our checkpoint platform was.

Oh, Heavenly Mother…

“GO, ISAAC!” I screamed and flinched at the loud noise that came from beneath me. Glancing over my shoulder, I watched a burst of water cut through the icy walls Pearl had created until the whole thing exploded and rocked everything as it worked on returning to its spiraling glory.

That only made the ground crack more, and even if this was some sort of simulation, neither of us knew what was beneath the ground if it broke entirely.

Isaac looked conflicted as he remained right in place, and I cursed and pushed myself to rise up before beginning to sprint. The sight must have encouraged him to spin around and run towards the checkpoint, but my speed wasn’t enough to aid me as my previous spell to nullify the wind suddenly dropped and I was whiplashed the moment I passed my scythe.

“LUCI!” Tommy called out, and Tobias and Kane had to stop him from breaking the rules and entering the challenge when he’d already completed it.

I caught onto my chain, which stopped my flying movement, and quickly pulled myself along as the ground continued to crack. I caught onto the staff of my scythe just as the ground gave in from where I’d been seconds earlier, which left me gripping my staff for dear life as I now hung from the edge of the ground that still remained.

I looked down to see that below was just hollows of ice and darkness - the pieces of broken ground and ice still falling down until they disappeared entirely, but there was no sound that vibrated, which only confirmed that a fall from this height would be my downfall.

Forcing energy through my aching limbs, I pulled myself up once again before breaking the chain and grabbing my scythe to yank it out. I diminished its solid body, knowing I needed to be as light as ever to make it, but with one look at the distance between me and the platform Isaac was about to jump upon, I knew it was going to be impossible for me to gain enough speed before I got tossed back.

My vampire speed may have gotten me there, but not with me already lacking, and my magic so low.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I really shouldn’t be cursing, and I debated if taking my rosary out and praying like I had back then would help, but I could tell from my peers’ helpless gazes that I was screwed.

I sought Professor Mika’s eyes - and the vibrant purple with hints of orange locked onto me. She still wore a mask on her normally pale face, but I could tell she was concerned for me and debating whether or not to interfere.

Turning my attention back to the ground beneath me and then Isaac, I decided to give it a shot as I prepared to sprint once again. It was either die standing here or die trying to accomplish the impossible. I’d rather take the second option.

I could feel the threads of wind gathering to push me back, and one look at Isaac told me my decision to run was going to backfire on me. With a battle cry that boomed through the air, Isaac raced forward just as the ground beneath me shattered. The spike of whiplashing wind hit me with enough force to leave me breathless as I soared back.

My eyes widened as I took in the shocked gasps of my classmates and noticed the movement of Professor Mika, but then my eyes were drawn to Isaac as he pushed with all his might to gain speed. Our eyes locked as I noticed the sparks of fire licking off his flesh.

What drew my attention the most was the sudden strings of black that oozed off his body, which had an appearance that almost felt unreal as they sought for me.

My name echoed from the others in the background, but I was mesmerized by Isaac alone. His body began to shift as he pushed off the ground with enough force to shatter its hold, and the wolf of black with molten eyes suddenly was swarmed with shadows that should have been orange flames.

I reached out to him as if encouraging his desire to reach me, but it was those black tendrils that rushed forward until they were in my hands’ grasp. I wondered if I was the only one seeing it - my blood that gushed through the air from my cut wrists, wrapping around the very tendril in my right hand and suddenly solidifying.

The reaction sent a bolt of pulsing energy back at Isaac, and the trigger connection shot out through both of us. Emotions of fear, confusion, lust, and utter shock vibrated through my entire body while my own emotions filtered through a funnel that continued to develop until a word vibrated through my mind and forced itself out of my mouth.

“Mate?”

Suddenly Isaac was crashing into me - or I crashed into his open mouth. He spun us around, and everything moved in slow motion as he tossed me right back. I screamed, not because I was flying with enough force and speed to get me to the platform, but with the shrill realization that Isaac would fall to his end.

I knew nothing about how this mate bond worked, but the mere thought sent so much fear running through me that the very threads of my blood shot outward like multiple strings of a spider web.

Isaac’s body switched back, bones clicking in place until he was human and just in black boxers that glowed into existence as the bloody threads wrapped around his body swiftly. My right hand began to glow, ink designs with thick lines bleeding onto my flesh and forming a tribal design that burned with a new foreign energy that reminded me of the dark force that fought to consume me during the entrance exam.

It was scary, but I embraced the new energy and forced it to aid me on my newfound quest to save my mate. With a tug of the very strings, they solidified with the flicked vibrations of my movement and they had no choice but to tug Isaac backward.

A spark of wind came from nowhere, but instead of fighting against our movement, it encouraged it to the point that Isaac not only caught up to me but crashed right into my opened arms before we soared right through the finish line platform and further flew through the room until we crashed into the wall.

“LUCI! ISAAC!”

Both of us dropped to the floor, and I had every intention of scurrying up to my feet to confirm we somehow managed to survive that mayhem, but my consciousness had other plans as threads of overwhelming exhaustion and darkness took over while my blood continued to leave my body - contributing to my spiked thirst.

“Shit. Lucinda?! Lucinda?”

I wanted to respond to Isaac’s panicked calls but I could barely think as my body was undergoing some sort of internal dilemma. I felt completely out of whack as my vampire side seemed to be shoved to one section and my fae magic was shoved to another.

Shadow energy was brewing right in the middle, that foreign essence having returned and was now doing completely odd things as it swirled with flickers of flames and yet carried a golden aura that reminded me of Tommy’s magic.

“Thomas? What’s going on with her?” I could hear Tobias questioning my seraph hybrid. He was probably trying to heal me, and I could feel his warmth, but the chill from the mass of the darkness in the middle was just as fierce, as if combatting his healing efforts.

“I…I’m not sure,” Tommy sounded frightened, and that was a definite ‘I’m fucked, thank you very much’ sign.

“Move!” I could hear Professor Mika’s order, and shuffling around me. I whimpered at the strain Isaac’s distancing was doing to my insides, and I heard him curse.

“I have to go with her.”

“Why?” Tommy questioned.

“I can only take two of you,” Professor Mika said in haste.

“Wait…brother? You didn’t just-” Isaiah tried to say but Isaac cut him off. “Not here! I just need to go with her and that’s that!”

“Then switch with Thomas, now. The longer we delay, the higher the chance she’ll die.”

“Tommy!” Pearl shouted out. “Please!”

My poor Tommy was frightened to let me go, and I fought hard to speak while a part of my consciousness couldn’t tug its attention away from what was forming.

“Tom…my. Plea…se.” My voice was so weak, I wondered if anyone heard me, but his flowing golden warmth was gone, and the pulsing force forming in the middle of my consciousness sucked every strand of its healing power for itself.

Arms lifted me up, and they brought some sort of comfort that made me moan quietly in relief. I couldn’t take much more of any of this; the sensations were too much.

I was dealing with my own emotions that were dancing off this foreign funnel of emotions, plus the spiked curiosities of my fae and vampire energies that I was beginning to rank as their own entities in my mind. And now I could visibly see their energies and the fluctuating force growing right in the middle.

We were moving, or something was initiated to trigger our departure and arrival elsewhere, and the questioning voices soon grew clearer as I was laid upon a cushioned surface.

“What happened?” The authoritative tone immediately gave me Headmaster Wei vibes.

“The challenge structure collapsed. It shouldn’t have to begin with, but something broke the ice. I sensed outside interference, but I was unable to lock onto their location because I had to interfere in ensuring their safety. Prince Isaac was going to fall to his doom when Princess Lucinda did something to make her blood into strings and pull Isaac back. With the aid of my winds, they got back to the platform faster than they would have, but her health deteriorated, and Prince Thomas was struggling to heal her.”

“Something’s forming inside her,” Isaac stressed, and that caught their attention.

“What do you mean something is forming in her?” Alexander’s voice pitched in.

“I can sense it…and…fuck,” he cursed as if he couldn’t even figure it out.

“Isaac? How are you sensing what’s wrong with her?” Ara’s voice questioned with haste.

“It’s…what happened…” He fought hard to let it out, and I didn’t blame him for his shock because I was just as petrified as the threads of gold and orange came together as a pair of eyes, and the shadowed darkness in the middle of my consciousness finally took shape.

“Isaac?” Headmaster Wei emphasized, but I was sure his speechlessness stemmed from mine as my eyes bored into the eyes of the shadowed wolf in the middle of my consciousness.

The sight was enough to send my consciousness plowing downward, but the last set of words left Isaac’s lips as it felt he, too, was slipping away.

“She’s my mate.”

12

CLASS OF ROYAL SURVIVAL AND HEALING FLAMES: PART TWO

“Wake for me, Mate.”

The tender call made me moan quietly as I fought through the heavy fog that yearned to keep me snuggled in its dark paradise. I felt an urgency to wake, and with the deep, rich voice of calm, I could only encourage myself to swim to the surface of consciousness.

Warmth trailed down the side of my face to my neck, and nestled between the space of my neck and shoulder. The deep inhale alone did unthinkable things to my body that roared awake in lust, but I forced myself to combat the desire because I was far too tired to jump into things like fucking whoever laid their lips upon my hot flesh.

That wouldn’t be very holy of me, now would it?

I knew from the smoky scent that was mixed with a pine tree aroma that it wasn’t Tommy, and my vampire side wasn’t humming with lust, which only confirmed it wasn’t Kane either. Tobias’s scent was floral, so I knew it wasn’t him, which only confirmed what my heart was trying to tell me with how fast it beat.

“Isaac?” I croaked as my eyes slowly opened. I was clearly in someone’s arms, their muscled chest my current pillow while a protective arm hooked around me. I didn’t have to lift my heavy head because a large hand was under my chin and lifting it up for me.

Golden eyes locked onto me, and the mere connection brought immense relief through the funnel that connected us. His eyes of gold went molten as they devoured every inch of my face until they lingered on my lips very briefly.

I could sense his desire to kiss me, but he was reeling the thrumming lust palpitating between us back in. I wasn’t being very helpful as I couldn’t help inching closer to him, and it actually amused him to the point that he gave me the calmest smile that had ever graced his soft lips.

“Lucinda,” he quietly growled. “Tame your desires for a second.”

My pout made him chuckle lightly before his hand moved to run through my long locks that were out of the ponytail I’d put them in earlier.

I needed a distraction, or I was surely ready to devour this man. That was when I noticed my ability to see a part of my consciousness that I clearly couldn’t do before, and my lust died when the creature in the shadows of my mind made themselves known by opening their molten gold eyes.

The brush to my cheek tugged my attention away while my eyes returned to Isaac’s. “Calm down, Lucinda,” he urged. “I’ll explain, but it’s best not to panic.”

“Right…not panic,” I croaked. “Where are we?”

“Private medical room at Headmaster Wei’s residence.”

Holy damn. We were brought to her personal residence?

“Why? Actually…what happened?” I was trying to gather my thoughts. “Classroom test…running…Pearl in danger. Ice. Water. More running. Dying?”

Pausing only made me realize the sensation that swarmed me at that moment. My eyes sought Isaac’s once more as I whispered, “Mate?”

He slowly nodded. “Mate.”

“How?”

“I’m not sure, Lucinda.”

“You can call me Luci, you know?”

“It feels disrespectful to shorten your name.”

“Why?” That got my curiosity as I pouted my lips. “I don’t find it disrespectful.”

“Your name is beautiful and carries a powerful element to it. The name is derived from mythology and represents ‘light’. I feel by shortening it that it’s robbed of its hopeful element,” he explained. “I don’t mind if others shorten it, but to me and with the way we respect the culture and royal names, I like saying your full name. It’s not like it’s any harder to pronounce.”

“That’s…totally unexpected from you,” I admitted. “And you’re not angry.”

“Hmm?”

“You’re not scowling like usual.”

“Because I’m comfortable?” He didn’t sound so sure himself.

“Meaning you were uncomfortable all the time?”

“If you want my honest opinion, yes.”

“Why?”

“When you pass the age of not meeting your mate, it causes you to be irritated all the time with the worry of never finding them. Obviously, that pinching nerve is settled even though it makes no sense.”

“Right,” I whispered. “Is Pearl okay?”

“Your best friend is fine and with my brother,” he assured me. “Your other men have been forced to wait at home while you recover.”

“This is the most you’ve spoken since I’ve met you.”

He looked at me and I expected him to give me some upset expression back, but he remained calm while he turned his gaze away from me.

“It’s not like I dislike speaking to you,” he muttered, and I knew he meant it. “I simply am not the talking type unless it’s to complain.”

“Oh,” I replied.

“Isaiah is the talkative one while I keep to the shadows unless I need to speak up. It’s a habit I’ve had for years.” He shrugged. “Does it bother you?”

It felt odd that he was asking, not because his inquiry wasn’t valid, but because of the fact that he sounded as if he were asking my permission and would change if he didn’t meet my approving standards.

“It doesn’t bother me,” I voiced. “Especially now that I understand your way of behaving. It’s fine, seriously.” I wanted to assure him that he didn’t need to change on my behalf. “It’s nice to have a conversation. It makes this less…daunting?”

I hoped he didn’t think this whole mate thing was daunting because it was far from it, but I was still trying to wrap my mind around it.

“The unknown is always daunting.” He interpreted what I meant. “How are you feeling?”

“Very tired,” I admitted with a yawn as I couldn’t help rest my head back against his chest. “Are you allowed to be in this bed?”

“Probably not,” he admitted. “I don’t care though.”

That made me smirk a little. “You’re not the first to sneak into one’s medical bed.”

“Probably won’t be the last,” he casually commented. We fell into a calm silence, one that helped me drift off a bit. That lasted until the sound of the door creaking open and multiple footsteps tugged me from the floating sleep, but I remained still while my consciousness worked its way to a more ‘awake’ status.

“Is Lucinda okay?” Pearl’s worried voice tugged at my heartstrings.

“She awoke half an hour ago.” Isaac was the one to reply. “She’s extremely tired and fell back to sleep.”

“From her test results, she’ll be okay,” Headmaster Wei’s voice declared, and I could only wonder who else was in the room. I focused on the conversation once more as sighs of relief echoed around the hollow room.

“Her exhaustion is definitely something that needs to be reviewed. Her move kicked a bit of anemia into her system, so be advised that she may have fainting spells in the recovery stage. We’ve got a few blood packs reserved for her so she can delve into those once she’s up to it.”

“That’s a relief,” Kane admitted.

“What about her fae energy? It’s really weak,” Tobias noted.

“That will rebuild upon itself in time, though if possible, she should try and make a visit to Faerie to rejuvenate. I’m sure you can find some time in the next coming weeks,” she suggested.

“Were you able to figure out what occurred to trigger…well, their bond?” Tommy inquired. He didn’t sound necessarily jealous but didn’t sound too pleased about it either.

Headmaster Wei didn’t say anything, which left the room in awkward silence.

“Her silence is not due to your question,” Professor Mika spoke up, which made me realize she was in the room. “The problem is that this bond somehow created something that has only been categorized once.”

“Once?” Isaiah repeated.

“You and your brother should know of that,” Professor Mika pointed out. “You’ve heard of a wolf that controls ice and carries healing flame properties.”

“One of the Alphas of our culture?” Isaac brought up. “He was named after Anubis because his skin was so black, it reminded one of charcoal, but his body was covered in golden tattoos that could heal any breed. He could command frost to his fingertips and freeze his enemies. He travels the world ridding it of dark creatures while bringing food to our packs that suffer from famine or water to those who experience immense thirst. He’s considered a god because he’s yet to die and manages to save shifters when they least expect it. Some say he carries angel properties because of his healing energy and his frost is from a specific type of fae.”

“That’s who we’re referring to,” Headmaster Wei admitted. “However, we don’t know enough to compare him to Lucinda’s predicament.”

“What’s wrong with Lucinda then?” Tobias sounded a bit impatient. “And will she recover from this…whatever this is?”

“Like I said, she’ll make a full recovery,” Headmaster Wei stressed. “The problem is, she’s no longer a dual hybrid.”

“What do you mean?” Kane asked nervously. “I sense her vampire side just fine.”

“And her fae qualities,” Tobias added.

“I think it’s the bond situation,” Pearl quietly stated, seeming to draw the rest of their attention. “I sense…well, I sense wolf energy in her now, but it’s uniquely different. Something I’ve never sensed.”

“That’s exactly what I feel,” Isaiah chipped in. “But that’s impossible. You can’t possibly be a vampire fae and turn into a wolf shifter.”

“Vampire fae with a seraph quality that is intertwined with the dark wolf inside her,” Professor Mika announced.

The silence was so intense, I assumed my consciousness had faded, but Isaac spoke with a hint of worry in his deep voice.

“Did you just say vampire, fae, seraph? Lucinda does not have seraph qualities from either family heritage.”

“I said what I said,” Professor Mika declared. “And those very qualities could have stemmed from the individual who seems to keep tugging her out of the realms of death.”

Another deafening silence followed until Pearl gasped, “Tommy Fucking Hilfiger!”

“Do you really have to add the ‘fucking’ in the middle of it?” Tommy inquired, sounding exhausted. “And why are you angry?”

“You mutated my best friend into a seraph?!”

“That’s not what she said,” Tommy said with a deadpan tone.

“Crap, Tommy? You’re a seraph angel?” Kane gasped.

“That was uncalled for,” Tobias muttered.

“It’s not something I like to share, so can you guys shut it?” Tommy grumbled.

“Why are you so cranky?” Tobias hissed.

“Fuck off,” Tommy snapped back.

Isaac was silent but I could feel he was thinking of something.

“Can I speak with Thomas for a moment alone?” Isaac inquired, and I could feel the curious gazes on him. “Just a minute. We can discuss everything else afterward.”

“Sure,” Headmaster Wei surprisingly accepted. “However, I will stress it now: none of this information should be shared. I’ve allowed your group to know of these details because you’re aware of Lucinda’s past and her family’s secret. However, your comrades Marigold and Klaus should not know about this until they’ve earned your trust. Same to anyone else who enters the picture. Understood?”

There was a moment of quietness before Professor Mika spoke. “As your designated Elite Professor, you can rely on me to relay information if neither of your designated advisors are available.”

“Before we move outside, what’s the punishment Vera and her friend are going to face? This happened because of them!” Pearl admitted.

“I’d like to not be harsh during these troubled times, but neither of them will be penalized for their actions.”

“Why not?!” Isaiah said with boiling anger. “It’s obvious they were involved in pushing Pearl. You guys stated that our curriculum should be about aiding one another, not tearing each other down. Their actions were loud and clear, and they caused Pearl to get hurt and risked the lives of Lucinda and my brother!”

“Pearl should have assessed the distance and ran backward to combat the wind element that would have been triggered if she spun around to run back after the trip up. It would have given her more than enough space to run forward again and gain enough traction to make the jump,” Professor Mika revealed. “Yes, this curriculum is meant to encourage teamwork, but in real life, there are going to be times when the enemy is amongst your own and you can either be destroyed by their hidden tactics or rise above them and the circumstances that plague you. The realms of royalty are no different.”

I swore I heard Pearl swallow, and I could only imagine what expression she was displaying. I wished to be there for her, but I was still fighting against this comforting state of sleepy wakefulness.

“I will personally see to it that Princess Vera and Princess Charlotte are spoken to,” Headmaster Wei spoke up. “Though neither of them will be punished for their actions, I will review the footage from the challenge and give them warnings. I’m doing this because Lucinda’s actions were beyond heroic, and she will be rewarded with time off to recover and bonus points that will allow her to skip any further challenges if she decides to use those points for such, but that is the best I can and will do. Like Professor Mika stated, in the world of royalty, you can’t simply blame another who’s disguised as an alley when they’re nothing but an imposter.”

“Let us leave for a moment,” Professor Mika concluded and their footsteps faded. There were more footsteps before Isaac muttered, “Pearl, Lucinda doesn’t blame you for what happened. I can at least feel that. Don’t beat yourself up.”

“C’mon, Mate,” Isaiah whispered. “It’s really not your fault. Let’s go get some fresh air and further talk about it, okay?”

“Ya…” Pearl quietly stated, but her sulking voice told me she felt horrible.

Their shuffling footsteps faded, and the door closed, which confirmed only Isaac and Tommy remained.

“Your anger stems from mine. Why?” Isaac got right to the point, and his words only intrigued me because they made no sense.

“I don’t know what you’re implying,” Tommy muttered.

“What triggered you, Thomas,” Isaac got to the point yet again. “I’m not one with the patience to deal with your riddles.”

Tommy was still silent before he let out a long sigh. “I’m not sure how to describe it,” he grumbled. “I can feel…her. Like her energy. Strings of it. It’s not like you do with that mate bond…but…shit. I think I bridged my energy with hers and it somehow got entwined with your wolf bond or something. That’s what it feels like.”

“That could explain why I sense a bit of your energy burning inside her.”

“It shouldn’t be possible. I mean, seraphs can create bonds with their energy, but it has to be with multiple influxes of the male or dominant partner’s energy.”

“So three times is a good number?”

“Well, yes. That and sex.”

“Does it matter when you’ve done the sexual deed?” Isaac elaborated.

“No. Why?”

“The others stated you’ve been intimate with Lucinda in the past, correct?”

“Yes. We dated when she was still in the church. Then I was forced away and we haven’t had sex since.”

“But you feel a lustful connection with her.”

“How would you know?”

“Because I sense it from the mere way you look at her,” Isaac revealed like it wasn’t a big deal. “Or the way you stalk her, even when she’s with one of us. If she’s alone, you still follow her trail, almost as if you can’t keep your eyes off her. And don’t get me started on your weird obsession with watching her sleep.”

That really intrigued me, and the lingering silence must have proven his word vomit of truths shocked Tommy.

“If you’re wondering how I know all of this, my culture and hellhound qualities make it so that I’m a very observant individual. Just because I’m silent and not one of many words, that doesn’t mean I know nothing of what is going on. In our world where deceit is at every corner, you can either be ahead of the game or be slain by your brethren. The Creator of us all, human, shifter, and supernatural beings, states that we should help those who help themselves. I won’t allow one to aid me unless I’ve worked hard enough to deserve their saving grace. That means relying on my abilities to observe any situation and determining if it’s something I can handle.”

“Did you believe you could handle saving Lucinda?” he quietly brought up.

“The moment I felt the threads of our bond, I pulled every string of survival to ensure she made it to that platform.” There wasn’t a hint of dismay in his declaration. “I knew I could save her, but I also knew it would lead to my death. Weighing the obvious options, Lucinda’s life…the life of my mate outweighs my own, and my wasteful death would be considered heroic in the hearts of my own people back home. That’s enough for me to accept death with open arms.”

He was quiet for a moment, and I felt his eyes upon me as a soft brush of my cheek made me further relax.

“However, I never expected a woman of Lucinda’s capabilities to defy fate and save me,” he admitted. “That was indeed surprising.”

“She shouldn’t have a wolf in her…or a bond with me,” Tommy whispered. “It’s impossible.”

“The rarity of a fae vampire hybrid is close to impossible and yet one of your parents carries that combination and contributed to your creation, which is probably higher in the realms of rarity, am I right?”

They stumped Tommy, and Isaac sighed. “I believe your aid during the entrance exam could have possibly triggered the bond. The seal, saving Lucinda from death multiple times, I believe your magic was already brewing within her due to those instances, but what sealed the deal was when you attempted to heal her before Professor Mika interfered.”

He said nothing, and Isaac asked something I wasn’t expecting. “Why do you fear commitment?”

It was intriguing to him and honestly, to me as well. I’d noticed that about Tommy since we met and that was the reason why we hadn’t taken our fling of a relationship seriously. He gave off those exact vibes that commitment wasn’t in his alignment.

“All those who’ve committed to being in my life have had horrible things done to them. My parents…past friends…it’s been best to remain as what you’d consider a lone wolf,” Tommy revealed. “Lucinda…is the most precious being that has entered and somehow managed to remain in my life. Even when I was forced to leave the church…she never left my mind. I worked to be worthy enough to be chosen by her parents as a Royal Advisor. I know this very position is putting her in danger, but…” He trailed off.

“You can’t find it in yourself to pull away this time,” Isaac concluded.

“I loved her at first sight, Isaac,” Tommy revealed. “Loved her harder than anything. That love was bigger than my love for my own parents, and it scared me. However, it was overhearing the words of those who worked with the church that enraged me. Their intentions of killing her were what triggered me to do things I shouldn’t have, and I paid the price by removing myself entirely for my own sanity and the safety of Lucinda.”

“Did you kill them?” Isaac sounded curious.

“Some. Others I was able to get Lucinda’s parents to deal with on their ends. I barely have power, aside from my pitiful royal rank that’s mocked by the world and the fact I’m a triple hybrid.”

“But enough power to make the buzz in the realms of royalty grow as you get closer to Lucinda,” Isaac acknowledged. “You attempt to belittle your worth, Thomas, and it’ll be your greatest downfall if you don’t accept that you carry a gift of supernatural traits that others beg for. You are a threat, and everyone else sees it. Instead of attempting to prove that you aren’t to those who will never change their mindsets, you should work on harnessing that gifted power from your family and leave them trembling.”

“You…think so?” Tommy sounded so vulnerable in this conversation.

“I wasn’t always a hellhound,” Isaac revealed. “I was a fae wolf, like my brother, but our father saw the potential in me to unlock the very flames within myself. Our flames revolve around darkness and fire, but most importantly, they’re ignited by the chaos emotions bring to the table and their strongest emotional connection is with anger.”

“That’s why you always look angry?”

“Somewhat,” he admitted. “I lack patience and many things bore me. My anger also stems from the behaviors of our society and those who belittle me and my brother because of the very color of our skin. There are a ton of things, whether political, racial, or simply irritating, that strum my strings of inner rage, but I lock them up within myself until the time I need to summon those very flames to my disposal. That was how my father trained me to become a fan hellhound, and I embraced it by letting the world see a man who can only express anger but can handle himself in a field of warriors. They look at me and they would never expect the burning power I possess in my grasp, like my hellhound king father, and that’s the most empowering thing of all, Thomas. To be a mystery until you’re in the battle ring and your enemy has no choice but to face your wrath that they never believed you could contain.”

Isaac’s words were so heavy with wisdom that my very consciousness was speechless. My fae side was impressed and my vampire side intrigued. As for my new, shadow-covered wolf, she was turned on.

There’s just something about intellectual men of muscle and hovering mystery that makes you want to get rid of your panties and ride them. I swear, I’m adding to the never-ending list of sins. Holy Mother, forgive me.

“I will not speak of our conversation to anyone else, though I cannot guarantee Lucinda will not know of it. With this bond in place, it’s easy for our memories to be exchanged, and she may witness this conversation at some point in time.”

“I’m fine with her knowing,” Tommy admitted. “But…do you think I can be strong enough to protect her?”

Isaac chuckled, which was unexpected.

“Queen Lucinda does not need our protection, my friend.” Isaac sounded beyond amused by this. “I can feel that her defiance alone enables her to rely on others when a situation comes along and threatens the safety of herself and those she cares about. To put it simply, she doesn’t love you for your ability to protect her. Those feelings of love stem from your impact on her at a time she was innocent, vulnerable, and feared to lose something she valued preciously. Falling for you was a blessing to her, and though your unexpected departure may have hurt her and left hidden wounds only you can aid in healing, it shaped her into the woman she is who won’t rely on any man for her own salvation.”

“Then…”

“Then,” Isaac repeated. “You work on yourself. You allow yourself the time to grow without hindering your gifts any longer. I’m not knowledgeable in the realms of your vampire traits, but I’m sure when you’re comfortable with Kane, he can assist. Seeing as I know you do not get along with Tobias, feel free to ask me or my brother for further aid in your fae department. I’m sure you are powerful enough to grow in your seraph element, but that Klaus individual isn’t solely an angel trait. I can’t determine if he’s a seraph or something else in the line of angels.”

“And the bond?” Thomas inquired.

“Let it grow,” Isaac simply put it. “This connection doesn’t change a thing. We will return to our regular activities with a few minor changes in this dynamic. I’m unsure if Lucinda will want me added to the dating spectrum, but our bonds will merely grow as we continue to be around Lucinda and aid one another on this conquest of rising strength.”

He paused as if to gather his thoughts.

“Bloody Rosary was created to aid our uprising to the thrones we’ll one day sit upon. Whether these adults wish to make more of what it is, it’s their problem and not ours. Yes, there are evil forces interfering with what we wish to accomplish, but interference is all it is. Our goal is to survive with our Savior’s grace, and I believe that we have the Creator’s hands upon us in this regard. Now, we must not waste any more time doubting our own capabilities and work towards strengthening ourselves for what lies ahead,” he revealed, and his voice dipped a little. “There will come a time when Lucinda will need our aid, and when that time comes, we must be ready to protect her. That’s when our strengthened forces will be handy.”

“I have an intriguing question,” Thomas muttered.

“What?”

“Why does Tobias dislike me?”

“Why does he dislike you which makes you taunt him with dislike in return?” Isaac offered.

“Sure.” Tommy didn’t seem surprised this time around with Isaac’s countering offer.

“You’re stronger as of now,” he simply put it. “Your fae energies. You may be a triple hybrid and not as focused on your fae magic as you should be, but it’s still stronger than his and it triggers something inside of him.”

“Triggers something.”

“Fear, Thomas,” Isaac muttered. “When you live in a kingdom that belittles and ranks your worth by the power invested in your veins, all you worry about is being unable to keep all those you love because of your weaknesses.”

“I get it,” Tommy whispered. “Thank you, Isaac.”

“No problem. You can let the others return.”

I wasn’t sure I could keep conscious much longer as Tommy’s footsteps seemed to fade. The sudden touch against my forehead further soothed me, and I wondered if it was a tender kiss.

“Sleep, my mate. You need to rest.”

There was something about the power that vibrated through Isaac’s mental words that encouraged me to follow through with his request. It also confirmed he knew I was awake. It didn’t seem to matter to him as he, too, further relaxed, and sure enough, my consciousness drifted away.

Drifted into the realms of darkness while the warmth of flames healed me tenderly.

13

UNCERTAIN AND DANGEROUS

“I‘m literally going to go insane, Pearl!” I whined while pacing the floor in my pajamas. “How does one survive with not one or two but four horny, overpowered supernaturals, who all want you in their beds, get cranky when you’re not in their beds, and have taunting mind powers!”

I paused in my debate to look at my best friend, who sat on my bed with a pillow in her grasp as she stared at me.

“You didn’t tell me Isaac can read my mind!”

“Well, he’s your mate. Of course he can.”

“I didn’t know that!” I groaned. “Now he knows I get turned on when he romantically speaks in his native language while kissing me all over my neck. Which reminds me. What the hell is up with men and their dominating challenge to cover my flesh with bruises from their lips and teeth? I can’t go without wearing a jacket on top of my uniform because my neck, shoulders, and back are literally layered with hickeys from them!”

I ran my hands through my long locks in frustration. “Tobias enjoys whatever side is convenient. Kane obviously loves whatever side he bites for feeding, which is beginning to be the left side more than the right. Tommy enjoys kissing the back of my neck and running down my spine, and Isaac is just all over the place!”

“That doesn’t sound close to being a problem,” Pearl acknowledged. “That’s a blessing from our Creator, rewarding you with not one but four powerful royal princes that will attend to your every desire, even without reason.”

I groaned and shook my head.

“Pearl. It’s insane. All that testosterone around you has to be bad. Superbad for you. I’m going to have to make some sort of sleeping schedule for them so they know on which days who goes where. It’s harder with Isaac because we’re bonded and I swear he knows everything!”

Pearl smirked a little. “Have you guys done it yet?”

There was another groan from me as I went right back into my pacing fit. “Don’t get me started on that,” I whined. “You know how hard it is to submit to that man of pure muscle and his sexy, Alpha dominating hotness? You didn’t tell me Isaac is an Alpha.”

“They both have Alpha qualities,” Pearl admitted. “Though Isaac is definitely very prominent in comparison to Isaiah. Isaiah shows that only in the bedroom, or if a situation forces him to take leadership.”

“Isaac is Alpha all the damn time now, but leave me in the same room as him and I swear my knees will tremble and beg to fall into complete submission for that man. I promised we’d take it slow. I swore we would, but it’s so hard. We can’t find time to go on a date, and he just makes me horny all the time like I don’t deal with being taunted by the other men on the harem wagon. See, this is why they say in the bible it was only Adam and Eve! I swear Eve wouldn’t have been able to handle Adam, Bob, and Lamar. Add a Donte into the mix of first men problems in the heart of the Garden of Eden, and I guarantee the story would have been different.”

“Are you listening to yourself?”

“I try not to,” I admitted. “Otherwise, I’ll just torment myself, and I get enough of that from my four possessive, powerful boyfriends.”

Pearl smiled. “You’re going insane.”

“I don’t need to argue with that obvious fact,” I concluded with a sigh as I stretched my arms out. “A few hours of sleep would be grand before this three in the morning class activity.”

We were instructed that this week we’d be training ourselves in the art of ballroom dancing. It was the oddest thing to ‘train’ for, but I’d come to learn that if Bloody Rosary is offering to teach you something, you’d need it.

I needed a break from my very clingy entourage of sexy men and was having a sleepover with Pearl to compensate for my imbalance. It honestly felt like forever since I’d been able to hang with Pearl anyway.

Since the whole fiasco a few weeks ago, I was forced to take a week of recovery, which was a little blessed aside from struggling to keep my hands off of Isaac the entire time he was taking care of me.

He and Tommy rotated in assisting me like I was some sort of queen, and though I enjoyed the first few days, by a week, I was so over it. Kane and Tobias would visit any chance they got and evenings rotated with them staying and eating dinner with me.

My body was far too weak to go up and down the eons of stairs for dinner in the kitchen, so the guys moved dinner to me, which was honestly the sweetest thing a girl could ask for.

It was odd to say that this incident really showed their dedication to me. I knew with the obvious circumstances of us being connected in some sort of way, they may have felt there was not much of a choice, but I didn’t feel that sensation from any of them.

Thus far, it felt like we lived in the dream, the five of us, and due to my injury, they were ensuring I recovered effortlessly.

And I really appreciated that.

Isaac and I decided we’d date first before things got out of hand with our very intense desire to slip under the sheets. Apparently, as a wolf shifter, finding your mate was one of those life accomplishments. You’d discovered the other half that would make you stronger, wiser, and complete you in a sense, only Isaac got someone like me with three other connections.

I’d yet to confront Tommy about this apparent bond with him because he hadn’t brought it up. I didn’t want him knowing I was listening, and maybe he was waiting for me to bring it up.

It wasn’t awkward between us, but I was hoping to find the “right” moment for us to address it.

As for school, returning wasn’t too hard. I still felt a little weak here and there, but we’d done nothing over the top since. Vera ended up getting a penalty week or something because she’d said something to Headmaster Wei during her apparently confrontational warning that pissed her off enough to be punished, and Charlotte, who happened to be fae - intriguing - got off with only a warning.

No one may have brought it up to my face, but from Marigold’s comments, a lot of students were talking about the incident and how badass my blood ability is. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing, but it was another reason why I allowed my blood to evaporate: so it wouldn’t get in the hands of anyone else.

Except for Kane when he was thirsty.

The thought made me walk over to the mini-fridge and crouch down to retrieve a package.

“You’re thirsty?” Pearl inquired.

“A little,” I admitted, and screwed open the cap. “Not super thirsty, but I feel like I should drink an extra pack with the ball in a few hours. I don’t want to drink it right before because it may make me queasy.”

Pearl nodded as she watched me. I ended up pacing in silence as I wondered what was going to happen in the remainder of the year: more challenges, apparent ballroom dances, and probably another type of finding the rosary challenge or something by the end of the year.

It wasn’t like I was necessarily worried about what was to come, but I was concerned about how it would come to light. Some outside force had interfered in our test, which meant someone from the inside was telling whomever this enemy was on the outside any plans or situations that involved us.

We have to find the culprit sooner or later.

Information was important as it shouldn’t be slipping through the cracks. We’d sworn not to talk, and the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if we should swear every year that we’d keep whatever occurs at Bloody Rosary within its protective walls.

Pausing as I finished half of my bloody cocktail, I looked at Pearl.

“You’ve been so quiet lately,” I voiced. “You okay?”

“Ya,” she replied with a shrug, but her response didn’t give me much satisfaction.

“What are you worrying about?” I inquired and moved to the bed to sit on the edge. “Something bothering you? Isaiah better be treating you right or I’m boxing him!”

“He’s being good.” Pearl smiled slightly at my overprotectiveness, but it fell within a few seconds as she looked at her hands that were fidgeting in her lap. “I’m thinking of dropping out.”

“Huh?” I almost choked on my blood as I stared at her in horror. “Why?! You’ve been doing outstanding thus far. Your grades are good! What would make you drop out?”

My wide eyes met hers and I could tell this was something she’d been thinking about for a while now with how they darkened.

“I don’t belong here, Lucinda,” she whispered. “It’s because of me you got hurt.”

“That wasn’t your fa-”

“Professor Mika was right. I could have quickly paused and run backward to get more running space before jumping over. I also could have shifted, which was perfectly allowed as we saw Isaac shift to try and save you. There were so many options, and I ignored all of them. It almost cost you and even Isaac your lives, and then I’d either have lost my best friend in the world or Isaiah would have lost his twin brother. All because of my stupidness.”

“You’re not stupid!” I huffed and closed my pack of blood to quickly toss it back in the fridge. “Pearl, you’re being too hard on yourself. Bloody Rosary is where we learn from whatever mistakes we make. It’s not a one mistake crucifixion.”

I moved back to the bed and sat down to reach for her hand. Wrapping it around mine, I leaned over to ensure I could look into her sad eyes.

“Pearl, you’re my best friend! I’m thankful to have you here. And you’re of royalty, too! With your awakening, didn’t you find out some stuff?”

“Ya,” she quietly muttered, but I didn’t think I was going to get more than that.

“Don’t beat yourself up, bestie!” I reached to hug her. “I’m sorry if it seems I’ve been too occupied for us to talk about this sooner. I love you, and you’re an amazing strong wolf! There are other wolf shifters here and they haven’t stated they don’t belong! There are shifters that we don’t even known of and they’re attending! You deserve to be here just like anyone else, and Mother Moon wouldn’t have allowed you to come with me if she didn’t feel the same way.”

“I guess you have a point,” she admitted and sighed. “Alright. I’ll stay.”

“You promise?”

“I promise,” she whispered.

That gave me more relief than I realized. I sighed. “If anything bothers you, don’t hesitate to tell me, okay? I know you have Isaiah now to talk things through and stuff, but sometimes you need your bestie to remind you of how badass you are!”

Pearl smirked at that. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks for the reminder, Luci.”

We smiled before there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” I encouraged. The door opened to reveal Tobias. I could tell from his expression something had annoyed him, but he let it disappear as his gaze landed on us.

“Sorry to interrupt, but the ballroom training has been moved to now.”

“Now?!” Pearl and I exclaimed.

He sighed and nodded his head. “Don’t even ask me why, but we just got the news from Alexander, who called us. It’s mandatory and we have ten minutes to get there.”

“Well fuck,” I huffed. “I just drank some blood, too.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Tobias inquired as he entered the room.

“Yes and no,” I replied and got up. Walking over to him, I couldn’t help but give him a hug and a soft kiss before answering. “Yes, because I needed the boost, but no, because it makes me queasy if we’re going to be dancing.”

“Well, you can vomit on me any day, Sweet Luci,” he encouraged and had me laughing.

“You’re crazy!”

“Crazy in love.” He winked and kissed me again. “Your pink plant is growing.”

I followed his gaze and nodded. “Right! Look.” I walked over to the pink plant that had grown superbly since he’d given it to me. Hovering my hand over it made it dance a little as a soft humming sound vibrated from its coral petals.

“See?”

“Oh wow.” Tobias looked impressed as he walked over to stand next to me. “You’ve seriously been taking care of it.”

“It’s been helpful in rejuvenating my fae side, just like you said. I really love it.”

“Keep praising and your first plant is going to get jealous.”

Laughing again, I shook my head. “My apparent forest misses me. I have to visit soon. I miss Faerie.”

“If we get spare time today, we can go?” Tobias offered. “I need to pass by tonight anyway. I need a rejuvenation bath. The one here doesn’t do much justice.”

“We haven’t had one for a while,” I admitted.

“Do you feel you need one?”

“It’s not a desperate need. I’m kind of just trying to figure things out still,” I admitted. We hadn’t made much progress in terms of figuring out how I’d somehow gotten a wolf and bonded with Isaac - and Tommy - but thus far, my wolf had been pretty compliant. She didn’t need much attending to, but I was certain that the next full moon we’d have to figure things out.

“You’ve done good so far with the new moon and the last full moon,” Tobias noted.

“True. Isaac said that I don’t really depend on the moon for energy, but that desire to run isn’t voided either. He thinks by the next full moon I’ll have to go for a run with him, Pearl, and Isaiah.”

“That sounds fun though,” Tobias noted. “Want me to come watch?”

“Eww, no.” I shook my head. “What if I have to strip naked, shift, and go on a vomiting spree? Isaac told me the first shift is a pain in the rear.”

“Is it?”

“I think so! Pearl?” I turned to see she was gone from the bed. Actually, she’d left my room entirely. “Oh. Where’d she go?”

“Probably to get ready for this ball activity,” Tobias admitted. “We got sidetracked.”

“But…she didn’t say bye or anything. That’s not like her,” I muttered mostly to myself.

“What’s wrong?” Tobias whispered and forced my head to lift up and meet his eyes. I stared into those dancing colored spheres and allowed myself to vent.

“She wants to drop out,” I whispered. “She’s still upset about what happened.”

“That wasn’t her fault.”

“I keep saying that, but she doesn’t believe me. She says Professor Mika’s statement is more valid, and I think she feels guilty. But I mean if all of that didn’t happen, I wouldn’t have bonded with Isaac.”

“That’s true,” Tobias agreed. “Give her some time for your acceptance to settle in with her. You’re like family to her, so she just worries about losing you.”

“I know.” I moved right into his arms to hug him. “But she’s family to me, too. If she drops out…”

“She won’t drop out,” Tobias whispered and kissed the top of my head. “No need to put it out into the universe. She’ll figure out what’s bothering her. Pearl is strong and she has Isaiah to help her figure it out.”

“That’s true,” I whispered as he hugged me back.

We remained like that for an extra minute, lost in the comfort this hug delivered, when there was a knock at the door.

“Had to come and make sure someone wasn’t going to get our asses in trouble,” Tommy declared like it was a world announcement.

“The pride you carry in your voice is horrendous,” Isaac pointed out with a blank, judgemental stare. We looked to see Kane as he shook his head. “Tommy takes great pride at grinding at Tobias’s gears.”

“I have no shame in pissing the fae prince off,” Tommy declared. “The truth hurts.”

“You’re too much,” I commented with a smile. “You guys ready for ballroom dancing?”

“No,” they dryly replied.

“Me neither,” I declared. “But you guys better dance with me.”

“Wouldn’t want to dance with anyone else,” Isaac huffed.

“I doubt we have a choice,” Tommy pointed out. “There’s only one LuciLu and four of us.”

“What a pity,” Kane muttered. “I get first dibs.

“Second,” Isaac went on.

“Third,” Tommy sang.

Tobias just blinked as if he were now understanding what they were doing.

“Fuck.”

We all burst into laughter because his expression was just as priceless as his swearing statement.

“Tobias, what the hell?” Kane chuckled. “You’re normally not slow in these things.”

“Whenever Lucinda is in his arms, his thought process slows down by half,” Isaac noted.

“Fine by me,” Tommy practically cheered with a taunting grin. “I get to dance with her before him.”

“Fuck you!” Tobias huffed, and if I wasn’t hugging him, I was sure he would have waltzed over there to attack him.

“Let’s go,” I encouraged and couldn’t help but go on my tiptoes to give Tobias a deep kiss. The others gasped like they had walked into a crime scene.

“Where’re our kisses?” Kane whined after I released Tobias’s lips.

I pointed over to Kane. “You don’t get one until after we dance,” I began and moved my finger to Isaac. “You can have one mid-way through our dancing session.” My finger then moved to Tommy. “And you don’t get one because of the teasing.”

With an added wink, I walked past them and down the stairs before chaos ignited.

“Tommy! You can’t go killing Tobias!” Kane warned.

“I can’t get a kiss to save my sanity so someone has to perish,” Tommy argued.

“Let’s see you try!” Tobias huffed.

“I’m just going to follow my mate and kiss her whether y’all like it or not,” Isaac concluded.

“HEY!” the others called out, but I sensed Isaac next to me as I reached the last step.

“You sneakily like to play with their emotions,” I noted as I lifted my gaze to him.

He rewarded me with a smirk. “That I do,” he admitted and reached out to move a few strands that were in my face. He leaned in and whispered, “I’ll take you on a wonderful date on the full moon. Until then, be patient, my mate.”

With a kiss on my cheek, he walked ahead of me while I was left a blushing mess.

Dangerous, I tell you. Very, very dangerous.

14

RIVALRIES AND CLASS OF THREATENED TENSION

“I‘m glad that at least half of you decided to take this requested gathering seriously,” Professor Mika declared as she stood before us.

She wore a black suit with a dark purple tie that matched her short, plum purple locks. Her hair replicated her eyes, that were purple with hints of orange, and her tanned skin made them further pop out.

Professor Mika gave off a tomboy vibe, and her serious attitude was just as fierce and male orientated, but I personally liked her. She was definitely different from Professor Ara and Professor Alexander in their ways of teaching.

They taught us with a loving and cautious approach, meaning they would push us to the extent they knew we could handle and elaborate on where we lacked. Their intentions were to aid our growth in a compassionate manner that didn’t carry too many consequences. But Professor Mika was rather opposite.

She was harsh, straightforward, and rather merciless when it came to pointing out one’s flaws. She wasn’t the type to sugar-coat and couldn’t care less about any sort of bullshit. Her training was brutal, and her grading was just as intense, but there was something about it that I loved.

Challenges were like an addiction I couldn’t get enough of, and though some challenges put me in tricky situations, I still enjoyed the thrill and joy of accomplishment they brought to the table.

Being a royal was hard in itself, and I knew with my destiny to take on two thrones, I’d be thrown into unpredictable circumstances that would be difficult to overcome, but that’s what Bloody Rosary was trying to teach us.

Expect the unexpected and do not quiver at the heightened state of vulnerability.

Compared to Professor Mika’s attire, the majority of us were in pajamas. Obviously, it was evening, and most students were tucked in bed and ready to sleep early due to the originally scheduled test at three in the morning.

From the look of the ballroom we stood in, literally half of us were present, which meant the other half that arrived at the “scheduled” time would get the disappointing realization that they fucked up.

I didn’t like that I was in pajamas, but so were my boyfriends, Pearl, Isaiah, Marigold, and Klaus. At least they were all wearing some sort of top and shorts, while many wore just boxers.

“I decided to change the time of this practice gathering due to some issues with security beyond campus’s protective walls. It would have potentially been unsafe for us to do our session early in the morning, and thus, we made a last-minute change,” Professor Mika explained. “In life, especially as a royal, attacks, declarations of war, and other challenges will come at you at any time of the day or night. Just because you wear a crown upon your head or live in a fancy protective castle, that doesn’t mean your kingdom and those who follow you aren’t in danger. No matter what supernatural race you are, there are always enemies near and far, and they will take every opportunity to finish off you and your kingdom if the striking opportunity arises.”

None of us said a word as she snapped her fingers. Magic washed over the room, and the once-empty ballroom was suddenly decorated with the fanciest exquisite chandeliers and a live orchestra of masked individuals in the far top corner of the room.

All of us were shocked and I wondered if we’d walked into the room that was made to be an illusion that it was empty?

Or the other way around.

Those who wore lingerie and boxers looked the most embarrassed when they noticed the other students and professors who stood along the walls of the room - all of them in fancy attire, like this was truly an event for rich royals to show off their finest gowns.

“I will snap my fingers and you will be cloaked with the attire you’re most comfortable with. If you dislike your attire, feel free to change into what you’re comfortable with. You will have a minute to get comfortable and ready for what’s next.”

She didn’t let anyone ask questions as she quickly snapped her fingers, igniting the force of magic she wished to rain upon us.

With a few blinks, I looked down to see the extraordinary golden-red dress. The top part was a corset type with no sleeves, which perked my breasts up perfectly, while the lower part was long and dazzled with various rhinestones of red and gold. The transition reminded me of sequins but with rhinestones.

My heels were red with a golden heel. My hair was let down in bountiful curls. And, surprisingly, my father’s cape rested visibly on my shoulders, and my mother’s crown sat upon my head.

A large ruby outlined in gold sat above my cleavage, and whatever magical makeup was placed on us made my lips a striking red and covered my neck, shoulders, and wherever else held hickeys from my boyfriends.

I looked fantastic, and I hadn’t even gotten a full glimpse of myself in a mirror.

I turned my attention to my boyfriends and noticed that all four of them were in glamorous suits.

Kane wore a red suit with a black tie and his hair was gelled back. Tobias was in a golden suit with a lime green to golden shimmering tie, and his long hair was styled in one large braid. Isaac wore a dark purple suit with a metallic two-tone shimmering tie of purple to gold, and his hair was actually left down. Finally, Tommy wore a white suit, his tie of red with golden shimmer, and his strands were gelled back.

They looked marvelous and good enough to kiss for hours, but I had to calm myself.

“Wow, Pearl. You’re that confident in yourself?” Marigold’s question drew my attention to see my best friend as her naked self. She didn’t seem a bit embarrassed as she shrugged. Isaiah wore a similar suit to his brother. He took his suit coat off to cover Pearl’s front side.

“What? I’ve learned to embrace my nakedness. Didn’t think my confidence in myself would backfire,” she whined.

Klaus and Marigold chuckled, while we shook our heads.

“I’ll fix that,” Tommy assured her as he snapped his fingers, and just like that, Pearl was in a lovely white dress that shifted into mermaid blue and purple shimmers. Her hair was up in a crown braid and the shoulder sleeves of the dress had white fur that shifted to a silky transparent material.

She honestly looked like a princess and I adored the final outcome.

“Damn, Tommy Hilfiger. You’ve got skills!” Pearl admitted, obviously impressed, along with the rest of us.

“You’re never going to let me off the hook with that nickname,” Tommy said dryly.

“Never,” she huffed and took Isaiah’s coat off to give it back to him. “Thank you, Mate,” she whispered to him. He was still admiring his love before him, and I was honestly happy Pearl had Isaiah because they could further their bond while having each other’s backs.

Klaus was in a white suit with a silk white tie, and Marigold was in a simplistic orange dress that hugged her curves. I was a little impressed because we normally didn’t get to see Marigold’s figure with her uniform, but now I noticed that it was a perfect hourglass and was getting quite a few of the bystander students’ attention.

“Marigold, you look fine as hell,” I noted.

She began to blush while Klaus moved to slide his arm around her waist.

“Divinely beautiful, Princess Marigold.”

Now she was red as a tomato, and Pearl was giggling and further teasing her. I looked around at our potential competition, noticing Vera and Charlotte were in rather “basic” attire. I could see from their scowling faces that they weren’t pleased, especially with them taking in me and my men’s attire, but I couldn’t help but smile gleamingly back as I winked.

When being a bitch doesn’t aid your attire.

“I’ll select two students to show an example of what we’ll be doing today,” Professor Mika announced. “Prince Tobias and Princess Charlotte.”

My smile fell while a spike of anger surged in me, almost making the vibrating growl in my throat leave my lips.

All four of my men looked my way, Tobias arching an eyebrow at me while Isaac chuckled and moved to stand behind me, a kiss landing on the side of my neck very gently.

“Ease your jealousy, Mate,” he whispered encouragingly, but it made me pout while Kane smirked and reached for my hand.

“It’s just a practice demonstration, Luci.”

“Sure. Practice,” I muttered. I wasn’t expecting Tobias to stand in front of me and lift my chin up enough for him to lower his lips onto mine

A few whistles and gasps got the rest of the crowd’s attention as he purposely kissed me long enough for my body to become a tingling mess of pleasure while my heart was racing. The idea that he was doing this in public, with my hand in Kane’s, Isaac’s body pressed against my back with his hot breath tickling my neck, and Tommy intensely watching everything, could make me dizzy in seconds, but I fought through it to keep myself standing.

Just further rub in the benefits of having four boyfriends.

“Are you done with your show of affection, Prince Tobias?” Professor Mika spoke up with impatience. Tobias released me with an added tug of my bottom lip, a smirk of pride forming on those lips of his while those prism eyes were twinkling like light shining through stained glass.

“Yes, Professor Mika,” he replied and moved away to walk to where Charlotte was scowling, standing next to our Elite teacher.

Charlotte eyes of orange could have pierced me if they had the ability to do so, but I returned my focus to Professor Mika. “You will demonstrate the traditional, royal, ballroom style dance for your peers. Move along this room for three rounds. Understood?”

Tobias nodded while Charlotte verbally agreed, and the two of them got into position. Tobias half bowed and Charlotte curtseyed. I was impressed Charlotte at least knew how to respectfully greet a partner and potentially dance. The two of them got into position and awaited Professor Mika’s cue.

“You may dance,” she declared, and the live orchestra began to play. They moved along the dance floor like it was no big deal, and we watched quietly as I overheard Vera and a few other students begin to whisper.

“Didn’t you hear? Charlotte’s a potential bride for Tobias.”

The news piqued my interest - while I fought not to growl yet again - and I noticed from the stiffness of Kane, Isaac, and Tommy that they were overhearing what was being shared.

“Right. Isn’t there a whole political debate going on about Prince Tobias getting married soon?”

“Ya. I overheard that. The other kingdoms’ heirs are already choosing their suitors. It’s all hush-hush, but I don’t get why when they’re not rising onto the throne anytime soon.”

“Well, Charlotte’s the lead candidate. Her family has connections. Both of her parents are pretty powerful in the fae realms and obviously have connections with my family,” Vera explained. “It’s only a matter of time.”

“Why isn’t Lucinda a candidate?”

“Well, what assets can she bring to the table other than her inheritance?” Vera commented with disgust.

I was on the verge of speaking up, but Klaus surprisingly spoke. “It’s intriguing how you state that, and yet from what I’ve heard, the High Court wishes to see where Prince Tobias’s current relationship with Princess Lucinda goes seeing as she has already made good-standing connections with the Mortica Family and Yeman Court, and has Prince Hill as her Royal Advisor. It was recent news, so you must have not been updated. I’m sure it was a week or two after that incident on the bridge. I guess you should thank yourself and Charlotte for bragging about the incident, since it reached the higher-ups, who were all rather impressed by Lucinda’s good deed and ability to survive even with external interference.”

No one else spoke, but the tension was high as hell. My lips couldn’t help but curl up in a smile. “It’s always nice to see you go from murderous to gleeful,” Tommy quietly whispered into my ear, and was rewarded with a smug look from yours truly.

The sudden shriek caught our attention as Charlotte moved back as if she were trying to avoid something while Tobias frowned, and came to a stop.

“What?” he asked.

“Didn’t you see the rows of mice that were crawling over our feet?!”

“No,” Tobias dryly answered.

Professor Mika clapped her hands to draw our attention. “Thank you for the demonstration,” she began. “Thankfully this is a trial, or Charlotte would have been disqualified.”

“What?” she snapped. “How do you expect me to dance with mice running all over my feet?!”

“I didn’t see anything,” Pearl spoke up. “Do you see any mice still running around? You can’t tell me they came and went into a magical portal of some sort.”

“They were right there!” she argued with a hiss as she pointed to the floor. “They scurried between us!”

“First off,” Professor Mika spoke to cut off the brewing argument, “you wouldn’t have seen anything if your eyes were focused on your partner’s eyes and not what was brewing around you.”

The comment had Charlotte blushing as Professor Mika carried right along.

“Secondly, you will see one of the things you fear the most. If you keep your eyes on the prize, you will prevail in completing this challenge, but if you let yourself fall into your surroundings, you will see what you shouldn’t. Whether it’s real or not real is up to the environment. Now, get into position. You will rotate partners every three rounds amongst your teammates. Therefore, feel free to choose a designated leader to dance with. You have two minutes.”

We didn’t delay, immediately creating a circle amongst the four of us. Tobias swiftly walked back to join our circle. He purposely slid between me and Kane so he could give me a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Don’t be upset with me.”

“Hmph,” I replied. “You’re lucky your High Court apparently favors me.”

“I actually knew nothing of that,” Tobias admitted. “I haven’t been updated since I don’t have a Royal Advisor. I’ll have to look into that when I go visit after this test.”

“Guess LuciLu is our leader,” Tommy declared. “I’ll be last.”

“Why?” Tobias cut in. “I was last.”

“I changed my mind.”

“When you change your mind, it’s a problem,” Tobias grumbled.

“Maybe it is.” Tommy shrugged. “But it ain’t my problem to deal with,” he declared and moved to slide his arm around me and tug me further into his grasp.

Tobias looked like he was already plotting Tommy’s murder while Kane shook his head and Isaac looked as calm as ever.

“Can we finalize the order? We don’t have much time,” Isaac encouraged.

“I’ll be first,” Kane offered.

“Second,” Tobias grumbled.

“Then third.” Isaac seemed to already have accepted the fact that he’d be third. “Then Tommy.”

“Looks good to me,” I declared. “Eyes on mine,” I reminded.

Time was up before we knew it, and we got into position on the massive floor. I was looking into Kane’s eyes as he admired me. “I love how your confidence in yourself created the perfect dress.”

“Just like how your rise in confidence gave you the perfect combination of red and black,” I acknowledged before the cue for us to begin thrummed through the room. We began to dance, the live music aiding with us getting lost in the movement.

“You like that I’m more confident?” he inquired.

“Yes,” I replied. “It’s a turn on, but more importantly, it shows you’ve grown a lot. Obviously, the awakening may play a role in it, but you could have remained the same with a boost of power.”

“You have a valid point,” he agreed as we continued to dance. “Maybe because I’m not as threatened by my coven.”

“Are they still wanting to make you and Tobias enemies?”

“Ya,” he replied as he stared into my eyes. “But we combat that the best we can. However, from what you overheard, they wish for us to be engaged to a chosen female suitor so we’re forced to make a serious move.”

“Like Tobias’s potential marriage suitor being Charlotte?” I asked.

“Yup,” he replied, but I noticed the slight darkness in his eyes.

“What?”

“You’re extra pale,” he admitted.

“I don’t feel any different,” I noted.

“I know,” he admitted. “Just what I see.”

“Ignore it and focus on the conversation,” I encouraged, assuming whatever magic was brewing around us sought to eliminate Kane. “Your parents haven’t chosen a suiter, right?”

“They did,” he admitted. “Vera.”

The way I frowned distracted him enough to chuckle as he brought me even closer to him. “My Sweet, I’d never think of being close to that vile woman. She’s on my ‘kill’ list.”

“She better be,” I practically hissed, which made him laugh a little harder as we finished the last round. He didn’t let me go as the others prepared to switch partners, his hook around my waist further tightening while he brushed his lips along his favorite part of my neck.

“I’ve already made it known I have no intention of any other suiters but you,” he quietly revealed as he inhaled deeply and let the captured air slowly out of his nostrils. “If it takes me standing my ground to get what I want, I’ll do exactly that,” he assured me.

With a kiss to my flesh, he offered me to Tobias, who was already at my left side, waiting for Kane to give me up.

“Have fun, and focus on her eyes,” he encouraged Tobias. “Even if they begin to bleed.”

“They were not bleeding,” I quietly gasped in horror, but the look on Kane’s face as he winked at me told me otherwise.

“You weren’t paying attention to the few shrieks happening?” Tobias asked as we got into position for the next round of ballroom movement.

“No,” I admitted. “My focus was solely on Kane,” I admitted.

“Good,” he stated with a slight smile. “Focus on me now.”

The way he said it left me with goosebumps along my arms, and he got my divine attention as my eyes locked onto his as we began to move. The music was a much faster pace, forcing us to move across the floor with rapid steps, but it didn’t ruin our concentration.

I was happy I’d taken those lessons with Tommy during the summer. My parents observed and made sure I kept the proper structure and everything else. Now I could step, twirl, and dip without a second thought, and thus far, my men had been trained perfectly for this.

“Are you really going to look into the whole suitor thing?”

“It’s the first thing I’ll deal with after this is over. I promise,” he assured me as he brought me closer. This quick step routine wasn’t doing anything to break our intimacy. “Do you want to come?”

“And be the jealous, growling bitch in the room? I think not,” I admitted. He was smiling with a twinkle of pride in his swirling eyes.

“I know we haven’t figured out much in that department, but I’m turned on by it.”

“Seriously?” I kept my voice as low as possible, my shock surely written all over my face. “You’re lying.”

“I’m not,” he admitted and blushed slightly. “When you’re jealous and all, it’s hot.”

“Great,” I huffed. “You’re going to make me jealous on purpose.”

“Hmm.” He actually thought about it, which made me want to slap his chest, but I obviously couldn’t break formation. “I’ll attempt to within the circle.”

“Great.” I rolled my eyes. “Are you seeing anything?”

“Nope,” he admitted. “But my fear would be rather counterproductive.”

“Why is that?”

“I’d have to lose you for it to be effective.”

My eyes widened at his admission as we continued to dance. I felt like it should have been over with how fast we were dancing, but neither of us dared to stop nor look at our peers to see if they had paused.

“Tobias,” I whispered. “Then…I wonder why Kane’s fear had me bleeding through my eyes.”

“He fears you losing too much blood and perishing from his fangs,” Tobias revealed. “Not sure if I was supposed to say that, but too late.”

“He’d never feed on me to the point of me dying,” I pointed out like it really was a fact. I trusted Kane, and even if I was extremely low on blood, I had fae within me, so I could simply jump-start my healing internally and heighten the speed it took to create more blood.

Probably give me some heart palpitations, but I’d be alive.

“His reasonable side understands that, but his fearful side does not,” Tobias reminded me.

“True fact,” I replied and noticed that the music had stopped. We finally stilled, and Isaac was by our sides in a flash.

“Good work,” he praised. “We’re still standing.”

I was itching to look around, but Tobias laid a tender kiss on my forehead and was replaced with Isaac, who got me right into position. He didn’t need to tell me to get lost in his eyes.

We got up close, and with our new bond, my eyes were glued to him as my body gravitated towards him to press against his. His chuckle was better than the starting music that moved at a much slower pace, but it all didn’t matter because being in my mate’s arms was a level of safety I’d never expected or yearned for.

“I really like this,” I practically purred. His calmness was such an enlightening thing to witness nowadays, especially when I’d mentally categorized him as someone who wore a scowl on his face.

“What part of this?” he inquired as we continued our slow dance.

“Seeing you relaxed and filled with immense calm. It projects a level of confidence that’s intriguing to see from you, but what’s really amazing is this sense of safety you bring to the table when I’m near you or in your grasp,”

“That’s the feeling you should feel with your mate, but it’s heightened because of two things,” he admitted. “One, because I’m an Alpha wolf, and two, I know that I’ll go to any length to protect you from harm’s way. I don’t doubt my ability to protect you and because of that heightened acceptance, it leaves you feeling safer within my presence.”

“Wouldn’t that make me want to slack because I know with you around, I’m protected from harm’s way?”

He shook his head. “I may have never seen your wolf in physical form,” he began in a hushed tone, “but I can see the power that thrums around you. It’s rare because your wolf is deliberately hiding herself from anyone else to sense, but I can pick up on her if I concentrate long enough. Your wolf hiding within those shadows is no doubt an Alpha and can handle herself just fine, as you do on the regular with your other supernatural sides.”

“Fascinating,” I whispered. “Will we ever be able to find out more? I’m not sure if Headmaster Wei even has time, and I doubt my parents have dealt with such things.”

“I’ve informed my parents about it. They’ll look into someone who can further aid us in these realms of the unknown. For now, I’ve been instructed to make sure you run once in a while. Even if you can’t necessarily shift, the activity itself will deliver ease to your wolf.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad.” I liked the idea. “Guess I can’t use my vampire speed on you?”

“You most certainly can, my mate,” he began, but the way his eyes danced with mischief told me it would still be a close race. “But my wolf is rather competitive due to his Alpha traits. It would get ugly if you’re not one to accept loss.”

The way I laughed surely caught the eyes of others - which would surely be bad - but I couldn’t stop myself.

“Alpha, you’re going to feel rather depressed with my victory,” I practically purred. The way his eyes darkened with lust had us gravitating even closer to one another as he growled.

“Be careful, little wolf. I actually bite at a challenge.”

“Hmmm.” This was so unlike me and yet was exciting me on so many levels that I didn’t even feel like my usual self. “Decisions.”

“If you guys want to go for the last round, you certainly can if it means we get to see a kiss or two.” We ended up stopping at the sound of Tommy’s voice, and there he was, patiently waiting for us to end our obvious flirting.

“What? The round is done?” I gasped and was going to check on the orchestra, but Isaac stopped my head from turning with a throat hold that forced me to keep my eyes on him as he leaned in to press his forehead against mine.

“Little wolf,” he warned. “What did we say about keeping your eyes on the prize?”

“See, we didn’t have that discussion,” I argued, but who gave a damn about that with this man’s large hand all around my throat and gripping me like we were in bed and he was going to fuck me senseless.

Heavenly Mother, I think I need to add that to my list of desires.

Isaac chuckled and let me go. “It’s Thomas’s turn.”

I reached for his arm to stop him and pulled him close just so I could whisper in his ear. “Do that throat dominating thing again,” I urged. “Except in bed, when we’ve had our date.”

The way his eyes golden eyes practically lit up and swirled with hues of black and orange further turned me on as he replied, “Yes, Sweet Mate.”

I let him slip from my grasp as Tommy took his place. There was no second delay as the music started up again, but immediately tense vibes thrummed around us when the classical music held an eerie vibe to its melodic tones and minor accents.

“This is one of those songs that they play when you’re in a haunted mansion with no way out and everything is all quiet,” I voiced.

Tommy merely smiled, but I felt from the deep hues of red that swarmed in his eyes that it made it seem as if he were thirsty for blood.

“Tommy?”

“Hmm?” His eyes were still on me, but it was as if he were dying to pierce his fangs into me, which made little to no sense.

“Are you thirsty?” I inquired.

“For water?” he teased.

“No,” I replied, my voice but a whisper, and we continued to dance through the room. “Your eyes are red.”

I could see the slight shock my words delivered, but he didn’t miss a beat as he twirled me around. I wasn’t expecting it, and the move forced me to get a glimpse of the room that was filled with beings of black. Silhouettes with masks danced with the eerie music - their glowing, hollow eyes all on us as we continued to dance to the melody of the night.

When my eyes locked on Tommy’s once more, they were now gold. But he frowned as he whispered, “Now your eyes are red.”

“I only had half a pack of blood before we were summoned,” I admitted, but didn’t feel the overwhelming desire to drink blood. “Tommy?”

I felt like he knew what I was going to ask. We paused so he could dip me downward - and my eyes noticed the web of bloody strings hanging from the ceiling. That was the least scary thing in this room. I registered the biggest threat to my own fears, making goosebumps rise up on my arms while shivers ran down my spine.

Tommy lifted me up and my eyes locked on his.

“Shit. What did you see?”

I bit my lip and swallowed hard, which worried Tommy more as we spun a few times. The action made me dizzy, but my stomach was flipping and fighting hard to trigger the nauseous sensation that was begging to assault my senses.

“Bodies.” That’s all I could choke out as I fought not to vomit, and I struggled to keep up.

“Focus on me, LuciLu,” Tommy whispered, his words holding a hypnotic sensation to them. His eyes began to glow golden and I wondered if he was doing something to tug at the golden element within the center space in my subconsciousness.

It drew my attention as the eyes of my wolf opened, heightening my senses as scents of metal hit me like a plague. I couldn’t let it draw me in, even as the surge of hunger vibrated through me like I was ready to devour flesh, all while the desire to drink hit me just as hard.

“Lucinda.” Tommy’s voice was stern, and it forced me to pay attention to him once more. For a split second, he looked so different to me. He was suddenly a being of immense power that radiated with so much authority, he could rule not just one kingdom, but many.

It drew me right in, like a moth to a flame, as I straightened my back and pressed even closer to his body as we danced. He didn’t say anything else, but for a brief moment, I could see my eyes in the reflective surface of his as the glowing golden light dimmed and displayed the pitch-black hollows of my own eyes.

Alright…that can’t be normal.

“You’re almost there, Mate.” I was shocked by Isaac’s voice that suddenly thrummed in my mind, but the open connection delivered waves of benefit as harmonious energy flooded through me - stealing every bit of fear and uncertainty.

Isaac?

“One more round. Focus on Thomas.”

His encouragement aided me in doing exactly that as my rapid breaths that were escaping my parted lips lessened.

“That’s it, LuciLu,” Tommy practically sang. “It’s just us. Two more spins and a final dip. Can you do that for me?”

I nodded just slightly and his brilliant, seductive smile widened at my obedience. Now that I was distracted from what I’d witnessed, my body was back to its hormonal self and it simply wanted me to jump Tommy.

“Tame your lust, my mate,” Isaac encouraged. My poor bonded mate probably sensed how horny I was, and surely he couldn’t act upon what I was trying not to imagine because we’d surely lose if he attempted to do the naughty deed.

Tommy spun me around, but this time I shut my eyes. The queasy sensation was still present, but it was something I could tame as we were together once more and completing the second twirl.

The final dip was all that was left, and we were waiting for that prime moment that would bring this challenge to an end.

“Tommy?” I whispered as I tried to distract myself from how long this was taking. “Do you see anything?”

“Ya,” he admitted as his eyes bored into mine. “Curious?”

“A distraction would be nice,” I confessed. He smirked just slightly, but his eyes held a level of sadness I’d never witnessed before flooding his magnificent orbs.

“Tommy?”

“I fear the strings of a puppeteer,” he revealed, which rendered me speechless. “Strings that are placed when one least expects it. Move them, force the victim to do what the puppeteer wishes, even if it’s against their will.”

“Being controlled?” I inquired.

“Yes,” he admitted, “But not me.” His eyes then turned red once again, and for a brief second, I saw the very fangs he hid all this while as he finished his statement. “You.”

I wasn’t sure what to say, and suddenly there was the cue to do the final dip. So we did. When I forgot to close my eyes on time, I braced for the sight that had almost paralyzed me, but the ceiling was normal once more, the chandeliers glimmering in their unique crystal glory.

“The test is over,” Professor Mika announced.

Tommy lifted me up and kept me resting against him as I realized how suddenly tired I felt - not to mention the queasiness.

I looked up to realize only Tommy and I remained on the floor, leaving me even more shocked because I’d expected Pearl’s group to get through this.

Or at least a few groups.

“Princess Lucinda’s team is the only one who passed. Please choose three members to come with me to claim your prizes.”

The others walked over to me, while a few groups clapped for us. It felt a bit hollow in nature because the rest were either glaring in our direction or attempting to recover from whatever they witnessed during that rollercoaster of dancing.

Isaac took one look at me and spoke.

“Kane, Tobias, and I will grab the prizes,” he declared with a voice that confirmed it was non-negotiable. “Thomas, can you take Lucinda back home?”

“Certainly,” Tommy replied.

The three of them gave me hugs and quick kisses on the cheek to congratulate me on lasting the entire duration. I guess from the way I felt, it was more exhausting than I’d mentally grasped.

“I won’t be back until the morning,” Tobias noted as he gave me a quick kiss on my lips. “Rest up and drink an extra pack tonight.”

“Alright,” I replied.

Thomas looked at the three of them as they walked over to Professor Mika, and then lowered his gaze to me. “Ready?”

I simply nodded and we slowly made our way out the door. My limbs were begging for relief and each step was strenuous, but I wore a blank mask while trekking the few steps it took to lead us outside into the hall.

Tommy closed the door, and in seconds, I was in his arms as he moved swiftly down the hall.

“Keep holding on, LuciLu,” Tommy encouraged, and I fought to do that as my consciousness drifted. Whatever mental fuckery that was left me wondering what exams would be like, but I couldn’t ponder the thought any longer as I fell into a comforting cloud of darkness.

15

THIRST AND REJUVENATION

“Come back to me, LuciLu.”

Lips trailed along my neck, and I swore the motion could make me moan if I had enough energy to do so. I felt like I was in a floating void, but the urge to wake up grew stronger with Tommy’s melodic voice.

Another brush of his lips to my lips followed, the touch sending a sort of electric current that empowered me enough to open my heavy eyelids. The room around us was dark, but I could tell it was definitely my room, and Tommy’s heavenly aroma wrapped around me in comfort.

“Tommy,” I croaked, and boy did I feel like I had been beaten up, pushed off a cliff, and somehow managed to survive a close fatality.

“Shh,” he hushed me while aiding in sitting me up. I was positioned on the side of the bed, my legs dangling to the floor while my eyes were still adjusting to the dimly lit room.

I had to bite my lip to stop myself from doing something irrational, but my eyes locked onto Tommy’s figure - their target specifically his neck. I could see the pulsing force of his jugular vein, while I further focused to see the tempting flow of thick red liquid.

I could feel the pinch of my fangs against my lips and if I even pressed them a little further, I’d be tasting my own blood, which could turn into a bad case of self-injury because I was ‘THAT’ thirsty.

I hadn’t felt this intense thirst in ages, but here I was, struggling to keep myself sane as the pounding reminder of my thirst tempted every part of me.

“LuciLu.” Tommy was trying to draw my attention and though I wished to listen to whatever he had to say, he’d have to wait because words were the least of my worries.

Nope. I just want some nice, warm blood to make me comfortable, and a little bonus of sex would always be divine.

A phone began to vibrate, the sound echoing against the walls. I’d forgotten about us having phones, but the ring wasn’t my usual music box hymn of one of my favorite songs from the church.

Tommy moved a part of his body, but my focus was still on his throat.

“Hey. Ya…I can see that,” Tommy answered, and I wondered who he was talking to. “She’s thirsty, but I don’t think a pack or two is going to do justice. Can you ask Kane? Also, where’s Tobias?”

There were a pause and a tiny voice in the background, but my body was fighting to stay still while my palms were growing clammy with desire.

“He went to Faerie already, hmmm. Maybe I can coordinate something without his permission. Yes, I like pissing him off, but he’ll owe me for this. Kane? Ya…she’s really thirsty. You’re still collecting prizes. Hmm…alright. I know what to do, don’t worry.” He paused again and chuckled. “Ya, ya. Not too much. I can heal so blood loss ain’t a problem. Cool. I’ll wait for you guys, and if you need help, call me back.”

He moved again, his hand lowering, but I was suddenly standing up and pressing myself against him.

“Easy, LuciLu,” Tommy warned. There was something about the deeper sound of his voice now that made me want to listen, like a hypnotic spell ready to lead me to a new world of wonder.

His arms suddenly moved to wrap around me, pulling me closer. I decided to lift my head. The action made my heart beat faster due to losing my sight of that pulsing flow of blood, but my eyes locked onto the purple orbs with hues of red and gold, the combination rather intriguing to me as I further got lost in their swirling orbit.

“Are you thirsty, LuciLu?” he quietly questioned. I licked my lips, which ignited a slight smile on those delicate lips of his. “You can drink some. Don’t suck me dry.”

The second part of his statement made me arch an eyebrow at him because my thirst wasn’t enough to leave him with nothing in return.

No amount of thirst would drive me to a stage where I’d hurt Tommy or anyone I cared dearly for.

The way his smile blossomed lit up his whole face and I wasn’t expecting him to kiss me, but he did - long and hard - the affectionate touch easing my intense desire to feed.

He broke the kiss when we were both satisfied and lifted his head up enough to expose his long neck.

“Enjoy, LuciLu,” he hummed, and his permission sent me right into it. My fangs darted out to their full length and punctured into his neck the next second. His hiss soon morphed into a growling moan, and my eyes rolled back as the flow of his warm blood flooded my mouth and made my body relax almost immediately.

Tommy’s blood tasted marvelous. It held a savory taste that I couldn’t really describe or compare to a certain food group or type of cocktail. It delivered the thrumming high alcohol delivered when you enjoyed a few glasses, but the strong effects of rejuvenation were flooding through me, along with the intense pleasure growing between us.

I could feel hints of his arousal, and his hips jerked forward to press his hardness against my lower half. It took me a moment to register that I wasn’t wearing my extravagant dress from before.

In fact, I was standing in just a bra and panties, and the realization only made my pussy throb at the thought of how close Tommy could be to fucking me. Those threads of gold within my subconscious began to glimmer to life, my wolf within the shadows opening her eyes to acknowledge what I was doing.

It felt like a bit of a mind fuck with the thrumming energy of my vampire side doing its thing with each suck while my fae magic came out just a tad as if intrigued with what madness was going on within my subconscious.

There was no bad reaction or tension between what felt like four energies in one, but more of a level of curiosity that stemmed from each area of power. It took a spark of my fae side to remind my vampire instincts that we’d had more than enough and had to let go.

I did exactly that with a final suck and retracted my fangs. I enjoyed kissing his bite mark while licking off the final drops of blood. Within a second, the puncture holes were healed, but the spot was still sensitive as I purposely sucked it to hear Tommy’s muffled moan.

“Luci-” He couldn’t handle finishing the nickname because I kissed hard while my body pressed against him. He was so damn hard, I wondered if I moved my hips and ground against him, if I could make him cum.

In my bloodlust drunk state, it seemed like a very good idea. I acted upon my mental intentions, and the way Tommy moaned further turned me on as I kept grinding against him. He fought to keep me still, but I knew he was weak from having me feast on him.

Even so, the thought of him not wanting this flickered through the lust haze - enough to force me to pause as I moved to whisper into his ear, “Do you want this?” My voice was rather unrecognizable. It was a sultry sound that vibrated with immense desire, and I wouldn’t deny how turned on I was at this moment. Never had it been this intense from being the receiver of blood and not the victim of those sucking fangs, but it made sense as I thought about how Kane and I wanted to fuck each time he fed on me.

Tommy didn’t answer at first, and I was going to force myself off him if it really wasn’t what he wanted, but he suddenly had his hands beneath my ass cheeks and lifted me up in one fluid movement that left me no choice but to hook my arms around his neck so I wouldn’t flop back like an uncoordinated fool.

“Tomm-” His lips were suddenly against mine, and he slammed his groin against my opened legs.

The movement was so fast and unexpected that it threw me completely off course, and yet his thick cock that was definitely pressing defiantly against his dress pants was stimulating the very thin lace fabric that did nothing to soak up my aroused juices or hide the intense scent.

It encouraged him to move even faster as the two of us moaned and kissed deeply. I knew this was more foreplay than actual sex, but I could only imagine his hard length ramming into me at this very pace - with his strong arms holding me like they were now, and my bare breasts pressed against his muscled chest.

The imaginative scene was brilliant in further stimulating me, and maybe he could see my vision as well because he growled the word ‘yes’ again and again, his pace too rapid to track as we both approached our climax.

When I came, it was an explosive wave of intensity that rocked through every nerve ending within me, and with one final thrust, Tommy was cumming with a loud grunt.

We were breathless, panting hard and swift while sweat began to cloak our flesh. I had to reel my logical thinking back in, surprised that I’d managed to simply wrinkle Tommy’s white dress shirt that was buttoned halfway. Not a drop of blood had stained the fine silk, and I wished to strip him out of the angelic color to dive into the darker parts this lustful union could ignite if he let me.

The sudden kiss to my lips got my attention, and when he broke it, I met his eyes that were staring with enough intensity to make my pussy ache all over again. He smirked and shook his head.

“You already made me go past my limit, LuciLu.”

“Limit?”

“I owe you a date before we can continue, remember?” His reminder had me pouting at past me. She clearly forgot what a sexual wonder Tommy was, and now I regretted it.

The way he chuckled at my disappointment upset me a tad, but then he kissed me mercilessly until I literally couldn’t breathe and felt dizzy from the very lack of oxygen.

He didn’t give me time to protest as he released my lips – and my body was pushed right back as I fell towards the bed.

“Love you, LuciLu. Tell Tobias he owes me.”

“Wha-” I crashed into the soft cushions of my bed, but that was a second of moment’s grace as my body kept plunging downward. I shrieked as warm steam surrounded me, and suddenly I was crashing into a pool of water.

If that didn’t replace my lust with the urge to survive, I surely would have drowned in this hot oasis.

Swimming to the surface, I gasped and noticed the change in the atmosphere around me. There were pillars of marble with accenting walls of gold with shimmering white flakes. I was mesmerized by the sight while the steaming hot waters brought my fae magic forward. I felt the healing properties of these waters and how they were already easing my initial exhaustion.

“Lucinda?”

I turned my head around to see Tobias’s wide orbs - those prism-filled dancing spheres slowly taking me in. It took me an extra second to acknowledge I wasn’t wearing any of my lingerie from before, leaving me naked within these waters that carried a slight golden sparkle.

My attention was now focused on Tobias, his muscled arms resting along the shimmering tiles of the edge of this hot pool oasis. He had to be sitting on some sort of bench or maybe he was just tall enough that the waters reached the lower half of his chest, giving me the perfect view of his chiseled muscles and immaculate golden skin.

His hair was out of its previous braid and up in a ponytail that somehow projected his masculine features even more. Maybe I was just turned on because a man in a ponytail would get my panties off so fast - if I had my panties.

Whatever sorcery Tommy pulled would be questioned when I could think logically, but for now, I was enjoying the view before me and attempting to tame the intense lust that yearned for me to swim the distance and claim my man right here and now.

We stared at one another in a silence that promoted the growth of our attraction to one another, and I watched those prism orbs soften as his delicate mouth parted ever so slightly.

“Come to me, Sweet Luci.”

He didn’t have to tell me twice with that seductive voice. I swam through the waters like they were nothing but a disturbance, and when I arrived in the muscled arms of my fae prince, neither of us delayed as our lips sought one anothers’s and our bodies purred in alleviation.

“Tobias.” I moaned his name between kisses while my hands roamed the slippery surface of his chest and moved up to grip his shoulders as he scooped me up. His tongue darted into my mouth as he spun us around until I sat upon the edge of the pool and fell back to lie upon the chilled wet surface.

The chill of the tiled surface only tamed the intense heat of my flesh, and I shivered at the feel of the tip of his cock as it moved up and down between my folds. He knew I was beyond ready for him, my juices the perfect lubrication.

He pinned me down, his scorching eyes taking in my nakedness beneath him. The delight in his eyes that merged with hunger left me impatient as I tried to lift my hips just enough for his cock to further inch itself into me.

“Impatient,” he muttered and purposely delayed this unity by kissing the breath out of me. I growled in frustration, but was only rewarded with biting kisses along my neck and his hot mouth taking my left breast and sucking it.

My moan was automatic, like the arching of my back, and his muffled chuckle was further lost as the vibrations danced against the skin of my breast as he began to suck and flick my hard nipple.

He made sure that both sides were lathered in his saliva, hard as rocks, and sensitive to every slight movement his tongue delivered. I was a trembling mess in his captivity, and he knew that by the glint in his eyes that once again roamed down my body.

“Are you going to behave?” His question would have annoyed the crap out of me, but I needed this ache to be attended to if I wished to think properly, and only he could save me from this agonizing torture.

I submitted with a nod, but it wasn’t enough as he inched just slightly into me and leaned in to kiss his favorite spot on my neck.

“Yes.” My voice quivered.

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, King Tobias,” I answered, my eyes seeking his mercy. The devilish smirk that crossed his lips only proved that my upgrade of his title was going to give me exactly what I desired. He leaned down to give me one smothering kiss - his cock sliding right into me without a speck of mercy.

My scream of relief and pleasure was muffled against his scorching lips as he began to fuck me, each thrust like a gift of Heaven to my aroused body.

This change between us was mind-blowing because it felt like we weren’t two young adults fucking. It felt like I was truly Tobias’s queen, the two of us sharing a hot bath in his private royal corridors and getting lost in our love and passion for one another.

This imaginative scene was just too good to not get lost in, and the longer we kissed and fucked, the better it all felt.

“Yes, yes! Faster, please!” I didn’t care if I begged. I was so desperate for release, that it was all that thrummed through my mind, which was clouded with sensual greed.

Tobias wasn’t going to disappoint me, and we both knew it as he began to move even faster. “That’s it, my Queen. Beg for me. Moan for me. Let me hear how crazy I make you feel with my cock!”

He further lifted my hips and I couldn’t help but wrap my legs around his waist to lock him in. He chuckled darkly at the rather dominating move, but he didn’t slow down.

I don’t think he could.

Our moans grew louder, our panting heavier, and we didn’t hesitate to further kiss as our unified pleasure intensified. It felt like were fucking on top of the flood waters and the nature all around us only further contributed to the approaching climax we were seconds away from.

“Close…close, close, ah!” I was on the verge of cumming and Tobias’s grunts as he thrusted even faster were enough to send me right over the edge as he sank his cock as deeply as he could for his final move.

“Tobias!” I cried out in ecstasy as my body was frozen by the burst of pleasure that consumed me. Tobias let out a long groan as his head fell back while he enjoyed his own climax, shots of his hot release filling me.

We remained in that very position for what felt like a few minutes, but I couldn’t care because I was drained from that amazing round of sex. By the time Tobias pulled out and scooped me up to get back into the waters, my logic was finally pulling its head out of the fog of lust.

“You apparently owe Tommy,” I pointed out as I relaxed against Tobias’s chest. I could only imagine the frown on his lips, and when I leaned back, he did not disappoint me with his obvious dissatisfaction with me bringing up the man he disliked.

I giggled and lathered him with kisses before continuing, “He’s the reason why I’m here…though, I have no clue how he got me into Faerie.”

“He couldn’t have sent you here unless he had the help of a fae,” he pointed out. “And you don’t count.”

“You realize Tommy has 30% fae in him.”

Tobias merely blinked while his frown deepened. I eye-rolled and returned my head to rest against his chest. “Your jealousy is a bit hot.”

“But when we say you’re hot when you’re jealous, you get mad.”

“Exactly,” I concluded.

He let out a sigh. “I knew Thomas had fae qualities, but I didn’t want to accept he had a percentage worth.”

“Why?” I inquired, though I assumed he wouldn’t answer me because he just didn’t like Tommy.

“Because as of now, he’s stronger than me, and it pisses me the fuck off,” Tobias confessed as he held me a little tighter. “And I secretly worry he’ll sweep you off your feet and I’ll be left a laughing stock to all those who warned me that my blind sightedness would be the end of my relationship with you…and the chance to be a powerful kingdom with your alliance.”

“Well…Tommy wouldn’t sweep me off my feet,” I began but had to re-evaluate that. “Actually, I lie. If you’re talking about the physical action of kidnapping a woman by sweeping them off their feet and whisking them away from you in particular, then that’s something Tommy would do to piss you off.”

I took a quick peek to see his slight smirk before I continued back to the main point. “But Tommy wouldn’t steal me from you. No one can take me away from anyone. When it comes to my love life, the decision is solely mine and no one will manipulate me to think otherwise. As for those who wait for some fallout to occur between us, let them wait and bicker. They’re unaware of our crossed bond, and when they finally come to the realization of what we secretly protect, they’ll be forced to accept that you’re mine, and our connection with the others will simply empower us beyond their negative mindsets.”

I paused and very gently kissed his chest. “I know it may be difficult to see someone be stronger than you in your own born element, but I believe you’re growing stronger by the day, and it should motivate you to push even further. I doubt Tommy is strong by default. He had to do some vigorous training and still keeps up with it regardless of our presence. I see you working out early in the mornings, and here you are rejuvenating yourself so that you can be in peak shape when the time comes to defend yourself. I know you two don’t get along, or I guess, Tommy loves to push your buttons, but maybe he knows something that can help you grow further. Who knows.”

His fingers began to run through my wet locks as I smiled against his flesh.

“Think about it, Tobias, but know I admire every bit of strength and growth you display on a daily basis, and nothing will steal that away from you. I love and care about you immensely. No one will change what I feel, and those who wish suffering and loneliness upon you will only see you sitting upon the throne with a queen that supports you all the way.”

“That gives me some peace of mind,” he confessed quietly. “This year is going by quickly.”

“It sure is,” I whispered. “And it’s only going to get harder.”

“Are you okay?” he inquired and lifted my head up by tugging my strands just slightly. Our eyes locked once more. “We’ve still gotten no information regarding the whole wolf bond situation.”

“It’s a tad convenient since I can speak to Isaac through my mind, apparently,” I admitted. “But it’s not too bad. It’s not necessarily hard for me to adapt to change, but this isn’t something I’ve studied. Wolf shifters have always been intriguing to me because of Pearl, but I only studied the basics. Now that I have some sort of wolf chilling in my mind, it’s odd. It hasn’t affected me negatively, but I think I just need more time for me to figure out things. It’s frustrating that it’s taking so long, but I guess we have to be patient for that moment of divine timing. Surely there’s a reason for all of this. It just needs to come to light.”

“You’re not worried?”

“Not really?” I shrugged. “It’s a bit weird to explain, but I feel calmer ever since the bond. Isaac gives that spot in my mind a sense of safety and I guess it heightens the hormones that revolve around my calm persona as of late. I’m not worried about what’s to come because I know I’m protected. Not solely by Isaac obviously, but you, Kane, and Tommy as well. I don’t see the need to stress over things until there’s a situation or dilemma that requires my attention. For now, I’m content.”

“That relieves some uncertainty from my end then,” he admitted. “I always worry about you.”

“Thank you,” I whispered and gave him a soft kiss. “For always caring about me.”

“I’ll always care about you, Lucinda.”

“As I’ll always care for you,” I replied.

With a wide smile from both of us, we inched closer until we were kissing tenderly, the warmth of the waters continuing to rejuvenate the energy we’d spent with our frisky activities.

It could give us enough to start this lustful journey all over again.

16

A DATE IN WINTER WONDERLAND

“Oh, fuck me!” I cursed as I debated whether it was worth increasing my speed to try to reach the other side of this massive gap between two walls of ice, or if I’d be better off tripping, rolling, and praying I didn’t fall right into the middle of the extremely steep drop to whatever was frozen at the bottom.

At this point, it would be foolish to slow down, but my limbs were tired as hell while I contemplated whether to speed up or not.

I mentally triggered my speed, my legs moving faster as my surroundings blurred. I was racing off the cliff and soaring through the air before I realized it, and my heart stopped when I immediately knew I’d be short by a mere stepping width.

Holy Mary, this is going to hurt!

I braced myself to crash into the ice wall, but something approached behind me with enough swiftness that I had no time to turn my head completely before my body was in the jaws of a massive wolf as we landed on the other side with a skidding movement.

His body spun fast enough that he lost his grip on me, and I went flying until I crashed into a pile of snow.

“YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE, DAMMIT!” I screamed even though it was muffled by the snow. With a huff, I was out and scurrying up in time to spin around and catch the attack of the massive wolf that took me right down into the snow.

I was upset by my obvious fail at not getting over that gap for what had to be the millionth time, but now I was a laughing mess because Isaac’s snout was nudging at all my ticklish spots.

“Isaac!” I giggled and pushed him away. Rolling over, I watched him happily pant as he ran around me in circles. It looked both adorable and weird for the massive wolf with black fur and slight spurts of flames.

He was holding back his flames so the heat wouldn’t melt the snow away, but his excitement was as pure as the wonderful snowy wonderland that surrounded us.

Lifting myself up onto all fours, I sat back in time to give him a hug as he moved right against me. His head was so big, it was hard to wrap my arms around his neck, but I managed.

“These runs should become a regular occurrence,” I quietly stated as I snuggled my head against his cheek. The vibrations against his throat were his ‘vocal’ agreement. I was trying to figure out how to mentally communicate with him when he was in his wolf form, but it was tricky and he wouldn’t communicate with me back unless he had to.

It was one of the many reasons why I enjoyed these runs. They not only gave me a sort of training session, they also opened up this exquisite world of sense and smell while encouraging some bonding time with Isaac.

Thus far, Year Two had been filled with so many challenges, I wasn’t sure where to start. None of us were necessarily slacking - at least in our group - but each class brought a test we’d have to succeed in or there were consequences.

We’d all prepared for this, but as the weeks went by and the end of Year Two closed in, we were beginning to feel the ‘tired’ effects this delivered to our bodies and minds. I’d been going to Faerie a lot more than expected, just to take advantage of Tobias’s private bathing area.

He had another one that he could use to invite friends, and that was exactly what we used yesterday to kick start the weekend. It was nice of Tobias to invite Isaac, Kane, and even Tommy to his castle so they could reap the benefits of the healing properties those waters held in their grasp, and he knew it would aid us in the long run - especially in the final weeks to come.

Professor Mika was getting more and more strict, but I could tell she was rather ‘kind’ to our group because we were continuing to surpass her expectations. We obviously weren’t perfect, with a few mishaps and failures in the last week, but those challenges were way beyond our capabilities. However, we’d reached a level many assumed we wouldn’t.

There was no update in regards to finding someone who could decipher how I was able to obtain a wolf bond with Isaac. It was in the basket of mysteries, and at this point, I was kind of waiting until summer arrived and we could investigate things on our own.

Isaac said he had a few connections of his own, and if the others were up for it, we could journey to his kingdom and do our own investigation. The legend of this Anubis god could give us more information or some sort of clue about what was happening with me, and by then, my parents may be able to contribute further.

I wasn’t really worried, nor were the others now that they could see it wasn’t having any negative effects on me. They were warming up to how intimate Isaac and I would be at times, especially when a full moon was nearby.

We weren’t necessarily intimate in the realms of sex, but we were at that level of passion where we could get lost in a kiss, hug, or just holding hands until one of the others got possessive and wanted me to hold their hand.

It was cute watching them fight.

Even Tobias and Tommy were beginning to tolerate one another. Tobias was getting less annoyed by his mere presence while Tommy lowered his teasing efforts.

In partnered battles, they were a dangerous threat, to our surprise, and they proved this Friday when they were matched to fight Vera’s Royal Advisor and some random dude. None of us knew Vera’s RA’s name, but he simply had an obsession with black and wore some sort of covering around most of his head to hide his face within the shadows.

He wasn’t around often like most RAs, aside from Tommy and Klaus, but for this specific challenge, one RA was required and the result of the battle landed Tommy and Tobias on the winning end of the challenge.

The smug look on my face that day was priceless as Vera sputtered insults and seethed with anger. She thought she was going to get some sort of advantage, but that didn’t happen at all. She hadn’t gotten any other chances to really ‘bully’ me or Pearl because we weren’t having any of that nonsense, but I did worry about Pearl and her team.

I wasn’t sure what was happening with Pearl, but she seemed to be struggling, as was Marigold. They seemed to get along in the beginning, but as we ventured into the year and even with the Christmas holidays, they seemed to begin to drift apart.

They weren’t the best of friends compared to Pearl’s and my relationship, but being on the same team should have at least built some sort of bridge instead of tearing it down. Marigold had no problem with me, and we’d actually been spending more time with one another on the weekends.

This weekend was the only exception because she went back to the coven with Klaus for some ‘private’ time, which I could hope would get her knocked up because her relationship with Klaus was borderline fucking.

Her denial statements wouldn’t fool me. Those two had some sort of brewing relationship going on that leaned on the ‘unholy chambers of hymn singing’ with the sexual tension burning between them.

I’d be shocked if they hadn’t done it already, but it was difficult to find these things out unless they announced that it was official.

Pearl and Isaiah, on the other hand, were seemingly drifting apart, which was beyond odd. I wanted to speak to her about it, but since the holidays, we’d been rather distant. It wasn’t necessarily intentional. We were both working hard as members of our segregated teams and with the exam approaching, we had to be prepared for what was to come.

Rumors had it that we were going to attend a very elite ball where we’d get the chance to make connections with some of the richest nobles, kings, and queens. They would all be masked, which made sense to protect their identities, and it sort of reminded me of the previous challenges we’d dealt with and the fearsome views of hanging bodies from the ceiling.

I was trying to not let it affect me and I’d done a good job of hiding the fear that it induced the first couple of nights after the challenge. I was sure I was handling it better than some of the students who’d gotten the full force of those hallucinations.

Those who couldn’t handle it had already dropped out or were on a leave of absence.

No matter my current worries, the objective was to survive these remaining few weeks and finish Year Two. It would lead us to the opportunity to dive more into what we were searching for and help strengthen our relationships that were being strained by our busy schedules.

“Woof!” Isaac nudged my face with his cold nose, making me pout as he sat down to happily pant in my face.

“Happy?” I inquired.

He howled in response and got up to shake out his fur, snow fluttering everywhere, including my face.

“Ugh,” I groaned but was still smiling from ear to ear. “We should get the others to come see this part.”

Isaac stretched his body and sat down to give me his full attention. I loved when he did this because it really emphasized that he cared about my opinion.

“They’ve been working super hard. It would be nice just to play in the snow and make snow angels, igloos, and snowmen, and enjoy snowball fights.”

I shivered slightly as a cold breeze passed, and Isaac was up and wrapping around me until I was snuggled right in the middle of his massive body. His flames lit up once more, but they didn’t harm me.

All they did was deliver warmth to my body, leaving me melting in his comforting embrace while he rested his head on my lap. I couldn’t help the urge to stroke his head gently, grateful to have this moment of tranquility with him.

I knew I wished for the others to come enjoy these snowy parts of Bloody Rosary that we’d only recently discovered, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the quiet moments of intimacy I shared with Isaac.

I enjoyed that our relationship wasn’t based on lust or sex- which wasn’t a bad thing. But it was a different balance that allowed me to do the things I’d imagined in my teens if I wasn’t an orphan with only the church as my saving grace.

Further relaxing at the wonder of all the different dates we could go on, I ended up dozing off. It was brief, yet long enough for Isaac to switch back and wrap me in his traditional cloak.

My sleepy eyes opened further to take in the fine details, while I was in the middle of that half-awake state of mind.

“Lucinda?” Isaac’s voice was soft as if it were testing to check if I was actually awake or drifting back to sleep. It was tempting to go back to sleep, especially with the sun setting and the sky a beautiful wash of oranges, dark blues, and pinks.

“I fell asleep,” I muttered, my voice still rough.

“You did,” he replied with a tone of voice that made me imagine him smiling. Lifting my head and turning my angle just slightly proved my hypothesis as his smile broadened at the sight of my sleepy gaze.

“Hello, Mate.”

“Good evening, Mate,” he replied back. “Woke up in time for the sunset.”

“Indeed,” I replied and got lost in his twinkling eyes of gold. “Your eyes are so beautiful when the sun reflects in them.”

“As if you can excuse your beautiful diamonds,” he tossed back, which made me giggle.

“You’re becoming a better flirt than Tommy.”

“He’s been giving me pointers,” Isaac revealed with amusement. “Is it working?”

Now I was laughing uncontrollably at his statement and he joined in as we shared the joyous moment.

“Totally working,” I concluded. “This is nice.”

“Is it?” he replied. “Do you enjoy quality time like this?”

“Very much,” I admitted. “You know…during the times at the church, I’d always envisioned what it would be like to go on dates and stuff. The romantic things you’d see in movies were like a fairytale. I’d read about them in books and just imagine all the possibilities. When I got older, though, I figured it wouldn’t really happen because everyone around me only cared about the act of sex.”

It felt nice to express a bit of those past troubles that I wished to have someone to speak to about. I definitely had Pearl, but it was a constant daily reminder that my standards and expectations of life were far different than many of those in the heart of the church.

Those who emphasized being holy and immaculate, but were doing everything to please men and not our Savior or the Mother Mary, who we served.

“It’s not like I’m trying to belittle sex or say it isn’t worth the hype, you know. It’s just…it felt odd to me that when you read the stories, watched the movies, and saw those couples who came into the church and were clearly in love, their physical attraction and desires weren’t the main focus in the relationship. The bond between them grew with time, the activities they did with one another, and the good and hardships they faced as a team. I sought that level of companionship where I didn’t feel like a tool solely for pleasure. I wanted to experience that aspect of love they projected within those fairytales and based romantic movies on. Maybe it was a little stupid at the time, but it made life manageable while I tried to think of a hopeful future. Without hope, there isn’t really anything else to look forward to, you know?”

“I understand,” he admitted as he tightened his hold around me. “Did it bother you that others around you were doing the deed and you weren’t?”

“Sometimes,” I confessed and tried to ignore how vulnerable this conversation was. It didn’t feel like Isaac was invading or anything. It felt like he was trying to help me talk this out so I could finally let it go.

“When all your peers speak of is how amazing it is to be one of the favorites of the holy Vatican because they’re able to give the best blow jobs or muffle their moans enough for no one to hear them during mass, you begin to wonder if it’s worth the hype,” I confessed while my focus drifted to the wondrous sky. “I think that was why I was so vulnerable when Thomas came into the picture. Our connection had been rather instant, and my ultimate fear was that I’d give myself to him, and then that spark would be gone. Just poof the moment we did the dirty deed.”

I paused for a long moment as if waiting for Isaac to say something, but he remained quiet. However, I felt his attention was still on the conversation developing before him.

“Obviously, that’s not what happened, and somehow Thomas was just mature enough to understand how frightened I was regarding the whole matter. I wanted real love, connection, emotion, and he delivered it. I think it was what I needed to build myself up, and even when he left suddenly, I didn’t necessarily hate him for it. In the back of my mind, I accepted that I’d never be able to build the foundation of myself if Tommy was still in my life and dating me. His sudden absence forced me to grow stronger and become someone that no one would attempt to hurt. Maybe it was a coping mechanism, but at least I always knew that sex wasn’t peachy keen, as the girls would say. With Tommy, he showed me true affection while they were enjoying something that almost felt unreal. They could say they enjoyed it all or say how much this priest or that priest loved them, but the truth was written in their eyes. You could tell that each defensive response was a fabricated lie to make them feel worthy of one’s attention. I didn’t need to live a life of fakeness like that. I got to enjoy a spark of real love and that was enough of the hope I needed to keep striving and molding myself into the individual who was willing to leave the church behind and discover my true calling in the world. I just sometimes wish I didn’t experience those things because at the time if I was any weaker than I was, it would have been very detrimental to my state of mind.”

“I can understand that,” he quietly confessed. “Your struggles are definitely different from mine, but our culture gets belittled a lot.”

“Why?”

“Well, we’re not the type to dive into sexual exploration unless it’s with our destined mate. Some of us Alphas do, but it’s similar to what you said. Exploration. Nothing too serious, but it’s well known to the individual we’re seeing that this behavior is but a fling until we find our destined mates. Wolves that aren’t Alphas in our culture actually prefer to wait because it feels like more of a hassle otherwise: the petty drama, gossip, broken hearts. As an Alpha, you can get away with it because of your status or rank in the pack, but those below don’t have that cushion of support and it just gets messy.”

“Did you feel pressured as a kid?”

“Not really,” he admitted. “My demeanor gives off a vibe that kind of makes it appear like I’ve done everything under the sun. When our pack looks at me, they automatically think ‘Alpha can get anyone he desires so he surely has done it with X number of women, or dove into avenues no one gets the chance to enjoy’. My observation skills also play a role because they allowed me to ‘know too much’ and when you know enough, you can project a persona that anyone will fall for. That’s what I used to my advantage.”

“Have you done it before?” I inquired, just out of curiosity.

“Yes,” he replied. “But it never brought the satisfaction I yearned for. I mean, the deed was done, but did it fill me with joy and calm? No. It was an act of lust and nothing more. Once the high is gone, you’re back to being strangers who shared a few seconds between the sheets. When you get through that stage, it’s not really appealing until it’s with the one, and I can see why so many wait until their fated mates come along.”

“Why?” I whispered.

“You get to experience the true wonders of falling head over heels with your mate. You enjoy the perks of feeling their emotions and knowing how to please them. There’s no dancing around the idea of whether they love you or not. You literally get to give them everything you’ve got, and the connection will grow strong enough to enjoy every speck of love and lust delivered when the time is right.”

“Are you okay with the fact that we’re taking things a little slower?”

“I enjoy every bit of it,” he assured me with a comforting smile. “I never wished for a rushed relationship, and though it’s difficult to ignore those cravings to devour you with my lips and hear your moans with every deliberate kiss against your flesh, this is the pace I always hoped Mother Moon would deliver. She did exactly that and more.”

He lowered his gaze as I turned my head to meet his eyes.

“Mother Moon knew that I somehow needed a powerful, independent woman who wouldn’t be afraid of doing things to our own tune and not because of the pressure of those around her. That’s one quality I love the most about you.”

“Really?”

“Really,” he whispered. I turned back to see the final trickles of the sunset as he rested his head on my shoulder. “Ready to go back?”

“Yes,” I quietly agreed.

We sat there a bit longer as if neither of us wanted to return to reality.

“Next time we’ll bring the others here,” he assured me. “I’ve heard this place is magnificent in the spring and everything blossoms at the same time. They can handle a bit of snow, so even if winter delays it a bit, it’ll still be magnificent.”

“I look forward to it,” I hummed. Lifting my head up once more, I peered up as he looked down, and with a small smile, he laid his lips upon mine.

A date in the heart of a winter wonderland.

17

DON’T GO AND BE MY PUPPETEER

The ringing bell echoed through the snow-filled land, signaling that the challenge was over. My feet came to a stop and I crouched over to catch my breath, my hands on my knees while I wondered if we made it.

I could hear the cracking of bones before frustrated grunts left my best friend’s lips.

“Unbelievable,” Pearl huffed.

“What?” I inquired and took a few deep breaths to calm myself down. We’d been running for what felt like eons, but it had been a few hours of searching for red rosaries. I hadn’t found one, which was going to be a pain in the butt, but I wasn’t too concerned - odd.

Pearl was still catching her breath when Isaac’s pleased voice flooded my mind.

“Are you alright?”

Breathing, surprisingly. I didn’t find a red rosary though. I ran to the edge of the outskirts and still nothing.

“I have yours.”

What?!

I was shocked as relief flooded me. I couldn’t understand why the original thought of me not getting one didn’t freak me the hell out, but little did I know Isaac had secured me one.

You’re not playing with my emotions, right? Like you actually have one for yourself and for me?

“Two, my mate,” he assured me. “Tobias was able to get one for Thomas, and Kane actually found three.”

Three?! Damn.

“Looks like he’s good with scavenger hunts. He gave two to Marigold and Isaiah. Klaus found one, which means we all got one.”

Um…I’m not sure about that.

I paused my train of thought to look over at Pearl as she finished dressing. I hadn’t seen her this pissed in a long time, and if Isaiah and the others were struggling to find these rosaries, it only proved there wasn’t a spare hanging around.

I don’t think Pearl got one.

“Seriously? She told Isaiah she’d be fine, or he would have worked harder to find one more.”

Honestly…I’m not sure what’s going on with her, Isaac. She’s been cranky, short-tempered, and doesn’t want to talk about stuff. I know the stress of this year is getting to all of us but…hm. I’m just worried about her.

“We’ll confront her once we’ve arrived back home. I’m aware of her mishaps and it’s frustrating my brother. He’s doing the best a mate can do, but it’s like speaking to a wall.”

Maybe something is going on with her? It’ll take us a bit to get back to base, but we’ll get moving.

“Alright. Stay safe, Lucinda. I don’t like being so far from you.”

The way I smiled made him well aware that his words made butterflies of joy flutter in the pits of my stomach.

Me too. Feels odd…and wait! Did you just say Tobias gave a rosary to Tommy?!

“I was waiting for your reaction.” He sounded beyond amused.

The world is ending.

Isaac’s dark chuckle in my mind sent shivers through me.

“Come home, Sweet Mate. We’re waiting for you.”

Coming!

As I turned to give Pearl my full attention, I noticed she was still trying to find a rosary.

“Pearl? The challenge is over,” I voiced. “We have to get back before it gets too dark to see.”

“No.” Her simple denial made me pout as I watched her continue to walk through the ankle-deep snow with determination.

Even though we were well into spring, this place still had snowfall - whether that was intentionally for this challenge or not - and was one of the main reasons finding these rosaries was more difficult.

“Pearl, it’s done! We’re wasting time to get back.”

“Just go alone then!”

“I’m not going to ditch you! Professor Mika said we should go in sets of two!”

“Well, I don’t need your assistance. Like you said, the challenge is done.”

I was staring at her with a flabbergasted expression because she was being a stubborn…bitch!

“What the fuck is your problem?” I snapped, my senses beginning to tingle as I felt something from the far left.

“I’m sick of this school!” she snapped at me as she gave me her full attention. The anger in her eyes was almost enough to kill, that feral glow of power putting me on high alert. It was only going to become more dangerous if she ticked off the wolf in the shadows, but she hadn’t opened her eyes just yet.

“What? W-Why?”

“Every failure, I’m made fun of! Every time I do something right, I’m still made fun of! This school isn’t something that will benefit me! I’m a wolf, for fuck’s sake!”

“But…Isaac and Isaiah?” I offered. “You would have never met Isaiah if you didn’t attend Bloody Rosary.”

“Maybe that would have been better!” she snapped.

I was literally shocked by her words. “Pearl! He’s your mate!”

“If he’s my mate, why can’t he make all of this easier?! Why is every week getting fucking harder? He’s so focused on working on himself that I’m nothing to him!”

“Pearl,” I whispered. “Isaiah cares about you, but maybe he’s working on himself so that he can protect you!”

“Ya, protect me, but he couldn’t get me a rosary for this challenge! Or save me when I was falling to my damn doom into the spinning whirlpool.”

“Pearl! That’s not his damn responsibility!” I snapped. This wasn’t like her at all. What happened to her independence? “Your mate isn’t there to save you like a knight in shining armor and you fucking know that!”

“I know that?!” she huffed and further glared at me as she approached. “Then what about you, Princess?! You have four fucking slaves that will do anything for you! Guess they’re not your knights, right?!”

Alright. She ticked me off.

“They are not slaves!” I snapped back. She was right in my face and pushing me right into the snow.

“Well, that’s what everyone else says. That you use your damn fae charm to make them love and adore you. Is that what you used on me so we’d be best friends?!”

“What?! Fae charm? Pearl, I don’t even know what you’re talking about?!”

She kicked her feet and splashed me with a wave of snow.

“I’m tired of being lied to. I should have never followed you here! I should have started my own life and let you live your damn own. I’d never wanted to be friends with a slut!”

I couldn’t even reply. Her harsh words were like stab wounds, and I had to blink back tears because this was the first time we were fighting to this extent.

“Lucinda? What’s wrong?”

Pearl…just called me a slut…and she doesn’t want to be my friend.

“What?!” I could feel Isaac’s fury. “We’re coming. Stay where you are.”

“No one has been lying to you, Pearl,” I acknowledged. “Why would you think that?”

“I never understood why you disliked Vera and Charlotte but of course it makes sense,” she huffed and began to approach me. I immediately shuffled back, needing to ensure my distance from this rage-infused Pearl, who was looking less like my best friend and more like a true threat.

“Vera tried to kill me and Charlotte hates me! Isn’t that obvious?”

“Well, surely you could understand that when you steal their mates from them, they have every right to be mad at you!”

“They were MY boyfriends first!” I snapped.

Pearl shifted then, and before I realized it, she was knocking into me and sending me flying through the air. With a gasp, I called up the chilled winds that immediately came to my aid - their icy threads wrapping around my body and cushioning my fall that surely would have broken a bone or two.

I sent the gathered wind at her, pushing her back enough for me to gather myself.

“Pearl! Stop this, now! I won’t warn you a second time.” I really wasn’t playing. My fear was bleeding through and I felt as though the others would feel it too.

What frightened me more wasn’t what Pearl would do, but the wide-awake shadow wolf whose eyes were now open and locked on our predator.

Pearl growled menacingly at me as she prepared to charge, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling that we were both in danger.

I need Pearl to leave!

It was a mental declaration to the energies within my unconsciousness, and that was what made my wolf step forward into the light. The mere sight of her black fur froze me in place.

Pearl didn’t care about my rigid state. She was running towards me, and I wasn’t sure I could handle another impact right now. What happened next was nothing short of a blur, and I fought hard to grasp how I’d gone from standing like a statue to being on my four limbs, growling with enough force to shake the very ground beneath me.

I was still in human form, or at least it felt that way, but the echoing sound was strong enough to make Pearl stop in her tracks with wide eyes. After a long silence, she howled in defeat and raced off, leaving me in my position.

Nothing moved in my current presence, and it was a good thing because I was on high alert. With a huff that didn’t feel like my own, the power that controlled me retreated.

I gasped at the sudden hit of exhaustion that slammed into my senses, rendering me weak and dizzy as I tried to get up.

“Fuck,” I cursed, and tried not to get lost in how emotionally hurt I felt. I’d just gotten into a fight with Pearl that got physical, I had no idea what lies were said and what I’d done for her to feel this way, and there was nothing I could do to fix it right now.

Crouching down, I placed my hands against my face to try and calm down, but this was so out of the blue and my brain was struggling to grasp it all.

Isaac…Pearl’s gone.

“Isaiah’s on it. We’re almost where you’re at. Are you okay? You feel hurt.”

Aside from my emotionally abused soul, I’ve seen better days. I think my wolf poked out to scare Pearl. I didn’t shift like you do, but I growled like a wolf or a demon, if anything.

“You’re not a demon.” Don’t know why that stood out the most, but he had to assure me that I was no tainted demon. “We’ll figure it out, Lucinda. We’ll do it together. Just hang on, alright?”

Okay…

There wasn’t really anything else for me to do or say. This wasn’t planned, nor was it supposed to happen. Clearly, Vera and Charlotte were involved in some way, and the longer I thought about it, the more I felt as though that mere bump into Pearl did more damage than we realized.

Isaac? What if that coordinated bump into Pearl was a set up to mark her?

“What?”

What if they did something similar to how Vera marked me with that blood seal or whatever. Like…something less noticeable that wouldn’t catch Professor Mika’s or Headmaster Wei’s attention on the initial view of the video footage. Something that only needs touch and grows with time. I mean, it’s a random hypothesis, but wouldn’t that make sense as to why Pearl’s been acting so odd?

“It sounds like a very good hypothesis,” Isaac admitted.

Pearl and I have never gotten into such a heated argument and her wolf would never attack me.

“Stop.” Isaac’s growl was dangerous. “She hurt you?”

I decided to look at my body to see if I’d gotten any wounds. There were a few cuts and bruises from whatever brawl I may have had in that state of blacking out, but nothing I couldn’t easily heal.

I’m okay. It wasn’t that…

Pausing my train of thought, I was suddenly up and turning around to face the individual who now stood mere steps from me.

The way my heart went from fast to galloping fury could give regular humans heart attacks, but I couldn’t have any of that because I’d yet to figure out if this tall being in black was an ally or a foe.

“Who are you?” I demanded.

“An observer,” he declared as eyes of hooded black took me in from head to toe.

“Well, feel free to observe the fine beauty of nature and not eavesdrop on people’s conversations!” I knew I’d sensed his presence. I was a tad grateful Pearl was gone, because she was in no state to fight an unknown enemy.

I could handle myself, but the odd aura around this man was making me question if this was something over my head. The others were coming, which was a good sign, but could I survive long enough with this dangerous man?

“I can’t do that, unfortunately,” he replied.

That was the common cue to get the hell out of here, and I wasn’t going to wait for him to say another word as I spun around and darted into a blur.

Isaac! I’m in trouble! Some cloaked man is after me!

When he didn’t reply, my heart skipped a few beats as I realized multiple problems with my current situation: I was moving at a much slower pace than my vampire speed, I couldn’t alter my surroundings with my fae abilities, and I was frightened to even try and cut myself to summon my scythe of blood, since I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to heal.

How is this all happening?

The thought reminded me of how close I was to the outskirts, and maybe that was playing some sort of role in all of this, but today wasn’t going to be the day I became a victim of circumstance.

I ran as fast as I could, running aimlessly ahead. Without my supernatural senses, I couldn’t find the route back, and the absence of Isaacs’s connection further revealed how screwed I was.

Don’t panic! Heavenly Mother of Mercy, let me not die from this!

There was no opportunity to continue as I fought hard to skid to a stop - avoiding the icy lake that was mere steps away.

I spun around, not expecting the crashing force that sent me flying back. An arm hooked around my neck while eyes of black locked onto my frightened ones. When we crashed into the ice, I swore I broke something because pain shot through me and left me screaming before the echoing noise of cracks made me realize how thin the ice really was.

“Don’t fight your end, child,” the man hissed. His second hand got a hold of my throat, tightening his grip as he smiled proudly. “The little prince doesn’t realize the power we carry. I guess it’s time for him to understand that we’ll destroy everything he cares about.”

My eyes further widened as I gathered enough air to blow it out at him. His hood flew back and revealed a man I couldn’t recognize. I took in every detail when I realized I still had a few supernatural traits.

That resulted in me clawing at his hands while enjoying the fact that my own blood was turning into daggers that shot into the mysterious man with pale skin, pure black eyes, and silver hair. He reminded me of a vampire, and yet he looked so ancient that I couldn’t grasp just how he still carried so much strength.

If he was a vampire, he could be an enemy of Kane’s, but this didn’t seem like someone who knew Kane.

This has to be a connection to Tommy!

Scrambling to my feet, I called to the winds all around me. Their threads of magic rushed to my aid as they spun around my body with enough force to lift me up. The move triggered my vampire senses as my blood created my chosen weapon. The staff of my blade spun in my grasp as I prepared to fight back.

The man hissed, but I didn’t give him a chance to escape as I was already in his face and screaming in fury, my scythe moving faster than I could keep up with. The blurred movement of my bloody scythe was doing the job of evoking wounds left and right, and I thought extra fast as the idea of an ice vial triggered its creation.

Without my enemy noticing, I gathered a full ice vial of blood. Using one hand to spin my scythe around and create a half-moon slice through the air that sent him flying back, I used my other hand to wrap around the floating vial.

I closed it with an ice cap and watched the sudden movement of golden strings that wrapped around the bottle. It was random and not something I’d summoned and yet it solved my internal worries about the vial melting by the time I got back to the academy base grounds.

Sliding it into my pocket and zipping that part up, I looked at my enemy as he rose to his feet and glared back at me.

“I underestimated you,” he declared.

“A lot of people do,” I replied. “Especially when they use whatever shit you did to block out my abilities. But look. We’re both alive. What a rare occurrence. Usually, by now, my enemies are dead.”

He didn’t seem pleased with my statement, but I couldn’t help but point out the obvious truth. He needed to know that I wouldn’t be easy to kill, and if he had plans to try and continue this apparent square off, he’d come to realize he wouldn’t leave here with all the limbs he arrived with.

He was already cut with multiple slices from my blade, but I could already see them beginning to heal, which told me either he had amazing healing skills as a vampire or something more.

“You’re the puppeteer, aren’t you?” I whispered, and that had him narrowing his eyes.

“Thomas will come back to his roots whether he likes it or not,” the man declared like it was a solemn vow. “You won’t keep him from his destiny.”

“Trust me when I say this,” I began as I suddenly felt the presence of my wolf within my mind, her eyes burning with so much fury that this man would be dead if I couldn’t stop her. “Thomas’s destiny is with me by his side. And compared to all those you’ve hurt to leave him in fear of you and whatever cult is monitoring his life, I won’t succumb to your dirty tricks!”

“You talk big when you’re on death row,” he declared and suddenly was in my face and stabbing me with a stake right into my chest. To say it hurt like a bitch would be an understatement.

My scream was as loud as the gushing blood that immediately began to evaporate from my own protectiveness. However, my wolf was done standing back and she rushed forward.

No! I can’t handle a shift!

My declaration stopped her at the very wall of what surely would have triggered my change, but I knew without a doubt that this man was expecting that reaction, and when it didn’t happen, disappointment filled his black hollows.

It didn’t stop me from spitting a pool of my blood into his face.

It was his turn to scream as my blood was like acid, peeling off the flesh from his bones, and he scurried back as I looked at the stake protruding from my chest.

“LUCINDA!” The call was from Tommy, but the sight of the stake froze him while I fought not to vomit out more blood. Biting my lip as hard as I could, I grabbed onto the stake and pulled it out.

My internal scream made my wolf howl within my mind, and it felt like I was mentally breaking down as pain whisked at every sense and nerve within my body.

The man hissed and with a twirl of his black cape, he was gone from my sight, but the damage was done. I fought to heal myself, but the crack of the ice beneath me sent me into overdrive as I suddenly plunged into the icy waters and sank into the frigid depths.

“LUCINDA!” Isaac’s scream rocked through my mind, but I was slipping fast as my eyes rolled back at the sight of my blood staining the waters

Something crashed into the waters, but it felt almost impossible to try to see who it was. My body was frozen, my wound wasn’t healing, and my wolf of black was whimpering for help.

It felt so weird to see her now. My slipping consciousness focused on how big she was even in the shadows of my subconscious. Her black fur had a tinsel effect that changed colors, and she had to be big like Isaac, or at least it felt that way.

I always wondered what it would be like to be a wolf shifter like Pearl, but I’d studied enough to know the first shift could kill a shifter if they weren’t strong enough, and I knew with this wound in my chest and my weakened state, we surely wouldn’t survive.

She didn’t deserve to die like that, but I wondered if this was far worse. To watch your ‘human’ side die before you. Where would she go after this? Would she just ascend to Mother Moon or would she come to judgment with me?

The idea made me ask if I died here and now, where would my soul go? I worshipped the Almighty, but I was of multiple supernatural traits. Fae believed in the Universe, vampires believed in the vampire who fathered all of us, wolf shifters were all about Mother Moon, and being brought up in the church for a chunk of my life made me feel in tune with our Savior.

But would God grant me the privilege to get into Heaven?

It was frightening to think about, but the deeper I sank into the lake waters, a greater level of peace began to trickle through me.

Even my wolf stopped whimpering as she moved back to her shadowed depths and closed her eyes as if we were merely going to sleep.

The thought made all of this less scary as my body grew numb. I felt something tug at me, but I was still floating downward while the gripping peace swarmed through me.

Mother Mary…have mercy on me. I’ve gotten into a situation…that I’m unsure I can come out from. I’m scared, Holy Mother…frightened that there’s no place for me in paradise. It just dawned on me, but this peace you deliver brings me more comfort than I could ask for.

The world was drifting away from me, but it didn’t scare me as a golden light began to flicker just behind my eyelids. I was too weak to open them, but the warmth of the light felt comforting. Like Holy Mother was indeed listening to all I’d said and was leading me up to the path of eternal peace.

Can you protect my boyfriends for me? Tobias faces a lot of challenges with politics. Can you give him more strength to stand his ground? Kane has become really confident, but he still worries that he’ll become Tobias’s enemy. Can you ensure they stay the best of friends? Isaac…my poor mate. Please…even if I perish, let him live. Let him survive. He’s an Alpha and his brother would never be able to survive the loss of his twin. He deserves to rule his kingdom with his brother, not to perish because of our bond. Thomas…my sweet Tommy. No matter how hard it gets for him, please, Holy Mary and the angels of hope, shield him so he doesn’t get lost in guilt. Shelter him from the raining storm of sadness. It’s not his fault…and I hope he understands that…eventually.

The warmth began to spread, and I heard muffled words of haste, but they made no sense to me. I didn’t care anymore as I gathered my final thoughts.

Pearl, I forgive you. I know you didn’t mean those cruel words. Something was using you to hurt me. I’m sure your hateful thoughts of me are only temporary. I may not be here to learn the truth, but it’s okay. I forgive you.

That alone lifted a burden off my chest and images of my parents flickered into my mind. It hurt that I couldn’t prove my strength to them, or at least enjoy a final hug from each of them, but I’d watch over them until it was time for them to leave the world.

That’s the least I could do.

The warmth swallowed me now, and it felt like someone was stroking their hand along my head in praise.

“You’ve done well, my Holy Child of the Cross.”

The female voice held immense pride, and the mere tone brought tears to my eyes. I wished to see this woman’s beauty, but my sight was engulfed in the light, like the rest of my body.

“It’s is not your time, Lucinda. Continue to pray to me during the peak of your hardships. Your devotion will reward you with life.”

Another stroke of my head ignited immense happiness to know I’d somehow escaped death and pleased this almighty being.

“Return to the lands of the living, Lucinda, and know I watch over you. There will always be a spot in paradise for you, but that time is eons from now. Protect those you love, until you ascend to the thrones that await your mercy.”

One final stroke and I felt like I was rising swiftly upward. I wished the warm embrace of peace would return to me, but that wish faded away with my consciousness as the world went black.

Don’t go…

“I HAVE TO GO, LUCILU.”

The brush to my cheek tugged me out of the depths of the darkness, and I fought to swim through the murky fog that wished to keep me in shackles. I felt there was something wrong with those words, and it was exactly what pushed me to cut through the surface of exhaustion and snap my eyes open.

I sat up in one swift movement, my eyes scanning the dark room for Thomas, but I realized it was empty. I recognized my room instantly but noticed the obvious medical equipment I was hooked up on.

Glancing down at my body, I took in the very obvious scar, like an X in a scorching red, the appearance looking rather permanent. I couldn’t be distracted by it as I quickly acknowledged the bandages and soreness that rocked through my body.

I was in pajamas, ones of silk that reminded me of home, but the absence of Tommy was still very obvious, and I was determined to find him. I noticed the window was slightly open, and it was night time.

Deciding to try and get up, I struggled to reach over to turn the heart monitoring machine on mute before beginning to take the multiple monitoring stickies off my chest.

I could hear whispered voices at the door, and I froze while my sense of hearing spiked up to catch onto the conversation.

“Professor Mika, we have to go find Thomas! It’ll kill Lucinda to know he’s gone who knows where,” Isaac stated, which made my heart hammer against my chest. “What if that person that attacked Lucinda is after him?!”

“He was able to cut off Isaac’s connection with Luci,” Tobias pointed out. “How was that possible?”

“He felt like an ancient vampire,” Kane acknowledged. “One who’s been on this world far too long. Why would a vampire be after Tommy?”

There was a sigh as Professor Mika got to the point. “Tommy is a triple hybrid. Seraph. Fae. Vampire.”

“What?” Kane gasped. “But he doesn’t drink blood!”

“He’s not required to drink it daily or even monthly. He drinks when his thirst requires him to, which could be up to six months if not a year. He keeps this a secret because of this exact dilemma.”

“Wait. This happened before,” Tobias gasped.

“And you know about it,” Isaac stressed as if she were some sort of culprit.

“I was one of Thomas’s lead trainers for the last two and a half years. I was appointed to him after he was retrieved for his own safety as well as to protect Lucinda during her orphanage times in the church.”

“Wait…you know that, too?” Kane sounded shocked.

“To simply put it, I’m a very close acquaintance to the Delphine and Hill families. I know of both their families’ circumstances and was specifically hired by Headmaster Wei after there was interference during the entrance exam. Tommy was brought in for training when he was being hunted by his father’s old enemies. They wish for him to take the dark throne of forbidden hybrids, which is one of the reasons why they target anyone close to him. They hope to force him to join.”

“Forbidden…what?”

“Long story. Not the time to speak of it. I will explain after your final exam in the presence of Headmaster Wei, but essentially, they can see the dramatic increase in strength in Thomas since becoming Lucinda’s Royal Advisor, and they fear he’ll only grow stronger if they spend more time with one another.”

That rendered the three of them silent.

“We can’t delay any longer. You three must head to the courtyard for the test. Lucinda has plenty of points to excuse herself and Tommy if he plans on returning, but not enough to cover all three of you. I’d rather not use all her points seeing as her recovery may take longer than we like.”

“But…” Tobias trailed off.

“I will seek to find Thomas. Lucinda is safe here. There are guards in front and Klaus and Marigold have opted out of the test to stay behind and watch her once I’ve gotten a hold of Thomas’s potential location,” she revealed. “Lucinda is stable and will recover from the wound. We’ll work on figuring out how to remove the scar.”

“Alright,” Isaac whispered. “She never should have gotten hurt.”

“You’re correct,” Professor Mika admitted. “But ancient beings carry certain abilities that have been lost within our realms. Now that we know what he’s able to do, we’ll have to counter it with something else that can block out such an ability. Until then, Headmaster Wei will lock down on security, especially for your final exam. Now, get going.”

“Thank you, Professor Mika,” Kane thanked, and the others joined in. I heard their footsteps and was about to bolt out of here but the machine signal went off. I moved to shut the damn thing off, allowing only a single beep to go off, but I heard Isaac’s voice.

“Did you hear that?”

“Off to your exam,” Professor Mika stressed. “Tardiness is frowned upon.”

Their shuffling footsteps quickened, and the sound of their steps faded away. I didn’t stand a chance of getting back to a comfortable position on my bed because the door opened just as I sat on my knees and was pulling my hands away from the monitor.

Professor Mika didn’t seem surprised in the slightest as she closed the door and gave me her full attention.

“You could have unplugged it.”

“Oh,” I replied and looked nervously over to the plug that was near my pink plant. I paused in my desire to unplug it - my eyes centering onto the strings of gold that were wrapped around my plant and moved all the way to the open window.

I didn’t think, my body moving on its own accord. The pain was striking, but I forced my legs to cooperate until I was leaning against the windowsill while my eyes followed the golden webs that created a pathway down the back of our mansion and into the forest.

“So, you can see it,” Professor Mika declared, and I realized she was next to the nightstand that had my pink plant. She unplugged the machine and rose to cross her arms over her chest. “A bond with a seraph is one connected by holy strings of gold. It allows the one connected to the seraph the ability to track them if they’ve gone somewhere inaccessible.”

“Inaccessible…” The single word trailed off as my eyes widened. “He’s leaving?”

“I’m uncertain as to where, but if you’re witnessing multiple golden strings, it’s somewhere far away that may not be in this realm.”

“He can’t leave,” I whispered. “It’s not his fault!”

“I’m not arguing with that fact,” she answered but her eyes lowered to my chest and I had to follow and acknowledge the obvious scar there. “However, this is a cycle Thomas has played his whole life, and he’s tired of it. If him living upon these lands will lead to the pain of those he cherishes the most, he might as well return to the lands of his Creator.”

I was speechless as my eyes were as wide as saucers.

“No…” I whispered. “He’s…ascending?”

“If that is his wish,” Professor Mika declared. “Now it’s up to you to stop him, but be warned. You need to go to the Realms of Seraphim, which will bring you to the very gates. If Tommy isn’t there, you’ll have no shot at retrieving him, but if he is, that’s your chance to bring him back. Also know that time runs extremely slow there. Meaning your arrival will trigger that shift, and your return won’t be mere minutes but weeks here.”

She paused as if to ensure I understood the price of my departure, but I remained in my spot, ready for what other advice she had for me.

“I will share the truth with your boyfriends, and you have enough bonus points to cover your absence, as does Thomas, but you cannot skip the exam. Understand?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

She stared at me long and hard before her eyes softened. She approached me until she was right in front of me, her hand reaching out to wipe away the single tear that escaped my eye’s grasp.

“You can reach him in time,” she assured me. “He only left minutes ago. But I must warn you of one thing, and this is something that will make you the biggest target of all if you decide to return with Thomas.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded in encouragement for her to continue.

“Entering the Realms of Seraphim will finalize your bond with Thomas. It’s already a strong bond of golden strings, but like a wolf bond, it will unlock an area within you that will shift a part of your energy into a seraph.”

“Meaning…”

“You will be fae, vampire, shadow wolf, and seraph, Lucinda. You will be the second to ever carry all four of such traits.”

“Second?”

The way she smiled made me crave more information, but I knew there wasn’t any time.

“Survive this task, and I will unveil the secrets you’re searching for,” she encouraged and tapped my shoulder. “Go.”

I slowly nodded and turned around, but paused as I looked slightly over my shoulder.

“You care dearly for Tommy, don’t you?”

That rare smile of hers widened as she had no shame in revealing the truth.

“I was the Royal Advisor for Tommy’s parents long ago. Just like how Arana and Alexander were by your parents’ sides and still are,” she disclosed. “It took me time to mourn the loss of the queen, and I still struggle with the idea that the king is in a coma. However, it will destroy me to think Thomas felt so weak that he chose to ascend rather than fulfill his duty and role as a future heir, but I know between the two of us, you will get through to him.”

“How are you so confident?” I whispered.

She giggled quietly. “Because he loves you, Lucinda, and I know from the look in your eyes that you’ve never stopped loving him. Your heart simply grows and accepts the connected men in your life, and they know that when push comes to shove, you’ll love each of them tremendously without a doubt in your mind. That loyalty in the shadows of love is what those who wish evil don’t want to see strengthen any further, for the danger doesn’t lie in the kingdoms going to war against each other.”

Her eyes grew serious as her voice dipped.

“The ultimate threat is our kingdoms coming together, and that’s exactly why the enemy will do anything to stop you five from fulfilling the destiny of the Bloody Cross.”

Her statement made so much sense, but it was the strings beginning to fade that urged me to leave.

“Thank you, Professor Mika!” I bowed my head in respect.

“Just Mika is fine,” she mumbled. “Make sure you return in proper attire for the ball.”

“Okay!” I turned around and with a deep inhale and exhale, I pushed my vampire senses forward and raced out the window, landed on the ground with a pinch of wind to cushion my fall, and blurred into full speed as I followed the golden threads that twinkled in the moonlight.

My body felt like it was burning from the inside out, but I ignored it all as I ran even faster. Any obstacles of nature moved right out of my way before I could get close, the world around me accommodating my desperate urge to be with Thomas while the full moon was high in the sky.

It felt like the Universe was cheering me on, and I had to ignore the current spikes of pain because I knew without a doubt my heart would shatter if I failed to get Tommy back.

Failed at making him realize how valuable he was to my life.

The golden threads continued to multiply, and as I followed their trail, they grew stronger and brighter until I entered a clearing where Tommy stood right in the center.

His back faced me, and he was seconds from stepping forward into a golden veil that reminded me of two doors opening up into the halls of a cathedral.

I didn’t stop as I ran at full speed until I crashed into him. The two of us fell into the veil and our bodies were lifted upward. A shriek escaped me as I lost my grip on Tommy, and his head lifted up to see me as I was tugged further up while he seemed to be going at a slower pace.

“L-LUCINDA!” he screamed, and I noticed how glassy his eyes were as tears ran down his cheeks. His wings darted from his back and flapped once to spike his speed as he flew as fast as he could to reach me.

All I could do was outstretch my hands as the golden threads that led me to this very spot moved outward until they wrapped around Tommy’s wrist as he reached out for my grasp.

Within seconds, his hands grabbed mine, and with a tug of force against the force that nullified gravity, I was in his arms as his wings wrapped around us.

“Lucinda! Why?! Why…dammit.” He hugged me tightly, so damn tight as he sobbed hard into my shoulder. “You’re…not supposed to be coming with me!”

“You idiot!” I snapped and moved back enough to pound at his chest as tears ran down my flushed cheeks. “Who said you could go, huh?! Why are you leaving me again?! Why do you always run away thinking it’s best for me?! Why are you okay with hurting me?!” I tossed question after question at him as my fists pounded against his chest.

I didn’t have enough strength to possibly hurt him as my body hurt like crazy and I could barely breathe while sobs escaped me. Why didn’t he understand how important he was to me? How important he’d always been to me. Why wasn’t it registering to him?

“LuciLu,” he whispered, and the nickname made me cry harder as I gave up my pounding fit and sobbed long and hard. He cursed under his breath and pulled me against him, our bodies still moving upward to wherever our final destination was.

I didn’t care about where we were headed, but this was my only chance to make him realize that no one would steal me away from being with him, so he’d have to suck it up and stay.

“You’re not leaving me! I don’t care whether I have to become a seraph or have to do something else. You’re mine!” I sobbed. “You have enemies? So do I! So does Tobias, and Kane, and even Isaac! We all have fucking enemies! Our Creator’s enemy was Lucifer, his best friend! Jesus had enemies that crucified him, and Mother Mary’s enemies were those who cheered for her son’s suffering. We all have enemies in our lives, Thomas! Whether it’s those who hate who we are, despise what we’re aiming to achieve, or dislike the fact we’ll one day rule! It doesn’t mean that every time there’s an enemy that threatens to destroy what you love, you run away!”

I pushed back again just so he could see my fierce eyes. I poked into his chest and then pointed to mine, to the very scar that remained.

“When you’re threatened by an enemy, you face them! Whether it’s a hater, an envious friend, or someone who wishes to never see you accomplish your goals in life, you defy them! If you can’t confront them, you ignore that they even exist, and you don’t allow their words and actions to derail you from what you’re meant to do! You are the driver of your life. You determine if you rise or fall. No one can stop you but you, Tommy, and when they try, you fight back. If they try to kill you, then you give everything you possibly can until the very end! Who knows if you’ll survive or die, but no matter the circumstance, they will be left with the crucial weight of their actions!” I exclaimed. “If the devil knew killing Jesus would make him a savior that millions of humans and other holy beings worshiped with God, he would have never encouraged those controlled by his influence to kill him upon the cross! His death brought salvation and hope to many, and his resurrection only further heightened the world’s beliefs! Yes, I got hurt, but does it mean I don’t love you? Does it mean that I’m going to be so frightened that I’ll never want to see you again? NO! Because I won’t be a fucking coward, Thomas Hill! I won’t be a laughing stock for my enemies! I have a purpose, just like you, and Tobias, and Kane, and Isaac, and all those who survive traumatic events. Until the last second of my life clock, I will fight towards reaching the thrones my parents worked hard to proclaim and rule, and you aren’t going to run from that responsibility and let your enemies win! I won’t let you!”

He stared at me with wide eyes and our movement finally stopped as we suddenly fell downward. I shrieked and Tommy held me tightly once more, but the drop was a mere three seconds until we were on the ground.

“It looks like you’ve brought an unexpected visitor, Thomas.”

He lifted me up as he managed to unfold his wings and flap them once to correct our posture. I was resting in his arms, princess style, and my gaze turned to acknowledge the extremely tall man who was enveloped in golden light. I groaned from the mere sight, suddenly feeling like I’d pass right out as my head fell right back.

“Lucinda!” Tommy shook me a little, but it felt like I was half unconscious. It had to be deliberate because the man spoke.

“She’s in a semi-coma. You’re aware outside breeds aren’t allowed to see our natural forms or they’ll die instantly.”

“Thank you, Saint Michael,” Tommy whispered, sounding relieved that I hadn’t perished from the sight.

Wait…did he say “Saint Michael?!”

“I can tell from your thought process that you’re wishing to change your mind about ascension.” He got straight to the point. “Why?”

“I…” Tommy began and he sighed. “I thought by leaving I’d be doing the woman I love a favor, just like the first time around when I returned to the holy lands to be trained by Mika. I…thought…”

“By running away you could protect her from those who wish for you to succumb to their acts of silencing you,” St. Michael answered. “Leaving behind a woman who loves you just like she does her other connected mates.”

“Saint Michael…I can’t protect her,” he whispered. “I was late…and she got hurt. You can see the mark on her chest like I do. The proof that because of my slacking, she got hurt.”

“Your love never asked for your protection, and this would’ve never come to pass if it wasn’t allowed to be a lesson for you to learn, Thomas,” he responded. “Bad things happen to all of us. Life isn’t perfect, just as it’s not on a silver platter. In life, you will face challenges. Some that are directed to you and others that are to those you care about. Your enemy sees the change this woman has made in your life. So are you going to continue to ignore your potential and let them win, or embrace your gifts like your mother did to birth you? Now my question is, will you allow them to win at the loss of the woman you love? Or return and announce your role of royalty amongst those who forget the power you carry?”

Tommy remained silent, but after a few sniffs, he took a deep breath and let it out.

“I wish to prove them wrong,” he whispered. “To let them see the fruit of all my labor. To see that I have companions who wish to be by my side, and to show that I’ll sit upon the throne they wish to keep in their shadowed corner of ridicule.”

With a pause, he took another breath.

“I can’t lose Lucinda, Saint Michael,” he whispered. “She won’t survive the trip back in this state…and our exam.”

“By the time you return, your exam will be ready to begin.”

“Please, Saint Michael,” Tommy pleaded. “Allow me to return with Lucinda unharmed and prepared for the exam. I’ll offer my services in return!”

Saint Michael was quiet for a long moment before a thundering clap coursed through the room. My body felt hot while it began to levitate at the gasping sound from Tommy. My chest in particular burned intensely, as if I were being stabbed all over again, but the heat began to subside and I felt a growth of rejuvenation pulsing through me.

I still couldn’t move or open my eyes, but I didn’t feel like I was on my death bed.

My body began to float back down until I felt Tommy’s arms as he held me once more. His next gasp made Saint Michael chuckle before he declared, “The mark of one who is protected by our Creator has been bestowed upon the woman you’ve declared your love to. This not only projects the alliance and blessings of our kind upon her but solidifies the golden bond between you. She is now one of the rarest hybrids of your kind, and this will only invite more enemies to the table, but if you gain enough connections, you may stand a chance.”

I felt his grip tighten as he responded. “Thank you, Saint Michael. I will fight to not be clouded by my self-doubt ever again.”

“If you ever are in doubt, remember those who surround you and their desire to lift you up when you’re down. Friendships, or what we call alliances, are made so you walk down this path together. Not alone.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Tommy vowed.

“Best you return. The Holy Veil has been moved in your favor, and your clothes will be equipped for your challenge ahead.”

“Thank you, Saint Michael.”

“Please inform Mika that she is greatly missed,” Saint Michael quietly stated.

Tommy chuckled slightly. “I’ll let her know you miss her.”

“That wasn’t what I said.”

“Sure,” Tommy replied. “May our Creator see the mercy you have granted me and my love and bless you seven-fold.”

“Amen,” Saint Michael declared. “Return home, Thomas, Prince and Heir of the Kingdom of Seraphim. May you be protected and continue to walk down your purpose towards ruling.”

“Amen,” Thomas replied, and a golden light engulfed us.

Thank you, LuciLu.

18

THE GRAND BALL OF ROYALTY

“LuciLu?”

My eyes opened at Tommy’s tender voice, and everything that had occurred rushed through me in a flash. Without thinking, I sat right up, only to groan and fall right back. Tommy caught me, of course, and he let out a sigh.

“I feel like you never grasp the warnings I give about not sitting right up when you first wake up,” he quietly complained. “Remember all the times you did that during our training?”

“Nope,” I huffed in defiance while I waited for the spinning to stop. “And you have no right to scold me right now.”

“Why is that?” he questioned as if it wasn’t obvious. With a huff, I sat up again and with a turn of my head, I smashed my lips against his.

His shock was obvious from the way his eyes widened, but I didn’t care as I pressed my lips firmly against his while my eyes were boring into his orbs that held a golden glow to them. He ended up kissing me back, the connection filled with a sense of alleviation as we took this moment to simply appreciate each other’s tender lips.

Breaking the kiss, I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

“I almost lost you again.” My voice trembled like I was about to cry at any moment. I couldn’t control my emotions and was fighting to reel them back in because we were surely going to return to Bloody Rosary and waltz into our final exam like we hadn’t been gone for what I could guess was a few weeks.

“LuciLu,” he whispered in return, and he hugged me tightly while I continued to sit on his lap. “I’m sorry. It was stupid of me to run away. I see that now, and I’m sorry for frightening you.”

“If it wasn’t because we have to do our exam, I’d make you show me you mean it with more than just your words,” I muttered into his shoulder.

He chuckled and stroked my back comfortingly.

“I still owe you a date or two,” he whispered and kissed the side of my neck like he always did. “I promise to do that this summer, but thank you, Lucinda, for following me. Thank you for just being you.”

“I love you. You know that.”

“I know,” he assured me. “I’ve always known…and I’ve been in love with you since the moment my eyes caught sight of you when I first arrived at the church. There you were, singing in the choir on the upper register, looking angelic as ever. I knew from that moment that you were someone I’d wish to keep in my life. I obviously fucked up a bit, but I vow not to run away from my problems. I won’t abandon you again. I swear it.”

He held me for a long time until Isaac’s voice filtered into my mind.

“Lucinda?”

Isaac?! The connection is back.

The wave of relief that rushed through me could knock me out, and I had to give myself some space from Tommy as I shook my head.

You’re going to make me pass out from feeling that relieved, Isaac.

“You’re in so much trouble.”

Awww. Don’t say that.

“Is Isaac talking to you?” Tommy asked.

“Yes,” I replied and couldn’t stop myself from pouting. “He said I’m in trouble.”

“I’m not very surprised by those words,” Tommy admitted with a teasing smirk. “But maybe he’ll punish you in the bedroom.”

“He will not!” I huffed and slapped his chest, noticing the white suit he was wearing. “Wait a minute. You weren’t wearing a suit before.”

He smiled and picked me up as he summoned his wings and flapped them once to lift us right off the ground.

Checking our surroundings real quick proved that we were back at Bloody Rosary and steps from the back of our mansion.

“No way. We’re home.”

Tommy lowered me to the ground, and it took me a moment to realize I was dressed in an extravagant dress of magenta that shifted to gold. It was designed with sequins that reflected in the light with a holographic sheen, with golden shoes to match.

It was a corset-like dress with the top half hugging my body like a glove and the bottom half was loose in layers of fabric, but what caught my attention was the new symbol upon my chest - a cross in the middle of a circle, and the empty sections of the circle carried symbols.

One was a crown that was wrapped in various elements. The second display was of fangs with dripping blood. The third was a black wolf head that howled upward. And the final symbol was of a feather that was beyond detailed with every stroke of lines in the intricate feather.

I knew exactly what each meant, but seeing the new mark that hid the scar completely ignited the waterworks that spilled down my cheeks.

“Wow…” I whispered as I fought not to let the sobs escape me. “This is…beautiful.”

“Beyond that,” Tommy whispered, and he leaned down to kiss the very center of the newly tatted masterpiece. “You earned it for your bravery. Most supernaturals don’t survive a trip to the Realms of Seraph. It’s a place some may call Heaven, while others call it paradise. You may reach the gates, but if you walk through them, you won’t return. Saint Michael gave that to you.”

“No way,” I whispered. My memories were a tad fuzzy, which was reasonable, but I couldn’t help admiring the intricate beauty that no longer reminded me of something negative but would be a display of my bravery and desire to save one of the men I loved.

“Thank you, Saint Michael,” I said with the purest level of gratitude. I hoped he would feel it where he was way up above. “Does that mean-”

“Lucinda!”

We turned to see Kane blurring into view as Isaac and Tobias were running around the massive length of the mansion to get to us.

They were all wearing suits, which told me we were probably minutes from showtime.

I smiled at their relieved expressions as Tommy lowered me to stand. I took a few steady steps before it was a lost cause as Kane crashed into me and picked me up to spin me around.

“I swear to the gods, Luci! You just like tormenting us!” Kane seethed but hugged me tightly. “I missed you, baby.”

I hugged him back while trying to recover from the spinning madness.

“I missed you too, Kane. Sorry for taking so long. I didn’t really think about the weeks away part.” I hoped he wasn’t so thirsty that he wouldn’t be able to concentrate on this exam.

He pulled back to kiss me passionately, and I broke the kiss when I was desperate for air.

“It’s always nice when you’re all confident like that,” I praised while he chuckled and hugged me again. Finally, Isaac and Tobias arrived, the two of them practically shoving Kane away so they could take turns hugging and kissing me.

“Thank Mother Moon you’re back on time,” Isaac whispered as he gave me another deep kiss. “I thought I lost you, Mate.” His words were filled with vulnerability as his lips brushed my own as he spoke. “Do not do something so reckless like that again.”

“Yes, Mate,” I replied as I hugged him.

He let go of me as we noticed the shift in tension in the air, and I looked to see Tobias was staring hard at Tommy. The two of them were having some sort of face-off.

“Tobias,” I whispered, but Isaac held me.

“Let them have a moment, Sweet Mate. Trust me.”

I obeyed and watched as Tobias approached Tommy until he was standing right in his personal space.

“Did your adventure make you realize that you have people who care enough about you to notice when you waltz away?” His question was rather brutal to me, but maybe this was a male-to-male thing.

Tommy slowly nodded, and Tobias let out a huff.

“Don’t ever pull a disappearing act like that shit again. I may dislike your guts, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to see you around,” he seethed. “You’re important, like the rest of us who love Lucinda. You matter, and if you have enemies, we’ll fight them together. Don’t be a coward and run away from your problems, because, at the end of the day, you’ll be gone and always wondering if those enemies got their deserving ends.”

He reached out and lightly punched his chest.

“Instead of wondering, watch their demise happen before your eyes as you conquer each one that dares to pick a fight with us. We’re a unit now. If anyone wants to mess with you, they’re dead, as are anyone associated with them. Understood?”

“Understood,” Tommy whispered, and he took a step back to bow to all of us. “I’m sorry for worrying you all. I’ve learned my lesson and will take this experience as an example of what I shouldn’t do.”

The others seemed to accept the apology without issue, and Tobias nodded once and walked away to whisk me out of Isaac’s hold and smother me into his embrace.

“And you!”

“Oh no,” I muffled into his chest of floral wonderland. “Do not punish me, King Tobias. I’m tired.”

That made Kane chuckle, and Isaac sigh.

“Just kiss her and let’s give her a moment to do her makeup so we can go. We have an exam to get through,” Isaac encouraged.

“I’ll give you a nice quick hairstyle, Luci,” Kane offered.

I finished kissing Tobias and pulled back to give them both a wide smile.

“I appreciate it. How long until the exam?”

“Thirty minutes?” Kane estimated. “Enough time for makeup, hair, and a quick catch-up.”

“We should get there a few minutes early for a good impression. I hear really powerful guests come promptly to make quick connections and ditch,” Isaac revealed.

“Let’s make way then,” Tobias encouraged. “You good, Thomas?”

“Ya. I’m fine,” Tommy assured them. “Let’s get this connections ball over with.”

I looked between the four of them and allowed the smile to blossom across my lips.

It’s time for the Grand Ball…our final exam awaits.

“THAT’S IT?” I stared dumbfoundedly at Mika as she, Arana, and Alexander stood there in their ball attire with proud smiles.

“That’s it,” Mika repeated as she looked beyond pleased by our performance all through the night. The ball was still going on, and students dressed in their finest clothes were attempting to make solid connections with various royal figures.

The exam was honestly far easier than we all realized because we didn’t have to look for the connections at all.

They all rushed to make connections with us, and before we knew it, we’d made various alliances with royals I’d only read about in stories or even fairytales.

A few acquaintances knew of my parents. Some were long-time followers who couldn’t wait for me to take on the throne, while others were hearing of me for the first time. My existence was a mere memory to them until my dominant display of empowerment caught their attention.

Makeup, hair, and a quick set of photos had given us ten minutes to spare to get to the grand ballroom, and our arrival had been as a solid unit.

No smiles, no greetings. Simply business.

It worked like a charm and that was exactly why Professor Mika, Professor Arana, and Professor Alexander asked us to privately follow them to receive our final grades.

“You have passed Year Two of Bloody Rosary Academy.”

I didn’t even want to believe it, and the quietness that followed only proved the others weren’t buying it.

“What about the red rosaries?” I inquired and tugged mine out of the hidden pocket in my dress. Mika smiled further while Ara and Alexander gave off expressions that said I’d hit a key topic.

“The red rosaries will allow you to skip the summer courses that are considered mandatory this year,” she revealed. “They will also allow you each to choose a place outside of Bloody Rosary to visit that will further benefit your growth. There are designated places that are made to aid you in seeking answers to anything you’re curious about. That is, of course, after the two weeks you’ll be privileged to reunite with your families.”

“These places…can we have an example?” Kane inquired.

“Faerie kingdoms, covens that hold some of the strongest and most ancient vampires, any part of the Yemen kingdom or the outskirts, and we’re working on finalizing a spot in the Kingdom of Seraphim which will only be allowed with the presence of a seraph.”

We gawked and looked at Tommy as his eyes further widened.

“Seriously?” He was beyond shocked. “I’d be able to bring them with me?”

“If everything finalizes, which I believe they will thanks to the personal approval of one of the seraph queens Lucinda interacted with earlier.”

“Me?” I was trying to recall the magnitude of confrontations and discussions I had with some Elite Royals, but it was blurry because I was still accepting the fact we’d passed.

“Yes. When the time comes, you’ll understand, but because of your excellent performance tonight, you will enjoy a very eventful summer and gain knowledge that isn’t shared with just anyone.”

My eyes surely lit up with excitement at the idea that we’d get the information we’d been waiting weeks for.

Finally. Some answers.

“Feel free to enjoy the remainder of the night. There are special food arrangements already placed in your mansion to celebrate your victory. Congrats, Lucinda, Tobias, Kane, Isaac, and Thomas. I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other during the summer, but if not, I’ll see you in Year Three.”

“Thank you!” we all declared and bowed. The moment we glanced at one another, we cheered and enjoyed the group hug. This felt beyond amazing, especially with how hard this year’s challenges and tests had been to us physically, emotionally, and mentally.

We’d worked so hard and now we were moving along to Year Three.

“We’ll be heading out,” I announced as they waved and nodded.

“Headmaster Wei will come by to congratulate you all in a bit,” Ara announced.

“So until then, have fun,” Alexander encouraged.

We nodded and said our goodbyes. We hadn’t gotten to interact with Ara and Alexander much this year compared to Year One, but I was sure there was a reason for it that would reveal itself next year or during the summer.

As we walked out of the room with beaming smiles, we began to converse while saying hi to a few peers that had also found out they had passed.

“Let’s go home?” Isaac suggested as we finished a round of wine and food. “A private celebration is in order.

“Definitely,” I encouraged, but the sound of shattered glass drew our attention to the main balcony that faced the front entrance of this grand place.

We turned our heads to the sound, while others fought to ignore it like we’d learned during our challenge. I would have tugged my eyes away if I didn’t catch onto the familiar neon-colored strands that popped with the white dress that was stained with red wine.

“How dare you think you’re one of us?!” Vera snapped. “You’re a wolf! You think our crew is some sort of pack of misfits like your usual group of ‘friends’?”

Charlotte, who stood next to her, laughed. “She literally thinks we’re her friends. Please get your cheap, waste-of-space self out of our sight. We didn’t ask for a wolf slave to follow us around!”

“But…you…you said-”

Vera had enough as she tossed the remainder of her wine in Pearl’s face, and we watched in horror as her shocked eyes began to fill with tears as Vera dramatically sighed.

“You’re an utter fool. Did you believe all those little white lies? You broke your friendship with your best friend who disappeared for weeks, only to waltz in here like she owns the damn place. You’re not one of us. You’re a misfit wolf and we don’t hang with your kind. Now get out of our way. We’re not wasting any more oxygen on you.”

“Scram, mutt. Why don’t you go cry to your ex-boyfriend? He rejected you after he caught you making out with that Royal Advisor, right?” Charlotte revealed

“That! That’s not your business! It was a misunderstanding!” Pearl argued.

“That cost you your wolf mate. Real foolish if you ask me.” Charlotte shrugged. “We don’t care about your business. Get going, slut.”

I could see the heartbreak in Pearl’s eyes, and I could no longer stand there. I tugged myself out of Isaac’s hold and walked over to the ground in haste.

Anger flashed in Pearl’s glassy eyes, and she was in Vera’s face and punching her the next second. Everyone gasped, and I came to a stop while I tried to accept the fact that Pearl had just punched Vera, but my eyes widened as Charlotte moved protectively in front of Vera and shot her arms out.

“Pearl!” I called out to her just as my legs began to work again. I rushed forward – just as Charlotte’s hands shot out a gust of wind so powerful it sent Pearl right off her feet. She flew back into the stone ledge of the balcony, but her body fell further back, and a scream left her when her body went right over the edge.

“PEARL!” I was at the edge and jumping right after her, but golden strings stopped me from dropping further. I hung in place while my hands reached out to try and save my best friend.

Pearl’s scream was loud and clear, catching everyone’s attention below as she fell with flailing arms.

I couldn’t conjure an ounce of magic strong enough to prevent the inevitable, and I watched as Pearl became one with the ground - blood splattering against the concrete as her wide-open eyes stared up at me. Blood continued to spill out of her open head, her body trembling slightly from the impact that broke multiple bones.

No one could say a word, and I felt a part of my heart shatter as my wolf’s eyes opened to see the end of my best friend.

My best friend that I never got to sort things out with.

My best friend that I’d gone through thick and thin with.

My best friend who was used, abused, and betrayed by the girls she thought would make her feel like she was a part of a pack.

My best friend…Pearl…is dead.

Nothing prepared me for this feeling that rushed through me - triggering the howl of my wolf.

Black circles flooded my vision as the sight of red only infuriated me more.

“Lucinda!” It was Isaac who called to me, but he wouldn’t be able to stop this brawling force that was about to make its stunning debut.

Tonight, the world would see my wrath, and it would start with the murderers of my best friend.

Forgive me, Holy Mary, for I’m about to cloak my hands in the blood of my enemies. Let them enjoy the power invested in me until my revenge brings justice to the innocent slain before my eyes.

Amen.

TO BE CONTINUED.

COMING SOON - JUL.30.2021:

(Release date is based on preorders. If you enjoyed this book, please support the series by preordering.)

https://books2read.com/BLOODYROSARYACADEMY3

TURN THE NEXT PAGE TO READ THE FIRST CHAPTER OF:

WOLF AWAKENED.

READ NOW (FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED):

https://books2read.com/WOLFAWAKENED

WOLF AWAKENED BLURB

How do you thrive when you’re an unwanted, invaluable, human female?

Simple: alter your reality by switching teams.

During the day, I’m William De Luca, the only ‘son’ of Roberto De Luca, the king of the NYC mafia and Alpha of the deadliest wolf pack — one this city doesn’t mess with. At night, I’m Willow De Luca, cage fighter champion with a temper problem.

Regardless of which role I’m playing, I’m plagued by the inability to shift, a condition that has Papa Dearest deeming me a ‘fucking mistake.’ All the same, it’s worth enduring my double life if it means staying out of my father’s business and ignoring the growing legacy that’s waiting for me to claim.

Unfortunately, no matter how rich and powerful you are, the universe isn’t going to grant you everything you want. In Father’s case, it was having a son. In mine? Finding a mate. Without an inner wolf of my own, meeting a wolf shifter who’s connected to me is essentially impossible.

It’s a forbidden dream I’d all but given up on. Then my carefully balanced life is disrupted by the arrival of a new pack that intends to make me the target of a power play to take the De Luca territory. However, one glimpse of Dimitris, Neo, Saint, and Jayce is all it takes — I want to make them mine.

I’m willing to bet everything on a dangerous gamble, because maybe being a wealthy boy by day and lethal girl at night is the double-play I need to earn the grand prize.

Them.

PROLOGUE: FORBIDDEN FRUIT

The strike of a blade left me gasping for breath. Rushing pain flooded through me and spread, like a prick of a thorn that carried thick poison and aimed to leave its mark throughout my entire body.

My eyes were wide with shock, while I slowly took in the realization that I’d been struck with a weapon that was invisible to my sight until now.

As I took in the black hilt of the weapon, I absorbed the details of the hand gripping it for dear life - the thick lines of tatted marks that gave away one clue of who this perpetrator was. My lingering gaze was followed with my eyes shutting close as the blade exited my body and ignited the outward flow of the dark red liquid that kept me alive.

I should have submitted, but that was a quality I’d never been one to give in to. Yet again, my body revolted at the idea that this was the end for me as my fist moved swiftly until it punched my opponent in the nose. The crack gave me a sense of satisfaction as I lifted my leg to deliver another blow to his stomach.

The man went flying, a grunt escaping him as he crashed into the ground and skidded further back. As I lowered my leg and widened my stance, I was left a flinching mess as I immediately clenched the wound in my stomach, fighting for breath. It was as though my lungs were suddenly filling with liquid.

My body shook with adrenaline and the response of approaching death, but I ignored it as my fixed gaze settled on the man who fought to rise to his feet.

He looked at me in shock, as if he never expected that a woman as frail-looking as I could survive this long against him. He was a mass of muscle, and he reached a height of 6’0”. He was much larger than me, with my height of 5’5” and my slim frame. But that was always the first mistake of every opponent I’d faced.

The only difference here and now was that we weren’t in the fighting ring.

The man readied himself to strike again, but his nostrils flared as he suddenly took an extra second to sniff the air. His eyes widened like he’d seen a ghost, and he let out a mix of curse words as he looked around, trying to find a way out.

I watched his frantic change of behavior while fighting the urge to fall back in defeat. However, I would never allow myself to do that in front of a man who played dirty. Whoever this person was, he thought killing me would somehow leave a hollow wound in the heart of that fucker I called Father.

The mere thought threatened to make me laugh at the idea of that man even shedding a tear for me. If it wasn’t for my hidden talents and connections, I’d become just like my mom.

A useless waste of space that deserved to be chained and left in the dungeon for one thing only: to make babies.

She wasn’t even good at that, and I was the one miracle baby he got.

If only he could see me now: his frail human daughter fighting against the big, bad wolf who thought he was doing all of NYC a favor.

No matter my insignificance, I knew one thing was for sure. If I perished tonight, all bets would be off and all of NYC would feel the wrath of the De Lucas.

I expected the man to run, but what he did was completely unexpected and left me attempting to run while I mentally cursed myself for not paying attention thanks to my damn imagination.

The loud sound of a gunshot roared through the forest, and my scream left my throat before I could stop it. That high, shrilling sound preceded the shot of pain that forced my body to crumble as I began to fall backward.

I hit the ground with a thump, but my eyes were wide open as they stared up at the starry sky. How could such a sight be so calm and peaceful when it could see me begin to struggle against the fight towards living?

My gasps were quick and breathy, while my eyes fought to stay open as they looked from side to side, as if more enemies were ready to pounce on me at any minute. I heard the rushing footsteps coming towards me, and I braced myself before I gathered my strength to combat the next attack.

I may have been wounded by a blade and a bullet, but put me in a close-combat moment and I’d prevail without question.

As if the very ground had heard my silent declaration, my opponent arrived on the scene, ready to stab me one more time with the blade that still dripped with my blood. My lips somehow managed to curl up in a smile as I lifted my hands up to stop him from his swift attack.

That shocked him as he sucked in a heap of air, but this was my golden moment to show him what a true sport I was being in letting him damage me to this extent. My fists moved quickly - almost blindingly - as I disabled the hand that held the blade and managed to get it into my possession.

The next thing either of us knew, I was stabbing him in the eye. His scream of agony was followed with a grunt as I kicked him with enough force to send him back. I couldn’t roll over, but I quickly shot up and with a twirl of the very blade between my fingers, I sent it flying straight into his other eye.

It hit its mark marvellously, leaving my enemy hollering in pain as he clenched his face around the hilt of the blade. I bet he was debating on whether to pull it out or deal with the agony for the sake of saving time.

He rose up in a rush and quickly pulled out yet another gun. The safety flicked off before he readied himself to pull the trigger. All I could do was brace myself for the round of bullets that would get rid of me but at least I’d die with honor instead of as a woman who was filled with bullets and didn’t lay a bit of damage on her killer.

The last sight he’d see was the sin he committed, the lingering image of my dead body and the crime he’d face consequences for committing.

A shadow suddenly blurred above me, catching my attention for a nanosecond before its gigantic body crashed into the man a few feet away from me. The man’s mangled screams were only the beginning of the torture as the chorus of ripped limbs, crushed bones, and high-pitched echoes led to a gurgle. I was left in more shock than I had been when the blade and bullet injured me.

All it took was ten seconds for the deed to be done and my opponent’s remains to be scattered everywhere. The shadow turned to face me, and the full moon that took the opportunity to reveal itself from the passing cloud shone a ray of light upon the shadowy beast.

I took in the large wolf with white fur, the soft-looking coat cloaked with blood stains and dirt that must have splattered on him from the intense run through this crisp night.

Pink eyes met my blue ones. His eyes were the color of pastel pink that reminded me of balls of cotton candy that were served by those rare vendors during the busy evenings of rush hour.

The longer I stared into those mesmerizing orbs, the more familiar - and dangerous - they became. My brain was working hard against the sluggish pace, and it only took five extra seconds to realize those eyes were of my enemy.

One of my enemies.

I was ready to get up and pick a fight, proud to meet him in the form of my true self and ready to give him a piece of bitchery that he wholeheartedly deserved, but the mere movement suddenly sent me convulsing. My body fell back once more as all I could do was endure the waves of trembling shakes until they came to a pause.

Fuck! This hurts far worse than period cramps!

I fought to sit up once more, and I gasped for air that suddenly seemed to be stuck in my throat. I coughed, and boy did I regret that; it ignited a round of coughs which caused blood to spurt from my mouth and cloak my lips.

My single curse was muffled as I suddenly groaned and gave up on the idea of sitting up. Staring up at the sky was suddenly my way of revolting, but I began to realize that time was beginning to tick, and I’d need to get myself to a doctor as soon as possible.

I could imagine one of Father’s best medics racing over to come aid me with the simplest things, afraid of what would come if he didn’t give his all in every assessment he was forced to give to ensure I was a healthy little shit of a puppy.

Those benefits surely would have been handy now, but I was on the edge of some forest, and there was no way would I survive the journey back when I was bleeding from multiple wounds.

Crushing sounds caught my attention before heavy exhales that weren’t my own drifted to me. If only I could allow myself to be curious; I’d think of the perfect way to piss that jackass off before kicking his balls and showing him who the true ruler of this city was.

Papa Dearest may be the lead of the show, but I was the secret weapon that would fuck shit up for the sake of being the only one on Father’s shit list. Anyone else could either fuck off or be murdered - all so I could have the last laugh when I took everything from that sick bastard of a father and show him that females weren’t weak baby-maker bitches like he always remarked on a day-to-day basis.

Footsteps made my body grow tense, and lo and behold, there stood the man of my angered envy.

Even now, as those pink rings scanned the damage that was laid on my poor flesh, all I could do was glare at him in disgust. The idea of him even trying to help me made me gag and left me begging for any other scenario to deal with.

This fucker who thought he could control me. The one whose smirk taunted me when he had me pressed against the wall with his tight groin grinding against mine while my father continued his meeting in the other room.

There were so many instances where he showed up to fuck up my idea. He was no different from the others who showed up to aid with one of the many drug heists orchestrated by my father. They would do anything to gain his favor. I couldn’t wait to gain a little strength just so I could experience the satisfying moment of punching him in the face.

I’d love to ruin a hint of that handsome perfection, to see the blood rush to his face and leave a dark circle, giving him a raccoon eye that he wholeheartedly deserved. An eye for an eye could technically work, though I hoped I’d be dead by the time he tried to pull out mine.

I’d laugh at the idea if I could, but as I focused on my reality I realized my body struggled to function. I was losing sensation in my fingertips and feet while my body shuddered as a strange chill began to sweep through me.

The man standing there suddenly looked concerned, and it was such a foreign sight that I thought my mind was surely hallucinating all of it. He was on his knees the next second, his arms shaking me and his words fighting to cut through to me, but my hearing was struggling because of how loud my blood was pumping. A ringing sound assaulted my senses.

I finally was able to pick up his words as he suddenly grabbed my left bicep.

“Fuck…” he whispered before those shock-stricken circles peered into mine, which were beginning to grow weaker. “Will! You’re Will, aren’t you?!”

Could I even answer his question? Obviously not, as I suddenly felt like I was slipping through some cracks beneath the ground. It was a slow transition: bits of me were already drifting away while others fought hard to remain and see what this man was shocked about.

Wasn’t it obvious who I was? I was the girl who was always mistaken in the tabloids for being some sort of twin sister doppelganger of the richest heir in NYC.

Anyone - and I mean anyone - would want to be William De Luca. The rich heir of the De Luca Organization, which hid its secret mafia roots behind plenty of businesses. The organization made the idea of giving drug money to the poor appear pure.

I tried to speak, but that only made me cough up more blood. Suddenly I was gasping as dark spots began to claim my vision. The man before me was now wildly shaking me, and it almost pained me to see the fear that gripped those cotton candy spheres.

He knew I was dying. While it wasn’t caused by his own hands, it left him desperate to be the one to claim such ownership of my end rather than allow another to do so.

As I continued to drift, his eyes became wilder, leaving me almost confused as to why.

“You can’t die!” he declared as if it were my choice. I surely didn’t want to enter the pits of Hell when I’d yet to prove my worth, let alone find a mate that would be crazy enough to date the ‘human’ mistake of an Alpha mafia leader father, but sometimes beggars really couldn’t be choosers. When death came knocking on your door, all you had to do was suck it up and skip right into Judgement.

The idea of it all made me wonder if I’d be able to do just that - skip right into the toasty realms of Hell.

My attention returned to the man as he dropped to his knees. He clearly didn’t care about the blood that surely would have pooled all around me by now as his hands pressed against the very wounds that bled away the remaining fragments of my twenty-five years of life.

“Dammit!” he cursed and looked me dead in the eye. “Don’t you dare slip away from me! Did I fucking give you permission?!”

That made me smirk, though it had to be a tiny one that ignited his rage as he pressed even harder. I couldn’t feel the pain anymore, but I was sure that my blood merely slipped through the spaces between his spread fingers and quickened my approaching demise.

How wonderful to get a helping hand.

“You’re not leaving us,” he snarled when his efforts were finally deemed hopeless. However, his words made no sense as he couldn’t stop fate itself.

I was a goner, just like my mom had been as she lay chained in the dungeon of our mansion home for weeks until she finally died. My death was better off. Quick and painless now that my senses were practically gone.

“Awaken.” The man’s whisper left me in wonder before something seemed to beat hard enough for me to feel through the numbness.

What?

The man of my peak of hatred watched me in shock before tiny traces of hope flooded those pink rings that dilated further.

“I knew it,” he whispered as a cynical grin formed on his lips. “Our little wolf is right there at the brink of death.”

He hovered over me suddenly, and I watched as a tattoo that blared with vitality within the dark night formed on his left arm. His eyes began to glow, those pinks spheres suddenly shifting to a dangerous silver with rings of purple around his irises.

His black short strands began to flood with silver, leaving me to shiver internally as the pulsating force pushed harder for release.

He looked into my eyes with so much force that it seemed to unlock the sensations that had been muted by my approaching death. Sensation came surging back through me, making me gasp as my back arched like I’d been revived by a defibrillator.

“Awaken, our forbidden fruit! Let that dazzling beast out of you!” he commanded, and the next pulsing force left me screaming. The pain was back but far worse than before. I was frozen with spasms of crippling agony as my mind experienced multiple emotions.

They flickered through from four different directions, a compass of foreign feelings that begged for my utmost attention. Confusion, uncertainty, and intense lust were only a fraction of the emotions running through me. A burning anger swept in from all four directions.

Only, the combination of rage wasn’t directed at me but rather at the person who did this to me.

When another wave of pulsating force went through me, it triggered something unimaginable. My eyes rolled in the back of my head as my body convulsed once more. I suddenly was consumed by heightened agony as the splintering sound of snapping bones was followed with my vision suddenly shifting entirely.

I almost lost consciousness at the peak of it all, but a combined force held me up from losing the battle I seemed to be enduring with myself.

When my eyes suddenly opened, the vision before me was magnificently clear, even in the darkness that aimed to hide our surroundings. I was on all fours, but everything else was different, from the extraordinary vision to the elevated sense of smell that tickled my nostrils.

Warmth flooded me while the place that surely was my chest seemed to be bathed in extra warmth as the pain lessened with haste.

When the pain seemed to be gone, I looked at my legs to see the white hairs of fur with the tiniest hint of fine pink fibers in the soft coat that reflected against the moon’s rays.

A chuckle of pride and exhaustion drifted onto the passing wind and my attention was on the sole man before me. My height was at his shoulders, seemingly abnormal when he well surpassed 6′0″, but it didn’t matter as I narrowed my eyes at him with the intention of attacking him returning to me.

He lifted his hands up, but that taunting smirk was still present on those sexy lips of his, all while he stood there - naked and hard at the mere sight of me.

“Finally. Our sweet forbidden fruit is ripe and ready for us to pleasantly enjoy.”

A rumble left me that morphed into a low growl, but it only made him chuckle.

“I’m not your enemy, Will. Or should I say, Willow?” he inquired and used my true name, and I lowered in preparation for attacking him if he didn’t lower that sick pride of his.

“Willow, my sweet.” The way his seductive voice said those very words had me tingling from the inside out as my body burned to be beneath him and fucked.

I shook my head wildly at the thought, and that left him chuckling before he was standing before me in one swift movement. I should have bitten him, but his hand was suddenly stroking my cheek and soon I was lowering my head as he knelt down to one knee and pressed his forehead against mine.

“Forbidden Willow, don’t push me away. I may be your enemy during the day, but right here, right now, I’m the next best thing to salvation,” he growled soothingly. “Embrace this, Willow. Dwell in the blissful moment of being Wolf Awakened. Whatever held you back has lost its battle, and now?”

He leaned back just so I’d lift my head and look into his deadly eyes.

“Now we wage war on all who dare defy us.”

The joy of his dangerous motivation somehow sparked new life into me, and all I could do was lift my head and howl. I was now bonded to my pack of enemies. That knowledge left excitement in its wake instead of fright.

Wolf Awakened is what I’ve overcome and it’s time to seek my forbidden pack of lethal fuckers who will lead us to victory.

ABOUT AVERY SONG

Avery Song is a reverse harem author who specializes in paranormal, fantasy, and urban romance.

She especially loves writing strong main characters and is excited for all the books that are approaching.

~Books by Avery Song~

WILLOW’S FORBIDDEN PACK

Wolf Awakened

Wolf Endangered (Apr.9.2021)

CLAIMING MY PACK SERIES

Wolf Tamer (May.14.2021)

THE SUPERNATURAL SPY ACADEMY SERIES:

S.S.S YEAR ONE

S.S.S YEAR TWO

S.S.S YEAR THREE

S.S.S YEAR FOUR

S.S.S YEAR FIVE

S.S.S. YEAR SIX

S.S.S. YEAR SEVEN (Jun.11.21)

SPELL TRAVELER CHRONICLES (COMPLETE)

Witchling Academy- Semester One

Witchling Academy- Semester Two

Witchling Academy- Semester Three

Witchling Academy- Semester Four

Witchling Academy- Semester Five

Witchling Academy- Semester Six

Witchling Academy- Semester Seven

Witchling Academy- Semester Eight

JADE STORM TRACKER SERIES

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester One

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Two

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Three

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Four

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Five (Mar.5.2021)

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Six (May.30.2021)

ACADEMY FOR ALL THINGS SCORCHING

Blazing Academy - Semester One

Blazing Academy - Semester Two

Blazing Academy - Semester Three

Blazing Academy - Semester Four (Jun.4.21)

COWRITTEN WORKS:

SUPERNATURAL CAPTIVITY SERIES

Supernatural Inmate

Supernatural Outlaw

Supernatural Villain

Supernatural Savior (May.14.2021)

SUPERNATURAL MARKED MONARCHY

Psychic Prison - Book One

DESTINED IMRISONEN TRILOGY

Arrested By Magic

FOR THE FAEIRY ABSOLUTES

Celestial Prison

ROYAL CONFINEMENT FOR MALICIENT SUPERNATURALS

Shattered Princess

FOR THE PURELY DIVINE SERIES

Fae Rose Academy - Year One

Fae Rose Academy - Year Two

Fae Rose Academy - Year Three (May.26.2021)

WILLA SILVER ACADEMY INVESTIGATOR

Daggers and Smoke - Year One

THE SUPERNATURAL VAMPIRE FAE CHRONICLES

Bloody Rosary Academy - Year One

Bloody Rosary Academy - Year Two

Bloody Rosary Academy - Year Three (Jul.30.2021)