Thank you for waiting! ❤❤❤
ALTHEA.I was running while letting my spirits out in the wild, chanting spells and incantations for them to find Blade and protect him. It felt like forever before I heard a loud growl and Rage’s paws thudding the earth. From the sound of it, they were heading my way. A victorious grin curled on my lips when, in the dark far ahead, a big form emerged until my eyes identified the mist covering the figure. In a place full of dark witches, I knew the white mist was mine, and it was my mate that it was protecting. “Blade!” I ran my fastest as I headed in his direction while keeping my guard up. I could see forces and energy being thrown at Rage. His body would jolt, but he never stopped running, and what amazed me was that no matter how many were thrown his way, they were not able to knock him off. A low growl came out of his throat, and with the way he was shaking his fur, it looked like he wanted to shift back to his human. “No! No! I need you to stay in that form!” I yelled, and
ALTHEA. I did it. This was one of the spells I saw handwritten in the Dark Witches book that I took with me. I had no idea where Mom got this, but it must be where she learned how to erase my memories and my dark witch’s mark. As soon as I realized this was the spell I wanted to use, I started practicing using things before I moved on with plants, sucking the life out of them and gathering their energy in one place. Patrea was so patient with me as I learned this spell. But we both knew there was no guarantee it would work. My eyes roamed around the clearing. There were some that were dead, but I assumed they were killed by them. And those who were still alive were crawling and trying to draw energy from each other. But all of them were too weak without their spirits around them. I felt tired, too, but for some reason, I was still able to stand. I was already expecting I would be one of the first to collapse, and Patrea needed to continue for me, but here I was, still able t
ALTHEA. This was now or never. “Blade…” I turned my head to look at him. “Do you trust me?” I saw worry cross his face as he came to me and cupped my cheeks. “Do what you need to do. If this will remove you from danger in the long run, I am with you every step of the way.” “Stay with me. I don’t know if I have enough energy to complete the spell.” We looked into each other’s eyes before a weak smile tugged on his mouth. “I don’t have anything to offer you but my presence.” “It’s more than enough, Blade. It’s from you that I’m drawing energy from.” I mumbled, and he pulled my face closer to his and pressed a soft kiss on my mouth before he let me go. I walked forward with Blade behind me. I stood in the heart of the clearing and tilted my head up to look at the sky. It was the break of dawn. The clouds moved until they fully covered the area where the sun was already showing signs of rising, casting a dark shadow all around us. I whispered softly, and the candles that I
ALTHEA. “Are you upset?” I asked Blade while I was trying to control my heartbeat. I was seated in his office chair while he was standing, looking out the window. After the event at the Parturi Coven had calmed down, I requested to be sent back to our territory as I needed time to speak with Blade. Patrea wanted to hear all that happened, but I told her there were things I had to tell Blade, including about our child. But I would summon them once I was ready to speak with everyone, as I knew they also needed to know about my deal with Alastor. Blade remained quiet, and I was worried he might think I was so stupid for accepting a bargain from a demon — that I should know better. “Say something, please…” “I’m trying to wrap my head around the things you told me. I’m thinking of how we can go on without him affecting us…” I swallowed. He was already looking for a solution. Would that mean he was not angry with me? “Are you not upset I made a deal with him, and it’s your pack I pu
BLADE.I listened as Althea explained to the demon royals everything that happened — from the time she entered the Parturi Coven to the appearance of Alastor, to the ritual where they attempted to take her as part of the coven, until the part where she made the deal with Alastor.At that point, hisses resonated loudly around my office. Lucius’ eyes blazed red, but before he could open his mouth to speak, I raised my hand, pointing a finger at him, and I spoke faster to get his attention. “Lucius,” I began, and his head tilted to look at me. I was seated on a couch, with Althea beside me. My arm was around her body, holding her to my side. “Before you say anything, I want you to know that I am grateful for all the help that you’ve given us. But if you say one thing that would ridicule Althea for her decision, I will throw you out of my territory.”“I thought we all knew better not to make irresponsible deals with a demon?” He snapped at me.“You were not there. You didn’t see what my
KING LUCIUS. I sat on my throne and stared blankly ahead of me. Blade summoned me moments ago, when Althea had fallen asleep. He needed help, and as much as he irritated me most of the time, I didn’t turn my back on him. I could never do that to a family. I listened to his fears, and although his fears were feeding my soul, I didn’t get any satisfaction from them. I knew his fears were valid, and if anything happened to Althea, it would hurt my queen. Blade asked me if it would hurt me to return Athwart to Alastor. I told him it wouldn’t, but it would make me a weak demon if I gave it up as part of a deal. And he shouldn’t forget that demons are demons. Even if I gave up the Kingdom of Athwart, there was no guarantee Alastor would stop with his conquest for revenge. Demons never forgive. So here I was, thinking of ways to protect Althea the moment their child was already out of her body. I knew Alastor was my enemy, but it seemed he had shifted his goal and wanted Althea. Mayb
BLADE. A euphoric groan escaped from my throat as my hold on the female’s hips in front of me tightened. I was lying on my back while she was sitting on top of me, straddling my front with her hands on my chest, sending explosive sparks all over my body and drowning me in pleasure I had not experienced in a very long time. This was pure bliss. A smug smirk tugged on my mouth before I squinted my eyes, trying to have a clearer view of her because I couldn’t see her face at all. Her long, dark plum hair was cascading over her, shadowing her face. But I was sure I had never encountered her before, yet she felt familiar. But not knowing who she was was the least of my worries. I was more concerned about what we were doing. I couldn’t remember the last time I had a female in my arms, especially like this. I knew I shouldn’t have anyone, yet I didn’t want to end this. “Fuck!” I growled as my hips bucked faster, hitting her hard as she bounced on top of me. I let my hand move, my fing
ALTHEA. I had become accustomed to living alone after my mother died two years ago. I had no idea about the cause of her death. I just found her not breathing in the middle of the forest of the red mountain after two days of non-stop searching for her. My mother would never abandon me for more than 24 hours without notice. This time, she told me she would gather herbs at the mountain’s east end, but she would return before nightfall. The night came, and the morning followed, but she was nowhere home. I waited until lunchtime, and when she didn’t appear, I prepared to go after her. The forest was full of creatures beyond what a human mind could comprehend. Shifters were everywhere. The bears and the wolves were the most commonly encountered, according to Mom. But as much as they were dangerous and everywhere, I was lucky to have never met one. And I hoped that I would find my mother before I crossed paths with any shifters or any other species, not from the human realm. I was n