Serana POV.
FLASHBACK! THREE DAYS BEFORE!
The night of the hunter’s moon, all the women who turned 21 that year are led to the labyrinth to willingly participate in the annual hunt.
I say willingly, as it’s anything but willing, as we are all slaves.
Humanity was destroyed sixteen years ago when the Lycans attacked our world. The king was a human and was kind to everyone, shifters included. So the reason for their attack is not known. Some think it’s because of jealousy, others think it’s greed, but whatever the reason is, it’s not good enough to destroy us.
“Move it scum.” I’m hit from the side by a Lycan guard who snarls at us. We are all chained together like cattle. Metal collars and shackles around our wrists and ankles.
I was brought here when I was five years old. I watched my mother being slaughtered in front of me at the hands of these monsters. She said something before she died, but I can’t remember what it was. All I know is that it was important and caused the shifters to fall into panic. Over the years, the Lycans, and other shifters forgot who I was, and no doubt thought I died years ago.
But either way, I will die tonight. The things I’ve seen and heard are enough to make sure I don’t survive this slaughter. Death is all I wish for and tonight I will be granted that wish. No more Lycans and other shifters trying to touch me, beat me, or force me to watch as they rape and torture my fellow sisters.
We all stop in front of the vine gates of the labyrinth as shifters of all species all cheer and scream for the impending slaughter. I look up at the full moon and close my eyes.
“Dad, Mom, I will see you both soon even though I can’t remember much about you, I will find you in the afterlife.” I say when I’m kicked from behind and I fall to my knees as the Lycans remove the chains and our shackles. I rub my wrists and neck as the weightless feeling is strange.
“You will all be given fifteen minutes to run and get your weapons, then the hunt will begin.” Women whimper and cry, praying to their god while I look straight ahead. I won’t fight.
The crowd grows louder as vibrations through the earth flow through me. The siren sounds as the earth splits and an explosion is heard not far away. I turn my head to the volcano and see it erupting.
“RUN!” Shifters and humans scream and take off running as rocks and lava balls fly towards us.
Another explosion happens and an almighty roar follows. I skid to a stop. My eyes widen as I watch a winged beast crawl out of the crevice that is flowing with lava.
Dragon! It shouldn’t exist?!
I turn and take off, running past shifters and other humans. Chaos, it is a damn free for all. I run towards the forest when I’m grabbed by my hair and thrown to the ground as a Lycan male, a guard, stalks me with a smirk on his face as he licks his lips, lust in his gaze.
“You’re mine now, princess!” he advances as I crawl backwards, but he is suddenly ripped away through the smoke. I don’t know why the heat kills him instead of me. Lycans are supposed to have thicker skin than humans.
But there’s no time to think. I scramble to my knees and up, pushing faster to run. Roars and howls echo around the dark forest. I can’t see anything, only fire behind and in front of me. Thick plumes of smoke assault my senses.
I’m trapped.
I turn looking for an escape when I bump into a man when I push on and run again. Landing on my ass, I scream out as he stalks closer. His bare chest is broad and muscular, with tribal tattoos on his chest and down his arms. He has a devilish smirk on his face. His green eyes glowed at me.
He is beautiful. But the flicker of flames surrounding us makes him dangerous.
“What the fuck?” something screams in me and I stand and run in the opposite direction towards the labyrinth. The heat of the fire and lava don’t hurt me.
“STOP!” he commands and I find myself stopping at his words uncontrollably. The volcano spews more as I pant, looking up at this monster.
“Do you want to die?” He walks in front of me like a predator, towering over me.
I nod my head yes, straightening my spine.
“Well.” Not expecting my answer, he is visibly gagged for an instant, but he soon plays it off. “Such a pity, though. You are a beautiful little thing.” He takes a few steps back and inhales the air before he blows his fire at me.
I throw my head back as the fire flows over me, engulfing me. I close my eyes as I hear something screech inside of me. I open my eyes and look down. My skin is glowing red and gold. The rags were completely gone. The fire dies down and I stand in front of him, naked. He looks at me, dumbfounded.
“How? Fucking Lycan whore.” he curses as he looks at the floor, searching for an answer.
Well, I’m not a Lycan, nor a whore.
He turns his attention elsewhere as a Lycan woman runs past us. He inhales again and blows his fire towards her. I scream as I watch her burn to nothing but ash.
“Interesting. My fire didn’t kill you. How?”
I shake my head as I sob. I don’t know either. I look at the pile of ash as it blows in the wind and my knees buckle as I sink to the floor.
“Answer me!” He snaps.
“I don’t know, please. I don’t know.” I sob when he grips my face, forcing me to look at him.
“I will give you a choice. You will die as the dog you are or you will come with me and do as I say. Don’t you want answers too?”
I look at him. I was more than willing to die, but now? He is right. I want answers too.
“What will it be, mutt?” he smirks at me, pulling me up and putting his nose to my skin and inhaling.
“I’m not a mutt.” I say, glaring at him. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the lava crawling towards us. A dragon can only withstand this kind of heat.
“Yes, you are. A Lycan bitch for me to play with and destroy. I can smell it on you.” He laughs as he releases me and I crash to the floor.
“I will get my revenge.” He says as he shifts into his gigantic black dragon with silver edging to each scale.
My eyes widen when his talons snatch me up in his paw. He flies higher, talons closing around me but not pinching me as I’m encased within them.
“God help me.” I whimper to see the destruction below. The fire’s glow below me with smoke wafting into the air. I hyperventilate as darkness makes its way into my vision.
My new hell awaits me. I should have let him kill me.
Serana POV.“You’re getting better at handling me, whore.” The monster says as he tightens his grip, grinding my hips faster and harder over his length. I ignore him, the pompous asshat. I don’t actually care, I just want this over with, so I have learnt to fake it like the best of them. Switching off my emotions is what I have learnt to do since they captured me when I was five.“I’m gunna come. Mmm, yeah.” I say high pitched, biting my bottom lip and squeezing my walls around him. His green snake-like eyes roll into the back of head when he moves, flipping us so I am now under him. With my legs moved to his shoulders, he pounds into me, ruthlessly. He leans forward to kiss me and my breath catches in my throat. He said there would be no kissing on the mouth, so what the fuck is he trying to do?Before he can, I lick and kiss his chest as I graze my teeth over his nipple, and he shudders. His movements become sloppy and I know he is close, so I moan louder as I squeeze him harder.
Serana POV.“I thought you were dead? How?” I pull away from her and check her over to make sure she is fine. Pascha and I grew up together in the camp. She is like my sister. We were both meant to enter the labyrinth together, but then Vilkas came and everything was in chaos.“Same, I thought you were. How long have you been here? Why haven’t I seen you before now?” she asks, searching my eyes, and I sniffle as I shake my head.“The dragon king took me personally. I have been here since that night. He thinks I’m a Lycan.” I tell her and her eyes grow impossibly wide at my words.“That can’t be possible. Vilkas killed all the Lycans that were there that day. The Vampires, fae, and werewolves were given the option to either serve him or be slaughtered. They chose the former. They are all under strict rules that the humans aren’t to be touched, otherwise he will destroy their species.” I stagger back at her words. What?“Have you told him you aren’t a Lycan?” She sighs as she hugs me.
Serana POV.Well, my plan to stay in the library so I didn’t need to warm his bed failed spectacularly. Can’t blame a girl for trying. It took him three days to figure it out and now he makes sure he gets his fill of me before I run to my sanctuary.It has been a month since he gave me this assignment, and I have found nothing of use. The humans that work here were in fact in the camps and Vilkas set them free. Most Guards keep their distance from us, well me at least. They still think I’m a Lycan. Like can’t they tell I’m not by my scent?The only exception being the werewolf guard who said he knew who I was and had also been getting closer to me. I found out his name is Wesley and he was an Alpha once before the Lycans took over. Wesley hasn’t told me anymore about who I am and that sucks. Either way, I can say I have made a few friends in the palace, which is helpful. The other day I had a nasty encounter with one of the dark fae guards after Vilkas left the library.The scumbag
Vilkas POV.Man, it’s good to be alive again. Being dead for over 100 years wasn’t what I planned, but then again, I wasn’t planning for the love of my life, a Lycan bitch called Starci to betray me.Stupid cunt thought that by taking my heart scale, she could save her fated mate. Ha, little did she know that my heart scale can only belong to my fated mate. Well, I guess I will never know now. Considering all shifters were cursed.The Lycan bitch thought she could get away with it. Yes, I died, or so everyone thought. I only wish I could have been here to save Queen Marcia and King Ronan. The last phoenix and her human king, her mate. I have failed her and the humans.It was my duty to protect the humans and humanity from the evils in the world, but I failed. Marcia warned me about Starci, but like a lovesick fool, I ignored her council and look where that got me. Heartbroken, betrayed, and killed.Dragons are guardians, but I failed. But I vowed the day I crawled out of that volcano
Serana POV.Vilkas stops and I close my eyes, waiting for what will come next, but nothing. I try to look around but can’t because he has pinned me down and I can’t turn my head as I am laying with my cheek pressed to the desk.“You lie. She isn’t human. I would know if she was.” It’s becoming difficult to breathe as my heart races in my chest when I hear a gasp from somewhere in the room.“Serana, Majesty, what are you doing?” Pascha, I try to wiggle to free myself before he turns his anger towards her.“Stay out of this Pascha, please.” I say as my more tears leave my eyes.“No, Serana. Majesty Serana is human. I have known her since I was a child. We were both in the same camp. We grew up together. She is like my sister. Please Majesty, believe me. She is a human.” She pleads for me when he loosens his grip and I take a breath when his weight is gone from me. I slide to the ground with a thud.Hands grab me as I gulp in more air as I shake uncontrollably. He nearly raped me all bec
Serana POV.It has now been two weeks since Vilkas left the palace, and it has been nice. Even though my heart is in pain with each day that he isn’t here but I know that is because of the dragon scale.Everyone seems at ease, and the atmosphere in the palace is calm. We all do our jobs as usual, so it’s like nothing much has changed. The dark fae have tried to take advantage of the situation, but they were made examples of when they were killed by the wolves and vampires. I was worried that when his Majesty decides to return that he would punish them, but Wesley said he ordered us all to respect the humans. I had to scoff at that because I was not shown respect before he left. Especially by him.My secret is still safe and I know the three who know of my existence will never betray me. However, only Wesley knows I have the dragon scale. I know I can trust him with my life and he has had my back.Lara and Pascha have been seeing what else I am immune to, and it turns out I am immune t
TRIGGER WARNING, PLEASE AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION!Serana POV.I turn and run from the room, down the long hallway to the door. My chest heaving and my vision blurry. The walls slowly close in around me and I feel sick.Running through the door, I keep running until I’m outside in the garden. Holding a hand over my mouth and a hand to my chest, I drop to my knees and cry. A cry of pain and devastation.I did this. It is all my fault. The death of my parent’s, the fall of humanity, everything it is all my fault. With those thoughts, I cry harder.“I’m sorry, little one.” I choke on the words of my phoenix.“Did you know?” I mumble to her as my emotions flow like a river, the same as my tears.“Yes, but I wasn’t allowed to tell you. You had to find out about this yourself. Don’t blame yourself because of the gift that was given to you.” I lift my head and look to the heavens.“A gift? A gift can be returned. This is a fucking curse. Millions died because of this. There has to be a way to g
Serana POV.Waking it is still dark, I use my phoenix eyes to see around the darkness of the room. Turning my gaze to Vilkas as he tightens his hold on me, I scoff internally at him as I remove his heavy arm from him and slip from under the quilt. How did I end up in his bed?Walking towards where my discarded clothes are, I put them on. I tiptoe to the door and I can taste freedom.“Where are you going?” Fuckity fuck, fuck, shit balls.“I have work to do, Your Majesty.” I bow my head at him when I hear him move from the bed and he stands in front of me in all his naked glory and I gulp.“Come back to bed. You can have a day off.” I roll my eyes. Why is he being nice to me? I think I preferred when he was a cunt, at least then I knew what I was dealing with.“Play nice. He saved us last night.” Bedelia reminds me.“Unfortunately, I can’t take a take off. I have chores to do. Please, Your Majesty, I don’t want to upset any of the staff.” I say, but that’s not true. If anything, since h