The Need To Find
Xanth sat uneasily on the chair in Lillian’s small but warm house and opposite him sat Syrana, Kye could not sit and Iris busied herself by the window keeping a keen eye on the rest of the Khiones who had positioned themselves outside to guard the place. Xanth had one elbow propped on the table and his head resting in his palm, his head felt light and his thoughts swam in his head making the feeling even worse, what he had just been told today felt more than a bomb shell.
He sighed heavily.
Kye leaned on the kitchen counter with his arms crossed and a tight frown on his face, he wished he could unhear what he had heard, he wished desperately that it was not true but he trusted Syrana so much that he could not doubt her, it has to be true.
It was true.
“You’ve known this for how long now?” Kye asked her to which she sighed and looked up to Xanth.
“Not long, I only suspected a while but it’s true, I could not deny it.”
“My mother,” Xanth choked as he spoke and lifted his head up to face Syrana. “…is Naphtalia and she is also your sister, right?”
Syrana nodded her head. Xanth continued.
“And Lyra is your daughter as well.” He said to which Syrana nodded again, this time Iris turned towards them, finally understanding what Xanth was driving at. She frowned.
“And that would make Lyra and I…what?”
At this point Kye pushed himself from off the kitchen counter and came close to the table where they sat. The realization hit him before Syrana answered.
“That would make you both cousins.”
Xanth sighed heavily and dropped his head again, he closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, he could feel his heart beating in his head loudly and he knew that a headache was bound to come sooner or later. He could hear Kye’s voice, violently opposing what was clearly true and for so many reasons he just did not want to believe that it was the truth.
He sighed again, Khiones and Axeris are enemies, well Axeris are Khiones’ enemies, Axeris could never afford to make Khione their enemy, they needed them. But the two races didn’t see eye to eye and for reasonable reasons too; Axeris were the hunters and Khiones were seen as preys and he being Xanth, half Khione and half Axeris sometimes would just refuse to side with any one but on matters like this, he knew he had to take a stand.
On whose side was he going to be on?
The sacrifice was needed. The sacrifice was essential. The sacrifice was for the…
His eyes snapped open and he shot his head up, his body followed suit as the back of his knees forced the chair he had been sitting on to topple over loudly.
“The sacrifice…” He began
“...can not happen!” Syrana cut him off, she shot up to her feet as well, anger in her eyes.
“It will.” Xanth said and then shook his head slightly as he caught his words. “I mean, it shouldn’t, but Lyra, she’s gone with Ryder and neither of them know what we know now.”
Syrana sucked in a sharp breath. “Where is Lyra? Where are they headed?”
“Fang peek.” This time Iris replied her.
“We have to hurry.” Syrana said hastily and turned away from the table towards the door, grabbing a hold of Kye’s arm as she made for the exit.
“Wait! Syrana!” Xanth yelled as he went after her. He caught her arm just before she could reach for the door.
“Let go of me, Xanth!” She struggled. “How far have they gone? I need my daughter! Alive and with me!”
“Let go!” Kye yelled at him and struck him hard in the chest. Xanth groaned and stumbled backwards, clutching at his chest in pain. “You are supposed to protect her and not try to stop us! There should not be a trace of Khione blood coursing through your body! You’re a disgrace!”
“Watch what you say to him.” Iris warned, her voice though calm carried enough venom in them to tell Kye that she would not hesitate to attack him. Kye narrowed his eyes at her and grunted.
“The sacrifice doesn’t have to happen.” Xanth struggled to say, the unexpected blow from Kye to his chest had knocked the air out of his lungs.
“And it won’t! as long as I can help it.” Syrana sniffed and turned around to face Xanth, then with a lowered voice, added. “Even if the whole world has to burn.”
“The sacrifice will happen.” Xanth said. He completely ignored the death stare that Kye bore into him and chose to focus on Syrana’s bewildered and very angry expression. And then he managed a smile. “But she doesn’t have to die.”
Syrana sniffed back a tear. “Are you hearing yourself speak, Xanth?”
“The sacrifice,” He continued and reached out to hold her hand, making her face him fully. “…is of Khione blood, not of a Khione’s life. Lyra is not going to die.”
“You can say that.” Syrana replied to him and snatched her hands away from his. “But what about Ryder? Isn’t he the one with her now? Going to Fang Peek?”
“Ryder is…” Xanth started but stopped when he realized. He and Iris both know that the sacrifice doesn’t have to happen anymore, but Ryder doesn’t. He hissed slowly and closed his eyes, balling his hands into fists. “…he does not know.”
“What is the quickest route to Fang Peek?” Kye asked.
“Through the forest.” Iris replied. “But the witch…”
“Is trying to stop the sacrifice from happening, surely she would not keep us trapped in the forest.” Xanth cut in. He was positive that the witch would not delay them.
“Then…” Iris gasped. “…what if she has Ryder trapped?”
“All the better for us.” Kye replied to which Iris shot him an icy cold stare. Kye smirked.
“Through the forest and then where next?” Syrana asked desperately.
“There is only one kingdom beyond that forest and that is not a kingdom that accepts visitors or trespassers.” Kye said. “I would know.”
“There is the Zagaroth mountain between the forest and the kingdom of Erstonia.” Iris continued.
“They would be safe after exiting the forest.” Xanth waved a hand in the air. “As long as they don’t end up in Denzor.”
There was a moment of silence where no one said a word. Iris thought of Ryder and him only, the girl’s life was only as important as the role she was needed to play and that was it. Xanth thought of them both, but mostly about Lyra. To think that she was related to him, his cousin and he had no idea, not even an inkling.
The girl had been placed in a kingdom that has not associations with Khiones for her own safety, to keep her away from the Axeris, and somehow still, she had ended up right in the center of all this drama.
Syrana thought of her daughter. Only her daughter. She had suffered herself to be away from her, hoping that it would be enough to hide her identity and keep her safe and away from falling into this exact situation. Maybe she was not good enough of a mother. Maybe she had not been good enough of a mother but now she would be, come hail or high water, she would rescue her daughter from falling victim to this Osyron sacrifice.
She had lost her sister, she was not prepared to loose another family member again. Most especially, not her daughter.
excerpt from my ongoing novel - Ryder, Lord of Astaroth.
available to read on Goodnovel, Nova, Wattpad, Dreame, Webnovel.
The Red Trail
The red drops of blood on the white snow led Ryder further into the forest, he walked fast and brisk, without seeming to be cautious of his environment, he needed to find Lyra fast, and the witch goddess as well. The shadows he had sent out earlier gave him feedback telepathically, it was not much of an information because they could not seem to locate Lyra, it was like she had vanished completely but he could still feel her faintly.
He walked on, deeper into the forest where the snow could hardly reach because of the very dense treetops. It was even more chilly in here than out in the snow and a part of Ryder worried about Lyra, he had seen her cloak by the entrance of the forest, all messy and bloody. He knew what she had been wearing underneath could only do so much to keep her protected from the cold.
He really had to find her fast.
As he walked deeper into the forest, he called back the shadows he had sent out after Lyra earlier and from wherever they had gone, they were sucked back into his body, forming a smoky mist that burned around him like black fire. His eyes had darkened until it was just two burning black balls sitting in his eye sockets.
She was too far and too long gone for him to try catching a whiff of her scent, so he listened for her heartbeat instead. He stopped walking and stood still with his eyes closed, he took in deep silent breaths, shutting out the sounds of the forest and listening for a heartbeat he could recognize as hers. The sound came to him like distant calls of a war drum being played, accelerated and troubled. Scared. Fearful. And she called out to him.
“Ryder…”
His eyes shot open and a force of energy shot out of him, sending a low vibrating shock wave out of his body. He ran now, like he had a destination and a direction, around the choked up trees, over the protruding roots, and under the low branches, he breezed past as fast as a bullet, faster than a normal human, and with every distance he covered, the sound of her heartbeat increased.
It pumped in his ears until it ran in sync with his. She was terrified. He could feel the chills that crept around her skin and he knew that she was not in charge of her body. He growled and ran even faster, sending another shock wave out of his body, he expelled his shadows now, they knew where she was and where they should be heading. He felt her heartbeat slow down to a steady and he slowed down too. She was close now, he could not see her but he could sense her.
He could sense them both.
“Indie!” He called after coming to a stop at a small clearing in the heart of the forest.
“I knew you would come out here for her…” She chuckled as she stepped out from behind the trees. She smiled at him sinisterly and seductively.
He frowned. The woman in front of him was Indie herself and there was no sign of Lyra. “Where is she, you whore of a witch?”
“Such aggression, Ryder.” She faked a shocked expression, placing a hand on her chest and gasping. She strolled over to where he was, dancing in her steps as she got closer.
Ryder snapped and his hand shot forward, seizing the witch by her neck. He pulled her closer to himself and applied force on his grip. “Where the hell is she!?”
She chuckled and placed both her hands on his arm, wrapping her fingers around his wrist. “I would not do that if I were you.” She spoke calmly like his chokehold didn’t have any effect on her. “Remember what happened the last time you tried?”
Ryder narrowed his eyes at her and gave a low growl. Indie smiled.
“She might be somewhere choking and unable to breathe, the longer and tighter your hands wrap around my neck, the closer she gets to dying of suffocation.”
Ryder hissed and pushed her down to the ground. She went down and faded into a fine white smoke, swimming away from him and back towards the trees where she snaked around them, climbing up and around, all the while laughing sinisterly.
He tried to calm down so he could pick up the sound of Lyra’s beating heart but all he could hear was the beating heart of Indie who was frustrating him to the edge. The fact that she had tied herself to Lyra irked him, and the fact that he could not hurt her for fear of harming Lyra indirectly added to his frustration.
“What do you want? And why do you keep doing this?”
She circled around a tree in her smoke form and settled down to the ground, the white smoke swirled around in a spot, slowly rising and taking form until she stepped out from within it. This time she did not step out in her body, but in the body of Lyra. She had a huge gash on her upper arm, right on her shoulder that didn’t bleed but it was not healed either.
“What have you done to her?!” His voice thundered and his eyes darkened, they burned in anger and pure rage. More rage because he knew he could not attack the witch without the risk of harming Lyra, he needed to get this Osyron year over with quickly because it seemed that Lyra was fast becoming his weakness and that was only because of her importance. She was needed and she was necessary and right now, she was indispensable.
“This?” She asked, rubbing a finger over the huge gash on her shoulder. “Oh this was not my doing, this was the hand work of your pet. Iris.” She cat-walked closer to Ryder knowing that he could not try to harm her now. “She is a rather feisty one, that woman. What do you see in her?” She cuddled up to Ryder’s chest and took in a sniff of him. “What do you like about her? Because you know, and I know that you do not love her.” She paused and looked up at him, locking her eyes with his. “Have you ever felt love, Ryder of Astaroth?”
Ryder looked down at Lyra. Knowing that Indie was in her body and controlling her movements disgusted him, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her away from his body.
She screamed in pain and threw her head back. Ryder frowned and narrowed his eyes at her, she winced in pain and he looked down at her shoulder where he had gripped, the blood flowed out of the wound now, in between his fingers and down her arm. She slumped forward and her head fell into his chest, her hands went forward and gripped his cloth on either side of his torso and she whimpered in pain.
“Lyra?” He called, looking down at her. She sniffed once and her body went limp, falling into his arms. He was quick to catch her, her body was icy cold, and he had to get her warm fast or she could be at risk of getting frostbite.
He set her on the ground and quickly took off the thick cloak he had on, he placed that over her body and turned her so that she was completely wrapped up in it, then he picked her up in his arms and turned to leave the forest but he paused. The trees started to move, they lifted off the ground, moving on their own accord as they ran on their roots, scattering around and about wildly and with such speed, until they slowly settled, each tree in a new position.
“Fuck!” He cursed under his breath.
“Leaving so soon?” Indie purred slowly, stepping out from behind a tree in front of him. The smile she had on her face infuriated him and he wanted nothing more right now than to shred her into tiny bits. He looked down at Lyra in his arms and she shivered, still unconscious. He wished that he had come with Xanth so he could stay with Lyra while he dealt with the witch.
“You know Ryder,” She continued as she walked closer to him. “We could be so many things together, you and I, all-powerful and all…” She rounded him, her back pressed into him as she continued around him. “…everything. We could have it all.”
“And why would I want to be with you?” He sneered, she stood a few feet before him now, the smile on her face still angered him. “Why would I want to be with an ancient witch?”
“The way you say that makes me seem old…”
“Because you are.” He interrupted her sharply. “And last time you mentioned that you still loved Osyron, the death god.”
She shrugged her shoulders and turned away from him. “So?”
“So all this is just a ploy. You are trying to stop me from completing this sacrifice because you want him free.”
“That might be,” She turned to him and came closer. “But I still want you, the last time we were together…”
“Enough!” He yelled at her, rendering her silent at once. He frowned and his eyes darkened. He took one step towards her. “Enough of your ploys and your nonsense! You will never have me and you will never stop this sacrifice!”
Her eyes narrowed down to him and she fumed, the forest darkened even more and the wind came in strong. “Then I would love to see how you plan on getting out of this forest!"
Encrypted from: Ryder, Lord of Astaroth. A book by me, Harriet Ifeanyi
Xander Drey
He was exhausted but he knew just how important making the deal was to White Lotus so he could not afford to let it slip through his fingers. He knew that and so did his workers and that was why he had given them ample time to prepare for this presentation and only the best of his best were allowed into the meeting room.
He sat at the head of the conference table, both his hands joined by his interlocking fingers placed on his lap. He frowned, but not the kind of frown that showed he was upset, it was the kind of frown that showed he was serious and paying close attention to detailing. Although he had heard this presentation severally while screening his employees, still he listened attentively, his partners were also present in the room and he could not afford to look uninterested.
He checked his time, it was fifteen minutes till nine in the morning, this meeting had been going on since seven thirty and he really needed for it to come to a close as soon as possible, then maybe he could get some shut eye for a couple of hours in his office before the next agenda - whenever that was.
He turned to look at his personal secretary standing beside him, the man had his entire attention focused on the lady giving the presentation as if he would kill her with his stare if she so much as made a single flop. He sighed silently and faced forward. He was truly exhausted.
“Brilliant work, Mr. Drey.” An older man sitting to his left turned to him with a smile as soon as the lady was done. Xander sat up with a smile, for a moment he had completely zoned out. “Excellent idea.” The man congratulated.
“Truly!” Another remarked, bringing an even wider smile to his face. “I am convinced this would be the best approach. The perfect strategy.”
Xander smiled and briefly looked at the lady then flashed her a half smile to dismiss her, she smiled back in triumph and bowed slightly before stepping away and out of the room.
“So gentlemen,” He leaned forward on the marble table. “Are we in agreement?”
“Completely!” They chuckled. “Where do we sign?”
Xander beamed and passed the documents, he beckoned on his assistant to remind him to add to the lady a little something extra in her salary for a job well executed. And now that the meeting was a success, he could finally retire to his office for a short nap. He stood up, shook hands with the men in the room who had now become his partners for the duration of this project and followed behind them as they all left the room.
Xander Drey, a thirty-five year-old CEO of The White Lotus investment company, the second leading in Tai city, a powerfully rich young man and the dream of most ladies, he seemed to have it all and indeed he did have it all, except for one thing and that was his peace of mind.
“Clear my schedule for the day, Charles.” He said as he strolled to his office, loosening his tie and cuffs.
“Err… sir?” The young assistant lifted a finger and Xander turned his head to him slightly. “You have an important luncheon to attend this afternoon. I’m afraid you cannot miss it.”
Xander paused and gave a long sigh, hen groaned and continued walking. “What time?” maybe he could have a couple of hours to himself before then.
Charles twisted his wrist to check the time on his watch before replying to Xander. “In three hours sir.”
“Well…” He sighed and placed his hand on the door knob to enter his office. “That’s not long enough.”
He twisted and pushed open the door, the sight that met his eyes caused him to freeze at the entrance, a deep frown came on his forehead and his hands fisted. Charles peeked behind him and his eyes widened. He cleared his throat and excused himself.
“I’ll go prepare for the luncheon sir.”
“You do that.” Xander replied coldly and slammed the door behind him. “What are you doing here?”
Anya An looked up from her expensively polished nails with a straight face and looked directly at Xander, then he reclined in he seat and spread her hands apart. “What? I can’t come visit my fiance in his office anymore?”
Xander sucked in a breath and shoved one hand into his pocket as he walked closer to the desk. He placed a palm flat on the desk and looked the lady straight into her eyes, anger clear in his gaze. “What are you doing here, Anya?”
She eyed him a while before leaning forward to pick up the bottle of nail polish she had been using before he had come in. She applied a coat of polish on her index finger and loudly smacked the gum in her mouth. “Like I said, to pay a visit an see hoe you’re doing.”
“Well I’m fine now, you can leave.”
“Don’t you want to see me?” She asked him without bothering to look up.
He scoffed and stood straight, shrugging his shoulders and chuckling. “No, I do not want to see you.”
She looked up at him now and frowned. “Why? So you could spend more time flirting with your secretary?!”
“What?” He looked at her like she had lost her mind. “My secretary is Charles and Charles is a male. A guy like me. I mean, what the hell?”
The frown on her face disappeared and she flashed a smile then slowly stood up, making her way round the desk to come stand beside him. “My bad.” She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. “I just don’t want you with any one else.”
He looked at her in disgust and shook her head off his shoulder then walked to the chair. “Anya please return home, I do not have the strength to deal with your nonsense right now, I have work to do.”
She spun to face him. “Nonsense?!”
“Anya please!” He raised his voice, his eyes fixed on hers. “Just get out. Go home.”
She opened her mouth to speak but paused and placed a hand on her hips then leaned towards the table and gave a smile. “Daddy sent me over to escort you to the Luncheon.”
He looked at her with a narrowed gaze. “And...?”
“And you require a plus one.” She sat at the edge of the table loudly smacking her gum.
He kept his attention a while on her before looking away. “Already have one."
The Secretary
She knew all eyes were on her the moment she stepped into the building, and it wasn’t because of the clicking sound her shoes made announcing her arrival, no it was not that, it was because of the fact that she was three minutes late. It was as if everyone on the ground floor paused and kept their attention on her, and even some looked at her with pity in their eyes like they were sure she was going to loose her job today.
She didn’t smile at anyone because she didn’t need to, she walked on with her head held high just like he had taught her to when she had first started working here. Her steps were quick and precise and she headed straight for the counter where her coffee - as always - was waiting for her. Her fingers wrapped around the warm coffee mug just as she over heard someone whisper to another, “She’s gonna get fired this time.”
Without even a word of greeting or a nod of appreciation to the recent employee who stood eyeing her behind the counter, she picked up the coffee mug and made a bee line for the private elevator. Only two people in the company were allowed to use this; herself and the boss. She knew they still watched her, and frankly she couldn’t care and less, some of the ladies envied her position because she had the opportunity to be close to him; the sex god of Tai city, while others dreaded her position.
Not every one could be around him on a bad day, they wouldn’t last for long.
She let out a sigh and punched in the button that would take her to the last floor before taking a sip of the still hot coffee as she watched the elevator door slide close and the contraption began to move up. She was only late because someone had double parked her at the parking lot in her apartment, and the boss had one rule for his secretaries; that they arrive at the office before he does.
The elevator dinged and the door slid easily open, she stepped out and walked quickly to the door leading into his office but stopped when she heard some familiar sounds. She sighed and spun around on her heels and headed into her own office.
“Ugh! Dimian please! It hurts like hell…” It was evident in the woman’s voice that she was experiencing more pain than she was pleasure.
But the man only grunted in response. “Shut up and take it all.”
She wished she could shut out their voices, the woman’s painful moans and pleas, her boss’ rude but satisfied grunts and commanding tone. She could hear her muffled sobbing and could only imagine what pain she must be in and she would have to endure until he was satisfied and even she knew that could take a while.
She reclined on the chair and wrapped her hand around the cup of warm coffee that she had set on the table and closed her eyes, the disturbing noise from his office still reached her but she had learnt to adapt and had gotten used to it. It was something she was used to hearing a couple times in a week and always in the mornings. She let out a breath.
Living in Tai city was seen as a huge accomplishment as only those with the money could afford its living conditions, from the expensive apartments to its high class entertainment, Rei was only lucky and grateful to have been given a position in The Aviary, the leading investment company in the whole of Tai city.
Getting a job was no easy feat as she had tried and had been declined from several companies which she had applied for. Working as a secretary in The Aviary was not what she had envisioned, it was not something she had dreamed about even, she had only worked here two days as a helper until the day she was made to take coffee up to the CEO’s office.
He had been in a terrible mood that day and had fired his secretary because she had double booked him for two important events happening on the same day. She had just stood by the open door, too scared to step in as she listened to the way he abused the weeping lady. Her heart really did go out for her.
“You there!” His voice thundered, he was talking to her and she was shaken out of her trance. She poked her head into the room but kept her body posture low. Luckily for her, she was dressed well that day.
“You’re with me. Pick up these files and meet me in the cafeteria immediately!” He had yelled at her before he stormed out of the office.
Rei moved quickly. She placed the cup of coffee carefully but hurriedly on the desk before she picked up the necessary files and ran after him. He had met with a couple of men in the cafeteria, a couple of strict business men just like he was and although he was not calm, the meeting did go on well, with the lot of them ogling at her.
It seemed she had impressed him so much so that he decided to keep her after that, and just like that she was promoted from an office helper to the boss’ personal secretary.
The change was fast but the transformation was not. Sure she did make a ton of mistake and yes he did yell at her a lot but he never for once considered firing her, and that was when the gossip and jealousy began. She had learned to allow the hateful comments wash over her like water over rock and in time she too became rigid, a little less like her boss and he seemed to like that even more.
She got to keep her job, her official apartment and car and the pay was something overwhelming. She loved her life, what more could she have asked for?
A twenty-eight year-old single woman, living independently in the high class area of Tai city, having a well paying job in the leading investment company and without requiring the support of any man, she was the envy of not just her co workers, but other women too who had seen her accompany the boss on not one, not two, but on several occasions, dinner parties, luncheon and ceremonies.
Plus she gave the eligible men a hard time because only a few would have the courage to approach her because they knew that she really did not need them for money nor material things. She was comfortable in those areas.
The land line on her desk vibrated noisily on the desk, shaking her back into reality. She sat up and quickly pick it, then brought the receiver to her ear.
“In my office.” He ordered and hung up.
She let out a breath and stood up. Time to face the boss.
She opened the door without knocking as he had told her to whenever she had been called for and was greeted with the sight of him just putting on his suit. She looked down and noticed that a woman was cowering behind his desk, the top of her head was visible and a leg could be seen from the side. She tried not to allow her eyes linger on for too long, that would upset him.
“You came in a little late today, Rei.” He mentioned.
“I was double parked…”
“Unnecessary.” He cut her off, fixed his cuff links and walked around the desk, coming straight for her. He brushed past her slightly and then leaned in closer. “Take her out and meet me in the car in ten. We have a luncheon to attend.”
She nodded and listen to his receding footsteps, then waited till she heard the elevator door bell go “ding” before she moved.
The woman behind his desk still sobbed and was unclad. Rei could not help but not feel even an ounce of pity for her. She knew the woman all too well, she was one of those women that had been drooling and throwing themselves at him at their last outing, and this one in particular had been too brave or too eager enough to come call on him at the office severally. And today she had gotten what she had come for.
Rei looked down at her in disgust but did not show. “You will have to leave now.” She told her.
The woman looked up at Rei briefly before she sniffed and nodded. She grabbed her clothes and limped into the bathroom to get dressed. Rei stood by the desk and caught sight of the woman’s bag, stuffed with dollar notes and she smirked and shook her head slowly. One thing about her boss was that he was always generous when he needed to be and it seemed like this one had satisfied him properly.
Terribly Toxic
**[Writing Prompt]** Yes, you used to be in love with a vampire, but you were just seventeen and emotions were running high. You broke it off with him before you left for college and, although it was weird to go back to the real world, you knew it was the right thing to do. But then students at your college begin to go missing. Bodies are found on campus drained of blood. When your roommate and then your new boyfriend disappear, you've had enough. It's time to put on some garlic, grab a stake, and end this relationship once and for all. You just hope you can resist his irresistible charms.
The incident was not something that frequently happened in Valleydale, it was not even something that happened rarely, it was the kind of thing that never happened. Sure bodies turn up a couple times a year; serial murders, suicide and what nots, but this… this was something completely different.
Anna walked hand in hand with Blair around the police’s yellow tape keeping people away from the crime scene, both ladies tried to catch a glimpse of the body that had been found just few hours before the school opened for the day. Blair wanted to walk out of the area as quickly as possible while Anna seemed intrigued.
“Isn’t it weird and fascinating?” Anna asked her after they had gotten into the school. Blair looked at her rather appalled.
“Fascinating? You find that fascinating?”
“Well…” Anna rolled her eyes, “Not the death or dying but the state the body was in.” She continued, her initial excitement building up. “They said the body was drained of blood! Like someone put a straw in that guy and sucked out every last drop!”
Blair gave a nervous chuckle and she could feel the goose bumps beginning to form on her skin. She shivered slightly but it was enough for Anna to take notice of, she paused and unhooked her arm from Blair’s then turned her around till they were standing face to face. She looked concerned,
“Blair are you alright?”
Her lips twitched in a brief smile and she nodded her head while running her palm up and down her arms. “Yeah, sure.”
Anna’s eye brow rose. “You don’t seem fine. You sure?”
She nodded. “Sure.”
“Babe.”
They both turned to see Carlos approaching them, his hand spread out to accept Blair into his embrace. She ran for him, knowing that she needed that embrace more than ever right now.
“Are you alright?” He asked as she snuggled her face into his neck and he caressed her hair. “Did you see the body of that guy…?” He began but Anna quickly gave him a sign to shut him up.
“I’m alright.” She replied to him and then disengaged from the hug when she felt she was slightly okay. She smiled at him.
“Weird thing to happen on a Monday morning.” He adjusted the school bag on his back.
“You know what I think?” Anna sneaked in between them, directing her talks more to Carlos because he seemed in a better frame of mind for her gibberish than Blair was. “I’d say a vampire did that.”
Blair’s body tensed immediately and she focused her attention on Anna who had her own attention on Carlos, she looked to Carlos, fear and tension in her eyes. But Carlos broke out in a laughter.
“A vampire, really Anna?” He chuckled, slowly calming down.
“Yeah… I mean who else could suck a guy dry of all the blood in his body?”
“Well, that’s one theory…” Carlos considered.
Blair’s mind drifted from them, so far away that she could no longer hear what they were saying. A vampire draining the life out of that guy was not just a theory, it was real and she was sure it was the truth. He was back here and she knew he was back for her.
Entering into a relationship with a vampire must have been the most stupid thing she had ever done in her life, but then she had been eighteen and she was in love - or at least thought that she was, but at a point it had to end, she was moving away from that small town village and into the city.
“I will come for you one day,” He had told her the night before she left, he had been upset and very angry, so angry that she had been terrified of him and just wanted to get away. “I will come for you again, Blair.”
She had thought it was just wishful saying until he had shown himself to her a couple of nights ago and she had broken his heart - if he had one - when she told him that she had moved on, it had been five years since she had left the village for the city. He had not taken it well, and now he was here…
She blinked and frowned, then blinked again. No, she was not imagining things, he really was here, in her school, standing in the hallway just behind Carlos and Anna, and she gasped. He was here! Brandon!
He smirked and walked up to them from behind Carlos. “Hey, did you guys see the body of that guy?” He walked in between Carlos and Anna, immediately drawing on their attention and curiosity. Anna was the first to reply him.
“I was only able to catch a glimpse before the body was covered.”
“Yeah I saw,” Carlos spoke. “But not enough to feed my curiosity though.” He shrugged his shoulders.
Brandon leaned in closer and whispered softly. “You know, I could get you guys in to see the body up close.”
“Really?!” Anna’s eagerness sky rocketed.
“Yeah.” He smirked. “My old man is a coroner, I could slip you guys in and out, so…?
“I’m in!” Anna squealed and bounced up and down.
“I’m down too man.” Carlos added, the smile on his face showed he too was filled up with anticipation.
“Blair are you coming?” Brandon asked with a cunning smirk on his face. She didn’t reply because she was still in shock. He was here, and he was in the sun, and he was still very much alive and unaffected.
“Babe…” Carlos placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her back into the present. She noticed Brandon’s eye brow twitch into a small frown when Carlos called her “babe” and her heart missed a beat.
“...you coming?” Carlos asked her.
“I could be just us three if you do not want to come along.” Brandon added with a sly smile as he looked from her to Carlos, to Anna who was grinning from ear to ear at the thought of seeing the body up close, and then back to her. “It might be a bit draining.”
The way he pronounced “draining” caused her to stiffen for a short while before she snapped out of it. She could not convince Carlos and Anna not to go with him because she could not explain it in any believable way that the person they wanted to go with was the vampire.
Was her vampire ex.
She sighed and focused her eyes on Brandon, God he still had those mesmerizing eyes and that intense gaze that made her melt right immediately. She bit her cheek on the inside and almost let out a moan. This would be difficult but it was something she had to do.
“Sure, what time?”
Brandon smirked. “Eight pm, we meet back here?”
“Eight pm.” That was a couple of hours after school must have been over, enough time for her to adorn herself in garlic and sharped that stake. “8pm is just fine.”
He smirked, Carlos and Anna beamed and gave each other a high five and Blair never took her eyes off Brandon. 8pm, she would end it, break all ties with him and end this terribly toxic relationship.
She would be the one to kill him this time.
Vampire Exchange
**[Writing Prompt]** You're a witch from a centuries-old powerful coven. Except, you have no magical powers. Or at least, no way of accessing them. Until you meet a dangerous vampire, who tells you he can help you unlock your powers… if you'll become his permanent blood-snack.
“You’re a rather brave little one.” He said as he sniffed her. She was trapped between him and the wall with her chest pressed into the concrete wall. He had both her hands pinned behind her , holding them tightly. She could tell that he smirked and was amused, I mean who wouldn’t be? The idea was a stupid one but at the time, it seemed like it was worth a shot. She was desperate and desperation called for desperate measures.
The castle was off limits to everyone and for a good reason too; it was home to the only known vampire in the kingdom. Vampires were the lords and they were very powerful, cruel and without a heart. Like literally without a heart, which brought the human myth of staking a vampire through the heart to kill him a false truth.
No one in the kingdom could claim to have seem him before because he was hardly ever out, and it wasn’t because of the sun, he just never left his castle or no one ever knew if or when he did. The only thing they knew about him was his name, and it was not a name to be carelessly said.
They called him Drey, he was a Lord, a powerful aristocrat who commanded a lot of authority which spread beyond the borders of this kingdom and he was known to be in possession of rare magical items, it was this piece of information that had caused Becka to dare trespass into his property.
She had chosen to sneak in at night because chances were that he would be out at night, Vampires were only able to leave at night. She had come in from the front and not through the back thinking that for him not to be seen by anyone whenever he went out, then he would probably leave through the back and she did not want to run into him. Heavens know what he might just do to her.
It was much easier getting into the house that she had anticipated, the windows in the front were unlocked and maybe the front door was too but there was no time to check, besides she would not want any one to know that she was in.
“Now,” She whispered to herself softly as she closed the window behind her. “Where shall I begin my search?”
The vampire’s bedroom would be the perfect place to search, but it was also the most dangerous and it was on the last floor - or so she was told. It was an hour past midnight and it would be in her best interest to hurry up. She went for the stairs.
What she needed was an instrument, a charm necklace made with a dragon’s scale and mermaid’s tear, she knew what it would look like because she had seen it once before and severally in her spell book. It would have been a bit easy for her to make if the ingredients needed for it were not totally impossible to come by.
Sure she had a stash of mermaid’s tear back in her cottage but a dragon’s scale? Even that was beyond her superior’s reach.
The entire top floor was just one large study, books and objects, ornaments and stuff, carefully arranged in shelves, jars and jars of weird stuffs, some which she had only been able to see in her spell books and for a little while, she got carried away with excitement, oh she could be here forever! But she just needed the necklace and she would be on her way. This was no time to get greedy, she had just one hour to be here.
For witches, it was one thing to be able to cast spells and then another thing to have magic, for Becka, she had none. She could cast little spells by maxing potions for them but then that was all, and this huge defect had cost her a whole lot. She was mocked and shunned as the only witch from the century old Scraven coven not to be born with any sort of magic.
But the seer had said she had been born with it, she just could not access it and only the dragon scale necklace would help her access her powers.
Like she said - desperate.
She walked cautiously to the end of the large room where a large desk was and her eyes shone n happiness because just right there, sitting on the desk was the item she had come for. She almost jumped in glee and hurried in her steps till she got to the table.
“Finally!” She said in a low voice and reached for the necklace.
Just as her fingers brushed against the object, a larger hand slammed on top of hers, causing her to yelp and jump. And then she heard the low growl and immediately she knew she was done for. The Vampire was here.
Swiftly and with precision, he grabbed her other hand and moved her to the wall, so fast she felt like she had floated, and pressed her into it while pinning both her hands behind her. She whimpered and he leaned in closer for a whiff of her.
“You’re a rather brave little one.”
“Let go of me.” She said without giving it much thought which surprised her, and him too.
“Oh?” He chuckled. “You sneak into my house to steal and now you’re showing defiance? What did you come to take?” He turned his head back to the desk and reached for the necklace she had wanted to take, then brought it close to her face so she could see. “This? Why?”
“I need it.”
He paused a while before he spoke. “A witch with no powers.”
“Is it that obvious?” She said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice, part of her wondered where this bravery had sprouted from.
He chuckled and then let go of her, she spun immediately to face him as he took a couple of steps away from her, a sly smile still on his face. She pressed into the wall, fear returned to her when she looked at him but also she was amazed, no one said he was this good looking.
Well, no one had seen him either.
“Sit.” He ordered and she did so, more out of her own will because she just felt her body move to the chair behind the desk and she sat.
“No one has ever been brave, or stupid enough to just, “ He shrugged his shoulders. “Wander in here, but you, a witch with no powers… desperate much?”
He mocked her and she knew it which made her feel bad, he was just like her mates in the village only that she had grown thick skin to their jeers but his hit her differently and she felt her eye sting. She looked down to her hands and fumbled with her fingers, repeatedly telling herself to calm down. She would not show this pompous Vampire her tears.
He sighed and took a step closer to her which caused her to tense up and look up at him. “I could help you, but I would be needing something from you in return.”
Her eye brows furrowed in confusion, he would not be killing her? “What do I have to offer that you would possibly need?”
“Becka,” He called her name and ran a finger across her cheek. Her wide and surprised eyes remained on him. He knew her name. How did he know her name? He leaned in closer to her face and smirked. “You have no idea.”
She swallowed hard, goose bumps rose all over her body and she tingled. She felt very vulnerable and could not help the fear that crept all over. “What do you need from me?” She managed not to speak and not allow her voice tremble.
He ran a thumb across her lips as he spoke. “A taste of your blood…” He looked straight into her honey brown eyes, and with dead seriousness, completed the sentence. “…forever.”
@TheRandomRewarder
Fate Dagger
**[writing prompt]** While herding sheep, you find an old dagger. When you pick it up, it becomes warm in your hand, and you feel a swirling deep within your body. Your father races into the field to knock the dagger from your grasp. You become confused when he scolds you for touching it and refuses to listen to your protests. Hurt by his lack of trust in you, you go to bed without dinner only to slip into a fitful sleep filled with ominous shadows with glowing yellow eyes, flying witches, and creatures cackling in the underbrush. The screams from the nightmare slow to a gurgle as you wake to the stench of wet fur and decaying meat. You jerk upright when the door shatters, revealing a chittering crazed animal-like monster. It storms inside, its claws searching for your flesh. You react without thinking, moving your arms with seeming practiced control. You parry and block the monster's attack until your hand delivers a final blow, burying the dagger deep in the monster's chest. You step back, staring in shock at the bloody dagger still in your hand, wondering how it found its way to you. As its power fills your body, making you feel invincible, you realize it is not important how you got the dagger, only that it is here with you, now and forever. Gurgling screaming interrupts your thoughts, and you rush into the front room, where your father is on the floor, blood covering his chest. He coughs up more blood as he tells you to follow the pull of the dagger. Your tears fall as he takes his last breath. The dagger tingles in your hand, signaling that your journey is just beginning.
There was always an advantage living in the countryside, or so my father said, but asides from the blazing sun and the hot breeze, I found no other said advantage. The countryside was safe and secluded and hardly recorded any crimes - yes true, but it was also lonely and no fun, and worse still I had the honorable work of taking the sheep out grazing every day with only a long staff in my hand, a water sack filled with water that would eventually be heated by the sun, making it difficult to swallow, and a wide straw hat to help protect my eyes and face from the sun.
I really didn’t like this but dad had no will to return to the city and as it was, I was stuck with him. I cursed.
The sheep had settled and were basking under the sun, I took the opportunity to stroll under the towering rocks, their shadows provided a better shade than the straw hat. I sat on the cool stone and took off the hat, using it to fan myself. The sheep were within eyesight so it was okay for me to be here, who would steal them anyway?
I leaned back to rest a bit and that was when I heard a clattering, I sat up and looked behind me, and right there, wedged in between the two stones I had been planning to rest on was an old dagger. It was mostly rusted but it looked like it would be worth something, I smiled at my luck and reached for the metal. It was a fine piece of work, well-carved handle and a stone embedded right at the end of the blade which met the handle.
I blew on it and dusted it, it wasn’t actually rusted, just caked in dried-up mud. I could not believe my luck, this would fetch a fortune! The small red stone caught the sun's rays and I could feel it brighten, it felt somewhat strange and cool in my hands and I felt the extreme urge to want to keep this. I ran a finger across the blade carefully so I wouldn’t…
“Dylan!”
I jerked at the sound of my name being called out so suddenly and the blade cut me. I stood and turned to face my father who had come out of nowhere. He ran towards me and knocked the dagger right out of my hands, then grabbed my shirt by the shoulder and pulled me away.
“Dad, let go!” I yelled in protest.
“I sent you to look after the sheep and here you are slacking!” He pushed me hard. “And you go touching stuff!”
“What’s your deal, man?” I asked, shaking his hands off of me and very angry at his behavior. “What the fuck?”
He pointed his finger in the direction of the house. “Home, now!”
I stood a while just watching him, the anger had gotten so deep into my bones and it really pained me that I could not bring myself to throw him a punch. “This behavior of yours is the reason mum left!” I yelled at him, straightened my shirt, and stormed off.
“Yeah?” He said after me as I left. “And no dinner for you tonight!”
“To hell with you old man!”
And I did go to be without eating, I had locked myself in my room after I had stormed in, I heard him enter the house a few hours later when it was dark.
I couldn’t sleep much, I was still too angry but it wasn’t only because of that, it was the nightmares I kept having, the voices I couldn’t shut out of my head, the screams and howls, the creatures and demons, my own panting breath and confused mind, the heat and the cold that raged through my body, my uneasy mind and the stinging pain from the cut in my finger that had been caused by that dagger.
The screams from the nightmare slowed to a gurgle and my eyes shot open with me panting like I had just ran a marathon. I laid in bed awhile until the stench of wet fur and decaying meat hit my nostrils. I recognized it, weird but I do. I jerk upright just as the door shattered, and standing right at the entrance was a chittering crazed animal-like monster. For some strange, unrecognizable reason, I was calm, much too calm for someone to see a creature like that right in front of me.
It sniffed the air once and then stormed inside, its claws searching for my flesh. I moved and my body reacted without thinking, my arms moved with seeming practiced control while still seated on the bed, my left hand blocked the monster’s attack easily while my right hand shot forward, straight for the monster’s chest. It let out a blood-curling cry and stumbles back, going down on the floor and whimpering before it slowed down and stopped moving.
I looked down at my right hand and in it was the dagger from earlier. Bloody and in my hands. I move out of the bed, my eyes still on the bloody weapon, how was it here? I had left it back out there but here it was in my hand. Part of my mind wondered where it had come from and part of me was freaking out from everything that was happening.
“What the fuck?”
I watch as the blade cleans itself, absorbing all the blood into its blade, every last drop until it was as clean as new, polished, and neat. The red stone in it shone brighter and I felt energy entering me, my body welcomed it, loved it, and accepted it, the blade felt very familiar in my hands and so did the creature now dead in my room.
“Dylan…” I heard my father call out my name with difficulty, he sounded like he was in extreme pain. I walk out of the room, half confused and half-convinced, and into the living room where my father was.
“Dad!” I gasp and ran up to him on the floor, his chest was covered in blood that was pooling out of a hole in the middle of his chest. I got down on the floor beside him and pull him up to my lap, holding him to myself dearly.
“Now you’ll have to follow the dagger…” He spoke and coughed out blood. I placed my hand over the wound like I could stop it from bleeding out. I knew that he was dying and I could do nothing about it. The fact alone pained me, I didn’t want to be alone.
He tried to speak again but only coughed up more blood. “The… dagger…” He said and sighed, his body fell limp in my arms. It was at that time that the tears fell.
The dagger tingled in my hand and I knew immediately that my fate had changed. I heard a soft voice drop in my ears and my brain associated that with the dagger because it was what made sense right now.
“It’s just starting.”
Kye Valois
The young man stood by the window looking out into the night, his hands were clasped behind him and his legs were spread slightly apart. Every once in a while he would take in a deep breath, filling his lungs up with the Nuvarian air and then let it out slowly. He had been in this position for minutes now after the news had been passed to him, it was news he had been eagerly and patiently waiting for, it was the kind of news that told him his journey across the Tajon river from the quiet kingdom of Aerilon had not been in vain.
He turned his head to his right and played a soft smile on his lips before he asked again for the one-hundredth time. “And you are sure of what you tell me? You saw the girl yourself?”
“Yes, I did.”
The man who replied to his question was the same hooded man who had left the inn only moments ago and had come down the alleyway and through the secret passageway, known only as “messenger” to come to deliver the news to his master - Kye Valois.
Kye turned fully and faced him, he smiled widely now and then spread out his hands, asides from him and the messenger, there were three other men in the room. “Our journey has not been in vain, the information was true.”
“And only after spending three days here,” Another chipped in, he stood and clapped his hands together once. “And we get the girl.”
“It would not be so fast.” Kye said.
“And not so easy too.” The messenger added and everyone looked at him. He straightened and faced them. “She is being guarded by someone. Some… people.”
“I do not think there is anyone Kye cannot get through.” Another said and the rest chuckled slightly but the messenger did not see the humor in that and neither did Kye.
“Who is with the girl?” Kye asked him.
“Ryder, the ruler or Astaroth is guarding the girl.”
Hushed whispers broke out among the men and Kye looked around, he could tell that they were not alert just by the mere mention of the name of the ruler of Astaroth.
“As expected.” He said and sighed deeply. “She has been in Astaroth for a while and surely we were not expecting her to be out and alone. We all know how important she is to him and to their kingdom.”
“But she is also important to us. Much more than she is to them.”
“True, but Ryder alone is much stronger than we are right now combined. He is one formidable foe and he will not hesitate to take us out if we are seen as threats to him, the girl, and to his kingdom.” He paced the length of the window. “We cannot afford to make any rash moves now.”
“But Kye, the girl…”
“...has enough time.” He said and waved his hand in the air to hush the man. “There is still a year and a few months until the Osyron sacrifice.”
“But rumors are pooling out from Astaroth that the seal has become even more unstable as the day passes. They might not wait a year and a few months.”
Kye frowned. That was worrisome, and if Ryder was taking the girl on the journey then it would mean that that rumor was true. But something also bothered him; the mountain for the sacrifice was just north of Astaroth, through Fang Peek and to Zagaroth Mountain, so why take the girl in the opposite direction?
Kye turned to face the window again, he breathed out heavily and clasped his hands behind him again. He wanted to understand the ruler of Astaroth, why would he be going in the opposite direction if he was going to perform the sacrifice, or was he not going to do that?
No, he shook his head, the sacrifice was very important to Astaroth. He walked closer to the window and placed his elbows on the window still then looked up to the sky. The moon was high up and bright and the night was silent, so silent that he could hear the sound of the gentle breeze from afar off.
Kye Valois. A one hundred and fifty-six-year-old Khione leader and warrior, he had left Aerilon a few days ago with a handful of Khione warriors and they had come to Nuxvar, in the kingdom of Dergesier for one purpose only, and that was to get the Khione girl back. They were to get Lyra and bring her back to her people, her rightful people where she could take her place among other Khiones.
They had gotten the information from an insider in Astaroth, telling them that the girl had left the safety of the kingdom in the company of only a few people. Kye had not thought that Ryder would, because of her, leave his kingdom behind but then he had underestimated the lord of Astaroth, he may be cold and ruthless but he really did care about his kingdom and its people.
“I think we should let Syrana know of this.” A man chipped in and Kye spun away from the window almost instantly.
“No, we don’t do that.” He said sternly.
They looked at him a little bit confused. “But why not? I think it is important that she knows about this, the girl is however her…”
“I say we don’t, and we don’t. we will not tell Syrana about any of this or it would greatly deter our plans.” He walked away from the window and sat. His eyes fell on the messenger and he waved the man away.
The messenger bowed slightly and then turned around and walked for the exit, stepped out, and closed the door behind him.
“Why do you…?’ Someone started talking but Kye held up a finger to hush him and the man fell silent. Kye listened for a while for the receding sound of the messenger’s footsteps and when he was sure that he had left them and not within an earshot, he put down his hand.
“You should be careful of how you speak about our business to the others.” He warned and the men in the room fell silent again. He sighed and then went on talking. “We cannot afford to tell Syrana what we know right now.”
“But Kye, she needs to know, the girl is after all her own.”
“Lyra might be her child but she is also the future of the entire Khione, Syrana would not…” He allowed his words to trail off.
He really did not have any problem letting Syrana know that they had found Lyra, the Khione woman who has long been searching for her daughter. Maybe abandoning her years ago had seemed like the only right thing to do to ensure her safety, and yes, she had been kept safe for a long while, for more than fifty years until Ryder had known of her and taken her.
It would be wrong to keep a mother from her daughter but this mission was more than just getting the girl back to them, for Kye he wanted her for himself. Call him selfish or whatever, he wanted the girl. She was practically the last young female Khione that they knew of and he knew that if they were to take her from Ryder and return her to Aerilon, she would be prey for all the eligible Khione men. He wanted to take her back as his. His own Khione.
Getting her from Ryder was next to impossible as the man was known to ruthlessly protect what was his, or what was considered his, and right now, Lyra was his. But she would not be for long. Not for long.
But then again, nothing could keep a mother from getting to her daughter, especially a mother like Syrana whose extreme hatred for Astaroth could be used to his advantage. He smirked, maybe it would not be an entirely bad idea to get Syrana involved in this, but he would need to use wisdom if he still wanted the girl for himself.
“Relay the message to Syrana,” He said and the men in the room smiled in support. It was the right thing to do. “Tell her that we have found her daughter but she is in the charge of the Axeris and she is to come to Nuxvar as soon as she possibly can.”
And she would be here as soon as she possibly can after hearing that her daughter had been found, more quickly when she knows that she is being held by the Axeris. He smiled and rubbed his palms together, she would be here by the evening of the morrow or early in the morning of the day after that. Until then, they would have to keep Ryder from moving the girl out of the kingdom of Dergesier, possibly keep them from leaving Nuxvar as well, and maybe he could find out why they had come this way.
-- Ryder, Lord of Astaroth --
by Harriet Ifeanyi
In One Basket
Lord of Astaroth.
He had held that title for centuries now, it was what had built him, it was what had made him this way, it had shaped him into the ruthless tyrant that he was now, as the unyielding and irrational ruler of this vast empire. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and the crown of Astaroth was the heaviest of the seven kingdoms, but Ryder never complained, he never did to anyone, and not because he did not have anyone to complain to or anything to complain about, but because he was him, he was Ryder Axeris d’Croix, he was Lord Ryder Axeris d’Croix of Astaroth, he had made a reputation for himself and he was more than capable of dealing with whatever came his way, and he had done exactly that throughout the years without falter.
All until now. All until the burden of the year of Osyron had been placed on his shoulder, and heavily too.
“What troubles the ruler of Astaroth?”
Ryder had heard and he knew who had spoken, but he remained in the same position he had been in since he had come here, his head down, held up his thumb and index fingers which pressed into the bridge of his nose, one leg which supported the hand that held his head firmly planted on the steps just below the throne he sat in, the other leg laying limp, and his eyes closed. He took in a breath.
“Lyra of Dragonsbane,” Ryder spoke in his thoughts, not wanting to speak out. “The Khione girl of Dragonsbane troubles me.”
General Mavrek d’Croix stood before his brother’s son and watched him, for four hundred and eleven years he had been ruler of Astaroth, taking the throne and leadership when he had only been a hundred and three years of age. At first, nobody had expected him to have lasted up to a year, he had been young, much too young to have assumed leadership over the kingdom of Astaroth then, and many wanted to usurp him from that position, but Ryder had been brave and courageous, and he had his uncle Mavrek at his side to keep him safe and advice him. He had grown up well. He had grown up to be the kind of leader Astaroth needed.
The year of Osyron was always a difficult year for Astaroth, most especially for the one who sat on the throne in such a year, so Mavrek could understand what ailed his nephew. It had weighed on his brother too.
“You have finally acquired the Khione girl, Ryder.” He started. “And I know you have probably heard this way too many times, that you do not have enough time in your hands as the year of Osyron is drawing near.”
Ryder sighed but still remain quiet and with his eyes closed. He breathed in and out steadily, and calmly.
“And the girl is quite a handful as we have all heard and or witnessed,” He paced. “Plus the issue of her memories of the last thirty-eight years being wiped, leading to her inability to remember you. And also…”
“I have my own way of dealing with things, Uncle.” He spoke up, cutting Mavrek short. He still did not move from his position, and neither did he open his eyes. “I will deal with it when and how I see fit.”
“And I trust your judgment, Ryder. But this now isn’t just about you but the whole of Astaroth and the other kingdoms. We unleashed…” He paused in his talk and in his pacing. “No, Axeris unleashed this… cursed death wanderer and if it comes, it comes not just for the one seated on the throne of Astaroth, but for the whole of Astaroth as well and eventually the other kingdoms stretched across.”
Ryder opened his eyes and turned his head, his attention focused on his uncle with absolutely no trace of emotions in them, Mavrek could not tell his mood by just looking at him. “I know of the legendary tale and its consequences, how it came to be, and the way to seal it.”
Mavrek moved and walked to the side, taking one of the seats in the throne room, one close to Ryder. “The girl is adamant, young, naive, reckless…”
“I know all that uncle.” He rolled his eyes and sat up, leaning his bank against the seat. “You do not have to mention all over again.”
“How do you plan on getting her to fall in love with you then?” Mavrek asked but Ryder did not answer. He didn’t even look like he wanted to bother himself to answer either, so Mavrek went on. “We could make her fall in love with you.”
Ryder turned his head to him and blinked once, he had the plainest expression and Mavrek could not tell if he was interested in hearing what he had to say, or if that was just a sarcastic look he was giving, but he voiced out his thoughts anyway. “A love potion.”
Ryder’s face changed now, his eyes narrowed and his expression was readable. He was angry. “A love potion?”
Mavrek nodded.
“You know what the consequences of doing that would be, you know the importance of purity in this sacrifice, and you are the one to suggest this to me?”
“Ryder…”
“You know!” He banged his fist on the golden armrest, his voice echoed through the empty room.
Mavrek sighed and stood up. “Then may I suggest that…”
“No, you may not!” He said, waving a hand in his direction to stop him, then he looked away and rested his forehead on a fisted hand, his elbow on the armrest, his eyes closed.
Mavrek paused and walked closer to Ryder before he continued. “…that you search for another Khione.”
His eyes flew open but he did not move. Another Khione?
“With the way things are, you rather not keep all of your eggs in one basket, it would be better for you and the kingdom if there was another option made available.”
Ryder’s eyes fluttered closed and he breathed in, what Mavrek had said now was a very good strategy but he was in no mood to commend anyone, most especially him, not after what he had suggested in the first place. Making her fall in love with him through the help of a love potion would ultimately stain the purity of the sacrifice and there would be no way to atone for that.
He leaned in towards Ryder to whisper, although he was not close enough to him. “The earlier you get on it, the better for us all.”
The door squeaked open and Mavrek turned to see Xanth, in his full armor, walking into the room. Mavrek took in a breath and stood up straight, taking a couple of steps to the side, and stood fully facing Xanth.
“Lord Ryder,” Xanth called, going down on one knee in courtesy in front of him. The sound of his armor clanking and rubbing against each other as he moved made Ryder open his eyes and look at Xanth, he never called him Lord except if they were among commoners, strangers, in a public gathering or he wanted to relay something that needed his utmost attention. Plus he had his full armor on. Ryder sat up straight in the seat.
“The fort at the Eldham border had been attacked again, it had been an ambush and the casualties are slightly high.”
“What is the report?”
Xanth stood up. “Food supplies have either been damaged or carted away by the Rocheveron army.”
“Let’s go talk about this in the meeting room.” Ryder stood and walked past him, heading out of the room, Xanth bowed slightly as Ryder walked past him, and then he turned to Mavrek.
“General, I think you should come with us since this is a matter concerning the soldiers and our border.”
Mavrek, with a tight look on his face, nodded to Xanth. “I will be right behind you, you go ahead first.”
Xanth nodded and without wasting any more time, turned and walked out of the room, going after Ryder.
Mavrek sighed and stood awhile in the throne room after Ryder and Xanth had left before he walked out of the room. Just as he was stepping out, he caught sight of Tezani walking down the stairs and he smiled at her, the kind of smile that revealed that there was more than just a maid and master relationship between them both.
“There is a way to do things, Ryder. A way to get things done.” He murmured as he watched her walk past him, her face turning bright red when he flashed her a bright half-smile. He too had his own way, he would just have to make sure that became the only way. He walked away from the door, heading upstairs, he should pay the Khione girl a visit.
Novel by me, Harriet Ifeanyi.
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Unyielding
The girl was pretty, yes, and she had this alluring look of innocence in her eyes but she did not pose a threat to her. Or, did she?
She scoffed and looked over her shoulder, down the hallway from where she had come, her mind went back to the girl, the… Lyra, and the scene of Ryder holding her so close to himself. She had noticed the look of fear in the girl’s eyes, but she had been unable to tell what look Ryder had on his face at that time because he had his back towards her. She took in a deep breath and turned her head forward, no, the girl had nothing on her. She walked on.
Iris Nyx was Lord Ryder’s betrothed, his bride-to-be, his near equal; as she liked to think and his exact replica in character. She was as ruthless and as cold as he was and they took ultimate pleasure in exerting their dominance, but Iris loved to be the one to show off more.
At four hundred and ninety-eight years old, she was only sixteen years younger than he was and they had been betrothed to each other longer than that, but Ryder had never been a family guy, and maybe neither was Iris, so none of them pressured each other to seal the relationship, but then it was not news that they were together, the people already saw her as his woman.
Being the ruler of a vast empire like Astaroth was only easy if you were a man like Ryder, it would take his kind of charisma and persona to be able to control the empire, and although the title said “Lord of Astaroth”, the surrounding kingdoms gave him reverence. It was such a man that Iris wanted, and it was such a man that she got. It boosted her pride and ego, but she knew that one thing troubled him, it was the one thing that weighed heavy on the head of whoever wore the crown of Astaroth, and that was the inevitable event on the year of Osyron.
She approached quietly from behind and stood beside him on the balcony, taking in a deep breath and the awesome view of the land they ruled over. She smiled.
“Beautiful.”
Ryder ignored her, his face was straight and his lips set in a thin line, his breathing was steady and his gaze was fixed straight ahead, but he was not focusing on anything exactly. His mind was not here.
She turned her head slightly to him and when she noticed his uninterested mood, her face fell, how could she talk to him?
“You know, you’ve overcome the first obstacle.” She paused, waiting for him to say something, but when he didn’t, she continued. “You found her and brought her back here. That’s a step.”
“Getting her was never an obstacle.” He replied to her with a deadness in his voice. “That was the easy part.”
“I think you have enough time to do the rest.”
He sighed and lowered his head. “That’s not what Xanth says.”
“And what would he know? Just look at her, she looks like a lovelorn princess and you are a charming man.”
He faced her. “Am I? really?”
She chuckled and scooted closer to him, wrapping her arms around his and leaning her head on his shoulder. “You’re my kind of charming.”
He sighed. “I need to be her kind of charming.”
“Won’t be that hard.”
“She doesn’t have her memories.”
She lifted her head up and faced him, a serious look on her face. “How do you mean?”
“They wiped it, all thirty-eight years. She thinks she’s still sixteen. She believes she’s still sixteen.” He fisted his palms as he spoke. “They wanted to keep her away from me, to make her forget me. To erase me.” He repeated, laying emphasis on “me”. “I cannot let this go, Iris.”
“You shouldn’t.” She frowned and looked away from him into the open land stretched out before them and narrowed her eyes. “You shouldn’t.”
“Two years to the year of Osyron and I have a sixteen-year-old Khione in my possession.”
She looked back at him. “You have a Khione in…”
The was a rapt knock at the door, causing Iris not to complete her sentence. She frowned and turned her head back towards the room.
“My lord.” A servant girl knock raptly on the open door, her head bowed and her gaze low.
Iris growled and spun out of the balcony into the room, rushing towards the servant. “What is it?!”
The girl shook timidly. “It… it’s the lady, she’s… out of control.”
* * * * *
“No!” Lyra flung the dishes away in annoyance. “I don’t want any of it!”
The room was a mess with food and plate wares everywhere, the bed had been soiled and stained and so was her dress. She fumed and screamed and flung whatever she could grab a hold of away.
“My lady…” The servants called, trying to calm her down but Lyra was beyond calming, she was enraged and she was furious and she was bent on tearing this place down to be let out, and she would start from this room.
Xanth was the first to rush into the room and he was mortified at what he saw, and shocked by her behavior, he had never imagined she could be this wild and somehow it gladdened him that Ryder had finally met his match, but right now was not the best time to show him this side of her. He would have to calm her down one way or the other before Ryder would get here.
“Lyra!” He called sternly and she turned to him immediately. He frowned deeply and took a dominating stance to scare her but Lyra would not give up. She grabbed the goblet lying on the bed and flung it at him. Xanth’s eyes widened and he immediately ducked to avoid it. He stared at her in surprise as she spoke to him sternly.
“I do not want to stay here! Tell that to your lord!” She yelled at him. “He will take me back to Dragonsbane right now or I will bring this whole castle down!”
“Lyra!” Ryder barged into the room, furious as hell, he took a quick glance over, and the state of the room that she had put it in fueled his anger. “Just what do you think you are doing?!”
Lyra seethed, she let go of the plate she had in her hand and let it clatter to the floor. She took a step towards him, all fear of him having vanished from her eyes. “You…”
Iris stepped into the room and stood behind Ryder, she watched the girl approach him like she was just about to beat the daylights out of him and just seeing the amount of raw courage in her steps was enough for Iris to want to throw her out the window, but she stood still to see what Ryder would do.
“You took me away from my parents and brought me here without a reason! And then you tell me to forget about ever going back?! just who do you think you are to keep me here?!”
Ryder was slightly taken aback by her words and daredevil attitude, but he was in no way amazed. He kept quiet and watched her, a frown on his cold face.
“Answer me right now!”
“Lyra!” Xanth called in warning but she would not listen to anyone. She took another step towards Ryder and spoke, pointing her index finger at him.
“Now, listen to me, you will take me out of this castle, out of this kingdom, and back to my parents or I will…”
Her talks infuriated Iris beyond her control, she quickly stepped past Ryder, and before Xanth could stop her, she flung Lyra back toward the wall without so much as a wave of her hand. Lyra hit the wall with so much force that she grunted in pain and fell back on the floor unconscious.
“Iris!” Xanth yelled at her action and she spun to him, her finger shaking in anger, and pointed at him.
“That is how you deal with the situation!” And with that, she stormed out of the room.
Ryder turned and narrowed his eyes at Xanth, took in a deep breath, and turned to leave the room but Xanth called him back.
“Ryder…”
“Do not tell me that was not the right thing to do Xanth.”
“It was not.”
“I didn’t touch her.”
“No. You allowed it.”
“You saw the way she acted.”
“She’s only scared and confused.”
“And that’s the problem!” He yelled, turning around to face Xanth. “That’s the problem, she is a fifty-six-year-old Khione with a sixteen-year-old brain!”
“Then you help her Ryder!” He yelled too then sighed and calmed down. “You help her, be gentle and gain her trust, then it would be easy having her fall in love with you.”
Ryder’s gaze lingered a little on Xanth before he turned and walked out of the room without saying anything. Xanth sighed exasperatedly and called the servants in.
“Clean up this mess.” He ordered and walked to where Lyra laid on the floor, bent down, and carried her up in his arms. “I’ll arrange another room for her to stay in.”
Astaroth
It was a two-day nonstop ride from Dragonsbane to Kilead, Astaroth, and Ryder had made absolutely sure that they did not stop to rest except at night time. He was in a hurry to get back, his troops knew that he was in a hurry to get back, and disturbing enough, the girl had been unconscious throughout the journey. Not like Ryder exactly cared enough about that, just as long as she was still alive, which Xanth had assured that she was, that was all that mattered to him.
“Ryder,” Xanth called, pulling his horse up closer to Ryder’s as the beasts trotted forward, their heads bobbing up and down as their riders led them on at a slightly slower pace. Ryder turned his head to Xanth, he was one of only a few people who could speak to him so casually.
“Hmm?”
“She has been unconscious since we left Dragonsbane.”
“And still alive?”
“Well… yes, but…”
“That is all that matters.” He replied curtly.
Xanth sighed and nodded his head, turning to look back at the carriage that had the unconscious princess in it behind them. “You should not be so cold when it comes to her, you know?”
“She will be in your charge when we get to Kilead.” He announced. Xanth spun his head towards him.
“What? I just told you not to be so cold towards her and you are leaving her in my charge?”
“Why?” Ryder looked at him with a straight face, no one could tell what he had in his mind with that expression. “Too much for you to handle?”
“N… no, that’s not what I am saying, but she is…”
“In your charge, Xanth.”
“Ryder…”
“I trust your capabilities, let’s get to Kilead first.” And with that, he ended the conversation.
Xanth knew that they would still need to have this discussion again when they got to Kilead which was not far away now, they were already in Astaroth, they just needed to get to the capital, and he would surely be the one to bring it up again. This was important, and even Ryder knew it too but he just wanted to avoid it like he had been doing so for the last thirty-eight years. But things like this were inevitable.
He sighed and signaled the envoy to move faster, he too wanted to get to Kilead as soon as was possible.
* * * * *
“Red is a dangerous color on you Lyra…” She gasped and felt the sharp sting in her neck, felt his cold lips lock onto her skin and his hand squeezing her waist. She pulled at his shirt to push him away but he resisted, he was strong, stronger than she was and she could not get him off her, so she closed her eyes and allowed her body to take the pain, then she felt some kind of relief and his body pulling away from hers.
Her mouth hung slightly open and her head spun. He smiled at her, she could see his tempting red lips but his face was a blurry mass. She gasped for air.
“...red is a dangerous color on you, Lyra…”
She breathed.
“My lady…?”
Her eyes opened slowly and her vision was a bit blurry but she noticed the girl beside her.
“My lady, you’re finally awake.” The girl turned to someone else standing behind her and gave an order. “Go and call Lord Ryder and Xanth, quickly.”
Lyra closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, then she opened her eyes and focused on the girl, a slight frown across her eyebrows. “I do not recognize you.”
“I am Tezani, my lady.”
She shook her head slowly, trying to sit up, the girl gave her a hand, putting a pillow behind her back to support her. “I do not remember knowing a Tezani, are you new here?”
The girl smiled and shook her head. “No, my lady, you’re in Astaroth.”
She looked at the girl in disbelief. “I’m where?”
“You’re in…”
“You’re awake.” A deep voice boomed from behind the girl and she quickly turned and bowed away, giving space for Lyra to see who had just come in, but the girl still remained in the room.
Lyra frowned. “And you are?”
Ryder narrowed his eyes at the girl and turned to look at Xanth standing beside him who was urging him to get closer, then he looked back at Lyra with the coldest expression she had ever seen and he walked closer to her bed.
Lyra’s heart beat faster and she felt fear as the strange man approached her but she tried not to show. The man walked to the bed and sat down beside her. She brought her knees up and never for once did she take her eyes off him, not that she found him attractive but that she was cautious.
“You don’t seem to have aged in the past thirty-eight years.” He said, watching her keenly as she did him. He noticed the scar on her neck and frowned slightly. “But you are still the same girl, Lyra of Dragonsbane.” A confused wrinkle came to her eyebrows and she cocked her head at him.
“I am, but did you just say thirty-eight years?”
“That’s how long it had been since you last saw.” Xanth chipped in and Lyra turned to him. What? Thirty-eight years since we last saw? She looked at the man sitting on the bed close to her. But, I do not recognize this stranger before me.
She shook her head slowly. “But I’m…” Astaroth, the girl had said she was in Astaroth. “Where am I?”
“You’re in Astaroth.”
Her eyes widened and she sucked in a breath. She had heard of Astaroth and her ruthless ruler, their destructive histories, and total lack of human sympathy. She could not be in Astaroth and if so, why? “That’s not possible…” She said, barely in a whisper. Fear engulfed her and she shuffled further away from him, pulling her knees up higher to her chin. “What am I doing here?”
Xanth narrowed his eyes at her, does she not remember what had happened? “You are the lord’s bride, Ryder’s.” he replied, gesturing to the man beside her.
“Bride?!” Her headshot in Xanth’s direction. The lord’s bride? Lord Ryder’s bride?! impossible! Mother would never have…
“Where are my parents? I demand to see them immediately!”
“You are in no position to make demands.” Ryder replied, a deadness in his tone and she momentarily calmed down. She could not face him for fear but she felt she could talk to the other man in the room, and so she did.
Her voice softened. “But how can a sixteen-year-old be a bride?”
Ryder and Xanth exchanged glances. “Sixteen-year-old? You?”
Lyra looked at Xanth without replying, although her brows were etched in a frown, there was still a soft look in her eyes. Ryder grabbed her wrist forcefully and pulled her closer to him, her face only inches away from his, she gasped in total fear when she felt his cold fingers wrap around her wrist and his eyes locked onto hers. Her heartbeat out of rhythm, and her eyes darted from his left eye to his right and then back repeatedly. She shivered, her breathing was shaky and she dared not to move. She felt like she could not. His expression was fearful and his grip on her wrist was tight.
“Ryder?” Someone called him.
Lyra heard the voice, it was feminine but she could not look away from him. He blinked once and let go of her wrist, causing her to fall back into the bed. She watched him stand from the bed and if she had thought that his face had been cold when he had first stepped into the room, then this one was colder. His gaze bore into her and she could feel every ounce of hatred or anger, or something similar just pouring out of them. Her eyes were moist and she looked away from him to the other man who looked at her with a soft gaze, and then she looked to the door and saw the woman that had called him.
Her appearance alone was intimidating and she looked at Lyra with contempt. Lyra looked away from her immediately, holding her wrist and looking at her hand, she felt lonely and vulnerable, and the fear within her ate hungrily at her heart, she almost could not bear it.
“I want to return home, to Dragonsbane.” She said in a low voice and without looking up. “I want to…”
“It would be best if you forget about ever returning,” Ryder said to her coldly and she looked up at him, the tears freely falling now. “And try to remember your life for the past thirty-eight years. They tried to make you forget and I would make sure they know that that was a very bad choice on their part.”
“They didn’t…” She was saying but Ryder stormed out of the room. The lady stood a while just watching her and Lyra could not mistake that look of hatred in her eyes before she turned and walked out of the room too.
Xanth watched her but she had already fallen back on the bed and curled herself up, he could hear her soft sobs but he knew there was no way they would allow her go back. He turned to the maid still in the room. “Look after her diligently. She must not be made to feel…” He sighed, what did he want to say? She must not be made to feel what? Not welcomed? Intimidated? Sacred? But she had felt all that already.
“Attend to her, it was a long journey and she must be starving.” He said finally and walked out of the room as well. He would need to have a talk with Ryder.
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Disrupted
It was too early in the morning, only a couple of hours past midnight and nobody was asleep. Nobody could sleep, the whole of Dragonsbane could not fall asleep. The events that had taken place at midnight were still fresh and still caused some of them to shake and worry, some of them like the kingdom’s most recent bride; Soria. After Ryder and his men had left the palace with Lyra, she had latched on to Zaden and refused to let go, scared that they might come back and take her with them. She had cried, her wedding ceremony was supposed to be a memorable one, well, it was but this was not how she had pictured it would have ended. Never had she pictured it ending with Lyra’s kidnap.
Zaden sat in the chair beside her bed, holding her hand and stroking it gently as he watched her slowly drift off into sleep, he had carried her upstairs himself after she had been given her a sleeping potion that had been prepared by the queen herself so she could calm down and rest, because out of everyone present at that time, Soria had been disturbed the most. Her wedding had been disrupted in the most disrespectful way ever, and there had been fighting and blood and kidnap and nothing of what he had dreamt of to happen. She had not even gotten the chance to seek the blessings of her mother and father.
He leaned in forward and stroked her forehead when he noticed her furrowed brows and he knew that even in her sleep, she was still disturbed. He patted her head and stroked her hand until the wrinkles on her forehead disappeared and her face calmed and softened before he stood up. The rest of the family were downstairs in the dining room, having a meeting about the events that had played out and how best to deal with the situation at hand and he had to be there.
He planted a kiss on her forehead and spoke softly to the maid standing by the other side of her bed. “Keep an eye on her and let me be the first to know if anything changes.”
The servant girl bowed her head slightly in compliance and remained quiet as he left the room. She looked at her mistress and slipped onto the bed, feeling the back of her palm on her lady’s forehead for a rise in temperature. She sighed and withdrew her hand, everything was normal.
Well, not quite everything, the younger mistress had been forcefully taken from the palace, so not everything was fine. In fact, nothing was, but she prayed that soon, everything would be.
Zaden walked into the room as quietly as he possibly could and went straight for the group gathered around the dining table, he sighed and sat down as everyone turned to look at him.
“How is she now?” Gwyn asked.
“Asleep. She’s fine, for now.”
“For now,” Eris repeated in a louder voice. “Ho long before everything goes chaotic?!”
“Keep your voice down Eris.” Kade warned, his palms fisted on the table and his head bowed, his attention was on his crown in front of him and his mind was in turmoil, last night had been a disaster. He felt weakened as a king that could not protect his own child from being taken by another ruler of a strange land but then Ryder of Astaroth was no ordinary ruler. Rumors were that he was no human either. Whether they believed that or not, what they knew for a fact was that Astaroth was not a kingdom to be made into an enemy, it had a long history of violence and war and they always came out victorious.
“Where is Revvyn?” Jenny asked, concerned for her son.
“Asleep as well,” Gwyn replied. “I figured it should be just us here.”
“They took a princess of Dragonsbane, your daughter, Lyra right from your grasp and left, the whole kingdom watched as you did nothing. What message do you think that would send to the people Kade.” Eris continued, evidently fuming with rage.
“He was Lord Ryder of Astaroth…” Gwyn spoke but was cut off by Eris.
“I do not care if he is a Lord of some ancient magic town or not.”
“Well, you should!” She fired back. “It is not the first time he is coming for her, we knew this was inevitable anyway.”
The room quietened and Eris leaned in forward over the table towards Gwyn. “What do you mean by inevitable?”
She sighed and looked at Jenny who looked down at the table and took her seat. “Are you not in the least bit curious as to why Lyra still looks the same as she had thirty-eight years ago?”
Eris blinked and leaned back, taking his seat, he looked at Kade who seemed to know what was going on and Jenny did too. The only people totally ignorant of this were himself and Zaden.
“Thirty-eight years ago?” Zaden repeated shock and doubt clear in his tone of voice. “You mean Lyra is not turning eighteen?”
“She had turned eighteen several times before and every time she turns eighteen, mother would give her a memory loss potion to wipe two years off her memory, and so did we.”
“But why?”
“Lyra is not like… us. She is not exactly human and she doesn’t age as we do, she was not born into the family. She was found by mother in the garden.”
“Wait,” Eris interrupted. “When you say mother, you mean…?”
“I mean she was found by my mother.” Gwyn replied and looked at Jenny, then added. “Our mother, before, we were born, with a single not attached to her shawl.”
“Khione.” Jenny said.
Eris’ eyes widened. “Khione?!”
“Yes, Khione.”
“But I thought those were just folk tales and myths…”
“Well, so did we until we saw it. Saw her.” Jenny sighed.
“On her first eighteenth birthday, the day she was supposed to pick you,” Gwyn spoke to Eris. “Ryder found her, and he marked her. The diviner said their union would prove deadly, so we had to keep her hidden and safe.”
“She is very important in keeping the balance in Astaroth as only a Khione can maintain that balance.” Jenny added.
“What balance?” Zaden spoke up.
Gwyn and Jenny exchanged glances briefly and they both sighed. “Ryder was her soul mate and she was his, such balance was necessary in preparation of the year of Osyron.”
“What is the year of Osyron?”
“It’s…”
“Look,” Jenny spoke, cutting off Gwyn. “Lyra is a Khione and she is valuable to the people of Astaroth, they had been patient for thirty eight years, had gone through the trouble of coming to get her and you think that if you storm there, they would just hand her over to you? Sorry for taking your princess, you can have her back?”
“So what do you suggest, Jenny? That we sit back and allow them to have her? God knows what they would do to her, or what they are doing to her. I say we strike!”
“The people know that the princess has been taken.” Kade spoke slowly.
“And they want to know what your next line of action would be, King of Dragonsbane.”
Kade sighed and reached for his crown. He picked it up and studied it under the candlelight, contemplating on what line of action he should take. He knew the story surrounding Lyra, her identity as a Khione, and the Osyron year, and he knew that if he should do nothing, not only would they never see Lyra ever again, but that he would lose the trust of his people.
His breathing was unstable and his heart hammered in his chest because he knew that they all waited on his orders as King of Dragonsbane. He closed his eyes briefly and put the crown on his head.
“I say we get Lyra back. War on Astaroth.”
“Yes!” Eris supported.
“No.” Gwyn countered him. She looked at her husband and repeated. “No.”
“Gwyn…”
“We cannot afford to go to war against the kingdom of Astaroth.”
“And neither can we afford to sit back and fold our hands, Gwyn. She is your family.”
“And I am not abandoning her but if we go to war against Astaroth, our defeat is sure, you would be bringing death upon your people.”
“He would not hurt her.” Jenny says and stands up.
“And you know that because…?”
“Because he needs her, she is of no use to him dead, so he would make sure to keep her alive.”
“In two years, she would turn eighteen again,” Jenny continued. “And that is when he would need to use her to create that balance.”
“We have two years to calm down and strategize.”
“I have no intention of waiting two years,” Eris said.
“It was never an option, Eris.” Gwyn said looking at him straight into the eyeball. “It was never an option.”
Intruder
The guests in the hall murmured amongst themselves, clustering together and far from the center where the strange man was close to, the doors and exits were blocked by the men that obviously were with him. They looked strange and dressed differently from them and the aura which they carried was something powerful and mysterious, and something a person would be curious enough to want to find out about, or maybe a person stupid enough to want to entangle with them. Lyra was a curious person.
She clutched on to Revvyn’s arm and pressed into his side, all the while keeping her focus on the man. The guests on this side of the hall had now clustered behind them, leaving both her and Rev in clear sight of the man if he should turn to their direction. Somehow it did not make her feel exposed because she had Revvyn standing with her, and yet somehow, it did. She looked up at Rev just as he looked down at her, his facial expression showing both anger and curiosity, it was an expression Lyra shared with him. She turned her head back to the man. He said he had come for his bride. Who?
Queen Gwyn was on her feet and so was the rest of the royals who had been seated in that section, it was easy to tell how they felt as it could be seen on their faces but the man only smirked, turned to look over his shoulder at the new couple, the new husband had taken a defensive stance in front of his new wife, sword drawn. He scoffed and turned back to face the majesties.
“Who are you?” King Kade asked the man who had so rudely interrupted his daughter’s wedding. He stepped away from his throne and made his way closer, down the very few flights of stairs, his left hand clutching gingerly onto the hilt of his sword around his waist. “And with what audacity do you dare barge into this place uninvited.”
King Kade approached the man cautiously but without fear, he would not draw his sword if the man did not pose a threat, but then he had rudely barged in and disrupted the whole ceremony. He stopped at only a little distance away from him, just a couple of steps more.
“Who are you and why should I not arrest you right now.”
The man chuckled at the king’s words and so did the men with him in the hall who laughed like Kade had said something he should not have. The man sighed and looked around the hall at the guests and many of them shivered, taking more steps backward and mumbling as they did. He looked back at the king and outstretched his right hand towards him, but not for a handshake.
“I am Ryder, and I am here to claim my bride.”
King Kade narrowed his eyes at him. “What bride do you speak of, Ryder?”
“The same bride that has been kept away from me for so long.” He tilted his head to the side so he could have the Queen, Gwyn in his line of sight and he continued. “Or don’t you remember, Gwyn?”
The crowd gasped and Kade turned to look at Gwyn who looked just as surprised as everyone else. Kade turned back to the man and drew his sword, anger clear in his facial expression. The strange men in the room did the same too, drawing their sword as some of them made their way towards their leader. Kade pressed forward until his sword was against the stranger’s neck, he would not be having such insolent behavior in his castle, most especially from a total and unwelcomed stranger.
The man waved a hand low towards his men approaching, signaling them to stand down, and they did so, reluctantly. He took a step back and brought two fingers to the edge of the sword against his neck, sliding it across the blade to lower it and by so doing, cutting himself. Kade allowed the sword to come down but kept his attention on the man’s bleeding fingers and watched in total unbelief as the wound sealed itself close. He gasped and looked at the man.
“What are you?”
“I am Lord Ryder of Astaroth,” He announced with a voice as clear as a bell, shifting his gaze from the king in front of him to the Queen behind. The shock on her face told him that now, she knew who he was and why he had come here. “And I am here for the girl.”
Gwyn gasped and so did Jenny, Kade turned back to look at his wife and noticed that she was frantically searching the hall with her eyes for someone. “Lyra…” He whispered.
Gwyn ran, she gathered up her gown and ran down the few flights of stairs towards the guest and straight for Lyra, then she turned and faced the man while holding Lyra protectively behind her. “You will get away from her!” She warned.
Ryder smirked and tilted his head. “So there she is…” He made to walk towards her but Kade held up his sword against his neck, stopping him from moving forward.
“You will leave this castle the same way you had come in and you will take nothing that you have not come with when leaving.”
“Lyra…” Ryder called. To hear her name being called by him shook her heart and she felt strange like it was not the first time she was hearing him call her name. Her heart fluttered and pounded in her chest and she felt a sharp prickle on her neck like two hot needles stabbing her, it was short and painful but it quickly stopped. She moved slightly from behind her mother to take a good look at the man and immediately their eyes locked, she felt something hit her, like a blow to the back of the head. She knew him, she had seen him and yet, this was the first time. Or was it?
“Mother?” She called.
“It has been thirty-eight years since I last saw you,” Ryder spoke, making his way towards them, the sharp edge of Kade’s sword sliced across his neck but Ryder did not stop. The crowd gasped, expecting him to splutter for words and fall down clutching his neck but the man walked on like he felt no pain, and then to the shock of everybody, the wound sealed itself.
Lyra gasped and stumbled backward but her mother pulled her closer to herself, keeping her protectively behind her.
“Lyra…” He called again, now standing in front of Gwyn who had the determined look on her face not to allow Lyra to be taken away by him.
“Guards!” King Kade yelled and a dozen soldiers burst in through the door. “Seize that man immediately!”
The men that had come with Ryder formed a large circle around their Lord, with Gwyn, Lyra, and Revvyn within the circle. As the first clash of swords rang, the guests screamed and made for the exits, pushing and shoving and desperately trying to get away from the chaos unfolding, with the ladies screaming at the top of their voice.
Revvyn moved and took a stance against Ryder, coming to stand in front of Gwyn with nothing but a dagger in his hands, he had the same determined look in his eyes as Gwyn and Ryder could not help but admire his bravery, not that he could do anything to stop him but still, he had stepped forward. He chuckled.
“Revvyn!” Jenny screamed.
Ryder leaned in closer to Gwyn, ignoring the young lad that had stepped forward to defend them and he spoke. “If I do not have my bride with me by your willing consent, I will attack your castle and your kingdom and still take her with me.”
“You would never…!” Gwyn started but he interrupted her midway.
“Surely you have heard of the kingdom of Astaroth and you have heard of its ruler, Ryder of Astaroth and you should also know that I do not say what I do not plan on doing. I do not say what I cannot do, Queen Gwyn. Hand her over.”
“Never…!” A slap rang across the room and Gwyn fell to the floor with Revvyn holding on to her, she had her palm on her cheek which had turned bright red and she snapped her head up to see Lyra unprotected in front of Ryder.
Lyra’s breathing shivered, her vision blurred and her head felt light, every noise she heard sounded to be distant but she could see the face in front of her, it was a blurry mass but she knew it was the face of the man called Ryder, she could feel his fingers on her face and slowly, the blackness set in and her legs gave way and the last thing she remembered before she blacked out was something she had heard once before.
“Red is a dangerous color on you Lyra.”
Royal Wedding
The castle hall was packed with people who had come to join in the event happening, of course it was strictly only by invitation, but then mother must have invited a ton of people and it seemed that not only the people of Dragonsbane were invited to this event, she could see her Aunt Jenny and her husband and son, cooped up in a section of the hall reserved only for the royal family and by the look on Revvyn’s face, she could tell that he too did not want to be there with his mother and father in their royal restrictions. She giggled when he looked at her with pleading puppy eyes and she signaled for him to come to her.
Revvyn was much like her, his mother, Duchess Jenny Wixx Dumieres, always loved to impose her own things on him but Lyra still considered him lucky because they did not live in the castle, his father was Eris Dumieres, Duke of Deltora, Dragonsbane, and for the fact that he was not stuck living his life within the castle walls was one thing she envied about him and she would do anything to leave the castle, she even, on more than one occasion, tried to convince mother to allow her go live a while with the Dumieres, even though Lyra was sure that her Aunt Jenny, would be even more strict about her than her mother was, still she would accept that if it meant that she would be allowed out of the castle, but mother would hear none of that.
She was not to leave the castle and if there was a function happening in the castle, she was not to leave mother’s sight. She smiled and sighed, thinking of all the parchment she had hidden away in her dresser up in her room, containing detailed mappings of the castle, including the underground tunnels and the secret passage ways and the numerous escape plans she had in her head and wishing that she had a glass of wine in her hands right now but mother would kill her if she was seen drinking that stuff. There was just too many things she was not allowed to do and sometimes it frustrated her but she chose to be patient. She would be eighteen and she would be married soon - that was her only source of console now. She would be married soon.
Her gaze moved from Revvyn who was now making his way towards her, to her mother the queen, Gwyn Wixx Cragore, and she almost immediately looked away, she chose not to focus on her piercing gaze disapproving of her interacting with the other guests but rather wanted to enjoy her evening instead, this was the one time in months she had been allowed into an event in the castle and she would not be spending it restricted to one section of the hall as a royal in their high and mighty esteem. Revvyn got to her at the same time that the announcement began. The bride was stepping into the hall.
The music slowed, the lights in the hall dimmed and everyone’s attention was on the bride. Lyra gasped and so did a few other guests; Soria was an epitome of beauty, the peach dress she had chosen was just her fit, she wore her hair down and only a single head piece, her smile was the only makeup she needed. Lyra’s heart swirled and she could have sworn that Zaden’s did too because he exhaled loudly and he could not keep himself from grinning and… was that a tear in the corner of his eyes?
“Beautiful.” Revvyn whispered into her ears and she nodded in approval.
“Truly beautiful.” She sighed and then turned to him with a narrowed gaze. “Speaking of beauty, when are you getting married Rev?”
“Ohh no, not you too.” He groaned and rolled his eyes, causing Lyra to laugh.
“What? You are a twenty two year old man, and you have not found your supposed soul mate yet?”
“Mother breathes down my neck at every given chance she gets, she collects every invitation and forces me to attend them. Every single on of them.”
“Maybe your soul mate is not in Dragonsbane.” She shrugged her shoulders and Revvyn looked at her like she had just spoken in some foreign language. She smiled and pinched his chin. “Just think about it.”
He seemed to ponder on that for a while and then shrugged his shoulders too. “I am a man, I could get married at whatever age, just look at my father, he did not get married that early, his soul mate…” He said, emphasizing on ‘soulmate’ and shaking his head. “…did not grow up fast.”
Lyra almost roared with laughter but held herself, the hall was mostly quiet now and the only people talking were the priest, Soria and Zaden when they needed to.
“So maybe…” He continued. “…my soulmate has not turned eighteen yet.”
“Well, I would be eighteen tomorrow…”
“So you’re my soulmate then?”
“What? No! Shut up.” She cautioned him, both of them grinning. “Anyway, I would be eighteen tomorrow and then I would get to meet with my soulmate, he is going to be a warrior…”
“You know you cannot decide that.” He interrupted her. “Whomever you connect with is your soulmate, be it a warrior or a prince or just a guard.”
She narrowed her eyes at him and frowned. “You mock me.”
“Whaaaatttt….. me? Nooooo…..” He dragged the words, looking away from her but the grin on his face told the truth that he was mocking her. Lyra smiled and with all her might, stomped on his foot.
Revvyn yowled in pain and everyone turned to him, including Lyra who had scooted a little away from him and now looked at him like she did not know why he would suddenly be loud. Revvyn folded his lips, scrunched his face and brought his face down.
“Yes son?” The priest asked him and he looked up to the man, a confused look on his face. “Do you have a reason why these two should not be together?”
Revvyn chuckled nervously and shook his head. “I love you Soria.”
She laughed and so did Zaden, then the crowd joined in too and soon everyone’s attention went back to the couple. Revvyn shot Lyra a death stare, he could still feel the pain in his foot and he could only imagine the look on his mother’s face right now, he was surely not going to hear the end of this. Lyra smiled and wiggled her eyebrows at him which caused him to scoff and smile and shake his head at her childishness before he hopped away to take care of his aching toe.
The ceremony was quick, much quicker than she thought it would be and she wondered if it was already midnight, her twenty year old sister was almost married, tomorrow she would be eighteen and soon it would be her getting married, the thought of it excited her, causing chills to run down her spine and she giggled, wanting to just jump up and down with joy. She saw Revvyn making his way back to her and she grinned at him, wanting to twirl in her happiness until she noticed what he had in his hand. He came closer and tapped her shoulder like she was not already aware of his presence, then passed a goblet to her.
“I cannot take wine Rev, I’m not allowed to.”
“Ohh, this isn’t wine. Aunt said to give this to you.”
“Aunt? Like my mother?”
He nodded and shifted his body away slightly so that she was in line of sight of the queen and he pointed to where her mother sat. Lyra looked in the direction which he pointed in and she saw her mother smile and nod her head for her to drink it. Lyra’s eyebrow rose up in question as she eyed the vessel in his hand and the dark purple-looking liquid within it, wondering what it could be. Surely she knew it was not poison, it could not be but she could not help being cautious, she took the goblet from Revvyn none the less and brought it to her lips just as Soria and Zaden were announced as husband and wife.
“Congratulations!” A voice boomed from the far end of the hall just as the doors were thrown wide open and a group of savage looking soldiers casually walked in, some grinning maliciously while some had on a straight face. The unexpected intrusion shook Lyra and caused her to drop the goblet after having only drank a mouth full of the liquid. She turned in the direction as the other guests to see who had been so loud and arrogant to interrupt just as they shuffled to the side, clearing a wide path for him.
The man made his way from the back of the hall to the middle, not for once paying attention to the guests but looking straight at the new couple to the royals who were now on their feet. He didn’t smile when he walked up to them.
“No need to be frightened, I have only come for my bride.”
https://m.goodnovel.com/en/book/31000181888
Dragonsbane
In medieval times, where the myths we know of were spun from, there was a season of lords and knights, of witches and sorcerers, of magic and spells, curses and plagues, love and sacrifices, and of war and blood. Several kingdoms existed, kingdoms spread out far and wide and had borders that greatly separated them from one another, far into the east and even into the north, where the cold that ravaged there froze life, but still, people thrived in these kingdoms.
Many a time, these kingdoms were ravaged, if not by the cold then by the plague, by famine, by war, or by some sort of curse, and many a time some kingdoms crumbled under these; lost and forgotten, and buried under the black soot of burning flesh and the witches’ cry, and they all did perish, save for seven. The seven kingdoms of the east and of the south.
This is not just a tale of one kingdom, and neither is this a tale of just one man, but it starts off somewhere.
And this tale starts off in the heart of Dragonsbane, where the king, Kade Cragore, and his queen, Gwyn Cragore Wixx ruled…
Every day was usually the same in Dragonsbane, it was always the same boring day, repeating itself every time, but today at least would not be so boring. No, today there would be merriment in the castle, today they would have guests and there would be music, and dancing, and new faces, and today she would no longer be forced to see the world through her window. Today, her sister would be getting married.
She twirled from the bed to the window and sighed happily, the sun would set in only a matter of hours and the main event would begin. She looked down from the window to the open courtyard and she giggled as her eyes took in everything it saw, it was a buzz of activities going on down there as every servant was busy with the preparations, carrying flowers here and there, the food being brought in and the tons of colorful fabrics that were used to decorate the whole place. Lyra bounced up and down while clutching tightly to the window, she was excited and she was hyper, barely having slept a wink last night. She smiled, and shivered in excitement before throwing the robe she had on, off her body and raced to the door, pulling it wide open and rushing out of her room. First, she would go see the bride and wife to be, maybe tease her a little and help her get dressed, and then, of course, try out some of her dresses while at the same time, dreaming of her own day; the day she would meet her soul mate, her hero, and knight in shining armor and afterward, get married.
Lyra was always excited whenever there was a function at the palace because that was the only time she ever got to meet people. Like literally the only time she had the opportunity to. On other days she would be cooped up in the castle and sometimes, she was never allowed to even go out to the garden, mother had said it was for her own safety but she had seen them allow her sisters to go out to attend events they had been invited for, she had envied them but she also believed what mother had said because she never did anything without a good reason and Lyra knew that she was the only daughter that mother really gave all her attention to, whatever she wanted, she got it, maybe it was to console her for not being allowed to leave the castle grounds but Lyra could do nothing about that so she always looked forward to events and parties that happened in the palace.
But this guard over her life would soon end because tomorrow, she would be turning eighteen and there would be another party thrown in the palace for her, tomorrow would be the day she would get to choose her man, her hero and her knight and she would chose someone, only that the person she would choose would not be a prince like how some of her sisters had chosen, she wanted to be like her aunt Jenny, who had gotten married to a knight and a leader in the royal army, she felt like romances like that was heavenly, unlike mother who had gotten married to some important prince.
“Soria!” Lyra yelled as she burst into the room, startling her sister and the rest of the servants who were helping her get ready. She looked around the room and her mouth hung open at the decorations that had been put up, she squealed when she noticed Soria in the most amazing dress she had seen in a long time and marveled at how much it fit her, they smiled at each other and Lyra, without waiting any more time, ran up to her sister, ignoring the maids and jumped on her, bringing both of them crashing down to the bed, there was a rip and a tear and protested screams from the maids but Lyra could only care less. She was just too excited.
“Lyra!” Soria protested, her arms wrapping around her sister. “Lyra, you have torn my dress!”
“Oh,” She said and rolled off her sister then sat up on the bed, giving her sister that puppy dog face.
Soria frowned as she examined the damage done to her dress, the entire left sleeve had been ripped off and there was a huge slit in the dress which came all the way up to her thigh. “Lyra! It took an hour of fitting to get this done and in one swift second you have managed to ruin it!”
Lyra clasped her hands together and looked at the dress, yikes, she had really destroyed this but it was not beyond redemption. “I’m terribly sorry, I was just very…”
“Excited?” She finished her sentence and sighed, turning to face Lyra with a smirk on her face. “I didn’t really like the dress anyway and besides, this is just the dinner dress and not the wedding dress, or I would have buried you in this room myself.”
Lyra giggled. “I did like the dress though but is it not a bit too early to be getting into the dress?”
“A bit too early?” Soria stood up from the bed to allow the maids to take off the dress so she could try on another one. “Darling, the sun is beginning to set and the guest would be arriving soon, maybe I too am eagerly excited to wait till when it gets dark.”
“And maybe Zaden was too eager as well.” Lyra said and folded her lips to keep herself from smiling but the mischief in her eyes was clear. Soria narrowed her eyes at her and almost immediately squealed.
“He’s here?!”
Lyra nodded and shot up from the bed, grabbing her sister’s hands as they both jumped up and down squealing in happiness, ignoring the dress that she was now stomping on.
“I saw him come into the castle on my way here, looking so dashing in his complete uniform. Ohhh… Soria, I can not begin to tell you how lucky you are to have Zaden for a husband.”
“I know how lucky I am,” Soria said, flicking a strand of her hair and twirling, a huge grin on her face. “And I know how lucky he is to have me for a wife too.”
“I cannot wait to find my soulmate and get married,” Lyra fell back on the bed, staring dreamily at the ceiling. “I want a warrior like the man you got, not a prince and not a king but a brave warrior who would come take me out of this castle, I am tired of always being locked in.”
Soria smiled and laid down beside Lyra, she sighed. “Can’t wait.”
She was not sure how possible that was going to be, tomorrow Lyra would turn eighteen. Again. Like she had been doing so for the past thirty-eight years now and every year she was to turn eighteen, she would be given a potion that would clear two years off her memory, bringing her back to thinking she was still sixteen. Soria did not know how long this had been going on for but it had been before she was born, and according to her mother, Queen Gwyn Cragore Wixx, Lyra was not her sister but her fifty-six-year-old aunt who looked like she was still eighteen years old.
At first when she had been told, she did not believe it because she thought it was not possible. Sure she had heard stories of witches and sorcerers and she knew that was true but the fact that Lyra was that old? And still looked so very young was something she could not so easily accept, that was until she had seen it the time they had given her the potion to drink, Lyra had woken up the next day, fully convinced that she was only sixteen years old.
Why they had to do that, she did not really know because she was not told the full story but what mother had said was that it was for her own safety and she believed her mother’s every word.
Soria turned to face Lyra and she smiled. “Let’s get ready.”
Ryder, Lord of Astaroth
A fantasy book I'm currently working on ^_^.
Here's the prologue, can i know what you think about it?
I was never one to get all excited when it came to parties and occasions or anything that involves relating with people outside my small circle, events happening within the palace or anywhere for that matter, which was why I had tried to convince mother that I would not be able to attend but today I had no choice. I could not request to sit this one out, mother, and most especially father would hear none of it.
"You need to and you should socialize more," mother had advised when I walked up to her after the announcement father had made at the dinner table a week before. "This is a good opportunity to get to know your age mates and find a new crush." Mother joked, winked, and then laughed. I had just smiled.
“Am I to find a crush or a soul mate, mother?”
“A crush, a soul mate, whatever it is, you are turning eighteen next week and at that age, you get to find your soul mate. Are you not excited?” Mother asked, pulling me to sit in front of the mirror while she loosened my hair.
I gave a sigh of relief as the hairpins came off, I had felt them trying to pierce into my brain all throughout dinner and there was no way I could have shown up looking all shabby and “un-princess-like” at the dinner table because the Duke of Brigham had shown up, unannounced late in the evening and he had brought along his eldest son. Father had said it was impromptu and unarranged but I had been much wiser than that, I knew it had been for an alliance marriage but to which of the princess? that I could not tell, but one thing I knew was that it had better not be a marriage to me.
The young man, Eric Dumieres, was handsome, to say the least, but he was chubby and I knew that he had felt uncomfortable in that armor he had on throughout dinner and he sweated a lot. He was a daunt, I could tell but he had stolen glances at me a lot during the meal, which had made me uncomfortable as he had made it very obvious but I had sent him my own stares which told him to back off. I did not like him. And then father made it much worse.
“Eric, I can see that you like my daughter?” He had asked. “You have been stealing glances throughout dinner.”
Eric had choked instantly on the mashed potatoes and I had frozen, exchanging glances at my two sisters also seated at the table. Mother chuckled and placed a hand on father’s.
“Now, now. Don’t frighten the young man.”
“Are you by any chance proposing a marriage Your Highness?” The duke had asked, smiling widely and shaking his son by the shoulder. Eric kept his head low and chuckled nervously, he looked up and met my angry stare which made him put his head back down. It did not help the matter that I had to be sitting opposite him.
“Marriage hmm…?” Father seemed to contemplate, then he smiled to mother and back at the duke. “Doesn’t seem like a bad idea to me.” Then they laughed.
I fisted my palms under the table, I knew they would plan my marriage to this… man if it were possible, but it was not. It would not happen anyway.
“Why plan a marriage father?” I had spoken up, stopping the men from laughing. “We find our soul mates at the age of eighteen so why plan a marriage if it would not happen?”
My question had subsequently ended the chatter about marriage and the two men had gone on to discuss other things more political and less involving marriage.
“Excited?” I asked mother as she pulled away the hairpins. “I am excited to turn eighteen and find my soul mate but excited about marriage to Eric? No. In absolutely no way can I be excited mother.” The last of the pins came off and mother sat beside me.
“What if he turns out to be your soul mate? Would you still be able to reject him?”
“The gods are not so cruel mother.”
---
Now standing in front of the century-old mirror a week after and wearing the ridiculous red dress that Gwyn had forcefully picked for me, I could not help but feel stupid. I felt that I and Gwyn looked like lost twin princesses wearing the same outfit, which in the actual sense was not totally wrong, since we were both princesses and we were sisters, but the dresses were of different colors. I glanced at Jenny through the mirror sitting on the bed, make that three lost princesses.
“I look stupid,” I commented, turning left and right and staring at myself in the mirror. “Is this not a bit too much Gwyn?”
“A bit too much?” She asked, walking up to me from behind and admiring me in the dress through the mirror, she was ten years younger than I was but seemed to be wiser than me when it came to dressing up and looking good. A shame on me, yes.
The dress was fitting, a dangerous color of red. It hugged my upper body tightly, outlining my slim waist and cupping my full breasts, mother had said I had developed early. The lower part of the dress was loose and not full, with a split by the side that came all the way up to my thighs, exposing a large part of my legs.
“Jenny?” I called my youngest sister who was sitting on the bed to ask for her opinion. “What do you think?”
She looked up from the book she was reading and I felt her six-year-old eyes roam all over my body once, from my perfectly made hair, down the dress to the shoes I had on. “Perfect.”
---
The party was well on the way and I had done all I could to escape from the sight of my father after I had sighted him talking to the Duke and his son. What mother had said to me came to her memory again;
“What if he turns out to be your soul mate? Would you still be able to reject him?”
Since the party was being hosted for me to find my soul mate, I had to interact with the young men at the party, occasionally having to dance with some of them whom I found to be attractive and whom I wanted to be my soul mate but neither of us did feel any kind of connection. Eventually, I was getting tired of having to dance and meet others. And the Duke arrived, coming in with his son.
No, I was not going to do this any longer.
Finding one's soul mate was like clicking onto a connection, both would feel it and if at all Eric was destined to be my soul mate, then I would, by all means, avoid us meeting today. I slipped out of the hall quietly and without being detected and went exploring around the castle.
This place was over a hundred years old, being passed down from generation to generation of royal lineage, from king to crown prince who would eventually become the next king. I had lived in the castle all my life, for eighteen years and there were many places within these very walls that I had not seen. Today I would kill time by doing that.
As I walked the dim hallways, a particular painting caught my attention. It was the painting of a handsome Prince in his royal regalia. 1800AD, it read on the plaque below, but something about the painting was off.
At first, I thought maybe it was just my imagination, but the painting moved. Its eyes followed my every movement. For a while, I stood there below the painting, mesmerized by the weirdness.
No. I shook my head.
I looked at the painting again and jumped back with a yelp when it winked at me, my back colliding into the chest of a young man who wasn't there a second ago.
"Woah there, easy red." He chuckled.
I pushed away from him in fright and turned to face him. The corridor was dim but I could see him clearly. His well-defined features glowed. I stepped away from him so that my back touched the wall.
I studied him, his skin was pale white and his lips, a tempting shade of red, his long hair cascaded over his shoulders which seemed wet and shiny. He was taller. Much taller and muscular and I found him irresistibly charming. Somehow, he did look just like the man in the painting but this man in front of me was attractive. He was much more attractive.
"You're a long way away from the party. Did you get lost red?"
I could not take my eyes off his red lips as I watched them move as he spoke. I felt the urge to reach out and touch them, he was mesmerizing and yes, intoxicating too. How would it feel to have them on mine?
"I... I'm... I don't know?" I stammered, a bit of fear somewhere at the back of my mind. This was my palace, my castle and someone could have just waltzed in here without being noticed? His bright red eyes were intimidating. How was he able to get into this part of the castle and that too undetected?
"You shouldn't fear...." He smiled and stretched out a hand toward me, I flinched and pressed my back into the wall, my eyes on his hand as if warning him to stay away. He chuckled, smiled, and cocked his head to the side.
"Trying to merge with the wall red? I'm not going to bite you..." He paused, licked his lips letting his eyes travel down my body, I literally felt his gaze on my exposed leg, cool and chilling, causing goosebumps to form and I instinctively drew the dress to cover it. I knew this dress was stupid. His eyes lingered a while and then back up, locking eyes with me then he frowned. "...yet."
I swallowed. "Yet?" my fear returned. “Who are you? And how did you get in here?”
"Ryder," A voice boomed from the darkest part down the corridor. "I see you have brought a snack."
My head snapped. "Snack?"
"She is not!” he yelled, almost like a growl, and then more calmly, he continued. “She is mine." The man, whom I now knew as Rider, grabbed me by the arm and pulled me to him, gripping me by the waist firmly.
I sucked in a quick breath. “Yours?!”
Shocked by the sudden action, I tried to push away from him but his grip was surprisingly strong that he did not even budge. I looked up to him but his gaze was fixed towards the dark corridor like he was looking at someone standing there. I followed his gaze and saw nothing, but the voice that boomed assured me that someone was there. I held on to Ryder. Strangely, I felt safe in his arms, in the arms of this odd man who had appeared from nowhere.
"She is free Ryder. I can smell her." The person growled.
Ryder faced me, the anger on his face softened when he leaned in to whisper to me. His breath fanned my ear and I felt goosebumps form on my skin. Whoever this man was, he sure did know how to awaken some strange feelings in me.
"I need you to trust whatever I do, can you do that red?"
I placed the flat of my palm against his chest to push him away, shaking my head negatively. My feeling safe in his arms did not guarantee that I should trust him.
“Wha… what do you think you are doing right now?” I asked, shaken to my bones but still trying to put up a boldface. But Ryder had not requested, it was a demand.
With his other free hand, he reached up and stroked my face, my eyes following his hand. His touch tingled, he placed his fingers on my forehead, drawing it down slowly to my cheeks, down to my chin, and my neck. I swallowed when he kept going lower and closed my eyes.
“Stop,” I whispered, not actually wanting him to, then he bit lightly into my neck.
I screamed and grabbed at his shirt, felt his teeth sink deeper, tearing into my flesh and his grip on my waist tightened, like he was squeezing, pulling me into him. The pain only lasted a second then I felt his teeth pull out of my neck, felt him lick the spot and I felt numb, my head began to spin.
"Red is a dangerous color on you Lyra ." I heard him say before I passed out.
https://m.goodnovel.com/en/book/31000181888?fbclid=IwAR1ODRjxnMMHiBfwuo3NNqwZFXZaxMPk64_jz8aCtVbxiPa-J_1vGXLcPe8
The Amazon 2
The walk was slow and painful for all seven men, and the supplies made trekking harder than it initially was. Painfully, they still had a few kilometers to walk before they met the Brazilian military waiting for them.
“This is bullshit.” Kurt groaned. “Why weren't we dropped at the Brazilian camp?”
“You’re to dumb to think so it’s not worth explaining to you.” Tyler replied him, taking a sip from the bottle of water she held.
Kurt ignored her. He reached into his trousers and brought out his hands, empty.
“Shit!” He exclaimed. “Shit, shit, shit!” He ran his hands along his entire body, digging into his numerous pockets.
“What’s the problem?” White asked.
Kurt looked up, his expression was alarming. “I lost our radio.”
The entire group stopped walking, and all turned to face Kurt. Their faces was mixed with fear, anger and surprise. Winston was the first to speak. “What did you say Kurt.”
“You heard me,” Kurt placed his hands on his waist. “We’ve lost communication.”
White stared at Kurt for a moment, resting his shoulder on an oak tree and then he burst into laughter. The sudden outburst caused all six men to look at him, surprised.
“We’re dead, we’re fucking dead.” White walked up to Kurt and placed his hands over Kurt’s shoulders
Stepping out of Whites embrace, Kurt sat on the dirt and ran his fingers on his bald head. “He is damn right.” He slapped his knee.
Sam let his breath out slowly. They were all alone now, and there was nothing any of them could do about it. All hope was now on Cory to take them to the right place.
Sam turned and walked ahead of the rest, expecting them to follow him.
“where are you going Sam?” Tyler asked, running behind him.
“We keep moving.” He didn’t stop or turn when he said it. They walked behind him, obediently.
**************************
The air came, cold and misty, the seven man crew still walked on, pushing their way through thick bushes and trees. The moon hung low over the night sky, bringing with it a somewhat comforting companionship for the men. Sam was still in front, Cory beside him, trying to figure out where to go next.
Sam, in his head, went back to his old days during his college years, he never had the idea of joining the army, but he was always drawn to the peculiar green uniform that pulled him into the army, and now, walking in the amazon, unsure of where they were, only trusting the words of the young lad beside him, Sam was a mixture of regret and comfort. Regret that he’d been sent on this mission, and comfort because he was put incharge of something for the first time.
“How far Cory?” He asked, looking over the shoulder of the teenager, trying to understand what he was doing.
“By my calculations,” Cory replied. “A few kilometers, maybe five.”
“so we’re close then.”
“Depends.” Cory looked up at the moon hanging loosely in the night sky. “We need to rest, sir, the night’s not in our favour.”
Sam looked at the night sky, and then at Cory. He paused and faced the crew behind him.
“We’ll stop here for the night.” He said. “Kurt, do a perimeter search, make sure there’s nothing out there. Report back in fifteen.”
“you’re the boss.” Kurt said and walked into the night.
“Winston,” Sam continued. “you and Leigh fetch some wood for fire, White and Tyler will find spots for our rest. And Cory,” He turned to the boy. “you’ll help us figure out where we are.”
“Okay, Winston, Leigh, Tyler, White report back in five.”
As the four went out to carry their assignment, Sam sat next to Cory to watch the boy plot their location.
“Why did you join the army?” Sam asked.
“Huh?” Cory looked at the older man.
“Why did you join the army?” Sam repeated.
“Oh,” Cory bowed his head. “My dad, he err pushed me in.”
“Must have been tough huh?”
“Yeah, he was military, and so was his father. So it kinda made sense that I was in on the whole thing.” Cory forced a smile.
Sam admired the small boy that sat with him. His petite figure and peculiar innocence made him seem like the perfect son even more perfect than Sam could ever be.
“My mum left us early,” Cory continued. “It was hard for my dad, he put his anger on us, me especially.”
“Us?”
“Yeah I had a sister, she was older by a year,” pause. “left house at fifteen.”
“Wow,” Sam scratched his head, as if trying to analyse the story.
Cory cracked his knuckles and spat into the dirt. He shifted uncomfortably on the log of wood they sat on. Sam noticed.
“There ain’t nothing out there.” Kurt said as he walked in on Sam and Cory. “nothing but trees and bushes.” He stared at the two men for full five seconds. Looking around, he continued. “Where’s the rest?”
“Out looking for wood.” Sam answered.
“Well, they’d better be back early, ain’t nothing but wood out here.”
Sam shook his head, smiling.
Kurt sat on the hard dirt, head buried in his knees.
“Nothing special about this mission ain’t that right Kurt?”
“Yeah Sam, nothing but trees.”
Both men chuckled, looking at the trees surrounding them.
The rest of the crew walked in, Winston carrying broken tree parts.
“We found a spot capt,” White said, helping Winston to arrange the wood ready to make fire.
“Cozy?”
“okay actually.” Tyler answered, shrugging her shoulders.
Kurt looked at her and smiled. “yeah sure.” He stroked his chin.
“Problem, Kurt?” She asked, standing above him, hands on her waist.
“Maybe you wanna help me solve it.” He smirked.
Tyler rolled her eyes, walking away from him and towards Leigh.
“It’s gonna be a long night darling,” Kurt called after her, almost shouting. “We can make use of it.”
She held up her middle finger, still backing him.
“Yeah, you just might.” Kurt lied on the dirt, hand bent below his head.
It wasn’t long before Winston and White ignited the fire, illuminating most of where they were with an orange bloom. Kurt stared at the open sky, which was punctuated by a million stars. How lucky. He thought.
“White,Tyler,” Sam started. “take us to the spot.”
Hours later, all seven men lied on hard dirt fast asleep as the night ran along, cold and heavy.
The Amazon
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Sergeant major Sam Robinson looked down from the window of the chopper flying about fifteen thousand feet above the Brazil amazon forest. He watched the vast landscape unfold, as the military helicopter drop a few feet, like something out of a bad dream, a bad dream he was unfortunate to be part of. To him, and probably the other six men with him, this whole mission was bullshit and too crazy to be true.
His attention shifted to the young rookie who sat across from him. The lad looked scared and appeared to fumble with his helmet.
“First time huh?” Sam said, nodding at the rookie.
“yeah.” He tried to smile, but his quivering lips gave him away.
Yup, he was scared.
“crazy generals up there serge, what do you think?” Another soldier with a bald head asked, gripping his gun tightly. “You believe what they said?”
Sam shook his head. to him, nothing about the mission was true.
“Guess we’ll have to wait to find out.” The soldier replied himself. He bowed his head, his lips moving in silent prayer.
“Yo major,” Sam said to the pilot, “how far are we from our destination?”
The pilot looked over his shoulder to Sam. He wore a grin that made him seem unsure of what he was doing. “Few kilometers. . . or more.”
Crazy. . .
Sam closed his eyes, resting his head against the soft leather headrest. He remembered sitting in that office, listening to the somewhat intriguing story that he felt the general had cooked up. He watched the man pace the room back and forth and back again at ten seconds intervals, his lean hands kept behind his back.
Sitting there, Sam could not help but admire the man's sense of humor, how he seemingly enjoyed saying bizarre and unbelievable things.
“I’ve got something for you and your men serge.” The general had said.
“I’ve been sitting here for thirty minutes sir,” Sam smiled. “and you’ve been talking for more.”
The general shot an angry look at Sam. His eyes shrunk into his head, and his jaw ground forcefully against each other just below the surface of the skin.
The entire conversation had been nothing of importance to Sam, not even when the general said it was a direct order from the president. It only made Sam wonder if they were all sane.
Now, looking down at the amazon, Sam wondered why anybody should be sent to a place such as this for something that did not make any sense.
Coming back to reality, Sam watched the pilot flip a switch and talk to someone on the other side.
“Okay boys, here we are.” The pilot said, dropping the chopper some thousand feet more. “This is where we say goodbye.”
Sam looked a thousand feet below him, there was an open patch of land surrounding, but not covered with trees.
The pilot painstakingly dropped the chopper into the open land, and with every six feet drop, Sam felt the temperature in his blood rise. Though he didn’t believe the shitty story the general had told him, he still did not know what to expect.
The pilot landed the chopper and looked over his shoulder to the military crew that sat at the back of the chopper. He didn’t say a word, but he didn’t have to. Sam and his men gingerly stepped out of the chopper, carrying just about enough ammunition to last them at least three days, if what they faced was exactly what the general had said.
The pilot eased the chopper off from the ground and into the air. In a few minutes, he was gone, leaving Sam and his men alone in the cold amazon forest.
Sergeant major Sam Robinson looked at all six men. They were all alone, and they were all his responsibility. There was Kurt, their communications man; Cory was the rookie, and also the pathfinder; Winston was the ‘heavy machinery guy’; Tyler and Leigh, the doctors; and White, the second in command to Sam.
“well we had better start going,” Sam said. “the mystery ain’t gonna reveal itself.”
“Yeah, that’s disappointing.” Leigh said, packing her hair into a ponytail.
“This ain’t no beauty contest pony.” Kurt laughed, shoving Leigh as he brushed past her.
“Haha, very funny.” she eyed him.
Picking up the RP-G's he’d dropped earlier, Winston walked to stand behind Cory.
“Where to boy?” He asked.
Cory reached for his bag which rested comfortably on his back. He fumbled a bit, trying to reach a piece of paper he’d been given by Sam before they left for the mission. He pulled out a compass from one of his khaki pockets and studied both objects for some minutes, looking up every few seconds. Placing both objects back into where they came from, he looked up at Sam.
“We head west towards the river.”
“Yeah obviously.” Kurt mocked. “we always head towards the river. Anyone would have said that.”
“Says the guy who wouldn’t know the difference between east and west.” Leigh replied, tapping the end of her gun with her index finger.
“Yeah right.” He frowned.
“Alright, guys let's get going.” Sam didn’t wait for a response. He turned, walking through a line of trees that surrounded the circumference of the open land they were in.
The rest of the gang followed, walking behind Sam.
“How do you cope with those things Winston?” Leigh walked beside him, looking at the big man.
“You’ll get used to it.” He smiled.
“Hell no, I wouldn't.” She brushed a strand of hair from her forehead.
“Well.” Winston frowned whilst trying to fight the swarm of flies that had gathered around him.
“Seems like they like you.” Leigh said as she increased her pace to meet up with Sam and Cory who walked in front.
“It’s gonna be a long mission.”
Burning Desires
Megan sank into the bathtub, allowing her body to welcome the warm, and soothing water. She had missed this; the peace of mind that comes with the loneliness of her apartment, the freedom to do as she pleased without being restricted, the lavender smell of her bathroom and quacky, the small rubber duck sitting on the edge of the bathtub. She reached out and rubbed the slippery head before squeezing the belly, it made a short quack noise, and Megan half laughed. She squeezed it two more times before dropping it in the water close to her chest.
Leaning back and relaxing, she let her hands drop on either side of the tub. Her left hand reached out for the bottle of wine which laid just below the tub and she lifted it up. Deciding not to bother refilling the now empty glass, she brought the bottle to her lips and tipped her head backward, gulping the red liquid down in a rush. She choked and coughed, placed the bottle down, and chuckled sadly.
"Omar, I'm really sorry." *Hiccup*. "I'm really really sorry. But I needed this break, at least I thought that was what I needed... but I miss you terribly...."
Her heart ached so badly, she had left Omar and it was killing her, she knew it would hurt her but she hadn't anticipated this much feeling of hurt and helplessness. She felt her heart giving out, maybe she shouldn't have left him, maybe he really did need her to stay by his side but she saw no reason why she should continue staying there since she saw herself as a tool used to hold Omar down and make him do things against his will. Now that she was gone, she really hoped that he would find his strength and maybe come back for her, she hoped he didn't believe what she had said about her getting back together with Samir. He should know that she would never do that.
Samir was just someone she had been in love with once, someone she had loved with all of her heart. If he had come back earlier then maybe she would have forgiven him because it had taken a great deal to forget him and heal herself, it had taken three years to get over him and now she loved another, there was absolutely no way she could get back together with Samir. There was absolutely no place for him in her heart anymore.
He had dropped her off right in front of her apartment, it baffled her that he still knew the way to her apartment because she had slept off for most of the ride and had only realized she was home when he had woken her up. Despite his offer to make her dinner which she knew she needed and didn't have the strength to make for herself, she had refused and had shut the door in his face.
She was weak emotionally and knew she would be very vulnerable if he made advances. She didn't want to take any chances and end up making her life any more complicated than it already was, she didn't want him to think she was actually planning on getting back together with him. She would never, even if things didn't work out between her and Omar, she would never get back together with Samir.
He didn't leave immediately but lingered around the premises and leaned on his car. She watched him from the window for a while and he would sometimes look up to catch a glimpse of her but she had drawn the curtains and she could only see him but he could see her. He could be there all night if it pleased him, she wouldn't bother. He had broken her into pieces once before, what was the guarantee that he wouldn't do the same again? Or worse?
He wasn't a womanizer, that much she knew but he attached sentimental value to work, business and religion. If he had to choose between her and these things of value to him, she was almost certain she would be kicked to the curb. She walked away from the window and made to settle into her apartment, she would need a shower first.
She splashed around in the tub and turned her head to the side, catching a glimpse of her drunken self in the mirror. She looked pitiful, drained, and weary and soon she began to cry. Was it a crime now to fall in love? Or maybe it was something not meant for her to grab and keep. Twice now, she had been left shattered. She didn't want to fall in love anymore. She just didn't have the heart to do so.
She picked up the bottle and studied it in the dim light. Her vision was beginning to blur. She shook the bottle which was now almost empty before swallowing the last gulp then relaxed into the bathtub and allowed sleep to begin to take over her slowly. Somehow she felt Omar's arms hugging her around her waist from behind and she cuddled into his chest, holding on to his powerful arms as he pulled her tighter to him.
He trailed kisses along her neck, biting into her skin and rearing up to her desires, the sensation caused her to moan softly and she reached her hand behind to hold on to his hair, tilting her head sideways to give him full access to her neck as he continued his assault on her skin. He nibbled on the part of her skin just below her ear lobe, biting and sucking to leave a mark and one hand came up slowly to cup her left breast, squeezing gently and pinching on her nipples. Megan gasped, goosebumps formed on her arms and thighs. She brought her hand to hold his which was still massaging her breasts, urging him on. She wanted more.
Omar let his other hand go down under the water, he trailed his finger teasingly down her stomach till he reached her opening. When his fingers brushed against them she instinctively slapped her legs closed but a fierce bite on her neck made her scream out and her legs parted in obedience, giving him full access. Omar growled at her seductive moans when he rubbed his fingers against her clits, he felt his erection harden and he thrust his middle finger into her, squeezing her breast roughly.
Megan let out a scream and her back arched away from him but he pulled her back to himself, pressing his hardness against her back. She brought her hand to grab his arm wanting to slow him down but he wouldn't stop. He added another finger inside her, earning another scream of pleasure from her.
"Omar....!"
She wasn't a virgin but she was still very tight, her walls squeezed his fingers and she tried to rock her hips in motion to his movement in her but he was thrusting into her roughly, he felt his patience slip away fast with the way she was constantly gasping and moaning out his name, it ignited a fire in him and he wanted nothing more than to be buried inside of her. Megan was small and didn't weigh much, it made it easier for him to lift her, positioning her against his hardened erection and slowly bring her down on it.
She held on to either side of the tub when he held her small waist firmly. She felt his hardness come against her opening, felt herself stretch to accommodate him till he was fully inside of her. She heard him groan when she wiggled a bit to tease him but Omar could not be patient. He lifted her again and brought her down hard on him. Megan screamed.
"Omar..!"
"Don't try to tease me, Megan." His voice was hoarse and he bit into her back. "I cannot be patient with you."
He bounced her on himself slowly at first and repeatedly matching his thrusts into her from below. She felt his erection hit the bottom of her stomach with each bounce and thrust, she felt pain and pleasure surge through her, and her cries filled the bathroom.
"Omar, please slow down. It is beginning to hurt." She begged.
"I can't." He moaned, tilting his head backward. "I just can't."
He continued till he came close to his release and he increased his pace before he spilled into her. She collapsed back on his chest exhausted, with him still buried in her.
"Are you ok?" She asked and he replied with a hum. His hand still massaged her breasts and his other hand rubbed on her clits, stimulating her again and her body tensed.
"Omar... what are you doing?" She whispered.
"Nothing." He replied and continued at a faster pace.
"Omar don't..." She gasped and her moans filled his ears.
"Don't what?" He pinched her nipples and nibbled on her neck. "Tell me, what shouldn't I do?"
Omar felt her walls tighten around his manhood which had now hardened again and he knew she was close because she grabbed his laps, her nails digging into his skin but he wouldn't please her just yet. He stopped his fingers on her clit but continued massaging her breasts.
"You have to tell me, Omar don't what? Hmm?" He whispered into her ear, biting it.
"Don't stop please." She rasped out the words and he smiled. He began to move in and out of her at a faster pace while still rubbing on her clits and soon enough she moaned out his name as she came, breathing heavily.
Megan relaxed in the tub having let her imaginations take over her. She smiled thinking of Omar and slept off.
Missing
Sunday, the 8th of May.
11:34 am
There was something intriguing about Pamela Neil’s case that had Tia coming back and revisiting it, some of the unanswered questions and hidden clues regarding this particular case had brought her back to the house on Stone street, Tribeca, to come to have a chat with a family member, she was hoping she would get the chance to talk to Pamela’s younger sister, Trisha because she seemed to know more about her sister than their mother did. This would be her third visit.
Asides from the fact that her murder had been the first case assigned to her that had drawn up this string of serial murders, she did feel some kind of connection to the dead girl and her family, most especially to her aged mother since she herself had promised the woman that she would personally bring this criminal down, now she felt like she owed the family a lot.
She pressed the buzzer two more times before taking a step back away from the door, she looked around the neighborhood, no, she did not like this place, it was too quiet and too alone. There were no children that she could see playing around and neither was she able to hear their chattering if it was that they were inside. This was a mind your business zone and even during the day like now, it was still quite eerie.
The click sound from the door drew her attention back and she turned her head to see the door slowly being opened, squeaking as it did and she could see Pamela’s mother from behind the screen door. The woman had no readable expression on her face when she opened the door fully and invited Tia in, she just kept on a blank look and walked back inside with Tia following behind her without a smile on her face.
“You come here more often than the other cops.” The woman acknowledged as she sat on her comfy lone chair beside a small cane table. Tia noticed the knitting basket placed on the table and she could tell that the woman had been knitting or trying to before she had come here.
“That is because I am the detective assigned to this case and I do want to get to the bottom of this as soon as I can. Having a mad killer on the loose is not a good thing.” She explained but the woman only hummed and picked up her knitting.
Tia did not sit down immediately but took her time in observed her, the woman was weak and she was tired and she looked like she had not been getting much sleep in a while, Tia took her time to look around the house, it was not as tidy as it had been the last time she was here, the fact that she remembered these small details surprised her a little but then she was used to remembering things, it was something she had learned in the course of her job.
Tia heard her sniff, her hands trembled and she was having some difficulty in continuing her knitting, she frowned and adjusted her glasses, pushing them in and higher up the bridge of her nose then she tried to continue knitting but her hand still trembled. She sniffed again and sighed, taking in a deep breath and she set her knitting in her lap, placing one hand on top of the other. She remained quiet and looked outside through the window, up at the clouds.
“I came by hoping to have a chat with Trisha, is she in?”
“Trisha has not been back for a while now.”
Tia’s eyebrows furrowed in worry. “She has not? For how long?”
“Since the last time, it has been days now and she has not even called once.”
Tia looked away, her thoughts flying wildly in her head, she could not help but think up what negative things could have happened to Trisha, was she even still alive? She shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts but they returned, she knew that might be a possibility, she might be dead and her body dumped somewhere, waiting for the police to find it. She thought of the killer, she could imagine him roaring with laughter at the total incompetence of the police force, she could imagine him standing over Trisha’s body, her dead, icy-cold eyes fixed on Tia’s, sending every guilty feeling racing through her entire being. She shivered and snapped out of her thoughts.
She looked at the aged woman who paid no attention to her, she could not afford to let her bury both of her daughters, the least she could do was to save one.
“I will leave you now, please do take care. Might come back much later.” She excused herself and stepped outside, pulling out her phone and the car keys as soon as she was out the door.
* * * * *
12:52 pm
Tia had spent the last hour driving to every park that was close by, although she was really hoping not to find Trisha’s body mangled somewhere in one of the parks, she still had to look and after one hour, she had nothing. She did not know if it was a good thing that she had not found Trisha dead or if it was a bad thing that she had not found Trisha at all, she did not even know where to continue her search. She did not know where the girl visited frequently, who her friends were, or where she worked - if she worked.
Trisha had become a person of interest mainly to her because asides from the fact that she was the sister to the murder victim whose case she was on, Trisha had no other link to the case but Tia just could not shake her off. There has not been a case where the killer would come to attack the family of his past victims but that did not mean that there would not be a possibility, keeping an eye on Trisha was, for now, the safest thing she could do for her but how easy was it? To keep an eye on a girl who gallivants here and there without notifying anyone of her whereabouts and they could not put a trace on her without finding her first.
She hated the bad vibes she was getting, it irked her body and she vibrated severally as she drove on without having an actual destination. She breathed in and out slowly several times, trying to go in rhythm with the song that played softly on the radio, to clear her mind and loosen her up a little bit.
“Trisha is a grown-up young lady.” she told herself. “Surely she can take care of her own self?”
But she was still not able to convince herself of that, why she was this worried, she did not know, but what she knew now was that they had to find Trisha. She pulled the car up to a stop by the side of the road and fished out her phone from the pockets of her leather jacket, she had Aiden on speed dial and she called him up, putting the phone on loudspeaker and setting it on her laps.
“Hey, partner.” Aiden’s cheerful voice fluttered through the speaker and the corner of her lips twitched briefly in a half-smile. “How is the detective work going?”
“Honestly Aiden, not so good. How is Stacey Rohn’s case going? Any luck? Any recent breakthrough or news?”
“Uhhh… we have compiled her file, autopsy results, and everything…”
“And the DNA samples?” She chipped in rather impatiently, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel. “Please tell me that you have got your hands on something.”
“Calm down a little Tia, it is still in the lab, we should be expecting results by the end of today or early tomorrow.”
Tia hummed, she could not sit stable in the car and she kept shaking her legs, drumming her fingers and her eyes moved here and there, scanning her surroundings, the streets, the buildings, taking note of everyone that walked by within her field of vision.
“Tia…?” Aiden called. “What is going on?”
“Everything is going on, everything bad is going on. Nothing is right Aiden, nothing feels right and nothing is going on right.”
“What’s wrong? Where are you?” He was genuinely worried, she could tell by the way the tone in his voice dropped.
“She is missing.”
“Who is? Who is missing?”
“Trisha. She is missing, she has not been home for days and it is causing me to worry. I went over to her place and her mother said she has not been home for days. I have even driven to every park around trying to find… something.” She could not tell Aiden that she had been driving all around, from park to park looking for the dead body of a girl she was hoping to be alive, even now, thinking about it did not sound very good.
“She has been missing for days? Her mother should have filed a missing person’s report.”
“Nah, apparently this is not the first time she is staying away from the house, her mother does not seem all that worried because she is used to it but I can not help but feel this way, not with this mad man-killer roaming free.”
“I understand you, I will have a missing person’s report filed right away and mobilize a team to go in search of her.”
“Thank you, Aiden.” That was a start but it was not something that could easily put her mind at ease. “And can you track her phone? I do not have her number so you might have to find it somehow.”
“Easy peasy. We will start from the place she was last seen.” She could hear him, already tapping away at the keyboard as he spoke.
“Her home?”
He hummed a positive response. “The neighbors might have seen her leave the house on the day that she did, maybe one person might know where she goes to, or where she works.”
“If she works.” She turned her head to check the side mirrors to see who had just bumped into the rear of the car, it had been a teenager on a bicycle. He waved to her an apology and continued his cycling. “The neighbourhood is a dead zone Aiden, nobody knows anything about their next-door neighbour.”
“Well okay, that is sad and… un-neighborly, this will be a bit tasking but nothing we can not do, right?”
“We just have to find her and keep a close watch on her, nobody is to approach her when she is found unless absolutely necessary.”
“Yes ma’am.” He chuckled briefly. “Anything else?”
“Hmm… that would be all for now, thank you so much Aiden.”
“It is alright, we are partners, after all, I do most of the work in here while you go out into the world and encounter all the dangers of it.” That caused Tia to chuckle. “And since you are already out there, you will have to go somewhere right away.”
She looked at the phone screen like Aiden himself was there. “Where?”
“It is regarding Stacey Rohn’s case. The last person she had contacted was a lady, Blair Grace, apparently her co-worker, I will send you the address right away.”
“Skyline?” Tia asked, it was just a guess but she was almost sure that was the place. She heard him chuckle distantly.
“Now are you not the smart one?” He teased.
“Lucky guess?” She shrugged her shoulders.
“I wills send the address right away and a bit of information on Blair Grace. Something to get your mind off worrying over Trisha for a while, I will contact you the second we find her.”
“I’m on it.” She started the car.
Rivalry
"Luck was on your side Dan, that you encountered a mixed-blood almost immediately." An elder spoke up in praise of Dan.
"But she had Liam with her, that renegade Angel has been on the radar of many creatures. He has himself a lot of enemies." Another completed.
Dan smirked and side-eyed Scott who had remained quiet all through. He had found a mixed-blood first while Scott had been rubbing elbows with the corrupted Arch Angel who had shown less favor towards him, but now he was sure that the tables would turn. He would be the one on-demand now. He focused back on the elders.
"You said, he did not know what she was at first? He did not know that she was a mixed-blood?" The elders asked Dan.
He puffed up a little before replying. "That is correct, he did not know what she was."
"And how were you able to find her so quickly?"
"She was bleeding, resulting from the fight she was in with the demons who had attached them. I could smell her blood and I tracked it to her." He replied.
"You have done an excellent job Dan by finding her, at least now we know now that there is still mixed blood. Renard would be relieved." Dan smirked on hearing the elders praise him and he looked to Scott with a smug look but Scott paid him no attention, he just stood there before the elders and listened.
"And what did you get?" Dan asked Scott in a bid to mock him but he still did not reply or acknowledge him. Dan chuckled. "Right... you got nothing."
"Scott, what is your report?" The elders asked him. "You will assist Dan in getting this mixed blood from Liam."
"I found a mixed blood." Scott announced.
Dan's head snapped towards Scott. What?!
"He was with the female Angel who steals humans." He continued with calmness in his voice.
"Is she not the Angel known as Sheila?" An elder inquired.
"Yes, she is the one. She steals humans captured from the demons and takes them to the mountains, and from there back to the humans' hideout." Scott confirmed.
Dan fumed. This was supposed to be his moment but Scott was ruining it, the fact that he too had found a mixed-blood was a dent in Dan's pride.
"He?" Dan inquired. "You found mixed blood? Male mixed blood?"
Scott turned to him now, with a smirk on his face which he knew would annoy Dan, and it did. "Yes, Dan, a mixed-blood."
"How did you know he was mixed." Dan asked, still not wanting to believe that Scott had also found one.
"I cut him, that was how."
"Did you capture him?" The elders asked. Dan tensed, if Scott had captured this mixed-blood then all his pride would have been for naught. Once again, Scott would be praised higher than him.
"I was not able to." Scott turned to face the elders. "The Angel Sheila managed to help him flee but I was able to catch up to her and I got her blood on my blade." He brought out his two small knives and placed them on the table. They were still red with the Angel's blood.
Dan, looking for an opportunity to bring Scott down quickly chipped in. "The blood required is the blood of the mixed and not an Angel. Angel's blood is not as rare now as it used to be back then. This is useless."
Scott smiled. "Yes Dan, it is useless but at least it was my knife who did the stabbing, and not hers. I did not come in here covered head to toe in bruises and injuries caused by the sword of an Angel like you did."
"Don't you..." Dan started but was cut off by an elder.
"If this mixed blood is with the Angel Sheila, then it means that she is trying to take him back to be human fortress?"
"It would seem so." Scott confirmed.
"If she takes this mixed-blood back there, then we can not get him back as we do not engage the humans without a cause. If he gets to the fortress he will be safe."
"I can get to them before she takes him to the fortress." Scott offered, he knew that he could. "I know the route.
"If you know of the route then how is it that we do not know of the human hideout?" Dan inquired. "... since we know of the female Angel."
"Because humans are of no concerns of ours." An elder replied Dan.
"Besides," Scott spoke, turning to face Dan with a smirk. "We do know of the humans' hideout."
"We... do?" Dan was flabbergasted. He looked from Scott's smirking face, which he really wanted to punch so badly, to the elders seated. "And why have we not done anything concerning this?"
"Because again, as the elders said, the humans are of no concern to us," Scott replied him. "We do not engage them directly."
"And only Scott knows of their hideout." An elder revealed. "And we trust that it would remain that way in order to avoid any...."
"....chaos on our part." Another elder completed. "The Nadris are hidden creatures and we are to remain that way, without external interactions with the other creatures unless our expertise is required or requested for."
Dan glared at Scott whose attention was away from him, why was it that he was just only knowing of this?! So Scott alone knows of the humans' hideout. Dan began to wonder how he had found it out and how long he had known and kept this to himself. He fumed.
"Scott, try to get the boy's blood before the Angel Sheila takes him to the fortress. Dan, if you can, still keep an eye on the other mixed but do not engage Liam. He is deadly as it is. This meeting is adjourned."
Scott and Dan bowed in respect to the elders and exited the large meeting room, both of them heading for the study room which was not quite far and directly above them.
The Nadri's headquarter, as they called it, although located in the heart of the dense forest, was a magnificent piece of work. The whole area of the forest that they had claimed was a network of building connected one to another through underground tunnels or long hallways and the buildings were the homes of all the Nadris. The building they were in contained the meeting room which occupied most of the ground floor and above that was the study room and the three semi apartments, each for the three elders. This building was for them alone but Scott and Dan and a few top-ranking Nadris had access to the study room.
"Did she escape you or did you let her escape?" Dan growled and attacked Scott with the question as soon as they both stepped into the study room.
Scott, ignoring Dan's question, reached above the fireplace and took down a bottle of scotch, and poured himself a half glass. He strolled to the window and shoved a hand into his pocket, looking out and taking a sip. He let the liquid swim in his mouth for a while before swallowing it. He smiled.
Dan shot daggers at Scott with his gaze, he loathed Scott. Hated him. But of course, there was no place for love amongst the Nadirs. You could not even feel pity if your own mother had to die by your hands for a crime she committed. Yes, Dan was that ruthless. It was the Nadir's code. But still, Scott surpassed him in everything, it only added to the bitterness he felt towards his half-brother.
Scott was weak and he was fragile, too delicate and he was not even a full Nadir. Their mother's unforgivable affair with a human had begotten Scott and her only punishment had been death and Dan had not even batted an eyelid when he was offered "the honor of erasing sin from amongst them."
He had seen the downfall of Angels, the rise of demons, and the near extinction of the humans, killing his own mother was nothing to be compared.
Or maybe it was because of jealousy. Jealous of his mother's constant support for his half-brother. To him, Scott was an outsider, killing her was to establish that fact. When the affair had been revealed, Dan was little or less surprised. It had come on the day of their transformation and Scott had been unable to do so.
All Nadris at that age could transform, the inability of Scott to do so had forced the truth to come out and had led to their mother's death. Scott was not killed because even though he was only half Nadri, he had accomplished so much. The elders had left him.
"I knew I was right when I told them you were not capable." Dan scoffed.
"And you, the capable one, found another mix blood and could not capture her?" Scott mused.
"She had Liam with her, everyone knows what Liam is capable of if he wants to protect. But you! All you had to do was to deal with was a child and a female Angel and you failed."
Scott remained silent, a smirk plastered on his face. According to the elders, he was "Leadership material". Half Nadir or not, he had earned his respect. It was he who opted that Angels be transformed and not killed as they made a wonderful and submissive pet. It was he who discovered the transformation process. He who was made fourth in command. Dan was nowhere near his accomplishments, so they placed him under Scott to learn. He had not taken it like sweet honey but he dared not protest.
"She is a fine specimen, you know? She would make my collections more valuable." Scott spoke, taking a swing from the liquor in his glass.
"I knew that you had let her go on purpose. She would eventually be your own downfall."
"And you would like that? No?" Scott glanced at the man who was his half-brother. The hatred in his eyes gave the answer to his question.
"Killing you would be my greatest achievement. Mother was nothing...." He did not complete his words, Scott had him pinned to the wall by this throat. In human form they were of the same build, making it easy for Scott to bully him, so he transformed, something Scott could not do since he was not a full Nadir, so Scott let go of his grip.
Dan snapped at Scott, revealing his sharp long fangs. How he would love to bite his head off but he just could not. It was the code that protected all Nadirs from each other unless authority was given by the elders.
"One scratch on my skin and you would go all the way down to the bottom of the food chain, half brother or not!" Scott yelled, his eyes burning with anger. After a rather long pause with both brothers staring daggers at each other, Dan calmed down to his human self.
"Whatever sinful feeling you have started to develop towards the female Angel should be dealt with. Mother was weak. No surprise if you turned out the same. You are already half-human. I am sure the elders would throw a feast in your honor if they heard that you have fallen for an Angel. Let me know when the wedding bells ring." He had a hearty laugh as he adjusted his suit, leaving Scott standing by the window staring outside.
Scott drained his glass, Dan was gone. He sat down on the only armchair in the study room and closed his eyes. One thought kept re-vibrating in his head as the image of her pinned beneath him came to play in his mind and the feel of her lips crushed by his. He touched his lips with a thumb.
"Sheila..."
**https://m.goodnovel.com/book_info/31000039026/Paranormal/Hunter**'s-Chorus?shareuser=22216334&ch=apps
Broken
Mariam returned to the palace with Saadiya and Parvina from their shopping trip which had taken most of the day. Her father had allowed her out of the palace in the company of Saadiya, Parvina, and a few guards to go shopping in Riyadh, that was what she had requested for her birthday, the little freedom that was given and her father had granted. She collapsed exhausted on the bed after ripping the abaaya from her body, the weather was hot and she imagined herself submerged under the cool waters of the pool of Al Lith.
Sometimes she hated being royalty because it limited her, there were things she couldn't do and places she couldn't go, and places she was allowed to go, she didn't go alone. Saadiya and Parvina were her only true friends and she wondered how things would be between them after she had gotten married. Did married women keep friends? If they did, would they even have the time to maintain contact?
"Saadiya? We would still be friends, right? And Parvina?" She asked.
"Yes of course, what made you ask?"
She sat up. "I'm getting married soon, we would have time for each other won't we?"
"We will all get married Mariam, my father even mentioned it to me just recently. Surely we will make out time." Saadiya replied.
"Oh, I don't know about Saadiya." Parvina plopped down on the floor. "But I'll visit you every day! To see you."
"Or to see Omar?" Saadiya teased. Parvina laughed.
"If he wants a second wife, I'm here for you Mariam."
"Parvina!" Mariam shrieked
"What? I also need to get married and we would be able to remain friends forever." She laughed hard and held her stomach. Saadiya slapped her lightly in the head and all three girls laughed.
"But Mariam," Saadiya spoke. "You are happy, aren't you? About the marriage."
Mariam sighed and smiled. "I am."
"Even with the fact that he has someone else in his heart? You still are?"
"I am." She nodded.
"Mariam honestly..."
"Do you think I am greedy Saadiya?"
"Greedy why?" She came to sit closer to Mariam.
"For wanting him. For feeling this way and wanting him for myself."
"You have the right to love and want love, it is not recognized as a sin."
"Isn't it coveting? Sometimes I feel like I am coming in between something, doing something I shouldn't be doing and wanting something that shouldn't be mine."
Saadiya picked up her hand and sandwiched it in both her palms. "Let the will of God be done. If you will be with him then you will, if it wasn't meant to be then you won't."
"Should I?"
"Enough Mariam." This time it was Parvina who interrupted. "Enough of the self-pity and all that. You want to ruin your mood?"
Mariam chuckled. "No."
"Then stop and cheer up!"
"Yes ma'am." They laughed.
They remained in the room, going through and sorting out the things they had gotten and trying them out until a messenger came knocking on the door. The king was hosting a guest and her presence was required. Omar had arrived.
She was so thrilled that she couldn't hide her excitement. It was her birthday and she had been showered with lots of gifts by her father, friends, and well-wishers but the man she was set to be getting married to in two days, her husband to be hadn't sent anything, not so much as a word. So when the message had arrived that he was here and that her presence was required, she almost ran out of the room without wearing her abaaya until Parvina yelled to remind her.
"Mariam! You have to put this on first!"
"Ohh yes. Hahaha, right." She grabbed it off the hook.
"Uhhh... someone seems in a hurry..." She teased, causing Mariam's cheeks to turn bright red. She snatched the abaaya and put it on.
"Ohh stop it!" She ran for the door.
"Calm down Mariam!" She yelled. "You're putting it on all wrong, wait let me help you."
Mariam took it off and allowed Parvina to help her. She tapped her feet impatiently, allowing different thoughts to run through her head. Parvina took her time in helping with the abaaya, a sly smile on her face as she watched Mariam. Her friend was in love! With the exact man she had sworn never to love. Somehow it looked cute.
"Ohh Parvina I feel like you're delaying on purpose! Hurry!"
"Haha, I am delaying, I want you to calm down." She laughed. "Alright, I'm done, just..." But Mariam had already run out the door before she completed her words. Parvina smiled.
Mariam paused when she got to the door leading into the room where Omar and her father would be, she breathed in to steady herself and put on a smile like anyone would see through the thick abaaya that covered most of her face, then she nodded to the guard to open up the door.
Omar stood, laughing with the King as they shared a few talks and humor, they both turned when the door was opened and Mariam walked in, bowing first to her father in greeting and then to Omar. She tried to avoid looking at him because he wouldn't stop looking at her, it made her insides turn to jelly and she blushed.
"You called for me father?"
"Haha, not me my daughter, him." He laughed heartily.
Mariam's head shot up, she looked at Omar with a questioning look. Him? He had called for her? She wondered what for but she felt happy, did he remember her birthday? He had to, perhaps that's why he had called for her, to present to her his gift personally. She fluttered her eyes lashes and looked back down, color came to her cheeks again.
"Well, she's here now Omar, you may take her."
"Thank you, your highness." He bowed and turned to face Mariam, gesturing with his hand towards the doorway, he spoke. "Shall we, princess?" She lowered her head more and followed him out of the room.
Mariam walked beside him towards another room a little distance away from the room they had come out of, she couldn't help the happy feeling that rose from the pit of her belly and she nervously played with her nails. Omar watched her from the corner of his eyes and smirked then he led her into a room, closing the door behind them. As he turned, he saw her taking off her abaaya.
"Why are you taking it off?"
"To save you the stress of saying it, I know that's what you want me to do, or you wouldn't have brought me in here so we can be alone, right?"
"Really?" He smiled and watched the now twenty-year-old young girl.
"Well, I wouldn't have asked because I don't need you to, but now that you have, hmm..." He shrugged his shoulders.
She rose an eyebrow. "So why did you want us alone?"
"Happy birthday princess."
Mariam looked at him like he'd suddenly grown a horn in the middle of his forehead. Was he serious right now?
"You brought me in here," she gestured with her hands around the room, "so you could wish me a happy birthday?"
He shrugged his shoulders again. "So? I don't see what's wrong."
"You don't? Is your wish so special that other ears shouldn't hear it or do you have a request....?"
"Is that pride I sense? Just oozing out of you."
"What? Ok, now you...."
Omar watched the girl talk, watched her lips move and her hands move so gracefully in motion with her body, explaining each of her words as they rolled out of her mouth. She reminded him of Megan, the way she would talk like she was never wrong, the way she would talk when she was teasing him, with one hand on her waist and the other moving every which way and her eyes rolling around and sometimes settling on him with a *'do you understand what I'm trying to say to you'* kinda look.
Anger welled up inside of him when he remembered her leaving the house with Samir yesterday and she had wanted to leave without his knowledge, it pained him and without thinking, he took three strides towards her. Mariam paused at his sudden closeness and looked up at his face, his expression feared her and she took a step back but Omar was quick. He reached behind and seized her by the waist, grabbing her chin with the other hand, he kissed her ferociously.
Mariam's eyes widened in shock, her body went stiff, her hands remained by her side and for a brief moment, she didn't respond to the kiss. They shouldn't be doing this and she should push him away immediately but she didn't, it felt so right, it felt so good so she kissed back closing her eyes and melting into the kiss. She arched her back so that her chest pressed into his and slowly brought her hand to his chest to hold on to his shirt and pull herself closer to him.
Omar felt the contact of her palm on his chest and stopped abruptly, breaking off the kiss with a hiss. He squeezed her chin a little too hard forcing her eyes open, she looked at him, confusion and pain in her eyes. He locked eyes with her, the anger burnt evidently in them. Mariam trembled under his fierce gaze.
"I will never love you." He pushed her face away and stormed out, leaving her hurt.
**https://m.goodnovel.com/book_info/31000008175/Romance/Scorched?shareuser=22216334&ch=apps**
Positions
Saturday, the 7th of May.
12:56 pm.
Skyline was used to being on the front covers of magazines, newspapers, and tabloids, they wanted that, and they earned that, but as of recent they had not been on the front covers for business-related news, no, rather they had been on the front covers because of the controversy of the heir having returned after years of staying away. This news would not be dying down so easily.
Chester sat uncomfortably in the back seat of the car, his arms and legs crossed and his face away from the tinted windows. He frowned in annoyance, once again his grandfather had done as he pleased and he was sure that it had been him who had tipped the media that his so-called heir would be visiting the company, grandfather really did want him to stay back in this company and take over.
Taking over the company was not an issue to him, after all, it had been his father’s company once, what did not sit well with him was the way grandfather was going on about it like it was his life and the reason for him being born. Michael was there, Michael had always been there but yet grandfather had refused to acknowledge and this had caused a rift between the two of them.
He sighed heavily as the car pulled up nearer to the entrance of Skyline building, he could see the media now, snapping away and yelling his name to provide them the answers to the questions they asked, one question stuck to him though; why have you come here today Mr. Hunt?
Yes, why was he here?
He was here because grandfather had asked him to show up today, he had said that something really important would be happening today and his presence was essential so he had no choice but to come, but was that really the truth as to why he had chosen to come here despite not liking the publicity and paparazzi?
“This is your inheritance.” He heard grandfather’s voice ring in his head. “This is all yours to have and to control.”
The door to his side opened and as he stepped out of the car, he was immediately assaulted with the flashes of blinding lights and protruding microphones, the reporters screamed out their questions and tried to break through the human barrier made up of the bodyguards, holding the people back. Chester walked fast and kept his head low, the dark shades he had on and the nose mask he wore covered most of his face, his deep dark hair, gelled to the back in a sleek fashion greatly complimented his looks, now, he was totally different from the Chester who ran the coffee shop. Now, he was Chester Hunt, the reclusive billionaire and heir to the Skyline business.
He groaned and picked up his pace, why did the car have to park this far away from the entrance of the building? Just as he was approaching the stairs, one of the reporters broke free from the human barrier and ran up to him, microphone first and yelling out his name to get his attention. Chester paused and took a step backward to avoid the microphone from hitting his face. He frowned on impulse at the young lady who was only doing her job.
“Mr. Hunt! Mr. Hunt!” She called repeatedly. “Why did you chose to come back?” She asked just as a bodyguard roughly seized her shoulder but Chester stopped him, this was a lady for crying out loud and as such, she should be treated with respect.
The lady smiled on seeing that Chester was willing to answer her question and she repeated it, this time more calmly. “Mr. Hunt, you have returned to Skyline company after years of being away, doe this mean that the rumor about grandfather retiring is true, or do you have a reason for doing this?”
Chester stood with one hand in his pockets and the other holding on to the button on his suit. “I am here because I am supposed to be here, this company is also mine and it has to be taken care of, as for grandfather's retirement, that is something which I can not share with the public now as I do not know.” He replied and proceeded to move past the lady but she stopped him again with another question.
“Do you have plans of leaving later on or are you here to stay Mr. Hunt?”
Chester looked towards the entrance of the building, his gaze lingered there for a while before he turned back to face the lady, leaning down towards her because she was much shorter than he was and she stood on a lower stair. “I am here.” He replied and turned away.
The lady continued. “Mr. Hunt? Mr. Hunt!?” but Chester had left her there and had entered into the building, he had no time to answer to any more questions, the faster he could get to grandfather and have this important thing which he had called him for done with, the sooner he could get out of here and back to the peace and serenity of his coffee shop.
Everyone down here was at a standstill the moment he stepped in with all eyes on him, it made him feel cautious, the ladies giggled and whispered among themselves and the men watched on in admiration and maybe jealousy, for the fact that he was getting all the ladies attention without even so much as looking their way. He smirked and scoffed, walking faster with the bodyguards mostly behind him. He turned to the guard closest to him as they got to the elevator and spoke softly.
“Get rid of the media, I do not want them lingering around when I am ready to go home.”
The man nodded curtly and stepped out of the way as the elevator dinged and the door opened. Chester watched him walk towards the entrance and heading outside before the elevator door shut. He sighed and checked his wristwatch for time then nodded to himself.
“Okay, let us get this on the way and done with so I can leave here soonest.” He thought to himself.
01:15pm
“The plan is to spread Skyline clubs all over, in major places of New York and then we move outside and over.” Michael explained as he stood beside the projection. He had spent the last five minutes explaining and presenting the plans he had for Skyline clubs to the investors and to the board, it was not like they would not invest if he did not make such a detailed presentation but still, it would not hurt to stand up in front and give them the full view and show them the value of where and what their money was going into.
He stood still now, allowing them to take in and digest what he had just explained, according to his plans, their returns on interest would be tripled, if not more, he knew it was a deal they could not afford to let pass by or slip away. He beamed as he watched them look on and nodding their mostly bald heads, the smile on their faces told him that his efforts had been well received, even grandfather looked impressed.
There were twenty-six heads in the room, twenty-six men, twenty of whom were the ones who would fund this huge project with the monies from their pockets, monies that Skyline had helped doubled in the last project and their returns had not just been in cash, even in kind, they themselves knew that even without this kind of a formal meeting, they would still release whatever amount of money that Skyline requested for. Or more specifically, whatever amount of money that grandfather requested. Power was in play, and so was planning. Meticulous planning.
The door opened almost noiselessly but it dragged everyone’s attention because of the tap tap tapping of shoes that sounded as the person walked into the room. Michael's eye twitched and he frowned on seeing who had just entered, his gaze shifted to grandfather who now had a smile on the corner of his lips and his attention was on the man who had distracted them all. Chester Hunt.
“Forgive my lateness and interruption.” He apologized to all of them but mostly to grandfather because he stood before him.
“No, no. That is alright, you really did not interrupt much, Michael here was already done with his presentation. You came just in time.” Grandfather replied him, turning in the chair to face Chester.
Chester quickly glanced at Michael who was standing in the far corner, by the other end of the room watching him keenly. He could recognize the unmistakable glint of anger in Michael’s gaze before he turned to look away, he was sure he had interrupted something and grandfather was just… well, being grandfather, as always.
“Now that you are here,” Grandfather continued as he gestured to a seat close by for Chester to sit in. “Let us move on to the next agenda shall we gentlemen?”
Michael walked back to the table and sat in a seat directly opposite Chester, he watched him for a while before looking away, the main agenda had been for him, to decide about him and now that it was happening, Michael really wanted to leave the room but he knew that he had to stay, this decision would be affecting a lot of things and he wanted to know what kind of things it would be affecting.
“We had undergone a reshuffle in this company a few days ago.” Grandfather started, going straight to the point. “And now, we have a vacant position which has to be occupied immediately and that..” He turned to Chester. “…is why I had called you here Chester.”
Chester raised an eyebrow at grandfather. “I have to fill in that position?”
“As head of directors.”
Chester’s eyes went round the room briefly, looking at every man present before coming back to grandfather. “And there was no one to fill in that position?”
“It is a position reserved for you Chester, to mark your spot in the company.” Grandfather spoke.
“I do not think there is any need to mark any spot for me grandfather, since I am still part of the company.”
“Well yes, but still…”
“It is not a position I can accept grandfather, I am sorry but I also have my business to focus on.”
“It is also not a position you can decline as you have the largest share in this company after me.”
Chester chuckled and rubbed his index and middle finger against his temple, turning his head in the direction grandfather was seated then spoke under his breath. “Are you trying to tie me here?”
But grandfather did not respond to Chester despite having heard him, he closed the file in front of him and handed it over to Daniel who had stood quietly behind him this whole time, then he directed his next instructions to Chester. “Your office had been cleared out and redecorated, I will have someone take you to your new office. Welcome aboard Chester Hunt.”
Immediately he said that he stood up and every other man in the room did so, except for Chester who was still baffled as to how all this had happened so soon. One by one, after grandfather had left, each man left as well until it was just he and Michael left in the room.
“I guess I should congratulate you.” Michael said, walking around the table until he stood as close enough as he wanted to Chester. “Head of directors.”
Chester groaned and stood up. “Not right now Michael. Not right now please.” he walked out of the room leaving Michael chuckling to himself.
03:15pm.
**https://m.goodnovel.com/book_info/31000096787/Mystery-Thriller/Undercover**
More Surprises
"It is either you are trying to protect her, or it is that you do not know what she is. So which one is it renegade?" Dan asked Liam.
He was somehow surprised, did the renegade Angel really not know that the human he was with was a mixed-blood? Or was he just pretending not to know so that he could try to protect her from him? He smirked, anyhow it was, he was going to leave only when he had the human in his possession.
She was going to be his trophy to rub into the faces of those elders who had thought Scott to be higher and more skilled than he was, and he was going to brag about that's most especially to the other dying Archangel and he would very much up his price. Oh, he was going to get all he wanted with just one frail mixed blood in front of him, he just had to get rid of this obstacle. He had to kick Liam to the side then he would be able to have her.
Liam shifted his head slightly toward Leticia but never took his eyes off the Nadri, with his brows perked. Mixed blood? Her? The human girl he had been with was mixed? How was he not able to tell but more so, why had they been able to bond if she was mixed blood.
Liam cranked his head towards the Nadri, the revelation of Leticia being a mixed-blood just made it even more serious, he had to make sure that this Nadri does not come close to her, if he needed her then it was definitely for no good.
"But she is a mixed-blood and I can smell her blood from her injury, my nose does not deceive me." He leaned sideways to get a better look at Leticia and added. "By the way, that was a nasty bite. Well then, moving on, I have come this way for her and I shall have her before I leave."
"What do you need her for?" He decided to ask, he knew that the Nadri was not supposed to answer him if he was a smart one but he also knew that there was nothing good that could come out of him leaving here with Leticia. Not like he would just allow this Nadri to take her away anyway but he wanted to know why.
"Do you really need that information?" Dan stroked his chin like he was pondering on whether to tell Liam or not, then he smiled. "Well I guess it would not hurt for you to know, it concerns your type after all."
Liam's brows perked up, it concerned his type? What Angel would be in need of a mixed-blood and why? He could only think of Renard. What was he up to now? He decided to play smart.
"If it truly concerns my type then I should know what you need her for, should I not?"
Dan leaned on a tree, scratching his claws against the bark. "You should know Renard?"
Liam lowered his sword and stood even straighter. He was right, he knew Renard had to be involved.
Dan smirked when he noticed Liam's countenance. "So you do know him. Then you should know that he is... what is the word now.... not going to be himself for long."
"What does he need her for?" Liam was direct.
"She is a mixed blood." Dan spread his arms. "She is the cure. More specifically, her blood is the cure."
Liam glanced over at Leticia who stood still, both her eyes fixed solely on the Nadri creature cautiously and a tight grip on her sword. Her bleeding and broken arm hung limp beside her still dripping with blood, but Liam noticed that the wound was no longer as wide as it had been, it had begun to seal itself. He looked at Leticia's face but her attention was still on the Nadri creature. He turned to face Dan.
"So now that you know all that, why I need her and why I must have her..." Dan continued, pushing himself off the tree. "You should also know that I do not plan on leaving her without her renegade. I will take her away from you today."
Liam stepped away from Leticia and burned his gaze on the Nadri, swinging his sword in a low circle and flexing his wings repeatedly, circling his shoulders, ready to shred the Nadri to pieces if he took any step closer. "You and what army, Nadri?"
"I do not need an army to get to her." Dan chuckled. "She is only human, I can bet that she herself does not even know what she is or what she can do." He cocked his head to the side so he could see her. "That is if she can do anything."
"You may not need an army to get to her Nadri, but I can assure you that you do not stand a chance with me." He smiled. "You will be needing more than just an army to get past me."
Dan crouched low and balanced on his hind legs, putting one leg in front of the other so he could attack at any time. "Sometimes Liam, you become a little bit too cocky for your own good and then you end up putting someone else in danger."
*"Step back behind the trees and do not run away."* Liam ordered Leticia with his thoughts but Leticia did not move, She had not heard what Liam had said as all her attention was on the Nadri creature, it was strange and it was the first time she was seeing such a fearful creature. She shook internally.
Liam, noticing that she had not yet moved, screamed at her again in his thoughts. *"Leticia! Move behind the trees! Now!"*
She snapped out of her trance and did not delay but immediately scrambled back towards the trees, holding on to her injured arm. She was scared of the Nadri as she had never seen or heard of the creature before now, plus it was also not a good thing that it had come only for her but what was he talking about her being mixed blood? How was that even possible? She knew she was human and nothing more. What exactly was going on, she desperately wanted to find out more.
From the safety of being behind the tree, she watched Liam and the Nadri size each other up, slowly circling the place before the fight began. The Nadri attacked first, leaping straight for Liam with its arms stretched forward and its claws extended fully. She gasped.
* * * * *
Sheila ran until she got to a place not so dense enough with trees to allow her to spread her wings and fly out of the forest. She was breathing fast as she tried to scan the forest for any sign of Leo but she could not calm herself down as she kept flying in a zig-zag pattern towards the stream. For the first time in a long while, she was feeling scared and unstable and she could not gather her thoughts together, she wondered if this feeling of fear was coming from her or if she was feeling just what Leo was feeling at the moment.
She was hyperventilating and she felt dizzy, then all of a sudden, her wings cramped up and refused to flap anymore. She began falling out of the sky at an angle and losing consciousness as she did. She struggled to breathe, she could not keep her eyes open, her flaccid wings wrapped around her as she got nearer to the ground, breaking the top branches of some trees and as she hit the ground with an immense force, she slid across the rocky banks and came to stop in the water, barely conscious.
Just as Leo was breaking out of the forest, still riding fast on the horse, he caught sight of something falling rapidly out of the sky and he saw it hit the ground with a loud sound, sliding across and coming to stop in the water. He drew the reins on the horse, still at a reasonable distance away from whatever had fallen into the water, and watched it. He was still shaken up after what had happened in the forest and did not want to take any chances.
He edged the horse forward slowly and it started forward with a trot. Leo looked on, the thing in the water was still moving or trying to move. He looked closer and noticed that what was moving in the water was a pair of wings, he jumped down from the horse and started on a slow run towards the water, then he spotted a face and ran faster. No, no, no.
"Sheila..!"
He ran faster, stumbling on the rocky bank but managing to stop himself from falling. Multiple thoughts were running through his head, what had happened? Was she alive?
Yes, she was! He corrected himself, wanting to really slap his face for thinking such. He needed her to be alive.
He jumped into the water and got to her, lifting her head above the water. Her eyes were struggling to remain opened and she was gasping for breath. The water was very shallow here so he did not need to struggle in lifting her head above the water.
"Sheila...?" He placed his hand around her shoulder, lifting her head to rest against his chest, and used his other free hand to get her wet hair out of her face. He shook her slightly.
Sheila could see Leo, she could feel his hand around her shoulder, she could hear his rapidly beating heart as her head was on his chest, sure could also feel his helplessness and fear and she could tell that he was worried for her. She was breathing fast and shallow, her muscles felt like they had been pounded by a large rock, all mushy and flabby and she could not lift them. She still tried to flap her wings, they moved but they were only able to pat the water.
"Relax Sheila," Leo spoke to her. "Try to relax. You have lost all your strength."
*"We need to leave here."* She said to him in her thoughts. *"It is not safe for us to be out here, with me like this."*
Leo knew that but he wanted Sheila to relax and get her strength back. "We are in the water Sheila, the stream which you had told me about. They can not step in."
*"They can fly."* She spoke in her head. Leo nodded. He knew that too.
"I need you to relax Sheila if the water can repel the demons then maybe it could heal you and give you back your strength." Although he did not know what other miracle the water was capable of performing, still he strongly believed that it could do something to restore Sheila's strength.
He took her hand in his and steadied his breathing so that Sheila could do the same, breathing in through his nostrils and exhaling out his mouth. Sheila followed suit, closing her eyes as she did. She concentrated on her breathing, enjoying the cool water washing over her body, and slowly she felt her strength returning. She opened her eyes and smiled at Leo.
"I am feeling a little bit better, let us go." She said to him.
"Are you sure? Can you stand?"
She nodded. "Help me?"
Although she still felt weak, she could at least stand and with the help of Leo.
"The mountains are much safer than being out here in the open. I can not protect you like this." She explained.
"I understand. I will help you."
Leo placed her hand across his neck so she could rely on him, helping her out of the water as they both crossed to the other side of the stream.
Sheila's thoughts still swam in her head as she kept thinking of the Nadri they had encountered in the forest and a part of her knew for a certain that as long as he was still out looking for mixed blood, their paths would still cross.
**https://m.goodnovel.com/book_info/31000039026/Paranormal/Hunter**'s-Chorus?shareuser=22216334&ch=apps
Goodbye
It was late in the evening when Megan finished packing, she didn't carry much when she was coming here so there wasn't much to pack, but she had taken her time, thinking, and crying, and packing. She thought to forget Omar but even she knew that it would be even more difficult if not impossible, she loved the man too much. He was to get married to someone else, someone of a higher social status and of power, someone of influence and she was just a regular, simple American who just fell in love. She had cried so much that her eyes were now puffy. She sat, and waited, gazing outside the window, she let her mind wander, praying that Samir got here before Omar, she didn't want him to see her leaving.
When Samir had gotten the message from the Sheikh, he hadn't hesitated but he was curious and he knew something was not right, the Sheikh wouldn't tell him but maybe Megan might if he coaxed her successfully. He arrived at the house an hour later, the Sheikh was seated in the living room waiting to welcome him. He smiled when he saw the young man. Samir bowed in greeting.
"Wa'salaam alakium Sheikh, I came as soon as I received your message, is errr... Everything alright?"
"Everything is alright Samir, alakium as-salaam. I just need your help with something."
"Anything Sheikh."
"The American woman..."
"Megan?"
"Yes Megan, I need you to help me take her back to America," he faced Samir who was somehow shocked. "She requested herself."
"Herself? She requested for me by herself?" He was truly surprised. The Sheikh only nodded.
"Hmm.." he calmed down a bit, breathing out before adding. "And Omar?"
He knew of Omar's intentions towards Megan, he knew the kind of relationship they had between them and he also knew why Megan was being kept in the Sheikh's home and it was not because she was a guest as he had been told. Omar had brought her to Saudi to introduce her to his father as the woman he wanted to settle down with but things hadn't gone as planned. He had done his homework which involved him paying for most of the information he now had.
"Work." The Sheikh's answer was simple.
Samir knew that 'work' involved the marriage between Omar and the princess or was just an excuse for him to stop prying. Samir didn't ask any further but kept wondering if Omar was going to marry the princess, then why bring Megan to Saudi Arabia in the first place. Except if he hadn't been aware he was to marry the princess in the first place.
A sudden noise claimed the attention of Samir. He watched as Megan walked down the stairs dragging a small bag by her side, her head was down and her movement slow, when she got to the last stair she looked up, Samir was here. She watched his lips twitch in a smile and he stretched his back, shoving his hands into his trouser pocket, the grey suit he wore encouraged his frame. He wasn't as muscular as Omar, but he was just as attractive.
"Megan, how have you been faring?" He asked mostly out of courtesy. She looked drained and weak, making him wonder how she was being treated since she came here.
"Hmm... Good." She replied. She wasn't in the mood for talks, she was only in the mood to board a plane back to America and she wanted to do that before Omar showed up.
"Are you set? Then let's go." Samir said, reaching to help her in lifting the small bag. Megan nodded, she glanced quickly at the Sheikh and bowed slightly, not uttering a word.
"Let's go." She said to Samir and almost immediately she heard Omar's voice and they froze. She was really hoping to have left before he would come back.
"And where are you going to?" Omar stepped in, anger showed on his face as he focused his gaze on Megan. She held his eyes briefly before looking down, this was what she wanted to avoid - the questions.
"Omar..." She didn't know how to begin or what to say so she kept quiet.
"Where are you going to and without so much as letting me know about it." He questioned, his voice echoing around the large space.
"Megan here says she wants to return home. Back to America." The Sheikh answered and sat back down, crossing his legs. Let the drama begin.
"Megan...?"
"I'm returning back to America Omar, I want to go back."
"And without so much as telling me?"
"I... was going to but..."
He moved his gaze to Samir who stood quietly watching Megan. "And you're going back with him?" Omar was broken.
*'Omar please don't think too much, don't think up anything.'* Megan pleaded in her heart. *'Please just don't.'*
"Yes, I will be returning with Samir back to America."
Omar stepped closer to her and looked her straight in the eye. "Are you getting back together with him?"
*'I'm not getting back together with him Omar, I love you and you know it, but these few days have really broken me and I just want to fix myself up, away from all this mess, away from these troubles and mostly away from your father. You're to get married to a princess. A princess! And who am I to stop that? Even you can't stop that no matter how much hope you paint into my view. I'm not running away from you Omar but then what choices do I have here?'*
She wanted to say that to him, to assure him of her intentions but she couldn't, from the corner of her eye she could see that the Sheikh attention was on her, watching her keenly like a hawk would watch a chick before swooping down to grab it.
One wrong move Megan.
She lowered her eyes and whispered. "Yes."
Both Omar and Samir looked at her in shock. Samir smirked, what luck hovered around him? He had plans to get her back but without even having implemented them she was coming to him of her own will. Omar was pained. She made to walk past him in her hurry but he grabbed at her arm, she tried to shake him off, she didn't want him to see her cry.
"If you do this then you would be dead to me Megan." Omar spoke, stopping her at the door with his words, hoping for her to turn back and run into his arms, telling him repeatedly that she loved him and would never leave, but she didn't. Rather she paused, looked over her shoulder and smiled weakly.
"Goodbye, Omar." With that, she gently removed his hold on her arm and left with Samir who couldn't help the grin that spread on his face. She was coming back together with him and he couldn't believe it.
Omar felt helpless watching her leave, unable to stop her. If he held her here against her will then there would be almost no difference between what he would be doing and what his father did. He couldn't keep her against her will. He stood unmoving at the entrance where she could see him, waiting for her to snap and turn back running to him. But she didn't, she got into the back seat of the car and shut the door while Samir got her bag into the trunk.
He could still see her, her head was down and her face buried in her palms, her shoulders shook and he could tell she was crying. Samir got into the car's back seat from the other side and he pulled Megan to himself to console her. Omar watched her lean her head into his chest as the car drove out of the compound. She was gone.
His palms fisted and his chest heaved as pain flooded his heart. He turned inside and stormed upstairs to his room, slamming the door shut in annoyance. She left. She left with Samir and he couldn't do anything but watch.
"What have you done this time?" Omar questioned his father. He knew that Megan's decision was influenced and there was no other person capable of doing so other than his father. He faced him.
"You clearly heard what she said. It was her sole decision."
"Are you satisfied? Do you think doing this would make me agree to marry the princess?!"
"You have already agreed Omar." Khalid stood. "You already have."
"Why? Why are you this way?" Omar could feel his heart begin to crack not just because of Megan leaving him, but also of his father's cruel ways.
He had brought Megan to Saudi Arabia to introduce her to his father, to show his father the woman he wanted to marry, the woman he wanted to be with for the rest of his life, but instead, things had gone upside down. His impossible being of a father had messed with his happiness. He had to marry princess Mariam.
Mariam.
She was also responsible for this mess and he would blame her. Mariam, his father and the King. He calmed down, he would have to meet with her but it was quite late to do that today. He would see her first thing tomorrow morning.
**https://m.goodnovel.com/book_info/31000008175/Romance/Scorched?shareuser=22216334&ch=apps**
A Pattern
Saturday, the 7th of May.
08:16 am
The New York police state department was more alive today than it was the day before and that was mainly because of the murder that had happened just last night. Everyone was busy, everyone was moving to and fro and in a hurry too, everyone had something to do and most of them had to turn in to work much earlier today and some had chosen to stay here overnight. Some like Tia and Aiden were the detectives assigned to this case and they had much of the pressure on them and Tia most especially was putting in her heart to cracking this case. She knew there was a pattern so there had to be some sort of a clue, like a hidden message, something they could use to track down this serial killer and bring him down. One reason why she had refused to go home last night.
“I can not believe you guys actually stayed here the whole night.” Mark commented, coming into the detectives’ office and seeing Aiden just getting up and stretching over Tia who was still sleeping. She had fallen asleep on an open file, papers scattered on her desk and a cup of cold coffee on one side of the table.
Aiden yawned and stretched, cracking his joints and knuckles. Last night had been one hell of a night with none of them being able to get adequate sleep until five in the morning. There had been another murder last night and this one had been a little bit different from the others because this one was very fresh, at most it had happened maybe two hours before they had gotten there. They had been this close but had still missed it. Tia was right, this was all some sort of sick game that the killer was playing with the police team and the ladies had to suffer the most for it, paying with their lives. For each murder that they were unable to solve, another body was dropped. It was indeed frustrating, so frustrating that neither of them had agreed to go home last night. That had to crack this killer’s mind.
“Sometimes, you have got to sacrifice some things to achieve some things Mark.”
Tia stirred and lifted her head up, mumbling a “what…?”, a bit of drool on the corner of her mouth. She turned her head to the side and in her still blurry vision, she caught the sight of Mark at the door. She smiled and lifted her body fully off the table, a piece of paper stuck to the side of her face, she arched her back and stretched a little, the joints in her elbows cracked.
“What time is it?” She asked, peeling the paper off of her face and placing it back down on the table with the rest.
“Time for you to get up, that one is for sure.” Mark chuckled. “I will arrange for you a “get out of bed” coffee right away.”
“Hold on Mark,” Aiden called, stopping him at the door. He turned. “I think you mean a “get up from your desk” coffee.” He laughed and so did Mark. “I would want one too, thanks.”
Mark tipped his cap to him and turned to walk away just as Aiden also turned to approach Tia. The office was a mess, most especially their desks which looked like they had been raided by a small tornado, with every piece of paper in every possible place.
“What time is it?” She asked again, now fully awaken from her sleep. She turned to Aiden.
“This is seventeen minutes past eight, imagine only being able to have just a two-hour sleep and…” Aiden had started but was interrupted by a sudden rapt knock on the door, both he and Tia turned their heads towards the entrance. Aiden sighed out loud the moment he saw who was standing at the door. “…and here comes more work.”
“Sorry,” the guy chuckled nervously as he stepped in, holding out a file to them. “It is just that Dr. William wanted me to give you this and if you have the time, to come to the lab.”
“Thank you. What is this?” Aiden reached out and took the file from him.
“DNA sample reports from Stacey Rohn.”
Tia snapped her head to the side and snatched the file from Aiden’s hands, hurriedly flipping it open even before she placed it down on the desk.
“Thank you.” Aiden dismissed him, pulling up a chair beside Tia. “Well someone seems eager enough for the whole department.”
But Tia paid no attention to his teasing, this was what she had wanted to have since the report about the crime and she was alive now that it had come in and so early too. Placing her index finger on the paper, she skimmed through the texts, her eyes darting from the left to the right and her lips moving rapidly as she silently read the reports, there was just one thing she needed to find and there was just one reason she had wanted this report earlier. She tapped her finger on the part when she found it and then tapped repeatedly after she had read it. She had finally gotten it, the pattern she had been looking for.
“Here.” She said to Aiden. “This is it, right here. A perfect match.”
“What is?” He pulled the papers to himself to have a look.
“According to this report, the sample of DNA found in Stacey Rohn’s murder scene belonged to Pamela Neil.” Aiden looked up from the paper to Tia who had this excited look in her eyes. “That is the pattern. That is the clue we have been searching for!”
She stood up from the chair and walked over to the cabinet, pulling out all the files of the last murder victims they had worked on; Pamela Neil and Clarissa Jan, then walked back to the desk and slammed them down beside the file Aiden was still reading. She flipped them open.
“The unidentified DNA sample found in Clarissa Jan’s murder scene had belonged to Pamela who had been alive as at the time of Clarissa’s death and then after Pamela had been murdered, a DNA sample of the deceased Clarissa had also been found in her murder scene.” Tia explained, tapping each file as she did so, to buttress her points.
“Okay, I’m following.”
“Good. Then Stacey’s DNA sample had also been found in Pamela’s murder scene, Stacey was alive. So Pamela’s murder scene had both DNAs of the last victim, Clarissa Jan, and the Stacey Rohn, the next victim.”
Aiden’s eyes widened as the realization dawned on him and he pulled all the files closer to himself, reading them over again. “He had set it up, he planted the clues there himself.”
“Right.” Tia agreed, slamming her palm on the desk and walked away, she began to pace as she absent-mindedly chewed on her pen. “He wanted us to crack this but then we had placed Stacey as a potential suspect and not as the next victim.”
“He is a stalker. He already knew who his next victim was going to be.”
“So now, this is him daring us to try to stop him.”
“He gives us his next victim and then plays catch with us, “let us see who gets to her first!” my God, he is a sick psycho!”
Tia sighed. “So then we do have the DNA sample of his next victim.”
He turned to her. “We do. Do we know who it is?”
She shook her head negatively. “No, not yet we will have to wait till the results are in.”
“Wow, this is crazy. Makes me wonder if there are more cases, more that are older than Clarissa’s which we might have missed.” As soon as he said that he looked up to Tia and she caught his gaze, the look on her face told that she had been thinking the same. He quickly pushed the other files to the side and pulled Clarissa’s file closer to him. He skimmed through the file, using his index finger as a guide until he got what he was looking for and he read out loud.
“Recorded missing on the 12th of February. Body found on Monday, the 21st of March, at 05:31 pm. Fished out from the Hudson river by a Mr. Robert Lance who was fishing in the river as at around the time.”
“February.”
“We have a time frame. We would need the files of every unsolved murder case from February up to November last year.” He said, snapping his fingers at the assistant who had long been sitting there quietly and typing away. The young man immediately stood up and began searching the cabinets.
“Aiden there is something else which I had noticed.” Tia said, placing a hand on his shoulder and pausing him. She pulled back the files he had pushed aside and continued. “The location in which he dumped the bodies were specific.”
“How do you mean? Specific?”
“Look.” She pointed to a part in each file. “Clarissa Jan, body found in the Hudson River, that is in the Hudson park.”
“Okay…” He nodded, following what she was saying. Tia continued.
“Pamela Neil, her body found in South Cove Park and now Stacey Rohn, found in Duane Park. He is using the parks as a dumping ground and he is not spreading out too far.”
“He is saying that he is close. He wants to be found?”
“He is messing with the police,” Tia said, slamming her palm on the desk and pacing away. “And he is loving it.”
“There are four unsolved murder cases from November last year till February.” The assistant came to them and placed the four files on the desk in front of Aiden before walking away and back to his seat after a thank you from Tia. They wasted no time flipping the files open.
“We need the ones who had traces of strychnine poisoning in their system and…”
“Found one.” He announced, placing the file down so that Tia could read it as well. “Here, Joan Benson, December seventeen, strychnine poisoning…” He paused and put the file down, a confused look on his face as he turned to face Tia.
“What?”
“These girls, these victims, they have so many things in common even though neither of them actually knew each other.”
“And what is that?”
He turned and leaned into the chair, rubbing his index finger against his chin. “For one, they are all women, the killer is only after women. Two and like you said, their bodies were found in parks that are close around, he is not spreading out and three, what I just realized now is that they had all worked in the same place.”
Tia leaned on the desk and folded her arms across her chest, giving him her full attention.
“They all worked at Skyline.”
She raised her eyebrows in question. “Skyline? Hotels?”
“Both the hotel and the club, look at this.” He pulled all the files and arranged them on the desk. “Pamela Neil, a waitress at the Skyline Club. Clarissa Jan, also a waitress at the club. Stacey Rohn, the most recent was working as a secretary at the hotel.”
“But these could just be coincidences.”
“I am not saying that they could not be and I do not want to point a lead where there is none but I do think that this is something to consider even if it is just a coincidence.”
“I understand what you are saying Aiden.” She pushed herself off the desk and sat on the chair, leaning in and spinning with it. She sighed. “I hate this.”
“This DNA killer is a sure riddle master.”
Tia stopping spinning the chair and faced him. “DNA killer?”
Aiden shrugged his shoulders. “It just fits his method of operation, scattering DNA here and there and contaminating the crime scenes with his previous and next victim.”
She nodded in agreement. “It does fit and speaking of the next victim, we really need those reports in as soon as it is possible. And the show prints too.”
“Shoe prints, we have that.” He pulled out the drawer and took out a piece of printed paper, handing it over to Tia. “Shoe size forty-five, indent on the soil was greater on the heels so we estimated his weight to be around two hundred and twenty-five pounds.”
Tia scoffed as she kept reading. “It is either this DNA killer loves going to the gym and keeping fit, or he is a fat ass.”
“Fat asses would not be able to carry a struggling victim so easily.”
“So he likes to keep fit then.”
“Using the prints, we would be able to trace it down to the company that produces that kind of shoe, and from there on, I am hoping it would be easier, and smoother to do as well.”
“Sounds too easy. Makes me uncomfortable, he is no dummy.”
“And neither are we Tia. Neither are we.”
**https://m.goodnovel.com/book_info/31000096787/Mystery-Thriller/Undercover**
The Escape
"And what might you be?" The Nadri had thrown the question to Leo, his eyes fixed on the teenager. Sheila's horse bobbled its head, unable to stay steady, maybe it knew that finding a Nadri, or rather, running into one in the middle of the forest was a sign of danger.
"Is it not obvious?" Sheila defended.
She tried as much as she could to keep her horse in between the Nadri and Leo who remained quiet and observant but the powerful beast she was on would not just stay put. She could hear the fleeting thoughts running through his mind and knew that he had no clue as to how dangerous and fast this short conversation could turn deadly. Sheila was ready for anything.
"No?" The Nadri spoke. "It is not so obvious."
Sheila reached for her sword discreetly, grabbing hold of the hilt. "And what are you trying to imply by saying that?"
The Nadri leaned to the side so he could get a better look at Leo and he asked. "Are you hurt?"
Sheila turned to look at Leo who shifted his gaze from the Nadri to Sheila and back to the Nadri, unable to respond.
"You are, aren't you?" The Nadri said and touch his index finger to his nose. "I can smell you but it is quite faint and I might be wrong but I am also convinced that I am not."
"What are you driving at?!" Sheila snapped at the Nadri, she had to get Leo away from this creature before...
She saw him move, like a blur and in the blink of an eye, his hand shot forward from behind him and a small blade left his hand, spinning freely in the air until it sliced Leo in his forearm, just below the shoulder, cutting through his flesh deep enough for blood to pool out. Leo screamed out in pain, Sheila gasped in anger and surprise, the Nadri smirked as the smell of blood hit his nose, he had struck gold, he had found his mixed blood. What luck he had.
Sheila panicked for a second, her eyes on the Nadri, she did not like the look on his face. He was out here to hunt and by the look of things, he had found his prey.
*"Run Leo!"* Sheila's voice was powerful in his thoughts. *"Run! Back to the mountains!"*
Scott watched the boy slap the reins on the horse hard and the beast jumped forward, turning around back and running into the forest. Sheila followed suit behind Leo but Scott stood still a while. He chuckled at his luck, while he had been thinking that this was going to be near impossible, who knew he would find what he was looking for so soon? His luck had brought what he needed directly to him.
He took in a deep breath, he could still smell the mixed-blood getting away from him. They were on horses but it did not matter, he was just as fast and could catch up to them but where was the fun if he did so so soon? He gave them a couple of minutes before running after them, blurring through the forest as excitement flooded through him. Even Dan had not been able to get him this riled up before. He howled.
Sheila whipped the horse harder, it neighed loudly and sped through the forest, she turned her head briefly to the side and caught a glimpse of Leo, his body was low and his grip on the horse's reins was firm. She could feel his heartbeat accelerating, she could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins, she could feel the fear that wrapped around him like a water suit. She reached out to him in her thoughts.
*"I've got you, Leo... I am here with you."*
He turned his head to her, the fear in his eyes burned bright and as they fled away on the horse with the wind pushing against them, it swept his blood-stained cloak behind him and Sheila noticed that the huge gash which had been caused by the Nadri's blade on his forearm had almost sealed. She spun her head forward to navigate the horse as realization dawned on her, he was a mixed breed and not an ordinary human as she had presumed. She suddenly understood why the Nadri wanted him so badly, she had to get him out of the Nadri's reach.
They both could hear his distant howling, they could try and outrun him on the horses but the smell of Leo's blood would draw him to them like a bear to a honeycomb. She pulled on her horse's reins and the creature came to an unsteady halt, going up on its hind legs before balancing back on the ground with Sheila still on its back, it trotted and bobbed its head up and down in discomfort. Leo also pulled in his horse's reins when he saw Sheila stop.
"What are you doing?!" He screamed at her. "We have to keep going!"
"We keep going and he finds us." She led her horse to his. "Take off your cloak and hand it over."
"What..?"
"Do it now!"
He did not delay, he took it off immediately and handed it to her, she wiped whatever blood was on his arm with the cloak in a hurry before wrapping it around herself and handed him a bottle of water.
"Wash your arm, wash the blood off."
Leo took the bottle and reached his hand to feel the injury on his arm, his eyes widened and he looked at his arm to confirm, feeling his fingers on the part where his injury should have been, but it was not there. He looked up to Sheila.
"What is...?"
"Wash it off now Leo! We do not have the time for questions and answers!" She got off her horse. "Lean your hand on the horse's neck and wash it off."
He did so quickly. They could hear the Nadri's howl.
"Now get off the horse, take mine. Ride straight for the mountains, get rid of the horse as soon as you get to the river, and wait on the other side for me. Stay hidden!"
"What are you going to do?" Leo asked as he mounted Sheila's horse.
"I need to get rid of that Nadri or he will not let off until he gets you." She got on Leo's horse, its white neck already stained with his blood. "Remember Leo, stay safe."
"You too Sheila." He kicked the side of the horse sharply and it bolted forward, riding north.
Sheila rode steady Eastward but she did not ride too fast, she wanted the Nadri to follow her and she really hoped that he did so she could buy Leo some more time to make it back to the mountains.
Soon she got to the very dense part of the forest and abandoned the horse. With Leo's bloody cloak still wrapped around her body, she made her way through. She could hear the howl of the Nadri and knew that he was close by, relief flooded her that the Nadri had followed her instead and not Leo.
She dropped his bloody cloak by the edge of the stream which cut through the forest and ran for the farthest tree she could reach and started to climb, when she saw him slowly approaching, she paused and slowed her heartbeat, calming herself down so her breathing was quieter.
Scott approached the water with caution, his nose picked up the smell of the mix breed's blood before his very keen eyesight caught sight of the cloak by the edge of the stream. He walked closer and paused, narrowing his eyes as he concentrated.
The image of the moon over the water was constantly disturbed by the tiny ripples rising from below the surface. The endless silence irritated him. He needed something to assure him he was headed in the right direction but the only sounds that got to his ears were the cacophony of the dark come to life - sleeping nature and night scavengers.
He got down and put his hand to the ground, eyes closed, listening for either of their heartbeats. He had been trained severally for this but she seemed to make his task onerous. They could not have just vanished, he knew that.
He listened.
Nothing.
He cursed under his breath. Damn! She was good at what she does, she had managed to hide the mixed blood and had diverted his attention to her using his blood strained cloak as a distraction.
She was a smart one, he had to give her credit for that. But she had just ruined his plans and possibly his chances of ever getting him again. He breathed in to calm himself, if he could not get the boy then he would get the Angel and force her to take him to where she was hiding the mixed blood. That should he easy, he was after all a Nadri and he had hunted down Angels before her, although it was not something that he did for fun, so he could hunt her down as well.
Sheila was still, her heartbeat steady. She clung to the tree branch like it was her *raison d'etre*, which in a way was not far from the truth. Nadirs had the sharpest ears of the forbidden creatures, a little extra noise would alert him of her exact position, but she needed to climb higher, if she could it would give her enough free space for her wings to open up widely because the trees in here were densely closed together, getting higher would allow her to escape before he would get to her.
From where she was she could see him as clear as day - just the way Angels functioned. They could not see darkness - standing by the edge of the lake, he had his back towards her, his head slowly moving from left to right registering every sound.
Taking soft deep breaths, she resumed her climbing, reached out for the branch above, and gave it most of her weight. She regretted it immediately because it bent, then snapped, sending her crashing to the ground. No time, she hurtled to her feet.
His head turned at the sound as he narrowed his scarlet red eyes and locked unto the figure that fled him. He ran as fast as lightning, as smooth as the wind, easily navigating around the trees, his cape flying wildly around him like bits of an umbrella.
He heard her call a name and under the split milk of the moon he saw her get off the ground, gone was the body hug, leather war suit she had worn, in its place was white apparel which adorned her glowing skin and two mighty wings which were no longer hidden by the huge cloak. Scott grinned an evil grin, in two flaps she would be gone but the clustered trees prevented her from being able to open up her wings fully.
She was fast.
He was faster.
It filled his vain unthinking heart with pride. He leaped, unsheathed two blades, and landed on top of her, bringing her to the ground and pinning her by the shoulder. She screamed, red hot blood sipped out from where the blade broke her skin.
"You feel pain?" He smirked. "You have been with the humans for too long, you are becoming one of them!" He twisted the blades. She grabbed his hands, burning the part of his skin which she held.
"I could say the same for you, Nadri. You are human."
"Ohh you noticed. I sometimes forget." He brought his tongue to her cheek and licked her, his throat vibrated in a groan. "Where is he?"
"What makes you think I will tell you that?"
"It is a shame." He sighed, touching every single part of her face with his gaze. "You are pretty but I will have to kill you if you do not tell me."
"You humor me."
"Oh really?" Scott chuckled.
"Angels can not be killed using a mere blade, looks like someone did not finish his study." Holding his wrist, she pulled the blades out and her skin sealed itself, leaving no trace of breakage.
"No, but they can be transformed." He smirked and with a flick of his wrist he had one hand free and on her throat and in an instant his lips locked hers.
Sheila squirmed beneath him, trying to fight him off, her free hand grabbed his throat and his skin sizzled where she touched. Her wings shot out powerfully from beneath her and wrapped them in an embrace, heating up rapidly.
Scott, feeling the immense heat relaxed his hold on her neck and she immediately pushed him off her, got to her feet, and fled. She would have plenty of time to deal with him later but right now she had to get to Leo.
Scott remained on the forest floor, and in a daze, his back was on the ground and one hand was placed on his chest, feeling his rapidly beating heart, his eyes still wide in amazement, and his lips remain parted. As he laid on the floor, he turned his head and watched as the Angel ran, her wings spread open and like spectrums of white light vanishing into the break of day, she escaped him.
**https://m.goodnovel.com/book_info/31000039026/Paranormal/Hunter**'s-Chorus?shareuser=22216334&ch=apps
The Request
Megan felt sad and broken... and lost and lonely, she just wanted to return to America, to have her sense of sanity back, to be in a familiar environment, to be able to step out whenever she wanted to than to be cooped up in a room in another man's land, in a strange land. She hugged herself as she walked down the hallway towards the Sheikh's room, she had just been summoned and all kinds of vibes and emotions and thoughts wrapped around her head and body. She felt them choke her, felt them drain her and she struggled to breathe properly.
She relished the feeling that came with waking up on her bed, in her comfortable little apartment, the fresh aroma of the rich coffee and fresh doughnuts which Omar never failed to deliver to her doorstep every morning, she missed that feeling of temporary laziness and being treated like a treasure. Now thinking about it she wondered when last she had tasted coffee. When last did she see Omar?
Omar was understanding, he had taken their relationship seriously when he had brought her home to see his father, he couldn't have gotten married without his father's consent and she had thought he would be like most American dad's with the *"oh hello future daughter in law"* attitude, but it wasn't too be so. This was Saudi Arabia, this was the Sheikh Khalid bin Aaban
She sighed as she continued walking steadily behind. She knew how much she loved Omar and she knew that he loved her just as much, but she was suffering here and she wondered if he was suffering too, after all, he was the one being forced to marry someone he doesn't want to. They were both pawns in the hands of the Sheikh, maybe if she left then the burden on Omar to marry the princess might reduce but then would he actually let her.
She was a US citizen for crying out loud and what the Sheikh was doing by keeping her against her will was kidnap. It was a major offense which could cause trouble for him. Did he know that?
The guard leading her to the Sheikh totally ignored her, not for once looking back like he knew she was actually following him. She was expected to follow, they were all pawns for the Sheikh, whether you were paid to be a pawn like the guards or you were blackmailed into being a pawn like she and Omar, nothing changes. She watched him now, he walked like he calculated his steps, his back straight and head up, his hands swung lightly by his side and his palms were in a fist ready to throw a punch.
They came to a stop in front of a room near the middle of the long hallway and the guard knocked lightly on the door, announcing that he had brought her as demanded, he waited a while for a command to open before opening the door for her to enter. She shook a little as stepped in and he closed the door behind her, it was just her and the Sheikh in the very spacious room but she soon began to feel claustrophobic. She breathed.
"Megan." His voice was calm but held an edge of hostility. "I'll get straight to the point because I really do not enjoy long talks. Omar is to get married to the princess and somehow I see you as a threat to that so what do we do about that?"
The question was rhetorical she knew but then it presented itself as an opportunity for her to voice out. She cleared her throat to get his attention.
"You have something to say?"
"I would.. hmm!" She cleared her throat again.
"Well..?" Khalid was impatient.
"I want to return back to America."
The Sheikh narrowed his eyes at her. "You want to return?" He smirked, "Omar told you to?"
"Omar doesn't know about my decision... yet. I'm not sure I want him to. I just want everything to go back to normal, to the way it was and used to be. I know Omar will have to marry her ...err... princess, it would be useless and hurtful in my part to stay back. I don't want to stay, I don't..." She tried to rush her words.
"And Omar?" He watched her but she didn't meet his gaze, he could see from the corner of her eyes that she was already tearing up. She fought hard to blink back the tears but it was of no use, they fell from her lashes onto her cheek which she quickly wiped away, suppressing a sniff.
"Funny how only a few days can change your heart away from Omar whom you claim to love so much."
Megan knew the Sheikh was teasing her, but it made her feel terrible because in all he wasn't far from the truth, she had gotten tired, not of Omar but of the situation they were in. She felt suffocated and she desperately needed to breathe proper air.
She kept her head lowered and couldn't stop the tears now, she knew that somehow she would have to let go of Omar, she had faith in him before when he told her he would come up with an escape plan but that was then, now it was just three days to the marriage she had lost all hope. If she was to let him go, she wanted it to be before he got married. She had to fix herself.
"You and Samir were once together." It wasn't a question, it was a statement of fact because he knew. Megan's head shot up and the look in her eyes confirmed it.
"So that's why you want to leave, to get back together with him." He sighed. "I knew most American women were loose and I expected nothing more from you but then I might have been impressed just a little if you had proven me wrong."
"I'm not getting back together with Samir!" She didn't mean to shout.
"That's the only way you'll leave here." He turned to face her. "If Samir takes you out, or I might have to believe that this is a plot by you and Omar to get you out and stop him from marrying the princess. I'm a smart man you see."
Megan froze, she looked at the Sheikh in awe, what kind of man was this? How could he force her to... Then she thought about it, if all it would take for her to leave Saudi was for Samir himself takes her then she would do it. Not like he could then force her to marry Samir, he just had to take her out of the house and out of the country, back to America then she would be free.
She would never get back together with Samir even if things didn't work out between she and Omar. She would never. She decided to play along.
"You want me back with Samir or you don't want me with Omar?"
"Frankly I don't care who you end up with, Samir or with any other Arabian man, seeing that they catch your fancy. But Omar is my son, and I would not be alive to see him ruin his chances of having a much better future by ending up with... you know... a loose American woman."
"I am not..!" Megan voiced out in denial but the Sheikh wouldn't let her finish.
"Mariam is a much better companion. She offers too many opportunities than can be counted and measured."
Megan gritted her teeth in anger, she wasn't loose. True that the princess offered more valuables when talking in terms of material gains and monetary wealth but she knew the princess could never offer Omar true happiness. Neither of them would ever find love in each other. "You don't value his happiness, do you?"
"I don't value this conversation. You will go with Samir if you want to leave, Omar will know that you are done with him."
"No!" She breathed. "I don't want Omar to know I am leaving or he might come find me. Wouldn't that put more hindrance on the marriage than me being here?"
"Aren't you a smart one?" Khalid teased. "I am still sceptical about letting you go but I can't keep you here forever."
"I will leave with Samir and without Omar knowing about it, I am certain you can find something to tell him?" She knew he would.
Khalid smirked. "But I want him to know, and he will know because you will tell him that you plan on getting back together with Samir. It is the only way to ensure he doesn't go running after you."
"But...."
"This conversation ends here. Return to your room."
Megan hesitated, looking long and hard at the Sheikh who now had his back turned to her, he had given her difficult choices to ponder on and she had to pick one. Could she really tell Omar that she didn't love him and wanted to get back together with Samir? Would Omar be able to see through her lies and understand the words of her heart? Would he understand her reason for wanting to leave? She pondered on these thoughts as she left the Sheikh's room, heading back to hers. The guard who never left the door escorted her back to her room and remained until she entered and closed the doors.
Megan slumped on the bed, she knew she would have to make a choice and she knew already what choice she had to make. She sighed.
"Forgive me, Omar."
**https://m.goodnovel.com/book_info/31000008175/Romance/Scorched?shareuser=22216334&ch=apps**
Legitimacy
Friday, the 6th of May
10:12 pm.
The meeting room was dim with the only source of light coming from a lone yellow bulb handing low from the middle of the ceiling and illuminating the round table. Grand Father Hunt was present and so was Michael and seven other members, all of them being men much older than he was. The agenda for the meeting always changed but what they discussed afterward was always the same. It had been the same for two years now and Michael was already tired of hearing them bringing up the same thing over and over again.
“You had promised to bring Chester this time around but I do not see him, grandfather.” One man at the far end of the table said.
Michael frowned deeply and looked to grandfather who sat down calmly and comfortably at the head of the table. All Michael ever wanted was to be the one on that seat with everyone looking on at him and giving him just as much respect and fear as they gave grandfather. Getting that seat was what he had been working towards since the time he learned of this business part of Skyline, the CEO seat he had at Skyline club was nothing compared to this one. This one wielded more power and more money and more control, this was where most of Skyline’s fortune flowed from. This was what he wanted and this was what grand father wanted to bring Chester into. Michael frowned even deeper.
Grandfather leaned on the soft-leathered chair and looked on. “I promised to bring Chester and I have done so. I have brought him into the company.” He answered calmly.
“But this is where we want him, not just in the company. We want him here and involved.” Another said.
“We did not have Chester Hunt as at the last time we had this meeting,” Grandfather said leaning on the table so that his face was visible to the others. His facial expression was strict and serious and fearful. “And now, we have him in the company. These sort of things do not just happen like magic overnight gentlemen, it takes time and process...”
“But grand father…” Someone started to say but grand father shot a stare in his direction, shutting him up instantly.
He continued. “If I say I will get Chester in here with us, then I mean that I will get Chester in here with us.”
He looked round the table at the darkened faces of the men seated around and he could see clearly the disturbed expression on their faces and he knew that not all of them was so bold as to voice out their thoughts when ever he was like this. He liked this, the control he knew he had over them, the fear they had of him in their eyes and why would they not fear him? The last time someone had disrespected him by calling him by his actual name, he had gotten rid of that person and that was in the last meeting they had so it was still very fresh in their memories. He released a breath of satisfaction and reclined back on the chair with a smug look on his face. His words were law.
“If I may…” Michael spoke, turning everybody’s attention to him and standing up. He glanced over at grand father, not for permission to speak but to know that grand father was also watching him. He was. He continued. “…the idea for wanting Chester in here is to get a Hunt still in this circle, right?”
There was some mumbling in the background as each man turned to the man beside him with some of them nodding their heads, grand father adjusted in his seat so that he faced Michael, his fingers clasped in one another and on his thigh.
“To be frank with all of you, I really do not think that Chester you all desperately want in here, I do not think that he shares the same drive as you all do.” He smirked as he said that, his eyes darting over to grandfather and although his face was in the dark, Michael could tell that his facial expression had changed. He would be getting angry now but grand father did always like a bit of challenge if the other person could bring it and back it up and Michael was sure that he could.
Without waiting for the mumbling to die down, Michael continued, raising his voice above all the background noises. “But what you want is a Hunt, a member of the Hunt family, perhaps someone like grandfather?” He knew that what grand father wanted was someone like himself who would take over but what the other men wanted was someone tough and someone they could also influence, not exactly someone they could control but someone less brutal than grand father. Nobody liked living in fear.
“So what are you proposing?” It was grand father who had asked, his eyes fixed squarely on Michael with his eyebrows furrowed. Michael turned to him, one hand placed flat on the table and the other shoved into his trouser pockets. “Are you by any chance volunteering yourself for that position?”
“Am I?” Michael threw the question back at him. “I mean I never did mention that but if you are insisting then who am I to say no to you grandfather?” He smirked and so did grandfather, then he chuckled and turned back to face the other men in the room. Michael narrowed his eyes at grand father, he was quiet and grand father being quiet was not always a good thing, he had just smirked and ignored him. Michael also looked back at the men who seemed like they were deliberating with each other.
“So, what do you all think?” Grandfather had asked, a soft smile on his face. “We pick him, Michael Hunt over Chester Hunt?”
Michael began to feel really hot, grand father was agreeing to this? And so easily too? His fingers visibly shook on the table and he shoved that hand too into his pocket, standing tall and with his head held up high, this might just be it. He laughed inwardly.
“Well, Michael does come for the meetings and he has shown great interest and potential, unlike Chester…” One man started. Michael beamed.
“We do not know if Chester would want to get involved in what we do.” Another finished.
“So you all are saying that we pick an illegitimate Hunt over the legitimate Hunt? We forgo the real deal for…” Grandfather looked Michael dead in the eye as he finished his sentence. “…him, Michael Hunt.”
They began to mumble again and Michael burned his gaze into grand father, shaking with anger. He fisted his hands in his pockets, his chest heaved up and down visibly and grand father just sat there, in that comfortably soft high chair, smirking at Michael, his fingers intertwined and placed under his chin.
“We…” A man began but Michael hushed him with a wave of the hand. He knew what the outcome would be now.
“Illegitimate…” He said, looking at no other place than at grandfather like he wanted to march over and punch the living daylight out of him. He looked to the side and focused his attention on his hand placed on the table. “Illegitimate. This illegitimate son of the Hunt family has been the one running things around here, this illegitimate son of the Hunt family has been the one attending all the meetings and organizing your shady underground business. This illegitimate son of the Hunt family has been the one who stuck around while your legitimate precious gem gallivants around the country and globe, totally irresponsible of all his legitimate duties to the Hunt family!” Michael fumed in absolute rage. He lifted his head and looked at grand father who still had that annoying smirk plastered on his wrinkled face.
“And this illegitimate son of the Hunt family knows every secret there is to know about this business, this company, and this god-forsaken family! This…!” He pointed at his chest. “…illegitimate son knows all!”
“You should have known Michael…” Grandfather began but was rudely interrupted by Michael who raised a hand in his direction.
“I am not done talking Colin!”
There were sudden gasps from the other men around and some mumbling but Michael was to angry to think so damn all the consequences. Grandfather did not flinch but the smirk on his face vanished and his eye twitched and his right had man Daniel took a step forward but grand father raised a hand up to stop him.
“Let him be.” He said. “There may be some few things he has to get off his chest.”
“A few things?” Michael chuckled and rubbed a thumb across his chin. “Not just a few things but a lot of things Mr. Colin Hunt. For one, this.” He said circling his hand around the room.
“You know that once in you can not get out, you know that right?” Daniel asked him.
“Well your boss should have thought about that before saying things.” he replied and turned away from them.
“Michael…” He called.
“To hell with this!” Michael said and stormed away, heading towards the door.
“Michael.” grand father called him and he paused. “If you step out of this room right now then consider yourself stripped from the CEO position of Skyline Hotel and Clubs.” He threatened.
Michael paused just as he twisted the door knob and he chuckled, turned to face grand father and smirked. “I dare you.” he said and walked out of the room.
* * * * *
11:24 pm.
May was a slow month but the events that happened flew by really fast but some things seemed like they were happening slowly, for one; the case. The murder cases and the bodies turning up almost every two weeks now and yet despite the clues and hints, it was taking the police and the detectives almost forever to crack it or at least get something out of it.
It was getting frustrating. He was getting frustrated.
The clues were there, visibly there and the links were tight, he wanted this case cracked because he wanted this game to come to an end faster. He had been having fun earlier but now he just wanted this to be wrapped up fast.
He did enjoy the killings which were somehow strange because one of the reasons he had chosen his primary weapon being strychnine poisoning was because he wanted his hands clean of blood but Clarissa had started his bloody killings. The girl had just refused to die on time, maybe it was because he had not given her enough dosage and he did not want to leave before making sure that she was dead. He had stabbed her three times, once in each lung and one in her stomach before rolling her into the Hudson River.
That had not been his first kill but if the police were not able to link him to the other killings or link the victims to each other then it was his luck. He would not be walking up into the police station to declare his crime. He was not that stupid and he was not done with this game he was playing, he could actually keep the clues minimal and have this game stretched and give the detectives a little bit of a workout but now he wanted this to end. He wanted to end this because of one particular Hunt.
He sat in the car, parked on the street across from Skyline club, and watched as a car pulled up to the entrance and a pissed-off Michael stumbled out of the back seat, slamming the door to the car so hard that he could hear it from across the street. That could have shattered the window.
He felt pity for the one they called illegitimate but if anyone deserved to take over the Skyline group based on loyalty and hard work then it would be him but then not everything would come easy to him, he had to learn that, even though this was a hard way of learning. One reason why he was doing what he was doing, maybe in the end he would come to understand and accept but as for now, it was time for some fun.
Who was going to be his next victim? He scanned the entrance, looking at the ladies that trooped in and out of the place, none seemed to catch his eye until he saw one, he recognized her instantly as someone he had seen with Michael before and he smirked. Another body would be turning up soon.
**https://m.goodnovel.com/book_info/31000096787/Mystery-Thriller/Undercover**
Another Mixed
Leticia's joy was uncontrollable. She jingled like bubbles in a wine glass as she went about getting ready to leave with Liam. Today she would take the step to get closer to her brother, Liam had assured her of that. It had been an internal war in herself staying idle and not being able to go out to search for him herself.
How long had it been since her brother had been missing?
It almost did not matter now because they were heading out to find him, they would be going to see another renegade Angels whom Liam had called Sheila. She believed, with full conviction in her heart, that if her brother was with this renegade Angel Sheila, then she was confident of his safety as Liam trusted her whole heartedly.
"How do we know where Sheila will be?" Leticia asked curiously, applying an extravagant amount of asphax on her arms, face, and legs.
Liam fixed his eyes on her as he watched her. "Don't you think you should calm down with the asphax?"
"Huh?" He looked up at him with innocent eyes like she did not know what he was talking about. He pointed to the now half-empty bottle of asphax in her hands and she followed his fingers to the bottle.
"Oh..." She laughed slightly. "I'm just super excited that's all."
"Well, you should calm down. We are going to meet with Sheila, not your brother. We do not know for certain if he was one of the boys she had rescued on that day." He said to her, strapping his sword to his side.
"We are heading out to look for him, it is enough for me to know that I am not just staying safe in one place, protected by an Angel while he could be alone and in danger somewhere else." She corked the bottle and tied that to her waist.
"If he is half as strong as you, then he would definitely be safe." Liam smiled at her, holding her by her shoulder, but as Leticia looked up to him and smiled back he frowned and looked away, sliding his hands away from her shoulder. Where did that come from? He groaned in frustration, right, he was her guardian Angel now.
"Ready?" He asked.
"I am." She replied. "Go get ready."
"What do you mean? I am ready."
She looked at him with raised eyebrows. "You are?"
"Uh-huh.." He nodded positively.
"Don't you ever wear clothes?"
Liam looked at himself. "What do you mean? I am dressed."
"How about a shirt Liam. Are you really going to go bare-chested? Without a shirt?"
"Uh-huh."
"Liam..." She started but was cut off by Liam with a wave of the hand.
"Well then, let us head out now." He spun and headed for the door, stopping her from complaining any further. Leticia sighed lightly and went after him.
The house he called his was not too far from the forest, it was only a walking distance but to Leticia, it was like they were walking forever, she was just too eager to get reunited with her brother once again. She urged Liam to walk on faster as she shared some of the memories she had with her brother with Liam, and constantly asking about the Angel whom Liam had full confidence in.
"Sheila goes to the cold mountains any time she has a human with her." Liam explained to Leticia as they walked. "And that is where we will be heading."
"Why the cold mountains?" She asked.
"Because it is the safest place and the farthest away from the demons."
"Oh..." That was all Leticia could utter. "But you have to cut through the forest to get there. It is not all that safe to me."
"It is. Just after the forest is the river flowing out from the Euphrates. The water repels the demons, and beyond that are the cold mountains."
"It repels them?" This was news. The good news in fact. Liam nodded to her question. "Oh, I have got to have some of that water."
"And she says there is also a shortcut through the mountains to the human's fortress." He bent a little and whispered that part to her.
"It is?!" Leticia was surprised by this information. "She knows how to get to the fortress?!"
"Yes, she does." Liam smiled. "And she is the only one who does."
"I am truly surprised," Leticia stated honestly. "That she knows about that, it kind of makes me wonder how she came to know about that and how much more does she really know?"
"You could ask her that yourself after you meet with her."
"I will." Leticia giggled. "How long does it take to walk through the forest getting there?"
Liam laughed heartily. "We are still far off, relax."
"Can't you just fly us there?" She's questioned.
"Aren't you the one who I afraid of heights?" Liam shot back at her which made her blush out of embarrassment and she looked away, not saying another word.
When they came close to the edge of the forest, they were met by some scavenging demons, eight of them in number. For a brief moment, Leticia was washed over in fear at the sight of the rather huge demons. Liam immediately got into defensive mode when he sensed Leticia's fear and he opened his arms, shielding her behind his body.
"Stay closely behind me," Liam advised but Leticia was already thinking up strategies on how to take down the nearest demon to her, whatever Liam had said did not register into her mind. She probably did not even hear him.
She smiled, partially grateful for the opportunity to exercise her sword and her muscles, it had been quite a long since she had such chances to flex herself and she had not had any practice either. She moved from behind Liam, away from his protective stance, and charged at a demon.
Liam who saw her from the corner of his eyes, reached out to pull her back but she was out of his reach.
"No! Leticia! I said to stay back!"
She swung the sword and slashed through the air at the demon but it was quick to step back and away from the deadly blow. She did not waste any more time and swung the sword again but still, the demon managed to stay away from the edge of the blade. It did not frustrate Leticia at all but more, it energized her. Oh, this one was definitely her match.
Liam watched her for only a little bit before he was distracted by the demon who lunged at him, claws, arms, and fangs extended. Liam was swift, bringing that one down with a heavy blow, his sword went deep into his neck, almost separating his head from the rest of his body. One down, he looked at Leticia who was still battling it out with that one demon, seven more to go, he counted.
Before he stuck down the fifth demon, Leticia had managed to sink her sword into the neck of the first demon. Liam smirked, finally, she had one down, then he focused on the others.
Leticia almost screamed in delight as the demon fell hard, face-first to the ground with her sword still deep in its neck. Another demon lunched at her and she pulled on her sword, ready to slice through this one also but the sword didn't budge. Her eyes widened, the other demon was getting closer, much closer. She pulled again but her sword was in very deep, she saw the demon leap for her and she brought her left arm up, screaming as they both crashed to the ground with the demon on top of her. It bit down on her lower arm hard and Leticia could hear her bones crack, she screamed out in pain.
* * * * *
Dan, still in his Nadri form, was vexed and he really needed to calm down, the one thing that would permanently calm him down was pushing a sword into the weak human heart of his annoying half-brother. Oh, how he hated his half Nadri stepbrother. He had sprinted from the part of the forest where the equally annoying Arch Angel lived and had come here to ease his anger, he needed something to take his anger out on, he needed something that was alive and something that would be a fitting match for him.
A deer raced past, just ahead of him, and disappeared back into the thick forest. Dan groaned and punched a fist into a tree trunk, it cracked and snapped, bending first before tilting sideways, falling loudly on the forest floor. He grinned, that had given him a little bit of relief, how many trees would fall today before he got his release? He did not bother to count but went for the next tree closest to him. As he fisted his palm and made to strike, the smell hit his nose and he frowned deeply, cranked his neck sharply to the right, and taking in a huge breath.
Yes. This was it. It was most definitely it. He breathed in again deeply and grinned devilishly. Oh yes, how lucky was he to have found a mixed-blood out in the middle of this forest, now he would show the elders how capable he was, more than his overly praised half Nadri of a stepbrother, and now to find this source. He raced away, towards the smell of the mixed blood.
* * * * *
Leticia screamed as the demon's fang sank into her lower arm. Without thinking, she had held up her arm to keep the demon off her when he had leaped for her, sending them both to the ground with it on top of her. She reached for the bottle of asphax tied on her waist and broke it on the demon's head, spilling its contents all over it. The demon shrieked and let go of her arm, doubling back over as the content burned its face and eyes, Leticia took the opportunity and rolled closer to her sword still buried in the neck of the other demon now dead on the floor, and yanked on it with all the strength she could muster from her right arm, it came out. She charged at the demon who still had not gotten over the pain of the burning asphax and severed its head.
Looking around, she saw that every other demon was down on the ground and dead, all eight of them and she had only managed to kill two. She looked at Liam who had a smirk plastered on his face and a demon's head in one hand.
"That was fun!" He exclaimed, throwing the head over his shoulders.
But Leticia was no longer looking at him, instead, she was looking past him. She stood rigid with fear and her eyes widened when she saw the thing that caught the head of the demon which Liam had thrown.
"Indeed, it was fun." It spoke.
Liam turned around and came face to face with the creature. He frowned and took a step back to be closer to Leticia. A Nadri in the open was never good news.
Dan sniffed the air and smiled, throwing the head of the demon to the side, he looked directly at Leticia and his eyes trailed down to her lower arm where the demon had bitten her and she was bleeding from. He inhaled the smell of her blood again just to be extra sure and he smiled. Yes, she was most definitely what he wanted.
"I have come for the mixed blood, renegade."
"There is no mixed blood here, so I suggest you move along, Nadri." Liam stood defensively.
"No mixed blood?" Dan chuckled. "It is either you are trying to protect her or it is that you do not know what she is. So which one is it?"
Liam shifted his head slightly toward Leticia but never took his eyes off the Nadri, with his brows perked. Mixed blood? Her? The human girl he had been with was mixed?
Dan noticed the look on Liam's face, it was a look of uncertainty. "I guess you do not know this Liam." Dan spoke. He was somehow surprised, did the renegade Angel really not know that the human he was with was a mixed-blood? Or was he just pretending not to know so that he could try to protect her from him? Anyhow it was, he was going to leave only when he had the human in his possession.
"But she is a mixed-blood and I can smell her blood from her injury, my nose does not deceive me." He leaned sideways to get a better look at Leticia and added. "By the way, that was a nasty bite. Well then, moving on, I have come this way for her and I shall have her before I leave."
She was going to be his trophy to rub into the faces of those elders who had thought Scott to be higher and more skilled than he was, and he was going to brag about that's most especially to the other dying Archangel and he would very much up his price. Oh, he was going to get all he wanted with just one frail mixed blood in front of him, he just had to get rid of this obstacle. He had to kick Liam to the side then he would be able to have her.
Liam cranked his head towards the Nadri, swinging his sword and flexing his wings, if the revelation of Leticia being a mixed-blood was true, then it just made it even more serious, he had to make sure
that this Nadri does not come close to her, if he needed her this desperately then it was definitely for no good, he was ready to shred the Nadri to pieces if he took any step closer.
"You and what army, Nadri?"
**https://m.goodnovel.com/book_info/31000039026/Paranormal/Hunter**'s-Chorus?shareuser=22216334&ch=apps
@Leo_kitti