Page 17 of Dark Souls

Big Dick Energy

“I do not snore! He is such a liar!” Sienna was outraged once again at the answers my uncle had provided for the Mr and Mrs game my mum was currently hosting at her bachelorette party. There was a large group of all the women from my family and our close friends huddled around a campfire by the huge, picturesque lake. You couldn’t call it camping. Miles’ (my parent’s friend) resort was a luxury glamping venue set in the rural woodland with an idyllic backdrop of snow-capped mountains. It was mainly for humans, but every so often, Miles would close the whole place for a weekend and let the Blood Moon pack use the facilities. There were huge teepees, lodges and luxury cabins with hot tubs and outdoor cinemas. Being the super sweet guy he is, he demanded us girls have the whole place to ourselves for the day and night to celebrate Sienna officially joining our family. It was a tad drastic for only fourteen of us, but that was Miles.

“Hey, take it up with your soon-to-be husband!” Mum raised her hands in surrender with a cheeky grin. “Okay, everyone, last question. Who is the most powerful?”

Everyone ooo’d at that one, giggling and blurry-eyed from the copious amount of alcohol in our systems. My mum planned the entire day perfectly, starting with spa treatments, archery, canoeing on the lake, a picnic lunch and games. Then we went back to our accommodation to get ready for the evening. We’d had dinner in Miles’ Michelin-star restaurant on site, waited on hand and foot by the staff as we were their only customers, and now we were in full party mode. I had to hand it to her. My mum could throw a party.

“No offence, Sienna, but I have to back my son here.” Grandma lifted her hand in the air. “He is a royal tribrid. My vote is for Raiden.”

“But Sienna is a royal fae and witch hybrid with four elements!” Mum argued. “I vote Sienna. Girl power.”

“Thanks, Ruby.” Sienna giggled, swaying slightly in her log seat. She looked ridiculous. In fact, we all did, wearing hot pink, tacky feather boas, tiaras, and she had on a veil.

“I’ve seen Professor Romano, I mean Raiden, in combat training at the Academy. No one would stand a chance against that man. Sorry, I vote for Raiden,” Lacey added.

Calli was next to vote. “Sienna can burn someone alive from the inside out. I’m not messing with that. Sienna, final answer.”

As they started going around the group, the votes were pretty even, and it came down to me as the final vote. It was a tough call. They were both extremely powerful. “I’d say you are pretty evenly matched but…my uncle has the edge, being a vampire, wolf and having magic.”

“Noooo!” Sienna threw her head back and screamed dramatically as we all laughed. “You do realise I will never hear the end of this from him. Go on, what was his answer?”

We all fell silent as we glanced at mum while she looked down at her phone to read out his answer. “Aw, that’s kind of sweet from my brother. He said, you make him more powerful because he will always have a reason to live with you by his side.”

Everyone swooned. Apart from me and Sienna. I stuck my finger in my mouth and faked gagging, which, of course, warranted a scolding from my mum. Sienna folded her arms over her chest.

“So he still said he was, just in a way that he thought he could get away with. But at least I have him whipped enough to do that.” Sienna laughed drunkenly and with that, we could all agree. Even I could appreciate how happy she made my uncle and how he seemed so much more content recently. He’d always been a bit of a rebel like me, who hated being a royal. We’d had that in common, and I’d always looked up to him and the way he wanted to be his own person. But now, looking back on his behaviour, he was restless. He was always seeking a thrill or purpose. I no longer felt that from him since he found Sienna. Now he was just a soppy, heart-eyed fool, like the rest of the men in my family. He almost seemed domesticated. Sienna had tamed his wildness. Like a stray dog who has finally found his owner. Ha. He’d kill me if he heard me say that.

I zoned out of the girly chatter as I scanned the faces of all these women that I idolised for so many reasons. I shared certain similarities with some of them, like I had my Grandma Maddy’s white hair and edginess, my mum’s fierce nature, my Grandma Alina’s determination, but I was also very different from them. Different from everyone. I knew the way my brain worked was more sinister. Darker. Wilder. Unpredictable. I wondered… would that change once I found my soulmate? Was it just inevitable that I’d just be… calmer? More content? I couldn’t imagine it. And when I did, it made me feel trapped. I didn’t want to be tied down. I wanted to be wild. To be free. I hoped my mate would be okay with that because if not, we’d have problems.

There I go again. Thinking about my potential soulmate. Would my quirks and kinks freak him out? My mind took me back to yesterday. To Heathen in my personal space as I straddled his head as he… I swallowed thickly, grabbing the bottle of champagne from Amelie’s hand next to me and taking a swig. What was I doing? It was one thing engaging with his mind games but to get involved with him sexually… that was just plain reckless. Stupid. But oh, so fucking good. Christ, and to think giving in to my dark fantasies of letting that demon make me cum with his tongue was meant to be a one-off. It’s only added fuel to the blazing fire in my vagina.

“Do we have anything stronger than champagne?” I asked no one in particular. “Because this is not doing the trick.”

It took a lot of alcohol to affect us supernaturals and even though we’d been drinking all day; it wasn’t enough. I needed to get blind drunk tonight. I needed to be so out of it, my brain could have a blissful rest from the constant mind fucking it had been going through recently. Not to mention the raging horniness.

“Well…” Calli announced, grabbing her crocheted handbag from behind her log. “Now that you mention it.” She removed a large bottle of some shimmery blue liquid with a mischievous look. Yes, Calli! I knew I could always rely on Neve’s mum to make this night crazier.

“What’s that?” Auntie Chloe asked.

“Oh god!” Mum started shaking her head as if she had experienced whatever was in that bottle before. “If that is what I think it is, that is a terrible idea.”

“Why? We are completely alone here. There is no one around. We can let our hair down and have a laugh. Come on Rubs, take off that crown and unleash my wild best friend. I miss her.” Calli batted her eyelashes at my mum and I watched the powerful queen that always had to be in control of everything instantly crumble.

She rolled her eyes as she took the bottle. “Fine. As long as you have one of those hangover cure potions for me, it’s about time we had some fun.”

Everyone cheered as she took a swig. She coughed at the taste, wiping her mouth and wincing.

“Can’t you make it taste better?”

“Nope. It’s meant to taste that bad so you don’t drink too much. This is my own concoction of alcohol, magic mushrooms, and a lack of inhibitions potion. Only for the hardcore partygoers,” Calli said, taking it back from her and having her own sip before offering it out to the group. I immediately darted forwards for it, but my mum’s arm snapped across me.

“Not for you. You young ones can stick to the alcohol.”

“Uh, no fucking way.” I shook my head, my mum’s eyes narrowing at my language. “Whatever that is, it has my name on it.”

“Oh, come on, Rubs. Let the girl live a little.” Calli winked at me and I could have kissed her on the lips. And I don’t kiss people. Ever.

Mum gave me a stare full of warning. “Fine. But only because I’m here and you are with all of us. I’m serious, Ilaria. This is a onetime thing.”

“Got it,” I smirked, snatching the bottle before she could change her mind. I threw the contents back, chugging down as much of the bitter stuff as I could.

“Woah!” Calli warned before my mum grabbed it off me. “You only need a sip!”

I coughed, fighting the urge to heave at the vile taste until it dispersed and left a strange tingly feeling on my tongue. My head instantly felt fuzzy and my whole body was heating with a wave of warmth as I smiled widely. Damn. That stuff was potent.

“Oh shit.” Calli giggled, handing the bottle to Sienna, who only took a timid swig, unlike me. “Ilaria’s on her way to a fucking good time.”

I laughed. Because it was so funny. All their faces were funny. Their noses. Why are noses so funny to look at? Like what’s the point in them? To smell, right? But why not just have holes in our face? Snakes don’t have noses! Or fish. Or worms. But they can all smell. I think…

“Hey can worms smell if they don’t have a nose?”

“Well, that was fast.” Calli cackled as the rest of the group looked at me as if I had grown another head. Had I? I raised my hands to my face to check. No. Still just the one.

“Oh Goddess.” Mum slammed her hand over her eyes. “No one tells Ezra I let our daughter do drugs.”

“It’s not! It’s a harmless potion. She’ll have a brilliant night, a little headache in the morning, but that comes as standard.” Calli flung her arm over my shoulder. “If the trees start talking to you though, Ilaria, that’s when you know it’s time to call it a night.”

I glanced around at the gigantic birch trees that surrounded us, a little relieved that they were just going about their normal tree business and nodded. Slumping back down on the fallen log around the fire, I rolled my neck and felt the tension in my body slowly ebb away. This was a good idea. Let go. Relax. Unwind. Have fun. What could go wrong?

How have I never noticed how soft grass is? As my fingers threaded through the blades and I stared up at the twinkling stars above, I decided I might enjoy camping after all. Yeah. I think I’ll sleep under the stars tonight. Right here. On the comfiest bed of grass. But I’d need to be naked. Definitely naked.

With effort, I dragged my body up to a sitting position and attempted to remove my crop top. Just as I got it around my head and tangled with the pink feather boa, I remembered I also had a long-sleeved fishnet top underneath, so I gave up. The hassle wasn’t worth it.

“What the hell are you doing?” an amused voice came from next to me. I tugged my top back down to see my mum hovering over me. Glancing around, I realised at some point I must have removed myself from the group. Music was blaring from one of the portable speakers around the campfire and everyone was dancing and laughing like they were performing some satanic ritual.

I craned my neck to look up at the pitch-black sky. I had no idea how long I’d been lying here. Seconds? Minutes? Hours? Time didn’t seem that important. Nothing did. All I felt was a strange sense of freedom and serenity. I could do anything and no one could stop me. Except for removing my top, it seemed. But other than that, I was invincible. My mum dropped next to me on the grass when I hadn’t answered and gave me a lopsided grin.

“How’s that potion treating you?”

“I feel like a woman with big dick energy. It’s great.”

She burst out laughing. “When have you ever not been a woman with big dick energy? You’re my daughter, after all.”

I turned to look at her. Really look at her. Her unique eyes were a shade of deep violet tonight, sparkling and enchanting like gems in the moonlight. They often changed to reflect her mood and she seemed happy and relaxed. Her long black hair was slick down her back, reaching the grass behind, and although she was in her forties, thanks to her supernatural genes, she didn’t look a day over twenty-five. Not a single grey hair or wrinkle in sight. Even now, with her straight spine and regal posture, she looked out of place in her surroundings, as if she was too ethereal to belong. She was just so… effortless. I loved her so damn much, but did she always have to be so perfect? Wasn’t it exhausting?

“About the only thing we have in common.” My brain was slow to process that I had spoken the words out loud until she cocked her head to the side and stroked her hand down my hair like she always had when I was a child.

“What do you mean by that?”

I shrugged, sighing. My brain was already onto the next big question. “Did you ever wish for a different life?”

“A different life? Then the one I am living right now?” She frowned as if she had never even contemplated the question before. “No. Why would I? I have everything I have ever wanted. I’m surrounded by wonderful people, have the sexiest, most loving man by my side, incredible, kind and talented children. It hasn’t always been easy. And I’ve had my fair share of trials to get here but would I change any of it? Probably not. Because that would change the person I am today.”

Defeated, I nodded and flopped back down to lie on the grass. I knew that would be her answer. I could almost hear the words leave her lips before she even spoke them. She peered over her shoulder at me with concern on her face before she mimicked my action and stared up at the stars.

“Why? Do you wish for a different life, darling?”

Did I? I wouldn’t go as far as to say yes. But I was just growing tired of feeling so detached from the life I was living. Perhaps, with the absence of brothers, I was forced to face the truth that I’d always known but refused to accept. Even with so many people around, I always felt lonely. Like no one truly understood me.

“No. I don’t wish for a different life. I love you all and I appreciate all that I have. I just feel this constant void. This pit of darkness in my soul only seems to get deeper the longer I ignore it. In my mind, it’s like a never-ending wishing well. On the surface, moss and beautiful vines cling to its stone walls, luring me towards it and enticing me to come closer. But when I do and peer down into the abyss of black, instead of making a wish, I want to throw myself down just to find out what hides at the bottom. But I always stop myself. All the time. I fight the urge and it eats away at my soul. The not knowing .”

’Woah, this potion was better than therapy. No offence, Grandma. ’ Rue made herself laugh, feeling as high as me.

“What stops you from climbing down this hypothetical well? Are you scared of what you might find at the bottom?”

“No,” I answered instantly. “I’m afraid that I might never climb back out. Or that I might not want to.” She was silent for a long time after that. We both were. And for the first time, I wished I could read her mind. I knew she must be thinking that the darkness that calls to me was because of my vampire side. My Romano blood. But I wasn’t even sure if that was entirely true or just an excuse they were all using to try to understand me better. What if my affliction with all things dark and wicked was just me? Just who I was. Would that be so bad?

“What are you thinking?”

She rolled onto her side, stroked a strand of my blonde hair behind my ears and smiled. “I was thinking that you amaze me. You are curious about life and all it has to offer. And I know you will never settle for what society deems as the perfect life. Because you don’t want perfect and to be honest, there is no such thing. We all have our own views and values on what life we want for ourselves and I don’t want you to ever feel like you can’t have what you want because it’s different from what I or the rest of the world thinks you should have. So, if you want to dive down that well, do it, sweetheart. Because I raised you to be strong, resilient and so determined, I would never doubt that you wouldn’t find a way out if you needed to. And who knows, what you find might not be what you expect but, more than likely, what you need.”

“And what do I need?”

I stared up at her, allowing her to keep stroking my hair, even though I normally shied away from physical affection. The way her soft fingers delicately caressed each strand brought back so many nostalgic memories of being curled up in her lap as she read me fairytales as a child. Even then, I had always rooted for the villains. The dark characters that made terrible choices. Everyone else saw evil. But I saw passion. I saw intrigue. Were they really so bad or were we just trained to never question their choices? Would the story still end the same if the heroes tried to understand them instead of fighting them? So often they were written off without any chance of redemption. And while my brothers would celebrate their defeat, I felt a sense of disappointment. What always struck me about villains the most was that they were alone in the world. If someone had taken the time to care for them, to show them love, would they have ended up the way they did? Probably not. Don’t get me wrong. There was definitely evil in the world and, for some people, no redemption for their sick and twisted ways. But, perhaps, some villains are just misunderstood.

‘Like Heathen.’

“I guess you’ll have to figure that out for yourself, sweetheart. But do you know what? Even if you can’t find your way out of that well, it wouldn’t matter because you’d have an entourage of people making a never-ending rope to help you out.”

I smiled. That was true.

“So, let me get this straight. You are encouraging me to embrace my urges?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at her with suspicion.

“I am encouraging you to do whatever makes you happy. I raised you to be confident in who you are and what you stand for. You know right from wrong. You excel at not taking anyone’s bullshit. I have faith that even if you give into whatever urges you have, you would never cross a line you couldn’t come back from. I’m on your side, darling. Always.”

I found my throat tightening with emotion as she leaned over and kissed my forehead. I don’t think she had any idea what hearing those words meant to me. It was more than just acceptance. It was trust. That was the reason why, no matter how much darkness I craved, I would never end up a villain. Because I had people like her in my corner, showering me with unconditional love. I was one of the lucky ones.

“Oi, you two! Get your butts over here. The bride-to-be wants to play Truth or Dare.”

Mum stood up, grabbing my hand and yanking me to my feet as I felt a twisted smirk crawl up my face. Oh, I did love a game of truth or dare. And I knew exactly why Sienna had requested it. Payback for the first night I ever met her and dared her to jump off a cliff into the sea.

Her amber eyes met mine with mischief as I sat down unsteadily opposite her. “Ilaria, Truth or Dare?”

I matched her bold smile with my own. “Dare. Of course.”

“I dare you to dive into the lake.”

I rolled my eyes as everyone else applauded her unoriginal and boring dare with cheers. “Is that all?”

“Naked.”

“Fine. But that means we are even.” I shrugged, standing up and removing my boots. It wasn’t the easiest task as I stumbled and Lacey had to steady my body as I undressed with about as much grace as a newborn foal.

“Are you sure she’s okay to swim? She can barely walk in a straight line!” My Grandma Maddy panicked as I marched towards the lake.

“I’ll be fine! I need to check skinny-dipping off my fuck-it list anyway!” I yelled as I threw my bra back at them over my shoulder. I wouldn’t be showing them my tits when my family did not know I’d pierced my own nipples. Using my vampire speed, I zoomed up to the wooden jetty, leaving their laughter and whooping behind. I inhaled the fresh air, the scent of pine and earth grounding me as I stared out across the inky surface of the water. It looked sinister and uninviting, which made me even more determined to dive in. I stumbled a little, feeling lightheaded and fuzzy, causing me to laugh at my drunk self. Hooking my thumbs into my lace thong, I dragged it down my thighs and stepped out of it, making them all cheer that I was really seeing this through.

“Bunch of perverts!” I bellowed with a smirk. Deciding to give them a spectacular show, I wiggled my toes over the edge, lifted my hands above my head in a diving stance and leaped into the air in what I would describe as a dive worthy of an Olympic gold medal.

Plunging headfirst into the freezing water, it felt like thousands of tiny knives were stabbing at my skin, trying to penetrate deep into my bones. The shock of the chilling sensation rippled through my body as I swam until the initial sting gave way to the numbness. Breaking through the surface, my first breath caught in my throat as I struggled to take in enough oxygen in one go but soon the discomfort turned into wonderful exhilaration. There was a sense of liberation that came with being so at one with nature. Or maybe I really was just deliriously high.

“Ilaria! Are you good?” Sienna shouted from the small crowd that had formed at the edge of the lake.

“Fucking fantastic. Carry on and don’t wait for me. I’m going for a swim!” I replied, turning onto my back and leisurely propelling my arms through the water as I stared up at the silvery moon above. Assured that I wasn’t about to drown, they wandered back over to the campfire and continued the game. Their laughter and shouting disturbed the natural calm of my surroundings and I found myself growing irritated. I tried to block them out so I could enjoy the tranquil peace of the lake but then the squealing started and I huffed.

Turning abruptly, I dived beneath the surface once more and slowly released my breath, so I submerged deeper into the darkness, welcoming its velvety embrace. The world above disappeared, replaced by a comforting silence and stillness. The only noise was the slow, soothing beat of my heart echoing in my ears. I felt weightless as I floated in a timeless existence. Maybe I should have been born a mermaid. I think I’d have liked a life beneath the waves. My white hair danced around me as I peered up at the surface, enjoying the eerie reflections the moonlight caused upon the rippling water above.

And then I saw it.

A flash of red.

The colour that has always haunted me throughout life. The colour of temptation. But tonight, it had no business being here. It was severely out of place between the green of the forest, the blackness of the water or the luminance of the moon. But there it was. Hovering over the jetty’s edge like a beacon, calling to me. Curiosity and the need to know that I wasn’t hallucinating forced my body towards it, and as I drew closer to the surface, that red became more prominent and shapely. It also had a face attached to it, one that warped with the ripples of the water and was too difficult to make out.

The moment I broke through, my shocked gasp cut through the air, only for my next inhale to become jammed in my chest. I stared up at the owner of all that dark red hair, crouching at the edge of the jetty.

Hooooooly fuck.

The man before me was unlike anything I could have ever dreamed up, even in my wildest fantasies. The moonlight highlighted the sharp angles of his striking face, dark stubble lining a strong jaw and full lips poised in a menacing scowl. His hair, which had so many shades of the deepest reds I’d ever seen, was longer on top but shaved completely at the sides. Flashes of silver caught my attention as multiple piercings in his ears, nose and eyebrow glinted in the moon’s spotlight. My gaze shifted down, taking in the tattoos that branded the thick column of his tanned neck and disappeared into his baggy, sleeveless T-shirt, which hung low, giving the most teasing glimpse of his muscled chest. Black ink covered his exposed toned arms—gothic symbols, geometric patterns, and skulls painted his skin all the way down to his ringed fingers. But as my gaze travelled back up to his face, I was taken aback by the blazing, fiery crimson eyes that greeted me. Eyes that seemed to pierce through the armour that I used to keep everyone at arm’s length and delved right into my soul, rendering me motionless.

He was undoubtedly the definition of a sinfully delicious bad boy. One that your mothers warn you to stay far away from because he had the ability to ruin you in the most delightfully fucked up way.

As our eyes connected, I had to remind myself to breathe. Time stretched between us as he just crouched there before me, demanding all my attention with effortless allure. He was the flame, and I was the moth, captivated by his fire. Despite the numbing cold of the water, my whole body was on fire under his intensity. My nipples pricked and ached. My heart thrummed wildly in my chest. And let’s not get started on what was happening between my thighs. Dangerous longing and instant desire pierced through me, spreading through my veins and travelling straight to my core. I’d never been more attracted to a man in my life.

There was an air of mystery and danger that clung to him like a second skin. It was an intoxicating magnetism of raw, untamed power, warning everyone who came too close that they’d be burned. But beneath the intimidating and lethal exterior, there was something so hauntingly beautiful about him. Almost painful. I had never seen a man look so broken. And it unhinged something deep inside me I couldn’t comprehend.

The way he worked the muscles in his chiselled, stubbled jaw captivated me, and his eyebrows furrowed as if he was considering something that bothered him. But even then, he didn’t utter a word, allowing only those deadly eyes to trace every inch of my face, leaving me feeling completely bare and exposed. Fuck. I was bare and exposed. How had I forgotten that I was completely naked beneath the surface?

I slammed one of my arms across my chest to cover myself as I used my legs and other arm to keep myself afloat and narrowed my gaze at him.

“Who are—”

He raised his index finger, adorned with a thick silver ring, to his lips, cutting me off in the process and requesting I keep quiet. I frowned deeply when his eyes flickered over to the group, who weren’t paying us any attention. When he glanced back at me, a devilish smirk played on his lips, highlighting a long, thin scar that I hadn’t noticed before. It started beneath his eye, running down his cheek and through the corner of his upper lip. His razor-sharp incisors became slightly visible. My heart flipped and sent tingles straight to my pussy. It was the hottest thing I had ever seen and I dreaded to know what a full smile would do to me.

He reached down next to him and lifted something in his fingers. A wicked glint flashed through his scarlet eyes. When I realised he was holding my lace thong in his hand, my eyes flew open and my jaw dropped. My shock only amplified when he brought them to his nose and inhaled deeply, closing his eyes briefly as he groaned. My shock turned into arousal. Fuck, why was that so disturbingly sexy? He stood upright, his full height adding to his intimidating aura as he shoved them in his pocket and sent me a cocky wink.

“Ilaria! Get out before you freeze to death!” someone shouted from the other side of the lake, causing my head to turn and peer their way in alarm. Not even a second later, I glanced back at the jetty to find it completely empty. He’d vanished. Had he even been real or was he just a figment of my imagination?

I turned in the water, scanning the edge of the lake in every direction in search of him, but there was nothing there but trees. Swimming to the ladder, I climbed out and zoomed up to the group. My Grandma Alina wrapped a huge towel around my shoulders and ushered me over to the fire as my lips started trembling against the chilly breeze. I sat on the log, in a state of shock. The potion was definitely strong and very much clouding my judgment still, but I knew that had really happened.

’Rue? ’ She was just as stunned as me, but I needed to hear her say it even though I already knew with every fibre of my being.

They say, when you know, you know. That your soul speaks to theirs without a single word uttered. And they were right. Because when you cross paths with your soulmate. You just know.

‘He’s ours, Ilaria. Find him.’