Page 67 of Dark Souls

Approval

T he room grew silent and awkward as fuck the moment Ilaria shut herself away in that room. It was a sign of growth for me that I hadn’t immediately flung myself out of the window and taken off into the sky. Neve’s intrigued and apprehensive stare was burning into the side of my face, making me very aware of my semi-demon appearance and how naked I was.

’I’m pushing you back. ’ I told Heathen, because the last thing I wanted to do was scare this girl or make her feel threatened.

‘The fuck you are.’

Pulling on all the internal strength that I had gained from feeding from Ilaria so much, I shoved him further back into my mind, which forced him to give up his control. He was weaker than me because he hadn’t eaten an organ for a few days. I was thankful for it at that moment.

‘You just don’t want me to outshine you, huh?’

‘Something like that.’

Neve gasped when my horns retreated into my head and my eyes returned to their violent red. I stared around the room, looking for the nearest exit.

“Amazing!” she breathed. “So, can you?”

I thought meeting the men of Ilaria’s family would be the most intimidating ordeal, but I was wrong. It was this bubbly woman who spoke a million miles a minute with a smile so bright it reached her hazel eyes that hadn’t left my face.

“Huh?”

“Can you fly?”

“Yeah.” Though I hadn’t done it in so long. It was the thing I was most looking forward to doing now that Heathen and I could share powers again.

“That’s so fucking cool. I don’t think I would ever walk again if I had that ability. Like I’d just get up and fly to the kitchen just because, why not, right?” She suddenly stood up and waltzed into the small kitchen, opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of champagne.

My eyes flicked to the bedroom door, silently begging Ilaria to come back and save me. Not that I didn’t like Neve. I had just never been around anyone like her before. The only people I ever had positive interactions with in private that hadn’t cowered in my presence were Ilaria and my family. And being alone with this much bounciness and happy vibes made me fucking uncomfortable because I didn’t know how to speak to this girl. Or how to act. She was clearly the type of person whose presence just brightens a room. Someone whose soul is so full of light that it radiates inner peace. The complete opposite to me. And to add to my anxiety, she was someone who meant a lot to Ilaria and I didn’t want her to think I was an asshole or rude, but I’d never be a ray of fucking sunshine.

“Champers?” she asked from across the room, holding the bottle she’d just popped open towards me. “We need to celebrate.”

“Sure.” I swallowed. I glanced back at the door.

’Stop being a fucking pussy. What are you so scared of? That you might actually smile? ’ Heathen cackled in my head. ‘I know it’s been a hot minute but relax, dude.’

‘Dude? When the fuck did you start talking like a bellend?’

‘When I didn’t have you to rein me in, dude. If you are so scared of her, let me take full control. I am way more fun than you, anyway.’

“Here.” She rocked a glass from side to side in front of my face and I took it. She fell back on to the sofa next to me, too close for my comfort levels, because I hated being fucking touched by anyone that wasn’t Ilaria, especially when I was only wearing a towel. I shuffled down on the sofa before throwing back the entire glass in one gulp. I could feel her staring at my side profile again and when I turned to meet her gaze, I found her smirking.

“You don’t have to worry. I am a taken woman and even if I wasn’t, Ilaria is my girl. I’m not about to pounce on you or anything.”

“I… I wasn’t—”

She raised her hands up in surrender. “I get it. You like your space, and I have a tendency to take up a lot of it with my winning personality. I struggle to control my excitement and, honestly, as soon as I arrived in this realm a few hours ago and Ruby filled me in on everything, I have been so excited to meet you. I just couldn’t wait.” She giggled, sipping her champagne as I stayed silent and watched her. “It’s so weird. You are exactly how I imagined you’d be. Maybe except for the demon part, because that was an awesome surprise. Did you know Ilaria and I kept a scrapbook when we were kids, and we wrote down everything we wanted our soulmates to be? I had to force it out of her, but clearly, she got what she wanted.”

“What do you mean?”

“Mysterious. Broody. Handsome but not in the conventional way. Alternative. Bad boy. A little standoffish. A little murdery. You know.” She waved her hand towards me. “All this. You’re perfect for her.”

“A little murdery?” My lips twitched at the sides as I fought my amusement at her summary of me. It was pretty accurate.

“Yeah, well, because you eat hearts and stuff. No judgment. You do you, boo.” She leaned in closer to me. “What do they taste like, though? I imagine they’re pretty tough to chew.”

I raised my eyebrow, forcing myself to speak more than a few words. “You’d be surprised by how tender they are. Rich and velvety in flavour. Succulent. When they are really fresh, they actually melt in your mouth a little.”

She blinked at me and licked her lips. “Fuck. You should be a narrator for a food commercial. You just made my mouth water for a heart. People would eat anything you were selling with that voice.”

A rare laugh rumbled through my chest and surprised us both. She jumped up and down on her bent legs, spilling her champagne carelessly on the sofa as she shouted, “Gotcha! I knew I would make you laugh.”

“Well done. That is quite an achievement.” I smirked, leaning forward and placing the flute on the coffee table. Now the ice seemed to have broken, I felt my posture relaxing in her presence. “Are you just here for a visit?”

“More like a mission. Have you met Leif yet?”

“Briefly.”

“Well, I’m here to drag his crazy ass back to Heroux and force him to face his responsibilities. And, of course, I came to see my girl. I was honestly shocked to hear everything that has been happening between you two. I can’t believe she didn’t tell me.” She peered down into her lap, looking deflated.

“Don’t be mad at her. I told her not to tell anyone about me. Our situation, it was… fucked.”

She lifted her gaze to meet mine with a nod of her head. “I heard. I’m sorry. For everything you’ve been through. You and your family didn’t deserve any of it. But I am so glad you and Ilaria found each other and figured this all out. Once you have that girl in your corner, you’ll never feel alone again. She will fight for you till the end of time. I should know.”

I bobbed my head as my chest expanded with pride. “I do know. She saved my life. In every way possible.”

Neve reached across, hesitated slightly but decided to go ahead and pat my hand that was resting on my towel-covered thigh. Brave girl. “I’m not really here to grill you. I know she’s in safe hands with you. I don’t even have to give you the whole ‘ever hurt her, and I’ll boil your balls and have them for breakfast’ speech because I know you never will.”

I narrowed my eyes a little in surprise. Of course, I knew I would rather cut my own balls off and eat them for breakfast before ever hurting Ilaria, but this woman had just met me, and I wasn’t the most delightful or charming of men. How could she trust me so easily?

“That’s it? You really think I deserve her?”

“What makes you think you don’t?”

I stared down at my hands, scarred and rough from years of violence and brutality. Hands that had committed so many horrific acts. The evil masterminds ordered me to do them, but the truth was, I still had. I killed, I tortured, I sinned to keep my sister alive. I put one life above hundreds of others. And I still would. So what did that make me? I wasn’t even sure.

“She has seen all the worst parts of me and she stayed. She accepted me for my darkness, but… I wish I wasn’t so broken that I could give her some of my light. I wasn’t always like this. I’m not sure if I ever will be the man I once was. What if what I am, what they turned me into, isn’t enough to keep her happy?”

“Who you are, right at this very moment, is who she fell in love with. You are enough for her. And over time, parts of the man you used to be before this nightmare might return, or they might not. But Ilaria will be here loving you for who you are, regardless.”

I exhaled a breath as I tensed my jaw. I wanted so badly to find the parts of myself that I’d buried deep beneath the steel layers of my cold exterior. My lack of humanity was a shield. A form of protection from the harshness the world had always shown me and even though I was technically free now, I was having a hard time accepting it. I wasn’t sure I truly trusted that this still wouldn’t blow up in my face. That the world won’t turn against me again when they know what I am. Ruby called me a royal. I knew she was subtly telling me I was under their protection now, but they were just words. Actions were what I believed in. Ilaria had once said she didn’t want me to turn my humanity back on for her. I had to want to do it for myself. I wanted to, but I didn’t know where to even begin.

The bedroom door opened and Ilaria leaned her tiny body in a black corset and little plaid skirt against the frame, placing one hand on her hip. She gave me the most dazzling smile and then looked between us both.

“I approve!” Neve pointed to my face and grinned.

“Wouldn’t matter if you didn’t.” Ilaria stepped into the room. “But I knew you would. What are you doing here, Neve?”

“Leif,” Neve said in a heavy exhale while giving Ilaria a look that spoke a thousand words. Words that I clearly wasn’t privy to.

“Ah. Well, good luck with that. And you might have to hang around for a few days because he’s still working on Hana’s sigil so until he cracks that, he won’t be leaving.”

“Hana’s sigil?” I instantly stood to my feet, my overprotective nature sparking on hearing those words, especially when they were mentioned in the same sentence as an Anderson warlock.

Ilaria sensed my uneasiness and walked towards me, wrapping her arms around my waist. “It’s okay. It’s safe. Leif is being extremely careful and is trying to reverse the spell and free her demon, but without the original spell that was used to create it, it’s proving pretty difficult. He’s up against some extremely powerful and dark magic from centuries ago. Do you have any idea where the spell might be? Leif has checked The Book of Dark Magic our great-grandmother created, but it was never put in there.”

I shook my head. I knew I had to place a little trust in Ilaria’s family and if anyone could free Hana’s demon, it would be an Anderson, but it still made me feel a certain way.

“Mitchell knew the spell by heart. He would speak it every time he summoned Heathen. I could probably repeat it if that helps. I’ve heard it enough times.”

“That’s the summoning spell. Not the original soul possession spell, which is what Leif needs. So that won’t—” She paused, her eyes growing wider. “Wait. That’s it. Now we know the soul binding works to break the spell, we can use the sigil to summon Hana’s demon and then Ronnie can give her his soul. Just like I did for Heathen. And don’t worry if you can’t remember it. It might be more fun to find creative ways of extracting it from Mitchell’s thoughts.” She smirked with a wicked glint in her pink eyes that made me instantly hard again.

How was this girl so fucking perfect for me? I ran my hands over her now dry white hair and stared into those sexy eyes.

“You are a genius, love.”

“Seriously?” Neve scoffed. We turned to look at her as she gestured her head towards the erection that the flimsy towel couldn’t hide.

“Are you really surprised? You heard us in there. My man can fuck.” Ilaria grinned smugly, which caused Neve to roll her eyes and reach into a large bag. She pulled out some grey joggers and a white tank top and flung them towards me. I caught them in my hands and frowned.

“Not really my style, but thanks.”

“Courtesy of your new father-in-law. You look about the same size so they should fit.”

“The king of all supernaturals wears sweats?” I lifted my brow at Ilaria, showing my amusement.

“He’d live in a tracksuit if it was up to him.”

“But it’s not up to him?”

“Have you met Ruby?” Neve smirked, folding her arms across her chest.

“Come on. Get dressed. Everyone is waiting for us at the palace. Are you ready to face Mitchell and Belladonna or do you need more time?” Ilaria asked softly, running her fingers down the side of my face.

“After everything, I just needed you. To be with you. Feed from you. Fuck you. You may rely on me now, love, but you are also my source of strength. So, yes. I am so fucking ready.”

A slow, vicious grin appeared, matching hers perfectly.

Ilaria took my hand in hers and leaned into my arm, running her other hand up and down my forearm. I stared down at our entwined fingers, realising that this was the first time we had held hands in public. In fact, this was the first time we didn’t have to hide who we were to each other. I lifted our hands and kissed the back of hers, which made her radiate with that glow that I couldn’t get enough of.

“Are you ready?” Ilaria asked.

I looked over my shoulder at the incredible palace of glass and marble that the royals lived in and noticed men at various points throughout the lobby, watching us with troubled expressions. The moment they each caught my intimidating glare, they looked away sharply.

“Ignore them. They are just guards from my father’s pack. I mean, my brother’s pack. Lorcan has just taken over Blood Moon. They are here for safety, that’s all.”

I huffed, rolling my tense shoulders and turning my gaze back to the huge double doors we were about to walk through to face all her family and my captors.

“It’s their safety they should be more concerned about if they keep staring at you like that,” I growled.

“They aren’t staring at me. They are staring at us. I am a royal princess, Luka. They have watched me grow up here. Even though I am not a wolf, they protect me like I’m one of their own. And this is the first time they have ever seen me with a man and not to mention one that looks like you. They are bound to be a little wary and intrigued.”

I clicked my neck to the side, fighting down my irrational irritation. I was going to have to get better at being around people. I knew that. But fuck was it hard. I hated everyone until they gave me a reason to like them.

“You don’t have to be anyone other than yourself in there, okay?”

I nodded, and she reached forward to open the door. We stepped into a gigantic room of domed glass ceilings, exquisite art and huge marble pillars lining the room that led up to a raised platform where two thrones sat regally. But instead of Ilaria’s parents sitting upon them, there was one left empty while my sister occupied the other.

Hana beamed at me, looking every inch a queen in a beautiful satin dress that swayed to her feet and her red waves styled over one shoulder in a braid. Her green eyes shone as they met mine and my lips curved upwards at seeing her safe and happy. Ronnie stood beside her, leaning one elbow on the back of her throne and nodded to me with respect.

“What is this?” I asked bluntly when Ruby and Ezra stepped forwards from the side of the room where the rest of Ilaria’s family were standing.

“This isn’t a trial. This is a ruling. Normally, we give prisoners the chance to confront their crimes in front of the crown before we give our ruling, but this is no normal situation. It is you and Hana who deserve to look into their eyes and determine their punishment. We support whatever you both decide,” Ezra explained.

“Plus.” Ruby smirked. “Nothing will shock them more than seeing two Demonski Upirs sitting on the thrones of the human realm.”

Ilaria squeezed my hand tightly. Giving a quick nod of gratitude to her parents, I sat beside Hana, feeling strangely nonchalant at what was about to unfold. Ilaria attempted to step away from me and stand with her family, but I yanked her hand and pulled her onto my lap. She wrapped her arms around my neck as I gazed at her beautiful face.

“Where do you think you’re going, love? None of this would have been possible without you.”

She smiled, leaned in and kissed my lips just as the double doors opened, and two people walked into the room. Hayes strolled towards us with an enormous smile on his now much healthier and fuller face. His long, shaggy hair had been cut and styled, and he’d shaved, making him look much more youthful. His blue eyes sparkled like a man in love. My gaze trailed over the girl who was holding his hand, staring at the floor as she walked in with her blonde hair hiding most of her face and visibly shaking next to him. Belladonna’s daughter.

I thought I might feel instant hate for the girl being the offspring of my mortal enemy, but honestly, I felt nothing. When they finally reached the front of the platform, they stopped.

“You’re like a cat with nine lives,” I stated, fighting the smile that wanted to match my cave buddy’s. I thought Belladonna had killed him, so this was a pleasant surprise. The kid had grown on me during our time together.

“Thanks to our women coming to the rescue and saving our sorry asses, yeah, I’m still alive,” Hayes said, casting his gaze over Ilaria. “Thank you, Princess.”

“You’re welcome, Hayes,” Ilaria replied politely before her eyes narrowed on Hayes’ soulmate. There was a weird tension in the room that I was picking up on. I thought Lia might be shaking uncontrollably because she was terrified of me, but I realised it may have been for another reason.

Ruby stepped forward and shed some light on the situation. “Lia requested an audience with the Royal family before her parents’ sentencing. She has been cooperative and, because she had zero knowledge of what her parents were doing regarding your captures and The Underground , she will not be facing trial or prosecution. Lia, the floor is yours.”

“Thank you, Queen Ruby,” Lia responded meekly, finally lifting her head and looking at everyone. When her eyes drifted to Ilaria and me, she exhaled a shaky breath. I noticed the subtle way Hayes squeezed her hand, giving her the courage to continue.

“Firstly, I am truly sorry for what my parents did to you both.” Her voice trembled as she looked between Hana and me. “Like Queen Ruby said, I had no idea what was happening or who my mother really was. Their actions are disgusting and inconceivable. I knew my parents were no angels, but I didn’t believe they were capable of this level of evil. For what they have put you both through, I am so, so sorry.”

“You didn’t know. You are innocent in this. It’s okay,” Hana said with a small smile. I remained silent because I had nothing to say to that. I wasn’t really feeling any kind of way towards the girl. I guess I felt sorry for her more than anything, being raised by such twisted people.

Lia shook her head as a tear fell from her eye. She quickly wiped it away and looked at Ilaria. “I am not completely innocent. I had no idea about this, but there were things they made me do. Things that I went along with because I craved their approval so damn much and, if I am being honest, I was terrified of my mother. Disappointing her was my greatest fear. I know that makes me weak. I am not here to give my excuses or try to explain what my life has been like, which led me to become a terrible person. I am here to confess and ask for a second chance.”

She turned to the side of the room where Ilaria’s family was all standing. They looked tense, and I couldn’t ignore the narrowed glares coming from Ilaria’s aunt, Sienna, or the distrust on Neve’s face.

“Lorcan. Raiden. Leif. I am so sorry for trying to use you to gain social status. And Sienna, I deserved that beating ten times over. I’m sorry for everything that went down that day and the lead up to it.” She moved her anxious gaze back to my mate, who leaned into my chest, looking disinterested at most. “Ilaria, you have shown me grace and undeserving kindness by telling me the truth about my parents and Hayes. After everything I’d done, you didn’t have to do that, but you did because you are a better person than I will ever be.”

“I didn’t do it out of kindness, Lia. I did it because it was the right thing to do.”

Lia nodded. “I know. And I hope from now on, I can make the right choices going forward because I really do want to be a better person.” Lia looked up at Hayes and gave him a sad smile before letting go of his hand and walking across the room. She stopped a few feet away from Neve, whose whole body tensed as she stared at her.

“But I owe the biggest apology of all to you, Neve. I made your life hell at every opportunity at the Academy. The truth is that I picked on you because I envied you the most. You had everything I wanted. The most loving and kind parents who adored you and showered you with affection. Best friends who had your back and would go to extreme lengths to support you. The social status that my parents so desperately wanted me to achieve. But most of all, you were always so happy. So content and confident with who you are. I was jealous. And I was awful to you because of it. It is no excuse, but I thought you deserved to know that. I never hated you. I just wanted to be you. And I am so sorry.”

There was a heavy silence as they stared into each other’s eyes and then Neve huffed. “Lia. I’m too fucking grown to hold on to grudges. I forgive you. I honestly hope you can put all of this behind you and find happiness with Hayes. I wish you the best.”

Lia sobbed, bringing her hands to her face to cover her eyes before she pulled herself together. “Thank you.”

“Lia.” Sienna suddenly stepped forwards and Lia visibly flinched. “I just have to say one thing. Blood doesn’t automatically make you a family. Sometimes, you are lucky enough to experience love with a found family. I know that firsthand. Don’t let who your parents are be who you become. You are stronger than that.”

Lia started nodding and suppressed more tears before turning around and walking back over to Hayes. He pulled her to his side, kissed her forehead, and told her he was proud of her. I watched the entire thing with numbness because, as bad as it was to admit, I really couldn’t give two shits about any of this. I was happy for Hayes, but Lia was insignificant to me. She was just another victim in my eyes.

Her bloodshot eyes locked with mine and I saw it. The fear. She knew she was staring into the eyes of a cold killer who was about to murder her parents without mercy.

“I know they deserve what you are about to do to them,” Lia said, her voice cracking a little. “But as a daughter who shared some rare moments of happiness with her father, I have to ask. Please, can you make his death quick?”

I held her gaze, digging deep to see if there was a small spark of mercy within that I might be able to grant her wish. Unfortunately, there was not.

“I’ll make it quicker than he deserves.” It was the best I could promise her.

She swallowed thickly and muttered a weak ‘thank you’. Hayes and I nodded at each other, and then he guided her back out of the room.

Ilaria blew out a breath and shifted herself on my knee. “That was overly dramatic.”

“You’re brutal.” I smirked as she fought a laugh.

“I’m a heartless bitch when it comes to my enemies. Something the next two are about to find out.”

A side door opened, and a male form was dragged into the room by guards, his feet struggling to keep up with their pace as his head slumped to his chest. Mitchell was shirtless and his face and torso had suffered an obviously vicious beating. As he was shoved to his knees, I noticed a wooden spear sticking out of his back, burning the surrounding flesh. My gaze travelled to the faces of the royals, looking for the culprit. When my eyes locked with Arius Romano, his lips lifted into a mischievous smirk and a flicker of darkness that matched mine cast over his eyes. He tilted his chin upwards, the only sign he was giving to show that he was the one responsible.

A second door opened and my whole body tensed as soon as I saw her. No longer bothering to hide behind her illusion, Belladonna’s ruffled brown ringlets flowed around her arms and dirt stained her face. She had clearly been kept in a cell full of grime and shit because the stench that was surrounding her was potent. Her designer clothes were sodden and covered in filth, too. It was a wonderful sight. But not as satisfying as the moment she stopped fighting against the guards who were shoving her forwards, her hands clasped in handcuffs that glowed with a fluorescent green light of magic and looked up to see Hana and me on the thrones. Her pupils dilated and her face paled. The image must have been her worst nightmare come to life. To see two creatures who she despised, tortured and belittled, who she had kept like slaves and degraded at every opportunity, sitting like royals at the head of the very supernatural community that she had tried so hard to be a part of. Belladonna had always wanted power. She would have done anything, screwed over anyone, to get it. So this must be eating her alive inside.

Ezra stepped forwards, and his deep, authoritative voice filled the room. “Mitchell Morton, you have been stripped of your title of Commander of the Romano Clan and are here to receive your punishment for the following crimes; purchasing two Demonski Upirs as slaves and keeping them captive against their free will via the use of dark magic, assisting in the murders of an entire coven, ordering and orchestrating numerous deaths of supernatural members of The Underground , unjustly torturing, blackmailing and manipulating Lukas Heathen Nezera and Hana Casmira Nezera for your own gains, abducting, torturing and imprisoning Hayes Cohen, attempting to murder the royal princess, Ilaria Anderson Romano Black and Lukas Heathen Nezera. If you have anything you wish to say, do so now or accept your fate.”

Mitchell’s chest was heaving heavily, and he struggled to lift his head. His eyes were out of focus and unable to look at anything in particular.

“Where’s my daughter?”

I ground my molars together.

“A little late to become a concerned father, don’t you think?” Ilaria snapped, unable to hold back her anger.

“She had nothing to do with any of this. I made sure of it. She is innocent. Please, spare her life.” He huffed out each word as if it pained him to do so.

“Your daughter will live,” Hana said with icy bitterness. “But you will not.”

He dropped his head almost in relief and I narrowed my eyes. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting. Whether he would have anything to say for all he’s done, but I really didn’t give a shit to hear it, anyway.

Ezra clicked his tongue, clearly pissed that Mitchell wasn’t going to say anything else, and moved on to Belladonna. I could feel Ilaria’s rage through our bond because those blue eyes with rings of brown had never left my face since she entered the room.

“Belladonna Knowlton–” Ezra started, but Belladonna interrupted immediately.

“Belladonna Morton. If you are going to condemn me, at least get my name right, Alpha.” She smirked, still keeping her eyes fixed on me. Ilaria clenched her fists in her lap. I gave her hip a little squeeze to help calm her. This is what Belladonna wanted. It’s what she always wanted. To cause chaos. To get a reaction. The number of times she had pushed me to breaking point in those cellars just because she loved the thrill of it was too many to count. But I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction anymore. She had lost the last bit of power she had over me the moment Ilaria gave us her soul.

Ezra’s nostrils flared, but he kept his cool and continued, “Belladonna Morton or whoever the fuck you are, you have been stripped of your title of Mother of the Berin Coven and are here to receive your punishment for the following crimes.” She lifted her chin defiantly and smiled at me. “The murder of Maksim Vlado Nezera and Zoran Ambro? Nezera. The capture and torture of Lukas Heathen Nezera and Hana Casmira Nezera and assisting and funding the use of black magic to possess their demon’s souls, orchestrating the murder of the Knowlton Coven, the murder of Parisa Berin and impersonating her to fake your own death, being an accomplice in the torture, blackmail and emotional and physical manipulation of Lukas Heathen Nezera and Hana Casmira Nezera, abducting, torturing and imprisoning Hayes Cohen, and attempting to murder the royal princess, Ilaria Anderson Romano Black and Lukas Heathen Nezera. If you have anything you wish—”

“Can I get all that written on my tombstone?” She cackled, throwing her head back. “That is quite a list of accomplishments for one little witch. My father would be so proud.”

Ilaria jumped to her feet, ready to attack, but I grabbed her wrist and halted her. I slowly stood up, moved Ilaria behind me and stared at Belladonna’s twisted smug face with no emotion.

“What’s wrong, Lukas? Were you really expecting an apology? Do you need closure?” She pouted her lips and fluttered her eyelashes, tilting her head to the side. I let go of Ilaria and took slow steps towards her. She stared up at me from her knees, grinning like she was still somehow winning through all of this.

“You really think, just because you are sitting on a throne and the royals have been forced to take you in because of her, that you are free? That you can pretend not to be who you really are. Do you really believe you will have a happily ever after? A family? Children? Are you that delusional? Tell me what your future looks like, Lukas. I am interested to know. What do you think will happen when the supernatural world hears of your existence? Deep down, you know you will never be accepted. You’ll never be safe. Whether for power, greed or out of fear, they will always come for you and any children you may have. You don’t belong in this world. But you want it so badly, don’t you? So bad that you are willing to be selfish and destroy everyone around you just to get a glimpse of what it would feel like to belong. But, eventually, you will drag them all down to hell with you because that is who you are. You will be the demise of everyone in this room.”

A slow, sinister smile spread across my face as I stared down at her. I bent my knees until I was squatting at her eye level and clasped my hands together as I held her gaze, showing her just how unaffected I was by her spiteful words.

“When I was a twenty-year-old man, you destroyed my life just because you could. You have spent your entire existence trying to break me, Belladonna. You stripped me of everything I had in the hope it would tear me to pieces.” Her sneer was full of triumph on hearing those words, but it soon fell when I added, “And you failed. I am still here; still standing, still breathing and still me. Un-fucking-breakable. You thought you could define my worth with your cruelty, but all you did was help me to realise how fucking strong I am. You didn’t destroy me, you sharpened me. Every attempt you made to ruin me only brought me one step closer to this day. And I see it now. I see what your darkest intentions were. You wanted to tear me down, to make me hate myself and the world so much that I became like you. A person who is completely incapable of love. You had your own family killed. You treated your daughter like shit.” I turned my head to stare at Mitchell’s hanging head. “Do you even love him? Your own soulmate? Or are you incapable of even that?”

Belladonna narrowed her cold eyes at me as she pressed her lips into a thin line.

“And that was the problem, wasn’t it? I always had something you could never touch. I loved my family. I love my sister. I love the woman standing behind me. And no matter what you did to me, that never changed. I’ve accepted who I am, all my flaws and imperfections. The world can come for me if it likes, but I really couldn’t give a fuck. Because I will still have love. And that is the most powerful thing in this life. You can’t win against it, Belladonna. You never could.”

I stood up and glared down at her. She finally cast her eyes away from me and stared at the floor.

“Your words don’t hurt me. You have no power over me. To me, you are nothing.”

“You and I both know that is a lie,” she sneered, lifting her head to look at me with dead eyes. “I’ll see it when you kill me, just like I saw it when you strangled me and dropped me off that cliff. Even in my last breath, I’ll have power over you because I make you who you are, Lukas. I make you a monster.”

“He won’t be the one to kill you.” Belladonna’s smirk dropped as I felt Ilaria stand beside me. “I will.”

I peered down at my mate’s determined expression. Clearly, from the hatred poisoning her features, Belladonna was counting on me being the one to end her.

“And it won’t be quick. You will suffer every torture, every pain you put my mate through, and you will be begging me to kill you, but your pleas will be pointless. I will kill you when I decide to kill you. Nothing will be on your terms. Lock her up in the worst cell in the Romano castle. I’ll be there shortly.” Ilaria turned to look at her family and Lorcan and Leif stepped forward.

“What about Mitchell?” Belladonna suddenly acknowledged her mate as he lifted his fear-stricken face. “What happens to him?”

It was my turn to deliver punishment. “I will kill him. Painfully. Today. So that you can feel the moment he dies.”

Ilaria’s brothers hauled Belladonna to her feet as she peered across at Mitchell. He mouthed, ‘I love you’, and hung his head again, accepting his fate.

“Don’t be weak, darling. Don’t you dare beg for mercy,” she demanded, narrowing her eyes on his emotional face.

“Goodbye, Belladonna. Send my regards to the true Devil waiting for you in hell,” I said, pulling her attention back to me. She inhaled deeply with viciousness in her eyes before she disappeared with Lorcan and Leif.

I walked over to Mitchell and grabbed his hair, yanking it back so he was forced to look up at me. The fear in his eyes was delicious. “Not so brave now you no longer wear that sigil? Heathen and I will very much enjoy this.”

He whimpered, and a stain spread across his trousers and liquid pooled on the floor around his knees. The rancid smell of his piss filled the air.

’I told you he’d piss his designer pants. ’ Heathen chuckled in my mind.

“She made me do it. You understand it, Luka. You did everything I asked of you out of love for your sister. I did everything she asked of me out of love for my soulmate. Please, show some mercy.”

“I am showing you mercy. I was going to torture you for centuries but instead, I’m going to kill you today. Count yourself blessed.” I released his hair and turned towards Ezra and Ruby. “I won’t do this in public. It’s going to be messy.”

Ruby nodded towards the guards, who stepped forward to take Mitchell to one of their interrogation rooms below the palace.

Once they were gone, I faced Hana and returned to the thrones. She stared up at me, her face as emotionless as mine. Hana had never enjoyed brutality. She never wanted the violence associated with our kind to define who she was, and I had always tried to protect her from it. As far as I was aware, she had never murdered anyone before. I had always done it for her.

“It’s up to you if you want to be involved in this,” I said carefully. “I need to kill him to put this all behind me, but you don’t have to. It’s your choice. You must do what is best for you and your own peace of mind.”

She exhaled loudly and then looked over her shoulder at Ronnie before returning her gaze to me. “I don’t want to kill anyone. But I want them both to pay horrifically. The person I wanted dead is already dead, so I feel at peace with you and Ilaria finishing them. I know that probably makes me a coward, but I don’t want them to win by proving to them that I am the monster they have always said I am.”

I reached out for her hand. “You are not a coward. And you are not a monster. You are Hana, my little sister, who sees the world in all its colours despite how it has treated you. That is a precious thing, little one. Protecting that part of you is what matters, and I am so fucking proud of you.”

She stood up and then wrapped her arms tightly around my waist, pressing her cheek against my chest. I held her and rested my chin on the top of her head, noticing how Ilaria and her family members had wandered off to the other side of the room to give us a moment.

“I am only able to be who I am, to have survived what we did because of you. I’m sorry that you have always had to carry that burden for me.”

“It is not a burden to protect you, Hana. It is an honour, and it is what big brothers do.”

“Zoran used to say that.” She smiled into my chest as I blinked rapidly, feeling an ache pulling under my skin at the mention of my older brother. “I don’t remember much about him, but I do remember how he would say he’d always protect us because that is what big brothers do.”

My throat closed, and I struggled for my next breath. I had forgotten that. More like repressed my memories of him completely when I turned off my humanity. Hana leaned back, keeping her arms around my waist and peered up at my face.

“Will you come back now, Lulu?” she whispered and the pleading look in her eyes was so full of heartbreak and hope that I had to look away.

Instead of replying because I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to feel safe enough to allow the walls I’d built around myself to ever fully come down, I kissed her forehead and let her go. She smiled sadly and turned to walk over to Ronnie. I watched them together for a few seconds and saw how her smile brightened when she looked up at him as he tenderly brushed a curl of her hair behind her ear.

“Luka?” a soft voice spoke from behind me and I turned to see a blonde woman with bright green eyes and a sweet smile. She radiated warmth and kindness. Her whole energy reminded me of my mama before she lost my father. “I’m Alina. Ilaria’s grandmother.”

I nodded. “The therapist one? Ilaria told me about you.”

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you properly, Luka. I just wanted to say, I know all of this is a lot and if you ever just need a moment to breathe, sit in a safe space, and decompress, here is a key to one of my meeting rooms.” She held out a key to me and I took it carefully, twisting it in my fingers. “Welcome to the family.”

She went to walk away, but I quickly called out, “Will you be there? To talk?”

She paused and turned back to regard me with a thoughtful smile. “Only if you want me to be.”

“I’d… I think I would. I think I need to try.”

She nodded. “Okay. Then I’ll be there. Whenever you’re ready.” She walked away, and I put the key in my pocket just as Ilaria passed her grandma and approached me. I swept her up in my arms, needing to have her as close to me as possible.

“I think I just signed myself up for therapy with your grandma.”

Her face was a picture of surprise. “Really? Wow. Okay. I kind of love that for you.”

“I want to see if there is anything left to salvage of the man I used to be. But first, I need to show Mitchell and Belladonna what kind of monster they created. I don’t want anyone else in the room when I kill him. Only you. I know you can handle seeing me at my worst.”

“I’ll get the camera.” She winked. I threw my head back and laughed.