Page 53

Elaine gently rolls up her sleeve, revealing the delicate skin of her inner arm.

There, etched into her flesh, is a symbol that appears almost alive, the edges inked into her skin.

It’s the same haunting mark that marred Erin’s body and was carved into the bark of the trees.

It seems to pulse with energy like it has a heartbeat.

Elaine pulls a knife out from underneath her and holds it to her skin. Blood drips down the dark symbol as she slices through her skin, laughing. She starts to chant something in a language I don’t recognize, and the lights flicker .

“Now that you’ve freed her, she has come to save us all!”

Suddenly, Dax and Killian appear from their shadows, catching Elaine off guard. They grab my arms, but just as we are about to vanish into the shadows, a thick fog begins to creep along the ground, curling and twisting like restless spirits.

From the mist, a figure appears, draped in a flowing black gown that clings to her every curve, reminiscent of the haunting vision that had invaded my nightmares. Her beautiful violet eyes sparkle like shards of amethyst, cutting through the fog and locking onto mine with a predatory intensity.

Dax and Killian gasp, their expressions morphing into a blend of fear.

Elaine falls to her knees, kissing Octavia’s feet.

Fucking disgusting coward.

“Dax, Killian, it’s a pleasure to have you both join our little gathering,” Octavia says with a sly smile, her voice dripping with menace.

In an instant, Dax and Killian are hurled through the air, their bodies crashing against the drywall with a heavy thud; the impact sends dust particles swirling in the dim light. They slide down to the floor, immobilized.

I feel a surge of adrenaline as I instinctively rush toward them.

“Dani! No!” Killian’s desperate shout echoes through the room. But his warning comes too late. Octavia is one step ahead of me.

Suddenly, an invisible force seizes me, yanking me off the ground.

I feel weightless for a brief moment before being pulled back towards Octavia, who stands with her arm outstretched.

With a fluid gesture, she lowers me back onto my feet, the ground returning to me as if I were merely a marionette and she is my puppeteer reasserting control over me.

I gasp for air and hold my throat .

“Let them go, you fucking bitch!” I shout.

“You can come out now,” she calls out.

Elaine claps her hands like the psychopath she is. “All hail Octavia!”

Octavia quickly turns her head towards Elaine, “I’ve had enough of you. You’re too clingy.” With a slight flick of her wrist, she snaps Elaine’s neck.

I stifle my scream with my hand clamped over my mouth.

Octavia turns her gaze in my direction. “I have no use for your mother. Once she gave me your hair for my potion, she was dead to me.”

Before I can process that my mother is dead, Adonis materializes in front of me, sauntering over to Octavia. He doesn’t even look at me.

“Adonis…”

Nothing.

“Adonis! Adonis, look at me!” His eyes shift to me for just a second.

“I told you, Dani, he does not belong to you.” Octavia grabs his jaw and pulls his body to hers.

“Don’t you fucking touch him!” I scream.

Octavia scowls at me. “Now, now, Dani,” her voice is condescending.

“You are not in charge here… killing everyone you love with your own two hands was going to be my special little trick. Unfortunately, you’ve ruined my plan and now I don’t really care to walk a second in your shoes,” her wicked laugh fills the air as she turns back to Adonis.

“Now that he is willingly mine, I don’t have to trick him into loving me by being you.

” She grips his jaw and pulls his mouth to hers, kissing him.

He kisses her back.

He fucking kisses her back.

“You bitch!” A sob breaks free from my lips, a raw sound that reflects the ache within me as my heart splinters into a thousand fragile pieces.

A sharp sting radiates from my hand, drawing my gaze downward.

There, in a haunting display, I witness the faded rune of Adonis gradually slip away from my skin, its ethereal glow dimming as it departs, leaving behind a sense of loss that wraps around me like a shroud.

My eyes widen with horror. A scream rips from my throat, “No! No! You can’t do this! Adonis, stop! You are mine! You are my mate,” desperation laces my voice.

I glance over at Dax and Killian, but they remain rooted to the ground. Their eyes are filled with dread and concern as they follow my every movement. Tears stream down Killian’s face, glimmering like fragile crystals in the dim light.

I press my trembling hand to my chest, trying to steady the frantic beats of my broken heart, which feels as though it might totally shatter at any moment. Each thump is like a drum of despair, a constant reminder of the pain that threatens to overwhelm me.

Please, Adonis, just look at me. Just look at me, and I’ll know this isn’t real! I scream silently in my head.

Not a single glance in my direction.

Octavia rubs his chest and adjusts the necklace around her neck.

She catches my scowl with a sly grin; her eyes shine with spite.

“Oh, you foolish girl. Did you really think you were in possession of his true necklace all this time?” Her dark and melodious laughter sends an unsettling chill down my spine.

A sharp clicking sound escapes her tongue as if mocking my ignorance.

“You see, from the very beginning, you were holding the twin necklace. My necklace. I crafted it to mirror the original perfectly, but instead of Adonis’ soul, I infused it with a fragment of my own essence.

Suzanna told me a foolish human like you would stumble upon it eventually—though I must admit, I expected it would happen much sooner than five centuries…

that dumb bitch always gave me wrong information.

” Her words hang in the air, heavy with a sense of foreboding.

She leans in, her voice lowering co nspiratorially.

“But here’s the kicker: while you were reciting the spell that you believed would set him free, you were actually releasing me. I’ve had Adonis in my grasp all along.”

“You’re going to die for this!” Without thinking, I lunge at her, clawing at her face like a wild animal. Her skin tears underneath my nails, and she screams. I rake them down her cheeks, and then I tightly grip her throat. Octavia brings her hands up to her bloodied face, “You filthy little brat!”

Before she can do anything to me, I am lifted to my feet by my throat. My feet kick in the air as Adonis holds me.

He has no emotion in his eyes. No soul. No feelings. Nothing. He is empty.

“Adonis...pl-please,” I choke out, but he squeezes my neck tighter.

Octavia gets up from the ground, incredibly pissed off. She grabs Elaine’s knife off the couch and jams it into my side.

I scream in pain, along with Dax and Killian, as I fall to the ground with the knife sticking out of my side.

Adonis remains utterly composed, portraying not a hint of surprise or concern. With a swift, almost practiced motion, he casts a cool glance toward Killian and Dax; his sharp and unyielding eyes reveal nothing beneath the surface.

I crawl across the ground, getting closer to Killian and Dax, but Adonis walks over and kicks me. I go flying past them into a side table.

“Enough!” Adonis’ voice booms. I hold my side, gasping for air, as I try to crawl towards Dax and Killian.

I am so close to them that I can almost touch them. But Adonis’ words stop me.

“I am not your mate.”

My body freezes, and I look up at him.

“I’ve always loved Octavia, Dani. It’s always been her, not you. Don’t you see that? You. Are. Not. Enough. ”

A sob escapes my lips.

“Don’t listen to him, Dani!” Killian shouts.

“But... but you said you loved me,” my voice trembles; each syllable is laced with heartbreak.

“You said you loved me more than forever...” I feel a quiver run through my lips, a physical manifestation of the raw emotion surging within me.

The air feels heavy, as if the words hang suspended between us, aching with the weight of unfulfilled promises.

“I belong to Octavia. I don’t love you, Dani.” He walks back over to her, placing his arm lovingly around her waist like he usually does with me, and she melts into him. “She is my one true mate. She always has been.”

Just when I think my heart couldn’t possibly shatter anymore, he rips it out and stomps on it.

“You fucking bastard!” Dax yells, his face turning red from anger.

Octavia holds up her hand, showing me the symbol that is shaded in darkly on her skin.

“No…” I whisper.

I’m going to throw up.

Adonis turns his head, grabbing Octavia’s tattooed hand with his. Their matching demonic runes stare back at me, and I feel like I’m going to die. She turns towards him, placing her hand on his jaw, and pulls him in for another kiss.

I inch myself closer to Dax, finally able to touch him and reach out towards Killian. I latch on to both of their hands, and they are suddenly released from Octavia’s hold.

“Now, Dax!” Killian shouts, breaking Adonis and Octavia’s kiss. Killian pulls the knife from my side and starts healing me quickly.

Dax thrusts his hands forward with every ounce of strength he can muster; a fierce determination ignites within him.

Vibrant flames erupt from his palms, swirling and crackling with raw energy.

A fireball, glowing like the heart of a star, hurtles through the air towards Adonis and Octavia.

The impact is thunderous, knocking them both off their feet and sending them sprawling to the ground.

The heat surrounds us as the fiery blast engulfs the space in a blinding flash.

“You little worm!” Octavia shouts. She holds out her hand but stops when she sees what I’m holding.

Her hand searches her neck, panic showcasing her features.

I shake the necklace I ripped from her neck while I was clawing at her face, and smile as Dax and Killian wrap me in their shadows.

I quickly look at Adonis, one last time for a sign.

His eyes find mine, all I’m left with are empty blue eyes, cold as ice… there is nothing left.