Page 54

Adonis

Fuck! I silently curse to myself. The look on Dani’s face was one of absolute heartbreak and betrayal. I took her heart, ripped it out, then smashed it right in front of her.

Doesn’t she realize that she is my destined mate? That my heart beats for her more fiercely than any trivial bond ever could? That I would move mountains, shift the very earth beneath her feet, just to bring her happiness?

I played Dani, hoping she would see through the bullshit and understand that my actions are a mere pretense and that my true focus is her, not Octavia. But I was too harsh, too caught up in the game of lies for her to notice that I didn’t mean any of it.

When Dani called her a ‘fucking bitch’, it took everything in me not to smile at my smart-mouthed mate.

Gods, I love her so much. Can’t she see that?

I would trade anything, anything at all, for one last chance to press my lips against hers, to feel the warmth of her embrace, to be lost in the magic of her one more time.

Kicking her was awful; I want to be kicked a thousand times just to be punished for what I did. I want to feel pain, to be hurt, for what I did. I’ll take one thousand lashes to the back, just to take away the pain I physically and mentally caused her.

I knew Dax and Killian would quickly heal her, but that was still one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

I will never forgive myself for that.

I had hoped that Dax and Killian would pick up on the silent message conveyed through the piercing look I directed at them before they disappeared with Dani.

However, my gaze seemed to drift past them, unnoticed and unacknowledged.

Dax wanted me dead for what I did and said to our mate… and I deserve to die. And I will.

They will never have to see me again.

I now understand, with a clarity that pierces through the fog of my past, that I have never loved Octavia.

The kind of love I feel for Dani transcends anything I ever imagined possible.

It’s profound and all-consuming; I can scarcely fathom the depth of my emotions for her had the curse been broken.

Yet, there’s a strange solace in knowing it remains unbroken.

I can picture Dani in her future, free and full of life, surrounded by the love of her two mates. They will build a life together, filled with joy and laughter, while I fade into the shadows of their beautiful existence.

I glance over at Octavia. Dani got the necklace. My brave, smart, goddess… However, she ruined my plan to convince Octavia that I love her and take me to the afterlife, leaving the cursed town behind. I know what Dani is going to try and do.

Convincing Dani to drink the potion was a seamless endeavor; she was blissfully unaware as I discreetly had it in my beer. My beer that I made sure she took multiple sips from. The illusion kicked in exactly at the right time, making my demonic rune seemingly fade away from Dani’s hand.

Thanks to Amelia’s ability to create an illusion, we discovered a method to temporarily vanish the rune on Dani’s hand, allowing us to transfer it to Octavia’s skin and making my symbol fully shaded like an exquisite piece of art.

Octavia believed that her magic, and my soul wrapped around her neck, finally mated me to her.

Something she’s wanted her entire existence.

I hold my gag back at the thought.

The potion sat in a capsule, under my tongue, a tasteless elixir with the power of deception.

As I leaned in and pressed my lips against Octavia’s, I quickly swallowed my vomit and bit into the capsule and slid my tongue into her mouth.

At that moment, I discreetly delivered the elixir, granting the illusion of bearing my mark.

Once Octavia finds out that my mark is fake, shit is going to go down. Amelia and I are unsure how long the spell will be effective. My only objective is to lead Octavia into the afterlife, where she will be ensnared, all thanks to Amelia’s cunning magic.

The enchantment on her skin serves a dual purpose. It not only mimics my demonic rune with exquisite precision but also acts as a binding force, ensuring Octavia remains trapped in the afterlife, so I have to get her there quickly before Amelia’s magic fades.

With every moment that passes, the tension mounts, and the stakes grow ever higher.

I will never forget the haunting expression on Dani’s face the moment my symbol faded from her hand—it was as if time had frozen, and I was on the brink of collapse.

The weight of regret hung heavy, and the turmoil within me surged.

I yearned to reach out, to wrap my arms around her, to whisper reassurances that this was all an illusion, that my mark remains on her skin because she is my mate.

The words “I’m not your mate” felt like daggers piercing my heart, each syllable a crushing blow that reverberated in my chest. I could feel her anguish radiating through the space between us, a tangible force that nearly shattered my willpower into a million irretrievable pieces.

“Well, that was eventful,” Octavia’s voice brings me back to reality.

I get up from the floor and push my hair back.

“Ahem,” Octavia clears her throat.

Oh, right. I give her a tasteless smile and extend my hand to help her off the ground.

She places her hands on my chest, and I want to burn every part of my flesh she touches .

“Well, what are you waiting for? Wrap me up in your shadows, and let’s go kill them all!” She throws her head back, laughing.

I contemplate ripping her throat out with my teeth…

“What’s the rush?” I ask her. “Why don’t we just leave all of this behind?”

“Are you serious right now, Adonis? I’ve been gone for far too long, and now I’m back.

I want my magic. I want my necklace. And I want Dani dead!

I want to burn this fucking town to the ground!

” She carefully untangles her long, dark hair, each silky strand gliding through her fingers like shadows dancing in the fading light.

“Then, once I have all my things, we can finally embark on our journey to the afterlife, once and for all,” she declares, her voice laced with an eerie calmness.

As she runs her hand through my hair, the coolness of her touch sends a shiver down my spine, and I fight back the bile rising in my throat, swallowing hard before she can catch a glimpse of my revulsion.

I ball my hands into tight fists, the muscles in my arms tensing as I take a deep breath.

I can feel the heat rising in my chest, a wildfire of emotion threatening to burst forth.

With each inhale, I focus on finding my center, forcing my thoughts to settle before I act impulsively and make a reckless choice.

Octavia walks out the front door.

Flames crackle and dance in vivid hues of orange and yellow as fire begins to consume Elaine’s house, sending tendrils of smoke spiraling into the dark sky. I take one more look at Elaine’s lifeless body and step next to Octavia.

She utters the ancient tongue, weaving incantations that stir the thick, swirling fog around her. Octavia raises her arms toward the sky, and in a sudden flash, lightning splits the sky, crackling in eager response to her powerful magic, causing me to flinch involuntarily .

From the depths of the mist, dark shapes coalesce into shadowmires, their menacing silhouettes gliding through the haze. Octavia beckons them forth, her voice resonating with authority as she orders them to revel in their ghastly feast.

Fuck. This isn’t good.

An eerie silence envelops the community, thick with the scent of smoke.

Flames dance hungrily along the wooden structures, their crackling laughter echoing through the air as Octavia starts to cast her malevolent gaze across the terrified residents.

Her violet eyes glow with a hellish light, and with a wave of her hand, more houses erupt into flames, the infernos consuming them with a ferocious hunger.

Screams pierce the air as women clutch their children, desperate to escape their houses.

Panic ensues, but just as they reach the edge of the chaos, just when I think they are about to escape, Octavia halts them with a single gesture.

They freeze, their eyes wide in horror, body and spirit bound by an unseen force.

With a sadistic smile curling upon her lips, Octavia extends her hands, fingers splayed like the claws of a beast. Dark and oppressive energy thrums as she begins her grisly feast. The ground quakes beneath them; the very essence of life is drawn from their trembling forms, like a vampire siphoning blood from its victim.

Their skin grows pallid, turning an ashen grey, as though all warmth and color have been stripped away.

A grotesque transformation unfolds before my eyes.

With each heartbeat, I witness their vitality being devoured, their bodies becoming little more than husks.

Their pleas morph into silent gasps as the last remnants of life are wrested from them, escaping as wispy, translucent figures that spiral into Octavia’s body.

Their souls exit their bodies like shimmering vapors, glowing briefly before being consumed by Octavia, who drinks in their essence with twisted delight.

I stand there motionlessly, helpless .

Octavia’s power surges, a dark tide washing over the town as she revels in the chaos.

Tendrils of shadow coil around her, infused with the anguish and despair of those she has claimed.

The screams of the dying, mingled with the crackling of the flames, creates a symphony of terror.

She falls into a hellish display, burning house after house, lighting up the darkness with flames.

Octavia’s dark magic transforms the very fabric of reality, twisting it into a horrifying nightmare with flames and blood-thirsty shadowmires.

She has annihilated everyone in this community—this insidious cult—within mere seconds. Those who once revered her, showering her with adoration and praise, now lie motionless as if their very lives held no significance.

I stand paralyzed, my heart pounding in disbelief and fear. I have never witnessed such a display of dark magic—her power is unparalleled, evoking a sense of dread that chills me to my core. The remnants of worship now lay silent, swallowed by an unfathomable void.

“See you soon, traitor,” she looks over her shoulder at me and vanishes.

My gods.

She knows this was all just an act. And she… vanished… teleported like demons can.

I piece everything together.

Octavia isn’t a witch or demon. She is far worse. She can wield the power to trap the souls of the living and the dead. She harnesses souls to make herself stronger. She harvests the essence of their souls to fuel her dark magic. And now, she can vanish and appear whenever she wants.

Octavia is a soulbinder, a being conjured from the very depths of hell’s darkest recesses—something that hasn’t existed since the gods themselves walked this land.

I never realized this before, but now it’s so incredibly clear…

Soulbinders feed off of fear and can sense your innermost th oughts.

They know truths and lies. Which means she knows I’ve been playing her.

Fuck.

I have to warn the others.