I appreciate you all for being so patient with me. We are slowly approaching the end of this book and I want to thank you all for supporting me during the whole process!
-&-
Enjoy!
✨🌘✨
- Asmara
My body hurt, my throat burned every time I swallowed, and I could barely open my eyes as I was caried through darkness.
My memory was hazy and my consciousness barely there when I attempted to look up at the man carrying me. His features were fierce and determined and the sight stirred something uneasy within me.
"Des?" My voice was a croaky whisper, and I instantly regretted speaking. Fuck, my throat felt like it was on fire.
"Go to sleep, Asmara. We're nearly there."
I don't know why but the way he said it had me alarmed, and I couldn't voice my concerns because I was in so much pain.
Des must have felt my body stiffen because his eyes looked down at me and softened. I blinked at him, apprehension swirling in mine, and he could sense I knew something didn't feel right. A tear slipped from my eye because of the pain and Des wiped it away with his thumb, a hint of regret in his gaze. "I'm sorry, you were like family to me..."
I didn't get more than that before I passed out.
✨🌗✨
I woke to darkness, and it was the worst kind of torture I could wake up to after the destruction, chaos, and violence I took part in last night. It left me feeling frightened and confused. I didn't know where anyone was or where I was for that matter, and something felt off.
My wolf was unusually quiet and when I tried to reach out to her, it felt like there was a mental wall of steel keeping us apart.
Something was very wrong.
And where was Torben?
Had he survived?
Was he injured?
Our one-sided bond had always bothered me because it ate at me that I couldn't mark him and feel him like he could feel me, but this was the worst because I couldn't sense if he was alive. Something in my gut told me even if we had been fully bonded, I would be left with nothing but the same steel wall that kept me from reaching out to my wolf.
I rubbed at my throat, feeling that it was still sore. Every time I swallowed, I wanted to burst into tears at the pain. I could still feel the smoke heavy on my lungs and taste it on my tongue.
It was dark and cold where I was, but I knew the bed I was lying on wasn't from home. I was nowhere near home and that scared me.
The room was dark, save for light filtering in from wholes in the room. Par the bed, there was no other furniture in here. I don't think it could have fit another piece of furniture anyway because it was abnormally tiny.
I tried to sit up to see more and when I did, I realised two things. The first was the pounding behind my eyes. The second was the clanking of metal when I tried to move my other hand. My stomach sank when I looked to see my wrist chained to the wall. It was dark but with what little light escaped through the scattered gaps in the walls allowed me to see the markings. They weren't just chains, but silver engraved with symbols that would prevent me from using magic to get out of this.
No. No, no, no...
No!
This couldn't be happening.
I knew he'd find out about Raven's power somehow since I started to train, but I thought it would make me stronger. I didn't see a possibility that I would be left weak enough for him to block me from using my powers.
I wracked my brain for an answer to how I could have ended up here. I had to think for a long while before my heart clenched and I remembered seeing Des. He was the last person I was with. But no. He wouldn't have done this to me.
I wanted to believe that so much but the more I thought about it, the more my intuition told me to be wary of trusting him so easily. I didn't want to believe he could do this to me after all we'd been through. He's supposed to be my friend.
I screamed in frustration and cried at the pain it caused. Then I began to furiously yank and twist my wrist several times to get free. I did that for twenty long minutes before I realised my efforts were futile.
I wasn't getting out of here. At least not on my own.
My heart jumped when I heard footsteps moving closer and closer to the door of my cell.
I moved as far away from the door as I could, and the bed creaked loudly from the movement.
When the doors opened and my gaze met yellow orbs, I knew I was looking into the eyes of my grandfather.
No red glint to make Draven's presence known.
Draven had allowed him to wonder in here freely.
Seeing him in a vision was one thing but seeing him right in front of me was another. He was taller in person, and I could see the harsh lines age had carved into his face. His short beard was mostly grey with only patches of brown and his greying hair was trimmed short. Those yellow eyes that were identical to my uncle Arif's and my cousin Cammie's were darkened by his hate for me and my family. They promised pain and I felt the weight of his stare pressing down on me.
"Asmara," He spoke with a soft tone, but there was anything but softness in his gaze. Only that hate and dark ambition. "You look just like your grandmother."
Disgust consumed me at his audacity to say her name. To say my name. I scowled, but he just chuckled.
"Same expressions, too, it seems."
I looked away. "Fuck you."
He didn't seem happy about that.
Sinking his hand into his pocket, he pulled out a key. "Draven wants to see you."
"And he sent his dog to come fetch me?" I looked at him and arched a brow. "How fitting."
"Give me your fucking wrist!" His outburst caught me off guard and I visibly jumped.
I inwardly cursed at my show of fear. I moved my back into the stone wall and positioned my chained wrist, so it wasn't easy to grab. My act of deviance made his grip tighten on the key. "Where's Des? What did you do to him?"
I held onto hope that maybe Des didn't willingly bring me here. Maybe we were ambushed after I passed out. Still, that look of regret on his face tore away at me and made more room for doubt.
Alijah shook his head, a vicious smile curving his mouth. "Oh, my sweet granddaughter—"
"Don't call me that," I snapped.
He continued like I had said nothing. "Desmond was never your friend. He's one of us, and he more than anyone wants to see you fall along with your bastard of a mate."
My heart broke and I felt physically sick. Alijah watched as I broke apart with betrayal but still anger made me bite back. "You're fucking lying!"
"If that's what you believe then let me unchain you and I'll prove it." He turned the key in his grip, baiting me just so he could drag me out of this cell and to the vile monster who had caused me so much pain.
I narrow my eyes on the key and again I realise I'm not going to escape stuck here in this cell. If I let him take me to Draven, I'll get a good sweep of the mountain and the tunnels they use to get in and out. Alijah knows I'm going to take his bait even before I hold out my chained wrist with the lock exposed because he, as well as I, knows I have no other choice.
When Alijah's hand grabs my wrist so he can release me from the chain, I affect a calm expression, despite the anger and hurt I can feel in every fibre of my being. My wolf remains silent in my head, and I wish I had her guidance. My thoughts go to Torben, and I wonder if he's hurt or looking for me right now. I can't stand the thought of him hurt so I push it down and silently watch Alijah remove my chain whilst leaving behind the engraved circlet that makes me feel powerless.
Alijah lets the chain fall limp on the bed and then he searches my face, like he wants to know how terrified I am on the inside. "If you're waiting for me to cry or beg for mercy, it is not going to happen."
"You will when Draven tells you what he plans to do with you." He stroked my face like any affectionate grandfather rather than the vile prick I knew he was.
I pulled away from his touch and something I always wanted an answer to came to mind. "Where's Arif?"
Alijah's eyes flashed knowingly. "Follow me and if you try to run or even think about escaping, I promise you will not make it far."
He turned his back on me and my gut knew he was the reason my uncle had gone missing all those years ago. He opened the stiff cell door, and I swallowed down my pain, grief and hurt before I followed him out.
My body ached all over as I forced myself to follow Alijah through the dark tunnels that ran in all directions inside the mountain. The tunnels were only illuminated by the sconces hanging from the walls, and they helped me see the scratch marks that dragged along the ground. They were human scratch marks and whoever did them was so desperate to escape that they clawed at whatever they could. I pushed the image away and looked ahead to where Alijah now waited at a cross-section.
When I reached him, he nodded to the right as if to say 'Go ahead' with a smirk that screamed he was enjoying every second of my misery.
I didn't give myself a second to fear what was at the end of the tunnel and moved on muscle memory alone, even with every muscle in my body protesting. Scratches marked the walls like the ones that were on the ground, and I could feel the person's fear smothering me. It was harder and harder to breath and when I saw what was at the end of the tunnel, I knew where I was.
I had already been here before in my vision.
My legs shake as I approached the entry way that leads into Draven's throne room. A shadow passes the entrance and then a body is suddenly leaning against the entryway, arms crossed, and lips pressed together firmly with loathing.
I instinctively take a step back at the memory of him ordering those vampires to drain me dry. The fear I felt that day rocks into me and I stumble back into Alijah. Alijah grips my forearms to keep me in place and the blonde rune's eyes flash, pleased by my show of fear.
Alijah walks us closer and closer to him. "Kyler, aren't you supposed to be commanding that army of yours and keeping watch."
Kyler kept his eyes on me when he responded. "Leon has temporary command. I wouldn't miss this for the world." His lips tilted at the corners, and it was so slight you could barely tell it was a smile.
My jaw ached from clenching it so hard. When I finally stood in front of Kyler, toe to toe, I put every inch of rage and hate into my stare as I could. I remember what you did to me, and your bastard of a leader has no idea.
Kyler saw the threat in my gaze and his smile widened. "Let's not keep Draven waiting then."
Kyler stole my breath when he yanked my forward by the collar of my torn tunic and practically dragged my aching body into the giant hall. I could hear Alijah's chuckle behind me, bouncing of the mountain walls. I chastised myself when a pained moan left my lips as soon as Kyler shoved me forward and I fell hard on my knees.
I looked at my ripped trousers, at the dirt covering every inch of my clothes and whatever skin was visible. Something inside growled for me to lift my head, to show that I wasn't afraid even if he'd stolen so much from me all those years ago. I would not buckle beneath his power.
But it was so easy to keep my eyes on my knees. Alijah and Kyler's boots made noise as they moved around the hall but if I kept my head down, they wouldn't see any more of the hurt and fear constricting my throat and making it hard to swallow. This was easier...
That growling inside happened again. Lift your head.
So, I did.
And I was mentally back in the room. I lifted my head high, chin raised whilst my eyes landed on the person sitting in the throne carved from stone. Positioned amongst pillows and fabrics that made his hard throne comfortable, he looked out at me with harsh blue eyes. The rest of him was wrapped up in black robes and I knew this man was the monster from my nightmares. The same person who had control over Owen just to mentally torture me.
He'd been doing it my whole life.
I have had enough.
Alijah's boots dragged across the stone, making me tense as he came to kneel in front of me. I looked at his face, shadowed by a brownish hue created by the bronze chandelier above us. I didn't miss the red glint of his iris before he said, "Asmara, I've waited so long to meet you in person."
My body shook with fury, my blood boiling with my jaw clenched so hard just to keep myself from revealing anything.
His hand played with the ends of my hair, making a mental assessment of what he saw. "Even with everything I took, your body thrums with power." I don't need to say anything to confirm what he already knows. The marked cuff on my wrist proves that he knows everything. "My sisters magic still alive, thriving in your veins. I should have known she'd pass it on instead of letting it die with her."
Kyler's snicker from beside me draws Alijah's/Draven's eyes to glance up at him.
"You should finish what you started with Raven, by finishing it with her." Kyler spat in my direction. Something told me he was so afraid I'd tell Draven how he went against his orders to try and kill me; he'd do anything to quicken my death now.
I would bring his fears to life. Soon.
But first things first.
The broken eye contact gave me the courage I needed to finally ask, "Where's Des?"
He doesn't answer but his eyes crinkle with humour. He stands and takes a step back just as I hear more steps from behind me. I turn my head and that's when I see Des walking in from one of the side tunnels. "Des!" I say without thinking. His eyes fall on me, and I can see he's not harmed and lack of Draven's soldiers around him proves they aren't worried if he runs off.
Hurt hits me like a punch to the gut.
"Alijah was right. You brought me here on purpose." I lift myself up until I'm standing on stable legs. My accusation hangs in the air and I'm praying he'll say something that'll prove me wrong.
"You were always meant to end up here, I just helped." The casual shrug of his shoulder hurts me more than his words because there's no sign of the regret, I was certain I saw before I passed out. Did I imagine it?
His words were like ice falling over my head and woke me up to the truth. He wasn't the friend I thought he was. "Why?" I hated how the word came out so soft.
"Because..." He slowly walks towards me. The taste of copper fills my mouth as I try to use the pain to distract me from the emotional heartbreak.
He leans close, until his lips brush my ear and whispers "...You're weak and don't deserve that power. You made a better human than you do anything else and it's pathetic how you keep trying to be something else."
Tears fall and I can't stop them. I don't have the strength.
I don't turn as he walks right past me in the direction of Draven's throne and stops.
It's bad enough he betrayed me, but he doesn't stop there. "You were always the prey, Asmara. It doesn't matter how hard you try to run from it, we were always going to hunt you down."
✨🌕✨
Thoughts so far!
Please don't forget to vote, comment and follow me for future updates.