Page 101 of Dark Souls

“Heathen, just calm down. Don’t hurt him! I will never forgive you if you do.”

He grunted with aggression, “Don’t hurt Ronnie. Don’t hurt Luka.”

He glared at me through crazed, manic eyes and, for the first time, I truly feared just how deep his obsession with me ran. Preparing to transport myself out of here if I really believed my life could be in danger, I held his gaze while I said the words that could end this all.

“He’s my soulmate, Heathen. Luka is my soulmate.” I held my breath when he froze. He stared at the bodies burning in the raging fire for a few seconds before I noticed his tense shoulders start to rise and fall. The action was subtle at first but became more pronounced when he looked up at the black sky above and released a strange noise. The demon was laughing like a maniac.

I stood still, not really understanding his reaction at all. When he finally calmed down and turned to look at me, the hairs on my skin stood on end and my heart beat out of rhythm. His expression was so unreadable, I had no idea what was going through his mind and it made me beyond nervous.

“And me?” he asked, taking deliberately slow steps towards me once more. I blinked twice as I craned my neck to hold his gaze when his arms locked around my waist, telling me I wasn’t going anywhere. “Who am I to you, Snow?”

My mouth opened and closed multiple times as I tried to find the right words but there were none. Because I didn’t fucking know. I didn’t know what Heathen was to me. Confusing. That’s what he was.

He clenched his jaw, lowering his forehead against mine and closed his eyes. Unsure whether to push him off or melt in his embrace, I gripped his biceps as he groaned, rolling his head slightly. He gripped me so hard it almost hurt, as if he needed to keep me exactly where I was because he was terrified of losing me if he let go.

I felt a heat I knew all too well rising in my core as that familiar sensation of desire being in this beast’s arms took control. The tension became so thick with electricity, I could practically feel the sparks buzzing between us. He was projecting his longing and it was only magnifying mine. His eyes slammed open and held me captive with that dark, dangerous and tantalising allure. Not knowing what to say, I swallowed roughly before glancing down to his lips and back to his black eyes. And then his lips were on mine, fierce, dominating and possessive. It took me by surprise. I couldn’t tell who made the first move, but all I knew was I didn’t want it to ever end.

Our hands were everywhere as he lifted me off the floor and I wrapped my legs around his waist. My tongue slid against his, feeling its power and strength as he stole the air right out of my lungs, making me believe I couldn’t physically breathe without him. Completely caught up in the moment, it took me a few seconds to recognise the ringing of my phone and I gasped, ripping my mouth away from his as I looked down to where I must have dropped it on the grass. Leif.Shit.I had to go.

Sensing the moment between us was over when I unhooked my legs from his hips, Heathen lowered me to my feet. I bent down, grabbing the phone and silencing it for something to do and to avoid looking at him. My stomach was in knots and my heart ached as I realised I had just kissed a man who wasn’t my soulmate. What the hell was wrong with me?

“I have to go.”

Heathen placed a talon under my chin and lifted my face to look at him. A sad smile curved his lips as he stared at my cheeks. It was only then that I realised my cheeks were wet with tears.

“You’re so pretty when you cry. My pretty angel,” he breathed.

“I don’t know what you are to me.”

“Figure it out, Snow. Because the next time I see you, I’m taking what’s mine. And no one can stop me.” He leaned forwards and brushed his lips against mine before taking off into the sky.

Hypocrites

Afterthelongestshowerof my life where I scrubbed every inch of my skin red-raw to clean the scent of Luka off me even though it pained me to do so, I threw on a comfy jumper dress and knee-high socks before leaving my room. Coating myself in perfume until I smelt like a floral shop, I could only pray that my father’s wolf senses wouldn’t pick up the scent of all the sex his daughter had been having.

As I made my way down the decadent corridor towards Leif’s wing of the palace, I frowned when I noticed steam coming from under his bedroom door. I sprinted toward the door and flung it open. I was hit with an onslaught of white mist. Fanning my hands until it had cleared, my eyes widened at the scene before me.

Leif was sitting on the floor with his back against the bed frame and a large bottle of whiskey between his legs while my dad paced the floor space with a livid expression, emitting smoke from his nostrils and mouth like a dragon. What the actual…

“Sis! Where the hell have you been? You’ve missed all the fun!” Leif slurred, lifting his arms in the air as his multi-coloured eyes struggled to focus on my face. I frowned, turning back to stare at my dad and his bizarre new talent. “Dad insisted the party was over for me so I’m creating my own fun now.”

“Why is he huffing and puffing like a steam train?” I questioned, approaching him cautiously as my dad’s gold eyes swirled with irritation. He opened his mouth to speak but the only sound that came out was a high-pitched whistle which had me slamming my hands over my ears.

“Oh that,” Leif smirked. “Dad was being a complete hypocrite. Apparently, it is okay for him and everyone else to get drunk and have the time of their lives at the Heroux celebrations but I’m not allowed because I haveresponsibilitiesnow.” He put air quotes around the word responsibilities and rolled his eyes. “Pot calling the kettle black and all that jazz, which gave me an idea… if he’s going to act like one, dad can be a teapot.”

My mouth dropped open before a burst of laughter spilled out of me when more steam billowed from my dad’s nostrils in annoyance. I grabbed my stomach as I bent over, unable to stop the hysteria.

“See, she finds it funny,” Leif bated, taking another swig from the bottle.

My dad attempted to speak once more and another ear-splitting whistle replaced his words and I laughed even harder. Tears were streaming down my face when I finally tried to get a hold of myself and talk some sense into Leif before my dad murdered him.

“Leif…” I chuckled. “Come on. Reverse the spell now.”

“No, no, no! I am waiting for the best bit. Eventually, Aero is going to take control and I really want to see a wolf whistle and blow steam!”

“Stop it.” I laughed, walking over to my dad, who was holding up his middle finger at Leif. “That vein in his forehead is about to burst, Leif. Show a little mercy.”

My brother groaned dramatically, rolling his head on his shoulders. “Fine. No fucking fun, any of you.” He snapped his fingers and my dad exhaled a steam-free breath of relief.

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