Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 52864 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 264(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52864 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 264(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
Wait. Is that…? With its wide shoulders and similar height, the shape almost looked like King, but Draco had killed him. Right?
The shadow wrapped its arm around Draco’s torso. “I am not leaving without you,” said the dark figure.
“Fuck you, King. I’m not going,” Draco growled.
Holy shit. It was King. But how was he back? Then again, according to the “man” himself, that was his specialty. Avoiding death. Over and over and over again.
King maneuvered on top of Draco, wrapping his ghostly tentacles around Draco’s neck. Draco’s hands grabbed and clawed to free King’s grip, but Draco’s fingers passed right through the shape.
“You will never best me, son. Stop fighting.”
Shit. Shit. Shit! “What do I do?” I cried out to Draco. Not sure why. It wasn’t as if King was going to hit pause so Draco could give me pointers on how to stop two forces of nature from killing one another.
I closed my eyes, clenching my fists. “Please, please make them stop.” Who I was talking to was a mystery to me. God? The universe? Anyone who could hear me and knew what to do? I prayed anyway. Please help. Please. Anyone!
I blinked and was standing on a balcony overlooking an endless stretch of ocean with blues so deep it was nearly black.
“What!” I jumped back, looking down at the white plaster beneath my feet.
“Hello, Piper,” said a female voice.
Standing there was a woman about my age with striking blue eyes and blonde hair. She was beautiful, but not like anything I’d ever seen. She almost reminded me of King—real, but not from this world. Ethereal.
“Who are you?” I asked. “Where am I?”
“I’m Mia, King’s wife. And this is the afterlife. My afterlife.”
“I’m dead?” My eyes teared. I hadn’t had a chance to say goodbye to anyone. My brother, my parents, my nieces and nephews, or Conni.
“Relax, Piper. You’re not dead, which is why you’re not in your afterlife.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You will. Someday. Until then, I need you to stop King. My husband cannot be allowed to win. He cannot kill Draco.”
I already knew that.
Mia continued, “If King ends him, he ends, too. He’ll give up. He’ll let his light simply…” she shrugged, “…fade away.”
I frowned, not understanding a single word. And…was this really happening?
“Yes,” Mia replied.
Goddammit! Were my thoughts private at all anymore?
“No. And the clock is ticking. You have to intervene, Piper. King thinks he deserves to be in hell, and as angry as I am at him for leaving me again, I know that’s not true. He’s the only one who’s kept everyone safe for thousands of years. He murdered people. He tortured. He stole powers that were never meant to belong to any man. But he hated every second of it, and he did it because he understood the meaning of sacrifice.
“He chose to be evil and manipulative, even with me—sometimes—but in his heart, he knew it was the only way to protect what he loved.” She exhaled slowly. “King isn’t a monster, like he believes. He’s the lamb. A lamb who willingly takes the shape of a wolf to keep the real wolves at bay.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I asked. “What am I supposed to do?”
“Stop him. And then make sure Draco stops Ten Club.”
“How?” I asked.
“I’ve been watching Draco since King left, and you were right to bet on him. He’s the only one who can stop what’s coming, but only if he’s strong. He cannot go in with any weaknesses, or they will exploit them.”
I stared into her blue eyes.
“That’s you, Piper,” she added. “Ten Club plays dirty, and they will use you to get to Draco. The way to avoid that is removing you from the chessboard.”
But he wanted me on the board. He’d brought me along and placed me right there next to him.
“I watched King try to dismantle Ten Club for years, using every trick in the book, but somehow, they always survived and rebuilt. They did it by exploiting King’s weaknesses: me and his children. And they’ll do it to Draco if he falls in love with you, Piper. They will use you to manipulate him. He has to do this alone.”
I understood her point, but how could she be so sure?
“Every mistake King ever made was because of me. I was his blind spot. I know I’m right, Piper. You have to abandon him—make him hate you. Make him believe you are his enemy. Be the lamb who takes the shape of a wolf. As for the Seers, I have been working on a plan. I will deal with them.”
Seers. The first time I encountered King, he’d said I had the gene. Later, Draco had mentioned they were some sort of witchy group who controlled the afterlife.
“Just remember your Achilles’ heel, Piper. You cannot allow Draco’s good side to sway you from what has to be done. He’s more powerful than any of us. They all know it. Just like King does. Just like I do. I was once a Seer, too, and I broke away from them, but I’ve regained my gifts since my death. I’ve only grown stronger, and now I know why.” She exhaled sharply. “It was for this very moment. You and I can ensure Draco ends this.”