Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 16094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 80(@200wpm)___ 64(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 80(@200wpm)___ 64(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
He spits the last words at me and I don’t understand. “You think that’s what this is?” I shake my head. “I didn’t choose her.”
“Put him in the dungeon,” Valen orders, and Kane nods.
Together the two of them carry me out of the back of the house, and the hole in my stomach begins to grow. I’m already feeling the pains of separation. What must Ariella be going through?
Chapter Four
Ariella
I sit in the middle of chaos in my parents’ living room. My whole body is numb as everyone’s emotions overwhelm me. Sadness, fear and anger coat everything and there’s no stopping it. I have no will in me to try and soothe it. I don’t want to help them because even if they haven’t hurt my mate physically, they have emotionally. Why should I soothe their turmoil when they were more than okay with it raining down on the two of us?
When we touched I knew, for the first time in my life, what it was like to have everything around me silenced. With Grim all I felt was happiness and everything else faded away.
I moved out on my eighteenth birthday because everyone’s emotions started to become too much. I needed a place where I could go to be alone and shut it all off. The only way to do that was by being alone, which I didn’t enjoy. I love being around everyone, but sometimes it’s overwhelming. It’s worsened as I’ve gotten older and my senses have become stronger.
Until the moment Grim walked in the door and I saw my mate. Everything around me stopped and I could focus. I don’t know how he did it, but I was so focused on him I didn’t notice it at first. It wasn’t until they took me away from him that I began to feel the absence of peace. Now the ache in my stomach has moved to my chest. For all I know it could still be there, but the ache in my heart is so strong I don’t notice it.
My mom snaps her fingers in front of my face, but I only turn my head away from her. They won’t hear reason right now, so I’m going to wait. It’s the only option I have since the only person who can help me is locked up. When the sun comes up it’s going to be my moment. My only worry is my mom trying to come after me.
“You’re going to ignore me?” My mom puts her hands on her hips, but I don’t look up at her. I can’t ignore her emotions, but I do my best as my head throbs.
I lick my lips and for the first time my mind flashes to biting into my mate. The repulsion I felt before is gone and now I have a need to taste him.
“You don’t understand.” My mom falls to her knees in front of me on the floor. “He’s death, sweetheart. You don’t understand the life you’d have with him. You’re—”
“Bright sunshine.” My dad finishes for my mom as he walks into the room.
All of my uncles are with him and they look like they’ve been wrestling in the woods. They all go stand by their mates and I feel their eyes on me.
“Did you hurt him?” I ask as my hand goes to my throat. I’m surprised that my words come out in a low, threatening hiss.
“See? His darkness is already trying to take you.”
My mother’s eyes are filled with sadness and I know mine match hers. I also know she doesn't understand the pain she’d causing me. It’s a double-edged sword. If I told her she was hurting me it would make her hurt more.
“Maybe that’s what I want.” She leans back in confusion. “Did you hurt him?” I ask again as I turn my head to look at my dad. I stand, moving with my vampire speed, and soon I’m in front of him.
“Holy shit,” I hear one of my cousins whisper.
“Dad.”
“Ariella—”
I cut him off, knowing he isn't going to answer me.
“Slayer.” I raise an eyebrow at him and I watch his shoulders tense at the name.
“He’s unharmed,” my dad finally answers, and the room goes quiet. It doesn’t matter. The emotions that float around the room are thicker than words.
“If he was your mate, you’d know it,” my mother says, and I turn to face her.
“He is my mate!” I shout so everyone can hear me.
“I think everyone needs to take a breath.” Bishop finally speaks up in a calming voice. “He doesn't want to hurt her, I think that much is clear.”
“He can’t have her,” my dad grits out. “It’s no life for her.”
“I can have any life I choose.”
I don’t look at my dad because I don’t want to see his reaction. I do as Bishop suggests and take a deep breath as I try to get myself under control. If I’m too upset right now, they’ll know that I might go to him. I felt it the second I looked into his eyes and knew he was mine. He saved me and I knew that I couldn’t be without him.