Lizzie has the feeling of being watched sometimes but in her case the stalker died in her house! The ghost names Oliver taunts her relentlessly and is out for her hand in unholy matrimony! Will she become his boo? Or send him back to the veil?

"Hayden? You around?" I asked loudly, hoping maybe he was just sleeping or something. But there was no answer, the place was silent, aside from the faint sound pollution coming from the downtown hub.

Should I even be snooping around? I second guessed myself as my conscience weighed over me. I know it wasn't in my place to intrude, but he did hand over his house keys to me, which means he should have been ready for me to browse around, right? Well, it is easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission, I thought to myself as I continued to circle around the doors.

I hesitantly opened one of the doors to reveal grant bathroom that was much bigger and fancier than the one I showered in last time. The room was similar to the rest of the floor, where there were windows starting from the walls all the way across the ceiling, in fact, the only walls were on the same side as the door that I came through. I fully emersed myself into this beautiful and brightly lit bathroom, how does Hayden do his business here with literally no privacy? Surely, there were translucent curtains that neatly tucked away to the sides on the glass walls, but if you really wanted to see something, it wasn't that hard.

"He should be glad he lives on the top floor and that there's not many high rises around campus," I scoffed. There's no way I would be comfortable bathing naked fully out in the open like this, but I guess for someone like Hayden, this was no big deal.

The sink was probably the fanciest structure out of all, for it was located at the center of the room stretching vertically. I walked closer to inspect the entire sink, there were three rustic looking sinks in total built within a long table-top structure. It was much like an island you would see in bigger kitchens, but usually, sinks aren't placed in the middle of a bathroom. The three corresponding mirrors to each sink had incorporated strips of lighting around its edges. These same mirrors were supported by a single metal pole from the bottom of the mirrors connecting to the middle of the sink, where the mysterious looking tap is located. Upon further inspection, I realized that the sink was double-sided, both sides of the mirror were fully functioning along with the sink that was carved evenly on the island. In addition, the tap had sprouted water much like a fountain instead of a single stream, I sighed at this lavish detail, why was this even necessary?

I continued to browse the bathroom and walked behind the sink to meet a full standalone massage tub, stretched along the far glass walls across from the door I entered, the city view was directly visible from where I was standing. Further behind me to the right was a separate large shower space fitted perfectly to the side. Four or five people could probably shower there at the same time, not that it would happen, but that's how big the shower space was. Between the tub and the shower, folded towels upon towels among other bathroom essentials were placed neatly inside shelves of an aristocratic-looking cabinet that was twice as wide as my height.

I looked down to see a huge bath mat placed near the entrance where I came inside, and vaguely remembered that they felt like memory foam. Nevertheless, the entire floor was furnished in what was probably really expensive granite that ran across the room, they weren't tiles at all, the entire floor was smooth marble. The renovators must have put so much thought into this room, as there were strategically placed drains and small dents on the floor that helped to drain water if needed. The place was literally a giant bathroom within a bathroom, and how Hayden Whitehall manages to use this on a daily basis is beyond me.

After thoroughly inspecting the bathroom, I found myself getting curious next to the left wall that appeared to be darker than the rest of the brightly lighted glass walls. It was the only wall that was actually covered by the translucent, white curtains. So it was certainly to my surprise when I opened the curtains to see that the same glass wall was connected to Hayden's actual bedroom, and there was a connecting glass door between the two rooms. So it was to no one's surprise that I opened the door and walked into Hayden's room.

"Well, what do we have here?" I said out loud as I walked into Hayden's giant room. It was a similar structure compared to his bathroom with glass walls and ceilings all around except for the entrance, but nonetheless, it was a simplistic room.

The California King sized bed was placed in the middle of the room, which ironically is a personification of Hayden's actual ego. The bedding mostly consisted of navy blue and dark grey colours, and it certainly looked comfortable all around. Hayden also had a large office desk placed at the far wall, where large piles of paperwork and an expensive looking desktop computer were located. Further to the left of the room was a giant TV mounted over a stand, with various different gaming consoles and games laying around. Closer to the actual solid wall and was an open door which was a walk-in closet. Other than the notable furniture, Hayden Whitehall surprisingly had a simple room.

 I continued to walk around the room but eventually allowed myself to sit on Hayden's bed. It was memory foam, so it was to nobody's surprise that I would get any chance I get to at least try and sit on it. It was his fault that he allowed me inside his house anyway, I justified. 

"You know what, fuck him for not being here and making me wait," I said to myself as I fully laid down on the bed, my entire body slightly sinking as the soft bedding embraced me.

It was crazy to think that one man owned this entire two floors of living space, and to be honest nobody needs that much space anyway. But I had to admit, this place was beautiful and certainly makes the place so much homier than my initial impression of the place. I wonder if Hayden had enough lights to light up the room after sunset? He probably does, but it didn't matter, his bed was so comfy, and I didn't want to move at all.

And so I didn't move, I laid on his bed until I fell soundly asleep because I could.

-----

A/N: Last week, this novel's highest power ranking was at 102! This is insane, I've never been this close to the top 100! Let's keep it up everyone and thanks so much for the support!!!

I also have a discord server now so come to talk to me: https://discord.gg/dfHrhGh

Also I am now on *******! Not sure how links work but it's here: https://www.*******.com/clover

Sienna was dirt poor. 

Struggling to pay off her debts, every waking moment became an uphill battle between school and work. Until one fated opportunity is given to her by pure, dumb chance. Sienna decides it is the perfect timing to open her blabbermouth and initiate an argument with the notorious Hayden Whitehall. 

Unexpectedly, she is deceived and unwillingly dragged into the dramatic lifestyle of the elite and powerful and chosen as a candidate for The Chrysalis Project - a top-secret transformation program operated by the institution to turn commoners with troubled pasts into the elites' "playthings". In her attempts to uncover the truth, Sienna slowly grows more affectionate towards the same man that had placed her in the midst of chaos in the first place. 

There is more to the turn of events than it may appear, and soon Sienna will uncover that the real enemy is perhaps not Hayden Whitehall, but other powerful forces in play.


Claudius. The monster who'd kidnapped Katelina, attacked her, tried to kill her.
And this was his house?
Jorick laid a reassuring hand on her arm. "Yes, but you don't need to worry, little one. He's dead. You saw it yourself." He came to a stop in the middle of the room and gave her a reassuring smile. "This was his 'Summer Home', or his retreat. Whenever he got bored he'd come here, sometimes only for days and sometimes for years at a time. He usually brought most of his coven and a host of friends."
Jorick shone the light around the cavernous entrance hall. Katelina did the same. The beams bounced off of polished marble floors and huge crystal chandeliers. Formidable white columns rose to the ridiculously high ceiling, their bases flanked in gold. A matching pair of curving staircases, garishly carpeted in red, sat at the far end of the room, connected by a balcony that ran the width of the hall.
"Holy shit," Katelina muttered. "This is like something on TV."
"Yes, a bit clich¨¦. Claudius enjoyed that. He had a flair for drama but he lacked originality. I'm sure you've noticed that in his other dens."
"The one Kateesha took over was different."
Jorick smirked. "Maybe to you, but it's classic subterranean dungeon den."
Katelina bit her lip to keep from commenting that he sounded like something from a twisted version of the Home and Garden Network: "Stylish Crypts of the Undead." She was sure that could be a catchy show.
"Shall we?" he asked again, and again she nodded. He led her between the staircases and through a set of French doors. Inside, a wall of mirrors and shot their light back at them. Large glimmering chandeliers hung from the high, carved ceiling to catch the refracted light and throw it around, illuminating a giant ballroom; complete with parquet floor and suits of armor at strategic intervals. A bank of French doors graced the farthest wall and led out onto what was probably a veranda. The wall opposite the mirrors was painted in complicated murals, depicting strange scenes that looked familiar, yet skewed. 
Katelina caught her breath as she stared at the murals, but Jorick only chuckled. "I told you he wasn't very imaginative." He pointed to the wall. "There's Adam and Eve and Lilith, if you even believe in that story." 
She followed his gesture to see a man and woman holding a blood red apple, while a beautiful vampiress stared at them from behind a twisted tree. Katelina' eyes locked with the painted eyes of the vampiress. The mural was almost disturbing in its clarity and the illusion of reality made her shiver. "Wasn't Lilith supposed to be Adam's first wife or something like that?"
"Yes, something like that." Jorick snorted in contempt. "You'll find she's very popular among some of the Old Ones. At one time it was believed she was the Great Mother of the vampire race. I find it all a bit ridiculous myself."
She tore her eyes away from the painting and looked at Jorick. The reflected light splashed across half of his face and left the other half in deep shadow; half dark, half light, much the way she sometimes thought of him. "You don't believe in God, do you?" 
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his voice bitter. "I don't deny that God may exist but, if he does, he does not protect my kind."
She cocked her head to one side and studied him. "Why? If God created everything, then he created vampires. Why would you be any more eternally damned than the rest of us?"
A smile stretched across his full lips, though it held no mirth. "And why would God create a vampire?" Before she could answer he added, "Let's not stand here quoting old legends. Come, I want to check the cellars. With Claudius dead, there's a chance that rogues may be nesting here. I have no doubt that Kale will eventually take possession of this den."
"Why would he?"
Jorick seemed to choose his words. "When Kateesha killed Claudius it became her property, and when she died it should have gone to the vampire who claimed her heart. Since it was agreed that no one claimed the coven, that means no one claimed her possessions. As you know, Kale collected up most of the vampires that were left from her coven, and as he used to belong to Claudius, I imagine he will eventually claim all of Claudius' property. Though I doubt he plans to start trouble, I'd rather he gain no new followers."
"Is that why we're here?" 
"One reason."
Her eyes narrowed. "And what's the other?"
He winked. "To explore, of course. How many mansions have you been in?"
They made their way to the wall of mirrors and stopped at a calculated spot. Jorick ran his hand along the wall, as if feeling for something. Suddenly, a look of satisfaction filled his eyes and the mirror sprang aside to reveal a dark, narrow stairway. "You'll notice the dramatics again."
He led the way down the stairs and Katelina followed, cringing. Despite Jorick's cheerful cellar, she had a general superstition of dark underground rooms, and the suggestion of "nesting rogues" didn't help.
The gloom in the cellar seemed thicker than the darkness upstairs and their flashlight beams seemed narrower. Jorick stopped at the foot of the stairs and sniffed before he plunged forward. The stone room was large and filled with ten plain smooth coffins. "For his personal army," Jorick explained. "In case of attack they'd be killed first."
She nodded and flashed her light around, uncovering a doorway that sat in the farthest wall. Jorick led her to it, still sniffing, and they found themselves in another room that held ten more coffins. Their corners were reinforced with silver and shining silver crosses decorated the lids.
"For the rest of the coven and the guests." Jorick pointed to doors that flanked either side of the room. "As are those. He could house quite a few, it appears."
He checked the side rooms while Katelina added up how many vampires had been living off and on just a stone's throw from her hometown. The numbers made her shiver.
With the rooms checked, Jorick led her through the last doorway. The third room was different from the others. Instead of simple stone, the walls were hung with heavy crosses. In the center was a large carved dais, resembling an altar. On it sat an intricate coffin made of a dark shiny wood and accented with gold. Surrounding it were five coffins that, though ornate, looked plain when compared to the one in the center. One of the five was on a smaller platform, directly in front of the elaborate affair, while the others sat on the floor, two on each side.
"That would be Claudius'." Jorick indicated the largest, though he needn't have bothered. He pointed to the smaller dais. "That would be Arowenia's, and I imagine those belonged to his three personal servants and Troy, who I'm certain you'll remember." Though the words were flip, both his bitter tone and tight jaw proved they weren't meant to be.
Katelina shuddered at the mention of Troy's name and evil memories flashed through her mind. She wasn't surprised that he spent his time lurking in a dark basement.
"It's more theatrical," Jorick commented to her thoughts. "Claudius couldn't be a 'proper' vampire with a bedroom, now could he?" He gave her a teasing wink, then turned serious. "However, it appears that someone else has decided to set up shop, as I suspected."
 "Where?" She turned a panicked circle, expecting a vampire to leap from the shadows.
"They're gone at the moment." Despite his words, he tightened his grip on her hand. He drew in a deep breath through his nose. "There are three. Two males and a female. It's no one I recognize, which may or may not be good."
She started to ask how he knew, but the answer was obvious. Of course he could smell them. Why not?




Joleene Naylor is the author of the glitter-less Amaranthine vampire universe, a world where vampires aren't for children. Comprised of a main series, a standalone prequel, and several short story collections, she has plans to continue expanding with a trilogy and standalone novels. 
In her spare time, Joleene is a freelance book cover designer and for-fun photographer. She maintains several blogs, full of odd ramblings, and occasionally updates her website at JoleeneNaylor.com. In what little time is left, she watches anime, plays PokemonGo, and works on her crooked Victorian house in Villisca, Iowa. Between her husband, family, and pets, she is never lonely, in fact, quite the opposite. Should she disappear, one might look for her on a beach in Tahiti, sipping a tropical drink and wearing a disguise. 

Pulled into a world of darkness, Katelina's fate becomes intertwined with that of Jorick, a dark, enigmatic vampire. To stay by his side, she must navigate intrigue, terror and bloodshed as they are drawn from one battle to another. Dreams of peace seem elusive, and are complicated by mysterious vampires, old relics, and an ancient master. Join Katelina and Jorick in a world where vampires don't sparkle and night is eternal.

Desiree gasped, and raised a hand to her mouth in shock. Where her bungalow had previously stood, there was now a large half-timbered building. She frowned in confusion. Was she going mad? Her home had been a simple one-storey bungalow with plain, whitewashed walls, identical to the other buildings in Walnut Close. But what stood before her was a large, three-storey building, with a black timber frame surrounding a pale plaster infill. As she gazed upon this new structure, she wondered where it had come from, and what had happened to her bungalow.
She looked around. There still did not seem to have been any reaction at all from any of her neighbours. Surely they must all have heard the impact as the falling piece of sky crashed into her bungalow? Had not one of them even looked out of a window to see what was going on?
But the cul-de-sac was still deserted. Not one of her neighbours had emerged from their own modern semi-detached house to investigate the loud crash. Not one of them was staring in horror at the debris that now littered the road. Not one of them had rushed out to check that she was alright.
She frowned angrily, annoyed by the implication that none of her neighbours cared about her well-being. What if the falling piece of sky had destroyed their home? She would certainly have rushed out of her home to check that they were alright, and to offer any assistance she could. She sighed. Perhaps they were all too worried about what would happen if they were seen outside during the day. But surely the authorities would be understanding, given the circumstances?
She shook her head. Confusing thoughts were hurtling around her head. The bungalow had been destroyed. Her bungalow! The sky was falling in. The sky! Her head was pounding, and things were not making any sense, so she closed her eyes and tried to think rationally.
How could the sky crack? It was the sky, not a glass bowl! How could a piece fall from the sky and destroy her home? That was clearly a ridiculous notion. Even if the sky were actually a glass bowl that had cracked, a small piece of glass would not be enough to completely destroy her home. And where had this large timber-framed building come from?
She felt a sudden gust of wind, and heard the soft rustling sound of the leaves in the trees. It sounded like they were whispering furtively among themselves. Her head pounded. Was this all a delusion brought on by her headache?
Desiree opened her eyes, and looked around once more. There was a nagging thought in the back of her mind. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there seemed to be something different about the world. She looked upwards, confused. There were no cracks in the sky. How could there be? How could she have imagined that there were? Now she was absolutely certain that she was going mad.
She sighed in resignation, and looked around at the fragments of debris that were scattered across the road. Clearly, something bad had happened. Had something crashed into her home? Or was she imagining the debris as well?
She rubber her temples. Her headache was still pounding away. She tried to concentrate, and focussed on the large timber-framed building that stood before her. As she cast her eyes over the structure, taking in every structural and ornamental detail, a wave of relief washed over her. The slate roof was still intact, and the timber frames did not appear to have suffered any structural damage. None of the windows appeared to have been broken. There was some minor damage to the plaster infill, but that could easily be fixed. Whatever it was that had fallen from the sky, it didn't appear to have caused any serious damage to her home.
Rubbing her forehead once more, she stumbled wearily along the path leading to the front door of her house. She stepped absent-mindedly over the small pieces of debris that were scattered across the path. As she opened the door and stepped inside, these small fragments of brick, tile, plaster, and glass all seemed to melt into the ground, as if they were cubes of ice left outside on a hot summer day.
Desiree closed the door and leant wearily against it. Her head was still throbbing. She wasn't certain that she knew what was going on any more, or even if she believed what she had seen with her own eyes. She sank to the floor in despair, and placed her head in her hands. Was this what going mad felt like?
Inhaling deeply, she attempted to pull together all the disparate thoughts that were running around in her head, to try to make sense of everything that had happened. Had she seen cracks form in the sky, or had she imagined it? If the cracks had been real, what had happened to them? Did a piece of the sky fall to the ground, or had she imagined that as well? And why was there still that nagging thought in the back of her mind that something had somehow changed?
She clambered unsteadily to her feet, using the door handle as a support, and staggered into the front room. She carefully made her way around the coffee table, worried that she might collapse at any moment, and slumped into her rocking chair. Still breathing deeply, she reached forward and picked up her mug. She took a sip of the tea. It was stone cold. She sighed with disappointment, and struggled to her feet.
She noticed that the book she had been reading was lying on the floor next to the fireplace. She groaned as she bent down to pick it up. Her back still hurt from her earlier fall.
As she stood back up, still groaning, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the small mirror above the fireplace. She frowned. Something wasn't right. She stared at her reflection for a moment, puzzled. Certainly it was her. 45 years old. Dark skin. brown eyes. Long black hair. And yet, there was something not quite right. Weren't there pictures above the fireplace?
She looked around the room. Everything seemed to be in order. Her rocking chair sat next to the coffee table, opposite the brown leather couch that lay against the wall to her left. The wall to her right contained the sooty, blackened fireplace with its ornate mahogany surround. Within the fireplace sat a small mound of chopped wood, ready should she ever need to light the fire for warmth. Directly in front of her, against the back wall, sat the ornately carved oak sideboard and the solid oak bookcase stuffed with tomes on a variety of different subjects.
She frowned. There was definitely something not quite right about the room, but she couldn't work out what it was. She glanced down at the book in her hand, and smiled ruefully. Sighing deeply, she tossed the book on to her rocking chair and headed out of the room, along the hallway, and into the kitchen.
She tipped the contents of her mug into the kitchen sink. As the cold tea swirled down the plug-hole with a soft gurgling sound, she shuffled wearily over to the worktop behind the door, where the kettle stood waiting to be used. She placed her mug on the worktop, and retrieved a fresh tea bag from the nearby caddy. She dropped this into the empty mug, and inspected the kettle. There was clearly not enough water left to make a mug of tea.
She picked up the kettle with a mournful sigh, and shuffled back over to the sink. Holding the kettle under the cold water tap, she filled it with just enough water for a fresh mug of tea. A thought suddenly occurred to her as she shuffled back across the kitchen. Why do kitchen sinks have separate hot and cold taps? Surely having a single tap would be better? That way, you could easily mix hot and cold water to get the temperature you wanted.
She placed the kettle back on the worktop and switched it on. Suddenly frowning again, she looked back at the sink. She could have sworn that her kitchen did have a mixer tap. But the evidence was there before her eyes. She shook her head sorrowfully. She must still be imagining things. Like the cracks in the sky earlier. Had it all been brought on by her headache? 
She looked around, frowning once more. She was beginning to get the same feeling in the kitchen as in the front room. Something was not quite right. For one thing, she couldn't remember where she had put the painkillers. She pulled open the nearest drawer, and peered inside. There were a variety of items within the drawer; batteries, food bags, even a torch. But no painkillers. She rooted through the other drawers in the kitchen, her search becoming ever more frantic. Was she losing her mind? It seemed that she was losing her memory, at least.
Soon she had searched through all the drawers in the kitchen, without locating any painkillers. She was certain that she had some left, that she hadn't already used the last ones. In desperation, she flung open the door of the cupboard containing the glassware and other drinking vessels. Ah! There they were! Nestling behind one of the spare mugs. She shook her head, a mix of relief and confusion etched on her face. What on earth had possessed her to hide the painkillers there?
As she retrieved the small box of pills from their hiding place, she sighed in resignation. Perhaps this was just another side-effect of her headache. Or perhaps she was going mad. Either way, there wasn't much she could do apart from take some painkillers and wait for her headache to subside. She opened the box and tipped two small white pills out on to the worktop, before placing the box back in its hiding place among the tumblers and mugs.
While she waited for the kettle to boil, she leaned wearily against the worktop and looked around the kitchen. Perhaps if she worked out what was wrong in here, she would be able to work out what was wrong in the front room as well.
It was a reasonably well-appointed kitchen, with a free-standing gas cooker and large fridge-freezer. The sink sat in the corner by the window, separated from the cooker by a small draining board. Jars of herbs and spices lined the worktops that ran along two of the walls. Various culinary implements hung from hooks on the wall. Some of them she had rarely used. Others she barely recognised. She sighed again. She still couldn't work out exactly what it was that was wrong. She turned and glared at the kettle. It seemed to be taking a long time to boil.
Sighing impatiently, she looked out of the kitchen window. The garden outside was in need of some attention. She screwed her face up and tried to remember when Martin, the gardener, was next due to come round. It must be in the next couple of days, judging by the length of the grass, but she couldn't remember exactly when. She sighed again, and looked back at the kettle. It still hadn't boiled. Why was it taking so long?
Suddenly, she froze. She was sure there had been another splintering sound, similar to the previous ones only much quieter. It had seemed to come from one of the rooms upstairs. A puzzled expression crossed her face. But her home was a bungalow, wasn't it?
She moaned in anguish and shook her head violently from side to side, to try to banish the confusing thoughts that were flooding her mind. Of course her home wasn't a bungalow. Her home was a large three-storey house. Why was she imagining that it was a bungalow?
She sighed and rubbed her temples again. If only this blasted headache would go away, she would be able to concentrate properly. She thought she had better go and investigate this latest noise. In any case, the kettle still hadn't boiled yet.
She strode purposefully out of the kitchen, heading along the hallway to the bottom of the stairs. As she passed the line of family photographs that hung on the wall, they started to sway gently in the light breeze generated by her passage. In the front room, the rocking chair started to move slowly back and forth, creaking softly with each change in direction.
She tilted her head to one side as she climbed the stairs, listening for any further noises. But it was still deathly quiet. She stopped at the top of the stairs, and looked out of the window. The branches of the nearby trees were swaying gently in the breeze, but she could not hear any birds singing, or any sounds of traffic on the nearby main road.
She groaned. Maybe the pounding of her headache was drowning out all other sounds in her head. She rubbed her forehead, and pushed open the door to the bathroom. She glanced inside. Everything appeared to be in good order. Nothing was broken. She pulled the door shut behind her, and moved along the landing towards her daughter's bedroom. She could now hear a soft, fluttering sound, like a piece of loose fabric flapping in the wind.
She pushed open the door, and looked inside. The bedroom had lain empty for the past few months, as her daughter was away at university. She looked around the room. There was a thin layer of dust on every surface, but nothing appeared to be broken, or even out-of-place. She frowned as she looked at the large mirror on the side wall. Behind the mirror, the paint was flaking off the wall, in places revealing the bare brickwork. She had intended to repaint the entire wall at some point, but had never quite got around to it.
She turned and walked out of her daughter's bedroom, closing the door behind her. She pushed open the door of her own bedroom, and peered inside. The room was dark. She was briefly overcome with panic, as she wondered why the room was dark, and what terrors were waiting for her in the darkness.
She took a step backwards, and the feeling of panic subsided as quickly as it had arrived. She shook her head and tutted, chastising herself for her gullibility. Get a grip, Desiree! She had simply forgotten to open the curtain that morning. She strode purposefully over to the window and pulled the curtain back.
Light flooded into the room. She looked around, and sighed with relief. Nothing appeared to have been broken. The mirror on the wall was crooked, so she straightened it. The ornamental owl on the bedside table was facing the wrong way, so she turned it around. Nothing else seemed to be out-of-place, so she turned and headed out of the room.
As she moved along the landing and approached the door to her mother's bedroom, the fluttering sound became louder. Nervously, she gently pushed at the door, suddenly worried that a window had broken and a bird had flown into the room.
The door swung gently open, and she hesitantly looked into the room. There didn't appear to be any birds flying about, or any loose pieces of fabric flapping in the breeze. But the fluttering sound definitely seemed to be coming from within the room.
She cautiously entered her mother's bedroom, and looked around. The window was thankfully not broken. She couldn't see anything else that could have caused the earlier splintering sound, nor anything that could be causing the fluttering sound that seemed to echo around the room.
She shivered, although there was no breeze in the room. Just standing in her mother's bedroom made her uneasy. As she turned to leave, she caught a glimpse of herself in the large mirror on the wall. She stopped, as if frozen in place. The fluttering sound seemed to be emanating from the mirror itself. As she stared at her reflection in the mirror, it seemed to move and shimmer, like a piece of fabric caught in a stiff breeze.
She blinked, and the image reflected in the mirror suddenly changed. She was no longer staring at her own reflection, but an image of her mother. She frowned uncertainly. For some reason, that seemed to make sense. She was in her mother's bedroom, after all. But how could that make sense? Mirrors reflect what is there, in the room. She sighed with despair. Maybe she was going mad after all. 
She glared suspiciously at the reflected image of her mother. Her mother seemed to smile back at her. Nervously, she approached the mirror and placed her hand lightly on its surface. Her mother did the same. The mirror seemed to vibrate in response to her touch, or to her mother's touch. One or the other.
Ripples began to form on the surface of the mirror, radiating outwards from her hand. She frowned. She knew that these ripples were no more than an illusion, the light playing tricks on her mind. Like the reflection of her mother. She was seeing things that clearly were not there. She could feel the mirror beneath her hand, a simple sheet of crystalline glass, solid and unyielding.
As the ripples moved back and forth across the surface of the mirror, they began to merge together, forming a regular, rhythmic oscillation. The reflected image of her mother warped under this oscillation, changing shape like a reflection in one of those distorting mirrors often found at funfairs. She thought she could hear her mother's voice, chiding her. "Be a good girl," the voice seemed to whisper.
She lifted her hand away from the mirror in shock. Almost instantly, the ripples faded from view, along with the reflection of her mother. In its place was an image of a sturdily-built man in his late forties, with dark brown skin, brown eyes, and tightly-cropped black hair. He was standing before a mirror in the hallway of his home, adjusting his tie.
Desiree smiled, and nodded in understanding. She knew what needed to be done.

Wildbridge was a sleepy town. Nothing much happened there. Well, not since... Martin. And that suited Serina just fine. But everything was about to change. Or had it already started changing, and all that was about to happen was that people were going to start noticing? Well, it's difficult not to notice when people start turning up dead. Murdered. Especially when you're a senior member of the Serious Crime Investigation team.

Meanwhile, many light years away on the non-aligned planet of Jahanna, changes were already afoot, and there were whispers of rebellion and revolution on the streets. But death is not far away here, either. As the well-oiled machinery of the bureaucracy begins to stutter and creak under the weight of murder and betrayal, just how far will the Council go to maintain the status quo?

How could the events in Wildbridge possibly have any bearing on Jahanna?

And what exactly happened on Bershevah?

https://youtu.be/K60cIKV9jQE
The bedroom was a solid seven square meters. A large set of bow windows with five panes each 2 meters tall. Outside of each of these east facing views, was a camera, peering inside. The east facing was an important part of this set up. Other than a small square in front of the cameras, the entire pane was covered in an odd shimmering plastic Nick found online. When the sun shines through, every morning that it's not cloudy, a vibrant cascade of rainbows would flood the room, and cover anyone and anything with the full spectrum of visible light.
The ceiling was over three meters high with two cameras hanging above the bed. Microphones were in the best places for catching the acoustics of the room. The carpet was white, as were all of the linens which dressed the bed and it's pillows. On either side of the bed was space for a white night stand and comfortable white chairs.
On the door, opposite the window, was more white paint, like that which covered the walls. These walls were only an inner wall. In between the white inner wall and the actual wall of the room, was about two and a half feet of space. In these three walls, were one way mirrors, and behind them, were more cameras.
In total, there were 24 cameras. Behind one set of them on the southern wall was the editing room. There was a full wall of monitors, which could view all 24 angles. The computer system would not just save all the video files, and run all of the editing software, and it would also trigger the start of recording, the moment the door to the bedroom closed.
The Rainbow Bedroom was Nick's idea from the start. Sure, Steve did suggest 24 cameras rather than 16, so it seemed like it was worth it in the initial test runs. He could use the videos to show the same moment, from every side, except from below. It was all Nick had wanted. An absolutely perfect set, in which to make erotic art. He wanted to show it off to everyone. Nick felt the room was a canvas, and the sun would bring the color.
Nick posted many ads on Craigslist and the like, offering double what some studios were offering for a day's worth of work. The minimum was always $650. Some places would offer a little more. But no one in the area was paying $700 a day, just for solo work, and $1500 for sex in film.
Nick's first interview was with long time professional burlesque dancer, stripper and porn-star, nicknamed, KitKat. She had been in the industry since she was eight-teen, and was now, a sensual diva who was often looked upon as the second coming of Bettie Page. She was in the area already, doing a "Thank You" tour through the east coast clubs, for her fans.
She was met at the door by Charlotte, the professional face of Four Suits in the reception office. "Welcome, thank you so much for coming so early today." Charlotte offers KitKat some refreshments, KitKat politely accepts sparkling water. There is some further polite conversation, along with Charlotte going over the basic paperwork and processing of legal documents and payment options for the contract work being done, which included an option to be paid in bitcoin. Eventually they finished up and Nick was summoned to bring her back for the interview portion.
Nick thanked her again for coming in as they entered his office. He then offered her a seat on the couch and sat on the other side of it. He liked the idea of a more intimate conversation. "I'm not a fan of most interview porn." He says.
"Really?" She asks, "What about it? I mean, this is, that, correct?"
"Yes and no," Nick explains, "There tends to be a moment where the interviewer asks the lady to undress and they examine her. They grope her, for firm breasts and bottom. It reminds me of a slave auction, so much so, that I don't have it as a part of the process."
"Well, it's no hang up for me either way, but that is an interesting take I've never considered." KitKat replied.
"Would you like to begin?" Nick asks, "Sure!" she responds. Nick pulled out a tiny remote and pushed the REC button on it. A tiny red light shone from the camera.
They did all the basics, Nick had a list of questions he went over, to help the audience get to know the model, as many men appreciated hearing about the past work of these ladies. They had a long conversation about her humble beginnings, her personal fascination with Bettie Page, her unused bachelors degree in computer sciences, and her current tour, among a number of other things. As the half hour mark approached, Nick began winding down the interview, but before he knew it, 45 minutes in total had passed, and they were at peak saturation of rainbows in the bedroom.

A relatable escape from these crazy times in new book form!

A young woman trying to find herself, creates erotic art with a divorced producer who gets everything he ever wanted, after meeting the star of his new art project. 

Set to and inspired by the music of Hey Violet.

Playlist of music, which fits the name and theme of each chapter:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJbHxS5Do2MjaKCLWgNrmhIv3kCmX4Gj8

Rated Mature/NSFW

Don’t forget to check out Hey Violet’s latest song, Friends Like This https://youtu.be/hao4x_zzbvY

Dedicated, with my undying love, to Rena Lovelis. (She asked for this in a retweet)

Savannah bowed to me and said," Pleased to meet you madam Luna."


I greeted both Katherine and Savannah, they seemed nice.
I could hear talking coming from inside, but I didn't see anyone. 
I climbed the staircase following Savannah, who guided me to an ornate set of double doors on the third floor. A large man stood outside the doors looking imposing.
Short black hair cut military style, he cocked his eye at me before politely bowing his head.
Savannah nodded to the man as he opened the door. I didn't have time to say anything because I was soon ushered inside...
The room was warm and inviting, with a cosy fireplace in the sitting area. There were several comfortable looking chairs near the fire. A large flat-screen TV sat in front of a full-sized leather couch.
Several paintings and antiques decorated the area tastefully. 


"These are Alpha Blake's private quarters. The bedroom and bathroom are through there. I will have food and clothing sent up for you. There will be a guard posted at the door."


I nodded.


"Thanks, Savannah, how many people live here?"


"Not many, about 30 of them. A few lone wolves, and staff. Rest all live all over the pack land in their houses or the hostel of the unmated.


"That's very few people for such a big house, I commented," I commented.


She smiled," Oh! it's always busy here, ever since the Alpha moved into these quarter. you won't feel lonely I assure you."


"He didn't stay here before?" I asked.


"No madam Luna, the previous Alpha use to stay in the house just behind this mansion. It's near the riverfront. Alpha Lucian moved here after he became the Alpha as he moved in Alpha quarter as it was easier to manage things from the packhouse."


"Ok," I replied while processing this information. 


"Thank you again and please call me Alice," I smiled at her.


Savannah beamed back at me.


"As you wish Madam.....I mean Alice."


"These rooms are Alpha's domain; no one will bother you here. For now, stay inside the rooms though and don't go out." 


She motioned toward the bedroom. 
I wondered why was everything hell-bent on keeping me indoors like a prisoner.


"Alpha's rooms have been protected against certain things with magic and that prevents anyone from entering without access" she rambled on and on about various security measures while I zoned out and observed the room.
I nodded, I had no interest in following this stupid order, but I wasn't going to make my life any more difficult than it was already.


Savannah walked out the doors and closed them behind her.


Alone inside the elegant suite, I walked from the sitting room into the large bedroom. I had no wish to go outside if I was safe here and that's what Lucian wanted. The glass doors allowed faint moonlight to wash inside the room and give everything a silver glow.


An enormous king-sized bed graced one wall of the room. The bed towered in the large space. I stepped up to it and took in the detail on the magnificent carved wooden posts that supported the heavy canopy above it. Piled high with large pillows, it was a bad fit for a king.


Shaking my head at the luxury, I walked to the bathroom and was again amazed. It was big and could have accommodated 15 people. A large walk-in shower adorned the back wall and a Jacuzzi tub sat quite prominently in the middle of the room.
It is not like I wasn't used to luxury, Jade moon wasn't poor but this was over the top.


The colours were all white and blue. Large mirrors covered most of the walls. The sink area was very Spartan, a toothbrush and a razor sat at the ready.
A second sink area was on the opposite wall. I was surprised to find boxes of deodorant and toothpaste the same brand a mine. I picked up an unopened toothbrush and pondered the significance. Lucian was sure I would end up here.


I wondered what else he knew about me. That thought was frightening.
The marble tile was cool under my feet as I kicked off my shoes and stripped down. Not being sure what to do with my clothes I piled them on the counter. 



After my shower, I found a t-shirt, underwear, and sweat pants all in my size in one of the cupboards. There were other dresses and clothes as well, but I chose comfort over looking good. I had no interest in enticing Lucian. I looked at the clock on the wall and it read at 5 pm. With nothing better to do I started exploring the suit, it was big with a study, gym and a small kitchen of its own. I guess he didn't eat in the general packhouse. 


The study had an array of books ranging from fiction, business administration to mechanical engineering. I wondered who read all these. I arrived back into the living room and curled up on the couch, waiting for Lucian to come back.


I woke up to the sensation of someone nuzzling my neck. 


"What are you doing?" I winced and immediately tried to move away. Only to realise I was pinned under him, well not exactly pinned. I had fallen asleep with my head on the headrest and he was leaning over me to reach my neck. He was too heavy to shove off. I could only squirm under him.


"Is this what you were looking for?" he whispered in my ear and continued nuzzling. 


"No, stop you promised, you wouldn't mark me," I squirmed and turned away from him to avoid his lips.


"I am not marking you, relax," he chuckled, and interlaced his finger with mine, pulling me down so I was lying on the couch with his body bent over mine. Both my hands pinned on either side of my head.


My wolf Lana was ecstatic and I was already wet, though I had to try my best to resist.


"You said you won't do anything,g,"  I said flatly.


"I made no such promise, princess. I said I won't mark you, which I won't. I never promised anything about not wanting you."


I closed my eyes shut as he traced my jawline with his tongue. That made it even hard to resist.


"What do you want?" I whispered, keeping my eyes shut.


"You know what I want," he replied, "but I know you are not ready for that quite yet." He said, as he slid over me, and placed a trail of kisses from my jawline to the neck, extracting a gasp from me.


"Please stop," I whimpered, which came out more of a request than a command.


"This is just the start princess, I am yet to punish you for your insolence back in the car," he said silkily against my ears. 


My eyes flew open. Wait what? I assumed he had forgotten all about to.


"You are kidding!" I said to him.


His gaze roamed my face features as if searching for vulnerabilities that I was attempting to hide.


While my heart hammered, he seemed relaxed and wholly at ease, as if he were treating himself languidly to some diversion.


"I am serious," he answered. "However, I am not unreasonable. If you entertain me well enough, I can be more merciful with your punishment." He offered a teasing look as if to convey the generosity of this sentiment.


"Get off me!" I tried to push him off with all my might.


"How rude, Alice. Is that his how you show respect to your Alpha." His grip tightened on my wrists until I felt bruises forming on them.


"You have disobeyed me, and there would be consequences for that - lest you make a habit of it." He smirked while I looked terrified into those green depths.


"You would be punished, Alice." He drawled, lips curling into a cruel smile.

18+ mature content 
"What are you doing?" I shouted as the huge man ripped off my engagement ring from my finger.

"No!" I screamed as he threw away the diamond ring.

"You are mine! Do you understand? Only mine!" His gorgeous green eyes bore into mine.

"Never! I reject....." I never completed the sentence, his mouth was on mine, capturing my lips into a punishing kiss.

Alice has her life all sorted, she has a good job, a wonderful fiancee. Apart from a little secret, she was a werewolf, her life was in her control. After losing her parents in a rough attack she had been sent away to live with her aunt, a keeper.
Alice was what one would call an urban werewolf who had no intention of finding her mate.
But things didn't turn out as expected when the most handsome, powerful and dangerous Alpha of US claimed her as his mate. With her wolf in the heat but her mind warning her against the union. How will she resist being his Luna?

Ling SenHao understood that it was Mo ShaoQing who completely agreed to leave the child.
    "Okay, really good!" Ling SenHao suppressed the wetness in his eyes and smiled.
    Mo ShaoQing looked at Ling SenHao crying and laughing. My heart was throbbing, and he said silently: Stupid dad!
    But why is it not so in his heart? The child who thought he would never have, now is within reach, the fool will give up.
    The two smiled at each other, and then hugged each other.
    After a while, Mo ShaoQing realized that it was still on the road. Fortunately, it was too late. There were basically no people in the country of B. If it were in China, it would cause traffic congestion.
    "Let's go to the manor again the next day, the big evening will not be too good..." Mo ShaoQing suggested.
    "Okay." Ling SenHao agreed. Even if Mo ShaoQing said that the sun rises from the west, he would agree.
    According to Ling SenHao, County Combs was originally the fief of the Lawrence family, so the Duke is also called the Duke of Combs.
    There are more than a dozen cities in County Combs, the capital is City A, and Combs Manor is also located in it. City A also has one of the most famous university towns in Country B, second only to City L.
    There are famous coms university, imperial college and so on. The Zhouli Royal Conservatory where Han Ziyi studied was also among them. Mo ShaoQing remembered that the two hadn't seen each other for a long time. Maybe he could take this opportunity to meet before he graduates.
 

    The two came to the Lebby District of City A under the County of Combes. City A is a very old city. Lebby District was built in the 13th century, so it has a strong classic style.
    Passing through tall buildings, there is a row of ancient Gothic buildings in the center of the city.
    Under the expectation of Mo ShaoQing, Ling SenHao's classic car parked outside a small castle gate.
    The high wall separates the building from the high-rise buildings outside, forming a unique space.
    The gilt carvings on the black iron fence gate and the gold family crest are gorgeous and retro. Through the cracks, you can see the white spotlights shining on the wall of the castle, covering it with a mysterious veil. Two guards in national B-style military uniforms are holding long swords to defend their territory.
    "This gate is the same as the one downstairs in the East Lake Mansion?" Mo ShaoQing said in surprise.
    "Yes, this is the castle of my family that I told you before, called Fort Saint-Terber. The eagle pattern on the gate and the flag is the family emblem. This castle was built in the 16th century by the previous dukes. They all live here. Later, because of the war, the great-grandfather took his family and went to live in the countryside. The grandfather also got married there. We all grew up there. Gradually, we never returned to live here. Now this building has been opened to become a Tourist attractions are open on the 1st and 15th of every month, and the king will stay here when he visits..."
    After speaking, Ling SenHao stepped forward to talk to the guard. The guard made a few gestures and the door slowly opened.
    The entire castle is made of gray stones, and it looks really old. The whole building is in a back shape, with a flat lawn in front and a European-style fountain in the middle of the lawn.
    The night was dark, Mo ShaoQing hit Hache and the excitement passed.
    The butler took his steps and quickly ran down from the stone steps of the castle: "I'm so sorry, sir, I didn't know your arrival, and there was no room for you."
    "It's okay, we will stay one night."
    The butler led them through the corridors, past medieval paintings, and opened a room at the end of the corridor.
    To say that it is a room is completely wronged, but the area is almost the same size as a large flat.
    Unlike the rustic appearance of the castle, the interior of the room can no longer be expressed in luxury.
    The whole room is made up of two colors of gold and white. The white walls, golden carvings, and red dark patterns show the gorgeous and noble temperament.
    The room is brightly lit. On both sides of the entrance, there are two large three-meter-high mirrors. There is a crystal wall lamp every three meters on the wall. The crystal chandeliers are like small stars, shining under the light, and decorating the wide hall , The stars guard the large chandelier in the center like a moon.
    The crystal lamp in the center of the ceiling is particularly dazzling. It is inlaid in the center of the gorgeous retro mural, and the crystals emit a wide range of light under the illumination of the light source, and then they are reflected on their respective mirrors to form a dazzling piece.
    "Oh my God, it's more exaggerated than TV series!" Mo ShaoQing found a sofa nearby and sat down, "It's so soft!"
    Ling SenHao was anxious, but he didn't dare to say anything serious, and said softly, "Why are you so careless, and there are children, can you jump around? Can it be such an improper thing!"
    "I forgot! Don't be angry!" Mo ShaoQing stuck his tongue out and quickly changed the subject: "It's so big here! But what are these fences?"
    Ling SenHao couldn't laugh or cry: "Get up, let's go to the room. This is already an open area. I'm afraid it will not be clean. I will ask the butler to bring some food to the room..."
    In any case, he persuaded Mo ShaoQing to enter the room, "I watched castle photos on the Internet, they are all magnificent, I didn't expect it to be the case."
    "In fact, this was not the case before. This is not the fact that the tourism industry has developed in the past two years. The royal family has allocated a lot of money to repair the castle to attract tourists. The entrance fee is used as the maintenance fee for the castle. One of the family's income. But those murals are newly painted, and valuable oil paintings have been donated to the museum..." Ling SenHao unceremoniously demolished the exterior of the prosperous castle.
    "what--"
    Seeing Mo ShaoQing's disappointed expression again, Ling SenHao quickly explained: "The most luxurious in Country B is the palace in City L. I will take you to see if I have the opportunity in the future. Everything there is real..."
    After some toss, Ling SenHao took care of Mo ShaoQing and took a hot bath, ate something, and put on a nightgown to rest.
    Mo ShaoQing: "I'm not a kid anymore, go and handle your work!"
    Ling SenHao went back to the study room next door step by step.
    In such an unfamiliar environment, Mo ShaoQing actually slept well all night.
    The next morning, Mo ShaoQing woke up. Ling SenHao was no longer visible on the bed. The maids walked in slowly, opened the heavy curtains, and handed Mo ShaoQing the toiletries.
    Mo ShaoQing enjoyed the feeling of being served, suddenly felt something was wrong, it seemed a bit noisy outside?
    Ling SenHao opened the door of the bedroom and walked in quickly, with obvious anger on his face.
    "What's wrong? This early?"
    "ShaoQing, we may not be able to get out for a while!" Ling SenHao said helplessly.
    "Did something happen?"
    "I forgot that today is May 15th..."
    May 15... Is May 15 a special day?
    Mo ShaoQing suddenly blessed his soul and said: "Is today the castle open day?"
    "Yes, the butler has actually adjusted the opening hours on the official website last night and extended it for three days, but there are still many tourists who came here early in the morning, not only that..."
    Ling SenHao sighed when he said this: "The media such as "Comms", "Leby River" and others did not know where they heard the wind and rushed over. Now they are at the gate." Ling SenHao looked Toward the window.
 

    Through the bedroom window, Mo ShaoQing clearly saw the layers of people surrounding the iron fence. There were tourists, students, and reporters holding a camera.
    The guards can't do anything to them, they can only lock the door tightly and persuade people to leave.
    But how can these newspapers let go of such an opportunity? In recent years, the royal family has become scarce and has been far from meeting the needs of public gossip. Therefore, the media have focused their attention on a few large families.
    Just last night, someone told the newspaper that St. Taber's Fort was brightly lit all night. What does this mean? This means that someone must have checked in. Then the maintenance news released on the official website confirmed their guess.
    What maintenance? There was a big person staying in. Even if only a few photos were taken, it would be enough for the headlines for the next few days. Thinking of this, the reporters rushed forward even more excitedly.
    Mo ShaoQing understands that Ling SenHao, as a nobleman, has fallen into the headlines of gossip and unpleasant mood for entertainment, and the relationship between the two of them has not been made public. If the news is returned to the country, it will cause an uproar, but-
    "It won't work like this, it may cause a stampede, we still have to go quickly."
    "I know, I have called the city police force, I believe they will come soon."
    "Go in another car. The previous car didn't have window film." Mo ShaoQing suggested.
    "The most urgent task is to evacuate tourists and students..."
    Mo ShaoQing sneered: "As for these reporters, if you want to shoot, let them do it. Don't blame us if you can't make the difference."
    After the police came over, the crowd watching the excitement stopped a lot, hiding in the distance, and the entertainment reporters could only leave temporarily unwillingly.
    The black Maybach drove slowly into the castle, and Mo ShaoQing and Ling SenHao finally got into the car.
    The moment the car left the castle, many people gathered around and the reporters snapped photos of the car, but due to the closedness and privacy of the windows, no valuable photos were taken.
    When the car drove away, the reporters could only curse their mothers at the exhaust.
    Leslie picked up the camera and flipped through the few photos that he had just taken. Without exception, the car windows were all black, and even the individual photos were invisible.
    "FUCK!" He scolded an swear word, and continued to flip through the following photos, one of which attracted his attention, and then his face burst into a surprise smile.
    He had taken photos of the castle before. In front of all the windows, two small figures in a window caught his attention. He zoomed in on the picture and then zoomed in. Although it was still not clear, he could already see— —
    This is obviously the figure of two men...

MACHINE TRANSLATION
Raws: http://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3310766
Chapter 1 to 12: https://chocolatranslations.wordpress.com/category/gourmet-food-service/
 Chapter 1 to 47: https://www.whitecattl.com/2018/11/entertainment-food-service.html
Description 
Shao Qing grew up in the orphanage. In order to survive he went to school during the day and worked part-time at a restaurant during night, becoming a proficient cook. He was looking for his parents when he got into a traffic accident and died. He was reborn into decades before and activated the portable space in his jade pendant. He grew many kinds of flowers, planted trees and sold fruits, opened a restaurant and filmed videos.

In this time when internet celebrities are all on the rage, I must stand above the other shows.

Boss Ling Senhao: Lately I’ve taken a liking to this one person. Long legs, slender waist, really good at acting and the key point is he makes good food. Say, should I sign him or should I sign him?

Mo Shaoqing: So we only agree to work together?

Everyone: Male god Mo’s food is so delicious *cries*

Mo Shaoqing: Actually I’m a cook who’d being held back by my acting work!

In short, this is a gourmet internet celebrity. He started with private kitchen, exploded from forums to weibo then to the entertainment world, from China to overseas, getting the attention of everyone.
Associated Names 
娱乐圈美食担当
YuLe Quan MeiShi DanDa

Author
天籁星璇
TianLai Xing Xuan

Tags
Calm Protagonist 
Celebrities 
Chefs 
Cooking 
Magical Space 
Modern Day 
Mpreg 
Showbiz 
Transmigration 
Transported to Another World



I begin to stir awake, the sunlight streaming through my bedroom window. I need to wake up and pull the curtains across but when I turn to glare at it, my usual purple curtains are replaced with grey ones. I frown and sit up straight, my eyes wide. 

This isn't my bed and this isn't Justin's bed. 

Holy shit. 

My head begins to pound repeatedly and I groan again, clutching it. My eyes are sensitive, my body hurts and my stomach is stirring. Yep, I have a hangover. I study the room, trying to figure out where the hell I've ended up. 

I'm lying in a double bed with a leather headboard, the covers grey and white. The floor is covered with plush white carpet and when I hang my legs off the bed, my feet sink into it. Mirrored wardrobes line one side of the room and a large plasma screen hangs on the other side. Underneath the television screen, there's a large stack of games and different gaming consoles. The walls are bare, giving away little to who's room this is. I lift the sheets to my face and inhale and Alex's face immediately flashes through my mind. 

"Holy shit," I mutter, my mind going into overdrive. How the hell did I end up in Alex's bedroom? I try desperately to rack my brains but after seeing him in the club for the first time, I don't remember anything after that. I lift the covers and exhale a sigh of relief as I realise I'm still fully clothed. Last nights dress is still on my body which is a good sign, a very good sign. 

When it comes to Alex, I have very little restraint. 

I hop out of bed, clutching my head as I desperately try to battle against the hangover. My eyes land on the single photograph in the entire room, placed neatly on his bedside table. I frown and reach towards it, my fingers pressing against the cold metal of the frame. 

In the photo, I recognise the man from the hospital. He looks slightly younger, his skin tanned and smooth. He has shorter dark hair and his arm is swung over a pretty woman. She has large brown eyes and jet black hair and she's simply stunning. Her wide smile reminds me of Alex's and I smile as I notice he's crouched in front of them. He's only a child and the smile on his face is irreplaceable. All three of them are on a hill somewhere, the sun shining down. 

This must be his family. 

I place the photo back down in the exact position I found it and walk over to the single mirror in his room. It's small and hung up on the wall near the door. I grimace as I catch my appearance. My makeup is smudged around my eyes and my hair is tangled, resembling a lion's wild mane. 

I smooth it down and pull it up into a ponytail, securing it with a hair tie from my wrist. My fingers rub at the makeup and after a few minutes, I look slightly more presentable. I smooth down the dress and pick up my heels that have been left by the door. 

Holding my breath, I pull open the bedroom door and listen carefully for any noise. Silence greets me. I tip-toe out of his bedroom, feeling like I'm doing the walk of shame. I'm halfway down the stairs when he stops me, appearing from one of the doors. 

"Morning." 

I pause, clutching my heels to my chest. As my eyes land on him, I physically wince from how good he looks whilst I look terrible. He's wearing a plain white shirt, exposing his large muscly arms. Underneath he's wearing black skinny jeans and he's leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. A slight smirk plays on his lips as he watches me squirm. 

"Alex," I murmur, walking down the rest of the stairs and landing in the hallway. I glance around for my mobile phone, knowing I can't leave without it. 

"Looking for this?" Alex says, reaching into his back pocket and holding out my bright pink phone. My jaw drops open and I snatch it from him, narrowing my eyes at him. 

"Why do you have my phone? Why am I here? What happened last night?" I ask him, clutching my head. It's started to throb again and I seriously feel like I'm going to throw up. 

"You always ask so many questions," Alex chuckles, walking away from me. I glare at him as he leaves however can't stop my eyes from drifting down his body as he goes. 

"Are you going to stand there checking me out or will you at least have some breakfast with me?" Alex asks over his shoulder, catching me off guard. I bite down on my lower lip, my cheeks burning bright red as I slowly follow in the direction he went. 

"I don't think I can stomach food." I grumble underneath my breath. His kitchen is beautiful, long and designed with sleek black cupboards. It's modern and finished off with a large dining table in the centre. 

"It'll make you feel better, sit down." 

Alex takes a seat himself and pulls out the chair next to his. I smooth down my dress nervously and take a seat, my hands trembling. Alex's notices and sighs - 

"What's wrong? Talk to me." 

"I'm just nervous, that's all." I murmur, my eyes drifting to my lap. Alex leans over and places his hand under my chin, lifting it up to meet his eyes. I suck in a breath as I hold his stare as he searches my eyes. 

"Don't ever be nervous around me, okay?" 

I nod my head and he mirrors my actions before dropping my chin. He pulls a plate of croissants towards me and pours some coffee, handing one over to me. 

"I don't drink coffee but thank you." 

"You don't drink coffee? How do you live?" Alex chuckles, causing me to relax. I like it when he jokes and acts light hearted. 

"I don't like the taste, I prefer hot chocolate or orange juice," I smile, taking a bite of the croissant. The pastry flakes in my mouth and I have to resist from moaning out in pleasure. It tastes so damn good. 

"Which one do you want? I can get you both." 

He stands up and I place my hand on his upper thigh, stopping him. He immediately freezes, his eyes flickering down to my hand that's still pressed against his leg. 

"Alex, sit down, eat." 

My words are quiet but I breathe a sigh of relief as he listens, taking a seat back down next to me. I reach over for a glass of water instead and drink it hungrily, my throat dry and dehydrated. 

"You had quite a night last night, didn't you?" Alex smirks, taking a drink from his coffee. My eyes widen and I begin to stutter, unable to hold his gaze. 

"Erm, d-did, did w-we," I inhale deeply, composing myself. 

"Did I sleep with you?" Alex says quietly, asking the question for me. I nod slowly, chewing on my bottom lip. My head drops to my lap so I'm hiding behind my hair. The thought of sleeping with Alex causes me to blush bright red, my thighs clenching. I also noticed how a shiver ran down my spine, goosebumps covering my arms. 

"When you do sleep with me hermosa, you'll remember it," Alex smirks, his words cocky and arrogant. I let out a scoff, turning to raise my brow at him. A rush of relief washes through me but now I'm slightly angry at him. 

"When? What makes you think I'm going to end up sleeping with you Alex?" I snap, pushing my plate away from me. He doesn't react to my anger beside from the twinkle in his dark eyes. He slowly leans forward so his face is hovering inches over mine. I force myself to maintain eye contact with him because to be honest, I'm angry at his attitude. 

"You can't resist me, we're like magnets," he whispers, his warm breath tickling my lips. For a second, I feel myself grow light headed and my body begins to lean forward subconsciously. Before I can give in, I snap myself out of it, pulling back. 

"No, we are not. I need to go home." 

Alex glances down at his watch, shaking his head — "You have an apartment viewing in ten minutes. Are you going to make it?" 

"Shit." 

I completely forgot about the apartment. I push myself to my feet, scrambling around for all of my belongings. As I'm leaving the kitchen, Alex takes a tight hold of my wrist, stopping me in my tracks. 

"Let me take you." 

"No way," I protest. Alex shrugs his shoulders, taking a step back and raising one eyebrow at me. I glance at the time on my phone and let out an exhausted scream, slamming my foot down onto the floor. 

"How fast can you drive?" I mutter at him. His face remains emotionless as he grabs his keys off the side, heading down the hallway. 

"Fast." He responds over his shoulder. I scurry after him, clutching my heels to my chest as I run outside barefoot. His car beeps to life and he slides into the drivers seat, turning on the engine. The passenger door automatically opens and Alex slides his window down, peering at me. 

"Get in hermosa." 

"This is a bad idea, a very very bad idea..." I mumble, heading towards his dark SUV. 

***** 

 
 

"There is no way in hell I'm going to be accepted for this apartment wearing last night's clothes. I look like I've been dragged through a jungle," I breathe out, running a hand over my worried face. The car is speeding through the streets however Alex is laid back in his seat, calm and confident. He's driving one handed and glancing at me every few seconds. 

"My seats in the back lift up. There's a few spare things that should fit you." 

I raise my brow at him but don't hesitate as I climb into the back, landing with a soft oomph. 

"Are you secretly a cross dresser? I will actually pay good money to see that," I grin, lifting up his seats and reaching for the clothes. 

"I'm not a cross dresser and you don't have to pay me. I'll give you a private show for free," he smirks, looking at me through his mirror. I feel my throat dry out and let out a small chuckle, biting nervously on my bottom lip. 

There's a pair of denim shorts and a white shirt with the word California printed in blue writing. I inspect the clothes warily, holding them at arms length. 

"I'm intrigued. Why do you have girls clothing?" 

"You won't like the answer...Don't worry, I get the seats steam cleaned regularly." 

"Ew, Alex, that is gross!" I yell, standing up off the seats. I'm pressed against the front ones tightly and the car's speed causes me to topple backwards. 

"They never ask for their things back?" I mumble, shaking my head. Alex ignores my question and continues driving, peering at his watch. 

"You've got three minutes." 

"I don't feel comfortable changing in front of you." I murmur, tugging at my dress self consciously. Alex exhales slowly, adjusting himself so he's seated at an angle, his back to me. 

"Is this better? I won't look, you have my word." 

I let out a small groan, my cheeks burning brightly. 

"It's a good job the windows are tinted," I grumble as I pull my dress over my head. I'm very aware that I'm currently in the back seat of Alex's car, in a matching bra and knickers. 

"Hermosa, I need to check my mirrors. Forgive me," Alex mutters as a car zooms ahead of him. I suck in a breath, clutching the shirt to my chest to cover myself as best as I can. He glances up in his mirrors, checking the road behind us. His eyes briefly make contact with mine and I physically see his eyes turn darker before he tears them off me. He re-adjusts himself on his seat and I quickly pull the shirt on and step inside the shorts, securing them. 

"Dios ayúdame" he mutters under his breath, his jaw tensed tightly. 

"What?" I ask him, placing my dress on his back seat. 

"It means, God help me." 

"Why do you need Gods help? You're a great driver," I compliment him, fixing up my hair. 

"It's not my driving I need help with. It's you," he replies, his tongue licking his bottom lip. I can feel my heart thudding against my chest and I'm grateful to feel the car coming to a slow stop in front of an apartment block. I notice the building from the pictures and I breathe out deeply, stepping out of the car. 

"Thanks, Alex." I say to him, giving him a small smile. He nods in response, watching me as I slam the door shut. My heels click against the floor and I close my eyes, unable to believe I'm wearing heels with shorts. 

The estate agent is leaning against the apartment complex doors, wearing a dark suit. He's in his early thirties, dark hair combed back and held in place with gel or hairspray. He looks uncomfortable in his clothes, re-adjusting himself every few minutes. I walk a few steps closer and pause, looking at him. 

"Hey, I'm Ariana. I'm here to view the apartment." 

My voice snaps him out of his daze and he clears his throat, standing up straight. When he looks at me, his lips twitch upwards and his eyes roam down my bare legs. I blow out an annoyed breath, shuffling awkwardly from heel to heel. 

"Wow, h-hi. Didn't expect you to be looking -" 

"I should probably remind you that this is your job. Which means you're supposed to remain professional." I tell him firmly, holding my head high. That shut him up. 

"Of course, are you ready?" He mumbles in guilt under his breath, pulling open the door. I nod even though I'm not overly keen on being in an apartment, alone with him. I begin to walk towards him but an arm is draped around my shoulders, stopping me in my tracks. 

"Alex, what are you doing?" I hiss. 

"Are you going to go in without me? Come on baby, we're supposed to be making a decision together." Alex says loudly. He narrows his eyes at me, the fire behind them burning. I simply stare back at him in complete shock before turning back towards the estate agent. 

He's glancing warily between me and Alex, his face equally as confused as mine. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise you were bringing your partner! It's nice to meet you..." 

"Alejandro." Alex says firmly, his voice low. He narrows his eyes at the estate agent, his arm tightening around my shoulders. 

"Alejandro Ruiz." 

The estate agent nods grimly, his face turning shades paler. Alex walks me into the lobby, his arm still wrapped securely around my shoulders. His scent is completely wrapped around me and I simply want to stand here and inhale him all day. 

"Do you seriously think it's a good idea to be alone with him when he's looking at you like you're a piece of meat?" Alex scolds me under his breath as we head for the elevator. I tense underneath his grip, turning my head to glare at him. 

"I can take care of myself, Alejandro Ruiz." 

He lets out a quiet chuckle, inching his face closer to mine. A shiver runs down my spine from the intense look in his eyes. He's angry, angry with me. 

"Don't test me, baby girl." 

There it is again. Baby girl. I suck in a breath, tearing my eyes off him. The elevator pings and the door slide open, allowing us to step out. We both follow the estate agent, stopping off at number 69. 

"I'm already liking this new place," Alex smirks, making no attempt to lower his suggestive voice so the estate agent doesn't hear. I widen my eyes at him and slap his chest causing him to chuckle quietly, his chest vibrating. 

"I like how you didn't correct him when he called me your partner..." Alex grins, his brown eyes shining brightly as he looks down at me. My stomach tightens in knots and I breathe deeply. 

"I don't really have a choice when you act like I'm already yours." I shoot back at him. The estate agent turns the key in the door and pushes it open, gesturing for us to go inside. He pushes himself as far up into the wall as he could, giving Alex more than enough space to walk past. 

"Stop scaring my estate agent," I mutter, rolling my eyes. Alex scoffs, his hand playing with the loose strands of my hair. His touch kept making me shiver despite the heat in the air. 

"He's lucky I didn't punch him and hermosa?" 

"Yeah?" I respond, looking up into swirls hazel and chocolate brown covered with thick, black lashes. My heart lurches inside my chest, missing a beat. 

"You will be mine."

Torn Between Good And Bad.

Justin is light, safe, good. 
Alex is dark, dangerous, bad. 

Ariana is torn between the two. She knows she should head towards the light but the element of darkness has always excited her. Darkness runs through her blood, darkness makes her heart go wild. Darkness attracts her, she's drawn to it like a moth to a burning fire. 

Which path will she choose?



I begin to stir awake, the sunlight streaming through my bedroom window. I need to wake up and pull the curtains across but when I turn to glare at it, my usual purple curtains are replaced with grey ones. I frown and sit up straight, my eyes wide.
This isn't my bed  and this  isn't Justin's bed.
Holy shit.
My head begins to pound repeatedly and I groan again, clutching it. My eyes are sensitive, my body hurts and my stomach is stirring.  Yep,  I have a hangover. I study the room, trying to figure out where the hell I've ended up.
I'm lying in a double bed with a leather headboard, the covers grey and white. The floor is covered with plush white carpet and when I hang my legs off the bed, my feet sink into it. Mirrored wardrobes line one side of the room and a large plasma screen hangs on the other side. Underneath the television screen, there's a large stack of games and different gaming consoles. The walls are bare, giving away little to who's room this is. I lift the sheets to my face and inhale and Alex's face immediately flashes through my mind.
"Holy shit," I mutter, my mind going into overdrive.  How the hell did I end up in Alex's bedroom?  I try desperately to rack my brains but after seeing him in the club for the first time, I don't remember anything after that. I lift the covers and exhale a sigh of relief as I realize I'm still fully clothed. Last nights dress is still on my body which is a good sign, a  very  good sign.
When it comes to Alex, I have very little restraint.
I hop out of bed, clutching my head as I desperately try to battle against the hangover. My eyes land on the single photograph in the entire room, placed neatly on his bedside table. I frown and reach towards it, my fingers pressing against the cold metal of the frame.
In the photo, I recognize the man from the hospital. He looks slightly younger, his skin tanned and smooth. He has shorter dark hair and his arm is swung over a pretty woman. She has large brown eyes and jet black hair and she's simply stunning. Her wide smile reminds me of Alex's and I smile as I notice he's crouched in front of them. He's only a child and the smile on his face is irreplaceable. All three of them are on a hill somewhere, the sun shining down.
This must be his family.
I place the photo back down in the exact position I found it and walk over to the single mirror in his room. It's small and hung up on the wall near the door. I grimace as I catch my appearance. My makeup is smudged around my eyes and my hair is tangled, resembling a lion's wild mane.
I smooth it down and pull it up into a ponytail, securing it with a hair tie from my wrist. My fingers rub at the makeup and after a few minutes, I look slightly more presentable. I smooth down the dress and pick up my heels that have been left by the door.
Holding my breath, I pull open the bedroom door and listen carefully for any noise. Silence greets me. I tip-toe out of his bedroom, feeling like I'm doing the walk of shame. I'm halfway down the stairs when he stops me, appearing from one of the doors.
"Morning."
I pause, clutching my heels to my chest. As my eyes land on him, I physically wince from how good he looks whilst I look terrible. He's wearing a plain white shirt, exposing his large muscly arms. Underneath he's wearing black skinny jeans and he's leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. A slight smirk plays on his lips as he watches me squirm.
"Alex," I murmur, walking down the rest of the stairs and landing in the hallway. I glance around for my mobile phone, knowing I can't leave without it.
"Looking for this?" Alex says, reaching into his back pocket and holding out my bright pink phone. My jaw drops open and I snatch it from him, narrowing my eyes at him.
"Why do you have my phone? Why am I here? What happened last night?" I ask him, clutching my head. It's started to throb again and I seriously feel like I'm going to throw up.
"You always ask so many questions," Alex chuckles, walking away from me. I glare at him as he leaves however can't stop my eyes from drifting down his body as he goes.
"Are you going to stand there checking me out or will you at least have some breakfast with me?" Alex asks over his shoulder, catching me off guard. I bite down on my lower lip, my cheeks burning bright red as I slowly follow in the direction he went.
"I don't think I can stomach food." I grumble underneath my breath. His kitchen is beautiful, long and designed with sleek black cupboards. It's modern and finished off with a large dining table in the centre.
"It'll make you feel better, sit down."
Alex takes a seat himself and pulls out the chair next to his. I smooth down my dress nervously and take a seat, my hands trembling. Alex's notices and sighs -
"What's wrong? Talk to me."
"I'm just nervous, that's all." I murmur, my eyes drifting to my lap. Alex leans over and places his hand under my chin, lifting it up to meet his eyes. I suck in a breath as I hold his stare as he searches my eyes.
"Don't ever be nervous around me, okay?"
I nod my head and he mirrors my actions before dropping my chin. He pulls a plate of croissants towards me and pours some coffee, handing one over to me.
"I don't drink coffee but thank you."
"You don't drink coffee? How do you live?" Alex chuckles, causing me to relax. I like it when he jokes and acts light hearted.
"I don't like the taste, I prefer hot chocolate or orange juice," I smile, taking a bite of the croissant. The pastry flakes in my mouth and I have to resist from moaning out in pleasure. It tastes  so damn good.
"Which one do you want? I can get you both."
He stands up and I place my hand on his upper thigh, stopping him. He immediately freezes, his eyes flickering down to my hand that's still pressed against his leg.
"Alex, sit down, eat."
My words are quiet but I breathe a sigh of relief as he listens, taking a seat back down next to me. I reach over for a glass of water instead and drink it hungrily, my throat dry and dehydrated.
"You had quite a night last night, didn't you?" Alex smirks, taking a drink from his coffee. My eyes widen and I begin to stutter, unable to hold his gaze.
"Erm, d-did, did w-we."
I inhale deeply, composing myself.
"Did I sleep with you?" Alex says quietly, asking the question for me. I nod slowly, chewing on my bottom lip. My head drops to my lap so I'm hiding behind my hair. The thought of sleeping with Alex causes me to blush bright red, my thighs clenching. I also noticed how a shiver ran down my spine, goosebumps covering my arms.
"When  you do sleep with me hermosa, you'll remember it," Alex smirks, his words cocky and arrogant. I let out a scoff, turning to raise my brow at him. A rush of relief washes through me but now I'm slightly angry at him.
"When?  What makes you think I'm going to end up sleeping with you Alex?" I snap, pushing my plate away from me. He doesn't react to my anger beside from the twinkle in his dark eyes. He slowly leans forward so his face is hovering inches over mine. I force myself to maintain eye contact with him because to be honest, I'm angry at his attitude.
"You can't resist me, we're like magnets," he whispers, his warm breath tickling my lips. For a second, I feel myself grow light headed and my body begins to lean forward subconsciously. Before I can give in, I snap myself out of it, pulling back.
"No, we are not. I need to go home."
Alex glances down at his watch, shaking his head - "You have an apartment viewing in ten minutes. Are you going to make it?"
"Shit."
I completely forgot about the apartment. I push myself to my feet, scrambling around for all of my belongings. As I'm leaving the kitchen, Alex takes a tight hold of my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.
"Let me take you."
"No way," I protest. Alex shrugs his shoulders, taking a step back and raising one eyebrow at me. I glance at the time on my phone and let out an exhausted scream, slamming my foot down onto the floor.
"How fast can you drive?" I mutter at him. His face remains emotionless as he grabs his keys off the side, heading down the hallway.
"Fast." He responds over his shoulder. I scurry after him, clutching my heels to my chest as I run outside barefoot. His car beeps to life and he slides into the drivers seat, turning on the engine. The passenger door automatically opens and Alex slides his window down, peering at me.
"Get in  hermosa."
"This is a bad idea, a very very bad idea..." I mumble, heading towards his dark SUV.
"There is no way in hell I'm going to be accepted for this apartment wearing last night's clothes. I look like I've been dragged through a jungle," I breathe out, running a hand over my worried face. The car is speeding through the streets however Alex is laid back in his seat, calm and confident. He's driving one handed and glancing at me every few seconds.
"My seats in the back lift up. There's a few spare things that should fit you."
I raise my brow at him but don't hesitate as I climb into the back, landing with a soft oomph.
"Are you secretly a cross dresser? I will actually pay good money to see that," I grin, lifting up his seats and reaching for the clothes.
"I'm not a cross dresser and you don't have to pay me. I'll give you a private show for free," he smirks, looking at me through his mirror. I feel my throat dry out and let out a small chuckle, biting nervously on my bottom lip.
There's a pair of denim shorts and a white shirt with the word  California  printed in blue writing. I inspect the clothes warily, holding them at arms length.
"I'm intrigued. Why do you have girls clothing?"
"I'm a guy with needs  hermosa. Don't worry, I get the seats steam cleaned regularly."
"Ew, Alex, that is gross!" I yell, standing up off the seats. I'm pressed against the front ones tightly and the car's speed causes me to topple backwards.
"They never ask for their things back?" I mumble, shaking my head. Alex ignores my question and continues driving, peering at his watch.
"You've got three minutes."
"I don't feel comfortable changing in front of you." I murmur, tugging at my dress self consciously. Alex exhales slowly, adjusting himself so he's seated at an angle, his back to me.
"Is this better? I won't look, you have my word."
I let out a small groan, my cheeks burning brightly.
"It's a good job the windows are tinted," I grumble as I pull my dress over my head. I'm  very  aware that I'm currently in the back seat of Alex's car, in a matching bra and knickers.
"Hermosa,  I need to check my mirrors. Forgive me," Alex mutters as a car zooms ahead of him. I suck in a breath, clutching the shirt to my chest to cover myself as best as I can. He glances up in his mirrors, checking the road behind us. His eyes briefly make contact with mine and I physically see his eyes turn darker before he tears them off me. He re-adjusts himself on his seat and I quickly pull the shirt on and step inside the shorts, securing them.
"Dios ay煤dame." He mutters under his breath, his jaw tensed tightly.
"What?" I ask him, placing my dress on his back seat.
"It means, God help me."
"Why do you need Gods help? You're a great driver," I compliment him, fixing up my hair.
"It's not my driving I need help with. It's you," he replies, his tongue licking his bottom lip. I can feel my heart thudding against my chest and I'm grateful to feel the car coming to a slow stop in front of an apartment block. I notice the building from the pictures and I breathe out deeply, stepping out of the car.
"Thanks Alex." I say to him, giving him a small smile. He nods in response, watching me as I slam the door shut. My heels click against the floor and I close my eyes, unable to believe I'm wearing heels with shorts.
The estate agent is leaning against the apartment complex doors, wearing a dark suit. He's in his early thirties, dark hair combed back and held in place with gel or hairspray. He looks uncomfortable in his clothes, re-adjusting himself every few minutes. I walk a few steps closer and pause, looking at him.
"Hey, I'm Ariana. I'm here to view the apartment."
My voice snaps him out of his daze and he clears his throat, standing up straight. When he looks at me, his lips twitch upwards and his eyes roam down my bare legs. I blow out an annoyed breath, shuffling awkwardly from heel to heel.
"Wow, h-hi. Didn't expect you to be looking-"
"I should probably remind you that this is your job. Which means you're supposed to remain professional." I tell him firmly, holding my head high.  That shut him up.
"Of course, are you ready?" He mumbles in guilt under his breath, pulling open the door. I nod even though I'm not overly keen on being in an apartment,  alone  with him. I begin to walk towards him but an arm is draped around my shoulders, stopping me in my tracks.
"Alex, what are you doing?" I hiss.
"Are you going to go in without me? Come on baby, we're supposed to be making a decision  together." Alex says loudly. He narrows his eyes at me, the fire behind them burning. I simply stare back at him in complete shock before turning back towards the estate agent.
He's glancing warily between me and Alex, his face equally as confused as mine.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were bringing your partner! It's nice to meet you..."
"Alejandro." Alex says firmly, his voice low. He narrows his eyes at the estate agent, his arm tightening around my shoulders.
"Alejandro Ruiz."
The estate agent nods grimly, his face turning shades paler. Alex walks me into the lobby, his arm still wrapped securely around my shoulders. His scent is completely wrapped around me and I simply want to stand here and inhale him all day.
"Do you seriously think it's a good idea to be alone with him when he's looking at you like you're a piece of meat?" Alex scolds me under his breath as we head for the elevator. I tense underneath his grip, turning my head to glare at him.
"I can take care of myself  Alejandro Ruiz."
He lets out a quiet chuckle, inching his face closer to mine. A shiver runs down my spine from the intense look in his eyes. He's angry, angry with me.
"Don't test me  baby girl."
There it is again.  Baby girl.  I suck in a breath, tearing my eyes off him. The elevator pings and the door slide open, allowing us to step out. We both follow the estate agent, stopping off at number 69.
"I'm already liking this new place," Alex smirks, making no attempt to lower his  suggestive  voice so the estate agent doesn't hear. I widen my eyes at him and slap his chest causing him to chuckle quietly, his chest vibrating.
"I like how you didn't correct him when he called me your  partner..." Alex grins, his brown eyes shining brightly as he looks down at me. My stomach tightens in knots and I breathe deeply.
"I don't really have a choice when you act like I'm already yours." I shoot back at him. The estate agent turns the key in the door and pushes it open, gesturing for us to go inside. He pushes himself as far up into the wall as he could, giving Alex more than enough space to walk past.
"Stop scaring my estate agent," I mutter, rolling my eyes. Alex scoffs, his hand playing with the loose strands of my hair. His touch kept making me shiver despite the heat in the air.
"He's lucky I didn't punch him and  hermosa?"
"Yeah?" I respond, looking up into swirls hazel and chocolate brown covered with thick, black lashes. My heart lurches inside my chest, missing a beat - "You will be mine."



Torn Between Good And Bad. 
Justin is light, safe, good. Alex is dark, dangerous, bad. 
Ariana is torn between the two. She knows she should head towards the light but the element of darkness has always excited her. Darkness runs through her blood, darkness makes her heart go wild. Darkness attracts her, she's drawn to it like a moth to a burning fire. 
Which path will she choose?

I stared in shock at the dead body on the floor, the blood of my loved one spilled in his bedroom. My scream was broken and shattered-

"Ly!" Someone shook me but the nightmare was still there. "Lyra!" My hand flew under my pillow, but it was quickly pinned down. "Lyra it's me, Luca." Opening my eyes, the tears poured out. "It's okay." His arms wrapped around me in a tight embrace. It will never be okay.

That morning I woke up feeling as if I hadn't gotten any sleep. "You okay?" Luca, my twin brother, was sitting in a chair with a tray full of food and a glass of water.

"What do you think?" I asked hoarsely. My throat hurt from the screams as I grabbed the glass, gulping down the water.

"Ly," he said after a moment.

"I don't want to talk about it," sighing I got out of bed and grabbed my clothes out of the dresser. 

"You need to," he persisted. When I didn't say anything he sighed as well. "It's been a month."

"I need to get dressed," I ground out. He gave me a worried look, leaving the tray on my end table, and left. Quickly putting on my clothes, I left without touching the food.

The halls were busy with fighters running about. I took my time looking at the pictures of the deceased fighters. I let my eyes linger on Coren's. "Lyra!" Coraline greeted. Forcing a smile I turned to face her.

"Cora." Her hair was cut short into a pixie cut, emphasizing her high cheekbones and a tight-lipped smile that she always wore. Her ink-black eyes looked at Coren's picture sadly.

"It's sad how he went," the sadness in her voice made me want to hit the wall. A glance at my own glaring eyes made her leave quickly. My eyes met the wall mirror making me take a step back. I had always avoided mirrors because of the way they always lied to a person, but this one told a scary truth. My long brown hair looked dull even pulled up in a ponytail, my face was gaunt, my eyes a glazed over marble. I look horrible, I thought and headed to the meeting room to get my orders for the day.

The meeting room was empty except Caspian, the leader, who sat at the head of the table every morning doing paperwork.

"Reporting for duty sir," avoiding his look I observed the room. It was still the same with pictures of the living and deceased fighters on three of the walls and a wall made of a large window looking out onto the Rocky Mountains.

"You must get some rest and eat," he answered curtly. It's been the same order for the past month and my answer had always been the same.

"I need to do something." His short black hair looked as if he had been running his hands through it, his eyes a silver seriousness.

"I know that Coren's death has taken its toll. One day, just one day promise me that you'll get it together," our eyes finally met in a stare-off. He sighed and put the papers he had been holding, down. "We need you at your best at all times."

"I love being a fighter, Cas you know I do. I wouldn't risk–"

"I know, but you look like a feather could knock you over right now." I turned and headed for the training room. I would prove to him and Luca that I wasn't a weak damsel in distress.

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