I am Sam

CALEB

She’s been avoiding me...

Since that day when I told her she’s mine when I said that I would protect her from her fucked up mother and brother, she’s stayed clear away from me.

Four weeks, that’s how long it’s been since I kissed her since, touched her soft skin and breathed in her sweet scent. I’m fucking losing it; on the inside, a war is going on that’s ripping me apart.

Malvessa thinks she’s got this all planned out; she wants to give what’s rightfully mine to Perseus. The thought of it is fucking laughable; she messed with the wrong person the day she decided to keep us apart.

She’ll learn that I’m the last person she should want to fuck with.

In between my fucking messy mind, I’ve constantly got Atlas coming to me for answers and asking even more questions like, do I think they should trust Malvessa?

Fuck no!

Do I think he should lock Sasha in the dungeon downstairs with her impending heat?

“Fuck yes!

And now, with Lisbon captured, Atlas is fucking around, striking bargains and dealing with both Malvessa and Lisbon; he thinks he’s in control of the situation, but he’s so far from being in control. You don’t make deals with people like Malvessa and Lisbon; there’s no point, because they will stab you in the back the first chance they get.

I know I need to help him, I promised Sasha that I would get her back to Wolf, and I don’t break my promises.

Fuck.

I just can’t think straight, I don’t know the exact date of Vanya's birthday, but I know it’s soon.

~

Malvessa called us into her throne room for a meeting; the moment I walked in, everyone was already there. Atlas, Sasha and Asher; they’re all close to the front while the Queen of immorality herself sits perched up on her throne like she thinks she’s fucking special or something; beside her sits the most dishonourable prince I’ve ever fucking met, Perseus.

I’m standing right at the back, glaring fucking daggers at the piece of shit brother, if you can even call him that, because he’s not a brother, no brother would ever do what Perseus plans on doing to his sister. Sick fuck.

My molars grind together painfully as the taste of metallic blood hits my pallet. Pain is a distraction for me; it’s where I go to forget; I also never throw the first punch; I wait for my contender to take the first swing so I know what I’m up against, so I know how hard I need to fucking hit him.

I’m looking forward to the moment that Perseus takes that first swing. I’m pretty excited about it; I will make sure he chokes and drowns in his blood, painlessly staking slowly.

The moment Vanya walks into the room, it’s like all the oxygen suddenly leaves my lungs. My eyes track her every move as she steadily makes her way over to sit beside Malvessa; my girl is dressed in all black like every time before, the veil covering half her beautiful face like she’s going to a goddam funeral, and I can’t say that I disapprove, because I love that about her, she fucking drop dead gorgeous, but she keeps it all hidden like a gift waiting to be unwrapped on Christmas morning, and I’ll be the one who opens that gift, that's for damn sure.

I’m suddenly groaning internally; my shaft already rock hard for her. Man, I need to touch her, feel her warm skin beneath me as she screams my name repeatedly. Fuck.

I’m still lost in my own dirty thoughts of what I want to do to Vanya when Malvessa’s following words suddenly has me crashing down like a plane wreck.

“Tomorrow night, our dearest Vanya is turning eighteen at midnight. It is quite the celebration, having both Perseus and Vanya become a mated pair. I’ve been waiting for this moment for eighteen years, it seems.” Malvessa says as she bursts out laughing, turning her head to look at Perseus, he’s smirking as a wide grin spreads from ear to fucking ear. My dragon immediately ripples through my veins, wanting out; it’s fucking painful to force the growl back down, burning like I’ve just swallowed a scorching hot coal. “We’ll be having a bit of a party after they’ve done the deed, so please join us the following night, as I’m sure they’ll be quite busy for the whole day after midnight tomorrow night, but...” Turning her head to look at Perseus, she suddenly grins as she places a hand on his leg, “What do you think, my darling, will you be done with your sister by the following night so we can have a party?” Scoffing, he shrugs,

“I don’t know, maybe, I, just like you, have been waiting for this moment for a very long time.” Vanya’s entire body becomes rigid; she’s frozen stiff, but I can taste the fear rolling off her, and I need to breathe. I need to calm the fuck down and breathe.

One, two, three, four... Fucking five, six, seven... Breathe, Caleb, breathe, don’t react, stay calm, don’t show that it’s fucking driving you insane, just breathe. I keep telling myself over and over again in my head. When Sasha turns her head to look back at me, she frowns; she can see something’s wrong. Clearly, I’m not concealing it very well.

Malvessa suddenly calls my name, and everyone stops to look at me, including prince dick head himself, parading the smuggest grin on his ugly mug; eight, nine, ten, eleven...

“Oh, Caleb, you will be coming to the party, won’t you, seeing as Perseus and Vanya will be together for that night; I’ll need a plus one. Would you like to be mine?” My eyes lift up to stare at her. The murderous look in them should be enough warning for her to back the fuck off, but she’s either the dumbest bitch I’ve ever met, or she’s just pushing my buttons to see if I’ll react.

“I’ve got better things to do with my time than attend your parties,” I grumble, glaring at her.

“Oh, mother,” Perseus chirps, “I’m sure that Vanya won’t mind sharing me; besides, she’s going to have to get used to having me fuck both of you.” Vanya suddenly gets to her feet in an instant before standing there completely frozen, with small gasps escaping her lips. My entire body trembles with rage; all I want is to go to her, take her in my arms, and protect her. The moment Vanya speaks, her voice comes out so small.

“Please, may I be excused? I- I’m not feeling well tonight,” Her voice sounds shaky, and I suddenly can’t take it; I slip out through the door and leave; I’m going to either break something or kill someone if I stay in there any longer.

My mind is racing, the chaotic darkness wanting to completely consume me, kill anything that moves in my direction. The ache in my chest instantly knocks me to my knees.

A deep groan has me lifting my head; and the moment I look up, she’s standing right there, her eyes so breathtakingly beautiful, swallowing me whole in one breath.

We’re both staring at each other in silence. It’s then that I notice tears shimmering behind her eyes as she holds her arms around herself, squeezing tightly around her own waist like it’s the only thing keeping her together.

Her jaw clenches as her hands press into her sides, and I’m up in an instant, right in front of her reaching out to take her into my arms, when she steps back and shakes her head at me. My arms drop to my sides like dead weight, my chest rising and falling, and I’m trembling. My hands are shaking as I swallow a heavy lump stuck in my throat,

“I’ll do it,” My voice is low and hoarse; looking back up and into her eyes, my jaw clenches, my nostrils flaring as my chest continues to rise and fall heavily; when I feel it coming, I suddenly shake my head, abruptly wiping away at the tears, the rims of my eyes sopping wet, “I’ll fucking do it,” I grumble as my entire body tenses, “I’ll help you,” I breathe. The moment my eyes collide with hers, she’s wiping away at her own tears, and I feel fucking broken. This is wrong, it's all fucking wrong.

Nodding, Vanya sniffs back more tears as she wipes the wetness away from her cheek.

“Tomorrow night, the lake,” And her voice is so raspy and small, all I can do is nod because if I have to talk now, I’ll completely break down. Fuck. Can I really do this? Can I kill my own mate just because she wants to die?

~

VANYA

I’m standing at the water’s edge; my hand is shaking as I clutch onto the silver dagger under the waxing moon, small pants having my chest constricting with every breath.

I haven’t been able to think, eat, or sleep since last night. The look in his eyes as he agreed to what I wanted suddenly has me sniffing back tears as I lift my free hand to wipe them away. Why was I born into such a sick family, why couldn’t my mother be good and kind, why couldn’t she love me like a mother is meant to love her daughter; and why couldn’t I have a brother who cared for me like he should, who wanted to protect me and keep me safe, make me feel protected instead of fearful and ashamed.

My heart is broken, and it’s been that way for a long time. I used to dream about us being a real family, joking and laughing, smiling and loving each other like families are supposed to do; that’s how things are meant to be, aren’t they? So why did mine turn out to be this way? Why does mine hate me so much?

I instantly still the moment I feel him come up behind me, his energy is commanding, and every fragment of my body and soul wants to give into him, wants to swing around and climb into his arms and never let go.

That’s the mate bond; that’s what it does, right? Swallowing hard, a tiny shudder has my teeth chattering in response to Caleb’s effect on me.

Slowly turning around to face him, I blink as a surprised smile has me gasping in response to seeing my raven perched on top of his shoulder. Slowly raking him over, my mouth instantly feels dry. He’s clad in black attire, which only makes him seem even more dangerous than I already feel that he is. His dark hooded eyes are boring into my soul, and it feels like he’s about to set me on fire with how he’s staring at me.

“He likes you,” I breathe softly, my heart swelling with the realization that my raven, the only friend I have ever had, would love my fated mate just as much as I do; at least he would be able to take care of him.

I watch as his jaw ticks, his chest rising and falling at a steady pace; Caleb looks completely calm and in control, unlike last night when both of us were at a breaking point.

He slowly moves out from behind the shadows of the trees and into the moonlight, and as he does, my raven flies off his shoulder and lands on a tree right close by; another shudder runs down my spine, except this time, it brings with it an inferno of heat pooling between my legs. Gasping as I squeeze my thighs together to curve the feeling, the sudden friction only seems to make it worse.

I can’t take my eyes off him, and he keeps mine, hostage as he continues to stalk closer to me, like a predator eyeing his prey. An involuntary little moan instantly has me licking my lips; the very moment that he finally comes to stand right in front of me, my lips part as I look up into his captivating, darkly hooded lustful eyes, and I wish things were different, that I could stay with him and never let go. I wish he could remain mine; but luck it seems, has never been on my side.

Tilting his head, he drinks me in as he continues roaming over my body, and I’ve never felt as naked as I do right now.

“You’re not wearing you're expected black garments tonight?” His voice is low and dangerous; and swallowing hard, I feel sparks of heat climbing up my neck. Being this close to him has my body reacting in a way that desires nothing more than to allow him to take me into his arms and to do with me as he wishes.

Quickly lowering my eyes, I know that if I don’t look away right now, my entire body will give in, catch on fire and burn in this inferno with him. I want him, by all that is eternal and everlasting; I want this dark prince to take me and claim me in the most lustful and carnal way imaginable.

Snap out of it! I immediately scold myself; this isn’t why he’s here, Vanya, he's here to help you end your misery, not to have you lose yourself in the lustful desire that his savage wild heart can give you.

“I- I felt like wearing white on the night I leave this world,” My voice suddenly doesn’t even sound like me; my own mind is racing with a thousand different reasons why I shouldn’t go through with this, why I should stay and climb into his arms right now.

“It suits you,” He purrs as he lifts his hand before gently running his fingers down my bare arm, eliciting a small gasp followed by wild sparks, which only has more heat travelling to the apex of my sex.

Great, my body is trying to betray me.

I force myself to pull back, taking two steps back and then another, until my feet are fully submerged in the water, the cooling effect doing absolutely nothing to quench the burning desire I feel for him deep inside.

Lifting the dagger out in front of me, I hold it up to him,

“Here,” My voice is suddenly smaller than before; narrowing his eyes on the silver dagger in my hand, his jaw tightens as a sudden tick has his eyes darkening in an even more threatening way. However, instead of saying a word, he silently steps towards me, folding his hand over mine, still clutching onto the dagger. Warm sparks fly up my hand at the firm grasp of his hand against my skin, his eyes piercing mine with hunger and something else, something far more dangerous than I first anticipated, which only intrigues me more.

Looking down, I’m swallowing hard as I pull my hand free, leaving the dagger in his hand as I take another three steps back until I'm knee high in the water,

“I’ve tried to do it myself many times before,” I mumble, my brows furrowing; and Caleb merely watches me intently, like he’s reading an open book or something,

“You said because of what you are, it didn’t work,” He murmurs, and I slowly nod, “What exactly are you, Vanya?” The way he says my name has short gasps shuddering through my chest.

“It doesn’t matter; the only thing that does is every time I’ve tried, I fail.” He’s silent for just a moment as he smirks,

“Maybe it’s a sign that you shouldn’t be doing this,” Looking up at him, my brows furrow in response, shaking my head, I swallow back at the sudden fear having my heart fluttering like a hummingbird,

“You need to be the one to do it, to twist the blade so the wound won’t close. I can’t do it myself; I always faint before I get a chance to twist it myself.” Looking up at him, my bottom lip trembles, “Please, Caleb, help set me free.” Narrowing his eyes, he clenches his jaw,

“You don’t believe that I can keep you safe?” Looking back down, I shake my head,

“No one can, not against this. I should never have been born; at least this way, I get to choose how this ends, not mother or Perseus.” A low growl reverberates from him, which instantly has me looking up at him, my eyes immediately wide,

“Stop calling her your mother, she doesn’t deserve to be called that, and you know it.” Lowering my eyes, I shrug,

“It doesn’t matter; once it’s done, will it really matter what I called her?” Swallowing down hard, he suddenly grinds his teeth,

“It matters to me,” He grumbles as he takes another step towards me, having me take another three steps back until I’m suddenly waist deep in the cool water, the moonlight shining overhead, like a bright beacon ready to embrace me the moment my soul leaves my body. Gulping, I take a deep breath before speaking,

“Once my heart is pierced, I’ll submerge myself beneath the water; you need to hold me down when you twist the blade; no matter if I kick or try and get back up, you need to hold me under until it’s done, do you understand?” He doesn’t respond; he merely nods once as he takes another step toward me and then another until he’s standing right in front of me. Holding the dagger between us, he pushes the blade’s tip against the pad of his finger, a drop of blood instantly forming as he smirks. My eyes can’t look away as the dark red of his blood drops into the water.

“It’s sharp,” He mumbles, and when I look back up at him and into his eyes, they’re suddenly alive with something so wild that I feel like I can’t breathe. What is he doing to me? His body and soul call to me like the wind calls to the rain.

Stop it, Vanya, stop feeling, don’t feel.

His body is so close to mine as he stands before me that I don’t realize that I’m shaking until he whispers,

“You’re trembling,” And I can’t speak; I’ve suddenly lost my voice or something. Gently running his hand down my jawline, he tilts his head as he drinks me in like he’s committing every inch of me to memory.

“Can I kiss you before I kill you?” He whispers, and a little shudder runs down my spine when I nod. He gently tilts my chin, so our eyes meet, and he holds me there for a moment as he stares deep into my eyes, “So beautiful, so deep, like the ocean. I could get lost in your eyes and stay there for all eternity,” He murmurs before finally claiming my lips in the most scorching hot kiss, the water suddenly feeling like it’s boiling all around us. A soft little moan escapes my lips as he runs the tip of his tongue along the seam of my lips, a tiny gasp escaping me, my eyes closing on their own accord as my lips part; and Caleb takes this opportunity to dominate my mouth in such a deep kiss, that I feel like I could faint right at this moment. His tongue is slick against my own, coaxing, sucking, tasting as it runs effortlessly against mine. I didn’t know kissing could feel so raw, having me feeling so floaty.

He gently breaks the kiss, allowing me to linger there for a moment longer before I slowly open my eyes. My legs feel wobbly and unstable as I stumble forward and right into him. Caleb grabs me, steadying me against his hard chest as a mischievous grin creeps up at the corners of his mouth,

“Still sure you want to do this?” He asks me questioningly, and those little words instantly pull me back to reality. Looking up, I notice the moon is already high in the night sky above,

“You need to do it now; we don’t have much time before midnight,” I mumble irritably; lowering his eyes to the blade, he frowns; and I quickly take it to form him, “Remember, you need to hold me under when you twist it, just to be sure.” He doesn’t look at me, just gives me a stiff nod.

CALEB

She takes the blade from me, and she’s rushing into it. I need to stop this, have to stop her from doing this, so why can’t I?

My heart is suddenly constricting painfully as I look up at her, a stray tear rolling down her cheek as she points the blade’s tip at her chest; for the first time in my life, I can’t move. I’m watching her, expecting her to chicken out or for my hand to reach out and grab it from her, but instead, all I can do is stand and watch her as she suddenly plunges the blade deep into her chest.

A loud gasp has her eyes widening the moment blood begins pooling around the wound, her pure white dress becoming soaked in red blood as it spreads and runs down the centre of her chest into the water.

I’m still frozen, staring at her like I’m watching the most horrifying yet beautiful moment before my eyes; there’s a raw beauty in the things that terrify us.

Holding her hand out to me, I take it in my own; every movement from here on out feels like I’m experiencing it standing on the sideline staring in. She wraps my hand around the blade handle as I fold my other arm around the small of her back. Tears are welling up in her eyes as she nods, gasping for air; I can see it in her eyes; she’s about to faint at any moment. I slowly lower her until only her face is out of the water; looking up at me, she gasps for a few more breaths as she whispers, 'Thank you,' All I can do as she finally submerges her entire face under the water is hold onto her. At the same time, my other hand tightens against the handle of the blade.

My nostrils flare as I grind my teeth, blood staining the water around us, and my hand trembles. Can I do it? Can I really lose her when I’ve just found her?

A flash of something floods my mind; it’s of Cole. It’s of us growing up together; it’s the moment I lost him, the moment I lost everything because I was too late to stop it from happening. Looking down at my hand around the blade handle, I’m slowly noticing the tiny air bubbles in the water coming up from her mouth; it’s becoming less and less. She’s not even fighting to try and live.

“I’ve just found you; I can’t lose you. You’re everything; without you, there’s no point in me living,” I mumble to myself as I look down at her. Clenching my jaw, my heart shudders as tears well up in my eyes, my hand tightening even more against the handle of the blade, “And I’m not ready to die, so neither are you.” I suddenly pull the knife out of her chest and hold it up; I watch as Vanya instantly rises out of the water with a loud gasp, her eyes wide and her mouth open, gasping for air. Her eyes lock on the dagger in my hand before turning to look me in the eyes; she’s staring at me in bewilderment as her wet hair sticks to the sides of her face,

“You promised!” She yells at me, and I immediately narrow my eyes on her as I tighten my hold around her petite frame,

“I lied,” I grumble before slamming my lips against hers. “You are mine. Do you hear me, Vanya?” I growl, my dragon suddenly shimmering behind my eyes. Guess this is as good a time as any for her to meet him, and by the zapping feeling of electricity swirling around us, this is going one of two ways. Either she’s going to push back and run away screaming, or she’s going to allow me to fuck her, mind, body and soul, claiming every fragment of who she was before, to who she’ll become once she’s ultimately and utterly mine.

Her beautiful doe eyes are looking up at me as she slowly nods,

“Words, Vanya,” I mumble, my lips so close to hers that I can taste her breath against mine,

“I’m yours,” She breathes, smirking. I’m gently running my lips over hers as I whisper, “Good girl,” Before cupping her ass through her drenched little white dress, lifting her up, and to my surprise, she wraps her own legs around my waist as she folds her arms around my neck; looking down and into my eyes, she looks so innocent right now, so unsure, yet, there’s something wild swirling around those beautiful ocean blue eyes of hers.

“Last chance to make a run for it,” I grumble as my dragon swirls around in my eyes again; swallowing down hard, she suddenly shakes her head, “No?” I ask curiously as I give her ass a tender little squeeze. Gasping, she quickly shakes her head, and my lips immediately claim dominance over hers as I kiss her in a bruising lock of our lips.

Taking a few steps out of the water, I lower her onto the bank side; a combination of mud and grass beneath us would freak most people out, but I’m not most people, and neither is my little mate. My lips are back on hers, kissing her fiercely as I swallow her little moans. Her legs are still firmly around my waist when I feel the core of her heat grinding against me; a carnal growl reverberates up my throat as I continue to devour her sweet-tasting lips,

“You want me to fuck you, Vanya? You want me to claim you, baby girl?” I purr against her ear, earning me the sweetest little shudder as she pants, “Yes, please, yes.” She’s so lost in lust right now, I could do whatever I want to her, and she would most probably want more; that’s because she was made for me, and I know I don’t need to worry about her; she might look gentle, but my girl is fierce, I can feel it rippling under her skin like there’s a deep dark monster lurking under there just waiting to be set free; the thought alone fucking excites me to the point that my cock wants to pre- ejaculate just thinking about it.

My lips are back on hers as my one hand slides in between us, cupping her breast through her dress; she moans as she grinds up against me; my cock is fucking hard for her; there’s no way I’m doing this slow, no way.

Lifting my shirt over my head, I continue to devour her lips; the moment she bites down hard against my bottom lip, I instantly taste blood, pulling her face back slightly; she watches as the trickle of blood runs down my chin. Darting her tongue out, she licks at it, running her tongue all the way from my chin up to my mouth before claiming it in a scorching kiss of her own. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

I suddenly push back away from her as I grip her dress at the front and rip, tearing it wide open until it merely falls away to shreds somewhere in the mud. My eyes instantly lower to her chest as I swallow hard, her hardened nipples standing to attention just for me, and for one brief moment, I gently run my hand over them both, “So fucking perfect, so beautiful,” I mumble as my mouth folds over one, my lips sucking and tasting as my hand massages her soft mound. How is it even fucking possible for anyone to be this goddam perfect? Her body alone is a sin.

Lowering my hand down past her belly button, I smirk as she gasps; so fucking perfect, aren’t you, my little Vanya, responsive only to me, only mine. The moment my hand dips into her panties, and my thumb begins to trace circles around her hardened little clit, she’s suddenly panting uncontrollably as she starts riding my hand, delirious with lust. Fuck, my little mate, once I break her in, she’s going to be a wild one. Grinning, the anticipation only excites me more as I run a finger over her slick heat; my lips are back on hers, swallowing her muffled cries the moment I push a finger into her; she’s so fucking tight, so wet, so ready. I’m pumping my finger in and out of her, her moans and pants becoming more intense.

I grip her tiny little panties with one hand and rip them before depositing them to the side. Shimmying out of my own jeans, my hardened cock springs free, and both Vanya and I are covered in mud from all the grinding and rubbing against each other; and do you think I give a fuck, of course not, I’m an earth element, this is where I belong, and she belongs in it with me.

The head of my cock is throbbing with anticipation, and I need to be inside of her now, fuck, waiting. Looking down in between our slick bodies, her eyes follow mine as I look down at her pussy; well, it was hers; it’s going to be all mine after I claim it, I think to myself with a mischievous grin on my face.

Fucking perfect.

And the thought has me grabbing my cock and fisting him a few times, her eyes lowering, and she swallows hard, but she doesn’t say a word. Instead, she watches me intently between soft pants. I line my cock up, sliding him up and down her wet slit, eliciting hungry little moans from her; the moment I line him up with her entrance, my eyes fly up to hers,

“It’s gonna hurt a little, probably burn a lot when I stretch you out the first time,” Nodding, her eyes are wide as she keeps them trained on me. No point in bullshitting her, I’m by no means small or thin like a fucking pencil down there, and she’s way tighter than I anticipated.

The head of my cock pokes in at the entrance; I’m going to distract the fuck out of her for a few seconds. My tongue dives right into her mouth, claiming every inch as my thumb continues to rub small circles around her clit. I’m not moving; I’m letting her do it; she’s rocking herself back and forth to a rhythm she can handle. Every now and then, I push my hips forward just a bit; inch by inch, I feel myself filling her out until I feel the barrier; one final thrust has her crying out into my mouth.

Good girl, she took it like the fucking goddess she is.

Soft pants escape her lips as I pull my face back to look down at her, and her face has mud streaks all down her cheeks and forehead. Fucking beautiful.

Pulling back, my eyes shimmer with my dragon as I thrust back into her, gasping she hungrily crushes her lips to mine, and there she is, the wild in her is coming out. Grinding forward, she’s thrusting up as I’m thrusting down; it’s a combination of deep and heavy thrusts as I continue to rub her clit. She’s panting hard; her soft moans and sounds only have me thrusting harder. My muscles tensing as I begin fucking her deeper,

“Caleb,” She groans as she arches her back off the muddy sand, panting harder and harder. I can feel she’s close. I keep riding her harder and deeper, each thrust slapping hard against her sensitive pussy until she finally crashes over the edge in a euphoric moment of pure carnal ecstasy, her internal walls clenching and unclenching around my cock like a vice grip, which instantly has me skyrocketing over the edge in the most intense orgasm I’ve ever had in my life. Panting, ′fuck,′ as my mouth nips and bites against her bottom lip, I’m huffing and trembling like it’s my first time.

The moment I look into her eyes, there’s a shimmer there I didn’t notice before, panting heavily, her entire body suddenly tenses; and my brows furrow in confusion as I stare at her, but before I can ask her what’s wrong, she suddenly opens her mouth, and what follows can only be described as the most ear-splitting guttural scream I’ve ever heard in my entire life. I instantly grab my ears as I wince in response. Her cry is so fucking loud that it could wake the dead.

The moment she’s done, I slowly look at her, my eyes wide as my jaw goes slack in response. Lowering my hands from my ears, I suddenly smirk as I shake my head in disbelief,

“A banshee, that’s what’s been inside you all this time?” Bitting down against her bottom lip, she slowly nods like she’s trying to read my response. All I can do is chuckle; she’s a banshee, a fucking banshee.

I’m in love.

I’m about to say something to her when I watch her eyes roll back; she suddenly faints as her body goes limp in my arms.

Fuck.

My heart is racing when I pull out of her; jumping up, I grab my jeans and quickly pull them on. Looking around, I find her torn dress as I hold it, pulling it on over her naked form; I instantly scoop her up in my arms as I begin moving with her. I need to get her out of here; she’s officially eighteen; she’s a banshee, and there's no way that Malvessa didn't hear her screaming.

The moment a Wendigo steps out from behind a tree, I stop. My jaw clenches when I look down at Vanya’s unconscious form and back at the Wendigo.

I slowly walk over to where he’s standing as I look up at him,

“Take her, keep her safe until I come for her. She is your Queen now.” The Wendigo groans before opening its arms to her, and as I watch him disappear with my girl; I slowly turn back to face the castle, gradually narrowing my eyes, I clench my fists,

“I’ll make them all pay.”