Prologue
Briellyn
HER FACE is barely recognizable. It’s morphed into something much darker, more demonic. I don’t know this face. The wind beneath her sweeps her long dark locks straight up into the air, yet I feel nothing. I pant, afraid of this situation. My heart beats so fast and hard that I can feel it in my ears. I don’t know what to make of it. Two men kneel before her. They mean something to me, yet I can’t see their faces. Her long, dark claws dig into their shoulders on either side of her, keeping them subdued.
“Leave them alone,” I cry out to her, staring into the eyes of this creature that strikes a sense of fear and loss within me. The darkness inside her has consumed her entirely and there’s no humanity left.
“You get to choose who lives. Or they both die. You can only choose one, if you see it fit.” Her voice is serpent-like, with a faint echo. The room around is so dark that it’s difficult to see much of anything.
“Why should I have to choose? Please just let them go.” I plead, fear and worry dripping from each difficult word.
“One may live if we make a trade.” Her tone delighted by her offer.
“Will you take me in their place?” I huff audibly, willing to make the sacrifice.
“Only one!” She hisses at me. “Would you give your second child in place of one of these men?” Her eyes grow darker, burning into me like a master branding his slave.
I nod yes.
“I need to hear it woman. Speak up!” Her words cause me to tremble, I can’t keep the hands at my sides still.
“Yes.” Tears fall slowly down my cheeks, the words challenging to voice, “I would give my second child in one of their place.” It didn’t matter. I have no children.
“Well then, kill the one that you don’t want!” She screams out, pushing both men forward into the light.
“How can you make me choose? I love them both!” I cry out just before a cold grip takes me by the neck.
He presses me against him then whispers, “You belong to me.”
My eyes fly open as I sit up to stare into the dark abyss that is my bedroom in a cold sweat. I lean up to glance at my phone. 2:14 AM. I gently press my palm to my forehead. He’s back?! It’s been eight years.
— ξ —
About eight years ago…
THE UCONN Huskies are about to win the National Championships and my best friend and I are at the loudest possible bar in Connecticut watching the game. We just finished taking a shot with the exceptionally hype crowd in this bar. I grab the lemon provided, sucking it to take bite off. I laugh carelessly as Justin and I make our way back to our little booth off to the side. “Best night ever,” he yells out in glee.
He's particularly handsome this evening. The muscular form fitting navy t-shirt he’s wearing with light jeans and boots seems to accent his rugged appearance. He sports a goatee and light brown hair, tapered short cut, somewhat messy on top. His green eyes appear to glow in the dark beyond his perfectly manicured brow. The little boy I once knew has become quite the handsome man. How’d I never really see this?
He glances briefly at a woman who passes by us as she lightly brushed her fingernails across his shoulder. She flirtatiously waves at him as she continues walking, but he shifts himself to face me instead. I smile, staring off at her. “She’s cute,” I shrug, attempting to get a reaction.
“Ah, not my type,” he grins.
“Am I your type?” I coyly ask, fiddling with the beer in front of me.
He beams at me before sliding closer, “I’m sorry, what?”
“How come you’ve never flirted with me like you do other girls? Am I not your type either?” I shyly ask again.
“I honestly thought you’d never bite. Or perhaps, you’d just play it down like you do to other guys. Plus, you could probably do better than me,” his nervously rubs his chin.
“Better than you? Is there such a thing?” I smile at him, nervous. “Seriously, give me your best line.”
He laughs, “It doesn’t work like that!”
“Come on, just try!” I encourage.
“I would never cheapen the most gorgeous woman I know by attempting a one liner,” his expression grows serious, his eyes staring so deep into me it feels intimate. Without a second thought, I practically jump into his lap and kiss him. The moment my lips are on his, the buzzer goes off and the entire bar erupts in chaotic cheer. They’re as invested in this as I am. His lips are soft and welcoming, the slight taste of salt and lemon from the shot still lingers as his tongue massaged mine. My God, to be kissed like this. My whole body just melts into him with every second we remain lip locked. I want him, now.
“Can we go?” I whisper between breaths.
“Abso-fucking-lutely,” he smirks, stealing another less intense kiss, “I’ll be right back.” He rises from our booth to head to the men’s restroom. I can’t stop smiling. The butterflies in my stomach only intensify.
“Hi there,” a man’s voice interrupts my growing devious thoughts. He stands in front of the booth, “Are you here alone?” I’m surprised I didn’t notice the man at first, tall, handsome, athletic.
I beam at him, because I can’t seem to stop smiling, “No, my boyfriend and I are going to leave shortly though. Do you need the table?”
“Boyfriend you say? Lucky man. Well I just walked in and saw your beauty from afar and had to take a chance.”
I blush, “Aw thank you.”
He holds out his hand to me, “Can I know the name of such a breathtaking woman?”
I extend my hand to his, “Briellyn,”
He smoothly grips my hand to bring it his lips, “What a fitting name. I will bid you goodnight, beautiful Briellyn.” He kisses the back of my hand, graciously pats it, before walking off.
Justin shows up only a moment after, “Who was that?”
I shrug, blushing, “He tried to pull a you.”
“Well let’s go, gorgeous, I wouldn’t want anyone else to attempt to steal your attention,” he wraps his arm around my waist to lift me from the seat, kissing me in the process.
I stare into his beautiful green eyes, “Nothing could take me away for you.”
Twenty minutes later…
We arrive to the front door of my apartment, two floors up from his place, kissing uncontrollably as I get the door open. Every inch of me wants him, right now, the bedroom can wait. I guide him with kisses to my couch as peels the jacket from my shoulder to kiss my neck, his other hand on my breast. Between kisses he states, “I love everything about you.” He pulls my shirt up over my head, leaving me in my bra and jeans.
“You’re perfect,” I manage before asking, “you have protection?”
“My gun is in the car,” he breathily states.
I giggle, pulling back from him to see his expression, “I meant a condom.”
“I know,” he smiles, reaching for the wallet in his back pocket, still taking all of me in. He momentarily stops kissing me to look through his wallet. “Shit, I must’ve dropped it when I paid for drinks.”
“You got some in your place?” I query, still softly kissing him.
“Yes, let me run down to get it,” he prompts, kissing me one more time.
“I’ll go with you,” I insist.
“No!” He retorts, drinking the sight of me in, “Stay just like that. Just hit pause, I’ll back in two shakes.”
With that, he disappears out the door. I bite my lip in anticipation of what our future will bring. I lose myself in deep sexual thoughts before eyeing the glowing bottle of water in front of me. I take a large sip of it before laying back on the couch in an attempt to look as sexy as possible. Before I know it, I’m sound asleep.
I feel paralyzed, unable to move yet fully conscious. A cloaked figure stands next to the couch staring down at me. “You belong to me,” he states angrily, before reaching out to smother me.
