The phone hardly got through the second ring when the line went through."Before you go into some kind of a rant, I need you to take a deep breath, Ali."There was a pause. Then I heard him take the breath. Then he released it. I could almost see the tension leaving his body just a little bit."Better?""A little," he told me. "How are you, little sky? You have no idea how much I wanted to come straight to where you are when I heard about what happened.""Oh? What kept you away?" I asked teasingly, purposefully adding a lilt to my voice. Not that I would have ever expected to wake up to see Ali, but the thought of him being the first face I saw after the situation I'd just faced calmed my anxiousness a lot."Jules threatened to cut an entire year's wage if I took off.""A whole year? That sounds a bit much, even for Aunty Jules.""Well... she started with a week and continued to keep adding until I stopped walking towards the vans."I whistled. "Gosh, it took them a lot to keep you aw
"Excuse me?" I spluttered.I'd expected a dozen other questions to come out of his mouth but definitely not that. I tried to lean back as his hand reached out towards my waist but soon realised my mistake. He'd set himself up perfectly so that I couldn't run away. He basically had me against the wall."Please?"I was startled by the sincerity in his voice. He really wanted my permission for some reason and soon enough I realised the true meaning behind his words. He wasn't really asking if he could touch me. Not in a sensual way. No. He wanted a confirmation of his suspicions the same way that Drew had that time he burst into Martin's office.Our eyes connected when I stared at his face. There was no judgement and no sense of menace. He simply wanted to know. But more than that, he wanted my permission to know. In our current position, he didn't have to ask for my permission. He could've easily pulled my shirt up and seen the Ivashkov mark. His earnest respect for my privacy in turn s
Five in the space of just over half a month.That was a disastrous statistic. If I didn't pull myself together I probably wouldn't even make it past the middle of the next academic year without the truth being exposed to the entire community. That would mean a year and a half of being known as the Ivashkov princess at the Academy.I shuddered at the thought. That was not a scenario I wanted to become a reality."I got it.""Do you?""I really do, Joey." I sighed and finished off the last bite. "I'll try my best to keep a lower profile. I can't promise anything if threatening stuff gets thrown my way though.""At least be more aware, Kai, that's all we're asking.""I got it." I nodded. "So, what's the plan for us students now?""You have free time to relax in the designated areas until after lunch. For now, most students are either in the dining hall finishing off their breakfast or in their rooms, I suspect.""Alright, I'll just finished the food and go get another coffee before headi
To say I was shocked when I walked through the kitchen doors would be one heck of an understatement. The chefs were all gone and on the centre counter there was a mouth-watering spread. A burgundy candlestick was centre stage along with a bright red rose."Welcome to our first date, little knight." Axel declared flamboyantly, his arms spreading wide, gesturing at the food.I was so moved I couldn't find the words to refute that this was not a date. Since he made such an effort, it stole the breath from my lungs and the words out of my mouth."Oh Axel, honestly you really don't know how to meet someone halfway, do you? I joked somewhat breathlessly."It all depends on the person in question and whether or not they really want me to meeting them halfway or whether I could take my chances," he chuckled.He stepped around the counted and tugged me towards the food."I don't really know what you like so I thought why not give you multiple options and I can find out this way?""So, it's bas
Rachel Estella sighed softly and stood up, she smoothed her black pencil skirt and then grabbed the files from the table in her hand and headed towards the door in front of her. She stood in front of it for a while, adjusted her dress and then knocked softly. She waited patiently and soon a tired raspy voice asked her to come in. Rachel pushed the door and walked in to the magnificent office, the walls were painted a light blue and grey giving it a homely vibe. There were a few artifacts around which matched well with the fact that her boss loved art so much. The furniture was one of a kind, personally customised. Apart from the desk in the middle of the room and the three chairs around it, there was also a shelf and a beautiful flower vase beside the window that watched over the whole city and the room at the other end. That rich and homely vibe always had a way of calming down Rachel's nerves that most of the times she doesn't want to leave. " You can use the sofa later " a deep
Rachel looked at herself in the mirror one more time, she was wearing a black suit. Today was the first day with her new boss, and she wasn't sure that they would work together in harmony. A sigh escaped her lips as she adjusted her skirt that tightly hugged her curves. Rachel Estella tied her chestnut hair in a tight pony tail, she looked at her self one more time in the mirror then grabbed her hand bag and brief case before walking out of her apartment. It was a two bedroom apartment, with a large living room and a kitchen located on the seventh floor of the apartment building, it wasn't that cheap but it was enough for her and Sam whenever he was around. Rachel rode the elevator to the underground parking lot, then headed towards her car; she had forty minutes left to get to work or else she would be late. Sincerely Rachel didn't want to see Fred but she was still going to work, after all it was only because Sir Richard wished it so. It has been close to two years ever since th
"Good morning Sir, here is your schedule for today." Rachel Estella said in a loud dull voice right after she had walked in to the office. Fred leaned back in his office chair and looked at her, today she was wearing a trouser and a red suit with her hair pushed to her left shoulder. Her eyes were lowered to the notebook in her hands while her face showed all seriousness. His lingering gaze moved from the white heels she was wearing to the tight trousers that showed off her great curves up to her face, and yet, somehow his eyes made a shiver rush down her spine. The way he looked at her like he was willing to devour her with just a beckoning snap of her fingers made her shudder internally, Rachel was one hundred percent sure that she didn't like it. These two weeks are going to be the hardest, but she had promised Sir Richard that she would at least try to stay, and despite his son's habits Rachel was trying to drag it on for as long as she could hold on. "You have a meeting at ni
The blood spluttered over her face as she knelt beside her lifeless father with his head resting on her lap. Her tiny fearful eyes stared upwards. Her mother's face was contorted with pain as the Strigoi drank from her neck greedily. Blood gushed from the wound where the monster had plunged his hand through her stomach holding her in place."Run little sky. Run," her mother choked out with her last ounce of strength before her loving eyes turned blank. Her five ft six frame sagged in the Strigoi's hold and with a malignant laugh; he wrenched his arm out pulling guts along with the movement. Amelie's body fell without the support keeping her upright. Kalani's eyes followed as her mother's body crumbled to land over her father's body.She stared with wide blue and green eyes up at the monster with a bloodstained mouth. A mouth stained with her mother and father's blood. The Strigoi reached out with a sly smile and the small girl cringed away shaking her head. He lost his patience and in