(Salvatore's POV)Ever since I heard the news that one of my brother’s minions had captured a wolf in the city, I have been on edge. The chances of this being a different shifter from the one who has captivated me for weeks is slim. My brothers are desperate to play with their toy, unaware that I want to claim her as mine. I cannot let them find out my intentions for the wolf. I need to stay guarded until I can be sure she is the person I have been searching for, the one who can bring meaning to my empty existence.Thankfully, all of my brothers are currently away from our home. Dante is out building his army, and the others are out running our empire. Even though the country is in a semi state of lockdown, business for us and criminals like us is booming, and that means they are busier than ever. We may be immortal beings, but we still need money, and more than most people, because unlike mortal beings, we do not have a single lifetime. Over the centuries, our taste has become expens
(Quinn's POV) As my eyes flutter open, I am brought away from the serenity of my dream and into the reality of pain. Every bone in my body aches. As I pull my hand to my head to brush my hair away from my face, my fingers feel something cold and metallic around my neck. They fucking put a collar on me? I try to pull it off, and I am instantly hit with a jolt of electricity that courses through my body. I fall onto my back, my body shakes uncontrollably, and it feels like I have been hit by a Taser. I don’t know how long I am unable to move for, but when I eventually stop shaking, every muscle in my body aches, like I have had a hard session at the gym. I pull myself towards the wall and move into a sitting position, while I wait for the effects of the collar to fully wear off. As I look at my surroundings, I can’t help but feel deflated. The cold, hard floor and steel bars of the cell remind me of my old cage in the laundry room of the university halls. Unlike the old times, thou
(Quinn's POV)I have spent the past few days trying to adjust to my new life, but no matter how hard I try, I despise what I am becoming. The seven treat me like something they have stepped in. I am an inconvenience to some of them, and a punch bag for the rest. There is nothing I can seem to get right, and they took pleasure in making me learn from my so-called mistake. The only one that treats me differently is Salvatore, and he just ignores me. I can walk straight past him, without him noticing me. I feel invisible in his presence, and I hate it bothers me.Today is my worst day yet. When I am cleaning up blood from the floor, Dante kicks my dirty bucket over. He has quickly become the worst of my captors. I’m not sure why he is so mean to me, not that he needs a reason. It appears that he is trying to assert himself as the sole leader, but maybe that is just in my mind, because I am so used to pack mentality.As soon as I open my mouth, I know I should have stayed silent, and not
(Salvatore's POV) In the shadowy confines of the office, the weight of Quinn being here, and the eclipse, weighs heavily on my mind. Ever since my encounter with the shifter, and my admission that we share a connection, a burning desire has coursed through me, urging me to seek more moments alone with the wolf. To do this without repercussions from my brother, I would need to speak with Dante, and convince him of my intentions to interrogate her, in the hope of gaining an insight into the wolves' knowledge about the perpetual twilight. In order to speak with my brother, I would need to go to the casino. He is there almost twenty-four hours a day of late. As I approach the gambling lounge, the stench of blood mixed with alcohol invades my nostrils. I spot Dante sitting in the corner of the room, watching the room, alone. Taking the opportunity, I walk over to him. “Dante, I need to speak with you in private,” I state, my voice low, but my tone conveys a sense of urgency. He shoots
(Quinn's POV) The air in the mansion is heavy with secrets. Every floorboard inside the old building holds a story of a time long ago. It’s been hours since my conversation with Salvatore, but his words weigh heavy on my mind. Trusting a vampire seems like another one of my stupid ideas, and I have been making a lot of them recently. It’s like I enjoy playing stupid games with my life, but I don’t. I’m helpless and, as the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures. There is nothing more miserable than a lone wolf an outcast from the pack. Or at least that was what I thought until I was captured by a shifter’s mortal enemy... A clan of vampires. With the other members of the Seven preoccupied with whatever has been keeping them away from the living quarters, it feels like I can breathe a little easier. Despite the weight of the collar, that is still wrapped around my neck. The absence of their evil presence makes me feel like some of the darkness that has been weighing
(Salvatore's POV)We have been inside my study for hours. Having someone else in here with me feels strange. The fact that it is Quinn brings me a little comfort. I just hope the others don’t come home and realise she is not in her room. As we look at the text, Quinn’s concentration is commendable. She moves a stray hair away from her face, and frowns at the intricate drawings in the book. Every part of her face shows her determination. Her fingers trace something on the page, and she turns to me. “Salvatore, what is this?” she asks. I glance at her book. “I’m not sure, but I don’t think it relates to the perpetual twilight,” I reply. “Well, I’m sure I have seen it before. I just can’t remember where,” she frowns. “It’s not just a random mark, it’s a symbol of some sort.”I study the intricate lines, tracing the curves with my fingers. “You’re right, Quinn. There’s something precise about the design that’s more than just random lines.”Quinn gasps, “This could be the breakthrough we
(Quinn's POV)The metallic taste of blood assaults my tongue as I blink against the darkness. Flashbacks of Dante hitting me over and over, flickers, between my focus as the room gradually fades. I’m in so much pain, every breath sears through my body like a hot poker. Another brutal reminder of what he did to me. How he knew I had been upstairs, I don’t know. Maybe he smelt me, or maybe he was somehow watching the mansion while he was away.Pain. Darkness. Bedroom. Brutality, it’s a constant loop. I catch a glimpse of the room and notice the walls are a deep shade of blue. I wish I could keep my eyes open long enough to make sure I’m safe, but I’m fighting against my injuries and my body needs to heal. Eventually my surroundings come into focus, every inch of my body screams in pain. I try to sit up, but a sharp stabbing pain stops me. Every muscle in my body aches. I can sense Salvatore’s presence in the room, but I can’t see him from this position. But the fact he is here with me m
(Salvatore's POV)The air in my room hangs heavy with the weight of everything we are up against. I only left Quinn alone for a few minutes while I went to the study to get the book containing the mysterious symbol. When I return to my bedroom, Quinn is still staring at the painting, as she frantically tries to write each letter and number hidden within the artwork in the hopes of decoding the cryptic message. I carefully place the book on an ornate wooden table in the centre of my suite. Quinn’s body still bears the marks of my brother’s brutal assault, but despite her pain, her eyes remain fixed on the painting that holds the key to our salvation.Each of us has a task, and we are both determined to uncover our part of the mystery. We work in silence. The only sound in the room is a pen on paper, but in my heart a storm of rage and guilt churns. I know I am not the one who physically hurt Quinn, but I still feel responsible. If I hadn’t let her roam the mansion freely in their absen