The days passed in a series of repeating patterns for Bella. No matter how early she woke, Darian was already gone to do whatever it was that he did in the morning. When she felt like getting up, she headed downstairs, and there were almost always a few others in the kitchen. If it was Foster, Brendan, Jason, or Clara, she had company. If it was Clarence, they sat in less than companionable but mutually understanding silence. After breakfast, Bella would usually just hang out in the lounge area. Sometimes Sandrawould come in to sneak her homework in order to help her keep afloat in her courses just in case she survived her transformation. He would ask questions about her life at the Lodge, and she could tell he didn't understand her melancholic demeanor when she was clearly "living the dream." It was hard to keep him in the dark, especially now that she knew he hadn't been the one to enter her in the contest. Mostly, he just wanted to share school gossip th
Bella tried not to turn that pain into resentment toward Darian as he came to lead her back upstairs. His hand rested on the small of her back to steady her as he took her away from the man he no longer treated as a brother but rather as a prisoner. The basement door locked behind them, and she staggered."Do you need me to carry you?""No," she said as firmly as she could without being outright rude.He sighed. "What would you like for dinner?""Nothing. I'm not hungry."He spun her around and leaned down until they were face to face. "You have to eat something. You'll be too weak to complete the transformation if you don't."She jerked her arm away. "Fine. I'll just have what Victor is having." Darian stood up straight and watched her for a moment. He seemed to be summoning his patience. Looked like she was capable of draining even Darian's near-infinite reserves."I know you're incapable of seeing this right now, but he hurt you. He deserves a hell of a lo
"The way I'm is acting? And how exactly is that, Darian?" she demanded, standing. She planted her hands firmly on her hips and stared him down, willing herself not to give in to the shiver that was creeping up her spine. "Because all I see is you acting like a fuming child who's jealous that his older brother is getting more attention."Darian's fist clenched and for an instant she feared he really was going to hit her. Instead, he turned around and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his desk drawer. His fist enveloped the carton and he stalked out of the room. Against her better judgment, Bella followed him. The one time she had followed Jeff when he had stormed out of the apartment after an argument, she had ended up with a broken jaw. After that she learned that it was better just to cower and hide. It occurred to her that she could remember that now without the familiar hum of pain in her mind. Victor's efforts were working, just not fast enough.If there
Bella didn't care. Her fear of him was fading with every moment that passed. The moon's rays streaming through the trees were warm and encouraging. She just had to get Darian on board. "So let's go to the dungeon," Bella suggested. Her suggestion clearly took him by surprise. "Call me old-fashioned, but I don't want our first time to be in a playroom. Besides, you hate that stuff." Bella knew that telling him she'd come around to the idea of BDSM while he was gone wasn't going to help, so she tried a different tactic. She drew him in for another kiss and subtly wriggled out of his grasp just enough that she could break free.It worked. Bella darted past him and stopped to turn around, grinning at her poor, bewildered wolf. He watched her in confusion as she stepped backward down the slope of the hill the Lodge rested upon. She crooked her finger and gave him a playful look as she beckoned him. He shook his head in bewilderment, but he was grinnin
Bella sensed his mood growing sour again and knew she had to distract him. Kneeling down, she stripped off her last layer of clothing and cast it aside. "Now, about that proposition."He stared brazenly. He was still Darian, after all. She rested a hand on her hip and let him look his fill. Looked like her distraction was a resounding success."I'm not going to chase you, Bella," he said once he picked his jaw up off the ground. "Not a good idea.""Why not?""Because I'm a predator. We react to prey.""I'm prey?" He looked her up and down. "For now.""Hm. Kinky.""I'm serious, Bella. I wouldn't hurt you, but werewolves get aggressive around full moons, this one especially. In all the ways."Sounded promising. Bella held her hands up in surrender and walked backward slowly. "Fine, no chasing. On one condition.”He arched an eyebrow. "Condition?""Mhm. I'll be good and go back if you strip."He rolled his eyes. "I'm serious.""So am I." He hesitated. She co
Bella cried out in pain and dug her nails into the earth as he entered her. Darian gave the nape of her neck an apologetic nip and reminded her that the worst was over. His words were of little comfort, but the feeling of his solid body against hers as he settled on top of her helped ease the pain. His nails dug into her flesh, and he gripped her hips to keep her still as he began to thrust. With each movement came a fresh wave of agony, but the pain started to lessen over time. In its place came a strange, almost foreign sensation. Darian wasn't just hitting the pleasurable spot inside of her; he was grinding against it with his considerable girth. Bella was filled completely, and what had started out as pain turned into pleasure she had never even imagined. Her soft whimpers turned to moans, and her nails were digging into the earth for a completely different reason. His thrusts were outpaced only by her thundering heart, and he showed no si
Bella made a mental note to watch out for him. The idea of what conversations he might have overheard already was nauseating, so she forced her mind down a different road. Darian was clearly less than amused by Ulric’s dog comment. In fact, the two of them seemed to be engaged in a staring match, which wasn't helping his case. Bella was becoming aware enough of the strange insular culture within the Lodge to know better than to interfere. They would work it out amongst themselves. Intervening, whether to calm Darian down or come to his defense, would only humiliate him. Foster returned with the robe and towel not a moment too soon. "Thanks," Bella said to him with a smile, gratefully pulling the robe around her and tying the sash around her waist. "You're welcome!" He handed the towel to Darian and got barely a grunt of acknowledgment and a withering gaze. The poor guy slunk out of the room with his tail between his legs. Bella imagined it wo
In the beginning, there were two kingdoms that ruled the earth," Ulric began, his voice low as he read from the open volume in his hands. "The Kingdom of the Sun was ruled by the kings of man, while the Kingdom of the Moon was ruled by the creatures of the night. Werewolves and vampires were Her chief descendants, but there were countless others. Were-creatures of a variety of species, from the majestic lion to the smallest mouse, ghosts, banshees, even angels who had fallen from the highest ranks of the Kingdom of the Sun to conduct their business here on earth.“The creatures of the night lived a relatively separate existence from mankind for a time, until the inevitable union between the celestial Lord and Lady forced them to coexist. Although the children of the Sun were weaker and their lives shorter, they were the only children of their father, who held them in the highest regard. He took such great delight in them that he was content to look upon them long past the hour w