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Chapter 181
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Violets and Ash Chapter 182
Violet’s P.O.V.I followed Hael up the winding staircase of polished marble, down the hall of stern looking portraits, to a door as plain as all the others in the house.Inside was a neatly made bed, an ordinary dresser, a tall mirror, and two doors I assumed led to the closet and bathroom. There was nothing that alluded to anyone having ever lived in here, which made it all the more surprising when Hael closed the door behind us and said, “This was my bedroom growing up.”I would’ve let my eyes roam the space, but there wasn’t much to look at. “Did he have it cleaned out when you left?”Hael shook his head, “No, it’s always looked like this.” Shadows danced in his eyes. “I don’t have good memories of this place. The basement was where he trained me. This bedroom was nothing more than a holding cell in between lessons.”Pain stole my breath away. Never would I be able to understand what Hael had gone through, and how irrevocably it changed him. I couldn’t help but wonder if like Mykel
Violets and Ash Chapter 183
Violet’s P.O.V.I could’ve spent the rest of the night in Hael’s arms, but fate had other plans.That being said, I couldn’t particularly complain when we opened the door to find Norma’s smiling face beaming up at us. There was a knowing glint in her eyes that I willfully ignored, and thankfully she didn’t feel the need to comment.“Norma, what are you doing here? I thought you’d be back at Sylvia’s.” I said, leaning against the doorframe. Hael appeared from the bathroom, dressed in clean, blood-free clothes.“Hah! You think I’d miss that one fightin’ his old man? Not a chance. Had to see for myself that you’re alright.” Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she scanned Hael’s form. “You good, kid?”Hael slithered up behind me. I didn’t need to turn to feel his presence lurking over my shoulder. Now that the bond was complete, it felt like a tether binding us together.“I’ve had worse injuries.” Norma’s lips fell at his confession.She grimaced, “And your arm?”Hael lifted the limb his
Violets and Ash Chapter 184
Violet’s P.O.V.I let Hael take the lead, my stomach a mess of knots that quickly began to rise in my throat.We walked through the doors, into the visitors center where a plethora of rounded tables sat. Marcel stood off to the side, tipping his head at the two of us. I paused to catch my breath when I saw her.Memories, so many memories, swirled in my head. The past rose up, a great tidal wave of emotion, slamming into me from behind. It was real—everything I remembered was real.She sat at one of the tables, her hands folded, and eyes locked somewhere in the distance. When we neared, she craned her head in our direction. My heart jolted, but it wasn’t me she locked eyes with.“Oh, Xavier! I was so worried about you.” With hurried movements, she rushed over to Hael. “What are you doing in a place like this.”A faraway look lived and breathed in her gaze, as though she too were swept away by memories. Trapped in the past, where only fragments of the present remained. She reached for H
Violets and Ash Chapter 185
Hael’s P.O.V.An hour had passed since I said goodbye to my father.Violet sat curled up on the sofa at my newly acquired house, wrapped in my arms where I knew she’d always be safe. A comfortable silence settled over us both. The kind of silence where words were no longer needed.As she stared into the flames licking up the brick walls of the fireplace, I thought about her earlier words, and the estate I had once called my home.The memories ran deep here, flowing through my veins like a poison designed to kill. Tonight I had taken the first step towards ridding myself of it, and I couldn’t help but wonder if demolishing this house would be the cure I needed.Amusement warmed my chest as I thought of all the things Violet might do should she have her own home to decorate and design. We’d have a state-of-the-art kitchen, packed with everything she could ever want or need.I’d listen from the shadows while she baked, humming to herself as she always did. While the cookies and cakes sat
Violets and Ash Chapter 186
Hael’s P.O.V.The corpse was dropped off at the local hospital around five in the morning. We grabbed a few coffees from the café Violet assaulted that fucker in and raced to the morgue. It was surreal, knowing the man with the pasty skin and glossy eyes had been Evelyn’s stalker.All of it felt a bit anti-climactic, but if this was what would bring Violet and her mother peace, then so be it. Still, doubts continued to plague my mind, refusing to be banished.Cole’s house was eerily silent, as it usually was. His father spent most of his time at the office, likely bending his secretary over the desk. The only time the man deigned to come home was when Arianna stirred up chaos.We walked into the kitchen to find Cole perched at the counter, eating a bowl of cereal. The box, with a cartoon vampire on its surface, sat off to the side. Violet paused; her eyes fixated on the milk dribbling from his lip. I swallowed a chuckle, reading between the lines of her exasperated grimace.“Cole, tha
Violets and Ash Chapter 187
Violet’s P.O.V.Days passed since Arianna, Cole’s twin sister, confirmed the worst.Lorenzo’s father was not Dominic, and that indescribable peace I’d been feeling had slipped through my fingers like freshly melted snow.Whoever claimed that time heals all, clearly wasn’t talking about fear, because I was as terrified as ever. To make matters worse, hours after speaking with Arianna we arrived back at Sylvia’s estate to find a letter resting on the pillow atop my bed.The red envelope was identical to the stack my mother had received over the years. Inside was a note—a note with two words that made my blood run cold.‘Always mine.’ It could’ve been there minutes, hours, or even days.After that, Hael gifted me a replacement necklace. The one that led him to the abandoned mall had been destroyed when I shifted. This one was of the same design, a padlock with the words my heart engraved in the metal. The only difference was that it was on a chord and not a chain. While it could be cut
Violets and Ash Chapter 188
Violet’s P.O.V.Dad stared Hael down for several seconds, grunting when he didn’t balk. “I’ll need a day or two to get my affairs in order and to gather a team of men. I hope you understand my need for added safety considering your father has hunted me relentlessly for many years.”“Any men you bring will be treated as honored guests.”Silence ensued, the seconds ticking away in the stagnant air. Dad cleared his throat, a sudden softness filling his eyes. “I look forward to meeting the man that’s stolen my daughter’s heart. Let’s hope you are worthy of it.”While I had the chance, I asked my Dad what he knew about that night. The night everything had gone to hell. I still had no inkling as to where the twins were or if they’d died in that house. The moment the words slid past my lips; I regretted them.Shadows fell over Dad’s face in a heavy shroud.“I’ll never forget that night for as long as I live. I’d been waiting for your Mom to call me for our monthly check in, but she never did
Violets and Ash Chapter 189
Violet’s P.O.V.What Holden had done those weeks ago was a mistake. I knew that, but I wasn’t going to make excuses for his behavior. He could’ve controlled himself, but he chose not to. I didn’t owe him forgiveness or even a drop of my time. I didn’t owe him anything.My confidence wavered slightly as we pulled up to the three-story colonial house. Olive’s flashy sports car sat out front, soaking up the afternoon sun.I quickly texted Olive letting her know I was here and settled into the seat as I waited. The minutes ticked by without a response or glimpse of Olive through the massive arched windows.This wasn’t the first time she’d gotten absorbed into her schoolwork. In fact, it was a common occurrence with her. As time continued to pass, I began thinking about what a coward I must look like avoiding Holden like the plague.Steeling my nerves, I pocketed my phone and told the driver I’d be hitching a ride with Olive.My fist didn’t so much as tremble as I knocked on the front door
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