FAYE"It's always a pleasure helping old friends, Joseph."My brain dulled down to a slow whir. After years of being called dumb by my father and his little family, I was finally considering that I really must be dumb.I stared stupidly at the both of them. Trying to make sense of what was going on.What the hell was going on here?A disgusting grin spread across my father's face as he nodded."In the future, I hope we can continue to work together, Joseph. And if you're ever in a bind," he paused, chuckling without a trace of humor, " reach out to me. I'll certainly help in any way that I can."I was work? "And the girl? What will you do with her?" He asked again, and I sagged like a limp noodle in my father's grip, my wails growing louder. He was supposed to save me. He was supposed to shield me from my father. That's what he promised me. "For the troubles, I'll have to punish her. Such willful disobedience and lack of respect are what I hate. She is everything I detest and abho

FAYEI drifted in and out of consciousness. My entire body burned with the pain. My ribs ached when I coughed. The blood had caked around my nose, making it harder to breathe. I lay in the little cell in the basement, the chill of the cold hard floor slowly seeping into my bones. I drifted off again. The next time I woke up, I saw I had received a bit of medical attention. My breathing harder because a bandage was wrapped tightly around my chest. The coppery taste of blood in my mouth abated. My ribs still ached. Maybe they didn't want me to die yet. Surely they'd make my death more painful. My eyelids slipped close, weighed down by exhaustion and pain. Something woke me up the third time. A dark presence looming over me. My eyes slid open. I blinked, getting used to the small sliver of light from under the doorway. I looked up at the shadow, staring right into the eyes of the man I loved.His hands hung carelessly over the bars holding me in, gaze dark and grim, he stared down at

NATHANI got out of the sedan we'd come in, walking with Lannon to the front doors of the club where we went to find more clues on Rhea was busy.The music blasting from the speakers shook the ground beneath our feet as I walked through the crowded space. The lights flickered across my face as I moved forward, paths clearing up infront of me as I made my way to the bar. Lannon right beside me. It was late, way past midnight, when people started getting together and getting drunk, which is why I was sure we'd finally get some answers. It had been three days since Rhea went missing. Tip after tip, we had worked at finding out where she was, or who took her. All of our efforts had proved to be in vain. This was our second time now returning to the club to ask around if anyone had heard any updates on Rhea or the witches. I let Lannon do the talking with the barman. We wanted to get into Phantasm, which operated underground, beneath the club. Since the bar was for the supernatural, it

FAYEIt was almost suffocating being surrounded by so many strangers, not to mention all the eyes on me. It made me squirm. I sat at the long and massive dining table looking forlorn and alone. The black saints' pack was really tight knit for them to have meals together.The thought ran through me as I sat at the space offered to me. I bit at my nails as anxiousness gripped me. Nathan had to be on his way here. How could I suffer through dinner time in the man's presence who'd broken my heart, seating and being expected to actually eat and swallow the food without choking on it?I looked at the plate settings on the table. Over twenty of them. The omegas of this pack sure had some work on their hands preparing all meals for the day.I badly wanted to ask questions about the pack hierarchy and order. I wanted to know what the norm was, but mostly I wanted to stay out of everyone's way. I knew that would be impossible once Nathan was around. And hence the cause of my fretting.There w

FAYEThey wanted me to fight a werewolf warrior. Me, a latent. They said it would bring out my wolf side. I knew nothing about fighting or anything, really. I hadn't even been in any fights with Erin, as I knew not to touch even a hair on her precious head. No matter how many times she'd pissed me off first or hit me in the face. I'd taken everything. I wanted badly to refuse, stubbornly drag my feet or remain rooted to the spot, but a part of me wanted to fight. I wanted my wolf, too. Wanted to see if it would stir in the face of danger.So I went and took off my clothes and put on the outfit from the gym bag. The gym pants were really just shorts, with a short tank top to match. I wore them. I tried to remember fighting techniques and maneuvers I'd seen in the movies from wrestling matches and pro boxing. When the time came for me to go to the arena, the silver-haired woman again nudged me forward. I could feel her steely strength just willing me to do something unexpected so she