LOGIN“Mortyss!” Evelyn ran to me, her face pale with concern. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”“I’m… fine.” I sat up, rubbing the back of my neck. “That was excellent.”“Excellent? You were thrown against a tree!”“I was thrown against a tree by a Lilim who is learning to control her power. That is excellent.” I held her face with both hands. “You are getting stronger, Little Star. Much stronger.”“But…”“No buts.” I kissed her forehead. “Again.”“You want me to throw you against another tree?”“I want you to try.” I stood up and shook the grass from my clothes. “This time, I’m prepared.”She hesitated, then smiled. That dangerous smile I knew so well.“You asked for it.”She closed her eyes, concentrated, and the wave came again. This time, I was ready. My own violet energy rose to meet it, and the two forces collided in the air like silent thunder. The grove shook. The leaves fell like rain.And Evelyn remained standing, her golden eyes shining, the power flowing from her in constant wave
We returned to our seats in the VIP area as if nothing had happened. Mortyss was tense beside me, his jaw clenched, his eyes still slightly violet under the brown disguise. His hand would not let go of mine.In the VIP box on the other side, Celeste waved cheerfully. I waved back, the rehearsed smile on my face. Victoria raised her glass, William was focused on the competition.They didn’t know. They couldn’t know.“Are you okay?” Mortyss asked, his voice low.“I am.” I squeezed his hand. “I’m just processing.”“Processing what?”“That even at a horseback riding competition, with your family a few meters away, there are still people who want to kill me.”“They’re not people. It’s the Council.” He paused. “And they wouldn’t kill you. They want your blood. Your power. You’re too valuable to be discarded.”“That’s not comforting.”“It wasn’t meant to be.”On the track, Eleanor finished her last lap. Apollo jumped the final obstacle with impressive grace, and the crowd exploded in applaus
“What are you going to do? Rip out everyone’s eyes?” I asked.“Only those who look for more than three seconds.”“That’s a potential massacre.”“It’s a screening.”I shook my head, still smiling. The horseback riding competition continued on the track. Eleanor was on her third lap, Apollo jumping the obstacles with a grace I hadn’t expected from such a large animal.Celeste, William and Victoria remained in the other VIP box, oblivious to the small jealousy drama that had unfolded on our side.“I need to go to the bathroom.” I announced, standing up.“I’ll go with you.”“Mortyss, it’s the bathroom. Five meters from here.”“Exactly. Five meters. Too far.”“Are you going to stand at the door?”“I am.”“You’re being terrible today.”“I’m being dedicated.” He stood up too, his hand finding mine. “Don’t argue. After the horse trainer, I’m not taking any chances.”“What do you think is going to happen? Another man offering me champagne in the women’s bathroom?”“I don’t know. But I’m not go
The breakfast was served in the informal dining room. A smaller, more intimate table where the family gathered when there were no guests. Celeste was radiant, serving pancakes and fresh fruit as if she were feeding an army.William read the newspaper — the paper kind, as always — and grumbled something about the stock market. Victoria had her tablet, but she set it aside occasionally to make sarcastic comments. Eleanor was already dressed in her horseback riding uniform, her blonde hair tied in a ponytail.“Evelyn, darling!” Celeste saw me enter and smiled. “Sit here, next to me. I saved the most golden pancakes for you.”“Thank you, Celeste.” Evelyn sat down, and I took the seat beside her.“And you, Christopher.” Celeste looked at me with an expression I knew well. “Did you sleep well?”“Very well, Mom.”“Good. Was your room in order?”“Perfect.”“And the sheets? Were they comfortable?”“Yes, Mom.”“And the pillow? Wasn’t it too high?”“The pillow was great.”“And…”“Celeste.” Willi
“What?” My voice came out weaker than I expected.Mortyss did not turn around. He remained with his back to me, his fingers still touching the astronomy trophy.“That morning. In the pocket dimension. You asked me where the real Christopher was, and I dodged the question. I said it was a story for another day.” He took a deep breath. “Today is that day.”“Mortyss…”“I lied to you.” He finally turned. His eyes were violet, the human disguise had vanished. There was something I rarely saw in his expression. Vulnerability. “I said he was on a retreat in Switzerland. Then I said he was in a trance. But he isn’t. He’s dead.”I sat on the edge of the bed, my legs suddenly weak.“Tell me everything.”He leaned against the desk, arms crossed, as if he needed a barrier between us.“I found him years ago. Christopher was twenty-five, had just inherited his grandfather’s fortune, and was on the roof of a building in Brooklyn. He was trying to find a reason not to kill himself. He hated the life
The family dinner arrived before I was ready.Not ready in terms of clothing — the dimension had provided a dark green strapless dress that matched my eyes. Or ready in terms of shoes — the low-heeled sandals were already on my feet, and simple jewelry completed the look, but as expensive as the others.I meant ready emotionally. Jess was still adapting to her new condition, and every minute away from her felt like a betrayal.“You’re dwelling.” Mortyss observed, adjusting the cuffs of his shirt in front of the mirror. He wore a dark gray blazer, his hair combed back, his eyes in the brown disguise. Christopher Rockefeller in his most polished form.“I’m not dwelling.”“Yes, you are. The bond doesn’t lie.” He turned to me. “Is it Jess?”“Of course it is. She’s still getting used to… everything. The blood, the fangs, the hunger. And I’m going to spend the night at a family dinner as if nothing is happening.”“You’re not going to a dinner as if nothing is happening. You’re going to a di
The silence of the office was my only true companion.The bookshelves that once brought me pleasure were now just decorative objects, silent witnesses to a man who once loved literature and now could barely read a paragraph without his mind wandering into the void.Dorian. I was still Dorian Caine,
I worked until the seventh month of pregnancy, serving coffee and cleaning tables with an enormous belly. Marge, who at first was just a boss, became a kind of impromptu godmother, bringing used baby clothes and snacks for nausea.“You’re too young to go through this alone,” she said once, while I
The white light of the hospital hurt my eyes. Or perhaps it was the fact that I was returning from the limbo, from the shadows where I drifted for endless days, without dreams, without memories, without pain.Dorian.My name came first. Then, the sensation of a strange body—numb arms, heavy legs, a
The sound of wood being broken echoed like a gunshot through the silent house. Male voices, firm and authoritative, shouted orders my mind couldn’t process.A flashlight beam cut through the gloom of the bedroom, illuminating Dorian’s body on the floor, the gun still wrapped around his lifeless fin







