Life Before Damaged, Vol. 4 (The Ferro Family) (Life Before Damaged (The Ferro Family))
Author: H.M. Ward
Date: 2015-01-25 05:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Romance; New Adult; Adult Fiction; Erotica; Contemporary Romance
Description: BY NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR HM WARD Money. Power. Sex. Just stay away from Pete Ferro. How hard can that be? But every time I turn around the man is there with that beautiful face and those wicked lips. He pins me in place with eyes that are fifty shades of blue. I become someone else, a woman who feels alive and defiant. I'm sick of being what everyone else wants. There's a woman inside of me screaming to break free, and I know just how to release her from her bondage. Every inch of me is excited, all I have to do is follow through. Genre: New Adult Romance This story unfolds over mu
Publisher: H.M. WARD PRESS

VALEFAR VOL. 2

A DEMON KISSED NOVELLLA

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VALEFAR VOL. 2

H.M. WARD

Laree Bailey Press

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2012 by H. M. Ward. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form.

Laree Bailey Press, 4431 Loop 322, Abilene, TX 79602

Printed in the United States of America

Ward, H.M.

Valefar Vol. 2 / H.M. Ward—1sted.

Demon Kissed Series By H.M. Ward

DEMON KISSED

Cursed

Torn

Satan’s Stone

The 13th Prophecy

Valefar Vol. 1 & 2

Assassin: Fall of the Golden Valefar (Summer 2012)

More Series By H.M. Ward

Vampire Apocalypse: Bane

Twisted Tales

Thank you to all my wonderful fans
who can’t get enough of Collin Smith!

VALEFAR VOL. 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ONE

Nothing was the same after Collin realized he killed Ivy’s sister. He’d left her weeping, unable to cross the threshold of her home. There was no way to comfort her. Not that he should be allowed to do such a thing. After all, it was his fault. He was the one who caused this. The grief that filled his heart spilled over, consuming every aspect of his thoughts. He was the only Valefar to feel such a thing.

Collin left the school after giving Apryl’s picture to the office. The secretary tried to talk to him, saying, “You okay, hun?”

Collin wasn’t okay. He’d never be okay. Running his fingers through his dark hair, he pushed it away from his eyes. Collin smiled at the woman fondly, carefully controlling his voice to sound the way he needed, “Thank you, Silvia. I’m fine. Just surprised, that’s all.”

The woman reached under the counter, and grabbed a slip of paper. Collin watched as she clutched a pen with her tapered fingers. Her nails were bright pink with a palm tree on the index finger. She scrawled across the slip, and spoke as she wrote, “I shouldn’t have sent you there, hon. Let me just fill this out and you can take a longer lunch.” Her dark eyes caught his, and when she said long lunch she winked. She was writing him a pass to cut the rest of the day.

Smiling softly, Collin nodded at her. He’d left the school grounds after that and didn’t return for practice. He stayed away from the stage, though it soothed him. Collin wandered in the darkness, moving slowly through the park. The leaves rustled in the trees overhead. The moonlight was dim, barely casting a shadow on the ground. Collin sat on a picnic table, hands folded in his lap, staring at the lake in front of him, thinking.

Who he was and what he was couldn’t co-exist. The demon blood that flowed through his veins enslaved him to a life of cruelty and deceit. The soul that filled his heart, the tiny scrap of putrefied soul was enough to make him feel regret for his actions. The others, the evil creatures around him, felt no remorse for their kills. They didn’t sympathize with their victims, but Collin did. Try as he might, he couldn’t control the empathy that leaked from deep within his heart. Collin knew that his dual existence would be the end of him, and he wanted to fix it, but he didn’t know how.

That was when it happened. First, it appeared to be nothing—a tiny shadow on the lake—but the inky splotch grew. Its dark tendrils spilled over the surface of the water, like oil, dark and glistening. Slowly, Collin rose. His eyes grew wide as he watched. There had only been a handful of times that he’d seen this, and every time was worse than the last. When Collin tried to swallow back his apprehension, he couldn’t. His throat had become so tight that it felt like a rock was wedged half way down his neck. Taking a deep breath, he stiffened his resolve, knowing what would emerge from the bewitched lake.

As the waters swirled and shifted, they began to take shape. Three talloned fists stretched from the lake, water dripping off of them like great globs of tar. Sucking in a deep breath, Collin couldn’t wait anymore. He knew what would happen. Those inky fingers would wrap around him, nearly drowning him before he emerged in the Underworld, thrown at the foot of the Demon King. He was being summoned, and there was no way to escape.

Sucking in a deep breath, Collin steadied himself, and stepped toward the edge of the lake. He knew what he had to do. Before the inky darkness had a chance to fully manifest and turn into the horrific hands composed of the shadows of the dead, Collin stepped into the lake. Before he could take another step, the pitch black water swirled around his ankles and pulled him under. The air escaped from Collin’s lungs in a whoosh, as his body was yanked under the surface of the lake. A normal person would have screamed, but Collin kept his mouth shut. If you screamed while in the clutches of the shadows of the dead, it only fills you with more agony. He did it once. He opened his mouth and screamed. The inky darkness slithered into his mouth, consuming him, filling his entire body. It wasn’t the same as when he commanded the shadows. This was different. The only thing he could feel was their agony, their overwhelming pain and sorrow. The souls of the damned belonged to Kreturus, and he sent them—the souls with the most horrific pasts—to grab Collin. The demon knew Collin, unlike the other Valefar, could feel their pain. To say it was frightening didn’t convey how Collin felt. It was more than that. Terror made him more compliant, because no matter what happened to him, there was no way that Collin wanted to become one of those things that Kreturus sent to fetch him.

Deafening howls surrounded his ears as Collin was sucked into the Underworld. His body was surrounded by the liquid shadows, pulling him deeper and deeper into the bottom of Hell. When Collin thought he couldn’t take it for another second, he opened his lips to scream, knowing what would happen, but he couldn’t contain it any longer. At the same time his lips parted to scream, Collin was thrust head first into the ground. The cold shadows dissipated instantly, fleeing the creature that lurked in this cave.

Collin gasped, pushing himself off the ground, trying to breathe. He brushed himself off as he felt a tickle in his throat. A cough raked through his lungs as he tried to expel the sensation that was choking him, but it only increased until it felt like scaled fingers pressing into the smooth skin on his neck. His blue eyes widened, as he was slammed back into the wall of the cave. Red eyes materialized in front of him. The scaled fingers didn’t release the boy.

Instead, they tightened, threatening to slice through his neck and spill his blood on the cavern floor. A voice hissed in his ear, “The girl you brought me isn’t the right one!”

Collin’s fingers were wrapped around the sharp talons, trying to force them away from his neck. He only received a fist full of blood when the razor sharp claws ripped open his hands. He could feel them pressing deeper into his skin, and the warm ribbons of blood sliding down neck. He gasped, trying to speak. The worst part of this torture was that there was no end. Kreturus could torment him like this, slicing his neck open, waiting for it to heal and doing it again forever. The wounds would not kill Collin, but they caused enough pain to make him wish they would.

The demon lightened his hold on Collin’s neck, and the boy sucked in air, saying, “That can’t be. The Martis were tracking her. I killed one of their own and he led us directly to her. She was surrounded by them. They were ready to take her, Master. But we acted first.” The hold on his throat loosened and Collin fell to the ground. His body heaved, unable to suck in air fast enough to cool the burn of his lungs. “She has to be the right one.”

Kreturus’ form vanished when he released Collin. The demon didn’t disappear as a new Valefar might think. He was still there, hidden in plain sight. The shadows were viscous, thick with his presence. His voice wafted around Collin, filling his head, “Her blood did not work. Explain to me why that would be, if she were the right girl!” The words were snapped at him, making his blood run cold. A mistake of this magnitude, bringing the demon the wrong girl, was unforgivable. Collin’s stomach clenched as dread filled him. He’d be tormented for eternity for this. But he was certain Apryl was the Prophecy One. The Martis were acting like it and he didn’t think they fooled him.

Collin shook his head, “It’s the right girl. I tortured a Martis and took his life. It was one that was high up, near the Vatican. And they can’t lie.” His hands rubbed his throat, smearing the blood that was oozing from the blood-filled linear lashes on his neck. Guilt swam in his stomach, as a thought appeared in his mind. Suddenly, Collin had a very good idea why her blood wasn’t working, but he locked his jaw.

Kreturus sensed the movement, the tiny defiance. He laughed, making Collin’s spine stiffen more. “Foolish boy. Will you make me extract the thought from your mind? Do you really think silence will stop me from learning what you know?”

Collin’s heart thundered against his ribs, but he didn’t speak.  Before he knew what was happening, the shadows—thick and oozing—engulfed him. They ascended though his nose, and when he opened his lips they acted as if they were air, being breathed in gently. Collin wanted to choke, and expel the shadows from within him, and remove Kreturus from his body, but he couldn’t. They held him still, moving through his mind, replaying the last memories. That was when Collin realized what would happen. Kreturus would see his affection for Ivy. He’d see how much she meant to him. He had to push him out. The decision was made.

The words spilled out of his mouth, “The girl’s blood and yours need to combine. The prophecy says the two rise as one. It’s an ancient saying that infers marriage, a ceremony of blood and oaths.” He felt the invasion that was prying apart his mind cease. As he continued to speak the shadows retreated. It felt like barbs were stripped from his throat, and he winced, swallowing hard once they were gone.

Kreturus shifted his shape, appearing in front of him in his true form. The demon towered over Collin in his magnificently terrifying way. His black scales gleamed. The reds of his eyes burned like rubies tossed into a fire. A wicked smile spread across his fanged face. “Ensure she’s a Valefar. Make certain that there is no scrap of soul left to save her. I’ll progress with the ceremony, which will only work if she’s the right one. If you are wrong, Master Smith, the penalty will be more than you can bear.”

Collin didn’t back away. He stared the demon in the eye. “I’m not wrong. She’s the right girl. My sources were accurate.”

The demon turned, reaching high behind him. His razor-sharp claws extracted a lifeless form from the ledge. Apryl. She was unconscious, barely breathing. Collin felt his chest constrict. It felt like he was being crushed, but it wasn’t the demon doing it. The sensation was brought on by guilt. Not only did he order the girl’s death, but now he was going to enslave her, binding her to the most powerful demon that ever lived. He’d never be able to look at Ivy again. But doing this, would protect Ivy. There was nothing he could do to help Apryl. She was already dead. There was no way to reverse that, and ease Ivy’s pain.

Kreturus lowered the girl onto the ground in front of Collin. She lay on her side at his feet. The demon watched him closely, and Collin knew he suspected something. So he did what he had to, and took Apryl’s battered body in his arms and kissed her. He showed no compassion, searching for any shards of her soul that might have been left inside her body. Kreturus watched as Collin confirmed the girl was a Valefar. He watched the kiss and the blood exchange, eager for her to awaken. When Collin was done, he lowered the girl to the ground gently, as he stared at her face, which looked so much like Ivy’s. “It’s done,” he said.

CHAPTER TWO

Collin pushed away the thoughts of what he’d done while he was in the Underworld. He blocked out Kreturus and his threats. Apryl was the Prophecy One. With her power, Kreturus could do anything. And the demon was ambitious. Kreturus wanted to finish what he’d already started, and no one was aware that the old demon was using Collin to work his plan. Collin hated being at the center of it, but he had no choice. This time when the demon attacked the angels, the element of surprise would be on his side. Kreturus would slaughter the angels before they had any inkling that he was free. Apryl’s power would allow him to do just that, which was why the Martis were hell-bent on finding the girl first—but they didn’t. He did. And Collin did as the blood bargain commanded.

Pushing his dark hair away from his eyes, Collin walked down the hallway to his locker. Girls trailed at his heels, chattering about stuff that didn’t matter to him. Reaching for his locker, the girls following him stopped and waited. Each one watched him. He could feel their eyes moving over his back, sliding over his form. Collin was used to it, and ignored them. As Collin collected his things, he noticed that the size of the crowd had grown to include a few more guys that Collin knew. He nodded at them briefly, but he was preoccupied with his thoughts.

It was only a matter of time until the floodgates of Hell burst open and the world these people knew would be filled with creatures that only lurked in the darkest of nightmares. Collin knew that world all too well.

His blue eyes were stormy as he glanced across the hall at her locker. Ivy wasn’t there, standing in front of her messy locker that was overflowing with scattered books and papers. The pit of his stomach dropped. He had hoped to see her. He wanted to see her. He kept telling himself that she would be all right. This was Ivy, not some weak mortal who fell apart over every little thing, but in the back of his mind Collin knew he was lying to himself. She would be devastated. Her broken heart bled across her face the last time he’d seen her.

Collin clenched his jaw as he slammed his locker shut. It was his fault, and there was no way to fix it. His gut twisted into knots when he thought about standing there, commanding that they slaughter Apryl—Ivy’s only sister—and the demon kiss that followed. Twice. Several days passed while he was in the Underworld. Since he returned, he realized the danger he put Ivy in by spending time with her, so he stayed away. Collin tore his gaze from the metal wall of locker doors and turned, walking straight into Nicole.

She lifted her hand, and rumpled his hair. Her red lips grinned, evilly. Nicole was wearing a sleeveless white shirt that clung to her body, making her look as sinful as she was. Her golden hair fell down her back in long waves. Her body was perfection, one smooth curve flowing into another. A dark skirt swung at her knees as she walked, her thigh high boot heels echoing off the floor. Collin didn’t shake her off, though he wanted to.

Nicole slid a smooth, bare arm around his neck and leaned into him, “You’re back, I see. So, it’s only a matter of time now.” His gaze remained slanted toward the floor. Nicole arched an eyebrow at him. “What’s with you? Ever since it happened, you’ve been...” she paused, searching for the right word, “somber. It’s not like you knew the girl and had to fork her over,” she snapped.

Silently, Collin agreed. What he did was horrible. He hurt the only person he really cared about, but there was something worse—one thing that would have destroyed him to do—but Collin didn’t need to think about that. Ivy wasn’t the one Kreturus wanted. It was her sister. And it was done.

Collin turned to her, pulling Nicole into an embrace. He wanted to throw her off the trail she’d latched onto. Realizing that his affection for Ivy would make Nicole more dangerous than she already was. With Nicole wrapped around him, no one gave Ivy a second thought, especially Nicole. He smiled at her, saying, “There’s a party later tonight. Come with me. It’ll be like old times.” The expression in his eyes made her suck in a breath. It promised her everything she wanted from him.

The wicked girl smiled at him coyly, leaning close to his ear she whispered, “Wouldn’t miss it.” Her warm breath slid against his skin. Collin closed his eyes for a moment. In that second, Nicole stepped away and spun on her heel. When he lifted his gaze, his eyes landed on the twirl of her skirt as she spun. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled as she walked away, swaying her hips like a goddess.

Nate, one of the guys that was in plays with Collin, stepped forward, admiring the view as the girl sauntered down the hallway. Nate stood shoulder to shoulder with Collin, his hair was long on top and cropped closer to his head on bottom. He folded his arms, mirroring Collin, as he watched Nicole walk away. “Only you could catch that one, Smith.” He laughed appreciatively.

Collin grinned at Nate, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah, only I’d be stupid enough to try.”

CHAPTER THREE

The bell rang and everyone scattered. Collin didn’t run to his next class. Instead he turned back when no one was looking and pulled opened the auditorium door. He needed to be alone. Walking through the dark space, he navigated the narrow aisles and wandered backstage until he found the metal door leading to the basement. It scraped opened as he pulled it hard, and Collin descended the stairs in darkness. When he stepped onto the lower landing he heard a sound—the scuffing of feet followed by a deep sigh. His heart lurched when he realized the person he was trying to avoid was in his favorite spot. There she was, sitting in his seat on the old leather couch with her Chuck-clad feet kicked out in front of her, propped up on the table. Solid black jeans coupled with the black tee shirt made her skin appear to be perfect porcelain—pale and smooth. Long dark curls were draped over the back of the couch, leaving her slender throat exposed. Ivy’s head was tilted back, as she stared up into the darkness.

Collin flicked on the light. Ivy normally would have jumped. She startled easily, but this time she didn’t move. She just turned her gaze toward him slowly, as if she was half asleep. Her big brown eyes blinked, adjusting to the light. Her voice was soft, “Where’ve you been?” Her gaze locked with his, but the only thing she felt was grief.

Never taking his eyes off of hers he answered, “Away. There was something I had to do.” Collin walked toward her while he spoke, until he came to the table where Ivy’s feet were perched. He stopped, glanced at her feet. Conflicting thoughts flew through his mind. He should leave. There shouldn’t be any more contact with this girl. His infatuation with her would kill her. She wasn’t part of his world, and he didn’t want her to be. The life of a Valefar was devastating, but he couldn’t find it in him to turn away. Collin saw the hollow expression in her eyes and desperately wanted to see it replaced with laughter. He turned, glancing at the stairs. When he looked back at her, Ivy seemed so...

Screw it. He couldn’t leave her like this. He moved toward the girl, apprehension gone, and before she could retract her legs so he could pass, Collin straddled them. He sat down on the table, facing her and lifted her feet onto his lap. The touch soothed her slightly. The tension that lined Ivy’s shoulders eased, as she sank back further into the couch, slouching.

Her dark curls had fallen forward and were hiding her face, so he couldn’t see her red, puffy eyes. She lowered her gaze, staring at her feet while she spoke, “Ah, that explains a lot,” she replied sarcastically as he took her feet. Then her brown eyes met his. “Always cryptic, aren’t we Mr. Smith?”

The corner of his mouth twitched. He almost smiled, but there was something about her that kept him from doing so. She seemed completely crushed. It was as if the life had been drained from her body. He pulled on her feet, trying to get her to sit up, or push her hair out of her eyes, but Ivy didn’t move. There was a span of silence before he asked, “How long have you been sitting down here?”

She shrugged. “Mom said I couldn’t have any more absences. I stayed home two days and that was it. Since then, I’ve been sitting down here, away from people.” Collin’s gaze shifted to the spot next to the couch. Ivy’s backpack was on the floor, still bulging with books. She never went to her locker.

“If you didn’t go to homeroom, they didn’t mark down that you were here.” He started to say something else, but Ivy interrupted.

“I stuck my head in and waved at Tanner before I came down here. He can’t mark me absent. I just get straight cuts all day.” She sounded like she didn’t care. “I’ll sit in detention next week... Or get suspended, but I don’t think they’d do that. Nobody shows up for class two days after a funeral.” Her voice was hollow, her gaze vacant.

Collin stared at her, trying to see her hidden eyes. She was worse than he thought. Without a word, he stood and yanked her ankles up with him, as he rose.

Ivy squealed as she started to slide off the couch. “Smith, you ass! Let go!” Her tangled mess of curls fell away from her face. Her head slid down the back of the couch as he pulled her legs up, yanking her off the seat.

Collin spoke over her, “Since you’re cutting anyway, let’s get out of this dark hole in the ground and go somewhere else.” Ivy tried to kick him, but he held her ankles too tightly. He released her feet as her back was about to fall off the bottom cushion and crash into the floor. Her legs fell with a THUMP.

Ivy slid forward as her legs slammed down, and fell on the floor, butt first. An oof noise rushed between her lips before she could look up at him. He expected her to glare, but she didn’t. She looked down, allowing her hair to hide her face and folded her arms over her chest. “You go. I don’t feel like it.”

Collin crouched down, lowering his gaze until she looked up at him through her curls. His lips twisted into a smile, “It’s not optional, Taylor. You need some sunshine.” She rolled her eyes, but before she could say anything, Collin reached for her. Caught off guard, she didn’t know what he was doing. Ivy felt his hand slide around her waist and before she knew it, Collin was thrusting her over his shoulder and standing up.

She screamed, arms flailing, “Put me down!”

He laughed, “Yeah, that’s not gonna happen.” Ivy’s palm smashed into his face as her arms flew every which way. He finally grabbed her wrists to keep from getting punched in the face again, as he moved to the stairs that were across from them on the side of the basement.

Ivy went still, seeing where he was headed. He could feel the tension building in her body as her muscles flexed, trying to break free from his grip. “Don’t you dare, Collin. Put me down!”

He stopped suddenly, and flipped her so fast that she thought she was going to fall. Ivy rapidly went from being wrapped around his shoulders to being cradled in his arms. Collin looked down at her. “We’re going outside, Ivy. Will you be walking, or will I be carrying you?”

As he spoke, she watched his lips moving slowly, asking gently. Ivy didn’t blink or shirk off his touch. Her gaze remained locked on his for too long, but neither of them looked away. Collin could feel the curves of her body in his arms, the way that she fit perfectly against him. Every muscle in his body was corded tight, waiting for her answer.

Her soft, pink lips finally parted as she looked away from him, “I’ll walk. If it means that much to you, I’ll come.” He smiled softly at her, and gently placed her feet on the floor. Ivy straightened her shirt, and smoothed her hair back over her eyes, before she turned toward Collin and punched him in the arm. A weak smile lined her lips as she looked up at him. “You’re such an ass,” she laughed and stepped in front of him, and pushed opened the exterior door.

In that second, Collin got exactly what he wanted for her – a smile.

CHAPTER FOUR

Collin’s throat was tight as he looked at her. Ivy walked next to him on the sand. Whenever the wind blew, her hair would lift off her face and he’d see just how miserable she was. He wanted to comfort her, but wasn’t sure how.

“What’s with you and Field 5?” she asked suddenly. Ivy turned and looked up at him for a second. The wind whipped Collin’s hair in a million directions. She looked at his sapphire eyes for a moment, before returning her gaze to the place where the sand met the sea.

He laughed, “I could ask you the same thing.” They’d driven to Robert Moses, a beach not too far from the school. Living on Long Island, there was always water or a beach nearby, but they both seemed to choose this one, and this spot—Field 5.

She smiled softly, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Yeah, you could. I like this one because it’s usually empty. Especially now, when summer’s over and everyone is at work. I could sit here all day and watch the waves crash into the sand. There’s something about the water—the sea. It’s so vast, and endless. People say it makes them feel small, like a speck in the universe.”

“And you?” he asked, prodding the rest of the thought from her.

She shrugged, never looking at him, keeping her gaze on the waves. She stopped walking and sat down on a sand dune, burying her toes in the tiny grains. Her brown eyes remained fixed on the sea as Collin sat down next to her. “It’s comforting. The sea is steady, never ceasing, always moving. It gives life and takes life.” She blinked and turned her pale face toward him. “I can’t explain it.”

His eyes trailed over her face, resting on her eyes. They were filled with turmoil and heartbreak. The wind whipped her hair, sending her curls flying. When the gust softened, one curl clung to her lips. Collin reached his hand up slowly, took the dark tendril, brushing against her mouth as he did so, and tucked it behind her ear. Ivy watched him, but didn’t speak. Her hands were draped over her knees, carefully watching Collin’s hand until the curl was secured behind her ear. Ivy said nothing, until she blinked, looking away. After a deep breath of sea air, she stretched, reaching her hands over her head and arching her back. Her eyes closed as she exhaled. Then, without warning, Ivy fell back on the sand, her hair spreading around her like a puddle of spilled ink. She breathed deeply, her eyes tracking the clouds sliding across the sky.

Collin watched her for a moment. The curve of her neck and the rise of her breast as air filled her lungs. Her dark shirt clung to her body showing off curves that were normally hidden. Ivy turned her head and looked at him, noticing his eyes on her waist. She said nothing, just patted the sand next to her, and he leaned back.

“What are we looking at?” he asked.

“Nothing.
Nothing at all. And it’s perfect.” Her dark gaze turned to meet his. “Thanks. I needed this.” She took his hand, squeezing it in his for a second before she released him.

“Any time, Ivy. Any time...”

CHAPTER FIVE

The memory of the beach and the scent of the salt water clung to him for the rest of the day. Collin knew that he should have left her alone. As soon as he realized that it was her sitting in the basement of the school, he should have bounded up the stairs and not looked back. But, when it came time to make that choice, he couldn’t. Now he regretted it. The turmoil within Ivy was so devastating that he couldn’t leave her alone. He kept telling himself that she would be fine. People dealt with loss all the time. Death was part of life, she’d get over it. So they parted after the beach, even though he didn’t want to.

Now it was time for more deception. Nicole was suspicious, and he had to make sure she didn’t sniff out his weakness. He cursed himself for getting attached to Ivy. He wasn’t even sure when it happened. It didn’t matter. It was too late now. The best thing he could do was act like Ivy was another notch in his belt, another pretty face to have in his bed.

Tugging on a black shirt, he slid it over his body and smoothed it out. Collin looked in the mirror, running his fingers through his dark hair. His eyes were bright blue, gleaming like topaz. Damn. It was from thinking of Ivy. His eyes were a window to his soul, literally. When he was enraged they turned deep red, as if they were bleeding. When he was happy, they were light like this. It was something to do with having his soul shoved back inside of him. Collin had to control it better. He found that he was constantly acting, forcing his body to comply with his mind. Reaching for a dark blue blazer, he swung it around his shoulders, sliding into it. The dark color made his eyes appear darker. Good. He reached for the ruby ring on his dresser, and placed it on his finger, before heading out the door.

As he headed to the party, Collin thought of what he promised Nicole. He wasn’t sure if he could do it. Feeding was necessary, but he hated doing it. Feeding with her sounded as appealing as getting skinned. He didn’t want to, but he knew it would be enough to distract her from Ivy for a while. It was what the Valefar girl wanted—him.

As Collin approached the waterfront house, he could hear the base beat thumping. Cars and kids were everywhere. He wove his way through the throngs of people and found Nicole as soon as he walked through the door. She was dancing, pinning her curvaceous body up against some fool she probably planned on draining. The expression on his face said he had no idea his minutes were marked. And the way he was groping Nicole, sliding his hands up and down her body while they danced, made Collin think he deserved it. A guy that treated a girl like a piece of meat was trash. Collin watched them for a moment, Nicole dancing, swaying her body, moving hypnotically, luring the guys watching her. Collin couldn’t take it anymore. He rolled his eyes, annoyed, wondering how many guys she planned to suck dry that night.

Collin stood across from Nicole, behind the guy dancing with her. “Beat it, kid.” His voice was low, threatening.

Nicole stood still. A smile seeped across her red lips as she acted like she was caught doing something wrong. Collin shouldered past the boy, and took Nicole in his arms, yanking her body against his. She gasped, her golden hair falling over her shoulders. Wicked girl, he thought. Nicole liked to play and tease men senseless. Collin hated that about her. The guy sulked away, not realizing his life expectancy just jumped several decades. Collin ignored him, turning his gaze to Nicole. She wore red fuck-me heels that put her nose at exactly the same height as his. She watched him for a moment, waiting to see what he would do.

“Dance with me, Niki,” Collin purred into her ear.  She threaded her hands around Collin’s neck and leaned closer to him, feeling his body against hers, and started dancing again. Her red dress clung to her body, revealing every curve. As she swayed, he noticed how low her neckline was and how much he could see. Collin knew Nicole was an adept seductress, and learned her tricks long ago. Now, they tended to irritate him.

A thought jumped up in his mind—a comparison really—before he could chase it away. Ivy’s innocence compared to Nicole’s sultry nature. Ivy barely seemed aware of what her body did to him. She made no notice of her curves, and didn’t seem to realize she could use them to ensnare him. Startled by the path of his thoughts, he blinked hard, pulling Nicole tighter to him. Collin had to stop wishing for things he couldn’t have. This was his life.

Nicole shattered his thoughts, sliding her curves against him, softly, teasing. Collin looked at her, unaffected. She smiled at him, “You smell like the beach, Valefar. What on earth have you been doing today?” A wicked smile spread across her red lips, “Or should I ask who have you been doing today?” She laughed. She thought he was the same man he was a century ago. She had no idea. His lips smirked like he found her amusing, though he did not. She pressed her body against his, and he could feel every inch of her through that skin-tight, red dress she was wearing, but his mind was elsewhere.

He couldn’t stop thinking about Ivy, and Nicole mentioning the beach only made the thoughts renew in his mind. Desire coursed through him. There was nothing he wanted more than to feel Ivy against him like this, wanting him. As he watched her lying in the sand earlier that day, seeing the sunlight touching her soft skin, he wished he could caress her like that. The thoughts hadn’t formed into words, but he realized it now. When Ivy laid next to him on the sand earlier, he wanted to run his finger across her lips and pull her onto his chest. He wanted to feel her against him, and know she was safe. Collin nearly choked when he realized the extent of his feelings. Worry creased his brow as an unwanted thought crushed into his mind.

Do I love, Ivy? he wondered. Valefar can’t love. That’s not possible. And yet, Collin hadn’t felt like this since he was turned. No. It wasn’t possible. Soulless creatures, can’t love, but a voice in the back of his mind said that he was no longer the same as the evil creature he held in his arms.

As if she sensed Collin was thinking about another girl, Nicole pressed herself tightly against him, and kissed him deeply. Her long nails scraped across his face, getting knotted in his hair as she pulled him to her. She tasted like sin, sweet and seductive. His arms wrapped around her, fighting the urge to push her away. This was necessary. He had to do it. When Nicole was jealous, she could make a man forget to breathe. And she was so jealous. He felt every curve of her body, as his hands slid lower, cupping her butt.

The music blared on, pounding loudly inside his head. The room was stiflingly hot and having Nicole in his arms made him hotter. Nicole pulled away from his lips, gasping for air as she leaned in to kiss his neck. Collin continued to dance with her as she kissed him. Her thin fingers reached below his jacket, lifting the hem of his dark shirt, as she ran her hands over his flat stomach.

Other couples around them were doing the same thing, or more. This wasn’t the kind of party for people who wanted to dance and go home. It was filled with drugs, sex, and smoke. The good girls avoided parties like this. The daring girls, the shy ones who showed up to see what it was like, were instantly labeled sluts for the rest of their high school lives. It wasn’t fair, but it wasn’t meant to be. Sex was a drug as much as anything else. It was intoxicating, and easily addictive. The rich kids that held these parties had no parents around to stop them. It was the perfect place to get lost and relax with people as fucked-up as he was. At least that was what Collin told himself. Anyone who willingly ventured into a place like this was saying good-bye to one life, and embracing another.

Nicole’s kisses trailed down Collin’s neck, across his chest, and now she was pressing her lips to the other side, forcing him to look the other way. Collin complied, forcing himself to relax in her arms. Nicole couldn’t hurt him, and fucking her might help clear his head. There was no way he should have a relationship with a mortal. What the hell was he thinking?

Collin’s eyes flicked to the darker corners of the room, looking for a place for the two of them, when he spotted Ivy. He froze, not believing what he was seeing. Ivy was sitting on some guy’s lap, dressed in a tiny top that barely covered her mid-drift and a short skirt that revealed long smooth legs. Her dark hair fell down her back, and was completely smooth. Collin almost didn’t recognize her. Between the clothes, the hair, the guy with his tongue down her throat, and his hand under her shirt she was nearly unrecognizable.

When Collin saw Ivy, he straightened and Nicole stopped dancing. She turned, looking to see what shocked him and laughed, “Oh, the nerd. Who knew, right?” Nicole leaned in, pressing her swollen lips to his ear, kissing him gently and said, “Total slut.”

Collin stared at Ivy, watching another guy do what he couldn’t do—what he wanted to do. For a moment he thought she seemed happy. There was no sadness in her eyes. She looked at the guy in a way that made his lungs feel like they’d been crushed. Collin started moving again, dancing slowly with Nicole, but he couldn’t look away from Ivy. He’d been sitting next to her less than three hours ago. She was demure, the epitome of shyness.

Collin finally asked Nicole, “Who’s the guy?”

Nicole stopped, irritated and looked up at him. She kept her arms linked around his waist. A dark gold eyebrow arched. “Does she smell like the beach, too? Awh, poor Collin.” Nicole laughed. “Little Miss Thang has been felt up by a different guy every night this week. Her standards seem a little lacking, if you ask me, but then she is kind of plain.” Nicole watched his face as Collin stared past the beautiful woman in his arms and at Ivy. Nicole’s voice darkened, as if she realized something. “Did you have sex with her? Is that why you’re staring like that?”

But Collin didn’t hear her. He stood transfixed, watching the girl he thought he knew melt away. Ivy kissed the guy so hard, it looked like she thought she’d die if she stopped. His hand remained under her shirt, grasping her under her thin top. Collin couldn’t stand it. He was about to walk out, and leave Nicole standing there without another thought when he saw something. The guy’s other hand inched higher, moving between Ivy’s legs, creeping up beneath her skirt. Collin froze. He didn’t want to see this, but part of him wanted to know if she’d let the guy do it. Her skirt was so short, there wasn’t far for his hand to go before he’d touch her there.

Ivy broke the kiss, sucking in air, seemingly shocked. Collin could heard her say, “No, don’t.” But the guy didn’t stop. He pressed his hand higher under the hem of her skirt. Ivy tried to squirm away from him, but he held her down, wrapping his other arm around her, keeping her on his lap. He whispered in her ear, kissing her neck. Collin could see Ivy’s spine straighten. She started to relax again, but when the guy’s hand moved she yelled, “STOP!” She tried to squirm out of his arms.

The music was blaring so loud that no one else noticed. Collin shoved Nicole aside, and was across the room in the blink of an eye. He moved so fast that one moment he was with Nicole, the next he had his hands around the guy’s throat. Ivy gasped when she recognized Collin and realized what he was doing. Collin took the guy by the neck, after pulling Ivy off his lap, and growled, “She said no.” He tossed him back like he was nothing. The boy’s back hit the wall, as he staggered, too drunk to stand up.

Ivy clung to Collin’s arm, trying to hold herself up. He turned and looked down at her. “You’re drunk. Shit, Ivy.” The music pulsated around them. Before Nicole could get to him, Collin dragged Ivy outside. She shivered as they moved from the warm house to the chilly evening air.

She clung to his arm, barely able to stand. She smiled at him, “What are you doing here? I’ve never seen you at one of these before.” By one of these she meant a drug, beer, and sex infested rave.

His blue eyes were dangerously dark. He stared at her face. Collin shook his head, not answering her question. These were the perfect kind of parties to feed at. There were so many drugs and alcohol that no one suspected him or Nicole of anything. It simply looked like the person overdosed and died. No one would even begin to think that the death was from having their soul extracted from their body. Collin hated places like this, but Nicole... he had to get her off his back. He had to hide his feelings for Ivy, and rushing across a crowded room and leaving Nicole in the dust wasn’t the way to do it.

“Fuck,” he growled, anger flowing thickly from his tense body. He snapped at Ivy, “How long have you been coming to these?”

She shrugged. “What’s it matter? What does anything matter anymore? One day you’re here, and the next you’re not. There’s no point.” Her pupils were wide, orbs of solid black nearly drowning out all the brown.

He pushed her hair out of her face, and held her cheeks in his hands. Ivy blinked slowly at him. “Did you take something?” When he first approached her, Collin thought she was drunk, but now he didn’t now. She seemed more doped up than anything else. “Ivy, what’d you take?”

She smiled softly at him, her fingers wrapping around his strong wrists, “Nothing. I didn’t take anything. That boy gave me a beer, that’s all. I’ve been with him all night.” Collin released her face, clutching her shoulders so she wouldn’t fall over. She could see the anger seep into his eyes. Collin fought hard to remain in control. He was seething, nearly shaking with rage, but if his eyes rimmed scarlet now... He blinked once, hard, and then looked back at Ivy.

She had started speaking in that slow, easy way that was the tell-tale sign that she was drugged. She shook her head again slowly. A lazy smile spread across her lips and she giggled. “They offered me some, but I said no. I swear, Collin. Don’t be mad.”

He arched an eyebrow at her. Collin wasn’t mad at her, but he didn’t like this. He knew he couldn’t protect her from everything, but this seemed preventable and it pissed him off. “Someone slipped you something. Ivy, never eat or drink anything at one of these parties unless you opened it yourself.” He looked down into her face. Her eyes were transfixed on his lips. His stomach clenched. Why couldn’t she look at me like that when she was sober? “Come on, I’ll take you home.”

CHAPTER SIX

Collin walked Ivy to the backdoor of her house. She fumbled in her purse looking for keys that she didn’t seem to have. Collin looked at the windows in the darkened home. “Where’s your mom?”

Ivy glanced up at him, the trace of a faint smile fading from her lips. She blinked slowly at him, and took way too long to answer such a simple question. “Not here. She works nights. It’s just me.” Ivy seemed to forget what she was doing. She stood there looking up at Collin. The moonlight rimmed his dark hair like a halo. His eyes were the color of the midnight sky, dark and dangerous.

“Keys?” Collin prompted, knowing she forgot what she was doing.

Ivy flinched, as if she were startled and started digging through her purse again. Collin surmised that she didn’t have the keys. Her bag was way too small for them to be hidden in there. But he watched her, waiting for her to discover it. When she did, Ivy looked up at him. She turned to the glass door and giggled. “I remember where my keys are.” Her finger extended toward the door. Collin moved past her and peered inside. There on the countertop was a set of silver keys.

Collin groaned. It wouldn’t have been a big deal if he wasn’t a Valefar and Ivy wasn’t wasted, but he wasn’t lucky like that. Now he’d have to shove her through a window. He looked at the upper story of the house. Ivy’s window was cracked open. He could see her curtains billowing in the light breeze.

“Come on. I’ll help hoist you up. But if you fall off the roof, I swear to God...” he stopped talking and turned back to find Ivy sitting on an oversized chaise. She had kicked off her boots and curled onto her side, sinking deeply into the cushion. The hem of her skirt showed off the curve of her smooth legs. Silky brown hair cascaded over her shoulders. He’d never seen it like that before, straight. Her hair looked like a sheet of glass.

Ivy’s eyes were like endless pits of sorrow. The darkness within her seemed to surface, reflecting softly in the moonlight. She tilted her head back, looking up at him. “I haven’t slept since she died. I stare at the ceiling all night, seeing Apryl’s face, thinking she’ll ring the bell any moment. She can’t be dead. She can’t be... but she is. They’re sure.” Her voice was bleak. While she was speaking her hands floated up, and gripped the sides of her head, “I can’t stand it Collin.”

He hesitated, knowing he should leave, but unable to. Nicole knew without a doubt now that Collin cared about her. The way he acted spoke volumes. That was going to be difficult to fix. It put Ivy in danger, more danger because of him. Collin’s body tensed as indecision rocked him. His lips smashed together into a hard line as Ivy’s wide dark eyes watched him. Childlike hope was strewn across her face. Collin couldn’t leave.

Ivy turned, looking away from him. Moonlight touched her face softly, highlighting the curve of her cheek. Ivy sighed deeply, before turning her dark gaze on his. Their eyes locked. Collin felt like he couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t move. He stood there frozen.

She whispered, “That’s why I was there. That’s why I went. It was the only way to escape.” The last words were barely audible, but Collin was a Valefar. The demon blood that flowed through his veins made it easy to hear her.

The hollow helplessness in her voice undid him. Guilt seeped through every ounce of his body. He did this to her. He stripped away the person she was and left her in unbearable pain. Collin pressed his fingers to his eyes, rubbing them gently.

Ivy patted the small space next to her on the chaise. “Sit. Tell me what’s wrong.” Without hesitating, Collin did as she asked. He removed his dark jacket and draped it over a chair. When he walked toward Ivy, she scooted over slightly and he lowered himself next to her, laying down so he could see her face. Normally he couldn’t talk to her. He couldn’t tell her what was bothering him, or anything about his life. But like this, Ivy wouldn’t remember. Collin’s gaze lingered on her lips before returning to her dark eyes. Black was smudged around them, more than usual, with long dark lashes the color of night. He could feel her light breaths slide across his skin as she breathed.

Surprising himself, he answered, “There’s someone I care about deeply... and I hurt her.” He swallowed hard, watching her eyes. His hands were in front of his waist, between their bodies, not touching. His fingers clenched tightly as he spoke. “She has no idea it was me.”

Ivy’s gaze remained on Collin’s. “It sounds like you love her. Who would have thought, Collin Smith in love.” She rolled onto her back and stared at the sky. Taking a deep breath, she asked, “Have you told her? That you love her?” Collin propped himself up onto one arm. His dark shirt clung to his chest. Blue eyes looked down at the girl lying next to him. He wanted to tell her. He wanted to touch her, and hold her against him. He could feel his resolve slipping away as her gaze lingered, locking their eyes together.

“No,” he whispered. “She doesn’t feel like that about me. And telling her would only complicate things.” His words were the truth, and they rushed out softly. Is that what he thought? That Ivy didn’t feel like that about him? Looking at her now, he was certain that she didn’t feel like that about him. There were so many times where she could have said something, did something—but she remained were she was—only seeing him as a friend. And it killed him. It was agony to have her so close and not touch her.

Silence followed the confession, until Ivy whispered, “Anything worth having is complicated, Collin.” A shallow breath filled her lungs. Ivy was confident, saying things she wouldn’t remember when the sun spilled over the horizon. Her pink lips parted as she drew in another breath. Her heart raced inside her chest, but she didn’t know why. Collin could hear it quicken within her. She’d wanted to ease her pain with gentle kisses. He could give her that. Rational thoughts fell away, as his eyes remained locked with hers. Ivy’s lips were parted slightly, as if she were waiting for him to kiss her. The pull inside him increased, and Collin could feel his body drawing closer to hers, leaning closer. His lips lining up with hers. She was so close. The words left her lips like a sigh, “Tell her you love her.”

With every ounce of restraint, he stopped. Her words made him realize what he was doing, that he was taking something he couldn’t have. If he truly cared about her, he wouldn’t do this. If he loved her, he shouldn’t do this. His stomach sank. Collin leaned back, putting more distance between them. He drew a deep breath into his lungs and answered, knowing she would forget, “No. I can’t tell her. I won’t do that to her. I’m a monster, Ivy. She deserves so much more...”

But Ivy didn’t let him finish. She interrupted, “No, Collin, you’re not. Your eyes say you believe you are, but they also say something else...”

His breath caught in his throat. Collin couldn’t look away. He couldn’t move. His gaze was captured by hers. Desperation coursed through his body and he had to know what she meant, “What?”

Ivy reached for him, closing the gap between them by putting her small warm hands on his cheeks and pulling him to her. “That you’re hopelessly in love... with me.” Collin was lost in her dark gaze, as she spoke. Ivy’s gaze never left his, which made her words even harder to ignore. Even drugged, she could see things that seemed hazy to Collin. She knew. She knew how he felt about her. And her hands were on his face, drawing him to her. Their lips came together, brushing softly as Ivy kissed him. When his lips pressed against hers, elation and dread collided. The kiss was so soft. So perfect. He didn’t want it to end, but he couldn’t do this to her. There was no future for them, and his affection for her would only endanger her, and the scent of her soul was intoxicating, making it harder for him to pull away.

As Ivy’s lips pressed against his, she didn’t think about anything. She just saw the lost look in Collin’s eyes and wanted to make him feel better. She felt bold, more certain of herself than normal. As she pressed her lips to his, she didn’t expect the burst of butterflies that filled her stomach. She didn’t expect him to softly kiss her back. The kiss lingered with desire strong enough to ignite into something more, each of them hesitant to take it further. Warmth rushed over her body. This kiss was nothing like the others she’d had, but Ivy didn’t know why. She sensed Collin’s body stiffen, as if she shouldn’t be touching him. She waited for him to do something; wrap his arms around her, deepen the kiss—something, but he didn’t. He didn’t part his lips and kiss her deeper, tasting her the way she wanted. Cold dread pooled inside her when she realized that she might have been wrong. Maybe he hadn’t been talking about her. Ivy brushed her lips against his one last time, but Collin was like stone in her arms.

She backed away, smiling sadly. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have...” Her face turned bright red, covered in the sweetest blush he’d ever seen.

He wanted to take her up in his arms and kiss her deeply, making her blush for different reasons, but he couldn’t. Mentally, Collin cursed himself for allowing her to kiss him. Everything about her made him desire her more. His feelings for Ivy were so far beyond platonic, but she didn’t see it. The confidence that she had faded, as he did what he always did and hid his feelings for her, concealing his desire to know her better.

This was a mistake, so he steeled himself, forcing his voice to remain cold, “No, I suppose not,” he answered. It killed him to say it and watch her take in his words. It seemed cruel, but it was necessary. They pulled away from each other. Collin’s lips remained parted as he watched her rise, his eyes sliding over her narrow, bare waist and onto the curve of her hips. He sprang up and tore his gaze from her body, trying to remove the impure thoughts from his mind. He couldn’t have her. And this, whatever this was, wasn’t really Ivy. This was a drug-induced bit of passion that would be forgotten.

As soon as Ivy was on her feet, she grabbed her purse and walked slowly toward the door. She wrapped her fingers around the knob and pushed it opened. Stopping on the threshold, she looked back at him. Collin’s dark hair hung in his eyes. His beauty was hypnotic. “I didn’t lock it when I left,” she said. The effects of the drug had begun to dissipate as they laid next to each other. The mild floating sensation was much better, although Ivy still felt woozy. That was when she remembered the door. The keys were on the counter because she ran out the front door without locking up. She held the knob in her hand, refusing to meet his eye. Collin stood there, watching her, lungs constricted tightly so he could barely breathe. She disappeared into the house without another word.

CHAPTER SEVEN

School the next day was interesting. Ivy was absent from her locker, but he saw her moving through the hallways, going to classes. That was better than she had been doing. He felt horrible for kissing her last night, and Nicole showed him no mercy. She more than suspected that Collin was interested in Ivy after the way he acted last night. The first thing he noticed when he arrived at school that morning were large black letters scrolled across her locker VIRGIN.

He stopped, jaw slightly opened and stared at it. He expected Nicole to launch a slut campaign against the girl, not go the other way around. Before he had a chance to think about it, Nicole slipped her arm around his shoulder, and whispered into his ear, “You always had a thing for virgins, didn’t you?”

Collin’s shoulders stiffened as he turned toward her. Nicole’s golden hair was pulled high into a ponytail with the long tresses falling softly on her shoulders. A white top clung to her curves, accented by another short skirt. He wanted to growl at her, but he hid his anger. “Maybe,” he smirked, hoping it was construed as playful. He needed to get Nicole off Ivy’s back. He continued, “There’s something about them that’s alluring. The newness of it all. Ya know?” He smiled at her.

She laughed, “Are you saying I’m used goods? Because the last time we were together, that isn’t what you said at all. Or do you need a reminder?” Her words were like thorns, pointed and full of venom.

He flashed a smile at her, before pulling her to him. Nicole’s mean smile twisted into a smirk. “It’s not what you think Niki. I don’t share. That’s all it was.” Her stare remained cold, so he added, “I could go for a reminder.” His voice was deep, his eyes lingering on her low neckline before returning to her face. “You know me, Nicole. You know that I take who I want, when I want. And if you want that to be you, then you can’t lash out at every perfectly sculpted ass that turns my head.”

“She’s a piece of meat?” Nicole asked. Her words sounded like she didn’t really believe what she was asking. She got so damn jealous. Add to that her boredom and desire for more power, and it was a bad combination for him.

Collin grinned widely, feeling the lie form in his mind. “Of course, Niki. You know what I like, and there was no way I’d let her lose it to some random guy at a party... not when she’s marked for me.” Roughly, he pushed his hands into her hair, and pulled her so that his lips brushed against hers when he spoke, “Besides, I can only do it with a virgin once.” He pressed his lips to hers, hard. Nicole conceded and gave into the kiss. Her body became limp in his arms as he tasted her, deepening the kiss. Suddenly, he broke away from her, leaving her panting and her face flushed. He grinned at her and walked away, noticing the small crowd of people watching, including Ivy. She stood at the back of the crowd, and looked away as soon as Collin saw her. As he walked past, he resisted the urge to talk to the girl. He had to let Nicole smear her name and make her life hell for a while. It had to appear that Ivy didn’t matter. He strode past her without looking back.

The crowd of kids were blocking her locker and he was certain she hadn’t seen the artwork scrawled across her locker door. It’s only for a little while. She can handle it, he told himself, and turned the corner.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Mandor sat across from him. The Valefar’s back was ramrod straight as he sat in front of Collin’s desk. “Have you found anything?” Collin asked.

Mandor didn’t waste words, “No, he’s covering his trail thoroughly. There’s no way you’re going to catch him unless you are the one who does it.”

Collin’s fingers were steepled together, his elbows on his desk. “Very astute,” he replied, dropping his hands, pressing them to the wood. Jake had become a burden, but Collin wasn’t ready to write him off yet. It was possible that Nicole was the problem, not Jake. “What of Nicole?”

Mandor shrugged. “You’re already aware of her lack of physical loyalty,” he stated. Collin knew what he meant. Nicole used her body to get what she wanted. Collin didn’t force female Valefar to remain loyal to him the way others had in the past. He preferred things to be consensual. Having a soul gave him no taste for forcing a woman between his legs, as the previous leader had done. Mandor thought it was odd, but he was too young to remember anything else. “There is nothing else. And it’s been said that she would limit herself to you happily, if you required it. The girl is infatuated with you, sir. It’s unlikely that she would move against you.”

Collin stood while Mandor spoke. Walking around the desk, he folded his arms across his chest, thinking. When Mandor suggested Nicole’s willing fidelity, Collin laughed, “She’s attracted to my power, nothing more. Ah,” Collin pushed his hair out of his face, irritated. “You’re too young. You don’t understand what happens to a Valefar after a few centuries, how depraved and indifferent they become. Nicole does anything that makes her feel alive. Teasing me as she does, it’s like she’s hoping for me to lash out and crush her just so she feels something.”

“She feels jealousy,” Mandor replied. He took a chance, addressing Collin like that, refuting Collin’s claims. Mandor looked straight ahead without blinking.

Collin stared at the side of his face. Mandor’s dark skin formed a strong profile. He would have been a fine leader if they hadn’t turned him into a Valefar. Nicole chose him. Plucked him from some third world country and brought him back like a souvenir. Collin saw his merit instantly and removed him from Nicole’s care. She had a tendency to destroy her toys when she grew tired of them.

Collin replied, “She does. Do you think it’s personal? Can you honestly say that the reason she acts this way has everything to do with me, but nothing to do with my power?”

“Yes,” he said promptly. “Nicole’s loyalty is to you. She favors you, desires you. She would do so without power. However, she does have aspirations. She does want things a certain way, and if she doesn’t get them, she may be tempted. Her taste for your power is a result of her jealousy. She doesn’t share.”

Collin stopped behind Mandor, listening to the man. “So you think Nicole is a danger for two reasons? One because she wants me, personally?
And two, because she wants more power?”

“Yes, I do.” Mandor turned slowly, looking back at Collin over his shoulder. “You saved me from her once. I am doing the same for you now. Tame her or kill her. Leaving her like this is not advised.” He paused, his bottom lip disappearing into a thin line of determination. Mandor stood quickly, facing Collin and added, “You have surrounded yourself with vipers, disloyal Valefar who would remove you from power if you present the slightest show of weakness. You’re second in command is plotting against you, and yet, you let him live. Your,” he paused, reaching for the right word for Nicole, “mistress is demanding you in a way you do not consent to. She keeps you from collecting the women you wish, and is tormenting the one woman you want, but do not have. You appear weak for not displaying your power and crushing these outbursts.”

Collin grinned at Mandor, the grin growing wider as the young Valefar spoke. “You think I’m weak?” There was a tone in Collin’s voice, a tone that warned Mandor that he stepped over a line and would pay for it.

There was no correct answer. Mandor said as much, and denying it now would only bring more wrath upon him. “For what other reason would you hide your power?”

Collin flicked his pinky, his ruby ring sparkling. A silent incantation infused with demon blood made Mandor fall to his knees gasping for air. Collin spoke quickly, “The reason doesn’t concern you, but you must realize that just because I don’t inflict pain on every Valefar who defies me, and slaughter every Martis who crosses my path, doesn’t mean that I am weak.” Collin released the choke hold on Mandor. The Valefar sucked in a ragged breath. “Part of having power is knowing when to use it, which players to eradicate at which times. This is a game, Mandor. It doesn’t matter if they defy me—they cannot beat me.”

CHAPTER NINE

There was no stopping Ivy after that party. When Collin passed her in the hall, she didn’t speak to him. They kept their distance until one night after practice. The other actors had left, but Collin lingered. There was a huge party this weekend. Nicole was jacked-up, talking about it non-stop. The entire time Nicole talked, the only thing Collin could think of was Ivy getting felt-up, and then screaming on that guy’s lap. What if he wasn’t there? What if the drugs he slipped her made her more compliant, and she’d said yes? Ivy wouldn’t have remembered anything.

The stage curtains were closed, and Eric—the Martis—was shutting off the stage lights. Collin approached Ivy, where she sat in the wing. She was putting her manuscript in her backpack, and buckling it shut.

“Hey,” Collin said. Ivy didn’t turn to look at him.

She spoke over her shoulder, “Done with the slut of the month and coming to look for another one?” She turned, glaring at him with her bag slung over her shoulder. “There are no blondes with big boobs hiding over here Collin. Just short girls, with big hips and frizzy hair.” She had no idea how beautiful she was. Collin’s jaw twitched. He wanted to tell her that he had to push her away. That he didn’t care about Nicole, but dark creatures—Valefar—were heartless. But he couldn’t. Ivy hiked her bag on her shoulder, and moved to push past him to leave.

“Wait,” his voice was soft, askance. She paused, turning slowly back to him. “Are you going?”

“Going where?” she snapped.

Collin took two steps toward her, his body nearly pressing into hers as he stared down at her growling, “Don’t play coy. Not with me. You know what I mean. Are you going to the Pierce home tonight?”

She locked her jaw, anger burning in her eyes as he spoke. “You have no right to question me. I’m not one of your sluts. You can’t order me around, you prick.” She turned her back and something snapped inside of him. He couldn’t stand the look in her eyes, the tone of her voice.

He snatched her wrist, pulling her to him. The sudden movement sent her bag flying, falling to the ground where it slid across the floor, books spilling out. Collin pressed Ivy back, using his body to hold her against the wall. Her heart pounded in her chest as a look of shock spread across her face. Her mouth was opened in a surprised O, gasping.

“I have every right,” he hissed. “After what you did last time, someone has to look out for you. You’re acting like an infant, a spoiled child who got caught doing something she wasn’t supposed to.”

She pushed against him, trying to free herself, but Collin wouldn’t move. His eyes darkened, narrowing as he scolded her. Ivy wouldn’t hear it, “Me?” her voice was higher than usual, as if she couldn’t believe him. “What about you? You and your slutty girlfriend who plastered virgin across my locker, and then laughed at me. Don’t pretend you care, not when you let her do that. I’ll go to the party if I want. I’ll kiss who I want. And I can be with whoever I want, and I sure as hell don’t have to tell you!” Ivy’s face pinched tighter and tighter as she spoke, her voice low and threatening. Collin listened, shocked by her outburst, but the last sentence shocked him. She was thinking about being with someone? Letting some random guy fuck her? What was she thinking? He didn’t want to let her do this, but she wouldn’t listen to him.

“You’re wrong,” he said softly, looking at her fierce brown eyes. They seemed to flicker with golden flames as she fought back. His stomach curled, flipping at the thought. When Ivy said nothing, he added, “Ivy, I do care about you. I...” He wanted to touch her hair, press his lips to hers, and taste her kiss. Her heartbeat steadied beneath him, but her body was still corded tight, ready to explode.

“Enough! I know you’re a rotten bastard, saying exactly what a girl wants to hear to get into her pants, but don’t pretend you care about me when you don’t. All this time, you put on the fake friend act. Well, don’t bother! Don’t pretend that I matter to you at all... I already know that I don’t.” Ivy sucked in air, gasping as if she’d just run miles. She tried to twist her hands free, but wasn’t able.

Her words were filled with anger and cut Collin deeply. The venom in her voice was relentless. She didn’t remember his words. She didn’t remember the kiss. The drugs hid it from her, masking his true feelings. Acting like he didn’t care and allowing Nicole to spurt her mean words only made Ivy worse. Collin could see the pain in her eyes, seething, ready to lash out. “Ivy, I...” but she cut him off.

“Let me go, you ass!” She tried to twist away, curling her arm to twist her wrist, but Collin pulled her arms higher, pinning them over her head. “I don’t care what you have to say or why you did it. You can’t hold me here. You can’t make me do what you want. I’m not yours and I never will be.” Ivy’s body pressed into Collin’s as she tried to escape.

He wanted to say something, explain himself, but there was a sound. Releasing her, Collin stepped away from Ivy quickly. She gasped, immediately taking her wrists in her hands and rubbing them hard, glaring at Collin while she did it.

Eric rounded the corner, seeing them by the cement wall. He asked Ivy, “You okay?” before he glared at Collin. Eric’s not-sociable stature and normal silence made him easily overlooked, but something told Collin that this Martis wasn’t someone to screw with. He could sense it, as if a dangerous animal rested beneath that calm façade. Collin glanced away from Eric, looking at Ivy. He’d hurt her badly. There was no way to fix it. Not any of it. He thought it’d be better to stay away from the girl, and entangling himself with Nicole. He thought it would help protect her from the Valefar lurking to destroy him. God, and if Kreturus ever found out, there’d be nothing he could do.

But those actions only seemed to put her on a crash course. Ivy was setting herself up to fall in a brilliant ball of flames, and there was nothing he could say to stop her. In trying to protect her, Collin made all the wrong choices. Instead of mending her soft heart, he only crushed it further. He felt sick.

Eric’s eyes glanced at Ivy’s backpack, dumped out on the floor. He knew she wasn’t all right and he wasn’t leaving. Ivy seemed grateful that he showed up, and said, “I am now.” Eric nodded at her, stopping to shove her books back in her bag before handing it to her.

“Come on, I’ll walk you out,” he said, ignoring Collin.

Ivy hoisted her bag over her shoulder, glancing once at Collin. “I’d like that. Thanks, Eric.”

CHAPTER TEN

The girl was toxic. Whenever Collin was around her, Ivy got under his skin and made him crazy. Collin left the school, walking through the alley to the main street. The noisy rush of cars was muffled by the brick buildings. Every muscle in Collin’s body was tightly wound, ready to spring. He didn’t know what to do. This situation was unheard of. He’d never been so affected by a mortal—not since he was one. Collin’s foot collided with a rock. It shattered as his boot smashed into it. Not bothering to control his power, he walked with his head down, thinking.

If Ivy wouldn’t talk to him, how could he protect her? It’s only a matter of time until the Underworld bursts open the gates holding the creatures back. And then what? Kreturus starts a war, which ends quickly since no one will see it coming. The angels will be devastated, if any survive, and the humans… He swallowed hard thinking about it. What would become of her? He pressed his eyes closed and stopped. No matter what happens, Collin knew he could not protect her from Kreturus. If the demon wanted her, he’d take her.

The idea of another bargain began to form in his mind. The concept shattered when he heard the familiar voice behind him. Jake said, “The King of the Valefar is lurking in alleyways. What’s the world coming to?” There was a lightness in his voice that concerned Collin. When he turned, he saw Jake leaning on the brick wall, his ankles crossed, hands shoved in his pockets.

Collin, already seething, walked toward the Valefar. “Where’ve you been, Jake?”

Jake pushed off the wall, acting amicably toward Collin, as if nothing were wrong—as if he had no interest in usurping his power. He grinned, light brown hair falling in his eyes. “Setting up my new place. It’s in the next town, well, two towns over, so I don’t have to hunt in your territory.” He shrugged, turning toward the mouth of the alley. “I thought it’d be better to set up a residence out here.”

Collin thought of his conversation with Mandor. He knew Jake was lying, at least in part. He had no doubt the Valefar set up a residence nearby. It gave him the ability to move onto his turf faster. Collin didn’t want to hide his disdain. He rounded on the Valefar, hands grabbing for his neck and shoving him back into the wall. Jake’s eyes went wide, as he was heaved back.

Collin kept a choke hold on his neck and growled, “Who gave you permission to disappear for days on end? Who said you could do what you wanted?”

Jake croaked, “No one. I just…” Collin’s hands tightened around Jake’s throat, squeezing tighter and tighter.

Collin slammed him back once more, cracking his head against the wall before releasing him. “That’s right. No one. This isn’t a fucking democracy, Jake. If you want to stay second in command, you can’t disappear. And you sure as hell can’t set up camp in my backyard.” Collin fought hard to force the red rim from his eyes. He didn’t want Jake to know that he suspected him of anything.

Jake doubled over when Collin released him. There was a traitorous glare in his light blue gaze as he looked up at Collin from under his brow, but the look vanished when he spoke, “Of course. It was foolish. A mistake that I won’t make again.”

“Valefar don’t get second chances,” Collin said, “but you… you are still of use to me.” Jake regarded him, seeing his chance to make amends. He nodded, waiting to hear more. “Keep your home where it is and come when I fucking call you! In the meantime, I want you tracking every Valefar within a hundred mile radius. I want them here. Now.”

Jake looked confused. Without thinking he asked, “Why? What’s happening?” Valefar never gathered together and Collin was calling all of them onto his personal hunting ground. Anger flashed across Collin’s eyes, and without saying a word, Jake nodded, backing away like a beaten dog. “Yes, it’ll be done.”

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Assassin: Fall of the Golden Valefar

is a Demon Kissed spin-off series that will be released Summer 2012

Visit the official website:

www.DemonKissed.com

Demon Kissed Series By H.M. Ward

Demon Kissed

Cursed

Torn

Satan’s Stone

The 13th Prophecy

Valefar Vol. 1

Assassin: Fall of the Golden Valefar (Summer 2012)

More Series By H.M. Ward

Vampire Apocalypse: Bane

(Spring 2012)

Twisted Tales: Stone Prison

Visit the H.M. Ward’s author website:

www.YAParanormalRomance.com

Table of Contents

- CHAPTER ONE
- CHAPTER TWO
- CHAPTER THREE
- CHAPTER FOUR
- CHAPTER FIVE
- CHAPTER SIX
- CHAPTER SEVEN
- CHAPTER EIGHT
- CHAPTER NINE
- CHAPTER TEN