So it has come to pass.
The evil had awoken.
I staggered back from the window, unable to tear my eyes away from the night sky. It was a few moments till I recovered my wits. As soon as I did, I called for my guards until my throat was dry.
Hazel
Wow.
Oh, wow.
I lay entwined in the mussed-up sheets of Tejus’s bed, our limbs touching lightly—my foot resting against his calf, his arm falling above my head, my hair brushing up against the side of his body. Tejus was lying on his back, his breath rising and falling deeply in sleep.
I smiled up at the ceiling.
I didn’t want this moment to end; I didn’t want the rest of the night to come, and I rejected the idea of dawn bringing realities to be faced and fought. What we had shared had been perfect—mind-blowing, like my insides had been turned upside down and every cell in my body had been transformed and linked with his. I’d had no idea that it would be like this. Was it because he was a sentry and had a unique tunnel into my head, into every emotion and sensation I was feeling? Or was it like this for everybody?
No way.
I smirked. Everyone would be walking around floating on clouds if it was. Tejus had made my world stop turning, had completely obliterated my mind until there had been nothing left but soft, silent sighs of bliss.
Gently, careful not to wake him, I turned on my side to face him. I could hardly believe it had happened—that he had finally surrendered, in the best possible way. Reaching out my hand, I placed it softly on his chest, wanting to feel the ropes of muscle, the rough skin of his scars, and the slow beat of his heart.
Tejus’s skin flickered at my touch, and his eyes opened. He looked down at me with a soft expression. He raised an eyebrow and I smiled guiltily.
Busted.
I went to remove my hand, but his came over mine, holding it in place. I smiled, feeling a strange, but not unpleasant sensation fluttering through my skull. It grew stronger, becoming heady and invigorating.
It took me a split second to realize what was happening, and I looked up at Tejus in confusion. Was he trying to mind-meld with me?
His expression suggested otherwise.
He looked horrified.
What?
I moved my hand away abruptly, holding it to my own chest as if I needed to forcefully stop it returning to his. The flickers in my mind were growing stronger, like electricity was accumulating in my brain. As shocked and weirded-out as I was, I didn’t want the feeling to stop…
More.
I need more.
I drew the sheets around me, backing away from the bed. Tejus was sitting up, his heart visibly racing, a sheen of perspiration appearing across his forehead. I stumbled on the sheets, holding onto the bed frame to steady myself.
I paused, watching Tejus. I couldn’t seem to escape the sudden, overwhelming feeling of hunger. Real hunger—as if I’d never really felt the sensation before; what I’d previously assumed was hunger now just seemed like a shadow of this feeling. It was raw, exposed, like I had a huge, gaping hole in my soul and I could only satisfy it with whatever Tejus had given me…
Energy.
My eyes widened.
I just syphoned off Tejus.
The shock should have been enough for me to come to my senses. It wasn’t. I could only focus on the fact that I wanted more…surely he had enough to share with me?
He’s wounded! I screamed at myself. You can’t!
But I was so hungry…I took a few steps closer, every part of me lusting for his energy—it was so potent, so powerful. It was like a pure elixir flowed through Tejus’s veins, the one thing in this world that would satisfy me.
What is happening to you?!
Tejus was slowly backing up against the end of the bed as if he was in the room with a wild animal. His eyes were still horrified, his face deathly pale, as if his worst nightmare was taking place before him.
Our eyes met; whatever spell I had been under broke abruptly. I felt like someone had just thrown a bucket of cold water over me as a horrific clarity sharpened the scene in front of me. I clutched the bed frame, gasping.
How is this even possible?
I opened my mouth to scream, feeling like my lungs were ripping apart even though no sound escaped.
Have I just become… a sentry?
Ready for the next part of the Novak clan’s story?
Dear Shaddict,
Thank you for continuing the adventure with me!
You’ll be glad to know that you don’t have to wait long for the next book. ASOV 38: A Power of Old, releases January 9th, 2017. (My first release of 2017!)
As usual, you can pre-order your copy now and have it delivered automatically to your reading device on release day:
If you’re in the USA: Tap here
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Check out the smoking cover!:
I’ll see you back in The Shade in the new year. Happy holidays!
Love,
Bella xxx
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Read more by Bella Forrest!
THE GENDER GAME
The Gender Game (Book 1)
The Gender Secret (Book 2)
The Gender Lie (Book 3)
A SHADE OF VAMPIRE SERIES
Series 1: Derek & Sofia’s story
A Shade of Vampire (Book 1)
A Shade of Blood (Book 2)
A Castle of Sand (Book 3)
A Shadow of Light (Book 4)
A Blaze of Sun (Book 5)
A Gate of Night (Book 6)
A Break of Day (Book 7)
Series 2: Rose & Caleb’s story
A Shade of Novak (Book 8)
A Bond of Blood (Book 9)
A Spell of Time (Book 10)
A Chase of Prey (Book 11)
A Shade of Doubt (Book 12)
A Turn of Tides (Book 13)
A Dawn of Strength (Book 14)
A Fall of Secrets (Book 15)
An End of Night (Book 16)
Series 3: Ben & River’s story
A Wind of Change (Book 17)
A Trail of Echoes (Book 18)
A Soldier of Shadows (Book 19)
A Hero of Realms (Book 20)
A Vial of Life (Book 21)
A Fork of Paths (Book 22)
A Flight of Souls (Book 23)
A Bridge of Stars (Book 24)
Series 4: A Clan of Novaks
A Clan of Novaks (Book 25)
A World of New (Book 26)
A Web of Lies (Book 27)
A Touch of Truth (Book 28)
An Hour of Need (Book 29)
A Game of Risk (Book 30)
A Twist of Fates (Book 31)
A Day of Glory (Book 32)
Series 5: A Dawn of Guardians
A Dawn of Guardians (Book 33)
A Sword of Chance (Book 34)
A Race of Trials (Book 35)
A King of Shadow (Book 36)
An Empire of Stones (Book 37)
A Power of Old (Book 38)
A SHADE OF DRAGON TRILOGY
A Shade of Dragon 1
A Shade of Dragon 2
A Shade of Dragon 3
A SHADE OF KIEV TRILOGY
A Shade of Kiev 1
A Shade of Kiev 2
A Shade of Kiev 3
BEAUTIFUL MONSTER DUOLOGY
Beautiful Monster 1
Beautiful Monste
r 2
DETECTIVE ERIN BOND (Adult mystery/thriller)
Bare Girl
Write, Edit, Kill
For an updated list of Bella’s books, please visit her website: www.bellaforrest.net
Join Bella’s VIP email list and she’ll personally send you an email reminder as soon as her next book is out! Tap here to sign up: www.forrestbooks.com
Bella Forrest, An Empire of Stones
(Series: A Shade of Vampire # 37)
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