All beings, living or dead, were made with the elements of chaos and order. These two were like light and darkness. One couldn’t live without the other. In fact, nothing would exist in this world without them.

So, this meant living things were a combination of them. This included the gods, though not every god was like me. Well, not equally. These beings were too much of one.

Though this also applied to living things. Witchcraft users were creatures of discord, yet the eternal variant leaned more towards order. Though, this made them a being of duality like me. The potential to use both sources of power.

The fact that I found myself in the body of an eternal witch meant I was meant to be leaning towards order. But in reality, I wasn’t. I was much more complex than these normal mortals. Chaos was my main alignment while I was in the book.

It probably still was. Or at least that was all I ever managed in the past. The alignment for races was unique, too. The elves were like witchcraft users. Moon and Blaze elves were chaotic. The rest of the Ocean, Nature, and Sun elves were order.

Humans were also chaotic even though they couldn’t use magic. Though it was in their nature. After all, they created alchemy, an abomination of science. That art in its nature was chaotic and destructive. With it, they made gunfire and other destructive means.

They also created sedatives for Lycans, which was a useful tool to take them down with. They were only two other beings of pure duality, and those were Lycans and vampires. These two races, along with the eternal witches, were the pillars at one point long ago.

The eternal witches were the most powerful beings in the mortal realm. Well, in the past. My father told me that the reason Edna and I met was that she was the priestess of the gods. This meant she could hear my voice, unlike all the other gods.

Back then, I didn’t know Elias also heard me. Though, this meant my race used to be the messenger of the gods before the war occurred. When Aster and Orenz were killed, the connection to the gods was lost.

After losing their time magic that came from Aster, the vampires attacked. Of course, they were after our addictive blood. Yet somehow, they had convinced all the other races that the eternal witches were dangerous.

Thus came the downfall of my current race. Edna was the only pureblood survivor from that time. Though I knew nothing of the horrors she faced. Sadly, she told no one willing to enlighten me.

Well, at least I thought. Anyway, this thing of chaos and order didn’t mean that the races were good or bad. It didn’t matter to mortals. Their powers weren’t powerful enough to mix or synergize.

This phenomenon was a synergistic event that could lead to mayhem. It was why gods had to be wary of who they went up against. Well, mortals didn’t have to worry about that until Alijah came along, Valdios, the god of destruction, reincarnation, and Fenrir’s lover.

They were twins, in the sense they were born on the same day. Fenrir was order, the god of war, while Valdios was chaos. When they were made, they were supposed to be one god, but they fractured and became their own beings.

It was what happened when two gods that didn’t mix came together. Order and Chaos couldn’t coexist equally within divines. Well, until I came along. I was the first divine to exist as both. This probably was because I came from the two original beings, who had never mixed.

Aster and Orenz created children by themselves, never mixing. That was a rule they had made and one every god had to follow. Of course, it was broken by a fool of a god. One that got jealous that his sister had a new plaything.

When the goddess of creation made me, I was a book. Another factor was that my original body wasn’t the typical gods came in either. One to be used as a tool and nothing more. Orenz was the one who mistakenly gave me life.

An idiotic god really, yet discord loved to procreate. So, I couldn’t blame him for being himself. After all, it was in our nature. Though it seemed no matter who was in power, stupidity was present.

This applied to both gods and mortals. Perhaps we weren’t that different. Then again, they were just an extension of us. Perfection was unobtainable, even to the divines. Most of the mortals were unaware of this since they believed their powers came from the gods.

And they were right. The source of magic in this world was deities. That was why, after Aster died, all eternal witches lost their connections and powers. Well, all those given to them by her. The only reason eternal witches regained their power was because of my relationship with Edna.

It connected them to me. Though I didn’t know how that happened.

If I can figure that out. Maybe we have a chance at what’s coming. After all, I’m the one thing Midnight couldn’t visualize in her prophetic dreams. The only wild card left to play.

I bit my lip while I rolled on the bed. This whole time, I had been trying to recall everything I knew about the gods and our world. After all, I felt like there was something I was missing. This was what was available to me.

Ever since we came back, the siblings were trying to figure out the snake problem. I, on the other hand, rested on the bed, attempting to figure out the world. If I was the key, then there had to be something.

Just what were you planning, Midnight? Give me a sign… Something to grip on. Anything!

If only I could tap into my order properties, then I would also heal and destroy. But what was to watch out for was the synergetic effects these types of magics could have. If chaos met with its kind, then it could synergize to the point of losing control.

This usually only happened with divine beings, though. For mortals, it would take much more. Well, until Alijah. Father said something about him synergizing with Orenz. This had happened the day Edna was killed.

Apparently, it was the same day Rem’s father was crippled. It was also the day Ben died. And the culprit of that was none other than Lilith, the elf. Even so, one would wonder how the fuck all the gods got destroyed.

I mean chaos gods couldn’t kill each other that easily without destroying themselves. Yet somehow all of them ended in the soul cairn. Midnight was chaos, and Elias was order. Thus, both kinds were inside that prison.

Is this Yama? What was I missing from him? Is it possible he was a being of duality like me? Impossible… Wait… who used to be the god of death before him?

The soul cairn was made from chaos, too. Sadly, that was a mystery to find. And it would be something I would ask Loki about it later once we were alone. I was missing something, and no clues pointed to what it could be. Though it made me wonder if my power.

A heavy sigh left my lips as I rolled around on the bed again.

Can I even do what I’m meant to do?

I mean, moon elves who were mostly chaotic could heal. They defied the nature of their magic. Or maybe they were also a being of duality. Much like vampires who could heal and destroy too. If this world was hurdling to destruction because of me.

Can I heal it? Doubtful. I mean, I’m the person destroying it. Shit! Why’s everything so hard?

Thea suddenly ran out of the room, startling me. I hadn’t noticed how I had curled up on the bed while I tried to sort out my chaotic thoughts. Though it wasn’t long until Oz left to get us food. My head hurt from trying to think.

Nothing was making sense to me at the time. Loki gazed at me as I lay there silently. It wasn’t long before he joined me, though.

“You’ve been exceptionally silent. Do you want to talk, sweets?” my prince leaned over to me.

In response, I stayed as a ball, gazing away from him. Eli was all the comfort I needed at the moment, and he was in my arms.

“No… all of this is a disaster.” I huffed, holding onto Eli tighter.

Loki brushed the hair off my cheek, laying next to me as the bed sunk under his weight.

“Hm? Why?” he whispered, wrapping his arms around me.

I couldn’t help but shift towards him. Of course, I dragged Eli, too.

“Oh, I don’t know. Is it because Emma is dead? Or is it that even if we save you, you’re doomed?” I grumbled, glaring at him.

His attitude was to care free. I mean, he had no connection to Emma. So, her death didn’t bother him as much as it did to me and Oswald. Though what did concern him was how his brother and I reacted to this loss.

Oswald had left to get food and fresh air. The new news forced him to move out of the casket rooms. Though, our grieving would probably last for a while. The hole she left behind was a big one.

Yet here was solace in knowing, that the man who handled her death was obliterated.

“Baby girl, we don’t get to say goodbye when we want to.” Loki simpered, trailing his fingers down my cheeks.

If it was only that easy. Even without all of my memories, I was used to death. It wasn’t what bothered me. No, what did was…

“I could’ve saved her if I didn’t go after Tania,” I whispered, gazing away from his face.

I had let my thirst for vengeance take control and it cost Emma everything. It was foolish to feel like this, but I couldn’t help it. She had become an existence in my life, more significant than I realized.

Idol this and that…

Why did it take her death to realize how important she is to me? Why is that a thing?

I was pathetic, and now I would never get to see her again. All I could hope was that her next life was better. She deserved it all.

Hey Emma… If you could choose to be anything in your next life. What would it be? A butterfly? A lovely bird? I would pick the bird. So, you could fly in the beautiful blue sky this world has.

All other intelligent life forms were too corrupted. If I knew that then, perhaps I would have gone with something like that.

“Well, do you want to tell me what you did?” he hummed.

Anything to get me to speak. I guess this was his measly attempt to help me. Well, all I wanted was for him to be near me. At least he wasn’t using his powers to change my emotions. So, that was a plus.

“I mean, I already knew you wanted to kill her. But you didn’t.” Loki said, trailing his hand to my hips.

There he grabbed onto it, pulling me closer to him. In response to his tug, I clasped onto his shirt, yanking on it slightly.

“No, I didn’t,” I confessed, smothering myself in his chest.

His scent was always so calming to me. It appeared I wouldn’t say goodbye to it after all.

“Tell me what happened. You know, I won’t judge you.” He asked, breathing slightly.

A soft sigh left my lips as I let him know what I had done to Tania. How I foolishly used magic without knowing the consequences I could’ve placed everyone in. Though that didn’t matter.

“So… you stabbed her on her thigh and left her?” he repeated after me.

I nodded softly as Eli slithered next to me.

“Yes, She started talking about her old lover…” I trailed off, not wanting to finish.

My heart stung; it was getting hard to breathe too.

Is this guilt?

It was almost too heavy to endure.

“I just… couldn’t handle it.” I finished, shaking my head.

A soft chuckle came from his lips.

“What do you mean? I’m sure there’s more to that.” He asked, gazing at me full of tenderness.

Though, can he choose me over his family?

That was the real doubt. So much had happened that now he had no choice. We could never be apart again. Unless I broke the bond.

But is that possible?

At least, to my knowledge, it wasn’t.

“She was in pain. Death would’ve been a comfort for her. So, I refuse to free her from that. She deserves it and more for taking Nene away.” I answered, gazing away.

This was what I wanted to believe, but in reality, that wouldn’t have stopped me. No…

“I’m also sure that isn’t the only reason.” Loki continued to pry.

I growled, glaring at him. He was insufferable but the good kind.

“What other one would there be?!” I huffed, getting irritated.

He shook, tilting his head. The way his eyebrow raised, looking at me with amusement, was rather cute, though.

“Uh… because you want to be with me? And she’s family to me?” he pointed out.

It felt like something broke in me. I grabbed Eli, snuggling myself into him. Luckily, the snake enjoyed any attention from me.

“I…” I started, feeling flustered.

It should’ve been something easy to answer. After all, I already told him how I felt about him. Even if it was in a delirious state. We had also formed the Amor Aeternum bond, too. Though the benefits of that were still to be seen.

What else does he want from me? I’m not the type of girl to say things like that all the time.

“Hmm? What was that?” he teased, trailing his fingers down my clothes.

I couldn’t help but snap at him.

“You’re doing this on purpose!” I growled, grabbing onto his shirt again.

This time, it was rougher. Though he didn’t mind my harsh handling. No, he welcomed it.

“Am I? But what if all I want is to make you slip?” he chuckled.

I couldn’t help but shake him a bit.

“Don’t you think it’s too late for that! You’re stuck with me for eternity!” I scowled at him.

He cupped my cheeks, pulling me on him.

“I didn’t mean that slip, sweets.” He breathed, trailing one hand through my hair.

It was comfortable, and I couldn’t help but lay on him. He wasn’t using his power on me, though. I knew this because it felt odd when he did.

“You only ever cry with intense emotions. So, why don’t you let those emotions out?” my vampire asked.

Instinctively, I glared at him.

“Oh, no, don’t you dare!” I growled.

He rolled his eyes, clasping onto my bum. It caused a soft whine to leave my lips.

“I won’t do that to you. But if you keep being explosive, I’ll have to work some of that energy out.” Loki teased, licking his lips.

I couldn’t help but chuckle. A second later, I kissed him on his neck, leaving behind a mark on his pale skin. He had so many of them from last night, but they were covered by his shirt. A soft chuckle left my lips while I relished he was mine.

After all, I was the only one allowed to leave these types of things on him.

“Oi, Thea and Oz will see that when they come back.” Loki touched his neck, feeling the warm sensation I had left behind.

In response to his complaint, I straddled his waist, trailing my hands down his body. He tempted the temptress, and I didn’t back down. Especially if we were alone, and part of me didn’t care if Oswald walked in on us again.

“All you have to do is drink blood and it’ll heal.” I pointed out, placing my thumb on his lips.

He really is mine. I won’t allow any god to take him from me.

This would prove difficult, though. Sadly, even though Loki was Elias' reincarnation, he didn’t have the powers he used to possess. If anything, he was half the god he used to be. Much like Alijah was, too. Rem was more like me, though.

Though Fenrir had left, most of his power connected to the moon. This was so the Lycans would not lose their abilities as the vampires did. Though in their case, the power was taken from them by their angered god.

That made me wonder how Loki got his. Though that probably had to do with the connection we shared. It had awakened the sealed power within him when he touched me that fateful day. Same with Oswald. He probably had powers beyond what he thought he could do.

So, perhaps there was a way for me to reactivate them. Elias was order based and for me to reignite his powers, it would mean having to tap into that source. A thing I didn’t know how to do. What had happened that day was probably orchestrated by Edna, too.

“You know what my bite will do to you. Even if you’re getting used to it.” Loki licked my finger.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at him.

“Hm… Didn’t you say you wanted to work my frustrations out?” I ground myself on him.

It was fun to dry hump him like this, though his expression made me want to do more. My action caused a soft sigh to come from his lips. Eli wrapped himself around my waist as his tail went into my shirt.

“Hah, you’re just trying to avoid it. Love, you can’t do that.” He gripped my hips, enjoying the feeling I was evoking in him.

He wanted me to talk about my emotions, and that was something I didn’t want to fall into. After all, once a lid was off, it was hard to place back on. I was tired of seeming weak, too.

“Like you know…” I trailed off, leaning to kiss him.

Of course, he responded the same. A second later, my back was on the bed. I tugged down on his pants as his tongue played with mine. However, before we could get any further, a knock came from the door.

Instinctively, Loki drew away from me to gaze at it. My lips burned with his heat. A groan also left me as I gazed at him longingly.

Of course…

“Fuck,” a curse left his lips.

Eli slid under the covers as Loki glanced back at me. It was almost as if he was asking me for permission to stay. A smile crept up on my lips as I licked them.

“Fuck whoever’s at the door and kiss me,” I ordered.

The reaction was immediate. The sensation of his warm lips on mine was all the comfort I needed. However, before we could get into it, his phone rang. He pulled away again as a whine left me.

It seemed it wasn’t in our cards to make love.

“Oh, it’s Thea.” Loki sighed, looking at his phone.

“What of it? Does Rem want us or something? There are still two hours…” I growled, pouting.

It caused my vampire to chuckle. Of course, I hadn’t listened to their earlier conversations. So, I did not know what the other siblings were up to.

“She says she found how to hide Eli from everyone. And she’s outside of the door.” He informed, getting up from the bed.

There was a tent on his pants. One I could easily fix if he wasn’t going to open the door.

Or can I anyway?

That was a desire I needed to hold, as his sister wasn’t of age yet.

“So, no fucking? Got it.” I grumbled, gazing at him, trying to calm himself.

Though he chuckled at my words.

“Oh, don’t worry, sweets. I’ll make you feel the stars tonight.” He promised, smirking.

I rolled my eyes, turning to the side to see Eli coming back to me. If it was Thea, there was no reason for him to hide.

“Hmph, I think you mean I’ll do that.” I pouted, grabbing onto the cuddly snake.

Well, only to me.

“If you say so, love. I don’t mind it either way.” He chuckled, going for the door.

However, instead of opening it, he stood by it for a bit. And, of course, I couldn’t help myself from teasing him.

“Having a hard time?” I asked, leaning against the footboard of the bed.

The reaction to my tease was instantaneous.

“Oh, shut it.” He grumbled, shooting a glare at me.

Even while annoyed, he was so cute. His cheeks were purely pink as I laughed, enjoying his reaction. A small weak chuckle left his lips too, as he pressed his forehead onto the door. When he opened the door, I allowed myself to slide onto the bed more comfortably.

Thea stood there, slightly annoyed by Loki for taking so long.

“Geez, I could’ve been a granny by the time you opened the door!” she grumbled, holding a box in her hands.

Stepping into the room, she placed it on the table nearby.

“I doubt you would appear any different.” Loki sighed, closing the door.

Thea gasped, turning towards her brother.

“Oi! That was disrespectful! I’m a wonderful woman!” she argued.

That was what Loki needed to move past our moment as he chuckled, shaking his head.

“Na, you’re a child at best,” I commented from the bed.

Eli was on me, allowing me to fiddle with his wings. It had become a calming mechanism for me.

“Oi! I’m seventeen going to eighteen eventually!” Thea snapped, pointing at me.

“Like I said, a child.” I reiterated, rolling my eyes.

In response, Thea crossed her arms as her eye twitched.

“Oi… You two are a menace. Maybe I should leave with my idea! See how Ma will react to Eli!” Thea chided us.

However, when she went for the box she came with, Loki grabbed onto her arm.

“Hey, we’re sorry. Tell us your idea.” he sighed.

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However, I didn’t feel that way.

“I’m not. She treats me like I’m a fucking plush!” I huffed, sitting up with Eli in my hands.

Loki didn’t seem impressed by my argument, though.

“You mean like you’re treating Eli?” my vampire asked, unamused.

It was almost like he caught me on my bullshit.

“That’s different!” I gazed down at Eli.

He tilted his head at me as I sighed.

Fuck… I never…

“You like me touching you, right?” I mumbled, worried about his answer.

His little tongue flickered once before he spoke.

“I love it.” He chuckled.

It felt like my eyes sparkled before I hugged him again.

“See, I hate it when someone else other than...” I trailed off, noticing I almost slipped.

Nothing a quick patch wouldn’t fix.

“Wait no… I hate it when everyone does it.” I backtracked, allowing myself to fall back onto the bed.

Loki rolled his eyes, shaking his head as Thea smirked. If I was near her, I would be in her arms.

“Oh, gosh, I know what she means… but she’s too cute!” she beamed, gazing at Loki.

Unlike her, he seemed unsure of what she had said. Especially knowing how I was.

“Just count yourself lucky the cute girl can’t use her powers.” He huffed at his sister.

Is that a tone of jealousy?

“The girl is here, and she can hear you both,” I grumbled, shaking my head in disbelief.

I didn’t know if I was annoyed or relieved. At least she didn’t hate me. Yet again, I could never allow that to show.

“Okay, so moving on,” Thea shrugged, turning around.

Opening the box, she pulled out a black container from it. It seemed like paint of some kind.

“We’ll color Eli’s scales using this special paint made for Lycans when they shift!” She began handing the container to Loki.

Though it wasn’t long before she pulled out another thing. This time it seemed like eye covers or something like that.

“We’ll use these contacts with him too!” She announced.

Instinctively, I pulled Eli to my chest.

“It won’t hurt him, right?” I huffed, not wanting anything bad to happen to him.

Thea frowned at me and shook her head.

“He’s immortal in this realm.” She reminded.

I couldn’t help but scoff at her.

“Immortal to you mortals,” I grumbled.

“Damn it, look, it won’t hurt him. I asked the elves to make it customized made for my pet snake! I’ll even paint him with a brush!” she pointed out, holding it in her hand.

It appeared fluffy enough, yet I… My hesitance was something my beloved noticed.

“It’ll be fine, love. I’ll be good as new after.” He reassured me.

Releasing a sigh, I let the snake go as Thea grabbed him. Loki sat next to me, allowing me to lean on him. If anything happened to him, I would lose it. Though the sound of Loki’s beating heart was soothing to me.

It helped that he was holding me by my waist, too.

“You aren’t that protective of me.” Loki huffed at me.

“He is you,” I grumbled, enjoying his warmth.

“Well, you have to air dry, but Oz can help with that when he’s back,” Thea mumbled, sitting on the floor with the body paint and brush.

I had little doubt any of this would work, but at least it was something.

“He should be back soon,” Loki informed, flipping through his phone.

The message from Oz assured him was only a couple of minutes away.

“This is odorless body paint, but it only washes off with water. So, don’t get wet.” Thea warned Eli, who tilted his head.

“When did you come up with this? I mean, you rushed out without saying a word.” Loki asked, allowing me to slide off him and onto the bed.

There I rolled onto my back while keeping my eyes on Thea.

“Well, this shop is the one that makes my eye patches. So, I always knew about it. And luckily, it wasn’t destroyed in the attack.” Thea answered, painting Eli.

It was surprising how the coats of paint were actually sticking to his smooth scales. Slowly, the white snake was going black again.

“They also make custom paint and lenses. Though they looked at me weird when I asked for the lenses.” She giggled, shaking her head slightly.

“I had to come up with an excuse as I wanted this pet snake, and it will grow, and you know…” she ranted.

The way they interacted intrigued me. After all, he had taken her eye yet while they spoke. It didn’t show.

“You two have a good relationship.” I fished for information.

It would be something my vampire would not like, but I was curious. Luckily, Thea took my bait.

“Of course, we do.” She agreed, brushing the snake.

It was odorless like she said too. Lycans would need special dyes if they wanted to keep their hair color when they shifted. It had elven elements and enchantments. Much like their clothes were. This was to survive the shift.

This was why Leo usually was hounded about his hair. It was rare for a Lycan to have multiple colors unless it was artificial. His were natural though. The cute polka dot look fit the young pup, too.

Not that he was that young. Only two years apart from me. Though the conversation wasn’t going in that direction.

“Even after he took your eye?” I asked bluntly.

The reaction from my vampire was instantaneous. He grabbed me by my hand, pulling me towards him. It lifted me off the bed, alerting me he was serious.

“Vivian!” he seemed annoyed by what I had said.

I could tell by the way my name rolled off his tongue. And he had used my full name instead of Vivi, sweets, or love. In his eyes, there was also a hint of irritation. Though, I did not care. I needed to know everything.

We were bound for life. If anyone would be holding unknowns, it would be me. Unfair, but I didn’t care. All the cards would be mine to play, especially with the living gods lying around.

“Ah… Are you testing my commitment to my brother? I suggest you don’t. This was my fault.” Thea answered, pointing towards her patch.

Glancing away from my beloved, I set my eyes on her. It wasn’t like his grip on me was rough, either.

“How so?” I continued.

My vampire’s hold on me tightened as he tugged on me again.

“Oi, enough.” He huffed.

Even though he was annoyed at me, I didn’t avert my eyes from Thea. Her crimson orb narrowed before she sighed.

“Na, let her ask.” She shrugged, turning towards me.

“This happened because I did not back off. Loki wasn’t feeling well, and he told me to leave, but I didn’t. Instead, I pissed him off. And well, I lost my eye.” She answered, not flinching away from me.

She really didn’t see me as something dangerous. Perhaps she was grateful for what I did the prior night.

“And you don’t blame him at all?” I didn’t relent.

Loki sighed beside me, letting me go. I fell back onto the bed in the same position as before he nabbed me.

“I didn’t when it happened. I won’t now. We were just kids being stupid. Plus, my big brother was having a bad day, and I should have respected that.” She assured, going back to painting the snake on her lap.

It appeared like she was unbothered by it. Though Loki, on the other hand, rather avoided the subject.

“Hmm… I see.” I hummed, gazing to the side.

There was a moment of silence, which was quickly broken by a knock on the door. This time it was Oswald with food for us. Once he came in, he noticed Thea painting on the side and ignored her. Handing us our food, he sat down at the desk.

Zephier ran to Eli only for a small bicker to break out between them. When I opened the container holding my food, I recognized it right away. The twin had gotten me the delicious salad that Ro’s wife always made.

It made me happy to know Ro and her business survived last night, too. Oswald mentioned they were busy. It appeared all the workers and volunteers were ordering food there. Luckily, Ro skipped him ahead.

The entire city was a mess, though. There were those also waking up from the thrall trance. They didn’t seem to remember anything about what happened. After our meal, part of me could not follow the conversation between the siblings.

I locked my eyes on the ceiling of this room. Again, no matter what I tried, nothing ever made sense. There was no way out. It reminded me of the time when I first was with Loki. Well, when he first tested me.

Would it have been different if he had bitten me then? Would I have fallen for him then? Doubtful. The line between hate and love is so thin. I probably would’ve hated him for forcing himself on me.

“Uh, I think you should put a bandage on that bug bite,” Oz pointed out, noticing the love mark I left on Loki’s neck.

It snapped me out of my train of thought as my vampire's cheeks turned pink. He quickly covered it with his hand. Oswald had pointed it out for two reasons. One to tease his brother and the other was so Thea wouldn’t see it.

A chuckle left my mouth as a grumble left his. Hearing me snicker caused him to gaze at me. A smirk formed on my lips. I flourished seeing him flustered by what I had done. It was usually the other way around.

Unable to say or do much, he cursed under his breath, heading into the bathroom. With him gone, I turned to Oswald. Everything about him made me overly curious. Especially his change of heart.

“Oz, why didn’t you say anything to Rem in the ball?” I asked, knowing full well he had seen the mark on my back.

He gazed at me as Thea did the finishing touches for Eli.

“Because I trust my brother. Though don’t get me wrong, I think he’s an idiot for falling for you.” He assured me.

“Hmm… I see.” I hummed, laying back on the bed.

I didn’t know what response I wanted from him, but not that one. A soft sigh left his lips as Zephier seemed to bug Eli, who was almost done. There were black paw prints where she stood on the floor.

“And you aren’t the monster I first thought.” Oswald suddenly declared.

It caused me to sit up and gaze at him again. He was avoiding my glance, though. I couldn’t help but tease the warlock.

Emma… you have good taste. Too bad that asshole took it away. But don’t worry, the good thing about mortals is that they can change. He’ll be happy again, even without you. Though it’ll take time.

A sad truth, but one mortal could live by. Oswald was young. He could find another love or two. And these brothers were cute. He also deserved happiness in the end.

Did I deserve it, though?

“What? Is that because I don’t have horns or scales? No offense, Eli.” I chuckled, grabbing onto a pillow for support.

“None taken. I know you like my…” the sneaky snake trailed off as Thea tilted her head.

This… duo will be the end of me!

“Oi, shut it!” I growled at him.

He chuckled as Thea shook her head. Oswald would take my attention, though.

“You aren’t evil, Vivian. Look, I was thinking about it. Like I was, but something stopped me.” Oswald clasped onto his shirt, still avoiding my gaze.

Another sigh left his lips as he continued.

“I would like to say it was my brother's feelings, but it wasn’t. The reason I said nothing was that I found you interesting. So, I thought I wanted to figure you out more. And then you save my two baby sisters.” Oswald chuckled, gazing at me with gratitude.

My heart stopped for a moment. Even though he looked like Loki, he wasn’t. There was no way Oswald would make my heart race like Loki did. Though, I couldn’t help but think he was adorable while flustered, too.

“When Luna came in last night, she wouldn’t stop crying over you. That we needed to save you. I realized; you aren’t this monster we thought you were.” He confessed.

Of course, I couldn’t let that go. He was being genuine with me, yet I always had to test it.

“Are you sure that isn’t guilt for walking in on us?” I huffed, feeling a bit flustered by his words.

That was never an excellent combination.

“Uh, no, I call that even.” He chuckled, tapping his fingers on the table.

“Would you explain to me something?” The warlock quickly followed.

“What?” I mumbled, surprised.

I had not expected him to ask something so quickly after I tried to trip him.

“Thea came back, and she said you were trying to save them by being a martyr,” Oz said in disbelief.

I couldn’t help but laugh at that, though.

A martyr…

All I was trying to do was buy time while keeping them safe. If that was how it ended, I couldn’t change it.

Come to think of it. Where did I drop that gemstone? Shit… It must’ve fallen in the dungeons. Well, it isn’t like it matters.

Even if they found it, only I could view the message. Well, they could if they had a strong witchcraft user. But for that, it had to be someone stronger than my father. Though this wasn’t the time to worry about that.

“I wasn’t trying to be a martyr. Everything would’ve worked out fine if she hadn’t followed me.” I huffed, crossing my arms.

There was no way I would agree on that point. However, Thea appeared ticked off by what I had said. Luckily, she had finished with Eli when she turned to me. Her eyes twitched. Lycans and their temper.

Yet again, I wasn’t any better, and I had no Lycan blood in me.

“Excuse me, I didn’t know you were a mother fucking goddess! And don’t come to say that when you can’t use your magic! You were lucky I came!” she pointed out, placing her hands on her hips.

It almost seemed like an angry mother about to scold a child. It caused me to avert my gaze away from her.

“I…” I mumbled, not expecting this reaction.

She should be glad, and that is it. I did nothing special.

“So, tell me, what would you have done? Allowed those two to fuck you instead of letting them kill me?” She scoffed.

This family knew how to rile me up. And I had been blunt before. Perhaps this was payback.

“You all make it seem like it's so bad. There are worse things than getting fucked unwillingly. Like I don’t know? Dying?!? That is permanent, no?!” I snapped, standing up from the bed.

Even though she was a Lycan, she did not scare me. No, only the living gods did. It might have been that I knew she would not hurt me.

“All a pup like you needs to do is to be grateful,” I growled firmly.

Of course, a Lycan would not back down that easily either.

“I didn’t ask you for that!” she argued.

What a stupid mutt.

Sadly, if I didn’t have a poor impression already, surely I would have it after what came out of my mouth. Luckily, I had my brooch from keeping me going nuclear.

“You didn’t have to ask!” I countered.

Loki walked out of the bathroom, though my eyes were locked with Thea. The tone of my voice stunned her.

“What’s with you?! I’m older than you! All you need to say is a fucking thank you and be done with it!” I snapped again.

Both of them… They’re just…

“You and your damn brother keep telling me it should’ve been scary. And you know what fuck yeah it was. I hated every moment too! But guess what you’re important to him!” my emotions were getting the best of me.

Perhaps it was because Emma was gone, but I was tired of trying to seem evil. They needed to back off.

“If you think I did it because you play a role in what’s coming. That isn’t accurate.” I paused, glaring at her.

I failed at acting like a human, yet I was one in every sense of the word. I didn’t have the apex species' speed, nor did I have their super hearing.

“You want the truth?” I scoffed.

At this point, I did not care.

“I can’t allow anyone else from his family to die because of something I can prevent!” I finished, gazing away from her.

That was when I finally noticed Loki by the bathroom door, cheeks flushed red. He was holding his phone in his hand. It got me more irritated, though. I shot another glare at Thea.

“Are you happy!? Is that what you wanted to hear!?” I growled.

Much to my surprise, instead of irritation, she smirked as her plan had worked.

“See, she’s such a good girl.” Thea hugged me.

My eyes twitched. These two demons had tricked me.

Gerta’s right. Rem’s kids are…

“It's obvious how you care for Loki.” Oswald chuckled, relaxing in the chair he sat in.

It was like something else broke in me. These people were…

“You mortals are insufferable idiots!” I howled, rabid.

Though everything stopped when Loki cleared his throat. He pointed to his phone.

“Mom… wants to see us.”

It was almost as if there was a knot on it. With Eli here, he would have heard everything too, but I couldn’t help but feel more flustered by the way he appeared. It was cute. Thea took Eli to Oswald before going to the bathroom to wash her hands.

Casting a simple spell, the paint on the snake’s body dried. Loki walked next to me as I felt him grab my hand in his. When Thea came out of the bathroom, Oswald opened the door for us. Though instead of following them, Loki gazed at me.

“Give me a moment. We’ll join you soon.” He declared.

Thea snickered on the way out as Oswald followed her out the door. It closed behind them as I gazed toward my vampire.

“What is it?” I mumbled, feeling nervous.

Part of me thought he would scold me for everything I had done. Grabbing onto my chin, he tugged me to face him. Much to my surprise, his cheeks were rosy. A second later, his lips were on me as I gripped his shirt.

His tongue glossed over my lips, allowing him in with no fight. I felt Eli coil around my leg as he made his way up my body and towards my neck. Pulling away from the quick kiss, a saliva string connected us.

Instead of following it, he tugged away from me. Leaving behind a warmth that radiated through my body. I wished for more. Though, what he said next would leave me feeling bliss.

“You know, I’m grateful for what you did. But I don’t want you to be in danger like that again.” He sighed, placing a kiss on my forehead.

“Hmph, I just said that to keep them off my back.” I lied, gazing away from him.

He chuckled.

Why can’t I just be truthful all the time? Especially in front of him. Fucking Jin got my confession before he did. Is that even reasonable? Vivian, you aren’t fair.

“Hmm… Okay, I’ll make you scream how you feel later.” Loki teased.

I couldn’t help but smirk at him.

“Or I’ll make you squeal.” I countered, tracing my hand over the bandage on his neck.

A soft shudder came from him as his eyes glowed.

“If Mom didn’t… You know what? Find out tonight.” He breathed, leading me out of the room.

“I look forward to it.” I chuckled, enjoying winning for once.

Though, it was debatable if I ever lost to this vampire. No, I always gained something. Eli coiled around Loki’s neck as we headed out of the room. Once outside, Oswald and Thea both walked with us, as the prince did not let go of my hand.

On the way to the ballroom, we met with Zoe and Leo, who was also headed there. The moment she saw me, she engulfed me in her arms. Tears left her while she told me how grateful she was I was alive.

I mean, of course, I was. Loki and Oswald were still breathing. She was a silly girl. Hesitantly, I hugged her back. After a moment, we moved on to the ballroom. It had been cleaned of any traces of blood. There I also met Gerta, who was with Asher.

The moment the old woman saw me, she smiled at me. It pleased her to see me well. It wasn’t just the King and her here though. Rem and Alijah, along with another elder couple, were here. I had never seen them before, but I believed it was Lilith and Fenris.

The mechanical leg was an easy way to identify the silver hair Lycan from the rest. His crimson eyes, like Alijah’s, were also easy to pick out. The witch next to him with the black cat had brown-greyish hair and deep blue eyes.

Their twin Lycans were also here. Luna had been with Rem before she laid eyes on me.

“Princess!” little Luna beamed, running to me.

A second later, she had seized my leg as Rem and Alijah both gazed at me. It was almost freezing, but somehow, I stood my ground.

Monster… will that be all I am to her? Probably.

Rem ran to Loki before hugging him tightly. Next to her materialized a black hound. I hadn’t seen these familiars, but the cat was named Shade while the dog was Ruzgard. They were also eyeing me.

“Never disobey me like that.” She huffed, squishing Loki a bit.

The motion caused him to draw away from my hand. I gazed down at Luna.

“Ma… I had to.” He sighed, hugging her back.

“That doesn’t stop me from wanting to protect you.” Rem shook her head, pulling away from her son.

Even though they weren’t blood-related, they were mother and son. I envied that.

Will I ruin it? Shit.

“I know,” he simpered.

Tugging away from him, she gazed at me before turning towards Asher. There she explained everything that was found down below. And that included the gemstone that had fallen out while we struggled.

On a table, there was the stone, shattered pieces of the dagger, and the warlock’s ring, along with other things they found. She explained everything about what had happened. It appeared Aiden and Shade were the ones to see us before Thea and I jumped into the portal.

The red light from above was Caden, who had been by the ship's docks when he got the call. Oliver, that was there, soon jumped into another shadow portal before the thralls overran them. Then they recounted the moment I broke the cursed item.

Of course, they didn’t know it was me. Thea and Loki hadn’t said a word. From their side, it had been like a bright light had suddenly consumed the city.

The second it was gone, all the thralls were left disorientated. At that moment, they realized they were victims. Rem and Alijah had to clean up the city of shadow demons while everyone else evacuated.

Luckily, the damage was minimized thanks to them being there. Most of those beasts already knew what she could do, and thus retreated from the city. The circles under Alijah’s and Rem’s eyes were prevalent, allowing anyone to know they had been up since the day before.

But that was something they were used to. Hunting demons for eighteen years had made that possible. They also believed the coven had attacked Tania. It appeared she didn’t remember a thing of what happened.

And she would join us later. This came much to my discomfort, which I needed to avoid showing.

“Why’s your family always in shit, Fenris?” Asher sighed with the information overload.

He appeared weaker than usual, too. I guess the stress wasn’t good for him. Probably hadn’t slept since everything began too. Though the way Gerta was next to him made me feel happy for her. His viper of a wife was nowhere to be seen, though.

“Hey, it’s your family now too.” The older silver Lycan chuckled at the old vampire, who scowled.

I gazed towards the side, hoping to find Alistair, but he didn’t seem to be there. Then again, it wasn’t like Rem would want him close to Loki.

“Not that I’m pleased by it.” Asher sighed again, shaking his head.

Rem stepped in between the two.

“Okay enough, you two, we need to find out what message is in that gem. And Mom can’t crack it.” Rem huffed at the two.

Asher rolled his eyes at her while she gazed at Lilith, her mother.

Shit… This isn’t good.

The witch picked up the gem from the table before offering it to Oswald. That cat familiar was still staring at me, too. Though the moment she came closer to us. Well, to Oz, I couldn’t help but want to take a step back.

These people were my enemies. If they found out, I wasn’t in the right place to win.

“Well, I’m not as powerful as I was in my youth. Oswald, could you try?” she asked.

It caused me to grab onto his shirt slightly. A soft shiver came from him before he gazed at me. Sadly, I couldn’t tell him to not try. A warlock as strong as he could probably get over the locks my father had left on it.

If he were to show that to everyone here, I would be in trouble. Though, I couldn’t cast a spell with Fenris here. He never wore those inhibitors' ears as his twin sons and Alijah did. They were there so they wouldn’t hear the ring magic spells left in Lycan’s ears.

Though, today Aiden didn’t have them on either. Leo and Thea were another two who would notice.

“Y-yes.” Oswald stuttered to say, shifting his glance back to his grandmother.

Shit… I’m screwed.

It appeared keeping information away could harm me. But would anything have changed if I said otherwise? Luckily, I couldn’t feel too anxious when Loki grabbed me by my waist.

“What’s wrong?” he whispered.

The anxiety that I was trying to mask was surging, allowing him to feel it.

“Nothing,” I mumbled, gazing to the side.

“You two sure look like a couple.” Rem scoffed.

Her piercing eyes were on me, and I couldn’t help but feel jittery.

“So, what if we are?” Loki huffed.

It triggered me to gaze at him, amazed.

“Nothing, just moments of passion make mistakes. Did you use protection?” Rem continued to prod.

She was obviously not happy about us.

If only she knew… it would royally fuck me.

“Ma…” Loki sighed, not wanting to continue that conversation.

Luckily, Alijah was near to stop it.

“Rem… You haven’t slept, don’t take it out on him.” He sighed, grabbing onto his wife’s arm.

Before she could say something else, though, a snap came from Oswald’s hand. A little smoke was coming from it too.

“Uh… This gem’s broken. I think I might’ve used a bit too much magic.” Oz sighed, gazing at me lightly.

Did he do that for me?

I didn’t know at the time, but Oswald had seen part of the message before he broke it.

“What? That isn’t like you.” Rem noted, taking a step towards Oz.

“Well, I don’t feel like myself, Ma!” he scoffed, gazing towards the ground.

“You know what, this isn’t going anywhere.” Rem declared, grabbing onto her arms.

A self-soothing gesture. I didn’t blame her for feeling the way she did. Or for wanting everything to go faster. After all, they had attacked all her children.

“Love, I’m here,” Alijah assured.

It was annoying to see them like that.

“It isn’t like that. What if that thing is out there causing all of this? Loki and Oz need to be protected.” Rem pressed her head on his chest.

He was quick to engulf her, though. A sweet moment in this chaos.

By thing… does she mean me?

“I know, but we need to keep a cool head.” He sighed, clasping her.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.

Cool head on a Lycan. That’s something new.

Though she was only half one.

“Careful, what you say Rem. This castle has ears everywhere.” Asher commented from the side.

It appeared to tick her off. Alijah held her back by her shirt while she ran her mouth. However, that comment made me wonder if Asher was aware of Loki’s predicament.

Of my existence…

It also reminded me of the same thing Loki said when I first got here. Then again, I had swept his room with a spell when I moved in. And found nothing. Though that viper might not have had an interest in the vampire yet.

Especially since Alistair was the crown prince.

“You know what Asher; I dare that bitch to come after my boys! I’ll snap her in half myself!” she howled, angrier than before.

The old vampire appeared unimpressed, rolling his eyes at her. It seemed this was a common interaction between the two. At least they weren’t on me or Loki anymore.

“No thanks, we don’t want a war.” He waved his hand.

Gerta released a soft chuckle on the side, causing him to gaze at her. The way his eyes laid on her was tender.

“Mom, I don’t think this was the coven you’re after.” Thea tried to quell everything.

A mistake, as Rem turned to her.

“That gem stinks of Cain’s magic. I know it.” She huffed.

A small bicker began among everyone as Lilith gazed at me. I froze in her sight when she walked over to Loki and me.

“Hey, you saved my granddaughters, or so I’m told.” Lilith reached her hand to me.

Everything about her seemed friendly, but with this family, I didn’t know what to expect.

“What?” I mumbled, gazing at her hand, not knowing if I should touch her.

The fact the cat was staring at me made me retreat a bit from her. I also noticed the Lycan, Fenris, gazing towards where she went. The Silver Fangs were protective of their mates. Then again, all wolves were.

Is that where Loki got it from?

Noticing I wouldn’t shake her hand, she turned to Loki, who was gazing at me.

“I can see my grandson is quite smitten by you.” She chuckled, triggering him to glance at her.

His cheeks were pink. She didn’t shift her eyes from me, though.

“Ah, and don’t mind Rem. She’s rough at the edges, but deep down, she’s a sweet girl. Overbearing with her kids, but, hey, aren’t we all?” she smiled.

She would’ve seemed so free-spirited if I didn’t know her past. It made me wonder how she would deal with knowing she was part of a goddess's plan.

A pawn… like all the rest of us. Surely, it’ll break the witch, won’t it?

Lilith was never a stable person. Most said her sanity was barely holding. Or perhaps it was held at bay because of the obsession she had with her mate.

“Of that, I have no doubt,” I mumbled, feeling a tug on my leg.

With everything that had happened, I had forgotten Luna had taken me hostage. She had been happily humming the entire time.

“Luna seems to be smitten too.” Lilith chuckled.

Luckily, she picked up the little luma, freeing me from her grip.

“She’s a princess, grandma!” Luna beamed.

I couldn’t help but scowl at her. Loki chuckled, pulling me closer. There, Lilith found the perfect opportunity to cause mayhem. Witches and their chaos. Though it could’ve been innocent. Yet I doubted that.

“Well, if she marries Loki, she will be.” Lilith cooed to the little luma in her arms.

I felt something else snap within me today.

“Marriage?!” I gasped, heart racing.

It wouldn’t be long before my senses left me. I mean, the Amor Aeternum bond was something worse than that. But my brain couldn’t comprehend the ceremony I had seen in books. Having that with Loki…

No, that would only happen if they accepted me.

My lovely prince wouldn’t allow me to cool down, though.

“And what if I want to marry her? Will you allow it without a fuss, grandpa?” Loki took a shot at Asher.

You moron, this isn’t the time for that!

The funny thing was, he was completely serious.

“Foolish wants by a foolish child.” Asher sighed, not paying any more mind to him.

Though Rem was a different thing.

“Oi, you can’t get married! You’re only eighteen!” she yelled, walking towards him.

Not even Alijah could hold her back. Nope, it flared her like a firework.

“What? So, I have to wait three years? Like you did? Who’s to say I live until then?” Loki argued, gripping me tighter.

Though he didn’t know about the bomb, he held.

“Oi…” I huffed.

“I need you to understand. It’s too soon! Alijah and I knew each other for longer than that!” Rem countered.

“Well, I’m not waiting until my funeral to do what I want. Especially when I…” he trailed off, noticing my demeanor.

Though by the time he paid attention to the raging anger within me, it was too late.

“Enough, you stupid vampire! Do you know no limits?!” I yelled, stomping on his foot.

Instinctively, he let go of me. I didn’t care how hard I had gone. He would heal after all. A soft groan left him, bending down to his foot.

“No one said I was dating you, nor do I plan to! Got it?!” I growled at Loki, storming off to the side.

Enough of this damn family! Marrying into it would be a nightmare!

That would’ve been the sane way to say things. But I was stuck with this family for life.

“And you…” idiots… “people think you have everything figured out. I don’t need to be here to listen to this mess. It doesn’t concern me. Excuse me,” I huffed, reaching for the door.

It was a mistake to take my eyes away from them. The next moment, I felt someone grab onto my arm. Instinctively, I turned to them, fearing the worst. If it was Rem, then I was royally fucked.

“Wait!” Aiden stopped me.

It was hard to hold back the desire to yank my arm away from him. Though it was a relief to see it was him and not his sister.

“I saw you with that same dagger before you fell into the portal. Were you cut by it?” he asked.

It left me without knowing what to say. A couple of moments passed as silence fell on me. I didn’t have the time to think, especially with this wolf on me. Loki was glaring my way, but not at me.

No, his eyes were glued to his uncle. It snapped me from my initial shock, though.

“That thing shattered when it fell on the floor. And I wasn’t cut by it.” I answered, voice a bit shaky.

An obvious lie, though. One I hoped they would accept.

“Uncle, release her. She already had an awful day.” Oswald spoke up.

Loki was biting his tongue, as he would say too much if he spoke. Though the wolf didn’t back down.

“You’re lying. The blood by the altar smells like you and the dead warlock too.” Aiden pointed out.

I was stuck. It was almost as if my mind went blank for a moment. Luckily, I wasn’t alone here.

“That was from when she used herself as a decoy.” Thea quickly intercepted.

All eyes fell on her, as her voice appeared desperate to save me. Aiden also released me from his grip.

“She cut her hand with a knife to lure that Lycan away from us. It was what made me turn back for her. And that was before the altar. So, she was bleeding before then too.” She lied with a hint of truth, clenching her hands.

In reality, she had seen me destroy the ceiling, not cut myself. But I had cut myself before being dragged into the ritual.

“And why on earth would you do that?” Rem asked, narrowing her eyes.

I could see the suspicion radiating out of that luma. This had been the third time someone asked me this. Yet Thea had prepared me for that, luckily. I guess this was the perfect time to gain some trust.

“They had made it clear I wouldn’t be killed while your two daughters were. So, the choice was simple.” I answered, taking a step away from Aiden.

They were all wary of me. Though Gerta, who had been there, was gazing at me like I was crazy.

“How dumb can you young ones be?!” she stepped away from Asher.

“If anything, I could’ve done that! You, idiot!” she added, walking towards me.

I shook my head.

“If I’m young and dumb. What does that make you, Gerta?” I couldn’t help the words leaving me.

This was all tiresome.

How will I deal with this fucking family for life?

“You’re old and slow. I had to give you a head start before I even threw that… You know what, all you need to know is that Lycan would’ve killed you with no hesitation. So, what did you expect me to do? Send you to your death?” I sighed, shaking my head.

Just think of this like any other test. It’ll be over soon.

“But… they could’ve hurt you.” The old woman argued.

“Well, it turned out fine.” I shrugged, gazing at Luna in Lilith’s arm.

“Or would you have rather watched the girl die? I know, I… couldn’t.” I finished, turning away, and heading for the door.

“Vivi,” Loki called.

I didn’t turn to him. Sadly, I couldn’t be a moment longer in this den full of enemies.

“Hey, we have to speak.” Rem huffed, grabbing onto my vampire.

There was no escape for him. Though we had to be glad that Thea’s plan was working. Eli had remained silent and undetectable for now. But that could change. It was best if they stayed here, too.

“I won’t be far, Loki, just not in this room,” I announced, opening the door.

Zoe was quick to follow me, though I never expected…

“I’ll go with her,” Gerta announced to Asher, who nodded in response.

Something stopped me by the door as I gazed inside the room. These people were my adversaries, and I couldn’t forget that. Well, all but a few. Loki was gazing at me like he wanted to be with me.

Sadly, we would be apart for a bit. Nothing too hard for him to handle.

“Oh, and I’m sure my opinion doesn’t matter. But if you ask me, this wasn’t by mortal hands. No coven has the power…” I bit my lip, shaking my head.

Not allowing myself to read the room, I turned away again.

“Well, what do I know.” I closed the door behind me.

This was the start of something. The day of the god’s descent was coming, and I didn’t know how to stop it.