Bloodline of Destiny

chest. She had been sitting like this for what felt like hours, staring blankly at the wall. The faint hum of the refr

not from nausea this time, but from the weig

e preg

calm; detached, while Stella felt as though the ground had been ripped out from under her. She coul

gna

t been with anyone in months... except

ri

eper, sharper sense of unease she couldn't quite name. She hadn't thought of him in weeks. No, that was a lie. She had though

ably; excessively graphic, each

e you even

ted, blinking rapidly. She looked up to see Nadia standing in the doorway,

hat are you

er soaked sneakers. "You didn't answer my calls. Or my texts. Or, you know, the

? That she had fainted in class, been taken to the clinic, and walked

ttered, avoiding

s. "Don't give me that. I know

herself, letting out a shaky

er expression softening sl

was anyone she could talk to about this, it was Nadia. She had always been

start," Stella admitted, her

said, plopping onto the couch beside her. She nudged S

wisting together nervously. "I... I found out

, her silence encourag

hard, the word catching in

red at her, her eyes widenin

r voice shaking. "I don't under

her words carefully. "You... you did sleep with someone, right? Lik

. "Yeah. A while ago. But it was... it

er mind drifting b

Silver Fang had been a blur of color and noise, but she remembe

ri

rm. His dark, tailored clothes had fit him perfectly, and his p

oke; his voice low and smooth, laced with an accent she couldn't place. He had drawn he

ad asked when he rejoined her in a dimly lit part of the

e that hinted at secrets she couldn't begin to

nd that betrayed how much he unsettled her

he club was dimly lit as well, the faint hum of the music from inside sti

said, the words tumbling out

soft, dark. "And ye

he say? He was right. She had followed him

se and unyielding, as if he were memorizing every detail of her face.

her cheek with a gentleness that belied the intensit

r heart had been racing in her chest, s

in in her neck. The air between them had crackled with an almost tangible energy, and when he

ad been he

f himself into her. She had clung to him, her fingers tangling in his hair as his hands grippe

ike she was drowning in him, lost in a tidal wave of sensation. She couldn't t

nd them had ce

ell

ent, and Stella blinked, realizing her ch

?" She asked wit

, her voice shaky. "He was just... gone. I w

ncern deepening. "And

t has to be. I haven't..." She trailed of

wly. "Okay. So... what now? Are

ella admitted. "I don't know his last

to squeeze Stella's hand. "We'll figure this out

ening or how she was supposed to handle it, but one thing was clear: Adrian had left her w