#the chosen daughter

[golbrocklovely]

the chosen daughter // colby brock - chapter twenty-three

A/N: it took me a whole year to write this next chapter, and i am so sorry about that. i can't make any promises as to when the next chapter will come out, but i promise i'm seeing this story thru. mark my words on that. hopefully this long ass chapter makes up for the long ass wait lol lmk what you think and i'll see you guys much sooner than a year !!

story description

trigger warning: angst, cursing, mentions of abuse, SMUT, cliffhanger (wow i'm the worse for this lol)

word count: 7320

~~~~~~~~~~~

It was hard to get to sleep after the conversation Tara and I had. I slept on and off all night, never feeling fully rested. I finally woke up mid-afternoon, the sun pouring through the cracks of the almost covered window.

Even though Tara assured me that I wouldn't die, I couldn't help but feel deep within me that that wasn't going to be the case. The idea alone shook me to my core, draining all the energy out of me.

I spent most of the day in Colby's room, lying in bed. Unmoving. I could hear everyone outside coming in and out of the apartment. Colby would occasionally poke his head in, seeing if I was alright. I would just close my eyes, pretending I was asleep. I had no energy to talk about what was going through my mind. Hours passed and it wasn't until I looked at my phone and saw the time that I realized I needed to get ready for work soon. I groaned, getting out of bed, and leaving his room. I slowly trudged to the bathroom.

"You okay, baby?" Colby called from the living room.

I hummed out a response, hoping he heard me. I finished, washed my hands, and left the bathroom. I sighed deeply as I walked towards the kitchen, figuring I should make something to eat before getting ready.

"Jade..." I turned towards Colby, his arms lightly reaching out and his hands grazing my wrists.

"What?" I whispered; my voice unable to speak louder.

Colby cupped my face, making my look into his eyes. "Babe, you look... so tired. Are you okay?"

The softness in his voice and touch made my heart ache. My body felt so heavy, my mind going both a million miles a minute and quiet all at once. I slid my arms around Colby, almost collapsing against him. Tears welled up in my eyes, my vision blurring. Colby rubbed my back, soothing me as I cried into his chest.

"I-I just...." I stuttered, blubbering.

"What, Jade? What is it?" He cooed.

"Every time things feel like they are calming down, they just get worse. Nothing seems to be going right for me, for us. I-I don't know how much more I can take." I shook, my cheeks soaked with tears.

"Try to calm down, Jade. It's gonna be okay." He assured me.

"But how do you know that? I mean, every time I try to catch a break, everything blows up in my face." I pulled back, looking up at him. "I try to take off work to relax, a 500-year-old vampire comes into town and toys with me. And then his brother decides he wants to fuck around with me too. And not only me, but you! Ronnie is constantly getting on my case, and then Mike tries to kill me. And yesterday every vampire I came into contact with was acting weird, only for me to find out that I apparently smell better without my necklace on. And that just adds a whole 'nother layer to all of this."

I finally tried catching my breath, no longer sad - but infuriated. "Am I cursed? That's what it feels like."

Colby shook his head. "I don't think you are. I think you are one person going through a lot in a short period of time that needs a real, serious break. And after what Tara said to you last night, I can only imagine what's going on inside your head."

I scrunched up my face. "How do you know what Tara said?"

"I may have... listened in on your conversation." He blinked.

"Colby." I whined, leaning against the kitchen counter.

"What? You're lucky I haven't locked you up inside my bedroom forever until all this blows over," he joked. "Besides, I don't want to be kept in the dark."

"I would have told you eventually." I argued, somewhat telling the truth.

"Are you sure about that? Because I have a sneaking suspicion that wouldn't happen given the information Tara shared with you about Kat and Xiomara." He lowered his voice, getting close to me.

"Don't tell the rest of the group. Kat begged me not-" I started, placing my hands on his chest.

Colby cut me off, cupping my hands into his. "I don't plan on it. I know there are a lot of vampires out there that would kill Kat for even being a witch, let alone being related to Xiomara. Besides I owe her. She did try to save me."

I exhaled, lowering my head. "I wish I could go somewhere, get away from all of this."

"Even out of the city would be better than this. Especially this dump." He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in.

"It's not too bad here. It's everything outside that's bad." I mumbled.

Colby held me in his arms tightly, rubbing my back soothingly. I breathed in his scent, warm and comforting. I knew I was safe in his arms. All I wanted was to freeze time and stay like this forever.

"You should call out." He stated plainly.

I huffed. "I don't know if I can. Roger would be really pissed-"

Colby scoffed. "Fuck Roger. Call out. Worse case he fires you."

"Some of us need to have a job that isn't hidden in the shadows or the apartment of a nightclub, Colby." I sassed.

"You can always work here if need be. God knows Kevin needs the extra hands when he can." Colby mentioned.

I paused, realizing he was right, "...That's true, I guess."

His face lightened. "So call out."

"Okay. I won't call though. I don't feel like talking. I'll just text Roger." I grabbed my phone out of my pocket.

"Sounds like a plan," he smiled, leaving the kitchen. "I have to step out for a minute and make a call. I'll be right back."

Colby walked out the apartment door, pulling out his phone as he closed it. I texted Roger that I wasn't coming in. I turned my phone on silent mode, not wanting to hear from him or Ronnie about me not showing up tonight.

I don't know why I was concerned about a job that barely paid me enough to live. With all the shit going on in my life right now, they're lucky I even show up at all.

Colby came back in a moment later, grinning. "Jade, go pack a bag."

"What? Why?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I want to take you somewhere, and we might be there for a bit." He explained, rubbing my arms sweetly.

"Well, where is 'there'?" I questioned.

"I can't tell you. That will ruin the surprise." Colby turned me towards the bedroom, slapping my ass lightly, "Now, go pack."

I didn't have too many clothes to pack in the first place, so it only took me a couple minutes to get ready. I changed into nicer clothes and walked out of Colby's room. He went in his room, grabbing a few things together, and was ready within a minute.

Vampire speed... must be nice.

Colby grabbed my hand, walking me out of the club's back entrance. He waved at Kevin, who gave him a casual salute as we passed. As we got outside, he pulled me to the garage across the street that was owned by the club.

"What are we doing over here?" I asked.

"Well, we gotta drive to get to our destination so I figured we could use my car." Colby replied, pulling out his keys and unalarming a car in the back corner of the garage. I followed him towards a car wrapped in a tarp.

"Is it a nice one?" I quired.

"Um," he shrugged. "I think it is."

Colby pulled the tarp off of his car, and underneath was an older model Toyota Corolla. It was a muted red color, and the interior was a beige nude color.

I stared over the top of the car at him. "This is the car you drive?"

"I don't really drive all that often anymore. But when I do... I ride in style." He opened his arms wide, gesturing to the car with a playful smile.

"Does Kevin not pay you enough to afford a nicer car? Hell, even a newer one?" I glanced over the car, biting my lip.

"Hey now, don't make fun of the honeywagon. She's gotten me very far in life, thank you very much." He rebutted jokingly.

"The honey-what?" I deadpanned.

"You heard me." Colby smirked, his dimples appearing for a brief moment. "Now, are you gonna keep making fun of my car, or are you going to get in?"

I rolled my eyes, opening the passenger door. I slid in, adjusting my seat a bit, and dropped my bag into the back seat. Colby got in, putting his bag in the back as well, and started the car immediately.

"I'm surprise she starts." I jeered lightly.

Colby rubbed the steering wheel, "Just because she's from 2007 does not mean she doesn't run like a champ."

"2007? Wow, that's... a long time ago." I snickered.

"Hey, when I bought this car in 2009, it was pretty new then." He responded.

My eyes widened. "You bought this car back in 2009?"

Colby backed the car up and out of the garage, starting us on our journey. "Yeah. When I turned 18, I found out that my mom left me a good amount of money. It wasn't enough for me to get my own place, but it was enough to pay for this car. I pretty much spent all of her money on this."

My stomach dropped, my previous words hitting me. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made fun-"

"It's okay Jade," he chuckled at my expression. "You ain't the first to rag on the honeywagon. Mike has given me shit over it for years. But, like I always tell him, it's sentimental."

I paused before continuing, knowing this was a touchy subject. "What happened to your mom? ...If you don't mind me asking."

Colby swallowed, his eyes remaining on the road. "My mom died of a heart attack when I was 10, and my dad had died back when I was a toddler, so I never really knew him. So, I didn't really have any other family around... besides Aunt Susan. She was also legally my godmother, so she was obligated to take me in. She got the house and everything else my mom left, even though most of it was left for me."

I lowered my voice, "The vision I saw of her and you. She grabbed you by your throat so aggressively. How often was she... like that?"

"The one moment you did see was basically how every day went. She always treated me like I was a burden, even back when I was a kid. She constantly belittled me, told me I wasn't good enough, and compared me to my mother in the worse way. It made me sick living there. And I had plans to move out as soon as I turned 18, but things never lined up well enough for me." He laughed bitterly, "And of course she wanted to kick me out the moment I was an adult, but she couldn't afford to live in the house without my extra income so once I finished high school, I moved to the basement and basically turned it into a little apartment. I never saw her unless I had to and all I did was go to work and come home. And that was my life for a long time."

"Did you have friends?" I inquired.

"I mean, I had a couple, but none that were actually close. Plus, once vampires came out to the public, a lot of people saw me as a pariah because of my aunt." He informed.

I frowned. "Why?"

"She was known in our town, affectionally, as a blood whore." Colby drove us onto the highway, leading us away from the city.

"Jesus..." I whispered, surprised.

"When vampires first came out, a lot of people were scared of them. But my aunt wasn't one of them. She was very... welcoming, to say the least. And she found out very quickly that vampire's blood was something worth befriending over." He remarked, his tone dull.

"She used to drink vampire blood?" I gaped.

"All the time. She used to give her blood to vampires in exchange - sometimes for money, sometimes for their blood. She became an addict to it, to some degree. Vampire blood, if drank a lot and in high quantities, can cause the person to feel high. So, she did that a lot of the times. She had a lot of vampire boyfriends. None of them ever stayed around too long. Just long enough for her to get her fix and then move onto the next..." His voice fell off for a moment, coming back more emotional; angrier. "Until Xaiver."

I reached over, placing my hand on Colby's forearm, rubbing it softly.

"She didn't exactly hang around with the best vampires, but he was especially sketchy. A lot of local vampires didn't fuck with him, but of course she still found her way to him. I found out later what happened with her and him. Because he was a dealer, he would sell his blood in vials. They met in some bar, and a week later went out on a ‘date’. He gave her a vial of his blood. And he expected that in return she would do the same the next date. But there never was another date. She just stole his blood and dipped. Hid in the house for two weeks in case he was out hunting for her - which he was. Eventually he heard that she had a kid that she took care of and that's how he found me." He glared at the road ahead, his jaw tense.

"I'm sorry that happened to you. You didn't deserve that." I consoled; the flashes of his memory played in my mind.

"It was such a weird feeling... turning into a vampire. I had heard stories of what it was like, and none of them explained it the way I felt it. Everything became sharp and intense. I was seeing colors I couldn't see before, lights were brighter, everything smelled so strong, and I could hear everything around me all at once. And the emotions - those are what really took me by surprise. I felt.... everything," Colby took a ragged breath. "Anything I had ever held back, anything I ever thought, I felt it. In that very moment. It was all so overwhelming. That word doesn't even do it justice."

I laced my fingers with his free hand, giving him a squeeze. "I can only imagine."

"I think my powers also made it ten times worse, at least for me. The moment I touched my aunt... I saw everything about her. Her whole entire life flashed before my eyes. Everything she ever felt or thought came to me. And I hated every second of it." He fumed lowly, sliding his hand out of my own for a moment.

I stayed silent, just watching Colby. His eyes remained on the road, but they were intense, dark. His one hand gripped the steering wheel while other rested softly on my thigh.

"I always thought that she didn't love me. I knew for a fact she didn't like me, you didn't need supernatural powers to know that. But I had hoped she cared, even a little. And there were times in her life she did. But deep down she never... wanted me," he confessed, his voice almost falling to a whisper. He swallowed and continued, "She was extremely jealous of the life my mom had. My mom had a great husband until he passed, she had a house, a family - everything my aunt wanted but could never get for whatever reason. And I was just a reminder of that. She gladly took the house, the car, my mom's money, but she didn't really want me. And knowing that she was actually kind of glad when my mom passed... I couldn't have stopped myself even if I wanted to."

"I don't blame you for what you did." I stated, looking into his eyes.

He blinked, turning back to the road. "When the police showed up, I told them that a vampire came in and attacked us both. They believed me because of her history, took her body to the morgue, and that was it. I paid for a funeral I didn't attend and buried her. I sold the house and any other possessions I could and never turned back."

"What happened to Xavier?" I uttered.

"I killed him before I left town. He was the second person I ever killed." He revealed.

I furrowed my brow, "He was hardly a person. He was a monster for what he did to you."

"Sometimes I regret killing either one of them. But then I think most likely if I hadn't, someone else would've. They both messed around with a lot of strange people..." He trailed off.

I tried to change the subject, sensing that Colby was getting tired of talking about this one. "What age did you get turned at?"

"22. I was about to be 23." He answered.

"How old would you be now?" I thought out loud.

"I would be 28. I was only born in '91." He stated.

"Oh my God... I'm dating an older man?" I gasped. "Sexy."

He finally cracked a genuine smile. "Why don't you get some rest? We have a long drive ahead of us."

"You still haven't told me where we're going." I argued light-heartedly.

"Well, clearly it's up in the mountains." He pointed to the mountains in the distance.

"I can tell that. But where?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You'll see eventually." He teased.

"You never fully explained why you're driving there. Couldn't we have vampire ran?" I questioned.

"It's a couple hours away, and while I'm strong I don't think I could run that far. Plus, I wanted to spend time with you, even if you're just asleep." He turned to me, giving me a wink. "So, get some rest."

I snuggled into my seat, leaning back a bit and staring out the window. The quiet sound of the radio and Colby's breathing lulled me to sleep in no time.

~\/\/~

"Baby, it's time to get up. We're here." Colby whispered, his soothing voice waking me.

I opened my eyes slowly, trying to focus them. The lights of the car illuminated the forest around us. And a few feet from the car was a cabin. A little porch with two red chairs rested on the outside with a set of stairs leading up to it. The cabin looked well taken care of, the light on the outside inviting us in. Little white flowers adorned the path leading to the stairs and around the whole property.

I got out of the car, my eyes widening at the sight. It was still dark out, but the sun would be rising soon, the sky a lighter blue than before. I turned towards Colby, who had both of our bags in his hands. He raced up the stairs, entering the cabin and turning the lights on. I walked up the path to the house, gliding up the stairs and into the cabin. I took in all of the little details of the place: the dark wooden interior, the rock wall fireplace, the cozy deep red couches, the soft oak table right outside of the kitchen. Everything about this place was beautiful. The house even smelled good, a mix of cinnamon and mahogany.

"So, what do you think?" He breathed almost nervously.

I gazed around the cabin, trying to take in every detail that I could. "Colby... how did you get a place like this last minute?"

"Well, Kevin knows a guy that owns this house. And I asked him to ask the guy if it was okay for us to come up here. And he said it was fine. We've all come up here before, sometimes just to get away from the city." Colby stepped closer to me. "Did you notice the white flowers outside?"

I nodded my head. "Yeah I did. Wait... are those-?"

He cut me off, smiling. "Angelica californica, to be exact."

"They grow here?" I questioned.

"Naturally, but we also add to the population occasionally." He joked, his dimples appearing.

"So... no vampires?" I whispered.

He replied back just as quiet. "No vampires. Except for me, of course."

I jumped up, hugging him tightly. "Oh Colby. This is the best present ever. Thank you."

"Of course, baby. You deserve this, and so much more." He pulled back, his arms still wrapped around me, "So, the closest cabin is about a mile away. Same with the closest town. I figured in an hour or two we can go into town, maybe get some breakfast at the diner? And then afterwards I can pick us up some groceries, that way you aren't starving the whole week we're here."

I gasped, "We're gonna be here for a week? Oh no, Colby, I only called out for a day.”

"Ehh, don't worry. You have off this weekend, right? Stay here with me, and we'll worry about all of that on Monday." Colby argued.

"I have a feeling I won't want to leave though." I exhaled dramatically.

He feigned concern. "Oh no... whatever will we do?"

I smacked his chest, a laugh erupting from him.

"Go take a shower, and I'll unpack our bags. Sound good?" He held my hands, giving them a light squeeze.

I nodded, walking into the bedroom and pulling out some clothes to change into for after my shower.

I took the longest shower of my life, scrubbing all the stress away and off my body. By the time I had gotten out, it had been an hour, and the diner was ready to open. Colby and I drove into town, enjoying the view of the quaint place. The diner wasn't packed, but a steady stream of customers were coming in and out for the breakfast rush. We sat down at a table and enjoyed our meal slowly, people-watching the whole time. We walked through town, looking at all the little shops and stopping in a few. I bought a mug with the town's name on it, Colby rolled his eyes as I did. We then went to the grocery store, picking up a few things to make lunch and dinner. Colby wasn't much of a cook, and neither was I, so we settled on pasta for tonight. We drove home, but I didn't feel like settling in yet.

"Do you wanna go on a hike?" Colby suggested.

And we did just that. The fresh air almost burned my lungs, the crispness feeling sharp with every breath. It had been overcast out all day, making it the perfect weather to walk in. I found a stream not too far away from our cabin, following it down until it opened up to a lake. We sat at the dock of the lake, staring out into the water, huddled close to each other.

Then the skies opened up, rain pouring and soaking us instantly. We laughed as we raced home, Colby holding my hand the whole time. Eventually when we were close, Colby picked me up bridal style and sped me into the cabin. Thunder crackled in the distance, making the ground shake. Colby started a fire, and the cabin warmed up instantly.

I didn't remember falling asleep, but I did. I woke up wrapped up in a blanket, a soft pillow resting under me. The tv was on, playing a random channel I hadn't seen before. The cabin smelled of butter and pasta sauce. I looked at the time, and it was already 5:36 P.M.

"Good evening, sleepy head. Dinner will be ready soon, if you wanna get up." Colby spoke from the kitchen.

I stretched, getting up and heading towards his voice. "You should have woke me sooner. I would have helped with dinner."

He snickered, "I'm not that clueless when it comes to making pasta. Besides, you looked too peaceful, and I figured after the long day of walking around your body could use some more rest."

"Well, I'll at least set the table." I pulled out two dishes, walking over to the table and placing them down. I noticed in the little vase there were three flowers: two things of angelica and a single rose.

He noticed me staring, "I got that for you at the grocery store. I made sure to hide it so you wouldn't see."

"You are literally too sweet to me." I leaned in, pecking his lips.

He shrugged half-heartedly. "I don't know about too sweet, but I'm definitely trying my best here.”

My face dropped, turning to look at him completely. "Colby, you got me a cabin, drove me all the way here just so I could catch a break. You bought me breakfast and groceries and are now making me dinner. If that isn't sweet, I don't know what is."

He looked down, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink. He continued stirring the pasta.

Oh my God... I made Colby blush.

A moment later, he turned off the heat, dumping the pasta water out and into the heated sauce. He mixed that up for a minute and turned to me. "I think it's ready."

We ate dinner slowly, enjoying each bite. Maybe it was because I hadn't had a homecooked meal in ages, but the pasta was to die for. We chatted the whole time, commenting on our day and the different things we saw at the diner and the lake. Once we finished, Colby poured some wine for us. A lull finally fell into our conversation, but we still sat in the dining room, sipping our wine. Colby held my hand, lightly running his thumb back and forth.

I squeezed his hand gently. "Thank you so much for this, Colby. Truly. I needed this escape so badly."

"Of course, Jade. I'll be honest though; this wasn't just an escape for you. It was for me too. I'm not exactly... not stressed, about everything going on." He took a long sip from his wine glass, his voice low.

I sighed deeply, gazing down at the table. "It's insane how crazy our lives have gotten in such a short time."

Colby nodded his head, finishing off his wine. He reached out his now free hand, wanting to hold mine. I gave him it, cupping his gently. His grip tightened as he began to speak.

"I'm... scared, of what's to come, Jade."

My heart sank at his words, his voice catching me off guard. He kept his head down as he continued.

"I want to be able to protect you, and I think I can, but there is a part of me that thinks I'm not enough. That I'm not strong enough. And especially if someone like Rinaldi or Max is coming after you... it's true. And it terrifies me that that's the truth. Hearing what Tara said to you, that there's the possibility that my greatest fear could happen, that you could die... I don't know what I would do with myself. I can't lose you, Jade. You're the first person I've let in in such a long time and I just can't..." His voice waivered as he trailed off, his head lowered to our hands, resting on them.

I felt a single tear slide down my face, unaware that his words did that to me. I wanted to reach out and grab him, pull him as close to me as possible and never let go. I wasn't sure what to say, but as we both stayed quiet for a moment, I felt myself utter words I knew to be true.

"I love you, Colby."

I could feel Colby freeze, halting his breath. He picked his head up slowly, his eyes almost staring through me. My heart sped up at his intense look.

"I know this might seem sudden... but I've felt this way for a long time." I shuttered out a breath, not realizing how nervous I was, "I don't expect you to say it back."

"I-I... want to, though. I just," his voice fell off, his eyes boring down at our still laced hands. "I've never had anyone say that to me."

My heart shattered, "No one's ever said I love you to you before?"

"Not since I was young. All of our friends have made passing remarks, saying that they care about me, but... not ‘I love you’. Not like how you said it." He murmured.

I squeezed his hands, running my thumb over his knuckles. I leaned down and kissed the top of them, looking up at him briefly. The silence filled the room, and I could see Colby wanted to speak, but was unsure of what to say. I truly didn't expect him to say it back, but part of me hoped for some response soon. My ears rang from the quiet.

Colby's eyes connected with mine, his icy blues gazing deep. "I'm not good at talking. I've never been great at saying what I feel. But I think I can show you... what I feel."

He stood up, pulling me to my feet. He cupped my face gently, his hand feeling almost cold against my hot skin. He leaned in slowly, pressing his body into me. His lips captured mine, an electric charge surging through my body instantly. I wrapped my arms around his neck, my fingers running through his hair.

Colby pushed me lightly against the table, his hands sliding down my body until he reached my hips. He gripped them tightly, the feeling causing a light sigh to fall from my lips. He smirked into the kiss, pulling away briefly to lift me up onto the table. He placed me down, connecting his lips with mine again. I wrapped my legs around his hips, squeezing him into me. Our kiss deepened, our tongues dancing with one another. Suddenly, he scooped me up from the table, walking me to the bedroom carefully.

He got me to the edge of the bed, dropping me softly. I gasped as I fell back, my legs dangling off the bed as he stared down at me. I swear for a second, I saw his eyes flash red as he scanned my body. My heart raced at the thought of what he could, and would, do to me.

He leaned down, hovering over me as he murmured in my ear. "I want to make you feel good, Jade."

I bit my lip, "I-I want you to do that."

Colby chuckled, kissing down my neck. He nipped at my collarbone; goosebumps rose across my skin as he did. He kept kissing down my body, my chest heaving as he got closer to my sex. I could feel the fire already burning deep within me growing. I wanted him so badly and for so long. And now, it was finally happening.

He raised my shirt up slowly, his hands stopping just underneath my bra. He looked into my eyes and nodded my head, sitting up and letting him pull my shirt off. He gazed over my newly exposed skin, taking in every inch of it. He glided his head down, his breath fanning just above the button of my pants. I shuddered at the feeling, needing him to keep going.

"I've wanted to taste you for so long, Jade." He glanced up at me, a whine almost falling from his lips, "Can I? Please?"

My panties grew wetter from the desperation in his voice. I nodded, unable to speak. Colby unbuttoned my pants, sliding them down my body hastily. His hands cupped my hips, his mouth kissing just above my underwear. My breath hitched at the sensation, my body tensing.

"You're already so wet for me... God, I need to taste you now." He growled.

He pulled my underwear off, throwing it behind him. I bit my lip as the cool air of the cabin hit my naked sex. My hips arched, wanting Colby to give me some relief.

"Use your words, baby. What do you want from me?" He teased, kissing my thighs.

I shuttered, "C-Colby, please. I need you so badly."

"To what?" He blinked innocently.

"Make me come with your tongue." I mewled.

Colby clenched his jaw at my words, his eyes closing tightly for a moment. "Whatever you want, baby. It's yours."

His mouth immediately connected with my clit, pulling it into his mouth and gently sucking on it. Pleasure rolled down my body, my legs instinctively wrapping around his head and resting on his shoulders. As he continued to play with my clit, his fingers lightly brushed up and down my lips, teasing my entrance.

"Oh my God, fuck Colby." I moaned, my eyes fluttering close.

He buried his head deeper into my cunt, his tongue and fingers switching positions. He lapped at my hole, his middle finger rubbing slow circles into my clit.

My hips bucked out his actions, whines falling from my mouth. He kept his pace slow and deep, causing pleasure to roll down my body over and over again.

I could feel my body getting closer to the edge, but I wanted him, needed him, inside of me. "Colby...."

"Yes, beautiful?" He hummed, picking his head up.

"Please.... I need you." I whimpered, my fingers tracing up his face as he looked at me.

He slowed raised up to my face, his mouth pressed closed to my ear. "You need me inside of you?"

"Yes," I shook my head desperately.

"How badly do you need me, baby? Tell me." He demanded teasingly.

"Colby, please." I pawed at his chest, still covered by his shirt, "I need you to take this off, right fucking now."

"Yeah?" He smirked, sitting up and pulling his shirt off with one arm.

My hands immediately slid up his chest, feeling his muscles tighten under my touch. I bit my lip, taking in every inch of him.

Suddenly, Colby's face changed. He lowered himself back down to me, his body resting against mine firmly. I could feel his bulge pressing hard into my thigh. That sent a shockwave through me, knowing I was turning him on.

"Jade... I want you," he swallowed hard. "I want you so badly. I've needed you for so long."

He leaned in, our lips connecting in a passionate kiss. My breath was instantly taken from me, my chest heaving from needed oxygen. My hands drifted down his body, undoing and sliding his pants down enough so that I could grasp his hard member. He gasped against my mouth, his grip on my hips tightening. He thrusted slowly into my hand as I held him. I could tell just from a few pumps that he was big. My pussy clenched at the feeling.

"Are you ready for me, baby?" He whispered lowly, his deep voice sending shivers down my spine.

I nodded, a tiny whimper escaping my mouth.

Colby kissed along my neck as he pulled his pants down all the way. His hands slid behind me and popped my bra off, yanking it away from my body quickly. I giggled at his actions; his neediness just as present as mine.

He reached over to the nightstand, opening the drawer and grabbing a condom. He rolled the condom down his shaft, my eyes widening at his now completely naked form. He was so beautiful, in more ways than one. My breath hitched in my throat as I took in as much as I could.

He leaned his head against mine, the tip of his cock teasing my entrance. "Do you still want this? Do you still want to do this?"

"Of course. More than ever." I cupped his face gently, pecking his lips.

He lined himself up, his eyes boring into mine for just a moment. As he entered me, he closed his eyes tightly, his mouth a gape. I moaned as he stretched me out, filling me deeply.

"Fuck Jade, you feel so good." He grunted, his chest vibrating from how deep his voice was.

Once he was completely inside of me, his eyes shot open, two red orbs staring back at me. Veins popped out from under his skin by his eyes. And his parted mouth showed fangs.

I gazed up at him, excited by the vampire before me. I've only ever seen him like this once, and now it felt completely different. Back then I barely even knew him. And now, he was the love of my life.

"I'm sorry, baby. Give me a second, okay?" Colby hissed, closing his eyes and resting his forehead against mine.

I hushed him, cupping his face, "No, it's okay Colby. I'm not scared. You don't scare me."

Colby exhaled. "That's good to know. But I still don't like having my fangs out while I'm fucking you."

I stuttered out, "I... don't mind."

"Oh? You like the fangs?" He sassed, his hips slowly starting to move.

"Yeah." I whispered bashfully, a light blush creeping across my skin.

"You're blushing.... oh my God, that's so fucking hot." He cursed.

I gripped his back a little hard, pulling him deeper into me as he thrusted. I matched his pace, our bodies moving as one.

Colby leaned into my neck, kissing and licking my skin. His fangs grazed against me, goosebumps forming. I let out a light gasp as he pressed his fangs in further, but never broke skin.

He groaned, his voice in my ear. "Do you want me to bite you? I can feel you squeezing around me tighter every time I almost do."

I inhaled sharply, taken aback by his tone. Colby chuckled darkly into my ear, his hips picking up speed.

"You want it, don’t you? Just admit it." He smirked.

I let out a raspy sound, unable to say anything. He was right, I did want him to bite me. But I wasn't going to say it. At least not yet.

"Make me." I uttered bravely.

His stare intensified, his lips twitching into a smile. "Fine."

Colby pinned down my hands to the bed with one hand, while his other shimmied down in between our bodies. He forced my legs apart wider, two of his fingers pushing lightly against my clit. He started stroking in time with his thrusts, which only got deeper and harder. I cried out in pleasure, my eyes rolling into the back of head from the new sensation.

"Tell me you need it. Tell me you want me to bite you." He ordered, staring into my eyes.

"Fuck, Colby! Pleaseeee." I whined, my brain turning to mush with his actions.

He grunted, his hips shuttering. "God I'm getting so close, Jade. Say what you want, baby. I'll give it to you. I'll give you whatever you want."

"Bite me, please." I whimpered.

"Say it louder, Jade." He hissed.

"Bite me, Colby!" I moaned louder, my pleasure building more and more. I could feel myself almost going over the edge. Fuck, I needed him to make me come.

"One more time, sweetheart. Say it for me now!" His voice thundered, his thrusts going deeper and deeper into me.

"Oh my God, please bite me! Please! I'm so fucking close!" I shouted desperately, my hips bucking wildly. I tried to force my hands out from under his hold, but they wouldn't budge. I just struggled against him as he kept up his fast-paced movements.

"Good girl, baby. Come for me." He growled, and then slammed his fangs into my neck. It was all overwhelming - the sensation of his fangs, his thrusts, and his words - and it immediately sent my body into overdrive. My orgasm ripped through me, my hips spasming in time with his. I cried out in pleasure, unable to hold back any sounds I had in me. He drank my blood slowly, but just the slight loss made my head all the more lighter.

"Oh shit I'm coming! Fuuuuuckkk-" Colby pounded into me over and over again, exploding in ecstasy as my blood leaked down his chin from my mouth. His red eyes almost glared down at me, intensely staring into my soul. I could feel his aura appear around us, engulfing us both. I was too out of my mind to care. Everything about this moment made my head spin and my mind blank out.

Once our orgasms subsided, Colby's body crashed down on top of mine. He let go of one of my hands, the other lacing fingers with his. We laid there and just breathed with one another, trying to slow down our racing hearts. It felt like forever before he finally picked his head up.

He picked his head up quickly, his mouth a gape. "Shit, I forgot you were bleeding. Here, let me give you some of my blood."

I slurred, "Nooo, y-you don't-"

"You're have no room to argue with me, sweetheart." Colby took his finger in his mouth, biting open the pad of it. Then he brought it to my lips. "Open up, baby."

I allowed his finger into my mouth, the metallic taste making me wince until suddenly changing into something sweet. I sucked on his finger, feeling the lightheadedness slowly going away.

"That's right... there you go. I didn't drink too much from you, so you don't need too much from me." A moment later, he slid his finger out of my mouth, a light ‘pop’ noise following.

"I-I was enjoying that, you know." I joked, sighing.

"I was too." He leaned in close, "There's a reason why I'm still hard inside of you."

We both giggled, his mischievous eyes softening. He pulled out of me a moment later, relaxing back on the bed beside me. We laid there silently, just listening to each other breathe. With a slight look, his hands grasped around my wrist, lightly tugging me over to him until my head was laying on his chest. He sighed deeply, snuggling into me more. I began to drift off, his soft breathing lulling me to sleep. We laid like this for hours, barely moving except to pull the blankets higher.

A ring tone ripped through the silent room. I glanced up at Colby who read his phone. "It's just Mike. He can leave a message."

I snuggled back in, waiting for the phone to stop. It did for a moment, only to start ringing again. The same tone and all.

"There's no reason for Mike to need me. He knows we’re up here. I left a note." He rolled his eyes, slightly annoyed.

"Okay." I laid my head down, but I didn't shut my eyes. Something churned in my stomach as I stared at the phone, hoping it wouldn't ring again.

But then it did.

Colby groaned, grabbing his phone off the table, and answering it. "What Mike?"

I could hear Mike's muffled voice, and it sounded panic.

Colby froze at Mike's words. He slowly rose from bed, my body falling off his. "What?"

My breath hitched. Something happened.

"Yeah. Yeah. We'll be there as soon as we can be. Tell him to hold on. I'm leaving right now." His tone was serious and pointed. He hung up the phone, getting out of bed quickly.

My stomach sank, my eyes widened. "What happened, Colby? What's wrong?"

He threw on his clothes hastily, turning to me. "It's Sam. Someone attacked him at the club tonight. We have to leave."

<< CHAPTER 22 || CHAPTER 24 >>

[blasphemousclaw]

Ranni has every reason to hate Marika. She is the figurehead of an order that has caused her and her family so much misery… and yet, in the Age of the Stars ending cutscene, Ranni holds Marika’s head with such gentleness. It feels less like Ranni is putting down a tyrant, and more like she’s laying her to rest, after many long years of torment. 

Ranni could have been Marika’s successor, but she rejected the guidance of the Two Fingers, slaying her own flesh in order to be rid of their influence: 

“But I would not acquiesce to the Two Fingers. I stole the Rune of Death, slew mine own Empyrean flesh, casting it away. I would not be controlled by that thing.”

Ranni goes to such drastic lengths because the most intolerable thing possible to her is to be a pawn; her will not being her own, but being at the mercy of a higher power. Ranni’s quest is above all about free will – it culminates with Ranni using the Fingerslayer Blade to tear her Two Fingers into bloody ribbons, at long last giving her full control over her own destiny.

Marika in the present day is a prisoner held in perpetual torment. According to Enia and the Two Fingers,

"Queen Marika is the vessel of the Elden Ring, carrier of its vision. A god, in truth. But after the Elden Ring's shattering, she was imprisoned in the Erdtree. A grim punishment for shattering the Order, despite her godhood. The Fingers speak... "Marika's trespass demanded a heavy sentence. But even in shackles, she remains a god, and the vision's vessel.”

Marika shattered the Order, going against the will of the Two Fingers, and was punished for it gravely. In many ways, Marika’s fate is Ranni’s absolute worst nightmare. This is exactly the fate she took such drastic lengths to escape… serving a higher power with her entire being, her will not her own, but the will of the Fingers, with any attempt at change met with violent suppression, her body essentially being used as a puppet to defend the last vestiges of the Order.

“I would not be controlled by that thing.”

I think that Ranni, seeing Marika’s broken body at the end of it all, felt nothing but pity for her in that moment, despite everything she’d done. To me, the act of Ranni holding Marika’s head in her hands feels like she’s saying, “you were my enemy. But there is no worse fate in this world than what you suffered. Now, you can be truly free."

[strawberrybyers]

“it’s okay, babygirl. i got you…i got you”

i genuinely think being hit in the head with a brick would cause me less pain

[avionvadion]

Sesshomaru being such a strong advocate for autonomy is so freaking good, it gets me every time. Like, sure, dude may ask a question because he’s curious, but, “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

And fucking- don’t even get me started with him killing Mukotsu and the whole, “I can survive just fine on my own” scene in later seasons. Plus him stopping every time Rin and Jaken go to speak so he can look at them and actively listen to what they’re saying is so-

Gods.

I love him so much. And like the only reason he has travel companions is because they decided to travel with him and he just kinda let them.

Oh, Jaken wanted to travel with him? Fine, here’s a staff, this is my name, do what you want. Okay, just revived a child. Do what you want, I guess. Here’s a kimono since your old one is covered in blood. Oh, it’s the kid that tried to kill my child before. You want to travel with me too? Well, my child has forgiven you so go off, I guess. You’re already prepared for everything so I don’t have to give you a weapon or clothes. I’ll just save you when you’re in over your head against an enemy. Anyways, just do whatever you want. I don’t care. Unless it affects me. Or endangers you. In which case I care very much but will never admit it.

[justanotherignot]

The Sword of the Moonmaiden and the Servant of Selûne.

[wondereads]

Sapphic Book Recs for Pride 2024

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Adult, high fantasy, 4.28 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Adult, sci-fantasy, 4.29 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett

Young Adult, high fantasy, 3.55 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide

Young Adult, thriller, 4.27 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

Crier's War by Nina Varela

Young Adult, high fantasy, 4.11 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

New Adult, low fantasy, 4.18 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Seven Devils by L. R. Lam and Elizabeth May

Adult, space opera, 4.03 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Malice by Heather Walter

Adult, fantasy romance, 3.97 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Beguiled by Cyla Panin

Young Adult, high fantasy, 3.48 star average (my rating: 4 stars)

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

Adult, high fantasy, 4.21 star average (my rating: 3.5 stars)

Ash by Malinda Lo

Young Adult, fantasy romance, 3.57 star average (my rating: 3.5 stars)

We Ate the Dark by Mallory Pearson

New Adult, horror fantasy, 3.04 star average (my rating: 3 stars)

The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo

Adult, historical fantasy, 3.66 star average

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

Adult, historical fantasy, 4.13 star average

Flip the Script by Lyla Lee

Young Adult, contemporary romance, 3.64 star average

The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

Adult, high fantasy, 4.07 star average

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

Adult, historical fantasy, 4 star average

This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

Young Adult, contemporary fantasy, 4.17 star average

Tink and Wendy by Kelly Ann Jacobson

Young Adult, low fantasy, 3.4 star average

The Tiger's Daughter by K. Arsenault Rivera

Adult, high fantasy, 3.84 star average

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

Adult, horror sci-fi, 4.04 star average

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

Young Adult, high fantasy, 3.65 star average

The Goddess of Nothing at All by Cat Rector

Adult, high fantasy, 4.23 star average

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Young Adult, historical romance, 4.28 star average

Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta

Young Adult, dystopian sci-fi, 3.92 star average

The City of Dusk by Tara Sim

Adult, high fantasy, 3.72 star average

Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills

Young Adult, contemporary fiction, 4.25 star average

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

Adult, gothic fantasy, 3.83 star average

A Dowry of Blood by S. T. Gibson

Adult, gothic fantasy, 4.12 star average

Seven Faceless Saints by M. K. Lobb

Young Adult, high fantasy, 3.5 star average

Darker by Four by June CL Tan

Young Adult, contemporary fantasy, 4.11 star average

The Coldest Touch by Isabel Sterling

Young Adult, paranormal romance, 3.64 star average

Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Lin

Adult, mystery thriller, 3.63 star average

Once & Future by Cory McCarthy and A. R. Capetta

Young Adult, sci-fantasy, 3.57 star average

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

Adult, high fantasy, 4.1 star average

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Young Adult, sci-fi horror, 3.48 star average

Afterworlds by Scott Westerfled

Young Adult, contemporary fiction/low fantasy, 3.69 star average

[wheeloftimedevourer]

daughter of the night, she walks. AND SLAYED

[blurbfics]

There'd Better Be a Mirrorball | Azriel x OFC [part eleven]

Summary: A shift in the wind and in her mind. He makes a vow.

Word Count: 2.7k

Warnings: violence, heavy swearing, brief description of sex. drugging/poisoning, threats, skinning (brief), anger, angst

Minors, do not interact.

a/n: sometimes you just have to go out to a goth bar with your friend and make out with a random guy for research/inspiration purposes, you know? he actually gave me a great idea, right as i was leaving, i made eye contact with him and he rushed up to me, said "come here, dame un beso," and pulled my face to his for a goodbye kiss. he did the whole cupping-my-face-with-one-hand and slid the other one around my waist thing too, and then gave my bottom a quick smack when i pulled away. writing material indeed

part ten

masterlist

"A tear in the membrane

Allows the voices.

They wanna push you off the path

With their low frequency wiring."

Thom Yorke, Hearing Damage

The late afternoon air was brisk to all around her yet she barely noticed, skin flushed and damp with sweat as it was. 

“-it was a matter of misinterpretation!-”

“-but the leader of the last clan of lightsingers grew ever more arrogant and unforgiving-”

She rushed through the throng of people in the main avenue, uncaring as her shoulder knocked into those around her, not hearing their insults and name calling as she pushed her way through the blurring masses, letting out a breath of relief as she broke through the crowd and into a grim alleyway, closed off by a single heavy chain crossing from one establishment to the other. 

“Elain Archeron gives the Shadowsinger a powdered remedy meant to treat his headaches from-”

Eowyn easily stepped over the heavy chain, but stumbled slightly at that particular whisper. It wasn’t often they said anything of interest about anyone she cared about. Not having the right headspace nor the time to linger on it, however, she regained her balance and continued on, evading the occasional obstruction in her way as she walked further down the alley towards the other side of the street. 

Halfway down she huffed to herself at the shift in wind that was now so familiar to her, the whooshing sound of flapping wings echoing from above before his voice did. 

“A little late to be out here, isn’t it?” Azriel’s voice called out cooly, keeping a step behind her. Whether by his doing or by their own accord, she felt his shadows crawl up her skirts and under her veil, weaving affectionately through her hair.

Any other time she would’ve laughed at their gentle tickling, pleased to see Azriel again after a week long mission. Now all her mind could focus on was getting to where she needed to go before she lost it again.

“I don’t recall inviting you,” she shot back immediately, but she knew she lacked her usual teasing tone. She shook her head quickly, as if trying to shake the shadows out from her hair but regretted the movement immediately, both because of the piercing pain that stabbed through her skull and because of the incomprehensible droop of the one specific shadow that liked to ride along her wrist or cupped in her hand whenever they were around.

She didn’t have time for this.

“Must’ve slipped your mind,” he parried, either ignoring her unamused tone or not noticing. Likely the former.

“If you’re going to follow me, fine, but don’t get in my way,” she practically barked, and found herself rather surprised that he didn’t so much as flinch at her tone, as anyone else would do. He simply remained silent and unruffled, following close behind. She could feel his eyes on her, watching her curiously and attempting to decipher what had her in such a rotten mood, and although she regretted being so hostile to him, wishing she could simply greet him and converse with him as she did whenever he came back from missions, she simply couldn’t. Not now. 

She huffed and rounded the corner into the less busy street. 

Quick to surmise her intentions as she looked up at the sign outside the apothecary door, Azriel’s shadows rushed before her, opening and holding the door open for her to push her way through. Barely murmuring a short “thanks,” she stomped through the shop. 

“Don’t believe a single thing this bitch says,” she hissed at the young fae male who flinched in place, head whipping to look at her in terror as the herbalist merely patted his hand assuringly. “She’s a fucking charlatan,” she continued, finding herself being held back by Azriel who immediately rushed in after her to stop her from launching herself at the herbalist.

The fraud in question didn’t seem the slightest bit alarmed, much to her chagrin, as she only handed the young male his coins back, placing a hand over the tonic in front of them. “You give this a try, free of charge, sweetheart, and you’ll notice the difference immediately, Mother give you strength.”

The fae male– shooting a nervous look at the entirely veiled enraged female and the huge winged male holding her back– could do nothing but snatch the tonic and his coins and bolt out of the shop.

“You fucking cunt,” Eowyn seethed at the herbalist. She had begun to make monthly trips out into Velaris– a great achievement for someone who was something of a recluse for such a long time– and found her usual herbalist, Madame Loerma, growing increasingly suspicious of her use of sleeping draughts. She had thus begun to circle around other apothecaries, dabbling in a few only to get the products for twice Mme. Loerma’s price and half of its quality. Eowyn had thought that this particular herbalist wasn’t as bad as the others, however Aniika had royally and truly fucked her over. “What was in the fucking dwale?”

“You already know what was in the dwale or you wouldn’t be here, lovely.”

“Answer her question,” Azriel growled lowly, clearly wanting an explanation himself.

Eowyn ignored him.

“How do I get rid of it?” She shrugged Azriel’s arms away from her, stepping around the counter to face the herbalist who mirrored her movements, circling away while eyeing her and Azriel.

“You already know,” the grin the female sent her was unsettling, her eyes glinting brightly, almost reflective. If Eowyn didn’t know any better, she would say the herbalist was under the influence of some mind-bending nostrum, but alas she did know better. She had seen those glassy crazed eyes before.

“Oh quit it with the cryptic talk,” she snarled, “there must be another way to stop my head from fucking pounding.”

“Eowyn,” the way Azriel said her name, softly and only to her, yet firm and commanding of attention brought her face up to look at him, although he couldn’t see her under her veil. “Explain.”

She took a deep breath and held it before exhaling, trying to calm herself down. “She poisoned me,” no sooner had she spoken the words than he had the herbalist pinned to the wall, his shadows restricting her movements.

“And why,” he held Truthteller to her throat, “would you do such a thing?”

“She’s a witch!” The fae screeched, “I only put a little black hemlock in the dwale. It’s inoffensive to most High a-and lesser fae,” she said the last part quickly as he pressed the blade harder into her, “but it causes mild symptoms in witches.”

“What symptoms?” He pushed.

“Fever, headaches, body aches, visions,” she looked over his shoulder at Eowyn, but he deftly raised a wing, covering her from sight.

“And why would you do that?”

“I felt her,” her horrid breath shuddered in ecstasy that made his nose wrinkle in disgust, “I knew she was a witch when she came in for her sleeping draught last month and decided to add the hemlock to the batch she picked up last week— tell me, my Lady, have your eyes turned to their natural state? Can you feel her power coursing through your veins?”

“Fuck you,” she hissed, then placed an arm on Azriel’s shoulder, “let’s go Az, she won’t tell me anything.”

“I’ll make her tell you,” he gritted, the dagger beginning to cut deeper but not into the thin flesh and muscle, but rather slicing parallel in the slow beginning of a skinning.

“No! No!,” she yelled out in fear and pain, “you can either access your full power-“

“No.”

“-or you can just ride it out! There’s no other way, I swear it!”

“How long?”

“Two o-or three days, give or take— oh no, please!”

“Anything else?” Azriel looked over his shoulder and when she shook her head, if perhaps trembling and feeling drained as she crashed down from her explosive rage, he only turned back to the herbalist and hissed with icy cold rage. “Explain to me why you care if she’s a witch, and why I should let you live another miserable day.”

“Th-the Daughter… carries the wisdom of the Mother,” she stammered, but she looked at him confusedly as if she only shared common knowledge, “she will bring us salvation from the clutches of twisted thinking and shield us from—“

“Don’t listen to this bullshit, she’s just a cultist, she’s been brainwashed,” Eowyn insisted, pulling on his arm.

Az frowned at her but let the fae go.

Eowyn made her way outside, but the wind carried his voice out with her. “Tell the others I want that poison out of this city by dusk tomorrow. If I find just the slightest indication it’s still in Velaris, or that you told anyone what happened here, I’ll come back and finish the job,” he snarled lowly.

It wasn’t a threat. It was an act of mercy.

—

Azriel remained silent by her side as she leaned heavily onto the brick wall on the side of the street, barely managing to round the corner into the same alleyway before taking a deep shuddering breath. Uncaring that the walls were slick with an unknown sticky substance, she leaned her head back to the wall, squeezing her temples with her trembling thumb and middle finger.

“Eowyn,” he breathed softly, lowly, and she almost kissed him for it, for her head felt like it would explode if he spoke any louder.

“Can you take me home?”she asked, equally as soft and while on any other occasion she would’ve felt profoundly ashamed and embarrassed to ask for help— wouldn’t have dared to ask for it in the first place, too proud to be seen as weak, to feel herself become weak— she found she just could not give a damn.

Azriel said nothing in reply, yet she flinched slightly when she felt him approach her. Her eyes, hidden behind the veil but still closed with heavy tiredness, were both burning and felt like they didn’t belong on her body and she knew, without looking at her reflection that they appeared all-white. 

She was a monster. She was a burden. Why would he ever bother with someone like her?

She felt his large strong and oh-so-careful hand cradle the back of her neck at the base, his other powerful arm reaching under her knees to swoop her in his arms while not jostling her head. 

In sync, as always, she moved of her own accord in response to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and even went so far as to lay her head on his sturdy collarbone as his arm slid around her back, holding her firmly and steadily to his chest.

“You okay?” He asked in a whisper, much too used to the way their bodies seemed to just instinctively move in response to one another. She told herself it was due to their frequent sparring and proximity.

He flew them home in silence for a while, not rushing her response until she breathed out an “I will be” into his neck, resting her face there and inhaling deeply. She breathed in his soothing scent of cedar and night-chilled mist. What mist smelled like, she had no clue, but it was the only way to describe that specific scent that was true only to him. 

He smelled like the misty droplets of almost-nothing water suspended in the air just before becoming tainted with the smell of earth as it lands upon a leaf or strand of grass. He smelled like the anticipation of nature, of life.

She pushed her straying thoughts away, fearful of any resurfacing delusions after a long day of loud voices in her head—loud voices! So loud she could barely hear herself think!— and the haunting visions she’d been plagued with all day.

The visions that came to mind now were of a different nature, basing entirely on the feeling of him so close, so solid, so safe around her.

Finally, she breathed, settling into that cloud of him, her left hand grasping a fistful of his wavy hair behind his ear, the other arm pulling him close to her. She couldn’t help but bask in his warmth as he flew through the early night sky, allowing his scent to permeate her senses. She buried her nose into his neck and inhaled deeply once again, shuddering at his smell, at the sound of his solid heartbeat under his skin, his strong powerful body carrying her so easily. She couldn’t get enough of him, she needed to dig deeper, fill every millimeter of her lungs with his scent, needed to fill all of her with all of him.

“Eowyn?” his voice sounded like it was underwater and thus was easy to ignore; his voice only fuelled the rest of her senses; she saw him bare and hard and aching, begging for her to take him, to let him take her. Flashes of him pounding into her, of him pressing such a strong powerful body down onto hers— “Eowyn, you’re trembling, are you alright?” He sounded scared and concerned and so unlike her eternally unemotional Illyrian.

His evident fear was like a bucket of ice cold water being poured over her head, as she gasped and jolted in his arms, eyes snapping open and pulling away from the vision she’d gotten sucked into. Like all the other visions she’d been plagued with all day, it seemed so solid, so real.

While the majority of her visions often replayed memories deeply buried, often distorted and turned extreme to exploit and lay out her vulnerabilities, this vision was different, if only just as concrete. Familiar, although it had never happened, but with the certainty that it was somehow fact and inevitable.

“I’m sorry,” she moaned, squeezing her eyes shut once again as she hugged him tighter. Tears slipped from her eyes, thick and viscous and burning, as if small trails of acid poured down her face. She panted as she tried to regain her composure, feeling her fingertips begin to tingle again, a telltale sign of her incoming episode, a sign she’d dismissed after her confrontation as lingering adrenaline. “Azriel, I can’t con-I can’t control them. Take me straight to Clotho and don’t- don’t listen anything I say-“

His jaw tightened, eyebrows furrowing as he frowned down at her, “I think I should take you to the house and have Madja look you over-“

“No,” she ground out through gritted teeth, “no, Clotho will know what to do, I—“ she cut herself off with a choked gasp, nails digging into Azriel’e shoulders, “please.” Then her voice changed like the flip of a switch, body falling limp and curling into itself. She spoke in a language he didn’t recognize, the consonants smooth and fluent but breathy and frightened. Her voice was barely a whisper in his ear as she spoke to someone in the recesses of her mind.

Nuunta caëderete

The next few hours came in blurry images to her. All out of order.

She knew she screamed and yelled and cried, but she couldn’t focus on anything at once as one vision turned into the next and twisted into a delusion.

She came back to consciousness, if only briefly enough, to catch a brief glance at Azriel rushing her into the library, calling out for Clotho. She remembered seeing Gwyn standing over her, face contorted with concern as she reached over to remove the veil from her head. Eowyn was only conscious enough to place a hand over her mouth to try to quell the wave of nausea that hit her, trying to cover her burning eyes with the other hand only to be stilled in place by Azriel who held tightly onto her hand.

Movement and the soft press of a mattress confirmed she had been put down in bed, but barely noticed it with the flurry of robed figures around her shuffling the large and angry winged male out of the room who refused to leave her side.

Somehow still aware of him– always aware of him like some kind of echo-location– she only had the presence of mind to snarl an, “out!” before the visions and the darkness took over again.

– 

She was not aware that the Shadowsinger paced outside of the healers quarters for half an hour until the High Lord himself came in to fetch him, finding his brother angry and concerned, his hair a mess from running his hands through it and eyes red-rimmed with unshed tears of worry. 

She didn’t know that that was the moment when he decided he couldn’t live without her.

No one was any the wiser to know that at that moment, he swore an oath, if only to himself– if the bargain ink that appeared in the shape of an unfamiliar rune on the side of his hip, in the exact same spot where Eowyn had her scar, confirmed– that wherever Eowyn went, Azriel vowed now and forever, to follow.

part twelve

taglist: @lilah-asteria , @a-courtof-azriel, @honk4emoboyz , @feyretopia , @mrsjna , @buttermilktea11 , @bravo-delta-eccho , @kylieinwonderland, @adventure-awaits13

[laurapetrie]

ColourPop x Beauty and the Beast Eyeshadow Palette

[golbrocklovely]

the chosen daughter // colby brock - chapter twenty-five

A/N: look at me not taking eight years to finally update this lol i promise yall that i'm gonna get this story done soon. there's really only five more chapters left after this one, so yall better strap in for the ride haha lmk what you think and thanks for all the love on this story over the years !!

story description

trigger warning: torture, mentions of vampire powers, cursing, angst, drinking, blood drinking

word count: 3728

~~~~~~~~~~~

"I never knew there was a dungeon inside the Trapp Haus." I whispered, glancing around in the dark space.

Kevin shrugged, "Well, it wasn't exactly a selling point on the Zillow listing."

It had been two hours since the ordeal with Ronnie happened. Sam and Colby took her to their spot where they interrogated vamps - the basement of the Trapp Haus. Kevin had stayed with me the whole time, watching me as I cleaned up Vampiro. He scrubbed the security tapes, leaving no trace of this incident behind. When I asked him to show me where they took Ronnie, he was reluctant but eventually caved. I followed him through a side door at the club, one I never noticed before, that led down to a dark and damp basement. It had been a while since Sam and Colby had used it, but Kevin informed me that this was where all their interrogations took place.

I paced outside the iron cell door, waiting for Sam and Colby to come out. I heard Ronnie scream out suddenly, my heart dropping. I know she attacked me and easily could have killed me all this time, but she was my friend.

Emphasize on the was.

A moment later the boys came out, annoyed expressions on their faces. I gazed at both of them, trying to understand their glares. I glanced down at Colby's hands. They were bandaged up, blood having soaked through the gauze. 

“Please tell me you didn't punch the living shit out of Ronnie.” I gasped.

"What? No... these were from earlier." I cocked my head to the side, his eyes catching mine for a moment. He stumbled over his words as he continued, "I was... training, before you called since I had the night off. And because I haven't eaten in a minute, they took a little while to heal."

Sam chimed in, looking at Kevin, “Can you go get him some blood, please? Our good cop, bad cop routine isn't exactly going as planned since someone's hangry.”

Colby scoffed, “Oh my apologies, Sam. The monster inside there almost killed my girlfriend and you and I'm supposed to pretend to be nice? Give me a fucking break.”

“Wait, she attacked you?” I turned to Sam, confused.

He shook his head. “Not tonight, no. But she-”

“She was the one from last night?” I finished, suddenly realizing.

He nodded. “Yes.”

I gulped, “H-How?”

Sam grabbed Ronnie's bag from the floor, yanking it open and pulling out a wristband from the Trapp Haus and a small perfume bottle. "Orange wristbands are used on Thursday nights. Which is when I was attacked. On top of that, this perfume... it smells exactly like the person that attacked me."

"You got the nose of a bloodhound, huh?" I joked lightly.

He deadpanned playfully. "I guess so."

I informed, “I found out from Roger that she disappeared for two hours last night before closing. That would be enough time to come to the Trapp Haus and attack you. But why?”

“We still haven't gotten her to explain herself.” Colby grunted.

“She won't listen to us.” Sam explained.

I suggested, “Why don't I come in and-”

“No.” All three stated.

Colby added, “No humans.”

“What the fuck is Sam then?” I jeered, scrunching my face..

“A human that can defend himself.” Kevin replied.

“I can defend myself!” I argued, turning to Colby, “How the fuck do you think her face got so deformed? I used the Angelica flower, like you told me to.”

He sucked his teeth, annoyed, “You did good on that front, but she's already healed. Not as strong as she once was, but she could easily kill you if she gets loose.”

"Well don't let her get loose then." Sam and Colby narrowed their eyes at me. I sighed, "Please, just let me see her. Maybe she's not talking because she doesn't trust y'all."

Colby's jaw clenched. He paused, then spoke bitterly, “If she, for even a second, seems dangerous, you're out. Even if I gotta drag you out of there myself. Got it?”

"Yes Sir." I saluted, jokingly.

“You are testing his patience today, Jade.” Sam snickered.

I smirked, “Someone's got to keep him on his toes.”

I took a deep breath, entering the cell slowly as Colby pulled the heavy door open. Ronnie had her head down, her body slumped against the chair she was tied to. My heart ached at the sight, my chest heaving.

My footsteps were the only sound in the room, until Ronnie finally spoke. “You... really think it's wise to be in here, Jade?”

I shuddered at her voice: husky and angry. I swallowed, calming myself. "Well, did you think it was wise to attack the person with an army of vampires on his side?"

“As I've repeated to your boy toys for the past hour, I have no idea what any of you are talking about!” She exclaimed, her eyes red as they glared up at me.

“Right. And like tonight, you have no idea why you attacked Jade?” Colby asked, his voice dripping with anger.

Ronnie rolled her eyes, shaking against her binds. “I've told you repeatedly: I have no clue what is happening to me. I've never attacked anyone in my entire life!” 

Sam huffed, “Well, my healed scars say otherwise. And the video footage of you clawing at Jade and trying to intimidate her paints a different story.”

Colby walked up to Ronnie, ignoring her scowl. “Let's see if she'll tell the truth with a little persuasion.” He slid leather gloves on, reaching over to a tray nearby and picking up a single stem of Angelica flower. 

Ronnie struggled in her seat, begging and pleading with me. "Please, Jade. I don't know what happened. I don't know why I attacked you or Sam. We've been friends for years! You have to believe me!"

I turned my head away, fighting back tears. Ronnie screeched out a venomous cry as Colby dragged the flower across her skin, burning her instantly. She shook and rattled in her chair, cursing him out.

“Tell us why you did it!” Colby’s voice thundered, pressing the flower more into her skin.

“I don't know! Fuck, stop!!” She screamed out, her fangs snapping at Colby. She struggled in her seat, fighting against her ties. Banshee-like yells coming from her as her skin sizzled and burned.

“Enough Colby!” I shouted, my stomach churning.

He pulled back, looking at me. “If it's too much for you, leave, Jade. We’ve barely gotten started.”

Ronnie slumped over in her chair, her breathing erratic as she calmed down.

“Clearly torturing her isn't gonna work.” I stepped towards him, lowering my voice, “Let me talk to her... alone.”

“You've got to be kidding me, Jade. No.” He fumed.

I insisted, crossing my arms. “I've known her for a long a time-”

“And yet, you didn't know she was a vampire.” He responded sharply.

I inhaled, “Let me try to talk to her. Without torture. Please.” 

His face twisted into a confused one, “I literally do this for a living. Do you honestly think talking to her like a normal person is gonna make her be honest with you?”

“Yes. She was normal before. I think…” I mumbled, “Rinaldi got to her. Or something. I don't know. But I have to ask for myself.”

He shook his head. “It's too risky.”

“Give me five minutes. That's all I ask,” I requested. “You are right on the other side of the door. And if she tries anything, you can do whatever you want to her. Use all the Angelica flower in the world if you so choose.”

“Tempting…” Colby swallowed hard, glaring down at Ronnie who stared at the floor. “Fine. Five minutes. Starting the moment I step outside.”

“Yes, Sir.” I murmured.

“Don't push it.” He whispered, a small smirk forming on his lips.

He took off the glove, dropping the flower back down onto the tray. Slowly, he and Sam left the room, giving me one last glance before shutting the door tightly.

“You have five minutes to explain to me what happened, Ronnie. After that, you're theirs. So answer my questions and I'll make sure they're nice to you after this.” I commanded.

She croaked fiercely. “And if I don't?” 

“They torture you. Kill you. Probably both. And that's not an exaggeration.” I explained, already annoyed.

“I thought your boyfriend was a bouncer. Not a... torturer.” She remarked, glaring at me.

“Well, he's a lot of things. And so is Sam, and the rest of the people that work here. So if you try anything on me now or later, it's your funeral.” I cautioned.

Ronnie took a moment, snorting out a bitter laugh. “Ask away.”

I kept my distance, taking all of her in before I spoke. “Why did you never tell me you were a vampire? We've been friends for years. Why did you hide that from me?”

Ronnie bit her lip, her eyes remaining on the floor. She exhaled deeply, then began. “I was born in 1982. And life was never... easy for me. When I was a kid, I was an ugly little thing. I'm talking zits, braces, the whole nine. Anything and everything kids deem as unattractive, I had going on. And since it was the 90s, things were a lot different back then. Tougher, I would say. Meaner.”

I stepped back, surprised by her answer. She didn’t look much older than me. She must have been turned in her late teens, early twenties.

“I never had a real friend. Anyone I became friends with usually ended up not sticking around or only befriending me as a joke,” she rolled her eyes at the memory. “Around my junior year of high school, I finally started growing into my looks. And I was starting to get attention from boys, which only made the girls in my school hate me more. But nothing ever really panned out. So... I was still very much alone.”

Ronnie took a moment, her face dropping. Her eyes cold. “New Years Eve, the new millennia.... I tried taking my life.”

My body froze. Ronnie's eyes welled up, tears slowly sliding down her cheeks. Her stare remained distance, almost like she was lost in her thoughts.

“A vampire found me, I guess because of the blood, and he changed me. I never saw him again after that. So I was, yet again, alone and confused.” She cleared her throat, sniffling. “It took a while for me to figure out what I was gonna do, but then I realized just how fun this new power of mine was.”

I answered. “The power to make people your friends.”

“Ironic, isn't it? It was nice, in the beginning. College was super easy because of it. I passed all of my classes without having to really put in any work, because everyone did my work for me. And the professors just loved me. Then I got out into the real world and thought, why get a good job that pays well when I can just work in bars and get tipped like crazy? So, I did just that.” Her voice wavered, going from a lighter tone to a somber one instantly. “I spent over ten years working in random bars, making friends and a lot of money. But when vampires became a publicly known thing, I knew I had to chill out on my abilities. Not only that, but I realized... I was still alone. I never made any actual friends. Just people that were under my influence. I woke up one day and noticed that no one actually cared for me, or knew me for who I really was. I didn’t even know who I was, either.”

She laughed for a second, shaking her head. “Then I got a job at Vampiro. And I met you. And I finally chalked up the courage to try out making friends naturally. So… I never tried my powers on you."

“Until tonight.” I commented.

Ronnie pursed her lips. “Until tonight. Guess it's good they don't work on you, then. Why exactly is that?”

“It's a long story. One that I don't even really have the answer to.” I admitted.

“Is it all vampires, or just me?” She questioned.

“All.” I changed the subject back to her, “Why did you attack Sam?”

Her eyes widened in fear, “I'll be honest with you, I have no idea. I swear to you, Jade. I don't know what's happening to me. I don't even know why I attacked you tonight, in truth. It's like I haven't had control of my body in a while. Things are so foggy anymore, it's like I'm blacking out and waking up more confused. Ever since that guy came into the bar, my mind has been all scrambled.”

My blood ran cold, “What guy?”

“The one I weirdly said you should date instead of Colby.” She mumbled to herself, “Why the hell did I say that?”

“...Max.” I blinked.

“Yeah, him. The moment he came to the bar, everything has been weird for me. I'm genuinely scared of what I might do because I can't stop myself.” She squeaked.

“What happened tonight? Do you remember?” I queried, stepping closer. 

“I remember you coming in. And us making drinks. But then things go blurry there.” She closed her eyes, “Then I remember coming to after the bar closed. And the last thing I remember is my phone ringing. And then I woke up here, being tortured by Sam and Colby.”

“What about the other night? When you left work for two hours? That's when you came here and attacked Sam.” I informed her.

“I don't know why I left work. Yesterday was a huge blur for me too.” Her eyes welled up again, staring up at me, “What the hell is happening to me, Jade?”

A loud bang interrupted us, signaling it had been five minutes. I looked over my shoulder, and then back to Ronnie. “I don't know either. I'm gonna go talk to the guys, and I'm gonna try to persuade them to let you go. But you have to promise me to get out of town for a while. Until it's safe to come back. Until you're not... blacking out.”

She nodded repeatedly. “I promise. I know I probably ruined all of this. The one real friendship I ever had, I still screwed it up.”

“You can fix it, you know. You're lucky I'm a very forgiving person,” I half-heartedly smiled. “You just... need to keep your distance for a while. Call out of work. Take a vacation.”

“I'll do that. Thank you, Jade. I mean it.” She choked.

I turned around, walking to the door. “Don't thank me yet. Hopefully the boys were listening to all of this.”

I knocked on the door twice, Colby yanking it open instantly. “We were.”

I turned to Ronnie, giving her one last glance, and Colby closed the cell door behind me.

Kevin cut us all off before we could speak. “Let's go upstairs and talk about this.”

We trudged up the stairs to the club. He began pouring us drinks as we sat at the bar. We all remained quiet for a moment, taking in everything that had just transpired. “So... let's discuss.”

Colby started, turning to me. “Do you honestly believe her?”

I took a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, I do. Think of it this way, would it be easier to assume she's just a bad person who intentionally tried to harm me and Sam? Sure. But that would be a very weird and long con for her to pull. She's known me for years. The sudden change doesn't make sense. Unless…”

Sam finished my thought. “She's right about Max.”

“That part is the only thing that doesn't make sense to me. I know what his powers are. We've seen them in action. We've experienced them. He can't control people like that. Plus, how would he know about Kat?” I argued, sipping my drink.

“He's an Elder. We don't truly know what they are capable of.” Colby replied, glaring down at the bar.

“But their powers only extend so far. I don't think he would be able to control her when she's not asleep. His powers are dream manipulation.” I stated plainly. 

“Maybe he manipulated her in her dreams to do this, and that's why everything is foggy for her in the real world. Because she thought it was all a dream.” Colby speculated.

“I guess that's possible…” I paused but then shook my head. “But the aura. Hers is yellow. But it had a different lining around it. Like a red one. And I've only seen that when someone's being controlled. Mike had the same one when he was attacking me.”

“And you don't think it's his?” Sam questioned.

“No. I don't. I think it's Rinaldi. I know it’s Rinaldi’s.” I insisted.

“He left LA two months ago at this point. How is he controlling everyone?” Kevin hummed, “Unless, of course, he's using his brother to do it.”

My eyes widened, “Could he do that?”

“He's an Elder. Technically he could at least attempt to manipulate his brother. Who could then manipulate everyone else.” Kevin mentioned.

Sam huffed, “Jesus... pour me another shot, Kevin.”

Colby got up, leaving the bar abruptly and going upstairs to the apartment. I caught Kevin and Sam's eyes, all of us confused and worried.

I mumbled, “I'm gonna go talk to him.”

I followed Colby, entering the apartment and glancing around for him. He stood in the kitchen, drinking blood from a blood bag.

He cleared his throat, glancing at me for a moment. “Sorry, Jade. I just... could feel myself getting annoyed as the minutes ticked on, and figured I needed to drink.” 

“What's wrong, Colby?” I asked, walking over to him.

He bit his lip, locking eyes with me. “Why can't you believe Max is the one behind this? Do you honestly think he isn't capable enough to do this?”

“It's not that I think he's incapable. I just don't think it's him. All signs, to me, point to Rinaldi.” I answered, crossing my arms and leaning against the counter.

He disagreed, trashing the blood bag. “Kevin said it himself, Rinaldi has been gone for months. Max is the one that's been staying in town. It makes logical sense that it's him.”

“Sure, I guess,” I relented. “But... his powers.”

“He's powerful as hell, Jade," he snapped. "We don't even truly know the extent of what Elders are capable of doing. It's possible both of them are able to manipulate, Rinaldi is just better at it since it's his main power.”

I sighed, “Look, I've seen his aura before. He used it on you and me. And everyone at the club. It's red. And that's what was on the outside of Ronnie's and Mike's. That's why I think it's him.”

“Both of them have said it was Max that told them what to do. That he is the one that caused them to attack you, now twice, and Sam. I just... don't get why you can't accept that.” Colby pursed his lips, shaking his head.

“It feels like too easy of an answer. And everything I know points to Rinaldi,” I explained. “But look, I can see how it could also be Max. Maybe the both of them are working together to do all of this. I don't know.”

He glanced away from my gaze, his voice low. “It just feels like you have a soft spot for Max.”

My anger rose in my chest. I tried my best to remain calm. “I absolutely do not have a soft spot for him. I hate him just as much as you do. I just feel like it’s not him.”

He grabbed my hands gently, “I'm sorry I shouldn’t have said that. I'm just... scared.”

My heart ached at the sound of his voice. “Colby…” 

His shoulders slumped as he gazed down at the floor, “I feel like every time I turn my back to you, something comes for you. And it scares me shitless that I can't protect you all the time.”

I cupped his face softly, his eyes locking with mine. “Colby, you protect me plenty, and you don't need to be scared for me. We both can't live in fear of something coming for me. We are gonna figure this out, I can feel it.”

“I hope you're right, Jade. Because I seriously can't imagine losing you. You're my life now. You know that, right?” He rested his forehead against mine, whispering tenderly.

“And you're mine. I love you.” I breathed.

He smiled softly, connecting his lips to my forehead for a moment. “Just promise me you won't do anything rash now after what Ronnie told you.”

I nodded, not really answering him. "Are you gonna let her go?"

“Yeah. She gave us the info we wanted, even if it was by unorthodox means,” he smirked. “But you were right to tell her to leave town. We'll be on the lookout for her if she doesn't.”

“She's smart, plus she seems genuinely upset by her blackouts. I'm sure she'll get out of here ASAP.” I affirmed.

He pulled me close suddenly, giving me a tight hug. “I swear if one more person tries attacking you, I'm blowing up the Earth.”

I rubbed his back, laughing lightly. “Well that seems counterintuitive. I'll die then.” 

Colby pulled back, holding me still. “No, I'm taking you to Mars. Or some other planet.”

“Oh good, that sounds nice. Maybe then we can finally have a real vacation.” I joked, biting my lip.

“I'm gonna make that up to you,” he swore. “I had plans, you know.”

“Oh really, what were we gonna do?” I asked sweetly.

“Stay inside, eat to our hearts’ content, make love as much as you'd like. The works.” He grinned cheekily.

“Hmm... maybe we can still do one of those?” I batted my eyelashes, gazing up at him playfully.

His eyes darkened. “Which one?”

My lips danced across his for a moment. Then I smiled. “...Eat. I am quite hungry.”

"So am I." He picked me up, a laugh erupting from my chest, as he carried me into his bedroom, slamming the door.

<< CHAPTER 24 || CHAPTER 26 >>

[nerdishpursuits]

People on Twitter being disappointed Marta did not spill her guts to Fina over the Gervasio situation?

Ugh, I can’t even begin to fathom the kind of shame and despair Marta must be feeling after finding our her father is just as vile as her brother.

No wonder she’s so closed off in the aftermath, her armor back on. Her entire world is crushing down around her and she’s barely given time to process it. On the contrary, responsibilities just keep piling up. She needs time to order her thoughts and feelings, and to stop reeling from it all.

Not to mention she’s so used to being alone and having no support or understanding that, right now, she’s on auto-pilot. Even with all the progress she’s made thanks to Fina, at the moment she’s back to her default settings.

Also worth mentioning: time-line wise, her relationship with Fina is still quite new (3 months maybe?), so she’s not used to pouring her heart out. She’s not used to allowing herself to be emotional. In her family they don’t talk, they don’t share. They simply shove it all down, compartmentalize and pretend all is well.

So far, Marta has only let her guard down, all the way, a couple of times. First, when she was trying to rewrite the story for Jaime and, as a consequence, cried in front of Fina: one of the few times she’s ever shown herself so openly vulnerable. And second, if we consider her breakdown in the kitchen after Jaime’s death. However, Fina just so happened to find Marta as she was crying her heart out. And that’s how she allowed herself to be held and comforted. That’s how she let herself embrace the healing power of being understood and supported in her time of need, of being held and given space to grieve. And right now she’s grieving again. For her uncle’s dire fate, which could so easily be her own, for the loss of the family she thought she knew, for the loss of her best friend, for the possible loss of her aunt and the ever-looming threat of a cruel and unkind world, who could wrench Fina from her arms at any given moment.

But all in all. Change is incremental. After wearing her armor for 40 years, relearning certain behavioral patterns doesn’t happen over night. The good thing is, Marta has undergone immense change since the beginning of the series. This is nothing but one more hurdle to overcome. And if there’s no drama, there’s no series. Marta’s character arc has been one of the most satisfying, if not the most satisfying to watch unfold. I’ve confidence she’ll brave the storm with Fina by her side, once she’s had the chance to brace against the sudden winds, wipe the rain from her eyes and see clearly again.

Right now, she’s too overwhelmed and weighed down by uncovering the kind of despicable people her bother and father are. She might even, irrationally, fear that she’s tainted by association, given she already believes her family name is a curse and a burden. Not to mention the terror of realizing she might not be able to protect Fina after all, that their new-found sense of relief might prove to be a curtain of smoke.

We’ll see. But I think Marta and Fina will find a way to make it work and triumph together. Of course there’ll be obstacles. A show like this needs its heavy dose of curvas. But I trust these two will always find their way to each other, as they learn to navigate all kinds of situations together. And they’ll be all the stronger for it.

[link-is-a-dork]

stab

[flocklings]

MR. ROBOT - 110 x 210

[clickbaitcowboy]

what if dallas and cassidy were in outlast trials

[essenceofarda]

.

[beangfrisky]

what about single dad OSAMU getting so SO annoyed with his babysitters because his daughter is getting super influenced with whatever they are teaching her.. it's hilarious.

anon you literally pulled me out of my writing slump with this ask. i bow down to you

osamu’s daughter has been acting awfully confident lately and he has no doubt it’s thanks to his new pretty babysitter.

every time he makes pancakes for his babygirl now it’s ‘well y/n makes them in hearts for me. can you do that daddy? maybe she can teach you.’ he was a damn chef and his daughter thought he needed to ask for cooking advice.

your influence shows more and more everyday. you sing a fun little song while brushing her teeth so now he has to to stay cool too. you read the bedtime stories with different voices for each character than he did. you tied her shoes with bunny ears rather than the more practical loop de loop he does.

it took osamu weeks to realize he was jealous rather than annoyed with you. his daughter idolized you and had never seemed happier than she had with you in her life.

so he grit his teeth and reluctantly asked you to teach him the silly voices you do and how you tie the perfect bunny ears with shoe laces. you teased him the entire time but it was totally worth it

he draws the line when you try convincing her soccer is cooler than volleyball. he won’t have it lol