Chapter 1

Unknown POV

A year of watching from the shadows. I watched them from afar, biding my time and picking the perfect opportunity. My wife was dead because of these monsters. To beat a monster you have to become one yourself. They thought they could kill me off, that I would roll over and die. Ha jokes on them. Thaddeus the dark king, the man everyone fears, well now he shall fear me. They may think they are safe. That Thaddeus is a renewed man, but I know he is truly nothing but a monster and soon the entire world will learn I am far greater than he, for I am now the perfect predator and that I will soon have control of the world. Have the control he had for so long, reigning nothing but terror, oh how I have longed for this moment, dreamt about it for so long and now everything has been set in motion. I was finally here, organised and ready to destroy the man who destroyed me.

Sitting on the mountain I watch as his entire family gather for a birthday party, happily enjoying each other's company as they all laugh and celebrate. My plan was going perfectly as I watched from my position. I couldn’t wait to see the anguish on his face when I took the most important things from him like he did me. To watch him squirm in his grief.

“Everything is set, my love” My new wife says as she sits down next to me on the mountain top. I watch her flick her dirty blonde hair over her shoulder before grabbing the binoculars. I wasn’t stupid I knew she only wanted me for what I could give her, using me for her chance at immortality. Little did she know she was merely a pawn. I never loved this woman, no one could ever replace my Giselle but I could avenge her. Could hurt Thaddeus like he hurt me, take his whore from him along with everything else.

“What now?” Laura asks, making me look at her. She was gorgeous for a blonde, I didn’t like blondes preferred brunettes but she kept my balls empty and kept me company, she was loyal even though I knew she truly didn’t want me nor did I her, a perfect arrangement. Well until I get bored of her then she shall become dinner.

“Now we watch the fireworks” I tell her, pulling the device from my pocket. I stare at the control in my hand, the little red light blinking quickly just urging me to press the button that would destroy their lives.

Looking at the house I watch as the women go inside, his heavily pregnant mate waddling into the house after a blonde haired woman.

I smiled, my opportunity had arrived and I was in the perfect position to watch it all, a front row seat to their pain. This moment will be forever my most cherished memory watching the destruction I was about to inflict. Watching as I destroy the men who destroyed me. Life for a life. Looking down at the device in my hand I flick the switch before pressing the grey button.

“Let the fireworks begin” I tell Laura a smile on my lips as my thumb releases the button.

Evelyn’s POV

Our daughter's first birthday, the one day we had managed to get everyone except Bianca and Lana she was having trouble adjusting to being a vampire,I have struggled especially while being pregnant. My appetite was extreme and I sometimes feared it, though Thaddues and Ryland were always quick to jump in when I struggled, the worst part was having a child who is a tribrid, her blood called to me strongest because I could smell how pure her blood is. I would never feed off her, but the urge to, sometimes scares me. I could smell her magic, almost taste how pure it was. They always kept close though, someone was always home with me to help, and when I was at work I had Imogen to stop me from feeding on our customers. The back freezer was always stocked with blood bags and I had only slipped a few times but never actually hurt anyone though the urge to, has been strong at times.

Being pregnant with our second child was harder though, his magic bleeding into me the further along I got.

Caroline, imogen and Amara and I had just walked inside getting ready to bring out the food and set the table. I could see Ryland and Orion busily cooking at the barbeque. My daughter played with Josiah as she showed him her robotic dog Amara got her. Moving around the kitchen I grabbed the salad I had made earlier from the fridge. Placing it on the bench while Caroline retrieved a few other bowls of prepared food to take to the table. Amara happily talked away to her mother while they grabbed plates and cutlery. Imogen walks outside placing the plates on the table. I laugh as I watch her smack her daughter up the back of the head and know Amara said something to annoy her mother.

“Not a serious bone in that girl's body” Caroline comments behind me also looking out the kitchen window. I chuckle, turning to grab the salad bowl I had placed down along with a tray of devilled eggs. Walking through the kitchen following Caroline toward the back door, trying to maneuver my stomach around the table and not drop what is in my hands. Ryland walks in grabbing the tray from my hands and pecking me on the lips.

“Tea towels?” Ryland asks.

“I will grab them” I tell him and he turns back around walking out the door with the tray. I make my way back into the kitchen and grab a tea towel from the drawer. Turning around I felt this wave of heat and a force knocking me backwards into the sink, something hitting me hard. The loud noise of an explosion making my ears ring before all I see is darkness. Hear everyone's frantic screaming from outside pulling me out of the daze I found myself in. Pain radiating throughout my body, yet I couldn’t see a thing through the smoke, couldn’t move as I was pinned. I cough on the smoke and dust. Trying to figure out what just happened, trying to see through the dark cloud of smoke surrounding me.

My skin burning so hot it was blistering and I could see the flicker of flames coming from the living room. Something had exploded, light filtering in and I noticed the roof had been torn off, the wall across from me gone. I cough again before feeling something warm and wet dribble down my chin.

“Help!” I try to say, but the sound leaving my lips is gurgled as I choke on my own blood. My ears ring loudly and the dust burns my eyes as it begins to settle. I tried to move, and I could hear everyone trying to get to me, the roof collapsed in where the door leading outside was.

My eyes flutter as I fight the urge to pass out. Why couldn’t I move? I feel my legs wobbling underneath me.

“Evie?” I hear Thaddeus and Ryland screaming, their voices reaching my ears and I feel my bump checking my son is okay. Only when I press my hands to my stomach it doesn’t feel right, my hands drenched in my blood before I feel something hard and wooden embedded in my stomach.

Forcing myself to look down, I found the wooden table leg had blown apart, the wooden leg going straight through the centre of my stomach where my son is and into the kitchen bench pinning me in place.

I hear a crash, the roof caving in completely as Thaddeus barges through the outside wall towards me.

“Evelyn?” I heard him call out but all I could do was look at the wood embedded where my growing bump is, where my son is. My baby, my son, I knew instantly as soon as I felt the wood. I knew my son was dead. I could feel my tears rolling down my cheeks and onto my chest as I clutched the wooden table leg in my hands. My feet and pants becoming saturated with my blood before I hear a gasp, I look up in shock to see Ryland and Thaddeus horrified expressions before they push through the rubble toward me.

“I don’t understand? I...I” I try to figure out what went wrong, everything was fine only a few moments ago. I feel my grip on the wood slip, my legs going out from underneath me as I slip on my own blood, darkness consuming me and the last thing I remember is hearing someone scream, the sound so guttural and heart wrenching filled with sorrow. Then I only see darkness, nothingness as I am thrown into oblivion.