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Part Three- Chapter 26

"Beware the dark pool at the

bottom of our hearts. In its

icy, black depths dwell strange

and twisted creatures it is best

not to disturb."

Sue Grafton, I is for Innocent

(Kinsey Millhone, #9)

DARYA P.O.V

My heart was pounding erratically while Quillon kissed me. His tongue probed deeper into my mouth and I let out a moan of pure ecstasy.

We pulled away and I tried to breathe normally, with my eyes close shut. While I was gasping as much air as possible to my lungs, I felt Quillon's powerful frame, tense against me.

Slowly, I opened my eyes and my lips parted on it's own accord when I saw that his eyes were dark. Like a blackest night! For a second, I thought it was because of the kiss, but as I sensed the rigidity in his every muscle I realized something else was the reason. Wondering what it was, I called him.

"Quil-" I was silenced while he placed his index finger on my lips.

"Shhsssh" he said ominously and I furrowed my brows. "Can you sense it?" his voice was a whisper, but there was some dangerous edge in his voice that had my wolf quiver.

Quillon looked calm, but it was dangerously calm. It warned me that something was not right. As a reply for his question, I shook my head and he slowly said, "Fear."

"Fear" I parroted with a gulp. His black eyes were fixed on me and that made me extremely nervous.

"Theirs" he said pointing his finger to the sky. Seriously not comprehending what he was saying, I slowly looked up. My eyes rounded in disbelief when I saw hundreds of birds flying away. Flapping their wings, the birds flew as swiftly as they could.

They say... birds are the first creatures that can sense danger.

I blinked and looked at Quillon. But he was staring at space, with those very same dark eyes. There was this ghastly silence around us. It was like everything turned deathly quiet once the birds flew away. The air has turned cold and my throat suddenly felt dry.

My wolf stiffened at that precise moment and a shiver ran down the length of my marrow. Goosebumps appeared all over my body and I could hear blood rushing to my ears in a roar.

"He is coming" Quillon said in a low scary voice.

"Who?" My voice was so low that even I was not sure if I spoke that word.

"Konrad" Quillon's smirk was as cold as a hungry polar bear.

I suspected him, but hearing Quillon confirm, had the color drain from my face. I felt like someone was squeezing my heart with as much pressure as possible so that I could just die with that pain.

All this time I was trying to keep Quillon and Konrad away from each other, but I didn't know what to do now.

Konrad was here in Serene and my wolf could sense it too because her ears were erect and her hackles rose aggressively. She was ready for a fight but I didn't know how to keep Quillon safe from Konrad. I knew for sure that if Konrad sees him, then he will try to hypnotize him, use him against me, well-aware of the truth that I would not be able to hurt my own mate.

"Take her away" Quillon's voice was harsh and I felt like someone poured a bucket of ice-cold water over me.

"I am not going anywhere" I snapped frowning at Quillon and completely surprised to see Quinn with us. When did he come?

"Do not argue with me on this" Quillon was glaring at me, but I shook my head and decided to tell him why exactly Konrad is here.

"He is not here for you. He is here for me" I told him staring at his black eyes.

"But you are wrong Darya." I inhaled sharply and so did Quinn when I heard Konrad's familiar voice.

My wolf crouched down and humped her back, ready to leap and attack at any moment. Slowly, I looked at Konrad, who was not alone. Cable was also with him. I mustered as much hate in me as possible while I gave him a death glare.

"I am here for Quillon Sanders" Konrad added smoothly with a smirk of his own watching Quillon, who in turn had his side to Konrad, while he was watching me.

My wolf snapped her jaws in furious condemnation. Konrad isn't worthy of even saying Quillon's name. But he is has come here to attack Quillon, while he is with me.

I clenched my fist tightly and growled in warning.

I was furious at Konrad. Attacking me alone- I don't mind. But if he touches a single hair in Quillon's body, then today will be his last day on earth.

Konrad's mint green eyes were fixed on Quillon and the moment Quillon turned to look at him, he narrowed his eyes.

"Leave him-"

"Shushhh... wait" Konrad cut me off, raising a hand to silence me. "Let me look at him" Konrad said without taking his eyes of Quillon.

Quillon merely cocked an amused brow.

For a whole minute, Konrad stared at him and then finally began talking, "Cable here tells me there is nothing special about you. But I know there is something different about you from the rest. That is why, only you are her mate. So, who are you Quillon Sanders?"

"I think you want to know what I am more than who I am" Quillon answered and Konrad nodded with a grin.

"I am your death" Quillon answered and this time Konrad cocked an eyebrow. I tensed and turned to look at Quillon, wondering why he was baiting the monster. But when I saw the calm stance of Quillon, I was perplexed. There was nervousness in the air around us and it was radiating from me, Quinn and Cable, but Quillon... he was as cool as a cucumber, just like Konrad.

"Really?" Konrad asked and Quillon merely closed and opened his eyes- a gesture confirming yes.

"You are confident. I like it" Konrad said smugly and I flinched. "But you don't know who you are talking to"

"Oh! I could say the same" Quillon said in the same tone.

Konrad chuckled, "You don't give much away do you?" he asked and Quillon shook his head as a reply.

"Why are you here? In my land" Quillon demanded. "Is it just the two of you or are there more?"

"They will join us soon" Konrad replied and I gasped in disbelief. He has brought wolves with him?

"Okaaay, that's my cue" Quinn said abruptly and every head turned to look at him. "I am going to make sure no one from pack comes this far" he said and I furrowed my brows.

"Don't worry Darya" Quinn told me when he saw me. "Even a hundred Alphas' are no match for Quillon, then what can this mere creature do" Quinn scoffed at Konrad, startling me.

"Mere?" Konrad hissed, his eyes turned darker and the monster that he bottles up itched to come forward. "Whom did you just call mere?"

"You" Quinn replied looking at Konrad in the eye. "Hypnotism, Invisibility, Illusion. But that's just not it, isn't it? There is more" Quinn listed down Konrad's powers and I compressed my lips. "Anyway, I am not interested in probing on that now. I have a pack to keep safe" with that said, Quinn took his leave.

"I told you, the younger one is a spineless punk" Cable sneered from behind Konrad.

"Attacking woman for a living? It shows who exactly is spineless" Quillon said in disgust glaring at Cable, who clenched his jaws. "Your father should have slept alone that night. You are born for no use" Quillon ridiculed him through gritted teeth and I gaped at Quillon.

Oh my...., he just made the worst insult ever, but Cable deserved nothing less.

"Why you...?" Cable began walking ahead but Konrad placed a hand on Cable's chest and shook his head.

"Cross the line again, then I am going to break every single bone in your body" Quillon warned Cable in a menacing way. His voice had this severe edge that could have scared any wolf.

I have never seen Quillon like this. So cold, so unflinching... It was scary.

His eyes then flickered to Konrad and stayed there, "Darya is mine. My mate" There was a considerable amount of stress in Quillon's voice and words as he spoke. "What's mine, stays mine and if anyone tries to take her away from me, then they will not live to tell the story" he spoke every single word grinding his teeth, without removing his gaze from Konrad's dark ones.

My wolf raised her head haughtily after hearing her mate's words. At that moment, she felt incredibly proud and happy to be Quillon's mate.

"Let's see how well you can guard her" Konrad smirked and at that very moment many figures appeared from between the trees. There were thirty to forty. All rogues. None hypnotized though. "They want the money you put on your own head" Konrad added with a shrug.

My wolf snarled and crouched down ready to attack. Unclenching my fists, I brought out my sharp claws. I glowered at Konrad, who was lazily leaning against a tree and watching Quillon. His lips were tilted upwards and his eyes were only fixed on Quillon. I hated watching that. My body started shaking in anger and soon the clouds turned dark.

Konrad laughed when he saw that, "I always like the setting you create Darya. Can you give some background music too?" he asked and I knew he was referring to lightning and thunder.

When I did not answer, Konrad just sighed. "Boys, you know what to do" he said casually.

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