Black Swan

Fantasy

Malik arrived from the firm that afternoon, confusion shadowing his features as he stepped through the front door. He paused, scanning the room to see Selene cross-legged on the couch, laptop open, surrounded by books, old journal pages, and a few flickering white candles that made the room smell faintly of cinnamon and herbs. A small mason jar rested on the table, sealed with a thick layer of white wax.

Selene looked up when she saw him and gestured for him to sit down beside her.

"You in here casting spells?" He asked lightheartedly, but with a hint of seriousness.

"Malik," she began gently as he slowly sat down, watching her cautiously, "I need you to hear me out, okay. Listen to everything I have to say... All of it."

His brow furrowed, but he nodded and leaned back onto the couch beside her.

She walked him through everything—Rosamund's revelations about what they really are, what their parents were, and their secrets. She even showed him the research she'd uncovered online about dhampirs, nephilim, and hybrid lineages scattered through time in forums and testimonies. She mentioned the protection jar that Rosamund gave her that would help protect them, he gave it a skeptical glance.

Then she dropped the real bomb.

"And Zara... well, she's a vampire now."

Malik stared at her for a beat, his expression unreadable. Then, with a sharp bark of laughter, he leaned back into the couch cushions.

"This is not funny!" she shouted.

"I mean—f**k— Selene. Really? You always did have the most dramatic imagination. Heather said you were always making up s**t to get attention—"

Selene's voice cracked like a whip as she stood up rapidly, "Wait—Wait...Heather is still talking s**t about me to you...and you let her?"

"Look, none of this s**t exists, okay! Get that through your thick skull!" he shouted, leaning forward to add emphasis to his hurtful words.

"Then why don't you go back to your own f*****g place to be with Heather, since you love talking s**t about your own blood!" She was beyond pissed with Malik. Without waiting for a reply, she spun on her heel and stomped up the stairs to get ready for her shift at the hotel.

Upstairs, as she laced up her black work shoes and applied light makeup with trembling hands, her heart ached with betrayal. She wasn't angry just because he didn't believe her—she was angry because he needed to believe her, and still refused to try.

When she came back down, dressed and composed, Malik was still there on the couch.

He wasn't lounging now. He was hunched over her laptop, his face drawn tight in concentration. The books she'd stacked on the table had been spread open. He was looking through them.

Without looking up, he muttered, "You really believe we're some kinda vampire-angel-human hybrid?"

She ignored him because she had already gone over it with him. He then sighed, "Look...I never told Heather anything about our parents' death and how it made me feel. If...if the reason why they died is because they were some kinda supernatural beings..."

Selene's heart softened slightly as she heard the confusion and vulnerability in his tone.

He ran a hand over his head. "I don't have a damn clue what's real anymore."

She stepped closer. "You don't have to be an expert at all of this, Malik. You just have to believe me."

He finally looked up at her. "Okay... um...I guess we'll talk later. When you get home."

She managed a soft smile and gave a small nod.

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It was now 9 PM, and Lucas had entered the grand hall of the Atlanta Vampire Embassy. The interior was decorated with imported Romanian decor and bathed in the constant flicker of crimson torchlight. The walls shimmered with vampire runes and paintings of older royal members.

Lucas strode in, shoulders squared, chin high. The tension in the chamber was thick enough to cut with a dull knife.

At the center, atop a throne sat Prince Hendrick—silver-haired, statuesque, with blood-red eyes that never blinked. A cape of midnight velvet pooled around him like smoke. On either side of him were the vampire ambassadors from New Orleans—Baptiste, Las Vegas—Fabian, New York City—William, and the host, Atlanta—Jonathon.

Lucas bowed low. "My lords."

"You bring word of importance for me?" Prince Hendrick's voice was a hiss layered in steel.

Lucas's voice and demeanor were calm. "Selene and Malik Brooks, remain at large... They've been silent. Moving carefully."

A lie, smooth and dangerous as ever. Lying to the Vampire court could be deadly and result in punishment or death by staking. The prince's eyes narrowed. "Why are their heads not on spikes by now?"

Lucas fought the twitch in his jaw. "I am working on it, my liege. I'm closer to finding them."

The prince c****d his head to the side, "Perhaps your brother would fare better with this case."

"Ah, that Liam is quite the killer. He's hunted down many criminals for me," Baptiste added in.

Lucas's fists curled, but he kept his tone even. "No, my liege. I will find them. And I will end them."

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Lucas returned to Savannah later than usual, as he drove to Selene's house, her scent seemed to be like a trail to her house, the familiar pull in his chest like gravity. He parked in front of the house in front of hers, and went up to her front porch. He could see her through the window—dressed down in a tank top and shorts, playing with her hair and watching something on the muted TV. His chest ached.

He crossed the lawn quietly. As he stepped onto the porch, she opened the door before he could knock.

"Lucas," she said, breath catching. "I didn't think you'd be here tonight."

He gave a half-smile and leaned on the door frame, eyes drinking her in. "I apologize for missing our talk at the Hartland. I had... pressing matters." His voice dipped to a velvet murmur. "May I come in?"

She stepped aside, silent but soft.

Inside, the room was dim and warm. He took in the protection jar on the table and the subtle presence of warding energy in the home. She was spiritually learning.

Lucas sat on the arm of the couch, watching her sit beside him.

"I recently got some shocking news..." she started. He gazed at her, urging her to go on, "and well, I found out that I'm a hybrid of a dhampir and a nephilim."

Lucas' eyes widened, that was the reason the vampire court wanted them dead. Her and her brother were never supposed to exist. They were never traitors. "I—I can't f*****g believe this..." he mumbled.

She rolled her eyes, "Oh, you don't even believe me now?"

He shook his head, "I do...it's just...I never knew hybrids of a hybrid could exist. I heard stories of dhampirs...or as we call them—daywalkers—existing. Not many were able to live." Lucas swallowed as his throat felt thick. He was sent to kill Selene and Malik for being children of daywalker and basically what humans would call a demigoddess. And what made matters worse, his brother killed her parents.

"I've just felt like I've been crazy my whole life..." she said, leaning forward while putting her hand on his thigh indirectly. "I was always able to see spirits...ghosts...whatever you wanna call them. So I guess it was always related to me being part nephilim and having connections to the other side."

"And your brother...he's also a hybrid?" He asked her.

She nodded, "We had a long talk earlier, and he's coming to terms with it...making sense of everything. I guess we're not so different after all."

Lucas's nostrils flared as Selene's intoxicating scent filled his senses, threatening to overwhelm his control. He had stumbled once, giving in to her, but now he might actually taste her. It wasn't like he wasn't listening to what she was saying, in fact, it was weighing heavy on him. He was starting to realize that everything was a lie, and he was doing this to an innocent woman and her brother for just simply existing. He stood abruptly, intending to leave before he lost himself in her completely. But her gentle touch on his arm stopped him cold.

"Wait," she whispered, her voice like velvet. "Don't go." He turned to face her, his eyes glowing with a hunger he couldn't hide. She gazed up at him, unafraid, and he knew he was lost. In a blur of speed, he had her pinned against the front door, his lips crashing onto hers in a fierce kiss. Selene gasped into his mouth, her knees weakening beneath her.

Selene melted into him, her petite frame molding against his muscular one. A soft moan escaped her as Lucas's hands roamed her curves possessively as if she belonged to only him.

"Where's your room?" he grunted out against her lips, voice husky with desire.

"Last... last room on the left, b—but we need to stay quiet. My brother is staying in the guest room." Lucas lift her up easily, sweeping her up into his arms and carrying her to her room. The scent of cinnamon grew stronger with each step, driving him wild.

Lucas's eyes darkened with lust as he laid her on her bed, gazing upon her trimmed p***y, glistening and inviting. He traced a finger along her slit, gathering the slick arousal, and brought it to his lips. The taste of her was like ambrosia, fueling the fire within him. Unable to resist, he got on his knees and dove between her thighs, spreading her wide with his strong hands.

His tongue delved into her p***y, lapping at her essence like a man starved. Selene's moans filled the room as she desperately tried to hold them back, and he devoured her, his grip on her thighs tightening possessively. He sucked and nibbled on her c**t, sending jolts of pleasure coursing through her. With a final lick of his tongue, he sat back and wiped his mouth with his fingers. Collecting her juices off his mouth with those same fingers, he reached down to finger her hungry cunt. He bent down to capture her lips again, his fangs had knicked her lip during their passionate kiss, and a tiny hint of her blood seeped into his mouth.

Pulling away, Lucas's eyes locked with Selene's as he slowly unbuttoned his pants, her gaze following his every movement. When his thick, hard length sprang free, her breath caught in her chest with a soft gasp escaping her lips. She hadn't had s*x in two years, and she wanted this to be right, especially with the way he was looking at her. He climbed onto the bed, hovering over her and positioning himself between her thighs. With a slow stroke, he entered her, burying himself to the hilt. They both moaned at the sensation, Selene's walls stretching to accommodate his size.

Lucas closed his eyes tightly and gripped her hips tightly as he began to move, thrusting in and out with a relentless rhythm. Selene's arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer as she met his every thrust. Her nails dug into his back, urging him on."Luke...oh god,"she panted against his ear, her voice dripping with pleasure. He could feel her inner muscles tightening around him, signaling her impending orgasm.

Lucas's lips trailed along Selene's neck, his fangs aching to pierce her skin. He kissed and licked the delicate flesh, savoring her sweet scent. When he finally sank his teeth into her, she gasped sharply, her body tensing beneath him. But instead of screaming, a low moan escaped her lips as pleasure coursed through her body. Lucas drank deeply, the thick, rich blood coating his tongue and sliding down his throat. It was like nothing he'd ever tasted before —pure ecstasy in liquid form. His hips had slowed their pace as he focused on riding out Selene's orgasm and the intoxicating blood flowing into him. He then kissed her deeply, their tongues dancing as he began quickening his pace again. The sound of skin slapping against skin echoed off the walls.

He pulled back, admiring the way her t**s bounced with each thrust. Unable to resist, he ripped open her tank top, exposing her flesh. His mouth watered at the sight of her hardened n*****s. Leaning down, he licked a trail from her neck to her chest, cleaning away the last stains of blood on her. He swirled his tongue around one n****e before sucking it into his mouth. Selene arched beneath him, crying out his name again. The sound was music to his ears, he just hoped her brother couldn't hear them. He pumped into her harder, faster, chasing his release and making her c*m again. With a final thrust, he buried himself deep inside her. His c**k pulsed as he came in her, filling her with his c*m.

Kissing her lips softly, before pulling out of her and going to her bathroom to run her a bath. Lifting her weakened body, he gently placed her in the warm tub, getting in behind her.