TIMELESS

The Summit

SELENE

"....I don't care wake her up," were the first words I heard when I came to; light was streaming in through the wide open window. I just lay there staring at Juliette and her brother, the funny thing is that I don't remember coming back here last night. They looked at me and when my eyes met Demetre's a flicker of irritation crossed his face and he turned away leaving the room.

"Good morning Selene, how are you feeling?" She must have noticed that I was confused and sighed, moments later a doctor came into the room. "It's good to see that you're finally awake Luna, you have been unconscious for the last 48 hours." My eyes bulged out but I couldn't say anything before she continued to speak, "The packs Beta found you unconscious on the floor and the Alpha in some kind of trance in the kitchen but he doesn't remember anything after seeing you." She gave me a check up and went on her way, it was only then that I saw the tears streaming down Juliette's face.

"Why are you crying, I'm fine," she looked at me and by the look on her face she had been crying for a while. "I feel horrible, for putting you through this Selene, ripping you away from your life and shoving all of this on you but if believe me I would help you if I knew how," she said between sobs. I could never hate her. My arms wrapped around her and rubbed her back until she stopped crying. "I'll get through this don't worry."

When she had fully settled she told me that I needed to attend a summit with Demetre in a week's time. All the royals would be attending, it did not come as a shock to me that vampires were indeed real but what had me reeling was the fact that there were other supernatural races; Spectre, sirens, and ghouls. I had to have basic knowledge if I didn't want going to be completely clueless.

I don't know why but I had both a good and bad feeling about this at the pit of my stomach. I really didn't need more drama, because I will go insane if I get anymore.

DEMETRE

I still couldn't wrap my head around what happened. One moment I saw her in the kitchen and a warm feeling blossomed in my chest, the next both my wolf and I were trying to rip her throat out, and the next every muscle in my body was frozen. I saw her pass out but could do nothing. Zephyr has been quiet since then I couldn't feel him and it unsettled me more.

I didn't need this right now. My mate was my mate but Selene...I know was only fifteen at the time but I was still as smitten now as I was then. I hated her for it and for coming back into my life. It felt like even thinking of her was a crime to my deceased mate and that made me hate her more.

I would send her away but my father would no doubt take matters into his own hands. I'm just lucky he's not forcing me to mark her, this whole thing was so absurd. I needed her at the summit according to him which was slightly reasonable. Maybe I could throw leave her in the woods for some rogue vampires to find and be done with it for good.

SELENE

It was the day before Demetre and I were supposed to travel to the vampire Kingdom, and Juliette was walking me through some last minute things. They're history was fascinating to say the least some things didn't add up though, like the fact that no one knew what she looked like except her descendants which were all dead. They had all died in a mysterious fire but everyone knew there was something more because witches that powerful wouldn't be killed so easily. Something didn't sit right with me, I knew as much as she did that there was something that had happened that killed them.

It was when I was back in my room that my anxiety took over. The thought of spending a week alone with him terrified me; he could easily snap my neck in my sleep. As if the worry of that wasn't enough, ever since Julie started teaching me their history I kept having these weird dreams. However, when I woke up i only had bits and pieces. The last one though, unnerved me to no end. A slight shiver ran down my spine as I recalled the dream

I walked through the dense forest constantly looking over my shoulder. There was something about this place, something disturbing. At the end of the path there was a makeshift wall make of old branches that seemed like they would collapse under any weight at all.

I was going to turn back but a voice in my head kept urging me to go forward and like the fool I was I obeyed. After getting to the other side a narrow path stretched before me. I walked for a little while before approaching a cave.

The cave looked like something straight out of a horror movie, you know the kind where no one gets out alive. 'no turning back,' the voice said and just like that something took over my body and I entered the cave. It was damp and had a peculiar scent to it, but that was nothing compared to the feeling of utter terror coursing through me.

I discovered that this was a double cave but I could not turn back because my body was not my own. In the smaller cave my heart literally pound so heart I thought it would burst. There were dozens of desiccated corpses laying on alters with symbols drawn on them.

"You're destined for great things," a voice said behind me, it should have been impossible because that was the voice in my head. "Face me Selene," she said and my body obeyed her. Our eyes met and just like the last time I was awestruck. "Who are you?" I asked and the lady chuckled, "the better question here is who are you, Selene?"

I was baffled to say the least, how was this possible? "who's bodies are those and why aren't they properly buried?" I asked her and she smiled mockingly. "Those aren't dead bodies my dear, think of it rather as an eternal sleep until such a time when they're services are needed once more," I sighed, "who are they miss?" again she chuckled and then her face turned cold and expressionless.

"The Generals."

I still couldn't wrap my head around it and other than that, the mysterious man kept appearing in my dreams. I was definitely going insane even though he said otherwise. A man will never admit to being mad. It was comforting though, that I had someone to talk to other than Juliette. Orlando didn't like me anymore, he just about hated my guts as much as his father. Demetre must've told him I wanted to replace his mother and he threw the mother of all tantrums.

Once again I was sucked into my own mind by him, we were standing so close that I could feel his warm breath fanning my face. "how was your day Selene?" he asked in that voice that always made my toes curl. "It was good, thank you how was yours?" He only chuckled and raised a shadowy hand to caress my cheek, "good now that you're here." Sparks erupted where his hand was as they did every time and a warm feeling bloomed in my chest. He leaned further down until our lips were only centimeters apart; I made a bold choice and pressed my lips against his. He tensed at first but quickly relaxed and kissed me back. Hard.

Our lips moved in sync with each other as heat rushed to my core. His hands wrapped around me pulling me even closer than I already was. I ran my hands through the hair that I had never seen as our kiss intensified, we broke apart because if we hadn't I would have passed out due to lack of air. My heart was racing and I'm sure my face was bright pink by now, he chuckled again and faded away.

When I zoned back I met the angry gaze of none other than my so called husband. "What were you thinking about Selene?" he seethed I was about to give am excuse when he beat me to it," don't think of lying because I can smell the arousal off you." Heat flooded my face as I was unable to answer. What was I supposed to say that I was making out with a figment of my imagination?

"I was thinking about my boyfriend from back home," I said it wasn't a complete lie buy I didn't need this psychotic male thinking I was day dreaming about him. "His eyes narrowed at me and he walked away," I finally relaxed, " you're going to be the death of me one of these days I said to the man who surprised me by chuckling.

Seeing as I had nothing but time on my hands I decided to go back to the library, I loved reading and this place although I hated it had all the books

I could ever ask for. While skimming through the aisle I hadn't gone through a large book fell of the shelf and almost hit my foot. It looked so out of place, so ancient but as insane as it sounded it was like I was being pulled to the book.

I sat on the table farthest from the door and stared at the title of the book, Beelzgoetia. I opened it and began to read.

For thousands of years they had ruled the world. Misleading ignorant humans in an effort to get a taste of human flesh. Their origin is not known, and may never be but their legacy will live on. Of the four in grand demons only one of them was able to bear children and he was the most powerful and dangerous. His name was Adramolech. He gave humans power in exchange for the lives of other humans and that is how witches came to be.

He and his siblings became more of a threat when the witches increased in numbers. It was horrible, mothers killing their new Borns and offering them up at alters and eating their flesh; families offering up their children to be used as earthly vessels for demons; forcing children to lay with animals or corpses; fathers molesting their sons and daughters in occult rituals, the list was endless.

To the grand demons it was nothing but entertainment but the children of Adramolech could not take it. They found humans who actually detested the way of living that was now considered normal and they became their tools for war. A different breed of witches.

The war took place in the light of a full blood moon, on that night not only the sky was red but the earth was painted with blood, the nearby streams that once flowed with clear water were now tainted with the blood of the fallen. However the real war was not between the witches but between the grand demons and Adramolech's children.

It was not on the least bit easy for either side, many lives were lost but not in vain. At the end of the war only one remained standing, Adramolech's first born son Asmode. As thanks for their efforts he granted power to the children of those who fought beside him but could not make it home that is how he earned the title VetsMata Diablo.

He retreated to a sanctuary deep underground that only those ancients would know of and intended to keep himself from humans for all eternity. The last of his kind and locked away, it was a lonely existence.

The next chapter was in another language I could not understand, Juliette had never explained the origin of witches because she said the only ones who knew were the witches themselves and it was not something they were open to sharing so how was this here? "It is here because I so wish it Selene," she said standing in front of me. Every time I saw her my amazement was renewed, "are you real or just another figment of my imagination?" I asked her and a ghost of a smile played on her lips, "Trust me when I say, I am very real Selene. Very real,"

I finally asked her the question I had been dying to, "then why do you look like that it should not be possible," again she smiled, " oh but it is, you should get going now your friend is looking for you."

The moment she said that the door burst open and in came a red faced Julie. I turned back to the lady and she was gone and so was the book!

"Selene is this where you've been when you're supposed to be packing?" she seethed, I had no excuse so I just walked back to my room like a child caught with my hand in a cookie jar. We talked while I packed my clothes and slowly my anxiety faded away, I wished she could come but that was not possible.

"Good bye Selene, You call me immediately you get there!" Juliette screamed as the car started moving, within seconds she was out of sight. It was quiet in here nether wanted to speak to the other, sometimes I wondered if he knew the circumstances in which I was brought here if he did then he was just like Al of Alphas I read about, a complete prick. I decided to put on my earphones and continue my series from where I left off; I was halfway through the third season when there was a gentle tap on my shoulder. I looked back at him waiting for him to speak, Demetre cleared his throat and proceeded.

"I'm guessing you know all about these summits so I would like us to behave like a...normal couple," he strained the last two words, I looked at him and just nodded turning back to my screen. "What are you watching anyway?" he asked me and I was baffled, this was starting now?

I explained the series and by his third episode he was as hooked and frustrated as I was. We binged the entire third season and got started on the fourth one, completely oblivious to the setting sun. I wasn't surprised that this was the case, but the border with vampire kingdom sure was far. It was nighttime by the time we got to the border and the witch who was sent by his Majesty got out of the car. "What's she doing?" I asked Demetre taking his attention away from the screen, "The vampire kingdom is protected by a boundary spell only witches from his kingdom can raise or lower it. It's a safety measure meaning no one who's not a member of his kingdom can enter without permission, not even his own kind incase they're rogue vampires."

It was a good plan I'll give him that, "are vampires really savages?" I asked, I needed to know in case my life was in danger here, I was human and that was they're favorite thing. "well, yes and no. The vampires here are like a pack, for all vampires everywhere like my kingdom this is the capital so you're bound to fine some screw loose people here and there. Humans like you are allowed to live here but on certain conditions." "Two of those conditions are a blood drive every Fortnite and a curfew, after a certain hour any human found wanting is responsible for themselves so if they are attacked and murdered then that's their fault. Of the five races vampires are the ones most affiliated with humans but these humans are the only exception, outside the kingdom no human knows about them or us."

The vampire king was very....civil to say the least. Once the barrier was down the witch came back and it was another long drive. The vampire kingdom was beautiful really, houses were dotted everywhere like twinkling lights, then we started to approach a city area and it was nothing short of new York, the vampire and werewolf kingdoms were similar except that Demeter's home was far from the city region. I was only now noticing that I was exhausted and against my will I succumbed to darkness.

"...Welcome Demetre, it's good to see you again," a familiar voice said, waking me up from my slumber. When I opened my eyes I was facing Demetre's chest and in his arms. Heat rushed to my face and not the good kind, this felt wrong somehow like it wasn't meant to be him. I finally looked at the person speaking and my jaw dropped. He was breathtakingly handsome, his eyes were so blue that they would put the waters of Maldives to shame and chestnut brown hair that was shorter in the sides and longer on top.

I couldn't stop staring at him, it took Demetre putting me down to bring me back to earth. I don't know how but I knew this man, "Welcome miss Selene," he said and the sound of my name rolling off my tongue did things to me that I did not understand much like a certain shadow man did. "Thank you for having us," Demetre said with a hint of irritation in his voice. The man escorted us into the palace and to say but was jaw dropping was an understatement. It was more beautiful than anything I had ever seen.

At some point the man had left us and now we were walking to our room with the castle help I'm surprised to say that they were indeed humans. We stopped at a door and the servant swiped a key which was followed by a small ding. In side the room was a queen size bed and love seat by the huge window than ran from top to bottom, the entire room was covered in my favorite colors.

The servants had left after unpacking our things and now it was just Demetre and I, "are You attracted to him?" The question sent me reeling, "don't bother lying to me I could smell your arousal and I'm pretty sure he could too," I huffed at him, why was he so hung up on it? "And what if I am, what's it to you?" I asked not knowing where this came from, in a matter of seconds he was in my face, glaring at me. "It matters because you are my wife,"

I let out a humorless laugh, "your wife, you have treated me nothing short of horrible the entire time I've been here and you have the nerve to address me as your wife?" " Don't do this, aren't you the one who condemned me in front of your father calling me a cheap replacement and now you want to act all alpha male on me because you're bothered by the fact that I'm not attached to you but someone else? be loyal to your dead wi-"

I couldn't finish my sentence before a sting on my cheek shut me up. He slapped me, I faced him and no doubt he could see the anger and hurt in my eyes. "Sure go on, beat me into submission it's all you're good at right." "You don't want me, you made it very well clear and I'm stuck in this loveless and unhappy marriage and you are too because your father was too impatient to let you heal, because he is was too lazy to look for someone from your own people and your mother wanted to bring back a childhood interest. Your parents ruined my life, and you did too. I had a life to live, a simple life and look at where I am now? Yes I'm attracted to him and there's nothing you can do about it because it will never be you, not in this life nor in the next, I'm trapped with you the least I can give myself is a fantasy no and again because whether you believe it or not I would happily trade places with your dead wife!" I screamed with angry tears running down my face, He raised his hand again about to hit me when I caught it before it did. I felt a familiar energy course through me and I all but crushed his wrist. Demetre hissed in pain while he looked at me in fear and confusion. "Don't you ever raise your hand to me mutt, you are beneath me." The power left me as soon as it came, I let him go and walked towards to door out if the room.

I had absolutely no idea where I was going but only that I needed to get away, I cried as I ran through the corridor without any proper sense of direction until I reached the stairs. Without hesitation I ran down them and made my way outside to castle, and I kept running until I reached the woods where my legs gave out beneath me. There in the dark forest I cried, not only for my lost horrible circumstances but for the the possibility that I may not be completely human and the fact that I was slowly losing my sanity.

In the midst of mourning two pairs of warm arms wrapped around me, "It's okay Selene, let it out," he said. The scent of orange blossoms and damp earth enveloped me once more and I cried even more because he wasn't real. After what felt like forever I calmed down and ran out of tears, all he did was hold me. When I opened my eyes I was staring at his chest surprised that it wasn't a shadowy figure, my gaze moved upwards and those same blue eyes looked at me, "you're real..." I trailer off and he smiled, "of course I am Selene but I'm sorry you can't know that yet." His words wer followed by darkness.

DEMETRE

I stood in the spot she had left me only minutes ago trying to wrap my head around what had just happened. Why was I jealous that she had thoughts another man even though she had just seen him today, and more importantly how could she crush my hand with that much force and what was that feeling just now? I was starting to wonder if Selene was really human, it was something I had to find out for myself and soon.

For only a brief time, zephyr had made himself known and I practically watched him bow his head in submission to her.

While I was still trying to think of an explanation there was a knock at the door, and it was none other than the vampire king himself carrying my wi- i mean Selene in his arms. She looked so peaceful as she clung to him for dear life in her sleep, "She was in the woods I thought of bringing her back here since she was clearly upset and you are her husband." He handed her to me and took his leave.

She squirmed in protest and this left me wondering if she was what I thought she was. It would have explained the fact of why she was so intoxicated by him. I lay her on the bed and she turned away in her sleep. The events replayed in my head and she was right; my family had ruined her life. The image of her with tears streaming down her face was burnt into my memory, and that was how she would see me forever, the man that robbed her of her future.

I was on the edge of sleep when she started to squirm and talk in her sleep. "No, no, no please don't send me away.." she pleaded and I noticed that she was crying in her sleep. I tried to touch her arm only to tear it away from her skin, she was hot. Hot enough to burn me. "Mum, dad....I'm scared," she cried, suddenly she started to scream and her body jerked violently. I grabbed her shoulders even though her body was scalding hot and shook her until she opened her eyes. When she did, her screaming stopped and her body cooled almost instantly, this was all the confirmation I needed. Selene was anything but human.

too silver pools stared back at me in fear and confusion, before she could speak I told her what had happened and she told me she had no memory of whatever dream she had.

VALENTINO

It was happening again. The worst thing about this is I never knew when it would happen again because there was no specific pattern. I stared coughing up blood and it was only a matter of time before I gave into my urges. God I hated this, but it was the only way for me to keep myself sane, sometimes more often than not I regretted the choice I made so long ago but I had to make that choice no matter how painful it was for me to this day.

I stared at the black rose as if it were mocking me, it hadn't bloomed too long ago so and I knew that I would commit the same sin again after do many times. Was there no end?

SELENE

For the first time last night Demetre was not horrible to me, in fact he looked genuinely concerned. It was morning now and I still had no recollection of whatever I had dreamed about. He was sure though, that I wasn't human but what was I then because I'm pretty sure I wasn't a wolf or vampire, and definitely not a spectre or ghoul. The only thing was a siren but that was impossible right? right? My parents were both human but Demetre no matter how insufferable I was to him was determined to find out.

That brings us to where are now, he asked the vampire king (who's name I had not yet come to know because he wouldn't tell me) if one of his witches could have a look at me. The witch, Cassandra was very nice and no matter how many times she checked for anything that wasn't human she found nothing and drew up the conclusion that my supernatural side had been sealed off by a very powerful witch.

Demetre and the king looked at me with two completely different expressions. While my so called husband looked at me with mild irritation and as though I had grown a second head, the king looked at me in amusement. My gaze would drift to him every so often and every time he smiled at me. It was a smile that was anything but innocent, I knew him, somehow but every time I tried to remember him there was a stinging sensation in my head so I gave up.

After Cassandra had convinced them that she could not help we made our way to the conference room where the summit was being held. There were six other people waiting for us, "Ah...so this is the werewolf alpha's mate," a woman said to me. She long crimson's hair that was in a long braid and sat beside a man with hair of a similar shade. Their skin had a faint glow to it, so these were spectre. I looked at the. other two couples, one pair had eyes that were black as an abyss with irises that burnt like hot coal, ghouls and the last pair was female and their beauty could put anyone to shame. The first woman had dark brown hair that rolled down in well pronounced curls with eyes that shone like the brightest of emeralds; the second woman dark purple hair and eyes that looked like they were carved from amethyst and had tan skin like her partner. You could nothing less from a siren, They all welcomed me and I greeted them as well. I sat on the vampire king's right side and Demetre sat next to me. A warm feeling bloomed in my chest when he grabbed my hand under the table as Leticia, one of the sirens spoke.

The main issue is that witches were disappearing, and not the ordinary ones. Witches that served Carolina were vanishing in all their kingdoms. They were especially gifted among their people as Carolina herself blessed then and chose to live with her creations, That wasn't the only issue as sirens, spectre, ghouls, werewolves and vampires were turning up dead in the most gruesome of ways and no one could explain how or why.

I sat there and tried my best to listen to what was being said but a certain king was distracting me. He kept rubbing lazy circles in the palm of my hand and probing my mind filling it with dangerous thoughts....thoughts of us tangled in sheets and in the shower and many other thoughts I prefer not to disclose.

I was beginning to get hot and bothered and I knew for a fact that Demetre was more than annoyed. All of the sudden shadowy tendrils came from the king and wrapped themselves around my breasts and thighs mimicking a feeling of his on hands on me and every ounce of control went straight to hell when one of those tendrils caressed the that forbidden place and liquid pooled between my thighs from my core.

A low moan escaped me, one only the two heard and Demetre lost it.