When he released me, I gasped for breath. A chill ran down my spine at the thought of wielding such power. Salvatore’s eyes gleamed with excitement and anticipation as he watched me.
Wet desire pooled between my legs. His rough treatment of me always turned me on.
He glared at me with a twisted smile before addressing my father. “Andyou, my dear ally, have the full force of my army of Timehunters at your disposal. Use them wisely, for our time is finally at hand. We will become the all-powerful rulers of the universe, and none shall stand in our way!”
A savage hunger for power consumed me, driving me to contemplate unspeakable acts in pursuit of our grand vision. My heart raced with sadistic anticipation, imagining the delicious moment when I would strut into Olivia’s presence, relishing the look of abject horror that would inevitably spread across her face as she realized her mother was alive.
CHAPTER ONE
ROMAN
Present time
“Where are we going?” Malik asked as we left the lavish Noir room in Mathias’ estate.
“Rosie,” I said, the name like a talisman against the darkness that threatened to engulf us. “We must check on her.”
We needed to ensure she was safe, untouched by the turmoil that had seized our lives.
Silence hung heavily between us as Malik and I strode toward the front room, our footsteps echoing against the marble floors of Mathias’ opulent estate.
Malik glanced at me, his intense eyes searching mine for a strength I wasn’t sure I possessed.
“Let’s hurry this up,” he barked, urgency lacing his voice. “We can’t leave your wife vulnerable with those two monsters lurking around.” My heart raced at the thought; my love for her was eclipsed only by the frustration she ignited within me. Her stubbornness often led her into perilous situations, and now it had driven her to seek out Balthazar, ensnared in Belladonna’s shadow, with Mathias looming ominously beside her. What possessed her to descend into that abyss, determined to confront her greatest adversary alone, while I remained powerless above?
The air was thick with tension, a palpable cloud that followed in our wake as if it also sensed the unease coursing through our veins. I could feel Malik’s restlessness mirroring my own; he had always been the one to seek balance in the chaos, striving to mend what was broken. Now, with Marcellious snatched from us by those relentless Timehunters, there was a void no amount of determination could fill.
“Damn it,” Malik muttered. “If only Marcellious were here.”
Lines of frustration etched deeper into his face.
We glanced into the room where Osman and Rosie sprawled on the carpeted floor, playing with wooden blocks. Osman looked so silly pretending to be a child. Satisfied, I eased back, not wanting to disturb them.
“I can’t stand the thought of my wife with those two demons, Balthazar and Mathias.” I clenched my fists, the leather of my gloves creaking with the motion. “I’m going to go downstairs to the dungeon. I’m going to see that everything is alright.”
Without another word, we strode forward, each step carrying the weight of our resolve. We were warriors, bound by a purpose that went beyond ourselves, beyond even the confines of time. And though the shadows whispered of dread and despair, we would not falter.
Malik and I departed into the depths of uncertainty, leaving behind the deceptive splendor of the estate for the grim reality that awaited us below.
The stairwell spiraled downward, a stone artery leading to the dungeon’s heart. The air grew damp, carrying a musty scent that clung to my nostrils. My thoughts were a tangled web—the image of my wife, who had already endured more than her fair share, of Rosie, innocent and vulnerable, a vivid splash of color against the drab uncertainty of Marcellious’ absence.
“Almost there,” Malik murmured, his voice a low growl of frustration. He was like an animal on edge, desperate for action, for a wrong to right. I shared his sentiment, the gnawing helplessness clawing at my insides.
We reached the bottom of the stairs, the coolness of the dungeon level seeping into my bones. It was a chill that no fire could chase away, a reminder of the dangers lurking within these walls.
We turned the final corner and halted abruptly. My gaze landed on Lee, and I did a double take. Then, my attention was drawn further down the hallway. There, amidst the shadows, stood a woman—her presence incongruous in this dim underworld. Her eyes, pools of history and sorrow, fixed on another figure before her—my wife.
“Mom? You’re alive?” Olivia’s voice broke through the stillness, a mixture of disbelief and awe as she stared at the woman.
“Yes, honey. I’ve been alive this whole time,” the woman said with a knowing smile.
Olivia’s knees buckled. I lunged forward, catching her limp form just as it grazed the cold floor. Her skin was pale, starkly contrasting the vibrancy she always emanated.
“She’s fine. She’s just shocked to see me.” The strange woman’s declaration did little to ease the vice around my heart.
I cradled Olivia in my arms, her unconscious state rendering her a sleeping beauty lost in a nightmare.
“Malik!” My voice echoed off the walls, a plea laced with urgency. “I need your help!”
