"Damn it," I muttered, tossing the ancient tome aside, feeling my frustration bubble over. It had been a whole day, and we were no closer to finding the information we needed. I had got more and more agitated by the minute, feeling like something was off. I smashed my fist on the table in frustration, causing one of the cups to fall off the side and smash into a mess of ceramic and undrunk tea.
"Take it easy, Liam," Damon warned. "You're going to destroy this place."
"Maybe that's what it needs," I replied bitterly, glaring at him. Audrey shot me a look, too, but I couldn't bring myself to care. My hands shook with anger and helplessness, and before I could stop myself, I hurled another mug across the room, where it shattered against the wall.
"Enough!" Damon snapped, his temper finally flaring in response to my own. "Go to bed, Liam. We'll pick this up again tomorrow."
I was too exhausted to argue, so I stalked off to my room, slamming the door behind me. Sleep, however, eluded me. I tossed and turned, my mind racing with worry for Erica, apprehension about our pack, and the gnawing feeling that something terrible was happening, or about to happen. My heart hammered in my chest as I stared up at the ceiling, willing the darkness to reveal some hidden truth. But nothing came, and the hours ticked away. At 1am, I was still wide awake, plagued by a sense of impending doom. I knew I was letting my own fears get the better of me, but I couldn't shake the feeling that everything was about to change. And not for the better.
Then, my phone rang, cutting through the oppressive silence like a knife. I grabbed it, my hand trembling, and saw my father's name on the screen. Instinctively, I knew something had happened; something bad.
"Da—Dad?" I stammered, my voice cracking. I barely managed to choke out his name when his voice, tight with anger and distress, echoed through the speaker.
"Liam," he said, each syllable heavy with emotion. "It's Erica."
Chapter 8
Damon
Theclockstruck11pm,its chime echoing through the house. Liam had gone to bed an hour ago, though not without making a scene first; his anxiety about Erica's night out had been unbearable. He paced like a caged animal and sent endless texts to Jacob, who was supposed to keep an eye on her. Finally, after he'd shattered one of Audrey's mugs in his agitation, I'd ordered him to bed so Audrey and I could work in peace.
Audrey and I were hunched over the kitchen table, surrounded by stacks of books and papers. Her raven hair framed her face as she scribbled furiously on a piece of paper, brows knitted together in concentration. She pulled book after book from the piles, only to huff in frustration when they didn't hold the answers we sought. I couldn't help but watch as Audrey, frustrated beyond belief, threw another book to the ground with a loud thud. Her anger was palpable, and it was clear that she was struggling to find the answers we so desperately needed. I reached out, my hand gently caressing her arm in an attempt to comfort her, but she barely even noticed.
"Dammit," she muttered under her breath. "It must be a spell of some sort." With determination burning in her eyes, she stood up from the table and waved her arms around, sketching symbols in the air before huffing and sitting back down, a scowl etched onto her beautiful face. It was obvious she was tired, but she wouldn't allow herself to rest until we found something useful. Audrey picked up another one of Sophia's drawings, studying it intently. This one had the same key as the previous picture, only this time there was a lock beneath it. From the lock emerged twelve distinct keys, each with their own unique design. A cage encircled the entire image. Her frustration mounting, Audrey began to argue with herself.
"Maybe the cage is a spell," she speculated aloud, "and the keys indicate that it can be unlocked in twelve different ways... or maybe it must be unlocked in twelve different ways?" She slammed the piece of paper down on the table, exasperated by her own rambling.
"Damn it," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "Why can't we figure this out?”
"Maybe you should get some rest," I suggested, watching as Audrey's eyes remained glued to the pages in front of her. She was beyond exhausted, and it pained me to see her like this.
"Give me a few more minutes," she muttered without looking up from her books. I rolled my eyes, knowing that she wouldn't stop until I found a way to distract her. Determined, I stood up and walked around behind her, placing my hands on her tense shoulders.
"Let me help you relax," I whispered, beginning to gently massage her shoulders and the back of her neck. Her writing slowed, and I could hear the lust beginning to purr in her voice as she pleaded for more time.
"Come on, Audrey," I grinned, "we haven't even gotten to the begging part of the evening yet." I pulled her from her seat, wrapping my arms around her and laying a gentle kiss on her lips. The taste of her was intoxicating, and I felt warmth spreading through my body as our mouths met. The gentle kiss that quickly escalated into something more passionate, more desperate. I felt the lust building inside me, my cock throbbing with need as Audrey's body pressed against mine. Breaking away from the kiss, I trailed my lips down her neck, feeling her pulse quicken beneath my touch. She tilted her head to give me better access, her breath hitching when I reached her shoulder. Her hands roamed my body, fingers tugging on the belt of my jeans as she pulled me closer, grinding against me. The heat radiating from her was intoxicating, and I could feel how much she needed me.
Audrey's mischievous smile was like a burst of sunlight through the storm clouds that had been gathering in my mind. She dropped to her knees in front of me, and I could feel the familiar tension coil in my gut as she looked up at me with those intense blue eyes.
"Let me take care of you, Damon," Audrey whispered, her voice laced with desire and an underlying sadness that tore at my heart. My breath hitched as she reached up and lifted my shirt, her fingers skimming along my skin, sending shivers down my spine. I felt her warm lips press against my stomach, just above the waistband of my jeans, teasing and tantalising, making me ache for more.
"Please," I managed to choke out, desperation seeping into my voice. Audrey seemed to understand my need, and slowly unzipped my jeans, tugging on them until my hard dick sprang free. The cool air brushed against my heated flesh, making me hiss in pleasure.
"Such a beautiful sight," Audrey murmured, wrapping her delicate hand around my length. She began to stroke me, her touch gentle but firm, like she knew exactly what I needed. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to get lost in the sensations, the feeling of her fingers gliding up and down my shaft.
"Fuck, Audrey," I groaned, my hips bucking involuntarily into her touch. "You have no idea how good this feels."
"Maybe I do," she replied playfully, her voice thick with lust. I could hear the smug satisfaction in her tone, and it only served to fuel the fire burning inside me. The sensation of Audrey's tongue flicking across the tip of my cock caught me off guard, and I opened my eyes to look down at her. The sight that greeted me was breathtaking, Audrey, on her knees before me, a mixture of love and lust shining in her eyes as she worshipped my body. My heart swelled with affection and desire for this incredible woman, and I reached down to caress her cheek tenderly. Audrey nuzzled into my touch, her eyes fluttering closed for just a moment before they snapped open again, a new fire burning within them. She took the head of my dick into her mouth without breaking eye contact, and I couldn't help but moan at the exquisite sensation. My hand found its way to her head, offering gentle encouragement as she slowly descended and rose along my shaft.
"Goddess, Audrey," I panted, struggling to maintain some semblance of control amidst the onslaught of pleasure. Her smile around my cock was positively wicked, and I knew that she had every intention of bringing me to the brink and beyond. I gripped her hair tightly as she continued to take me deeper, my head falling back as ecstasy coursed through my veins.
I was so close to climaxing, my breath coming in ragged gasps when I noticed the tears streaming down Audrey's cheeks. My heart clenched painfully at the sight, and I immediately placed my hands on her shoulders, gently pulling her away from my throbbing erection. She allowed me to guide her back, and I sank down onto the floor beside her. I cupped Audrey's face gently, lifting it to meet her gaze and saw the sad smile playing on her lips. "What's wrong? Why the tears?" I asked softly, my voice filled with concern.
"I'm going to miss you so much," she confessed, fresh tears spilling from her eyes. "I don’t know if I want to let you go, Damon."
"Hey," I tried to reassure her, my thumb brushing away a tear that slid down her cheek. "I’m not going anywhere." But even as the words left my mouth, I could see in her eyes that she didn't believe me, and I couldn't find it in myself to believe it either.
"Oh, Damon," she sighed, leaning in to press a sweet, tender kiss against my lips before resting her forehead against mine. "I don’t know how I know, but I do know. Tonight will be the last time we are together like this." She pulled back slightly, allowing me to look into the depths of her tear-filled eyes.
