The blaring music had Feror and his warriors cringe in the dark and dingy clubhouse that they found themselves in, in the middle of the night. It surprised the Mage Royal army commander that several people in that small and stuffy club were bobbing their heads to the angry strains of the song's instruments. A couple was sitting around a small outmoded table that had seen better days with tall glasses of beer and what looked like slices of cheese and salami. A long pendant light hung above casting a luster hue around them. Several bulky males sat by the bar, their bodies barely able to be supported by the bar stools. Idle conversation filtered among them as they shared a bowl of peanuts. Judging by their grubby boots and jeans, Feror could tell they were construction workers enjoying a night out for the weekend. A covey of people stood on the dance floor where the scantily dressed singer was performing. The rapid crescendo of her voice had Feror clamp down his teeth to ward off the headache. He couldn't begin to decipher how everyone was able to stand the tumultuous squawks filtering from her mouth.

He and a shifter named Wright joined the construction workers at the bar. The bartender eyed them suspiciously but he was thinking more about the money he was making that night than the fact that well-dressed people suddenly crowded his back-alley bar. Feror was sure he didn't even have a license to run that place.

The bartender moved towards them with a small nervous smile on his lips and his eyes darted to the dark corners just behind Feror and Wright, giving away the locations of possible enforcers who were hidden. His curly brown locks crowded on his head. He had several tattoos drawn on his bare shoulders and arms. The black vest he wore, revealed the dark chest hair and Feror was positive they were only seconds away from seeing his nipples.

"Good evening, fellas." He greeted them, placing his hands on the bar and revealing the pointed nails that he painted black and red. "What can I get you?"

"The best beer you have," Feror answered turning to the three warriors who went to sit beside the couple they passed while making their way to the bar.

He grinned revealing the customized gemstone cast fang caps he had on his incisors. "Best choice of the evening." He removed two tall glasses from his sink and poured generous amounts of beer into them as the screeching music toned down into a somber melody that was a little bearable. "What are you lot doing on this side of the city? The last time I saw clean-shaven fellas like you, they ended up floating near the beach with their heads missing." He said heedfully as he placed the glasses in front of them.

Feror knew that it was a warning for them if they thought to do anything funny. Feror thrived in such circumstances. Sometimes he wished someone so much as stepped on his foot to set him off. Ever since it was discerned to him that he didn't have such a long time to live, he lived his life a day at a time, appreciating the small things that made him feel alive and fights were first on that list.

"And how long ago was this?" Feror teased back and the male chuckled before he leaned in and crossed his arms on the bar.

"See, we here don't like trouble and the only thing that clean fellas like you wreak to our bars on this side of the city is just that." He sniffed the air in front of him and a slow smile arced on his lips while his hazel eyes glimmered with interest. "You smell like a male with a death wish."

Feror grinned. He didn't have a death wish. The angel of death was literally loitering around with him, counting down the seconds till his bulb switched off permanently. What scared Feror wasn't the death itself. It was not knowing when it would happen. He was anxious most of the time and he had to drown himself in alcohol in order to stop the thoughts from driving him crazy. Though he smiled and laughed with the others, no one knew how terrified and angry he was. No one saw the regret he felt because he couldn't do everything he wanted to. If he had known earlier, he would have turned his life around.

"It's the perks of living on the edge. Tell me, what does a clean-fella like me need to do to catch Taz's attention around here? This is his hangout place if he is planning to push stolen items into the market, right?" Feror leaned in as well and their noses were almost touching but satisfaction thickened in his blood when he saw how the male's eyes darkened with the realization that they weren't there for beer...well at least for him because Wright was already halfway down his glass and his head bobbed softly to the depressing music.

Taz was what they called a pusher. Pushers were notorious illegal brokers or thieves who stole or smuggled illegal items in and sold them off for a living. The name Taz came into Feror's list because while they were searching for the last two pieces of parchment that could have the map to the location of the Light Sword, they got a lead that he was the one male who would know where they were because he dealt with ancient and enchanted artifacts. He had a fully operational gang of pushers across the enchanted world dealing with the items. It was a name Feror had come to know during his time of gathering information in the streets of one of the harbor cities of the Eastern Coast Sector; Juneau, which was the self-declared city of pushers in the Realm of Spells.

At first, Feror thought he was just another petty thief making a living out of stealing and selling but he later discovered that Taz didn't only deal with artifacts. He also pushed people. He sold children into slavery, females into whorehouses, and males to rogues. Feror lost it when he found out that and made it his personal target to find Taz and make him pay for all the lives he ruined.

'You are not strong on your own. Take someone with you.' He recalled Ruvin, the Spells Realm's second in command, telling him with concern on his face.

'I can go.' Zach had volunteered but Ruvin shut him down.

'You are not going anywhere until we know what you have been up to for the time that you went missing.'

Zach smirked. 'The second in command position suits you, paws.'

After disappearing for several months, the former second in command suddenly showed up with no memory of where he was or what he did all that time. The situation prompted Lord Mage to remove him from his chain of command until they got answers to what happened. Zach was no longer a commander in the Mage Royal Army. He was not even allowed to go on missions. He spent his days with Historians and Elders who tried to figure out what happened to him.

Feror refused to take anyone else other than his hand-picked warriors. The task was given to him by Lord Mage and he wanted to hold on until he accomplished it. Never once had he failed his mission and he wasn't going to start then.

At that moment he watched as the cocky male moved away from the bar top and caught sight of his fingers moving to the lower part of the bar where Feror was sure was a button that would alert security to come to his rescue. That was enough to tell Feror that they were in the right place. The bartender signaled for the enforcers who materialized from the shadows in the dark corners of the bar. Feror smiled softly. He had accomplished catching their attention and knew Taz would be told of this. Scum like Taz didn't deserve a second chance. He was entirely corrupted if he thought other people's lives were a commodity to trade with.

"How about we take this conversation outside?" A bulky male appeared from behind Feror and Wright and crossed his arms over his chest, showing off the exaggerated lumps of muscles around his body. From his scent, Feror couldn't tell if they were dealing with an alcohol-soaked canine or feline beast. His scent was intermingled which was confusing.

"See, we were still talking to the young lad--" Wright started as he downed his beer and finished it off but the meaty bouncer stopped him.

"Well, he no longer wants to speak to you..." he turned to the bartender who hugged his middle and watched them with trepidation. "Do you, Lil?"

He shook his head softly and turned to the people on the dance floor who had suddenly caught a whiff of danger and it looked as if they were calculating their chances of winning if a fight broke out.

Wright turned to Feror with boredom. "Do we really have to do this? I just got this shirt. It was bloody expensive."

Feror pushed himself from the bar and turned to the male that had just issued a challenge to them. Two more beefy bouncers joined the first one and Feror caught how the couple that was seated by the small table quietly slipped from their seats and made their way out.

It only concluded to Feror that the place was acquainted with bar fights and people going missing. Three of his warriors lingered around the door, watching cautiously as the three bouncers spoke to him and Wright.

"All we want is to meet up with Taz. I have a business proposition for him." Feror tried to pacify the situation but one bulky male cracked his neck from side to side while the other shook his arms readying himself for the coming confrontation.

"See, that is what sold you away. The big boss doesn't go by that name around these areas." The first male grinned at him, revealing a set of rotting teeth that had not seen a toothbrush in such a long time it was almost sad.

Feror rolled his eyes. "Fucking informant." He muttered softly thinking of how much he had to pay the snitch to get them the information about Taz, then he sighed and asked. "Are you sure you can handle us?"

"Ye nothing but a bag of meat t'us." The first male chuckled maliciously as fur rippled on his skin and the popping of his bones echoed so loudly now that the music had died and the band that was performing had disappeared some time back. The construction workers quickly paid their tab and made their way out, calling it a night although Feror knew they were upset for having it disturbed.

"For fuck's sake!" Wright growled in surprise when the three males finished their transformation and three bulky hyena beasts prowled in their place. "A pack of scavengers? It's no wonder I could smell a rotting corpse somewhere in here!"

Beasts came in all forms and sizes and the hyenas didn't surprise Feror because he had seen enough to know how broad the beast possibilities were. The three Hyenas snarled and lunged forward with their claws sticking out before them. The claws screeched on the stone bar when they missed their target, the sound grated the insides of Feror's head. Razor-sharp teeth snapped inches from his face as he pushed back and climbed up on the bar. A whimper sounded behind him and when he turned, Lil was hiding underneath the bar with all the cockiness gone. Fear was reflected in his eyes as he reached for what looked like a gun.

Feror was given very little time to react as one of the hyena beasts grabbed his leg and pulled him down from the bar top. He went out to try and crush Feror's windpipe but Feror braced for his own transformation, his beast body crowding the small space of the bar. He shook off the hyena from his leg and turned around before kicking him away using his hind hooves. The beast flew and smacked loudly against the wall.

Wright had turned to a buffalo and charged forward, picking up the second hyena beast using his horns before tossing him to the side. Jaye, one of the promising High Mage-to-be formed two pink orbs of energy in her hands and let the third beast have them from behind. The smell of charred hair and skin filled the bar and the beast roared loudly before turning to her but Callehen; a fierce brotherhood centaur and Martn; a deadly forest nymph intercepted. Bat-like marble white wings shot from Martn's back and he swirled around, the sharp edges of them catching the hyena's face and neck.

The beast whined as blood oozed from his damaged eye and wounded neck. Martn turned around and his eyes were completely black. He screeched and exposed the sharp teeth that had filled his mouth in three rows. Nymphs were alluring in their humanoid forms but hideous in their true forms!

Callehen transformed into a brown-furred centaur and clapped his hooves on the wounded beast's head, crushing it in the process. The other two must have smelled the death of their friend because they suddenly forgot about Wright and Feror and charged toward Jaye, Martn, and Callehen. A loud echo thundered from behind the bar and Feror felt the hot painful bullets embed themselves on his back. He bit back a curse and turned to the male who had the audacity to shoot him.

He could feel his body expand with the energy that was filling up in his veins. It felt wondrous and delicious as the bullets were pushed out and his body took on a blue-black aura. He reached across the bar and pulled the gun from Lil. He yelped in surprise and landed on the stone bar top. Feror frowned at how weak the male appeared to be.

Feror squeezed the barrels of the gun until the metal constricted and was bent at an odd angle. He tossed it to the side and grabbed Lil by his neck before lifting him up and letting him dangle like a doll. Jaye managed to turn the second hyena beast into ash while Wright, Callehen, and Martn finished off the third one whose blood messed up the entire floor.

"You will tell me what I need to know, boy." He snarled at him, his body blazing with energy. "Where the fuck is Taz!"

He choked and whizzed, his eyes bulging out as he struggled against his hands but Feror was too far gone to play nice.

"He will be of no use to us if he dies, commander!" Wright suddenly spoke patting Feror on his hand to try and get him to release him and that was when the craziest thing happened.

Lil's body compacted even further and soft curves appeared. His hips widened and his chest swelled before his curly hair elongated and slithered down his shoulders and back. His face molded into that of a female and Feror quickly dropped him as if he had suddenly burnt him.

Lil was not a male...he was a female.

"By the gods Sijen and Ijuan! You are a fucking shifter." Wright breathed in hard then narrowed his eyes. "Have you lost your fucking mind? You have just broken the Shifter code of not shifting into another humanoid form. Why the fuck would you do that?"

"A what?" She choked as she rubbed her neck. "What is that? I don't know what you are talking about."

"That code was taught to us the day we reached puberty and started shifting! Every shifter knows of it. No shifting into another humanoid form. It's basic knowledge!" Wright growled at the female but Feror held him back as he was about to wring her neck himself. He was quite upset that the female would shift to another humanoid form.

"I don't know about the code." She assured him.

Wright snarled at her but Feror barked. "Enough! We need her alive."

Feror turned to Callehen. "Take him outside to cool off. Jaye..." He turned to the black-eyed, chocolate-skinned female assessing the dead beasts on the ground. "Jaye, arrest the female and take her back to the Cold Fortress for interrogation."

"Yes, commander." She nodded and twirled her fingers in the air. Ancient Mage symbols shimmered with a pink hue and then started weaving themselves together until a golden thread appeared. It floated to where Lil was and her hands were jerked forward by an invisible force before the thread circled her wrists, tying them together while suppressing her abilities.

Lil bit her lower lip as she tried to break free but it was no use. Only the Mage who cast it could break it.

"It's useless, love," Feror assured her.

"You don't understand." Her voice quivered as she looked up and tears lingered in her eyes. "If I leave this place, he will hunt me down and kill me."

"Who?" Feror approached her and his body contracted until he stood in his humanoid form in front of her. He pulled her to her feet and studied her closely. She almost got away as a male in front of them.

She pursed her lips and shook her head and she continued trying to get herself free.

"Do you think it is easy to work as a female in a louche place like this?" She looked up at him as a tear escaped her right eye. "With the kind of people that come in, their filthy hands always groping and..." She took a deep breath as more tears came down her cheeks. "I didn't have anywhere else to go. I needed this job and being a male was the only way to make it work--although there were still some disgusting rats who would make a pass at me. I needed the money. He promised not to kill me provided I remained here and kept tabs on everyone who asked about him."

"Taz?" Feror asked again.

Lil whimpered softly but nodded this time around.

"He will not harm you as long as you are with us. We can only protect you if you tell us exactly what you know, okay?" Feror's anger toned down when he realized that Lil could be one of the many people Taz pushed in the black market. By her appearance, Feror could understand why the male decided to keep her for himself. She caught attention without meaning to. She was good for business in that rat hole.

She nodded, her desperation almost physical.

"Get going, Jaye. We will do a sweep of the area and join you as soon as we can." Feror told Jaye who nodded and took Lil's hands before the two flared away.

Wright returned, the night cold wind doing nothing for his temper.

"Where is she?" He asked.

"I think she is a child slave, stolen from her home when she was still young and forced to work all her life to make ends meet. She is not at fault. We need to find the animal that did this to her and you will not lay a finger on her, Wright." Feror warned the shifter.

Wright swallowed hard and ran his fingers through his hair. "Are you sure about her being a child slave?"

Feror nodded. "I am positive."

"Fuck!" Wright cursed out and turned away before leaning his head against the wall of the bar. "Explains a lot. She is completely clueless."

"She has agreed to cooperate and in turn, we will protect her from Taz."

Wright nodded. "Alright."

"Look around the bar for anything that may lead us to Taz." Feror made his way to the back rooms that looked like storage areas. Many wooden boxes looked like cargo and if Feror wasn't wrong, he knew they had smuggled merchandise that would be sold off as soon as possible.

"We found this." Martn carried an opened box filled with rare metal items and placed it in front of Feror. "Look at the emblems." he prompted the commander.

Feror frowned when he saw that it was the royal emblems from the Realm of Spells and Water which meant this cargo was stolen from the royal houses somewhere. Pushers had no limits as to what they could steal and push. Feror ground his teeth.

"Take this box with you and get the Mage to come and collect the rest. I doubt Taz or any of his goons will return here any time soon. I want to know which royal houses these items come from so that we can get his raid pattern..." He flexed his arm when he felt the pain rippling underneath his skin.

"Aren't you coming back with us?" Wright frowned with concern as he looked at Feror's scarred arm and then up at his eyes.

"I have somewhere to be. I will meet you there in a few hours." Feror didn't want to worry anyone so whenever the pain started, he went to ride it somewhere far away from the others who were residing at the Juneau royal house right at the edge of the Blanc ocean.

"Alright...take care." Wright patted Feror's arm and he and the others went on with what they were doing while Feror staggered outside.

He quickly dialed a number on his phone and after the first ring, it was answered.

"Feror..." the sultry voice came through and Feror bit back the pain that was coursing through his body.

"Londyn, where are you?"

Londyn quickly gave him the directions and Feror made his way to her.

Londyn aided Feror to the bed then he watched her as she rushed into the bathroom. Sweat coated his skin as pain and heat seared his insides. Sometimes the pain was so intense that he wished for the death to come quickly but he never died. He just suffered. He wondered what bad thing he did in his past life to go through such torture. It was something that he wouldn't even wish on his worst enemy.

The pain crippled him. He drifted in and out of consciousness until it eventually subsided. He also noticed that it took longer now than before. He gritted his teeth against it because nothing worked to lessen his pain. The painkillers the healers subscribed to him and all the enchantments they did were useless.

He felt a cool towel on his forehead and laced his fingers with Londyn's. The others didn't know but Londyn was always the one to nurse him back to health every time the pain started. They wondered why he kept her for the longest time but never got the answer for it. Londyn had been there ever since the pains started after being shot and it was the first time everyone saw him push the bullets out of his body in the Northern Sector.

Feror knew something was different about him ever since the arrow embedded itself in his arm but he didn't think much of it. He actually loved the new power and abilities that he gained but he didn't know what the price was until he collapsed in his room in front of Londyn one day.

"We should get a healer, Feror." She spoke as she patted his forehead with the cool towel. "Your pain is getting worse by the day."

"No." Feror bit out. "I...just need...you."

He felt how distressed she was as she tended to him but there was nothing else he could do to ease it. He wanted to let her go, feeling guilty that he had burdened her with his flaws but she refused. She wanted to be with him until the end. At times Feror felt that she was with him because of guilt but at other times, he felt her love for him. Feror never lied to her. He told her about Leanor and how she was still in his heart making it difficult for him to love someone else but that did not chase Londyn away. The phoenix had a heart unlike any other.

Even after meeting Leanor in the Lore Highlands during the Peak Season festivals and seeing how Feror watched her while she interacted with the others didn't deter her from him. She still held on and she still took care of him.

"I am so sorry, Londyn." Feror felt a tear escape from his eyes and run down his temple. "I am sorry I am not the male that would love you the way you deserve. I am sorry I am not that male for you--"

"It's okay, Feror...hush now." She framed his face and rubbed away his tears. "I will have you however I get you. You don't have to apologize for loving someone else because I know how it feels. I am just happy to be in your life."

More tears ran down Feror's temples as a new wave of pain threatened to drown every light in his life. He felt Londyn tear away his t-shirt and bathe his torso with cool water. She was special to him and it took the Peak Season festivals to make him realize that he, too, loved her in his own way.

She was a selfless female, one who accepted him the way he was, and never once did she judge him. The thought of her having a mate somewhere in that world waiting for her sent a jab in his heart. Could he truly survive losing yet another female in his life? He hoped her mate would show up long after he was gone. It was a very selfish thought because he would leave her hurting but Feror felt like he would go crazy losing her to someone else and leaving him cold and alone once more.

His stiff hands went around her soft pliant body, holding her close to his burning one. He didn't want to lose her too. He lost consciousness shortly after that...

The next time he woke up, the pain had somehow subsided but his joints were on fire and his skin was still too warm. He looked across the room to the window covered by gossamer white curtains and he could see the sun peeking from the horizon, announcing a new day. He placed his hand over his eyes trying to get rid of the pain there and felt the female that was snuggled cozily beside him.

He turned to his side and wrapped his arm around Londyn's waist before pulling her closer to him. He placed a kiss on her forehead, waking her up from her slumber. Her onyx eyes glittered up at him and her pale blue hair, which matched her flame when she transformed, formed waves on her pillow. A smile touched her pink lips as she looked up at him. She had a pretty glow about her. Her sun-kissed skin glowed with health and vitality.

"Good morning," she murmured softly as she brushed his dark curls from his forehead but they returned in place. She touched his forehead and a small frown creased her forehead. "You still have a fever."

"It will go away soon." He assured her knowing how worried she got when he didn't get better. He reached up and smoothed the lines on her forehead. "Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"

Feror had the privilege of seeing a rose-pink color stain her cheeks. She grinned up at him and sighed. "How is it that I can let you get away with almost anything because of your charms?"

Feror grinned cheekily. "I'm just a sexy beast. You can't get enough of me, can you?"

Londyn giggled softly as she tried to push him away but Feror still had his arm around her waist and she couldn't go anywhere. "Stop!"

Though the pain was still orchestrating the movements of his body, he could still lean in and steal a kiss from his girlfriend. She became responsive because there was just no way she could resist him. He was a centaur for crying out loud. He knew how to fuck before he even hit puberty. It was just that one badge the centaurs wore with pride; they always knew how to satisfy their mates.

"You must be starving right now." She said after a little while.

She was right. After riding the waves of pain, the hunger that hit him was enough to make him eat for ten! Without warning, his stomach grumbled and Londyn grinned down at him as she got up.

"I will ask room service to get us something." She moved to her phone and walked away leaving Feror cold and lonely.

Feror sighed and reached for his phone, looking through the three missed calls and the mass of messages. The warriors couldn't wait for him to conduct the interrogation so they asked Daenis--who was stationed at the Eastern Coast Sector by the Lord Mage--to do so. They got another lead that connected Taz to the Realm of the Dark. Feror quickly dialed Daenis' number.

"Feror." She answered almost immediately. "Are you alright?"

"I will be." He tried to turn but his body wouldn't have it. He knew the worse was yet to come and if he knew what was good for him he would stay in bed. "What is this I hear about Taz?"

"Lil told us about his links with another big pushers organization in the Realm of the Dark. It is where he spends most of his time if he is not here. Lil overheard some of the pushers talking about a big underground auction for exclusive members only. She says it must be something big because Taz has been preparing for it for a while and he does have something special he is auctioning there." Daenis explained. "Lil said she saw a small wooden box that was brought for Taz and she had the chance to peek inside but she found nothing but dirty pieces of cloth."

"The parchment," Feror spoke out.

"My thoughts exactly. She said Taz locked it away but she doesn't know where. I sent a couple of warriors to search the bar again in case there is a hidden chamber we missed but I have my doubts that it is there. I think he has already left with it to the Realm of the Dark."

"I think so too. There was far less security at the bar so I doubt there was anything of great importance remaining. What about the boxes with the stolen royal items? Did the warriors collect them from the bar? Did they find where they came from?" Feror flexed his fingers and toes but it felt as if someone stuck rusty nails in his joints.

"All the boxes are at the royal house and the warriors are registering all of them in the database to see where they are stolen from. We will get the list this afternoon hopefully. I don't know yet if there is anything of importance." She replied. "Another thing that Lil spoke of was that she had seen the list of names that she suspected were Taz's exclusive clients. She is with Wright as we speak, writing down the ones she remembers."

Feror nodded. "Good. She is our best lead to Taz. I think that Taz stole her when she was young and practically raised her so she might know more about him than we think. Take care of her and make sure she cooperates as much as possible."

"Will do. I will brief the Lord Mage about this. You just....get better, okay?" Daenis couldn't help but worry about him like everyone else.

"I will. I will see you soon." Feror hung up as Londyn returned with her toothbrush in her mouth.

"I ordered enough to feed an army." She smiled down at him.

"Come here." He held his hand up. With the sheer pink nightie she was wearing and the little thong inside that left nothing for the imagination, Feror couldn't see himself repudiating the invitation. She knew how to tease him and push his buttons the right way.

At that moment, the pain could go fuck itself because he was not going to last one more minute without being inside her.

She blushed prettily as she placed her hand in his and let him pull her to him. She was nestled snugly on his lap and Feror hoped she felt his thrumming erection under her ass.

"I need to brush my teeth first." She mumbled with a mouthful of foam.

"I'm not after your teeth." He assured her as he placed kisses on her neck and down to her cleavage.

Londyn sighed as she arched her neck back to give him more access to her body. His arms wrapped themselves around her and he pulled her close until it was hard to know where one body terminated and the other began. The urgency to be with her was too much to flout. It was the thirst for her that was also masticating his insides.

Without wasting any more time, Feror tore away the offending garment clinging to her skin and making him green with envy, and was already pushing himself deep within her, sheer pleasure overpowering the pain for a second. It made him forget that he was a male with the death clock ticking loudly in his ears reminding him that his days of walking that earth were numbered.

"Ahhh!" Londyn cried out gently as Feror filled her up--feeling her core clasp tightly around him like it was perfectly made for him. Her small arms clasped around his neck as he began the slow grind that left him breathless and had Londyn crying out in pleasure.

When he took Londyn to the Lore Highlands for the Peak Season Festivals he didn't know what to expect from Leanor. He recalled how Storm assured him that Leanor no longer felt anything for him now that she was mated but something at the back of Feror's mind told him that she still did. Having the two females at the same table during the festival dinner concluded something for him; Storm was right.

Apart from welcoming him and Londyn on the day they arrived, Leanor had no time for him. She was busy doing everything else and talking to everyone but him. At one time he even caught her and Bane making out in a corner and it was the worst experience yet.

He recalled Tegan asking him to step out after dinner for a little talk.

'It will never be the same between you and my sister, Feror. You do know that. You need to move on.' Tegan had said as he placed a cigarette between his lips then offered one more to Feror who gladly took it. 'The female you came with, Londyn--she looks like a good female--'

'She can never replace Leanor.' Feror remembered answering before the male could assume anything else.

The expression on Tegan was that of utter surprise because the male just didn't understand how much Feror loved his sister. He always thought it was a foal crush but Feror knew it was more than that. He actually went back there to say his last goodbyes, hoping he didn't have to go back unless it was in a body bag for cremation once he died.

'Well then, you are utterly fucked.' Tegan concluded with a sad chuckle ringing in the night.

He wondered if Leanor would cry for him. He wondered if she still cherished the memories of the two of them as much as he did. He didn't have the heart to talk to her because the festival was such as great time to spend with family and friends and he didn't want to dampen that with his useless emotions.

Another part of him didn't want to hurt Londyn so he played the perfect boyfriend and remained on her side throughout the time they were there. Though Londyn thoroughly enjoyed her time in the Lore Highlands, Feror regretted even thinking that going back there and meeting with Leanor would give him some sort of closure. It didn't. It just brought him more pain.

Feror rolled above Londyn and braced himself against the headboard as he thrust deeper and faster into her. He was a fucked up male with nothing to live for. Unlike all the others, he couldn't have what he wanted. The only reason he didn't want a mate was that he felt she would rob him of everything he cherished.

His life plan after breaking up with Leanor and before meeting Londyn was never to stay with one female long enough to develop feelings but he failed miserably with Londyn and momentarily, it felt as if he was just dragging her to damnation.

One of those days, he was going to drop dead and leave her with no one to look after her. He was going to leave her with a broken heart. For sure, he knew there was a special place for him in the fires of Hades!

Londyn's body tightened and quivered underneath him as she came, a liquid fire igniting on her skin as she did. It prompted his own orgasm and he violently came around her.

He couldn't think of any way that he could do right by her. She deserved better than what he was giving her. Without another thought, he looked up at her--her face hopeful and aroused.

"Let's break up." He uttered the words before he gave them another thought...