Filed to story: Sinful Mates (Imogen) Book by Jessica Hall
“No, Josiah, I have seen how respected he is amongst the community and I know he would make an exemplary member,” I say, turning and looking at Josiah, praying it is alright to volunteer him, considering he retired decades ago.
Josiah nods, and a grin breaks out on his face at my words, before he shoots a smirk at Christopher.
“Well, that settles it, we will do the blood test and hold the challenge.”
“Unless you object to the blood test, Bianca?” Adds Mara.
“No need. I can confirm we are sisters, no point doing the blood test when I already know what you will find, Mara. Not that it will change anything. Imogen, you must be desperate to challenge me,” she says confidently.
“Well, then we shall reconvene in a month for the tests and challenge,” Mara announces.
When we step out of the council chambers, Tobias and Theo pull me aside. “Are you nuts? You can’t challenge her, she is a lot stronger than you, Imogen. And in case you’re forgetting you have no magic. You just signed your death sentence.” Theo growls, annoyed, before running his hands through his hair.
“Theo is right, you can’t go back on a challenge and we can’t help you. Why would you do something like this?” Tobias asks, and I can tell he is angry as he grips my arm tightly.
“Leave her be, she did what she had to. We will figure out a way, even if I have to train her myself,” Josiah says, placing a hand on my shoulder and squeezing gently.
Two weeks pass by quickly. Christopher still demanded the blood test to prove I actually am Bianca’s sister and Cedric’s daughter. The blood result came back as expected that we are indeed sisters. I also had to sit for a few cognitive tests, and study on community relations and ethics before undergoing the fitness of duty exam, which I passed with flying colors thanks to Josiah and his never-ending knowledge about the council.
It makes me wonder how the hell Bianca has passed, but I doubt she will have to do them anyway with the fact that the council was willing to let a murderer stand on the panel.
Josiah even questioned them about it and believes it was Christopher’s way of making things difficult for me. Theo and Tobias have been teaching me combat training, not that it is going to help much against Bianca, and me becoming weaker as time passes. I have asked and begged for them to let me use my magic, but Theo and Tobias keep saying give it time and to let them keep doing research before I make any rash decisions. It worries them that I won’t be able to control it like last time.
Caroline and Josiah have all but moved in with us. They are here daily, and I enjoy having their company and never ending help, especially when it comes to Thaddeus.
So, for the last two weeks things have been running smoothly and both Theo and Tobias have been alternating days at work and home. Poor Merida rang me to let me know they have made her their secretary until I can come back to work. She didn’t sound impressed, but not much can be done about it. She said it is better than being on the main floor as a receptionist though. Her only dislike, mainly being Theo, demanding coffee every two seconds. I then found out he is deliberately annoying her because he knows she fears him. After a firm word from Tobias, he hasn’t been hounding her constantly, and she seems a little more relaxed when he isn’t constantly in her presence, she said.
I have just finished training with Tobias, who knocked the wind out of me more times than I can count. My entire body aches, and I want to go shower to get all the sweat off. Walking out of the shed which has been turned into a makeshift training area, I walk toward the house, Tobias is cleaning up and turning all the lights off as I walk up the veranda stairs. Once to the top, I pull my ponytail out, letting my hair fall down my back. Only when I pull my hand back, I notice a handful of hair has fallen out with it. Quickly brushing my fingers through it, more keeps falling out. I stare at the handful of hair in my hand, shocked.
Running inside and up the stairs, I hear Caroline sing out from downstairs. “You okay, Imogen?” She asks, watching me run the stairs.
“Fine, I am…” I don’t get to finish when I’m seized by a coughing fit. I can’t catch my breath and I feel like I’m choking. Hunched over, I cover my mouth, trying to get control of myself. My coughing is so bad I can’t catch a breath and continuously gag.
“Imogen?” Caroline calls, panicked, standing up from her position on the couch.
I catch my breath, but when I look at my hand, it is drenched in blood from my coughing. My heart is pounding so hard in my chest I can hear it thumping loudly in my ears, to the point everything around me is slowly being drowned out by the noise. Clutching the bannister as vertigo sweeps through me, my surroundings move around me, making my stomach turn. I faintly hear Caroline scream for Josiah and Tobias, but I’m too delirious, as I stumble toward the bedroom. When I see the ground rapidly moving toward my face, I know something is majorly wrong. I don’t even feel it when I hit the ground. I have no feeling in my limbs at all, just a feeling of dizziness, washing over me and weightlessness. The hallway becomes darker as I feel my body give up and I’m plunged into oblivion.
Opening my eyes, I see the ceiling. My entire body feels like it has been hit by a truck. Cool hands brush my hair out of my face. And then, I feel warmer hands unclasping my bracelet. Looking over to who is fiddling with it, I look into the pale eyes of Astral. She smiles softly before placing my hand on my lap.
“We meet again, Imogen,” she says, before lifting my bracelet in her hands and to her lips.
Her eyes glaze over, turning white as she whispers against my bracelet. The pendant glows brightly, a mix of colors appear before it burns bright gold. She suddenly places it in the center of my stomach, making me look down to realize, I only have a bra and boxer shorts on. The pendant glows brighter, becoming hot and burning my skin.
“What did you do?” I ask as it burns, searing my skin.
“Unlocking your Magic, Imogen. Without it you will die,” she says, before suddenly my entire body jolts and a cold rush runs over my skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake.
I watch, amazed as the pendant bursts and glows against my skin before sneaking over my skin to the center of my chest where I feel it bleed into me, making my back arch off the bed. It isn’t painful but a little unnerving as I feel the rush of magic spread like wildfire through my veins, making everything tingle before I feel myself becoming stronger, making me gasp.
But with it I also feel the unsteady dark magic, cold moving throughout me, freezing cold and like ice in my veins. I look to Astral, who nods to Theo before I feel him bite into my neck, I feel the darkness recede and the coldness leave me. The endorphins in his blood make me feel a little high, but that’s not all I feel when I suddenly become aroused, making me moan at his fangs deep in my neck. Theo pulls back and I feel my face heat up, embarrassed that Astral just witnessed that.
“Don’t be embarrassed dear, I know how the mate bonds works.” She reassures me.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
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