AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Every single one.
The taste of their death lingers on my tongue like poison, bitter and acrid. As I stare at the horrific carnage, I make an oath to myself: I’ll never hide again.
I’ll never be that weak again.
The scene shifts, like it always does. The shadows lengthen, the bodies fade away, and I’m left alone, drowning in silence. Always alone.
I jolt awake, my body drenched in sweat, my heart pounding violently. My chest heaves as I try to steady my breath, but the familiar rush of adrenaline has already taken over. The dream lingers, clinging to me like bitter, choking smoke.
It’s always the same nightmare. Always that night.
I sit up, rubbing a hand over my face to push the images away. Outside, the sunlight is fading, casting long shadows acrossthe room. I’ve been drifting further and further into the night, sliding into a nocturnal rhythm without even realizing it.
The darkness feels more natural. More…comfortable.
But I know the real reason I’ve been avoiding the daylight. It’s because of her.
Freya.
Her name swirls in my mind, a reminder of just how complicated all this has become.
Freya Holm is FreyaLindqvist, daughter of the monster who destroyed everything I’d ever known. Who burned my home, raped my mother and sister, killed my family.
That’sthe blood the runs through the veins of the woman I’ve become almost irrevocably entangled with.
And I don’t know what happens next.
The house feels too quiet as I make my way downstairs. The dream is starting to fade as I walk the quiet path back to the main house. But the remnants of it still cling to my skin, making everything feel heavier.
I find Hana in the kitchen, sitting with a cup of tea, scrolling on her phone. She looks up when I enter, her sharp eyes sizing me up.
“Late night?” she asks, her voice carrying that edge I’ve come to expect from her.
I grunt in response, grabbing a mug and sticking it under the instant espresso machine. Once the water bubbles and froths out the sweet, sweet caffeine, I bring the mug to my lips andlean against the counter, still trying to shake off the last of the nightmare.
“So…”
I take a slow sip and then raise my eyes to my cousin.
“Yes?” I ask, trying to sound casual and failing utterly.
She arches a manicured, unimpressed eyebrow, her hawklike eyes dissecting me as she smooths a perfectly straight lock of bleach blond hair behind her ear.
“What’s going on with you and Freya?” she asks bluntly.
I take another slow sip of coffee, not meeting her gaze. “Nothing.”
“Mal,” Hana sighs, setting her cup down with a clink. “I’m not stupid. I sent her to your place last night.”
My grip on the mug tightens, but I don’t respond.
“And then I saw her stumblebackto the main house an hour and a half later, looking like you’d just beaten the shit out of her. But the thing is,” she continues sharply, eying me, “I know you, and I can’t imagine you beating up a woman. Which means…” She clears her throat, smirking. “Yeah.”
“Am I supposed to know whatyeahmeans?”
She rolls her eyes. “For fuck’s sake, Mal. I know you’re sleeping with Freya.”
I frown as I glance up at her. “What makes you say that?”
