Even though nothing happened for weeks, her guardians followed her everywhere. The constant surveillance over her every move began feeling quite suffocating. When she requested time alone, to her surprise, they agreed to grant her two hours of privacy each day. Although it wasn't much, it was enough time for her to delve into one of her mother's novels, or do whatever she pleased.

She stood before the full-length mirror, amazed she didn't appear pregnant from the front view, but her bump became evident the second she turned to the side. The gentle movements of her babies under her hand, the most joyful aspect of her pregnancy, brought a smile to her face.

When someone knocked on the door, she opened it. Harper entered the room with breakfast in hand, a dazzling smile gracing her lips. "Good morning."

"Good morning. Do you know if Fane is coming today?"

Harper set the food on the nightstand and turned to her. "I think so."

She hoped he could attend the second ultrasound of the babies.

"I doubt he will miss seeing the babies again."

"He's been quite busy lately."

"Well, he is the vampire prince... soon to be the king. If he accepts the crown, he accepts all the responsibilities that come with it." Harper averted her gaze. "You knew who he was—"

"I know." She rubbed her belly when one of the babies kicked. "I can't deny it hasn't crossed my mind how simpler things would have been if he had been a regular vampire."

"Are you having second thoughts?"

Belinda sighed. "I love Fane."

"That's not what I asked."

Before Belinda could answer, her brother knocked on the open door. "Are you still going for your morning stroll?"

"Of course," Belinda said, picking up the plate of food. "Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I can't still be active."

His eyes drifted to Harper, who still didn't trust him to be left alone with her, despite having spent weeks in the same household. "I'll accompany her alone."

"No."

He scoffed. "I was not asking for permission."

Denarius rushed into the room and paused, sensing the tension between them. "What's—Nevermind. Belinda, something is wrong with your mother."

Belinda hurried out of the room, halting as the corridor flickered out of view, replaced by an enchanting winter wonderland. She collided with the wall as the images flashed before her eyes. She saw herself walk past, crimson curls bouncing with each step. Fane appeared and seized her hand. She halted but didn't face him. At the snap of a twig, Belinda pivoted, her hair fanning out around her, and gasped, coming face to face with Dante. 

As his gaze locked on Fane, crimson pools whirled within the silvery color of his eyes. He vanished from her view, and by the time she faced the scene behind her, Dante had grabbed Fane by the neck, speaking in a foreign language. 

As she watched herself attempt to break them apart, it surprised her to hear herself speak in the same tongue. Her eyes widened at the gleaming emanating from her mark and Dante's. She waited for Fane's to gleam as well, but it didn't. Darkness consumed her surroundings as the image vanished.

She snapped back to reality, using the wall for balance. Her guardians watched her with curiosity before Harper seized her forearm and helped her head downstairs to check on her mother.

"Are you alright?"

"I—I don't know. I keep having visions of Fane, Dante, and I."

"Visions?" inquired Denarius. "I've heard of some vampires with such a gift... And I've heard most grow mad."

"I would too, if I was bombarded with all the possibilities the future holds," Alaric said.

Belinda shook her head. "How can these be visions of the future if Dante is dead?"

They all paused, exchanging glances of concern. Denarius approached her and seized her hand with the bangle, studying it. "The twins from my mother's story too claimed to see visions..." His eyes met hers. "Visions of their multiple lives."

Belinda let out a humorless chuckle. "What the hell does that mean? That we are reincarnations of them?" The silence suffocated her. "That's impossible... Isn't it?"

"Some magic can..." Denarius contemplated something.

"What?"

Denarius' hand twitched, lightning sparking in his palm. "I must be wrong... No witch would ever dare cast such a spell."

"What spell?" asked Harper. "Talk, Slayer."

Denarius bridged the distance between them, glaring daggers at Harper. "Last time someone told your kind their suspicions, it ended with millions dead. I will not give you the ammunition to target the witches."

Harper released Belinda and seized Denarius by the shirt. "If some witch is behind this madness, she must be stopped."

"Enough," Alaric said, pushing them apart. "Have you not realized that this is what they seek? To turn us against each other."

Belinda continued down the corridor, forcing them to follow her in silence. Her mother sat on the sofa with quite a struggle. Her father aided her, concern etched on his face.

"What's going on?"

Her father addressed those standing behind her. "Pull another stunt like that, and none of you will be welcome in this home again. As long as you're here, you're expected to behave."

"For centuries, this hatred amongst our kinds has brought nothing good." Her mother's smile wasn't as bright as always. "Harper, I know what you've endured... I, too, have seen what the slayers are capable of, but the ones in charge of this town are not like them. They could have turned me away when I arrived, but they have taken care of me. They hid me from Jericho." She took a deep breath with a clear struggle, her eyes flickering crimson. "They aren't all monsters."

Harper approached her. "The town's shield is weakening because chosen ones are using their blessed accessories to hide from us. How can you defend that?"

Belinda's eyes snapped to Denarius, who seemed just as astonished as she and Alaric.

"That's impossible," her father said. "If the chosen ones are hiding, it's no thanks to us."

"My mother would never do something that would breach the agreement made." Denarius made a move to come closer to Harper but paused when her father glanced at him. "The chosen ones could be keeping it a secret from everyone."

Harper laughed, shaking her head. "Their beloveds can sense them in this town."

"Then why haven't they come for them?"

Harper whirled around, tears gleaming in her eyes. "Because they rather grow mad than force the hand of their beloved. The humans should stop hiding behind blessed items, and officially reject their beloveds. Hiding like they are will only drive the other into madness..." Her hand twitched, and she seized it, but it wouldn't stop. "Once we grow mad, the beast within will take over and..." She averted her gaze when Belinda's father rested his hand on her shoulder.

"How many?"

"Seven."

Belinda's eyes widened. "What?"

"Six," Alaric corrected.

"No, it's..." Harper's eyes narrowed as Alaric raised his hand, pulling back the sleeve of his shirt to reveal the intricate mark adorning his wrist. "I have spoken with my beloved in this town." A sly grin spread across his face. "Well, we've done more than just talk."

Her mother gave him a stern look. "And when were you planning to introduce them to us?"

"When they're ready."

A smirk on his lips, Alaric glanced at Denarius, arching his brows. Belinda understood that he was waiting for Denarius to reveal that he, too, bore a mark, but those present clearly got the wrong impression.

"Denarius, are you his mate?" asked her father, astonished, which caused Denarius to choke on air.

Belinda laughed at how bright his face got.

"I would rather drive my blade through my heart."

Belinda sat beside her mother. "What happened?"

"I'm fine..." She fidgeted with the ring on her hand that Zeref returned to her.

"Secrets bring nothing good, Mother."

"I haven't been feeding as I should have, that's all."

"You vampires need to stop pretending to be humans. You need blood to survive." Denarius paused. "What have you been feeding from?"

"Animals."

"And that has worked?"

"Clearly not," Alaric chimed in. "She needs a blood donor."

"You mean a human?"

Alaric held their mother's gaze before she averted her eyes. "No."

Belinda's eyebrows furrowed. "Then, what is she going to feed on?"

Harper's eyes widened. "Impossible—If you made a blood bond long ago, you'd be dead."

A flash of sadness crossed her father's face as he turned to leave, but Alaric barricaded his path. "Did you know?"

"Alaric—" Her mother attempted to rise but collapsed back onto the sofa. Harper moved and restrained Alaric as a hiss escaped his lips.

"You must have known, Slayer." He shifted his attention to his mother. "How can you be so blind, Mother? They sought not to aid you, but to lure the royals into this town. You were their snare."

Her mother shook her head. "No—Alaric, please listen to me."

"You are naïve to believe they would ever do something without expecting to benefit from it. When you entered this town, they saw the opportunity to lure your friends—They all searched for you..." His voice trailed off. "Even my father. What do you think would have happened if they would have found you here?" He jerked out of Harper's grasp. "They are doing the same with Belinda. Pretending to give a fuck—but in reality, what they seek is to push Fane into madness. If that happens, I vow this town will be bathed in blood. If the king falls, the vampires will seek vengeance..." He turned and headed out the door.

"Please, stop him."

Belinda pursued him but didn't get past the porch. Harper seized her hand. Both remained rooted to the ground as Eloise hasted to Alaric's side. He shrank back from her touch as she reached for his hand. He continued toward the forest, pausing at Eloise's next words.

"I'm not scared of them."

With clear hesitation, Alaric turned to her.

"I've never been one to care what others may think."

"This is different, Eloise."

"How so?"

"I do not want you to be treated as I have."

Eloise seized his quivering hand, and his intricate mark emitted a soft glow. "You're my beloved, and I will stand with you against the whole word if necessary." He lowered his face to hers, pressing their foreheads together. Eloise bridged the distance and kissed him.

Harper cleared her throat when they seemed to forget they weren't alone.

Eloise's bright smile could blind anyone as she faced them, her hand intertwined with Alaric's.

"How were you even able to hide your mark?" Belinda asked. "I remember your birthday... Eloise, not even the flames reacted to you."

Eloise's birthday had been before Denarius's. 

Before the murders.

"Why did you hide it?" Belinda asked.

"Do you know of other beloveds?" inquired Harper. "There are six others."

To Belinda's astonishment, she caught the glance Eloise sneaked toward Denarius. "No, but maybe they have their reasons to hide."

"And what would that be? Why not simply reject their beloved?"

"Maybe they fear being forced into something they don't want."

"Please come inside," her mother said from the opened doorway, her father by her side. "We have much to discuss."

In the living room, Belinda remained standing beside the large window. Every time she sat down, it wasn't as easy to get back up.

Denarius approached her with her favorite box of chocolates and handed them to her, placing his hand on her stomach. A smile crept onto his lips as her babies started to have a dance party. "They're active today."

"Eloise," her father began. "You shouldn't have hidden your mark."

"I know..."

"How did you hide it?"

Eloise lowered her gaze and remained silent.

"Eloise, please." Her mother approached her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "You have to tell us everything. The barrier is weakening. If that happens, everyone in this town will be in danger."

"I'm adopted... My parents found me abandoned in the woods. When I stood in the chosen zone, nothing happened because that wasn't the day I was born... The mark appeared a month later while I was on my way to work." She raised her hand and, as an act of magic, an identical mark to Alaric's flashed into view for a mere moment. "Witches can easily deceive anyone's eyes."

Her parents stared at her, astonished.

"Anyone living in this town—"

"My parents didn't trust the slayers enough to inform them that their child could manipulate objects." She let out a humorless laugh. "Not all humans trust y'all blindly."

"Do they know about Alaric?" asked her mother.

"They know everything."

"And they're okay with it?" inquired her father.

"I mean, it's not like they have a choice in the matter. I love him."

"How did you do it?" Harper asked.

At first, Belinda thought she had spoken to Eloise, but Alaric was the one to answer. "What do you mean?"

Harper stared into the distance. "How did you go years without growing mad?"

Alaric's eyebrows furrowed. "Harper are you—"

"Of course not." Harper held her forearm as her hand twitched, hinting at the turmoil within. 

"Harper, are you alright?" Belinda's mother asked, concern laced in her voice.

Harper remained quiet, eyes gleaming a deep crimson. As she visibly relaxed, her eyelids fluttered, her eyes swirling back to emerald. "I'm okay... I'm okay...."

"Have you fed?" asked Alaric. "Harper, you're young and must feed—"

"I know." Her response to Alaric lacked the usual defiance. She sounded exhausted.

She excused herself and attempted to leave, but Alaric grasped her forearm. "Enduring this pain in silence will only accelerate your demise. Since when?"

Harper held Alaric's gaze. "There are six vampires close to madness... When madness consumes them, they will come to this town in pursuit of their beloveds--"

Alaric pulled her closer. "Are you one of them? Harper--"

She wrenched out of Alaric's grasp with a hiss. "They have damned this town when they chose to hide instead of facing their beloveds." She exhaled, closing her eyes and reopening them to reveal obsidian.

"If y'all knew of this, why didn't you inform us?" her father asked.

"Fane tracked down the vampires. They are under surveillance."

"All six of them?" 

"All five." Harper turned and lost her footing, a groan escaping her lips. Each of her steps wasn't as steady, and she stumbled forward, reaching out to use the doorframe for support. When Alaric moved to aid her, she recoiled and exited the house, falling to her knees once she reached the front yard. 

A soft chant of voices rose in the air as she raised her gaze to the sky, the sun bathing her in its dazzling sunlight. 

Alaric approached her. "Who is he, Harper?"

Harper lowered her gaze to her quivering hands, her nails morphing to talons. "I will not force him to be with me. I know it's a foolish move, but I'd rather grow mad and die than do such a thing."

Alaric knelt before her. "Tell me who he is and I'll force him to face you."

Belinda attempted to get close to Harper, but her father restrained her. "When did your mark appear, Harper?"

"Almost three years ago..." 

Belinda's eyes snapped to Denarius, who remained frozen on the porch of her home. 

Harper let out a humorless laugh. "When it appeared, I have to admit... After everything I had endured... I was delighted to know our goddess blessed me with a beloved." A cry escaped her lips as her skin became a couple of shades lighter. "No matter how much I tried... I could not sense him... He hid from me. Perhaps for the best. I am not worthy of such a gift from our goddess."

The chorus of voices swelled, and to Belinda's astonishment, the candles leading to the chosen zone ignited, their fiery tendrils eagerly reaching for the sky. 

Corina appeared in front of Harper, accompanied by four other slayers.

"Wait--" Belinda struggled against her father to no avail. 

"What the hell is going on?" Corina glanced around before raising her hand, and her weapon appeared out of thin air in her grasp, aimed directly at Harper's forehead. "Control it, or I'll be forced to end your life."

The slayers surrounded Harper, ready to end the threat at all costs.

"Stop!" No matter how much she tried, her father held a firm grip on her. "There's got to be something we can do! Please!"

"Once a supernatural grows enraged, there's nothing we can do."

Alaric stood before Corina, blocking Harper from her weapon. "Lower your weapon."

Corina shook her head. "We both know if she turns, there is no saving her."

"Why are beloveds hiding in this town?"

Corina's eyes widened. "What? There are no--"

A screech escaped Harper as she clawed at the material around her waist, shredding it like paper. 

"Fuck!" 

Everyone turned toward Denarius as he stumbled down the stairs of the porch, holding a hand just below his ribcage. Corina stared at him bewildered before her eyes grew wide, anguish etched on her face. 

"No..."

Harper dug her nails into the soil of the earth before scampering to her feet, pivoting around just as Denarius reached her. The golden radiance emanating from her waist and eyes mirrored Denarius's, casting a warm and enchanting glow. 

Harper held Denarius's gaze, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "It's you..."

Denarius leaned closer and paused. "I reject you, Harper."

The fury of the flames ceased and all the candles shut off at once. 

Even the chanting stopped. 

Denarius averted his gaze and closed his eyes as a bolt of lightning emitted from his fingertips and struck the floor beneath. Without a word, he stepped around Harper and left. Harper inhaled and closed her eyes, allowing tears to spill over.

Belinda hurried to Harper's side, embracing her. "I'm so sorry."

Harper returned the hug, her hold around her tightening. "Oh, don't worry about me. I've endured far greater pain."

Belinda pulled back to meet her gaze, perplexed at her smile. 

"Return to the station," Corina ordered the other slayers and attempted to approach Harper, but Alaric blocked her path. "I hope you respect my son's decision. No chosen is forced to be with their beloved."

Harper sighed. "Of course..."

Belinda wrapped her arms around herself as she watched everyone depart. 

Alaric inspected Harper's mark, his brows furrowing before a smirk spread across his face.

"I had no idea you cared about me enough to stand in front of their weapon."

He met Harper's gaze, his smile broadening. "I must admit, you have grown on me." He disheveled her hair, and she batted his hand away.

"I am no child." She pressed a hand over her exposed mark, eyes glowing a soft golden color.

Belinda approached her. "Does it hurt?"

"No." She lowered her hand to her side, unveiling a charcoal mark that seemed to be created by a skilled tattoo artist.

Despite his claimed hatred for them, Denarius's rejection had been a lie.

But then, why did he do it?