I'm sorry for the long wait, I hope it was worth it though. I don't want this story to end quickly so I'll have a few twists in the next chapters. Hope you like it! Don't forget to comment and vote I really appreciate your feedbacks. And thank you for the nice messages you sent me!

Love you guys! Enjoy reading J

Chapter 15

Thalia tore the piece of paper in shreds and threw it in the bin. She took a long and hot shower trying to relax her body from all the stress she's been feeling. The hot shower didn't help her though, if anything she still felt irritated and toyed with. Walking out of the bathroom with just a towel wrapped around her nakedness, Thalia willed herself to forget about everything tonight and just be grateful to be alive, or partly alive.

Once at her bedroom door she could feel she wasn't alone, the smell of alcohol came from behind her door and for sure it wasn't her mother. She took a deep breath and walked in not knowing what to expect. On her bed was a drunk Nathaniel fast asleep, a bottle of scotch in his hand, messed up hair and blood stains on his shirt.

Seeing him would have helped her relaxed if it wasn't for the blood on his shirt and the scotch in his hand. She sighed and put on her clothes before making her way slowly to her bed. Looking at him sent a ping to her heart, it ached her to see him lying like that so vulnerable and lost; he looked like an innocent child.  Thalia sat next to him thinking for a moment what to do with him and fighting the urge to just kiss him. She made up her mind, and was about to take him back to his mansion when he woke up rubbing his eyes slowly and stretching his body. When he realized who was in front of him Nathaniel frowned and sat up quickly, staring at her accusingly.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her with dread.

"You've got to be kidding me" she sighed and took a few steps away from him "look around, you're in my room so I should be the one asking that question"

He looked around and realized he wasn't home, he looked down at his clothes and pursed his lips putting down the bottle. He run a hand through his hair and let out a deep sigh.

He looked at her holding her eyes and got closer until he was toe to toe with her. Cupping her chin he shrugged before speaking up "I'm sorry, I don't know what I'm doing here and I don't know why but..."he leaned in closing the distance between them, just as he was about to capture her lips with his, Thalia heard a voice in her head.

 'No dear, you shouldn't kiss him before the ritual, or you'll never have him back'

She pushed him away violently and snarled at him baring her fangs at him "Don't you dare come closer to me, go back to your slutty girlfriend and leave me alone"

Nathaniel felt like someone slapped him in the face and took a few steps back, he couldn't understand why he tried to kiss her, he didn't know her but he felt some kind of hatred towards her. Without saying a word he went to the window and jumped out of it landing gracefully on the grass.

Thalia watched him go as a single tear run down her cheek, she stayed at the window until the sun came up and it was time for school.

Walking through the halls, Thalia was looking for Hailey but couldn't find her anywhere, instead she bumped into James who was more than happy to see her. He engulfed her in a bear hug and whispered how much he missed her and wanted her to be back with him. When he finally let go of her, Thalia took his hand and lead him out to the school back yard so she was out of earshot.

"James, I need a favor, can you help me?"

"Anything...just ask me whatever you want and I'll do it"

She bit her lower lip lightly before speaking up again "I need you to spy on Nathaniel, tell me when it's been three hours since he last fed. And I need a few drops of his blood too"

"Why do you need this?"

"I'm doing a ritual so we could both be stronger than him" she lied to him because she knew that if he knew about her real plans he would never help her.

James grinned and nodded "I'll do that"

"What happened between you and Karly?"

"I dumped her when I discovered you were alive. She's not you Thalia, she'll never be"

Thalia faked a smile and nodded "I can't afford having you telling people who I am so I'd love it if you don't"

"I will never do that to you. I can't hurt you again" He looked behind him "I'll see you later" he said before heading out of school hurriedly.

"What was that about" she shrugged and went back in just in time as the bell rang.

It wasn't until lunchtime that Thalia found Hailey sitting alone her head on the table and her eyes closed. She went to her and sat next to her. "Wake up witchy wake up" she said smiling

"Leave me alone I'm tired and I need to sleep"

"Where were you all day?"

Hailey looked at her and grinned "I found a nice shady spot under a tree outside and fell asleep"

Thalia laughed and shook her head "I'm sorry it drained you, I'll make it up to you I promise"

"You'll make it up to me once you get Nate's blood"

"I'm on it. Hails, I have a suspect"

"who?"

"I compelled Ally to write down a list of names who might have sent the picture and she only wrote one name, Samantha."

"Who is Samantha?"

"Karly's mom... do you think she did it?"

"I don't know, why would she. She loved you and always treated you like her own, but you know her better than I do so... Look how about we talk about this after the ritual? We have to do it tonight, once that is done we'll start investigating on Samantha"

Thalia nodded, having Nate back was more important than any other revenge right now.

It was already Midnight, everything was ready except for Nate's blood, and James was nowhere to be seen and it worried Thalia.

"What if Nate found out? What if he has him?"

"Calm down, walk out of the meadow and call him. When he comes, make sure he left before you come back in"

Thalia did as instructed and called James but he didn't pick up. Instead she received a text from an unknown number 'He's on his way'. She frowned at it but let it go when she saw a figure coming her way, but to her disappointment it wasn't James, it was Nate.

"Who told you that you could be stronger than me?"

"I don't think I can be, why?"

"Your pet, he was babbling about how stronger than me he will be if he gave you a strand of my hair"

"Strand of hair? No I need your blood."

Nathaniel smirked, he now knew that he never lost his powers, and he knew he was very powerful and no one stood a chance against him.

He took out a pocket knife and cut his wrist "take as much as you need, I'm intrigued to see what you'll be capable of doing".

Thalia walked to him unsure and took a few drops of his blood in a vial hesitantly "Don't go far and you'll get to see me beat the crap out of you" she winked sexily and looked back at the hidden meadow only she could see. Hailey got the message and sent him a wave of pain dropping him to the ground as he clutched his head in his hands. Thalia took the opportunity to run back to meadow and giving her the blood.

Hailey Mixed the herbs with Nathaniel's blood along with a ring Thalia had managed to steal from him. She then cut Thalia's wrist and took a few drops of her blood as well. They united their hands, closed their eyes and started chanting together:

'By soul, mind and body, I Call to you my mate for Eternity

You were mine and will always be

Let the wind bring you back to me

Let again the fire of our love be free

By all the spirits I call to you and forever link you to me'

They kept chanting it for a few minutes and a surge of power came out of Thalia's body to disappear in this air. At the same moment they heard a cry of pain coming from Nathaniel, it hurt Thalia to hear his agonized voice but Hailey didn't let go of her hand and kept chanting until all candles were blown out by a powerful wind. The mixture in the wooden bowl had disappeared and Hailey collapsed to the ground but was still awake. Thalia leaned down to her making sure she was okay.

"I'm fine" Hailey whispered with a triumphant smile

"Did it work?"

"Didn't you feel it? It worked and you're lucky to have a powerful witch as me to help you. Go get him, I'll take myself home"

Thalia smiled and hugged her tightly before she walked out of the meadow and saw Nathaniel laying on the hard ground head in hands.

"Nate?" she whispered as she got near him slowly.

Nathaniel opened his eyes and shook his head "What happened?"

"Are you okay?"

"I don't know, I feel empty"

Thalia frowned and reached for his cheek but he slapped her hand away "what did you do to me?"

Thalia bit her lip holding back the tears as she shook her head "Nothing, I did nothing"

She turned away and was leaving when his voice stopped her "Who are you?"

She looked back "A stupid girl who rejected her mate and now wants him badly"

"How badly do you want him? What are you willing to do to get him back?"

She just shrugged "Anything, I didn't realize how much he meant to me until I lost him, and I'd do anything to get him back even if it means I should end my life"

"Do it"

"Do what?"

"End your life"

Thalia frowned and didn't say anything, she was confused, and her thoughts were mixed up in her head and it made it impossible to think straight.

"Its not worth it?"

She looked at him and shook her head. She walked toward him and grabbed a broken branch from the ground, after making sure it was solid enough she broke the tip to make it pointy. "Its more than worth it" she said as she plunged the stake in her heart. She felt her soul levitate from her body but in a matter of seconds she felt it back inside of her as the stake was removed and she fell down, but not to the ground, to Nate's strong arms. He gave her his hand so she could drink from him and heal herself and she did.

Thalia woke up in her room, wearing a nice blue dress that reached her mid tights, her hair was sprawled all over the pillow. She sat up in bed thinking she was alone but met a pair of piercing black eyes, Nathaniel Black's eyes. She gasped at how handsome he looked and wished she could just run to him and hug him and stay in his arms forever, but she knew she lost him for good.

"Why did you save me?"

"I didn't think you would actually kill yourself"

"But I told you I would do it for my mate, I just wish he could be here with me" she said looking away.

Feeling the bed dip she looked back and saw him next to her, taking her hand in his "he's here, He's here Thalia and he's not going anywhere" he whispered slowly.

Thalia couldn't believe her ears and jumped up landing on his lap as she straddled him and kissed him deeply as if there was no tomorrow.

"Is she awake?" Hailey's voice brought them back to reality and they broke the kiss as they looked at the door that was opening. Hailey poked her head inside and blushed as she realized what was going on "I'm sorry I'll come back later" she was about to close the door when Thalia went to her and hugged her.

"Thank you"

"I'm glad you're finally awake" Hailey kissed her cheek "I'll come back tonight" she left after that and Thalia went back to lay on the bed next to Nathaniel.

"You knew who I was when I went to you?"

"yes, I just needed to know if you deserved to have me back, but I never thought you'd take your life for me"

Thalia smiled and pecked his cheek "I'd do anything for you". They stayed in bed for a few hours, just talking, turns out it took Thalia two weeks to wake up and Nathaniel never left her side, he had compelled her mother to go on a vacation and luckily she was due to come back tomorrow. Thalia had missed a lot; Karly killed so much humans that she was held in custody by the council; and last thing Nate heard was that they needed her and weren't going to punish her. As for James, he felt attracted to Hailey who kept pushing him away.

"He really tried to kiss her?" Thalia couldn't believe it

"Yes, and she kicked his ass each time he tried."

Thalia laughed and shook her head "James is just insane, but I think he likes the fact that Hailey can take care of herself"

"Yeah I guess so" Nate pulled her closer to him "Stay close, I never want you to leave"

"I'm not leaving" she planted a kiss on his cheek, another on his nose, and grinned before biting his lower lip gently. She could taste his blood on her tongue and she wanted more. She kissed him hungrily and ripped his shirt apart taking it off of him than started kissing his chest and went down to his muscled stomach than back up to his chest and reached his neck. She kissed his neck until his flesh was soft enough and grazed her fangs in absorbing the sweet, warm liquid that was his blood. Her mate's blood. The taste of his blood did things to her, she didn't want his blood anymore, she wanted all of him. She pulled away and held his gaze, her lips parted and her hair falling on each side of her face. She looked hungry, hungry for him and it drove him crazy. He flipped them so he was on top of her and took off her dress expertly without tearing it. Looking at her naked body, Nate wanted nothing but to have her. He kissed her lips softly before leaving a trail of kisses from her lips to her neck to her breasts, sending her body on fire. He took one breast in his mouth while massaging the other; Thalia tangled her fingers in his hair wanting him closer. He treated the other breast in the same way before biting it gently and drinking from her blood not caring of the consequences.

Once he pulled away he found himself pinned to the wall as Thalia hungrily devoured his lips, she undid his jeans and pulled them down along with his boxers briefs. She looked at him for a few seconds with wide eyes, he was big.

Nathaniel's voice pulled her out of her trance "Let's take this slow" he whispered pulled her up on her feet. He didn't know where he got this strength from, he wanted her but he had to control himself. He wanted their first time to be special, and he was more than grateful that she got what he meant and didn't feel hurt by his decision.

So that was chapter 15, I didn't end it the way I usually end my chapter with cliff hangers. The next chapter should be more interesting as Thalia will try to see if Samantha really did this to her and why.

What do you think? Did she spread those pictures or was it someone else?

Why does the council need Karly?

Thank you for reading luvs!