The Malakai’s mansion was tall and vast, surrounded by thick trees who encircled their green field.

I stood in front of the gate, unsure of what lay ahead. I’d texted Grandma via Tony’s phone, informing her I was going to arrive home late. It had taken everything I had to shake Tony and Nicolas off. We’d usually take the train home after school, though I told them I had an errand to do.

Nevertheless, as crows cackled overhead, circling around the roof, I was beginning to have second thoughts. It was stupid of me to have come alone. I should’ve let somebody know where I was, in case something happened.

I gulped and reminded myself I was here for answers. I was going to figure out if there was anything I could do to help Rhea. Right, I was here for Rhea. After everything she’d done for me, it was my turn to step up and take action.

Before I could ring the doorbell, the gates swung open. Two armed butlers, appeared in front of me.

“Damian Kara?” the man on the left said, in a flat voice lacking any emotion. Another sorcerer. “Master Malakai is expecting you.”

I nodded, not surprised Jude had already foreseen this visit. The guards escorted me towards the house. As they pushed the huge doors open, it creaked loudly of old age. We passed through familiar hallways and went through countless staircases, which formed strange twists and turns upon climbing. During the entire walk, none of us uttered a single word.

When we finally reached the door to Jude’s chambers, one of the guards knocked.

“Come in.”

The guard pushed the door open, and there, sitting cross-legged on a chair embroidered with materials only a millionaire could afford, was Jude. He immediately laid his eyes on me and grinned. 

I gasped.

He was absolutely beautiful. Sitting on the chair with his wavy hair swept sideways, and dressed in a white suit, he looked as if he had stepped out of some modeling magazine. 

With a flick of his gloved white hand, Jude sent the butlers away. I jumped when they closed the door behind us. Jude scoffed and I felt my face growing hot.

“My, how nice it is to finally be able to see you after four months,” he said, placing his hands on top of his knee, “You look as handsome as always, Damian.”

Despite my best attempts to remain assertive and detached, I felt myself blush even more. Usually, I wouldn’t be too shaken when someone compliments me, but to my utmost revulsion, Jude’s words still had an effect on me. He ran his hands through his thick hair, exposing his entire forehead for a brief moment.

I wanted to kiss that pale forehead.

Wait, no. That’s not what I meant. What I tried to say was I wanted to stomp on his forehead. Kill him. Exactly. Kill him.

“What suddenly brings you here? A couple of hours ago, you said you wanted nothing more to do with me.” Jude snickered, amused out of his wits. “Perhaps, you reconsidered my offer and are here to accept it?”

Damian, you’re here for Rhea. Not for Jude. You definitely are worried about her. Get on with it already, I chanted to myself.

“Will you become my pet?” Jude prompted.

I was there for Rhea. Not for Jude. For Rhea. “No, you rat!” I hissed, “I want you to tell me what happened to your sister!”

Jude raised an eyebrow, beaming from ear to ear.

“And what makes you believe I’ll tell you?”

“If you refuse, I’ll reveal everything,” I threatened, “I’ll go to the police and tell them the truth.”

Silence descended upon the room. Then all of a sudden, Jude burst out laughing.

“Oh, my, Damian, you are hilarious!” he said, holding his stomach with both hands as he continued to giggle merrily on his chair. “‘Hi, police officer? My name is Damian Kara. You know, the older brother of Daphne Kara, the one who committed suicide four months ago? Well, truthfully speaking, she was actually killed by a group of strange men. What happened to the men, you ask? Oh, their bodies disintegrated.’” 

“‘You see, they were exterminated by this red-eyed, white-haired, fifteen-year-old boy named Jude. He happens to be part of a secret clan of powerful sorcerers, who’ve been living amongst regular humans for countless generations.’” He wiped a tear from his eye. “Was that what you were planning to say?”

Had there been a hole, I would have crawled inside and stayed there until I died. I was totally mortified. The more Jude spoke, the more I realized I definitely committed one of the worst mistakes of my life.

“Besides,” Jude added, on a more serious tone, “You’re aware of the Sorcerers’ Rules. If a human comes into contact with the group, and threatens to expose their activities and/or identities –”

“They will be punished by forces even greater than evil itself, and will lose everyone and everything they care about,” I concluded Jude’s recital.

Jude left his chair and strolled casually towards me. I was a few centimeters taller than he was. He looked at me straight in the eyes. Clearly, he was trying to destabilize me. Intimidate me with his mighty presence.

“You wouldn’t want anything bad happening to the people you cherish, would you, Damian?” Jude said icily.

The back of his cold fingers traced the contour of my cheek. Yes, he was trying to show me he could control me. That he was the boss of me. Scared as I was, I was not about to back down and break from the contact.

That would only prove to him I was the same as before. That I hadn’t grown at all since then. It had been a mistake to come here after all. Jude was unpredictable and merciless. Surely, he – wait.

Stop. Stop!

Except I didn’t – or couldn’t – stop.

One second ago, we were literally at each other’s throat, and the next moment, I had him pinned against a wall.

Knocking his arms back, I planted a kiss on his lips. He kissed me back, and I felt like devouring him entirely. Finally becoming one with him.

Wait, no. I didn’t. I swear, I didn’t!

I hated that creep. Hated him with a burning passion.

Yet, all these opinions flew out of my mind as I continued to cover him with feverish kisses. My mouth pressed against the surface of his soft neck. I began to suck. Like some kind of deranged animal, I nibbled and licked his neck, a mark starting to form under my wet mouth. Afterwards, I bit him. Hard.

The warm taste of blood stained my lips and I vaguely heard him moan under my grasp. He trembled and collapsed under my grip.

Oh, no. What was I doing?

Why did my hands savagely rip open his dress shirt? Why was my tongue sweeping around his nipple? Why were weird sounds escaping his mouth, while his nails dug deeper into the back of my shirt?

Jude swung his leg around my waist. I could feel his heart beating rapidly against his ribcage. His breathing was hoarse, the sweet scent of his shampoo sending my head spinning in a wild ride of nostalgia and desire.

His arms wrapped around my neck, Jude pulled me down and ran his tongue on my ear, leaving faint traces of saliva behind. My whole body trembled avidly as he continued to lick my ear. I turned back and kissed him square on the mouth.

Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. This wasn’t what I was envisioning. Why had I come here again? What were we doing? 

What was I doing? 

I couldn’t figure it out and I certainly could not care. At this moment, all I wanted was him. Jude. All of him. I was yearning for him. Desperate.

Suddenly, Jude rolled over and slammed me down on the floor.

“Wait,” he muttered, his eyes betraying his excitement, “Do you really want to do this? Because I’ll let you know right now that I…” His voice trailed off.

I looked up at him, astounded. Frozen. 

A terrifying smile appeared on his face. “I won’t show you any mercy, Damian.”