Ruin (Rhodes #1) by Rina Kent

                             ‘I’m not there, dearest nephew.’ Aunt Ariel’s ice-cold voice whispers inside my head. ‘I’m over here.’



                             . . . . .



                             Present,

                             My eyes pop open.

                             Cold moisture covers my skin like a blanket. My heart pumps blood harshly as my breaths come out in a frenzied mess. I attempt to get up, but the heavy weight on my chest prevents me.

                             I throw my head back on the bed, the soft sheets absorb the dampness off my skin.

                             Fucking hell.

                             The dream was too visceral. Too real. As if that memory happened today instead of twenty-two years ago.

                             Why in the gates of hell am I dreaming about my childhood?

                             My subconscious is playing a dirty trick on me. I dreamt those memories because they’re lethal reminders of mistakes. Choices.

                             Recently, I made two mistakes.

                             First, I allowed another human being to get under my skin. Then, I couldn’t stop at watching, which led me to the second mistake; I took Mae without a prior plan of what to do with her.

                             One thing’s for sure: Mae’s not allowed to leave.

                             Not alive, anyway.

                             This is one of the few times I have acted upon an impulse. I don’t like it. Impulses lead to mistakes. Mistakes are the source of losing control. My haunted dream is the best judge of that.

                             This situation is in desperate need for a fix.

                             I glance at the clock. Four in the morning.

                             “Get off me, Knight.” I push at the warm, heavy body on top of my torso.

                             His eyes sparkle, differing from the same black-coloured fur. His gaze fixates me as two large paws pin my shoulder blades to the mattress. His claws emerge by an inch, readying to rip my chest.

                             “Let me go, Knight. I’m not joking.”

                             He nuzzles his nose in my shirt and purrs, inviting me to play.

                             “I have things to take care of. If you release me, I’ll come back to play with you and let you stay the rest of the night.” My hands plunge in my black jaguar’s fur, caressing it. “If you don’t, I’ll throw you back with your friends. Do you want that?”

                             He licks my face, his sharp teeth grazing my skin in a gentle bite. His sandpaper tongue leaves a scratching trail in its wake.

                             I twist my head to the side and lift my hand. “Up, Knight.”

                             My jaguar follows his training and gets up. I roll from underneath and leave him on the bed, his strong black body occupying half of it.