Owned By The Devil (Werewolf Romance) Prt 1

 

Chapter 1

Nalani’s Darkfire

Old habits die hard—or was it don’t gamble everything away, or you’ll be sold off as a wife? An old saying, one that felt eerily fitting for the times.

I peered out the cracked apartment window, watching as mist curled off the grimy pavement, swirling upward to form a foul-smelling haze. The dumpsters stood like silent sentinels, their presence making the narrow alleyway even more uninviting.

I exhaled deeply, though I hadn’t realized I’d been holding my breath. A sudden crash broke the silence—an overly filled trash can tip over, spilling its contents onto the already filthy ground. From the shadows, a sleek figure emerged, darting onto the rusted stair railing leading to the apartments above. His black-and-gray coat shimmered faintly in the dim light.

A soft meow escaped the little creature’s lips.

I chuckled and snapped my fingers, drawing his emerald gaze toward me. Unblinking.

“Come here, Simba.”

Simba was the neighborhood cat—well-fed from his nightly dumpster feasts.

“Come here, boy,” I coaxed gently.

“Pspsps.”

His soft paws padded toward me, and his cold, damp nose brushed my outstretched fingers. I giggled.

“I don’t have any snacks,” I murmured. “Is that the only reason you visit me?”

I hadn’t eaten all day. I hardly ate at all when Thane was around—I couldn’t stomach the weight of his watchful, judging eyes.

The windowsill was the only place that felt remotely safe. But tonight, it wouldn’t be safe enough.

He was coming for me.

The richest man in town—the one everyone was indebted to. And when they couldn’t pay him back, he’d utter those five chilling words:

"Give me your finest daughter."

They all ended up dead. Or worse.

I should run. I should. But where?

My eyes met Simba’s.

“This might be my last night, you know?”

For a fleeting moment, I imagined him turning into a great lion, his voice deep and wise, telling me to climb onto his back so we could escape—far, far away.

But no such miracle came.

“I don’t think I’d be happy either way, Simba.”

I ran my fingers through his soft, downy fur, his purring vibrating against my skin.

“You like that, don’t you?” I whispered with a sad smile.

Simba rubbed his chubby body against my hand, taking over the petting himself. I noticed crumbs tangled in his whiskers and let out a quiet laugh.

“I see you helped yourself to some food.”

A car’s tires rolled over scattered debris, producing a wet, slushy crunch. I shuddered at the sound.

Then, headlights pierced the fog, thinning it in mere seconds.

He was here.

He was here.

"He's here," I whispered to Simba.

I glanced back at my suitcase—old, worn, and shamefully tattered. A hole gaped at the bottom, courtesy of the mouse that had once nested there. I had let it happen, foolishly, and now I’d be dragging behind me an embarrassing, barely-held-together excuse for luggage.

The air thickened with the acrid scent of cigarettes. I instinctively searched for Thane—he smoked. But instead, my gaze landed on a woman.

Did she just step out of the car?

Simba’s soft purring shifted into a sharp hiss. His ears flattened, his green eyes locked onto the woman below. She turned slightly, then looked up.

For reasons I couldn't explain, I lifted a hand in a hesitant wave.

Her gaze, dark and piercing, sent a tremor through my chest.

She took a slow drag from her cigarette—long and slender—before exhaling, the smoke dissipated into the thick fog around her.

My wave faltered midair.

She wasn’t friendly, was she?

Simba didn’t like her. And neither should I.

I sucked in a quiet breath, instinctively mimicking his warning hiss, but he abandoned me to face the woman’s smirking stare alone. Her jet-black hair was slicked back, her crisp collar framing her poised posture.

"Nalani."

A sudden voice yanked me from my trance.

Kali, my older sister, rushed into the room, pressing against the windowsill beside me. Her sudden movement made our heads knock together. I winced, shoving her back slightly.

The woman below tapped the car window before flicking her cigarette into the fog, the glowing ember briefly visible before vanishing into the night.

“It’s them,” I murmured.

A heavy silence settled between us.

“How long do you think I’ll be a wife for?” I asked, barely turning my head to look at Kali.

She was Thane’s official daughter—his golden child. He treated her like an angel. I wished, just once, I could be treated that way. But I already knew what awaited me.

Not a wedding. Not a husband.

Just death.

Kali smiled—so innocent, so naïve. If anyone deserved to be called a wife, even just for a day, it was her.

"A long time," she said, unaware of the truth.

She thought I was being married off to the rich man. That I’d return home someday, bringing wealth to the family. But I knew better.

I was being sold.

And for a good price.

It was for Kali, mostly. Thane would use the money to help her for a little while—before sinking into another pit of gambling and alcohol.

"I guess so," I whispered.

"And I'll be going to college!" She pranced around in excitement, but my gaze remained locked on the woman below.

The car door opened. Two men stepped out.

So, she wasn’t the driver after all.

She just looked like one.

The woman cast one last cynical stare in my direction before vanishing into the hallway that led to my apartment.

"Kali!"

Her father’s voice cut through the air, halting her mid-dance.

“Shit. He needs me to serve tea. Get dressed,” she said, giving me a quick hug before dashing out of the room.

I glanced down at myself—the old dress, the worn-down heels. I’m already dressed.

The only thing left to do was run a brush through my tangled golden hair.

But even that felt meaningless.

I needed to see her up close.

It obviously wasn’t her—not the man himself. Gideonn Silvermist, a man of his wealth and status, would never set foot in a place like this. She must have been sent to retrieve me.

I set the brush down and slipped out of the room, my footsteps light as I descended the stairs.

Then, I stopped in the dark.

From the corridor, I watched her. Earlier, when I had seen her through the window, she had been just a woman—a silhouette in the stale fog.

But now, sitting in the very chair where I had lost my virginity to my stepfather, she was terrifying.

God. I need God.

Because as much as I wanted to disappear from this place, I didn’t want to disappear with her.

Kali entered the room, setting a tray of tea on the table. The woman nodded in thanks; her voice smooth, polite.

I scowled. There was no need for politeness.

She wasn’t here for tea. She was here to deliver me to him. The man. The monster.

I inhaled sharply. And in that moment, her eyes flicked to the side.

Still holding the teacup, she smirked, the corner of her lips curving ever so slightly.

She can’t see me.

I stood in the darkest part of the house. A place untouched by light. But somehow, it felt as if she knew I was there. I steadied my breath. Years of practice. Years of hiding. Years of silence.

Her gaze slid back to the tea, unfazed.

God, this woman is eerie.

Dark. Darker.

I can’t go with her.

I won’t.

It was time to run.

I should have run long ago. The first time my stepfather touched me. Or maybe when my mother died and he had stood there, staring at me—his eyes brimming with unhinged intent.

The woman took a slow sip of tea, then set the cup down with a quiet clink.

"I hope your bags are packed, Nalani Darkfire."

This woman made breathing difficult.

Her presence was overwhelming, her large frame making the couch look ridiculous—just another piece of useless, battered furniture in a living room filled with nothing but broken things and filth.

Was she talking to me?

No. Impossible. I was hidden in the dark. There was no way she could see me.

But then she grinned. Slowly, her head turned in my direction. I clenched the wall, my fingernails digging into the peeling paint. My breath hitched.

She wasn’t just staring into the darkness. She was staring right at me.

Watching me.

 Studying me.

 Sizing me up.

Judging just how easy it would be for her master to consume me whole.

A vision filled my mind—of a ring, small and inescapable. They would throw me in, and he, the rich, revolting monster, would hunt me down. A game. A sick, twisted hunt.

And once he caught me?

Dead.

No need for further explanation.

I forced myself to meet her gaze, but my breathing faltered, crumbling under the gaze of it.

I had thought her eyes were black—ivory, obsidian, ebony. Every shade of darkness I could name. But now I saw the truth.

They were blue.

Blue like the ocean on a rough day. Blue like the sky in the heart of a storm. Had they always been blue? Up by the windowsill, had I simply not noticed?

A low growl rumbled from her throat, jolting me.

"Have you packed your things?" Her voice was cynically, dark. "I'm sure you’re eager to go on a ride with me."

I needed to run.

But she held me there, rooted in place. Frozen in the dark. The only way forward was to step into the light. To face her.

She set the teacup down.

"Come here."

Something in her voice pulled.

I stumbled forward, then hesitated, glancing behind me as if to check what had pushed me.

But there was nothing.

Nothing but her command.

God, I hate her already.

As I inched closer, her sheer presence sent a shudder through me. Whatever sharp remark had formed in my throat—whatever weak attempt at defiance—I swallowed it down.

"You have such a vivid imagination," she mused. "Has anyone ever told you that?"

I shook my head.

"Very real, too. I haven’t—"

"I'm back."

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

Thane.

I didn’t want to be near him. But I didn’t want to go with her either. There was no escape. No salvation. Maybe I was born to suffer. Born to die. We all were, in the end. But I had dreamed—once—of growing old. Of being with a man who would love me. Who would touch me only when I wanted him to. Who would wait until I was ready.

But that wasn’t the life I was given. If I didn’t spread my legs, homelessness would be my only companion. "Nalani, what are you doing down here?" Thane’s voice slithered over me. "Shouldn’t you be in your room, waiting for me?"

I stiffened, every muscle locking in place.

The woman watched me from across the room. As much as I wanted to fear her, I couldn’t. Because standing behind me was the real monster. Until I faced another, Thane was the one I feared most. He grabbed my arm and spun me around. His gaze dragged over my body, lingering. I had thought, after all these years, I’d be used to the heat of his stare.

But I wasn’t.

Every time, it sent a violent shiver of disgust through me.

"It’s not your time to go," he said, voice thick with authority. "I’ll tell you when. Now go upstairs and get ready."

I glanced down at myself—at the faded dress, the scuffed shoes.

I was already ready.

There was no need to dress up for my death.

"Get back in your room."

"Yes, Thane."

As I turned, my eyes flicked to the woman. Her expression was unreadable. And her eyes—black again—locked onto Thane in an icy glare.

**********

Footsteps pounded up the stairs, more than one pair. I recognized Kali’s light steps at the front. A skill I’d learned over time.

She appeared in the doorway.

"Hey," she said. "The guys are here for your things."

Two men stepped into the room.

"Your bags?" one asked.

"Just one suitcase."

They exchanged a glance, then one of them stepped forward, grabbing it before disappearing back down the stairs.

I let out a shaky breath.

"Everyone looks monstrous," I murmured, to myself. I was supposed to calm myself. What fail that was.

"They’re from a different world, you know?" Kali said, settling onto the bed.

Her eyes drifted around the room as if memorizing it. I wondered what she saw. For her, maybe it held memories. For me, there was nothing here worth remembering.

I was going to die.

"You mean they're rich, so their money makes them taller?"

"Something like that." Kali grinned, excitement shining in her eyes.

"Don't worry."

"I'm going to di—"

A throat cleared at the doorway.

I turned to see Thane standing there, his expression unreadable.

"Kali, say your goodbyes and go to your room," he ordered.

Kali pulled me into a hug, squeezing me tightly.

"Call me," she whispered.

Call her?

How was I supposed to call her when I’d be dead?

Still, I nodded.

"Promise?"

Another nod.

"Bye. I love you." Her voice wavered. "And… thanks for doing this for me."

Tears welled in my eyes, but I swallowed them down.

She left.

The door shut.

And then it was just me and Thane. He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a gravelly whisper.

"You find your way back to me."

I stared at the floor, rolling my eyes when he couldn’t see.

"I'm going to die," I muttered. Oddly enough, I couldn’t cry. There was no point in being dramatic—not yet. Not when the real horror was still to come.

"Find your way back," he repeated, reaching for a strand of my hair.

I tensed.

I knew what came next.

He yanked me toward him.

I winced, the sharp pain shooting across my scalp.

"A parting kiss," he murmured, his lips curling into a sick smile, yellowed teeth on display.

I nodded stiffly.

He leaned in.

I forced myself forward, pressing the softest possible kiss to his lips.

"Deeper," he commanded, his hot breath rolling against my mouth.

Revulsion rolled through me. My skin crawled.

But I did it.

My lips parted, my tongue grazing against his, the taste of alcohol and stale cigarettes flooding my mouth.

I think I welcomed death now. Maybe I should even appreciate it.

Because this? This wasn’t a life worth living.

Thane smirked, his grip tightening. "I’ll call you when I need money," he said. "Or when I want to see you."

His lips brushed my ear.

"You belong to me."

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