The Enchanted Queen

The Longest Night

Casper's POV
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I knew from the moment she looked into my eyes. It's her. She must be my mate. I should have taken her right then, but instead I hesitated. I didn't want to frighten her. I wanted her to love me and come willingly into the forest. But that could take time. The annoying thing about having a human mate is the fact that they can't feel the connection until they are turned. And tonight, while the moon is still full, I'm going to turn her. Tonight could be the only opportunity that I have. Ren will soon come to take me back to the castle. Once I leave the human realm, it may be years before I am permitted another chance to return.

I waited until well over midnight to return to the house. I was concealed in my wolf form for hours until i was sure they had both fallen asleep. It wasn't very hard to sneak in through a window. Wolves are quiet and light on their feet. The only audible sound coming from my entrance was the closing of the window, which i minimized as much as possible. The house was dark, and if I listened closely I could hear the slow breathing of the two girls. I stalked soundlessly down the hallway, following the pull of the mate bond. Her door was already opened, and I found her sleeping peacefully.

I crouched down to her level, gently stroking her beautiful hair. I could feel her pulse beneath my fingertips as I gently brushed the hair from her neck. My canines elongated and i planted a gentle kiss on her neck. She shivered and snuggled against my chest. I smiled briefly before sinking my teeth into her skin. Her eyes flew open and she opened her mouth to scream, but the venom had already petrified her. I scooped her into my arms and carried her out into the moonlight. Which is when I realized, I had bitten the wrong damn girl.

"Shit." I cursed, almost dropping the poor girl. What the hell am I going to do with her? I was panicking. I marked her with my bite, I'm turning her into my mate. But she isn't even mine.

"I thought I'd find you here." Ren's dark form was leaned against the tree. He smiled darkly. "I see you've found your mate. Or is that dinner?" He added.

"Just shut up and take us to the portal." I growled.

Ren laughed and danced to the portal. Cheerful son of a bitch. I followed a short distance behind. I could see the girl transforming before my eyes. She was writhing in agony. The transformation is slow and painful for humans. She will be like this for a few hours or even days before it is complete. I felt a hole in the pit of my stomach. My mate is still there inside of the house. She will never forgive me for this.

We finally reached the portal. After Ren mumbled his magic words we stepped through, leaving the human world behind us.

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Veralyn's POV
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I woke to a burning sensation against my chest. My crystal seemed to glow and pulsate against the morning light. I stretched out my aching limbs. This has to be a dream.

I was in a forest, but it was no ordinary place. I've dreamt about this before. Except now it feels real. The trees seemed to glow from within. Flowers and fruits and beautiful pixies surrounded me. Crystals grew from tree trunks and massive mushrooms were scattered throughout the earth. I stood and searched for another person, but I appeared to be alone.

I walked towards a glowing lake with steam that seemed to rise from the water. As I drew closer I realized that the water seemed to glimmer. I reached out to touch it. I suddenly felt very thirsty. I needed to drink.

"You don't want to touch that." A voice echoed behind me. I stood slowly, turning to meet the very naked figure of a man. I didn't recognize him, but as soon as I saw his nakedness I turned quickly away. Where are his clothes?

He sighed and stepped closer to me. "I'm Maken. I know that you are very confused right now, but I just need you to stay calm as I explain your situation." I turned to face him once again, being sure to keep my eyes on his. "Am I dreaming?" I asked.

"No, unfortunately not. This is your new home now. Something terrible has happened to you I'm afraid. But I don't want you to worry. Just know that you belong here now."

I shook my head. "What about Vera? My friend. Is she here?" I asked. Suddenly I realized that the words coming from my mouth were not my own. I looked down at my clothing. I was in Asya's body. What the hell is going on?

"You are alone." Maken replied solemnly. I tore myself away from the dream, waking to find myself covered in sweat. My crystal burned against my skin and I realized that I was crying. Quickly, I dried my tears and sat up in my bed. I can't wait to tell Asya about this crazy dream.

I quickly stood and walked across the hall. I opened the door to reveal an empty bed. Oh, I forgot that Asya has work today. She probably won't be home until later tonight. I text her anyway. Asking her to call me on her lunch break so I can tell her about my dream.

Feeling inspired, I decided to paint the beautiful lake with the crystal trees. I wanted to bring it all to life. It was too pretty to stay inside of my head. I gathered my art supplies and headed into the living room to start my painting. I chose the biggest canvas that I could find. A 4x4 should suffice. I began mixing the colors, thinking of the way the light reflected off of the pond. I thought of the shimmery blue water and the mushrooms that were almost as big as me. Finally I thought of the naked man. Maken, He said his name was. I decided to leave him out of the painting and instead focus on the scenery. I let my mind wander as my brush danced over the canvas.

I think I will call this painting, "The Most Beautiful Place." It seemed fitting. As I reached over to dip my brush in some blue paint, I accidentally knocked over my water. The liquid spread through the carpet, soaking the fabric in blue paint. I sighed. Asya is going to have my ass when she gets home.

I hurried to the kitchen to grab some paper towels. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Asya's phone laying on the floor. I picked it up. A few hairline cracks appeared along the screen. She was probably in a hurry this morning and dropped her phone. She's going to be so mad when she gets back. I gently placed the phone on the table and took the paper towels into the living room. I pressed against my mess, soaking up most of the water. A blue stain was visible in the carpet, but at least it wasn't wet anymore.

I filled my water back up and continued to paint, my dream slowly coming to life before my eyes.