What happens when fate makes two monsters cross paths? Is there a limit to the damage they can cause together? Well, Mal has always been dangerous and unpredictable like a predator. She's always known what she was and has gotten used to being on her own. The same can be said about Vikram - a brilliant, yet cold scientist on a personal quest for revenge. Both of them have blood on their hands, and neither has ever allowed anyone too close who wasn't useful or expendable in their plans. Based on their personality, their paths crossing should have been violent and brutal. But with the heavy tension and curiosity continuously rising between them, the line between wanting to know and wanting to have one another begins to blur. So much, they cannot even tell whether they've met their match or their demise.
Something feels wrong.
And it had been feeling that way since the moment Mal woke up earlier that night - just a couple of hours before her assignment was due. Yet she can't pinpoint what exactly is bothering her.
The feeling itself is much like an itch at the centre of her brain. The kind of small thing capable of making a person crawl up the walls because of their inability to scratch that exact spot. So, annoying.
On a good day, Mal would chalk it all up to paranoia or instincts - not that it mattered; it really didn't.
Too bad it isn't a good day. The annoying feeling is putting her on edge.
You need to stay calm, says the main voice in her head. Stay calm. Quiet.
I am, Mal replies impatiently. After all, she truly is. Her breathing is silent and her body remains immobile; hidden in the shadows of a corner, where she awaits her current prey.
Mal, stay calm, they say again.
And the young woman sighs softly - still completely quiet - before repeating, I am.
Although this time she doesn't feel so sure, Mal doesn't have the time to dwell on it. The steps approaching from further down the alley are getting louder and the man's mind is whispering pleas for help. He doesn't want to die yet.
He doesn't want to die.
Pity, Mal thinks unimpressed and gets ready. It will happen anyway. His steps are already faltering. She hears his breathing, ragged and weak. It's only a matter of time. She has him.
They have him.
Now, orders the one in her head. Do it now!
Not yet, Mal tries to reason, but it is no use. Her body springs into action on its own; her hand pulling a knife out of the leather belt on her left thigh. She takes a deep breath, focuses, and throws the blade at the limping figure with one swift movement of her arm.
Two seconds later, there's a thud as the body hits the pavement and a rush of adrenaline invades her senses - triggered by the sound of flesh being cut and the aborted scream that left his lips before he fell.
Now they have him.
We got him, snickers the voice in her head. They sound so pleased with themselves.
Mal chooses a small noncommittal hum as her only reply and calmly makes her way towards the fallen man.
With her target dead, her work is almost done for the night. All that's left is to gather proof of her job done and then get rid of the body. So she takes a few pictures of the man where he lays - throws in a couple of photos of his face for good measure - then takes her sweet time hauling the corpse into one of the dumpsters before setting it on fire; to speed up the process of destroying the evidence.
Mal does all this with a familiar sense of disconnect. She's used to how peaceful she feels after a kill.
Just another day in her life, she always thinks to herself. In a way, she finds it kind of beautiful; how life can be so vibrant in one moment only to become a flatline in another. And she often finds herself amused by the fact it's never as romantic as serial-killer movies make it out to be. The rest of the world never really turns silent to gaze upon a kill like that, as if it's some big loss to society. Instead, everyone really just keeps on moving; the world keeps on turning and all the meaningless rustle is more than enough to keep any possible witness deaf to the event.
It's actually one of the reasons Mal notices something is wrong.
Usually, the white noise of the city keeps going while she cleans up after herself. But this time everything around her is still; quiet and unassuming. And it only lasts a moment.
There's a small prickle on her thigh and then there are so many new thoughts ringing in her head she can't even focus on her own.
That's not... what I signed up for...
The subject is ready for extraction.
Guess that's who we are now, huh?
I wonder why they always have to be dangerous.
Mal cringes and staggers. She suddenly feels dizzy, so she closes her eyes and reaches up for her temple. Her shoulder collides harshly with the now flaming dumpster and she falls to her knees.
We need to get out of here, pipes the voice in her head. Move, Mal.
I'm...trying..., she snaps back, using all her remaining energy into a pathetic attempt at crawling out of the alley.
Something pricks at the back of her neck, and then at her side. Something is wrong with us.
When Mal feebly reaches behind her neck to inspect the cause of her sudden dizziness, she finds a tranquillizer dart.
Mal feels strong hands pull her up and drag her into a car. All faces are blurred. But she hears someone on the phone:
"The subject has been secured," says the man sitting closest to her. Mal is vaguely aware the vehicle is already moving. She's being taken.
"Perfect," the person on the other side of the line responds. Their voice is familiar; it's her contract. "We've just sent you the coordinates for dropoff."
Looks like you've been set up, taunts the voice in her head. Again.
It's true. And Mal can almost laugh. Unfortunately, she's so sedated she only manages a quiet snort. Later, should anyone ask, she will say she's surprised at being deceived. It will be a complete lie, but that will surely be her answer.
This could be like a playdate, the voice in her head suggests.
Hmm, Mal is unable to keep her head straight and eyes open but is aware of the fact she has been handcuffed. It's been a while since we last played like this.
And if it really turns out to be like the other times, this can mean the end of the line for her.
Or for them.
Ally Griever used to be positive and full of smiles, but three years locked into a small cage while being tortured changed that cheerful personality into one much more cautious. After escaping from her captors with the help of a mysterious young boy, Ally finds herself running against time to find her way back to her pack. She's been cursed and knows she doesn't have much time left. All she wished for was to find a safe place to leave the little boy who saved her, and the last thing she needed was to find her mate waiting for her. Gabriel Walters is tired of listening to the Elders telling him how an alpha king is supposed to find his Luna within the first four years after his coming of age. He's 28 now, which means not only is he three years late to find his mate, but his wolf is also starting to become weak. The werewolf king's oldest son is ready - and willing - to give up his position as next in line to the throne if it means he can keep searching for his other half. But when a situation forces him and his warriors to take refuge in one of his family's allies' pack, the soon-to-be king is met with a shocking surprise: not only is his mate a half-breed, she has a child and looks as weak as the weakest Omega in his own pack.
"I'm sorry," Lenna tilted her head. She was pretty sure the rush from being carried bridal-style had messed up her ears; somehow. "Could you please repeat that?" "Marry me, miss Kuts" Mr Lenoir wore his best business face as he said it. "I'm in need of a wife, and you are the perfect candidate." Lenna felt a cold shiver run down her spine as she thought, I'm done for. Keane Lenoir can have anything or anyone he wants. And he hates that. Having had his heart and trust broken one too many times, Keane swore off love and vowed never to get into another relationship again. However, as he turned 30 his parents began pestering him into settling down and starting his own family. Put in a difficult position when his father threatens to give the Chairperson position of the family company to his sister if he doesn't marry in a year, Keane finds a perfect opportunity to please his parents and keep his treacherous ex away, in a sweet accounting assistant. Lenna Kuts is just a girl who wishes for nothing but a happy life. Despite her tragic past and difficult teenage years, she’s managed to remain full of dreams. However, after a particularly traumatic event when she was younger, Lenna has been unable to say no to people - a condition that often get her exploited and put in difficult situations. Of course, no situation could come close to the one introduced by her boss.
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
A man like Travis Sinclair wants nothing more than a woman who matches his sexual prowess and is used to getting everything he wants. A cold-hearted billionaire ,he lives by one rule - no love, no commitment. Ayanna Davies isn't looking for a relationship. She's focused on her work and the financial security it brings. As a high end escort, her client is full of filthy rich men who are willing to pay handsomely for her services. But when Travis Sinclair becomes one of her clients, she begins twice about mixing work with pleasure. Not knowing that he is an old acquaintance whom she despises.
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?
Kallie, a mute who had been ignored by her husband for five years since their wedding, also suffered the loss of her pregnancy due to her cruel mother-in-law. After the divorce, she learned that her ex-husband had quickly gotten engaged to the woman he truly loved. Holding her slightly rounded belly, she realized that he had never really cared for her. Determined, she left him behind, treating him as a stranger. Yet, after she left, he scoured the globe in search of her. When their paths crossed once more, Kallie had already found new happiness. For the first time, he pleaded humbly, "Please don't leave me..." But Kallie's response was firm and dismissive, cutting through any lingering ties. "Get lost!"