The moon was barely a sliver in the sky, casting its faint silver glow over the silent forest. I could hear every crackle of leaves beneath my feet, and every whisper of the wind as it passed through the trees. The night had a sharp edge to it, as if it was holding its breath, waiting.

I pushed forward, my eyes scanning the darkness. I knew he was out here. My hands trembled with anticipation, a strange thrill that slithered down my spine like ice. This is the confrontation I’d been waiting for.

And then, there he was.

Emerging from the darkness, his figure seemed to drift rather than walk. Lucien. His face was pale, but so beautiful. His eyes were captivating, and they locked onto mine with a knowing glint. He was older than the stars, and his gaze held a thousand secrets I’d never know.

“You came,” he murmured, his voice barely louder than a sigh.

“I didn’t have a choice,” I replied, standing firm. My hand clenched around the silver dagger I had hidden in my coat pocket.

Lucien took a step closer, his eyes shifting down to my pocket as though he could see through the fabric. A slight smile played on his lips. “A dagger?” He asks, “after everything we’ve been through, this is how you want it to be?”

I forced a bitter laugh. “It has to be this way. You left me no choice. I know what you are, and I know what you did to my family.”

He tilted his head, his expression softening with something like pity. “What I am?” His voice was gentle. “What I am, Sadie, is a simple mirror to your soul. You hunt me because you think I’m a monster, but you’re not so different from me, are you? You’ve felt the darkness inside?”

“No!” I hissed, my anger flaring. “I am nothing like you.”

“Oh, but you are,” he moved closer, until he was mere inches away. I could feel his cold breath against my skin. “Do you remember the night we first met, when you followed me into the woods, hoping to catch a glimpse of the creature lurking in your nightmares?” He leaned in, his voice lowering to a whisper. “You were so drawn to the shadows, you were always searching for something beyond the ordinary.”

I couldn’t breathe. The memories flooded back in. The inexplicable pull, the night spent wandering, the hollow feeling that grew within me each time I returned home empty handed. He was right, part of me had always wanted this dark dance with the unknown.

Lucien raised his hand, brushing a cold finger across my cheek, “you don’t have to fight it, Sadie. Embrace it. Embrace me.”

I felt myself sinking, my grip loosening on the dagger as his words wrapped around me like chains. I closed my eyes, letting his presence wash over me, and in that moment, I surrendered to the darkness.

As his fangs pierced my neck, a strange, warm peace settled over me. This was whay I had always wanted, the fate that I had been chasing.

As my vision faded, one final thought crept in: _I knew all along this is how it would end. _

Once upon a time this man could see into the future He could see other peoples death including his. It’s was recurring knighmare He never ate at the same place or did the same things twice to avoid fate worse than death It was a curse he wanted to control. He could not save lives even though he could see into the future He used it to get wealth loads of money feared the future of possibles futures in the multiverse Premonitions were stronger year by year it felt he was meeting his fate As a medic he wanted to save lives but he couldn’t save lives He saw a person he could see across the road he knew will die He felt the car hitting the person the funeral the lives lost him in the dock hurt finding him guilty He must find this man It was as vivid as day light He uses police Sandra based probability matrix to find this man He saw the man He walked up and ordered the taxi so he won’t cross the road He said to the man I knew how this would end.

Chapter 1

I knew all along this was how my world would end. Two parts of my very essence fighting one another desiring to conquer the other. Leaving my soul tattered and bruised. Barely hanging on in this realm. Forcing it to flicker between the brilliance of light and dimness of night. Which path will my soul drift towards. The future left so unclear so indecisive. The struggle seemed endless, an eternal battle within my own heart. The choices weighed heavily upon me, each decision a potential tipping point towards salvation or ruin. Whispers of doubt clouded my mind, nagging at the edges of my resolve. Would I be able to find the strength to decide my fate, or would I be consumed by the chaos within? The air around me felt thick with the tension of unmade choices, each inhalation a burden. There was no escaping the battle, no respite from the war waging within. Now was the time to challenge the two conflicting aspects within my own mind. Standing at the crossroads, I took a deep breath and steadied myself. This was the moment to confront my deepest fears and unspoken truths. I will not surrender so easily.

I take one deep breath , letting the air linger within my lungs. Slowly, I exhale, releasing the weight of doubt and trepidation. Gathering my courage, I step forward into the unknown. The path before me is shrouded in uncertainty, but my spirit refuses to falter. This journey I believe I must take alone. Taking the most valuable lessons with me. Each step I take feels heavy, but with each stride, determination grows stronger. I must face those who would see the darkness take over. With every step, the shadows seemed to close in, yet a faint light within me pushed them back. The earth beneath my feet felt solid, grounding me in the reality of my mission.

As I pressed on, the world around me seemed to blur, but my focus sharpened. Sounds dissolved into the background, leaving only the rhythmic thudding of my heart and the whisper of my own breath. The horizon began to shift, revealing a glimmer of hope or perhaps a glimpse of what lay ahead. The darkness felt colder sending shivers up my spine. But I pressed on, driven by the fire within and the promise of dawn. My resolve, unwavering, guiding me through the storm of shadows. The atmosphere was charged with tension, every gust of wind carrying whispers of long-forgotten secrets. Forbidden truths tickled the edge of my consciousness, teasing me with their elusive nature. I could sense the gravity of my journey, a path entwined with enigmas and revelations.

Perhaps before I tell my ending I tell the beginning of all of this. It all started on a night much like this, where shadows danced and whispered secrets carried by the winds. The air was thick with the scent of rain, the ground moist beneath my feet. I changed my pace in an attempt to beat the looming storm above me. The storm clouds gathered with a sense of urgency, mirroring my internal turmoil. The first drops of rain began to fall, cold and insistent, as if the heavens themselves were urging me to quicken my steps. I rush through the doors of my childhood home. The warmth inside was a stark contrast to the biting cold outside. This was my sanctuary. Here, I found solace and the familiar comfort of memories long treasured. My mother sat by the window, her gaze distant and thoughtful. "You're back," she murmured, not turning her eyes from the rain-drenched world outside. "Just before the storm," I replied, shaking the droplets from my coat. Her hands clutched an old book, its pages yellowed with age, as though only it could offer the answers she sought. A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Sit with me," she said, patting the space beside her. I took a seat next to her, the sofa's cushions sagging familiarly under my weight.

The way she smiled at everyone with such gentleness is what made me start to fall for her. Everyone I ever get close to get hurt majorly or dies in some violent way. All I have ever wanted was to be close to someone, close enough to know I am loved. But loved in the sweet way where you are told just how beautiful you are in the morning light as you sink a cup of coffee or just the look in their eyes when they see you happy. Never once have I allowed it to happen because in my mind that was only danger, for me and the other person involved. I let her get too close to me. It is all my fault. Watching as her breathing is slowing and I can feel her heart beat becoming faint is a feeling I never knew about till now. It is terrifying. All I can feel is the warm red liquid that is coating my legs and arms as I hold her, trying to console her in any way I can. In the distance I hear the sirens but I think they are far out and I’m not even sure they are for her. I knew we shouldn’t have come this way. The life is slipping from her eyes even though she holds a sweet, pure smile while looking at me. Never have I been able to keep anything good for more than a few months, once it hit the one year mark I knew it wasn’t right but little did I know just how wrong it would be. This is my fault, I shouldn’t have stayed for as long as I did and I shouldn’t have allowed us to come this way. The dimly lit courtyard is such a contrast to the bright city lights but it is beautiful. If they don’t make it in time at least she has this beautiful light scene and me holding her. Maybe she doesn’t even feel me anymore, I mean she is starting to shiver which is never a good sign. I want to tell her how much I love her, how much she means to me, the life I had planned for us. Yet my voice can not come out, it is nothing. I can feel the tears slowly run down my cheeks as I look down at her beautiful face. In the future I can’t let anyone get this close ever again, it will lead to more harm and possibly more death, definitely more pain for me. I can’t keep doing that because it just becomes more and more. I wanted to see her grow into the best version of herself. The red and blue lights start flooding the courtyard but I know it’s too late. It is like a movie and everything feels slowed down as soon as I notice her breathing has stopped and they try to take me away from her. I loved her yet I knew all along that this was how it would end.

Bloody heart. Broken feelings. Bleeding wounds. Blinded mind.

And it’s your fault.

I didn’t think you were capable of such wreckage- but then again, the devil was once a beautiful angel.

You messed with my feelings. You messed with my heart.

My mind. My love. My care.

You took my pain and turned it into daggers. You took my love are turned it into your very own gold. Now you bathe in it, basking in its golden glory.

How many times- over and over had I held my tongue for you? How many times had I stayed by your side even though it was killing me?

Like a moth needs light- it’ll stay until it burns them. Like a fish needs water- it’ll swim deeper under the pressure, until it’s crushed.

I’m drowning. I’m burning. I’m dying. And it’s your fault.

I knew all along that this is how it would end. That’s your fault too.

The music played off the jukebox as each of us took a seat around the table. The old watering hole, known to all as the Crow’s Nest, was deserted with the old bartender as the only guest. The old geezer, Moe, as he was widely known, wiped down a glass tumbler like most bartenders did. He just wanted this to be over like all the rest of us did.

We were all here for a purpose. That purpose being control. Control over the ports, control over the cops, control over the politics, control of the drugs, and control over the skin. Basically control over this beat down city was the idea. But with six of us, each wanting what the other had, made a peaceful alliance out of the question. So here we were, doing it the old fashion way — six men, five bullets, one gun, and a game of chance and luck were all that stood between one of us getting everything.

I stared around the table as did the others. Everyone sizing up the other, the game of intimidation had begun.

Kiernan O’Connell, the Irishman, rubbed his hideously red beard as he tried to stare me down with his one good eye. Simon “Snake” Salazarri, was looking all sorts of fishy as his eyes darted around the table, his fingers rubbing the collar of his green jacket. Maximilian Masterson, Max to his friends, picked his teeth, his snobbery and entitlement ever apparent. Jacob Jakobi, also known as the Jackal, was a stone wall, impenetrable to read as his body language spoke for him. Frederick Killanger, the old man of the group, was silent and calculating and as always was looking menacing and almost evil. And me, well, as the new kid, I was much to look at, but I was very smart which I how managed to get here in the first place.

Max pulled out the revolver, and we the rest of us pulled out a single bullet. Max pushed the gun to Killanger, who put in his bullet, spun the chamber, pushed it in and placed it back on the table. It had begun.

“Let’s get his over with,” Killanger spoke bluntly.

“Agreed,” Snake said.

Killanger spun the gun around. It landed on Max. He picked it up, pointed it at his head and…click. He passed it to his right, to which Kiernan picked it and repeated the same movements and… BANG! The Irishman was dead. First one down, four more to go. And so it repeated.

Click. Click. Click. BANG! Three. Click. Click. BANG! Two. Click. Click. Click. Click. Click. BANG! One.

Now it was just me and the one person I was hoping not to survive, Jakobi. As I pushed in my bullet, I couldn’t help but think about death. As I spun the chamber, I tremble at the fact that this could be the end. I placed the gun on the table and passed it to Jakobi. He picked it up and BANG! As he slumped to ground as I blinked in disbelief.

There’s was no way my plan worked. I smiled as I rose from my chair, the new king of the underworld. I walked to the door but before I left , a one called out.

“You are one lucky sonofabitch, you know that.”

I smiled as I opened the door. “Luck’s got nothing to do with it, old man. I knew all along that this was how it would end.”

All I could do was stand there and watch it burn. His house and every last thing he owned was engulfed in flames. That piece of shit deserved it. I did everything I could to bring out the good in him and kill the monster, but I could have gotten myself killed. I’m still not sure how I’m not dead already. I almost died a few times.

The longer I stood there the more anxious I was. His house was burning and I wanted him to burn with the damn thing. I didn’t see him run out of a door or jump out of a window. Hell, there was no way of knowing at this point.

The neighbors crowded in the less-than-suburban street. Most of them were in their pajamas, others still in the clothes they wore during the day. Everyone was in shock asking more questions than necessary. I heard reverberating screams of “Call 911!”. The responders were already on their way though.

The neighbors to the right and left knew what kind of man Cole was. They could hear us screaming at each other when we got into it, but they would pretend to mind their business anyway. The neighbor to the left is Cole’s single best friend Dylan. He lives life like he was still in his mid-twenties. The house to the right is occupied by an older married couple, Jan and Gus. They kept to themselves mostly.

I could hear sirens roaring as all the emergency responders approached. Three cop cars threaded their way through the crowd of people and other emergency vehicles. They parked and stepped out in unison—it was oddly theatrical.

As I stood there growing more anxious I heard a deep voice call out my name. It was Officer Barry. He towered over me. We had become well acquainted throughout whatever I had with Cole. At some point I began to feel drawn to him, he was safe.

“Veda?!”

I turned with my head tilted toward the ground. I couldn’t look him in the face because be both knew what happened.

“What happened Veda?”

The firemen were hooking up their water supply and preparing the hose while the other two officers were controlling the crowd. They heard Barry call me out by name and began to stare in confusion. Then the murmurs and the side eyes towards me started.

“Like you don’t already know Barry. . .”

I wasn’t sure why he was pretending that he didn’t know exactly what happened. Barry was the one who told me to do it. He said that was the only way I would ever be free of Cole. No matter how many times I left, he could still find me. I just pray he was still in there.

“I don’t know Veda, so why don’t you tell me!”

I just stood there in a daze. That asshole ‘Officer Barry’ set me up. Shit. . .

 “I knew all along that this is how it would end.”

I think part of me thought we could push through any obstacle in our way. Love conquers all right? It sure did at 18 and it even mostly did at 22. 26 is different though. Love isn’t enough to help keep a clean house or to stop the fighting. Making up doesn’t feel the same anymore. I don’t remember the last time I looked in your eyes and actually saw you; the you at 18 where your eyes could make me forget what I’m upset about. Or the you at 20 that somehow could see into my soul.

Everyone tried to tell us it would never work. But baby it was you and me against the world. The world packs a punch though. Your tongue has gotten sharp and cold as you’ve aged. You’ve learned how to take the deepest, darkest parts of me and use them against me. But still I forgive, and forgive, and forgive. But it’s not enough anymore.

Lying awake wondering what did I do to deserve all of this. What fucking karma could I have possibly produced in my last life to be stuck on this never ending rise and repeat cycle we’ve been on the last decade. My love for you has made me weak. Holding my tongue while you remind me with your words how little you think of me.

Every stone you’ve tossed has given me enough to built a wall. A wall stronger than the one you broke down before. A wall I never plan on taking down for you again. Brick by brick, stone by stone I’m gathering my courage to leave. To save myself a lifetime of this because a decade is fucking plenty.

Deep inside, I think I knew all along that this was how it would end.

i knew all along that this is how it would end. i knew that once you finally realized that i am not enough that i am not as perfect as others that i don't have the perfect hair or body or eyes or smile i don't have paper white teeth or perfectly smooth skin i knew that once you noticed all the things i hate about myself you would hate me too you would realize you can do so much better your perfect, kind, tall, sweet, loving and caring. but you cant love me. because i love you too much i cant be away from you i feel sick to my stomach when I'm not with you and you need space you need freedom you cant spend your life with someone who you don't love because it will destroy me and then i will end up destroying you. all along i knew you would find someone better and you did. someone confident, someone smart, someone beautiful. someone whos not me. they're nothing like me. and that's what you love about them. that's what i hate about me.

The hero collapsed onto a rock, dropping the blood covered sword onto the ground. In front of him lay the old dragon who was finally defeated after its years of terrorising the locals. The perfect fairy tale ending to the story. When he had caught his breath he grabbed his blade and dragged himself back to the village. He could barely see in front of him due to dehydration and pure exhaustion, purely relying on just staying upright and keeping his eyes on the road in front of him. As he approached he could see that the gates were thrown open and what looked like smoke was rising from the houses inside inside the stone wall. The portcullis was dented and halfway closed. He stopped, squinting to try and get a clearer view, hoping that what he was seeing was simply a hallucination due to his exhausted state. He hobbled closer grasping the handle of his sword. He passed through the abandoned entrance way and silence met his ears as he entered into the village. His eyesight was getting worse and so the first thing he had to attend to was finding some water. He hadn’t thought in his adrenaline filled state to take some water with him before he left, that’s not really what you think about when you’re off to kill a dragon. He walked to his house and was hardly able to see in front of him. He went round the outskirts to avoid the ever increasing smoke from a fire, but finally made it unharmed. He walked into his house and found the water jug sitting next to a cup on ten table. He had just managed to drink a few cup fulls when he heard a sound behind him. He spun around and pulled his sword from its scabbard, it’s blade dripped dragon blood onto the kitchen floor. Dammit be thought my mums going to be pissed. In front of him stood a figure dressed entirely in black, they removed their hood and he realised it was his neighbour. Her hands were glowing with a bright green flame. ‘What have you done!’ He gasped ‘You knew this day was coming.’ She replied calmly. ‘Whilst you’ve been training to be a hero I’ve been preparing to take over the world with my magic, and this is the first step.’ She gestured around. ‘I knew you were the only one who could stop me so I made a dragon to distract you. This plan has been in the making for years so don’t think you can stop it now. You have lost, I knew all along that this is how it would end.’