Obsession: The Elite, #4

By Hanleigh Bradley

OBSESSION. I was his. He was mine.

Death has never been so tempting. No one ever cares that they're dying, when it feels this good to die. Farah's life is over in this PNR series from USA Today Bestselling Author, Hanleigh Bradley.

They say I love you. But that can't possibly be true. Love is just lust and obsession, silly human hormones coursing through your blood. A need to claim, a need to own.

I've already claimed you. I already own you. So why isn't that enough?

I've seen what happens when my kind fancy themselves in love. I won't fall into that trap. You're an obsession, a mindless distraction that needs to be erased.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hanleigh Bradley
• Release date: Feb 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201030841

Hanleigh Bradley

British Author Hanleigh Bradley writes Contemporary Romance about British twenty somethings in London.

Book preview

They say I love you. But that can’t possibly be true. Love is just lust and obsession, silly human hormones coursing through your blood. A need to claim, a need to own.

I’ve already claimed you. I already own you. So why isn’t that enough?

I’ve seen what happens when my kind fancy themselves in love. It always leads to their ruination. I won’t fall into that trap. Love is just a chemical reaction, a drug. Nothing more.

You’re an obsession, a mindless distraction that needs to be erased.

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‘You?’ I can hardly believe my eyes. Kirdem is dead. There’s absolutely no possible way that he could be standing in front of me. For the briefest of moments, I wonder if I’m dreaming, even though I haven’t dreamed in years. Centuries even.

Or perhaps I’m seeing a ghost. Anything would make more sense than what I’m actually seeing. My brother, Kirdem, standing in front of me. Definitely alive.

‘Yes, me.’ He looks pleased with himself. A snide expression on his face that I don’t recognise.

This isn’t him. It can’t be. He would never betray the Mother.

‘Kirdem?’ I hate the sound of my own voice. It’s weak and uncertain and completely wrong. I should be pummelling my fists into his face, not questioning his existence.

‘Everette,’ he replies mockingly.

‘How could you?’

He laughs, throwing his head back. ‘How could I?’

I wait for an answer, even though I know that nothing he has to say will be enough. I will never understand this act of betrayal. Anyone else. I could have believed it of anyone, but not him. And worse, the Mother will never believe this. How am I supposed to tell her?

‘It was pretty easy to be honest,’ Kirdem says, sitting down at one of the many tables in the room. ‘When you’re the Mother’s consort, there’s a lot of freedom. If I was planning on letting you live, I’d recommend you take my place. There’s really nothing like it. The power. The freedom to do whatever the hell you want.’

His words are vile and offensive. And my fists clench at my side.

‘Of course, I’ve heard you’ve got a mate of your own now,’ he continues, his voice dripping with venom. ‘I plan to enjoy her. I had thought to make you watch. But lucky for you, I’m not going to let you live long enough now.’

I lunge for him, seeing fire. Rage has me shaking as I slam my fist into his face. But we’re not alone. Hestin might be with me, but just down the hall I can hear feet pounding on the floor, coming this way.

Kirdem responds in kind, kicking my shin. ‘You listen to me, Everette. There’s no winning this war. You’d be better to surrender now.’

‘Never.’

‘Silly little Everette,’ Kirdem says. ‘Too loyal for his own good. And now too obsessed with an irrelevant human to even see when he’s already been beaten.’

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Something isn’t right.

I have this horrible, sinking feeling in my stomach, and even though I try to rationalise that I’m just tired. That I’ve spent the best part of the night tossing and turning, sleep evading me. I can’t escape the knowledge that he should be back by now.

It’s still early, and the sun has yet to rise, but he should be here.

He told me he would be. All sorts of hideous possibilities are running through my mind. I still know next to nothing about his world, so I can’t fully comprehend the level of danger he is in. That’s the problem with all his secrets. They’re designed to keep me safe, but they just make me weak.

A liability.

I climb down from the large, ostentatious bed, pulling my dressing gown around me and approach the window again. I’ve done this multiple times in the last ten hours, my feet restlessly craving movement. Pulling the curtains apart, I search for him, only to find the driveway quiet. The birds aren’t even singing and it’s a little eerie. God. I hate this house.

A harsh knock at the door disturbs my thoughts and I turn abruptly, just in time for me to see Jessamine enter.

‘You need to dress,’ she is saying, her words sharp. ‘We need to leave.’

‘Leave?’ I’m gaping at her, confused.

We can’t leave. I need to wait for Everette to return. I can’t leave without him.

‘There’s no time to explain. I’ll explain everything once we’re