Beautiful Soul

By Athina Fernwood

What happens when the King, a man dubbed as Hades, is in need of a Queen?He possesses her angelic soul with his devilish ways and infects her with his chaotic love, filling her with his poison.She will step onto the dancefloor and he will take her hand, crowning her as his queen, the queen of the underworld.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pages Of Creations
• Release date: Feb 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9788079907512

Book preview

1

I

Zarall Manson.

I groan as I storm out of the crowded restaurant. Another failed date with another useless man. I don't even know why I put myself through this anymore.

I'm too young for this stress.

In the past three months I've been on eight dates and they have all ended badly. These men really know how to rub a girl the wrong way.

Finding companionship shouldn't be this hard, but here I am, struggling!

I should've just stayed at home tonight and watched every Harry Potter movie ever made, again, just because I can.

Wasting my time on men has finally annoyed me and I'm officially done. I'm no longer going to try and find my soulmate. If my soulmate wants me, he will track me down and show me some needed love.

Till that day comes – and it better be soon because I'm bored – my couch and fluffy blankets are my cuddle buddies.

Zarall! My lousy date shouts, completely mispronouncing my name, as he follows me out of the restaurant.

I just caused a scene in there so I'm definitely not going back to that restaurant for the next month or two.

Zarall! He shouts again and this time I stop walking.

I turn around as I fold my arms and tap my left foot to show him how angry I am. What do you want, Garret? I spit as he stands in front of me.

He's a tall guy but I don't have to lift my head up to look him in the eye. Such a turn off.

He sighs and smiles at me, his smile crooked and ugly. Does he think he looks good this way? Oh come on, don't be like this, he says in a soft tone and I roll my eyes.

This moron just asked me to crawl underneath the table and give him a blowjob. Like, who does that?

I really need to get home, I say as I turn around. I'd rather go to bed with the thought of not getting a second date than getting down on my knees for a moron like him.

He grabs my forearm and yanks me back so my ass presses against his crotch. Let go, I grit while smacking his hand.

He keeps his filthy hand wrapped around my forearm and leans closer to my face. You are being such a brat, he tries to sound seductive but fails miserably.

I smirk at what he's trying to do. If he thinks trying to be some big baddie is going to make me do what he wants, he is surely wrong. I should punish you, he whispers as his chapped lips brush against my ear.

My body shudders but I burst out laughing at his attempt to make my knees weak. You suck at sounding hot, man, I laugh while shoving him to the side.

Garret let's go of my forearm and takes a step back, shocked that I just pushed him like that. Goodbye, I say and start walking away from him.

Now I have to walk back to my apartment because he drove us here. And in these shoes, I'm not going to make it back in one piece, plus I'm too cheap to hail down a cab.

I know the fastest route back to my place but the lights don't work properly on the street so that might not be a good idea, yet again, I'm in a rush to get out of this dress and into my sheets.

Tonight is oddly quiet and I don't like it. I can hear the dripping of dirty water from the leaky pipes of the apartment buildings around me. The sounds of police sirens ringing in the far distance are more vivid and I think I just heard the ringing sound of a gunshot.

This city is definitely not safe and this part of the town is definitely not safe for a girl like me. I'm small and any drunk, or even sober, guy would think I'm easy pickings because of my stature.

I turn down into the dark alleyway, my mind telling me to turn around and walk in the light but that means I have to take the long way home.

Everyone knows, based off hundreds of movies, the worst things happen late at night in a dark alleyway, but I'm trying my luck tonight so fingers crossed nothing happens to me.

My heels click against the cemented ground and I can hear myself breathe. I'm scared, but I'm not turning around. I can see the dim street lights at the end of the alleyway getting closer so I can't turn around now.

I move my feet faster across the uneven ground and sooner rather than later, I make it out of the alleyway, unscathed.

I grin victoriously and keep walking down the dimly lit sidewalk. The apartments on this side of the city are literally falling apart and unfortunately, I live in an apartment complex that's on the brink of falling to the ground.

Money shouldn't be a problem for me because I'm the daughter – actually adopted daughter – of Marcus Manson, big time business tycoon and millionaire.

My father loves me and I actually mean it when I say the old man loves me, but my fucking adopted mother is a bitch. She has never liked me, I could see it in the way she looked at me whenever I came home from school or anywhere in general.

She always thought I was getting up to no good but in reality, her actual daughter, Jessica, was the one doing drugs and the entire football team back in high school.

I moved out of the mansion when I was sixteen when I got early admission to MIT. I still think my father pulled a couple of strings to get me accepted so early.

He keeps denying my accusation and says that I'm just so good at coding and whatnot that they noticed my gift and wanted me at their school as quick as possible.

What a bunch of tosh.

I finished studying earlier than predicted – guess I'm a computer whizz – when I turned eighteen, I came back home but started to live on my own. My father was against it in the beginning but he grew to live with it.

It's been a year since I started living on my own and it's not that bad, but I'll still love some human interaction every now and then.

My father is constantly checking up on me and he sends me a monthly allowance, a very generous monthly allowance. I don't use all of it though.

I'm saving most of the money for something big, I don't know what it is yet, but I'll know when I have enough money.

I'm supposed to go see him tomorrow at his office so I can't wait for that. I haven't seen him in a while and we haven't talked because he's so busy making money.

The street lights become brighter as I get closer to my apartment, kind of. I'm still quite the distance from home but I'm getting there, little by little.

I turn the corner of what's probably the most stable building on this street and look around to see if anyone creepy is lurking within the shadows.

Stop. I immediately follow the command and slowly turn my head to where the voice came from. Where are you going? A man dressed in a clean, navy blue suits asks. He has a gun in his left hand.

I fear that he's going to use that on me.

Home, I live a couple of blocks away, I answer, my feet stuck to the ground. I'm too scared to run because he can easily shoot me in the back of the head if I try to.

Another man steps out of the shadows and my eyes widen. His gun is bigger and I know it carries more rounds so if I do run, I definitely won't survive. We can escort back, just to make sure you are safe, the with the big gun says and I shake my head.

They are the last people on earth I should trust with walking me back home.

Oh, why not? The man in the navy suit asks with a slight pout. He finds this amusing while I find it terrifying. We just want to make sure that a bellezza nera like you gets home in one piece, he says with a smirk.

Did he just speak Italian?

Yes...

You know what that means right?

Yep, he is probably here.

And just as I finish my conversation with my brain, a man steps out of the shadows. On his cheek is a splatter of blood and I bet you all of my monthly allowance, that blood belongs to some guy who crossed him.

Who is this? He asks the two men and they both smile before turning to look at him.

His dark eyes stay on me and I try to look anywhere but at his face. This man is hot. I can feel his intense gaze burning through my forehead and it's making me uncomfortable.

We didn't get to ask her name yet, the man in the navy suit says. He turns to look at me again and smiles widely. What's your name? He asks and the man with the big gun lifts a questioning brow.

Zarall... I'm Zarall Manson, I answer, nervously.

What a unique name, the man with the big gun laughs and it sends chills down my spine. So Zarall, what will it be? Are we going to take you home or what?

These three don't look like they take no for an answer so I think it's best that I just agree and hope that they don't kill me.

Sure, I say and they smile, except for the man in the middle.

I'm totally fucked.The three men whisper among each other and I take this as my chance to escape them because they are distracted. I move my foot back to try and run away but they notice my subtle movement and stop whispering.

I wouldn't do that, the man in the navy suit says while lifting his gun. He doesn't point it at me but he might as well just shoot me already.

You run, we'll catch you, then maybe kill you, the man with the big gun says and I quickly nod. Good girl, he chuckles.

He gets back to whispering with his two friends and I stay motionless, not attempting to get myself shot.

Why do they even want to take me home? I'm just some random girl that probably just walked into a murder scene.

Shit.

They might want to get rid of me because I'm a witness to whatever crime they just committed.

Time to go home Zarall, the man in the navy suit chirps and I quickly nod, waiting for them to come to me so that we can get to walking but they stay put. We are not walking so get yourself over here, he demands while waving his hand.

I move my feet as fast as I can in these stupid heels and soon stand in front of him. He points to the side and my eyes follow his finger. My eyes land on a black Jeep hidden in the darkness.

The man with the big gun pulls the back door open and turns to look at me. Get in, he commands and I quickly scurry to the car.

I hop into the car and slide to the middle of the seat. He closes the door and opens the door for the passenger seat. The man in the navy suit gets in on the driver's side, leaving the only available space for the last man at the back, with me.

Fuck.

The door to my left opens and my eyes snap down to a body laying in a pool of blood. The last man steps in the body and the man on the ground groans out in pain.

I want to jump out of the car and shove the man off the other man but doing something like that might get me killed.

I know who these men are, it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who they are. I've seen their faces in newspapers and even the telly.

When they do appear in all of these tabloids and whatnot it's mostly for good stuff but the streets talk. I've heard of the things these men do and it's more than just gruesome.

It's inhumane and my stomach turns by just breathing the same air as them.

Gang members from these parts don't take kindly to the way they run things, to they way they run this city. Kingpins have an issue with them but not all of them, some actually help them out.

We both know why they don't like these men.

It's a dumb reason though.

Sweetheart, it's the only reason they got.

He gets into the car, closes the door and completely disregards the human he just stepped on. I want to tell him off for what he just did but yet again, doing something like that might get me killed.

The car starts and soon enough it backs out of the darkness and into the light. I look at the man in the navy suit through the rear-view mirror and like he sensed my gaze, his eyes meet mine.

His brows slightly furrow and I keep my eyes on his dark green eyes. What's wrong, Zarall? He asks, a hint of worry in his eyes, I think, I might be seeing things.

I look between the three men and slightly pout, a wave of discomfort washing over me. I just don't feel so comfortable... I mutter while looking down at my hands.

I hook my fingers together and try to pull them apart, a way of both distracting myself from the situation I just got myself into and because I do this when I'm nervous and uncomfortable.

Why? The man in the passenger seat asks and I look up from my hooked fingers.

I let out a heavy breath and look back down at my hooked fingers. I just got into a car with three men. I don't even know your names. Well I actually do know their names but I keep swapping them around, I confuse one guy for the other.

They don't even look the same.

The two man in the front chuckle while the one next to me stays silent. He's clearly the quiet and aggressive leader, his entire demeanour is screaming authority and pride.

I'm Riccardo, the man in the navy suit says with a grin and I slowly nod. His green eyes sparkle as he keeps looking at me through the rear-view mirror.

I swear if I was any lighter than he would be able to see a blush on my cheeks.

Apparently Riccardo is the nice one among these three, and by nice I mean he will kill you in a less painful and torturous manner.

He's also the odd one out of the other two because he isn't related to them.

Vincenzo, the man besides me speaks, his low, gruff tone almost making me jump out of my skin. He sounds deadly and it makes my stomach turn uncomfortably.

And I'm Lorenzo, the man in the passenger seat says with a slight smile and I smile at him.

These two are related but they don't really look alike. Vincenzo is apparently the older brother of Lorenzo. They seem to be cut from the same cloth, the same rough cloth, but I'm not sure if they actually act the same way.

I smile at them and they look at my smile through the rearview mirror. The two men up front grin to each other, calming my racing heart.

Being nice to them might the only way I'm going to survive this ride so that's exactly what I'm going to do.

So where do you live? Riccardo asks while glancing at me through the rearview mirror. I suddenly feel shy about telling them. These men live in big, fancy mansions on the upper East side so my little run down apartment complex will seem like trash to them.

Sunny Side Apartments, I whisper.

Speak up, Vincenzo groans and I shrink back in the seat.

Sunny Side Apartments, I speak a bit louder and he nods. Riccardo makes a weird sound as he turns down the street corner towards my apartment complex.

The the ride becomes silent and I'm happy it's like this. Soon we teach my apartment complex and I thank the three men for bringing me back. I hop out of the car and hit the dash before they can say anything else to me.

I'm through the front doors and up the five flight of stairs I have go up and down everyday faster than a damn thunderclap.

I dig into my sidebag for my keys and smoke when I feel the cold metal against my fingers. I pull my keys out and shove the correct key u to the lock.

The door clicks as I turn the key and I push it back. The homey smell of my home attacks my home and I grin happily.

Home at last.

***

I thank the Uber driver as I get out of the car and he smiles at me before looking back at the road. I close the door and the car drives off.

My father wanted to send a driver to come get me but I declined his offer, I always do. I like using cabs and Ubers.

I walk into the company building while I greet the two security guards that stand outside the doors. They greet me by using my last name, not even smiling a bit while they spoke.

These people are too serious.

A few of the employees walking around wave at me and I do the same. I've been here so many times that everyone that works for my father knows who I am.

His employees are really nice and I like them, well some of them.

The receptionist looks up from her computer and smiles – a forced, fake smile. Her deep purple lipstick is smudged onto her teeth and I'm going to be petty and not tell her.

Hello, Miss Manson, she greets so formally and I smile up at her, trying my best to not call her out for being so fake.

She has never liked me and I know of the things she says about me when I'm not here. There are people who actually like me in this building and she's unfortunately part of the handful that don't.

You're father is waiting in his office, she informs me and I nod before walking to my father's private elevator. Bitch, I hear her scoff and I decide to not say anything about it, for today.

I place my hand on the palm scanner and it glows green a few seconds later. The elevator doors open and I step inside the metal box. The silver doors close and the elevator dings as I press the button for the top floor.

The elevator rocks a bit as it ascends to my father's office. This elevator leads straight into his office so I can never surprise him, unless I take the normal elevator and walk through the door.

The elevator chimes and the silver doors slide open. I step into my father's office and he looks up from his work, a tired smile on his slightly wrinkled face.

My father isn't that old but he surely acts like he is in his sixties. His wrinkles are from all of the late nights he spends at work. This man works as if he is going broke, but he's far from it.

Pumpkin, how's my little cinnamon bun? He asks, his smile widening as he speaks.

These cringe, yet cute, nicknames he has for me is something he never misses to say whenever I come to see him. When he adopted me, he started to call me his little cinnamon bun, mostly because of my dark complexion.

I smile at my old man as I drag one of the chairs from the other side of the desk to his side. I've always liked sitting behind his desk with him, it makes feel in charge and in power.

He stands up and I throw my arms around his body. We don't usually do the whole daughter-father hug thing but I haven't seen him in forever so today is an exception.Hey dad, I'm good, I whisper into his chest.

We let go of each other and sit down in our chairs. I look around his messy desk, a bunch of papers and pens scattered everywhere. Have you been working for long hours, again? I ask with an arched brow, slightly disappointed in him.

He slowly shakes his head but from the multiple coffee mugs on the desk I know he's been here the whole night, maybe even longer. You're a bad liar, I state and he chuckles while shaking his head.

Sorry pumpkin, but you know I love my work and I just want everything to go smoothly, he gives me the same reason he gives me whenever I question his unnecessarily long work hours.

My father has good employees and they are good at their jobs, but he still insists on working like this company is dying.

I know but you should get some rest, I don't like seeing you like this, I say sternly and he slowly nods, his eyes on one of the papers in front of us.

He didn't even hear a thing I just said to him. Even though he isn't my birth father, I can still say I know where I got my stubbornness and ignorance from.

Anyway, he snaps out of his trance and looks at me with a smile. Anyway, I want to ask you something very important.

If you want me to move back in th–

Not even pumpkin. Your mother treats you like you aren't my daughter so I'm not going to put you through that, again, he explains as his eyes lower to the papers on his desk.

Then what's wrong?

I want you to meet someone, he says with a slight grin and I roll my eyes. I promise he's nice, he quickly says as he notices my change in moods.

He picks his phone up and presses some of the buttons. Please tell him to come in, he says into the phone before placing it back in place.

The door to his office opens a few seconds later and I blankly stare at it as it opens.

A tall man – he's not really that tall – walks in with a smirk on his face. I can already feel his prideful demeanour and his annoying confidence tadiatiing off his body from where I'm sitting.

I don't like him, and his looks are not going to make up for his cocky energy.

His blue eyes dart to mine and the cocky smirk morphs into a smile – it's not such a bad smile though. Mister Manson, he says to my father in a respectful tone but he's eyes are still on me.

His dirty blonde hair is slicked back out of his face, a few stubborn strands sticking out at the top of his head.

I bet this guy is in his late twenties or even early thirties. I don't like my father pairing me up with someone older, they might expect too much from me.

Just hear your father out about this guy.

I don't know...

Wait and see.

Cameron, my father says as he gets up from his chair. He leans forward over the large, wooden desk and holds his hand out to this Cameron character.

The man smiles widely as he firmly shakes my father's hand. Meet my daughter. My father indicates to me with the widest smile on his face and I stay seated, not really interested in this man.

Zarall, you look more beautiful in person, Cameron compliments and I pout. I'm not impressed by his small attempt to get a blushing smile out of me.

And you, have nice eyes, I slowly mumble so the words come out hoarse and mangled. I'm not trying to impress him so the faster he loses interest, the better.

Cameron here, my father chimes while pointing to the man in front of me. I narrow my eye at him and he keeps the cocky smile on his face. He wants to take you out for lunch, my father says with a smile and I internally roll my eyes.

I sigh as I get up from my chair. I slowly walk around the desk with a fake smile plastered across my face. Nice to meet you, Cameron, I say while holding my hand out to him. He shakes my hand, firmly.

Who doesn't like a guy with a good handshake though?

Shut up.

Girl you've been single for–

Shush.

Whatever man.

I'll bring her back a bit later, Mister Manson, he chuckles while looking over my shoulder to my father.

Sure thing, my father replies in a giddy tone.

Cameron does not let go of my hand as he pulls me towards the door. Let's use the elevator, I suggest but I don't give the chance to reply as I drag him over to my father's elevator.

I place my hand on the palm scanner and it glows green a few seconds later. The silver doors slide to the sides and we step inside. I wiggle my hand out of his hold and wave goodbye at my father.

Have fun pumpkin! He grins as he waves goodbye to me and the elevator doors close on him.

2

II

Zarall Manson

Cameron and I walk past the receptionist lady and she scowls at me. I shoot her a glare before focusing on where I'm walking. We walk out of the building and I wave goodbye to the security guards who just nod in response.

The sun is shining brightly and it feels good against my dark skin, I can't say the same for my hair though. My head feels so itchy because of the intense sun burning into scalp.

This afro is still beautiful baby.

Definitely.

Smart girl.

Where you want to go do lunch, sweetheart? Cameron asks in a slight foreign accent but I don't know where it's from exactly.

I thought you already thought of that, I spit with shrug. I look over at him with a bored look, unimpressed by everything about him.

He slowly shakes his head and smiles at me. Your father said you are a picky eater so I didn't want to choose the wrong place, he explains with a weird look on his face.

Is he judging me for being picky?

He better not be.

I'm starting to dislike him even more.

We can eat anywhere, I say nonchalantly with another shrug and he sighs before nodding.

We cross the street with me mostly following behind him because I don't know where he is leading me to. I follow him to a clean, dark grey Jaguar F-Type Coupe and I pout, a bit impressed by his choice of vehicle.

In an attempt to be a gentleman, he tries to open my door for me but I quickly pull the handle and open the door myself.

I don't need a man opening m door for me like I'm incapable of doing something so simple. It's romantic and whatnot but only when it's in a romantic setting, this is just me going out for lunch with a total stranger.

He stares at me for a few seconds and I roll my eyes. He's probably thinking why I did that or he is thinking of something to say about it.

I sigh and roll my eyes once more before getting into his car. He goes to speak but I close the door before he can say whatever is on his mind.

It takes him a few more seconds to process what just happened but he eventually gets over it and walks around the car.

He gets into the car and immediately starts the engine, driving onto the main road. I uncomfortably sit in my seat, my head turned to the side to look at the bypassing cars.

So where did you go to high school? Cameron asks and I don't even bother to turn back to face him.

Charleston South Prep, I say, my eyes glued to the slightly blurred street. The yellow lines look like they are having a race with the car and they are winning.

Childish.

I used to go to Maverick High, he says with a chuckle and I only nod. Silence falls upon us for a few seconds and I don't really mind if our lunch was this quiet too.

How old are you?

I thought my father would've mentioned that, I spit while turning to face him. He shakes his head and I roll my eyes. How old are you? I ask instead of answering his question.

He doesn't need to know my age just yet so I'm going to keep that to myself for a while longer.

I'm twenty four, turning twenty five soon, he chimes with a wide smile and I only nod, my blank expression clashing with his cheerful one.

***

The car stops outside Patterson's and I smile a little. I like the food here so there's a brownie point for Cameron.

We get out of the car at the same time and make our way inside. Zarall! The girl by the door shouts when she sees me. I smile and wave as we approach her. How have you been? She asks in a peppy tone.

Been good, and yourself?

I've been doing well, let me get your usual table for you, she says while turning on her heels. I quietly follow her as she leads us to my favourite table in this entire place.

Whenever I come here and someone else is sitting where I usually sit then I just wait till that person is done with their meal then go sit at my table.

She stops in front of the table and I smile as I sit down. Cameron sits across me with his eyes lowered to the waitress's ass. She hands two menus to us and tells us she will be back in five minutes to take our orders.

I nod and she quickly scurries off to wherever, leaving me with a man I have no interest in. I'm only here to make my