Caged Heart

Caged Heart King Ellie Contents TRIGGER WARNING: Prologue 1. Carmen 2. Ares 3. Ares 4. Carmen 5. Ares 6. Carmen 7. Ares 8. Carmen 9. Ares 10. Carmen 11. Ares 12. Carmen 13. Ares 14. Carmen 15. Carmen 16. Ares 17. Ares 18. Carmen 19. Ares 20. Carmen 21. Carmen 22. Ares 23. Carmen 24. Carmen 25. Ares 26. Carmen 27. Carmen 28. Mars 29. Ares 30. Ares 31. Carmen 32. Ares 33. Carmen 34. Ares 35. Mars 36. Carmen 37. Ares 38. Carmen 39. Ares 40. Carmen 41. Ares 42. Ares 43. Carmen 44. Carmen Epilogue About the Author TRIGGER WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS MENTIONS OF SUICIDE, RAPE, VIOLENCE, AND ABUSE. PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS IF IT CAN TRIGGER YOU. ALSO, THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. Prologue The Society “Wolfgang!” Someone shouted our last name, and even though this wasn’t the scariest thing I’ve ever had to experience, I knew it wouldn’t end well. My brother and I stood there watching as no one removed their masks. We had to wear them because there was no other way to be part of this society but to be this way. We knew what we all looked like outside of this. Every prestigious family member that resided in New Dominion had to partake in this ceremony. You were to learn the ways from when you turned 18, and not a day went by where you weren’t reminded. “Step forward and swear your oaths!” The elder yelled out. My brother and I moved closer, looking dapper in our all-black suits with a white phantom of the Opera cape and mask. We didn’t think anything of this ritual. This tradition because it was what we were always intended to do. We repeated the words we were taught, and what we knew could never let us leave this society again. “We live, we serve. We die, we rise. For the Wick. For the other. For the next and because of before.” “We accept.” The elder said as he moved closer to the Center of the room. “For the brotherhood.” The elder reached out and sliced his palm. The crimson liquid dripped into a bowl. “For the brotherhood.” Both my brother and I placed a sharp knife in the middle of our palms, mimicking the elder as we closed our fists around the object. We sliced, and the pain reverberated through my soul, but I said nothing. I showed nothing. It would be funny if we were vampires, but we aren’t. We are humans. It was said that the Wolfgangs descended from something powerful. Someone beyond recognition of who they are. We may not be gods to the world but in our world. In the Wick… We are gods. Chapter 1 Carmen “Carmen!” Monica, one of my close friends, called my full name instead of my nickname, meaning she had been trying to get my attention. “Yeah?” Giving her my attention, I run a finger through my wavy curls. If only they were tighter like my father’s, but they’re just as looser similar to my mother’s instead. Speaking of mothers, the anger and pain returned when I thought about how she gambled away my deposit and first month’s rent for my new place. I want to cry, but what would that have done for me? “Did you hear what we said?” “No, sorry, what did you say?” Monica looks at me and playfully shakes her head at me. She knows that I’ve just been having a hard time lately, and out of everyone in the group, she knows more than the rest, but when it came to what my mother did, our other friends had to know. They didn’t have to know, but Monica made a mistake texting the group chat instead of me. I’m not mad at her because we are all a great set of friends. Some of us met through high school, and the rest of us now in College; Monica, Lily, Damon, and I have been through thick and thin, but then Damon joined the hockey team in college. Once that happened, Ares Wolfgang, the thorn in my side, joined the group of friends after he was brought into the fold by his twin, Mars Wolfgang, the one who could be the love of my life if he realized that I’d crushed on him from the second he walked into the goddamn bar we were all meeting at. The same fucking bar we went to last night as a group. The same bar I had shot after shot with Lily and Damon. The same fucking bar that I laughed so hard with everyone forgetting my problems to the point of ending up in bed with the brother that makes me want to bitch slap him into next year every single time I see him. Waking up yesterday morning nursing a hangover and seeing that I was face down on a pillow while spread eagle alongside a very naked Ares Wolfgang made me walk the hell out without discussing what happened between us… after spreading my legs wide open for him one more time. Still, I will never say it out loud. “Earth to Carmi…” Lily called out to me as she giggled in Damon’s lap. These two were bound to hook up sooner or later, but it turns out it’s Ares and me. The two least people to even end up kissing each other. How the hell did this happen? “Yes?” “You can stay with Ares,” Lily repeated what she must’ve said. “What? What are you talking about?” The words came out faster than I could process what she was saying. “I would let you room with me, but Monica and I’s landlord is giving us fucking grief because of when my sister stayed with us for a bit. He threatened to make us pay for three people instead of 2. Damon and Mars can’t either because of whatever fucking reason.” “You’re going to cramp our style.” Damon offers.