Page 2 of Hell and High Water

But it’s a losing battle. One with a very finite time frame.

Like the other missing members, I have failed to train or choose my replacement. It would have been you, should have been, if not for the threat on your lives.

So, I keep Sanctum a secret from the world, as much as I can. I am afraid the world will find us soon. Certain ambitious parties seem hell-bent on disrupting that peace.

The bylaws of the Sinful are falling apart after all this time, and under my watch, no less. I may very well be the last of my name on this clandestine council.

Our blood has remained a staple of Sinful leadership for almost three hundred years. Others have passed the torch along, outside their bloodlines, but always to people dedicated to the city and the cause.

Well, it’s late, and I am exhausted. I’ll write again tomorrow.

I wish to the stars that you are safe, healthy. I hope your mother is as well. I hope she’s done right by you.

It would be my dying wish to see you once more, to know you now as an adult and talk with you.

But I am a coward in so many ways. I went to war, fought for my country. I faced down some of the most terrifying men in the world with my best friends…

The thought of picking up the phone and calling you scares me so much more.

If you ever make it to Sanctum Harbor, back to your roots, I dream that you'll find it a safe place. It is my heart, just as you are.

More than all of that, I would bless you with a life lived to the fullest, out there, somewhere far away, making your dreams a reality. You are the product of two stubborn, bold individuals. Your mother gave up everything for you, and for me. I honestly hope that you never know the extent of it, of the danger our family and our blood pose to your life.

Always be open minded, Hellena. Acceptance, cohabitation.

This is what we aspire to as the Sinful. The organization was founded on these ideals. Keep that mentality alive, to help others, to make them feel safe and welcome, regardless of their lifestyle and background.

Community and family are everything, Hellena.

Someday, you'll understand when you have one of your own, when you have people you love more than life itself, whom you would do anything to protect.

I love you with every fiber of my being.

Yours always and forever,

Damon Alden Michaels

1

HELLENA

“Hellena.” Smooth, deep, and sensual. That voice is velvet, black, and scalding hot.

“Hella.” Cool, a hint of a laugh.

“Lena.” Rumbling like an avalanche, toe-curling and filled with intent.

“HELL!” All three shout, calling out to me.

My name echoes through my head, on the lips of those I love the most, in whispers, shouts, desperate cries. They’re calling to me to hang on, to come back. Then they fade again.

Back to the dark, cozy void I’m floating through.

“Heya, Hella…” Those emerald eyes, that honey hair brushing my fingertips, our lips brushing softly against one another's. I giggle at the tone of his voice. It's always playful, hinting at a joke that just the two of us share.

Tell always makes me laugh.

He makes my body come alive with electricity, his magnetism. My skin buzzes to his touch. My mind tingles to talk with him, as he listens to me. He’s the best listener. I can tell him anything, anytime, and it’s like I’m sharing the most precious secret.

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