11. Chapter Eleven
Chapter eleven
Rough fingertips trace down my temple to my jaw causing me to wake from the oblivion I drifted off into.
My eyes flutter open to three pairs of onyx eyes looking down at me with adoring expressions.
There’s a hint of pain in them as I stare back as if this is the last moment together.
They’re soaking in every second we have and it almost makes them appear vulnerable.
It’s honestly beautiful to see as they shield themselves with rage, dominance, and power.
“Hi,” I whisper to them, breaking the silence between us.
A soft, slight smile forms on each face before it slowly fades as their eyes drift toward the sky. Following their gaze, the sun starts to rise causing the yellows, oranges, and pinks to peek from the horizon. The wave of recognition settles as Hollow’s Eve is officially over.
I should feel relieved that I didn’t suffer the curse of my ancestors.
I fought like hell to stay alive but I was also saved by the very things that I should be terrified of, three erotic, feral, sexy demons.
I learned about my past, learned why my mother gave herself up and the deal she struck with the forbidden.
I saw death staring right in front of my face as it tried to destroy my very soul.
Then my body healed and was worshiped by three demons who claimed me as theirs.
Deep inside, though, I’m distraught. Is this the end before it really began?
I realize at this moment, I’m in love with these creatures.
So forbidden, so unnatural, but it feels real and raw.
How can one go from fearing for my life, running and hiding from them, to being completely obsessed with their touch and scent?
I sound desperate, pathetic even, but I was tethered to them since I was a baby.
I knew even when I was running from them, there was a pull so deep that I couldn’t resist. But love?
I shouldn’t but I do, and if I’m being honest with myself, I don’t want to leave their sides.
“Don’t look so sad, baby. We’ll see each other again. Every Hallow’s Eve, you’ll follow the mist and come to us.” Bryden wipes a tear from my cheek.
“But…what if I don’t want to leave? I can stay here and we can live in the cottage?” I protest and the tears roll down my face.
They help me up from the ground, naked bodies to the suddenly cold air.
Goosebumps cascade around my body and I shudder involuntarily.
Bryden walks over to the pile of clothes and grabs a shirt before he comes back over to me.
He lifts the fabric and pulls it on me, covering my shivering body.
It does little to shield the cold but a signal that it’s my time to go.
I go to protest that I have my own clothes to wear, but when I look to the side, the fabric is shredded across the ground, nothing left to salvage. His scent invades my senses of cedar and smoke, slightly different from his brothers. I inhale savoring it to calm my building nerves.
“These woods are dangerous. Even with the Hellbound desecrated, there are other beings that creep in the shadows. The devil has more soldiers and with a snap of his fingers, they’ll come out of hiding to complete whatever demand he seeks.
This is no way to live, constantly fearing what’s going to come for you,” Kallen advises as he pulls up his pants over his muscular tattooed legs.
“We won’t risk anything ever happening to you again with our selfish need to keep you.
You’re ours and we’ll destroy anyone who thinks they can claim you, don’t ever doubt that.
We’ll see each other again, even if it’s only one night a year.
The curse may be lifted of your soul being consumed, but a new curse must take its place.
Come, Little Witch. It’s time to go home.
” Cayson extends his hand out to me to lead me back to the edge of the woods.
Hand in hand, Cayson to my left, Bryden to my right, and Kallen behind with his hand at the small of my back, we walk towards our goodbye.
The sun rises higher, casting a glow over the thick trees.
The mist completely vanishes and a light guides the path toward the edge of the dark forest. They stop right at the edge where they can’t cross over and squeeze my hand.
They each place a soft kiss on my lips and step away from me, disappearing like they never existed.
The treeline grows more distant as each step brings me closer to my aunt's house.
My hair is wild, stained with blood and grime.
My body has bruises from the tight grip, reminding me of the final hours with my demons.
I never want them to fade but they will.
Dirt cakes under my nails and litters my skin.
I probably smell like sex and death. A hot bath is a must as soon as I walk through those doors.
Rounding from the back of the house, the smell of lavender engulfs my senses, reminding me that I’ve arrived back to my sacred home.
My feet feel heavy with each step I take, but I force myself to keep moving.
I’m in a complete daze until a gasp breaks the spell.
The sound of a wooden rocking chair bangs into the side of the house and hurried footsteps rush down the steps towards me.
“Goddess answered my prayers. You’re alive. How’s that possible?” My aunt cries as she pulls me into her embrace and squeezes me like her life depends on it.
I hug her back for a few moments, letting her anxiety calm down from my return. I can only imagine how worried she was. Closing my eyes, I let her energy sink into my own before I pull away from her.
“I’m sorry I worried you. I’ll explain more but right now, I need some time alone and a bath.” I give her a small smile before I walk past her into our home.
I can feel her worry, and I hate that the stress weighs heavy on her shoulders, but I just need a moment to digest everything that happened.
Hand on the staircase railing, I drag my feet up the steps and enter my room that doesn’t feel like mine any longer.
Stepping into my bathroom, I lean down and turn on the knob to my bathtub.
As the water fills, I pour in oils to help relax my body and pull the shirt over my body.
I place it neatly on my counter, a trophy I’ll forever cherish.
Stepping into the tub, I sink into the steaming water, instantly feeling the tension release.
Closing my eyes I tilt my head back to rest on the edge as the oils seep into my skin.
The feeling of loneliness creeps in knowing that I have one year before I can see my demons for a single night.
I wish I could have more time. It's not fair that fate plays with my life. Gives me something so beautiful, something to protect me, but restricts my time. I’ll never be with anyone else, never have children or move from this town.
I’ll die here of old age before I ever leave my demons.
After soaking in the tub for what feels like hours, I finally wash my hair and body clean and get dressed in the most comfortable clothes I can find. I owe my aunt an explanation and I can’t hide in my room forever. She doesn't deserve to be shut out.
Opening my door, the smell of lavender cookies fills the house and as I descend the stairs, music plays from the kitchen. I smile to myself, knowing Aunt June knows what I need, even if it’s a distraction for a short period of time.
Stepping into the kitchen, Burning Down by Alex Warren, blasts through the speakers and my aunt walks over to me handing me a wooden spoon.
I take it from her, giggling, and we instantly go into full concert mode, singing at the top of our lungs.
All thoughts are forgotten; I can give her this. I need this just as much.
Our hips sway and somehow I end up standing on top of the counter, singing my heart out as loud as I can.
This is us. Through fucked-up shit, we take a moment, or about twenty different songs, and let our souls be free.
When our throats go raw, we finally give up.
I sit at the kitchen table looking out the window, staring back at the Dark Forest. Sadness washes over me once again.
Walking back over to me, Aunt June sets a steaming cup in front of me and takes a seat across from me.
We sit there in silence for a few minutes until I finally tell her everything that happened.
I tell her how the curse started, the deal mother made to keep me safe, the Hellbound and the brief vision I had with an ancestor.
I tell her all about the three demons, Cayson, Kallen, and Bryden and how they scared the shit out of me at first but protected me and saved me from the Hellbound.
Leaving out the hot sex we had, I tell her about the way I felt about them and the way I felt insane for loving three demons who are supposed to be creatures in a folklore story.
She listens to me ramble without interrupting me.
She doesn’t judge me for the feelings I have.
She smiles warmly and the worry she has starts to disappear.
She knows that not only do we have protection in this house, but in the forest too, and that brings her peace.
Knowing that she doesn’t think I’m clinically insane and holds my hand in support makes me feel so much better.
She doesn’t say anything when I finally come to the end of my rambling.
She doesn’t need to. We hold hands across the table and gaze out to the trees.
Three black shadows at the edge of the forest catch my eye and I know Aunt June sees it too.
She nods as if they’re speaking to one another.
I look back and the shadows slowly disappear back into the air.
I know they’ll look after me. I can still feel them in my soul. The tug to them is still present and undeniable.
“You’ll see them again, Brooklyn. The goddess led them to you for a reason. Cherish every moment you get to spend with them, even for a night,” Aunt June finally speaks as she rises from the table and kisses my forehead.
Three-hundred and sixty-four days until Hallow’s Eve returns, and I’ll be ready to reunite with the creatures of the night.