Chapter 15 #2
Blood Witches encircle my mother, a different coven than the Death Witch I realize with relief, not forgetting Caria’s earlier words, that her coven is the deadliest of all.
I glance at my mother, who is surprisingly laughing and talking with these witches.
As I look further, I see the books she always brings along scattered, pages open, and some are being read.
I stare at the absurd scene that’s playing in front of me.
It’s clear she’s not being held captive.
Why is Mother involved with witches? Every day she leaves early in the morning, before dawn, sometimes she’s gone for days straight.
Is she here every day? What are they doing?
Is she having a tea party every day? None of this makes sense; I suppress the rising anger.
I’ve put Jodelle in danger, only to find out my mother mingles with Blood Witches for the old Gods know what.
I memorize the markings the Blood Witches wear on their skin.
Jodelle will hate me for it, but perhaps Caria can tell me more about this coven.
Even if Mother is not in danger, I cannot let this slide.
My interest is piqued, and I want to know what this coven's powers are and why my mother sought them out.
I slump against the wall, the markings vivid in my memory.
All I need to do is convince Jodelle that I need to speak to Caria about my mother and find the guts to look into those golden eyes.
For some reason, the idea of speaking to Caria is more intimidating than talking to Jodelle.
“I was worried I scared you off,” Caria says, smiling.
“You could never scare me away, even if you wanted to,” I say, intrigued.
To my surprise, Jodelle was understanding when I told her I wanted to speak to Caria about the Blood Witches we witnessed with my mother.
She figured I had to, as Caria was the only connection I had to retrieve some information about Blood Witches.
There was only one sneer and comment about Caria needing to save me once more. Progress, I guess.
Caria hesitates as we wander along a track outside the city walls, tall trees on either side. For me, she lifted the magical veil.
After a deep sigh, she starts to declare herself, “I was afraid I might have been too forward the last time I saw you. When I said… I’d want to thank you in…
private… It felt like you would have liked that too…
But then, you didn’t even want to look at or speak to me the last few days.
I am so sorry, Fynn, for misreading the situation.
I… felt you… And I thought… I don’t know what I thought; my mind was a little fogged, and…
I am just so sorry, Fynn; please forgive me. I hope you will still be my friend?”
I look at the beautiful witch in front of me, her red hair glowing in the sunlight, her gleaming golden eyes welling with tears. Without thinking, I take her face in my hands.
“You did not misread anything. I didn’t dare face you because I was dying of embarrassment, that you had to feel… that. You didn’t do anything wrong, so there’s nothing for me to forgive. If anything, please forgive me for not having control over my body. That was never supposed to happen.”
“I was definitely impressed,” she smirks.
We both start laughing. Fuck, I’ve missed her, the easy conversation, the banter. I want to press my lips on hers, but instead, I pull her in for a hug, and she wraps her arms around me, pressing herself against me.
“No need for shame this time,” she says softly.
I swallow at her words, at the implication; the images from a few days ago enter my head almost instantly, of her moaning. She thankfully lets go before my cock gets the chance to warm itself against her body.
“Come, let us find a quiet place where we can… talk.”
She takes my hand, and we walk further down the path.
She halts, looks around, and then tugs me into dense foliage, out of sight for anyone to see.
My heart is racing and fluttering, while my head is pounding; the anticipation is severing my heart and mind.
We walk through thick greenery until we enter an open field covered in yellow flowers.
It’s a beautiful sight, contrasting the barren lands I’ve grown accustomed to in the past. I’m still getting used to the green trees surrounding the city.
Never in my life have I seen such a large field filled with blooming flowers. The sight stuns me.
“How is this possible?” I stumble.
“Witchcraft,” she laughs.
She steps into the field, and I chase after her. When we are several meters in, she squats down and lets herself fall on her ass. She folds her legs beneath her, grinning contagiously, and I follow her example. I plop beside her, our shoulders almost touching.
“This is the place I go to when I need to clear my mind or when I need to think,” she confides.
I stare at her, noticing how she fits this mesmerizing scene perfectly.
Slowly, my eyes land on her full lips, which part slightly.
My eyes snap back to hers, and I repress the impulse to lunge at Caria, to press my mouth on hers.
She moves her head closer to mine, biting her lower lip.
I swallow loudly as I wet my lips. I hear her breathing increase, and I am no longer able to contain myself.
I grab her face and kiss her. A stinging surge through my head, but I ignore it as Caria opens her mouth, her tongue meeting mine.
As the pain intensifies, we explore each other’s mouths with slow, deliberate movements.
The kiss deepens, becoming more passionate while maintaining a tender, respectful rhythm.
I slide my hand to her neck, my fingers tangling into her hair and locking her face with mine.
No sound other than the soft notes of our shared breath is heard.
Without breaking our kiss, Caria climbs on top of me, straddling me, my other hand grabbing hold of her ass.
As she grinds against my bulging cock, our breathing grows heavier, the torment in my head now prominent.
I do my best to dismiss it as I fondle Caria’s breast, and she moans softly into my mouth.
As she reaches for my hardened bulge, the agony becomes so heavy that I almost faint, breaking the kiss.
I groan, frustrated, as I reach for my head.
Caria looks at me worried, her plump breasts pressing against the seam of her top, begging to be released.
I press my mouth back on her swollen lips as I yank down her top, eliciting a yelp from her.
I’m not willing to surrender to the increasing pain, not when she’s in reach.
My hands latch onto her nipples, rolling them between my fingers as I hungrily taste her. When she reaches again for my groin, the hurt strikes through me like thunder, and I collapse on the flower field, screaming.
“FYNN!” Caria cries.
She removes herself from me, and I roll over into the fetal position, hugging myself as the pain surges through me, wave after wave, punishing me for giving in to my desires.
Retribution for my actions. She places her warm hand on my back, softly caressing me and whispering soothing words.
After a few minutes, the pain subsides, and I can sit back up.
“What happened?” she asks softly.
“I… I don’t know… Every time I think about you… in a way other than friendly… I get these flares of pain, first in my head and, after ignoring them, eventually throughout my entire body. Fuck.”
“Fynn, I am so sorry, I didn’t know! I never would have touched you if I did. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt because of me.”
“No, Caria, please, no, don’t say that. I want this just as badly as you.”
The sting returns when the words leave my mouth, but it’s bearable. I pull her back onto my lap, and she folds her arms around my neck. Softly, her fingers trace my skin. I look at her lips, swollen from our kiss, a warmth stirring in my heart.
“You’re incredible, you know that?” I say as I tuck a piece of hair behind her ear.
“So are you,” she whispers as she leans her head against mine.
She gives me a quick peck, and I kiss her back, our tongues entwining. Her fingers disappear in my hair, tugging it softly. Caria interrupts our kissing.
“I don’t want you to hurt because of me,” she sighs.
“I’m not,” I lie.
“You said you wanted to talk to me confidentially, to ask me something about Blood Witches,” she says, changing the subject.
Caria still sits in my lap, her arms draped around my neck.
A beautiful witch is in my presence, and something refuses to let me physically connect with her.
A question arises: maybe I met Caria first because it was meant to be that way, rather than meeting Jodelle first?
What if it’s Caria I am destined to be with and not Jodelle?
I grit my teeth, anticipating the pain that follows these thoughts.
I gently rub her thighs, and she sighs in contentment.
I tell her about yesterday and what I witnessed.
“The other day, I was searching for my mother and found her downtown, all the way on the east side of the city.”
“What was she doing all the way over there?” Caria asks, her brows furrowed.
“Witches surrounded her, and before you ask, yes, I am certain they were witches; they had markings like yours on their skin, only different ones. I was wondering if you could tell me more… If you are okay with that…”
I look at her hopefully.
“I mean, if I can, of course. Whatever I can do, Fynn. Let's start with the most important part, the markings; what did they look like?”
“Flowers, obviously, ehm… they were pretty large, kind of like trumpet-shaped, the leaves were broad and oval. Damnit, I should have brought something to draw on.”
“No need to. I already know which coven they belong to. We are taught to distinguish the markings when we are young. It helps us understand who’s who, and knowing your potential opponent's powers comes in handy. I just don’t know why they would mingle with your mother.”
I look at her expectantly, needing her to tell me more about this unfamiliar world I live in—a world Mother kept hidden from me. Caria is the only one who can provide me with more information, the only source of information I have at my disposal. Ironically.
“Hmm? Oh, right. I'm sorry. They are of the Waning Gibbous coven and extremely manipulative. They are cunning witches, able to make you do their bidding if they want to. Most covens would rather avoid them. What were they doing, Fynn? Your mother and the witches?”
“Honestly, they were laughing and talking. My mother brought along her books—the ones I had mentioned—and some of them were reading them, while others were drinking and eating; it looked like they were best friends. It was odd, to say the least. Mother was not being harmed. Or do you think she’s under some sort of spell that forces her to pretend everything is alright so those witches can look into her books?
Fuck. I wish I knew what was in those damn books.
I hope my mother is alright. Do you think those hags hurt her somehow? ”
Caria raises an eyebrow at that.
“If you’d like, I can try to figure out what they are doing.
Whether they’ve hexed your mother, and perhaps I can figure out what’s going on with those books.
But given that she’s laughing and drinking with them, I don’t expect her to be in any sort of hurt, Fynn.
She wouldn’t have displayed natural behavior like laughing and talking with them if they had spelled her.
She would have been seated somewhere, and they would have taken what they needed from those books.
Do you understand what I’m saying? There’s no need for us witches to pretend, so either they made a bargain or are genuinely friendly, but given the nature of this coven, I’m betting on a bargain.
The question is what sort of information does your mother hold that is interesting enough for a witches' coven… I’m willing to find that out; I’m also curious and invested. ”
“A bargain sounds bad, but I don’t want you to put yourself in harm’s way for me, Caria. Is it safe for you to investigate another coven?”
“I’m from the strongest coven, Fynn; I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. Those witches will think twice before trying to spell me; I’m sure my shadows would have already gotten them in a chokehold before they could finish their first sentence,” she says, grinning.
“Besides, ever since the attack of the humans, I have made a name for myself among the Blood Witches and vampires. I’m kind of a big deal now, despite still being a youngling.
Trust me, they will not pick a fight with me if I question their intentions.
However, to be certain, I’ll ask Reiner if he can join me. ”
“You’re the best, Caria. I could never repay you for what you've done for me. I owe you,” I say, then kiss her as pain surges through my head, almost flooring me again.
“Hah, you sure owe me one after this favor, Fynn, and I’ll make sure to remind you of that,” she says with a grin.
I’m not happy she will have Reiner tag along with her, but I want her to stay safe, and if he is her best option, I’ll keep my mouth shut.
DIARY ENTRIES:
It may seem to you that you've won, but you haven’t. We did. Not in the way we wanted, but we did it our way, rather than yours. Keir said his goodbyes to the twins. He told them he loved them so much, although I can tell their tiny brains can’t fathom what happened.
He and I left them behind for a short while.
We went to the lake amid the forest. We spoke and spoke; we tried to make love, but he was already so weak.
We decided that this was our choice, not yours.
We got into the lake, and I cut his wrists vertically.
There, I held him, whispered how much I loved him, and I made him a promise.
I will find that loophole. The man that I love, you took him from me, but I will keep that damn promise I made.
I cried the rest of the evening as I held my twins, who didn’t understand why Mommy was so sad.
I hate you, and I will never forgive you for doing this to me. Never.