3. Chapter Three
Chapter three
My body moves on its own, eyes slowly peeling open trying to register what’s happening. Throwing my comforter to the side, my bare feet meet the cold wooden floor and I rise up from the bed and gravitate to my closet, pulling out a red cape.
Once I register what’s happening, I try to resist the pull.
NO. NO. My dream, it can’t be real. Is the summoning real?
Was I so naive that this was just a scary folklore story?
I scream but nothing comes out. My head is full of pleading and cries but no one can hear me.
I’m stuck in a trance that I can’t break.
Maybe Aunt June will hear me and stop whatever is going on.
I pull on my cape over my shoulders, hiding my white nightgown underneath.
The door to my room creaks open slowly on its own and my feet move without permission through the threshold.
My breathing picks up as I pad across the floor down the stairs.
My eyes dart towards her door, hoping, praying she will save me but not a sound can be heard from her.
The front door opens slowly and a gust of wind prickles my skin as I involuntarily move out of my safe, sacred home. The leaves crunch under my bare feet as I depart from the front of the cottage and turn toward the direction of the dark forest.
Mist oozes from the edges, stretching toward me to swallow me whole.
My legs move audibly towards the death that I feel in my bones that’s waiting for me.
It’s like my body has a mind of its own and my soul is levitated out of my body, watching in horror.
My body doesn’t react to my pleas, my high heart rate and racing mind.
Stepping into the treeline, the mist rises up, blocking any onlookers from seeing into the forbidden.
I feel a jolt, like I'm submerged back into myself and finally have control again. I turn to run back towards my home, but as I collide with the mist, I’m jolted back, hitting the ground hard.
My head collides with a rock, causing a cut above my temple.
Radiating pain cascades across my temple and a trickle of substance runs down my cheek.
My shaky hand travels to my temple and bright red blood covers the tip.
The sight is mesmerizing, almost addicting to watch.
Never in my life would I have found the sight of blood captivating.
In fact, I usually squirm as soon as it bubbles out of my skin when I accidently prick my finger.
A twig snaps, breaking the spell, causing me to be on high alert. I hustle back to my feet and turn my head in different directions trying to find the source. The sound of running passes by me on the right side and a howl pierces through the wind.
“Fuck!” The word rushes out as I search for a path out of here.
Grasping my pendant that’s still clasped around my neck, I whisper a protection spell to help shield me from this evil place. I can feel the negativity and horrors down to the bone.
“I seek protection and sound my inner alarm. May my body, spirit, and mind be safe from harm. My aura is a shield to help me stay strong. In the name of the goddess, I block the negativity and all that is wrong.” I chant this two more times as I hold onto my pendant, breathing my intentions into it.
“Brooklyn.” The voice reappears, causing me to whip my head up and widen my eyes.
“Who’s there?” I scream out like a total idiot. Why the hell would I respond when I should be getting the fuck out of here?
I find a path to my left and start running as rocks prick the bottom of my bare feet.
The adrenaline is in full force because the pain I should be feeling doesn't fester in my mind.
I trip over a branch but catch myself before hitting the ground and frantically look to see where this path will take me.
Wolves howl next to me as I catch a glimpse of white fur running the edges of the path. I’m going to be eaten alive. Maybe that’ll be better than having my soul sucked out of me.
“You can’t run from us, Little Witch.” The voice follows from behind me with a deep, sadistic laugh.
This has me going into hyperdrive as I push my sore limbs forward.
I halt when a little open field comes into view.
As I step into the circle, I feel the pull of protection inside.
The wolves that were chasing me stopped at the edge of the treeline with their heads dipped and their yellow eyes piercing mine.
One tries to step forward but it yelps and backs away.
I move, deeper into the inner circle and the back of my legs hit a stone like texture.
Turning around, I look down and find a single standing headstone, cracked with vines adorning it.
There are several other marked graves covered by weeds and dirt.
I crouch down, brushing the vines away from it to see who would be buried out here.
No one dares to step foot into the woods, witches or not.
Evelyn Blackwood, Salem Witch, the Chosen, is engraved in the worn stone.
I trace the name, not believing what I’m seeing.
No, this can’t be real. I shake my head, trembling with tears in my eyes.
Moving over to the other markers in the dirt, I frantically swipe away the weeds and dirt, and each of them have no names, but marked as Salem Witch.
“Isn’t it beautiful? Reminders of your ancestors and the great sacrifice they made.” A deep voice comes from behind me, causing me to jump to my feet and twirl around.
Black mist swirls in the shape of a devil-like demon. As the mist collides with the ground, three tall, mesmerizing men step out into view. Holy hell, they’re fucking gorgeous.
The one in the middle is in a black button up, with sleeves rolled to his elbows.
He wears black slacks and black shiny shoes.
Tattoos decorate his arms and neck and I assume his chest with a little that peeks out.
His thick brown hair is slicked back with precise measure.
His eyes are pitch black and he has a sinister smile spread across his face.
The two behind him appear to be twins, both wearing the same type of outfit but three buttons undone, showing off their muscular chest. Tattoos trail up their arms, chests, up their necks and side of their faces.
The side of their heads are shaved with the top slicked back.
Their eyes are the same color as the middle creature with black veins trailed below their water line.
I always thought demons would be hideous creatures but apparently they can form into your deepest desires.
I should be screaming right now; I should be running but they’re the most gorgeous things I’ve ever seen.
Is this how my grandmother and ancestors were taken?
They form into their desires, luring them in before their souls are ripped from them?
“Please, let me go home. I don’t have a twin. I…I don’t want to die,” I beg as my voice quivers.
They slowly stalk towards me as I take a few steps back, looking around to make a run for it.
I trip on a root that bulges out of the dirt and tumble backwards.
Wincing, I try to push myself backwards and crawl but my foot is grabbed by a strong grip and I’m dragged forward.
I scream and kick, trying to get away but the hold only tightens.
“We have a fighter, brothers. Doesn’t she know, she belongs to us?” one of the twins hisses as he yanks me so that I’m flush against him.
My heart rate picks up and I slam my fist against his chest but it only makes him chuckle.
“Keep hitting me like that, Little Witch, you’re going to make me hard,” he taunts me.
Oh, fuck. Did he just say…he’ll get hard? The way my legs squeeze together and body quiver against his is so strange. I shouldn’t be turned on by a demon who’s about to kill me. What the fuck is wrong with me?
“Kallen, be good. We’re just getting started.” His twin stalks over to where we are and crouches down next to us.
He’s so close, I can feel his breath tickling my neck. His fingers swipe the loose strand of hair from my face and tilts his head as his eyes dart, analyzing my features.
“Cayson, she’s an absolute beauty. I can see why our brother wants to dive right into her.” He inhales my scent, rolling his eyes and tipping back his head.
This…this is not how I imagined getting captured.
My body betrays me as it moves into the two males hovering over me.
No, not males, demons. I should be ashamed.
This sudden lust I feel shouldn’t be happening to me right now.
The one named Cayson watches as his brothers invade my space and trail their fingers down my face and arms.
“Bryden, how should we play tonight? Take her right here, right now, or do we want to go hunting?” His onyx eyes flare, hoping he picks the latter.
Bryden tilts his head as its eyes narrow when he notices the cut on my temple. His tongue darts out and glides against my face, wiping away the blood that had trickled down. That’s…interesting.
“Run, Little Witch.”