4. Brielle
4
Brielle
M y eyes widen as I rush to hug my brother I haven’t seen in two and a half months.
“Oof—” The sound forces out of Zach’s mouth as I barrel into him and squeeze him in a hug. We have never been apart for this long but I’ve been so busy here I guess it helped keep my mind off missing him.
I was upset I didn’t see him the day we went back to get Andrea. He couldn’t take off from his new job at a hospital in New Orleans.
Turns out he would have actually needed to put in a time request for his kidnapping if he wanted to stay at the hospital in town. Of course, no one would have believed him if he said he was kidnapped by his demon girlfriend. Then, held captive by a demon mother who had killed our grandma and mother and was planning to do the same to his sister.
“What are you doing here?” I ask pulling back but still keeping my hands on his biceps.
“I can’t come to visit my sister?” His brows pinch as a smile spreads across his face. I know that isn’t the only reason he came. I tilt my head and squint my eyes. Before I can pester him for more information, Azra answers.
“I know how much you missed him so we arranged for him to attend your welcoming ball.” I turned to see piercing blue eyes over a mug. I can tell he’s smiling without seeing his perfect lips.
Looking back at Zach, I finally notice the small duffel bag at his side.
“I am so glad you made it!” Andrea rushes from behind me to hug Zach too. My excitement overflows as I see the two people I love the most in my new home.
My new home .
I’m still not used to saying that. I think part of me will always call Louisiana home but I don’t know when I would go back, if I ever go back. I don’t know if I will ever be able to look at those blood-stained woods in my house again.
“Consider yourself lucky, human. That’s a better welcome than that one had here.” Torin points to Andrea with a teasing smile. My eyes close as I take in a deep controlled breath. Not that it’s a big secret but I could have done without Zach knowing that.
“What is he talking about?” I can tell by Zach’s tone he is starting to freak out.
“Ash welcomed her with a good ole choking out.” He mentions that incident with humor like it wasn’t only two weeks ago and I’m not still livid about it. My molars squeeze together as the flashbacks of that day flood my mind.
“Excuse me, choked out!?” Zach rushes to Andrea with bulging eyes bouncing between her and me. Luckily the marks around her throat are almost completely faded. Zach would have had a conniption if he had seen those.
“Torin,” Azra warns. “Show our guests some respect.”
I shoot a deathly glare at Torin and he holds his hands up in surrender. I squint my eyes because he knows exactly what he was doing when mentioning this. Torin lives for the drama.
“It’s okay, Az. I’m fine.” Andrea rolls her eyes like she is tired of hearing the apologies while she rubs her throat. I apologize at least once a day, if not more. “He could have at least bought me dinner first.” Andrea amuses alongside Torin.
I’m glad she isn’t afraid but I don’t find the situation funny at all. Shockingly, Torin lets a small smirk slip at her joke. At least this brother isn’t a psycho around her.
Azra’s warmth envelopes me before he places a gentle kiss on top of my head, “I have to stop by the bakery before my duties today. I better get going.”
“I can go for you. Besides, I haven’t seen Willow all week.” I’ve grown quite close to her family in the two months I’ve been here. Her oldest, George, even calls me ‘Aunt B’ now, and it just warms my heart. “You can come too, Andrea.”
“Oh, actually me and Celeste were talking about going to shop for a gown for me. You know I love to shop and Zachie can come with!” I know she can barely contain her excitement over the very different style of clothes here in the Forsaken and now she gets to dress my brother. Part of me hopes I don’t witness those arguments today.
“Are you sure? I shouldn’t be long?—”
“Positive, I’m fine. Go.” She shoos me out of the kitchen. Zach shakes his head next to her, already stressing about what she will put him in.
“I’ll walk you out, my love.” Azra smiles with amusement in his voice. Andrea can adjust to just about anything in a heartbeat, one of the many things I love about her. But something about her fitting seamlessly into my new family causes a flicker of warmth in my broken heart. Azra, being the only thing holding those pieces together, feels it too when she’s near.
Azra walks with me to the village and then takes off into the sky for his daily check-ins at all the borders. Along with all the other things that a king of a realm does during the day.
The bustling streets of the Forsaken can always bring a smile to my face. Kids running and laughing in the distance combined with the low rumble of conversations being held by creatures I’m finally learning the difference in.
I knew when I returned here with Azra to stay awhile, I wanted to learn everything I could about his land and his people. There is at least one of any kind of creature you can think of here. Even a few vampires have sought refuge here from being turned against their will. Azra welcomed them, of course with rules. They are the only creatures that need to feed on anything with a pulse.
They must hunt animals right outside the veil that separates the Forsaken and the mortal realm. Azra mentioned the young witches here use transporting them as an exercise for their growing power.
One of my favorite things to do before sunset, Azra flies us around the acres and acres of small cottages and forests. This place is something out of a dream. The perfect weather all the time, no matter the season. The amazing sunsets and sunrises are almost too astonishing to even be real.
Cool wood brushes my palm and I realize I’m already at Willow’s bakery. I must have been daydreaming again, time has been getting away from me a lot more recently. I don’t tell Azra because I don’t want him to worry but I know he senses something’s different.
I’m different.
Like I am buried alive in my fears and want to claw my way out.
“Oh good, you’re here. I didn’t think I would ever finish these danishes.” Willow snaps me out of my thoughts as she comes from the small room in the back of the shop. Her cheek splattered with flour causes me to roll my lips to suppress my laughter.
“The twins?” I ask, taking in the small bags under her glowing green eyes. Even with exhaustion riddling her features, they are still of impeccable beauty. Not a single flaw.
Supernatural creatures, supernatural beauty.
“Is it that noticeable they were up all night?” Her perfect brown brows pinch as she appears defeated.
Approaching her, I place my hand on my friend’s shoulder with a sympathetic smile. The pad of my thumb rubs the linen fabric of her dress.
“You know I am always here to help,” Her usual bright smile is dimmer and small as she nods at my offer of help. She is probably tired of hearing it because I tell her every time I see her, which is almost every day since she had the twins almost a month ago. “Except right now.” I wince.
Willow’s bright smile finally makes an appearance as she crosses her arms against her chest and taps her foot.
“What do you need?” Her tone is sprinkled with amusement and a little sarcasm.
“Just coming to check on everything for the ball. Azra’s duties I have decided to take on for the day. My brother surprised me today.” I plaster on my biggest cheesiest smile. Willow giggles before walking past me into the small room where she keeps all of her baked goods that aren’t in the display case. She comes out with a pie still steaming.
“Zach is here! How exciting! I forgot your friend is here, too. Mama wolf brain I guess.” She shrugs and laughs. “No wonder you haven’t been sniffing around as often.” Willow hands me the pie in her hands, her nose scrunched with a smile as she pokes fun at how overbearing I’ve been with her.
My brother has told me for years how much of a mother hen I can be so it doesn’t bother me one bit. At least I know the people I care about are okay.
I can’t lose anyone else.
“Hey, I was just joking. We are okay,” Her small hand not holding the pie squeezes my shoulder. I must have let my thoughts take over my expression. Slightly shaking my head I smile again. “Here, take this for the evening. My treat.” She rests the almost too-hot pie in my hand.
“Thank you for all of this.” I smile, glancing down at the pie that’s making me salivate from the delicious smell. “Black cherry? You know me so well.” Willow tips her chin and purses her lips like I haven’t exclaimed to her a million times this is my favorite pie of hers. Giggling, I drop my stare, looking everywhere but her eyes to avoid her seeing how broken I truly am right now.
“You know you can talk to me.” Willow’s green eyes dim a bit as her brows pinch with worry.
“There’s nothing to talk about.” I offer her a tight smile as I try my best to reassure the lie I just told. I would never dump my problems on someone who already has so much going on.
“Okay, just know I’m here.” She offers me her own closed-lip smile, but hers is unsure. Unsure if she believes me but she doesn’t press any further. Willow’s hand drops from my shoulder as she takes a deep breath and looks around us. “Well you enjoy your day, I will be finishing the one hundred danishes needing to be made today.”
I laugh at her confused expression as she searches for the reason why she thought this was a good idea. “I can come back later!” I offer over my shoulder, walking toward the door.
“No, you have fun. I got this, I promise.” Willow shouts across the bakery as I turn and push the door open with my behind.
“I’ll be back!” I shout back with a smile. I don’t have to see her to know her eyes are rolling. Turning out of the door, a flash of brown startles me before it bumps the pie out of my hands.
“ Shit, ” I mumble to myself as I crouch down to grab the box that the baked good is in from the ground. Looking up, I see the back of a deep brown cloak with the hood up, still walking away from me. I can tell it’s a woman by the small silhouette even though the cloak swallows her.
Before I stand from picking up my now mangled pie, the woman turns her head slightly to the side. Just enough for me to catch the smallest glimpse of her milky white profile and a golden lock of long hair before she looks forward again.
An unease settles over me that I can’t explain. An unease like no other. Even worse than the feeling I get around demons.
No, this is felt in my core.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath as I stand. I shake my head to rid my body of this dread.
Get out of your head, Brielle. It’s nothing.
When my eyes slide open, they scan the roads for that same brown cloak but it’s nowhere to be found. My eyes dart back and forth and all around me, still nothing. My lungs squeeze as I think I’m seeing things again.
Before I realize it, my feet are quickly carrying me home before I break down in the streets of the village I frequent often.
Nightfall is approaching as we talk about the finishing touches for tomorrow’s event. Celeste did such a wonderful job choosing Zach and Andrea’s outfits for the ball. I faked many smiles but couldn’t stop looking over my shoulder after that strange encounter leaving the bakery.
Lilith is dead.
I repeated to myself over and over since. My paranoia has my chest tense. Andrea catches up to me in the kitchen as I sink into one of the dining chairs.
“I’m not going to lie, I am not used to all of this planning.” She pulls out the chair next to me and falls into it with a sigh. Her shoulder length curls are pulled back into a low bun at the base of her neck. Only Andrea can make biker shorts and an oversized t-shirt look so stylish with her jewelry and cute sneakers.
I glance down at my hand strumming the table with my fingertips. Aware of every breath I breathe in and release. Memories of the screams from my time in the Underworld make my ears ring. My jaw tightens as I squeeze my eyes together to force myself to think of anything else but the nightmares of Lilith.
A cold hand rests on my arm and I immediately feel the grip of a demon dragging me to a cell. I practically feel the knuckles slamming into my cheekbone and the bottom of a shoe kicking my head. My heart races painfully as I jump up and stumble back.
“Brielle, It’s me. It’s Andrea. Are you okay?” Andrea’s voice is muffled by the blood rushing into my ears as anxiety and fear take over my body. I try to blink the oncoming visions away. Different hands now grip my biceps and my heart almost instantly steadies.
I’m home. Lilith is dead. Azra is alive. I am safe.
I repeat over and over as my vision becomes clearer and tears stream down my face. A darker shade of blue eyes meets mine. Icy blonde hair drapes over Celeste’s shoulder as she tilts her head in worry.
“You’re okay.” She whispers, calming me with her soft voice. Her powers were ripped from her but the essence of her being calms a side of me that’s similar to hers.
Looking around, I am met with faces of worry from my best friend and brother. I suck in a sharp breath and straighten my spine. Quickly, I wipe the wet streaks down my face as I fight for my composure.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, letting out a shaky sigh. We are all silent for a moment. My family not knowing what to do, Celeste forces a small smile before turning away from me.
“Let’s have a wine night.” She suggests before turning to me with a sad smile and scurrying out of the room.
I silently thank her. She knows after the last two months I’ve been here, the last thing I ever want to do is talk about these episodes. Mainly because I’m not sure what these episodes are or where they are coming from.
Trauma, yes, but this is more. This is different, deeper than Lilith.
This is darker.