CH.20 The day our destinies collided
A loud knock sounded through the thunder. Dahlia left her daughter, who was drawing in the living room, and went to open the door to the madman traveling in the storm. Her heart was filled with hope that her husband had finally returned from his travels after months.
She opened the door but found no one behind it. Only heavy rain drumming on the ground. A bright flash of lightning cut through the darkness of the night, followed by a loud rumble of thunder that shook her entire body.
"Have you forgotten that I don't walk through the door, Dahlia?" a voice she hoped she would never hear again came from behind her.
She almost jumped in fright. She turned to him, trembling with terror, her heart beating wildly as if it wanted to burst out of her chest and run away.
She pinched herself, hoping it was just a bad dream, but it wasn't. He was standing there, right in front of her, his golden eyes fixed on her.
Those unforgettable golden eyes that haunted her in her nightmares.
She dreaded this moment.
"What are you doing here, Luc?"
"Hope you didn't think you could hide from me forever?" he gave her a mischievous smile.
"Get out!" she pointed at the door.
How did he find her? She was careful, after all. What drew him to her again?
"That's not very kind of you, Dahlia. How long has it been, eight, nine years? I would have expected you to be more excited to see me again."
"You ruined my life," Dahlia said, venom on her tongue.
"Wasn't it fun?" he grinned.
"It wasn't." Dahlia almost screamed. "You made a monster out of me."
"Don't blame me for what you did. It was your idea to curse the king's daughter just because he didn't choose you. Don't blame me for the evil you spread throughout the world. It was always within you. I only helped it surface."
Another bolt of lightning lit up the house, its glow turning night into day for a split second.
"Mom! Mom!"
Little Iris ran to her mother, frightened by the storm. She held on tightly to her mother's skirt.
"It's okay, Iris. It's just a storm. Nothing will happen to you." Dahlia soothed her daughter.
She. That little girl with the starlight hair. He had never felt anything like that.
"Iris," Luc said her name like a prayer.
"Who is that gentleman?" little Iris asked her mother.
"No one. He's already leaving," she replied.
Luc knelt down before little Iris. Out of thin air, he conjured a rose in his hand, its white petals as innocent as she would never be, given her mother's sin. He was giving it to her.
"I'm Luc. Nice to meet you, Iris."
Dahlia pulled her daughter behind her. "Don't touch her!" she told the demon. She turned to her daughter. "Go play, sweetie. I'll be back in a moment."
Little Iris did as her mother said. She left, leaving her alone with the mysterious stranger. She felt his golden gaze on her until she disappeared behind the corner, and even after, as if his eyes had left a mark on her.
"So much power." He inhaled the scent of magic hanging in the air. He had never felt so much power in one fragile soul. "Your daughter has a great future ahead of her."
"You're not even going near her."
"You want to waste her talent like yours? To make dresses for poor women who want to feel beautiful?"
"You won't make her a puppet in your twisted games."
"Who said I want her to be my puppet? She will become my queen. She will walk by my side for eternity."
"Never!"
Dahlia couldn't contain her anger. She hated the idea of her daughter being trapped with that monster forever. Her power pinned the demon to the wall. He liked that he could still summon that hurricane within her.
"She is innocent. You will not defile her pure soul."
"How can she be innocent when she carries your sins? You are the one who has tarnished her innocence."
"The agreement forbids you. You can't mess with her. You can't appropriate her."
"I don't care about the deal. Your daughter will be mine one day."
"Never! I won't let you even come near her."
"And how are you going to stop me? It will be her own choice. She will be given a choice, and she will choose. Everyone always chooses power in the end."
"Even if it costs me my life, I will protect her from you. You will not touch my daughter!"
"You're already running out of time. That ritual is draining the life out of you, and the older she gets, the weaker you'll become, Dahlia."
"I will stop you as long as I breathe. I will not let you ruin her," she swore.
Luc laughed sinisterly. His golden eyes sparkled. "When the time comes, I will come for her. She will be mine."
Lightning struck a tree near the house, splitting its trunk in two.
Splinters flew through the air. Thunder shook the ground.
Iris screamed in fear. Dahlia turned her gaze to her young daughter, who was running toward her with tears in her eyes.
The demon disappeared with another flash and a rumble of thunder.
Dahlia hugged her daughter tightly. She held her protectively in her arms, with a promise that the demon would come for her one day.
"It's okay, Iris. Everything will be okay," she soothed her. "I'll protect you. I won't let anyone hurt you."