by K. H. Kate
"And, that's you?" Funny how all the people in my life just wanted to help me, fix me but none just wanted to hear me.
"Yes. I don't think you understand the power you have yet. Your mother, Keisha used to practice dark arts, meaning she had a handful of dark objects that I think you'll benefit from. You're not a witch, right?"
"No, I am not." I gritted out.
"You need it more than you think. Just see the collection. If you want to leave then, I won't stop you. The best part? It's close to the cemetery." Without waiting for my confirmation, she started waving through the dead, a lightness in her steps that I almost envied.
After following her around for a few minutes, we came to an area surrounded by trees. But it's not the scenery that made me curious, it's the small house in the middle of it did. The similarity between this house and the cabin back home wasn't lost on me.
"Come on."
I tiptoed inside, expecting something like a haunted house. But to my surprise, it was well maintained. The walls were made of wood but the ceiling was all glass. The deeper we went, the more my heart started beating faster. Why did I feel like I came here before?
"You ok?" I heard Chiara murmur.
"Yeah, fine. Just taken aback."
Holy shit. That woman had lots and lots of objects. There were three shelves filled with just books, not to mention the walls were also decorated with various objects. I went to touch one when Chiara recalled. "That takes away magic. If you were a witch, I'd advise against it but you can take it."
I did, along with three more objects that I felt were useful.
Yet I couldn't comprehend something else. "From what I heard from others, practicing dark magic is punishment itself. Why do you want me to own these so bad?"
"You don't have a magic of your own. Wouldn't you want something that can protect you?"
"Projecting, are we?" I pushed, seeing a flash of anger in her eyes.
"It's not about me. It's about you, child. You've been battered-wait." She paused, looking at something behind me. Pushing me aside, she went to the first bookshelf, knocking the books off to find something. It didn't make sense why she sucked in a breath, looking around in frenzy but the way her entire form started shaking had me curious to know more.
"What happened?"
"A book is missing." She looked up at me in fear. "Someone was here. Someone broke in and took it."
"By the way you're panicking I get that it was something important?" I watched as she nodded, cursing whoever dared to do such a thing.
"It's the book of dammed actually, it’s full of black magic and secrets. There are things in it that can destroy an entire bloodline. Especially yours. We need to find it."
I wasn't yet that interested until she said the last words. "It can also bring back the dead."
***
"Dear diary,
Sandy is dead.
Those sisters are dead.
My Zach is dead.
Mikhail is lost.
And, I am still alive. Still breathing. But if Byron had his way? I'm soon going to meet them all."
***
"Blood, there's so much blood.
I can smell them on me.
On them.
Byron and his master won.
Even the tune of evil can't save me now."
I closed the diary, glancing out of the window with a permanent frown. It was no longer that I'd be in New Orleans. The scenery before me was almost enjoyable if it wasn't Zedkiel sitting beside me looking as smug as anyone could.
It should have been Aaron beside me.
Talking and playing trivia to get rid of his phobia of flying.
But I had a bird to catch and a whole lot of secrets to bury so he was still back home, left at Zedkiel's clan's mercy. They were either going to make him forget or get him to understand. Both options made me terrified of the result.
Fuck, I was going to lose my best friend either way.
"Reading some recent hit novella?" Zedkiel asked casually.
"You know it's not a novella," I gritted out much to his amusement.
"C'mon now! We've got past the trust issues. You can tell me all about the girl. I'm practically dying to meet her."
I decided to just avoid his knowing eyes. "There's no girl."
"But I thought there was one when we first met?" He grinned.
Thankfully it was time for landing so he stopped asking questions.
Instead of going straight to the French quarter, I called the NOPD, sending them the files I was organizing for a while. They knew I was coming so it didn't take long for them to get me to meet the chief.
"Hello, Detective."
"Hello, Chief. Did you get the files?" Anxiously I waited while Zedkiel just stared at me with curiosity. He thought he knew everything but there were things happening that he didn't have an inkling of.
"I did." Chief nodded, sharing the same look with me. "Do you have the original evidence?"
I nodded, bringing the diary to him. It was hard to let this go but I had to remember that it was only for a few days. Chief looked through it until he reached the last part. His eyes widened only for a minute but it was enough to soothe my anxiety.
I had solid proof.
Byron was going down with Valentine.
Sandy once said the devil comes at night.
She wasn't entirely wrong.
The place Chiara dragged me to had none other than filled with the worshippers of him. With a club named Wild Nights, everyone was depraved for something, even me. Dressed in a black halter dress that was probably my sister's, I couldn't wait to get this show on the road.
"Why are we here again?" I asked, twirling a lock of mine. Goth wasn't exactly my normal go-to look but with the extra piercings and heavy makeup, I was nailing it. Besides me, Chiara was also in a black dress but it was more modest and at the same time screamed for attention. I never understood how she managed to mix them both.
"They hold auctions every Sunday. Usually, for things that are illegal to process. Kiam thinks we'll get our book here."
I snorted. "He thinks?"
Her eyes brightened in amusement. "He knows. Before starting to work for me, he was a regular here. He's seen things, trust me."
I couldn't but it didn't hurt to pretend a little.
"Welcome everyone!" I heard a man in a suit holler. He looked dashingly handsome if it was even a thing. Unfortunately, that also meant he was from a species that I currently hated a little. Vampires.
"Today's auction is all about how you feel to get the thing you desire. We have lots of dark objects here today. Some of them are collected from walking through hell and heaven. Some of them are stolen-" He winked, getting screams of approval. "And some of them are for sacrifices meant for greatness. Let's start!"
The curtains were raised, revealing a beautiful artifact. It's not the book but I still wanted to admire it. The bidding also started and holy hell, they were all bathing in money by the way each zero was added without thinking.
"If you didn't notice before, I'm kinda broke." I let Chiara know. "How are we going to bid?"
"Let me worry about that." Fine by me.
I waited, watching people literally bleed their souls to get the objects they wanted. I never understood the need before but now I knew. Why those sisters would do anything to get a word from the devil. Why Sandy would take my blood to hide from the Volkios and their reaching.
Right at that moment, my phone rang.
I didn't pick up, didn't found any meaning to.
But when it kept ringing two more times, I finally took pity on it. "It's three am in the morning. Shouldn't you be busy cursing someone or something? Why are you annoying me?"
I heard a grunt of disappointment. "Hilarious. Seriously, where are you?"
"You know it," I whispered. He always knew where I was, didn't he? "I'm not coming back."
"Like hell you aren't. I don't have enough patience, Lana. Where the fuck are you?" My
whole body shivered at his tone. I blamed it on the excitement around me.
"Wild Nights." I cut the call before he could say anything else. Because I knew exactly what I would see if I turned. True to my thoughts, I found him lingering just barely a few feet away from me, his eyes glaring a hole in mine.
Chiara must have noticed where my attention was cause even she turned, raising an eyebrow at the new addition. "Who is that?"
"Problem." I deduced, walking to him before he could. As soon as I was near him, he took my wrist, breathing in my scent.
"Fuck, Lana! Do you have a death wish or something?"
"Must be." I agreed, letting him take me in for once. Sooner or later I had to pull away. Always. "What are you doing here?"
"You know why I am here." Mikhail's silver eyes seemed to cut through me in a glare. He's still pissed and rightfully so.
"Heard a few news lately. Lost the interest to live anymore." I let him know vaguely but to my surprise, he relaxed against me. "The game is over. It doesn't matter if Byron gets punished or not. I’m turning myself in."
"No way in hell I’ll let you do that. You hear me? You’re not going back to that place."
“Stop looking at me like that.” Why was he looking at me like that?
“I’ll look as I want.” His gaze was heated. “If I wasn’t pissed at you, I’d say you look hot enough to fuck here. Goth suits you, my psycho beloved.”
I wanted to slap him in the face at the same time make good on his words but then I heard the man call for a book and immediately my gaze went to Chiara. The book in his hand was coiled with snake-like markings and I couldn't stop the feeling that it was more important than Chiara let me know cause the bidding started in an urgency I had never seen before.
"Eight thousand." A bulky guy from the front seat row barked.
I heard Chiara call out. "Ten."
"Twenty." Someone added from the back. Fuck.
"Can I know why you are so interested in that thing?" Mikhail asked, fidgeting with his cuff-links. He was also in a back suit which was a new touch but his hair and eyes were making him stand out like a sore thumb.
I couldn't help but rasp. "Can I know why you are so interested in me?"
"Touché."
"Fifty hundred." Someone around me raised her hand. Quickly trying to think of something, I blurted out.
"Two Million."
Mikhail raised an eyebrow at me, almost grinning. "Damn."
The crowd went quiet but at the same time, I could detect a challenge in them. Now it wasn't the question of who got it, it was the question of who had more money. They needed to stroke their ego so they wouldn't hesitate to raise the amount. Not a second later, I heard another shout.
"Ten."
"Ninety." I heard a calm voice near me and my eyes widened. If it wasn't for him holding me I would have stumbled back with shock. The fuck was he thinking? Ninety Million? Did he even have that much to pay?
"Are you insane?" I smacked his shoulder, trying to see what his angle was.
"You want the book? You got it." He shrugged, watching if anyone dared to bid more. I could feel several eyes on us but no one raised their hands or said anything.
Sold.
"It's yours. Any rewards?" It wasn't an order, it wasn't even a question. I could pretend I didn't hear it but I stood on my toe, even with the heels I was lacking heights and kissed him. In front of Chiara. In front of the crowd.
In spite of the pain still in my heart.
It felt like even he knew that by way he kissed me softly. Like it's a goodbye. Closing my eyes, I let him kiss me like we mattered. Like we could have anything. And, like the adorable idiot he was, he didn't expect a word from me when we both broke apart. I watched with bug eyes as he walked slowly to the stage, talking to the man with a charming smile.
"Who is he?" Chiara asked with confusion and if my mouth wasn't wide open, I'd laugh at her face.
"Trouble. Definitely trouble."
***
ONE WEEK AGO
"You definitely just didn't call me trouble."
"Oh, shut it." I panted, trying to take as much breath as I could. When I thought of an escape plan, I thought it'd be more like Prison Break. But this was hell, absolutely hell.
We were both covered in blood and ash. Shit, it's a miracle that the receptionist at the motel didn't even ask a question.
"You think they'll come after us?" I wondered, thinking of just what we left there.
"I would expect nothing else. You ok?" I hated how even now he seemed to care more about me. More than...
No. I couldn't afford to think about HIM. Not now.
Playing with the strap of the gown, I looked away. "I need to clean up."
His stare felt unnerving when he nodded. "Yeah, we both do."
He moved first, opening the bathroom to check inside. After he declared it was ok to enter, I only hesitated for a second before I stormed inside. I think I even shocked him.
"I-I need to pee if you don't mind."
He nodded, hiding his body with the shower curtain. "Be my guest."
Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.
"You couldn't just-I don't know, leave?" I sounded angry but I was already trying to pee without making it any weirder. Today was a hella worse day, I didn't need to make it any worse.
"I can't stand the smell of blood anymore." I heard his voice and the sound of clothes falling on the floor. Fuck, don't think of it, don't think of it...
The shower was on.
The curse left my lips before I could stop. "Motherfucker."
"Don't bring my mother into this." I imagined him scrubbing the blood with a grin on his face. "It's gross."
Wiping myself, I looked at the silhouette again. We came out of that hell alive but my heart couldn't take it anymore. He's dead, without knowing what I wanted to say. Without knowing that maybe there was a part of me that never wanted to let go.
"You're too quiet, should I be afraid of my life?”
I didn't laugh.
I didn't counter his insult with another.
Instead, I made my way over to him, whispering things that didn't make sense. "Can I come in?"
The water was running yet I could hear his breath change. His spell was the only thing stopping us from ripping each other apart but maybe that's what I needed. Pain that brought pleasure, not more pain.
When it took five minutes for him to react, my hope of his kind of drug died and I turned to leave but the curtain was opened, the pitter-patter sound of the water being the only thing in the small room.
He didn't say anything, he just moved a bit so I could walk in. I stared ahead as he took the helm of the gown and tugged, waiting for me to give him some kind of answer. I nodded, helping him get rid of the blood-filled gown. My heart was hammering inside but it was beating. I was still fucking alive.
"Kiss me."
"What?" He clutched the gown in his tight fist, those silver eyes almost glowing.
"Kiss me. Make me forget." Each word felt hollow.
"You know I can't touch you." Yeah and I was starting to get tired of it.
"I don't care. Either kiss me or kill me." I allowed myself to be really seen then, what he was going to do with the fact was completely on him. Whatever he saw in my eyes, made him curse. "Ekias tulius me kulu."
I felt all the hunger come back again but he didn't let me whimper for that. He made me whimper on his lips instead. In his tongue. I choked down any part of me that wanted to hurt him and let him hurt me instead.
With his teeth claiming my throat, lowering down and down until he was biting into my nipples with a groan. Staking his claim. Memorizing the shape for another night while I stared ahead, memories flashing over my eyes, too potent to ignore.
Zach on his knees.
Him sucking on my clit like I was a five-course meal.
With my head thrown back and tears in my eyes.
"Look at me." A voice cut through the memory, harsh,
urgent. Oh, Lana. Didn't you know that it's forbidden to dream of the dead like this? Somewhere in my mind cackled.
"Just look at me," Mikhail whispered again, biting his lower lip in concentration. He spat on his palm, his hand sneaking down to where he ached most but his gaze was completely on me as if to say watch me burn for you.
Watch me torment myself.
The moment his hand found the hardness between his thighs, I hissed. I should be the one touching him, I should be the one staking a claim. But no...I was too busy trying to forget that I lost my chance. He certainly thought so as his fist went up and down, slow and fast, making me almost stomp my feet.
"Weeks." His grunt made me jump. "For weeks I have thought about you, fucked my fist while listening to her talk about you. Hearing about every crazy thing you have ever done."
A whimper left from my lips. The water was getting cold or maybe I was dying for something in me.
"Look at me, now. Completely unhinged for you and yet I see..." He trailed off, his voice low. I didn't want to know what he felt because fate forced him to. If that bitch wasn't involved...no, I couldn't think about that now.
"Mikhail?" I asked sweetly. "Let me help."
He laughed. "No."
Prick.
So what? I could take matters into my hands too. Giving him a sheepish grin, I widened my legs, letting him see me. His movement stopped only for a moment before he was barking orders. "Wider."
I did. Resting my back against the wall, letting water washing over my nub.
"Let me see how you pleasure yourself." He breathed out, his voice low. "Now, Lana."
Like an insane way apparently cause I didn't give him a show worthy of watching. I didn't go slow. I did hard and fast, licking my fingers and pushing them any way they fit. Even if that hurt. Even if that almost made him buck in his fist.
"Fuck. Turn around." But he did it himself, pulling my body flashed against him. The place was too small for the both of us and I could feel him behind me, hard and messy. Before I could make a joke about how he didn't even last to be inside me, I felt him shove himself with a hiss.
I think I howled.
Or that's what it felt like. Fuck, I missed this. I missed not caring about how loud I moaned. How much my mind screamed to let the world know why I needed this distraction. How I cried out with his flesh hitting me repeatedly. Godfrey Sanatorium wasn't exactly a place where we could just fuck our way to sanity.
