Chapter 33

I threw a hand over my mouth, muffling the scream and plunging myself back into silence. My chest rose and fell heavily, quickly, almost rivaling the pace of my pounding heart. I stared at the glowing red orbs, and just like when I was a child, I forced myself to hold the fear in.

When I was finally able to remove my hand, I whispered, "Brady?"

The darkness spread, too thick to see through, but the moment I uttered the word, an outline slowly formed. First a head, then shoulders, then legs, but no details, just a flat, black shape, a sinister shadow. A smile split across its face, straight white teeth across an otherwise devoid darkness, and it shook its head left to right. An answer.

No.

My mouth slammed shut at its response, and my shaking hand moved to the girl behind me. Red slept heavily, her deep, even breaths easily heard through the otherwise deafening silence. I nudged her once, then again, but she wouldn't respond.

The black outline stepped forward, and it's eyes seemed to flash. "Do you want to play?" It's raspy voice slithered across the room. A whimper slipped past my defenses. I'd heard the question a hundred times, heard that voice, that raspy breathing.

It moved forward another inch, bringing the darkness with it.

Fuck this.

"Red!" I turned around and shook her hard.

Red jumped up and tried to get her bearings. Her eyes darted across the room, then landed on me. "What is it!" They drifted over my shoulder, and I saw the moment she noticed it, the monster. My monster.

Red could see it too.

"What the fuck is that!" she shouted, jumping to her knees on the mattress then dragging me backwards across it. We plummeted to the floor, like two war heroes in battle. Red shoved me down, then peeked back over the top. "Fucking fuck, what the fuck is that thing!"

I couldn't speak. The familiar fear I'd grown to know so well enveloped me, like the darkness that continued to edge closer, wrapping me tight, entering my mouth and stealing my breath.

"Amelia!" Red shouted, taking in my frozen state. "Dammit." She chewed her lip, then her face set into determined lines. "It's always the redhead that has to be the badass. That's why people call us angry. We're not angry, we just don't want to die." She stood back up, forming a cross with a finger from each hand. "Get back non-sexy demon! Only sexy demons allowed!"

A raspy laugh flowed like water through the room. It echoed all around us, taunting, terrifying.

I felt it's power. It's anger. It's joy. Not a moment later, Red flew backwards, hitting the wall hard before landing on the floor in a heap.

It was enough to snap me out of my fear. "Red!"

She didn't respond. Her body was completely limp and entirely too still.

"You belong to me," the same raspy voice hissed, much closer, too close.

I looked up, and there it was. Glowing red eyes stared down, and darkness loomed above. I didn't think. My only focus in that moment was saving my friend. I whipped around, putting my back in front of her, making myself a human shield. "Fuck off!"

Another laugh. That gleaming white smile. "I'm never going to leave," it hissed. "You belong to me."

It creeped forward, almost gliding. I threw my hands out on either side of me and squeezed my eyes shut tight. The room once again became wrapped in terrifying silence, but it didn't last long. Deep raspy breaths edged closer, painfully slow. My heart stopped beating. My lungs shriveled.

An icy hand ran across my cheek, and I couldn't stop another scream from ripping out of me. Eyes still shut tight, I swung my fist out, desperate to defend myself in any way I could.

But instead of making contact, I found myself falling.

My eyes opened just as I hit the floor.

I wasn't in the bedroom.

Red wasn't behind me.

It wasn't dark, but instead, morning sun spilled into the living space.

I looked over and realized I'd fallen from the same chair I'd been sitting in the night before.

Owen rushed into the room. "Are you okay?" His eyes held concern. "I heard you scream. Here, let me help you."

I eyed his outstretched hand before reluctantly accepting it. "Thank you. I had a nightmare." I looked around the room. "Where's Red?" My voice shook, and I fought to vanquish the lingering remnants of the dream from my mind. It had been so real. Just how I'd remembered it.

"She left early this morning. Said she had class."

I nodded my head, then retook the seat I'd fallen from.

"What was your nightmare about?" Owen asked, taking the chair next to me.

I sucked in a breath. "I'd rather not talk about it."

He nodded softly. "Alright. But if you need to talk, let me know. I suffered from night terrors myself, so I'll be more than happy to help in whatever way I can."

"Thank you." I didn't know what else to say. It was nice. Owen was nice. But I doubted sitting around crying would do anything to help my situation. I awkwardly looked around, avoiding the still concerned gaze fixed on me. "Is there anything I can do to speed things along," I asked as I met his eyes again. "I appreciate what you're doing for me, but the sooner I can return to my normal life, the better."

Owen leaned back in his chair and let his eyes linger on the couch across from us. He didn't speak for a full minute, seemingly lost in thought. When he finally straightened back up, he said, "I've got an idea." He stood without waiting for a response and walked out of the room, stopping only briefly to motion for me to follow.

He lead me through a kitchen, then to a door that lead outside. We found Doogal in the middle of the yard, and Red hadn't been lying about it feeling like a compound. The area stretched out, on and on before it was cut off by a thick line of trees. Doogal was performing some sort of training. It reminded me of the morning I'd seen Brady stood in the ocean. Each motion reminiscent of martial arts. His arms moved and swirled, while his legs did the same, like a dance, completely in harmony. The only difference was, when Doogal moved, light followed. Bright indigo and vivid.

"What is he doing?" I asked past the lump in my throat. How did he have light? "How can he do that?"

Owen laid a hand on my shoulder. "He's performing magic. Real magic, not the parlor tricks we showed you and your friend." He motioned towards Doogal. "Let him teach you."

My eyes widened. "Teach me that?" I looked down to the man in question, to the bright swirls appearing from thin air.

Owen laughed softly. "Maybe not quite that, but he can teach you how to protect yourself. He taught me."

I took in the tattooed head, stiff stance, and all around intimidating presence of Doogal. "I don't know." I chewed my lip. "Doogal's kind of scary."

"Is he?" Owen grinned. "Am I?"

"Not really." I shrugged. "You're more easy to talk to. Doogal is a little more," I paused, searching for a word, "dark."

Owen laughed, big, loud, and more than I thought warranted given what I'd said. The sound caught the other man's attention, and I watched Doogal stop his motions and turn around to study us.

"Amelia thinks you're scary!" Owen called.

My mouth fell open. "I didn't mean tell him!"

Doogal rolled his eyes.

Owen smiled. "I was just suggesting you teach her some magic." His smile widened. "I think it's a great idea."

Doogal's flat look didn't exactly scream agreement, but he motioned me over. I paused for a moment, but the look the two men gave me convinced me to comply. It couldn't hurt. It wasn't like I had anything else to do while I was locked up inside this cult fortress.

The moment I made it to where Doogal stood, he waved a hand at Owen. "You can go away."

I caught Owen's playful look before he retreated back into the house.

Doogal eyed me up, from my feet to my head, not looking impressed. "Don't get your hopes up," he said in that same deep even tone. "Just because I show you, doesn't mean that you can do it."

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