2030

~Tove

Rubbing my eyes, I wander from my bedroom, trying not to yawn.

It's been six weeks. I'm home, in my apartment, trying to get back to my normal life.

When I left, I didn't expect for there to be a looming shadow over my life. Everything is so peaceful, but it's a dark kind of quiet that is unnerving.

I haven't heard from Keo. I knew I wouldn't, but it still hurts.

It was me, who made the decision to leave. Each night I'm kept up with that thought, wondering if I made the right decision. Giving up a mate, regardless of who they are, is not easy.

But seeing Mary, perfectly healthy and healed of her horrific disease makes this all worth it.

"How are you feeling this morning?" she asks me as I walk into the kitchen

Mary has been sleeping in my apartment over the last few weeks. I don't want to be alone, or to be away from her. All is forgiven between us...

All she knows is that Keo was the one who saved her. She doesn't know why, or how, but she trusts me. That's what matters.

"I'm okay. Tired." It's the same response I've given her every morning recently.

Mary peers over her book. "You need to stop staying up so late. It's not going to help your sickness.

I rub my hand over my face. "I don't even feel sick."

I don't feel well...but I'm not sick. It's manageable, I just have to get used to it, because it's going to be a constant feature of my life from now on.

"You don't need to lie. It's not natural to be away from your mate," Mary reminds me. She's brought up this topic of conversation often, which is surprising, considering her deep distrust for Keo.

I fill the kettle with water. "Am I going to be like this forever?"

Mary tosses the blanket off her legs, skipping over to pluck a bottle from the cupboard, handing it to me.

"Not if you take these vitamins."

I snatch them out of her hands. "It's only delaying the problem."

She only winks. "Eat up!"

I sigh, chewing on the vitamins distastefully. They chase off the worse of the symptoms, but the empty, quiet ache of being away from Keo has set in deep. The only thing getting me through is knowing he's suffering from the same ailment.

"I was thinking we could go out and do something today," Mary says softly.

I nod. I've been putting off leaving here, but some time out in the sun might be good for me.

"What do you think Keo is doing right now?" I ask her, staring out the window over the city.

He will be finding another way to get what he wants, no doubt. Maybe he's found someone else to work with him, who he's taunting and teasing like he did to me.

The thought makes my stomach turn uncomfortably.

"Killing people. Using them, manipulating them," Mary mutters, getting up to grab her jacket from the hook by the door.

"That's a bit dramatic."

She looks at me sternly. "He was using you, Tove. He didn't care about you, he just wanted you for whatever mission he had planned."

I shake my head. She doesn't know what it was like, that night when he came back to offer me a way out. I don't blame her, I haven't exactly felt like divulging those last, painful moments.

"If that were the case, he wouldn't have let me go. He wouldn't have saved you," I remind her. He could have easily convinced me to stay, were that what he wanted.

The mission is important to him, but for a fleeting moment, it felt like I was put before all that.

And for Keo, that's rare.

"He had a fleeting moment of pity. That's it," Mary exclaims dismissively.

I scowl at her. "It's not fleeting. He would have come for me at any moment had he not cared."

"You sound like you want to go back to him..." Mary folds her arms over her chest. She hasn't been this hard on me regarding Keo for weeks, and now, it's like she's letting it all out.

"No...no, that's not what I meant," I respond. I've made my decision, and I'm honouring it.

"Come on. All you need is some time out of this stuffy apartment," she motions around us as she shrugs her jacket on, giving me a hopeful smile.

Usually I turn down her offers to leave with her. It just hasn't felt right, but this time, I think she's right.

"Alright then."

Mary grins, clapping her hands together. I let her pick out my coat and shoes and then we head down and out of the apartment building. I'm not sure where we are going, but an aimless stroll does sound nice.

"Are you thinking about getting back to working? Maybe even studying?" Mary asks tentatively, raising a quizzical brow.

I sigh, scuffing my feet. "The whole reason I came home was to get on with my life. And yet I have no idea how I'm going to do that."

"Then getting back to work will make your life feel more normal. Like how it was," Mary insists.

I nod, staring off down the street. She's right, it would be beneficial, but there's something in me that stops me from returning back to my old place of work. Once I do, there is a chance my life won't feel normal, that I'll notice the gap where Keo should be.

And if that happens...I'm not sure I'll be able to handle it.

Suddenly someone crosses the road toward us at a quick pace. I step out of the way, but they still manage to bump me, nearly sending me hurtling to the ground.

They keep running, soft ginger hair flowing behind them as they disappear into the shadows.

"Hey! That hurt," I yell out, wincing as I roll my shoulder uncomfortably.

"They are in a hurry," Mary mutter, tugging on my arm to keep walking.

I stay rooted in my spot, staring down into the shadows, compelled to see what is down that way, what caused her to nearly trample me to get there.

"Let's go see what's down there." I step toward it, but Mary falls back.

"No way. It's all shadowy and creepy." She wraps her arms around herself, the cold breeze rustling her hair. She's never been the curious type, which is how she ends up making all the right decisions, and I end up involved with a Demon.

"Something doesn't feel right about it," I tell her. The smell of burning cloves and herbs lure me toward the shadows...what are they doing down there?

I stalk a little way in, not minding if Mary doesn't follow me.

"If that's the case, why are you walking down there?" Mary questions, looking torn between accompanying me and staying in the sunlight. I can't blame her, the darkness is ominous, but it's as if someone is tugging me down there with an invisible leash.

The shadows disperse toward the end of the alleyway. I emerge out behind a few buildings, a small courtyard laid out in front of me, with a group of people all sitting in a circle.

It takes me a few moments to drink in the scene.

A woman in a faded green dress stands on an old crate that looks on the brink of collapsing, looking over the other women in the circle. In the centre of the circle is a variety of dried herbs, flowers and what may very well be a dead animal.

My heartbeat stutters. I know what this is.

There is a sect of Angel-bloods who have such little magic, they need to use aspects of nature to boost. The effects of it are always small, unnoticeable, but it leads people to find strange, sometimes disturbing ways to use their magic.

"I am certain this configuration of spells shall be enough to summon him," the woman in the green dress says, holding some kind of long stick that burns, a strange scent coming off it.

"Will it really work this time?" One of the girls from the circle asks, looking dubiously down at the assortment of natural items.

"I believe so, yes."

What have I stumbled into? Mary hasn't followed me, which is probably for the best. I should probably leave to let them do whatever it is these people indulge in, to summon whoever they please, but sometimes stops me from turning around.

"I cannot wait to meet him. What will be the first thing you say to him?"

It's the girl with the ginger hair, who ran frantically down the alleyway. She looks at the girl beside her, both with excited grins on their faces.

"I'll ask him to take me away with him, obviously," the other says, nudging her friend.

I blink, a little confused. Are they trying to summon someone in particular, or is this about summoning their own lovers...either way, it's a little creepy. At least it's entertaining though.

The ginger girl laughs, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "He won't do that, he will be too busy looking at me."

"Quiet girls. We need to focus on this spell. Do you think Keo is just going to show up here on his own free will?" The leader of the group scolds, clapping her hands together to get their attention.

I flinch, the sound echoing through the small space. But that's not what has startled me...

They are trying to summon Keo.

How could they be so stupid? I don't actually think they have enough power to physically summon Keo to this location, and even if they did, he would likely slaughter them for merely interrupting his day.

"What are you doing?" I question.

A few of the girls gasp, turning around to stare at me. Some even move to conceal some of the magical paraphernalia from my view.

"Excuse me, this is a private matter," the woman in a green dress growls.

"Do you understand how dangerous it could be if you summon him?" I demand. They have no idea. T

They are Angel-bloods. Unless they serve a purpose to Keo, there is a chance he would kill them. But to him, he's a God. He's deceptively beautiful, and he's powerful. Of course he's gained some followers in his time.

The woman steps down from the crate. "We know what we are doing."

"Do you?" I question. "I happen to have met him, and you cannot trust him. He is dangerous and will use you."

The girls all exchange curious glances. They won't believe me, why would they? I hardly believe I've met him, and I'm his mate. If I told them that, they would think I've gone insane, although that's not far from their state of mind, clearly.

"I said we know what we are doing," the woman repeats, her voice steady.

"He's not going to be summoned by some candles and a spell. He only cares about you if you're a Demon," I tell them earnestly. Why don't they understand that? They clearly know nothing about the person they are trying to summon.

Mary appears from behind me, grabbing my arm. "Come on Tove. We need to get out of here."

They all stare at me as I walk away, passing through the shadows and back to the properly lit street.

"How could they be so stupid? Who would want to willingly summon Keo?" I ask Mary, although I'm speaking more to myself than her. What if he did show up, and I was there?

My heart flutters at the thought.

As we pass around the corner, I nearly bump straight into someone's chest. Looking up, my stomach turns at who I see.

"Good question. Who would summon him?" Dax asks, smirking down at me.

🖤••🖤

~Midika 💜🐼