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I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment to gather my resolve. “It’s too dangerous, Susannah. For both of us. If your village finds out, they’ll turn on you. And the hunters... they’re always close, always watching. You're my weakness, and I’m afraid it’s only a matter of time.”
“I don’t care about the danger,” she cried, her voice rising in desperation. “I can’t just let you go. Not yet. Please.”
Her tears flowed freely now, and my heart twisted in agony. I pulled her into my arms, holding her tightly as she sobbed against my chest. The lavender from her hair and the softness of her embrace felt like home—a home I was being forced to abandon because the damn Seraphim Guard refused to leave me the fuck alone.
“Susannah,” I murmured. “I’m so grateful for the time we’ve spent together, more than you know. But if the hunters find us, they’ll kill you just for being with me. And I’ll have to live with that forever.”
She pulled back slightly, looking up at me with tear-streaked cheeks and trembling lips. “We’ll find a way. We’ll run away together, far from here. They won’t find us.”
I shook my head, pain etched in my features. “We can’t run forever. They’ll always find us. And I can’t risk your life like that.” The truth was, there was one thing I could do to keep her safe with me forever. I could claim her. We would share my power, and if the hunters ever did catch up to me, she wouldn’t be killed. She’d stay with me. But she would hate Hell worse than I did. At least for me, it was home. I never wanted to go back, but it was familiar. For her, it would be Hell—in every way imaginable. It would be worse than death, and I couldn’t do it to her. So, I never even mentioned that option.
Susannah clutched me so tightly, her eyes fierce despite her tears. “Please, Maverick. Don’t leave me. We’ll figure something out. Just don’t say this is the end.”
I gazed at her, my resolve threatening to crumble under the impact of her desperation. Every fiber of my being screamed to stay with her, to protect her, to keep her. But the logical part knew that our union was a weakness for me, and a straight line to Hell. It was a risk too great to bear.
But searching into her eyes, seeing the depth of her despair and the fire of her spirit, I found it impossible to stay firm and say goodbye. I brushed a tear from her cheek, my thumb lingering on her soft skin.
“Alright,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the breeze. “Not yet. But we have to be careful, Susannah. Promise me you’ll be careful.”
She nodded fervently, a shaky smile breaking through her tears. “I promise.”
We sat there in the fading light, holding each other close, savoring the fleeting moment of peace and possession in a world that seemed determined to tear us apart. The future was dark for us, I knew that, and the dangers ever-present. But for now, in that moment, we had each other, and I had to savor it.
Chapter Eleven: Silent Sparks
Tess
Halloween night, I cookedspaghetti and meatballs, using the salt I’d enchanted to enhance flavor. I’d never felt confident about my cooking skills. The scent of simmering tomato sauce filled the kitchen as the meatballs sizzled in the pan, mingling to a rich fragrance, making my stomach growl in anticipation.
Addie and I ate together in the living room, the warm glow of the television flickering in the shadows as we watched The Witcher. It must have been a bare-chested moment for Henry, and I wasn’t paying enough attention when I dropped a sauce-covered meatball onto the carpet.
“Oh, don’t worry.” My roommate waved dismissively, probably just wanting to get back to drooling at man-chest. I don’t know why, since it was paused right there for her viewingpleasure.
But, there was an extortionate cleaning fee for stains on our lease, so I had to deal with it myself. “Neither of us have the two grand, Addie.” I picked up the meatball and tossed it in the garbage, grabbing the stain remover I’d enchanted to actually do the job of removing stains. I sprayed it on the red spot, watched the liquid foam up on contact, and set the bottle aside, clicking play so we could continue devouring Geralt and our dinner.
Afterward, I took out a scrub brush I didn’t need and gently rubbed the stain clean. Addie didn’t know I’d enchanted simple household things like this, and I felt slightly embarrassed about it for some inexplicable reason. She wouldn’t have judged me; it was all my issue. When I was satisfied the stain was cleared up, I put everything away and joined Addie to get ready for the night.
She was dressed in a black, sleeveless prom dress that hugged her figure, flaring at the waist with a wide petticoat. Having painted all of her exposed skin a muted shade of purple, she transformed herself into a surprisingly glamorous-looking zombie. Especially once her eyes were perfectly lined in a dramatic cat’s eye, the glittered liner contrasting sharply, catching the light with every movement. The final touch was a heavy application of glitter all over, giving her an ethereal and otherworldly vibe.
I was super jealous in my black, gloved catsuit, the fabric smooth and snug against my skin. But once Addie applied my makeup, expertly transforming my face into a glittering skeleton, I felt lighter and even excited about the night ahead. I hadn’t told her my plans yet and didn’t even want to think about them. If we only had one more girl’s night together, I was going to make the best of it.
She used neon colors and rhinestones to accentuate the appearance of bones, each stroke of her brush precise and confident. More glitteradded a dazzling sparkle and shimmer under the lights. Addie loved glitter.
We stood back to admire each other in the mirror side by side, the room filled with a mischievousness flitting between us. A sly smile tugged at the corner of my lips. Excitement bubbled up inside me, pushing the dread into the background for another day. I turned to regard my best friend and raised my eyebrows with a playful, confident tilt. “Tonight is gonna slay.” The glint in her eyes mirrored the devilry I felt. “And the magic is all yours, Ad.”
She grinned, her eyes glistening as she leaned into me. “Shut up, or you’ll fuck up all my hard work.” Laughing, we flicked the lights off on our way out for the night.
As we strutted down the murky streets toward the nightclub, the crisp October air carried the scent of fallen leaves and distant bonfires. It was the first night of Halloween, an extended celebration for us magicals, the time of year to honor our ancestors and thank the goddesses for our blessings. Not that normies knew about that.
The main strip bustled with activity, neon lights in the restaurants’ and clubs’ windows bathing a vibrant, dappled glow onto the pavement. Laughter and chatter filled the air, combining with the thumping bass of music drifting from nearby venues.
We strolled past storefronts adorned with pumpkins and spider webs, the occasional gust of wind sending leaves swirling around our feet. The optimism of the night ahead tinged in the air, a promise threading through the costumed revelers that thronged the sidewalks.
As we reached the entrance of Verve, the pulsating rhythm of the music grew louder, beckoning us inside. The club’s neon sign pulsed alluringly above the entrance, suffusing the area with an ethereal radiance. Stepping through the entrance, we were enveloped by a kaleidoscope of color and sound.
The interior of Verve was a sensory overload, the air thick with sweat and perfume, strobe lights painting the crowd in shifting hues of yellow, orange, and green. The place was packed. Costumed patrons danced and laughed, making it difficult to navigate through to the bar.
Addie and I did the best we could, catching glimpses of elaborate cosplay and fantastical makeup as we made our way deeper into the club. The pounding bass reverberated through my bones, adding to the electric atmosphere of the night.
