Page 3 of These Dangerous Fates

This house is haunted.

It’s not the typical ghosts and ghouls, spiderwebs and dust that dwell behind those walls. There is no darkness, nothing that goes bump in the night. It’s the memories that sit just inside the door that haunt this house. They lie in wait for you to let your guard down. As soon as that happens, the trap springs shut.

The graveyard of your memories slams the gate closed and you can do nothing as the clang of iron echoes through your head. Trapped. Captured. Beholden as the vision shifts. The bright and lovely memories melt away, smearing the windows on the way down. Stuck in the darkness as the screams emerge. The violence. The bloodshed. Terror and despair seep into your skin and bones, sinking deep with claws that refuse to let go. They hold you captive. Prey on your weaknesses. Destroy you slowly from the inside out.

I forcefully push away the memories that assault me the moment I step through the front door. It’s impossible to walk these halls without being ambushed by the nightmare of that night ten years ago. Even after my dad had the entire house gutted and remodeled, I sometimes get sucked into the past. Thrown into the darkness of my mind, unable to escape.

And it’s not just the past that haunts this house. It's the present as well. It’s my dad and his hedonistic views on society and magic. It’s the way he sees me as less because I’m not magical. It’s the way he blames me for every bad thing in his life. For a while, I went to therapy. I was taught breathing techniques and ways to ground myself in the present. I was taught meditation and mindfulness. It’s hard to find peace, though, when your whole life has been filled with horrors.

My room is the only one on the top floor. It used to be two separate rooms, mine and my sister’s, but after that night, my dad had the entire house remodeled. The wall separating the rooms was knocked down. I turned her half into a small library. Comfy reading spots, shelves of books, and potted plants all fill the space now. I think she would have approved the new use of her room. Unfortunately, I don’t get much joy from it anymore. I don’t get much joy from anything anymore.

When I get to my room, I drop my gym bag on the floor and strip out of my sweaty clothes in the attached bathroom. As I let the shower heat, I grab a towel and hang it next to the shower, avoiding the mirror. Always avoiding the mirror. Before I step in, I tie my wild curls into a bun at the top of my head and shove the whole mess into a shower cap. I’m not going to fix my hair for him. He doesn’t deserve it.

I shower quickly, and, standing in front of the mirror, I take a deep breath before raising my eyes to look at my reflection. It has become a job, something I have to force myself to do, because I don’t like what I see staring back at me anymore. It’s not the same person from two years ago. Hell, it’s not even the same person from ten years ago.

It’s not the first time I’ve wondered how I got to this point in my life. And I’m sure it won’t be the last. There is no use dwelling on it, though. Sighing, I push those thoughts away, forcing them deep inside where I can ignore them, along with everything else in my life. I need to make sure I look presentable. I can’t disappoint him. Not again.

Ellis

Nerves flutter in my belly as I get ready for the night, and they aren’t the good kind of nerves. I miss the kind of butterflies you get before a first date. The ones that flicker in your stomach and make you all tingly inside with feather soft wings. I had those for a time. Now, they’ve morphed into strange creatures with razor tipped wings that cut and gouge as they fly about inside me.

The doorbell chimes and echoes through the house. My stomach drops so fast it leaves me reeling. Before I make my way to the stairs, I have to fortify myself. With a deep breath, I take that first step. By the time I reach the second floor, I see the butler has already let him in.

Forcing a smile to my face, I greet my fiancé. “Hi, Sam.” Hopefully he doesn’t notice the slight tremor in my voice.

“Is that the best you can do? It’s like you’re not even trying.” His laugh is carefree, but the green shimmer of his magic glinting in his brown eyes promises pain later.

He steps past me with a patronizing pat on the ass and continues toward the fourth floor while I stand on the stairs to gather my courage—I need every ounce in his presence. In my room, Sam is already sprawled on my bed with his hands behind his head. The sight sends bitter sadness washing through me. I can’t help but miss what we once had. Or at least what I thought we had.

“Why that look, doll?” He reaches up with his hand to brush a blond curl from his forehead.

“I miss you,” I whisper, before I can stop myself with a click of my teeth.

Gods, I really miss him.

I miss the gentle kisses and the late nights spent talking about nothing and everything. I miss the smiles he would give me, blinding in their brightness and adoration. I miss the connection we had and having someone to always rely on.

“I’m right here, Ellis.” He spreads his arms wide, like he is inviting me to come lay with him.

And damn if I don’t want to. This isn’t the Sam I fell in love with, though. The one who made me feel cherished and loved. That’s all gone now.

Tears blur my vision, but I blink furiously until they no longer threaten to fall. I won’t cry in front of him. Shaking my head, I whisper, “I miss what we had. I miss the Sam I used to have. Before.”

“Before what? Nothing has changed.” Even his voice is a punch to the gut. The tone, so similar to the gentle way he used to talk, but tinged with anger and judgment.

“Are you serious, Sam?” A harsh laugh escapes me. “Everything has changed! I thought you were dating me because you wanted to, not because my dad basically bribed you.” It’s impossible to keep the bitterness from my voice.

His eyes flash with unchecked anger. “He didn’t bribe me,” he growls. “We’ve been over this, and I don’t appreciate you accusing me of shit that isn’t true.”

I swallow and wrap my arms around my middle. “You mean you didn’t date me because my dad asked you to? You didn’t date me so you could inherit the estate and my dad’s company when you marry me?”

A muscle ticks in Sam’s jaw as he grinds his teeth together. “I may have started dating you for those reasons, but I fell in love with you.” He shakes his head, his blond curls falling into his eyes. Shifting his powerful body, he sits on the edge of the bed and pierces me with his brown eyes. “You’re the one that’s changed, Ellis. Not me. You’re the one who wanted to break up. Not me.”

I stare at him, disbelief stealing my words. Of course I wanted to break up. He lied to me. He made me believe he was someone he wasn’t, and when I told him I wanted to break it off, the switch flipped. The real Sam came out. The monster that he truly is.

Sam stands and crosses the room. He towers over me, his presence shifting from calming to threatening. I can’t help but flinch when he raises his hand, and he smiles at my reaction, eyes glittering with amusement. Instead of the bite of pain I expect, his warm palm on my face is gentle. The tenderness throws me off guard, exactly what he wanted to happen. His thumb rubs back and forth across my cheek, and my eyes close as I lean into his touch without thinking.

“I’ve been here this whole time,” he whispers. His breath fans across my mouth and I realize he’s leaned in. “Nothing has changed, doll.”

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