Page 6 of Damian

Watching the fireflies under the stars is our favorite pastime. Well, mine, but she puts up with it for me. She’d rather sit in my jacuzzi tub.

Her mood tonight makes me eerily aware that the last few times she soaked her naked body under the soapy bubbles, she made an excuse to bathe alone.

Déjà vu hits me like a tidal wave, submerging me in a sea of memories.

Is Eleni pulling away from me? Does she have a human lover like Katarina?

She pops the bottle of champagne I brought for the evening. I hold the glasses for her to pour the bubbly liquid into.

She sets her flute beside her against the basket without taking a sip. My stomach sinks. Champaigne is her favorite.

I watch. Praying to Helios that I’m wrong.

I take the fried chicken she placed on a paper plate for me and force myself to eat half. I set it down when it’s clear she has no appetite.

I promised her my forever six months ago. Again, I couldn’t bring myself to admit the death of my one true mate. The only one I could ever share that pain with is her—the one I’ll never hold in my arms. To speak of her with someone who could only hold a tenth of my heart feels like a betrayal.

I’ve been watching Eleni for several minutes while she stares at the stars. She’s not fooling me.

Like pulling off a Band-Aid, I can’t wait another minute for her to break my heart. “Why are you breaking up with me?”

Her head turns quickly in my direction. Tears pool in her eyes.

“My parents suggested I enroll at LSU and seek a human. They know my clock has ticked and my mate hasn’t come running.” She looks back at the stars.

Her words are a punch in the gut. She doesn’t have to tell me what she told them for me to know the answer. She’s going.

Without a word, I stand and walk away. I don’t look back. She doesn’t call after me and beg me to stay. She doesn’t ask for one more night together. I wouldn’t give it to her, anyway.

My heart bleeds with the realization that my love and word weren’t enough for her.

The nights she spent alone in the tub, the distant looks, the lack of appetite—it all makes sense now.

I must face the truth. No heifer will trust that I’ll give them forever unless I confess my loss. And I’ll never admit it to a soul.

As I make my way home, the fireflies seem to dim, their light fading into the darkness. The champagne bottle, now half-empty, stands as a symbol of our broken dreams. The stars, once a source of comfort, now feel cold and distant.

Chapter 6

Emjay

Thirty-three years ago

“My love for you both is the reason I can’t keep you.” ~ Emjay

I don’t know what happened to the witch who stole my future, but my people have a new witch in our tunnels.

Hallie has been with us for a few months, and I’ve been assigned to bring her food and water once a day.

The first time Poppa sent me to tend to her, I went prepared for what condition I might find her in. Or so I thought.

The tunnels are a maze of misery, a labyrinth of lost ambitions and shattered dreams. The path to find her remains dark and damp. I remember when Momma first brought me here, her grip tight on my hand, her look fills with a mixture of fear and determination.

Poppa was different then, before the bitterness took over, leaving nothing left of his humanity. He may have been a man of strength and wisdom in his younger days, but the years have taken their toll. He became harsher, more desperate to sire a son, while maintaining control over us all.

The scent of mildew and decay lingers in the air. Water drips from the stalactites hanging from the cave ceiling, creating an eerie melody. The walls are cold and slick, and the ground is uneven and treacherous.

The sound of chains rattling leads me to my destination.

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