Page 153 of The Sea Witch's Son

My complaint gets cut off by his lips. He kisses me with everything, every ounce of passion in his passionless body and I take it all.

I take everything and leave nothing behind.

Most people kiss until they are out of breath. Marlin and I kiss until we are fighting for it, fighting each other for the oxygen neither of us are willing to give up. It’s sick and twisted, poisonous in a way that only someone who craves the darkness can understand.

“Thank you.” Whispering against his lips, I feel my tear ducts start to burn, “Thank you for staying by my side.”

“I told you, little saint. There is no hiding from me in the darkness.”

My heart overflows and so do my tears. Marlin kisses away each one, consuming my sorrow as easily as he does my pleasure.

“You will get terribly dry skin if you keep this up.” He swats my ass lightly before lowering me to the ground, “Hurry up and do your hair so I can take you home. I am a busy man, you know.”

“What’s wrong with my hair?”

He grimaces, “My fingers can only do so much. Try not to look in the mirror until you run a brush through it.”

Laughter breaks out of my chest.

Marlin’s eyes light up at the sound, and that's the sight I will remember most about the last twelve hours. Not the humiliation, not the pain, not the blood this man had to clean from my body.

I will just remember the love shining through his eyes.

The sun has begun to set by the time I make it home. The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting colder, but that doesn’t deter the residents of Wolf Hollow.

Torches are lit all along the road as if in preparation of some big party. Music drifts through the darkening sky, the ominous sound of bells in the distance making even the loudest crow keep quiet.

The council has been summoned.

I find Erik lingering by the kitchen window, watching dusk chase away the last few rays of sunlight. Streaks of purple illuminate the clouds, casting an eerie glow over his solemn expression.

“Erik?”

He blinks, shifting his gaze from the darkening sky to me, “Melody. I didn’t know you were home.”

“Just got back.”

“From the Seaborn Mansion, I presume.” His brows lift as he takes in my state of dress, “I hope you don’t have another note for me.”

“Not this time.”

I walk over and join him by the window. He takes in my cuts and bruises silently, his jaw tightening before he looks back out the window.

“Does he hit you?”

“No.” My throat feels dry, scratchier than I remember, “He killed the person who did this to me.”

Erik’s lips press into a thin line, but he doesn’t inquire further.

“I’m sorry for pushing you away.” Clearing my throat, I tell myself not to cry, “You’ve always seen me as the strong one of the family. The fighter who always finds a way to get back up. I just... I just didn’t want you to think of me any differently.”

“You don’t have to be strong by yourself.”

“I know that now.” Swallowing hard, I shove the lump back down my throat, “I know that it’s okay to lean on your support system. To communicate and learn to accept changes in a plan.”

I lose the battle and tears spill onto my cheeks, “I know that even the strongest people fall down and sometimes they need help getting back up.”

“Oh, Melody.”

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