Page 2 of My Soul Is His

However, neither one can ever compare to the camouflaged creature which haunts my every waking moment. The unease it puts over the land and the tricks it plays on my mind will eventually be the destruction of my psyche. It chips away at me slowly, and I know over time I will be only a husk of my former self.

Soon we come to the shadowed tunnel which we have called home. My knees give out, and I crumble forward into the dirt. Turning, I gaze upward. The sky swirls with orange and red, and my demon stalks off, done with its games for now. Sebastian stands above me, his beautiful face forever frozen in time.

“Marla, we’ve talked about this. You can’t go out whenever you want. It isn’t safe.”

I lean against the smooth rock and take a deep breath. “I just wanted to—”

“See the other realm, I know.” He walks around inspecting for any threats.

The decaying branches overhead create a canopy of shelter, and the rock walls offer a deceptive sense of safety.

Once he’s done checking the entrances, he settles down beside me, and I’m comforted by the warmth of his body.

“They’re unaware of my existence, yet I can observe them, happy and enjoying their afterlife,” I whisper.

Banishment to Cavum Terra, where our mental demons manifest physically to torment us eternally, wasn’t sufficient. The secret window I’ve found brings me slight comfort and I’ll do anything for a glimpse.

The sight of my grandparents and the familiar faces of old friends evokes a small glimmer of happiness. The feeling is indescribable. Except for the appearances my cunt of a mother makes; those times drain the energy from my essence.

Souls that didn’t kill themselves dwell in a serene world, where every evening has breathtaking sunsets and flourishing branches, untouched by demons. Unlike the darkness we can never escape here, the grotesque trees and decaying grass are less than comforting.

“My dove, we can only go together. I can’t protect you if you take off when I’m recovering.” He traces his fingers through the blood, tasting me before he pulls his shirt off and holds it against my wounds. I lean against his chest as the tears fall. “Marla, do you regret it?”

“No. If it meant I couldn’t be with you forever? I wouldn’t change anything.”

His hands coax me onto his lap, then tighten around me, pulling me close against him.The bleeding has ceased. The rapid recovery is taking over. Weirdly, our clothes always return to how they were when we got here, like being dirty wouldn’t befit the Lords.

“I wish we’d never found the portal,” I murmur.

“I think it’s part of your torment only.”

“What?” I rear my head back to stare at him.

“I can’t see it, my dove. I wish I could enjoy the moments with you.”

Anger rips through my body. Shaking, I pull away from him. Sebastian doesn’t let go of my shirt and clutches me back to his chest.

For a moment I feel visible, as if everything broken inside me is exposed. Pain rolls under my skin like the shards are poking out of my flesh, and nothing could stop me from crumbling into another fucking mess.

“Why did you lie?” I hiss. He isn’t supposed to pretend to appease me, although I should be used to this by now. Sebastian has only tried to save me from myself since I met him.

“I never said I could.” He kisses the top of my head. “I skirted the truth, but I would do anything to make you feel even a fraction better.”

Twisting I glare at him. We’ve been over this so many times, his ears should bleed. “Please, don’t hide things from me—not even the things you think will break me. I’m already broken in so many ways, one more crack won’t kill me. But your lies? Those will.”

”I’m sorry, my dove. Pain I can handle, but seeing you in the arms of torture? Can’t do it.”

I slide my hand up his chest to grasp his chin with force. His intense stare, stripped of any pity, is laser-focused on my emotional state.

“Take it all away,” I whisper. “Make me forget. Remind me I’m yours.”

“You will always belong to me, but if you need a refresher, I gotchu.”

Sebastian smirks before inching forward and catching my lips with his. Warmth fills my being, and he grips a hand through my dark hair, briefly breaking our kiss before pulling me to the floor.

Once again, he kisses me fiercely. Sebastian lets go of my tresses and peels off my clothes. Trailing the front of my body with his fingers, his lips travel from my mouth to the sensitive skin along my neck as the hard ground presses against my back.

The sound of human cries fills the air, like a morbid Spotify, only this playlist is distracting as fuck.

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