Page 14 of The Soulless Witch

“Roman.” The cat nodded, sitting down while his ears pulled back. “It’s good to see you still have your sense of humor. You know full well that if I had dropped by, it would have been to kill you for what you did to my Mistress.” I held the familiar’s gaze, allowing my smile to drop. “You had no right to do that without her permission.”

“I know.”

“She ran because of you and got herself killed. It was your fault!” The cat hissed, his fur bristling.

“I know.”

“And she kept running from you and got herself killed again.”

“I know.”

The familiar took a step forward, then another, until he was standing in front of me. I stared down at the tiny creature, a chill running down my spine as Nym rose to his hind legs, his body elongating and shifting like he had no bones, no skin, no end. I tensed when he finally settled into its true form—a creature made of darkness and nightmares, with skin glistening like midnight, and teeth long enough to shred even a vampire to ribbons. Nym lowered his giant head so our eyes were at the same level—his now gleaming in ruby red—and the scent of blood and death on his breath hit my face.

“I don’t want to see her die again,” he whispered in a voice that wasn’t human at all. It wasn’t even a voice. It sounded more like a mix of nails tearing through flesh, teeth breaking bones, and lips drinking endless rivers of blood.

“Neither do I,” I replied. The creature moved back, sitting down just like it had done when it was a cat. Even hunched, its head reached the roof of the garage.

“Swear to me that if I let you get near her, you will protect her. That if she rejects you and tells you to leave, you will leave her. That if she chooses another mate, you will let her have them.” The last words were backed by a low, threatening growl that made the lamps flicker. I opened my mouth to reply, but the familiar spoke again. “She is not your possession, vampire. She is free and will always be. If you love her as you claim, you will never take more than she is willing to give.”

“I know.” Despite Nym’s unsettling appearance, there was no hesitation in my heart. “Celeste is mine, but I do not own her. She is, and will forever be, free with me. I only want what we had before. What bonded me to her in the first place.” I paused, giving Nym one long, appraising glance. “You have my oath. I will protect her, and if she wishes me gone, I will do so from afar, for as long as I shall live.”

Nym nodded, satisfied with the answer, and in the blink of an eye, he was a cat again, stretching and rolling his head. The familiar strode to my side, rubbing against my feet and purring quietly.

“Welcome back, Roman,” he said as he stepped away, looking up at me. “Wait for your moment. She is up to something, and I fear she might end up needing your help.”

I smirked, but before I could say anything, Nym was already running toward the house where Celeste had disappeared. I watched him scale the wall with ease not even a cat would possess, before landing softly on the windowsill. I headed back to my car.

I had waited two hundred years to meet her again, a few more days wouldn’t kill me. And when she needed me, I’d be there. Always.

Chapter 9

Celeste

“Whatdoyouthink?”I asked, turning in front of the full-length mirror in Lily’s room. I felt slightly unsteady in the black heels I was wearing. The dress hugging my body left little to the imagination, but I had spent enough time browsing the Internet thing and watching television to determine this was how young people dressed when going out at night.

“It looks…cold,” Lily said with a grimace. “Are you sure you don’t want to wear something less…I mean, something more? It’s cold outside.”

I turned around to look at her flushed face, her eyes immediately lowering to the floor.

“I can handle the cold.” I smirked, sleeking the thin fabric. I couldn’t, but my magic could, which was the same thing. “I’m asking if I look attractive enough to get someone’s attention.”

“Oh, you’ve got that covered,” Lily muttered, grimacing at the mess her bed had turned into after I had tried several of the dresses I bought—well, more likeborrowed indefinitely,since I charmed the shop owners to give them to me for free. I needed something sexy and revealing, but that would also allow me to move easily in it. Lily cleared her throat. “Anyway, where exactly are you going?”

“I’m going on a hunt.” I strode to her desk where I had laid out the makeup I was gifted. I picked up a lipstick in dark red and went back to the mirror.

“For men?” Lily asked, picking up the bowl of chips she had brought to eat earlier, but had forgotten about once I slipped into my first potential choice—a tight bustier and skirt that rolled up too easily for my liking.

“Men, women, werewolves, witches, whatever comes.” I shrugged, pouting my lips so I could paint them properly. When I was done, I turned around to find Lily chewing on the inside of her cheek. I threw my hands up, posing for final approval, but she barely looked at me.

“I should come with you, just in case,” she said, looking down at her oversized T-shirt and baggy sweatpants. She winced, then glanced at the dresses lying on the other side of her bed. “I can get ready really fast! I just need—”

“No,” I said softly, but firmly enough. “I’m not bringing a helpless lamb into a wolf’s den. I have laid this trap carefully and I don’t want you getting in the way. I’m sorry, Lily.”

Lily pouted her lips, but then she sighed in defeat.

“Anyway, what kind of trap are you talking about? I thought it was a hunt. I’m starting to think you aren’t going out for the dancing and the flirting.”

I gave her an amused smile but didn’t reply.

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