Sweet Menace Read online

  That’s what I get for not killing them all when I had the chance.

  Chapter 21:Kiss Me Good bye

  When skies turned green and black from my spell I knew there was no coming back. The power in me was beyond anything I had ever considered.

  Somehow I didn’t regret what I did to Edora. She deserved worse than what she got. If we come to think deeply about it, I did her a favor. Her soul was free from curse, free from perdition. Sam was back in the hospital. Superficial scratches and insignificant cuts were most of the damage. Dehydrated and with some animal bites, Sam would recover in a wink.

  Carrying him semi-unconscious through the darkness was the hardest part of this night. Silently I felt happy to have Viktor there to share Sam’s weight. Sam, on the other hand, felt his pride hurt when he returned to consciousness and saw Viktor helping him to the hospital. He preferred to be hauled in a wheelchair than escorted by Viktor. The gazes of disgust and challenge they gave each other were a shocking hint. Something tells me that these two guys wouldn’t get along well. At least not in this life.

  Believe me. This morning, after returning home, I’ll be alone again. Mamma and Lilly had been taken by officer Evo and Elizabeth to Sam’s apartment. Jerome was on the loose but I doubted he would be a nuisance ever again. The curse left on him by the maximum yawa would keep him busy for a while. I knew what was going to happen. I’ll have to move again. Another village. Another mockery to endure. Another wish of vengeance. Sam and I… That wouldn’t have worked no matter how hard I focused my strengths and effort.

  When the sun came out I had already changed into a dark yoga pants and a white cami. A black scarf was tied in my neck. Black uggs hugged my feet, warming my frigid toes. My clothes were already packed and everything was gathered in the living room, ready to be hauled to my van. My sweet ride needed to disappear too. A low profile car was better needed now. One special edition imported minivan attracted way too much attention, plus I was easy to track in it.

  I gave a last walk through my house, absorbing every memory I lived there. Every wall, bare of pictures or art, was full of images moving in my mind. So vivid were their faces, it felt unnatural not to cry missing them already. Lavender and I played in this hallway. These rooms were a fortress to exchange Lavender’s secrets for apple chickpea crumb cakes. I fell in love right in this house. My blankets were witnesses of how selfless and patient is a man who truly loves. Not just I found my passion in between this walls, I discovered how semisweet love can come to be.

  Say goodbye to my house, my peace, my villager-zombie-proof bunker, my private haven, was useless. I’ll never be prepared to say good bye to the only thing I know about myself.

  “Packing up to go home?”

  I jumped frightened. Turning around, I discovered the woman from last night sitting in my kitchen. Despite all the power in me, I was easily scared. A baby bird pushed from the security of its nest… Falling down to emptiness… Yelling inside… Mouth suffocated for the excess of air… Breath absent thanks to the fright… The terror of an imminent death I was running away from… That was me. A frightened little thing.

  “What are you doing here?” -I asked avoiding answering her question. I had hoped that everything related to this woman had been only a dream. After all, I didn’t even know her name.

  “I assume you haven’t noticed your house is fixed. Technically, nothing happened here.”

  I looked around to corroborate what the woman was saying and it was true. Not a single wall was burnt. Not even the bathroom pipes were broken. So absorbed by the recent events, I had marauded my whole house without noticing that the fire and all damage had been undone. I wanted to say thanks, I wanted to celebrate, but I was so worried. This woman had been following me since the previous day. Exactly the same Edora had done before trying to kill me. Perhaps Edora told me the truth when she said that other witches from far away would come after me.

  Standing proudly in the kitchen door, my eyebrow arched with reserved curiosity. The presence of this woman made me believe that the world confabulated against me. It’s like if I had to ask for permission to move on. Set aside already, people. I create my own world.

  “I’m Guineverè. You don’t have to be afraid of me.” -The silver haired woman said. Guineverè? Edora had mentioned her name. She had said grandma Guineverè. Do I have to be afraid? No. Why not? Because she said so? I needed to reconsider that. -“Have you heard of Camelot or Avalon?”

  “In some stories, yes. Those are fantastical places, unreal.” -I answered intelligently.

  “Its real name is Witch’s Hearth. Home of all covens of witches.” -She stood up from one of my chairs and paced around the kitchen, touching my many appliances. Her face reflected something resembled to tenderness and appreciation. -“I came looking for you but Edora reached first. When I got to you, you were in need of help but along with the little girl, you managed it perfectly well. A work worthy of my royal crown. The heiress I’ve been looking since…”

  “I didn’t manage anything. Lilly had most of the credit.”-I dared to interrupt her succession to the throne.-“And I’m not your heiress. I’ll never be.”

  “You cannot deny the blood running in those veins. Your mother committed the same mistake.” -Guineverè said caressing my red mixer.

  “Yes, she did. And you and your husband killed her in revenge.” -I managed to interrupt her with my knowledge.

  “Looks like your sister misinformed you too.” -Guineverè walked towards me. Pity stained the yellowish color of her eyes. -“Come home with me. There I’ll tell you everything.”

  Considering her proposal I knew that it was wiser to stick to my original plan. Travel the world. Settle into a new and nicer town. A city maybe. Start a new life. Heal my soul, let my spirit vomit all the pain gathered and empty everything keeping me deep in hate and sourness.

  “Maybe some other time. I have unfinished businesses.”

  Guineverè laugh as if she was expecting to hear what I had just said.

  “What business? Your romance with the hunter?” -I tried to protest, to look for options to keep him to me, but I knew the truth. He’s not something I can keep. He’s not an object or a pet, or a Styrofoam pan I can simply hide in my cabinets. He’s not a bottle of wine that can be waiting in hidden until the day I’m ready to celebrate. -“It has no future. You cannot turn him or something. He’s a real man, not a fictional vampire or werewolf. We are witches, Morgan. That’s what we are. As terrible as it may seem, we cannot change the Maghik gathered inside. Just like he cannot stop been a hunter.”

  “I know I have to let him go. I’ll move on somewhere else. My heart is so full of hate and I need to release this feeling.” -I confessed though I wasn’t sure if I wanted to lie to her or I was just lying for my own sake.

  “Vengeance won’t take you anywhere, Morgan. Your father and both grandfathers made the same mistake. I won’t let it happen this time.”

  “We’ll see.” -I defied her while dragging my luggage to the front door. Standing right in the closed door, I looked back at Guineverè. She was supposed to be my grandmother but I felt nothing for her. The only family I’ve ever had had tried to harm me. Lavender, my cousin, who I loved like a sister, had destroyed my heart. But what was she doing with Guineverè last night? My own sister, Edora, had tried to kill me more than once in less than two weeks. I needed no more relatives. My hand held the door knob firmly, ready to walk to a world of new opportunities. -“What Lavender has to do with all this? How you were with her last night?”

  Guineverè thought for a second while she inspected my lovely ovens with approval.

  “You’ll have to ask her that question.” -The Queen of Witch’s Hearth responded with a shrug.

  “Good bye then, Guineverè.”

  The fresh breeze caressed my hair and blew a soft rain to my face the instant I opened the door. I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply to welcome my freedom. No more hate. No more killer plans. From today on, I�
��ll be just me. Free at last.

  “Are you going somewhere?” -Sam was standing in my porch, his hands holding his hips in a demanding position. The id band from the emergency room was still attached to his wrist.

  “Yeah, I forgot to tell you.” -Guineverè whispered from behind the door. -“They don’t remember the last 48 hours. Not him, not his hunter family. Almost nobody in this town.”

  I felt touched by her words but I couldn’t understand why it had happened. If Sam hated me, if his family hated me, I would have no place to go rather than Witch’s Hearth. Despite that, Guineverè opted to give me the chance to choose.

  “A gift of reconciliation from me and our kingdom.” -She offered with a wink.

  Being caught trying to escape gave me great sorrow, not talking about how ashamed I felt to see him face to face. Pushing my luggage back inside the house, I closed the door right behind me. I stood still, only watching the tip of my shoes. Once again I was biting my lower lip, nervous. He tapped his shoe impassively while we both remained quite.

  Sam leaned leisurely against the railing of my porch. I raised my gaze to discover he was mesmerized, looking at me. Why this has happened to me? Why, of all men in the whole world, I end in love with a witch hunter?

  “You need to return to the hospital, Sam.” -I managed to say when the silence and the tension was crushing me. -“You’re weak. Doctors can help you to feel better.”

  “I’m not a weak man, Morgan. I have strength and I develop a resistance to every illness or medicine. It’s just a matter of a day or two, and I’ll be perfectly fine.” -Sam told me. -“My life is complicated too, but I don’t escape when I feel cornered. I talk. I love. I confess what I feel.”

  He straightened from his previous position and raised my face with his hand under my chin. Looking straight into his eyes I wanted to yell. Why me? Why you? All the truth we hadn’t shared was shining through our eyes, confessions we weren’t willing to pronounce, feelings we weren’t prepared to accept.

  “I can help you carry that heavy suitcase. There’s no need for you to run away from me. If you don’t want to see me again, you just have to ask. The least I want is to be an obstacle for you. I want you.” -Sam said coming dangerously close to me. I could feel Guineverè’s piercing gaze on me like a poisoned arrow. -“What I meant is I want you to be happy.”

  The closeness of his body was a punishment. A suppressed hug wanted to escape from me and my growing Maghik wasn’t of big help. Somehow it had turned into a passionate being with own mind. It wanted to force me to act against what was the right thing to do.

  “You have nothing to do with this. The decision was made long ago. I have businesses to do somewhere else. Maybe I’ll be back in a week or so. I don’t know.” -I lied. -“I don’t want to hurt your feelings. You’ve been good to me but it’s better if you move on.”

  Closing the distance between us, Sam gave two big steps ahead. This was just wrong, I could feel it. He was standing inches from me and my willpower was weak, trembling to melt like a pathetically made Tembleque. Sam was my weakness despite always being so strong. He was the heat to my frosting. His smile left me in disadvantage, forcing me and my hopes to wane. I just wanted to curl with him, to feel his warm embraces. And I couldn’t help but blame myself that during the upcoming trip I would be dreaming of the kisses I wasn’t brave enough to take.

  Giving two steps back I collided against a wall. Sam gave those two steps forward. His body was heaving with agitated breaths while he leaned on me, chest on chest.

  “Move on?” -He asked while caressed my chin. -“Are you leaving me for real? I wasn’t expecting this. In fact, I was hoping for you to come with us. Lilly is waiting in the car. She dies to talk with you.”

  “Is Lilly there?” -I asked in disbelief, pushing past him. -“How’s she? Why you left her alone in the car? Is the air conditioner on, right?”

  “Now I’m officially jealous.” -One more twist of his lips and my heart would be twisting as well. -“I knew that the moment you met Lilly you’ll stop loving me to just give your heart to my niece’s tenderness.”

  “It’s serious, Sam. You shouldn’t leave a kid alone in the car.” -I advised him and started walking towards the car.

  “She’s alright but she wants to talk to you.” -Sam stopped me by grabbing my arm. -“The air is on. She’s perfectly fine. And no, she’s not alone. Mamma and Elizabeth are with her, mocking me this moment. I just hope they don’t read lips. They’ll discover you’re leaving me already and I hadn’t even popped the question.”

  Speechless, I stood still, watching Sam with deep attention. He was so damn cute. And I was so in love with him. I needed to leave soon before my heart gives this feeling away. He was asking me THE QUESTION? The big question?

  “Look, Sam.” -I interrupted him right when he was coming dangerously close to me again. I knew that if I didn’t stop him I would never find the strength to push him away. -“I have an appointment and I can’t be late. I’m sorry. Tell Lilly I’ll call her tonight.”

  “Morgan Caprice!” -He called after me. -“Don’t you dare leave me here. Lets talk.”

  “Sorry, Sam. I’m not good for you. You’re a dreamcome true. I’m only a nightmare. We both have secrets we aren’t able to say.It's better this way.” -I said.

  He grabbed both my hands in his. I fought against his touch but my resistance was scrawny. Truth was I was tired of fighting.

  “Lets share those secrets. I’ll understand. I won’t judge. I’ll tell mine as well. Sounds good?” -While he talked, he cuddled in my neck and shoulder. My skin was like sharp pins. I was melting again. I was a pudding under the sun. A sugar cube in the mouth of an anthill. -“I’ll start with my secrets. I’m a…”

  Grabbing his face with unmeasured passion, I pulled him to me, kissing his lips with hungry desperation. Maybe this way we could forget the words. Perhaps a kiss can dissolve the secrets. Heaven came to me and I floated in clouds made of ripped fruits. So sweet were his arms I was flying to the moon at plain daylight. Not ready to break free from him, I let him lead our love exchange. This kiss, so wild and unrestrained, was like giving him my whole being. With it I relinquished my powers, my ability to escape from him, my self control. I wanted to live in his arms. But most of all, I wanted him to be happy. By my side he would never be blissful as he deserved. I had unfinished business and every part of who I am will rebound to affect him.

  Sam held me hard. We both were anchors, the savior to one another. I pulled him harder to me, an embrace so pure that I felt we were sow together by the divinity of the world. We were two bodies but our soul was just one, one complicated and big essence.

  His strength and passion grew. It was bigger than what I can deal with. He had me pinned against the wall and awareness was coming back. I wanted this kiss to never end. I needed to be holding him until the end of our time. I was desperate to be his and had him to me forever.

  My truth… This secret was beyond his capacity of acceptance. This was too much to handle. Fire and water could never live together. They could exist in harmony in this big world. Birds and worms cannot share the same roof. There’s always one who is stronger.

  I feared to be the stronger of both. My power could crush him, destroy his family, break his heart, kill him. I’ll never be his death, not if I can avoid it.

  Something separated us. A force pulling us together, pushing us apart. We both stood still for a second, holding each other but the kiss was broken. I fell into account it was my Maghik. I had lost control of the Maghik and it was taking advantage. Sam’s eyes showed a worried surprise and I feared for his reaction.

  I pushed him away. The tears gathering in my eyelids were big and heavy as ice balls. His eyes were watered too and I couldn’t continue looking at him another second.

  Without goodbyes, I hurried inside the house, dragged my luggage and left through the kitchen directly to the garage. I pressed the remote to open the rolling door and hit the gas p
edal. Driving by Sam’s car broke my heart. Lilly was sticking her head out of the window, looking straight at me without hiding her disappointment. Sam’s disheartened expression was the worst of images to keep.

  I have let him down again and again. Now, looking at his face, unaware of what has really happened, I knew I was the only one to blame. He had bargained with Jerome just to prove he was capable of winning my heart. Once he knew me, he understood it all better. I wasn’t going to be an easy prey. I would only fall because of true deep love. That same profound feeling that brought him to me every day.

  I was the curse to my family. A curse born of love and buried because of it. A curse that unfolded beyond a hunter’s safety barriers. I am Sam’s perdition and this love can only promise his death.

  I change every life I touch.

  I feed them well until they come to me looking for more.

  Then I engulf the heat of their hearts.

  Allow your heart to be enchanted by the irresistible Maghik of:

  SEMI-SWEET SATISFACTION

  About the author:

  N.I. Rojas has a Magna Cum Laude BA in Social Sciences -concentration in Criminal Investigation and Criminology. Full of goals, she chases the dream of her life: writing with passion. Two kids and a million books later, N.I. Rojas wants to tell how is to live a fantasy in between reality.

  If she’s not reading or writing in any unusual place of her house -like inside the kitchen cabinets- she can be seen in Pinterest.com or baking some healthy and yummy treat to feed the love.

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