Chapter Seven: The Girl and The Demon
1025 Words
Jade
I sat curled up on my bed, my head resting on my knees, staring blankly out the window.
How had we come to this?
A part of me had always known Xoraxys was hiding something. But hearing the truth from his own lips... It broke me...
"I took you. I made you forget. I made you mine."
The words still echoed in my mind, wrapping around my throat like an iron collar.
My gaze drifted to the book on the side table—the one I had found in the forbidden archives, the one Xoraxys had tried to destroy in his desperation to keep me from fully discovering the truth. The edges were burned, blackened by his fire, but thank the gods these things couldn't get destroyed!
My hands hovered above the cover, trembling.
I had the truth in front of me. All I had to do was turn the pages.
But I was terrified.
I wasn’t sure what scared me more—the thought of learning what he had erased or the possibility that I wouldn’t want to leave him even after knowing everything.
I took the book and opened it to the first page, the yellowed paper cracking softly as I turned it. My fingers trembled over the faded ink.
"Jade Smith, born on the 18th of April. Daughter of Hazel Smith and Daniel Smith. Born in the town named York."
A sharp ache shot through my skull.
I gasped, clutching my head as the world around me started to spin. Images flooded my mind—a warm house, my mother’s laugh, my father’s strong arms lifting me as a child, my twin sister Azura and I running around in the house. The sound of city streets, the glow of phone screens, the distant hum of a world far from this one.
This was real.
This was mine.
A choked whimper escaped me as I forced myself to focus. I turned to another page, heart hammering.
"On the third month of the Slither Year, she had her first encounter with the supernatural, a shadow demon named... Lyrien Dekkar."
Lyrien?
The moment I read his name, a memory surged forward—a memory I had never recalled before.
It was one of my usual days, I was home alone, mum had gone to Nottingham to see a relative, dad had a late shift at the hospital and Azura? She was probably off partying somewhere. Point was there was no bloody person around to make me move.
I lay in my bed covered in my blankets, my phone in my hands, my fingers freely gliding on the screen. I was comfortably, till..
Bang!
The noise caused me to jolt up, my body tensed, there was someone in my house! The steps to heavy to be from my dad or Azura.
I heard more things fall, my instincts told me to call the cops, I grabbed my phone but Murphy's law struck again! There was no network!
With a deep breath in I grabbed the nearest thing to me, and for some dumbass reason it was my pillow, something I realized only when I got downstairs.
The intruder was in the living room, I could hear their heavy breathing as I stealthily approached the couch he was laying on.
My grip on the pillow tightened – ridiculous weapon choice aside, adrenaline fueled my courage.
As I rounded the couch corner, my eyes locked onto his profile – sharp jawline, piercing nose, and skin like dark marble. His chest rose and fell, only then did I notice his hand pressed against his stomach, blood seeping between his fingers.
“f**k mate! You're bleeding!” I blurted in horror.
His eyes snapped open, his stormy grey eyes locking into mine, intense pain reflecting in them.
“Obviously” he gritted out between his clenched teeth, am sorry was he giving me sass in my own home?! He sat up, his gaze moving to the pillow in my hands, a faint, pained smirk on his lips, “A pillow? Was that supposed to stop me”
I pressed my lips into a thin line, now he was mocking me? For someone bleeding out he sure did have a lot of attitude.
I look at his wound, a deep, jagged dash above his hip “You need to get to the A and E pronto, mate” f**k! Why was I even worried about the guy who broke into my home?!
He frowned and shook his head, “They'll ask too many questions” was this guy for real?! He rather bleed out than be asked questions.
“Well I can't have you bleeding out on my couch!” I folded my arms against my chest. My eyes searching his face, he was in pain. His wound was bad and he would probably die if he didn't receive immediate treatment.With a sigh, I go and grab the first aid kit.
I carefully tended to his wounds, I cleaned and bandaged his wound, why was I even helping this guy? I could feel his intense gaze on me, “Thank you...” he trailed, his voice low.
I looked up, “Come on mate, ain't ya goin' to tell me what 'appened”
His expression darkened, “No” he shook his head, wincing a bit.
I sigh, “Then at least your name?” my eyes narrowing slightly.
He hesitated before answering , “Lyrien.. Lyrien Dekker”
With that I found myself back in my present self, my fingers raked through my curly black locks.
Lyrien? Things just weren't adding up
I buried my face in my palms, it was like the universe was intentionally doing this to me! It enjoyed tormenting me.
Every memory just made more questions erupt in my mind.
I needed to talk to Lyrien, I needed answers.
“Lyrien?!” I called but he didn't appear before me. “Lyrien!” this time I was louder, but what answered me back was silence.
Something was wrong.
Lyrien was not the type to leave his post, Ever.
Where could he be? I asked myself.
- Writer
