The Dream Demon

Chapter 14 - Secrets And Lies. Pt 1

My parent's wouldn't be expecting me home yet, so I still had a little time to burn. I wanted to drop in to the library and gather some books to help with mine and Loch's English project. What was crazy to me, is the last time I was there, I was researching his father.

The egg had made my hair dry in clumps, and people were looking at me a little strangely. I didn't have much choice though. If I didn't get everything done now, my parents wouldn't allow me to go out and do the things I needed. I was only ever allowed to go to Bible Study and babysit for the other members of church.

Walking along, face down to the floor, the shrill voice of my mother interrupted me from my thoughts. There she was, across the road from the library, stood outside of a hair salon with a bunch of foils in her hair, shouting away in to her phone. I ducked down, hiding my frame behind a parked car, hoping that she wouldn't see me. If she did, I'd be sent home and grounded for sure.

"What do you mean it's getting too expensive! You know that if I don't go every month that my roots start showing! My hair is too dark to try and hide it! Don't you think she'll start asking questions?" she wailed into her phone.

What? Since when did my mother ever have dark hair? I'd never known her to dye it in my life! She'd always had a similar hair colour to mine. I got a little closer, straining to listen to the rest of the conversation.

"Well Matthew, let's not forget we both got ourselves into this situation. We both made the deal." With that my mother sighed deeply and walked straight back into the salon.

What deal had my mother and father made? Did this have something to do with the 'deal' that Typhon mentioned to me? Too many thoughts were swimming inside my head, yet again. To me it felt like something big was happening around me, and I was the only one oblivious to it all. Asking my parents outright was not an option. They would either straight up deny it, or punish me for interfering/eavesdropping.

I no longer felt in the mood to go to the library. I found myself walking home instead. Reaching for my key and turning it in to the lock, I was hoping that I'd be the only one home. Wanting nothing more than to drown in my own solace, I held my breath, listening to see if my father or Josh were in. Thankfully, the house was silent, apart from Polo's little feet padding across the wooden floors to greet me.

I left the cake I'd made on the side and quickly ran upstairs to my bedroom, before stripping off my uniform and putting on my bath robe. Walking back down the stairs, I decided to put my dirtied clothes into the washer-dryer, so that they'd be ready to wear again for tomorrow. My parents didn't think to get me any doubles for my uniform, so I'd always ended up washing it every other day anyway.

I refilled Polo's food bowl and made my way to the bathroom, walking straight over to the tub. I added some Radox bath bubbles, and made sure it was the hottest, deepest bath that I could tolerate. Pure bliss. I laid back, completely submerging myself beneath the water, scrubbing myself clean. Closing my eyes, I tried to relax for the first time today.

"Missing me already, Abigail?"

"Moloch?"

I blinked rapidly, opening my eyes. I was back at Moloch's mother's tree, yet the leaves were now a pale pink.

"I've fallen asleep again, haven't I?" I asked, looking around for him. I couldn't see him yet, but I could feel his presence here.

The last I remembered I was enjoying a soak in the tub. Now I am back here, surrounded by the beauty of this place.

"Yes, you have.. Maybe you subconsciously just wanted to see me again" he said, walking out from behind the tree.

A genuine laugh burst from my lips. "I'd have seen you again tomorrow at school, would I not? Or was today just a one off attempt to fuel my life with even more stress?"

"You have an infectious smile Abigail. You should do it more often" complimented Moloch, making the butterflies inside me swarm and heat rise to my cheeks. "And to answer your question, yes. You would be seeing me at school tomorrow. We're partners on a project, remember? I wouldn't be a good partner if I left you in the lurch now, would I?"

"Pfft, well today had been an absolute disaster. Just waiting on your father to come along now and completely ruin it. By the way, how is it you are able to physically leave here, but your father isn't?"

Moloch's eyes widened, practically bulging out of his head.

"Come with me, let us talk somewhere more private" he said, outstretching his hand for me to take.

I raised my eyebrow, placing my hand in his. A perfect fit. In an instant, we were transported to what looked like an insanely decadent nightclub. There were mirrors floor to ceiling, and bodies packed close together, grinding away on the dancefloor. A DJ was high up in a booth above the crowd, playing music that was making the place shake with bass. It instantly lifted my mood, making me want to dance.

I tuned to look at myself in a mirror, and was now wearing a long sleeved, dark red mini-dress that shimmered every time I moved. My hair now hung down in perfect waves, pinned back on one side by beautiful red crystal clips.

"How?" I turned to Moloch asking.

"Magic" he laughed, rolling his eyes. "Hold on a second, wait" he demanded, trailing his fingers across my forehead. "Did you hurt your head today?"

I rolled my eyes back at him. He obviously hadn't seen the videos of me floating around on social media, but he'd find out about it tomorrow at school.

"It's a long story, I'm sure you'll hear about it tomorrow" I explained, as the heat from his hand trailed down my body. He'd healed me, just as his father once did.

I felt a little out of place. Only a handful of people in here looked human; although I knew that none of them were. Not only did they look different, they moved differently.

Loch must have noticed my hesitation, as he linked his fingers through mine, and led us through the crowd. He'd stop every now and then when people would greet him, their eyes observing me in curiosity. We stopped at a roped off area where a brawly bouncer let us straight through, bowing deeply. Moloch was obviously well known.

"Sit with me Abigail. Let's talk" gestured Loch to an empty booth.

"How old are you Loch?" I said, c*****g my brow. "You do realize I'm only seventeen, right? And you've brought me here. To a nightclub?"

He chuckled loudly, as if I'd said the most bizarre thing. "I am eighteen, if going by your age, but age doesn't mean a thing here Abigail. In the Underworld we are classed as adults from the age of fifteen. Time doesn't pass as quickly as it does in the 'real' world. Besides, you're eighteen soon, right?" He commented, sending me a blinding smile.

"Yes, It's my birthday in just under two weeks. Being eighteen doesn't make that much of a difference though."

"It doesn't? For us, here, when you reach the age of eighteen it's a very big achievement. It's the age most people come into their power, or find their mate."

"Mate? Like their other half?"

Moloch looked at me with amazement. A giant smile stretched across his lips. "Yes Abi, exactly that! How did you know about mates?"

"What can I say? I read a lot." I answered, mirroring Moloch's smile with my own.