Cain

Chapter 3

When I finally regain my footing I stand up and take a step back.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked, hesitantly. "And what the hell is this?" gesturing towards the key on my wrist.

He c***s his head. "Which question would you like me to answer first?"

"Who are you?"

"I have many names but you may call me Kane." his voice is deep and rough like he doesn't use it often. His accent sounds mixed and I can't seem to place it. It's like he's traveled all of the world and took a little bit of each place in his voice. It's weird and intriguing. "And as for the key, you took ownership of my curse therefore we are bound together."

Fire is spread around him, not burning him. It seemed to be trying to get away from him. Like it didn't want to be near him.

He could easily tower over me with his staggering height. He looks a couple of years older than me. His skin is tan, his light brown hair is down his back, he has a beard that is overgrown and he looks like he workouts every hour. It looks like... is that an eight pack? Goddess, he makes the rest of us look bad. I forget for a second how terrified I am.

"What curse? I didn't take ownership of anything. I was forced to do that spell. I had no choice." My eyes widen. "Did you do that to me?"

He looks around before answering my question. "I influenced you. The rest was all you. The spell can only work if the witch that performs it wants it to work." he stated in a calm tone.

So I really did this. I freed him. I freed a monster. He has to be a monster. What else comes out of a hole that had growls coming out. I can't deny that I went in with a purpose but it wasn't this one. I just wanted to do something that would prove to my coven that I wouldn't be the mess up they all believed. Whoever or whatever he is, isn't going to achieve that.

"Where am I?" he asked

"Oklahoma. My house to be precise." I answered absentmindedly.

"Oklahoma?" his brow furrowed. "What year is it?"

"2020,"

His face hardened. "Sixty f*****g years. That bloody whore."

"Uh. Who's a w***e?"

"The woman who put me in my prison."

"Your prison? Are you like a criminal or something?" I took another step back as if that could somehow do anything.

This guy looked like he could pick me up and throw me with his pinkie finger. He wasn't overly muscular but he looked like he could easily handle me. And that just sounded weirdly sexually.

"My only crime would be letting my anger get the better of me."

Sounds like he needs therapy.

"Uh huh. And your prison didn't provide you with clothes?" I gesture towards his still very naked body. I look behind him to see that the hole in the floor has closed up.

He looks down and doesn't seem bothered with being naked in front of a stranger. "They burned as I was coming through the portal."

I raised an eyebrow. "That wasn't a portal. I've seen portals. They don't come out of the ground." 

"This portal had to. My prison is under this world."

"Where is your prison?"

"A place where only nightmares and monsters live."

I bristle."What kind of monster are you?"

He smiled at my question. He was starting to scare me even more. I don't care how hot he is. Hot guys can be crazy too. I'm not one of those girls to just let their guard down for a hot guy. I mean if he was like Michael B. Jordan hot then maybe I would consider it. He might even be hotter than Michael. Oh, I'm so screwed and not in a good way.

"Have you ever heard of The Mark of Cain?" he asked, taking a step toward me but not past the symbols.

My eyes dropped to the floor that used to have a huge hole in it a few moments ago. The symbols haven't been disturbed.

I looked back at him. "Like in the Bible?"

I think back to the spell. It required the forbidden fruit which I knew was an apple. He must have put that in my head. The story of Adam and Eve comes to mind but of course, I had no way of knowing that, that was the actual forbidden fruit required for the spell. He however did since he 'influenced me'.

"Ah, so you've read it?"

I shrug."More like glanced at it. Most religious people don't usually take well to witches like me. Other than that, everyone knows the story of  The Mark of Cain."

"I suppose they do. What they don't know is that the story isn't true at all. Well, most of it isn't."

There was no way he was trying to hint at what I think he is. There is only one way he could possibly know what happened in the Bible. And to be quite honest until a few seconds ago I didn't believe in the Bible.

"Are you trying to tell me that you're The Cain. From the Bible?"

I figured his name was Kane, not Cain. Jesus this is all too much. Wait can I even say that now? He must know Jesus.

"Yes. As I said the story isn't all true as told in the Bible."

"So, you didn't kill your brother?"

"No, I did."

This was all too crazy. I wanted to slap myself awake. I also wanted to go to a corner and cry my eyes out. I've seen a lot in my short years on this earth but having Cain himself standing in front of me just puts the cherry on the cake. Or sundae or whatever they call it. What I'm really worried about is how I'm going to explain this to Aunt Michelle?

No, I can't tell her. She'd lock me in my room and never let me out. I mean she wasn't that crazy.  Overprotective? Definitely. Sometimes she looked at me like she wanted to wrap me in bubble wrap just to keep me out of trouble.

"Could you let me out of here? I seem to be catching a draft."

I almost laughed. It is pretty cold here. And I should probably get him some clothes because trying to make eye contact while his p***s is pointed almost towards me isn't making the situation any better.

"How do I know you won't kill me too if I let you out?"

"I never killed him." He pauses. "I mean I personally never killed him. And I can't kill you. We're bonded together. If anything were to happen to you my curse would be broken and I don't have time for that." He taps the tattooed lock over his heart.

"Huh, so I'm the key to your lock." I mused.

"Yes," he said, exasperated with me already. I got that reaction a lot so it didn't bother me.

I was still worried but I couldn't leave him standing there naked for the rest of the night. He was right about one thing, I could feel us bonded together. It felt like a string pulling me towards him. Hopefully, I don't regret this.  For now, I don't feel like I'm in any danger. I still feel uneasy about him and terrified but I'm not fearing for my life. Right now. KI walk over and rub away one of the symbols with the heel of my shoe.

"There," I said,

I took a step back and tried my hardest not to check out his naked body again. I failed miserably. Despite his tan skin, he somehow looked pale. He must not have gotten enough sun where he's from.

"Maybe I should go get you some clothes?" I suggested but I was secretly hoping he would say no.

It felt like I was adjusting too fast. One minute I'm thinking about how good looking he is then the next I'm terrified. I'm going to blame it on hin being the hottest guy I've ever seen. And the fact that I've met other supernatural creatures. So that gave me an open mind on supernaturals other than witches. I've never met any that came out of the floor but a few that gave me the heebie-jeebies.

He nodded. I went out of the library, up the long stairs, and to my parent's room. I opened their double doors and took them into the room. A four poster bed sat on the far side of the room, a couch and fireplace were on the other side. The room was big enough for twenty people rather than just two. The other two doors connected were the bathroom and their closet. I went to the closet and tried to not stop to look at the pictures on their nightstands but I couldn't help myself.

How sad was this? Staring at my parents' photos remembering how things used to be. The girl with one parent who was in jail and the other one who couldn't handle it so he left.

I picked up a photo of all three of us. We were at a coven retreat in Hawaii. Yes, witches also need time to relax and unwind. 

Mom's hair has always been short, she hated having to take care of long hair. It was dad who helped me take care of my hair. He has long black locs going down his back. Like me, they both have dark brown skin but mom's lighter than ours. She looks radiant compared to how she looked months before they took her.

Two years ago guards of the witch community burst into our house and took mom. They accused her of murdering an elder. Dad tried his best to convince them that it wasn't possible but they wouldn't listen. I believed them because she had changed. It was like one minute she was completely fine then the next she was doing crazy spells and trying to cause havoc. Dad tried his best to get her to stop but he seemed to have no control over her. She wasn't herself anymore. She acted cold and emotionless toward us. It was like she didn't love us anymore. It still hurts me to even think that way.

I remember during the time she was my normal mom the elders had summoned her. I had no idea what they wanted from her but it must have been bad because once she came back, she wasn't the same. Dad tried his best to keep mom away from me so I wouldn't notice how much she changed. I knew better. I knew something was going on and I felt so helpless. I just wish he would have told me why she was acting that way. Instead of lying to me. Now I'm left in the dark without both parents.

Being here felt so cold without them. I haven't been here since they hauled mom away. She's in Dark Citadel Institution, a prison for witches and other supernaturals who caused harm to their communities.

Witches who become out of control are stripped of their powers and are heavily guarded. Powers or not witches are crafty. I'm not allowed to visit her, they said she was too dangerous and that she would influence me. No matter how out of control she was, she'd never had and never would hurt me.

I set the photo down and went to their closet. One side is filled with mom's clothes and shoes while the other is filled with Dad's. I grabbed a pair of sweats, a t-shirt, a pair of socks and some shoes. Dad is a big man so I hope they fit Cain. Cain. I still can't believe that Cain from the Bible is in my library naked and waiting for me. It's unbelievable and that's coming from a girl with powers.

I walk downstairs with the clothes in hand. I go to the library to find him looking through the spellbook I used.

"Where did you get this?" he asked, without looking up.

I set the clothes down next to him. He smelled like he'd spent time in the woods. Not like dirt but like a woodsy smell and smoke. It was manly and addicting. I took a step away from him before I started smelling him like a dog. 

"Shouldn't you know since you 'influenced me'" I made sure to use air quotes and added a glare because I was feeling bold.

"I felt you opening the book from my prison and since it's connected to me I was able to contact you through it."

"Prison? Why were you in prison?"

He gives me a pointed look. "You answer my questions, I'll answer yours."

I sigh. "I don't know. I suppose my parents got it. Most of these books came from different generations."

He looked at the clothes I brought him in disgust. "You don't have any suits?"

I raised my eyebrow. "This coming from the guy covered in dirt and blood. I don't think you have room to be picky right now."

Moving faster than I thought he could, he stands in front of me and grabs a hold of my chin.

"Watch the way you speak to me, little witch." I can feel myself shake in fear. He lets go of my chin and presses his hand on my cheek. "Shhh. Don't cry, love. I reward those who help me." he said, switching his voice from anger to a soothing tone. "As long as you prove yourself useful you have nothing to worry about."

I didn't notice I was crying until he steps away from me to get dressed. I wiped my tears away and cleared my throat before answering me. He went from calm to scary in a second. Like flipping on a light switch.

"My dad took his suits with him when he left."

"Left where?" 

The clothes fit almost perfectly.

"He left, I have no idea where he is."

I haven't talked to him in a while. He said he had 'things' to take care of and that he would be back. Next thing I know I was moving in with Aunt Michelle who is my mom's sister. He's never called, texted, or tried to get in contact with me after being gone for so long. It left another hole in my heart when he left.

Aunt Michelle tried her best but she could only do so much. She had to watch over not only Mira and I but a whole coven. It was hard enough with her dealing with two sixteen year olds. The rest of the mom's family were away doing whatever they wanted. I've never met dad's family. I wish there was a way I could find him to make sure he was okay and to tell him that I wasn't mad at him. I understood why he left. The love of his life was taken away and there was nothing he could do. I've tried to do location spells but they never work.

"Your mother?"

"Prison." I deadpan.

I didn't want to talk about my family. I wanted to figure out what to do with him. Aunt Michelle would be looking for me soon. It was only seven despite how dark it had gotten outside. It's fall so the mornings don't last long.

"Mhm. How did she end up there?." he asked, still using his oddly calm voice as if he didn't just threaten me.

"No. You have to answer my questions now." I said sternly despite my fear. He looked at me in an almost amused expression."What prison were you in?"

"Purgatory."

It sounded familiar.

"It's a place where they send the monsters they either can't control or don't bother controlling. It was built for me personally but once they realized they could get rid of their problems by sending them to purgatory.