Waylen's Witch

Chapter 5 (Morgan)

Allowing Daphne to take me to her favorite Demon Bar was a bad idea. At the time, all I wanted to do was blow off steam, but I am starting to realize just how bad of an idea this really is, as we stumble home arm in arm. I am normally the voice of reason, keeping her on the straight and narrow.

Or at least I try.

But tonight I am just as bad as she is.

"That one Fire Demon was sooo hot" Daphne slurs.

I burst into a fit of laughter, needing to stop and steady myself against a wall as I gasp for breath.

"Hot... Because he was a FIRE Demon!"

Daphne realizes the joke and starts laughing too.

"Stop! I can't... I have to pee so bad" She is still laughing while bent over, crossing her legs.

"Me too. Let's hurry." I say, grabbing ahold of her arm again as we stumble along.

We round the corner onto our block and I can just make out a figure standing under the streetlight in front of the store, casually leaning against the lamp post. We slow our pace as we approach, and I start to feel slightly uneasy.

"Do you see a person there?" I whisper to Daphne "or am I just drunk?"

"You mean tall, blonde, and handsome? Oh, he's real." She replies, not bothering to lower her voice. "THE STORE IS CLOSED". She yells out to him "And it likely won't be opening on time in the morning" she laughs.

The figure doesn't say anything but does straighten up as we approach.

My vision is blurred and I can't make out more than his tall frame until we are nearly at the front door.

"Hello, Morgan." Says a familiar voice.

I freeze when he steps fully into the light, not wanting it to be true.

"It's been a long time. You look great. Even more beautiful than I remember."

"What are you doing here, Dorian?"

Daphne's head snaps to me "This is the Douchebag Ex?"

His cocky smile widens "So you've been talking about me. That's a good sign."

"All bad things I assure you," I say, fumbling in my purse for the keys.

"You didn't mention he was so hot."

I look over at him.

Nothing about his appearance has changed. He still keeps his blonde hair slicked back perfectly. Still wears the same expensive tailored suits that serve only to enhance his chiseled physique. Even his light blue eyes that I used to get swallowed up in are the exact same shade as they always were.

The only thing that has changed is my reaction to seeing him.

I used to think he was the sexiest man in the world.

A god among men.

But seeing him now only makes me want to be sick.

However, some of that feeling could be blamed on the alcohol.

Of all the nights he could have shown up.

I look between him and her "He's all yours Daphne. Although, I think you might be a little young for him. He seems to like much older women".

We both howl in laughter at that.

"If cougars are what you're into, I've got that covered," Daphne tells him leaning in to add "But fair warning, this kitty has claws".

"And a tail," I add, tearing up from laughter.

"You're drunk?"

The disapproving look on his face annoys me. It reminds me too much of my mother, and that is something I can't deal with in this state.

"What do you want Dorian? I know you didn't just come here to give me a lecture on my life choices."

"I was worried about you. Your mother said she saw you today and..."

"Eww," Daphne interrupts him "Are you and Lydia like... a thing now?" She makes gagging sounds "Gag me with a spoon. That's disgusting."

"What? No..." He frowns.

"On second thought, I am not sure you're my type," She pats him on the shoulder "Try not to be too disappointed. It's not me, it's you."

"Morgan, please. Can I just talk to you for a moment," He looks at Daphne "Alone?".

"The real question is, why would I want to listen to anything you have to say?"

I finally retrieve the keys from my purse and hold them up in front of my face trying to make out which one opens the door as I rock on my feet.

Dorian sighs and steps forward, waving a hand in front of the lock until we hear a quiet click-click.

I narrow my eyes at him "I didn't ask for your help. I am fine on my own".

I hiccup and have to cover my mouth to keep from throwing up.

He takes a step back holding up his hands in surrender "Yeah... I can see that" he says mockingly.

"I forgot how infuriating you are. So why don't you go away and let me forget again."

"You used to like that about me," he gives a sly smile "You said I kept you on your toes".

"Barf. You're going with the "old feelings die hard" spiel?" Daphne says "As interesting as this all is. I really have to pee, so I'm going inside". She looks at me. "Unless you want me to stay and make sure he leaves?"

I shake my head "I think he'll get the picture when I slam the door in his face".

Daphne wastes no time running into the back.

"Goodbye Dorian. I would say it was nice to see you. But I can't lie to you," I say as I close the door.

"Morgan, wait," he says as he grabs the door, preventing me from slamming it in a dramatic flourish like I wanted to "You can't take that job".

"First of all, what I do is none of your f*****g business. Secondly, I said good night to be polite. Now I am saying f**k OFF!."

"Please," Dorian's brows are drawn and he looks to have genuine concern in his eyes "Promise me you will turn it down".

"You don't even know what you're talking about."

"Yes, I do. The job with the werewolf."

How does he even know about that?

I gasp as the realization hits "You've been spying on me?".

He looks guilty. A look that I know all too well and it fills me with rage. "Well, not exactly. I...".

"How dare you. You've got a lot of nerve showing up here. Like you have any right to involve yourself in my business."

"I know. You're pissed and I get that. You have every right to be. But please hear me out. This one is not good for you. It's far too dangerous."

"You gave up the right to give me advice when you threw our future away for my mother."

His expression turns bleak "Believe me, Morgan. If I could take that back I would. I hate what I did to you. To us".

I give a humorless laugh "Not as much as I do.".

"I regret it every single day, and I know that there is no excuse".

"No Shit."

"But please, I am begging you to listen to me. Just this once."

"I am done listening to you, Dorian. Nothing you say means anything to me anymore..." I have to pause and steady myself against the doorframe "...everything you say is just a manipulation to get what you want".

His blue eyes grow cold. "That's not fair. I made a mistake, Morgan".

"A mistake? Are you kidding me?" I feel like banging my head against the door in frustration "A mistake is picking a yellow couch for our apartment and regretting it. What you did was far more than a mistake".

He looks down and for a moment I think he is taking in what I am saying.

"That really was an ugly couch."

The statement catches me off guard and I nearly forget myself and smile.

It's hard being in his presence. We have so much history.

Dorian and I were raised in the same coven and from early on we already knew that there were expectations for us. With him being from a highly respected family and showing great power as a warlock from a young age, it's not surprising that we were pushed together. Most matches in the sorcery circle are made purely to blend powers for the new generation. Although, that rarely turns out as expected.

We resisted for a very long time. Rebelling simply because it was expected.

But falling for Dorian was so easy.

Sometimes he could be a complete asshole, pushing every one of my buttons. But other times he was kind and surprisingly sweet. He was even the one who pushed for more, proposing marriage, when I was fine without it. Which is why it came as such a shock when he did the one thing I could never forgive him for.

"Do you remember the time you were dared to walk the temple roof? You were terrified of heights and Alimour didn't think you would do it."

"Ugh. Don't remind me."

"You would have made it across if she didn't yell and distract you at the last second."

"What a b***h. I would have broken my neck if..." I trail off as I recall what happened.

Dorian had put a feather-fall charm on me, so when I slipped I drifted harmlessly to the ground.

He nods "I was petrified the whole time you were up there. I never took my eyes off you".

Is that why he spies on me now? I want to ask, but I am afraid to hear the answer.

I shake my head to clear it.

It doesn't matter.

We had so many good times, so many lovely memories.

But now they are tainted.

The dreams we had for the future. Gone.

Tears threaten to spill but I blink them away.

I know I can't lie to him but I need him to leave.

"I'm tired Dorian, and I really don't feel like taking a trip down memory lane with you" which is the truth.

He nods "It's painful for me too. Believe me, Morgan. I've wanted to show up at your door so many times but knew I should stay away".

I can't look at him. I turn my head away because I know I will soften if I see the pain I can hear in his voice. I've always been a fixer at the expense of my own feelings, and I am not in the right headspace to shield myself against it tonight.

"And yet you're still here."

"I'm sorry. I'm just worried about you... I still love you, Morgan."

"You STILL love me?" I spit out.

He is taken aback by my sudden change in tone.

"That would imply that you loved me back then. And I know that's not possible because someone who loved me wouldn't have done that to me."

"That's not fair" he shakes his head.

"Do you want to know what the truly terrifying part about this whole thing is? If it had been with anyone else. ANYONE else. Even Alimour-f*****g-Lovejoy. I would have looked the other way and gotten over it eventually. But it had to be with my own mother. And now I can't even look at you without feeling my skin crawl."

I watch as he runs a frustrated hand through his hair, taking a steadying breath.

"You're killing me, Morgan. I feel terrible all the time for what I did to you. But please, you don't have to throw your entire life away because of something incredibly stupid that I did."

"Throw my life away?"

"You know what I mean. With all..." he gestures at the store "...this. And the headhunting s**t".

It's like a record screeches to a stop when he says this, and a long Meeeoww sound from behind me that I can imagine is an "oh, s**t".

"I happen to like "all this"."

Dorian laughs "You can't be serious".

When I don't say anything he continues "This isn't you Morgan".

"Right. Because you know me better than I know myself?"

"That's not what I meant. I just mean that this isn't at all like the life we had planned."

I cross my arms "You know I can't lie to you Dorian. So hear me when I tell you that I LOVE my life the way it is."

The dumbstruck look on his face is extremely satisfying.

He shakes his head with a furrowed brow "You're going to get yourself killed, Morgan".

I roll my eyes "I can take care of myself. I've managed just fine so far".

"Don't be an i***t" he is getting worked up. I can tell by the way the vein in his head starts to turn blue. "You have incredible power but even you have to admit that sometimes power is not enough and needlessly putting yourself at risk to prove a point is crazy."

"Crazy?"

Another Meeoww that sounds suspiciously like an "Uh-Oh" sounds from the darkness.

"I... what I meant was" he stumbles over his words trying to correct.

"It might be crazy if I was as weak as you are. But thankfully, that's not the case."

"What?" he looks like I just slapped him across the face.

"You heard me. You're just jealous because you wouldn't be able to do what I do. You don't have what it takes."

I watch triumphantly as his jaw hits the floor, but I don't stop there.

"It must really sting that the council won't even consider you for a high priest role. They have to beg me to come back because they wont settle for second best."

The vein in his head is now bulging and his face has gone a deep red. I am not sure that I have ever seen him so mad, and I am enjoying it a little too much.

"I can do anything that you can do. Better. And. Faster." He says this slowly and I can tell he is barely keeping his anger from boiling over.

"Keep telling yourself that," I say slowly to mock him.

He is seething with a clenched jaw "Fine. Let's make a bet then".

I laugh "I don't have anything to prove".

"Don't you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Maybe you running away from the coven doesn't actually have anything to do with me at all. In fact, I bet you are relieved that you can use me as an excuse."

"Excuse me?" I say in disbelief.

"I think you know that you can't live up to everyone's expectations and that you would make a shitty high priestess. That's the real reason you ran away."

My blood is boiling. I have never wanted to hit someone so badly.

"Now you have nothing left but to play at being a headhunter" he sneers.

I know my blood pressure must be through the roof.

"Fine. Let's make a deal."

"Fine."

"Fine. If I complete this job, you, my mother, the counsel, and everyone else in the coven must leave me alone. For good. No more pestering about coming home, training or power merging. You all let me live my life how I want."

He takes a couple of seconds to process this.

"Fine. But when you lose, you have to come home, complete your training, marry me, AND make me your second."

"No f*****g way. Are you delusional?"

His smile is sickening "HA! I knew you wouldn't agree. You know you can't do it."

There is usually a voice in the back of my head screaming at me to shut up and walk away. But anger and alcohol have dulled that voice of reason to just a whisper.

"Fine."

"Fine?" Dorian actually looks a little surprised.

"Yes. But when I win, you also have to admit that I am more powerful, and resign from the council in shame," I say, holding out my hand. I expect him to back off. I know his pride would never allow him to embarrass himself like that.

Nor would mine.

He gives a cocky smile, grabbing my hand without hesitation and sealing our fate as a blue knot appears across the back of both of our hands, glowing for a moment before fading to look like an old, white scar.

I go to pull my hand away but he holds it tight in his. "You have six months. And then I am coming to collect".

I swallow as dread fills the pit of my stomach. I don't like the triumphant look on his face. I feel like I have been played.

Shit.

I may have just signed a deal with the devil.