I Kissed The Devil On Christmas

Aurelyn Lewis's Point Of View. The wedding is every girl's dream, the day she walks toward a man she loves but I was forged to a monster who had already decided my body was his property and my soul was just collateral. I had been trapped for what felt like three, maybe four months, I was not even sure anymore, for exactly how long. After a while, I lost the track of dates. Each and every morning, or night felt the endless while I lived in a constant mix of fear, pain, and numbness. I sat rigidly on a wooden chair, with tears across my cheeks, while my wrists were cuffed to the table. Two girls hovered around me, they kept tugging the ribbons, pinning the veil and dabbing the makeup. To be honest, the dress they forced on me was beautiful , cruelly beautiful. It was a white satin gown, the neckline was in sweetheart shaped, and the skirt was layered enough. That was the kind of dress a woman might dream of wearing one day, in her wedding. "Ma'am, your mascara is getting ruined again and again. Can you please, try not to cry?" One of the girls said, while leaning closer, to apply mascara. "I am trying," I choked out, while the fresh tears pooled in my eyes. "You know, you will be in trouble if he sees." The other hissed, terrified for herself more than for me while dabbing under my eyes. My lips quivered, as I looked at them, they were not older than me, maybe even younger. They were scared, had probably seen what Kaelix Druane did to women who displeased him. Everyone startled the moment the door crashed open. I swallowed the lump in my throat as my eyes lifted to the mirror, to the figure, Kaelix Durane in a black tank top, with an cobra ink around his broad shoulders. “Out,” He barked and walked straight toward me. The girls, ran towards the door, one almost tripped trying to run faster. I looked down, at the floor, until he grabbed my chin and pulled my face up, hard, to look at him. "Look at me, Kitten," He said, while biting his lips and looking at my eyes, directly. Each and every part of me rebelled, but the grip on my jaw tightened, almost painful. “These lip of yours, would look perfect wrapped around my c**k later.” He whispered, as he smeared my lipstick with his thumb. I stared straight into his eyes, spat right in his face, and laughed, unhinged for a minute. As Expected, he slapped me across the cheek, hard enough that my head tilted to the side. I licked the blood from my split lip, while a sharp sting flared across my skin. “We will see how long that lasts when I am nine inches deep" His grin turned feral, as he yanked my head back by the hair. "You belong to me now, Aurelyn." My stomach twisted, in fear as he ran a thumb under my eye, wiping a tear. “Fix her face,” He ordered, let go of my hair and unlocked the cuffs. I rubbed my wrists instinctively, trying to ease the sting. “Bring her to me in ten minutes.” The girls, from earlier stepped in, looking down. “In exact ten minutes,” He yelled further, as he walked off towards the door. “Wipe the blood off her, but leave the bruises. They suit her." "Wait," I whispered, barely steady. "Allow me a moment in bathroom, please." “You try to run again,” He said, while rolling the sleeve of his shirt, “I will break both of your legs myself, drag you to the altar in your pretty white dress, and you would still say ‘I do’" I nodded quietly, as I walked into the bathroom and locked the door with trembling fingers. My legs were barely steady as I sank against the door. The silence inside felt unreal, as I looked at myself in the mirror. For a moment, I did not recognize the girl staring back. This is what a corpse looks like before it’s buried. A hard bang rattled the door and pulled me back, in the sickest present. “Aurelyn!” Kaelix’s voice exploded through the door, loud and violent, "What the f**k, you doing in there? Come out, or I will break this door down.” I turned to leave and, froze for a moment. There was a small window in there, the one I had not noticed before, in panic. For a heartbeat, I thought I was imagining it, but the cold air drifting in was real. I stepped closer, I climbed onto the toilet seat, and peeked out, while my heart was racing with uncertainty. Outside, It was the back of the cabin, a wide stretch of forest covered in fresh snow. For the first time in hours, maybe days, the walls around me loosened. It was a possibility, a chance. I glanced at the door and then at the window. Could I ? “Aurelyn!” Kaelix roared, through the door, violently hard enough to shake the hinges. “Don’t. Test. My. Patience.” The banging grew louder. Each word hit harder than the last, promising consequences I was not ready to face. Get it together, Aurelyn. Escape meant death if caught but marrying Kaelix Druane, that would be a slow death, but a certain one. My hands trembled as I turned on the tap, letting the running water mask any sound If made. I pushed the window open wider, ripped the veil, hiked the dress, and crawled through the window, and then I pushed myself forward and dropped into the biting cold night, Behind me, the bathroom door exploded off its hinges. Panic shot through me and my body moved before my mind even caught up. I ran, into the snow, into the dark, into the unknown, into freedom. At least, that’s what I thought. The snow reached high around my legs, that made every step heavier but I did not dare turn around. I kept, pushing through branches that scratched my arms and thighs. Time passed in a blur, and I had no idea how long I had been running, minutes or maybe hours. My feet had been numb, since then each and every step hurt, a lot. My wedding dress, once soft, now soaked and cold against my skin. It clung to my legs, caught on every branch I passed through, and tore piece by piece. My chest burned in pain, it was harder to breathe with each passing second. A strange numbness settled inside me, and for one moment, I wanted to lie down in the snow and close my eyes, forever but the second I slowed down, I heard footsteps behind me. Panic shot through me. I ran, a branch scratched, across my face. I tripped, and fell hard, my mouth filled with snow. The taste was bitter - blood, dirt, and cold. Get up, Aurelyn. Get up or die here. I spat it out, forced myself up and ran harder. About an hour later, the trees thinned, and then, I saw the lights, shining in the distance, through the branches. My eyes filled with tears as I pushed forward, crashing through the last line of trees until I reached a tall fence. It was a Christmas Fair. Strings of fairy lights hung between trees, across poles. Children playing, while holding their cotton candies, couples kissed, while walking hand in hand, and family laughed, while taking pictures in front of a giant Christmas tree in the middle of an open field, covered in ornaments. Behind me, motorcycle headlights broke through the forest. My heart jumped into my throat, I dropped to my knees, and crawled under the fence. The metal scratched my back and shoulders, ripping the dress even more. Once I reached the other side, I tore off the soaked bottom of the gown and threw it behind me, on the opposite side. I stood up again and ran. I stumbled into the crowd, crashing into people as I tried to move through them. “Sorry!” I gasped, my voice was brealy enough for a whisper as I pushed past a family taking selfies under the lights. The little girl squealed back in her father's arm. “Watch it!” The dad shouted, dragging his daughter protectively behind him, his face was twisted with irritation. “Oh my God, are you okay?” A woman asked, reaching toward me with both hands, her brows knitted together in concern, stepping into my path. I flinched away, my heart was hammering against my ribs. “Move!” I cried, pushing past her before she could touch me. “Hey! Watch out, where you are going!” Another woman glared at me, and yanked her purse closer to her side as if I might steal it. “I am sorry,” I whispered, breathless, as I continued to move forward, no matter what. “Careful! What’s wrong with you?” A man shouted, carrying cocoa. He stepped back, widened his eyes as hot liquid sloshed onto his gloves. “Sorry, I am sorry,” I said, fresh tears pooled in my eyes as I moved forward. “Sweetheart, are you okay? You look —” An elderly lady asked, reaching for my arm but I slipped away before she could finish, ducking beneath her hand. Within a few more steps, I slammed into a huge drunk man. “Sorry —” I whispered, barely keeping myself upright as the crowd blurred into streaks of color. “Get out of my way, crazy b***h!” He slurred, as he shoved me hard, before I could steady myself, with a disgusted scoff. Before, I was about to hit the ground, strong hands wrapped around my arm, and pulled me back to balance. I looked at the most beautiful pair of green eyes, dressed in black. My fist tightened around the torn fabric at my side as the fear, coursed through me. His eyes moved from my torn dress to my bloodied cheek. I followed his gaze instinctively, and froze. Kaelix, was standing at the far side of the field, scanning the crowd with his men. He had not seen me yet, but he might. In panic, I stepped closer to the man whose embrace I was in, not by choice. He pulled off his black leather coat and gently placed it around my shoulders. It was warm, against my freezing skin. His hands were almost careful, like a warmth I had forgotten brushing against the cold edges of my fear. For a moment, I forgot everything and lost myself in his hold, as if his arms were the only place the world could not touch me. “Hey, watch out!” A woman yelled behind me, pulling me out of my daze and back into the world I was desperately trying to outrun. “Shut up,” A man said, his voice was laced with irritation. That voice, Oh dear god, I recognised that voice instantly, which meant he was closer, maybe only ten steps behind me. I squinted my eyes to the side, barely daring to turn my head, and there he was, Kaelix, walking through the crowd looking for me. The helplessness, with the chance of getting caught, coursed through my whole body. Before I could comprehend, I grabbed the green eyed man's collar, stood on my numb toes, and kissed him. He froze for half a second, maybe surprised. He kissed me back, while pulling me closer, by my waist. Fireworks burst in the sky at that exact moment, people around us, cheered and laughed. For the first time, it was a kiss that was not forced, a kiss I chose. I did not even know his name, a stranger and yet, in that moment, I was a girl being kissed by a man who felt like the answer to a prayer I never dared to say out loud. Author's Note : Here’s the thing about running from monsters, sometimes you don't escape them, you trade them for worse ones. Excited for the next chapter ?