Page 13 of Bewitched (Hexes and Fangs: Holiday Editions #1)
N ox leads the way for me to find Zilla. His hands in his pockets, he walks as though he possesses the night. The fumes from his cigarette are colliding with my face.
"I’ll find you, pretty witch…" The voice cuts through the tangled corridors, raw.
"Neo??" Zilla’s voice echoes. I panic.
"Where are you?" The guys words stretch, distorted by distance, swallowed briefly by the shifting wind. I turn, straining to pinpoint the direction. Footsteps echo, uneven. Their pace falters as the speaker pauses. Nox turns to me.
"Stay here!"
"Where are you going?"
"To hunt." He takes out the chain from his pocket.
"Nox?" He stares into my eyes. "Take care of Zilla!"
The towering stalks surround me, stretching endlessly in every direction. I am alone. My breath is shallow, barely louder that the rustling. The wind shifts the stalks. I turn sharply, alarmed, the sky above and everything around me are an endless black.
"Come now, witch. I just want to love you."
What the fuck is wrong with everyone?
Then—it came. A yell, sharp and desperate.
I spin, gripping the edges of the corn plants. The sound echoes, warped by the maze’s winding paths. Was it ahead? Behind? The yell repeats, strained, urgent. Farther? Maybe closer?
I break into a run, my lungs burning as I push forward. I have to get to Zilla. The maze twists in cruel circles, every passage identical. Another turn. Another corner. I stop.
Ahead, the stalks are torn apart, trampled. Something had or was moved through violently, ripping the corn as it passed. I can’t yell Zilla’s name. The monster will know I am not alone. I grip my knife’s handle so hard that my bones jolt. The ends of my fingers tingle, searing.
The figure in front of me is tall, still as stone, deep in the shadows. His head tilted slightly, watching. Waiting. I sprint to him, stumbling and put the blade into his back, right between his ribs.
"Neo, what the fuck?"
Nox turns to me, his hand withdrawing the blade from his flesh.
Blood paints his lips, smeared in uneven streaks, glistening dark under the moon’s pale glow.
The crimson trails snake down his chin, pooling at the edges of sharp, gleaming fangs—evidence of a fresh kill.
The body lies motionless at his feet, limbs awkwardly sprawled.
The skin already drained of warmth, carries an unnatural pallor, tinged with the quiet stillness of death.
Shadows creep into the hollows of its face, accentuating the glassy stare of eyes that no longer see.
A tickle of blood winds its way from his neck.
From two perfect dots. Fingers rest half-curled, frozen in their last position.
"You killed him."
"He wanted you…" he wipes his hand across his lips, attempting to remove the blood from his skin.
The darkness is shattered by flashing strobes of red and blue, pulsing against the air, the leaves, our bodies.
The rotating beams cut through the night, casting sharp, shifting shadows that flicker like ghosts against the surroundings.
The hum of engines grows closer, a low rumble beneath the rhythmic whine of sirens that ebb and fade with the slowing approach.
Tires crunch against the dirt, coming to a halt.
Nox’ hands clutch my face.
"Look at me, Neo…" My eyes meet his. His face is blank, or he does that so I can relax. "I asked your friend to hide behind the pile of fake bones after the next corner. Go to her and run away from here!"
"What about you?"
"Are you worried about me, nightshade?"
"Nox…"
"I’ll be fine… in prison, but just fine. Meet me there in two days, baby."
I take a step back from him. The car’s doors swing open. Heavy boots hit the ground. Voices rise, clipped and quick, breaking the stillness with measured commands.
"Neo? He was talking about being in love with you."
"I don’t know what’s happening."
"I’d gladly kill everyone for you. Now, go!"
How did the love potion bottle end up on the ground? Fucking ghosts...
The fumes billowing from the brew are pink when they are meant to be red. It’s possible that the blood is a different type this time.
I take another step back. My breathing becomes fast and shallow.
I can hear my heart pound inside my chest, each beat loud and relentless.
My hands tremble. My skin feels cold and hot at the same time, beads of sweat forming despite the chill running down my spine.
My vision narrows, the surroundings blur.
His hands grab my face, shaking me gently.
"Neo!" I can hear his voice calling for my name. A fading sound.
"Neo!" He embraces my whole being, pulling me into his chest, supporting me from collapsing. "I am here!"
"I made a mistake…" I tell him, his black hoodie covering my face.
"What?" His hand is sweeping my hair.
I look up at him. "You… the candy…"
"Neo, you have to run. Now!"
I spot Zilla right where Nox said she’d be. Without a second thought, we run from the maze. I know he is smart enough to sense the smoke. I know he is safe… wherever he is.
I poisoned everyone.
I fucking poisoned every single being that bought my fucking candy for Halloween.