Page 11 of Demon Seed (Mated to the Monster: Season 3)
Selene
" C ome home, Selene, before it's too late." My sister's voice wakes me from a restless sleep. Although it was only a dream, it clings stubbornly to my worried mind.
Vesper's bedroom is eerily quiet, the silence thick and suffocating like a heavy velvet shroud. Moonlight filters between the heavy curtains, casting long, ghostly shadows that stretch and dance across the floor like ethereal specters.
I'm alone, yet an unsettling sensation of being watched prickles insistently at the back of my neck, like a cold breath against my skin. My eyes dart nervously to the corners of the room, searching for lurking shadows or any sign that the darkness might reveal a hidden presence.
The sheets beside me are cold—Vesper must have left some time ago. I sit up slowly, the silence of the cavernous bedroom enveloping me, and listen intently for any hint of footsteps beyond the door. But all I hear is the oppressive quiet, a stillness that fills the room.
"Hello?" I call out, my voice a timid echo against the vastness of the space. It sounds small and uncertain, swallowed by the shadows that cling to the corners. There's no response, just the lingering silence.
I slide out of bed, the sensation of the cool stone floor against my bare feet sending a shiver up my spine. The feeling intensifies, an unsettling awareness of eyes on me, watching, waiting. I spin around abruptly, half expecting to find a figure lurking behind me, but the room remains empty, its emptiness almost tangible. The shadows seem to shift and breathe, but no one is there.
My sister's warning echoes hauntingly through my mind once more. Come home. She knows I can't return home. But if I did, what awaits me there? Do they intend to separate Vesper and me?
A chilling sound reverberates from outside my window, and I freeze, my heart pounding like a frantic drum against my ribs. "Vesper?" I whisper into the shadows, though deep down, I know it isn't him.
Vesper moves with the silent grace of a ghost, never announcing his presence. The unsettling realization dawns on me—someone else is in my room.
I stand frozen, my breath caught in my throat as the mysterious figure gradually takes shape in our dimly lit bedroom. The air shimmers with an ethereal glow, like steam rising from a hot spring as if the very molecules are rearranging themselves into something tangible. At first, there is only an outline—tall and daunting—but soon, finer details crystallize into view. The apparition's dark hair flows like a river of shadows cascading down her shoulders, and her eyes, deep and ancient, seem to hold entire centuries within their depths.
"Selene," the woman utters, and the sound of my name on her lips chills me to the core. Though we've never crossed paths before, I recognize her instantly—it's Calista. Her presence is a paradox, both intimately familiar and enigmatically foreign, weaving a tapestry of recognition and mystery that sets my heart pounding with a blend of fear and awe.
"You shouldn't be here," I manage to say, though the words escape my lips in a fragile whisper that even my own ears struggle to catch. "This is my mate's domain. I'm under his protection."
Calista's lips twist into what might resemble a smile on anyone else, but on her, it takes on a sinister edge, a silent warning that promises something wicked is afoot.
"There are no locks I cannot break or doors I cannot transcend," she declares confidently, her fingertips gliding delicately along the surface of the polished bureau. Her eyes drift over the peculiar collection of stones Vesper must have amassed over the years. "They only keep out those who lack the skill to open them."
Calista lifts a piece of rose quartz, its soft pink hues catching the golden glow of the lamplight. She turns it slowly, the light playing across its surface. "Interesting choice," she muses. "Protection through unconditional love rather than brute force." Her gaze shifts to meet mine, her eyes sharp and penetrating. "Admirable. Foolish, but admirable."
My heart pounds fiercely against my ribs. I know I need to warn Vesper, but I refuse to turn my back on her.
"What do you want?" I ask, trying to channel strength I don't feel.
Calista carefully places the crystal onto the table, the soft thud echoing unnaturally loud in the tense and suffocating silence of the room. The air is thick with anticipation, and the crystal seems to shimmer with a life of its own.
"I'm here to return you to the mountain, Selene," she declares, her voice steady yet laden with unspoken urgency. "No one blames you for succumbing to the powerful mate bond that tugs at your soul, but you must understand that this union cannot endure." Her gaze is sharp and unwavering, as if it could cut through the air between us. "You have a choice: return on your own accord, or I will be compelled to take you home by force."