Page 12 of My Dark Obsession

Rí looked back at me again, his angry expression dropping into one of awe.

“Fuck me, Mo Chridhe, ye’re fucking stunning.” Whilst he was distracted by well, me, the man closest to him took the easy route and reached into his pockets whilst Rí’s back was turned and lifted his arm to throw something at him.

I lifted my own arm with my own weapon and went to run forward.

Before I or the man could move any further, Rí’s large hand wrapped around his throat, and he lifted him into the air before he threw him across the empty street as if he weighed nothing.

Huh. Okay then.

The one who had eased back before, rushed at the dragon man who was baring his teeth in a wide smile as he essentially took on two men with his bare hands.

He was enjoying himself.

So I dropped the glass, stood back and watched. Because who was I to take someone's fun away? It would have been rude to do so.

It was like dancing, the ebb and flow of arms swinging, the side steps and spins. I hummed the Waltz of the Flowers as I watched him dance.

Just as the orchestra in my head reached its peak, Rí had obviously had enough and grabbed both the blurred men by their heads and slammed them together. Knocking them out and throwing them to the floor.

How anti-climactic.

Rí wasn't even out of breath. If anything, he seemed calmer.

I got that.

His bright eyes sought me out before a huge grin split his face. My face did that strange pulling and stretching back.

It hurt.

“Come my Wee Mate. Let me show ya’ what's ye’res.”

After walking in silence for a while we stood in front of another blurred tree, this one hidden and overgrown by bushes and thorns. At first, I didn't see it.

Another portal.

I gave Rí a questioning look. Why were we here?

“The Dark Witches lived on the Dark Mountain. Only the true blooded and their Mates could pass this portal. The Mountain will no’ accept anyone else. The Mountain and anything on it are ye’res Wee one. A home for ye’ and ye’re boys.”

I frowned and muttered “How, if they’re hum–”

He held my face between his big hands, trapping my gaze to his. “Ye’ are a witch Amaya. Ye’ll find a way.”

A home. For my boys and me. Somewhere safe, somewhere ours.

Somewhere we could be us and nothing less.

Was it a possibility?

My stomach ached for them, for their presence.

Yes. I would find a way.

If I was a witch, I had magic.

Right?

I nodded against his hands and said with conviction. “Yes. For the twins.”

Lowering his hands, we stood side by side and stared at the portal, unsure on what awaited us on the other side.

***

My ears popped as we stepped through, my feet sunk into the wet ground and a cold mist blew my hair across my face.

The dark sky covered the stars but the moon shone brightly through a break in the clouds.

Its light made the green moss that covered the ground, rocks and tree roots vibrant and almost glowing.

The trees were tall, dark with black leaves that dripped…purple liquid?

It dripped onto my hand and ran down my wrist as I held it up to look closer. Its purple smear fell from my skin and landed onto the moss.

The trees rustled noisily before two thick branches moved by their own accord and wrapped around my waist. Holding tight, the leaves tickled.

Rí growled and reached forward to rip them off but I batted his hand away.

“Stop, they aren’t hurting me,” I muttered in awe. The trees’ movement seemed as though they were petting me.

The leaves patted at my skin as the branches circled my waist in a tight hug.

“What are they doin’?”

“I don’t–”

A firm yet soft voice answered before I could. “They are welcoming their Lady home of course.”

Okay so I'm ashamed to say I froze. Before us stood a man, dressed to the nines in his shiny dress shoes, a long black tailcoat with pure white gloves. His hair was black and slicked back revealing perfectly trimmed black eyebrows, tiny glasses and a jiggling moustache.

A butler.

Except he wasn't just any butler. No no. He was glowing in a huey white shimmer and flickered. He was a damn ghost!

“Um…what?” I gracefully said as I petted the branches gripping me.

Another branch snuck out and poked at Rí’s face before sneaking around his thick thighs.

The ghost butler bowed low and spoke smoothly, “I am Jerry. The Dark Mountains assistant. I am now and forever more at your service my Lady Darkness.”

What the fuck?

He spoke as if the mountain itself were alive, and Lady Darkness? Yeah, not happening.

He straightened up and before I could blink, he was in front of me. He hadn't walked or ran;he just appeared there. Rí’s unsettled growl had the branches releasing us and sliding back into the darkness.

“The Mountain and I have been waiting a long time for you, my Lady. Everything is as it should be. The fire in the master suite is ablaze and-” He looked down to my borrowed baggy shorts and wiggled his moustache. “-clothing more suitable to you has been pressed and hung up for you.”

Okay what!

He's been waiting for me? Master suite? I wasn’t even going to pretend to know what pressed clothing was. My mind grew noisier as I stood dumbfounded.

“Thank ye’ Jerry. I am Rí, Amayas Mate. Ye’ say ye’ve been waiting?”

At least one of us had it together.

Jerry looked at me when he answered, “Of course. We serve the Dark Ladies, always have and always will. We have been waiting for you since your birth twenty-one years ago.”

“I’m eighteen not twenty-one.”

His moustache wiggled and Rí frowned before looking down at me, a questioning look on his face.

“I can assure you-you are twenty-one. As of yesterday in fact.”

He had to be mistaken. I was definitely eighteen, wasn't I?

Could there have been a chance that bitch of a social worker and Lyal forged my foster papers?

They had definitely taken the boys from somewhere, so could they have taken me too?

Why would Lyal have kept me three more years than he needed too?

“This could be why the Bookkeeper couldn't find ye’ records.” Rí added.

Fuck.

Fuck I wasn’t even eighteen? I could have been free three whole fucking years ago. Three years of extra beatings and violence.

But then…if I had been free, I wouldn't have met the boys.

I was torn in my emotions and I hated it.

“Please, come to the house and get settled in.” Jerry bowed low again before puffing into thin air, leaving behind a small glow where hehad stood.

My stomach hurt, my head was noisy and the black mist in the corner of my eye constantly distracted me and just plain pissed me off.

Every time I tried to catch a direct look at it, it moved with my head. Always out of reach with its swirling mass of blackness.

I looked to the moss-covered stone path, took a breath and followed it.

Because no matter how much my mind screamed that this was all just too much, Elfyn and Elyas were more important.

Always.