Page 2

One

Marla

J ess calls my name like a soft whisper through the night.

I open my eyes, slipping out from under Sebastian’s muscular arm, and duck my head as I leave our little tunnel.

Branches cover the entrance—it’s a far cry from the house we used to live in, but this is all we have. Each moment can be ripped away, our shelter destroyed, and we will have to move on, but for now, this place is ours.

A sense of dread runs through my veins, but I ignore it and jog through the smoky haze that carries the sound of her speaking my name. I am certain I can contact her now.??????? Speed is crucial to locating her before they find me.

Her voice is as I remember it. Each morning that she calls out to me has been nothing but a trap, a way for one of my demons to capture me in their web.

This time will be different.

The path, a treacherous mix of broken grass and jagged rocks, snag at my shoes. Each stumble sends a jolt through my feet, but I press on.

The demon who has watched me for years haunts every thought I have. It’s relentless and pulls at any string of insecurity to unravel me until I’m a shell of a being.

Ducking through the branches that try to cut me, chills run through my body. It's watching me again.

I crouch down and crawl along, breaking through a barrier of tall grass, and while the haze of orange and red covers everything, a white circle of light glows through the darkness of the trees.

At the wall, I press myself against the glass and watch the different realm. The first time, I could see everyone I’ve lost in my life. Their smiling faces brought me peace. Before it was all taken from me.

I thought I'd reach Jess before they threw her back in here. This is the furthest I've gotten in a few days. Her long blonde hair is brushed out, and she’s enjoying the sunshine that blesses her.

My heart aches in a way I’ll never be able to tell Sebastian. He does everything for me, and I can never let him think I’d trade this realm for a different one.

The ability to see my grandparents and Jess through the window, to sense their presence even from a distance, is more precious than anything I ever dreamed of. They never look at me, and the subtle reflection in the pane confirms my suspicion that it’s similar to a one-way mirror.

A searing shock of pain jolts through my body, my chest constricts like a vise, and with each ragged breath, it’s as if I’m pulling shards of glass from my lungs.

Every muscle tightens and my knees buckle, bringing me to the ground.

I breathe through the tremors the way Sebastian taught me to, but nothing works, and my vision darkens.

Memories throw me into a backdrop of my trauma, and horrors play like a movie behind my eyelids. My mind fills with fog, and I know he’s here to dance. The demons never leave me alone for long. I’ve made a mistake falling for their trap again.

The air hangs thick and still as I scan my surroundings. Grey bricks encircle the space where I last glimpsed her, their rough edges blurred by the swirling smoke.

Pain throbs through my body, sharp and insistent as phantom fingers twist in my hair, yanking me back, but I don’t hesitate. I surge forward, gritting my teeth against the fire in my veins, and plunge into the suffocating haze.

I realize I shouldn’t have left our camp, but the demons lingering in my mind entice me out like a moth to a flame. Their presence is lurking nearby, a constant threat. They love to chew people up and spit them out, then allow their prey to heal before coming back once more.

Glancing over my shoulder as I run, the decrepit tree branches sway, but the camouflaged demon has advanced over the years, and I know it’ll catch me soon.

It’s gotten so adept at blending in with its surroundings that some days it can be right next to me.

When it's in my presence, my heart pounds like a drum, my lungs constrict, cutting off my breath, and an icy chill runs over my body.

Memories flood my mind, playing on repeat. The haunting whispers of torment, my mother’s belittlement over the years, hangs heavy in the surrounding air. A relentless soundtrack which is now part of the shadow demon.

Thorns as big as garden spades rip through my flesh as I sprint through them, leaving a trail of blood down my arms.

Decaying fingers brush my cheek, their icy coldness raising goosebumps on my skin, and I bite back the scream that threatens to tear from my lips. My chest burns as the thunderous footsteps rush behind me. I brace for the impact that never comes.

“My dove. Run.”

Sebastian pushes me through the maze of our world. I know he can’t see what’s hurting me, but he doesn’t stop being the armour I’ve always needed.

I glance back, and he’s running toward me with his tattooed arms spread wide. The repetition of this familiar scene, the same song and dance we’ve been doing for decades, proves I will never learn from my mistakes. I am powerless against the temptation the other realms tease me with.

A chilling dread washes over me at the prospect of failure and hurting Sebastian. Even in death he deserves more than what I can provide. Shrouded in the shadows of this place has only proven how much he loves me, and I can’t ever see it for what it is.

The tall demon, with sunken obsidian eyes and a bleeding mouth, represents the depression that lurks. The other, with its burning fingertips that scorch me at each opportunity, seems to be anxiety.

However, neither one can ever compare to the camouflaged creature which haunts my every waking moment.

The unease it puts over the land and the tricks it plays on my mind will eventually be the destruction of my psyche.

It chips away at me slowly, and I know over time I will be only a husk of my former self.

Soon we come to the shadowed tunnel which we have called home.

My knees give out, and I crumble forward into the dirt.

Turning, I gaze upward. The sky swirls with orange and red, and my demon stalks off, done with its games for now.

Sebastian stands above me, his beautiful face forever frozen in time.

“Marla, we’ve talked about this. You can’t go out whenever you want. It isn’t safe.”

I lean against the smooth rock and take a deep breath. “I just wanted to—”

“See the other realm, I know.” He walks around inspecting for any threats.

The decaying branches overhead create a canopy of shelter, and the rock walls offer a deceptive sense of safety.

Once he’s done checking the entrances, he settles down beside me, and I’m comforted by the warmth of his body.

“They’re unaware of my existence, yet I can observe them, happy and enjoying their afterlife,” I whisper.

Banishment to Cavum Terra, where our mental demons manifest physically to torment us eternally, wasn’t sufficient. The secret window I’ve found brings me slight comfort and I’ll do anything for a glimpse.

The sight of my grandparents and the familiar faces of old friends evokes a small glimmer of happiness. The feeling is indescribable. Except for the appearances my cunt of a mother makes; those times drain the energy from my essence.

Souls that didn’t kill themselves dwell in a serene world, where every evening has breathtaking sunsets and flourishing branches, untouched by demons. Unlike the darkness we can never escape here, the grotesque trees and decaying grass are less than comforting.

“My dove, we can only go together. I can’t protect you if you take off when I’m recovering.” He traces his fingers through the blood, tasting me before he pulls his shirt off and holds it against my wounds. I lean against his chest as the tears fall. “Marla, do you regret it?”

“No. If it meant I couldn’t be with you forever? I wouldn’t change anything.”

His hands coax me onto his lap, then tighten around me, pulling me close against him . The bleeding has ceased. The rapid recovery is taking over. Weirdly, our clothes always return to how they were when we got here, like being dirty wouldn’t befit the Lords.

“I wish we’d never found the portal,” I murmur.

“I think it’s part of your torment only.”

“What?” I rear my head back to stare at him.

“I can’t see it, my dove. I wish I could enjoy the moments with you.”

Anger rips through my body. Shaking, I pull away from him. Sebastian doesn’t let go of my shirt and clutches me back to his chest.

For a moment I feel visible, as if everything broken inside me is exposed. Pain rolls under my skin like the shards are poking out of my flesh, and nothing could stop me from crumbling into another fucking mess.

“Why did you lie?” I hiss. He isn’t supposed to pretend to appease me, although I should be used to this by now. Sebastian has only tried to save me from myself since I met him.

“I never said I could.” He kisses the top of my head. “I skirted the truth, but I would do anything to make you feel even a fraction better.”

Twisting I glare at him. We’ve been over this so many times, his ears should bleed. “Please, don’t hide things from me—not even the things you think will break me. I’m already broken in so many ways, one more crack won’t kill me. But your lies? Those will.”

”I’m sorry, my dove. Pain I can handle, but seeing you in the arms of torture? Can’t do it.”

I slide my hand up his chest to grasp his chin with force. His intense stare, stripped of any pity, is laser-focused on my emotional state.

“Take it all away,” I whisper. “Make me forget. Remind me I’m yours.”

“You will always belong to me, but if you need a refresher, I gotchu.”

Sebastian smirks before inching forward and catching my lips with his. Warmth fills my being, and he grips a hand through my dark hair, briefly breaking our kiss before pulling me to the floor.

Once again, he kisses me fiercely. Sebastian lets go of my tresses and peels off my clothes. Trailing the front of my body with his fingers, his lips travel from my mouth to the sensitive skin along my neck as the hard ground presses against my back.

The sound of human cries fills the air, like a morbid Spotify, only this playlist is distracting as fuck.

“Look at me. Only I exist right now.”

My gaze focuses on him. Sebastian’s brown hair falls across his forehead, and he wets his lips before dragging his tongue down my torso.

Snatching me up, he carries me further into the tunnel, but the faint echoes follow. When he lays me down on the moss, the damp earth chills my skin, a stark contrast to the warmth of his touch.

Sebastian lowers between my legs and nips along my inner thighs before exploring me with his mouth. Each lick makes me tremble as lust fills my body and need courses through my veins. His fingers enter and fuck me as I thrust my hips against him.

“Come for me. Get ready for my cock,” he rasps.

I’m out of reach mentally, and as he sucks on my clit, my thoughts cloud with memories. My mind works against me. The demons fill each crevice with every worry I’ve ever had. Not again. I can’t do this right now.

“Marla, focus on my tongue. Out of your head—they can’t have you now. Just enjoy the way your body responds to me.”

Struggling to drown out the demonic whispers, I concentrate on the physical sensations coursing through me.

Sebastian’s touch lights a fire within me, but as I gaze at him, I know I can’t be what he needs.

The folds of my brain won’t let me relish this moment.

Everything jumbles as I try to focus. It becomes a blur of fog.

My gaze lingers on the vibrant colours and bold lines of the tattoos adorning his skin, my favourite pieces of art. His brown gaze locks with mine as he thrusts his fingers into me. I cry out, pretending the orgasm is racking me.

“Now who’s lying?” He arches his eyebrow at me, lowering his jeans and ripping off his band tee as he moves to lie on his back. He strokes his hard cock.

My gaze runs over the barbells along his shaft.

Carefully, I position myself over his body before I lower onto his throbbing dick, savouring the sensation. I attempt to tease him, but he is determined and denies me the opportunity to play.

His grip is firm around my neck as he guides me onto him, and this time my body surrenders to the overwhelming pleasure.

“That’s my girl. I knew you could do it,” he whispers.

Sebastian brings his knees up and bounces me on his shaft as he cups my tits in his hands. I let him use me before collapsing forward. My body trembles, and I grip his face tight, needing to anchor myself.

Lust courses under my skin. He’s everything to me. My lips find his and tenderly kiss him, using this moment to block out the battles filtering through our area.

“I’ve got you,” he growls into my ear. Sebastian pulls me off him and lowers me to the ground. The heat of his chest covers my back, and he penetrates me again. “Feel that? I’ll always be here to take away all your pain. Forever.”

His words soothe my soul like a salve on a deep cut. I can breathe with Sebastian’s hands gliding across my skin, with him behind me.

Lust rolls through me so raw I’m already on the edge. I slip my hand under our bodies and rub my clit as he thrusts into me. Nothing exists at this moment except the two of us and his intense growls against my neck.

“Don’t stop,” I whisper.