Chapter Three

“I’ll find a way to speak to her before the week ends and get back to you, Kamari.”

Alarion had promised before ending the call.

The moment his holographic face flickered out of existence I released a sigh of relief. I had begged him not to ask any questions about the information I gave him, and thankfully he listened and respected that wish.

Now I guess I just had to wait to see what my auntie dearest would have to say.

But I’ll be damned if I had my hopes up. I had no hopes but I had to ensure some options were exhausted before I submit to death.

I collapsed into the bed, closing my eyes shut as I made myself imagine what my aunt’s response would probably be. Or at least how she would feel over the matter.

Glad, I’m sure.

At least something else would do the job of getting rid of me for her.

Hell - she might even have a good laugh at the irony of the whole situation when she gets the full details.

When she realizes that the same powers I harbored, which had killed her sister - was eating me up alive.

“You are a bloody abomination, you and that curse of yours.” She had told me that night, her face twisted with grief and rage as she dragged my trembling body away from my mother’s corpse.

I shuddered violently, instantly slamming mental walls down to block the memory. Like I always did for the past fifteen years. It was the only way I kept myself sane. The only way I survived mentally.

By blocking out the memories of my mother dying from my magic outburst…the sound of her final screams.

I’d lost control. Just for one second. One catastrophic second.

And that had cost me everything.

For years I’ve tried to forget…tried to not think about it, and outrun the guilt. Screamed into pillows every night to drown the sounds of the nightmares that haunted me, the voice of my mother calling my name one last time.

But my aunt remembered. She’d vowed she would never forget or forgive.

What makes me think she would lift a finger to save me now? Chances are that my auntie dearest would toast to my impending death with her most expensive wine.

It was until I felt something wet sliding down my cheek that I realized I was crying.

God damnit!!

“The power, the magic in you is growing. Spreading like a wide fire and it’s like a virus, slowly eating you up, until you die.” My doctor had told me calmly.

“The only way to survive is to get rid of it.”

But there was no way of getting rid of it. I’ve been born with these powers, born this way…with powers neither I nor my mum understood.

She tried…she wanted to teach me how to control and use my dark magic, and in the end -

In the end I took her life with it.

There was no way to get rid of it. But if there was, the only person who would know it is my aunt.

So I had to try, no matter how much she hated me. No matter how satisfying she would find my suffering I just had to try.

If it happens perhaps I can finally lead a normal life.

Without the nightmares

Without the killings

A normal life with my son…

I shook my head sharply to clear the fantasy.

The fastest way to get destroyed was by having expectations.

And there was no need…

“KAMARI!”

Daniel’s voice accompanied by aggressive pounding on the door sent me jolting upright.

What the fuck does he want now?

I wiped my face quickly and rushed to the door, yanking it open. The moment I did, the bastard shoved me hard enough that I stumbled backward into the room.

“What the fuck were you doing in there?” he snarled.

“Nothing. I was asleep, I’m sorry.” The words came out in that trembling, small tone I’d perfected over the past few days.

“Well, get your lazy ass up. I need you to go out to the shopping mall and buy some tampons for Sage. NOW”

I blinked.

Buy some…

What the fuck were tampons?

My mind scrambled through my limited knowledge of this dimension’s terminology and came up blank.

But asking questions would only earn me another beating, so I simply took the paper he thrust at me and forced a small smile.

“Of course. Right away.”

“You better be back in fifteen minutes, or I’ll make you regret it.”

Not if I kill you first, you piece of shit.

“Yes, Daniel.”

He scoffed and stormed off. I glared daggers at his retreating back, my hands clenching into fists.

Breathe.

Count to ten.

Don’t murder him yet

For Lance. All of this is for Lance.

🪝🪝🪝🪝🪝

The shopping mall wasn’t far from the house. I’ve visited it twice since I got here so definitely it shouldn’t be hard to find the tampuzuls or whatever the hell he called them.

Perhaps if I just spoke to one of the beautiful sales assistants maybe she can…

I asked and luckily got help.

When I was done buying I hurried back home but was shocked to see Daniel and Sage both in the sitting room, waiting for me.

I didn’t take that long did I?

Immediately she saw me, Sage broke down in tears, a sight that made Daniel’s face turn an alarming shade of red.

“What the hell took you so long?!” He yelled, advancing on me.

“I’m sorry I was having trouble locating the… “

“You were having a hard time finding tampons? Are you really that stupid?”

He closed the remainin distance between us in three long strides.

I knew what was coming and I braced myself for it.

“I’m sorry Daniel. I…”

“You were meeting someone there, weren’t you? Some man. Answer me?!”

What? No, I would never—”

The slap cracked across my face like a whip, snapping my head to the side.

I staggered back, tasting copper as my teeth cut into my inner cheek.

“You’re lying, you cheap, worthless slut! Sage saw you yesterday getting cozy with one of the guys who works there. So are you calling Sage a liar?!”

What?

I shot a glance at Sage, my hands clenching into fists as she gave me the most infuriatingly smug smirk I’d ever seen.

The little bitch was lying through her teeth.

“She’s obviously mistaken. I would never—”

Another slap, harder this time. Blood filled my mouth, and it took every ounce of control not to grab his wrist and break it in three places.

“Sage doesn’t make mistakes! Now tell me the truth—who the fuck is he?!”

“Nobody! I swear I’m not—”

He raised his hand for a third strike, and I closed my eyes, preparing for the impact.

It never came.

Slowly, I opened my eyes to find Daniel’s hand suspended in mid-air, held immobile by another hand.

A much larger hand.

Daniel’s face had gone completely white, his eyes wide with a terror I’d never seen before.

He was staring at someone behind me.

Someone who had stopped him.

I should turn around to see who’d intervened, but the absolute horror on Daniel’s face was too fascinating to look away from.

I’d watched this man abuse and terrorize his wife for days without an ounce of fear in his eyes.

Now he looked like he’d seen Death itself.

“D-D-Don Cesario… what… I didn’t…” Daniel’s voice cracked as his hand dropped limply to his side.

Then, to my complete shock, he fell to his knees.

Don Cesario?

I turned slowly, curiosity overriding caution.

And nearly forgot how to breathe.

The man standing behind me was… devastating.

That was the only word for it.

He towered over me—at least six-foot-three of pure, lethal power wrapped in an impeccably tailored black suit that probably cost more than this entire house from the looks of it.

The fabric stretched across impossibly broad shoulders and a chest that suggested he could snap Daniel in half without breaking a sweat.

But it was his face that held me captive.

Sharp, brutal angles that looked carved from marble by an artist who specialized in controlled violence.

A jaw so defined it could cut glass. Cheekbones that cast shadows across his face.

Lips that were full but set in a hard line, and for one moment I pictured what does lips would feel like between my legs.

His hair was dark as midnight, pushed back from his face in a way that was carelessly perfect, like he’d run his hands through it and somehow made it look intentional.

And his eyes.

God, his eyes.

They were the color of smoke and steel, and they looked so cold and calculating.

Those eyes were currently fixed on me with an intensity that made my pulse race in a way that had nothing to do with fear.

He looked like sin and salvation wrapped in one impossibly attractive package, and something deep in my gut told me he was far more dangerous than anything I have ever encountered.

“Daniel.” His voice rolled over me, and gave me butterflies. “Going around hitting women, I see.”

The sound of his voice did things to me that I could not explain, sending shivers down my spine.

Why the hell was I acting like a lapdog in heat?

“No…no no sir. Of course not. I just wanted…she’s very slow and incompetent sir. I just wanted to teach her a lesson.”

It was satisfying watching him like this. But who was this man that had Daniel on his knees, quivering, practically pissong himself with fear? Even Sage had gone completely still, and just staring with wide eyes terror.

“I see. I do hate incompetent people.” He slowly dragged his eyes, and something that might have been amusement flickered in those stormy eyes. A smirk tugged at his lips, “You don’t mind if I borrow your lovely wife for a bit do you?”

Daniel frowned, “Why would you…?”

“Are you questioning me, Daniel?”

“No sir! Of course not, boss. You can take her. Please take her and spare me.”

What the fuck were they talking about? Take me where?

Before I could move or even blink, before I could react or protest or do anything, the man bent down and swept me up into his arms like I weighed nothing, then started moving towards the door.

He is fast. Way too fast for any normal human - fast enough to catch me off guard which never happens.

Who the fuck is he?

I had no idea if I should scream or fight him off, but weirdly something inside me knew I was safe with him. So I just did nothing, my eyes on Daniel and Sage as they watched, with an equally shocked expression as this stranger carried me out of the house…then inside his car.

He deposited me into the passenger seat with a gentleness that surprised me, then slid into the driver’s side and closed the door.

The moment tyhe door clicked shut, I whirled on him with the most intimidating glare I could muster.

“I don’t know who the fuck you are, mister. But if you think for one minute that you can…”

I didn’t finish what I was saying. Hell, my words died in the back of my mind as he grabbed my neck, dragging me towards him. His palm was warm against my skin, his grip firm but not painful.

And then his mouth crashed down on mine, in a mind numbing kiss that obliterated every coherent thought in my head.