Love & Exorcisms | 18+ | COMPLETE |

- Chapter 48 -

The sudden shock of a cold raindrop hitting my cheek snapped me from my thoughts. Another quickly followed, so I gave up my seat in the garden to retreat inside before the rain began to come down in a torrent. I opted instead to settle in the sitting room, curled up in a great cushioned chair. I pulled aside the heavy curtains Damian had over the windows so I could watch the rain fall. Rachel brought tea, making me certain the woman could read minds. A hot cup of Earl Grey was exactly what I needed. I was disappointed that I could not converse with her, or at least, I could not understand what she would say in return. I made a mental note to ask Damian if he would teach me the signs she made with her hands.

Staring out the window, watching the little raindrops race down the pane, I gave myself a moment just to breath. I still didn't know how to maneuver in this new life of mine, being watched and guarded like a vicious thing. It was difficult to think that I was indeed someone to be feared, but not in the alluring, sexy way I had long hoped to be.

Accepting that if I was not careful, I could truly cause harm...I hated the thought. I rejected it. Even as I wondered just how much harm I had been intended to cause, when Carnickey put these scars in me. He had to have known, after all, how dangerous I had become. But why let me go? Why unleash me upon the world?

You're nothing more than a vessel, foolish girl. Everything you are and everything you will be is thanks to us. Eventually you'll realize you just need to

"Stop fighting."

I turned around abruptly, almost spilling my tea. Alex sat quietly in a chair at the opposite side of the room, thin silver spectacles perched upon his broken nose, the Bible open in his lap. His lips moved slightly as he read.

"Did you say something?" I said.

"No," he muttered, barely glancing up. The clock went on ticking, the rain pattering. There were footsteps somewhere above as Rachel moved about. I turned back to the window.

A young woman was walking slowly down the opposite side of the street. I assumed it was a woman: her hair was long, dark and bedraggled, and even through the wet window I could see that her plain white dress was stained. I could not see her face, for she walked with it down, almost stooped. She had no umbrella, and her slow movement made it seem as if she had utterly given up on finding shelter. Likely homeless...lost...alone...

"Just like you."

Goosebumps rose up on my arms. That was not Alex's voice. I turned my head very slightly, to see him still there reading silently in his chair. No one else was in the room. No one could have spoken. I turned back to the window.

The woman was now standing in the middle of the street.

My fingers tightened around my teacup. Why was she just...standing there? Swaying ever so slightly, hair obscuring her face. She looked almost...gray. Her body was so sunken, her clothes hung lank upon her as if she were starving. Slowly, she raised her head. One overly-wide eye stared at me from within the veil of her hair. My hands began to shake. I could not catch my breath.

The teacup dropped. Tea splattered across the floor but miraculously the cup did not break. I leapt up in alarm, watching as the tea spread across the wooden floorboards toward the fine rug.

"Ah, damn it all," Alex was by my side at once. "Are you alright?"

"Yes...yes I just...it slipped..."

"Just a moment. I'll get a rag," He left the room in no large hurry, rubbing his eyes as if he had been on the verge of sleep. I huffed in irritation, and picked up the teacup to place it back on the little table beside my chair. At least I hadn't broken anymore of Damian's dishes.