━━━━━━❰·❉·❱━━━━━━
~ UT DESINT VIRES, TAMEN EST LAUDANDA VOLUNTAS ~
KAI'S POV
For two weeks I stayed under the radar.
From what I'd heard, the sheriff had put out an APB on a "super-charged serial killer named Kai Parker."
AKA, me.
So I laid low, keeping out of the spotlight, wearing disguises, avoiding certain buildings with security cameras, et cetera. I switched between Mystic Falls and its surrounding towns, depending on my needs at the time.
Amber's father seemed to have a personal vendetta against me, spending every working hour running patrols on the lookout for the guy who ruined his daughter's life.
Whoops, I guess?
But after fourteen whole days had gone by, and I was still no closer to merging, I grew impatient. The twins couldn't hide from me forever.
It was time for Plan B — B as in boyfriend.
So on a Thursday evening, while the house was empty, I broke into the Lockwood Mansion using a pair of bobby pins.
Hearing the click of the lock, I opened the door and stepped inside. "Hello?" I called into the gigantic building, just to make sure. "Anybody home?"
The only response I received was that of my echoing voice bouncing back off the high walls.
With a grin, I strolled into the living room, spotting a table filled with multiple bottles of alcohol. Scanning the label of each one, I decided on the gin, grabbing a cocktail glass and pouring the transparent liquid inside.
Keeping the bottle in my grip, I made my way over to the armchair in the corner and sat down, getting comfortable. In the dark, I waited, occasionally sipping from my drink.
After around twenty minutes had passed, the sound of keys jingling in the lock alerted me to the homeowner's return. Realising the door wasn't locked as it should've been, Tyler Lockwood entered the house immediately on edge, peering around in search of an attacker.
Taking one last sip of my drink, I stood up, making my presence known. "I think gin gets a bad rap," I commented, approaching him.
Finally noticing me, Tyler immediately dropped his gym bag and leapt towards me. Already expecting his reaction, I smashed the almost-empty bottle of gin against the wall, the remaining liquid spraying onto the floor from the impact, and pressed the jagged edge against Tyler's throat.
He fought against me but I grabbed the back of his neck to hold him in place, the glass only centimetres away from slicing his skin.
"I'd rather not kill you," I whispered, "but I will."
He glared at me and I dipped my chin as if testing him to make a move. Tyler remained still. "What the hell do you want?"
What I was about to say was possibly the strangest sentence to ever come out of my mouth — and believe me, I've said some weird shit over the years.
"This is gonna sound crazy," I murmured, "but I wanna save Liv's life."
As expected, Tyler's brows pulled together, dumbfounded, and I dropped my arm, lowering the bottle to allow him some breathing room. He gawked at me like I'd spoken some alien language.
See? Strange.
I tilted my head, awaiting his reaction. "Feel like making a deal with the devil?" I teased.
Tyler eyed me suspiciously through narrowed lids. "What kind of deal?" he asked after a moment.
"I'm looking for something — a knife," I informed him simply. "Last I heard it was in Portland but when I went to check, it wasn't there."
He continued to stare, confused. "So?"
"So I need you to find it for me," I instructed before flashing an innocent smile. "With the help of my little brother and sister."
Tyler hummed, folding his arms across his chest. "What's in it for us?"
I blinked, slightly amused by this fresh display of confidence. "Well, put it this way," I began. "That knife is filled with Jo's magic, so when she takes it back, we can merge — which means Liv and Luke don't have to and everyone can live happily ever after," I teased in a sing-song voice.
"Everyone except Jo, you mean?" Tyler scoffed.
Chuckling, I leaned against the wall. "Jo and I were born specifically for this reason, the younger twins were just the backup plan because my father found a design flaw in his first batch. It's what we were meant for," I explained. "And who knows? Maybe she'll even beat me and I'll be out of your hair for good." My lips spread into a beaming, friendly grin. "See? A win-win."
Tyler took a step back. "Why can't you just find it yourself?"
I sighed in frustration. "Because something tells me someone from the Mystic Falls gang got their slimy little hands on it while looking for a way to free Amber and Enzo, and since there's no way in hell any of those guys are gonna help me, I need you."
Almost-wolf-boy snorted, raising his chin in defiance. "And you think we'll just betray our friends to give you what you want?"
"Of course you will," I told him cheerily, straightening up to move closer. "Because you guys have something to lose if you don't."
Tyler looked me up and down anxiously.
"If I merge with Jo, Luke doesn't have the guilt of killing his twin and Liv gets to enjoy the rest of her life with... you," I pointed out, hesitating on the last word as I tried to find the least insulting one to use.
"And spend it running away from you?" he snapped. "I don't think so."
Placing the shattered bottle onto the ground, I rolled my shoulders back. "How about this? I'll throw in another freebie, since I'm feeling so generous right now," I announced mockingly. "The twins are the only ones capable of stopping me from becoming coven leader, but you see... I have a thing for removing any obstacles in my way." Shoving my hands in the pocket of my jeans, I paced back and forth. "But with them on my side? I'll let them go unharmed and they'll never have to deal with me again." I threw a teasing grin in his direction. "And, hey, maybe I won't even kill you for pushing me off a balcony."
Tyler's nostrils flared as he watched my movements with precision, remaining unsettled. "Fine," he grunted, finally giving in. "There's a party... tomorrow night," he explained. "It's a Halloween event at Scull Bar, they do it every year."
Rolling my eyes, I groaned, "Lame." I swear, I almost booed. "What's that got to do with anything?"
"The twins will be there," he elaborated. "Liv's working and Luke's tagging along for something to do." Tyler held his head high. "He's refusing to leave Liv's side recently because of, well, you."
I merely smiled, indifferent.
"It's going to take some convincing for them to help you, and just listening to me isn't going to be enough," he pointed out — to my disappointment. "If there's one thing I'm certain of, it's that they won't meet with you, so you're gonna have to compromise and go to them." He shrugged, keeping his hands safely tucked under his folded arms. "With Liv stuck at the party and Luke unwilling to leave her alone while you're around? They'll have no choice but to listen."
Pausing in my tracks, I tossed the idea back and forth in my mind for a few moments, weighing up the pros and cons.
Finally, deciding I liked the idea, I grinned slowly at him. "What's the theme?"
❰·❉·❱
ENZO'S POV
'Heaven & Hell Ball.'
With a grunt of frustration, I tore the poster down and scrunched the paper into a ball before tossing it into a nearby rubbish bin.
And then I repeated the cycle every time I came across another during my walk to the diner on the other side of the college campus. Caroline had asked me — scratch that, begged me — to have breakfast with her this morning, something about her having "important news!"
But these persistent reminders of the Halloween celebrations taking place this evening at Whitmore were making the journey an impossible chore. After all, why would I want to celebrate anything when my favourite person wasn't here to celebrate with me?
For over a fortnight, the rest of Amberle's loved ones and I had been suffering, grieving the loss of our friend, sister, daughter. Since Kai had smashed the ascendant into a billion pieces, we had been unsuccessful in finding any other options. Most of us still held out hope, of course, but with every day that passed that she wasn't in my arms, my optimism dwindled.
Today it was practically non-existent.
No one had seen or spoken to Steven since that fateful day — no one outside of Mystic Falls, that is. Caroline's mother assured us he still turned up to work every day and was perfectly safe, which was a relief, but even when Damon attempted to get in contact with him about any possible leads, he was nowhere to be found.
"He's probably focused on finding Kai and protecting his family," I'd assured Damon, but we both knew I was lying — to make him feel better or myself was yet to be decided.
It didn't take me too long to get to my destination. I was currently residing in temporary university accommodation that I'd had to compel myself into, just until the moment when all hope was officially lost and there was no coming back.
And then I'd leave, never to return.
Finally making it to the diner, I ordered a cup of tea and then sat at a table to wait for Caroline. She'd sent me a text letting me know she was just getting out of class and wouldn't be long, which was fine. I was happy to wait patiently, sipping from my hot beverage.
It was while I was minding my own business, watching people come in and out of the diner absentmindedly as I daydreamed about golden locks and a pretty smile that I noticed a cute college girl at another table across the room who had been eyeing me for some time. She smiled coyly when our gazes locked, flipping her caramel-toned hair over her shoulder flirtatiously as a rosy blush crept across her cheeks.
I arched a brow in amusement, tilting my head and attempting to gauge her intentions.
Delighted she'd caught my attention, she glanced towards the back area suggestively and stood up, leaving her table. As she walked past, she brushed my arm with her manicured nails, painted artfully with French tips.
I glanced over my shoulder to follow her movements, a small smirk curling my lips upwards when she disappeared into the restroom. Letting out a hushed chuckle under my breath, I sipped the rest of my drink before rising to my feet and strolling in the same direction she'd travelled.
Slipping into the ladies' room, I noticed her standing near the sink and washing her hands. Seeing I'd taken the bait, she giggled as I approached her. With only a few inches between us, she grinned up at me. "Hi."
I hummed in amusement. "Hello, gorgeous," I greeted her before holding out my hand. "And who... might you be?"
"I'm Keira," she said, placing her palm in mine, though slightly shocked by the exchange of pleasantries — or maybe it was the accent?
"Lorenzo." Lifting her hand to my lips, I pressed a gentle kiss to the skin on the back. "But my friends call me Enzo."
She paused. "Enzo..." Keira's brows knitted together, slightly taken aback. "Wait, you seem so familiar... have we met before?"
"Oh, I highly doubt that," I teased. Washing my gaze over her collarbone and wrists, I checked for any vervain. Finding nothing, I took hold of her jaw. "I think I'd remember a face as beautiful as yours."
She beamed a smile, her blue eyes clouding with lust as she leaned close. Keira stretched on her tiptoes and dipped her head back expectantly, glossy lips only centimetres away from mine.
Unfortunately for her, I had other ideas. "Stay calm, love," I instructed, forcing my will upon her as I stroked her cheek with my thumb. "Be very still and very quiet."
Falling slack, Keira obeyed my instructions, handing over complete control to me.
Reaching out, I brushed her ringlets over her shoulder to expose her neck, grazing my knuckles across the supple skin and staring hungrily at the throbbing jugular that was almost calling out to me. My mouth began to water as the veins underneath my eyes rose to the surface and pulsated viciously, my canines elongating and sharpening.
With one final lick of my lips, I dived towards her throat and sank in my teeth, drinking deeply. Keira didn't even stir as I pressed her against the wall and held her body tight in my embrace while her life gradually slipped away with every ravenous gulp I took of her essence, groaning in bliss.
That small, irritating voice that internally vocalised its concerns whenever I fed on a human had disappeared completely, turning mute. I was angry and hopeless and nothing mattered. I didn't care if this girl died. I didn't care if someone caught us. The only person I cared about was no longer here and I was never going to see her again, so why should I worry about trivial consequences?
When Keira's veins ran dry and she collapsed in my arms, I finally pulled away with a gasp and peered down at the crumpled corpse. Oops.
Oh well — no matter. With a shrug, I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder. Then, peeking out into the hallway, I double-checked the coast was clear before speeding out of the back door and lifting the lid of the dumpster pressed against the wall near the bottom of the steps.
I tossed her body inside and then covered it with a bunch of bags filled with garbage. She'd be found eventually, but by that time I'd already be long gone.
There was nothing left for me in Virginia.
After cleaning myself up and making sure no cameras had caught my movements, I made my way back to my table which was still empty, only five minutes having passed since I'd left. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait much longer when Caroline finally arrived, rushing in and hurrying over to where I sat, rambling and apologising in the way that she does.
We ordered breakfast, although Caroline was only in the mood for a coffee — or so she said, finding out the hard way when she grabbed a fork and began taking sneaky bites out of my cherry pie.
While waiting for the food to arrive, we caught up on recent events, though nothing seemed to be a topic of much interest until Caroline suddenly seemed to remember something, almost bouncing on her seat from excitement.
Rummaging through her handbag, she searched for something in particular before eventually finding it and placing it on the table, pushing it towards me with an excited grin of anticipation.
Peering down at the flyer in front of my plate, the gigantic words 'Heaven & Hell Ball' taunting me, I rolled my eyes. "Why is this damn ball everywhere I look?" I grumbled, taking a sip of my second tea. "I've been trying to get rid of these all morning."
"Please come with me!" Caroline cried desperately.
"No, thank you," I muttered, sliding the paper back across the table. "I couldn't think of anything worse." Then, remembering why she'd asked me here in the first place, I huffed. "Don't tell me this was your big news?"
She groaned. "Come on!" she begged, holding the flyer up and shaking it in a borderline-aggressive fashion. "Damon and Stefan are out of town trying to follow another lead, Matt and Jeremy are refusing to come past the border of Mystic Falls, and Tyler will be glued to Liv's side or hanging with his buddies." The blonde pouted, using all the oldest tricks in the book to crack me. "You can't leave me with no choice but to party with my ex."
I wasn't so easily persuaded, however. "What about your girlfriends?" I questioned suspiciously.
"Ever since the ascendant was destroyed, Elena and Bonnie have been acting strange," Caroline explained with a disgruntled sigh. "Like nothing's happened... as if Amber doesn't exist." She stared at the flyer's design, re-reading the words as a means of distraction. "They've already made peace with her never coming back, whereas I'm still stuck where I was five months ago." She shrugged. "Lately I feel like a spare part."
I frowned. "That's... odd," I murmured. "But I guess everyone grieves in their own way, especially the loss of a best friend."
"Well, I refuse to give up," Caroline huffed, taking a sip of her coffee. "Someone needs to keep morale high."
Shooting her a playful smirk, I teased, "Caroline Forbes, I would expect nothing less."
She grinned before dangling the paper in front of my face. "So... will you?" she pressed on. "For me?"
Unable to fight against her adorable expression any longer, my shoulders sank in defeat and I heaved a sigh. "Fine," I grumbled. Then, pointing at her warningly, "But the drinks are on you."
Caroline giggled, placing the flyer back in her bag. "Deal," she cheerily accepted.
If I thought it would be that simple, however, I was sorely mistaken. I should've expected this, of course, but God forbid I believed Caroline could make things easy for anyone. For a good few minutes, she laid down a list of strict rules I had to abide by if I was to attend the party this evening, and if I broke any of them, well...
"Do you understand the rules?" she questioned.
Biting the piece of pie off my fork, I cleared my throat, already fed up. "Yeah, rule one: don't mention Amber's mother is pregnant, or you'll kill me."
Caroline nodded. "Mhm."
"Rule two: don't really reference Amber at all, or you'll kill me," I continued as I chewed.
She listened intently, hanging on to every syllable. "Yup."
I picked up a cherry. "Rule three... grow devil horns and-"
"Don't make fun of me," Caroline sighed, cutting me off.
A smirk played about my lips at her reaction.
"Liv's struggling with the guilt of knowing she's partly the reason Amber's stuck over there," she explained. "She's fragile right now, so we can't remind her that it's her fault our best friend isn't here to celebrate with us tonight..." Caroline took a sip from her coffee. "Even if Bonnie and Elena seem to have forgotten that fact."
My brows shot up and down in amusement. "A sentence which sounded oddly sympathetic and judgemental."
Caroline tilted her head disapprovingly, placing down her mug. "I sympathise. Liv did what she needed to do to stop her brother from stealing her magic and killing the rest of her family." She shrugged. "And as for the girls? Well, they can live their happy, problem-ignoring lives the way they want..." She flashed a fake grin for a moment before it faded to reveal the true sadness underneath. "It doesn't mean that I'm enjoying marinating all alone in my misery."
"Well..." I shoved another cherry into my mouth, "I'll marinate with you."
She grabbed her fork and picked up a piece of pie with a smile. "I appreciate it," Caroline said, expression filled with gratitude. "Really, I do."
I paused in realisation. "But... Kai is still out there somewhere just waiting for the perfect opportunity to pounce," I reminded her regretfully. "If Liv's at Whitmore tonight, who's to say he won't try again?"
Instantly mad at the mention of our nemesis, Caroline pointed angrily at me with the fork while she ate. "Rule number four: don't ever mention that jerk's name again, or-"
"Or you'll kill me," I finished for her exasperatedly.
"Mhm," she nodded.
"Got it."
Breakfast now finished and Caroline's next class coming up shortly, I got to my feet, preparing to leave. Something apparently catching her eye, however, she stopped me before I could say goodbye and leave the table.
"Whoa!" she warned.
I paused in my tracks and glanced at her expectantly.
Caroline pointed to my shirt with her fork. "Is that blood or pie? Please say pie."
Peering down at what had got her attention, I noticed the red stain just below my shoulder. "Ah... That would be, uh..." Dabbing the crimson liquid with my finger, I brought it to my mouth and tasted it, smacking my lips together. Recognising the sweetness that didn't come from a cherry but rather a pretty girl, I grinned. "Keira! A special off-the-menu item."
Caroline's eyes widened in horror, rapidly looking around the room to check no one had overheard.
With a smirk, I moved away from the table. "This little diner is surprisingly well stocked."
The blonde immediately jumped to her feet, stepping in my way. "Tell me that you snatched, ate, erased," she murmured nervously.
"Yeah, funny thing about that — you do the first two properly, the third isn't necessary," I teased.
She gawked at me. "You killed her?"
I tutted. "Oh, don't act all shocked."
"Well, I'm sorry, but death shocks me," she hissed, "and it also leads to a missing persons report, which leads to-"
"A sheriff's investigation?" I interjected mockingly.
Caroline nodded, flashing me a tight-lipped smile frustratedly. "Mhm."
"I'm terrified," I replied sarcastically in a bored tone. "I already have three warnings, one more and it's a fine."
She could only watch me in disappointment as I walked past, biting the air in front of her face playfully before walking out of the diner, unfazed by her characteristic judgment.
Thankfully, she wasn't the one I wanted to impress.
❰·❉·❱
I met Caroline and the girls at Scull Bar later that evening, stepping inside the bustling venue filled with crowds of people dressed in costume, already partly intoxicated. The bar was decorated to fit the theme, with red and golden fairy lights, flashing strobes and projections of Hellfire on the walls.
The booming bass of the loud dance music was making it hard to think, my sensitive ears already taking a hammering from the moment I made it to the door. Scantily clad women walked around carrying trays of shots, red devil horns on their heads and fishnet tights on their legs.
I'd refused to dress up, no matter how hard Caroline had tried to peer pressure me into it, arriving at the party in a charcoal top, dark jeans and my typical leather jacket. After all, the only reason I'd agreed to go to this tedious ball was to keep my friend company.
I peered through the hundreds of people in search of a familiar face. Growing quickly uncomfortable by my overwhelmed senses, I breathed a sigh of relief when a group of three girls pushed their way through the crowd and made their way over to me. Each of them wore white dresses in a variety of styles, sparkly heels, wings on their back and feathered halos on top of their heads.
"Cute costumes," I teased when they arrived, washing my gaze over their bodies from top to bottom. "What should we call you... hmm, Enzo's Angels?" I flashed a grin, scrunching my nose playfully. "N'aww. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
"You wish," Elena giggled, both her and Bonnie dancing to the music as they drank from novelty Halloween straws. Looks like they were already tipsy and the party had barely started...
Noticing the amused expression on my face as I studied the girls in humour, Caroline shook her head. "They started early," she explained in disapproval as we both watched them.
Ah. That made more sense.
Then, in a lower voice near my ear to speak to me individually, "By the way, I added another rule to the list."
"Oh, really?" I wondered, arching a brow quizzically. "And what is it this time?"
"Rule number five: no drinking from and/or killing anyone tonight," she instructed with her hands on her hips, voice barely audible over the music. "I haven't been able to get your confession about attacking that poor girl this morning off my mind." Caroline scowled. "You've put me on edge, reminding me to keep a close eye on your mental status."
I snorted. "What's the matter? Think I'm gonna go nuts, do you?" I mocked tauntingly, leaning closer to her. "Think the dreaded Augustine vampire is making a return?"
Caroline shook her head, her blonde curls floating around her face. "No, I think you're hurt," she corrected. "Look, Enzo, I get it, okay? You miss Amber — trust me, we all do." She pointed at me accusingly. "But that doesn't give you an excuse to just go around killing people."
Well... that was slightly below the belt.
Instead of reacting the way I wanted to — kicking up a fuss and denying every word — I merely shot her a sarcastic look. "Wasn't rule two not to mention her at all?" was all I said before walking off to get us some drinks.
Strolling up to the bar where Olivia Parker was working, I hid a smirk at the devil horns she'd inevitably been forced into wearing for the occasion and instead greeted her politely before ordering a bourbon and a special-themed cocktail.
Her twin was hovering nearby with his date for the night. I was thankful to see I wasn't the only one who had ignored the dress code, both of them sporting casual clothes. Someone who had gone all out for the event, however, was Tyler Lockwood. He stood a few feet away, huddled in a group of frat boys who were all shirtless and oiled up in a way that made my skin crawl, wearing red feathered wings, devil horns and holding pitchforks. Oh, and they wore tight, shiny red shorts in some kind of vinyl material.
Because that's not humiliating in the slightest...
Tyler nodded to me in greeting but didn't stray from the pack, if you'll excuse the pun. After Liv made our drinks, I was about to make my way back over to Caroline before a presence sidled up next to me at the bar.
"Hey," the stranger greeted me. "I'm Adara." She tilted her head, batting her thick lashes flirtatiously. "Is that drink for anyone in particular?"
I blinked in shock as I stared down at the woman, taken aback by her boldness. Her straight blonde hair came to just below her shoulders, her curtain bangs tucked behind each ear. Round, doe eyes the colour of jade gazed up at me dreamily, almost hypnotic. She had a dainty, pointed chin mixed with high cheekbones and a sharp jawline that would make even supermodels jealous.
Her button nose scrunched up the smallest amount in a way that was adorable as she smiled coyly, her rosy, heart-shaped lips smeared with gloss. Dangly, bejewelled earrings hung from her lobes and a halo attached to a band sat on top of her head. She wore a white, lace corset matched with a satin mini shirt in the same colour, paired perfectly with silver, sparkly heels. She looked like one of the Victoria's Secret models I'd seen in an advertisement once before.
Her beauty was ethereal... and yet I'd never been more disinterested.
Modern women: all bosom, no mystery. I liked mine a little more reserved, allowing me to unwrap the packaging layer by layer until I came to the exciting stuff hidden underneath.
Crushing her dreams before she could get carried away, I sighed. "Listen, sweetheart, you're beautiful," I admitted with a polite tight-lipped smile, "but I'm not looking for someone right now." Pressing a gentle, friendly touch against her arm, I nodded goodbye. "You have a nice night."
And then I grabbed the drinks and walked away, leaving her silently stunned.
My sudden epic lack of game was painful; pitiful. The old Enzo would be losing his mind right now. Unfortunately, that Enzo was long gone, an empty shell of the man I used to be standing in his place.
Heading back to Caroline, I was shocked to find the other girls were nowhere to be found, the blonde girl waiting patiently for me.
I handed her the cocktail.
She took it from my grip, smiling with gratitude. "Thanks," she murmured.
Merely nodding, I held out my free palm towards her expectantly, disheartened by her glum expression.
She eyed it distrustingly. "What are you doing?"
"Showing you a good time," I explained simply. "That's what you wanted, right? Some company?"
Caroline giggled, allowing me to lead her onto the dancefloor. For hours it seemed that we danced together as we drank; I surprised myself by wearing a smile the entire time. It was no slow dance to a beautiful record but it was enjoyable nonetheless.
After the past few torturous weeks, I welcomed the momentary relief from my mental torment with open arms.
Thankfully, by the time I was finished, Caroline's grin had returned and looked like it was here to stay. With a laugh, I told her I was going to get us some more drinks and that I'd be right back, to which she nodded and continued dancing by herself in the middle of the crowd.
Making my way over to the bar, I ordered us the same again, waiting patiently for the bartender to create them. I didn't recognise this one, Liv dealing with customers on the other side of the bar, but that was fine by me.
The less I had to interact with the grumpy shrew, the better.
When I sensed a small body suddenly materialising beside me, I turned to check who it was, only slightly interested. Instantly recognising her features, however, I chuckled under my breath.
"Ah, Bonnie Bennett," I greeted her, refusing to mask the disappointment in my tone. "Just the witch I wasn't looking for."
She sneered at me. "Nice to see you too."
I hummed without humour, leaning against the wood. "Yes, well, please don't assume that I've forgotten all about how you left me to fade away into oblivion," I stated simply. "Because I haven't."
"You came back, didn't you?" the witch pointed out, unfazed. "Getting to spend a few months with a sweet, beautiful ray of sunshine like Amber must've been so tough..." She pouted mockingly before shooting me a sarcastic expression. "But I'm sure you've been through much worse."
Ignoring her teasing comment, I smirked at her while she ordered a cocktail. "Where's your hunter boyfriend? I thought he'd jump at the chance to attend a college party, you know, since he's still in high school." Gasping, I covered my mouth with my hand and widened my eyes. "Oops, my apologies — is that a sensitive topic? I'd been gone a while, I assume things may have changed in my absence."
Bonnie rolled her hazel eyes. "Jeremy's safer in Mystic Falls where his instincts to kill his sister disappear and no psychotic vampires can hurt him," she said, turning meaningfully as she emphasised the v-word; I merely smirked. "I have classes to attend, all while still trying to get my magic back — which will never happen if I live in an anti-magic bubble."
I swallowed down my laughter. "So I take it the strain of a long-distance relationship is finally taking its toll?"
She picked up her drink, which was a cloudy pink colour with a cherry garnish. "Jeremy and I are fine, we make it work," she shot back easily, taking a sip from the straw. "But it's sweet of you to be concerned about my love life," Bonnie commented sarcastically, arching a sculpted brow as she studied me, "especially when yours seems so... depressing."
I glared at her. "Excuse you, little witch, but I could have any woman I want," I reminded her harshly. "The only problem is, the woman I want isn't here." And may never be again...
Bonnie scoffed. "I think you have bigger concerns, like does that woman even want you?"
"Doesn't matter either way," I stated with a shrug. "Because she's never coming back."
Finally understanding which woman I was talking about, Bonnie sighed, shoulders sinking with guilt. "Look, Enzo-"
But I didn't get the chance to find out whether she was going to apologise or chastise me just as Caroline had. Instead, I cut her off after spotting someone in particular heading towards the other end of the bar, stiffening instinctively when I caught sight of him.
He wore a black button-up shirt, with jeans and shoes of the same colour, and small, inky devil horns on top of his head. No wings or pitchforks, but at least he could say he'd made more of an effort than I had.
"You've got to be bloody kidding me," I hissed under my breath, slamming down my glass on the bar. "What the hell is he doing here?" Giving Bonnie no chance to react, all she could do was watch in confusion as I stormed towards him, her mouth hanging slightly open.
Noticing the way I was quickly approaching, a man on a mission with features ablaze, Tyler swiftly grabbed my shoulders and stepped in front of me to block my path to the siphoner.
"Take your hands off me!" I growled, smacking them away and pointing a finger at him warningly.
He held up his palms in surrender. "Just hear me out."
"Why are you defending him?" I snapped incredulously, staring at him like he'd lost his damn mind — which, by the looks of things, he had. "Didn't he try to kill your girlfriend?"
"He's not here to cause trouble," Tyler assured me as Kai began chatting to his siblings. "He's here to make amends with Liv and Luke."
I scoffed. "Oh, and he just had to do that at a college party?"
Tyler nodded. "It was the only way they'll listen to him," he pointed out. "Liv's working, it's not like she can run away."
Shaking my head at him in disbelief, I grumbled, "You're an idiot if you believe for one second that he's here for any reason other than himself."
"Look, the bar is filled with humans," Tyler reminded me calmly, gesturing to our surroundings. "If they witness you killing him, you're gonna have a hard time trying to wriggle out of that one."
I shrugged, unfazed. "Not if I compel them to turn a blind eye."
He laughed. "There's too many. Do you realise how long that would take to compel every single one of them?"
Fed up with his persistent attempts to stop me, I made a move to push past him again. "The effort is worth it if it means he's out of our lives for good."
Tyler got in my way for the second time — I'll admit, the bloke was braver than I'd given him credit for. "I was the one who arranged for him to come tonight," he explained. "He promises he'll behave as long as none of you try to kill him on sight."
Sometimes it was impossible not to pity these poor, gullible humans. "Then more fool you."
"Do they seem in any danger to you?" he wondered, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder towards the area where, although apprehensive, Liv and Luke seemed to be listening to a passive Kai. "I won't let anything happen to them."
Clenching my jaw, I weighed up the options for a few moments. Eventually, it grew obvious there was only one correct answer in this situation. As much as I hated to admit it, Tyler was right — it would be a long and exhausting process to compel all of these humans just to look away when I could easily snap Kai's neck with no witnesses around the next time I caught him alone.
"Fine," I sighed defeatedly, taking a step back. "But the minute he steps out of this bar?" I warned. "He's a dead man."
A look of disappointment washed over Tyler's features. Then, glancing across the room, his focus honed in on someone in particular and he nodded in their direction. "Care's looking for you," he said softly. "Don't leave her on her own."
Peering over at the area which had caught his attention, I noticed Caroline sitting at a tall table by herself, looking around in search of familiar faces. For some unknown reason, the girls were still nowhere to be found.
Instantly feeling guilty, I stared Tyler down one last time, then over at Kai, before giving in and walking back to Caroline. She grinned in relief as I approached.
"Sorry, love," I told her regretfully, slipping onto the stool opposite hers. "Didn't realise they weren't back yet."
She nodded in understanding, glancing over at the area in which I'd just vacated. Watching the interaction between the siblings, Caroline frowned. "That looks intense," she murmured. "Who are they talking to?"
The corners of my lips pulled downwards. "At the risk of breaking rule number four... their brother, Kai."
"Kai?" she gasped, gawking at me in horror. "As in psycho on the loose, killed his siblings and left Amber to die in a prison world Kai?"
I nodded, keeping my eyes on him, remaining on the defence in preparation for any need of intervention. "Mhm."
"Does he have a death wish?" Caroline cried, throwing her hands up in disbelief. "He knows a bunch of vampires are out for his blood, what the hell is he doing here?"
Humming distrustingly, I chewed the inside of my cheek. "Well, according to Tyler, he comes in peace," I explained. "Kai just wants to call a truce with the twins and enjoy his freedom. So long as we don't try to kill him on sight, he'll be on his best behaviour."
Caroline scoffed. "And you believe him?"
I shook my head at her, sending her a sarcastic expression. Did she even know me at all? "Not one bit," I muttered. "But until he does anything out of line, I can't attack — especially not with all these humans around."
The blonde snorted, stirring her drink with her straw. "Call me crazy but I'd say hurting our friend and leaving her trapped in the prison world to save his own ass is pretty out of line."
"I know," I grumbled as I watched him walk away from the bar and position himself in the middle of the crowd, mingling happily. "It's not just that. Tyler seems hellbent on protecting the little scrote and I'd rather not play with fate by making him mad and accidentally triggering his werewolf curse," I elaborated. "For the most part, Kai seems to be sticking to his tale so..." As a new face entered the scene, I trailed off in surprise. "Ooh, wait a moment. Maybe I spoke too soon."
Adara strolled up to Kai, swaying her hips with every step, and introduced herself — just as she had done to me.
Caroline glanced repeatedly between my shocked features and their flirtatious exchange. "Do you know her?"
Shaking my head, I said, "Not personally, but she did approach me earlier this evening and try her luck."
"Huh." Caroline blinked. "Well, I guess she's making her way through every bad boy she sets her eyes on."
My only response was a suspicious hum, refusing to take my eyes off the pair.
What was he playing at? Was it just a strange coincidence that Kai and I happened to attract the same girls... or was he trying to copy me in every way possible?
"I can't hear what they're saying," Caroline groaned.
Attempting to listen closely to their conversation, I too found the words muffled by the hundreds of party-goers and loud music. I shook my head. "Me neither."
"Kai wouldn't entertain it though, right?" she questioned me with wide eyes. "I mean, is he even interested in a hookup? I thought he was set on his evil master plan to become coven leader."
I shrugged. "Well, he took a liking to Amberle in the prison world," I relayed grudgingly, "but I'd always assumed that was due to a mixture of him manipulating Amber into using her as a ticket home, and her being the only woman he'd seen in almost two decades."
Caroline barked a laugh. "Looks like he's got a type," she commented playfully. "Although I'm not so sure he's flirting back."
A small chuckle escaped my lips at the notion. "Yeah, he's probably just waiting for the right moment to tell her to take a leap."
But of course, Kai had other ideas, proving us both wrong. He slipped an arm around her waist and leaned closer to Adara's neck to whisper in her ear with a grin; she dropped her head back to laugh at whatever he'd said.
Caroline tilted her head as she watched the interaction play out, her brows knitting together. "Or not..." Then, without warning, she suddenly leapt to her feet. "I can't believe this-"
As she stormed towards the couple, I quickly jumped up and followed after her. "Love, wait-"
In typical Caroline fashion, she waltzed right on up to Kai without a care in the world, operating solely on her heightened emotions. "Seriously?" she cried. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Kai paused and let out an awkward snicker, taken aback by the interruption. "Sorry?"
Adara shot Caroline a frustrated look. "Uh, we're kinda in the middle of a conversation here..."
Caroline turned to briefly face her. "And now you're not," she compelled the poor girl. "Go find something else to do."
I couldn't help but chuckle under my breath at her temper.
Adara gave her a strange look, hesitating for a moment before finally walking away. Kai's brows were raised in amusement as he watched her stroll off.
Finally, he nodded in greeting at me. "Enzo." Then he glanced at Caroline, scanning her features. "And..." Kai tapped his chin. "Hm. I've spoken to a few blondes over the past couple of months but you're not one that I recognise."
She glared daggers at him. "Who I am is none of your business," she hissed, folding her arms across her chest. "What should be your business is finding a new way to help Amber escape since you made sure to destroy all her other options."
Kai gasped in realisation. "Ah, wait, I got it!" He clicked his fingers together once before pointing at her. "You're Caroline. Amber mentioned you a few times."
Caroline ignored him, too far gone with her rant. "How could you do this to her?" she snapped. "How can you act so blasé about ruining someone's life this way? You spent all that time with her and you mean to tell me you don't feel any kind of remorse?"
Kai peered at me out of the corner of his eye before laughing, almost nervously. "Um... I'm not really sure how to answer this without you ripping my head off," he teased. "You seem kinda crazy right now-"
"Crazy?" Caroline seethed, pointing at him warningly. "Oh, you haven't even seen crazy yet, I will-"
Caroline's raised voice had started to draw attention, nearby people stopping to watch the drama unfold. Noticing, I placed a hand on her arm to calm her down.
"There, darling," I cut her off before things could get out of control. "No need to make a scene."
She paused, closing her mouth and sending me a look.
"I'm sure Kai means well," I added, lacing my voice with false politeness. "He's probably looking for a way in secret because that's how he prefers to do things." I stared at him knowingly. "Isn't that right, Kai?"
He merely shrugged, sipping from his drink. "Sometimes," he muttered. "Sometimes I like to make my motives crystal clear."
My brows raised with intrigue at his revelation. "And your motives when it comes to Amberle..." I questioned. "What do they entail? Because from what I witnessed in the prison world, through my own eyes as well as the lens of a video camera, you two were close."
Kai smirked at me, lowering his voice to murmur suggestively, "You have no idea..."
My stomach instantly turned at the undertone to his words and before I knew what I was doing, I flung my arm forwards, my fist connecting with Kai's face and bursting his lip.
"Enzo!" Caroline gasped in horror.
Kai laughed as he stumbled back slightly, lifting his hand to wipe the blood from his mouth before lunging for me, a long-awaited fight swiftly breaking out between us.
We landed powerful punches on eachother, though I was proud to relay that mine were causing much more damage than his were — he was a mere human, after all. It was like swatting away a fly; a cat playing with a mouse.
Multiple yells were surrounding us, some from the crowd that had gathered, the loudest shouts coming from my blonde friend nearby.
I'd messed up, I was aware of that, but I didn't care. No more playing nice — he had to pay.
I threw him to the ground but he quickly bounced back, jumping to his feet. As Kai hit me again, my patience officially gone, I lunged for him, more than ready to end this tedious fight and in turn, his life.
Just as my hands slipped around his neck, ready to twist and snap, Kai suddenly held up his palms in surrender. "There's another way for Amber to get out!"
I paused at his confession, my eyes widening. "What?" I breathed.
"It's true, I swear!" he cried, tugging against my grip. "You're right — Amber and I were close. I wouldn't have left her there to die without knowing she'd find a way back herself, I just needed a head start!"
Grabbing his shoulders, I whirled him around to face me, glaring into his eyes. "What are you talking about?" When Kai remained silent, I gripped his collar and yanked him towards me, baring my teeth. "Answer me!"
"Her magic... it was back," he explained, catching his breath. "I don't know how long for, but enough that she detached her shadow and healed herself." He gulped. "If she still has access, even if it's faint, it won't be long before she opens a portal and hitches the next ride home."
I lowered my hands, my chest tightening at the possibility. "You're lying..."
"I'm not!" he snapped, shoving me away. "She's alone in that prison world with nothing but time." Kai tilted his head, gauging my reaction. "You know her just as much as I do, Enzo. She's smart; she'll figure it out."
Caroline let out a pained whimper from beside me, struggling to process just as I was. "Don't mess with us, Kai," she warned. "Don't give us hope."
I made a sound of disgust in the back of my throat. "Ignore him, love, he's just saying this to keep himself alive," I grumbled. "It's nothing but fairytales."
"Is it?" Kai wondered, looking between us meaningfully. "Give it a few days, I can guarantee she'll be back." He hummed softly in amusement, a smile playing about his lips. "And then? Well, that's when the fun really begins..."
Caroline frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Kai kept his gaze locked on me, however. "I bet there's one thing she forgot to mention in all those video journal entries."
All I could do was stare back at him, already aware of what was coming but unable to accept it, shaking my head slowly in denial.
"And for us normal people who don't understand crazy-person talk?" Caroline snapped.
Finally, Kai turned to face her. "Enzo knows Amber has feelings for him, feelings he compelled away," he explained, all while I was silently falling apart. "And in doing so, it pushed her further in my direction. She came looking to me for comfort." He shrugged nonchalantly, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Before I left, she confessed how deeply she craved me... even the darkest, most dangerous parts." He emphasised the dreaded word intentionally, knowing it would affect me the most.
My stomach was past turning by now. I was only moments away from throwing up, something I didn't realise was even possible for a vampire, not even during all the years of torture I'd endured.
Because nothing, and I mean nothing, was as painful as the next words he uttered without a single care:
"So I slept with her."
I saw red. Like the snap of a switch, I reached out with vicious hands and grabbed Kai before launching him across the room towards the large windows, glass shattering everywhere as his body was sent through to the pathway outside.
To my surprise, however, he didn't remain on the sidewalk for long, disappearing into thin air only moments later.
I barely had the chance to process what had happened, how the entire room had just witnessed what I'd done or how Kai had vanished without any access to magic — from what I knew, anyway.
My hands trembled, my shoulders rising up and down rapidly as I struggled to catch my breath.
Finally, after a moment, I turned towards Caroline to check how mad she was. Unfortunately, I found her already gaping at me, exasperated.
"'No need to make a scene'?" she cried.
❰·❉·❱
AMBERLE'S POV
For weeks I'd allowed myself to waste away, only ever removing my butt from the couch to eat or use the bathroom.
I didn't even sleep in my bed anymore, staying cocooned under my mother's blanket on the couch in the library, cuddling my large stuffed elephant for company when I cried through the lonely nights, struggling to relax enough to get some rest.
Time seemed to stand still. I didn't know exactly how many weeks had passed since Enzo and my dad had left the prison world, but part of me didn't even really care. What difference did it make? I was stuck here forever. The days all rolled into one vast sea of hopelessness.
They never came back, and I wasn't sure they ever would again. For whatever reason, something had gone wrong and they'd been pulled out before I'd had the chance to find them — and since then, they hadn't been able to return.
I'd been fighting against every miserable instinct not to give in. Some days I didn't see a way out. I'd tried to accept that this was my life now, and how it would be until I finally made the decision to end it. At first, I thought I'd be able to last a few months, maybe even years, but after only a matter of days, it became clear that I just wasn't strong enough.
The loneliness... it was too much. I couldn't take it. I couldn't handle the thought of never speaking to someone again, of not seeing my family or my friends.
How long before I couldn't remember the sound of their voices? How long before I forgot what they looked like?
The possibility of that becoming true was unbearable.
I'd tried, I really had, but I didn't know how much longer I could go on. I was there to save everyone whenever the opportunity arose and now... there was no one to save me. Damn, I couldn't even save myself.
I considered writing a note explaining my reasons, to apologise for the pain I would cause if someone ever found me, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.
Maybe it was better if they didn't know why. Maybe they could find some peace in the lack of knowledge, and rely on only the assumption that a terrible accident had happened to me.
They couldn't know the truth. They couldn't know that Amberle Fell was a quitter.
Because that's what I was doing. Slowly but surely, I was giving up.
We're Fells, a familiar deep voice suddenly reminded me just when I needed it the most, one I hadn't heard since the phone call. We don't give up.
I gulped, my hands balling into fists at my sides. "We don't surrender," I whispered aloud, a new sense of determination washing over me.
Like an ice-cold bucket of water had been tipped over my head, I sat up in an instant, gasping in horror, furious with myself.
What the hell was I doing? This wasn't me. I wasn't this person!
That's it — no more moping around. My dad would be so disappointed in me to know I'd been doing nothing but feeling sorry for myself over the past few weeks instead of trying every which way possible to escape. As he would say, I had to get my shit together.
Get up, baby girl. You've got work to do.
Damn right, I do. Today's the day I'm going home. Shadow Realm, I'm coming... whether you're ready or not.
Throwing the blanket off my legs, I jumped off the couch and leapt to my feet. Rushing over to the nearby armchair, I emptied the contents of my backpack and began searching for the essentials that I couldn't bear to part with.
The first item was Dumbo, of course. I'd lost him once in the real world, I wasn't returning without him again. Next, my mom's blanket, followed by my father's hoodie, throwing it over my head and shoving my arms through the sleeves.
There hadn't been much shared between Enzo and me in terms of sentimentality — however, there was his guitar and my favourite pick that he used the most often. Grabbing the black guitar pick with a pink X on the front, I slipped it into the pocket of my jeans. Knowing how much Enzo loved the guitar he'd procured when we'd first arrived and how he probably hated being parted from it, I placed the instrument next to my bag, ready to take with me.
I was going to step into the Shadow Realm looking like a pack mule, I knew that, but it would be worth it to see how happy I'd made him.
Now came the trickier stuff.
Rushing upstairs, I made my way into my bedroom in search of something in particular. Opening the drawer of my nightstand, I peered down at the pile of handwritten notes alongside a 'Get Well Soon' card and sighed. It was wrong of me to want them but if I left them here out of spite, I would only end up regretting it.
No matter what Kai had done, I still cared about him. These notes were the beginning of our journey... I had to keep them, if for no other reason than happy memories.
After grabbing a few items of clothing that I loved the most, I made my way back into the library, ready to start doing everything in my power to reunite fully with my magic. However, when I spotted the giant stuffed elephant sitting on the other armchair, staring over at me all sad and lonely, my chest filled with guilt.
"Don't look at me like that," I warned quietly, closing my lids. "You know why I can't take you."
Barely five seconds later, I peeked one eye open to glance over at her. A mistake, it seems, since I could swear she was pouting by now.
"How am I supposed to explain where you came from?" I grumbled, placing my hands on my hips as if chastising a disobedient child. "Why you're so important that I had to bring you home with me when I already have an elephant in my bag?"
She continued to give me the guilt trip.
"Oh, come on!" I cried in exasperation. "My arms are gonna be full!"
For a moment, I questioned whether I'd seen tears fall from her sparkly pink eyes.
I heaved a sigh, my shoulders sinking in defeat. "Fine," I huffed, wandering over to grab her. Giving her a squeeze, I whispered with a grin, "You can be my little secret."
And that was it. With my bag almost overflowing and my arms unable to carry any more, I was ready to get the hell out of this place. Before picking up my things, however, I had to conquer the hardest part of all — solving Leilah's ambiguous enigma.
Closing my eyes for real this time, I began racking my brain for any possible answers, replaying her instructions over and over, praying for some help from the gods or, failing that, the shadow witch herself.
But there was nothing but my own mind and a feminine voice on replay.
Goddamn it, Leilah, why do you always have to talk in riddles? Why not just give me the answer?
"Face your fears; let him in."
What did that even mean? I thought I'd figured out that part of the puzzle but I'd only solved half the mystery. My shadow was back, but my powers hadn't returned. So what now?
Face my fears? Of what? I'd already accepted my feelings for Kai — there's nothing I'd been more afraid to admit than that!
"He's not the only one you had to let in." I could almost hear her voice filled with amusement, see her shaking her head in disbelief.
But who else could it possibly be? There was only me and Kai and...
Enzo.
Hold on. What was it Kai had said?
"That you could allow yourself to be selfish and risk everything with Enzo just to make sure I didn't screw up your little escape plan."
There was no way. We'd grown a great friendship during our time here and sure, maybe I'd always had a small crush on him, but that was as far as anything romantic between us had ever gone. I mean, the guy had attacked me during our first meeting! And then compelled me to forget all about it!
Suddenly, my heart dropped to my stomach.
Wait...
"Wow, he really did a number on you, didn't he?"
Had something else happened between us that he'd compelled me to forget? Was this all just another false narrative he'd fabricated in my mind for things to work the way he wanted them to? It's not like it was something he was opposed to.
Think, Amber, think! What am I missing?
A few cute dates that weren't really dates, a few hugs, cuddling on the couch while he read to me, taking care of me when I'd almost died. Sure, Kai had been the one to save my life on multiple occasions — a big reason that I'd developed feelings for the guy — but who was the one to always be there for me? Even when he was mad, even when he was scared.
Enzo.
The fear for my life when he'd found out what Kai had done in Portland, the relief to see I was scratch-free. The way he'd held me tight as if he believed he'd never get the chance again. The desperation for me to save myself if things went wrong during our escape. The tremble in his voice after hearing me answer the phone call when he'd come to rescue me.
It was all so clear now.
This whole time I thought what we shared was strictly platonic, but that wasn't the case at all. Our secret glances, our lingering touches. They weren't those of two people who were merely friends. There was something deeper between us, a mutual pining on a romantic level.
Oh my God... I have feelings for Enzo!
And if Enzo really had compelled them away in the first place... well, I'd have to deal with that at a later date. Right now, my priority was getting out of this damn prison world. Then, and only then, could I find him and demand the truth.
"Give yourself over to the darkness."
It wasn't just Kai! Enzo had put my life in danger almost as many times as he'd protected me from it, one of which still sometimes caused a trauma reaction in his presence without my permission.
But that wasn't the thing I was most scared of, oh no. What terrified me to the core, much deeper and stronger than the possibility of what either Kai or Enzo could do to me, was the reality of the situation I'd now put myself in.
How badly things could go wrong, how messed up everything was about to get now that I had finally admitted to myself the way I felt for each of the men. I wasn't about to let either of them go, no matter what they'd done. Sure, I needed some time to forgive Kai, but I was certain I was going to need him in my life again... eventually. And as for Enzo? We had a lot to talk about but I knew we could get past it, especially if he felt just as I did.
These overwhelming emotions, the way they filled my chest and enwrapped themselves around my entire body until I couldn't breathe... nothing had ever made more sense than this.
And that's why I was so damn afraid to let them in. Because to admit my feelings was to knowingly put myself in a love triangle with two of the scariest men I've ever known.
"It's okay to love them both — I did."
I laughed out loud at the thought. Was this who I had become now? Had my life gotten so complicated that I could relate to Katherine freakin' Pierce?
Lord help me.
Inhaling deeply, I began flicking through every sweet memory — that hadn't been wiped from my mind — and clutched onto each one desperately like they were my life preservers. Moments with Kai as well as Enzo.
Melodic strums of a guitar, perfectly synchronised with the keys of a piano; sweet dates filled with strawberries and popcorn; high-risk car races ending with cries of relief.
Candlelit dinners, starry night skies, dances around the table. Protective cuddles after harrowing nightmares, warm hugs filled with relief, interlocked fingers in the library.
Kisses that took my breath away...
Oh, how much I wish I could remember if Enzo and I had shared a similar experience, or if Kai had managed to beat him to it.
Wait — had Enzo and I gone as far as I had with Kai? If not, what was I going to tell him? How was he going to react when he found out?
Stop it, Amber!
Growing anxious, I swiftly pushed the dreaded thoughts away. I was going off-track and therefore losing focus. Fear led to a blockage, which was the last thing I needed when I was just starting to open myself up again.
Clenching my teeth together, I scrambled to get back to my happy place, allowing the images of sinful nights to play on repeat, one I'd already experienced, the others as potential moments in the future.
God, how could I have not seen it until now? Of course I liked Enzo! I wanted him just as much as I wanted Kai.
I was no longer afraid — in fact, I was thrilled. I needed them. Both of them.
When a cold shudder rippled through my body, I let out a shocked gasp, my eyes snapping open. Flexing my fingers, I refused to waste another second and prepared to use my powers.
As the shadows from the corners of the room began to crawl along the floor towards my outstretched palms, I couldn't believe my luck, giggling in excitement, moments away from crying tears of joy.
But I held them back. I had more important things to worry about right now.
There was no eclipse, of course, but the Shadow Realm didn't seem to care. It welcomed me with open arms as if it had been waiting expectantly; the portal swiftly tore a hole in the air, letting in floods of navy moonlight and icy chills that blew my hair back.
Moving my hands to extend the circumference of the ring so it was big enough for me to step through, I waited until it was at its peak before throwing the straps of my backpack and Enzo's guitar over both shoulders while keeping the portal open with my free hand.
It was a struggle but I managed it, my desire and willpower to get home stronger than any other force imaginable. Nothing was stopping me today.
Once the large elephant was under my arm, held tightly against my side, I didn't even look back as I jumped through the portal and slammed it shut behind me.
And then I let out an exhilarated shriek, slightly delirious.
"Leilah!" I called desperately, peering around for any sign of the witch. "Leilah, I'm here!"
Nothing.
"We had a deal!" I tried again. "I'm ready to leave, now get me the hell outta here!"
Not even a waver in the darkness.
Okay, I'll admit. I was starting to panic. "Leilah, where the f-"
"Nice to see you finally made it," a voice suddenly teased, cutting me off before I could lose my patience. Leilah stepped out of the shadows, her brows raised in approval. "And without even breaking a sweat after being out of practice." She hummed. "Interesting; commendable."
I flashed her a sarcastic smile. "Yeah, great, you can give me a medal next time," I commented in a bored tone. "Now, please guide me home so I can see my family and tell them how much I love them."
Leilah giggled at my impatience. "Of course," she said simply as we began to walk in synchronisation. "A deal's a deal, after all."
I bobbed my head once. "Yeah." Then, remembering what the deal involved, I gasped softly. "Oh, hey, that reminds me! Thanks for looking out for Enzo when he was here all alone," I told her. "For so long I was worried he'd be stuck in the realm... or, worse, something had happened to him."
She shrugged indifferently. "Well, I made a promise to get both you and Enzo out, so I did."
Leilah was trying to act cold, like she hadn't given a damn whether Enzo lived or died, but I could see through the façade. Allowing her to keep playing pretend, however, I merely stated, "Either way, I appreciate it."
"You're welcome." Her dark brows pulled into a slightly confused frown when she noticed all the items on my person. "Although, I'm intrigued to find out how you managed to open a portal with so much luggage."
Holding back the embarrassed heat threatening to creep along my cheeks, I merely laughed awkwardly. "I guess I just really wanted to get out of there."
"I'll say," she scoffed. Then, with a sigh, "Well, your exit from the Shadow Realm should be a lot smoother than Enzo's."
I paused in my tracks, eyeing her nervously. "What do you mean?"
Leilah chuckled, patting my arm comfortingly. "I'll let him explain everything," she teased. Lifting her palms, she wiggled her fingers. "You ready?"
Flashing a delighted grin, I said, "Born ready."
The witch nodded, effortlessly pulling apart the air particles until they split open a gateway a few feet ahead that would take me from this world into the next.
"Woah," I breathed with a blink, taken aback as I watched her in awe. "You made that look so easy."
"I've been doing this a long time," Leilah reminded me in amusement. "You'll get there eventually."
"Sure," I agreed, though remained secretly doubtful. Pointing towards the glowing ring, I said, "How does it work?"
She held the portal steady. "Think about the place you wanna go then step through, just as you did to get into the Shadow Realm."
"Okay," I said. "Welp, here goes nothing." Taking a deep breath, I rolled my neck in preparation and gripped my belongings tighter, ready to step over the navy, circular boundary.
"But remember-"
Pausing at the sound of her voice, I glanced at Leilah over my shoulder.
"The whole point of a deal is that both parties get something out of it. I've held up my end of the bargain," she reminded me, holding my gaze meaningfully. "Now it's your turn."
I merely blinked, unfazed. "I haven't forgotten."
She hummed, pleased. "Good."
"When will I see you again?" I wondered, anxious to know how much time I had before I would have to dedicate my life to letting her corrupt me.
"I'll find you," Leilah assured.
I nodded in understanding. "See ya 'round."
She smiled. "Good luck, Amberle."
I mirrored her features before turning back to face my exit and taking another deep breath, thinking of nothing but home.
Almost there...
But I could swear, just as I stepped through the portal, a faint echo of Leilah's final words followed after me:
"You're gonna need it..."
━━━━━━❰·❉·❱━━━━━━
Author's Note:
Hey guys!
Another long one but I hope you enjoyed! Now Amber is finally out of the prison world, the effects of the love triangle and all the secrets involved will really come into play. I'm so excited to explore the three of them more!
It's a shame Amber wasn't able to attend the Halloween party since I know she would've had so much fun — but not to worry as there are plenty of other parties I have in mind for the future.
If she had gone, I think this is the kinda thing I could imagine her wearing:
Thank you all so much reading. Keep the feedback coming and as always, I love guys!🤍🤍