23. Rain

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow night, we rise. We destroy. We take back our lives. My life.

In a matter of two weeks, everything changed for me.

I went from being unsure of what to do with life to being kidnapped by a cult. My mom was killed right before me, then I was covered in her blood and held prisoner by the devil himself, my father, the leader of The Chapel. A father I didn’t know until then. A father who wanted to take me as his bride.

Sick bastard.

Then Elijah came.

My stepbrother, my savior, my life.

He has freed me in more ways than I can ever thank him for.

I have always belonged to him. Our souls were always destined to meet.

He killed my mom. I can still see her lying on the table. Our eyes were speaking to each other, saying our goodbyes. He did it because he had to.

My mom has told me to forgive him. She does. Because it was to save me.

Elijah, someone who doesn’t feel much, felt something that night and afterwards. He brought her back here to be buried, so I could always be close to her. Never without her.

Tears well in my eyes. I am exhausted emotionally and mentally at this point.

But it is almost fucking over.

Tomorrow, we kill the man behind it all. The man who has ruined plenty of lives. From blackmail to murder. All for his own sick agenda. To feel power, to have control and money. And for what?

To have a group of mindless followers worship him?

Does he really think he is doing the devils work? Does he truly believe he is a vessel for The Dark One? Those may be questions we will never truly know the answers to.

The man is a narcissist.

But none of that matters. Because tomorrow it ends.

I’m sitting on the couch in the living room. The television is on more for background noise than for watching. Looking out the large windows, it’s daytime and Elijah has built another fire in the back.

Watching him is amusing, he is in his all-black long-sleeved henley, which is rolled up onto his forearms, black skinny jeans and combat boots. The sun is shining down on his dark black hair and tattooed skin. He is beautiful.

Once he seems content with what he has built, E runs up the deck stairs, walking towards the window and taps on it. His voice is muffled as he shouts, “Hey, come out here for a minute.”

My face lights up. This man, my fucking man. He kills without batting an eye and still gets excited, just like a little kid.

I can see him, but he can’t see me due to the tinting he has on the windows. When he went outside, I was in here lounging. I debated messing with him. Acting like I am not still here. But I can’t. His excitement is precious.

Smiling, I get up. I am in a pair of baggy black sweats and a black tank crop top. My hair is down, wavy over my shoulders. I don’t bother getting shoes as I head to the back door.

Opening it, Elijah greets me, wrapping his arms around me, picking me up and swinging me around. I hold on tightly around his neck, giggling.

“Baby, we have our final name.” Excitement radiates from him.

As he puts me down, I kiss his cheek, “Go on then. Who is it?” I play along, humoring his game.

Grabbing my hand, he drags me behind him towards the fire. This has to be the biggest one yet, the flames dance before me and are easily ten feet tall.

“Do you hear it?” He says softly.

My eyes shift back and forth, “I think so.”

“What do you hear?”

Letting go of his hand, I wrap my arms around his torso, he holds me close as I give him my guess, “Master?”

“Fucking right. But, there is one more still. Listen closely now, little bat.”

My brows furrow, unsure of who else he could be referencing.

Looking down at me, I look up at him confused and curious. His expression is blank, I am unable to read him. Who is the other name?

“Listen closely. If you really focus, you can hear it whisper.” A breeze blows past us, he smiles wide showing his perfect white teeth. His canines I picture having my blood dripping from, biting my lip, he speaks, “My mom.”

I absorb what he has decided. Deep down, I knew this was coming. He has known his mom his entire life, moved here with her. Put up with a lot of shit for her, including my father.

This decision wasn’t made lightly, I am sure.

Nodding my head against his chest, “Okay. And your mom.”

I don’t question him. I promised I never would when it came to this.

A calmness washes over me. I can also feel it over him as he leans into me more. The energy has changed as we continue to stand, watching the bright colors flicker before us. Hearing the cracks of the wood burning as the daylight shines upon us.

The feeling makes me feel content, perhaps? Maybe it is reassurance that in this moment, this is where I am supposed to be. What I am supposed to be doing. I don’t feel scared. I am not second-guessing anything. My brain isn’t riddling off ‘what if’ scenarios.

But I do wonder, what happens after this?

“What’s next? After tomorrow.” I ask. He doesn’t answer immediately.

We stand in our surroundings, as I wait for him to answer.

When he does, he lets out a sigh first, “We have one more day of living in the now. After tomorrow, what comes next, it will consume us. But now it is always going to be us, regardless of what is coming.”

There is a part of his life that I have been curious about. But this isn’t the first time he has asked for us to live in this moment and not worry about the future yet. I don’t push it. He will tell me. Once this is over, I trust him.

Rubbing my hand against his stomach, “Okay. As long as it’s always us, that’s what matters.”

Kissing the top of my head, he says with absolute certainty, “Never fucking doubt it.”

ELIJAH

Holding Rain close, I never want to let her go. And I won’t. She is always mine.

But I will have to tell her what’s next. Time is ticking and it is not on our side. Eventually, I will get the call and we will have to go.

Before, it didn’t bother me. Before Rain, nothing mattered to me. I was content and accepted what my future meant.

Now I don’t want to think about it.

My phone vibrates in my pants pocket, Rain is still cuddled against me as I reach for it.

It’s him. Her father. Maxton fucking Montgomery.

Answering, I put it on speaker so she can hear, I’m already short with him, “What?”

“Don’t what me, boy. The shit you have pulled these last few nights is done. You bring her in tomorrow, or it will be you next. Do you fucking hear me?” He shouts, he is seething which makes me smile.

“She will be there. When haven’t I brought a name for The Dark One?” I throw back at him. Rain and I talked after we fucked in the driveway. In order for him to not have his guard up at Devil’s Night, we need to play his game and make him think he was winning

“Good. You better remember your place. Who you fucking answer to. I shouldnt have to call and remind you like this.”

He is really laying it on thick.

“I understand. I needed to get some shit out of my system.” Rolling my eyes while each word is a lie, leaving my lips.

“Don’t think for a second I won’t fuck her in front of you before I kill her. Remember that when you take her for the last time.”

Then the call ends.

She squeezes me hard. Trying to comfort me, knowing how fucking crazy the thought of that makes me. My heart is pounding as images flash before me. Clenching my fists, my knuckles go white as I squeeze my eyes shut.

“E, you would never let him get that close to me.” Her soft voice whispers to my demon.

“We have a plan. It will work. He will never win.”

Her lips brush against my chin, “Come back to me, E. Come home.”

My little bat knows me better than I do, always knowing what I need before I do.

“Please, E. I need you here. With me.”

My heart rate starts to slow as my fists release and my teeth stop clenching. Breathing starts to return to normal, and my mind returns to my vision of the now instead of picturing his threats.

As my eyes flutter open, I look down to see hers, looking up at me with compassion.

Leaning down, I kiss her. Rain’s soft lips against mine, it grounds me. As I pull back, she grips my face with her tiny hands and murmurs, “Welcome back, baby.”