Esmeralda
A sigh of relief slipped off my lips, “Home sweet home,” I muttered tiredly as I walked into the ‘old house’ as Selene often referred to it.
Staying in the old house was my idea which she hated because it belonged to an old couple that died several years ago.
The house was built in an old-fashioned way to Selene’s distaste.
But I cared less. Whether old-fashioned or not, the house was warm and comforting.
It reminded me of my mother’s house.
The option of moving to my mother’s house was a tempting one, but I discarded the idea.
I didn’t want to be reminded of those memories.
As far as I was concerned, they were dead and buried. And I had already moved on.
I strode to the dining table tiredly, poured some water from the jug into a glass cup and gulped every drop of it down my throat.
My throat was almost on fire!
The sun was merciless and I had exhausted the water in my bottle.
Worst of all, I and Selene were the only ones here.
I wiped my mouth clean with the back of my palm when I was satisfied, dropping the cup on the table before burping loudly.
I knew it was bad manners, but who cares. Meanwhile, I was alone in the house.
I picked up a marker lying on the table and strode to the calendar that was glued to the door of the fridge.
Marking the eighth number, I circled it. A frown settled on my face.
How many more days before I leave this place? Two weeks? Maybe forever, who knows?
It was day eight of living in the past… living in isolation.
Urgh!
I couldn’t wait to be in the present!
I was about to pull my sandals when something caught my attention.
Slowly, I made my way to the center of the dining table, studying the board game laying on it… The scrabble Selene and I played last night.
The scrabble belonged to the late couple that occupied this house. To drive away boredom, Selene and I played the game every time we were less busy and it was usually at night.
I leaned closer to the table, squinting my eyes to read out the words properly.
Something wasn’t right!
The letters… there was something about the letters that filled me with suspicion.
Or maybe I was just overreacting.
We’ve been here for eight days and everything seemed fine. I was able to practice, understand my powers and control them and so was Selene. Ever since she got here, she had been practicing spells that would take us back to the present world.
Though she had been failing at every trial, I still believed in her.
Since her spells brought us here, her spells would take us back.
Every day, she leaves for the library, searching for antique books on witchcraft and spells.
She hasn’t found one yet.
But I knew it was a matter of time.
When the time is right, she will see the right spell that would take us home.
“It can’t be,” I whispered, covering my mouth with my hand with my eyes almost popping out of their sockets.
Or were my eyes deceiving me?
Last night, Selene and I played a word game before going to bed. We didn’t finish it because we felt sleepy.
This morning, we went to our different destinations and I was the last person to leave the house.
I was sure she hadn’t left the library.
“Someone definitely came here,” Emerald affirmed, confirming my instincts.
Three words were left undone last night and this morning… three hard words… but now, those words were on top of the board and the spaces were filled. Each letter was organized and arranged accordingly.
Someone was in here and I was certain that it wasn’t Selene.
Selene leaves in the morning and comes back in the evening, same with me.
She should even be on her way now.
But how could it be?
Who entered the house even when the doors were locked?!
Who completed the game?
I was certain that the person was very smart because it took me a while to figure out the words. My inability to find the right words made me sleepy and angry.
I was good at Scrabble. Even Selene couldn’t compete with me.
Except for the she-devil.
Apart from Phoebe, no other person I know could play Scrabble better than me.
But could Phoebe be here?
I doubt it.
I walked away from the table, dropping my bag on one of the chairs that sat at the far end of the wall.
“Fuck!” I hissed in pain when my foot hit the chair.
Then something hit my instincts.
Why was everywhere so dark?
“That’s it!” Emerald screamed in my head.
“That’s what?”
“Someone switched it off,” She said confidently.
I gasped in shock at the realization.
I was the last person to leave the room but I didn’t switch off the light.
Someone must have done it.
My heart began to race as several thoughts clouded my head.
Who could that be?
First, it was the scrabble… and now, the light.
I wasn’t safe anymore.
The creaking of the door sent me hiding behind a large wooden chair.
He has come for me!
I peeked closely, trying to get a glimpse of the person without giving myself away.
But my fears were over when I saw Selene walking into the room.
“Esme,” She called, dropping her bag on the one-sitter chair.
“Oh, Selene, I didn’t know it was you,” I said, walking out of my hiding spot to meet her.
“What’s wrong? Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?” She asked.
“Because I’ve just seen one. Someone’s in the house,” I said hurriedly, “Look,” I pointed to the game that was on the table.
Selene quietly walked to the table to observe the game.
Her brows creased in confusion as she stared at it.
“We were not done with this last night, how come it’s complete?” She asked, pointing at the newly-filled words.
“And everywhere was dark when I entered,” I continued.
“That only means one thing,” She stopped briefly, her gaze sweeping the house, “Someone’s in here,” She said while I nodded in agreement.
“Did you smell that?” Emerald called my attention as she paced in my head, “A fucking werewolf is in here,”
“Did you hear that?” Selene grabbed my hand in fear, “I think it’s behind the fridge,” She whispered in my ears.
I sniffed the air that was heavy with a male wolf’s scent and a feeling settled in the pit of my stomach.
The person was dumb. Masking his scent won’t help as my wolf’s sense of smell was very powerful.
He would regret coming here. I would make sure of that.
I let my nose take me to the origin of the scent.
Not long, I caught the sight of a man trying to fit himself behind the fridge.
Got you!
Blood drained from his face when he saw me.
“Don’t let him go!” Selene screamed in horror when he jumped out and raced toward the large partly opened window.
So that was where he entered.
Selene and I sprang into action as we blocked the window so he wouldn’t escape.
Let’s see where he would run to this time.
The small sitting room was disorganized in order to capture the strange man who dodge us severally.
Sneaky bastard!
My sandals tripped him and he fell on his face, hitting his head on the edge of the chair before cursing loudly.
Wow! So he talks.
“Got you, motherfucker!” I spat, grabbing his hands while Selene grabbed his legs.
His strong arms snaked his way out of my grip and hit my nose, letting him escape from my grip while he ran to the door.
Fuck! He was going to escape!
Without caring about my broken nose, I charged at him, but he was faster than me.
He had almost got out of the room when Selene muttered her spells that made him drop to the floor like a vegetable.
Finally.
“You were supposed to slow him down not knock him down, fucker,” Selene groaned at her spells.
“At least, it worked, you should be grateful. He is ours now,” I chuckled, walking toward him as he lay on the floor, panting hard.
“Who are you?” I asked, smacking his face with my small hand.
That was for almost breaking my nose.
“Cedric… My name is Cedric,” He murmured tiredly, gasping for breath.
“Why are you here? What do you want?”
“You,”
Me.
Confusion creased my brows as I stared at the man below me who stared at me in return.
What does he mean by he wanted me?
Strange.
“I want you,” He confirmed.
Why me?
Was he lying? Maybe he was saying that to distract us so he could run again.
I turned to Selene who had a small smile plastered on her face.
What was funny?
“I don’t trust him. He seemed to be cool with the questions,” I turned to her.
“That’s what my spell did. It made him confess easily. He can’t withhold the truth,” She said proudly.
Good.
This drama was already enough for the day.
I didn’t think I was ready to force words from a strange person.
I turned to him, smacking his face again, “I know you are not doing this alone,” I smirked dangerously, “Who sent you?”
I didn’t know him so how could he want me?
“My master,” I could see hesitation in his eyes but the spell was too strong to withhold, “My master Phoebe,”
That bitch?!
How?
Fuck!
All my life I’ve tried to avoid her, but it was impossible. We always meet, no matter how hard I try to hide.
Maybe it was high time we cleared this shit between us.
Or maybe I should run. She was too dangerous for me… and evil.
“She knows you are here. She completed the game herself. She sent me to spy on you and I should be back at her chambers by now. Release me,” He pleaded.
He looked like he was about to pass out, but I didn’t let it get to me.
Looks can be deceptive.
“You won’t breathe about what happened here to her or anyone, is that understood?” I threatened, holding his chin firmly with my protruding claws.
My conscience pricked me at the sight of his blood dropping on my claws.
I wasn’t the type that hurt people.
“Let me go, please,” He pleaded again, straining his chin, but my claws slipped further into his skin.
“Not until you tell me what she wants from me,” I gritted, “I’m not releasing you. Not now,”
“Tie him to the chair,” I ordered Selene.
Selene nodded instantly, grabbing a rope that lay on the table. Her hands touched Cedric but it filled her with a shuddering sensation immediately and she pulled away as if his body was on fire.
Confusion washed through me when I saw them stare into each other’s eyes for some seconds before Cedric sniffed the air in confirmation.
There was a spark between them, I could feel it.
It was like a bond, a connection, a string that pulled them together that instant, igniting a spark within them
I could feel his wolf howling in his head and pacing. The feeling of restlessness enveloped it with Selene’s presence.
“Mate…” He called softly, holding her hands tightly against his.
Mate?