Her Witch, Her Demon [WxW]

The first thing Meredith noticed as soon as Rexadan teleported them to their new location was the thick demon energy flooding the room. It wrapped around her body like icicles. It was no doubt Nyx’s demon energy.

The walls were covered in sparkling purple glass. No, it was more like the entire room was one giant purple glass, and they were trapped inside with the oppressive demon energy. She scrunch her nose as the stench of blood gagged her. Then loud cries tore through the air, as though this person was being skinned alive.

Meredith had no idea what was going on, but she had a feeling that Nyx was not the helpless one in this situation.

“Ultimate Control,” Rexadan said, pointing to the purple glass walls.

Meredith raised a brow. Nyx had mentioned that before. “Her demon skill?”

Rexadan nodded, his dark green eyes puzzled. “It’s… I didn’t realize it was this strong.” He paused. “And this demon energy.” He rubbed his temples, as though lost in thought. Then his eyes widened. “Shit… it can’t be.”

“What?” Meredith and her parents all said at the same time.

Before Rexadan could explain, two people came running along the hallway. They wore the same robes as those who had abducted Nyx. While one of them wore a hood over their head, the other’s face was exposed. She was a woman in her early thirties with long red hair and deep blue eyes. But those eyes were so full of fear that one would think the woman had seen the devil himself.

The other person exploded into a pile of guts and blood. The young woman began screaming as her knees caved to the ground.

“What the fuck?” It was Meredith’s father. His face was a lot paler than usual, with bloodshot eyes. But it seemed he hadn’t been nauseous like Meredith had been when she first teleported. “What the hell’s going on?”

Someone suddenly appeared out of thin air, standing before the young redhead.

It was a certain tall dark-skinned woman, with long golden dreadlocks and flaming golden eyes that wanted the world to burn.

“Nyx?” Meredith whispered.

Nyx took the redhead by the neck and lifted her as though she weighed nothing at all. The woman’s feet dangled, struggling to free herself. Meredith knew all too well that look in Nyx’s eyes. Her golden eyes dripped with venom and vengeance. And Meredith was certain that her lover wanted nothing but blood from this woman. She was going to strangle the woman to death.

“I knew it,” said Rexadan, holding his hands up as though to stop Meredith and her parents from taking another step toward Nyx. “She’s evolved. Keep your distance.”

Meredith raised a brow. “But that can’t be right. Ever first evolution is in two years.”

“Yeah, well, something must have triggered it. She’s volatile right now. We have to tread carefully. Her evolution is premature. It can be dangerous.”

“Well, looks like she’s not in danger,” said Mama. “So why don’t you take us back home? She should be fine, right?”

“What? No.” Meredith balled her fist. She had to pause for a moment to calm herself. There was no way in hell she was going to leave Nyx behind. She sighed. “You guys go ahead.”

“What about you?”

“Baba, I’m not leaving without Nyx.”

“Did you not hear her brother? That demon is dangerous. She could hurt you.”

“That demon is my fated one,” Meredith snapped. “She would never hurt me. Ever.” Whatever Nyx had evolved into, Meredith trusted that it was still Nyx. Her demon. And she was her witch. Nothing had changed.

The woman Nyx was strangling began coughing blood, the light slowly going from her eyes. It must be such a painful way to die. But she reminded herself that this woman was Crescentra. From her aura, Meredith was sure this was the same witch who had abducted Nyx and killed Meredith.

She deserved what was happening to her. And Meredith truly couldn’t care less if this woman died. But the darkness in Nyx’s scared Meredith a little. Not that she was afraid of her lover’s violent tendencies. But Meredith feared that if Nyx satisfied her hunger for revenge while in this manic state, there would be no turning back. She had to save her fated one from herself.

A vague sense of familiarity flooded Meredith’s senses. It was the same scene, where Nyx was squeezing the life out of someone right in front of Meredith. Where had she seen it before? And then it dawned on Meredith.

It was the first day she’d met Nyx at the Union. The day Nyx almost strangled that vampire to death. But Meredith had managed to talk Nyx out of it to let the vampire go. Today, she would do it again, to save a witch who didn’t need saving.

“Nyx,” Meredith called out loudly. Hopefully, that would snap Nyx out of her trance. Even though they were only a few feet away, Nyx had not noticed Meredith and the others. But once she called Nyx’s name, her lover froze, turning in Meredith’s direction immediately.

Nyx’s gaze faltered for a moment before they steeled again, glaring at the redhead woman. “You still have the strength to conjure up tricks, huh?” she thundered, tightening her grip around the witch’s neck.

Her grip tightened around the neck.

“Nyx, please. It’s me. Meredith. This isn’t a trick, please.”

With each step, she got closer, ignoring the alarmed warnings of Rexadan and her parents to stay away. “Nyx…”

“Stop right there,” Nyx growled, not taking her eyes off Meredith. Meredith halted immediately. Gone was the warmth and love in those hazel eyes Meredith was so used to. All that remained were golden eyes full of disdain and coldness. It was a dagger to Meredith’s heart, even more painful than what Crescentra had done to her heart.

“Can’t you even tell it’s me like I can tell it’s you?” asked Meredith. Nyx’s eyes shifted in uncertainty, the coldness thawing in her eyes for a moment. Okay, Nyx was still in there. She was getting her back, thought Meredith. She just had to keep trying. This time when she took a step forward, Nyx didn’t protest but stared longingly at Meredith.

“Do you remember when we first met? At the Union?” Meredith took another step forward. And another. “When that vampire tried to drink my blood. But you stepped in and saved me. You almost killed him until I told you to let him go. Do you remember?” Now Meredith was only a few inches away from Nyx. She rested her hand on Nyx’s shoulder. “Because I remember it all like it was just yesterday, Nyx. Will I know all this if I wasn’t real?”

Nyx’s lips twitched. The iciness in her eyes was completely thawed now. Meredith’s hand slid from Nyx’s shoulder to her chest, which beat so furiously it felt like rumbling thunder beneath Meredith’s palm.

“I’m here now, Nyx,” she whispered into her lover’s ears. “Let’s go home.”

Nyx dropped the redhead woman and touched Meredith’s cheek. It was such a simple touch but it sent shudders through Meredith’s body. She bit her lips, staring into the golden orbs of her demon. “Is it really you, my love?” asked Nyx.

Meredith smiled at her and nodded. “I came here for you.”

“She told me you were dead,” said Nyx. “She told me she’d killed you. I couldn’t sense you either so I thought you died. I was so scared… I… I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”

“I know, baby. I know.” Meredith took Nyx in her arms and hugged her tightly. “I’m alright, okay. My parents saved my life.”

“Yeah?” Nyx raised a brow.

“Yeah. They’re even here. And Rexadan.”

Nyx released Meredith from her embrace. “They are?”

Meredith nodded in the direction of Rexadan and her parents.

“How-”

“It’s a long story,” said Meredith. “And your brother helped a lot.” Meredith smiled at Rexadan who was looking at them with a small smile. Turning to Nyx, she added, “I’ll tell you all about it later. But right now we have to go home. Okay?”

“Well, there’s one more thing,” said Nyx, grinning.

Before Meredith could ask what sort of mischief her lover was up to, Nyx captured Meredith’s lips and kissed her so passionately that Meredith almost burst from too much happiness. She kissed her right back, savoring the sweet minty taste of the like it was the last flavor on this goddamn Earth.

“Okay, lovebirds. Get a room,” Rexadan heckled.

Meredith chuckled into the kiss. It took them another minute or two to finally pull away from their kiss. But she didn't let of Nyx’s neck nor did Nyx release her grip over Meredith’s waist. How she had missed being in the arms of her lover. She could stay this way forever.

“Hi,” Nyx said, nodding at Meredith’s parents.

“Hi,” Baba and Mama said.

But that was all they had to say to each other. Well, this was progress. At least, her parents didn’t look as disgusted.

“What happened here?” asked Rexadan. “What the hell did Crescentra want with you?”

“Long story,” said Nyx. “The shorter version is that Staslok wanted to get rid of me. So she made a deal with the grand elder of the Witch Council to get what he wanted.”

“What?” Mama and Baba roared, gaping. “What do you mean Staslok made a deal with Ida? You can’t just make such accusations without proof.” Baba was raising his voice now. Shit, he was livid.

“Oh, you want proof?” Nyx taunted. “Well, you have it right here.” She pointed to the unconscious woman on the floor.

What did that have to do with anything? That redhead had nothing to do with Ida…

“Oh, my god?” Meredith covered her mouth in shock. The woman was no longer a young redhead with blue eyes but rather an older woman with perfectly gray hair and deep brown eyes.

“What in the world?” Baba said. “How’s this possible? Ida can’t be Crescentra. Her vital energy isn’t tainted.”

“Only because she masked her vital energy by taking on a different form whenever she used Crescentra magic. It slowed down the tainting considerably. But trust me, she’s been tainted. I sensed it the first time the Witch Council and Demon Circle summoned me. I just wasn’t sure about it.”

“I don’t know what to say. How will the council deal with this?”

“That’s up to you,” said Nyx. I’ve killed every single member of Crescentra. And once I get back home, I’ll disband the Demon Circle. I’m tired of everyone undermining my authority. Witches, demons, vampires, werewolves. Everyone will know their place when I take this city.”

“You’re exhausted.” Meredith caressed Nyx’s cheek, sensing the unbridled anger building up in her lover. She got on her tiptoe and then kissed Nyx on the forehead. “Let’s go home, okay?”

Nyx held Meredith’s gaze, and the witch’s heart almost stopped. Then the demon nodded with a small smile. “Okay, my love.”

“We need to talk once we get back, Nyx,” said Baba.

“It’s Onyx to you,” said Nyx nonchalantly. “And you’re right. We need to talk. The future of this city depends on it.”