Watch of the Wicked (Devil's Witch Book 3)

Tears stream down my face freely. I didn’t want to call out to him or ever use our conjoinment to ask help of him. I couldn’t get through to Colin though. Now, because of me, he’s going to be tortured or worse...killed again. I’m pretty sure Nick is still a little shocked by it all too.

What was he expecting though? I’m sure all the vamps could smell my blood off of him and Heinrich when we returned from church this morning.

“It’s my fault.” he whispers while tugging off his shirt.

I avert my stare thinking what Colin’s punishment could be.

When the bed dips I dare a peek and find him in just his pajama pants. He’s been graced with defining muscle, but I’m certain he has gained some weight making him seem more full or thicker. I’m not really sure. I know he’s eaten people and that should be enough reason to quit looking at his naked chest.

He pulls the covers over us. Not long after, I feel our conjoined magic healing Colin’s bite mark in my shoulder.

Nick shifts around on his side of the bed to turn out the lamp. “You should have called out to me sooner.”

“You knew he was coming to my room. You just wanted to wait for me to ask for help,” I whisper furiously. “I can’t believe I had another baby.”

It did freak me out because I was awake during the whole ordeal. I remember passing out this morning. Then I woke up in the church and Nick was holding a baby girl vampire. I don’t know how it formed in my womb so quickly, but Nick told me after the ceremony he used his magic to will the baby out of me.

“You should name them.”

I roll over on my other side facing away from him. “I cannot be their mother. Their births were unnatural and I am not a vampire.”

I’m sure Stella is being held captive here too. I have to find her. We have to put Colin in the right mind again and get out of here.

“I’m not perfect, Valerie. I will change things until you are satisfied.”

His arm covers my own across my waist. I brush it away and he rolls over onto his back. “This is who I am. We were meant to be together.”

I look into the darkness at the wall across from me. The window is open letting in the sound of tree frogs chirping outside. “The devil is a liar. Look at w-what he’s done to you.”

I just can’t listen to him anymore. Not after knowing he’s killed and eaten the ones I loved. Telling him all that won’t do any good. He already knows how I feel.

He even went so far and killed his own half brother at the drop of the hat. At least, I think he did. I knew Nick hated the coven, but the werewolves usually stuck to themselves. I never knew them to cross the vamps unless it was business related. The weres were never out on the streets rioting for or against the police.

“Why did you kill the black diamond pack?” I ask while turning to face him.

It was a mistake because I find his head is hovering right above mine. I blush seeing him not move.

I hate the way his eyes soften as if to plead for my understanding.

“I had a dream. They had taken you and I thought they killed you. I couldn’t stop them,” his voice turns hoarse and my breathing catches thinking he’s about to break down. I’ve never heard him sound so spooked. “The devil left me. I was dying. There was nothing I could do. Then I did something I told myself I would never do. I prayed to the god my father believed in,” he whispers while looking up at the headboard above our pillows.

“You mean God?”

“Yes.”

“What happened after you prayed?”

His hand starts tracing over the side of my face. Weakly, I try to swat at it hoping he’ll get the hint. However, he doesn’t pull it away.

“You lived. Have I turned into my father for resorting to such a measure?”

I never thought I’d enter this sort of discussion with him. Honestly, I rather avoid it because the devil is the bigger issue right now.

I’m afraid to answer, but I’m just in a hurry for his touch to go away. I answer quietly trying not to sound bitter remembering this morning, “You’ve been possessed. Think about everything that’s happened. Do you ever feel...used? Done things you wish you hadn’t? I know I have.”

But the truth is that’s how I’ve felt since the moment I crawled out of my grave. It’s only human of me to wish to blame Nick, but I know the devil is using him too.

I don’t know why he cares what I think. So far, he’s always done what he wants regardless of how I feel or what I try to convince him to believe. I’m not his goddess. I’m just another vessel for the devil’s deeds. To him, I’m just a means to an end. Whatever relationship he pretends we have is just a fantasy made to justify his actions in his own mind.

Today was proof of that.

“Yes...I have. There is no helping it though. What’s done is done. My people need saving and I will not back down from my promises.”

“That’s just it. Your problems were never my own. At least you have your community. I don’t have anyone. There is no middle. If I stay with the coven I’m hated and if I try time and time again to fix you I’m hated. Nothing works when we try on our own.”

“I know, Valerie. That’s why I need you.”

“No,” I huff while sitting up and throwing the covers along with his arm off of me. “You don’t need me.”

“Valerie-”

I stagger back out of the bed.

“You don’t need me!”

I cringe hearing my voice raise. The bed shakes by way of our magic. Nick slowly gets up with caution.

“No one needs me. Things were better off the way they were before I died. Everyone I love is either damaged or dead! I can’t fix anyone. Your dream showed you the same, but about yourself. I can’t save you and no one, no one, can save me.”

Nick appears by the crib and presses the floating vamp babies back down. The sheets and blankets fall to the bed when he turns around to look at me with his hair hanging in his eyes. He runs a hand through it while walking over to me, but I’m already almost out of the room.

“Tell me what I can do to make you happy.”

“Bring the coven back and let the humans handle policing.”

“None of that has to do with your happiness. It sounds like William’s dream come true. I want to know what you want.”

“No, you don’t. You don’t know anything about me so don’t act like you care.”

“You want to die. You rather be back in your little box if it means evading the troubles of this world. I know everything about you.”

I hug my arms feeling my stomach plummet. “I just feel more alone now than ever. I’ll admit at one point I thought you maybe could help me. I’ve been judged and labeled by you too. Truth is, you’re just like Patty. The only difference is you know how to hide your thoughts better.”

“That is not true and you know it.” he murmurs while looking down at the babycrib.

“It was never about us vs. them, Nick. It was about you and...the devil. Now I’m here.” I laugh dryly.

“Colin was the one who resurrected you-”

“The devil did. Just like he made you do this to me...twice.” I counter.

He unclenches his fists drawing blood from where his fingernails dug into his skin. Why is he getting so upset right now? Nothing we’ve discussed should be any news to him.

My voice softens. “Just like he made you do all those other horrible things, right? It was the devil who made you...”

“No, please don’t say it-”

“...love me.” I finish.

I fold my arms watching him with unease, “No one love’s me. Not Will. Not my parents. Not the coven. And not you. I’ve been alone before any of them died. I thought about it for a long time. You’ll always have your people, but I don’t have anyone. I’m glad you told me about your dream though because now I don’t feel so scared.”

“Of what?” he gulps.

“You said it yourself.”

His face turns red as he grabs my hands from my throat. “No.”

Tears blur my vision, but I use our magic sending him across the room and away from me.

“The lies, the murders, the eating of people. Everything you did. Tell me it was the devil so I can forgive you. So I can die knowing the truth.”

“Just calm down...” he says while rounding the bed.

I hear it splinter as my use of our conjoined magic presses against it. All it would take is just a couple whispered words, but there’s no guarantee I’ll see my family.

My lip trembles, but my intention remains steady as Nick appears right in front of me. “Just l-listen...” his voice is tender, but something about it rubs me the wrong way. “Not to me. To the animals outside.”

The tree frogs and crickets chirping outside aren’t soothing. The sound makes my ears ring. I slump against the door staring wide-eyed at the window. I’m not in the mental state to be calmed by the sound of something so irrelevant.

“Don’t they sound nice?”

I listen for a little bit. I don’t know how much time passes until I’m able to form a response.

“I don’t...care.” I sob.

The last teardrop trickles down my face when he picks up one of my hands and holds it between us. He guides me with him back to the bed undressing me. He speaks over my bare shoulder. “I know you don’t believe me, but we are married by supernatural law. In my father’s time we would be considered husband and wife. There’s nothing wrong if we comfort eachother.”

With a hiccup, I crawl into the bed to hide from him. “I believe you.” I whisper.

There is a painful truth in his words and an equal painful pull in my heart when I measure my own feelings against it. Those “traditional” marriages involving magic conjoinment are over. Most of our kind have marriages like the humans do. Conjoining magic is no longer a necessary method.

I hear him take his own clothes off. He doesn’t come to the bed right away. He just stares at me while I hide beneath the covers. I’m still remembering his shaky hands carefully taking my clothes off and how I did nothing to stop him. I force my gaze not to leave his face. It’s a good thing the dim lighting in here hides him fairly well.

When he settles down beside me, I clutch the covers to my neck turning over away from him. I don’t want to risk seeing him in the nude. Even though the darkness and covers conceal me from his sight, I can feel his stare burning through them.

In my father’s time we would be considered husband and wife, his words echo in my mind.

I feel like pulling my hair out, but at the same time, I have no idea how much everything has really affected him. That being, particularly, on a psychological level. He’s not like Will. I wish he was, then I’d have a better idea of what’s going through his mind. It’s not hard to guess what’s going through it right this very moment though.

Rain patters outside the bedroom window, but my tears no longer fall with it as I desperately search for the good he’s done. It’s difficult to find a way to outweigh the bad with it. I know he still has a conscious because he’s afraid to become his father. I know he has morals...twisted as they are.

“We both know what happens when you let go. Things just pass by. There’s no living. There’s no good or bad. No love or hate. No feelings...no nothing.”

“Nothing...” I murmur.

“We’re all useless. We’re all meaningless. There’s no point, but we’ve both looked the devil in the eye. If there’s no God in this world then we’re all damned. You ever think about that?”

I’m surprised he’s bothering to talk to me at all about such a sensitive topic. One moment he calls me his goddess and the next he’s having an epiphany contradicting everything he stands for. If I open up my heart too maybe he’ll trust me long enough to let me on my own so I can escape this hell with my friends.

I sniffle. “Then we supernaturals must get a break. Unless the world between is judgment. Although, I can’t say. My stay there wasn’t very long. I didn’t run into my parents though,” my voice softens, “I think they’re in heaven.” I finish lightly while picking at the cotton sheet.

If he would have just let me stay there longer I could have maybe found the answer for myself. There’s no point in being bitter. It will just make me start grieving again.

“Funny how the devil doesn’t bother with animals. Maybe it’s because they already know.”

“Know what?”

“Their purpose. I don’t think they go to heaven, but this place must be close enough. It’s good enough for them. Good enough to wait out the rain,” he says gently.

“We can be like them,” he whispers right behind me. “Just listening and feeling. No more thinking. I think that’s their heaven. If nothing else, we can make it ours too. The devil can’t bother us in heaven. We can just take our time and explore together.”

I turn over to face him not really thinking about the action. “Then you must promise me that you’ll change your ways. No more killing. You’ll let Stella and Colin go and bring the coven back to right your wrongs. You’ll let the humans run the police station and find some other way to integrate your people. I’ll stay here,” I whisper, wishing I could leave too. I don’t think he will agree to do anything if I leave. “To help you.”

“I will, but you can’t stay here.”

“Why? What’s happened?” I ask.

“Someone has called the high council. Their flight got in about an hour ago. They’ll be here tomorrow to investigate and I rather them not see you here with me.”

“Will called them, didn’t he? They are going to kill you. All of you...” I deadpan. “That’s why you kept him alive. You knew he would do this.”

“I needed to keep the humans out of this so it was important he maintain his position. I won’t say I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I think death may free me from the devil. It’s why I won’t stop them,” he explains.

I’m surprised he’s kept Will alive. I hope they haven’t been torturing him all this time.

“What if we never make it to heaven? Then we’ll never know what could have been. We should try,” he suggests lightly.

I sit up watching the rain out of the window and he grabs my arm.

“I’m not going to heaven and neither are you. So give it a rest. I rather run from the devil than fall asleep in his arms.” I begin. Then I wrap the sheet around me closer. “You never listen until it’s too late. You’re not your father. You’re worse than him because the devil’s possessed you. So stop trying to manipulate me. Don’t think for a second I’ll do anything you want. Too many people have suffered by your hand.”

His grip on my arms tightens as if in protest. I try to use our magic to pull him off, but it won’t work.

“Let go of me. I’m leaving!” I whisper fiercely while trying not to panic. When I attempt to use our magic again to make him let go it still won’t work.

“Y-you’re hurting me.”

Nick pulls away from me looking confused at the fingerprint bruises he leaves behind on my arms. His eyes are a soulless black just like they were in church. He blinks hard and his eyes clear as he makes a pained grunt.

“I’m sorry...” he says in a broken voice while staring deep into my eyes.

I do my best to ignore the shame emitting from him as a faraway look grows on his face making him appear fragile. He covers his face with his hand. It’s unsettling to see someone like him cry. I can’t let it get to me. Stella and Colin are counting on me. Enough pain has gone around because of him.

“Maybe we’ll never escape the devil, but that doesn’t mean we stop running from him.” I pause trying not to feel guilty for leaving. “Please look in the mirror because this is me running, Nick.”

He sits up beside me. “Then just let me show you heaven this once. I’m not the devil. You know he can’t follow us there. I’ll be gentle I promise. I want you to know I love you. Please allow me the chance to prove it.”

The rain hits against the tin roof somewhere above our heads. The air starts to smell muggy. Lightning lights up the room in flashes and the rain keeps pouring on. A coldness seeps into the room as the wind picks up outside. Each time I glance at the alarm clock another hour has passed.

Then the sheet slips down from my shoulder, my heart sinking along with it. I don’t stop Nick from pulling it away. The movement is tantalizing slow, giving me all the time in the world to stop him. But I don’t. My heart isn’t racing. It just resonates a dull thud in silent understanding as the last layer of warmth is removed from me. Neither of us moves. For a long time, we just lay still in the dark keeping our own space.

“I wish I knew what was coming, but I know one thing for sure. When I just lay here it doesn’t seem so bad when I listen to the rain...” he starts to say. “It could take us somewhere else,” I flinch feeling him move closer behind me. “A place where I’ll never hurt you.”

Unsure, I turn over facing him. As I guessed, he’s right behind me waiting.

Nervous, I look up and find his attention on my bare chest. His dark gaze flicks back up to me. I cross my arms and squeak when his warm hand settles on the bare skin of my back as he scoops me upward until I’m eye-level with him. “If I truly am possessed then I can’t promise anything. Tomorrow I will drive you to the ski resort. William is living in his parents’ place. I’m sure he’ll be glad to see you. I’ll have your companions dropped off there. I want to run from the devil too. I’ll try to find a way, but the high council may do what needs to be done.”

“Okay,” I whisper.

He pulls me into his arms, but it doesn’t do anything to stop me from shivering or crying.

“I know you’re still scared. Just go to sleep. This is heaven enough for me,” Nick says after kissing my forehead. He chuckles as if we have all the time in the world. “If you change your mind just wake me up. I’m glad you’re crying for me...I won’t forget it.”

I can tell something dark is still bleeding from his heart even though he sounds content. It spreads over my own when I snuggle against his chest closing my eyes for the night knowing it could be his last.

***

The sun comes too soon. Outside the bedroom window, the birds welcome it with their morning choruses as it filters in through the screen frame. A stream of soft light shines down onto the floorboards near the edge of the bed.

I pull the sheet up with me looking up when I see his side of the bed is empty. A deep blush spreads across my face when I remember falling asleep in his warm arms. Even though we didn’t exactly do what I think he hoped, but I’m just glad I got away with him agreeing to free my friends. Still, to think we almost...

He smiles wide. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” I whisper while tugging the sheet tightly against me.

How is he already up and about at this hour? He’s already dressed like he’s going to work and I can hear people talking outside our room. I mean his room. What’s wrong with me?

“When you’re ready we’ll leave.”

“Right.” I murmur feeling strange.

My hand flies to my neck feeling it throb as he walks out of the room. It doesn’t come away bloody though. I noticed a pattern though with the vampire babies. Whenever they get hungry my finger hurts. It’s like an alert system telling me they need to feed.

It always hurts a lot worse after they feed though. I know what my neck feels like when Nick is hungry. I felt it throb before he and Heinrich fed on me. It hurts much worse now.

I suppose I should just be happy I was asleep when it happened, but he could have done other things while I was asleep too. I can only hope not. At any rate, there’s no point in getting too upset over it. I’ll be seeing Stella and Colin soon.

I know Will did the right thing calling the council, but it must be the stupid conjoinment making me resent him for it. Last night I noticed something else sort of alarming too. Nick had more control over our magic than me, but now I think I know why. He had some of my blood that morning and now again last night.

Whenever he drinks my blood, it must give him complete power over our magic which is just a little terrifying. No wonder it was made illegal. He must know too I’m sure. I look down at my arms and find the bruises he left on them gone. At least, so far, he’s never really misused our magic...that I’m aware of.

Last night, he didn’t seem like he planned on putting up any fight against the high council. He just drank my blood though twice within the same day. Is he planning on fighting back? If he is, then he must have been lying to me about everything beginning with wanting to rid himself of the devil.

I glare down at the bed after reading the messages on my phone. Then I storm around the room picking up my clothes. When I finish changing, all it takes is one look out the window. They’re all outside walking around with guns. With a huff, I walk back into the room picking up the vamp babies.

It’s weird he’s brought my broom here, but I don’t risk using magic in the house knowing he may sense me leaving. I mount my broom the old fashioned way.

The window is already open and the babies and I fly right out. Nick already told me where Will is, I’ll just fly myself over there. Stella texted me this morning that they arrived at the house. He must really think bringing my friends back would keep me happy while he plans for more war.

He doesn’t love me. He loves the power he gets from being around me. He’s a liar...everything he said to me was just a ploy to manipulate me. I even called him out on it and he denied it. It makes me feel dirty and used.

The vamp babies and I hover over the parking lot. I see him standing over by one of the cars.

"Rursus.” I whisper.

The tears dripping down my face don’t sting as much anymore when I see him transform into the big black lying snake he really is. A smile graces my lips as I fly away from the house hearing the new commotion below.