Page 48 of My Dark Obsession
We flew through a large portal in the thick clouds, its blur almost unnoticeable in the wind that blew around us. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced before: the pure freedom the open sky provided, the peace that had settled over me. I wanted to close my eyes and enjoy the sensation, but I couldn’t stop my eyes from taking everything in. The sky cleared as we flew through the Light city, the stars clear and vibrant above us. I looked down at the city, at the near empty streets and the contempt on the few people that did rush about.
The people that resided there couldn’t truly be happy, could they? Or were they stuck in the same sluggish slime as the humans were? Wake up, work, lie, deceive and wish for a better ending. Sleep and repeat.
It was as if they were missing something, something so very important. But what was it? What was missing from all their lives?
I squinted into the night sky as we neared another portal. Rí’s wings glided effortlessly, his red eyes a beacon in the dark night. I slowly let go of his hump, spread my arms wide, tilted my head back in the wind and closed my eyes. I embraced this freedom and peace. I embraced the moment and held it deep within like a hug.
Because you never knew when you would need to relive it, to bring the memory forward and hold it tight when there was nothing but horror and pain in your life.
I had wished for a memory such as this growing up, something that would take me from the beatings I hadendured. A memory that was peaceful, an escape from reality. Books had been my only saviour. The story I wished I had lived amongst. I never wanted to be a princess. I just wanted to be me. But in a land where Icouldbe me. Books weren’t just knowledge or stories; they were my escape from reality…until reality ruined them for me. Who knew I would actually find somewhere I could be free, somewhere my twins could be free?
The wind whipped at my cloak, pulled at my spread arms and yet no fear, no weakness and no pain pulsed through me. I was safe here, riding on the back of the last ever dragon.
Lowering my arms, I held back onto the hump as Rí’s purr vibrated along my body just before his body tensed and he shot forward. Wings folded in, he aimed towards the ground. I screamed as the thrill buzzed through my veins,
He landed more gracefully than I expected and before I could even wonder how I was going to slide off his back, he changed with a loud click and an oddly familiar hum. I began to fall towards the ground but landed up in Rí’s arms bridal-style.
“Ye’ did no’ think I was going to drop ye’ did ye’?” He grinned, his hair wild and unkempt, eyes bright and zoned in on me. As always.
I raised my brow at him and noticed we were in the streets of the Shadow land, just a few steps away from his bar. The red glowing ‘Kings Liquor’ shone brightly in the dark streets.
Patting his hard chest for him to put me down, I frowned, “Why are we here?”
He placed me down as if I was an unchipped diamond and smoothed my hair from my brow. I knocked his hand away and took a step back. He loved to touch, to be near me at all times. I had noticed his eyes never left me, constantly searching me out. It was...different. Different to being avoided, ignored and hated. To being judged. Everything was becoming a lot. Rubbing my hands down my clean jeans, I looked at my perfect boots, tugged at my thick warm cloak with my initials embroidered so neatly.
Everything was so different.
I was different.
“I thought we could check on my bar first, perhaps a drink, then we will make our way to the Dead Village.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, ignored the cold churning in my stomach and nodded. I didn’t take his outstretched hand, but I did walk beside him with my head held high. I walked with my eyes bright and clear; I walked with the knowledge that I, Amaya of the Dark Mountain, was different to the first time I had entered this bar.
Loud greetings cheered for Rí as we pushed through the crowded bar. Half full glasses were raised in welcome; music continued to be played from the petite women strumming on a guitar in a small corner, two burly men enraptured with her every move as she smiled lovingly at them: Circle Mates.
I looked at Rí behind the black mist in my peripheral vision.
Circle mates. I remembered the book hidden under the mattress back at the castle, waiting to be read.
“Rí!! I heard you shifted!” That grating voice had my back tensing and teeth grinding together in seconds.
Cece the barmaid threw her arms around the dragon’s neck and beamed up at him. Her thick lashes fluttered, and her low-cut top revealed her bright pink bra.
I had her face smashing into the bar with a loud bang and a smashed piece of glass to her throat in three seconds flat. Her yell of anger and pain had the entire bar in silence.
Rí stood with his arms crossed and his grumpy expression back in place.
If the dragon thought I was going to just stand around and let this slut throw herself at him when we were…well whatever the fuck we were, he could think again.
“Get this bitch off me!” Cece growled, her eyes changing to the yellow of a wolf. Made sense, she was a bitch after all.
I snickered to myself internally as I gripped the glass tighter slicing my skin open oh so perfectly.
“I will slice your pretty little head clean off if you touch him again. Understand?” I said flatly. I was the new Amaya, right? The Dark Witch who took no shit? Well that Amaya certainly didn’t hold back anymore.
“Rí, she’s crazy! Get her—”
I growled and slammed her head on the bar again. Her nails gripped my arm and dug in; her claws peaked through and drew blood.
