Terrifying Love: A Halloween Anthology

by Serena Nova

  I screamed out my frustration, letting it bellow out toward the very heavens themselves. Not caring that it would amuse the Gods to know that they had gotten to me. Instead, I wanted them to know how frustrated I was. To know that even though they had shaken me, I was not giving up. One day, I would find my son and figure out how to have the family that we had been denied.

  The cries of a woman reached me from beyond the veil and I knew that no matter how tired I was, how pissed at the situation, I could not ignore her pleas for help. I let the veil pull me toward her, ready to do what was necessary. As I stepped through the thin barrier, I found her pinned to the ground beneath a man, his hands around her throat and his dick already free from his pants as she helplessly clawed and scraped to free herself from him.

  A scene from my past played through my mind and anger welled in me. I hadn’t been able to stop him then, but I would stop this bastard now.

  Without hesitation I stepped forward and solidly kicked the man in the ribs, sending him rolling off her, toward the edge of the trail. She rolled to the side, clutching her torn dress to her chest in an attempt to restore her modesty. “Go!” I shouted, hoping she listened. It was always so much easier when they didn’t see what was about to come next.

  She nodded vigorously, still holding her dress closed as she scrambled to her feet and sprinted down the path, disappearing from my view as I turned to face her assailant. The men were getting braver and braver it seemed. This attack was in broad daylight and he had given no fucks who stumbled upon them, going for it right on the trail.

  Instantly, he was on his feet, wiping the corner of his mouth from where he had cut himself as he tumbled away from her. I let out a derisive laugh as he flicked open a switchblade and stalked toward me. How cute, he thought his puny blade was going to make a difference.

  “What are you laughing at?” he sneered. “You might have stopped me from getting what I wanted from her, but you’re next.”

  “Is that so?” I grinned, reveling in the knowledge that he really thought I was going to be his next victim as he moved closer to me. “So is the size of that blade an indication of, you know?” I pointed to his dick and then gestured with my fingers, showing how tiny I thought it was. “You could have gotten help for that.”

  He lunged toward me with a loud growl and swiped the knife through the air toward me. This man was quick, I would give him that, but I avoided him easily and slipped into the veil, coming out behind him again. “What the fuck?” he snarled, looking at the place I had just vacated.

  “What the fuck, indeed?” I said from behind him, making him spin around.

  “Bitch!” he slashed through the air angrily, but I disappeared with a loud chuckle, this time coming out of the veil right next to him and kicking him hard in the side, catching him off guard and sending him tumbling back to the rocky ground.

  The stones, freed from his impact, cascaded over the edge of the trail and clattered down the mountainside. It didn’t phase him though, and he instantly sprung back for more, rushing at me like an angered bull.

  His anger had nothing on mine though. Mine stemmed from years of being unable to do anything about the very thing he sought to do. It came from the pit of my stomach where those things that meant the most to me were torn from me and I was left helpless. This man’s anger at being bested by me was nothing.

  Just as he reached me, I drew my blade out, gripping the handle, ready for what was to come. The reflection of the sun striking the blade drew his attention to it, but it was too late. He ran straight into the deadly tip and I gripped his shoulder, using his momentum against him and drove it deep into his gut.

  He let out a garbled gasp of surprise as his blood poured from his wound and ran warm down my hand. “You will never hurt another,” I said flatly, jerking my hand back and driving it into him again, twisting the blade as I did so, his slumped over weight making it much easier to drive it deeply into him. I pulled back again and let his body crumple to the ground where he curled in a ball, clutching the gaping wounds in his stomach.

  It was no use, as with each fading pump of his heart, blood came out of the wound, seeping between his fingers and onto the rocky ground. I stared at him hard, letting my face transform, reflecting the true darkness that resided in this man’s heart. No noise came from him as he looked at me in horror, my skin peeled back, exposing the bone beneath my torn flesh. As the veil took him, the reality of what he was haunted him into the afterlife.

  Chapter Seven

  Suddenly I felt exhausted, the emotional turmoil of ending his life taking its toll on me like never before. I sat on the ground next to the body, letting my knife lay on the ground next to my thigh. I knew I needed to get moving because being found next to him was not going to look good for me. Sure, I had done it, but I really didn’t want to deal with the hassle of being found with him. I had made that mistake once before and even with being able to slip into the veil, it had left chaos in my wake.

  My goal was only to rid the world of the filth that walked it, the ones that enjoyed hunting women and using them for their own pleasure. Not to make things more difficult for others. I looked at his lifeless, slumped over form, wishing uselessly that things could be different. That I had been brave enough to stand up against my husband so long ago. That I had actually done what they all accused me of attempting. How much more satisfying would it have been to see his blood pooled around him, instead of sitting here, alone, while this stranger's blood grew cold.

  Images of Izel danced through my mind, his hopeful look as he asked me if he would see me again, and instead of answering, I left him staring after me. I knew at some point I would have to go back. See what this whole thing meant. I didn’t want to get my hopes up, only to have them shattered all over again as they had been so many times before.

  I wondered what the woman who I had met in the veil meant when she had said soon? Soon my suffering would be over, and I would no longer have to live this endless life, finding purpose in ending another’s pain, while my own continued. Or was it actually a sign of hope? My mind reeled with the very thought, but there was no denying that the man I had met was a spitting image of my Izel.

  If the true meaning behind her words were that we were going to be once again reunited, then why did he not remember me as I did him? There was no explanation, but I also knew I was not going to get any answers sitting around. I stood just as voices reached me from down the trail. It looked like this guy was about to be found, and that was my cue to head out.

  Quickly, I slipped back into the veil and immediately called out, “I know you're there!” My own voice echoed back to me, as it always did. It baffled me because there was literally nothing in the veil to create the echo, and yet here I was listening to myself. “I know you can hear me!” I shouted again.

  I knew the woman, whoever she was could hear me even though I didn’t see her. Hell, I didn’t see anyone. Not even the soul of the man I had just stopped from murdering that helpless woman. As I walked, the veil cleansed me as it always did, the blood disappearing and leaving me clean, yet far from refreshed. I would seek out a stream or shower to get the dirty feeling of the man’s putrid blood off me, but this would do for now.

  Somehow, I knew that even though I couldn’t see her, she could sense my frustration. My anger. I walked slowly through the veil knowing that this woman would show herself eventually. The soft quiet of the veil was putting me on edge more than ever and I found myself tired of hanging around, waiting for answers that may or may not come.

  The human world was at least tangible, and instead of walking through nothing I decided to ground myself by roaming the streets I had grown to know so well. I stepped out, surprised to find that so much time had passed, and the sun was already setting again. Lights from the small bars splashed out into the night, illuminating the street and people that passed by.

  Smoke and tequila were the scent of the night, the thick aroma filling the air as I passed by the open w
indows, laughter reaching me as I did so. Tonight was calm, the acrid scent of those that hunted women was cleared from the air.

  I felt someone staring at me, and looked up to see Izel watching me curiously from across the street, waiting for me to cross to him. It figured that the night would bring me to him. The mind was a funny thing, and I was starting to think there was more to this than him just resembling my Izel. After all, the Gods were involved once before, it wasn’t beyond thinking that they could be again.

  There was no time like the present to find out, so I squared my shoulders and started to cross to him, stopping short as a ball rolled across my feet, accompanied with the giddy laughter of a young boy. I glanced up in disbelief, his giggles reminding me so much of Cipitio, but was not surprised when I saw someone else.

  My heart flew to my throat as he eagerly chased the ball across the street, the lights of an oncoming bus blazing across his path. Without thinking I rushed in front of him, knocking him back in the direction he had come, and into the arms of his mother. The blaring sound of the horn echoed through my ears as I tried to pull myself back into the veil, but it was too late.

  Screams surrounded me as the bus smashed into me and I was thrown forward through the air, the screeching of the breaks and the smell of brake dust filling the air. A pain I had never known washed over me as I hit the rough asphalt. Everything was on fire and I knew this was it, this was finally the end. I was going to move on, right when I almost had the answers I had sought for so long. Fate was cruel.

  I struggled to open my eyes, but everything was dark. Dark and excruciating. Never had I wanted to see what waited on the other side of the veil so more. Strong arms surrounded me and I shifted, the pain radiating through me yet again as I forced my eyes open, squinting against the bright lights of the bus.

  Illuminated in the lights of the bus was my Izel, and I let unconsciousness take me again, content to finally be in his arms after all this time.

  Chapter Eight

  “She has paid her price,” a soft voice urged, pulling me from my sleep. I had no clue where I was, or how much time had passed. Only that this was the woman that had met me in the veil. “They all have.”

  “They wronged my son! Plotted to overthrow him. Their price will never be paid,” an angry man snapped out in response. As the fog cleared from my mind, it quickly snapped in place what they were talking about. Were they really going to release us after all this time?

  “Have you not had your fair share of mistakes? Have you not done things less than immoral, all in the name of love?” the woman reasoned.

  I fought to remain still, to hear as much of their conversation as I could before I alerted them to my presence, even though my body ached to stretch. The pain was gone, and I had no clue if I remained as I was, or if I had moved to the other side. It could wait though, finding out more was of greater importance.

  “What I have or have not done is not the point. It is their actions that have damned them,” he snarled.

  “And an innocent child?” she asked gently.

  “His suffering is unknown to him. It is as it should be,” the man replied.

  As they spoke of my son, I found myself unable to remain quiet any longer. I sat up and looked in the direction of the conversation, startled to find not only the two people in front of me, but several others as well. The woman that had spoken to me in the veil was one of them.

  They all looked at me in surprise, though the woman stood and crossed to me, a gentle smile on her lips. “Sihra, I’m glad to see you’re doing better.”

  “Why am I here?” I asked. It didn’t matter who was who, as I already knew that for some reason I was before the very Gods themselves.

  “Good question. Why is she here?” the man spat out, hatred spewing from his words.

  “Look, I know what you think I did, but there are two sides to every story,” I spun on him. I knew full well that I was likely going to anger a God, but I didn’t care. Things couldn’t get much worse at this point. I was already either dead-dead, or about to be sent on my way there. I might as well stand up for myself when I hadn’t been able to all of these years.

  Anger filled his dark brown eyes as he narrowed them on me. “You dare to speak to me in such a manner?”

  I stood, ignoring the fact that my legs were shaky. I wasn’t certain if it was from fear of his wrath, or from literally being hit by a bus. Either way, it didn’t matter. It was now or never.

  “Yes, I do. I know I shouldn’t, but I don’t care at this point. I have nothing to lose, you have taken it all from me already,” I schooled my voice so I wasn’t yelling, though I knew my passion heated my words. “I have sat back and let the Gods determine my fate again and again. All the while I was being punished for loving someone too much. For loving someone despite my circumstance. Even more, being punished for asking my husband to release me from our vows so I could live the life I wanted, not the one my mother forced upon me.”

  I looked around the room as they sat on their thrones, watching me wordlessly, the woman at my side grinning for whatever reason. I pressed on though, determined for them to hear me out. “I even thought if I made up for my supposed transgressions that I would be reunited with my son. I followed your rules, followed your laws and still nothing.”

  “Killing men was your way of making up for your deceit?” the man growled.

  “I didn’t really mind,” another of the Gods, the only one clothed in black, shrugged as he looked at me good humoredly.

  “No one asked you,” the first God snapped out.

  “I killed them to right a wrong. I took their lives not out of malice, but to protect the human women as no one did for me. Men who think they should be allowed to do whatever they desire, no matter the cost. I paid that price once. I was not going to stand by while I watched others pay it as well.”

  The room grew quiet as they all studied me, and I held my tongue knowing that they were considering my words. Even in my anger, I knew when it was better to be quiet.

  “She risked her own life for that of a child. Surely that means something,” another woman spoke up.

  The dark eyed God looked at me, anger no longer filling his eyes. Instead, I saw him for what he truly was. Just as tired as I was. Holding onto his anger for so long. I crossed to him, and he drew in a breath as I took his hands.

  “I may have wronged your son by turning to another, and for that I am sorry. I am sorry for the hatred you have harbored all this time, just as I have. I never wanted the throne in the first place. Not when I married your son, and not when he accused me of such.” A tear streaked down my cheek. “All I ever wanted was to love and be loved. To be with my family.”

  He let go of one of my hands and brushed away a tear. “I have hurt you, and I am also sorry. I understand the love of a family,” he glanced over my shoulder to the Goddess from the veil, “I understand being willing to do anything for love.”

  I gave him a small smile, happiness soaring through me that he finally understood. It still wouldn't change things, but at least it was a start. Hopefully, this would help them not be so quick to jump to rash decisions.

  “We have caused you enough hurt for several millennia, Sihra. Even as Gods, we must be willing to admit when we are wrong, and amend our mistakes.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips against my forehead.

  Instantly my eyes grew heavy and started to close. “Live a happy life. The life you were denied,” his words echoed in my mind as my eyes closed and I fell into a deep sleep.

  Chapter Nine

  The steady beep of a machine reached me through the darkness, and I focused hard on that, willing myself to find out what was causing it. Slowly, pain returned to my body and I winced, but it meant I was still alive and the Gods hadn’t ended me for standing up to them. I opened my eyes, letting them adjust to the sun that filtered in through the window and found myself laying in a bed, stark white sheets smoothed over me and the machine beeping in my ear.

/>   “Sihra!” someone said and rushed to my side, taking my hand. “You’re okay!” I looked up to find Izel bent over me, running his hand down the side of my cheek. “I need to get a doctor.”

  “Wait,” I pleaded, squeezing his hand gently, ignoring the pain that radiated up my arm as I did so. “You remember?” I asked breathlessly, afraid to hope, but he knew my name.

  “Yes, my love. After all this time, I finally remember.” Tears welled up in his eyes as he looked at me. “I thought we had lost you again.” The tears finally fell, dropping onto my hand making me swallow back the emotion that threatened to overcome me as well.

  “We?” I asked.

  He stood and motioned to a couch against the far wall and recognition flooded me as I spotted the small child curled up in his sleep. “Cipitio,” I breathed.

  Izel nodded, squeezing my hand gently. “The Gods must have thought we suffered enough. That we paid for our transgressions.”

  “Or they finally saw that there are two sides to every story,” I replied, dragging my eyes from our son back to his.

  His eyes went wide, “You mean?” his voice caught as he realized what I did.

  I nodded, “Finally we can be a family,” I spoke the words for him. He sprung toward me and hugged me tight, holding onto me as he sobbed into my shoulder. I ignored the pain that shot through me. It was worth every minute of it as I cried with him, only separating when Cipitio crawled onto my bed.

  “Mama?” his sweet voice reached me, and we tore apart. I scooped him close, the scent of my boy filling me as I held onto him, laughter and tears flowing freely among us.

  “Yes, my boy, yes.” I held onto Izel’s hand as we all clung to one another, the happiness that had eluded us for so long finally ours.

  About Everly Taylor

  Everly Taylor is an author of mostly Paranormal Romance, though she does throw in the occasional Contemporary Romance now and then. She enjoys bringing amazing stories to her readers for them to lose themselves in, just as much as she loves losing herself writing them. She is a single mom of three boys who keep her on her toes and her imagination running as they come up with stories of the most fantastic things on their adventures together. A lover of all things creative, she is also a tattoo artist, a painter and enjoys playing instruments when the mood strikes. She has a soft spot for all the critters, and you can often find one recovering in her home before they find their new forever home once they are better. If you would like to learn more about her, her books or any upcoming projects, follow her on social media!