by Regine Abel
“Promise me not to lose it, okay?” she asked.
My back stiffened. “That statement makes me want to lose it, Jade. You’re freaking me out, right now. What’s going on? What happened?” I asked, a sense of impending doom looming over me.
With much reluctance, Jade revealed to me the ordeal she had faced that very morning.
I lost my shit.
She shouldn’t have delayed in telling me about this. Even if Morgan didn’t have a welcome into my home, the same rules didn’t apply to us when in this human form. As a Mist creature, we had no problem entering any place that had an open access, even a private home where we hadn’t been invited. But if a place was closed, trying to enter without explicit consent caused us atrocious physical pain. If not for that, Mistbeasts would rampage through the cities and devour the entire population within hours.
I couldn’t quite explain why it worked that way, just like I didn’t understand why the rifts systematically remained opened between 68 and 72 hours, but they did. No rule books existed for this anomaly or for our powers and limitations. Everything I knew resulted from experimentation or from watching other Mistwalkers usually trying and failing, with the rare successes.
What I did know was that I needed to get to Morgan before the agents. Although grateful to them for rescuing my mate, I should have been by her side, keeping her safe. Instead, I’d been brooding, spitefully ignoring her calls like a petulant child. Through the Veil, I hadn’t perceived their urgency; only that she’d attempted to reach me. It had been petty, but I had wanted to let her simmer for a while and see what it felt like to scream and plead for the one you love only to be ignored as I had been so many times throughout the years, sometimes for months or even longer. I’d only meant to teach her to be careful what she wished for, thinking the three days of the Mist would suffice.
Instead, I almost lost her forever.
Morgan had been a thorn in my side from the moment I’d achieved self-awareness. He was vile. The oldest of all her dreams, he’d been too strong for me to defeat at the time. Had I faced off against him, he’d have killed me and absorbed my life force. But I had one infallible weapon to thwart him; Jade’s love. I only had to intrude in her nightmares for her attention to shift to me. Every time, she’d run to me, and I’d sweep her into a sunny, happy place, or force her awake if he already had her pinned down. As a creature of darkness, bright lights didn’t physically hurt him, but they blinded and disoriented him—a weakness I exploited ruthlessly over the years as I grew strong enough for him to no longer be a threat to me.
Then it had been his turn to hide as feeding from Jade’s emotions made me exponentially stronger. But still, he stalked her, his obsession with having my mate at his mercy growing in tandem with his fury at being denied the prize he considered his by rights.
Morgan was no fledgling Mistwalker. Although new to this world, he had gorged on Jade’s fear before being driven away. It would sustain him for a few days. As he reveled in other people’s terror, I didn’t doubt for a moment that he would seek vulnerable, isolated humans to suck dry. No wonder humans had appointed the Men in Black to track the Nightmares that walked the Mortal Plane. If not apprehended quickly, he would leave a trail of desiccated corpses in his wake while seeking a way to abscond with my mate.
In light of his obsession with Jade, he wouldn’t bind himself to any other human. If the agents shot him, they would kill his vessel but his ethereal essence would return to the Mist, unless his energy reserves were too depleted to allow him to pierce through the Veil. While not particularly intelligent, too driven by his primal urges, Morgan was no fool either. He’d make sure to keep his levels up at all times. Once returned to the Mist, it would only be a matter of time before he’d hunted enough to come back here after my Jade.
He needed to be removed permanently, in both this world and mine… by me.
Jade apologized profusely for not telling me right away. As much as it had upset me, I could understand how our tense reunion, and the absence of immediate danger, would have made her choose to put it on the backburner. She’d been the victim, and I wouldn’t victimize her further by making her feel bad for not wanting to handle it according to my timetable. A cold shiver ran down my spine every time I thought about what would have befallen her if not for her quick and level-headed thinking. Even weak as he’d been, Morgan would have drained her within an inch of her life, leaving her helpless to fight him off as he indulged in his sick perversions on her.
We spent the next few days following the news closely for any announcement of suspicious deaths or missing persons. To my surprise and both of our relief, there were none. No matter how many times I told Jade that Morgan being loose in the city wasn’t her fault, she kept blaming herself for having dreamt him into being in the first place, then to have let him in. A few more hours outside, and he’d have died of exposure.
She recognized the silliness of her reasoning but couldn’t help it. No one chose to have nightmares, let alone for them to take form in the Mortal Plane. And not offering assistance to a person in distress would have been criminal.
I didn’t believe for one second that Morgan wasn’t out there, feeding for the battle he knew would take place between us. What I didn’t know was whether the absence of news about a serial killer resulted from the efficient information control work of the Men in Black, or because Morgan was proving far more intelligent and discreet than I would have given him credit for. Either way, Jade would not want me going after him, even less so if she understood that binding me had actually weakened me.
Jade’s ability to sleep like the dead proved useful. Every night, as soon as my mate fell asleep, I roamed the streets looking for Morgan. I felt certain he hid during most of the day to hunt at night, except for early mornings and late afternoons in the hope of catching Jade in a vulnerable position on her way to or back from work. Jade and I had argued quite a bit about her going back to work until the Nightmare was dispatched. She’d given me some nonsense about refusing to be bullied or cowed into hiding. In her mind, holing up at my place equated to giving him power over her, letting him win. While I acknowledged its philosophical merit, when it came to her safety, I didn’t give two shits about intangible, psychological victories.
When she wouldn’t give in, I made her promise to never leave her workplace unless I was there. An APB had been sent out about Morgan and news bulletins regularly showed a composite sketch based on Jade’s description of him, warning the population that he was wanted and dangerous. If he showed his face at her job, he wouldn’t be granted access, not that he would be that stupid. Nevertheless, I didn’t let her out of my sight anytime she wasn’t at work or sleeping in my bed.
A few times, I’d felt his presence when picking her up at day’s end or among a crowd when we went out for dinner or on a romantic walk. Morgan was taunting me, baiting me to abandon my mate’s side and chase after him.
No fucking chance.
After the first couple of days, he became cocky and removed his glasses when I found him through the throng of pedestrians on our way to a Moroccan restaurant to satisfy Jade’s craving for couscous royal. He’d wanted to challenge me and made sure I knew it was him. The idiot had forgotten his face had been plastered all over the city. In no time, he realized he’d drawn suspicious looks from the crowd and made a hasty retreat. It killed me not to chase after him, but I wouldn’t leave my mate in a vulnerable position. Thankfully, she hadn’t noticed and spent a lovely evening, blissfully unaware of the brewing trouble.
To my chagrin, Friday came rolling in before I could apprehend my nemesis. Monica, marketing guru that she was, made sure to have Jade and me make an Oscar-worthy entrance to the gallery, minus the red carpet… thankfully.
Although I knew myself anchored enough for my aura not to show, I felt on the verge of panic as the flashes of cameras assaulted us when we stepped out of the limousine Monica had appointed for us. Forcing myself to smile as if I did this every da
y, I placed a possessive hand around Jade’s waist and guided her inside.
She received as much, if not even more attention than I. Instead of stirring my jealousy, it made me puff my chest with pride. My Jade looked stunning in her off-the-shoulder sleeve, short, black dress, the low cut exposing my brand over her heart which had gained intricate swirls now that I was bound to her. She used to hide it before. Since we’d sorted things out after the Mist, and now that she’d acknowledged my true nature, Jade seemed to want to flaunt it the way a new bride shows off her engagement ring.
Monica and Jade hitting it off also made me very happy. My agent’s beauty could have raised suspicions that our relationship ran deeper than business, but thankfully didn’t. Blonde, brown eyed, on the slightly skinny side but with beautiful legs that went on for days, she was a rich daddy’s girl who’d been knocked off of her princess pedestal after losing the love of her life. She’d had no experience in the field before meeting me. Impressed by my work, she’d taken me under her wing and, using her charisma and many contacts among the wealthy, Monica had set me onto an early path to success. Helping my career had given her new purpose and distracted her from the pain of losing Donna.
The exhibit proved to be a resounding success. Monica was beside herself when one of the staff informed her that we’d run out of info kits and price lists. It didn’t surprise me. The place was packed.
Thankfully, the majority of the patrons showed great restraint while interacting with Jade and me. The most awkward moment occurred when we walked in to the back area of the gallery where Jade’s six paintings were displayed. A young, hipster couple was staring at The Claiming. Not noticing us approaching behind them, and indifferent to the semi-shocked and semi-amused looks the other patrons gave them, they voiced their impressions of the painting out loud.
“She’s fucking gorgeous,” the man said. “I wouldn’t mind going down on her in that creature’s place.”
Jade’s milky skin turned a bright shade of red which had me biting the inside of my cheeks not to burst out laughing.
“It’s not a creature, it’s a Mistwalker,” his female companion corrected. “And I wouldn’t mind being in her place having him devouring me like that.”
The man chuckled. “Even with those tentacles trapping her in the Mist?”
“They’re not tentacles. That’s where I draw the line,” the woman said, with a shudder. “But he’s made of shadow, so that’s all good.” She tilted her head to the side while observing the painting. “She really is hot though. I’d probably want to go down on her myself.”
A soft gasp escaped Jade’s parted lips. This time, I couldn’t help laughing. The rumbling sound drew the attention of the raunchy couple whose eyes widened in surprise and a bit of embarrassment at finding us behind them.
“No offense,” the man said with a nervous laughter. “These paintings are brilliant Mr. Dale, and your lady is truly stunning.”
“Thank you,” I said with an indulgent smile before turning to look at a still blushing Jade. “And yes, she is,” I added before kissing her temple.
Jade mumbled a shy thank you and pressed herself against me. The couple nodded and moved on to the next paintings. A small crowd had gathered in front of Childhood Sweethearts. We joined them, the professional lighting making the colors of the painting pop even more in a solemn kind of way. I gave Jade a side glance and found her absentmindedly tracing the pattern of my brand with her fingertips as she gazed upon the painting, a dreamy smile on her lips.
That pleased me… a lot.
She’d been doing it often this past week. Every time, it reminded me of all my sacrifices and hard work to bring us here, today.
And I’d do it all over again to share these moments with her.
Starting to feel the strain of too much socializing and entertaining guests, I worked my way through the crowd, dodging where I could and cutting short when I couldn’t, leading Jade towards the production office. Hawk-eyed Monica naturally noticed us trying to bail and made a beeline for us. Instead of the scolding and order to ‘go and mingle’ I expected, she herded us into the office, closed the door and gave me a ‘can you believe this shit?’ look before pacing the room. How she managed to walk so steadily and effortlessly on those sky-high heels of hers defied logic.
“Sold out. Your fucking collection sold out in two hours. I should have doubled the prices. No, I should have tripled them!”
“Oh my God! That’s amazing!” Jade said, pressing her palm to her chest. “Congratulations, babe!”
“Thanks, love,” I said, pulling her into my arms.
Naturally, I was proud, even more so because I’d shared this experience with Jade. Still, the success blew my mind. I had thought Monica’s prices to be outrageous, but them selling so fast meant she could have indeed doubled the prices and still sold them, though it could have taken a few more days.
“I need one of the centerpieces,” Monica said.
“No,” I said, my voice taking on a hard edge. “Those are off-limits.”
“Kazan…” Monica whined with that ‘give me a break’ tone.
“I said no, Monica.”
She huffed in exasperation. Hands on her hips, she shook her head like she couldn’t believe I was doing this to her.
“You realize I received a seven figure offer for Childhood Sweethearts?” she asked.
“Whoa!” Jade whispered.
“I don’t care if they offered a billion for it, the answer would still be no, especially with that painting.”
“I already broke up two bidding wars tonight,” Monica said with a pout. “I’m going to have to deal with at least a couple more before the night is over.”
I gave her a mocking smile. “You’re already wearing the black leather dress and spiky heels, no one will question you cracking a whip.”
Jade chuckled.
“Idiot,” Monica said, making a face at me.
I opened my mouth to tease her some more but the words died on my tongue as the sizzling wave of Mistwalker energy made my small hairs stand on end.
Morgan.
“I need to step out for a few minutes,” I said, trying to keep my expression neutral.
“What?” Jade asked, giving me a stunned look. “Where are you going?”
“I just need to take care of something. I’ll return soon,” I said, casting Monica a meaningful glance. She blanched and nodded. “Don’t leave the gallery, okay?” I said to Jade, making it clear I meant business.
“Of course not,” she said. “But…”
“I’ll be back soon,” I said, interrupting her as his presence grew stronger. I didn’t want her feeling him. “I love you, Jade.”
Kissing her lips one last time, I rushed out of the room.
* * *
I exited the building through the back, using my temporary, all-access pass which prevented the alarm from going off. As an organizer of the exhibit, I needed access to the docking and loading area to receive or ship pieces for the show. The delivery courtyard connected three other buildings; an art school, the museum, an art workshop that specialized in repairing and restoring paintings, and the gallery, forming a large arena. Being well after hours, the delivery courtyard was plunged in darkness except for dim lights by the docking doors and back entrance—an ideal setting for Morgan.
The unusual shapes created by the back of the buildings provided much cover and shadow to lurk in, thanks to the moonless night. While I couldn’t see him, the weight of his stare and the slimy energy of his presence settled over me like so many creepy crawlers.
“Ever the coward, hiding in the shadows instead of facing me,” I said tauntingly, knowing he could see me.
The tingling sensation increased as his temper flared, drawing me towards his location.
“Come out, come out and play,” I teased, leisurely strolling towards him. “But then, you only attack those you think weaker than you. It must have stung that inflated ego of yours to get spanked by
the girl you thought would be easy prey.”
“She didn’t defeat me!” he shouted from the shadows, the sound emanating from a corner of the workshop.
Gotcha!
“Oh but she did. Outsmarted and outfought you,” I said, pouring as much contempt as I could into my voice. “My Jade had you on your knees, crying like a baby, pissing blood all over the place. What a pathetic big bad wolf you make.”
“She’s MY Jade, you usurper. She didn’t make me cry. This pathetic vessel turned on me,” he spat, stepping out of the shadows.
As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, aided by the faint glow of the docking lights, I recognized the human appearance he’d often used when hunting Jade as a slasher. Handsome, with a body similar in size and shape to mine, he only fit Jade’s more superficial preferences in men. It pissed me off to realize he’d taken my black denim jeans which were Jade’s favorite. I felt violated that he should wear them and would make certain to replace them without her knowing. His hoodie was new. Considering the cut she’d inflicted on him, my shirt he’d borrowed must have been rendered unusable from blood stains. I didn’t want to think about the poor victim he’d stolen the hoodie from.
I nonchalantly slipped my hands into my pockets as I slowly advanced towards him. I fingered the extra bright pocket flashlight I’d been carrying religiously during my nightly hunts, ready to whip it out at a moment’s notice. With over 400 lumens, it was bright enough to blind an opponent even in broad daylight. With him, I had no qualms playing dirty, especially since his ethereal strength would exceed mine now that I was bound. But I had the terrain advantage, having tamed my human vessel, mastered its weaknesses, and learned the best ways to leverage my ethereal power when battling as an earthbound man.
“Jade was never yours, you vermin,” I said, deliberately riling him. Anger made people act without thought—especially him. “Her only wish concerning you was to never see you again.”
“Because of you!” he shouted, his shadowy aura spreading around him.
Good. Waste your energy.