The Sacrifice

"No. I just... that shouldn't have happened, is all," I admitted, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks at the idea of anyone watching what Lycus did to me like I had watched other couples during this party.

"They make things that shouldn't happen, happen a lot," the woman said, voice tense, words dripping with vitriol. "I'm Dale," she said, reaching her hand out toward me.

I wasn't supposed to talk to anyone. That was the rule. That said, Ly was nowhere to be seen, and I doubted this woman would tattle on me.

So I slid my hand into hers. "Lenore."

"Pretty. Anyway... don't worry, Lenore. I am going to take every last one of those dem—assholes down," she vowed before walking away, and then right out the front door.

Demons.

She was going to say demons, right?

I hadn't been imagining that.

She'd caught herself at the last second, but she was absolutely going to say demons.

Which meant... what?

It had to mean something.

Since humans didn't believe in demons, not really, not in the literal way. Or if they did, they believed they lived in hell only, or that they did things like possess individuals.

They didn't believe demons walked around wearing the handsome faces of motorcycle-riding men.

So, that meant that this woman, Dale, knew something. Did that make her some sort of witch? I didn't get that feeling from her, that sizzle of connection I felt with my coven. But maybe that had something to do with the fact that she wasn't part of my coven. I knew nothing about other witches. Surely, ours wasn't the only coven. And if other witches didn't live in the woods like we did, perhaps they would walk around the world just like the normal people did.

Maybe they plotted to send the demons back to hell.

How, I had no idea. Since the reason the coven had agreed to the treaty all those years ago was because the demons had proven unkillable, forever stuck on this human plane.

But maybe other witches, modern witches, knew more than we did. Perhaps there was a way to send them all back to hell for good.

I should have been thrilled at the prospect.

Why, then, was there a strange sinking sensation in my chest at the very idea?

This was just all too much, I decided, looking around.

The whole party came rushing back. The thumping of the music, the clash of voices, the shouts and curses as well as all the sights.

Where it had been exciting and fascinating, it now felt overwhelming and ugly.

Stomach twisting hard enough that I felt nausea rise up my throat, I pulled my shoulders up toward my ears, ducked my head, and rushed through the house, escaping into the kitchen, trying to open the door, but finding it locked.

There was no key in sight.

I guess one of the demons—likely Minos—had locked it, assuming I was down there, not wanting any of the party guests to come down and see me.

A small, petty, selfish part of me said to run. No one would see me, or stop me. It was perhaps the only time I could get away with it.

But the other part knew someone would have to pay for it.

Another witch from my coven.

I couldn't put this curse on her, force her into my shoes.

With no other option, I turned to make my way back up to the second floor.

There were sounds from behind some of the closed doors, but this floor was otherwise unoccupied.

Feeling a small bit of relief, I rushed into Ly's room, slamming, and locking the door before rushing into the bathroom.

I stripped out of the new clothes, feeling suddenly like they were burning my skin, like they were an ugly costume I had been wearing all evening, maybe partially responsible for what had happened.

Back in my own gown, I grabbed a cloth and scrubbed at my face with soap and water until all traces of the other version of me were erased from my reflection.

Finished with that, I gathered my long hair and set to carefully braiding it until the woman staring back at me was someone I recognized, even if the hollow look in her eyes was new.

It was okay.

It would all be okay.

As soon as the party was over, Minos would unlock the basement door. Then I could slip back down there.

Then I would stay there.

No more demanding to be a part of the inner workings of this wicked household.

I turned, going toward the bedroom, but my stomach dropped at the idea of being in bed with Ly after what happened, after his brush-off afterward.

Taking a deep breath, I gathered the extra blanket from the bed as well as a towel, moving into the massive tub instead, using it as a makeshift bed.

Hidden, protected, I felt myself drifting off to sleep more quickly than I would have thought.