18 SEVENTEEN

ZERON    

     I stare at Alanna's unconscious figure lying on my bed, underneath my bed clothes that seems to have swallowed her almost completely. The bruises around her throat stands out starkly against her pale skin. I did that. I hurt her. I strangled her until she passed out. I almost killed the woman who has stood by me despite knowing what I truly am. What have I done? Alanna doesn't deserve this. I move closer to her and reach out to brush her hair away from her face but I freeze. I shouldn't be touching her with my filthy hands. The hands that had almost killed her. I bite my lower lip and saunter out of my room, my chest heaving. This is what I've been afraid of for so long. I cannot live like this. Hazel deserves better.

Closing my eyes, I vanish from sight and appear in my private spot at the top of the castle. I sink to my knees and bring my hands to my face with my eyes burning with unshed tears. At this moment, I have only one thought in mind. I deserve this pain.

"You are indeed pathetic" I stiffen and lift my head only to find Lochan smirking at me from across the top balcony with his sword unsheathed. "You" I growl, rising to my feet as my shadows begin to cloud around me.

"I have come to finish what I started, Zeron. I am here to end your misery" Lochan declares and pain courses through my body, my knees buckling underneath me. "You son of a bitch" I say through gritted teeth. He chuckles and steps closer to me, his sword raised high. "Come on, fight me!" He yells and lunges at me, his flaming sword making contact with my arm for a moment. With a grunt, I conjure a dark orb and channel it towards him. It hits him on the shoulder and he lets out a cry of pain. "You bastard!" He cries and starts to attack me head on. Few minutes later, I'm panting hard from exhaustion, my knees threatening to give out. He wipes blood from the corner of his mouth and begins to stalk me again. Suddenly, a purplish smoke fills the air and Lochan lets out a scream and vanishes from sight. Alanna steps out of the fog with a fierce determination in her eyes. She's wearing a yellow dress that stops just above her knees and her long hair is hanging down the sides of her face and her back. In her hand is a small goblet. "Alanna? How did you do that?" I ask and she gives me a sad smile. "The purple dust is called the devil's breath. It's toxic to fire witches, Talon taught me" she responds and I frown.

"You should be resting" I say and she rolls her eyes. "Really? That's what I get for saving my husband's life. How about a thank you?" She mutters and I sigh, my shoulders slumped. "You shouldn't be anywhere around me, Alanna. I could hurt you again" I say and lower my aching body onto the chaise lounge. Alanna takes a deep breath and walks up to me. Then, she sits beside me. "W-" "Listen to me, Z. You can strangle me later" she says, her voice flat. My stomach sinks when I realize that she'd seemed okay with the fact that I had strangled her. It's almost as if she'd been.... expecting it. But why? Why would she do that?

"Z, don't you wonder what I meant?" She asks and I freeze, not liking how drained she sounds.

"I did something stupid, Z"

No, no, please no.

"I made a deal with a forest spirit in my dream" she says and my blood runs even colder. "What?"

"I needed to save you. So, in exchange for your life, I gave her mine. I am supposed to die by your hands, Z" she says, her voice shaky. My cold heart plummets to the ground as soon as she makes that statement.

"You shouldn't have done that" I say, coldly even though I want to strangle her to death or kiss the life out of her at the moment. How stupid can one person be?

"How can you risk your life for someone like me?" I drone and tears begin to crawl down her cheeks. "People do crazy things for the ones they love, Z. They sacrifice things because they love them" she states and my heart starts to pound harder. She leans closer to me and rests her head on my shoulder. "Z, I'm in love with you and I swear, I would do anything to save you" she whispers and just like that, the ice surrounding my heart shatters and warmth creeps into my heart. "Alanna, you c-can't. I don't love you. You don't love me-"

"Sh-" she whispers and kneels in front of me, her gaze locked with mine."I don't care about the fact that you think that you're a monster but you don't get to tell me who to love and who not to fall in love with. I'm utterly in love with my demon and he can't do a damn thing about it" she whispers, a smile curving her lips."Alanna-" "You don't have to say it back, Z. I'm ready to wait for you" she rasps and presses a kiss to the corner of my lips. I close my eyes, tears slowly making their way down my cheeks. How is she doing this?

She's smashing through my defenses and I'm totally defenseless when it comes to her. She loves me, darkness and all. And as she wraps her arms around me, my resolve shatters completely.

Then, I break apart in her arms. All she does is hold me while I cry my heart out. This is something I've not done in decades.

"I love you for everything you are" she whispers and I bury my head in her chest, my crimson tears staining her dress. But I don't care, there's no need to pretend because this feels natural.