Arina, what just happened?

Arina raised her eyes and again concentrated on it. The sensation was a mix of pain and pleasure. I grabbed her hair lightly and leaned back in the seat. Exhaustion washed over me, and I slowly fell into an unknown state.

When I woke up, I found myself in bed. I glanced at my leg; the wound was bandaged neatly. I tried to recall the events of the previous night, but my memory was hazy. Suddenly, Arina's voice broke the silence.

"Good morning, honey." She stood in front of me with a tray, dressed in one of my shirts. I greeted her tiredly.

"Good morning, Arina. I'm sorry I fell asleep in the car last night."

"You were so tired," Arina said, sitting beside me and spreading jelly on a piece of bread. I pressed my forehead, trying to piece together the fragments of my memory.

"Arina, I can't remember anything. What happened last night?"

Arina touched my cheek and said, "I was getting the poison out of your leg, and you fell asleep."

"Is that so?" I replied, still struggling to recall the events of the previous night. Everything felt like a blur. I hugged Arina tightly and said, "We will never go there again, okay?"

Arina moved her index finger to my lips and smiled. "I think we won't need to, because I'm already your wife."

I didn't understand what she meant at the time. I laughed and said, "But don't you think we should do it again?"

"Do you want to do it religiously?" she asked, her eyes searching mine.

"Yeah, and I also want to invite some friends," I added, feeling a sense of normalcy returning.

Suddenly, Arina reacted badly. Her face twisted in an expression of displeasure, and she pulled away from me. "Why do we need to involve others?" she asked sharply.

Arina reacted badly, "I told you I don't believe in such things, why do you always bring it up?"

"I don't like it, Zoe," she added, her voice rising.

"Arina, relax, it's just a ritual," I said, trying to calm her down.

"Ritual? I don't like it either, so don't put it on me," she snapped, getting up from the bed angrily and locking herself in the bathroom.

"Arina, I'm sorry, okay? I won't do anything like that. Now, please open the door," I pleaded, my voice tinged with desperation.

I didn't understand why she reacted so strongly. I didn't want to hurt her, and listening to her seemed the only way to calm her down. I leaned against the door, feeling a mix of frustration and helplessness.

"Arina, please," I continued, "I didn't mean to upset you. Let's just talk about it."

"Arina, I won't. I promise. I will invite some of our friends," I said earnestly.

After a while, I heard the soft click of the bathroom door unlocking. Arina emerged, her eyes shining with a mix of emotions. She looked happier than I'd ever seen her.

"I brought all my belongings here," she said, her voice filled with excitement.

I touched her hair gently, smiling. "It's your home too, honey."

She returned my smile, the sweet expression lighting up her face. "Invite your friends today. Because I can't wait a single moment."

"As you say, my queen," I replied, my heart swelling with joy. Arina and I were truly happy. I picked up my phone and started calling my friends, one by one.

***

Their reactions were mixed. Some were thrilled, eager to meet the woman who had stolen my heart. Others were more cautious, questioning the suddenness of my decision.

Every boy in college wanted her as his girlfriend, but now they were saying the opposite. After inviting everyone, I went to my room and saw Arina putting up some strange pictures on the wall. I knew she liked weird things, but I didn't know she collected them too. I really hated these kinds of things, so I told Arina,

"Babe, what's this?"

"This? It's called chalice. Isn't it beautiful?" she replied, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

"Yeah, but what about this peculiar head? Please move it somewhere else. I really get afraid of these kinds of things," I said, pointing to a grotesque image of a distorted head.

Arina looked at me, her expression softening. "Oh, Zoe, you don't have to be afraid. These are just images. They can't hurt you."

"I know, but they give me the creeps. Can we just keep them somewhere else?" I pleaded.

She sighed and nodded. "Okay, for you, I'll move them. But you have to understand, these images are part of my heritage and culture. They mean a lot to me."

Arina smiled and started taking the pictures down. As she did, I noticed something else. There were symbols and patterns on the backs of the images. They looked like some kind of ancient writing. I didn't want to pry, but my curiosity got the better of me.

"What's with the symbols on the back?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

Arina paused, her eyes narrowing slightly. "They're part of the chalice's history. Each symbol represents a story or a spell."

"A spell?" I echoed, feeling a chill run down my spine.

She laughed softly. "Don't worry, Zoe. They're just stories. Old myths and legends passed down through generations."

I tried to relax, but there was something about the symbols that unsettled me. Maybe it was just my imagination, but they seemed to pulse with a strange energy.

"But don't you like what I like?" Arina gave me a strange gaze and slowly came towards me.

"I-I didn't mean th-that," I stammered, trying to calm her down.

"Really?" she said, her voice dripping with skepticism.

Suddenly, I felt an invisible force gripping my throat. I couldn't speak, my breath coming in short gasps.

"Ar-ina," I managed to choke out.

"Yes?" Arina rubbed her thumb on my cheek seductively.

"Say it again," she demanded.

"I-I li-ke it too," I gasped, struggling to get the words out.

Arina kissed my cheek, and the pressure on my throat released. I inhaled deeply, my chest heaving with relief. What was that?

"Hey, are you okay?" Arina asked, her tone suddenly concerned and gentle.

I shook my head. I was not alright. Someone, or something, had literally grabbed my throat.

"Arina, what just happened?" I asked, my voice trembling.