Of Magic And Monsters

12. Of Smoothies and Rituals

Chapter Twelve

Of Smoothies and Rituals

✵

We arrived at the motel that night. I could tell exhaustion caught up to Dominic along the way, but he never complained. He didn't say much of anything. At least that's one thing that didn't change; he often got caught up in his own mind. Except, back then, he'd let me in sometimes. Now, it was just an ice-cold wall.

"The wizard won't be here until tomorrow," Dominic replied as he got out of the truck. He pulled out two bags from the bag and walked toward the main building to the motel. I stayed in the background as he prepared us a room and ordered us some food from the mini restaurant attached to the motel.

Together, we trudged up to our second-floor room. I'd been in a few crappy motels in my day, so this one being decent was a pleasant surprise. The inside smelt of lemons, the white sheets were crisp, and the bathroom didn't have a stain in sight. Two beds sat side-by-side with a nice size TV sitting on a black stand. With white walls and wooden floors, it had a modern feel to it.

The bathroom door slammed shut, pulling me out of my ogling. I blinked at the light that pooled out of the crack. Behind that door, the shower turned on.

I settled on the bed farthest from the door and set my food out. He got me steak and mashed potatoes. The smile on my lips doesn't feel happy. Bittersweet, maybe. When I bite into it, I remember who we were before. A rich werewolf and a poor witch. I'd always thought he'd try to change me into something more posh and elegant. He never did. He accepted me.

I thought about when he changed. Those thoughts always hurt the most, because I saw how I lost him to his father and there was nothing I could do about it.

The door opened and steam rolled out. Dominic's hair was still wet. He had only a pair of black boxers on. As he rummaged through his bag, I admired his body. Broad shoulders, like a linebacker. Abs galore, because I guess werewolves are blessed with good genes. His waist narrows a bit a the hips, giving a nice little path down to where all the fun is.

Something hit me in the face. I glanced down at a pile of clothes on my lap. "For sleeping," he said. I looked back up at him, noticing a hint of humour in his eyes.

I wasn't embarrassment. That burning on my cheeks was simply from the heat. Grabbing the clothes, I scurried into the bathroom that still had moisture on the walls. I took my time cleaning myself. Being around Dominance brought all of the memories back: the good and the bad. Whenever I thought about the times we laughed, I'd immediately remember days I spent staring up at the moon, wondering what happened to the guy I used to love.

I slapped my cheeks. No time to sulk. Charles needed me, then I could tell him all of my problems. Charles was my unpaid therapist. He gave pretty good advice.

Back in the other room, Dominic lay underneath his blankets with the light already off. Weakness easily snatched my heart at nighttime. During the day, I had the sun to provide me energy. I used it to sneer at people who annoyed me, and tear at people who could make me feel something I wasn't ready to feel.

At night, things were different. I didn't have that energy. All I had was a bitter heart and a need for warmth. I stared at my empty bed, with its neatly made sheets and perfectly fluffed pillows. Then, I examined Dominic's lump of a form on his own bed. By his breathing, I knew he was awake.

"I know you're only using me for your humanity," I started. The quiet air amplified my voice. "That you don't love me anymore. Maybe you don't know how to." I paused. "I'll use you too. It's only fair."