Wake

II.

Chapter 2

 

A mirror, no, millions of mirrors surrounded me. I was on display for all to see, but the audience alone was myself. Every move I made, every step I took had me running around in endless circles. This maze would not end.

I did not recognize the woman in the mirror, running and gasping for air. I panicked,  punching the glass for good measure. The pain stung me for a moment, but I reached for the hilt of my sword out of habit. Unfortunately, I grabbed onto nothing. The witch took away my weapon, no doubt, my appearance, too.

Hazel eyes replaced my violet ones, the jet black hair I once wore was now a shade of brown. The woman facing around me was revolting. I almost gagged just by looking at her. My hand came to cup my face. My sharp claws were replaced with regular human nails. Nails that were now red with blood because of the earlier stunt I pulled. I cringed at the thought of not being able to slay my prey in one feral swipe.

I detested humans. They were so weak, body and soul.

My blood not stopping after a measly cut irritated me. My wounds would have patched themselves up by now.

What does a human do when a wound like this is gushing out succulent blood? It didn't take me long to remember. They applied pressure on it to try and stop the bleeding. With a human nose, my hand smelled salty and metallic. I missed my demon senses. I would have eaten my whole hand already.

I chuckled to myself.

My soul was on the line here if I didn’t find answers. First off, where in the hell did Idoya send me to? I’ve never been to this world. It was new to me and if this was her version of a funhouse, then I didn't want to know what other twisted versions of fun she had under her conniving sleeve.

I cleaned my wound with the front of my shirt, not knowing what else to do.

A ray of light shined down. The light reflected the whole room of mirrors. The palms of my hands came up to shield my eyes. A warm feeling spread throughout my shoulders, caressing my cheeks and massaging the scalp of my head. It felt so good, until I felt it. The imprints of what seemed to be fingers dug into my arms, enveloping them. It didn’t help that I was shaking. I crouched, waiting for something else to happen.

“Honey! Wake up!” said a deep husky voice. It was faint, but it didn’t stop goosebumps from forming their way onto my skin. I kept shaking, wondering if this was the witch’s doing.

“Wake up,” gently demanded the voice. I felt heat on the side of my neck. “Jeremy is crying and we played rock-paper-scissors on who is going to check up on our son.” The tingles in my stomach fluttered unnaturally.

I wanted to punch them to shut them up.

My body shook one last time before I made the mistake I would regret even after death.

I slowly opened my eyes, my hands unfolding my face. A comfortable presence pressed behind me. My spine instantly relaxed and I snuggled under a cotton ball that was near my head.

I am on a cloud, I thought, drifting in the heavens.

Heavens? I scoffed, internally. Demons, like me, don’t go to heaven, but at this point I loved the sensation the warmness was causing to my mortal body.