Mommy, Who's the Bogeyman?

Chapter 19

Celeste's P.O.V

As I lay, my mind buzzed. I could sense death hovering over me like a Guardian angel.

Lately the vision of a reaper snatching my soul, had started to fade-Seth's power giving me a new sense of life-but I still awoke from terrible nightmares. I wasn't out of the danger zone yet.

My thoughts flickered back to Seth. He was still the enemy. Taking so much power from him wasn't exactly the most healthy thing.

He was like a drug. I didn't want to have him around, let alone have to bond with him, but I couldn't stop. I wouldn't until I was better.

I looked up at the ceiling. Its dull paint offered no comfort and I rolled over onto my side. My arms ached and I looked at my pink fingertips. Areas were still cracked and covered in a glowing blue. Some of my nails were missing. I quickly averted my eyes.

The wooden coffee table was bland, flushed of any color. Usually it would have a plant or two, but lately I couldn't manage them. I coughed and looked at the leather book on the table.

Slowly, I reached my arm out for it and grabbed its old spine. I flipped to the bookmarked page with a picture. It was of Matt, Kai, and I. Matt's knees were muddied. He was young, his freckles seemingly huge on his small nose.

I winced. Kai had stopped our aging process at 23 years old. He wanted us to look mature, yet someone children would be comfortable around. They would listen to a twenty year old, not an eight year old, he had said.

Of course I think he just wanted to raise us as his own. When Matt's mentor was killed, Kai gladly took him into his care. Every now and then, I'd catch him smiling when Matt had learned to do something. He had laughed when I asked for tea parties. Of course Matt and I fell in love with Kai. He was our mentor and our best friend. It was just us.

There had been five Bogeymen at the time of Kai's death. Five in the entire world. Kai lost his war with Byron.

I had cried into Matt's arms when it finally had set in. Matt's face had turned bright red. He had slammed the door shut after he left. I sat on the floor in a heap.

Matt had lost two mentors. He had lost both halves of his heart, yet he still managed to give me a sliver of it.

He still managed to give Seth as much of it as possible.

I snapped back to reality. My thoughts pounded in my head and I realized I was shaking. I clung tightly to the book, its yellowed pages crinkling under the pressure. A tear slid down my cheek.

Matt hadn't come to see me in a four days.

The house was quiet now. His warm laugh wasn't there to give me hope. Give me strength.

His sudden obsession with the young Bogeyman had made my stomach turn. The way his eyes gleamed at the slight mention of him. How he suddenly became tongue tied around him.

It hurt.

I knew why he was so intrigued. I pushed the thought out of my mind.

* * *

Matt's P.O.V

The reason I had lied to Seth was obvious to me. He was clueless, yet I couldn't let on.

I walked down the hall, clutching the strap of my bag tightly. My heart raced. I could still feel his eyes burning into my back as I rounded the corner.

I looked up from the dirty floor tiles when I bumped into someone.

"Woa-" I stopped, my eyes adjusting to the petite girl in front of me.