Dark Mates

18: Dead

Dark Mates

18: Dead

Sometimes, I dream about being dead.

I imagine being at peace. No struggles. No pain. No more fighting. I imagine embracing my destiny. After all, I’ve always believed that death would be with me soon. I’ve wronged so many people. Done so many bad things.

Death would’ve been too easy.

Death should’ve been painless and just tranquil like how many people have described it. How my life would flash before my eyes and I would draw one last breath and then rest in peace for the rest of eternity.

But, oh no, death just had to hurt like hell.

It felt like an anvil had just fell on my head and tiny little monsters were trying to claw their way out of my stomach. I felt as if my arms and legs were decaying. I wanted to scream for help, but what use is your voice when you’re dead, huh?

So I just lay there. I don’t know how long it has been. An hour? A day? A year? A decade? Maybe I’ve already been buried. Maybe Demetri had already found a new girl to be with.

Demetri.

Even though Demetri had loved Lily for a longer time than he had ever loved me, his love felt truer. Stronger. He had wanted to sacrifice his life for mine.

But in the end I died for him. I smiled. Well, at least I imagined myself smiling.

It was worth it.

He was worth it.

Demetri

“Son,” My dad’s voice broke the deadly silence. “You’ve been sitting here for a week now. Your mom says you haven’t eaten. If you keep continuing to do this, you’ll end up killing yourself.”

“Well, then I guess I’ll finally be with them, hmm?” I murmured sourly.

My dad sighed and dragged a chair over and sat down beside me. “I know how it hurts, Demetri, but—”

“You don’t dad. I watched Lily die right before my eyes, within a second, and I couldn’t do anything to help her come back. And now I’m watching Rose die! And what can I do? Nothing! Nothing dad! I’m just letting her die!” I screamed, my voice cracking. “She’s dead and it’s my entire fault.”

“Don’t say that, Demetri. It was her, or you—”

“Exactly! It could’ve been me, dad.” I whispered. “It could’ve been me. Then at least Rose would have a chance of living.”

“Demetri, you need to listen to me.” My dad said, putting authority in his voice. “Mates can do horrible things to you.”

“I’m telling mom.” I grunted.

He sighed, “You see what Elexandrya’s mate did to her. She became a crane! She brought shame and humiliation to our family! Then maybe—”

“Maybe what dad?” Her voice brought me out of my trance. My head snapped up so quickly it gave me a headache. She smiled at me. Her smile brought me hope.

“And the name’s Cranelia. Get it right.”

---

“The only person I had ever seen bring the dead back to life was Rose. When she brought back her step-father, I was in shock. Not even Enoch could do that,” Cranelia let out a bitter chuckle. “All Enoch knew was how to kill people.