One would think that the events of the past few days would be enough to deter me, but no. I stood back and smiled in triumph at the completed portrait of the goddess. The longer I stared into her eyes, the more she felt alive. A silly image of her jumping out of the canvas and slitting my throat made me take a cautionary step back, and then I laughed at myself at the silly thought. As I looked at her, the more real my situation felt, and the more real it felt, the more burden settled on my shoulders. A soft wind blew and a soft voice carried with it. My eyes opened in shock and my breath caught in my throat. The wind blew again, stronger this time, and the voice came again…clearer.
“Oliver…”
I turned around sharply but I was alone, the bed and breakfast behind me, and not a soul in sight. The wind came again, carrying with it a soft laugh.
“You can’t run from me…” the voice said.
My heart began to beat faster and my eyes moved around frantically trying to put the face to the body.
“Who are you?”
The voice laughed. “I think you know exactly who I am.”
A shiver ran down my spine, and a cold sweat broke out on my brow. “What do you want from me?” I asked, my voice coming out in a whisper.
“Come with me…” the voice said, moving towards the water. “You are going to serve me…”
My body moved, as if of their own accord, following this voice…this presence to the water. It felt as if I had taken a backseat in my own body. My hands balled into fists as we approached the water, my heart beating even faster. What does she want me to do here?
“Please…leave me alone…” I managed to whisper.
The voice laughed, and I continued to follow. The beach came into view and my eyes fixated on the bright blue of the ocean. I kept walking forward, ignoring the noise of the few people on the beach, heading straight for the water. Despite myself, I sighed as the water touched my feet, and in the distance, I could see her now. This goddess. She stood in the water on the horizon, even more beautiful than she had been in my painting. Her long hair floated on the water, and her hand waved me to come to her.
In the distance, I could hear my name being called, the voice sounded familiar, but I could only move toward the water. I kept walking until I was submerged, and the last thing I remember was the goddess smiling at me underwater.
I came around to the anxious and worried faces of Martha, Gabriel, and my Uncle David. They collectively sighed in relief when my eyes opened.
“You scared me…” Martha said and planted a kiss on my head. “I’ll go get you some hot water.”
“I’m sorry…” I apologized as my brain struggled to recollect events that landed me here.
“It was the goddess…” my uncle answered, as though having read my mind.
“What?”
“She’s getting tired of waiting, Oliver. You must make a decision quickly and soon. I have a…” my uncle said.
“No,” Gabriel countered. “You don’t have to do what she wants, Oliver. We’re going to figure out a way around this.”
“There’s nothing to figure out…” Uncle David turned to me. “Listen, I’ve been doing some research. You might be able to stop this.”
“How?” I asked.
Uncle David’s eyes bore into mine as he leaned forward, his voice low and serious. “There’s another way, Oliver. A ritual I came across in my research. It’s dangerous, but if performed correctly, it could break the curse forever. You’d be free.”
Gabriel stiffened beside me, his grip on my hand tightening. “What ritual?” he asked, his tone cautious.
“It’s old, very old,” Uncle David began, ignoring Gabriel’s icy tone. “It involves invoking the goddess and trapping her essence in a vessel, breaking her hold on our bloodline. But it’s not without risks. If anything goes wrong, it could—”
“No,” Gabriel interrupted sharply, his eyes narrowing at Uncle David. “How do we know this ritual won’t just make things worse?”
Uncle David’s gaze flickered to Gabriel, a faint smirk playing on his lips. “You’re cautious, I’ll give you that. But this isn’t about making things worse—it’s about ending this nightmare once and for all.”
Gabriel’s eyes darkened, a low growl rumbling in his chest. “I said, no. I don’t want you anywhere near Oliver with your half-baked rituals.”
Uncle David raised an eyebrow, slightly amused. “Aren’t we protective?” He leaned back, his eyes narrowing as he studied Gabriel. “You’re not just protective, though, are you?”
Gabriel took a step forward, his posture tense, but before he could respond, I felt a shift in the air. Gabriel’s eyes, usually warm and kind, flashed a deep, unnatural gold. His grip on my hand tightened to the point of pain, and a low, menacing growl escaped his throat.
Uncle David’s smirk widened as realization dawned on him. “Ah, now I see… you’re a werewolf.”
The revelation hung in the air like a cloud, and I could only stare at Gabriel in shock. Uncle David, on the other hand, seemed more amused than surprised.
“Well, this is interesting.”
“Get out,” Gabriel snarled, his voice barely human, his eyes glowing with a feral light. “I’m not going to tell you again.”
Uncle David stood up slowly, his expression unreadable. “As you wish, but remember this, Oliver—time is running out. If you want to save yourself, you’ll have to take risks. Think about it.”
With that, he turned and walked out, leaving Gabriel and me alone. The door clicked shut, and the tension in the room only seemed to grow thicker.
I turned to Gabriel, my mind spinning from the events that had just unfolded. “Gabriel… what just happened?”
Gabriel’s eyes were still glowing, but the anger in them had softened into something else—fear, perhaps. “I don’t trust him, Oliver. I don’t trust that ritual, and I don’t trust his motives.”
“But what if he’s right?” I asked, my voice trembling. “What if this is our only chance to break the curse?”
Gabriel’s grip on my hand loosened, but he didn’t let go. “I don’t care. I can feel it, Oliver—he wants to harm you. I won’t let that happen.”
I pulled my hand away, feeling a surge of frustration. “You’re not listening! What if this is the only way? What if he’s the only one who can help me?”
Gabriel’s eyes flared gold again, his frustration matching my own. “And what if it’s a trap? What if he’s leading you straight into danger?”
“Then what do you suggest?” I snapped, feeling the pressure of the situation weighing heavily on my chest. “Because I’m running out of options, Gabriel! We’re running out of time!”
Gabriel looked at me, his eyes searching mine for something—understanding, perhaps, or reassurance.
“We’ll find another way,” he said softly, but there was doubt in his voice.
I shook my head. “We might not have time for another way, Gabriel. I have to consider every option.”
His expression darkened, “Not this one, Oliver. I won’t let you risk your life for some unproven ritual.”
“Then what do you want me to do?” I demanded, my voice breaking. “Sit here and wait for the goddess to take me? To take you?”
Gabriel’s face softened, the anger in his eyes replaced by something else—pain, love, desperation.
“I don’t know,” he admitted, his voice low. “But I can’t lose you, Oliver. I can’t.”
The fight drained out of me, leaving only exhaustion in its wake.
I looked at him, my heart aching. “And I can’t live like this, Gabriel. I can’t keep running.”
We stood there in silence, the weight of our fear and uncertainty pressing down on us. There were no easy answers, no clear path forward. Only the looming shadow of the goddess and the curse that bound us both.
As the tension hung heavy in the air, I realized that this fight wasn’t just about the ritual or Uncle David—it was about the choices we would have to make, the sacrifices we would have to endure. And no matter what we choose, there will be consequences.
“I need to think,” I whispered, turning away from Gabriel. “I just… need some time.”
I lay still and watched as A heavy silence fell between us, the weight of his words sinking in. I felt torn, caught between the love I had for Gabriel and the deep, unsettling connection to the goddess that haunted my every waking moment.
Gabriel ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. “I needed some air anyway,” he muttered before storming out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts, fear, and the looming presence of the goddess.