Chapter 107 Chapter 107
“You are familiar with him,” he growled, and for a second, she felt his wild magic surge before he reined it in. “He attacked you in the woods not long ago. I intercepted him, but he got away.”
Her eyes widened and she looked at him, astonishment written over her face. “So you really were there,” she stuttered. “Why didn’t you show yourself? Why just disappear?”
“I told you I wanted to cut all ties, to allow you a normal life,” he said, voice sharpening until it sounded like a snarl. “But you still can’t stay away! Why the fuck are you hunting demons now?”
“Maybe I don’t want a normal life. Maybe normal is dull.”
“Normal is safe. Get that into your dumb head.” he spat bitterly.
“I see you are still good at insulting me,” she hissed. “Do you really think I could just ignore the supernatural world, knowing it exists? It has become part of my life and I can’t just pretend it doesn’t exist. I see demons, ghosts, and other creatures every day. When I’m grocery shopping, on the way to work, when I’m taking a walk, meeting my friends. I’m too far in to back out.”
“I gave you a second chance, and you throw it away just like that,” he growled. “Unbelievable.”
“I didn’t need a second chance. Everything was fine as it was. I was happy,” she said, and her voice cracked. Hot tears burned in her eyes and her entire body tensed. “Why did you leave me?”
He left her waiting for an answer she desperately needed.
“Do you feel it too?” she whispered almost inaudibly. Her lower lip was trembling and she hugged herself in an attempt to keep from falling apart.
“What?”
“The void.”
He stared past her without making eye contact. “You’re imagining things,” he uttered slowly.
“Am I really?” she asked persistently, her hand resting over her heart. “It hurts a lot and I’m sure you feel it too. Don’t deny it, please.”
“Valerie, stop clinging to the past and forget about me. Our bond should never have existed in the first place. It was an accident and none of us wanted it.”
She blinked, fighting the tears that threatened to spill. “What now? Will you leave again?” she breathed. “I… I don’t want to be a burden to you, but… but I miss you and… it would be so much easier to endure this pain if you at least showed yourself sometimes. You are important to me, Maxwell.”
Speaking took a lot of effort since she had to hold back her sobs, but she needed him to hear this because she hoped it would sway him. She refused to believe that everything between them had been a lie. It just wasn’t possible. They had gotten along so well before, it had to have been real.
He stared at her for a while without moving or reacting, taking in the tears shimmering in her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Valerie, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. We shouldn’t be seen together,” he muttered eventually and lowered his head, casting his gaze to the ground. “It’s too risky. I don’t want you to end up dead because of me.”
Even though he had denied her wish, she was somewhat relieved to hear that he cared about her, that he did not just stay away without a good reason. Filled with newfound determination, she decided that she wouldn’t give up just like that.
“It hurts to live with this damn broken bond,” she said and looked at him with pleading eyes. “Please come back to me… at least consider it.”
He exhaled. “Fine, I’ll consider it, but I need time to think.”
She took a deep breath, eyes moving to the chain she’d kept wrapped around her wrist. It had been her present to him and she wanted him to have it back, just in case they’d never see each other again. At least he’d have a memento of her, assuming he wouldn’t throw it away. She took it off, grabbed his hand, and put it inside, closing his fingers around it.
He glanced up at her, his eyes locking with hers. That was all it took for her to nearly burst into tears. She was hit by intense sadness mixed with longing and had to force herself to let go of his hand. Her fingers trembled.
“Take it,” she said quietly, “And keep it. I gifted it to you and so it’s yours.”
She moved back one step, distancing herself from him. Then she finally found the strength and the courage to turn around and leave.
Maxwell didn’t stop her and she didn’t expect him to, but his eyes followed her every move until she vanished from sight. He was torn between running after her and doing what was best for her wellbeing; staying away.
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So much had happened in the short span of just a few days that Valerie struggled to keep up with everything, often having headaches from the stress put on her. She was always cautious when she left the house as she feared running into Zane again. According to Maxwell, he still lingered in the area and she didn’t want to take chances.
Her encounter with Maxwell had left her distraught and confused. She didn’t know what to think anymore and her heart hurt more than ever since he had disappeared. What he had said made her question many things—most of all, his thoughts and actions. He kept his distance and at the same time he didn’t. He said he wanted to leave her and yet he followed her. Did he even know what he wanted? He kept pushing and pulling, not making clear what his aim was.
She shook her head in exasperation and sat down at her kitchen table, a steaming cup of coffee in front of her. It was Saturday morning and she had no idea what she wanted to do today, so she ended up moping around, staring at social media feeds on her phone. Her cute cat Mochi had joined her a while ago and now got comfortable on her lap. The warmth the small demon radiated was comforting and helped to calm her down. She finally stopped thinking about Maxwell and instead petted the furball that started to purr happily.