We made a grave mistake by waiting.

We made a grave mistake by staying close to Carmen.

We should have run into the forest as soon as we knew she had other plans for us.

I am sitting in the sun, sun-bathing close to Carmen, waiting for her to let down her guard, with my eye on her bag, containing the blade she used on the tyre.

However, a new development toward 3pm, has changed everything.

Two engines signal company – and more arrivals.

A black sedan pulls up, and behind it, another black sedan.

As I sit up to take in the new people, parked behind the bus – all doors open up.

There is a fucking entourage, and Carmen doesn't look shocked either, rather she is excited! She knows who these strangers are.

Gerry and Juny are on top of a boulder by the clear water pool, laid out in the sun, looking at the new arrivals with apprehension.

"It's a surprise," Carmen quickly tells me, trying to keep me calm, before she jumps to her feet and runs to the strangers.

I count the heads in a panic. Eight well-dressed men. Two women. One tall woman with long silver hair. One short, with pointy ears and black hair. They're all dressed well – which is beyond strange for a nature reserve.

"Carmen!" the silver haired woman runs with her arms out.

"SILVIA!" Carmen sounds unhinged with an extreme outlet of emotion, as she collides in a tight embrace with her friend, they swing each other around and laugh with their huge reunion.

In the meantime, there is one man out of the eight – who is striding confidently toward me, in front of everyone else, quicker and with dark intent. He is the most handsome man I've ever seen, with perfectly cut and sharp features, the closer he gets, the more I notice his dark eyes – they're very red. Like hell-red. Too familiar.

I lean into Carmens' bag and I casually take out the blade, pretending to need it to open a fussy yogurt lid, which was one of the snacks.

With the blade in hand, I stab it through the foil lid, and pause with the blade still in my hand – as the newcomer stops by the picnic blanket.

"Well, hello sweetheart. You must be Selene, you look like a Selene... my name is Onyx," Onyx holds out a hand toward me, I simply hold the knife closer to my chest and stare at him with true anxiety in my gaze. To appear less threatening, he squats down and gets to my eye level, adding, "I'm a tour guide – we'll be going for a hike into the trails, I hope you brought some sneakers."

I shake my head, and Onyx raises a brow.

"They all prefer the barefoot experience," Carmen announces proudly as she returns, "Selene, this is Silvia, Onyx, Cleo..." Carmen turns around and keeps running off names.

I've zoned out from her to look back for Juny and Geraldine. Sensing my anxiety, they've started to make their way back over toward us, towels wrapped around their shoulders.

Onyx does not take his eyes off of the blade I keep tightly in my fist.

I sign to Gerry and Juny.

Help.

I didn't know what to do!

They both hurry over and sit down with me, and we stay shoulder to shoulder to face the new comers.

"Geraldine," Onyx drawls, unmoving as he assesses both my friends, "And Juniper?"

He guesses correctly again who is who.

Juny hated her full first name; Juniper.

In response to being called that, Juny spits at his boots, and even so, Onyx still doesn't back off.

Instead, he boldly looks back to me, "You're the leader," he murmurs, "Aren't you, sweetheart?" he puts out a hand for my face, trying to touch me, and I slowly raise the blade as I shuffle back, so he can't. Onyx lowers his hand, just testing my parameters.

"Onyx," Carmen snaps as she walks closer to him and puts her hand on his head, "Please."

Onyx's handsome eyes don't waver from mine, but his cheek does twitch with Carmen's touch in his head of jet black hair.

As Onyx finally moves off, and heads back to the other men... the two other women with Carmen, Silvia and Cleo, they remain standing, looking us over as if we're odd specimens.

Carmen tells us, excitedly, "I wanted to introduce you to my friends," what's confusing is she seems to mean it with full and genuine excitement. The frequency I feel off our tutor is both friendly and secretive. I can't tell if she wants us dead or not dead yet. Harmed or not harmed yet. But my instincts indicate everything at once. Trust. Insecurity. Unknowns. Strangers... strangers... I look them all over, terrified if they are some kind of cult. Perhaps?

The lady with black curls around her ears, and her hair tied up high, with a pointy eyes, nose, and ears – fae-like... she is Cleo... she slowly sits down and takes a fresh cup and pours some water.

Her bright green eyes assess us cowering together, and she seems curious.

"So you're the witches?" Cleo asks, her eyebrows dancing.

"Luna witches," Juny hisses quietly, barely audible.

"I am not a threat, Juny," Cleo shakes her head, "I am a friend! A princess of L..."

"Um, Cleo?" Carmen nervously chuckles, "I haven't explained the um, the full surprise excursion to the girls yet... so... maybe wait a bit."

I finally show Carmen my distrust, when she looks to me, I do not smile and I do not let go of the blade. She sees how hard I clench it.

Gerry slips her hand under my elbow and hugs my arm to her side, while Juny's hand rests on my shoulder, and she eyes off everyone with a ferocious distrust.

How could we fight off so many strangers... who were sent to bring us to the devil? To a demon army?

Were we going to be virgin sacrifices for Lucifer?

We could only imagine!

Gerry picks up a pen and scribbles down on a notepad, showing to Cleo and Carmen and Silvia one word.

Explain.

"Not just yet," Carmen whispers, denying Gerry an explanation.

"NOW!" Juny screams it, causing everyone in the picnic area to halt their discussions and watch as the three of us rise to our feet together. I never let go of the blade, but we face Carmen, Cleo and Silvia with the knowledge that we're being set up for something terrible.

"They know," Silvia finally speaks, blinking softly, "They know something."

"Alright, alright, alright," Carmen holds up both her hands in surrender and takes a step toward us, looking at me, she explains, "Selene... I can help you girls understand who you are. That's why I'm in this job. To introduce you to your world. You are witches. I am a vampire. And with me, is a princess and a queen... of a... special kind of... pack?" Carmen chooses her words carefully, "They're like... kind of like werewolves, um...?"

"Lycans," Gerry whispers.

"Lycans," Carmen concedes, gulping, "Onyx and his pack, they are Lycans, yes – and this is their Queen and their Princess. Selene. Please put down the knife. I know you're scared but what if I told you – by the time midnight comes... you'll be able to talk, Gerry will be able to hear, Juniper will be able to regain control of her tongue. You'll be truly awakened!"

Bullshit! You couldn't gift us things we were not born with.

They were a cult!

They sure as hell sounded like one!

I take a step backward, and Juny and Gerry move with me, in perfect sync.

"What are they feeling?" Carmen asks Cleo, quietly.

"They're very angry," Cleo bites her fingers, seemingly nervous, "They know something... they've heard something..."

"My phone call," Carmen states, suddenly, "You eavesdropped didn't you?" I nod, "Oh, shit... I'm sorry, I was talking to my boyfriend, I have a bit of a bratty attitude with him. I'm not that unprofessional, and I swear, I'm sorry if I said anything... rude or mean... – "

"Blood and wine, it's just blood and wine," Juny laughs hysterically, "The devil. Demons await us."

Carmen loses her smile, Silvia still looks solemn, Cleo is not very positive either. They know our fate is bad.

We need to run – but there are others who have heightened hearing and senses.

When I look over my shoulder, I already see some of the pack, in human form, spread amongst the trees.

Lycans.

And in front of us, three female supernatural entities.

Vampire. Some kind of Fae Princess and a Queen of Lycans.

"Let me say it. The truth is," Silvia murmurs, looking us all over, "There's nothing we can do except deliver you – we have orders by the boss. Even Onyx doesn't want to do this. In any other situation, maybe we could have been friends... but the honest truth is... the devil has marked you three and he has your fates sealed in stones. Cleo can see your chains around your souls. They restrict your tongues and your ears. Do you want to hear the good or the bad news first? Why don't I go with the good news. In hell, the devil has said, your chains will unwind. You'll become so powerful, you could even be advisors to him. You could be your own powerful threesome – not that kind of threesome, anyway," Silvia gets off track but then gets back to the point, "You three have power, that Lucifer gave to you. It's very rare. You'll be very strong. But the bad news is... you were made for the demon army. They wanted whores years ago and –" Gerry and Juny squeeze my shoulders and arm so tight, they cut off circulation. We're fucking terrified! What does she mean, whores, "...you're made for it, so it won't be unpleasant... I don't know what else to say... that's the whole truth. If you run away now, or try to, the Lycans will catch you. Because we have to deliver you. You may as well rest. You have many hours left in this realm. And any urgent questions you have, we'll try to answer for you. Alright, girls? We're delivering you to the devil at midnight, but you'll be okay. You have a Queen to represent you."

"A very noble effort, Silvia," Onyx has returned, walking up behind us.

We try to move out of his way, but he's come up too quick behind my back – reaching over for the wrist of the hand that holds the blade. He lifts my arm up and squeezes my wrist until I let go of the handle. As it drops, Onyx catches the weapon, then walks around Gerry, touching the blade with his fingers.

"Go for a walk," Onyx murmurs, a command – before glancing at Carmen, Silvia and Cleo, "I'll help them relax."

"Doubtful," Silvia whispers.

"Don't you start being a brat now," Onyx growls, clearly keeping in a snarl, "Go for a stroll and see the pretty flowers – I know witches. I know how to talk to them. None of you do."

"I'll say a prayer for them," Silvia rolls her eyes and turns to walk off.

Cleo follows, although Carmen stays.

"What?" Onyx asks our tutor, sickly sweet to Carmen, clearly irritated by her defiant glare.

"No. Fucking. The Witches." Carmen snaps.

"Relax, they're terrified, not horny like you are, sl..." Onyx seems to almost insult Carmen, but bites his tongue, "Go away now."

"Terrified? Exactly. Don't pretend that's not to your taste," Carmen finally looks to me and lets out a heaving sigh, "Hey. I promise, Onyx is a good guy – despite his hell-red eyes, he's a puppy at heart, well deep.... deep inside, very deep inside," Carmen seems to get distracted by her own words, and Onyx actually laughs, although in a way that doesn't seem to show much amusement.

Carmen finally retreats.

Onyx takes the blade, and puts the sharp edge to his palm, "Luna Witches," he looks to Juny, "Whatever you call yourselves. Witches perform rituals. Usually naked. Usually covered in blood," Onyx lets this sink in, as he describes our night terrors with ease, "I've helped witches before. I've overseen rituals and spell casting. But you three are not ordinary witches. You're more like high priestesses for satan himself, because you control the magic he controls," Onyx cuts his palm and holds out his bloody hand to Juny.

She reaches for it uncontrollably and without any will power to stop herself. I watch as Juny puts her hand in his – as they shake hands, Juny can't help but smile.

"Isn't he handsome?" Juny asks, with ease, and her tone has changed.

Gerry reaches for the blood next, noticing Juny's change and trusting in it.

The moment Geraldine comes into contact with Onyx's bloody hand, her shoulders move up and her hands cover her ears, as she looks around at the trees.

Oh my god.

She can hear.

Gerry was overcome by noise, and Juny has reclaimed her tongue.

But even so, with these miracles, I know what he's doing.

Onyx takes me on last.

"Do you want to talk, Selene?" Onyx asks, holding his red running wound toward me.

The blood of a demon, freely on offer.

"Do it," Gerry murmurs in my ears, "Do it, Selene."

"Just try it, the big bad wolf isn't lying," Juny adds, "You'll be able to talk. Just do it."

I refuse to obey.

I glare at Onyx and his arrogant and smug expression, assuming I will follow, give in and trust him because of them.

However, Juny and Gerry make a decision together. 2 votes automatically win against 1.

My best friends put their sticky bloody hands on my forearms, holding me, sharing his blood.

Almost as soon as demon Lycan blood comes into contact with me, soaking into my cells, a knot in my throat is unravelled.

It's not just that – other chains lift too.

I don't feel restricted mentally. I feel more alert and hyper aware.

Just more aware of my connection with nature too. More aware of everything!

"Can you speak?" Juny asks me, hopeful.

I nod, without speaking. I know I can, but I won't speak for Onyx's satisfaction.

He reads that challenge in my eye and he accepts.

"I just gave you power and knowledge, and you look at me like that?" Onyx drawls, with a demonically-inclined attitude, "You're a bad bitch, aren't you?" he adds that in after considerable contemplation.

"You're an arrogant fuckface, aren't you?" I let out my first six words, hearing my strangely husky and sultry voice. I did not expect to sound like that. I sound like an succubus! It makes me immensely proud I have a naturally menacing and wicked edge to my tone, without even trying.

My confidence instantly perks, while Onyx smirks with my insult.

"Welcome to your entourage, my pack will escort you down – and welcome you all to hell, later..." Onyx doesn't stop staring down at me.

He's obsessed like a dog with a new bone.

I barely refrain from rolling my eyes at the demon clearly behind his human disguise, but I lock my arms with Juny and Geraldine. We turn as one unit, strolling away – we need a moment to breathe, to be alone, to talk alone, to hear each other and experience this monumental change together.

These gifts.

They had a hefty price.

They were all tied to a chain held by the devil.

He cursed us with nightly terrors – drowning out our minds with evil, trying to increase insanity. I guess to make us more controllable when the day would come to meet our 'maker'?

Now? Lucifer wanted our bodies to be used as whores for demons in his army?

First our minds, now our bodies?

I don't fucking think so.

I wasn't going to give the devil anything else. I would never submit. I would never obey his word. There was nothing he could do to torture my mind into submission. My horrific dreamings had prepared me for anything. Juny and Gerry were the same as me. We were as strong as each other.

The devil's mistake was thinking the night terrors made us weak.

If anything, coming into contact with real demonic creatures – had never left me feeling so assured, calm, strong and capable. Because I had been in training all my life, for 25 years, to withstand demons, hell, blood and death.

I was therefore dangerous. I knew it. I may not know how to harness magic well yet, but it was inside me, I could feel the power there and it gave me confidence.

We were not helpless.

Juny, Gerry and I – we were a force.

We just had to learn how to bloom as witches together.

I may have considered it a curse a week ago. But now I know it's an advantage.

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