DARE THE DEVIL

Approval or not

Flossie sighed heavily and dropped her bag on the bed the moment she arrived home. It was quiet, silent and depressing. She sat down, slumping her shoulders as she recalled what home felt like months back. It was peaceful, filled with colours, happiness, fulfilment and completion. There was not much of laughter but there was love, scoldings, arguments and beautiful things that made up her strong family. She recalled how it was for the men to fight over the slightest thing and how she had to keep them together by threatening them. She recalled the business meetings, done in the same house by the Roxwell men. She recalled dinner dates with her entire family and finally the face of her wonderful son. Tears blurred her vision and the threatening feeling at the pit of her stomach rose its ugly head. The pain she bore in her heart only dug deeper and deeper and deeper, it was more like a weight had been placed on it. How different her home had turned in a span of a few months. How torn apart her family had been simply because they refused to listen. Because a red hair suddenly showed up. Because Damon had refused to listen to what they had to say.

The tears that blurred her vision fell down her cheeks in mighty waves as heavy sobs followed, revealing the pain and torment she faced every day at the thought of her family, at Damon’s disappearance. She cried and cried, refusing to hold back the pain that had taken her soul away. she cried and cried, sobbing loudly till her heart had its content, then she stopped. It was more like a ritual now. To cry till she could no longer do so. Everytime, she hoped, she wished that her beloved son would walk through the door and pull her into a tight hug. She hoped that she would hear him apologise over and over and over again for leaving like that. For making her worry, for trusting that red hair girl, for fighting his family. She wished she could see her son and hold him in her arms like a mother would a child. Three months now, and not even the familiar sight of silver coloured hair had come to view. Her hope had been shattered. It had all gone wrong and her faith on his return was beginning to crumble. She wiped her tears and got up from the bed. The world might have crumbled on her but she had a little fate in her heart. She had one last hope, one last option.

With that, a bit of relief overwhelmed her. Flossie hoped that Aziza would show up. There was no better person to help other than her. She got up from her bed and turned to the bathroom. With slow, tired steps, she took off her clothes and turned to the bathtub.

When she came out of the bathroom, the scent of her husband had filled the room, indicating his very presence. He had been out and about for days and they almost never saw eye to eye anymore. But she was relieved that he was back. Flossie took care of her skin and hair and found a very simple gown to wear. But even as she stared at her reflection. She knew that it was no longer as it was months back. Honestly, she had no will to do anything anymore. Her eyes were saggy, her face was pale and wrinkled. She stopped everything on skin routine therapy and treatments and cared less about her look as the days went by. What was the need of beautifying oneself when the heart was in shambles?

The door to her bedroom opened and from the reflection of her mirror, Ethan, her husband came walking in. He looked no better. The months told on him. His hair could turn white any moment, his face had taken the look of an old man and the glow and sturdy man she knew all her life had slowly disappeared. Even though they tried to deceive the public that he hasn’t.

Ethan raised his gaze and met that of his wife. Almost immediately, something struck his chest at the hurt in her eyes.

“You are back…” her voice came dry, unemotional, tired and far from exciting. Home was no longer home anymore and his happiness and peace had been sapped away with Damon, their son.

“Yes,” he lowered his gaze and walked deeper into the room.

“Have you had something to eat? I can ask them to prepare….”

“You don’t need to. I am full.” He interrupted and turned to the closest. He started taking off his clothes, also ready to have a shower.

When he came out of the bathroom, flossie was no longer sitting in front of her mirror but was lying down on the bed. He stared at her tired face and dry frame and felt more damaged at the turn of events. He could not help but blame himself for not protecting Damon even more. His family had crumbled and it was all falling apart because he couldn’t protect him enough. If he did, then he wouldn’t have so easily disappeared just as he came. The most painful part of it all was that he left without clearing up the misunderstanding they had. A misunderstanding that was never supposed to have occurred if he had only taken care of the red hair earlier. Maybe, if he had taken the red hair down as Flossie wanted, he wouldn’t….His son was gone and the great Aziza still roamed the streets like a stray dog.

The couples said nothing to each other. Not because they had a fight, but because no words could be said. Their happiness was gone and they were simply holding on to each other, hoping it would be fine soon. Ethan was tired from his journey and joined flossie on the bed with the intention of finding some kind of sleep or peace beside his wife. It was hard sleeping. Almost impossible. Each time he closed his eyes, he always had nightmares. His son calling for help, Damon being tortured, or how he abandoned him. It was all about him and it was taunting. It had chased sleep away from his eyes for the longest of time and he simply hoped that beside Flossie, it would be better. Her familiar scent was nostalgic and it pulled at him. Though the silence between them was heavy, he saw himself feeling drowsy immediately after.

“Did you find anything?” Flossie’s heavy voice pulled him out of the world of sleep he was about to get into. He sighed, not knowing if he should be happy that she was speaking to him or angry that she just pushed his sleep away.

“No…” he answered dryly.

“I searched everywhere. I searched for every possible sighting of supernatural beings. I asked, dug for information, yet I found nothing.”

“The supes blended perfectly with the humans and they have no idea what is going on in their world even.”

“You still think he took him to their world?” Flossie asked and he sighed. She always believed that Damon was still in the human world. He might have been kidnapped and kept somewhere he would have to suffer. He might be a hostage for a greater purpose and had made Ethan search everywhere. It was not like they had so many options. They had to try looking for him but it all fell on a dead end. Leaving them with more proof that he wasn’t with them, not in the human world.

However, Flossie refused to believe that. She wanted to hold on to the fact that her son was at a place that they could reach him. She wanted to believe that he could come back to them no matter what. If he was in a world humans had no idea existed, then it was all over for them. They would never get to see him again.

“He brought him to us years ago, asking us to take care of him. He even told us that he would be back for him. Damon must surely be important to him since he wanted him to be safe. If he wasn’t, he would have dumped the child without caring, nor would he return for him. But he did.” Ethan spoke, referring to the demon who had left Damon in their care when he was young, the same demon who came for him when he was an adult a few months back.

“He isn’t in our world Flossie. My failed search should be proof.” He turned on his back with a heavy heart. His conclusion could only mean that they would never see Damon again and it broke his heart as if he was dead.

“We might never be able to see our son again…” his voice came hoarse, tired, and pained.

“We can’t give up yet.” Flossie wiped stray tears away from her eyes.

“Aziza is not of this world…she can help.” She added.

Ethan turned a sharp eye to her, giving her a glare. Aziza had done nothing but ruin them, why would he ask for help. He would rather have her killed.

“I hate her too. But it turns out she is our Damon’s mate.” She began to explain so he could see reasons why she went over to their enemy.

“You know what it means right?” ever since they got Damon, ever since they saw a supernatural being and lived with one as their son. They had gone about researching, getting information and a lot more about supernatural beings even when the human’s believed they did not exist. They got to know about their world, their powers and more. Though they did this in hiding, while pretending to never believe in such, they knew more about them just as the hunters.

“That must have been why he was so crazy about her. That must have been why she never left his side.” She sat up, thinking back to all the time Damon threatened them because of her. He must have truly loved her.

“If anything we know about being mates is true, then we know she would not rest till she gets to him. Who is in a better position to know the supernatural realm and to go in search of our son there if not her.”

“We can ask her for help. I had asked her to see me. I know she would help us. I know.” She cried. Ethan said nothing. He simply stared into space and listened as she spoke while wheels spun around in his head. Flossie waited for an argument, a protest, or an agreement from his part. But he said nothing, for a long time like he never heard her. when she was about to plead more. He turned to her with a glint in his eyes. Then he stretched his hand and gestured for her to come close. She did so and rested her head on his chest. Yet he said nothing, not even an approval. The silence was beginning to weigh heavily on her chest, but if he cared, he didn’t show. He simply held her and ran his hand through her hair ever so slowly.

“We will meet her then.” His voice finally came. Flossie smiled at the approval. Without or without him, she was still going to find a way to get to Aziza but it was nice having an approval. However, she could not help but to get up and stare at his face. He gave the approval, but she could not help the feeling within, that told her that something was wrong.