Thirty Nights Forgotten

Chapter 7: Return to the Demon Realm

Addy’s POV

When I finally come to, my entire body is gripped with pain radiating from my leg. I think I hit my head when I fell because my mind is swimming with dizziness.

Slowly, I blink my eyes open to try and ground myself in the present. At first, everything around me is blurry, but soon the starry night sky comes into focus above me. A forest of trees surrounds me, standing tall as they stretch toward the heavens.

But when I see the full moon above me glowing a deep shade of red, my stomach does an uncomfortable flip as realization dawns on me.

I’m back in the Demon Realm.

“Nicholas?”

My voice sounds weak as I call out to him, and I try to sense him through our bond.

“I am here, my love.”

My gaze follows the sound of his voice, and I watch him as he sits up beside me with a groan, rubbing the back of his head.

His burgundy eyes land on me, peering down with a relieved expression. However, he sniffs the air as his expression melts into one of concern.

“Your leg. We must tend to it, but we need to get out of here now.”

“Why?”

“I do not believe that portal was there by coincidence. Someone wanted us here, and when they find out we evaded capture, they will come looking for us. Can you walk?”

He climbs to his feet and holds out his hand to help me. But when he pulls me up, a sharp pain shoots up through my leg, and I stumble into his arms.

“Let me carry you,” he says firmly. “I will tend to your wound as soon as we are safe.”

“A-Addy?”

Nicholas and I both freeze as a third voice whispers in the dark. Gazing up at Nicholas, my eyes widen as I recognize the voice, but…

“It can’t be…”

Nicholas’ eyes bore into mine, and a dawning realization washes over his face.

“I don’t feel my Light One anymore…”

“Addy? Nicholas?”

We both turn toward the voice, not daring to believe it. A third figure lies on the ground nearby, stirring slowly awake beneath the ruby light of the moon.

“NICK!”

I collapse onto the ground, crawling over to Nick’s naked form. As he rolls over, his familiar brown eyes find mine, and I fling myself into his arms.

“H-How is this possible?”

I begin to devolve into a fit of sobs as I plant a long kiss against his lips. I can’t believe this is real, but Nick’s touch confirms it:

Nick and Nicholas have separated into two bodies once again.

“We will have plenty of time to figure this out,” Nicholas interrupts. “But right now, we need to go.”

Reluctantly, Nick releases me as Nicholas scoops me up into his arms. Rising gingerly to his feet, Nick follows the two of us as Nicholas sets out deeper into the forest. My eyes widen as I see a series of bodies strewn nearby - the carcasses of the demons that Nicholas slayed and sent hurling back through the portal.

I’m ready to get as far away from them as quickly as possible.

“I recognize these woods,” Nicholas says, glancing around quickly. “We are not too far from the castle and surrounding villages, but I think it best we put some distance between us for now.”

His comment makes me frown.

“Why would we run away?”

“Because someone wanted us here,” he says darkly. “I think it is safe to assume we cannot trust anyone until we know more.”

There is something about his words that makes me remember something. The memories are hazy, but I slowly start putting them together piece by piece in my mind.

“Hold on,” I whisper. “During the battle in the alleyway, when I tried to run, there was a force that kept pushing me back toward the portal. Someone used magic to push me through, and I caught a glimpse of their face when we fell.”

“Who?” Nicholas demands.

“I think it was that witch from the tarot reading.”

“Sybil?” Nick chimes in. “I knew there was something off about her.”

“Perhaps the old woman truly is a witch,” says Nicholas. “In fact, I would venture to bet that she was the one who conjured that portal.”

“But why would Sybil want us back in the Demon Realm?” I ask.

“That is the question we need to answer, my love.”

We continue walking for nearly an hour, but Nicholas seems to be navigating through the dark forest with determined purpose. I glance back at Nick, who is walking barefoot across the ground, carefully avoiding rocks and twigs as we make our way through the trees.

Finally, we come across a cave, and I hear Nicholas sigh with relief.

“Good, it is still abandoned. I used to play in this cave as a boy, so I might still have some equipment hidden away.”

He stoops inside, holding me tightly against his chest. I can’t see a thing, but Nicholas’ vampiric ability allows him to see in the dark. Setting me down on something soft, I hear him shuffling around in the darkness.

“Ouch!”

Nick bumps his head on the ceiling as he comes in through the mouth of the cave.

After a few moments, the small flame of a match lights up the cave just enough to see. As Nicholas lights a few candles, Nick ventures further into the cave and sits beside me on the straw mattress.

“You used to camp here?” Nick asks, glancing around the small cave. “Do you have any food stashed away?”

“No, we will need to forage for food. But first, we need to tend to Addy’s wound.”

“Yeah, that looks really bad,” Nick agrees, inspecting my leg more closely. “Nicholas, can you rip off some fabric from your shirt for a bandage?”

“Where are your clothes, Light One?”

“I don’t know,” Nick answers, clearly annoyed. “I guess whatever spell made us split into separate bodies didn’t come with a second set of clothes. Why am I always naked when I fall through the portal?”

I can’t help but laugh as memories from our first trip through the portal come to mind, but soon my laughter turns to tears.

“Why are you crying, Addy?” Nick asks, rubbing my back gently. “Is it your leg?”

“No, it’s just…I’m just so overwhelmed!” I sob. “I can’t believe we’ve come back to this awful place, and we’re probably stuck here until the next full moon. And that’s if we can find someone to reopen the portal. And I’m terrified. I’m so f*****g terrified.”

I know I’m rambling, but I’m feeling a complete onslaught of emotions washing over me.

Nicholas comes to sit on the other side of me, and I place my hands on each of their knees. I need to feel their reassuring presence right now.

“I assure you, everything is going to be fine,” Nicholas says. “We will keep you safe.”

“Safe from what?” Nick asks. “Like you said, we don’t know what’s happened in the two years we’ve been gone. You abandoned your throne, which means you don’t have the same power that you did before to keep her safe.”

I can feel Nicholas’ irritation growing toward Nick.

“That is not helpful right now.”

“I’m just saying, we need a plan,” Nick says. “Are we staying in this cave for thirty nights, or will we need to keep moving?”

“I do not know yet.”

“Guys, please,” I whisper. “Let’s figure it out tomorrow. Right now, I’m just glad that we’re all alive, and that you guys are in your own bodies. That’s pretty incredible, right?”

Nick and Nicholas each glance at one another.

“Yeah, it’s nice not to have him yapping away in the back of my mind all the time.”

“And it is freeing to know that I will not be returning to your body at sunrise.”

“See?” I say with a small smile. “Things could be worse.”

“I remember when I met you, Addy,” Nicholas laughs. “You were certainly not an optimist. In fact, I recall you being quite bitter about life in general.”

“Yeah, well, that was Sick Addy. I’m ‘Glass-Half-Full Addy’ now.”

All three of us begin to laugh, and the atmosphere around the three of us begins to lift significantly. I can’t shake the feeling that the next thirty nights are going to be incredibly difficult, but we can focus on that tomorrow.

Tonight, I just want to take the time to enjoy having both of my husbands by my side.