Suddenly it was quiet, eerily so. If it weren’t for the howling wind and her own laboured breathing, which was creating thick mist with every exhale, she would think she had gone deaf. At her back the snow was beginning to melt through even the thick material of her cloak and if it weren’t for the warmth of Jean-Jacques on top of her she might have been shivering. She looked up, unable to see the sky or the top of the dark cliff towering above them through the continuing snowstorm. Gradually, a dark miasma began to leak from Jean-Jacques’ back, until she could no longer see him, her vision consumed by a familiar grinning face.

“What did you do?” she asked gravely.

“Nothing, this is your power.” The demon caressed her cheek, wiping the remnants of her tears, laughter in her voice. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

Chloé stared for a moment, letting her senses focus on what had been rewritten when her true name had been handed to the creature in front of her. It wasn’t like Jean-Jacques’ power, she couldn’t control it, it simply was. She could feel her influence extending all the way to the end of her world, all of Gévaudan that she had seen throughout her long life under her spell. Then she smiled. “Yes. Will you return to the castle with me?”

“No,” the shade replied. “I will return in time, but I can’t stay. Make sure to stay alive until then, Chloé.”

Then she faded away as she always did.

“I’ll stay alive until my revenge is complete, don’t worry about that,” Chloé muttered to the empty air.

Her attention shifted to Jean-Jacques. He was breathing steadily, though there was a slight wheeze with every few breaths if she listened carefully enough. She was glad he had passed out during the ordeal and hadn’t witnessed most of her conversation with Jeanne or known she had thrown them both from the cliff. Explaining everything when he woke up was not a task she looked forward to. They were now the only people in each other’s lives, and she had no idea how long it would remain that way. Carefully, she adjusted Jean-Jacques in her arms until she could comfortably stand and carry him back to the castle. Their home together from that moment on. She was going to have to take care of him, it was her duty to him as the individual who had so thoroughly dragged him down.

She swore to herself that everything he could possibly want and need she would provide if it was within her power.

***

Jean-Jacques sat quietly on one of the trees he had knocked over in that day’s rampage. In front of him was the same white world as always, snow drifting down to cover his footprints from only moments earlier. Somewhere behind him it would be burying the bodies and blood he’d spilled. It had been a surprise at first when even in Chloé’s world people had come for them, he’d thought they were real. Now, after a few weeks of it, it was clear that wasn’t the case. They would keep getting back up, he would keep killing them, and the snow would keep falling.  Nothing he did could make a real impact; he was simply maintaining the status quo.

It was only starting to sink in what his new life was going to be after having spent days living the same events. If it weren’t for the dragoons he thought that it might be perfect. He didn’t need anyone but Chloé, so living where no one could touch them was like a miracle straight out of his dreams. But the dragoons weren’t fading and everywhere he looked were reminders of the cruelty Gévaudan had inflicted upon Chloé. They couldn’t escape, even when they were alone.

Every time he fought he could feel a dull ache in his side, where his father had shot him. The wound had mostly healed, though neither he nor Chloé were experienced with medicine, and if he weren’t a vampire he surely would have succumbed to it. He had a lot of hatred left over that he wasn’t sure what to do with. He probably wouldn’t see any of the people of Gévaudan again and they would get to keep living their meaningless lives as if they hadn’t created the Beast all on their own. They were free of consequences while Chloé was left to pick up the pieces.

If he saw his father again he would kill him, though he hadn’t been able to before. The mercy he had shown was out of some desperate hope that their bond of blood still held some weight. But the only thing his father would regret about their last meeting was that he hadn’t managed to put another bullet in him. Despite everything, Jean-Jacques was glad Chloé hadn’t killed him, more for her sake than his father’s. He detested the sight of blood on Chloé’s hands and that she should have to lower herself to everyone else’s level for his sake. Chloé was the only kind person he had ever met, she deserved better than the worthless world they had been born into.

That was why her curse was such a blessing, even if it wasn’t perfect it was better than the reality created by the heartless cowards outside. All he wanted was for Chloé to have some modicum of the happiness she deserved, and the repeating world and eventual fulfillment of her revenge were going to accomplish that. He would be by her side through it all and he would see anything through if it was what she wanted. His loyalty had been earned by her many times over and he was proud to be dedicated to Chloé. From the moment he had encountered her she had been nothing short of the most wonderful person in the world.

To him their first meeting was like something out of a fairy tale. Not only meeting a legendary witch but finding out that by some twist of fate she was just like him, it didn't seem possible. And though she had been scared and covered in dirt, Chloé had looked completely ethereal to his eyes. With her fine clothes, shining silver hair, and almost unnaturally striking eyes she appeared more like a princess or a fairy than a witch to him.

And maybe he had projected some of that onto Chloé, viewing her as a damsel in need of protection. She had just seemed so very delicate he couldn't help feeling a desire to keep her safe. He'd fallen in love with her the moment he saw her eyes turn red, thereby making him feel like he wasn't alone for the first time in his life. And if she were a princess then it only made sense in his childish mind that he should become her knight. Deep down he'd always wanted someone to need him, and with such a dreamlike encounter it didn't feel so foolish to play out that fantasy.

Though he had failed in the end to fulfil that dream. She was the one who saved them both after all, she had been saving him all the time they had known one another. But here and now he was determined not to fail again. He would be Chloé’s shield properly this time, no one else would make her suffer again.