Word Count: 2041

~Sienna

I step back, admiring my creation.

The lake is smooth tonight, the moonlight caressing it's surface. As I anticipated, the stars reflect effortlessly, creating a portrait of inexplicable beauty that is only visible on a clear night like this.

I've set out plenty of blankets and some pillows so Onyx and I can admire the night sky. There's plenty of food and drink, and I've even laid out some candles.

An onlooker would call this romantic. To me, it's just a special gesture from a friend.

Now, I just need to set the food out in a pleasing manner...

Rustling from the bush behind me has me whirling around, panicked. These parts of Onyx's property can be dangerous, with all sorts of creatures crawling about.

Onyx emerges from the tree's, the moonlight drenching him almost artfully.

"Hey you." I shake my head at him. "You're way too early."

Twenty minutes early, to be exact.

"Am I?" His hands are seated casually in his pants, his expression blank.

I wonder if he's here to make sure it's safe. When I told him to meet me at the lakeside, he went on about the dangers, warning me about getting too close to the water, ensuring I wear the appropriate amount of layers.

It's still cold tonight, but much warmer than usual.

"Yes. I haven't finished setting up all the food." I gesture to the blanket, all the containers Diane gave me still stacked and unopened.

"You did all this for me?" He asks quietly.

"Of course. I thought you would want to watch the stars against the lake's surface." I gesture out across the great expanse, a flicker of excitement skating across my skin.

I haven't had Onyx's full attention since he returned yesterday, and I'm anxious to spend time with him.

He smiles tightly before sitting down on the mass of blankets. I watch him curiously as he looks around, wearing the moonlight like a grand cloak.

He's oddly quiet. I suppress the feeling that something isn't right.

"This is nice."

I open the lid to one of the containers, finding an array of cheese and crackers. "Are you okay?"

He clears his throat, brows furrowing as he faces me. "There's something on my mind."

"What is it?" I abandon the food, suddenly feeling a little queasy. "Is it the girls, because they know I'm doing this for you, and they swear they don't mind."

Lexa gave me a bitter look, but Alex called it sweet and Violet just nodded in agreement. Nothing upsets that girl.

"They may mind..." he whispers.

"Why?"

"I've been keeping something from you," he admits, his eyes large and earnest, drawing me in. Somehow, his hair and eyes look even darker than usual, like they are drawing in the shadows around us.

"What?" I ask uneasily, getting the feeling this is something bad.

He looks toward the water, then back at me. "Swim with me, and I'll tell you."

I pull a horrified face, looking at the lake. It may be warmer than usual tonight, but I like how I styled my hair and the temperature will still be less than ideal.

"Onyx, it's freezing in there," I deadpan.

"It will be fun." He's already standing up, tugging his shirt off. "It's my birthday."

I quickly look away. When Onyx removes his shirt, I remove my gaze. It's my personal rule for keeping our relationship strictly platonic.

"Fine, but only for a few seconds. I don't want to lose my toes."

I'm only agreeing to this because it's his birthday.

I glance his way, realising he's completely stripping off.

My mouth falls open and my gaze sweeps away, hidden behind my hand. This completely out of character for him, and for a moment I think he might be drunk.

"Woah dude, keep something on at least." My laugh is breathy and awkward as I stand.

He's already walking into the lake, thankfully wearing his underwear still. "Take your clothing off. You'll be cold when you get out, otherwise."

"I'm keeping my bra and underwear on, pervert," I grumble, pulling my sweater over my head. "You're lucky I brought blankets."

His body sends ripples through the water, distorting the moon and stars reflection.

He turns back to face me, a wary look on his face as he looks back at the woods. "Hurry."

"You go first and turn around so I can get in." I twist my finger around.

"Fine."

He obliges me, giving me a chance to pull my shirt off, followed by my pants. He doesn't so much as glance over his shoulder until he hears me sloshing through the water toward him, my arms banded over my chest.

"Holy fuck it's freezing!" I yelp.

It's so cold, my legs immediately seize up, nearly sending me hurtling face first into the cold depths. The smooth stones below my feet are slippery, and the water is pitch black.

Onyx lurks further in the water. He's in pretty deep, but enough to remain standing. I suppose that's easy for him when he's as tall as he is.

"Come closer," he encourages gently.

I wade over to him, shivering so hard my teeth are chattering.

"Quick, tell me what's been on your mind so I can get out of here."

His hands find my waist, drawing me in. I still, letting him hike my legs up so they are wrapped around his waist. He presses me closer, his fingers digging into the flesh of the backs of my thighs.

All thoughts of cold immediately melt from my mind as a fire alights in the depths of my core.

"Onyx-"

"Relax, I got you," he murmurs, so close I can see every perfect detail of his face.

My eyes drift down to his lips which are dotted with lake water. "Tell me..."

I can't really think. I've never been in such an intimate position with him, feeling the firmness of his arousal, crossing over dangerous lines we've never dared to in our friendship before.

"I have feelings for you," he tells me. "I want to be with you."

My mouth falls open, desire ricocheting right to my centre. I don't care that I'm so numb I'm uncertain if I'll ever feel my feet again.

I don't care that this is so wrong.

"You...you do?"

He nods, a slow, devilish smile playing at his lips as he leans forward, starting to kiss my neck.

I gasp, gripping his muscled shoulders. His lips are firm, insistent as they explore from below my ear down to the hollow of my neck, sucking, biting and licking deliciously.

"Onyx, you can't do this," I gasp out, although I'm holding him close to me rather than pushing him away.

He winds his hands into my hair, gripping the strands in a tight fist. "Why not?"

I can't seem to gather a real protest because I want him so badly. I can imagine other places I would rather him take me for the first time, but I'll take anything at this point.

"It's wrong. We are friends."

"Not anymore." He leans down, pressing his lips to mine.

My protests die against his mouth, and I throw myself completely into the kiss.

He wastes no time, his tongue gliding into my mouth, claiming me. It's almost so rigorous it pushes me back, and water sloshing around us. I can't go anywhere - not that I want to - as his hands press me firmly against him.

My hands entwine into his hair, tucking at the wet strands. Strangely, his hair feels shorter than I remember, but I don't have time to consider it fully as he steals all my rational thought.

His fingers come up behind me, clipping my bra off, letting it fall into the lake.

I hardly care what happens to it. My breasts, peaked from the cold press against his chest, his mouth never shifting from mine.

I start to move my hands down, wanting to touch more of him. My fingers brush down his arms, and along his wrists. I pause, stiffening.

The bracelet.

I pull back long enough to see it's absent from his wrist. Onyx told me he would never, ever take it off.

He would never lie to me...

"Get off me!" I scream, trying to pull back from whatever is imitating my friend, but their grip is tight.

Vacantly I know exactly what is going on. This is a witch. Not just any witch, but a Deceiver. It's a witch banished from the coven, forced to live in the wilderness and use their magic to survive .

Their hand clasps down in the top of my head before pushing me below the surface.

My scream is cut off, water spilling down my throat immediately. I cough, thrashing about as I try to force my head above the surface again.

No matter how much I claw and hit the witch, they force my head back down every time I manage to come up for a gasping breath.

They are going to kill me.

One moment I come above the surface to see Onyx's cold, unfamiliar expression. When I next come up, his face appears to be melting, replaced by features of a witch.

My lungs burn with the exertion and lack of air. Splatters of black spot my vision, death creeping up on me slowly and painfully.

And then, the pressure of their hand on my shoulders is gone.

I burst above the surface, drawing in desperate breaths, my lungs practically groaning in agony.

Onyx is here, and he has the witch by the throat.

"Get to the shore!" He commands to me while he fights with the witch, whose haunted scream echoes through the forest.

Despite my waning energy I swim to the shore, stumbling up the stones before falling to my knees, coughing up mouthfuls of water.

I turn, just in time to see Onyx swiftly snap the witches neck, their body falling limp in his arms.

He drags the corpse to the shore before dumping it on the stones next to me.

Covering my breasts with my arm, I stare down at the body. The witches skin is tired and grey, sagging over their facial structure. Their pale white eyes are stuck open, staring up into the dark expanse of the night sky.

Onyx also takes in the dead witch, his breathing ragged, his shirt now plastered against his torso from his dip in the lake.

"Deceiver," he growls, kicking at the witches stiff body.

My stomach roll as I look down at the thin lips that felt once like Onyx's full one's. I'm tempted to vomit in disgust, but I opt for banishing the thought away before it can grow roots in my mind.

Onyx's eyes find me suddenly, taking in my shivering, mostly naked star. "Fuck Sienna, you're freezing."

He grabs a blanket from beside the picnic I had set up, throwing it over my shoulders. I'm too stunned to feel the cold anyways. I'm too numb.

Onyx crouches in front of me, holding my shoulders. "Are you okay?"

"No..." I stammer. "What is a Deceiver doing so close to the estate?"

Usually they don't get too close to civilisation. They wait until someone has lingered too far out of the way before they use their residual power to attack.

Onyx sweeps his wet hair off his face. "I have no idea. I'll station more guards out here. Let's get you back inside."

He helps me to standing, my legs quivering. Thankfully his body is sturdy, keeping me standing without much needed from me.

"But our food," I protest, pointing to the blanket I laid out for him and I.

He takes it in, his gaze softening at the effort I put in. He's much too concerned about my undressed state, though.

"I'll have someone bring it. Let me get you home."

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~Midika 💜🐼