Eden

My eyes fly open and I sit up straight, the action causing my head to feel like it's throbbing.

"I see you're finally awake." My head turns slowly in the direction I hear Aries voice coming from.

I glare at her for a moment before glancing around the large room we're in. It's dark, and has a musty feel to it. I'm laying on a decently sized bed though, the sheets smell fresh, and as I glance at the bedside table I see a bowl of fruit sitting beside a glass of water.

"I figured you'd be hungry when you woke up." Aries says softly to me.

"Where's Jericho?" I ask, not wanting to pretend to play nice with her after what she's done.

"That's really all you care about now, isn't it?" She asks as she begins approaching the bed I lay on.

"Considering he's my mate and dying, yes, it's all that's consuming my fucking mind right now." I say angrily to her.

She sits at the end of the bed, not meeting my eyes as she speaks. "He's fine. For now. I have him locked away somewhere until I decide what to do with him."

"But, the wound you gave him with the sword.." I say as tears begin falling from my eyes.

"He's not dead. Not yet, just injured. We'll see how long he lasts without getting his side treated." She mumbles.

"Then where is he? I need to see him-" I begin saying frantically.

"You truly think I'm evil." Aries says, finally meeting my eyes again.

"I don't know what to think, Aries. You left us, you left our whole Coven. And you never said a word, you left us vulnerable.. you could have confided in me.. I have always been there for you.." I say to her, my heart feeling constricted as I look at the golden haired woman before me.

"And tell you what? That if I don't sacrifice myself the darkness of this world will officially take over the light? Then what? Would you have hidden me away? Would you have encouraged me to fulfill my destiny to save this world? What, Eden? What would you have done if I had told you?" She asks me.

I find myself at a loss for words, because I don't know. I have no idea what I would have done if she would have told me.

"I don't know.. but at least I could have been there for you. At least I could have shown you I cared.." I say quietly.

"I thought you cared for me, but after that night at the moon pools I had to build up walls around me. I couldn't let you close to me again.. Did you even realize how you hurt me?" Aries asks, her voice full of emotion.

"I did care Aries, I still do.. I just couldn't be with you in that way.." I reply.

"You shared everything with me, and I accepted you wholeheartedly, I had hoped if I gave you time.. you could learn to love me." As she says this she begins making her way towards the head of the bed where I sit propped up against the large headboard.

"Tell me you never loved me, Eden." She says, growing closer still.

"Aries, I-i never had feelings like that towards you. I-i-" My words are cut off as Aries makes her way to my side, lowering herself beside me.

"You know who I am, right? You know I'm a goddess in my own right, yes?" She asks me, and I simply nod my head.

"Then why do you lie to me?" She asks me, searching my eyes.

My heart is pounding in my chest as I look this woman- no, as I look this goddess in the eye.

I once thought I could love Aries, but that was so long ago. I just can't love her the way I know she longed for.

"Aries-" I begin, but what do I say?

"You always were so beautiful when you were uncertain of things." Aries says as she makes her way towards me on the bed.

"Aries, what are you doing?" I ask dumbly.

"I've never felt the way I do for you, Eden. I used to muse that you and I were meant for each other. Leading our coven together. Creating a beautiful life." I stay silent, afraid of what's going on inside her mind.

"I knew as soon as you said that Reaper had been in your dreams, I knew he was your mate. And it ripped my heart out.. you were supposed to be mine." She whispers to me.

Aries continues to grow closer, and I find myself shrinking back away from her, knowing her intentions just by the look in her eyes.

"Please, Eden.. show me you actually want me.." She whispers, her face inches from mine. I can feel her warm breath caress my lips, sending small shivers up my spine.

But not like Jericho does.

"I have a mate, Aries.." I say to her.

Her lips grow ever closer to mine as my heart leaps in my chest. "Aries.." I breathe out her name. "Eden." She replies to me.

Right before her lips come crashing down on mine.

She tastes like mint and spring time is the only thing that comes to my mind as her lips capture mine.

Flash back

The moon is full above us as we bask in its light, enjoying ourselves in the moon pools with a glass of red wine in hand, the bottle sits nearby, empty.

The other girls left a while ago, leaving me and Aries alone.

She giggles loudly, her musical laughter filling the quiet night.

"But did you see Tabby fighting with the squirrels this morning? Poor things just wanted some of the banana bread she was baking." Aries giggles, the wine always having that effect on her.

"If Kiana would stop feeding them straight from the kitchen they wouldn't have gotten comfortable enough to ambush us." I reply, laughing along with her.

"Oh you know Kiana, she loves all the forest animals, you can't tell her not to feed them, cause she doesn't give a fuck!" Aries sequels out.

She's right, and that fact has my drunken ass laughing so hard my sides begin to hurt.

"You're so beautiful when you laugh.." Aries says gently, causing me to stop my laughter, caught off guard momentarily by her words.

I quickly regain myself. "You're always beautiful, Aries." I say, returning her compliment.

"How beautiful?" She asks, scooting closer to me in the water. I glance down, the water being crystal clear, accompanied by the light of the moon, makes it easy to see the top half of Aries that's exposed.

I bring my eyes back to hers, and by the smirk on her face I know she saw me checking her out.

I look away, embarrassed, and can feel my face heat slightly. "It's okay, Eden, you can look at me." Aries says, her voice coming out lower, more seductive.

She grows closer to me, before straightening her spine, bringing her breasts above the water, in full view.

I've seen Aries naked multiple times, but something feels different this time as I stare at her this way. Her beautiful skin glowing in the moonlight as water droplets trail down her exposed body.

She grows closer to me, her lips only a breath away from meeting mine. "Kiss me, Eden." She whispers against me.

I don't know what comes over me, but suddenly my lips are crashing against Aries lips. She leans into me, bringing our naked bodies flush against each other as she deepens the kiss, trailing her tongue across my bottom lip. I give in and part my lips, her tongue enters my mouth and dances with my own.

I break the kiss, instantly feeling my face heat with shame. "I'm sorry, Aries- I-i can't-"

She laughs, but I can tell it's forced. "It's okay, Eden. A bit too much wine on both our parts, I suppose."

"I should get back to my cottage, it is late." I say to her. She nods slightly, before opening and closing her mouth, seeming to debate on saying something.

"Thanks for tonight, it was nice." She finally says. I smile at her as I begin dressing. "Yes, it was nice." I say.

We finish dressing and part ways. I make my way to my cottage and lay down in bed, instantly breaking down into tears as I think on what I just did.

I don't want to hurt Aries, I love her, but not like that..

Please, dear goddess, don't let this ruin my friendship with Aries.. she's all I have in this world now..

End flash back

My eyes shoot open and I shove her away from me.

What have I done..?

"No, stop, this-this isn't what I want." I say shakily.

Aries looks hurt as she scoots away from me. "You act as if I forced you.." She says, the hurt evident in her voice.

"No, that's not what I'm saying, I mean, I-i don't know. I shouldn't have let you kiss me.. I'm sorry, Aries. I dont-I don't fucking know why I-"

"Because you do love me, Eden! I know you fucking do! And if that Reaper wouldn't have shown up I'd have you. You'd be mine." She says, looking at me intently.

My throat feels like it's going to close up and shut off my body's access to oxygen as I think on Aries words.

"I love Jericho." I state firmly.

"You might love him more, but that doesn't mean you don't still love me." She states. "Why can't you admit it?" She asks, sadness lacing her voice.

"I do love you Aries.. but you're right, I love Jericho more. I can't give you what you want. My heart belongs to Jericho." I say, knowing it's true.

Aries turns away from me before standing and walking away.

"I'm sorry.." She says without looking at me. "I'm sorry for everything.. I-i don't know what I'm doing.. I'm just running away. I'll always be running away. I had just selfishly hoped I'd be running with you.." She says before making her way to the door on the other side of the room.

"Aries..?" I call after her.

"You won't find me again. And if you do, our meeting will not be the same. I will not go easy on you and your mate. Don't look for me, Eden. Please." She says without turning to face me, her arm outstretched to the handle of the door.

"Please don't run any more.." I say softly to her.

She turns to face me as she replies. "So what? So the Reaper can send me to my father to do away with my soul? Or so you can kill me, and have another witch be given this power? Do you realize my fate will become another's?!" She screams at me.

"If I don't die, someone else will. Someone will always have to die." She says to me.

"I don't believe that, Aries.. I don't believe anyone has to die.. Not you, or anyone else.. let me help save you.. please.." My voice sounds shaky, and I realize I've started crying again.

She turns her back on me again, readying to leave the room. "You can't save me, Eden.. no one can." Her voice cracks as she speaks, letting me know she's also shedding tears.

"Don't look for me." Is the last thing Aries says to me as she turns the doorknob, effectively shattering the illusion I've been inside this whole time.

All at once Aries vanishes along with the room and all the things that inhabited it. The bowl of fruit is nowhere to be found, as I sit confused on the cave floor, no longer on a large bed.

I'm back in the mountains of Bathsheba.

I turn my eyes to Jericho, as he sits propped up against the cave wall with Ajal laying by his side.

"Jericho?" I'm up and running to his side, my eyes trail up and down his body searching for any harm, but there's nothing but a long jagged scar in its place.

My eyes flicker down to Ajal for a moment. "I'm fine, and he's recovered completely already, he's just keeping my sorry ass company as I had to sit and wait for Aries to be done with her little game." He grumbles out to me.

Could he..?

"I saw her kiss you." He states angrily. "But I also saw you push her away.. I heard what you said." He says while searching my eyes.

"I'm sorry.. I'm so sorry.. I didn't mean-I don't want her -Im sorry Jericho." I say, stumbling over my words as I cry at the realization Jericho was able to see and hear everything that happened. I was going to tell him, but I know it must have hurt to have to watch.

He looks away from me and down at Ajal. "I heard you tell her that your heart belonged to me." He says, looking up at me again.

"I meant it.. I really meant it." I say to him, knowing it's true.

Suddenly I'm on my back on the cold hard cave floor, but it all happened so quick and gently I barely noticed.

Jericho's on top of me, connecting his lips viciously to mine. The kiss isn't full of passion, nor love..

This kiss is dominating, it's possessive.

It's a reminder of who they belong to.

Who owns them.

I kiss him back, melting into his touch, pushing all thoughts of Aries escaping to the back of my mind for now.

He breaks away just slightly. "These," he says as he bites my lip hard with one of his extended canines, making me moan softly. "belong to me." He growls out.

Trailing his tongue across my bottom lip as he licks up the small drop of blood he drew, leaving a soothing feeling behind.
He suddenly stops, growing very still. He turns his head, looking around. "Where the fuck is Ajal?"

I look around and sure enough, Jericho's hellhound is nowhere in sight.

(Edited on 11/30/24)