'Eey-ore, Eey-ore, Eey-ore'
I stood in my kitchen as Kenzi played with the donkey toy my brother brought her for her birthday, incessantly giggling at the various noises it would emit each time she smacked it against the floor. Two months had passed quickly since I left the hospital and things had been getting better, Myself and Anthony had never been happier and I could finally accept that the things I saw that night were merely delusions. I owed all of this progress to Bo Dennis more than anyone, I could finally accept the woman I saw that night was just a figment of my imagination.
Anthony's cologne reached my nose before I felt his arms snake around my waist, I finished cutting up pieces of fruit in time for the arrival of the rest of the children from Kenzi's play group. The stubble from his face brushed against my neck, he moved the thick rimmed glasses that sat on the top of his nose to his forehead and planted kisses underneath my ear, "I love you." he whispered.
I smiled and playfully slapped his arm "You always seem to love me a little more when my mom is coming over." I said with a knowing grin. He raised his hands in defeat and scratched the side of his chin, "I'm not saying that I don't like your mother, in fact I'd argue that I love her more than anyone." he chimed. "Oh really?" I replied.
"I think you'll find there is no greater definition of 'Love' than picking someone up from the airport at 3.30AM and listening to them talk incessantly about different shades of the same colour of paint for two hours. Two hours Lisa. Please can I go see the guys for a beer?" he whined. "I'll be half an hour and I can grab anything we need on the way back?" His pleas continued.
"Fine" I relented "just grab a melon for the fruit salad and maybe a few carrots for Kenzi's new donkey." I laughed as I pointed towards the toy Kenzi was now pushing into the wall, her tiny hands balled into fists as she laughed at the animatronic contraption.
"Sure, I'll be back soon." he paused and looked down to our giggling daughter as the familiar look of anxiety crossed his face. "Lisa, you'll be okay here alone for half an hour won't you?" he asked.
This was always the part I hated, the doubt. The part where he didn't trust me alone with my own child. "Of course" I snapped, "you know I'm recovered, I don't want us to ever speak of the last few months again. I'm better now and that's the way it's going to stay, forever." I said with an air of finality that dared him to question me.
His worried face broke into a slight smile as he sighed and kissed my temple, "Love you babe, I'll be home soon." he said, thoroughly reassured from my response.I turned back to my chopping board, the sound of the front door closing jolted Kenzi from her continuous laughter as she toddled across the open planned laminate to investigate the noise.
"She's growing up so fast huh?" I turned around with the knife still gripped in my hand as the all too familiar vision of my nightmares sat at the breakfast bar, leather jacket and all.
She kept her back turned to me as she looked on towards Kenzi who continued to toddle across the laminated floor towards the living area. Her flowing white hair fell down her spine as her slim figure twisted in the chair to face me. "Hi Lisa, how have you been?" she grinned.
My hand clutched tighter around the knife and trembled as I held my stare, afraid that if I looked away she'd edge closer towards Kenzi. My other hand reached into the draw behind me as I looked for the medication Miss Dennis had prescribed me, finally finding the bottle and fiddling with my nervous grip to remove the lid as she tapped her nails against my marble finish counter, never breaking her stare.
"The tablets won't get rid of me." she taunted. "Miss Dennis said that you would say that, she said that you would try to reinforce negative behaviour." I repeated as I recited Bo's words.
"Relax Paranoia-Patty, I'm not here to make you burn your house down just yet." she said with a disinterested tone, "In fact I'm not here for you at all." the familiar syrupy sweet smile decorated her face before she turned to my babbling toddler again, staring at her with adoration.
She cooed towards my baby and it seemingly caught Kenzi's attention, she crawled over with intent towards the white haired, blue eyed lath of a woman who sat at the breakfast bar with a massive grin plastered across her chubby cheeks, I wondered how it was possible for Kenzi to see her too, her donkey clutched in her hand bleating animatronic donkey noises as she babbled in the direction of my PTSD induced apparition.
"She's not real, she-isn't-real." I repeated in my internal monologue.
"Oh, yes I am." She responded whilst facing away from me, rising from the stool to sit on her knees and play with the donkey in Kenzi's squidgy little fist, much to my little girl's joy.
"Look at your pretty hair Kenz, aren't you just the prettiest princess!" She said with the familiar syrupy voice that now made my blood run cold. "People have told stories about your big smile for thousands and thousands of years you know." she added, and In that moment for the first time she almost, almost sounded human.
Her voice back to it's sugary sweet high octave hiding the evil beneath as she continued to play with my toddler. I gripped the knife in my hand a little harder, it was now or never. I could sink the blade right into her pale flesh and finish this, finish her.
"Either she'll disappear forever or they'll realise I wasn't crazy after all." I mused. My stomach began to tremble as she continued to sit on her knees turned away from me, playing with Kenzi as the 'fight or flight mode' people frequently talk about finally kicked in and adrenalin rushed through my body.
I raised the blade, it's pointed end bearing down ready to take her out on my command as she sat a mere metre away from my daughter, I breathed in a deep breathe quietly and felt the beads of sweat gather on my brow as I took a step closer, ready to sink the metallic edge into her.
My hand brought the blade down upon her before she turned with lightening quick reflexes and grabbed my hand, pushing me backwards into the wall as she flew at me, shock overcame my senses as I took in the change in her appearance.
Her soft, youthful pale features were replaced by horrifyingly unnatural sullen cheeks and eyes, her irises were impossibly black. They felt like the tip of a blowtorch penetrating my soul, like all of the joy and happiness had been sucked out of my heart as she held the stare. Her lath frame pinned me with unfathomable strength stopping any attempt at escape as I stood like a deer in headlights, dropping the knife on the floor. She bore her teeth at me before stretching and spreading the wings that had appeared from her back, before she returned back to her human appearance as if nothing had happened.
"Take that as a warning - if you ever threaten me again, I will burn your soul from your bones and feed your corpse to the crows in Hell, are we clear?" she said with an icy cool tone.
"Crystal." I managed through a stutter.
"Birdie!" Kenzi squealed in delight as I turned to realise she'd seen the entire thing unfold, "Maybe I'm not crazy, maybe this is really happening." I thought. "What a clever little girl you are Kenz." I heard the woman opposite me begin to baby babble again as she stepped towards Kenzi to continue playing. I thought about what she said the night I was taken away as her words circled and circled inside my head. "If you're not the Devil, what are you then?" I asked as I finally managed to string a sentence together, she turned to face me as a smile lit up her face that was so wide I could practically see my reflection in her teeth. "I'm the inevitable, I am darkness." she said with an unnerving stare. "What could you possibly want with my daughter, she's just a baby." I replied.
"I am darkness." she repeated herself again.
"Did you not hear what I asked?"
"And she is light." she continued.
I stood perplexed to what she said before I heard the familiar key in the door lock. "Don't blow things out of proportion like you did last time, wouldn't want too see you carted off to Bedlam again." she finished with a monotonous, bored tone before taking a seat at the breakfast bar, looking over contently at Kenzi playing.
"Oh damn, I forgot the watermelon. Do you want me to go to the store?" Anthony asked as he walked obliviously past that thing to peck me on the cheek, his hands caressing my sides as I closed my eyes and pressed my face against his chest. "Is there something wrong?" he asked, "No" I replied "it's just going to be a long day."
he let out half a chuckle and stroked my long dark curls, "I'm sure you'll manage with the kids, how much trouble can four, under-six year olds cause anyway?" he teased.
"Buddy, I really don't think it's the kids she's worried about."
"Shut up." I spat. Anthony pulled away from me, a look of confusion crossing his spectacle rimmed eyes as he furrowed his brow, unable to register the blonde's presence "What has gotten into you?" he asked quietly, I shook my head "Nothing, I'm sorry. I'm just stressed, I want Kenzi's birthday to be perfect." I forced a faux-smile that seemed to convince him.
"Okay well I'm going to set up the back - why don't you just take a break for a little while?" Anthony suggested as I considered it for a moment, 'maybe I just need some sleep' I thought in agreement as he pressed his lips to my forehead then disappeared into the garden.
The calming silence washed over me as I heard the patio door close gently behind him, I breathed a sigh of relief. Then the oddness struck me, silence. No taunting insults, no syrupy sweet baby babble and I couldn't feel the suffocating air of hopelessness that seemed to follow her. I turned my head to the side optimistically, hoping that my gaze would be met with just the sight of my empty kitchen.
She was still there but something was different about her now, she sat in silence at the breakfast bar, staring down at Kenzi who in turn was staring back up at her with focus and concentration far intenser than the capabilities of a twelve month old baby, like they were having the deepest of discussions. "a-am-a-am-am" Kenzi began to babble whilst staring at the creature above her, her little forehead furrowing in uncertainty.
My legs couldn't carry me over quick enough as my arm swooped down to pull her away to safety, whilst I didn't trust that thing remotely, there was always an unexplainable aura about her, paradoxical in it's nature that gave off the impression that she was physically incapable of harming a hair on Kenzi's head, that Kenzi was somehow involved in her life in a way that I could never understand. I was pulled away by these thoughts as I felt Kenzi's little arms stretch out in the opposite direction of my body "Am-am-Tam." she whimpered whilst looking on innocently at the inherent evil across the room, reaching out with her sticky little hands like I'd taken away her favourite toy.
The blonde rose from the breakfast bar and walked over towards us, I don't know if it was a result of her influence but I couldn't move, not like I was glued to the floor but like I was balancing precariously on something very narrow and if I moved I'd fall into an abyss. Irrational fear drowning my mind as her steps grew closer and closer until she lifted Kenzi from my arms and held her up as if examining something, turning her small body in her hands whilst she looked her over, evidently unsure of how to hold a baby as she grasped firmly round her little pot belly whilst Kenzi's own hand touched the space between the pale woman's nose and cheek, I froze. Unable to decipher why she was examining my child.
Until I realised, she wasn't examining her, she was just frightened.
Her hands moved to different positions as she tried to work out the best position to hold her in, her hands sitting underneath her armpits whilst Kenzi's legs dangled in mid air, before returning back to holding her extended belly as she tried to act as natural as possible.
"So is that your name, Tam?" I asked with a quiver in my voice, "I guess so." she stared intently at my daughter "I have many names, Tamsin is what most people call me." she answered, still trying to work out the best way to hold her. "Put your hand on her butt and your other hand on her back" I whispered as my words drew her gaze over to me, her icy blue eyes meeting my large brown orbs through strands of the pure white hair I had come to recognize her by. "Thank you." she said earnestly before following my suggestion as Kenzi continued to stare at her before Tamsin whispered something in the same language she spoke the day she saved her.
"What are you saying? It sounds like Norwegian, my grandparents were born there but I never learned the language." I asked her. She turned to me with sincerity, for the first time in fact. "A very, very old story about the wolf who went hungry to spare the doe." she said with an earnest smile. "Why don't you say it in English?" I replied. "Some stories are supposed to stay the way they were originally told." she added with a shy smile. I pondered what she said as my daughter looked up at her adoringly.
"You have put me in a position no mother should ever be put in, I have seventeen more years with my daughter before I have to give her up and I don't want you involved in the little precious time I have with her." I growled with concern. Her gaze faltered ever so slightly as she contemplated what I said, swallowing as she looked at the chubby, wriggling toddler in her hands who stared back at her with adoration. "It's hard to fathom, I know that, but this is something so much bigger than you Lisa." she replied with a slight frown.
"Does this mean I'm supposed to just put up with you coming in my home uninvited whenever you like? I don't know who you are, or more importantly what you are, but you don't scare me." I said with unconvincing bravo as she paid me barely any attention, preferring to coo over Kenzi instead. "Lisa my time is precious, I don't have enough of it to concern myself with scaring humans, that's never been my intention." she muttered, passing me Kenzi back as she straightened the black leather waterfall jacket Kenzi's kicking legs had ruffled, back down her stomach. "Why can we see you and no one else can?" I puzzled, bouncing Kenzi on my hip as she gurgled absent mindedly. "It's a long story, the short version goes something like this, I'm not mortal... The end." she answered dryly.
"You won't ever answer a question straight? I've got liquor that looks older than you, how can you possibly 'not be mortal'!" I protested. "Okay, firstly what kind of liquor are we talking about?" She raised her eyebrow "Secondly, I'm old enough to have been the lifeguard on duty when Noah's ark set sail. One day you will find out who I am and what all of this is but if you were to know now, your consciousness would turn into a vacuum and suck you in like a fuckin' black hole. I'm doing you a public service, really." She snapped as I took my hand away from Kenzi's ear, "I don't want you in my home -let's get that much straight- but whilst you're here, we're trying not to use foul language around the baby, wash your mouth out for Christ sake." I admonished her.
The light tap at the front door signalled the arrival of guests as I rolled my eyes at the terrible timing, "shit." I exclaimed. "No cussing around the baby remember?" She taunted as she took a seat at the breakfast bar, fixing her hair and the way her top fell across her body as she sat down. "I don't know why you're so transfixed on your appearance it's not like anyone can see you." I muttered before answering the knocks at the door.
"Where is the birthday girl!?" the loud shouts greeted me as Tina, Debbie and their husbands stepped inside carrying beautifully wrapped gifts that I knew Kenzi would scream in delight at tearing open, their children scampered through the door to join Kenzi playing with the toys that were scattered across my living room floor and from what I could see, much to Tamsin's delight as her lips curled into a smile watching Kenzi giggle away and play with the other children.
I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders as Anthony bounded over to greet everyone, alleviating some of the pressure of entertaining my friends, whilst that thing sat at my breakfast bar watching us. "Congratulations on your first anniversary of parenthood." Tina's red lipsticked lips grew into a grin and the floral perfume she always wore filled my nose as she presented us with a bottle of wine, I ushered everyone the short distance to the open planned kitchen as I feigned interest looking at the label. 'eurgh, I hate red wine.' I thought, plastering a smile across my face and thanking her and her husband Joe profusely. "Always more of a 'Champagne kind of girl' myself." Tamsin replied dryly, I didn't even think before muttering, "Are you sure you're even old enough to drink?"
"Excuse me?" Tina replied with a look of confusion, I could feel Anthony's deep blue eyes burning into me as I paused on a baited breath trying to think of a cover, suddenly aware that the only people who could see or hear that thing, was myself and a babbling one year-old. "I er-" I paused for a brief second before giving her a wide grin, "I said Tina, are you even old enough to drink? I would offer you both a glass but I'll need to see some I.D ladies, you don't look over twenty-one." I joked as I felt Anthony breathe a silent breath of relief, both of the women in front of me gave similar giggles and bashful smiles. "Good save McGuyver!" Tamsin winked and gave me a sarcastic thumbs up as I moved everyone towards the living room to play hostess.
Before I even had a chance to sit down, Anthony, Joe and Stephen excused themselves to set up the barbecue, leaving me to entertain my friends as Debbie finished telling us in great detail all about her summer down in Key West. "So that's when I said to Stephen, I said to him 'if you're going to just go and buy a god damn condo in Key West without talking to me about it, I don't need to ask you permission for a $200 haircut.' and so that's how I ended up with the new hairdo and a vacation home!" she said enthusiastically as she stroked down the thick Olivia Newton-John style perm over her bright pink silk shirt, her larger than life Long-Island twang always seemed to add more humour to her stories.
"Lisa is this a birthday party or a wake? Where's the music?" Tina asked, I shook my head as it occurred to me I hadn't even bothered putting music on yet, "I'll put some music on-" before I could finish my sentence the familiar voice hollered back to me from the kitchen, "Don't worry, I've got it." I turned to see Tamsin still seated at the breakfast bar watching us all, she clicked her fingers and the stereo came to life, blaring out Blondie.
"Oh my god." Debbie exclaimed, "Stephen! Stephen get in here! Stephen!" She ran and shouted through the patio doors, almost tripping over her kitten heels as Tina looked on equally surprised, even the children stopped their babble at the far end of the room to see the fuss. Panic rose in my throat and I felt sweat begin to gather on my brow as I played through different scenarios in my mind on how I would explain this, each one ending worse than the one before.
Our husbands trailed back in the house like ducklings in a line following Debbie to see the commotion, she stood in the centre of the room pointing towards the stereo that sat on the sideboard dramatically and I half expected her to accuse me of being a heretic there and then. "Stephen!" she paused to catch her breath, "The stereo is voice activated, we have to have one! It's like something out of the Twilight Zone! Stereo. Louder." she commanded slowly as she looked on expectantly at the sound system, slack jawed.
My forehead furrowed and I sat clueless as to what would happen, before I heard the familiar dry laugh echo behind me in the kitchen. "I'm sorry, I can't- I just can't- you humans are like dumb puppies." out of nowhere Tamsin's voice boomed through the stereo speaker, "Action confirmed, increasing volume to thirty percent. Now playing: 'Where Did Our Love Go by The Supremes." she said in a faux-smooth robotic voice over the piano intro of the all too familiar song.
"Oh my fuckin' god, the future is here Joe. Did you see that? Did you see that?! Thank-you-Mrs-Stereo." Tina repeated, leaning in close and tapping the metal with her long red talons as she elongated each syllable, thanking it. "You're welcome." Tamsin replied through the speaker, struggling to stave off laughter. "Why are you thanking the thing? it's a machine!" her husband puzzled behind his thick, bushy mustache and rimmed glasses. "Where are your manners? What? Were you born in a fuckin' barn or something?" Tina puzzled in return with a thick Brooklyn accent as Joe raised his hand in defeat, "All I'm saying is you don't thank the oven when your food comes out cooked." he muttered in a similarly deep accent, "Yeah and you don't thank me when I putchya' damn food on the table, asshole." she answered before sitting back down, turning to wave at the children who played at the bottom of the room before taking a sip of her wine and lighting a cigarette.
"What did you pay for a stereo like that Tony?" Joe asked looking towards my husband, it's times like this I thank whatever god there is that Anthony -bless his soul- is as uninterested in the modern world as he is, much preferring just to read a book or go fishing up on the lake than watch television or listen to pop music. "You'd have to ask Lisa, I don't care for that junk." he brushed off before returning to continue fighting a battle of wits with the barbecue, Stephen who was equally as disinterested in all the commotion joining him.
"I er-" I paused before swallowing a sip of my own wine, "I bought it at Radioshack."
My answer seemed to satisfy him as he left back through the patio door to help the rest of the men with the barbecue, Debbie and Tina soon forgot about the stereo incident as soon as they saw the familiar faces of the ladies from playgroup enter my open front door wishing happy birthdays to Kenzi with their own little ones. The small pile of presents on the dining room table growing as they came and joined our inner sanctum of wine and conversations of whether Jane Fonda or jazzercise' workout tapes are better for losing post-baby pounds.
An hour or so past before Anthony poked his head through the door excitedly to tell us the food was nearly done as a sea of hungry moms passed through the patio, leaving Debbie and I to carry out all of the salad and sides. "I would help, but after earlier I think I've already done enough." Tamsin stated as she swivelled on the stool to follow my path through the kitchen, I purposely ignored her and carried the multiple trays outside as the clown we hired finally arrived to entertain the children, until it was apparent half of them were horrified by his garish make-up and cowered behind their parents legs, until he coaxed them out with balloon animals and magic tricks as they gathered round to watch with curiosity, giving us enough time to bring the presents outside for Kenzi to rip open, she was too young to really grasp the concept of birthday gifts but she most certainly loved ripping the paper.
Everyone sat around and enjoyed the food and conversation as the children played in the garden, before joining their parents to watch Kenzi open her presents. Tamsin stood far enough away from the table not to be a constant intrusion but close enough to see what was going on, Kenzi sat on Anthony's lap as we opened the presents with her one by one, in all honesty she seemed completely disinterested with the gifts and more concerned with the wrapping paper as the task fell upon me to profusely thank people for their presents, although I don't quite understand what Tina was thinking when she bought Kenzi a bicycle, she'd only just managed to master the skill of crawling. "You can never start too early with kids these days, today she crawls, tomorrow she rides." Tina surmised, puffing away on her cigarette as Debbie nodded along in agreement.
Although, everyone's compliments for the birthday cake Debbie had baked were well deserved, noises of satisfaction leaving everyones lips as they tasted the icing, she went into great detail about the special vanilla she used that you can only get in Spain as the children grew antsy wanting to continue playing, until I spotted one last unopened card, I could have of swore it wasn't there before.
Anthony opened the card as Kenzi clasped her little hands around the envelope and shook it violently,
"Little Lion, it was the best one I could find on such short notice.
There's a surprise for you in the front yard, Happy Birthday, T."
Anthony passed me the kicking toddler before going to investigate the mystery surprise as the adults around the table asked me what it could be and who the gift was from, "I'm not sure, it doesn't have a name." I said, but I knew who it was, she was sat on an upturned bucket waving at Kenzi and pulling the most absurd of faces less than a few metres away, hidden in plain sight.
"Honey, I don't think you're going to like this." Anthony yelled over the fence as he unlatched the back gate, pulling a donkey behind him, a real life donkey. "Isn't that just adorable!" Tina screamed, "Someone got her a donkey for the afternoon!"
I turned to face Tamsin, lowering my voice as everyone looked on in bemusement at the donkey that was stood idly on my patio. "Please tell me that donkey is just for the afternoon?" I asked through gritted teeth, she gave me a look of disinterest as if I'd interrupted her, "The donkey isn't expected back at any specific time." she mused.
Kenzi screamed with delight as she caught sight of the donkey, leaning out with her arms stretched as Anthony picked her up to take her closer as the children gathered around, petting it. "It must be someone on your side of the family Lisa, we don't have anyone whose name begins with 'T' in mine." Anthony observed, picking the children up to sit on the donkey's back as he lead it around the garden, I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes as it occurred to me that this was real, there was no possibility of it being a figment of my imagination anymore.
The afternoon went past quickly as I sat in a daze, nearly everyone had bid their goodbyes and gone home except for Tina and Debbie and their families, we sat in the living room as the afternoon wind cooled the air outside, the men chose to potter around with the tool shed outside to try and create some suitable temporary shelter for the donkey that was now residing in my yard until we could find him a better home. "What a bizarre gift." Tina commented, leaning back on the sofa, staring at the donkey that was lying on the patio looking back her with equal interest.
A light tap at the door distracted me as I called for them to come in, expecting one of our playgroup friends to have forgotten a jacket. "I'm so sorry I'm late, I was caught up seeing a patient but I just wanted to swing by and bring Kenzi a gift." the chirpy voice replied as she stepped into the living room, "Miss Dennis! How are you?" I said with enthusiasm as I tried to hide the anxiety that she'd take one look at me and know I could see visions of Tamsin watching over Kenzi, but something was different about Tamsin now, her defenses were up. She moved around the playpen like she was guarding my baby who sat playing with her donkey toy blissfully unaware. "Don't let her near Kenzi, Lisa."
I ignored her voice as I gestured for her to step into the living room "Please Lisa, call me Bo!" she grinned as I introduced her to Debbie and Tina, "Pleasure to meet you ladies." she smiled with charm, before I could offer her a seat Joe and Stephen stepped into the house, sweat on their brows from building the makeshift donkey shelter which Anthony continued to battle with. "Hate to break up the fun ladies but we need to get home, football starts soon." Stephen huffed as he pushed his sweat laden hair back, "It was lovely to meet you both." Bo commented as they gathered their children and gave me a hug, "It was nice to meet you to Doc." Debbie shook her hand before they left through the back gate, leaving us alone in the living room.
"Can I get you a drink, maybe a coffee Bo?" I asked as she sat on the sofa. "Oh, I'm good thanks, where's little Kenzi?"
"Be gone from this home succubus, you have no place near this child." Tamsin growled, her voice taking a threatening tone as her eyes turned into that horrifying shade of black, her wings spread around the playpen protecting it.
"I erm-, she's tired." I said "she's so worn out from today we're just putting her down for a nap." I made up the excuse in the hopes she'd drop the subject but she didn't, "You're seeing visions of her again, aren't you Lisa?" she asked with a sad frown.
"No! Oh god no Miss Dennis, not for months now!" I laughed as the overwhelming urge to please her crept up on me, Tamsin chanted something in that old language before unleashing a lion's roar in frustration, "Lisa, she can see me just as much as you can, she knows I'm here, she's trying to take Kenzi away from the both of us, not just you." she tried to reason with me from her defensive stance as I looked nervously at the playpen. "You welcomed her into your home Lisa, she's on unaligned ground claiming sanctum, I can't attack her here, she knows that."
"Lisa what are you staring at?" Bo asked me as she shuffled in her chair, "Nothing." I whispered. "You know, you've been doing so great Lisa, it would break my heart to have to recommend you be kept as an in-patient again." she said, sorrow tinting her voice. "These visions of Tamsin aren't asking you to do things are they?" she asked, reaching out and touching my arm.
The familiar feeling of warmth and safety coursed through my veins as I succumed to the disorientation and pleasure, I could hear voices around me but it was like I was under water.
"So, Tamsin. Surprising to see you here." Bo said through a sarcastic grin, "Isn't there a leg somewhere you should be humping Succu-slut?" Tamsin quipped back, her wings unmoving as she guarded Kenzi from the Fae in front of her. "She has the right to choose for herself, you can't just claim someone's soul." Bo surmised through gritted teeth, her eyes threateningly flashing blue. "You have no idea what you're talking about, she's not just a 'soul' - my many lives have all been leading me to her, she is special." Tamsin tried to reason with the brunette, turning her head as she resorted to using her powers. "You might have half of the Fae world running around calling you the chosen one, but don't you ever forget your place Succuslut. I am Death, you might drain the chi of the living but your powers hold no reverence over me. You're here because I allow you to live, or rather I won't afford you the privilege of death." Tamsin growled, "You see, all I heard - was that you're dead." Bo spat back, ready to attack. "I don't think you want to do that, you don't want to attack, you want to leave as soon as possible." Tamsin suggestively spoke as her eyes irresistible drew Bo in and casted doubt over her soul.
I finally came around, unsure of what I was daydreaming about as the warm sensation finally moved away from me. "Bo are you okay?" I asked as she shook like a leaf, muttering to herself slightly as she touched the side of her head. "I'm fine - I think." she spoke. "I need to go, there's some stuff I need to do." she mumbled again as she speedily walked towards the door.
"Do not return Hel-Daughter." Tamsin spat as she arched her wings, carefully retracting them moments after Bo left.
My concerns quickly shifted to Kenzi as I wondered whether she was aware of Tamin hovering over her playpen - but then I heard the soft giggles of my daughter and her inquisitive voice yell "Birdie."
Tamsin smiled and bent down to stroke the fine hair on her head, "That's right Kenzi, birdie! Aren't you a clever girl." she grinned.
"Kenzi is a very special baby" Tamsin mused as she turned back to face me "she needs me around to protect her." I shook my head and raised my hand to halt her. "I don't want to know. I don't want to know what you're going to say, she's my sweet, innocent baby and I don't want you around her. You're the devil." I stated with no room for discussion.
"It's better if you don't know some things, but I can assure you - I am not the devil" she promised with honest eyes, "I am sworn to protect her, whilst she is too young to protect herself. She is the-" I interrupted her before she could finish. "I don't want to see you." I growled "Just because you're good to Kenzi doesn't make you a good person, you're poisonous." I spat. "If a creature can only enter by invitation how the fuck are you still standing? I've never, ever invited you into this home?" I asked before she returned to her stoic demeanor, using the same refrain she used when we first met, before nodding towards Kenzi. "No, but she did."
"Kenzi was still a newborn baby the first time you came, she still can't speak." I argued, which caused her to roll her eyes like I was some kind of idiot. "Just because she can't communicate them yet, doesn't mean she doesn't have wants and needs."
I felt myself biting my lip hard as I restrained myself from launching at her and dragging her out of the house by those long white locks, she must of sensed where my thoughts were leading, she cocked her head and stared at me, as if she was sizing me up.
"As you wish, but make no mistake you will see me again before her 18th birthday, in case you haven't noticed she needs me around." she smirked, before vanishing into a portal of light similar to how she first left, poof, gone in a moment.
I closed my eyes, my stomach trembling as I wondered what in god's name I had done to deserve all of this, before the quiet click of the patio door told me I wasn't alone in the room anymore. "Hey, there's no need to keep worrying, you did fantastic today." Anthony smiled as he rubbed his hands up and down my back. "I think the donkey will be just fine for a night or two until I can get a truck to take it up to Tom's, you remember my cousin Tom? We went to his wedding? Tom has a farm out there, he'll take the donkey." he said.
I forced a smile, turning in his arms to face him as I pushed my fingers through his thick dark hair, "I love you Anthony, you know that don't you?" the need to feel close to him overwhelmed me, "Of course I do honey, Kenzi's passed out, why don't we just go upstairs - lay down and just be. Things have been so crazy the last few days." he offered with a sigh, raising his hands to clasp my own as his lips met my wrist. "I think I'd like that Tony." I agreed.
