Thank you Sherry and thank you to everyone that reviewed, I really appreciate it.

Edward.

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Watching Belladonna all day was becoming quite tiresome and I found my mind drifting to the first day I set eyes on her.

As Christianity spread to new areas, belief in the Devil went with it. Fear of the Devil was especially widespread during the witch hunts of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; and during this period, thousands of people were accused of being my helpers. Many of them were tortured and killed, and unbeknownst to the town, I would be right there watching from the sidelines, waiting to claim any stray believers, any lost souls.

A witch hunt would often start when something bad happened in a town, and people looked for someone to blame. Suspicion would usually focus on an unpopular or reclusive individual, someone who exhibited odd behavior. They would arrest this person and often use torture, they would gain a confession. The chaos that followed brought me great pleasure and people would become desperate. Some more than others.

It was during one these confessions and subsequent trials that I first saw her.

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Salem, Massachusetts. 1692.

Initial accusations were aimed at Proctor's third wife. When he began to defend her and vocally express his disbelief in the girl's; fingers were then pointed at him as well. Although Abigail Williams was John Proctor's chief accuser, he was also named by Mary Walcott, who stated he tried to choke her, and by his former servant Mary Warren. Further allegations of an increasingly salacious nature followed. Proctor continued to challenge the evidence and the validity of the Court of Oyer and Terminer, which led to a petition signed by thirty-two neighbors in his favor.

This petition was brought forward by the clergyman's daughter, much to his displeasure. Belladonna Cygne was a beautiful young woman and as soon as my eyes laid upon her I was enthralled; bewitched by this little flower, ripe for the picking. She was so spirited and strong-willed, and although she proved no help to Proctor. She did help spare the life of his wife and unborn child.

I spent the next couple of days watching Belladonna. She was single, which was unusual for a woman of her age. Most women had married and had started to reproduce well before reaching their twenty-second birthday.

I just needed to work out the best way to approach her.

Fortunately, for me it wasn't needed, and one day while I lay in the forest contemplating my next move she emerged from between the trees; book in hand.

"Please excuse my intrusion, sir." She gave a small curtsy, "I was not aware of your presence. I will leave you peacefully." Her head low, she turned to leave.

"No need to leave My Lady, there is enough room among this vast forest for the two of us." I sat up giving her my best smile, I was in my natural form, foregoing my usual disguises while I was alone. Good thing my wings were hidden, that was sure to scare her.

"I couldn't possibly impose, and it would be highly inappropriate of me to be alone in the forest with a man."

"What could possibly be inappropriate with two people spending some quiet time reading and contemplating the meaning of life?" I gave her a wider smile.

Her giggle filled the forest and her dainty hand came up to her mouth, muffling the sound. "And did you figure it out? The meaning of life. Did you gain any wisdom from your quiet time?"

"Unfortunately not, My Lady, but I did become friendly with the local wildlife." I held up my thumb and finger leaving a small gap between them. "I came this close to a deer."

Her gasp filled the space between us, her eyes darting around, hoping to see said deer. "Really?"

"Really." I stood, removing my cloak and placing it on the ground. "Please My Lady, would you do the greatest of honors and sit with me for a short while. I would so enjoy some company. I am new to town you see, and have not had the chance to make any acquaintances."

She smiled, and just like I knew she would, she took pity on my lonely predicament and moved to sit upon my cloak.

"Thank you kind sir, my name is Belladonna Cygne." She held her gloved hand out to me.

I had to think fast, I couldn't exactly introduce myself as Satan. Thinking back to three days ago when I heard her talk to her friend about gentlemen's names, I remembered her commenting that Edward was a favorite of hers.

Grasping her hand, I lifted it up to my lips, placing a soft kiss upon it, "My name is Edward." I was thankful that she didn't comment on my lack of surname.

"Would you like to share my book?" She held the book up, it was a book of poetry, something that didn't really interest me much.

I shook my head, "I am fine. Although, I wouldn't mind hearing your pretty voice read to me." I tried to reach her mind, but for some reason it was blocked, her mind was silent.

A blush appeared on her cheeks, she had the face of an angel, and when she started to read I quickly realized she had a voice of an angel also.

I am going to have so much fun with this one.

Our meetings became a regular occurrence, she would read and I would listen. We grew closer and my feelings for her became stronger.

What I thought was going to be some fun, quickly became real. I started to claim Belladonna as my own in my thoughts, and once I did gain some insight into her mind, I quickly realized she did the same, to her, I was her Edward.

Every so often her mind would allow me small glimpses of what she was thinking. It was really quite pleasurable, and her thoughts endeared me to her even more. This little woman had woven her way into my heart, gripping tightly, and refusing to let go. I may be damned, but I never stood a chance against her charm.

She still didn't know who I was, and this was going to pose a problem. While she didn't condemn anyone for their choices, whether they be witches or not, I feared she would condemn me when she learned my true nature.

Would she be so willing to accept me into her heart once she learned my true identity?

She had told no one of our meetings. I gathered from her mind that she was afraid her father would find out and forbid her from seeing me. I was her secret, a secret she would keep for herself.

And I would allow her to keep her secret, at least for now.

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I watched her leave the library; tonight I will speak to her again. Her dreams had always been open to me, and tomorrow I shall approach her, I wasn't a patient man and I wanted her now.