CHAPTER SEVEN

Lexa’s POV

He dropped me off. I wondered how the same person could be a jerk and a gentleman. I was so free with Elliot. It was as if I’ve known him for more than a lifetime. I knew it wasn’t normal. He had this familiar aura all around him.

Anytime we talked, it felt like we were completing an uncompleted discussion we left years ago. Besides, I found him to be funny and sweet. These last hours of our life together sparked something that had never ignited before.

The feeling wasn’t new but it was stronger than anything I’d ever felt. His voice was a song to my ears. A minute won’t pass by that I wouldn’t look down to his lips. And those muscles of his, he wanted to drive me crazy!

Not thoughtless of his magnificent smile. I can’t forget his extraordinary beauty. Never.

“Are you okay, Alexa? You’ve been staring at me for a while now.”

I blinked to life. “No, I wasn’t. I-I was looking at something else.”

“Are you sure? Because you’re really close to me right now.”

I slowly drew myself from him and took a sigh. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I’d never act so awkward because of a guy. And the feelings, were strong.

“I want to thank you for the lift and for tonight and for the dress. Everything’s really nice.”

“I knew you’d like it.”

“That’s what I don’t understand. How do you know I’d like it?”

He snickered. “Just a hunch. Nothing more.”

“Right?”

“I also want to say sorry for today. I can be a jerk sometimes.”

I nodded. “True.” I wanted to bring a topic, a topic that may deter my relationship with him but I didn’t hesitate. “Why do people call you the devil?”

His eyes widened. For a second, I saw his eyes turn red. <Red eyes. I’ve seen those before, but where?>

He held the steering wheel tighter. “I think you should leave.”

Uh oh. You did it Lexa. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

“Out! Get out!”

I saw so terrified. I jumped down the car. He zoomed off in a matter of seconds. 

“What did you do, Lexa?”

I bit my fingers and rushed inside the house. 

When I switched on the lights, my mum was on the chair, watching me, with a smile on her face. “You seem terrified. Is everything okay?”

“Did you wait up for me? You shouldn’t have. You need your beauty sleep.”

“How was the party?”

She was eager to know. 

“It was great. My boss dropped me if you want to ask about that.”

“Thank God he did. It isn’t right for a beautiful lady like you to walk the streets of Olia alone. He’s such a gentleman.”

I remembered the fight we had at the end of the dinner. I shouldn’t have said that but what’s done is done. I was glad that tomorrow was my off day. 

I just wanted to sleep. “<A gentleman indeed.> Come on, mum. Let me put you to sleep.”

“I remember the days when I’d do that for you. You’d always put up a fight before bedtime.”

I smiled. My smile went down when I figured out why she brought back old memories. She would leave soon. She wanted to return the happy memories we once had.

“I love you, mum.”

“I love you too, baby.”

Lot’s POV

I was at the outskirts of the town and I was not happy at all. Her words provoked me. 

For 547 years, I spent my days wondering why she didn’t want me. Why she preferred to kill herself than have me. Today, I realized.

It was because of what I was. No one could love me, not even her. The only thing that made her want me was the effect of the mark. It angered me. 

People say that about me everyday but hearing it from her, boiled me up. I was burning in rage. No one could see me there. I could transform.

I couldn’t control the anger residing in me. Lot wanted to reveal himself.

The reason why I made everyone but Alexa call me by my inner devil’s name because Lot controlled me most of the time. When I’m not in control, the pain and sadness in me disappears. It kept me sane.

When Alexa came back, so did I. Lot wasn’t really happy about being kept in. 

Lot came out.

Two red horns.

Razor sharp fingernails.

Bloodshot eyes.

A long spiky tail.

Lot was out.

The first thing he did was pick up the car and throw it into the forest. Later, he ran into it, looking for human blood…

Lexa’s POV

It was another cool Sunday morning. I always see the kids on Sunday. I checked the time. Miss Rica would have started the Sunday school lesson. At my first year in the orphanage, the Sunday school was pretty lame and boring.

It was one fateful day when I realized that Sunday school was more like story time. And I loved story time. I understood that learning about the bible wasn’t boring. It’s like roasted chicken packed up with delicious stuffing. 

I was anxious to see the kids. They always reminded me of my childhood in the orphanage. Though, I was thirteen when I was brought to the orphanage. It still felt like the most important part of my life was spent in the orphanage.

Miss Rica was like a mum to me. She taught me everything a mum would teach her growing daughter. From the first day I met her, we had a connection. I always knew we were gonna be good friends.

My mind went to yesterday night. I felt really bad about what I did to Elliot. I wouldn’t like being called the devil either. I decided to stop by the mansion today. 

Ana wouldn’t be around but Wendy would. 

I reached the gate of the orphanage and entered. Just as I suspected, Miss Rica was outside in the garden, along with the kids.

They were on the floor with each a bible in hand. I could tell from Miss Rica’s face that she had drifted from her preaching.

As soon as they turned to me, the kids ran to give me a great squeeze.

“Aunty Lexa, are you here for Sunday school,” Kim asked with the cutest face.

“No, darling. I have to be somewhere. I just came to check in.”

I didn’t want to bust their bubbles but it was the best thing to do. 

“Will you visit soon, then?” Camille pouted.

“I will. I need to borrow Miss Rica for a moment. What’d you say? Also, I brought something for each of you.”

Their smiles returned. “What is it?” they asked in unison.

That was when everyone saw the bag in my hands. They were excited to see me that they saw nothing but me. 

“I bought chocolate for everyone.”

The kids screamed in happiness as I gave everyone a bar of chocolate. 

Miss Rica walked up to me and whispered in my ear, “<where did you get the money for this?>” She turned to the kids. “Sit and eat your mouthy chocolate while I talk with Aunty Lexa inside.” Miss Rica dragged me in and closed the doors. “Where did you jump up the money from?”

“I found a job and they’re paying well. Isn’t that awesome?”

She smiled. “You bet it is. I’m ecstatic for you. Sit.”

I sat down and started the real conversation. “You really should have told me.”

“You know your momma. She made me swear.”

“I don’t know what I’ll do without her. She’s the reason I’m living.” 

Miss Rica placed her hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry. We’re here for you.”

“I just had to talk about it to someone. If I tried to talk about it to my mum, we’d end up in tears.”

“Two of you were always emotional fools.”

I cried and laughed. “I know.”

“We never really understand our purpose in life but one thing is for sure.”

I turned to her, wiping my tears. “What’s that?”

“We were born to die.”

Rica’s POV

I escorted Lexa out of the orphanage. 

I wanted the children to enjoy every piece of the chocolate as they only have it once in a while. I gave them a verse to memorize and went inside the orphanage. The prophecy was coming true.

I took a short walk down memory lane.

<flashback>

I saw him. I didn’t know what he was doing to Alexa. I could spot him all the way from the palace window. 

He was watching Lexa… but why? I couldn’t see anything from up there and in addition, I didn’t have good eyesight.

I ran down the palace of jabs in an attempt to get her. That’s when I saw her in his hands. I stopped in my tracks and hid somewhere, watching what he would do.

He looked around him, acting like he wanted to do something suspicious. I looked down to Alexa and saw her turning pink. She sniffed a pink jasmine.

I wanted to turn and call for help but I still waited to see what would happen.

He kissed her. It was less of an attempt to save and more of a kiss. The poison was sucked out of her. 

I was in the most confused moment of my life. Why would the devil save Alexa?

He continued staring. A deep gaze.

I turned and saw the royal members running towards the garden. He dropped Alexa and vanished. 

I ran to Alexa and placed her in the hands of her worried mother. I needed to find something that would determine Alexa’s future.

With a worried heart and a straying mind, I ran to the royal wizard. He was the only one who could help me with Alexa. Alexa was like my own daughter, I couldn’t watch her fall into the wrong hands.

I reached his chamber and opened the door in a jiffy. He was confused to see me. He had never seen me before and I wasn’t surprised either.

I explained my ordeal to him and he made a potion. He told me to give Alexa to drink. I asked what it was. I remember the words like it was yesterday.

“This is a potion of a curse. It will curse the love that will ever happen between Alexa and the devil. Give her this to drink, right before she sleeps. No matter what happens, the devil will never be able to have Alexa. Never!”

I had to do this. I couldn’t let the holy child I had baptized be taken away by the devil. The curse would make sure that Alexa would never be his. She may not know this but I was protecting her. I was just protecting her.

<flashback over>

I ran into my room. I quickly closed my eyes and said the incantation. A secret door carved itself out. I opened the door and ran inside.

I scattered through the secret closet and removed a flat stone. It wasn’t just a flat stone. This was the stone where the prophecy of Lexa and Elliot were carved in. I read the horrible words again.

Lo unto a beautiful princess, the devil will come to make her his. No spell, no power, no bell, no tower, can come between their inseparable love. But a sacrifice will have to be made, by one from either side. As it is a story of the hawk and gentle dove. For the…

That was all written in the stone. The rest of the prophecy couldn’t be found. I couldn’t find it, no one could. Only Alexa could.

I of all people knew that prophecy was like destiny. It cannot be averted, only delayed but I would give down my life to make sure she’d stay away from this devil.

I held my magic wand and arranged the mess I made. Little did anyone know that I was a witch, I had 12 years left on earth. I would use it to the very best. 

The curse was also inevitable. All she had to do was sit and watch, she wanted to know what would win between the prophecy and curse. It was a war between the two.