Jagged Embrace

Chapter 83 - Maeve

Hours later, Maeve sat on Ander's bed alone, glad he left. She couldn't take any more painful interactions with him at the moment. Her body ached from training and was still tender from all the sex with Will. While they were having sex, it had been wonderful, because she hadn't thought about anything but she and Will. However, thoughts of Ander crept in as she showered and once again ruined her mood.

She shifted and winced, feeling she deserved much more than discomfort. She'd never been a masochist, but she deserved to be punished in some way for her actions toward both of them. It was almost a relief when Will had returned with dinner and was moody. Maeve wanted to cry from happiness when he started being a condescending jerk to her. She had no idea why he was being nasty, but it didn't matter; she deserved nothing less.

Her hand ran across the sheets on Ander's bed. Her mind traveled back to the morning. Disgusted as her body responded to the memory. She put her head down on her knees that were raised in front of her and closed her eyes. Maeve vaguely recalled the tiny flickering light behind her closed lids when he'd touched her. Was he using magic, and that's why she couldn't stop herself? It was a convenient excuse, but probably not the truth.

Her mind strayed to the first time she and Will had sex. She'd seen a small wavering pink light but it appeared different. That seemed more like intense connection and emotion? As if Will had unlocked something inside her with his fierce desire for her. Nothing made sense anymore. When she thought about the light after, she figured that somehow their souls had touched again but because of their connection it didn't feel the same but now... she had no idea what was happening.

Will's heavy footsteps hit the floor as he paced the small room like a caged animal. "When we go back tomorrow, you need to stay with me and listen."

"Okay," she replied, defeated.

"A revenant is different from a draugr. It's smarter and still has some of its personality, even though it's dead. No one brings a revenant back. They bring themselves 'cause they're so pissed off. Hopefully, it's a draugr, much easier to deal with."

Maeve's head popped up. That was different. Will voluntarily educating her about monsters while in a bad mood? "If a wight is raised, how is a draugr made?"

If he was offering information, she was going to take it. He continued to pace. It was then she saw the almost empty bottle of something in his hand.

"Couple of different ways. Sometimes they're cursed, so when they die they come back like that. Some people say warlocks can do it. Certain monsters can make them, too."

"But they were all human at some point, right?"

"Yeah. Even if a creature makes them through some fucked up method, they always have to use humans to start." He finished his bottle and tossed it in the garbage. It crashed into another, causing them to break. He stalked to the fridge and grabbed another bottle and put a new one in its spot.

"There's no way to bring them back or help them?"

Will stopped in his tracks and looked at her like she was insane. She braced herself for his reply.

"Bring them back? They're fucking dead. You can't help something that's dead, except to put it out of its misery and take its head." He took a long drink from his bottle.

Everything was so violent and final with Will. She nodded, put her head back down on her knees. It was at these times she wished they'd led any type of 'normal' life that Will scoffed at. Not because she didn't want to be with them, but maybe if they had, there'd be at least one other room they could go to have some privacy. When Will was in a mood, it was miserable for everyone because there was no escape. He'd probably say the same about her, too.