WITCH - ARA

Thirteen

I hadn't slept well for days, but the stress from everything that's happened finally caught up to me. The library was quiet-almost too quiet-and I found myself nodding off in my favorite hidden spot, where the light was just right, and I could hide from the world. I leaned my head on the desk, trying to fight off the sleepiness, but it was no use. The moment my eyes closed, the nightmares returned.

The red-eyed monster from the woods haunted my dreams. Its gaze was burning through the darkness, the same eyes I saw in the library the day I fell from the ladder. But this time, it wasn't just the monster. the same feminine figure from before appeared, her face shrouded in shadows, but I could feel her presence-ominous and overwhelming. My heart pounded in my chest as the two figures moved closer, their forms merging into a single, terrifying entity.

I jolted awake, gasping for breath, my hand clutching my chest. My heart was racing, and a cold sweat covered my forehead. The dream had been so vivid, so real. I glanced around, trying to ground myself in the reality of the library. The shelves, the books, the familiar scent of paper and ink-everything was just as it should be. But I couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

I needed answers, but I didn't even know where to start. What was happening to me? Why was I seeing these things?

A throat cleared beside me, pulling me out of my thoughts. I turned, and my eyes widened in surprise. It was him-the man from the other day, the one who had caught me when I fell. But this time, he was dressed differently. He wore military pants and a dark green hoodie, the silver cross still hanging around his neck. His presence was imposing, even more so than before. I stood up from my chair and walked toward him.

My heart skipped a beat, but I quickly pushed the feeling aside. "What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice firmer than I felt.

He didn't answer right away, just looked at me with those piercing blue eyes, as if he could see right through me. "I came to return the book, Blaze" he said finally, holding up The Witching Hour by Anne Rice.

I narrowed my eyes at him, my mind racing. How did he know my name? I hadn't told him last time, had I? "How do you know my name?" I demanded, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

His lips curved into a small smile, one that didn't reach his eyes. "I have my ways," he said cryptically. He stepped closer, and I instinctively took a step back, but there was nowhere to go. The shelves were behind me, blocking my escape.

"Stay away from me," I warned, my voice shaking slightly. I didn't like the way he was looking at me, like he knew something I didn't. "I don't know who you think you are, but if you think you can just-"

"Just what?" he cut me off, amusement flickering in his eyes as he stepped closer. I was trapped between him and the shelf, and I could feel the heat radiating off his body. "Finish that sentence, Blaze."

My breath hitched at the way he said my name, like he was savoring it. I lifted my chin, refusing to let him see how rattled I was. "If you think you can intimidate me, you're wrong."

He leaned in, so close that I could feel his breath on my face. "Intimidate you? Is that what you think I'm doing?"

"What else would you call it?" I shot back, trying to ignore the way my heart was pounding in my chest.

He smirked, the corner of his mouth twitching up. "I call it fun." His voice dropped to a whisper, sending shivers down my spine. "You're more entertaining when you're angry."

I opened my mouth to snap back, but before I could get a word out, he pressed the book into my hand, his touch lingering longer than necessary. "Here," he said softly, his eyes never leaving mine.

Before I could react, he leaned down, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear. "You're wasting your breath, sweetheart," he whispered, his voice like a dark caress. "You know you can't win."

My breath caught, and I felt a shiver run down my spine as he grazed his teeth against my earlobe, biting down not so hard. The sensation was electric, a jolt of unexpected pleasure that made my knees weaken. I bit down on my lip, trying to keep my composure, but it was hard to focus with him so close, his breath hot against my skin.

"Get off me," I managed to say, my voice trembling despite my best efforts.

But instead of stepping back, he only moved closer, his body pressing against mine. "Or what?" he murmured, his tone teasing. "You'll curse me?"

How does he- My fists clenched at my sides, frustration and something else-something more dangerous-bubbling up inside me. "I'll make you regret it."

He chuckled softly, the sound vibrating through me. "I doubt that," he said, his lips brushing my ear one last time before he finally pulled back, leaving me breathless and shaken.

I glared at him, my heart racing, but he just smiled, that same infuriating smile that made me want to slap it right off his face. "This isn't over," I said, my voice a mix of anger and something I couldn't quite name.

He tilted his head slightly, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "No, it's not," he agreed. "But for now, you have your book." He gestured to the book now in my hand, and I realized I was gripping it so tightly my knuckles were white.

I wanted to say something else, to have the last word, but my mind was blank, a mix of confusion, anger, and something I didn't want to admit out loud. He took a step back, his eyes lingering on mine for a moment longer before he finally turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, my heart pounding in my chest and my mind racing with questions I wasn't ready to face.

But one thing was clear, whoever this guy was, he was trouble. And I wasn't about to let him get the better of me.