I Hate the Way...

Part 65: "I Remember"

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"I remember."

Josie nearly didn't catch what Hope said.

Her heart was pounding in her chest. She was so focused on being pinned between the cold tiles of the shower wall and the heat radiating from Hope's body, the water streaming over both of them, but it was Hope's intense gaze that suddenly left her feeling paralyzed. Those bright Tribrid eyes pierced into her with an intensity she's never seen before. The two sets of fangs, and the growl in Hope's voice.

A shiver ran down Josie's spine. She was in complete awe, something igniting inside her at the sight of Hope like this–suddenly unrestrained, so powerful, and terrifyingly beautiful.

"Hope," Josie whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of the shower. But even Josie could hear the slight tremble in her voice. She really thinks she might've just lifted the hex, unveiling Hope's Tribrid abilities right before her eyes. And she doesn't know if that's a good thing, or a very bad thing.

Hope's grip didn't loosen. Her hands were firm on Josie's waist, and Josie could almost swear she felt claws slightly pressing against her skin. Hope's chest was rising and falling rapidly as if she was struggling to control the flood of emotions crashing over her.

The growl that escaped her lips moments ago still echoed in Josie's ears.

Josie's mind raced. What did she remember? Did she remember everything? Is the hex lifted? Just like that?

Josie let out a breath she didn't know she was holding when Hope's head fell slightly, breaking their intense gaze. Hope's eyes clenched shut, and her head went to the crook of Josie's next, making the brunette's breath catch in her lungs again. Hope took a deep breath, and Josie felt her grip tighten a bit, pushing impossibly closer to the brunette, as if committing her scent and the feeling of her body to memory.

Josie carefully moved her hand, placing it gently on Hope's back, and she could almost swear she heard Hope pur at the change. "Hope," she whispered again, "Talk to me, baby. What do you remember?"

Hope didn't respond right away. Her breathing was uneven, and Josie could feel her muscles tightening even more.

Finally, Hope spoke, her voice rougher than usual, "I remember...everything I did," Hope finally lifted her gaze to meet Josie's, her eyes even darker than before, "when I shut off my humanity. All the pain and destruction I caused...I remember my aunts and uncles placing that hex on me."

Josie's heart ached at the rawness in Hope's voice. She felt Hope's muscles twitch, like she was about to start trembling.

Josie's grip tightened around Hope, pulling her into an embrace, "It's okay," she whispered gently, her lips pressing against Hope's temple briefly, "I'm right here, Hope. I've got you."

Hope's breath hitched as she shook her head slightly against Josie's shoulder.

And she whispered, her voice so quiet that Josie almost couldn't hear her. "I remember them."

"Who?" Josie asked, her brows pinching together and her chest suddenly tight, waiting for Hope's reply.

Hope pulled back just enough to look at Josie, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "My parents...I remember their faces."

Josie's breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening at the information.

The faceless figures that had haunted Hope's dreams for years, the ones painted on endless canvases...They're no longer faceless.

"You..." Josie couldn't help but smile. Hope has wanted to just remember them, at least their faces for so long.

Hope mirrored her smile suddenly, nodding her head before she suddenly pulled Josie's closer, reaching up to cup her face in her hands as she brought their lips together.

She let out a breath as she pulled away, placing her forehead against Josie's.

Josie's smile widened. "You can finish your paintings now," she muttered excitedly.

Hope froze suddenly, her eyes widening, and for a moment Josie thought she made a mistake by bringing that up.

But then Hope was suddenly dragging her out of the shower, "Hope!? Where are we going?!"

She saw the bright smile on Hope's face, so whatever it was, she was in for it, but she was curious why Hope was tossing a robe at her, not even giving her time to properly put it on before dragging her out of the bathroom.

Hope was dragging her all the way upstairs, "To my office. I have to finish the painting!"

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