𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐃; rio v.

I

Theodora wasn't one for big crowds. She always managed to keep things to herself and hide away from those who never knew her. They knew of the witch but they didn't know her. She was ashamed of the lingering thought in the back of her head that screamed Rio was the one who only ever really knew her; the best and the worst parts.

The kettle screeched a piercing sound on the stove. Theodora stood from her spot on the centuries-old couch and walked over to the kitchen. She could feel the eyes of someone watching her, her heart skipping a crucifying beat. She took hold of the knife beside her, the grip on the blade turning her knuckles pale.

She turned with the knife in her hand, aiming it to the point where she could get her point across but not harm anyone. The scream of a teenager echoed through the cabin, making Theodora cringe. "I thought by now, you would've hated knives." Agatha Harkness retorted.

Theodora scoffed and turned back to what she was doing previously. "Who were you expecting, Theodora?" Agatha asked. "Your fucking mother." She joked. "Watch your mouth, young one." Agatha muttered. Theo poured the boiling hot water into a cup before sprinkling in some herbal tea.

"What are you here for, Agatha?" Theodora questioned. She turned and leaned against the kitchen island, a curious expression on her face. It was then that she noticed the boy beside the fellow witch. She jerked her head at him and mumbled a short "Hey".

"Oh my god, I am such a big fan. I have so many questions, let me just—" The teenager pulled out a book that Theodora could assume was his spell book. "Save the questions for later, boy."

"Who is this, Agatha?" Theodora asked. "Aren't you curious?" Agatha replied vaguely. "What do you want from me, Harkness? I'm getting real impatient."

"We need you to walk The Witches Road with us." Theodora's eyes bulged and a chuckle slipped past her lips. "The Witches Road? Have you lost your mind, Agatha?" Theodora snarled. "No! I will not! It would be like suicide. Do you plan on sacrificing his soul too? Since you're on the spectrum of child sacrifices." Before Agatha could launch at her in anger, Theodora built a protection wall around herself. The older brunette bounced off the shield and fell down onto the floor, a groan escaping her lips.

"We don't need you anyway." Agatha huffed as she stormed out of the cabin, drips of venom falling from her lips as she spoke. Theodora dropped the protection field and grinned.

Her pettiness didn't last long, though. Soon enough, green vines wrapped around her ankles and dragged her across the living room. She crawled at the wooden flooring, groaning as she realized her powers wouldn't work. More ivy grew around her wrist and pulled her up till her back hit the wall.

She threw her head back and cried out. "Fuck!" Theodora cursed. She hated that she knew exactly who it was. She tried to wiggle herself out of the vines but the more she struggled, the tighter the creeping plant got. "Don't struggle, mi amor. You already know how this goes." Rio murmurs. Her fingertips trail on Theodora's revealed abdomen, sending shivers up the younger woman's spine.

"You bitch—" Thorns dug into Theodora's skin, making her yell. Rio hovered her dagger over Theodora's skin, a smirk plastered on her face. "I've missed you." She whispered as she pressed the tip of her dagger into the soft skin she used to kiss clean. Theodora whined and shifted in the ivy. "I loathe you." She growled.

"Lucky for you..." Rio whispered before leaning closer to Theo's ear. Theodora jerked her head away but failed desperately. Rio smelled like flowers and she always loved that smell. "It doesn't make me want you any less." Theodora was struggling to not give in the longer Rio held her in that position.

"You know they'll come for you, right?" Rio peppered kisses from Theodora's temple down to her bleeding sides. "Who, exactly?" Theodora asked.

"Mmm," Rio hummed, the stone taste of blood lingering on her tongue. She stood straight and cupped Theodora's face in search of any scars. "The worst of them all. The Salem Seven." Theodora gasped lightly. "You wouldn't— you won't."

"I can't control them, mi vida. You know that."

"Rio, please!" The vines finally snapped, dropping Theodora onto her knees. She looked up at Rio pleadingly, her eyes glimmering like puppy dog eyes. "No tengas miedo. You'll be okay." Rio soothed.

"I'm not a fucking pussy, Rio. I'm not scared of death."

"Oh yeah? Then why are you on your knees, begging for me to save your life?" Rio countered. "I thought you liked me on my knees." Theodora smirked, her fingers delicately running up Rio's thigh.

Rio grinned and stepped a few feet closer to Theodora. "You come crawling when it comes to losing your life." She whispered. Her cold fingertips ran through Theodora's hair, sending more shivers down her spine. "You know you can't run from them, it'll be like running in a circle."

Something snapped inside of Theodora. She suddenly remembered the conversation she was having with Agatha. She could go to The Witches Road, gain more power, and hide again. Rio sighed, her fingers delicately tracing Theodora's jawline.

Rio could've sworn her eyes were betraying her. She tilted her head to the right to make sure she was seeing this right. Theodora had a light purple bruise on her pulse, some even scattered down towards her chest. Flames bursted in Rio's eyes, rage flooding her expression.

She pushed Theodora back into the wall before throwing herself on top of her. She's mine, she's mine. Theodora fought back, her fingernails digging into Rio's skin. Of course, it was like the older woman felt no pain whatsoever.

Theodora gained dominance, flipping them over so she was on top— her fingers wrapped tightly around Rio's throat. "You turned us in!" She growled. "No— I didn't!" Rio snapped and elbowed Theodora in the ribs, throwing the younger raven-haired woman into the kitchen.

The dagger laid in between them both in anticipation. They both crawled as quickly as they could, reaching for the blade at the same time. Unfortunately, Theodora had grabbed the wrong end, the palm of her hand wrapped around the edge.

Rio's smirk expanded as she pushed the dagger deeper into her ex-girlfriend's skin to draw blood. Theodora whimpered as the blood dripped onto the floor, a memory flooding back into her mind of centuries ago.

She lifted her fist and aimed straight for Rio's face, releasing her hand from the weapon and crawling away. "You can't hide forever, Raven." Rio tutted. Theodora leaned her back against a cabinet and pressed pressure against the open wound.

Rio appeared beside her, a psychotic expression on her face. "Boo!" She yelled. She yanked on Theodora's hand, pulling it towards her mouth. Her tongue crawled on her skin and Theodora almost automatically folded. It had been so long since Rio healed her, she almost forgot what it had felt like.

Once her open wound was healed, Rio stood and walked towards the door. "Te veo." She stated before leaving Theodora alone in the emptiness of her cold, cold heart. As much as the raven denied it, she missed it. She missed her. It killed her inside to remind herself that Rio didn't love her, that she was just a pawn in her game. There were moments she wished Rio would tell her she loved her, even if she didn't mean it.

✎ kaia's notes

This was so much fun to write. I can't wait to write the actual witches road chapter and create Theo's trail.

Comment and leave feedback, please, thank you!