Exquisite Poison (Original Draft)

Chapter 25 - The Fairy Prince's Kiss

Netta found that she could hardly bear to look over at Ash as she drove.

Afternoon was going to pass. She had spent a night at the Coven's home, and had gone to find her own lodgings to actually attempt to sleep.

Sleeping had been an almost impossibility that night, and she was, in truth, exhausted. The reason that she had left the Coven's home was for a very different reason than that one that she had given the other women.

It felt, as she glanced out of the car's windows to watch the sun start to sink as the snow kicked up for another night of almost unending snow, like she truly was watching the fabled beginnings of Ragnarok.

The car had been almost silent during the ride, and Netta was startled out of her reverie by the sound of Ash's voice.

"What are we going to do next?"

Netta seemed to not recognize what the Monster had asked her until It had repeated what It had said.

"Oh - get ready for the night, I suppose. There's gotta be a hotel somewhere in the nearby town..." She hoped that her cheery voice masked a deeper emotion. She worried that if It could sense it in her, that the Monster would take advantage of it, smelling her fear.

Still, there was little that she could do to stop the shaking of her hands on the wheel.

Ash glanced back at the road that they had driven from. "You kinda.... left on an odd note back there. Some might say open ended, actually." When she didn't answer him, It sighed softly, then said, "There was no need to leave. I was under the impression that you were set on helping those Witches. Or whatever."

Netta didn't answer and they drove on in silence. Nevertheless, she was struck by the urge to ask Ash why It cared about what she did.

They reached a hotel eventually and were setting into the room when Netta told Ash, "I didn't have anything to eat. I think - I feel exhausted, really, really tired. I think that I would like to rest and maybe - maybe you could go out and get me some nourishment."

She tried not to think overmuch on the fact that Ash was capable of interacting with the material world quite freely on Its own. The real question that she did not dare ask herself was what compelled the Monster to remain.

Ash paused in the middle of setting a duffel bag on the ground.

It turned around and looked at her, jamming Its fist against Its hip. "Me? No, Lovely, I think that if you want food so badly that you'll come with me, or make it yourself." It tossed a hand in the air, irritation clear on the Monster's face. "Your magic has to be in one of these bags..."

Netta cleared her throat and found it impossible to meet Ash's gaze with her own.

"I - I left that down in the car, I think actually, in one of the bags I didn't want to bring up here."

Ash closed Its eyes and pinched Its forefinger and thumb on the bridge of Its nose.

"I don't know what this little ruse you're doing is and I don't like it. I would like it if you told me what this was all really about now, before I have to get more forceful."

Netta bit her lower lip and found that she could not continue to look at Ash at all.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Perhaps it's just because I'm... tried?"

She felt her heart pound, heavy, in her chest.

Ash stood there for five minutes and waited as she stood in silence as well. Finally, the Monster gave up, muttering as It passed by her on the way out that It wanted a full explanation once It came back.