Exquisite Poison (Original Draft)

Chapter 68 - Home Sweet Home

It was some great time later, as she laid, splayed across his chest, that Netta felt her curiosity for the great, ancient creature go beyond the binds of his physical form.

As Netta thrust her fingers through his hair, she pressed into him. It was impossible to miss the gasp - or was it a sigh - from Ashwood as she ventured into his mind.

She walked into the kitchen, expecting her adopted sister to be in there. When she wasn't, Netta let out a relieved sigh and began to cook for herself.

Did I get any real sleep last night?

I let you rest, after some time.

Comforting, Ash. Comforting.

In the middle of steadying an iron skillet on the stove, Netta heard a voice calling out to her from the doorway.

"Hope I didn't leave the kitchen in any disrepair."

Netta didn't turn around to acknowledge her Sister. Rather, she turned the pan onto one of the trusty old burners and began to heat it.

She coughed, then said, "Everything looked fine."

How did one mention to her Sister that she now well and aware that she had been married to the Bogeyman for some time now?

Ash was offended by this comparison. In response, Ash filled her head with images of her going down on him.

Seemed to not have a problem sucking the Boogeyman's co-

"What have you been up to recently?" Netta bit out, glad that she was not turned around for her Sister to see the blush on her face. Fuck's sake, Ash.

"Um... have been having trouble sleeping. I - me and Ophelia, we stayed up most of last night down here, had a sleepover minus the sleep."

Netta winced, realizing then how noisy that had been in her room.

Callipe continued. "It's the first time she's ever really talked to me. We... we talked and had some pretty intersecting ideas about - well, about our future."

Netta stopped cold. She turned around then. "What viewpoints?"

Looking at her Sister, she was surprised by the way that she looked every day of her physical age. Puffy eyed, her face betrayed a stricken quality to her emotions.

"Netta, please." she motioned wordlessly, shutting her mouth before she opened it again. "We're lucky - all three of us - to be alive. I take that back about you now, actually. You're stronger than us, and - and maybe when Ophelia's of age, she'll be powerful, too. But, for now, I'm pretty certain of one thing about our future. If we go after Oleander, we'll be killed. If you chase after them, they'll torture you. And I have a responsibility to someone that young, without a home."

Netta tried to look unworried, turning around to retrieve the what was left of the bacon. After she deposited the package on the counter, she turned around to her Sister, cogs turning ceaselessly in her head.

"I never thought of myself as a Witch for the longest time. In a way, I was never really grown up. Now that I see what our world's really like - I don't want to go back, Winnie. More than anything, I don't think I'd ever want to go back to the way things were."

Her Sister winced and drew a hand up to her face. "But I'm not asking you to give up on being a Witch - or an adult. I just - I want us to be happy. For once, Netta, I want us to know peace."