Love & Deceit

Chapter 27: I Do...?

The next thing I know, I'm being dragged by James – who has an iron tight grip on my arm; probably fearing I would run off or attempt to find a way out of this – to a portal leading to Dominican. I was too stunned to speak, or even to attempt to wriggle out of his grasp. It's funny a year ago his touch would have brought me comfort, but now, I felt pain gripping my chest like a vice just thinking about what I'm about to go through. I need to find a way out of this. But how? He has Matt...god, this is all my fault. If only James had never found a way to sacrifice himself for me. Then he wouldn't have been led astray. I have no way out. There's nothing I can do, the only way to save Matt, is to end the world. But how? How will I be able to live with myself? More importantly, how will Matt be able to live with himself if I go through with this for him? Look at me; I'm more worried about Matt's mindset than the fact that I have to marry a contorted version of the love of my life. Azeroth is cruel. He did the one thing I couldn't handle; the one fucking thing. Why on earth did I ever think I could beat him? He made me. He's too fucking strong.

I hadn't even realized that we had gotten to Dominican, until James released his grip on my arm. Leading me to the room where Azeroth had kept me and Matt captive.

"I'll get everything ready, my love. You just get dolled up. It's our special day after all." He laughed, sounding more like a villain from a Disney movie than a person, before trying to kiss me, making me jerk my head to the side, forcing him to kiss my cheek instead. I could hear him sigh.

"You may not see it now, but this is for the best."

The problem was that he actually believed that. He truly believed that this was for the best. That everyone deserves to die.

"Fuck you."

His expression darkened. Giving me a look that chilled me to the core, all the while breaking my heart, before collecting himself; breathing heavily. He brought his face dangerously close to mine.

"You'd do well not to anger me, Raven; unless you want your dear Matthew to perish." He whispered in my ear, his words sending a shudder down my spine. He then backed away, facing my horrified gaze head on. "You have an hour, don't be late."

He then disappeared in a flurry of black smoke, leaving me with tears in my eyes; threatening to fall. Then when I was sure he wasn't coming back. All of my pent up frustration, all of the pain of the last few hours, the anguish that kept building inside with every revelation, every dark thought, came spurring out. The dam broke, and I crumpled to the floor, wailing in agony, tears falling freer and faster than I ever thought possible. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move. I was only able to cocoon myself in a broken pile of tattered memories on the cold barren floor. I felt like I was suffocating, I reached clawing at my neck, to find some comfort, when I touched it. The necklace James got me way back when...it feels more like a noose than a prize now. It's suffocating me... So undid the clasp in desperation, throwing it to the side, like street trash, in a futile attempt to calm myself down. But to no avail. I stayed like that for a while, bawling on the uncomfortable floor.

A few minutes later, I collected myself. Wiping my tears away with my sleeve, moving to stand up. Then I walked up to the dressing room, pulled open the closet doors, revealing a store's worth of beautiful lacey white wedding dresses. They were gorgeous, anyone would be lucky to be wearing any of these on their special day; anyone but me. This day is anything but special. This day is an abomination, an unadulterated atrocity to wedding days everywhere. This is the beginning of the end.

Can I really go through with this? Can I truly do this to myself? To the fucking world? Then I thought of Matt's face as James engulfed him with his darkness, as the tendrils of black wrapped themselves around his neck. It would have been too easy; too fucking easy to just kill him. It still would be. Remember why you're doing this Raven, this is for Matt. Your Matt. The Matt that would do anything for you, any fucking thing...even end the world as we know it. The answer was simple. Yes. I can. And I will. For Matt.