The Dark Beast's Love

I woke up by the sound of a door crashing over and immediately craned my neck to see who it was without moving from the couch. As expected, Riven stumbled in as his usual self again but still covered in blood just like he'd been last time. His eyes were frantic and wide as he searched the room before his eyes met mine and we both froze in our current positions. For a moment, I wondered if it had all been for nothing. If we'd failed and another life had been taken tonight. His hands and face were still splattered with blood, and if I focused enough I could smell the iron taking over the air. Still, my eyes found their way back to Riven's and that's when I saw that there were tears lurking in the corner of his eyes. "Riven?" I asked concerned and wondering what bad news I would hear the next moment.

"Are you okay?" Riven asked desperately as his eyes scanned my body. Bruises were covering it once again, some from the soft touch of lips, while others were from a too-harsh grip against delicate skin.

"I'm fine," I assured him when I saw his eyes scan each and every one of the marks. "Just a little bruised and sore but I'm fine."

Then Riven fell onto his knees.

Nothing would have prepared me for the desperate sound that escaped Riven's throat as he hit the ground. It was a mix between a laugh, a sob and a loud exhale. All I could think of is how this was the moment we both realised that it hadn't worked, that despite our efforts to keep the beast distracted, Riven had still been forced to take a life while I'd been giving my body up for nothing. I didn't know how to react to this realisation and much less how to steel myself for the truth once Riven voiced them. But instead of the declaration of our failure, Riven said something else.

"I didn't take anything," His voice had been muffled into his hand but I had still heard enough to stop my train of thought. "I didn't take... We didn't kill... They're alive."

This time he looked up at me and I could see the trails of tears rolling down his eyes.

"It worked," Riven's smile was wider than I'd ever seen it. "Liliana, you beautiful creature, it actually worked."

Without any regard for the soreness around my body and between my thighs I moved to place myself right in front of Riven. And when I did I reached out to pull him into a hug, holding on to his body as if it was the last oxygen left on earth. Riven, in return, buried his face into my shoulder where I could feel the remains of his cold tears and the smile on his lips. People in my town had survived, they had gotten another night of peace and after tonight, I was hopeful that their lives would remain that way.

The feeling of relief that overcame me was nothing in comparison to the feelings Riven was showing. In the middle of the stress of the situation, I had forgotten what this must have felt like to him, to have the possibility of another life dangled before his eyes. And now, it wasn't just a possibility, it had happened, and we had figured out a way to stop Riven from taking things that weren't his, by giving him things that were.

Riven lifted his head and cradled my face in his hands before pressing his lips against mine. This was the opposite of the kisses the beast had given me, this one was soft, giving and full of gratitude. I couldn't help but melt into the kiss as the familiarity of his lips was on mine and despite the hard floor under us, I couldn't think of another place where I'd like to be.

When he pulled back, his eyes looked at me with wonder and I felt his hand drop from my jaw to my waist.

"Don't," I said almost immediately but his smile didn't falter. "I'm too sore today."

Riven nodded with understanding.

"Of course," He responded softly. "I wouldn't dream of taking more than you've already given."

My heart burst from the warmth in his voice and I was pretty sure that we were in a middle stage between reality and heaven when he took my hand to kiss my knuckles, giving each and every one of them the same form of appreciation.

The door burst open and we both flew to our feet, Riven quickly shielding my body by placing me behind him while I instinctively reached for the large blanket on the couch to wrap around myself and hide my exposed body. The house around us rattled by the violent wind and it went on like that for a moment before the cold breezes finally left the building and revealed a stranger by the door. It was a young female with wild hair and the colour of fire while her eyes carried the colour of the sky. She was clothed in one of the finest dresses and cloaks I've ever seen, both emerald green while her wrist and neck were decorated with an endless collection of gold.

In front of me, Riven growled, and I got the sudden sense that Riven knew exactly who this woman was.

"It had been a while, Riven," The stranger said with her honey-sweet voice as she threw her hair over her shoulder. "My, my, how you have grown."

There was a low threatening sound coming from the back of Riven's throat and when I tore away my eyes from the young female to study his expression I saw burning hatred that could have killed a man on the spot if only the magic worked its way. It suddenly dawned upon me who the stranger was, and I couldn't stop myself from voicing the next words.

"You're the witch," The sound of my voice caught the stranger's attention and I saw how her grin grew wider. Riven, clearly not a fan of the look she gave me, wrapped his arm around my waist and moved to shield me even further. "Indeed I am," The witch mused and let out a delighted laugh. "She's a quick one, don't you think, Riven?"

"Don't talk about her," Riven hissed through his teeth and stared the witch down.

"No need to get so territorial," The witch waved dismissively with one hand. "I am not here for her. I'm just here to see for myself why a life wasn't taken this month. It's the second time, the first being two months ago, and my curiosity was eating me alive."

"It is none of your business," Riven threw back. "You cursed me to kill but you better stay out of my way."

"I think the fact that I cursed you makes it my business," The witch responded, showing no fear for Riven's cold attitude. "But I see now what the reason is."

Her eyes were about to travel back to me but Riven took a step forward and regained her attention.

"You have your answer, now leave," Riven ordered but the witch didn't back down.

"How rude of you," She placed her hand dramatically on her heart. "It's been a while since we last met, you know, and this is how you greet me? You can at least show me some decency first, a compliment on my improved looks maybe." She straightened her dress and smiled sweetly. I had to place my hand on Riven to keep him from leaping towards her-

"You look younger," Riven forced out. "Now get out of my house!"

"But aren't you curious?" She batted her eyelashes and I considered letting Riven kill her on the spot. "How did I manage to look so young? You'll grow old someday too you

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know, wouldn't it be nice to look like you're in your youth while ageing to the finest?"

"I have no interest in what you have to offer me," Riven scolded and took a step back.

"Oh, I know that. I just wondered what happened to my life supply."

That was when I realised what she was implying. She'd been older when Riven first met her, Riven had said so himself. She'd also managed to age backwards and was so proud of it that she openly praised her own youth and looks while Riven contemplated murdering her. But his praise wasn't why she was here. I recognised the concept of magic enough to know that everything comes with a price, and I was pretty sure that an anti-ageing spell required more than just flowers. "You use the lives he's taken for your youth," I breathed out and this time even Riven's eyes snapped to me. "That's why you're here. Because you just lost your source to immortality."

"It is barely immortality," The witch corrected me with a satisfied grin. "Riven is bound to die someday. But it is some extra years."

"All those lives," Riven's voice was no longer cold and collected. "All. Those. Lives! For a few extra years."

"Otherwise the lives would have gone to waste," She shrugged her shoulders, unbothered by the conversation. "That would have been a pity."

"So what now," Riven hissed. "Are you going to force me to start killing again? Have me continuing to take lives for your youth?!"

"You're very mistaken dear boy," The witch furrowed her brows. "I am grateful for the extra years but to be quite honest, I have enough as it is." The witch paused for a second and we both held our breaths.

"I am here to set you free, Riven. You can finally rest."

My heart was beating hopefully in my chest for the words he witch had just said, but Riven wasn't as quick to hope.

"And what will you have in return?" He asked. "My firstborn?"

She shook her head. "No silly. You can't have children if you're dead."

My heart stopped at the sound of her words.

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"I can't just end the curse," The witch explained. "This is who you are now. But you can finally rest if you want to. I can set you both free."

This time her eyes travelled between me and Riven.

"All you have to do," She continued with her eyes on me. "Is killing him."

Beside me, Riven froze.

The witch drew a dagger from the inside pocket of her cloak. It was made of steel and decorated with vines of gold and flowers of diamonds. It was beautiful, and the most awful thing one could ever present to me.

"You kill him with this dagger, and he's dead, no takebacks," The witch studied the object in her hand. "Then you can return to your home and your life as if nothing had happened."

At some point, I'd stopped breathing. This was what I've wanted since I've gotten here, a chance to return. But now, with the dagger in front of me, I wasn't so certain about my choice anymore. I looked over to Riven who had his eyes plastered on the dagger in her hand and realised that he truly believed that I was going to use it. Because he believed that his life wasn't something worth saving.

"No," I said with as much force as I could. "I will not take a life just to have my own.

And for the first time, her smile faltered.

"Don't you realise," She said slowly. "That this dagger holds all you've ever wanted? Your return? Revenge for your mother?"

Mentioning my mother was a low blow, but I couldn't unsee the hopelessness in Riven's face.

"I won't kill him," I said again, more certain than the last.

Her eyes travelled between me and him again, and when I thought she was going to try to convince me further, she just shrugged. "Suit yourself," She shrugged. "But the dagger is yours if you want it."

And then, in a fog of leaves and green, she disappeared, the dagger laying perfectly still where her feet had just been.