It was the last hour before sunset, and the garden was bathed in gold. Light streamed through the blooming roses, kissing the soft spring grass. It warmed my hands as I swirled my brush in dark green paint, carefully adding tiny leaves to the vines around the edge of my canvas.
Biting the end of the brush in thought, I leaned back on my stool. I’d been hunched there so long my back was aching, but I couldn’t resist staying outside as long as I could. The day was too lovely to miss even a moment.
Even after the sunset when my light was gone, I’d sit out here and listen to the crickets and frogs, the screech of the owls and clicking bats. Perhaps I’d ask Callum to lay with me under the stars until I fell asleep; he’d carry me back to bed after that, tuck me into the blankets and lay by my side until morning.
There was nothing to fear in the dark. Not anymore.
Or so I thought.
Something was creeping through the garden on nearly-silent feet. But it announced itself in subtle ways, with quick breaths and barely suppressed giggles. Although my eyes remained on my canvas, I was perfectly aware of where the little monster was as it snuck up behind me.
I was also aware that behind that little monster was an even bigger one.
Tiny footsteps sprinted across the grass, a war-like screech splitting the air before it ended with an abrupt “Oof!” Setting down my brush, I turned to see Callum standing behind me, holding our child in midair by one ankle as she clawed at his hands, snarling, “Not fair, Papa! Not fair!”
“What have I told you about sneaking up on your mother?” Although his voice was stern, the corner of his mouth twitched as he looked up at me and winked.
Our daughter groaned, folding her arms and scowling. “Don’t scare Mama when she’s painting,” she grumbled.
“And what exactly were you doing?” Callum insisted. The child started squirming again, grabbing at his arm like a monkey.
“She knew I was there! Didn’t you, Mama?” The child turned her bright golden eyes to me, giving me a not-so-innocent grin. “So I couldn’t really scare her, huh?”
Grabbing her hands, I helped her flip upright as Callum released her ankle. She jumped up into my arms, laying a dozen kisses against my cheek as if that was what she’d planned all along. She was only three, but her size and maturity had already outgrown her young age. So had her cleverness.
“I knew exactly where you were from the moment you stepped foot in the garden, Heidi,” I said. “But you still need to obey the rules.”
“Rules are boring,” she sighed, already squirming to get down again. She climbed up her father’s back instead, to perch on his shoulders between his wings. “Right, Papa?”
“They’re not rules,” he said. “They’re guidelines, to ensure you don’t get burnt to a crisp when you startle your mother.” He reached back, ruffling her wild mane of curly blonde hair. “Why don’t you go to the kitchen and help your Granny with dinner?”
“Okay!” She leapt to the ground and sprinted across the grass, climbing directly over the garden wall rather than simply going around.
Shaking my head as she ran, I said, “You know Grams is going to feed her sugar. She’ll be up all night.”
“She can run around in the woods then,” Callum said, wrapping his arms around me and resting his head atop mine. “It will get her out of the house for a while and give us some time to play.”
He squeezed my ass, and I laughed, “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that. Letting my toddler run around in the forest by herself after dark…”
“There’s nothing out there she can’t handle,” he said, the pride obvious in his voice.
“I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to that either.”
He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me deeply. All the worries in my head, the unspoken fears, melted away as my knees grew weak, and I was smiling like a fool as he drew back from me.
“What was I saying again?” I joked, and he nodded toward my canvas.
“You were about to show me your latest creation,” he said. “The light is beautiful.”
I’d captured the sun’s rays right as they were dipping below the trees. The silhouette of the forest was dark, but the light shone through in golden rays, making the colors of the garden’s flowers even more vibrant.
“I swear your skill grows every time you pick up the brush,” he said. “One for the Art Festival this year, perhaps?”
I shook my head. “No. This one…well…” Rubbing the back of my neck as I gazed toward the setting sun, I said softly, “I had a vision last night during meditation. A silly one, I suppose.”
“None of your visions are silly,” Callum said. He sat on my stool, drawing me onto his lap. “What did you see?”
“Raelynn.”
He widened his eyes in surprise. “You haven’t seen her since…”
“Since we faced the Deep One,” I said softly. Neither of us particularly liked talking about that time. Although it had been years since I’d last felt the evil creature’s eyes on me, there were still some days when I grew paranoid, fearing that I could feel Its slimy presence in the back of my mind.
It was only paranoia. The God was long dead.
“I didn’t even know if she was alive,” I said. “But she is. She and Leon both. He’s still with her. They’re in Europe now, in France. Apparently, they’ve moved into a haunted old château.” I laughed softly. “Of all things, I saw Raelynn complaining they didn’t have any art for the walls. So I think I’ll send her this one when it’s finished.”
“Perhaps we can hand-deliver it,” Callum said. “It’s been too long since I took you traveling. Kimaris can help your grandmother look after Heidi.”
“Mm, it would be nice to have some time alone with you.” I turned to straddle his lap. “I have a whole list of places we need to see.”
“Do you? Give me the list and I’ll ensure we see them all. It may take us quite some time though. It won’t be enough to simply see and explore these places.”
“What else did you have in mind?” I shivered as he kissed my neck, nipping my shoulder.
“I’m going to fuck you in every single place on your list. Worship you. Pleasure you. I’ll make the world your temple.”
His dark eyes stared into mine as my arms came around his neck. Softly, I said, “To whom do you belong, my demon?”
“To you, darling. You will have me in life. I will keep you in death. For eternity, I am yours, and you are mine.”
