Work Text
Day 1 Prompt - Vampires
Love Never Fades
Who knows when love begins? Who knows what makes it start? One day it's simply there, alive inside your heart. – Andrew Lloyd Webber, Love Never Dies.
Present
Victor was bored. The room was too hot and too filled with people he didn't care to entertain. Partygoers laughed and danced, but Victor didn't see the point. Most of the creatures in the room were mortal enemies just pretending to play nice.“Remind me again why we torture ourselves by attending these Accord Banquets?” Chris asked after taking a swig of rose-coloured liquid from a crystal flute. “Because it’s our signatures on that yellowing paper over there.” Victor pointed to the centre of the room where the Treaty between the species lay open for all to admire. At the time, signing the Accords had seemed like a good idea. Now, Victor wished he could go back in time and stop himself.“Yeah, but after five hundred years you’d think the Council would allow us to skip a couple Banquets. I swear I blink and it’s time for another one,” Chris huffed as he surveyed the room. “We’re not even allowed to drink real blood at these stupid things anymore. These plasma tablets give me indigestion.”“I’ve had worse.” All the ice in Victor's glass had long melted, leaving his fake blood and whiskey warm and watered down. He held onto the glass so the servers wouldn’t force another tumbler into his hands. They couldn’t have a bunch of hungry vampires in a crowded room – heaven forbid they have another ‘accident’ like they did in nearly a century ago."I don't know what brand these tablets are, but they're disgusting." Chris handed his drink to a passing server and grabbed an hors-d'oeuvre from her tray. “Why can they serve us fish eggs but no blood?”Victor rolled his eyes as Chris popped the hors-d'oeuvre into his mouth. Vampires couldn’t digest human food once turned. If forced, their bodies could stomach a few bites here and there, but eventually it would have to come right back up. Chris did this every year just so he could leave early, preferring to spend the night vomiting expensive caviar than to pretend the tenuous peace among species was real.“Just one more hour, Christophe, then you may go.” Even if Chris wanted to leave, he wouldn’t be able to now. No vampire could ignore a direct command from Victor, not that he liked to use his powers on anyone. But he had to sometimes in order to keep the peace. “Why don’t you go convince one of the Fae to offer up a vein. I'm sure there are a few fangers around.”“Fangers?” An unfamiliar voice from behind them asked. Victor turned to see Celestino, the American lycanthrope alpha, and a young pup Victor had never met before.“Fang bangers,” Chris clarified. “Beings who like to have sex with vampires in exchange for blood.” The young wolf’s eyes lit up in mock horror. “You’re telling me you can convince a person to sleep with you without using compulsion on them? I’m shocked.” “Watch your mouth,” Celestino reprimanded. “These two are way older than you could ever imagine. Pardon my beta’s rudeness, he’s still young.”Chris’ eyes went wide with shock. “This little puppy is your second? Shouldn’t he be back with your pack if you’re here?” “Our pack is with us.” Celestino gestured to the room, alerting Victor to the increase in lycanthropic guests.Chris laughed. “I was wondering why the room smelled like wet dog. It’s strange for you all to leave home to attend one of these stupid banquets.”“Ignore him.” Victor glowered at Chris. “He gets crabby when he’s hungry. I’m assuming you’re here to talk to us for a reason?”“Yes.” The alpha and beta spoke simultaneously, sparking Victor’s curiosity.Celestino cleared his throat. “There’s a rumour circulating that the Salem Coven is practicing witchcraft again.”“Shouldn’t you take that up with the American Council? All of them are present tonight.” Victor wasn’t sure why the alpha was bothering him with this news. He hadn’t overseen misdemeanours from other jurisdictions in over three centuries.“We thought you’d want to hear about this first, considering who it’s about.” Celestino may have been acting normal, but the look in his eyes made Victor feel there was a higher power at work. “And why would you think that?” Even though Chris was feigning indifference, Victor could tell his subjugate’s interest had also been peaked. “It goes against the Accords to withhold information. Plus, I thought the Salem Coven was disbanded?” The beta’s eyes glassed over as his sparkling grey irises turned midnight black. His gaze was eerie, emanating a dark magic that seemed familiar to Victor. He couldn’t say where he’d felt this power before but he was sure the essence before him was incredibly old and powerful. Something in the air shifted as the wolf took a step forward and a strange deep voice bellowed from him. “It seems, my dear immortal, that the Salem Coven has successfully resurrected the warlock Eros.”There was a pause. The atmosphere around them grew tense. “That’s ridiculous,” Chris snapped, seeming not to have noticed the shift. “Eros cannot be resurrected, it’s impossible. How dare you suggest –”“Silence.” The command boomed throughout the entire room. Everyone in attendance froze. The temperature in the room dropped. Victor let go a tendril of his powers and slowly wrapped it around the minds of everyone present. Werewolves were one of the few creatures that could resist a vampire’s compulsion. Yet, somehow, someone other than Victor had been able to compel these pups to deliver this message. None of the vamps in this region had the power to command a room full of Children of the Dark. As the first immortal, only Victor had that power.“Speak, pup. Tell me everything you know.”The beta’s black eyes seemed to sparkle and dark power rippled off of him in waves. “The pup, as you call him, doesn’t know much. But I do.”“And who are you?” Victor hadn’t felt magic this strong in centuries. Not since The Powers cursed them. “I am always around but never seen. However, who I am is not important. Just know I am a friend of Yuuri’s and therefore a friend of yours. I’m here to tell you he’s back.” Victor froze as the man took Victor's hand in his and a jolt of magic shot through him. “I can’t keep this possession for much longer, but he is waiting for you.”A look about the room confirmed everyone in attendance had been frozen. An unnatural smirk graced the beta's lips before his face went completely blank. Then the Beta blinked, as if stepping out of a daze, and the room instantly picked up with noise again. The banquet continued on as if nothing had happened.“Fangers?” The beta asked, seeming confused by his own question.“Fang bangers,” Chris explained, looking around the room as if he sensed something was off. “Beings who like to have sex with vampires in exchange for blood.”The look of confusion began to fade as the young wolf’s eyes lit up in humour. “You’re telling me you can convince a person to sleep with you without using compulsion on them? I’m shocked.”“Watch your mouth,” Celestino reprimanded, seemingly unaware that anything had transpired. “These two are way older than you could ever imagine. Pardon my beta’s rudeness, he’s still young.” “This little puppy is your second? Shouldn’t he be back with your –”"Christophe, we're leaving. I'm sorry, but we must be going now.” Victor inclined his head, his eyes searching for the exit. “It was nice to see you, Celestino, Phichit." Victor grabbed Chris by the sleeve of his jacket and began to drag him through the throng of partygoers.“How did you know that little wolf’s name?” Chris asked in confusion once they broke through the crowd. Victor was finding it difficult to remain walking at a human pace knowing his Yuuri was out there, calling to him. “Did you compel me to forget something?”“I didn’t, something else did.” Victors fangs were digging into his lower lip, filling his mouth with borrowed blood.“How?” Chris looked horrified. “I don’t know, and I don’t care.” Victor’s vision was going spotty as the news began to sink in.He’s finally back.
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Day 2 - Witches/Warlocks
Love Will Continue
Try to deny it and try to protest. But love won't let you go once you've been possessed. – Andrew Lloyd Webber, Love Never Dies.
April 12, 1668
My Dearest Vitya,
I don’t know why I’m bothering to write you this letter. I don’t know where you went or if you’re ever coming back. I don't understand why you left me when I needed you the most. Even now, as I sit here cursing your name, I can’t help but miss you terribly.
Was my confession of love so repulsive that you had to leave the country? Was I wrong to believe that you felt the same way about me? Was my head just tricking me to think that the longing I felt in my heart was echoed in your own?
My parents and sister got the sickness. I don’t know why I was the only one who escaped its clutches. They all died the month after you left me.
Without you or my family I feel lost. Every morning I wake up and the pain of losing you and them weighs on my chest. Draining me of all my strength and breath.
I remember the day we met because, for the first time, I was able to breathe. Real deep breaths that filled my lungs with hope. Now, I feel as though I am suffocating.
I had dreamed that one day we would run the inn together. But without you or my family, I couldn’t run the inn on my own. I was forced to sell. The pride and joy my parents worked so hard to create, gone the moment I signed on the dotted line.
I thought about ending it, but knowing you were alive out there somewhere made me unable to follow through. Even now, as I beg for peace, the angel of death ignores my prayers.
Since you left, the nightmares returned, more horrible than I ever remembered. I cannot recall the last time I slept through the night.
Somehow, the news of my family’s passing reached Father’s sister all the way in Salem. She arranged for a carriage to collect me and insisted I come live with her and her group of sisters.
Father never liked to speak of her, saying she worshiped an evil god like their mother before, but what other choice did I have?
My stay with the Coven has not been all unpleasant.
My aunt gives me medicine. She says it’s to mend my broken heart, but I think it is my soul that is broken.
Something has always been wrong with me. As if I angered a god in another life and this one is my punishment.
My aunt thinks she can cure me, but I believe her efforts are for naught. She tells me to dance, to make music with my body. For a time it helps. But the moment my body stops moving, the weight of it all returns.
I wish I could dance forever.
Do you remember the night we danced beneath the moon? How the stars shone a little brighter? That was the first time I felt genuinely alive. I cherish that memory, now more than ever.
The other women my aunt lives with sometimes dance too. When they do, it’s spellbinding. Around them, the grass looks a little greener, and the fires burn a little brighter.
They tell me that when they dance, they are able to connect with the Powers beyond. But when I dance, all I see is you and me. Well, I think it’s me.
In some visions, I see myself with brown hair, others black as night. My body changes – sometimes I’m round from too much indulgence, others I’m fit like the farm hands that work the fields.
But you, Victor, always look the same. Your long silver hair tied back with a ribbon and your beautiful blue eyes swimming with mirth.
We are always dancing. Sometimes on a frozen lake, sometimes at a ball or banquet. Occasionally there’s music. Rarer still, you sing to me in a language I do not understand.
My aunt says my visions are us from another life, but I don’t think she’s right. How is it possible for you to live on just as you are while I am the only one that changes?
In the visions, you look happy and so in love. Is it possible that we loved each other in another life? If so, what makes this one different?
The visions always end with us embracing, sharing a kiss. The moment our bodies connect, a brilliant blaze lights up the dream, and I come back to myself.
But you never let me hold you. For months I tried to touch you and you always brushed me off.
I envy the versions of me that got to seize you and love you. I’d die for the chance to feel your lips on mine. Just once.
If you feel nothing at all for me then there is no reason for me to exist. Is fate so cruel that it can allow me to love you so deeply, only for you to reject me?
I belong to you, body and soul. I feel as though a part of me is tied to you, and it always will be.
If there is a God, I pray he will end my suffering, for I cannot take my own life. Until I see your cold dead body, I feel there is still a chance for us. To kiss and embrace like the versions of us in my visions. So in love that the world around us burns.
Forever and eternally yours,
Yuuri
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Day 3 – Fall Festivals
Love Endures
It slips into your thoughts. It infiltrates your soul. It takes you by surprise. Then seizes full control.
Present
"Please, Yuuko, it's not healthy for you to lock yourself in like this," Takeshi begged from the other side of the bathroom door.It had happened again that night. The familiar unbearable cramping and bleeding that signalled she failed yet another life.Yuuko desperately wanted a baby.Three times she’d tried. Three times she’d failed.The doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with her, repeating that ‘these things do happen,' but Yuuko knew that wasn’t the case. Her aunt had had the same problem before she and her husband died tragically in a horrible accident.Today was the first day of fall. It was supposed to be the day they announced their pregnancy to Yuuko’s grandmother and the Coven. But now, not even the start of her favourite season could help mend her broken heart.As a child, the fall equinox always amazed her. Her grandmother would dress up in funny costumes and dance around a fire with other women all dressed all in black. They’d sing and chant, communing with their ancestors while attempting to restore their connection to The Powers. Her grandmother told her that these celebrations were to be kept secret as the ritual was no longer allowed.The Salem Coven had been disbanded by the Council for misuse of magic.Necromantic rituals were forbidden, but the Coven had attempted to resurrect the husband of one of the sisters who’d died before his time. It was a sin to bring back a human soul that had left the land of the living, but the sisters believed they‘d found a way around the forbidden act.There was an ancient soul binding ritual, known only by the Covens whose ancestry dated back to the beginning of their kind. Those who were born with magic and didn’t have to draw their powers from the dead or The Powers. It allowed for two souls that wished to bind themselves for all eternity to share one soul, one essence, one lifetime. Once joined together, the bonded souls would always find one another. It didn’t matter the distance; a bonded soul would forever recognize their soulmate.The grieving sister believed that because they had bound their souls, a part of her husband’s soul still resided in her. The sisters thought they’d found a loophole in The Power’s sacred law and truly believed they could bring him back without consequences. After all, the laws only stated that magic was not to be used to bring back a soul that left the land of the living. With the sisters husband’s soul still tethered to her, it was technically still on Earth. Her sisters agreed with little resistance to attempt the resurrection and bring the bonded souls together once more.Why wait to be together again in the next life when they could thrive in this one?The moment the spell took hold, the sisters immediately knew they had made a mistake. What they brought back was not their dear sisters’ husband, but something dark and unnatural.As punishment, The Powers placed a curse upon the Coven. Each member would be fated to lose their greatest love.For some of the sisters, that was their soulmates. For others, their children.Yuuko’s grandmother was the first affected by the curse, losing her soulmate three months after the resurrection. Yuuko’s mother was just a girl when she learned about the curse and grew up dreadfully afraid to fall in love.Her mother tried to place a curse upon herself so that she’d never meet her soulmate, but the pull from a soulmate is too strong for such magic.Yuuko was eleven when her father died in a work accident. Her mother died six months later of a broken heart. It destroyed Yuuko’s grandmother to bury both her soulmate and her daughter, but she kept going for Yuuko’s sake.Yuuko’s love for Takeshi took root the moment she saw him sitting across from her at lunch in middle school. She knew it was only a matter of time before they’d follow in her parents’ footsteps. Yuuko wanted to make the most of their years together, however short.It took a long time for her to share her family’s secret. For years, Yuuko was torn between making a clean break and telling him the truth. A small part of her believed that if she left Salem for good, Takeshi would have a fighting chance. She got as far as packing a bag before she thought of living without Takeshi. She ran to his house that night and told him everything.Surprisingly, Takeshi took the news well. He convinced Yuuko that any life without her was meaningless and together they would endure the curse. Yuuko thought Takeshi was all she could ever want. Until the first miscarriage.Drying her eyes, Yuuko opened the bathroom door to see her husband waiting for her. He enveloped her in a tight hug and for a moment the pain of losing another baby was bearable. “Why don’t we go to the fall festival? It will take your mind off things for a little while.”“Okay.” Yuuko’s throat was raw, her voice like sandpaper. “I just need a few minutes to freshen up.”Takeshi kissed his wife’s forehead before giving her space to get ready. Looking at her flat stomach in the mirror hurt more than words could describe. Sure, they could always adopt, but Yuuko wanted to create life with the love she shared with Takeshi. She now understood why the sisters did what they did. This pain was unbearable. If only there was something someone could do.The moment the thought crossed her mind, Yuuko knew it was a bad idea.The Powers had already cursed the Coven for messing with the laws of nature once. But maybe, just maybe, there was someone else who could grant her wish.Someone who could create life out of love.
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Day 4 - Halloween/Costume Party
Love Never Alters
Love gives you pleasure, and love brings you pain, and yet when both are gone, love will still remain. – Andrew Lloyd Webber, Love Never Dies.
October 31, 1988
Since moving to America, Otabek hated celebrating his birthday. In the States, October 31st was a day to dress up in stupid costumes and beg strangers for candy.His friends would expect him to throw a Halloween themed birthday party even though Otabek truly hated everything to do with the holiday. He hated sweets, he hated dressing up, and he hated the Monster Mash.Eventually, he just stopped celebrating all together.This year, Otabek wanted to try something different. He was a freshman at Salem University, and he'd be dammed if he spent another year locked up in his room on his birthday.The house party was in full swing by the time he arrived. The lights were off and creepy music played from a boom box in the corner of the room. Cheap paper decorations of witches and pumpkins were stuck haphazardly to the wall. A mummy was making out with a cowgirl right in front of the booze table so everyone had to awkwardly reach around them to grab a drink.“Those two really need to get a room." Otabek turned to see a blond kid wearing baggy black pants, a tiger shirt, and a studded leather jacket. He looked too young to be a freshman in high school, let alone college, yet something about the boy seemed familiar.“I’m sorry, but do I know you?”“No.” The boy's green eyes seemed to glow in the dark room. “My name’s Yuri. Yours is Otabek Altin, correct?”“If we’ve never met before, how do you know my name?”“I didn’t say we’ve never met before.” Yuri’s voice was low, but Otabek could easily hear him over the sounds of the party. “You asked if you knew me.“Okay.” Something felt off about this kid. “What’s your costume supposed to be? Nudist on strike?”The glowing green eyes flashed for a moment as his smile revealed two sharp fangs protruding from his gums."A vampire?" Otabek asked, and the boy nodded. “Where’s your cape, fake blood, and Dracula tux? With just the fangs, no one knows what you are.”The boy's smile dropped. "Capes are stupid, fake blood tastes awful, and a real vampire would try to blend in with the current fashion, not wear some stuffy old-fashioned tux.”“I guess that makes sense.”“What are you supposed to be?” Yuri took a step closer to him so they were only a foot apart. “You’re not wearing a costume either, unless you also have hidden fangs."“I don’t, but I guess I’ll just be a vampire too.” The boy laughed, his breath tickling Otabek’s face. It smelled sweet and intoxicating, and Otabek found himself drawn by it. “What are you doing here? I think you’re a bit young to be in college.”“Trust me,” The boy laughed again, “I’m older than I look.”“Oh right, cause you’re a vampire,” Otabek teased, pretending to play along.Yuri took hold of Otabek’s hand in his own. “Don’t tell me you believe in vampires, Otabek.”“Sure, why not?” Otabek wasn’t sure why he said it. Of course vampires weren’t real. It was just another stupid costume for people to dress up as on his stupid birthday.The look of shock on Yuri’s face surprised Otabek but the boy’s expression quickly morphed back to neutral. “Next you’re going to say you believe in soulmates.”Again, Otabek wasn’t sure where the words were coming from, but he nodded his head and replied, “One person out there for everyone? I think it’s pretty romantic. However cliché or stupid it may sound.”“It’s not stupid at all.” Yuri looked bewildered as if he wasn’t sure if he’d just won the lottery. “How about we get out of here? This party is lame, and I have way better booze back at my apartment.”“You have an apartment?” Otabek asked confused. “How old are you, kid?”“I told you.” Yuri looked annoyed as he pulled Otabek through the crowd of bodies towards the exit. “I’m a lot older than I look.”They didn’t talk much as they walked towards Yuri’s apartment. Yuri seemed lost in thought but he never let go of Otabek’s hand. It must have been early since children were still going door to door trick-or-treating. A group of giggling witches passed them as their mother followed behind with a baby in her arms dressed as a pumpkin."I never understood Halloween," Otabek said to fill the silence between them. “I thought parents were supposed to teach their kids that taking candy from a stranger was dangerous.”“The origins of Halloween are believed to be from Pagan cultures, but it's the Christians that blew it up to what it is today." Yuri stopped in front of an older looking apartment building and fished out his keys.“Are you a history major or something?” Otabek asked, wondering if in fact Yuri was a bit older than he looked."I don't go to the university if that what you're asking," Yuri replied. “I’m here for another reason.”“And what reason is that?”Yuri stopped in front of room 113 and unlocked the door. "Come inside and I'll tell you."The lights to the apartment flipped on and Otabek took in the grungy apartment. Although the furniture looked old and worn, it was clean. Typical for a college dorm. "Can I make you a drink? I make a mean Bloody Mary."“Sure.” Otabek took a seat at the breakfast bar and watched Yuri prepare the drinks.“I’m here to investigate a Coven of witches that broke the law," Yuri stated nonchalantly. “Right.” Otabek watched Yuri pull a bottle of vodka and a mason jar of thick tomato juice from the fridge. “And I’m here to study ghost hunting.”“I’m serious.” Yuri took out two glasses from the cabinet above the sink and poured enough vodka to fill half of each glass.“And that’s a serious amount of vodka.”Yuri grinned, his fangs sparkling. “I’m from Russia. I can handle my vodka.”“So, you’re a Russian vampire who’s here in Salem to investigate a Coven of witches who broke some law?”“Do you want this warmed up?” Yuri held up the jar, the thick liquid sloshing against the glass.“Ew, no. Why would I want that?”Instead of responding, Yuri unscrewed the lid and poured the liquid into the glasses. The thick fluid dove to the bottom of the glass, tinting the vodka a rose colour. Yuri handed one of the drinks to Otabek, sipping the remaining juice in the jar. When he pulled away, his teeth were stained red and his eyes glowed even brighter than they had at the party. “Drink up.”A sickening feeling began to roil in Otabek’s stomach. Now that he held the drink in his hand, he was pretty sure this wasn’t a typical Bloody Mary. “I think maybe I should go.”“Stay.”Otabek tried to stand, but for some reason, his body wouldn't move. “What’s going on?”“I said, drink up.” Yuri’s eyes glowed red as Otabek felt his arm move against his will and slowly bring the drink to his lips. His lips parted involuntarily, welcoming the thick liquid into his mouth.The moment he tasted the thick blood on his tongue, Otabek recoiled. It didn’t take long to realize he was probably drinking human blood. Had Yuri killed someone for this blood? Was he in some deranged murderer’s apartment who was obsessed with vampire lore? Was this psycho going to drain his blood too?Otabek wanted to puke. He wanted to stop himself from drinking the vile liquid. He wanted to throw the glass at Yuri. But his body wouldn’t let him do any of those things. Instead, he gulped down the drink as if it was nothing but cherry soda.“That’s it,” Yuri cooed sweetly. “Finish the whole thing, then this one.” Yuri placed the other glass next to Otabek on the breakfast counter, and Otabek could do nothing but obey. Every gulp made Otabek want to retch, but his body forced down the blood and vodka.Once both glasses lay empty on the bar, Yuri walked over to him. Otabek still couldn't move, but that didn't seem to matter to Yuri as he ran his fingers through Otabek’s hair.“I’ve waited so long for this. You have no idea.” Yuri leaned in close, licking a stripe across Otabek’s neck. “Did you know that vampires can only be turned on the day they were born? Those who aren’t go mad and become the beasts humans believe us to be. But we’re not all bloodthirsty monsters that can’t control their hunger.”Otabek felt his heart quicken as sharp teeth scratched his neck. “I never believed I’d find my soulmate at a party in Salem. But here we are.” Yuri pulled away from Otabek’s neck to look him in the eye. “We could wait another year, but god, I’ve waited for you so long.”“What are you going to do?” Otabek asked even though he was sure he knew the answer. The alcohol was making him feel light headed, his throat burned, and the taste of blood felt heavy on his tongue.Yuri’s smile sent a chill down Otabek’s spine. “I’m going to make you mine. Forever.”Otabek tried to scream, but the feel of Yuri’s fangs piercing his skin silenced him. Hot white flames of pain shot through his neck and down his arms, making his fingers numb. Otabek tried to break free but he still couldn't move. Yuri’s grip on him was so tight it hurt. The last thing Otabek remembered from his human life was the sound of Yuri drinking, long and deep. Then the darkness took him.
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Day 5 - Haunted House
Love Never Falters
Once it has spoken, love is yours. – Andrew Lloyd Webber, Love Never Dies.
October 21, 2008
Isabella Yang adored Halloween. She loved to dress up, carve pumpkins, and go trick-or-treating with her older brother.Since Isabella was a baby, their parents took them to the same farm to take family photos in the pumpkin patch. The pictures always turned out beautiful, the four of them surrounded by orange and green.After they took their pictures and picked their pumpkins the Yang’s would browse the farm’s market and stock up on pumpkin pie, pumpkin donuts, and pumpkin fudge. Although the treats were delicious, they weren't Isabella's favourite part of the farm. She loved the kids’ zone.The kids’ zone had hay rides, a corn maze, a petting zoo, a haunted house, and face painting. Isabella’s brother Alex tried to drag her into the haunted house with him every year, but Isabella refused. She hated being scared and cried until their parents stepped in and separated the siblings. Alex would go through the haunted house with their father, while their mother took Isabella to watch a puppet show or to the pony rides. This year the farm had a new attraction. "Bella look, this year they have a little nook set up for a storyteller. Want to go see?"“Yes!” The seven-year-old shrieked, dragging her mother toward the banner that read ‘Stories from Salem.’A group of at least twenty kids sat in the grass, fascinated by an old woman reading stories. “…And then the witch went out and planted another pumpkin seed. The end.”The children clapped as the old woman closed the book and put it away.“Please read us another, Baba Yaga!” The boy closest to the woman begged."I would, my child, but I'm afraid I've read through all the stories I brought." The old woman’s voice was eerie, perfectly matching the witch costume she wore.“Then tell us a story!” A girl next to Isabella yelled as the other children around her cheered.The old woman scanned the faces of the children around her as if debating whether or not she should. “Alright, one more story, then I must go.” All the children leaned closer, eagerly waiting for the story to begin.“Once upon a time, many centuries ago, there lived a powerful warlock named Eros. Back then, many talented witches and warlocks were born with different types of magic. The warlock Eros' specialty was the most powerful magic in all the world.”“What kind of magic was that?” One of the children asked.“Love,” The witch responded, a tender smile gracing her lips.“Like cupid?” The girl next to Isabella asked.“Kind of.” The woman smiled to reveal crooked yellow teeth. “But not exactly. Eros could draw his power from love, the most powerful and pure emotion humans possess.”Isabella smiled. Her parents always told her love was a gift that should never be taken for granted.“For years, Eros used his magic for good. Helping people in need and sharing his magic with those who deserved it. But Eros was lonely. He could draw upon love but he’d never known what it felt like to truly love someone.“After years of loneliness, Eros decided to use his magic on himself. He cast a spell that would always lead him to his soulmate.”“What’s a soulmate?” The boy in front of Isabella asked.“A soulmate is your other half,” The witch replied. “The person who you’re meant to be with forever.”Isabella sighed, hoping that one day she would meet her soulmate, so they could live happily ever after."Once the spell was cast, a red string appeared around Eros’ ring finger and lead him to his soulmate. Eros spent many months travelling, following the red string till it brought him to a tiny cottage in a foreign land. The warlock was nervous as he knocked on the door and waited to meet his soulmate. A man with long silver hair and piercing blue eyes opened the door and the moment they saw each other, the warlock and the human embraced, falling deeply in love.“At first, their life together was peaceful. The warlock and the human shared all of the same hobbies and loved spending as much time with each other as possible. They loved to dance in the summer and ice skate in the winter.“A few years passed in bliss until one day a sickness plagued the land. Eros tried to use his magic to prevent his beloved from getting ill, but he was too late. The warlock refused to be parted from his soulmate forever, so he created a spell that would allow his soulmate to be reborn and return to him one day.“When the human died, Eros was devastated and spent many years waiting for his soulmate to return to him. Eventually, the red string of fate returned, and once again Eros followed it to the human. This time it took even longer for Eros to find his beloved, and when he did, the human had no memories of Eros.“Since the warlock had cast the spell to bind their souls together, he had assumed his soulmate would have his memories from their previous life. To Eros' dismay, the soulmate he knew was gone. Although his soulmate still loved him, Eros didn’t want to have to go through the pain of losing his beloved only to have to start over every time his soulmate died.“You see, children, because Eros was a warlock, he was immortal. This meant he had the power to live forever, but humans live short and fleeting lives. Eros didn’t have the magic to make his soulmate like him so instead he created something else. A True Immortal.“On the eve of the human’s twenty-seventh birthday, Eros enacted a curse to stop his soulmate from dying, but at a terrible cost. Humans are not supposed to live forever, and thus Eros' soulmate was no longer human. Eros had created the first vampire, and for vampires to survive, they needed to drink human blood.“By creating vampires, Eros disturbed the balance of nature, and thus The Powers punished him and his soulmate. The Powers cursed the warlock’s soul to be bound to a human body so that his soulmate would be forced to endure watching Eros die time and time again. Eros escaped the pain of watching his soulmate die at the cost of forcing his beloved to suffer that cruel fate instead. Sometimes when the wind blows, you can still hear Eros howling in pain at his soulmate’s suffering. For what punishment could be worse than punishing the one you love most? And so it was foretold, as long as Eros remained human, the warlock and the immortal would never be together again.”Isabella began to cry, along with half of the children around her. “Mommy, that story was so sad!”“Shhhh, Bella, it’s okay.” Isabella’s mother picked up her daughter, glaring at the Witch as she began to pack up her things. Once the seven-year-old calmed down a fraction Isabella’s mother left the nook to complain to one of the farm’s staff members. It took some time to track down a man with the farm’s logo on his t-shirt, but the staff member insisted the farm hadn’t hired any storytellers. By the time Isabella’s mother brought the man to the nook, the witch was gone.
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Day 6 - Ghosts/Spirits
Love Keeps on Beating When You’re Gone
It uses you at whim, and drives you to despair, and forces you to feel more joy than you can bear. – Andrew Lloyd Webber, Love Never Dies.
March 1st, 1908
Yuuri grew up in the Opera Populaire. Its large marble hallways and crystal chandelier held an eerie presence that had always unnerved him. Giant statues of gargoyles and candelabras adorned the halls, illuminating the opera house day and night. Despite its creepy exterior, it was home after his father’s death.His father had been a travelling musician, bringing joy and laughter to all those who met him. Yuuri’s mother had died in childbirth, but his father always spoke so fondly of her that Yuuri felt like he'd known her all his life.With his father gone and no other family to take him in, Yuuri found himself training in the dormitories with the other aspiring ballerinas. Lilia had been a dear friend of Yuuri’s father and took him in as one of her own. She was a cold and hard woman, her face a permanent scowl. Her son, who was also named Yuri, was constantly trying to outshine Yuuri in everything they did.Even though Yuri was usually mean to him, the young blond boy was the only person that ever talked to him. The other dancers whispered lies about a dark curse hanging over Yuuri’s head and that a great tragedy would befall anyone who tried to become friends with him.As Yuuri continued to train, the whispers from the other dancers only grew. They claimed that a ghost had come to them in the night, imploring them to be kinder to the orphaned foreigner. Yuuri had never seen or heard of the ghost, but the other children swore it was true. They described the ghost as a man with long pale hair that shone like moonlight.Most nights Yuuri wandered into the cold and damp prayer room to cry and talk to his father. Before his death, his father had promised Yuuri that the angel of music would protect him and keep him company once his father left him. It had been eight years and Yuuri had never heard or seen this angel.Just like the opera ghost, the angel of music was a lie. Or so he thought.The night he met the angel, the prayer room felt significantly colder, and the flame from the lit candle burned a bit brighter. Yuuri saw the angel through the colossal mirror that decorated the north wall. At first, Yuuri thought his mind was playing tricks on him. He’d been begging the void to send him someone, anyone to make his lonely existence just a little bit more tolerable. He never dreamed his prayers would be answered.The angel looked at Yuuri with overwhelming tenderness and love, filling Yuuri’s aching heart with a warmth he thought he'd never feel again.Yuuri reached out and the ethereal being walked through the glass. For once, Yuuri didn't feel scared or troubled. He felt whole. Like a piece of him had been missing until this very moment. Yuuri asked for the angel’s name but the being only laughed.From that moment forward, Yuuri always felt the angel’s presence. From the shadows, Yuuri felt his angel of music watching over him, protecting him, loving him. Sometimes at practice or at dinner, Yuuri would see a flash of silver or blue. It was proof enough for Yuuri to know he wasn't crazy. His angel was always near.When Yuuri would go to light a candle in the prayer room, the angel would come and sing melodies that were foreign to him, yet somehow familiar. Sometimes, Yuuri was sad. The angel would hold him and let Yuuri cry himself to sleep in the angel’s arms. Other times, Yuuri was filled with so much love for the angel that the world felt beautiful. He’d spend those times dancing with the angel to the beat of music no one else seemed to hear.Eventually, the other dancers stopped treating Yuuri like an outsider. Yuri's once prickly demeanour shifted to one of friendship that Yuuri cherished almost as much as his love for the angel.As the years passed, Yuri and Yuuri became the Opera Populaire’s best dancers. People from all over the world came to see the duo perform, often demanding encore after encore.As their fame grew, so did the jealousy of the other dancers. Yuuri had been used to the harsh treatment by his peers from his youth, but for Yuri it was particularly painful. In a fit of rage on his sixteenth birthday, Yuri lashed out at the other dancers, calling them names and demanding they stop the teasing and the cruelty. Yuuri tried to stop him, but it was no use.The other dancers’ response held nothing back. After being brutally beaten, the boys were dragged to the basement and locked in the cellar. The dark, damp stone and thin dance clothing did nothing to protect the boys from the harsh Russian winter storm raging outside. Yuuri did his best to search for a means of escape, but his body ached from the cold and his injuries. Yuri looked on the verge of death and Yuuri felt his own life force fading with every beat of his slowing heart. All seemed lost until the angel burst open the cellar door and hauled them into the prayer room.The angel begged Yuuri’s forgiveness for not getting to them sooner, but Yuuri didn't care. He pleaded the angel to save his friend who lay shivering on the floor of the prayer room. Yuri’s lips were so pale and he’d lost a lot of blood. The angel’s eyes that had always shone blue were now red, tinged with a madness that made Yuuri shiver. Despite his crazed appearance, the angel was hauntingly beautiful.The angel ignored his plea to heal his friend in favor of cradling Yuuri’s freezing body in his arms. Yuuri was already so cold but somehow the angel’s touch felt even cooler on his skin. Being so close to his angel had always been a source of comfort. Now, even with his death looming before him, Yuuri felt strangely at peace in his angel’s cool embrace. Yuuri relaxed in his arms, waiting for the darkness to come, when suddenly his head began to pound. Without warning, flashes of Yuuri and the angel flooded Yuuri’s mind. He screamed in agony, clutching his head as the memories returned to him. Flickers of Victor’s silvery laugh. Glimmers of Victor telling him how handsome he looked. Traces of Victor’s lips on his. Visions of Victor’s eyes swimming with unimaginable grief.Yuuri finally remembered. He remembered everything.Yuuri blinked, trying to push the pain away with the press of his eyelids. His head was throbbing and his vision was spotty but Yuuri willed his body to move. He was finally with Victor, as himself. His true self. They’d only have a few precious moments together and he wasn’t going to waste them.“Victor?” Yuuri’s voice was but a whisper. "Have you returned to me, my love?" Victor smiled, gripping the sides of his face as if he was holding the most precious gift. Tears of blood welled in Victor's eyes, betraying his true nature. “Yes,” Yuuri croaked, the words thick on his tongue. “But I can feel this life slipping away. We don’t have much time.”The soulmates embraced, and for a moment Yuuri was reminded why he kept fighting. Even though they only had a few moments together spread across the millennia, Victor was worth every torturous life. Every moment of agony. Despite how cruel their punishment was, Victor had never shown signs of giving up. For that, Yuuri was forever grateful.“Have you found a way to break the curse?” Victor implored. “I haven’t anything new.”Yuuri shook his head. “There is a loophole, I’m sure of it. But every time I feel as though I’m close to discovering something my soul is drawn into another body. I’m trying, Victor, I promise.”“I know you are.” Yuuri knew Victor felt the tethers of his soul loosening just as he did. Time was running out. "I’m not ready to let you go again.”“Victor, please turn Yuri for me,” Yuuri pleaded with his beloved. “I want to dance with him again once this curse is broken.”“I figured you’d want to keep him.” Victor’s smile was warm, but his eyes held the pain of a thousand years of misery. “I love you, Yuuri. I love you so much.”“I love you more, Vitya.” Yuuri watched Victor’s eyes clear of pain, echoing the love Yuuri felt.Victor kissed him, desperately trying to hold onto Yuuri’s soul for a few more precious moments. Yuuri fought too, pouring thousands of years worth of love and sorrow into the kiss.And so Yuuri’s soul left yet another body. He watched from above as Victor cradled his lifeless corpse, Yuuri’s heart echoing his beloved’s sorrow as another human body crumbled into ash.
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Day 7 - Grim Reaper/Death
Love Lives On
And soon as you submit, surrender flesh and bone. That love takes on a life, much bigger than your own – Andrew Lloyd Webber, Love Never Dies.
Purgatory
Yuuri was sure this was just an illusion, but he didn’t care.They were together, as they had been so many times, in so many lives, but Yuuri’s soul wasn’t being ripped from his body. His mouth moved against Victor’s, hot and impatient, turning his blood molten. Yuuri clawed at his back, pulling him closer and praying that maybe this wasn’t a dream.Yuuri ran his hands wherever he could and Victor responded in kind, holding his hips in a vice grip that not even The Powers could break. They both knew it wasn't possible to be together like this. When their time was up, neither of them would be able to prevent the inevitable. But, for a moment, Yuuri let himself believe Victor had the power to keep him here.Victor's lips were wild, kissing him as if trying to drown Yuuri in his love. Yuuri felt Victor's longing, his agony, and his relief in the kiss as they breathed in only each other. For a moment, Yuuri could forget his guilt for all the pain and suffering he'd caused Victor over the centuries. For a moment, it was just the two of them, burning away the painful memories and replacing them with love and desire. They fumbled with their clothing, frantic to shed away any barrier between them. It had been at least two thousand years since Yuuri and Victor had been intimate. In that life, Yuuri had been a courtesan for the King of Spain, forced to entertain the Royals’ foreign guests. That was until a handsome prince from a distant land had arrived and demanded Yuuri for himself. At first, Victor tried to keep his distance, insisting he wanted Yuuri only to dance for him and to leave once he was done. In that life, the curse was kind to them, allowing the soulmates a small reprieve to enjoy the sins of the flesh. Of course, Victor had felt terribly after and apologized for taking advantage of the situation. Decades later Yuuri had assured him it was a treasured memory, but Victor would have none of it. Victor vowed never to take Yuuri again while under the effects of the curse.The curse had taken so much away from Yuuri – but not everything. He still knew Victor by the touch of his cold skin, the way he breathed in air his body no longer needed, the intoxicating scent of cedarwood and bergamot. Yuuri could see how the touch of his hands was slowly undoing Victor, unravelling him piece by piece. Smiling into the kiss, Yuuri's knees came up to roll their hips together, making Yuuri’s intentions clear. Gasping, Victor tore his mouth away from Yuuri’s. “We shouldn’t.”“Please,” Yuuri begged, ready to endure any punishment The Powers saw fit for this one lucid time together.Yuuri watched as Victor’s resolve crumpled and a sigh escaped his lips. Yuuri dragged Victor back to him, gathering his beloved up against him and linking his ankles behind Victor's calves. They were pinned against each other, so close Yuuri was sure this couldn’t be a figment of his imagination.The weight of Victor on him was too real and his lips were so firm as Victor kissed his way down Yuuri's throat and chest. Tangling his hands in Victor’s long hair, Yuuri tried to guide Victor to where he wanted him most. Victor obliged, eagerly taking Yuuri’s length in one go.Yuuri cried out in languages long forgotten as years of pent up lust and desire coursed through him. It took an embarrassingly short amount of time for Yuuri to feel his body go taut, the coils of pleasure building to a crescendo. Just as his orgasm was about to overtake him, the illusion vanished into a puff of smoke. Yuuri growled, cursing Death’s name as the dark empty room that served as his holding cell in purgatory came into view.“Did you really have to interrupt?” Yuuri seethed, livid as the feel of Victor's cold touch evaporated. “It’s my job to punish you for all eternity,” The deep and gloomy voice of Death answered.“No,” Yuuri laughed at his old friend. “It’s your job to drag my soul back to this forsaken place until it returns to earth.”“Exactly.” Death’s chuckle was unnatural, but Yuuri had since grown used to his friend’s weird sense of humour. "Fewer thoughts of fucking your soulmate and more thoughts of breaking that curse of yours.” “I know you know how to break it,” Yuuri baited.“And you know I can’t tell you,” Death responded as his essence shaped into something that looked like a cloaked human’s body. One of the first things Yuuri had asked of Death when arriving in purgatory the first time was for him to take on a humanoid form. It made Yuuri feel crazy otherwise, speaking to a voice with no body. Now, Yuuri wanted to believe his old friend was merely messing with him, but Death could not lie. Death often twisted the facts, but ultimately, Yuuri knew everything he said held truth. “Not true love’s kiss?”“No,” Death snorted, rolling his midnight black eyes as if the very idea offended him.“What if Victor killed me before I remembered?” “Then I’d have to collect your soul that much faster.” The look Death gave him told Yuuri he was at least on the right track. He didn’t know how much time he had left, and he didn’t want to return to Victor for another life with nothing new for him to share.Just as Yuuri was about to ask another question, a woman’s voice Yuuri had never heard before echoed in the room.“Oh, mighty Eros. I request your favour as a child of your kin."It had been a long time since his people had prayed to Yuuri and an even longer time since he'd answered. Death's soulless eyes shone with glee as if he'd been waiting for this moment to occur. “If I were you, I’d answer that girl’s call.” Yuuri focused his energy on the pull of the woman’s voice until the woman came into view. She had dark brown hair and the blood of a warlock that had long been mixed with those of humans. “Why do you seek me, child? Do you not know of the dangers?” “My life is already in danger,” The girl implored. The strain on her powers to summon a meeting with Eros was clearly pushing the young witch to her limit. With a sigh, Yuuri accepted the summons, instantly releasing the woman of her spell. “If you know who I am, then you know that I can’t even help myself. What makes you think I can help you?”“You used to be able to help people who wanted love.” The woman’s eyes were red and full of tears. "You are the god of love, and I wish to create life with the love I have for my soulmate."Yuuri felt his heart pick up at the woman’s words. “What do you mean?”“My clan was punished by The Powers for resurrecting one of our sisters’ soulmates. They’d believed that because they had performed the soulmate ritual and a piece of her husband’s soul was still within her that they could bring him back.” The wheels in Yuuri’s mind were turning as the woman continued. “What they brought back was unnatural and disturbed the balance, so we were all cursed to lose the thing we love most.”“Huh.” Yuuri tried to hide his excitement as a plan began to take shape in his mind. “Now tell me, child, have The Powers forsaken you?”The woman blinked a few times, confused by the question. “What do you mean?”“I mean can your clan still draw on The Powers?” "No." The woman looked sad, but Yuuri only felt pure elation.“How about your ancestors?” "Their powers are limited, but we can contact them when their essence on earth is strongest like tonight.”It had been a long time since Yuuri had dealt with a Coven. The Salem witches that took him in as one of their own all those years ago were like family to him. In that life, Victor had suggested trying to prolong Yuuri's existence by having Victor leave once Yuuri showed signs of remembering. Yuuri recalled how painful the separation was and how it had nearly killed him. Victor, too, had been tormented by their separation and promised to never attempt something like that again.“And which Coven do you belong to, young one?”The woman looked up, pride gleaming in her tear-stained face. “The Salem Coven founded by the great and powerful Okukawa bloodline.”Death had been peaceful for Minako. After her failed attempt to rid her nephew of whatever curse ailed his soul, her power became weak and her body even weaker – but she had no regrets. If given a chance, Minako knew she’d do her best to end her nephew’s suffering. Of course, at the time, she didn’t know her nephew had been the embodiment of the great and powerful Eros, but that fact wouldn’t have changed her decision. From the shadows of the afterlife, Minako watched her nephew’s soul find his soulmate time and time again only to be ripped from his grasp. She’d tried to offer what little she could; a few extra moments of clarity in one life, the delay of Yuuri’s memories in another.Unfortunately, she had no way of contacting Eros in his ethereal form and she feared what would happen if she tried when he was human. So she was surprised when she felt the tug of her nephew’s essence call to her before it was time for his soul to return to the land of the living. The call brought her to an area of Death she’d never visited before; isolated and void of stimuli.When Yuuri materialized, Minako shivered at the raw thrum of power that enveloped the room. Her ethereal body reacted, forcing her to drop to her knees in the presence of Eros. “Wow, Yuuri, mind putting a damper on those powers of yours?”“Sorry!” Yuuri sputtered as he drew in his powers and a rare joyful smile tugged at his lips.“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this happy,” Minako sighed as she found her footing and stood.“You never knew me when I had a reason to be happy.” The truth of that statement tugged at Minako’s heart. "You once promised to help rid me of my curse, does that offer still stand?" "I have been trying." Gratitude lit Yuuri's eyes as Minako explained what she knew about the curse and how she'd managed to intervene over the years. “If all you say is true, then you and your Coven may be able to break my curse for good.” Yuuri paced back and forth as he went over his plan. “It’s my understanding your Coven has been forsaken by The Powers?”“Yes,” Minako sighed, looking forlorn, “For necromancy.”“Perfect.” Yuuri smiled a dazzling smile. “Once The Powers have cursed and rejected you, they cannot punish you for the same crime again.”“Please tell me you’re not going to ask my Coven to resurrect you?”A near mad smile graced Yuuri’s lips. “I already have.” Yuuko scanned the crowded festival for the rest of the Coven. With Takeshi's help, they'd already found most of the sisters and informed them of the emergency meeting. Eros had asked Yuuko to gather the all the sisters and meet him at the Coven’s cottage deep in the forest. Takeshi didn’t understand the meaning of calling upon Eros, but her sisters would. She prayed that they’d forgive her and go along with whatever Eros wanted in exchange for a child. A summoning spell used to be a synch when the Coven had The Powers to draw on. Doing one on her own had been dangerous, but she knew she couldn’t have asked her sisters for help. Even though they all knew the pain of the curse, they’d been against doing any powerful magic. The sisters didn’t want to attempt any strong spells for fear that the Council would find out that they still had access to their magic. The vampire that had been sent to disband the Coven was supposed to destroy all traces of the Coven’s power from Salem. But in his haste to leave with his newly turned soulmate, he’d missed the cottage. For years they’d managed to keep the small source of their magic a secret, and she hoped Eros had told her the truth when he said he’d be able to break their curse.“Elder Bolton!” The grey-haired woman turned as Yuuko called her name. Yuuko had sent out a mass text to most of the sisters who had cell phones, but the elders refused to use technology. She had to collect them one by one at the festival and hope they’d be able to make it to the cottage before Eros appeared."What is it, child?" The old woman asked when Yuuko caught up to her in the crowd."I've called an emergency meeting at the cottage," Yuuko whispered so as not to be overheard. “Everyone is on their way.” “What is the point of this meeting?” Elder Bolton looked at Yuuko suspiciously. She’d never liked Yuuko very much, claiming she'd been stupid to refuse to perform the soulmate binding ritual with Takeshi. Out of all the sisters, Elder Bolton would be the most challenging to convince. After all, it was her desperate desire to bring back her husband that had cursed the Coven in the first place.“I need to talk with everyone before the equinox ends.” Elder Bolton gave her a pointed look that told Yuuko to explain herself. None of the other sisters had questioned the purpose of the meeting, but Yuuko was sure Elder Bolton wouldn't come if she told her the truth. "I want to perform the binding ritual with Takeshi.”“What do you mean you already have?” Minako asked, shock plain on her face.“I’ve spoken to one of your living sisters. She wants the love of her life, and I want mine. Once they resurrect me and I get my powers back, I'll break their curse, and it will be a happy ending for all." Yuuri needed Minako’s help for his plan to work. She had tried so hard all those years ago and he hoped she’d put the lives of her sisters in danger once more for him.Minako was looking at Yuuri as if he’d gone mad. “But without the use of The Powers, the resurrection spell might kill them. I won’t let that happen.”“Your Coven is strong even without The Powers,” Yuuri countered. “Although most of their ritual sites were destroyed, the one you used all those years ago to try and break my curse is still intact. I believe since you already tried to break the curse while I was living, your Coven is the only one with the power to bring me back for good. The ritual you cast failed because my soul was still tethered to a human body, but in this state, I can be brought back in my true form, and you can complete the ritual.” Yuuri watched as Minako internalized everything he’d told her. For one heart-shattering moment, Yuuri thought Minako would refuse. It was only a matter of time before his soul would be yanked back into a human body and he wasn’t sure how long it would take for his time in purgatory to line up with another equinox.“Alright,” Minako said with a look of conviction. “For you, Yuuri, I’ll do it.”“Have you gone mad, Yuuko!” Her grandmother chided. “Necromancy is what got us in trouble in the first place! Now release us from this cottage before Eros gets here.” “She can’t,” An eerie female voice proclaimed. “For she is not the one who’s bound you here.”The room went silent as a bright light bloomed at the centre of the room in the form of a beautiful woman. Her dark brown hair cascaded down her back, framing her ageless face. Yuuko thought the woman looked familiar yet she was sure they’d never met. “My sisters,” The woman spoke. “I understand you are confused and frightened. We have summoned you here to right an injustice that was forced upon one of our own long ago. The warlock Eros was cursed for turning his soulmate into an immortal like him. Fate, however, knows no laws and has created a way for us to break this wrong. Although The Powers are strong, Eros’ power comes from the most powerful magic us humans possess: love.” A smile graced the woman’s face before she continued. “For thousands of years, Eros' love for his soulmate and his soulmate’s love for him have endured so that we could gather here today and resurrect Eros’ true form.”“Lady Minako, how dare you ask this of us!” Elder Bolton’s voice boomed. “We won’t endanger the lives of our sister just to be punished further by The Powers!”Yuuko recalled that Lady Minako had been the ancestor Elder Bolton called upon for the resurrection ritual. In her prime, Minako had been an extremely talented witch, responsible for more than half the grimoires the Coven possessed. “Do not lecture me, child, on endangering our sisters. I warned you all those years ago that bringing your husband back from the dead would curse this Coven, but you left out that part when you convinced the sisters to perform the spell.” Gasps of surprise echoed throughout the room as every eye turned to glower at Elder Bolton. “You believed any curse would be worth the life of your soulmate, but I don’t think you realized exactly what our Coven would lose.” Elder Bolton’s mouth flapped open and closed like a fish gasping for air. “You will help me bring back Eros, and in return, he will break our Coven’s curse."Victor could feel him long before he saw him. Sure, he’d felt the pull of his soulmate returning to Earth for a few days now, but nothing about this time felt different. Or at least, he hadn’t really noticed the difference. The closer Victor got to America the more excited he became. He’d ignored the surge of power he felt when the string appeared on his finger. Even though he’d never felt anything like it before. As the miles between them grew shorter, the infernal ache that had roared for centuries in Victor’s heart began to dull. He could feel Yuuri’s power like a livewire coursing through him the closer he got. Victor felt lighter and more free than he’d ever felt as an immortal. For so long, Victor had been stumbling through life, waiting for something to relieve his suffering. There had been many a day when Victor simply wanted to end his existence in the hopes that he’d finally find rest. Hundreds upon hundreds of years had passed since he’d truly been with his Yuuri.They used to have so much fun together. Long walks on the beach, reading aloud to each other, making love in front of the fire. Their perfect little life at the cottage by the sea had been an oasis. On Victor’s darkest days, he remembered those precious memories they’d shared when Victor was human.It took Victor a long time to remember his previous life with Yuuri but when he did he had a plethora of new happy memories to add to his collection. He’d remember the look on Yuuri’s face as Victor lay dying in his first life, and every pained expression when Yuuri remembered Victor’s death in his second.Victor had felt the sting of losing Yuuri more times than he could count, and each one hurt a little more than the last.But now, as the plane flew across the Atlantic, for the first time in a long time, Victor felt hope.“Do you think it’s really him?” Otabek asked as he stroked Yuri’s soft blond hair.“I doubt it, but we’ll find out soon enough.” Yuri leaned into the touch, needing the comfort of his soulmate. He’d been let down by false rumours that Eros had returned before and he wasn’t convinced this time was any different. “I don’t know.” Otabek pressed a kiss to Yuri’s temple. “Something about this time seems different.”“What makes you say that?” Yuri turned and snuggled into his soulmate’s side.Otabek brushed his fingers along Yuri’s back, making him shiver. “You didn’t see Victor’s face when he left the banquet, Kitten. He looked….”Yuri sat up and the thin bed sheet that had been covering them pooled at his waist. “What did he look like?”Otabek smiled. “He looked happy, Kitten. Really, really happy.”November 3rd, 2028 “And so, the red string of fate led the Immortal to a tiny abandoned cottage, much like the cottage from their human life long ago.”“That looks like our cottage, Mommy!” Lutz squealed, pointing at the picture book with vigour. “Yes, darling, it does.” Yuuko never grew tired of hearing her precious girls call her Mommy. Three smiling faced looked up at her expectantly as she turned the page of the triplet’s favourite book. “The vampire was nervous as he knocked on the door and waited to see if, after years of suffering, his beloved had finally returned to him for good. The moment the door opened and the soulmates saw each other, the Warlock and the Immortal embraced, never to be parted again. The end.” “Again, Mommy!” The girls chanted in unison. “It’s late, girls,” Takashi said at the threshold of the triplets’ bedroom. “It’s time to go to sleep.”“But Daddy!” Axel whined.“No buts,” Yuuko spoke softly but firm. “We can read it again tomorrow night.” Together, Yuuko and Takashi tucked in their girls and kissed them goodnight.“Figures that’s their favourite.” Takashi gestured to the book in Yuuko’s hand as he closed the triplets’ bedroom door. The book had been a precious gift from Eros for the triplet’s first birthday and already its pages were starting to crinkle from overuse. “When are you going to tell them that the Witch in their favourite bed time story is actually their mother?”“Someday.” Yuuko looked at her husband, his eyes echoing the love she felt for him. She’d forever be grateful to Eros for breaking the Coven’s curse and for blessing them with three beautiful healthy girls. Taking Takashi’s hand, Yuuko smiled. “We have all the time in the world.”