Loving Merritt Forever

Loving Merritt After 29

Merritt, for the very first time in her life and afterlife experienced teleporting. Feeling like she might vomit as she tried to figure out how to stand without swaying. Thankful that her immortal body was at least beyond the indignity of actually throwing up anymore. Quickly able to overcome the unpleasant sensations.

Hand on her head, Merritt mumbled, "That was awful." Unsure herself if she meant the teleporting or having Levi break her heart in a way she wasn't sure would ever heal. Before speaking more clearly. "Where am I?" Looking around at the beautiful lakeside estate deep in the middle of an ancient forest. Merritt could feel a demon. Getting better at recognizing the feeling with every second spent near Marisol.

"We are at a friend's home, they have agreed to shelter you." Marisol said. Answers with no answers revealed.

Merritt was beyond being overwhelmed now. The loss of Asher, knowing he was truly gone and they were out of second chances with each other forever now. Levi's perpetual betrayal and inability to see Merritt as an equal. The appearance of Joy and the demon interrupting her self induced solitude to tell her that her nightmares were real. It was too much. "I don't understand anything?" Merritt said. Her demon, humming a sad hymn like song in her head.

"I know, I'm sorry. Come, meet your hosts and I will try and explain more of what we already know." Merritt was quickly shown to a large English brick carriage house style building that protected a wood working shop, and a loft space that already had three people occupying the lounge space in the upper level.

Marisol led an uneasy Merritt through the wood shop that smelled of fresh shavings to the loft. Where two women and one man were waiting for her. The man was a demon who felt similar to Marisol, one of the women was a wolf and the other was something new entirely to Merritt. Both women were heavily pregnant. If something dark was after Merritt, she did not want to be near pregnant mothers.

The wolf rose first, "Hi, I'm Wren, these are my mates Erola and Lux. Um we only really have a wine cellar that is ready made to be safe for you, Erola has done up a cot and there is a tablet for entertainment but it's not going to be the most luxurious of accommodations." Wren, was doing her best to be hospitable. Doing her best to hide her fear of the small woman in front of her who appeared powerless. Not even Wren's wolf could sense anything dangerous about Merritt. Except the glowing, red eyes gave away exactly what she was. A vampire had killed Wren's father. It was hard to align what Wren had believed about vampires, that they were all ruthless, soulless killers, with the dainty, sad eyed woman in front of her.

Wren had heard rumors of moral vampires. Had accidently gone on a boat ride with two, who also had magic that let them walk in the sun again. Still, it was hard for Wren to forget the trauma of how her own father had died. Merritt took over the conversation. Looking directly at Marisol. "What happened to Asher?" Merritt asked. Feeling the tears welling up in her eyes. Knowing her hosts were put off by the blood tears. Ignoring them and their discomfort. She needed to know. Their comfort be damned right now. Merritt was losing everything, she could be selfish right now.

Marisol took a deep breath. Looking towards Wren, who looked away, Erola kept her eyes on Merritt but her gaze was full of sadness. Lux was taking it all in. Eyes trying to scan the loft and see everyone at once. Merritt was struck by how attractive his long, blonde hair was paired with his delicate and still masculine features. Such a strong masculine aura from such a pretty man did not seem fair to Merritt.

The look of heartbreak in Erola's eyes was already telling Merritt too much, while saying nothing out loud. "Tell me. Please? Levi promised me the council would keep him safe until he could manage his demon. Until he could be trusted to not hurt people. That's all I know." Merritt had grabbed a tissue from the box on the coffee table of the seating area she found herself in. Trying to catch all the blood tears to prevent stains. To hide them from her hosts who were clearly uncomfortable with Merritt's crying.

Merritt did not want to be a burden to anyone.

"Five days ago, Asher escaped from his confinement. The exact means and methods are still under investigation. Asher was able to evade all tracking means accessible by the council. Including using witches to scribe or trace for him. It did not make sense how perfectly he was able to evade The Council's efforts." Marisol was bothered. Everyone but Merritt seemed to know the ending already. Merritt learned that she hated being the last to know.

"Asher was captured on a gas station security camera, heading down a road that would lead him directly to where Levi's report indicated you encountered a high level demon." Marisol's voice was even as she made Merritt's worse nightmares become reality. "Shortly afterwards, our small scouting team, ceased all communication or response." Marisol ended her report.

"Asher is gone. He has found the true death." Merritt added. Tears still falling. Her voice breaking as she accepted her part in all of this. "I ran away, I put myself in the path of this demon, and it is taking everything from me. It's all my fault." Merritt was fully ready to accept all the blame. Everything bad had always been her fault.

Merritt was unprepared for the beautiful, and heavily pregnant Erola to come and wrap her arms around her in a deep hug. "It is not your fault." Erola said to Merritt, her words forceful, but Erola was gentle and controlled as she eased her embrace, leaning close, forehead to forehead with Merritt. "Nothing has been your fault Merritt." Erola declared. Only making Merritt cry harder.

Marisol interrupted, "The sun is not far, she needs to get underground." Marisol announced.

Merritt's heart broke; she had more questions. "You need to tell her more Marisol. Merritt deserves to know." Erola pressed Marisol on Merritt's behalf.

Marisol, sighed. Deeply. Like there was far more strain on her shoulders than she let on. "We are on the same side, Merritt. Any who meet you, will know you are different. That is something worth coveting in your person. We can not let you fall into the hands of a true demon." Spitting over the guard rail towards the woodshop below.

Merritt didn't understand why she ended up the target. She was weak, and still so unaware of the true nature of the world. She was born to be spare parts, Died for her organs. No one ever wanted Merritt without their own motives. "Why me?" Merritt asked.

Everyone but her looked around the room. Both women had protected hands around their own ripe baby bumps. It was the man, Lux with long blonde locks making him look like a viking god to Merritt rose and spoke, "You Merritt just by being seen once in a crowd of people have stirred the underworld in a way unseen for an entire age. Death did not have a chance to claim you before your demon rose, negating any further need for the oxygen or warmth that your living body had needed. You're supposed to be a new Persphone, a Spring Belladonna. Life and Death together in harmony." Merritt heard his words, knew they were ones she understood independently.

What he was saying did not make any sense. Lux kept talking while Merritt's head swam. "Various cultures and covens have kept records and documentations of foretellings." Smiling as though that made anything make sense.

"There is no way I am part of any prophecy." Merritt protested. She had only ever been special to Levi, and Asher. The later gone forever, and the former unable to see her his equal. The cause of her current broken heart. 

An alarm sounded before anyone was able to counter Merritt's proclamation. "She needs to get into the cellar before the sun rises." Marisol announced. Lux ushering Merritt down the stairs to an old fashioned trap door cleverly hidden in the wooden floor at the back of the wood shop. Revealing a spiral stair down into the dark. The walls lined with hundreds of bottles of wine. Erola and Wren following behind.

"We did try to make it comfortable, but it's not a very large space." Erola offered, her large dark eyes looked at Merritt with so much sadness.

Wren looked at her mate, adding, "It was the only place we could think of that would be defendable, and safe from the sun." Erola and Wren both looking at Lux.

"I will be standing guard. No one shall disturb you until the sun sets." He assured Merritt. Who was only able to nod as she descended down the iron work spiraling steps. When she was low enough, the trap door was closed behind her. Thankfully, Merritt did not hear any locks sealing her inside. Once on level ground, there was a small but comfortable and generous pallet made up, with soft blankets and pillows and a tablet, with a suite of streaming service icons on the screen.  For a cell, it wasn't so bad.