| Abhiya FF - His Firefly | COMPLETED Chapter 108 Pg 88 - Page 43

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Originally posted by: soniakhanna01

Wonderful part

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Continue soon dear

Continue soon

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Chapter 82

Purity

It looked to be like a fragment of the moon, but now trapped in the cold and musty underground. The bright stone that was created with the union of two once-forbidden lovers now lay in a bed of flowers. Before this little setup, a woman sat with her knees folded, hands upon her thighs. She dipped her hands in a pool of water and held them over the flowers. She muttered a spell, and the life essence of those flowers was drained and now present in the droplets of water that coated her skin. She grimaced, feeling dirty. Her bones and muscles felt tight and stiff. This was a simple mimicry of the dark arts that Vitael practiced, but much more painful. The council watched from around the room.

“Esteemed councilmen, may I stop this now?”

Dragomir nodded and held out his hand. The witch sighed in relief and let her hands fall, massaging them slowly. The water dried quickly on its own. Lachlan watched from the closest chair, particularly at the stone. As soon as she stopped sapping its essence, the stone bagan to reverse the damage. The flowers were as vibrant and bright as they were in the ground.

“And this stone appeared after the ceremony? From where?” Estelle asked, taking a sip from her goblet.

“At its conclusion. From thin air almost.”

“After the soul binding?”

Lachlan examined the stone with piqued interest. He picked it up and weighed it in his palm. He had read books on the subject, some texts called it a moon dew. But it had no official name. A great source of power. It wouldn’t work for just anyone.

The light had dimmed since it left Piya’s hands. And grew heavier. Even he struggled to hold it.

“Reversing corrupted magic. This might be the key to freeing Nature from Maithili’s control.” He explained, placing it back on the floor.

“How do we use it?” Seraphina asked.

“This is my first time seeing one. It’s method of use is not well known.”

Dragomir kicked his heel agaisnt the stone floors and stared at the clock in the far corner of the room. He thought he saw something light up and emerge from it. The sounds of the clock ticks got louder and louder, and ceased with a bright light appearing at the center.

They were staring at a young girl. How she got there was a mystery on its own. Seraphina stood up and approached her, palm bubbling with a spell, just in case.

“Who are you?”

Horatia smiled, and began to float in the air. A dozen clocks, arms moving backwards, appeared to intimidate them. She knew many of them were tough to reason with.

“Past.”

Everyone stood up, and stared around the room. Dragomir cleared his throat.

“And what brings you here?” He asked, with a hint of distrust in his tone.

“That stone. Only they can use it best. It should be returned.”

Dragomir scoffed and crossed his arms. Horatia looked down upon him. He had caused the memory loss problem earlier.

“Nonsense. In the hands of a human? It’s a foolish mistake.”

Horatia narrowed her eyes. This wasn’t going as planned, and of course Future didn’t say anything to her. He would have to come and help, as promised.

“Your choice. I am only here to warn.”

Horatia giggled to herself, and began to vanish. Or, pretend to vanish. They didn’t really have a choice. Future appeared by her side on cue, and they froze the clock for just a moment, a moment enough to take what they needed. Something was better than nothing. Even a small chunk would have to do.

——————————————————————————————————————————

It didn’t matter that everything between her and Misha was alright. She knew she would wake up in the middle of the night anyway. Piya pressed her fingers into both her temples, nursing a small headache. It was three in the morning. She checked the other side of the bed, finding Misha fast asleep. Thankfully, she wasn’t on the floor this time. But the unease and anger from the early night showed in her movements. She was constantly tossing and turning, making a slight disarray of the sheets.

Piya fixed the blanket over her as best she could, and went to her wardrobe. She took out Abhay’s hoodie, and slipped it over herself. She buried her nose in the cloth, and stared out the bedroom door. The headache began to subside, but her eyes and throat felt dry even still. She didn’t have the strength to think about it herself, let alone tell her uncle. The rain had stopped. Piya tiptoed into the kitchen, filling herself a glass of water. After one sip, from the corner of her eye, a bright light startled the glass out of the hands and into the sink. Thankfully, it didn’t break, nor did the sound wake up Misha.

She closed the bedroom door quickly, unsure of how bright the light was to others. Along with the hourglass hanging from her neck, it was blinding. She covered her eyes, and felt around towards the source. A small shoulder was under her hands. Piya looked up, now seeing an old friend emerge from a different realm after long. She brushed her dress and leaned forward towards Piya, standing with hands behind her back.

“Horatia?”

The little embodiment of Past was at her doorstep yet again. Piya touched the hourglass pendant. She didn’t call her.

“What are you doing here?” She whispered, kneeling to meet the girl’s height. Tucked between the kitchen counters, the remaining amount of light was behind her. Like a small candle. She wouldn’t reveal the contents just yet.

Piya waited for her to say something. She worried about Maithili being anywhere nearby. Horatia smiled and laughed.

“It’s okay. She’s not a threat to me right now.”

Horatia took a seat on the floor, knees up to chest. She looked at Piya closely, the latter now focused on the glowing object in her palm.

“You look different. Of course, I already knew this.” She said, touching Piya’s face. Sunken and swollen eyes, and exhaustion. Piya looked away, trying to hide something that was futile to hide. Past knew everything.

“Different? How so?”

Piya sat on the floor with her, back against the lower cabinets. She let out a long sigh, and leaned her head back.

“Tired. Full of uncertainty.”

“I am. I'm so tired. My own family troubles, Maithili, maybe even more things I’m not even aware of. It’s too much. Things used to be so much simpler.”

“Were they really? Or just lurking in the background? It’s easy to ignore some things when you think they won’t cause problems later. But no one knows the future, not even myself.”

She giggled again, at her little joke.

Piya played with the ring on her fingers. Horatia poked a finger at Piya’s belly, bringing her soul to light. The fragment of Abhay’s wandered only around her heart. She knew their souls were permanently bound. A smart idea made by the supernaturals.

“You still haven’t told me what you’re doing here. If Maithili finds out….”

“I’ll be gone before that. Don’t worry. Remember, I’m only half of what she needs.”

Horatia smiled, and held out her hands. A chunk of the stone cast its light over both their cheeks.

“I came to deliver this.”

Piya took her hands, and stared at the stone. She knew it by feeling, the one she entrusted to the Circle, but was surprised by the size of it. She took it in her hands, light as a feather, and rolled it between her fingers.

“They weren’t going to return it to you. But it is necessary for you to have it.”

“But why?”

“They think a human can’t handle it. But it’s a token of yours and Abhay’s bond. In the purest form.”

Piya stared at the tiniest stone. Like the way he saw her as a tiny firefly, lighting up his dark. Horatia stepped behind Piya, touching the stone to the back of her neck. It flashed and absorbed into the skin. Piya felt a surge of some power course through her body, lighting up her mark and eyes. It faded quickly.

“What was that? Where did it go?”

Horatia tapped her neck, and smiled. That damned cryptic smile. Piya looked at her.

“A simple touch is all you need to make use of it. Just remember that.”

She sat back down, peeking into some of the lower cabinets. Piya waited for her to say something, and threw her own questions into the mix upon the neverending silence.

“Could you free Nature? Like how you gave me my memory back?”

Horatia looked at her, and shook her head. Nature was a part of this entire world. Reversing her state would change so much about the world around them. It was impermissible.

“A lot of time has passed since then, and there would be too much to reverse without punishment. And since Maithili controls her, we can’t risk getting too close.”

“But--”

“Piya?”

The door creaked open, and the lights turned on. Horatia disappeared in the blink of an eye. Piya whirled her head around, startled. Misha was standing at the bedroom door, rubbing her eyes, and a blanket draped over her shoulder.

“Misha? You’re awake?”

“I can ask you the same question. Let me guess, Abhay can’t sleep either, and he called you.”

Piya furrowed her brows, suddenly finding her phone up to her ear. Though he wasn’t on the other end. Horatia must have done this. She hurriedly set the phone down on the counter and rubbed her arms. Misha laughed.

Just like she always did. Piya smiled, just a little.

“You know, with that stupid hoodie, I thought you were Abhay.”

Piya frowned and cuddled it closer. Misha took her hand, and took her to the couch.

“Looks like we both can’t sleep. That means we can talk all night. Tell your boyfriend---I mean fiance, to go to bed. I’m going to spend time with my sis.”

Piya flipped her phone over and smiled. It still felt strange to be suddenly called sis, after years of living as an only child. Misha pulled her to the couch, and the two sat down, blanket over their legs and pillows in their arms. Like their sleepovers.

“How do you feel, soon-to-be-bride?”

Piya blushed, and hid her face with the hood. Misha tackled her and pulled it off.

“How cute, as soon as I mention Abhay your face turns super red.”

“Stop it, Misha!” She giggled, from an onslaught of tickles. Piya burst into tears of laughter. Once Misha had enough of her fun, she slouched back. Piya finally smiled during this tough night. She felt bad.

“I’m sorry, Piya…..” Misha whispered, hiding her face for a moment. “You’ve been the most wronged in all of this. And I didn’t help. I yelled at you.”

Piya shook her hands and squeezed them tight. No wonder she was less talkative than usual.

“None of this was your fault. ”

“You must be angry. Angrier than me.”

“Yes and no. It’s hard to describe.” She turned to Misha, and placed her hands around her shoulders. “You should go home, Misha. You have something I don’t. A complete family.”

“Piya, don’t make me yell at you. I’m not going home. No way.” She asserted, pointing a finger in her face.

“I’m not going to be here forever, you know? Once I get married and all……”

“I have planned for that. I’ll stay with Ruhi after you go to the Raichand mansion.”

Misha frowned and turned away, holding her chin up with a fist. Piya moved over and hugged her tight, throwing them both off balance and throwing them both to the floor. Bursting into laughter, they threw all negative thoughts aside and joked around like they always did, soon falling asleep on the floor itself, wanted by the plush rug underneath.

——————————————————————————————————————————

In her hands, the velvety envelope of the wedding card lay. She sent one to her uncle and aunt each, and held one more at home to keep in front of her mother’s photo. The rest were for those that she wanted to invite. Her friends, all the people she built close relationships with. That’s all she had here. And she wanted them all to be there. Misha even promised her she would dress her best for that day, ecstatically showing off the envelope to her other friends. But she still hadn’t talked to her family. Sameer kept calling her all day, and met her voicemail each time.

“Congratulations, Piya!” The music school staff exclaimed in unison, throwing a small surprise celebration for her during their lunch break. Piya found it difficult to hide her blush from the rest. In fact, she was blushing too much nowadays. Even the kids kept asking her about why she was so cheekily smiling nonstop. On top of that, Abhay continued to keep a presence in her mind and pester her at work.

You’re so clingy, she complained.

Not my fault. I just can’t get enough of you, you know?

Piya shook her head and laughed to herself, looking a little crazy to everyone else. It even convinced some kids that she had an imaginary friend. She took out her violin to play along with them towards the latter half of the class, and stared at it for a moment.

Thanks to you, I found my Abhay.

His first smile at that first performance. She would never forget it. Now he was hers, forever and ever. Her beloved shadow.

You called?

Piya shut him out of her head before he could tease her, and focused on the class. Outside the back window, she glanced at the branches of a tree, tapping the glass in the gentle wind. An ill omen festered in her heart.

Not again. Please.

Her intuition wasn’t as strong as that of a vampire. She wished it was. At least maybe she’d get some peace of mind by simply knowing.

Abhay waited outside for her as the day ended, blending in with the darkening sky again with his all-black attire. She made a mental note to at least try and diversify his wardrobe later. Though, he was looking gorgeous in the turtleneck sweater and boots. The soft glow of his skin looked ethereal in the dark, as if her arrival illuminated it. Piya looked around him.

“Where’s your car?”

“I thought we could walk tonight, since I can’t spend the night anymore.” He said, weaving his fingers through her hair. “Or I can carry you, and sprint all the way home.”

“You can sneak in after Misha falls asleep. Turn into a shadow and go through the walls. I won’t mind.”

“Naughty girl.” He whispered into her ear, biting her earlobe. Piya gasped and playfully smacked his shoulder. “It’s too late now. I didn’t bring the car.”

Piya shook her head and took his hand, fixing the straps of her violin case. Abhay smiled.

“Let’s go. I’m exhausted.”

They began their walk back. Abhay wasn’t sure what spark he felt when he touched her. He looked up. The moon wasn’t whole, yet the amount of power he felt within him matched that of those times. Piya touched her head to his arm, listening to the sounds of the forest.

“Is someone following us?” She asked, out of the blue. Abhay looked down at her.

“Did you feel something?”

“I did. But I wasn’t sure.”

Abhay nodded, and looked around, taking in the smells of the air. As the two walked closer and closer to home, Abhay in particular could feel a strange chill down the back of his neck. His pace slowed in caution. Something flew past them. Piya screamed, and he pulled her back into his arms. Pressed against the trunk of a large tree, he held her in his arms, looking around. He could smell blood.

Jaan?!

Piya pressed her hand into a gash on her forehead, whimpering from the pain. Abhay pried her hand off, running his tongue over the deep cut. Nothing out of the ordinary with the taste. It wasn’t a werewolf. He checked around them, once she was healed.

Stay as quiet as you can, jaan. You were right. We’re being followed.

Her heartbeat was loud, and telling of their location. Abhay pressed his hand over her back, compelling her in the slightest to help her calm down.

It’s okay. Breathe.

A flash of red light scurried around them. Not one, but two. He was getting better at tracking them now. Faster than usual. Vampires. The same that attacked Mandu before. That meant, a Vitael was here controlling them.

“Stop. Give them a chance to show themselves.”

Abhay fumed, hearing Ayushmaan’s voice. Ayushmaan too, wasn’t happy on finding Abhay with Piya. Again.

“Both of you cling to each other too much, in my most humble opinion. I was hoping to find you alone, Piya.”

Both Abhay and Piya peered from behind the tree to meet the eyes of Ayushmaan head on. Piya shivered, reminded of their first encounter. Using Abhay as an illusion to lure her out. She narrowly escaped death that day. Abhay snarled and turned his back to shield Piya. The two puppet vampires stopped behind Ayushmaan, and behind the two of them, a familiar face.

Dipanita smirked and tapped Piya’s shoulder. Abhay grabbed her throat, fangs snapping together.

“Walking free? I see you still have a death wish then.” He hissed.

“Thanks to Maithili, I am here. Here to finish what you started, Abhay Raichand.”

Abhay squeezed harder. Ayushmaan shot out his hand, sending forth a burst of dark energy around his wrist. It threw him back and freed Dipanita, the latter coughing and on her knees.

He stood a couple of feet between him and Ayushmaan, guarding Piya with all his focus. Piya held his shoulders, shadows circling her body. He was letting out his true form now. Piya wanted to run. But seeing those shadows form the sharp tips to his nails, she wasn’t sure they would escape without a fight. Ayushmaan’s eyebrows lifted in surprise, the scars on his face moving with his facial expressions.

“Abhayendra Rao, the black blood that was rumored to be in Dehradun. I should have known. Now if you don’t mind, I’ll be taking Piya with me. Not because Maithili wants it, of course. I’m just a little impatient.” He gestured to the two puppets. “Go on. A fresh snack is waiting.”

The vampires lunged at the stoic pair. Abhay wasn’t afraid of them. Staying quiet but poised, he outstretched his hand. The shadows at his command lunged at Ayushmaan’s direction, pointed and sharp tendrils that could impale others like a stake would. His eyes swirled red like a pool of blood.

Straight into the hearts of the puppets, he held their bodies in the air, bleeding over Ayushmaan’s figure. He looked back at Piya, enveloping her completely with shadows, and hiding her in the dark. Piya couldn’t see, but she felt safe. This was all him, after all.

“That’s it? You know, there used to be a time where you could have easily killed me. When I was human, of course.”

The surge in strength still lingered, especially after tasting a little of Piya’s blood again.

“You’re not as strong as I remembered. What happened?” Abhay said, continuing to taunt.

He lunged at Ayushmaan’s throat, getting a deep bite in. The shadows constricted his body like a coil, immobilizing him. The latter sapped energy from the trees and plants around them, forcing himself free, and moving towards Piya. Abhay was faster, and threw him back by the arm. Bones cracked. Dipanita went forward, as a wolf, and threw her claws at Abhay. Piya pressed her hands over her mouth, lest she scream and alert them of her location. Abhay transformed completely into a shadow and weaved through their attacks, phasing back to his human form and striking Ayushmaan with his nails. He licked his lips of blood.

“Why does everyone in this family like to ruin my face?”

Abhay froze, and touched his lip. Ayushmaan sneered, seeing Abhay slowly realize why his blood tasted funny. A concoction Maithili made herself, injected in copious amounts into their bloodstream. Abhay knew he was in trouble, and let his control slip.

“Vampires are taught to never relinquish full control to the beast inside of them. Let’s see what his beast wants.”

The shadows faded. Piya was revealed, and Ayushmaan caught her in a headlock immediately. With a nail, he lingered it against her neck, as Abhay watched and tried to regain control. His own nails clawed at the tree behind him.

“Want a taste? She should taste better than I did.”

He made her bleed, straight from the neck. Abhay snarled, fangs tearing at his lower lip. Unfortunately for Ayushmaan, his beast was a bit more complicated. And at this moment, more than Piya’s blood, it was agitated by the simple sight of another man touching her.

Mine. Only mine.

Abhay lunged forward again, pulling Piya away from him to make him believe that she was his target. But he pushed Piya away from the both of them and held Ayushmaan by the throat, up in the air. Dipanita tried to strike, but Abhay was far too strong. He kept her bound in the shadowy tendrils. Piya backed away.

“I’ll rip those filthy hands off your body.” He snarled, crushing Ayushmaan’s wrist.

“Try me.”

He kicked himself back using Abhay’s chest, and slashed his nails across his abdomen in the following second. This was a new kind of wound, a wound infected with traces of dark magic. Abhay held Piya close to him before he touched her again, and stood by watching as the two disappeared.

“We’ll try this again later, Piya. See you some other time.” Ayushmaan chimed, vanishing along with Dipanita.

Why are they stalling? What are they up too?, Abhay thought, collapsing on his knees. Now his beast started to pay attention to the blood. Piya was bleeding from the same places as him, the gravest injuries.

She didn’t feel the pain, only worried over his. She crawled to him on her knees and held his cheeks. As soon as she touched him, the aggression in his eyes faded. He could regain control over the beast once more. His grip on her arms loosened, and he looked at her remorsefully.

I almost hurt you.

“Abhay, look at me. Are you okay?”, she breathed, injured herself. If his injuries weren’t so serious, she wouldn’t have gotten any in the first place. The bond wasn’t as beautiful it seemed sometimes.

He nodded slowly.

The wounds wouldn’t heal. Like wounds of silver or a werewolf’s claws, they couldn’t heal on their own. Dark magic needed to be nullified. Abhay leaned back against the tree, eyes focused on Piya. His mouth, along with his torso, was bloodied. Her adrenaline spiked, numbing her own pain.

Piya rolled his shirt up to expose the wound. Abhay was already looking weak, color drained from his skin. The cuts looked like they were burning from the edges, like a sheet of paper on fire. Piya couldn’t think of anything else and insisted he drink from her, tears in her eyes.

“No, Piya. Don’t.”

He was afraid of losing control again. Piya frowned angrily and yelled at him.

“You are in no condition to decide that. Will you do it, or should I?”

Her nail was digging into her wrist. He pushed it away, and made her lie down. He pulled her shirt up just a little. She then noticed her own wounds.

“I’m sorry.” He said, pressing his lips to those. To heal and to drink what was allowed. His tongue swiped past each one. Piya shivered.

“Better?” She sniffled. He nodded, telling a white lie, and healed the last one, touching her hair.

“And you?”

Piya nodded, watching her wounds heal. Abhay pulled her close, and listened to the sounds around them. They were safe, somehow.

His fingers pressed into her back, anxiously holding her close like he was about to lose her. Abhay breathed out heavily, fangs cutting into his lips. The burn was getting worse.

“Stay here. With me.” He murmured.

Piya touched his own wounds. Fingers now covered in blood, she tried to press her scarf into it, to hold the bleeding. Abhay furrowed his brows in confusion, feeling the skin mend itself and stop burning. He coaxed her hand away, and touched the site.

“It’s…..healed. How did you do that?”

Surely she could heal herself just a little faster, but healing this level of injury was simply out of the question for a human. Piya pulled her hands back, shocked and confused. A warmth lingered in the center of her palm.

A simple touch is all you need to make use of it. Just remember that.

It's getting action packed. I hope you give Ayushmann extra painful and humiliating death

Originally posted by: snitchseeker

It's getting action packed. I hope you give Ayushmann extra painful and humiliating death

😈 Perhaps I will 🤣

Omg itna bada update .. hmm kafi time laga hoga but I loved it .. u bought my favorites Dragmoir and Horatia woe so

yay m so happy

Too gud ❤️ Love 💌

Originally posted by: imkt

Omg itna bada update .. hmm kafi time laga hoga but I loved it .. u bought my favorites Dragmoir and Horatia woe so

yay m so happy

Too gud ❤️ Love 💌

I like writing longer updates ❤️🤣 glad you liked it kajal!

Chapter 83

Mrs. Raichand

Misha used to hate coming to college. She never liked attending class or taking notes, and preferred to spend her time drawing or painting on her own time and accord. But now that her college journey was coming to an end, and given what had transpired with her family, she wanted to turn back the clock and stay. Piya was getting married in just a few days. Where would she go then? She didn’t want to burden Ruhi either, though the latter happily agreed to give her a roof over her head for as long as she needed.

“Misha Dobriyal.”

Applause. Her legs stood her up on their own. But she hated the last name now. A thousand eyes stared, some to judge. Piya held her elbow for a second, giving her a reassuring smile. Kabir nudged her forward, and Ruhi began to clap and cheer with a wide smile. Misha could finally feel some semblance of a smile herself, and began to move. Though her heart hurt as she walked upon the stage, seeing the other families around, she pressed on. She had made so many plans. Sameer was even going to treat her to an extravagant graduation dinner. She wouldn’t have walked at all, if it weren’t for Piya’s insistence. It had been a while since she last spoke to them, and that would continue, even if they were there, watching.

Was I too harsh?, she wondered, trying to catch a glimpse of them without them noticing. Her eyes shifted quickly, holding a small snicker from Sameer’s haircut. She always hated it when he used gel in his hair. Somewhere in the middle rows of seats, her family was sitting quietly. What expressions were they making? Were they proud?

She remembered how her voice began to strain that night, after hours of fighting and shouting and the solemn and regretful expression on Arnab’s face. The face of an ashamed man. The best father in the whole world, she called him many times before.

Piya would disagree. You weren’t the best father. But I…...

Her lips quivered, trying not to cry. Today was supposed to be a happy day. Getting a degree, finishing her college education. Arnab saw her shaky hands and hesitation to move forward. Her feet dragged. Sameer was silently taking pictures, to at least capture the memory, trying his best to smile too. Misha shook hands with the faculty, took photos with her degree, and quickly walked off stage. Kabir pat her shoulders and laughed, trying to lift her spirits. Today was not the day to get upset.

“I am proud of you Misha. I thought you would get held back another year.” He joked. Misha faked a laugh and reached for his cap, trying to take it and toss it in the air. Piya took them apart, before the other faculty noticed. Ruhi was called next, and feeling a little better from Kabir’s banter, cheered loud and proud for the rest of them. The loudest in the room.

The Raichands were seated in the front-most row for the families, given their trustee status. Siddharth brought his biggest camera just in preparation for this moment. He even placed an order for the largest designer frame he could find. This photo would hang proudly in the living room. And Abhay couldn’t wait for the first moment to hide it in the basement. Or maybe burn it.

“Now for our MBA graduates. With the highest honors we can confer, Abhay Raichand.”

Piya began to giggle, as did Misha. Abhay was forcibly put into the graduation get up and convinced to walk on stage. Anyone could tell that he didn’t want to be there. Misha pulled out her phone and began to record a video of him, as blackmail material for later. Piya playfully waved at him, as he rolled his eyes and shook hands with the faculty. Siddharth was cheering like a madman from the other side, with Mandu trying to get him to sit down. Everyone was staring at them.

Help me, Abhay thought to Piya, looking at her with pleading eyes. He glared at Siddharth for a split second. Sometimes he wished he was the older sibling, or an only child. The professors beside him gave him concerning looks.

You don’t need help, Mr. Vampire. Look how handsome you look.

Abhay frowned and at least tried to look professional for the photo. Piya blew him a subtle kiss and then pressed her fists into her lap just as quickly. Misha leaned closer to her ear.

“I bet he’d pay me to get him out of here. He looks like he’s been kept prisoner here by the university.”

“It’s nothing like that.”

“It’s definitely like that.” Kabir said, leaning back with his hands behind his head. Misha nodded.

“Of course you wouldn’t think so. Ever since you two met, he’s been coming to campus more often. You should have seen him before. Actually, you couldn’t.”

Piya shook her head. Girls from all over the sea of people screamed like rabid fans during his time up on stage, as if he were a celebrity on the red carpet, causing Piya to silently seethe in jealousy. He was soon to be a married man, in three days to be more precise. Piya pouted, and crossed her arms.

Something is burning, can you smell it?, he teased, finding his signature smirk. The screams got louder.

Who are you again?, Piya retorted.

Your soon-to-be husband.

She saw his lips curl slightly in a chuckle, which she ignored. She would show him later. Looking around the guests and families, she noticed Siddharth calmed down and was beaming over Abhay as soon as he sat back down. Beyond that, she caught Arnab’s gaze. He looked away as quickly as she did. She then looked at Misha. She was ignoring them.

When the ceremony came to close, and the time for pictures arrived, Piya took Abhay’s arm and held him tight against her. The girls who were swooning over him scurried off as she asserted her presence. Abhay found this the most amusing thing to happen this entire night.

“You really outdone yourself, Abhay.” Misha said, smacking his back. It hurt her for some reason, and she winced and shook the pain off her hand. “What are you? A block of steel?”

“You both are definitely sisters.” He said, recalling Piya making a similar remark about him long back. Piya looked at Misha, eyebrows furrowing.

“You’re not…..bickering with him?”

“Am I supposed to? I dont have the energy for that anymore.” Misha said, shrugging. Abhay chuckled. Piya looked at them, dumbfounded. Abhay, and laughing with Misha. It was strange.

“Congrats everyone!” Siddharth exclaimed, inviting more attention that Abhay wanted by slinging his arm over his shoulder. “See, I told you getting this degree will be worthwhile.” He hinted at Piya, who was blushing.

“I suppose you’re right…..it was.” He murmured, squeezing Piya’s hand tight. She looked up at him and smiled. Mandu took the cap off his head and ruffled his hair. Abhay smiled. This time, both ladies poked his dimples, then burst into giggles.

Piya pulled all her friends in for photos, and then Abhay. He managed to keep his smile just by looking at her, as evident in all their photos. Completely smitten. He couldn’t wait to finally take her home, to their home.

The Dobriyals waited for a while at a distance, hoping Misha would come and see them. They knew how she was. Approaching her when she was angry would never do any of them good. She was the kind that had to settle down for a while before she found her normal again.

Arnab toyed with the camera, twirling it in his hands.

“Papa, shall we go home?”

“But—“ He started, seeing Misha looking their way. But as soon as he made a step forward, she turned away and ran off. Both mother and son looked at each other and sighed together.

“Arnab, let’s go home for now. We’ll try calling her later.”

He never felt more defeated as a father as he did now. He had failed his children, all of them. Even Sameer didn’t talk as much as he used to, already little. He hesitantly nodded, and the three departed. Misha wanted to look back, but she held the urge.

“More pictures, anyone?” She exclaimed as a personal distraction, joining the group for more.

Mandu kept checking the photos as Siddharth took them, and around the room. Crowds like this were good, not as many chances for bad actors in their world to interrupt. But as the photo op continued on, her knees began to buckle, followed by a sharp pain in her chest.

“Are you okay, love?” Siddharth asked. Piya went to her and tried to help her up.

“I’m fine…..”

A red flicker covered her eyes periodically, along with a menacing whisper of a voice she recognized. It was nonsensical ramblings. But it was her voice. She just had to come in during a happy moment.

Maithili?

She looked around. Piya and the rest helped her to a nearby bench. When Piya asked where it hurt and followed her hand to the top of her chest, that one touch of hers made Mandu feel better. Like the pain was sucked out of her completely. The ramblings stopped. Perhaps Piya’s hand was glowing too. A pure light that only supernaturals could see.

In her room, Maithili’s hand grasped at her chest, now burnt and scarred in the same place where Piya touched her sister. The blood crystal had shattered, and she lost one more piece of control.

How are you doing that?

——————————————————————————————————————————

The most beautiful evening of her life was just an hour away. Downstairs, her uncle and aunt both were helping with the final preparations for the wedding, and on Misha’s private insistence, keeping her family at bay should they come. Misha knew they wouldn’t, out of respect, but one could never be too sure. Abhay was just in the other room, getting ready himself. The vanity mirror glowed with the brightness of the bride’s face. She wondered how her groom would look, and how they would look together. Mandu helped Piya put on the ancestral jewels that she and Abhay retrieved from the old house. Misha stared at them in awe.

“I’ve never seen jewelry in this design before.” She exclaimed, causing Piya to giggle. She never cared for jewelry anyways. At least no one could force her to wear it now. But deep down, she missed her mother’s nagging. She shook her head, shutting her phone off again just in case. The guests were pouring in downstairs. Piya shivered from her nerves.

“It’s very old, that’s why. Older than us even.” Mandu said. “But they held up nicely, especially after getting them polished.”

Piya adjusted the nose ring, and continued to watch her transformation in the mirror. Ruhi helped her set the veil into her hair, a self-proclaimed expert with bobby pins. Piya looked at the table, where she set up her mother’s photo. She wished she could be here, to give her hand to Abhay personally. Hopefully she was watching from above, with his parents too. One tear bunched up in her eye, but she pressed it away before it could fall.

Misha tried her best, helping the girls get Piya ready. She didn’t know much about makeup or dressing up, but she wanted to make sure this day was special for her sister. A beautiful bride, clad in a light beige and golden lehenga, looking like a regal princess. Piya kept her pendant underneath the heavy necklace, and stood up, twirling in the mirror.

Her Prince Charming was waiting, wearing a black and golden embroidered sherwani to match. She chose it specially for him, knowing that he was too attached to the color black to not wear it at the wedding.

Abhay stared at the decorated mandap, greeting Praveen and Shilpa in the meantime. The smell of incense burned his nose a little. Thanks to Maya, its effects, along with others, were lessened.

“I hope the journey went well.”

This was the first time he was meeting Piya’s aunt. Despite being jet-lagged, Shilpa came ready and absolutely lively. She was a talkative woman, the complete opposite of both of her siblings. But instead of delving into conversation himself, he kept his focus on the staircase. All sounds drowned out on their own. He only wanted to hear her heartbeat, and the chimes of her earrings and bangles. He adjusted his clothes, and took a seat at the mandap. Siddharth leaned over his shoulder.

“Ready, little brother?”

“For?”

“She’s coming. Turn around.”

The doors opened upstairs, and the sounds he was eager to hear reached his ears. Her heartbeat fluttered and grew faster as she descended the steps. Their eyes met, and softened. Haseena took her shoulders and led her to the mandap, helping her sit next to Abhay. All the guests flocked around the couple. Shilpa sat next to Piya on the other side, pinching her cheeks and gushing over how beautiful she looked. Praveen pulled her aside and gave his blessings to his darling niece. Piya then looked at Abhay, who took her hand and kissed it for the whole world to see. How lucky he was, to have lived long enough to see this day. Piya stared up at him, holding a smile that breathed life into him.

“Let’s begin.” The priest said.

The fire blazed in the center. Looking around as the little rituals were conducted, Piya could feel the happiness growing. She looked at Sugandh’s photo, which Shilpa was now holding in her arms. Abhay couldn’t stop looking at her. She was stunning, and his mother’s jewelry suited her as perfectly as he imagined. If only he had the anklets. Maithili probably lost them.

Mandu came from behind, and tied the knot between them.

“Please stand for the pheres.”

Abhay extended his hand and helped Piya up. Keeping their hands intertwined, they began to circle the fire. One vow after the other, reaffirming the promises they already made to each other. The rain of flower petals graced their hair, and tickled Piya’s nose. When she stepped in front of Abhay, his eyes only followed her. He could follow his little firefly forever.

He pressed a small dot of sindoor onto her parting, even as it burned his fingers a little. He then tied the wedding chain around her neck, and the marriage was complete.

“From now on, you are husband and wife.”

Those words were music to her ears, in their own right. At long last, they were married. She was now Mrs. Raichand. Mrs. Piyashree Abhay Raichand.

The rain of flowers continued. Abhay took her hand once again, and kissed her forehead in front of everyone, striking awe in those who had never seen his dimpled smile before. Praveen and Shilpa gave them both their blessings, and the festivities began for a only short while. After all, you couldn’t keep a newlywed couple from their first night together for long. Piya checked up on Misha, just before the night for the rest ended.

“I’m okay with Abhay living with us you know? I’m going to miss you already.” She said, frowning and crossing her arms. Piya shook her head and smiled, taking her hands. Misha was going to stay with Ruhi starting tonight, until she figured things out with her own life.

“I’ll come visit often. Okay?” She said.

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Abhay kept holding her hands as they talked with everyone. On occasion, his thumb would stroke the backside of her hand, sending tingles up and down her spine. And one time she looked at him, he dipped his head and kissed her on the lips, when no one else was looking. As fast as a vampire could. A flame of passion was alight.

“Take care, both of you. We’ll come see you tomorrow.” Praveen said, as the two were departing for the night.

“Okay.” Piya said, giving them each a hug. Once the house was devoid of guests, Abhay began to seem more impatient.

“Let’s go, Siddharth.” Mandu whispered, trying to drag him outside with his coat. They planned earlier to give Abhay and Piya their full privacy tonight, and decided to go on a long walk and stop at the club for the night. He snuck one gift for them just before leaving, along with a shameless ‘have fun’ from his mouth. Piya waved with only her hand showing, hiding from the embarrassment. Abhay watched from the corner of his eye, only closing the doors to their bedroom once he could truly feel no other presence in the mansion. It was just him and Piya. Alone. Just what he wanted.

The lights were dimmed, but the candles that glowed like small floating lanterns gave them enough light to admire the other. Along with the basking moonlight, the candles burned with a passion akin to the one igniting in their hearts. Piya stood at the mirror, removing the heavy jewelry one by one. Her eyes caught the flamboyant gift box sitting on the table, which Abhay was also staring at. She picked it up, and shook it up against her ear.

“Who left this here?” He asked, unable to pick up a scent from it.

“It sounds empty.” She read the card that was dangling off the side of the massive bow. “Siddharth.”

Abhay wasn’t expecting anything good out of a gift from his brother. But who knew, maybe it would contain a generous surprise in it for once. He pulled the bow off, unraveling it into a long ribbon.

“Open it.”

She tore the wrapping paper off, finding a generic furniture catalogue inside. Nothing else was in there. Brows furrowed in confusion, she flipped through the pages that were folded on the upper right corners. All in the same general section, all different kinds of bed frames. She looked behind them, to the decorated bed of their own. They already had a decent frame.

Abhay rolled his eyes. He thought wrong to expect something better from him. Of course, all he could do was crack jokes with them most of the time.

“I don’t get it…” Piya began. Abhay was about to open his mouth, until he heard her heart rate increase. On the last page, a sticky note with a winky face drawn on it made her realize the intentions. So naive she was at times. She dropped the catalogue back in the box and shoved it under the table, blushing hard. The cloth of her lehenga bunched in her palms.

“I….you….”

Abhay smirked, taking the opportunity, and held her by the waist. They swayed together, Piya’s toes atop Abhay’s feet. Letting her hair fall upon her shoulders with the removal of each pin, he touched his lips to her cheeks and temples. Piya gasped and shivered, letting the loving frost wander. They touched foreheads, and he let out a sinful whisper that bore just her name. Her own lips quivered, feeling a hand stroking her lower back.

“I have an urge to break more than just the bed, jaan….now that we’re alone. How about a chair or table along with it?”

She looked up and winked at him.

“I’ll consider it. But I quite like your bed already.” She whispered, showing him her increasingly pink cheeks. “And you’ll have to help me with this first.” Gesturing to her veil, she placed Abhay’s hand at the top. It would only get in the way later on.

Abhay pressed themselves into the wall, and lifted the veil off her shoulders. With the other hand, he lifted her chin and pressed their lips together. As the kiss deepened, the veil came off and fell in loops on the floor. He took her bare waist with both hands and ground their hips together, hungry and desperate for her touch. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders. He swept her off her feet, and carried her to the rose-covered sheets of their bed. Piya hid her face in the crook of his neck and touched her lips to his skin, catching her breath. Abhay shifted her underneath him, wanting her to do it again.

She showed him her mehendi, and pointed.

“You haven’t found your name yet.” She breathed.

He let out a deep chuckle. The candles flickered brighter with the snap of his fingers, and the color in his eyes filled. The red was appearing more lately, but even that color had its admirer. Such a sinful color. A mix of the beast and Abhay was sharing the space with her tonight. Both one and the same. A man who wanted nothing more from this night than just her. Taking her hand, he kissed the spot that his name occupied, in the center of the palm. One of many places.

“There. Am I right?”

Piya nodded. Then, he continued. Down her neck, across her collarbones. Cold, wet kisses, that felt just as hot against her skin. His fingers reached for the cloth of her blouse, tugging it down at the shoulders.

“And here.”

Upon her chest and nearest her navel, he kissed her next. He swirled his tongue over the skin, biting into the soft flesh to take a quick drink. Piya whimpered in constant ecstasy, unable to keep her mind straight. Abhay lifted his head and licked his lips, kissing the wounds closed.

“And here.”

His name was everywhere. He wanted to be everywhere. And each bearing of it got a kiss. His fingers danced across the mark, adding another beautiful light to the room. Piya cried out his name, and arched into his frame. She found the buttons to his sherwani, and began to undo them, one by one, until she felt his bare skin touch. Abhay wanted her to touch him more, and with urgency, peeled the sherwani off completely and tossed it to the floor. Her hands found their place, brushing fingers around his abs and chest. His mark too began to glow a deep purple. Her fingers then entwined with locks of his hair and pulled him closer for a deepening kiss.

His body pressed into hers further to dominate, and she began to feel his fingers reach underneath her and unravel the strings of her blouse and hooks of her bra. Piya gasped, and shook, feeling his tongue flick her nipples. A pair of sharp fangs constantly lingered near her skin, occasionally taking little bites. A bombardment of passion and lust filled both their minds.

You don’t know how badly I want you.

Then teach me.

Stripping her and himself bare, Abhay ran his palms down her thighs and teased her core. She tried to keep her knees from buckling inwards, unable to keep quiet any longer. His fingers were working their magic. He slipped two inside, and seized her lips as she moaned and quivered.

More.

He towered over her again. His hardness grinded into her, and he entered when she was ready. Their bodies melted into each other, legs and arms entwined. Piya adored this feeling more than anything, and Abhay was simply addicted to her. Until the night signalled its end, they continued on and on. There was no such thing as stamina, and this craving could never be satisfied.

——————————————————————————————————————————

“A long or short walk, my queen?” Siddhath asked, extending his hand in a bow. Mandu giggled and took his hand tight, and pulled him forward. They stumbled back against a tree, noses brushing past each other.

“Long. Let’s give the newlyweds enough privacy.”

“Lead the way.” He said, standing upright and gesturing with his hands forward.

“Why are you so formal tonight?”

“Just because. It reminds me of the day we got married, and the night immediately after.”

He nudged her shoulder with his own and took her hand.

“It’s been so long, na? Since we took a walk like this?”

Siddharth kept a steady eye on her and their surroundings. Strange things have been happening to her in particular, though her headaches have recently disappeared. He took notice of how she felt instantly better after Piya touched her at the graduation ceremony.

“Have you been feeling okay? Did you feel one today?”

Mandu looked at him and shook her head.

“I’ve been worrying you, haven’t I?” She whispered. Siddharth held her hand tighter. “I haven’t had one in the past couple days. I think they’re gone now.”

“I hope it remains as such.”

‘Me too. By the way, what did you put in that gift box?”

Siddharth lifted his eyebrows a few times as a joke, and made a gesture of flipping pages with his hands. Mandu pushed his shoulder and frowned.

“Stop acting. What did you do?”

“I just thought they will need to do some shopping later.” He looked at her and winked, holding in a laugh.

“You didn’t.”

“I very much did.”

“Abhay will kill you.”

“No he won’t. He’ll thank me. Shall we make a bet?”

“If you’re that confident, no.” She said, playfully slapping him. “Where shall we go next?”

“I don’t think we’ve gone down south in a while. That way?”

The forests of Dehradun were much larger to them than the human eye could ever perceive. No one really came this far if they weren’t a wild animal or a supernatural creature. But it was peaceful in its own right. And the small flashes of sparkles from fairies nearby provided some magical ambience. The two of them used to take walks like this all the time, when time was found in between their busy schedules back then.

“Just like the old days, isn’t it? We should do this more often. Abhay and Piya will benefit too.” He looked at Mandu and winked. She giggled and shook her head, then leaned her head against his arm. Walking past a river and a more secluded area of the forest, an eerie silence began to creep in. Steps slowed on their own. Soon thereafter, they heard a scream. Heads turned, and birds took off into the skies in large flocks.

“What was that?”

Siddharth took another step, and the shrill cry of a child came next, from the same direction. Mandu’s feet carried her much forward on their own. She didn’t hesitate to nod.

“Yes. Let’s go.”

He pulled her back for just a second. This always happened around kids. She didn’t hesitate, even in the situations they were all in now.

“Careful. This could be a trap.”

Mandu didn’t think so. It didn’t sound like Vaibhav’s cry. Whenever the illusion of a child was used to lure her towards danger or keep her in a trap, it was always with him. This was another child. And if it were an illusion, the birds wouldn’t have flown off. Only they would hear the sound, the audience of the illusion.

Down the crooked dirt path, the cabin came into view. Constant cries of the child echoed from within its walls. They peered from behind a tree, observing a strong blinding light from one of its windows and then disappearing within the next second. The cries continued.

“Let’s go.” Siddharth said. “You go from the other side.”

“Okay.”

Mandu ran to the opposite side, which was just as dark, and slowly tiptoed towards the back door. Siddharth took the front. At the same signal, they broke down both doors together, finding the interiors completely empty. The cries also stopped. From behind Siddharth, a burst of dark magic shot out behind him. Mandu ran and pulled him forth.

“Stay away!” The woman screamed. Her voice matched that of the screech before. A Vitael, by the looks of her runes under her eyes, but weak and haggard. “Leave!”

There was no child, and when they wouldn’t listen, the Vitael shot out her hand and teleported them far away from the cabin, back on the main road. But they both knew there was something wrong there. Mandu advanced again, and stopped at the top of the downward slope.

“What was that?” She whispered.

Great part

Totally love it

Thank u for tagging me

U make my whole day

Thank u kafi time baad kuj pada

Continue doon

Love this Misha more

Abhiya marriage is superb

Sid always knows how to pull leg of his brother..

Hope Mandu nd sid are not in any trouble again..