The woman clasped my face in her hands gently and forced my gaze back to hers. “Why are you crying?”

  “I-“ I hiccupped. “I’m pathetic. I’m weak. I’m failing Sabrina, failing Nia, forcing them to protect me when they’re the ones who deserve protection and to feel safe. Worst of all, I’m failing you.” She pressed her forehead to mine as everything within me poured out. “I promised you to grow stronger, but I can’t. Two weeks into this world, and I haven’t gotten anywhere. I’m falling short of everyone’s expectations, of yours. No matter how hard I try, it’s like I always fail. It was like this on Earth, too. No matter what I did, no matter what I do, I was and always will be a failure of creation.”

  “My love,” she rubbed her nose against mine. “You don’t need to think about that world anymore. It was never meant for you. You had so much more to give than that world deserved and more potential than that world refused to let grow and blossom. Your soul called out to me, and that’s why I brought you here.” She cupped my face in her hands. “You are so much more than you think. So much stronger than you believe, and you’ll only continue to grow. That power you’ve always dreamt of,” her hand slithered down my arm until her fingers intertwined with mine. “It’s closer than you could ever imagine, and it's because you aren’t from this world.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “You aren’t supposed to,” she smiled lovingly. “But that’s okay. You have all the time in the world to figure it out, and I’m sure you will. The autumn days will shorten and grow cold. The leaves will shake loose from the trees and fall, and the snows of winter will come. You will live to enjoy the beauty of the frozen world. Winter will pass, the days will lengthen, and the ice will melt. The song sparrow will return and sing; the frogs will awake, and the warm wind will blow again. All these sights, sounds, and smells will be yours to enjoy, Sion — this lovely world, these precious days are all for you.”

  “Charlotte’s Web,” I sniffled with a laugh. "Were you...watching me before?"

  “...."

  "Aww, you're blushing."

  "No I'm not." She puffed her cheeks and turned her head.

  "You totally are! It's cute."

  "I know."

  I chuckled at her response, but soon, my eyes fell. “I want to remember you.”

  “My love,” She stared at me lovingly. “You know I can’t do that.”

  “But I-“

  “I will always love you, and I will never harm you, nor will I ever allow harm to befall you. I will always be with you, even if I’m not in memory.” She rested her hand over my heart. “I will always be in your heart.”

  “You’re cheesy,” I murmured with a blush.

  “And you like it,” she replied. “But time is running short. I interrupted your class tutorial to speak with you again. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to learn to use your class on your own.”

  “That’s fine.” We pressed our foreheads together. “Even if I don’t remember, I’m glad I got to see you again.”

  “We will meet again, my love. It’s only a matter of time. Until then,” she began to fade away in a mist. “Grow stronger. And when you’ve achieved the power you’ve always dreamed of, keep growing until you finally ascend.”

  ???????????????

  “Sion?” I woke up to a weight on my chest, and my eyes opened to see Sabrina looking at me worriedly. “Are you okay? You’re crying.” It seemed like I had fallen asleep after the deed was done.

  “I am?” I touched my face to feel the tears. “Huh, that’s weird.” I quickly wiped them away.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  “Did you have a bad dream? Or…” her eyes glazed.

  “I don’t regret it.” I sat up, forcing her to her knees while her arms still held me close. “I don’t.”

  “You better not,” she smiled joyfully. “Because if you do,” she opened her mouth.

  “W-Wait! Sabrina!”

  “I’ll suck you dry.” Before she could bite my neck, a knock on the door interrupted us.

  SALVATION!

  “Mmmm,” Sabrina grumbled as she got up and dressed herself. “Who the hell is knocking on my door on my day off?” She opened it and was greeted by a female messenger who, after a few words, handed Sabrina a letter. “Tha-“ Sabrina stopped after noticing the messenger was eyeing me while I dressed myself, putting on my boxers and pants. “Mine!” She hissed before slamming the door shut.

  “The hell was that about?” I asked, not knowing why she was so upset.

  “She was eyeing you.” Her lip gnarled, exposing her fangs. “I won’t allow that. Not in my mansion!”

  “You’re cute,” I chuckled as I finished dressing. That was when I realized something important. Something unusual. “Where’s Nia?”

  “That horny feline that thought she’d be the first?” Sabrina smiled smugly. “I sent her on a mission after noticing you were go-“

  “You what!” I snapped, making her flinch.

  “Sio-“

  “Why would you do that!?” I quickly threw my lab coat on. “You know she’s a slave. If she gets too far from me, she’ll-“

  “Be fine.” Sabrina frowned, clearly upset from the way I spoke to her. “Unless you activate the curse, she can be gone as long as she wants.” She averted her eyes from mine as she crossed her arms.

  “R-Really?” I scratched the back of my head. “I…didn’t know that.” We stood in awkward silence. I knew I had to apologize after seconds turned to minutes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you like-“

  “I didn’t know mutts could speak!”

  “Kya!” I screamed as I dodged her attempt to whip me.

  “A cur should know better than to frolic to another over their owner!” She whipped at me again. That time, it connected with my rib.

  “ARF!” I barked in pain.

  Wait…Why’d I bark!?

  Perhaps it was an accident, or maybe it was adaption. I knew what I had to do to survive the situation, and I’d do whatever it took, even if it meant degrading myself.

  “And after we made sweet, hot, steamy, passionate love!”

  “ARF! ARF! ARF!” I was crying as she whipped me with each word.

  “You raunchy mongrel!” The whip wrapped around my neck and she pulled me close. “You will learn. Your. Place!”

  “AR-“

  “Master?”

  “nIa!”

  Damnit!

  “What are you two-” Sniff. Sniff.

  Uh -oh.

  Her eyes locked with mine, and I watched her cat-like pupils narrow while her tail waved around manically. “Master?” She smiled a smile that was no smile at all.

  “Y-Yes, Nia?”

  “What happened while I was gone?”

  Oh, thank God! I thought she knew something! If she was asking, she didn’t know and only suspected. That meant, if I was convincing enough, I could get out of whatever trouble was coming my way. And even better, it looked as though Sabrina had dressed her.

  Instead of her ragged clothes she wore black shorts that hugged her thighs tightly, a black tank top with a heart symbol cut around her cleavage, and a green utility jacket that she had hanging loosely on her shoulders and on her arms.

  Cute. And the perfect escape.

  “I like you’re new outfit.” I smiled. She just stared at me with the same smile, waiting for an answer. “N-Nothing happened. Rea-EY!”

  “YOU THINK I’D ASK A QUESTION IF I DIDN’T ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER?!” Nia grabbed my collar and was shaking me violently. “You used to reek of virginity!”

  “rEeK?” I squeaked.

  “It’s gone now! What did you do?!”

  “Nia! Stop shaking me! I’m gonna hurl!”

  “ANSWER ME!”

  “Hehe,” Sabrina chuckled devilishly, causing Nia to snap her neck to her.