Pain. Jason found himself waking up to it once again. His head hurt with every pulse of his heart. He groggily tried to lift a hand up to feel the source of his discomfort but found himself unable to. A slow trickle of memories began to feed into the darkness of his mind.

I was… close to home. Jason fought to put the pieces together. I saw… I was with… Kirsten!

Like a faucet turned to full blast, the memory of Kirsten’s scream as Adaline’s blade pierced her back cut through the haze like a hot knife. Jason gasped and his eyes shot open. He was in a vast warehouse-like room. The bare cement flooring looked brand new and was only broken up by shiny steel support beams every dozen or so feet. A pair of industrial flood lights stood a few feet away from Jason. Their high beams of light shined to either side of Jason and provided the only light on the barren floor.

Jason coughed. He couldn’t remember when he had last had something to drink and his throat was certainly feeling it. He tried to lift his hand up to feel the outside of his throat, but found himself unable to. It was then that Jason finally realized he was tied up firmly to one of the metal support beams. Thick electrical wire had been wrapped repeatedly around his torso and each of his arms. Jason flexed and strained but was unable to budge the wire at all. 

After a few minutes of unproductive struggling, Jason heard a clicking in the distance. His head snapped up in the direction of the sound. His ears strained to identify the source of the noise. Footsteps. Someone was coming. A cold sweat began to take over Jason’s body. The hairs on his arms and back of his neck stood up all at once. It was here. She finally had him and there was nothing he could do to stop her.

“Oh look, the sleepy head is awake.”

Adaline laughed at her own statement. It was an unnerving sound. The laughter carried no joy nor change in attitude. It was unnatural and only served to heighten the panic Jason could feel settling over his mind. Adaline stepped into the light. She found shoes that fit better now, though she still wore the bloodied white tank top and ripped cargo pants he had seen previously. Jason knew for sure that some of those stains were new additions since they last met.

“You’ve made me wait soooooo loooong Jason.” Adaline’s casual walk turned into a strange saunter. 

Her blood red eyes locked onto Jason like a predator who finally cornered their prey.

What color did she use to have? Jason found himself wondering as his brain shrunk away from reality. Brown? Or was it hazel?

Adaline reached behind her and pulled out a long hunting knife. She caressed it gently against her face as she slowly approached where Jason was seated.

How long did it take them to change? Jason flinched as Adaline straddled his legs and sat down on top of him.

Her face drew closer to his, the knife still held against it.

I wonder if any of the others are going through similar changes. I haven’t been paying enough attention to their eyes. Jason felt Adaline’s lips brush against his own.

The small girl shuddered at the contact. Jason heard a sharp intake of breath.

“This is it. This is what I needed.”

Tears began to form in Adaline’s eyes and her body continued to tremble. Jason felt physically sick at her touch.

“Jason…” Adaline whispered.

Out of the blue, the small girl’s free hand punched Jason directly in the mouth.

“Ha ha!” Tears continued to flow from Adaline’s eyes but her lips curled up into a sinister smile. “I-I can feel you!”

She hit Jason again. Jason tasted blood in his mouth as his inner lips broke open against his teeth.

“Years, Jason. Years I’ve dreamt about this moment.” Adaline’s fist continued to hammer away at Jason.

His head, his chest, even his neck weren’t safe from Adaline’s incessant pummeling.

“To finally see you. To finally touch you. To finally show you just how much I love you.”

Jason felt the cold steel of Adaline’s knife press itself into his exposed neck.

“I need you. All of you.” Her voice shook just as much as her hands did now. “I-I need to claim the heart that rightfully belongs to me.”

Jason’s heart felt painful in his chest. Not only from the overwhelming fear Adaline imposed on him, nor from the certainty invading his mind that these were his final moments in life, but from the regrets he carried.

“I’m… Sorry. I’m sorry about Mary.” Jason whispered.

The knife froze against Jason’s neck.

“What?” Adaline’s eyes widened and her face fell. “What did you say?’

“Mary’s death was my fault.” Jason forced himself to look at Adaline directly. “I didn’t know at the time, but I do now. I’m sorry this happened to you.”

“Ah.” Adaline’s lips twitched up into a smile. “Of course it was your fault, silly.”

She sniffed and real sadness entered her gaze.

“M-my sister was trying to steal you from m-me. She knew that I… If she hadn’t…” Adaline stammered. “I needed to protect you. Protect us.”

Her voice fell to a whisper. “Why didn’t she understand? Why Jason? Why did this happen?”

The knife pressed harder and Jason felt the skin break beneath the tip. A small trickle of blood began to flow down the edge of the blade and drip between them.

“Adaline-” 

Jason wanted to explain. To perhaps get her assistance in putting all of this to rest, like he had with Kirsten, but the unstable girl clapped her free hand directly over Jason’s mouth before he could try.

“Don’t.” She warned in a low voice. “It hurts Jason. Everything hurts. Even my love for you. My love burns brighter than the sun. I’ve had to live with the sun in my chest for too long. It burned me up. This is the only way.”

The knife rotated in her hand so the point was facing Jason’s throat directly.

“This is the only way I can finally rest. Please don’t worry Jason.” Her free hand tenderly ran itself down the side of Jason’s face. “I won’t be far behind.”

A tremendous crash echoed throughout the empty floor. The source was somewhere in the distance behind Jason. The wires keeping him in place were tight enough that Jason couldn’t turn his head far enough to see what had caused it. Adaline leaned to the side, her eyes narrowing suspiciously as the echoes began to fade.

“Wait here.” She instructed Jason as she stood. “I won’t be long my love.”

Adaline strode out of sight and her footsteps faded a few seconds later. Jason was a mess of emotions. He had just stared death in the face, came to accept it, and now his sentence was being postponed for a few minutes longer. It was cruel and Jason couldn’t get his body to stop shaking because of it. It wasn’t too much longer before he heard the rapid approach of footsteps. It took Jason a few moments to realize that these footsteps were different. They were a bit heavier than Adaline’s. Jason strained his head to try and spot the approaching figure when a red blur slid to a stop in front of him.

“Jason!”

“ Remi!” Jason felt his heart leap as the demon girl rushed to him.

“Are you okay?’ She asked quickly as her hands brushed his neck wound gently.

“Y-yeah.” Jason’s breaths came quick and ragged.

He blinked away moisture from the edge of his eyes.

“All right… Okay.” Remi’s eyes dropped to the wires keeping Jason in place. “Are you going to be able to run if-”

A wolf howl sounded in the distance. Remi froze in place. Her expression went from determined to fearful in the blink of an eye.

“No no no no.” Remi whispered and began to frantically scan their surroundings.

“What is it?” Jason asked, craning his neck. “Is she coming back?”

Remi shook her head and didn’t answer.

“Then let me up.” Jason pulled at the wires. “Come on, let's get out of here.

Another howl. Closer this time. Jason was certain now that it wasn’t Adaline making those sounds. This was something new.

“There’s no time.” Remi spun around and planted herself firmly in Jason’s lap.

“Woah!” Jason pulled back at the unexpected motion. “What are you doing?”

Remi was dead serious as she spoke. “We have to make a deal.”

“What are you talking about?” Jason shook his head. “I already told you that I can’t do that.”

“Jason!” Remi lifted both of her hands and cupped Jason’s cheeks. “Please listen to me. This is the only way I can get you out of here safely.”

Jason thought he heard the sound of a dog barking nearby.

“I can teleport you to safety. Teleport you to someone who can help you find out where you need to go to put an end to this power you have.” Remi’s eyes softened. “Please Jason. Let me save you.”

Jason frowned. “At what cost?”

Remi smiled and closed her eyes. Her hands drifted to the back of Jason’s head and pulled it closer to her own. Their lips touched softly. She was warm. Maybe it was her demon blood but Jason’s lips burned lightly from the contact. It wasn’t unpleasant. In fact, Jason found himself craving the contact more after they broke apart.

“I’ve never felt like this before.” Remi breathed out. “Demons aren’t supposed to be able to feel things like this.”

Remi placed her forehead against Jason’s own.

“You’ll never see me again.” Remi’s lips trembled. “I’ve lingered too long and broken some rules.”

Another howl. Much much closer. Jason could almost hear the sound of approaching padded feet.

“The price for your freedom, Jason, are my feelings for you.” Remi pulled back and wiped her eyes. “I can’t live feeling like this for eternity. Knowing I can never be with the person I… Well, my point is, this is what’s best. For both of us.”

“I thought you couldn’t overcome your boss’ handiwork?” Jason pointed out.

She can’t go. Jason assured himself. It won’t work, so she’ll have to stay.

“Think of this as a loophole. Us demons are great at them.” Remi laughed.

“I don’t want this.” Jason whispered and lowered his head.

Remi had become the person he relied on the most. She was…

Remi’s hands lifted Jason’s chin and gave him a sad smile. “You don’t have a choice.”

Jason heard growling. He peered past Remi’s shoulders and spotted a pair of glowing eyes approaching through the darkness. Remi leaned her head to block the oncoming creature from Jason’s vision.

“Do we have a deal?” She asked gently.

Jason swallowed. “Yes.”

“Thank you Jason.” Remi pulled him close. “Go get your life back.”

Jason turned just in time to feel Remi’s lips close on his own. They kissed. Her red warm lips pressed firmly against his own until suddenly, they vanished. The strange approaching dogs, the floodlights, the wires around Jason himself, even the building around him faded from existence. Leaving his surroundings just as vacant and empty as the sense of loss that fell over Jason’s heart.