Warlock Ch 19. Dream or Memory?
He walked through the kitchen, expecting to find some sign of her, but the room was empty.
Then, he noticed it. On the table, there was a steaming cup of coffee and a sandwich, along with a small note neatly placed beside it. Damian picked up the note, the faint scent of lavender clinging to the paper.
'Had to step out for a bit. I'll be back soon. There's a barrier around the house for your protection—don't worry, you're safe.'
He raised an eyebrow, staring at the words, unsure how to feel about them.
A barrier? For his protection?
This was becoming more complicated by the minute. Sure, he'd seen magic and experienced things no normal guy would, but the idea that the house needed extra protection while she was gone—it made everything feel even more real, and not in a comforting way.
Damian set the note down and sat at the table. He glanced at the sandwich, feeling his stomach grumble. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until now, so he took a bite, the simple taste helping ground him in the moment. But as he ate, his thoughts drifted back to the dream.
The chaos, the war, and that woman… the woman who told him he should never have been born. It had all felt so real, too vivid to just brush off as a nightmare. The way she looked at him, the tears, the accusation in her voice. And then the memory of Evelyn's words surfaced, how she couldn't tell him everything yet.
Damian stared into his coffee, watching the steam rise and swirl in the air. "That wasn't her... right?" he mumbled to himself, the unsettling feeling gnawing at his gut. "It couldn't have been."
But what if it was? He hadn't seen the woman's face fully, just a glimpse beneath her hood. The way she spoke to him, the way her words cut so deeply—it felt personal. And who else could it have been?
He shook his head, trying to push the thought away. 'No, that didn't make sense.' Evelyn had been with him the entire time since his life flipped upside down. She had been helping him, not hurting him.
Moments later, the front door creaked open, and Damian snapped out of his thoughts. He turned to see Evelyn stepping inside, her face slightly flushed as if she'd been rushing. She glanced at him, offering a soft smile, but there was a tightness in her expression.
"Sorry," she said, setting her bag down on the counter. "I had to meet someone first."
Damian swallowed the last bite of his sandwich, nodding slowly, but his mind was still stuck on the dream. The need to understand what was happening, to get answers, gnawed at him.
"Did you know it?" he blurted out before he could stop himself.
Evelyn froze, turning to face him fully. "Know what?"
"The dream, maybe a memory," Damian said, his voice steadier now, but laced with the frustration he'd been holding in. "The one I had last night. Did you know about it?"
For a brief second, something flickered across her face—surprise, maybe even fear—but it was gone just as quickly. Evelyn's eyes widened, her voice soft as she asked, "What did you see in this dream, Damian?"
Damian leaned back in his chair, exhaling deeply. He hadn't planned on unloading everything so suddenly, but here they were. "There was this... war. Chaos everywhere. Witches, warlocks, vampires, all of them fighting. And then there was this woman. She—" He hesitated, his throat tightening. "She said I should never have been born. That I bring calamity."
Evelyn's expression hardened, but she stayed silent, letting him continue.
"She... lunged at me, and then I woke up. But something about it felt off. Like... it felt too real, you know?" Damian ran a hand through his hair. "That wasn't you, was it?"
Evelyn didn't answer immediately. She stood there, her eyes locking onto his, and for a long moment, the silence between them stretched. When she finally shook her head, the movement was slow, almost hesitant. "No, Damian. It wasn't me."
But something in her eyes—something she wasn't saying—made his chest tighten with doubt.
"Then who?" Damian pushed, frowning. "Was it a prophecy or something? A warning? You're hiding things from me, Evelyn. How am I supposed to trust you when you keep avoiding the truth?"
Evelyn's gaze softened, and she took a step closer, her voice lowering, almost pleading. "I don't want to hide anything from you. I promise. But the time isn't right yet." She paused, her eyes searching his face for understanding. "There are things about this world, about who you are, that I can't explain until you're ready. Until..."
"Until what?" Damian asked. "Until I'm in over my head? I'm already in over my head. I've had my life turned upside down, I'm supposed to form magical bonds, and now I'm dreaming about some woman telling me I'm a curse. I need answers."
Evelyn flinched, her expression pained, but she didn't look away. "I know. I know it's hard, and I don't blame you for being frustrated. But some things—some truths—are dangerous if you don't understand them fully. I'm trying to protect you."
Damian let out a bitter laugh. "Protect me? How am I supposed to trust that when every time I ask a question, you dodge it? What am I supposed to do with that?"
Evelyn sighed, looking down at the floor for a moment, before lifting her gaze back to his. "You're supposed to trust me, even when it's hard. Even when I can't give you all the answers you want right away." Her voice softened, and she stepped closer, her hand reaching out to rest gently on his arm. "I've been in this world a long time. I know how quickly things can spiral out of control. I know how dangerous it is. And I don't want that for you."