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Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Soaking Wet and Overpowered

Chapter 21: Soaking Wet and Overpowered

They barely made it ten steps into the grocery store before all hell broke loose.

A low, guttural growl curled out from the back, vibrating in the air like a warning. It wasn't human. Not quite animal either. Something in between, something worse. Selene was already moving, stepping in front of Aria as her knife reappeared in her hand like it had been waiting.

"What the hell is that?" Aria whispered, her breath hitching in her throat.

"Roamers," Selene said, eyes narrowing at the flickering shadows ahead. "Stage two. They're faster. Smarter. Hungrier."

A sharp screech echoed through the aisles — metal dragging across linoleum tile. Then came the scream, high - pitched and wrong. It wasn't fear. It was hunger.

Aria turned, heart hammering.

The woman they'd saved earlier — the one with the braid and dried blood crusted down the side of her face — was standing just behind them.

No limp. No gratitude.

Just rage.

Her eyes locked onto Aria like she'd spotted a cockroach in her kitchen — like the thing that disgusted her most had the audacity to breathe the same air.

"You," she spat.

Aria blinked. "Wait — what?"

"We literally helped you," Selene said sharply, already stepping forward.

"I didn't ask you to!" the woman snapped. "I didn't need your freak help."

Aria frowned. "Are you serious right now?"

"You're not even human," the woman hissed, voice rising. "I saw you — what you did. That thing you are. You're just like them. Just like the roamers."

Selene's jaw flexed. "Say that again. Real slow."

The woman's eyes narrowed, smile twisting into something meaner. "Always the beautiful ones. The ones with the power. God's little mistakes."

Aria took a step back, thrown. "What are you even talking about —?"

"You think you're special?" the woman seethed. "With your glowing skin and your perfect little face? Let me guess — daddy or mommy issues and divine privilege?"

Selene's eyes flicked to Aria, then back to the woman. "Walk away. Now."

But she didn't. She stepped forward.

"You're not powerful," the woman sneered. "You're just a spoiled little whore playing dress - up. Probably spread your legs for whatever gave you those powers. Disgusting. Filthy girl."

Aria froze.

And then the woman moved — fast.

Blade in hand. Aria hadn't seen where it came from. One second empty, the next she was slashing down in a wide, messy arc aimed right for Aria's chest.

But Selene was faster.

She caught the woman's wrist mid - swing, cold rushing up her arm like frostbite on contact. The woman screamed as her weapon clattered to the floor.

"You really wanna do this?" Selene's voice was ice. "You think just because the world ended, your bitterness gets to be a weapon now?"

The woman yanked back, cradling her wrist. "She's not right. You know it. You're just too far gone to see it."

"Wrong," Aria said, stepping forward now, jaw tight. "I see you just fine. You're the kind of person who'd rather hate something new than admit the old world broke you first."

The woman spat near Aria's boot. "You're a curse."

"No," Selene said, calm and final. "She's evolution."

They didn't kill her. They didn't have to. But they didn't help her again either.

Aria didn't say another word.

She just turned, fire still simmering in her throat, and walked away — Selene beside her, cold and quiet, the space between them more solid than ever.

They thought she was done. Thought letting her walk away would keep things calm.

But the moment Aria turned, the woman's hand slipped beneath her coat — fast, practiced. A slim dagger appeared, cold and sharp.

Without warning, she swung it low, aiming for Aria's side.

"Seriously?" Aria snapped, stepping back just in time, eyes flashing with disbelief.

"Not this time," Selene said, voice ice - cold, looking at the woman.

Selene reacted instantly.

A wall of ice shot up between them — thin, almost transparent, but strong enough to deflect the knife with a metallic screech. Aria stumbled backward, heart pounding in her throat.

"She tried to stab me twice," Aria gasped.

"I noticed," Selene said flatly, stepping forward, her body coiled like a spring. "Some people aren't worth saving."

The woman didn't get a chance to respond. The growling returned, louder this time. Then it split — one voice becoming two. Then four. Then more. The air turned thick.

Selene's head snapped toward the sound. "Run. Now."

They didn't wait.

They bolted through the dark, cluttered aisles — past dented soup cans, torn plastic, and soggy cardboard displays. Aria's boots skidded against spilled detergent. Selene grabbed her arm, dragging her toward a rusted side door.

Behind them, something shrieked. And another scream — the woman's — was cut off mid-breath.

They didn't look back.

Selene yanked the door open, pulling Aria into a narrow hallway lined with broken employee lockers. The walls were peeling. Everything reeked of mold and old grease. A door at the end — crooked and dented — looked barely functional. Selene shoved it open, pulled Aria inside, and slammed it shut. She twisted the rusted lock until it clunked in place.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Aria sank to the ground, crouching in the corner, arms wrapped tightly around her knees. Her breath was ragged, chest heaving. "She really tried to kill me."

"She did," Selene said, kneeling beside her. "But she didn't. Because I was there. Because you're still here."

Aria looked down at her trembling hands. "She saw me. The water thing. Water element. I didn't even mean to do it. It just… happened."

"She didn't see you," Selene said quietly. "Not really. She saw something she didn't understand and got scared."

"But she wasn't wrong," Aria whispered. "I'm not normal."

Her voice trembled. "She's not wrong, Selene. I… I'll become that eventually. Lusting. Craving. Wanting to sleep around."

A quiet sob broke out of her. "She's not wrong… I don't want this. This succubus thing— I know it's part of me, but… I don't want to be someone who just spreads her legs for anyone."

Selene reached out, cupping her face. Her fingers were cool, grounding. "You're not normal. You're extraordinary. There's a difference." "I'm not normal either I have ice element"

Aria's throat tightened.

Tears stung the edges of her eyes, but she blinked them away. "I think I have more than one power," she admitted, the words coming fast and tangled. "There's the pocket dimension, and now water? Like, elemental control? That was the first time I've ever done it, and it was intense. I didn't even know I could do that."

Selene's lips tugged into the faintest smile. "You're a powerhouse."

Aria groaned. "I'm overpowered. It's kind of ridiculous."

"Honestly?" Selene leaned in, brushing a strand of wet hair from Aria's face. "It suits you."

Aria snorted. "Water?" "Water element?"

"You're always soaking wet when you fight. It's weirdly on brand."

"Selene."

"What?" Selene grinned. "You're hot and drenched and lethal. It's a vibe."

Aria tried to glare but failed. "You're seriously saying that right now?"

"You want me to lie?"

"God, I don't like you."

"No, you don't."

Selene kissed her — soft at first, then deeper, more urgent. Aria melted into her without hesitation, arms curling around Selene's neck as their mouths moved together like they'd done this a hundred times. Every kiss still felt new.

Selene's hands were cold but careful, sliding under Aria's shirt, fingertips gliding over goosebumps. Her palm found Aria's breast, cupping it, thumb brushing gently over her nipple.

Aria gasped, her whole body arching into the touch.

Selene kissed her again — harder this time — and Aria moaned, the sound swallowed between their mouths. Her mind blurred. Nothing existed but Selene — the sharp contrast of ice on her burning skin, the way her lips traced over every breath Aria let out.

"Feel that?" Selene whispered against her throat. "You're not just powerful. You're unstoppable."

Aria whimpered, clutching at her shirt, her heart pounding in her ears. Selene's mouth moved lower, kissing the curve of her breast before sucking gently, her tongue circling. Aria's hips twitched involuntarily.

"You're water," Selene murmured. "You bend. You crash. You drown everything in your path."

Aria didn't even try to hold back. She let herself go — body burning, voice raw from soft moans and whispered curses. It wasn't just desire; it was something more feral. Elemental.

When they finally broke apart, Aria lay flat on the cold floor, hair a mess, shirt twisted around her ribs, lips swollen and eyes dazed.

Selene grinned. "Told you it suits you."

Aria covered her face with both hands. "You're a menace."

Selene brushed her fingers over Aria's jaw. "A menace who's madly in love with you."

Aria peeked at her through parted fingers. "You're saying that after I almost drowned six roamers with angry water spikes?"

Selene laughed. "Exactly why I'm saying it."

Aria sat up slowly, still breathless, tugging her shirt back down. "We're staying here tonight, right?"

Selene nodded. "Too dangerous to go back out now. We'll clear the aisles tomorrow."

Aria pulled out some food from her pocket dimension — a couple protein bars, a bag of dried mango, bottled water. They sat against the wall, eating in silence, the emergency lights flickering weakly overhead. Selene leaned close, always cold, always calm.

After they finished eating, Aria stood to stretch. "Okay, don't look while I change."

Selene raised an eyebrow. "Too late."

"Selene!"

"You were literally shirtless five minutes ago."

"Context, woman!"

Selene smirked and leaned back with zero shame as Aria pulled off her soaked jacket and hoodie. She changed into a fresh shirt from her bag, tossing the damp clothes aside.

"Still watching me?"

"Every second."

"You're impossible."

"I just know what I like."

Aria rolled her eyes and flopped onto their makeshift bed — a pile of coats and spare shirts layered for comfort. Selene followed, curling up behind her and wrapping her arms around her waist.

"You're freezing," Aria muttered.

"You're melting," Selene said, nuzzling into her neck.

They lay there like that, tangled up and still buzzing with everything that had happened. Aria rested her head on Selene's shoulder, letting herself breathe again.

After a while, she whispered, "Do you think that woman… made it out?"

Selene didn't answer right away. "I think she was more afraid of you than the roamers."

"That doesn't answer the question."

"I think… she made her choice. And the roamers made theirs."

Aria was quiet for a long moment. Then: "You're not scared of me, right?"

Selene shifted, her hand gently tilting Aria's face toward hers. "Never," she said. "I'm in love with you. And I've seen every version of you — all of them worth it."

Aria's breath caught.

Selene kissed her again — soft, unhurried — and pulled her close as the cold wind howled somewhere beyond the walls.

They didn't speak again that night. But in her sleep, Aria dreamed of water surging from her hands, cleansing and terrifying all at once. She dreamed of Selene's voice like a tide, steady and unwavering. And she dreamed of being loved exactly as she was — soaking wet and overpowered.

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