by Iesha Bree
“Hey, we’ve been looking for you,” could be heard to the right of me as I felt a tap on my shoulder.
Not wanting to let the stranger out of my sight, I glanced over my shoulder briefly to see Jason standing next to me with a grin on his face. I turned to look back, only to see the crowd had closed in, making me believe that maybe I had just imagined him. Blowing out the breath I had been holding, I turned around just as the bartender brought my drink over. Reaching into my pocket to pay for it, Jaseon stopped me, pulling his wallet out.
“Don’t worry about it. I got it. Are you ready? We’re all hanging out in the VIP section upstairs.” He leaned in to whisper into my ear.
Nodding my head without a response, I followed him to the section to see everyone else had already made it. I was the last person to arrive. I smiled. I leaned in to hug everyone—well, everybody except Amber’s snobby ass. She still acted as if she had a problem, but she didn’t know that we weren’t at work anymore. I would gladly whoop her ass if she wanted those types of problems tonight.
“Hey, Noemy! We’re glad that you came. Have you ever been here before?” Allison asked, hopping up from in between two of the other girls from our class.
“No. This is my first time, but I am glad to be out. I’m only going to be here for a little bit, though.” I smiled, turning to look back out into the crowd, just hoping that it wasn’t just my mind that had pictured him up.
My eyes continually searched the crowd when I felt a tap on my shoulder. Hands on my hips and forehead scrunched, I rolled my eyes, only to come face to face with Doctor Owens. Bringing my drink up to my lips, I took a swallow.
“Hey, do you have a minute for me to speak to you outside?” he asked, setting his drink to the side.
I glanced around, only to see everyone else was up dancing, not paying us any attention as he gripped my arm, pulling me out of the section. Deciding this would be the perfect time for me to say everything I wanted to say all the times he was in charge of me, I allowed him to lead me outside. I was puzzled as he continued to pull me toward the side of the building. Snatching my arm from him, I stepped away as I crossed my arms across my chest to keep myself as warm as possible since the breeze had begun to pick up, almost to the point that it was becoming erratic.
“What did you want to talk about that you felt it was appropriate to bring me this far away from everyone else?” I asked, tapping my foot while still glancing around.
A heavy feeling of dread started to come over me as I watched Doctor Owens pulling his glasses off, throwing them to the side. Lifting his head slowly, his eyes beamed a bright silver color as he began to laugh maniacally.
“What the fuck is going on? And why are your eyes changing colors!” I yelled out as my heart began to speed up.
My feet began to move back on their own the closer he moved toward me. Throwing my hands up in front of me, the wind that was once just a breeze began to become ferocious, rocking the trees until they began to sweep the concrete. I watched as he stopped briefly, glancing around as lightning struck the concrete in front of his feet.
“Bitch, are you trying to kill me?” he asked me as his eyes got big and mouth twisted up.
Breathing heavier than I was before, I threw my hands in front of me, closing my eyes. A supreme feeling fell over me as a ball of electricity landed in the palms of my hands. I glanced up to see Doctor Owens no longer looked like himself, but almost reminiscent of a rabid dog, with slob dripping down the side of his mouth as he snarled at me.
A switch within myself had gone off, turning my vision pitch black.
The feeling of strings that were once loose and tying together caused me to lean over onto my knees as I tried to catch my breath. No longer were my feelings my own; they were now tied to the one woman I would have never expected. Watching the bounce of her big curls and the way her cheeks rose as she spoke, it was as if a crafter had specifically made her into perfection. Her eyes told a story on their own. Finally regaining the breath that was snatched from my body at the sight of her, I looked over the crowds of people, trying to figure out where she had gone, only to see she was no longer inside of the building. But I knew she was still close by because the rate my heart had begun to speed up, almost as if I was afraid. I knew they were her emotions because I was trained never to be afraid. Turning my head to look in every direction, I closed my eyes to focus on her energy, opening them to notice that the music had cut out and come back on. The lights began to flicker, and I knew this could go completely wrong. Rushing to follow her essence that led me outside, I leaned my head back to glance at the arks of lightning that raced across the sky.
The closer I got, the more her emotions were becoming almost impalpable; they were now starting to become my own as I breathed in and out. Sending healing energy toward her, I felt as if she was dazed and confused until the sight met me around the corner. She was no longer on the ground but levitating a few feet in the air. Her eyes were the color of turbulent skies, as little bits of electricity licked the tips of her big vibrant curls that had turned the color of dark coal. Within the palms of her hands, she held small balls of electricity. So enticed by her beauty, I didn’t realize her focus was on what looked to be a Soluu, which was a rogue term for gods and goddesses who didn’t want to live under our law anymore. They began to crave more power and everything evil to sustain their lives. If you chose the life of a Soluu there was no turning back, you would forever need more power. The beauty all gods and goddesses held would be gone until the taste of power had returned. Soon, a slow stream of blood began to come from my nose. Dragging my arms across my nose, I looked up to see she had the same stream coming from her face. I knew at that moment she wasn’t trained and didn’t notice that she was overloading herself.
Rushing into action, I snatched my sword from my back, and with one smooth swipe of my sword, I severed him in half as his body slumped to the ground, turning into a pile of dust that blew away in the wind. I turned around just in time as a ball of lightning was thrown in my direction. Her eyes were trained on where I once was as I called out to her to get her attention. I knew once she heard my voice, even if she didn’t understand why it was instantly calming her, it would.
“Hey, baby, he is gone. You can come down now. No one will hurt you. I want to help you and get you to safety,” I stated as she slowly floated down to the concrete.
The balls of lightning that once graced her palms were now gone, and the turbulent blue her eyes had become was now back to a beautiful gray color. With her eyes now trained on me, I took slow steps toward her as she finally realized what had just happened. I watched her eyes become big, and her heart started to beat almost out of her chest before she passed out. Walking up just in time, I caught her mid-fall as I lifted her into my arms. Instead of taking the front way out, I decided to walk in the opposite direction of the crowd I knew would be building. Glancing in every direction, I made sure that no one had witnessed the scene that just unfolded. I could only imagine what she would become if the humans caught wind that someone who wasn’t human was living amongst them. Once I checked to make sure the coast was clear, I closed my eyes to transport us back to her home. Walking to the front door, I knocked loudly. Stepping back as the door swung open, we both stood frozen. Briefly, it was almost as if she recognized me, although I knew that wasn’t the case because we had never met. Asha grabbed my shirt, pulling me into the house, rushing me to place her daughter onto the couch. I stepped back, watching as she ran into the kitchen, grabbing multiple different bottles before kneeling next to her daughter on the couch.
“What happened?” she asked, attention still focused on her daughter.
“To be quite honest, I came outside of the club, and she was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Floating in the air, her eyes were a different color, and she had balls of lightning in the palms of her hands. Goddess Asha, we’re lucky no one actually saw her. I was able to dismantle the Soluu who had come to take her powers,” I s
poke as her movements froze.
She slowly rose onto the balls of her feet as she turned to face me.
“I knew I recognized you from somewhere. You’re from Ruella? How did you find us? I have kept myself, and Noemy hid very well?” she asked, standing from her position on the floor, now facing me.
I watched as her hair that was once tied up at the nape of her neck, released from its restraints, floating around her shoulders. No longer was she dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, but now she was in a cream and gold dress that flowed to her feet. Eyes no longer her usual gray color, now they had become a glowing Ivory color. I knew if I answered this question incorrectly, I would have a battle on my hands. I was sure my soulmate would be mad as hell if I had to knock her mother the hell out, especially since I hadn’t had the chance even to introduce myself yet.
“I am Topez. My father is Oren. I was sent here to find Noemy, and when I found her at the club, she was in danger. I am not here to harm her or you,” I responded, hands at my side, ready for anything.
I watched as the gray stormy look in her eyes subsided, and her hair gracefully laid against her shoulders. No longer standing in a defensive stance, she turned her attention back to her daughter.
“I knew you looked familiar. You look so much like your father.”
Walking toward the couch, she looked at me, stopping me in my tracks. The gray in her eyes picked back up, so I took a couple of steps back. I knew at this moment, she still didn’t entirely trust me.
“I hear that often. How have you been able to conceal yourself and Noemy all this time?” I asked.
“Just because you’re Oren’s son doesn’t mean I am going to sit here and tell you our life story. You have gotten my daughter here safely, and I appreciate that, but we don’t need your help,” she responded, brushing the hair from Noemy’s face to reveal her smooth, mocha-colored skin.
The natural way her lips poked out was so sensual, especially as she slept, causing my dick to get hard at the thought of her heart-shaped lips wrapped around my pipe as I ran my hands over her tight curls for encouragement.
The clearing of her throat pulled me out of my thoughts as I looked down to see you could see my print almost coming through. Placing both of my hands over it, I looked up into her squinted eyes and flustered cheeks.
“Well, all due respect, ma’am, she has no choice but to have me at her side. I have no intention of allowing the woman who was made for me to slip through my fingers. Not to mention, as quickly as it was for the Soluu to find her, you can only imagine how many more are coming after the display she gave earlier. You know just as well as I do that the type of power she displayed leaves a stain,” I responded, holding my ground.
“That’s not possible! What do you mean made for you?” She stood to her feet again.
This was the last time I was going to allow her to disrespect me openly. Closing my eyes, once they opened back up, I knew she could see the silver with a tinge of fire that licked the lids of my eyes. I was not going to allow anyone, regardless if it was her mother or not, to step in my way. Not when the one person I thought I was cursed to be given was right in front of me. If she wanted to play with her own fate, that was on her, but fate had a way of showing you who was actually in charge. I knew this would not be an easy union at all, especially since she seemed almost shocked by the power she was displaying. But I would be there with her every step of the way. All of her dreams and wishes were now mine. I just wanted her to be happy, and I would live every moment of my life making sure she was.
“Ughh, my head hurts. What happened?” I heard groans behind Asha.
Stepping around her, I took a seat alongside Noemy on the couch to make sure she was alright.
Eyes enlarging at the sight of me here, she looked in search of her mother. A pang of jealousy hit me as I moved from the position I was once in to let her mother sit where I once was. I knew this would take some time, but I didn’t expect the woman I was fated to be with to be afraid of me. Placing my face into my hands, I took a moment to breathe in and out when I felt a delicate pair of hands rubbing circles onto my back. I knew it was her, forgetting that she could feel all of my emotions. I knew I needed to control the way I felt better.
I turned to look into her concerned eyes as she nodded her head with a tired smile before leaning back on the couch, turning her attention back to her mother who had watched the whole display in surprise.
“Mom, what are you wearing? And how did your hair get like that?” she asked.
I knew Asha had forgotten she had gone full mother fury on me because of the way she looked down at her outfit. Unable to explain, she looked to me for help, but I shrugged my shoulders because she wasn’t doing her any good by continuing to lie to her. Shit, I had no intention of being a part of it either, so whatever she said would be on her. I would only tell her the truth if she asked me; I couldn’t lie to her anyway.
“I knew this day would come. Honey, do you remember anything that took place tonight before you got here?” She huffed, running her hands up and down Noemy’s arm in a motherly fashion.
I watched as she placed both of her hands on each side of her head. I could feel the swarm of confusion she was experiencing as images of her levitating popped into my mind, almost as if I watched it on video in my mind. Instantly, the video blacked out as she jumped up from the couch, causing me to hop up as well to make sure she was stable enough to be standing. She was pacing back and forth in front of us, trying to work through her thoughts. I waited quietly for her to say something. I glanced down at her mother who waited quietly until she stopped moving to look back in my direction. I knew what she was going to ask before she did.
“You were there. Did I really do those things, or am I just imagining it?” she asked me in a pleading tone.
I knew she hoped I would tell her that it was all just a dream, but that was far from the truth, this was who she was, and I had no intention of telling her any differently. The look on my face told it all as she slumped down into a seat on the coffee table.
“How?” she asked, now looking back up at her mother.
“Honey, do you remember all those stories I used to tell you as a kid?” Asha asked.
Taking a few steps toward the door, an eerie feeling fell over me, causing my senses to go on full alert.
“Oh, so you’re just going to up and leave now?” Noemy asked, full of attitude behind me.
I turned to look back at her with a smirk as I shook my head no and leaned against the door frame to make sure I wasn’t just hearing things, especially with me being in an unfamiliar place. It sounded almost like a low whistle, a calling of some sort. I quickly turned to look back at Noemy and Asha, who was also on alert, rushing back toward them.
“We have to go now!” I groaned out.
Taking Noemy’s hand into mine, I watched as she looked around frantically. Asha rushed into the kitchen, bringing back with her a bag filled with unknown contents. Nodding her head toward the back, Asha pulled the beautiful painting that adorned the back wall to the side, unveiling a keypad and quickly pressing in the numbers as the chest that blocked the wall moved to the side. A hidden entrance appeared as we all rushed through the opening. Quickly closing it back behind us, we ran through the underground tunnels that led to another door. Stepping inside, Asha quickly said an enchantment over the door as the room transferred into a replica of her house. I watched as the walls opened and made separate bedrooms in the hall. Amazed that she hadn’t lost her touch at all, I looked over at Noemy, who still held a look of shock.
“You always knew they would come for her, didn’t you?” I asked as she turned to me with a somber expression.
I turned to check Noemy to make sure she was alright. I could still feel her emotions of confusion swarming my body. It was still such an unfamiliar feeling for my emotions to no longer be my own. But because I was trained to control the way I felt, I could shield her from mine.
“I’m fine, and it’s
not like I am some delicate flower who can’t protect herself!” She yelled out, stepping away from me.
Silence surrounded us like a blanket in the winter. I knew this moment would come. Everything in her life that she felt was solid was now collapsing before her eyes. A low meow resounded. I felt something rub against my ankle, causing me to jump back. Looking down, there were two black cats with gold amulets around their necks.
“Where the hell did they come from!” I yelled as they came back over toward me, circling my ankles.
“Oh! Those are Emy’s cats. The day we got here, they were waiting outside, and she begged me to keep them. I figured she would need company, so why not,” Asha responded with a glance over her shoulder and a small laugh.
“That’s not my question. I didn’t see them in the house. How the hell did they get in here?” I asked again.
“Trust me, they were there. You weren’t paying attention. They go everywhere Emy goes, even when she doesn’t notice it.” She shrugged like it was normal for two black cats to be following her daughter around.
“Well, y’all better call them before I kick their little asses across this room,” I mumbled, moving out of the circle the cats were creating.
“Don’t talk about my babies like that.” Noemy finally spoke up, bending down to sit on the ground, and both cats walked into her arms.
“You better be happy they like you,” she said underneath her breath as she placed them back down onto the ground.
I walked over and leaned down so only she could hear me.
“It wouldn’t have mattered whether they liked me or not, and you know that just like I do,” I whispered with a lick of my lips.
