by S D Hegyes
His grin widened. He wasn’t fooled. “Sounds good to me.”
Despite what they’d said to one another, neither were in a hurry to get on any rides. Through an unspoken agreement, they decided to tour the fairgrounds first to see all the attractions and gauge whether they’d be worth the wait to ride them.
Abaddon seemed to remember what Sorsha had said about everyone from Shaded Glade. He never got close enough to bring about questions from anyone who might have seen them together. Then again, it might also have been because he insisted they needed to keep their distance from one another.
The longer they were together and the more Sorsha glanced at Abaddon, the more she wanted to kiss him, to have him kiss her. She wanted to know the sounds he’d make when he couldn’t get enough of her.
She shook her head. Those were dangerous thoughts to have since they’d be parting ways soon. They were especially dangerous thoughts to have when they were in public.
Still, she couldn’t pretend that she didn’t want to pull Abaddon into a dark corner between two rides and drown herself in him.
She took a deep breath through her nose as they stood beside one another looking up at the swings.
Abaddon chuckled. “Are you smelling me?”
Sorsha shrugged one shoulder. “Maybe.”
“Too much for you to handle?”
“Never.”
He pinned her with his dark gaze, as heated as hers. “Are you sure?” He brushed one finger along her jaw and traced her lower lip. “Your breathing has seemed to get heavier.”
She nipped at the tip of his finger. “Keep it up, mister, and watch what happens.”
He laughed and straightened, dropping his hand to his side. She huffed in frustration. She’d been hoping he’d keep doing subtle things to turn her on, give her a reason to yank him away from the fair and have her way with him.
Then she saw Preston and Bobby watching her on the opposite side of the swings ride.
She growled as agitation replaced her desire.
“Something wrong?”
“Nothing,” she said, a little harsher than she’d meant to. She cleared her throat and smiled at him. “Nothing to worry about at least.”
He looked up, his eyes focusing on Preston and Bobby. When Sorsha looked at them again, they were whispering to one another and pointing at Sorsha and Abaddon.
“They’ve been following us for a while now,” Abaddon said.
“What?” Sorsha narrowed her eyes at the pair of teenagers. How come she hadn’t noticed?
“They’ve been a little more subtle about it. I think they’ve decided they want you to see them.”
A growl rose in her throat. “Of course they do. It’s a threat. They know we’re here together, and they want me to know they don’t approve.”
“Who are they?”
She sighed and turned toward Abaddon, wincing as she thought about how to explain to him. “That would be Preston Barr, my future husband if I don’t get away from Shaded Glade soon.” She shook her head. “The other is his best friend, Bobby. Bobby’s more terrified of me than Preston now.”
“Why’s that?”
“I broke his nose the other day.”
“Oh?” Abaddon said with an amused grin. “Is that all?”
“Apparently, that was all it took.” She chuckled. “He threatened me on Preston’s orders. I don’t think he realized I wouldn’t take threats lying down.”
Scarlet flashed in Abaddon’s eyes. There was no way he was human with how often that seemed to happen around her. She wondered if anyone else he hung around noticed it.
“He threatened you?”
“Bobby? Not really. He wouldn’t hurt a fly when it came down to it. No. Preston’s the one who threatens me.”
“What kind of threats?” She watched his jaw tighten as he ground his teeth together. She could also see his canines extending. Odd.
“Ummm,” she said, watching him in fascination. “The usual. He’s threatened me off and on since we were kids. I don’t really believe he’s going to act on them.”
That wasn’t true. Preston had already proven he had every intention of acting on his threats. He used other people to do it for him if he could. She knew Bobby would never have gone after her on his own accord. Preston had probably blackmailed him into doing it.
But looking at Abaddon, and the way his eyes kept flashing between black and red worried her more than Preston’s threats ever would. She felt a feeling of dread crawl through her and settle itself deep in her stomach.
Abaddon drew close to her, his nose touching hers, and kept his voice low and cold as he said, “They’re following us, Sorsha. Have been since I met up with you, and now you’re telling me that you broke one of their noses when he threatened you?” He shook his head. “I think they have every intention of harming you, and that’s the last thing I want.”
His words settled over her like a warm blanket. She knew she should feel scared that he felt so protective of her—they hardly knew each other after all—but she couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride for being so well taken care of. The fact that she was worthy of such care blew her away.
“Think we can shake them?”
His brow quirked up at the question. “Not without making them think we’re an item.”
“Hey, Abaddon?” She spoke low, as if sharing a secret.
He grinned. “Yes?”
“We’re really, really close to one another. They probably already think we’re an item.” To prove her point, she tipped her chin up and gave the tip of his nose a quick peck of a kiss. It would be worth seeing the look on Preston’s face if he caught her kissing Abaddon, but didn’t go that far.
“Do you trust me?”
“What?” She blinked at him.
“I asked if you trust me.” He took a couple steps back, sidestepping someone walking toward the swings to ride it. He held out his hand and winked at her. “Pretend you’re Jasmine for a moment.”
She studied his face and then looked down at his hand. There was no question in her mind. She trusted him. Completely. She didn’t understand why, but even though she knew he lied about his name, and probably several other things about his own life, she trusted him. Absolutely.
Sorsha took his hand and met his dark gaze. “Yes.” She tried to make the truth resonate in her words. She saw it worked when his grin widened.
“Then hold on,” he said, pulling her close to him and stepping deep into the shadows between two game tents: ring toss and a water gun station.
“Wha—” She didn’t finish her words before her stomach dropped the way it did on a coaster.
18
Sorsha stumbled forward, and only the fact that Abaddon clutched her arms prevented her from falling flat on her face. Her stomach caught back up with the rest of her and rolled, threatening to spill the contents of the day.
“Sorry I couldn’t give you any more warning than that.” Abaddon winced, as if he’d forgotten how unsettling that sensation might be.
“What the hell was that?” She looked around, expecting to see the two gaming tents, but she realized they were behind a food truck instead, huddled close to the back. The smell of funnel cake hit her nostrils and made her mouth water even as her stomach rolled in disgust.
She looked around, still clutching Abaddon’s forearms for support. Her legs shook.
Before, they’d been standing to the right side of the Ferris wheel so that it had been at Sorsha’s back.
Now, she could see the Ferris wheel rising up behind several tents and canopies scattered around the fair.
“That’s. . .” He paused and searched her eyes, studying her. “That’s complicated.”
“Try me.” She could handle most of his secrets. He didn’t want to tell her his real name? Fine. She didn’t want to tell her how he knew so much about her powers—or at least more than her—fine. This? This she drew the line at. She wanted to know what was going on.
He relea
sed her and took a step back, almost forging with the shadows around him. The only reason she could still see him was because she refused to blink, in case he disappeared.
“Abaddon, tell me what’s going on. What was that?”
“I can walk in the shadows.”
She glanced up at the Ferris wheel. “I got that much.”
“You asked if I was really a demon, and in a lot of ways, I am. I am Abaddon, he is me.”
Her eyes widened. She didn’t get the sense that he was lying, as she’d gotten a couple times in the past when he was hiding things from her. He honestly thought he was a demon.
“And this demon—what? Gives you the ability to step into one shadow and walk out another?”
“Precisely.” He grinned at her, and she could see the pride in his expression.
She put her hands on her hips. “And you didn’t think that was handy information to know?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “Didn’t need it prior to now.” His expression hardened, and she could see his jaw moving as he ground his teeth. “Preston was getting on my nerves. His lackey? Not much better.”
Sorsha laughed. “Don’t worry. They think they’re tough, but they’re nothing more than tools. Victims of entitlement honestly. The community has a way of doing that. All women are inferior to the lowest ranking man among them. I’m lower than even Bobby, although anyone can see he’s scared to death of me.”
Her hands dropped to her sides as she looked away and mumbled, “Was even before I punched him.”
At that, Abaddon grinned at her. “Did you break his nose in the past?”
She nodded. “I did. I’ll do it again if he ever thinks he can drag me before Preston.”
“Do you think he’ll try?”
“If Preston tells him to, he might, but I doubt it.” She shrugged. “I’ve been dealing with them for eight years. What’s a few more months?” Although she still felt a little shaken, the feeling of nausea had dissipated, making it easier to stand.
Still, that didn’t mean she liked the idea of dealing with Preston’s antics any longer.
“How close are you to getting away, Sorsha?” he asked, and when she looked at him, she saw worry reflected in his gaze.
He worried about her. How sweet.
She gave him a wane smile, started to lie, and then decided against it. She shook her head instead. “I don’t know,” she answered truthfully. “It turns out my father gave Preston’s father all my personal information to make the transition smoother when Preston and I got married.” She huffed. “They knew I wouldn’t go quietly and they prepared for it. I’d be proud and amused if it were anyone but me, but since it is me, and I have to now figure out a way to get my information from Andrew. . .” She let her words trail off with a shrug and a sigh. “It might be longer than I’d like.”
Abaddon didn’t reply. Not that she’d expected one. There wasn’t much that could be done about her situation. Until she figured out a way to get Andrew to give her all her documents, she couldn’t do anything. She’d never felt so helpless and. . .
“Scared,” she said aloud as she realized what it was she felt.
“What was that?” Abaddon looked at her.
She wrapped her arms around herself. “I’m scared,” she said aloud. She wouldn’t quite meet his gaze and she shook her head. “I don’t want to be trapped in Shaded Glade, Abaddon. I don’t.”
He stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms, soothing her and rubbing a hand up and down her back. “Shh,” he said in a low, comforting voice. “You won’t be. Don’t worry. We’ll figure something out.”
“We?” She asked, pulling away enough to look up at him.
He smiled down at her. “Of course. We.”
“Aren’t you leaving soon?”
He chuckled. “Not until I can help you get out of your situation, like my cousins and I did ours.”
There was a promise in his words, and Sorsha found herself clinging to them. It was all she could do.
“You don’t think those two will try anything, do you?” Abaddon jerked his thumb behind him. When Sorsha glanced over his shoulder, she saw Preston and Bobby. Both scanned the crowd of fair-goers as they walked through, as if they were searching for someone: her.
She glanced at Abaddon’s face. Had he known they were there, or was it just coincidence they’d shown up when he’d done that? She wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer. If he could walk through shadows, who knew what else he could do.
“I’ll be fine.”
“You know,” he said with a tweak of a smile showing at the corner of his mouth as he leaned closer to her and whispered, “You act so tough. What are you really like underneath that tough girl attitude, Sorsha Phantom?”
Sorsha narrowed her eyes at him, leaning toward him until she could feel his breath upon her lips. The urge to close the distance between them and feel his mouth upon hers was strong, but she resisted. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” She gave him a sly smile as she leaned away, her eyes sparkling with mischief when he groaned.
“You’re killing me, Sorsha. You, babe, are going to be the death of me.”
She shrugged. “At least you’d die happy.”
He snorted. “Oh, ho ho! So confident of your skills, are you?”
“I am. I could teach you, if you’d like.” She winked at him.
His expression warmed and a smile stretched across his face. She liked the look of his smile. If only they’d met six months prior, or even a year before. She knew they could have a lot of fun together, despite her family’s insistence that she follow the moral codes of Shaded Glade.
“So, what are you planning on doing?”
She blinked at him. Somehow, she didn’t think he was talking about doing the horizontal tango together. “What do you mean?”
“Army? Navy? Which branch are you going for?”
“Oh,” she said. She needed to get her mind out of the gutter. “Army.”
“Excited?”
“Yes.” She let out a heavy breath. “And terrified as well.”
“Tough girl like you?” He gave her a wink. “I think you’ve got this. I think you’ll be just fine, actually.” He smiled, but it was bittersweet, as if he understood something he wasn’t telling her.
“Getting away from here will have to be good enough for now.” She watched his face for any small changes of expression, but he kept it neutral. “It’s enough for me right now, at least.”
“There she is!”
Sorsha glanced over Abaddon’s shoulder at Preston and Bobby. They’d spotted her and were heading in her and Abaddon’s direction.
Abaddon growled under his breath and started turning in their direction, and she knew she had to stop him before he did something terrible.
She paused at the gut instinct, but only for a moment. She didn’t know how she knew it, but somehow she did. If Abaddon got his hands on Preston and Bobby, the two young men wouldn’t be walking away with their lives.
Quickly, she grabbed Abaddon’s arm, making him swivel back toward her. “Abaddon,” she warned. “Don’t. Don’t make this harder than it has to be. You don’t have to live next to them. I do.”
Staring into his eyes, she noticed them turn blood red and back again several times. She shuddered as she realized that maybe his words were true. Maybe he had a demon inside him. Maybe that was who she got a glimpse of every time his eyes changed colors. She didn’t have time to question it.
“Abaddon,” she pressed on when he growled again. “Please.” She could see him fighting with himself, with whatever dark nature she’d seen glimpses of. If only they could just disappear.
“The shadows, Abaddon. Take us into the shadows.” Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his in a desperate kiss.
She knew he’d listened to her, despite his initial shock from the kiss, when his hands gripped her waist and she felt her stomach drop. She’d expected it this time though, so she swallowed th
e nausea that threatened her and concentrated on Abaddon’s mouth instead.
Kissing him definitely made it easier. She stopped breathing, her tongue swirling with his even as they stepped out of the shadows and he pressed her back against a wall.
She could feel the engraved stone of the monument pressed against her back despite her jacket. He plastered her to the wall, his teeth nipping at her neck, his nails pinching her skin as he lifted her into the air. She wrapped her legs about his waist, drawing him even closer until he was grinding against her, and tangled her hands into his short hair.
His mouth was hot on her skin. Her whole body felt like it was on fire and his lips were both the cause and the cure all wrapped up in one beautiful and terrifying package.
There was nothing in Sorsha’s short life so far, that could top the emotions roaring through her. That teen boy she’d convinced to skip the tour and fool around with her? He had nothing on Abaddon.
A growl rumbled through the man pressed against her and he bit her shoulder. She threw her head back with a cry and rocked her hips forward.
She wanted Abaddon. Wanted him the way she’d never wanted anyone before—not even Preston before he’d revealed his true nature to her. This was an all-consuming, all-condemning desire that rocked her to her core.
“Sorsha, if we don’t stop now. . .” His words trailed off as he caught her mouth once more. She got the idea. “I want you to scream my name, and that’s dangerous.” His breath was hot and heavy against her skin, his words husky.
“For you or for me?” She only half wanted to know the truth.
Some instinct in her gut told her that this was the proverbial “One” everyone she knew talked about. She’d never believed in all that stuff. She didn’t believe in love-at-first-sight. Still, something about Abaddon made her feel safe, even knowing he had the power and capability to harm her. She knew he never would.
As if to remind her of her words, she felt her power whisper to her and smoke danced around her hands. She reached out and took Abaddon’s hand in hers, watching the smoke as it weaved around their clasped hands. Abaddon continued kissing her neck, oblivious to her actions. He nibbled behind her ear, and her eyes fluttered closed, her mind losing track of thought for the moment as ecstasy threatened her.
