Demon Kissed

by H. M. Ward

  Collin smiled lazily. His grip loosening as he slid his fingers down the inside of my arm. My body responded to his touch, melting as his fingers pressed the soft flesh.

  “Liar,” he whispered. “Our eyes rim when we can’t… ” suddenly Collin seemed to wake up. His spine straightened and he tried to step away from me.

  Still dazed and euphoric I asked, “When we can’t what?” My heart was beating slowly in loud thuds making me feel warm all over. Collin’s scent filled my lungs as I took a deep breath. A foreign sensation slid within my stomach, as I stepped toward Collin, holding his face between my hands. He breathed deeply, closing his eyes. His skin seared with heat under my touch. When he opened his eyes, a ring of fire surrounded his irises. It should have meant something to me, but I felt like I was floating.

  His voice was so soft, “Control. They rim when we can’t control ourselves much longer.”

  I threaded my fingers through his hair. My thoughts felt distant, suspended by sheer bliss. But, I could still hear the internal warning that something was wrong. My body felt like it was lost in a dream. It felt warm and happy, happier than I’d ever felt. Collin’s breath flowed softly across my lips, causing my pulse to race. Confidence that wasn’t mine held my hands on his skin, and kept my fingers tangled in his soft hair.

  Something’s wrong. Collin’s voice brushed the back of my mind.

  I tilted my head to the side, ready to press my lips to his. The sensation of his soft flesh on mine was all I could think of, but I froze when I realized neither of us was moving.

  Straightening my head, I tried to release him, but couldn’t. It felt like I didn’t want to, although I did. There was a reason why I wasn’t with him. There was a reason we couldn’t be together. As I tried to remember, my eyes locked on his lips—his perfect smooth lips.

  Collin’s voice broke through my mental haze, “Your eyes are almost completely violet. Tell me what you want Ivy. I’ll give you anything you want.” The allure of his words and the seduction in his voice enticed me further. His words made me feel seductive. Powerful. He felt it too. My mind registered a warning, but I couldn’t think. It was so warm and Collin was so close. His eyes drank me in a way that felt sensual, like he desired me in every way possible. My breath caught in my throat as our lips lingered dangerously close. If I could taste his lips, I’d die happy.

  Something in the back of my mind awoke with the thought. It began to break through the haze. My pulse quickened, as if my body were fighting for its life. The thought resonated with something deep inside of me—an instinct. Words tumbled out of my mouth, whispered so close to his lips. “I’m not Valefar.” The words penetrated the haze. I snapped out of it, realizing where my thoughts where. I was about to kiss him. “I’m not Valefar!” I cried. “I’m Martis and I can’t! We can’t! Collin, don’t!”

  I yelled trying to push him away. My heart thundered in my chest as I realized what was happening. His eyes were pooling crimson. My heart lurched, as I tried to wiggle out of his grip. “Collin, you have to let go of me. We can’t do this. You don’t want to do this.” I managed to pull my wrist away, but he was still lost in lust.

  His crimson eyes raked my body. His movements were jerky, like he was trying to control his body, but it wouldn’t let him. The bond was a jumbled mess, part Valefar, part Martis. I couldn’t catch his scent anymore, which meant mine was much more potent. I wondered if I could call shadows as a Martis. I tried, but they didn’t respond. I needed to figure out how to possess both at the same time, but now wasn’t the time to learn. Focusing intently, I realized the bond wouldn’t break as a Martis. I shifted my focus back to Valefar to subdue my Martis scent. Heat surged through me, and I fought back the lust that claimed me before.

  Collin’s eyes saw me, but were still rimmed in red. I called the shadow back to me, and made it cover my body, hoping that it would seal in my scent and allow Collin to regain his composure. The shadow covered my body like a sheet of ice. It was disgusting, and felt like corpse fingers were stroking my flesh. But, I held the shadow in place and it sealed in my soul.

  Collin closed his eyes hard, and stepped away from me. Clutching his head between his hands he asked, “What happened?”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  I was looking at my shimmering body, holding my arm in front of my eyes, when I answered. “I don’t know. We were talking, and then things got weird. Are you all right?”

  He nodded, and turned to look at me. His eyebrow shot up as he cringed. “What is that?”

  Proud of myself, I said, “It’s an Ivy suit. It seals in my wholesome goodness so you won’t try to eat me. I feel like I’m wearing dead people though, so I’d really like to take it off as soon as you can stand there and not eat me.”

  Collin nodded, turning away. His eyes were still rimmed in fire. He leaned against the bookshelf, looking at the floor. “We have to break the bond.”

  “But I told you already,” I couldn’t believe I was saying this. Again. “I didn’t do this to us. I can’t break the bond. I didn’t make it.”

  The door crashed opened with a loud crack. I startled, backing away as three guys walked in. One was Jake. They didn’t see me. I backed away faster, wishing I could shrink into the shadow and disappear as my heart lurched into my throat, gagging me. Collin’s voice brushed inside my mind, He can’t see you. The shadows that formed my Ivy suit held in my scent, and my body was hidden by the massive bookcase. I didn’t move.

  “We looked everywhere for her, but she’s gone. It’s the same as last time. And there is no sign of the painting. Are you sure…?” Jakes words were cut off. I watched in wide-eyed horror as Collin addressed him.

  “I am. Keep looking for the girl. It’s not like last time—at all. Continue the search.” He glared at them. “Leave.” The three quickly left and closed the door. The roar of my pulse thundered in my ears. I shrank into the corner, as far from Collin as I could get. Collin was authoritative. It almost seemed like they were making a report.

  The truth crashed into me. “You’re their leader!?”

  Collin didn’t deny it. He nodded sadly. “You see the mess we’re in? You weren’t supposed to be wrapped up in a girl I wanted to keep.” He shook his head.

  “Yeah,” I said. “So, you sent them to look for me?”

  “I had to. When you got away from Jake, he thought there was something about you—something different. He was right. It just wasn’t what I expected.” His fingers pushed his silky hair out of his eyes.

  “What’d you expect?” I folded my arms.

  “I don’t know. Just—not this. Ivy, I thought you were Martis. I had no idea you were the girl in the prophecy.” His hand gestured at me.

  “So, what do we do?” I shifted as I stared at him, wondering if the past twenty-four hours had been filled with lies, a complex plot to ensnare me and steal my power. He said nothing, rubbing his head in his hands. When he looked up at me, his eyes were impossibly blue. He didn’t accept what he was. Just like me.

  Walking toward him, I said, “Something inside of me is—it’s wrong. It doesn’t fit. That same odd piece, it’s inside of you, too. I can feel it.” He said nothing. His eyes tracked my movements in a wolf-like manner. I started to walk over, ready to push the point, when fatigue pulled at me. I pushed it down, but a yawn escaped my mouth. I uttered, “Collin, help me… ” as I crashed onto the carpet.

  This vision was as sucky as the first. The black mist swirled, reminding me of the shadows I conjured. Three figures came into focus. I emerged from the mist and moved toward them. The three were in a frantic discussion. They stood outside a stone building. It was night. As I watched myself in the vision it was clear that I was only concerned with the two people in front of me.

  “We need six,” a familiar voice said. “It’s suicide with less than six to hold the circle. Even so, someone has to seal the portal.”

  The other slim figure nodded. “He’s right. It has to be six.”

 
In the vision, I was covered in sweat, despite the chilled air. There was a gash on my cheek, and I paced in place. My hair was pulled tightly into a frizzed out ponytail, and I looked like I’d been rolling in dirt. Nervously, I shot looks at my two advisors. Julia and Eric.

  I watched as the vision version of me asked, “What happens if we do nothing?”

  “Then they come,” Eric said, as the wind howled louder. They were standing in the center of a storm that hadn’t formed yet. The pressure was uncomfortable. It kept shifting, making my head ache.

  “And the terror begins,” Julia raised her voice, “and there’ll be no way to stop it.”

  “And if we try without six?” I asked.

  Julia yelled over the howling wind, “It doesn’t matter anyway. We need six to hold the circle, but there is no way to seal the portal. We don’t have what we need.” Her words unnerved my resolve. Seeing fear flash in the eyes of a totally confident woman made my stomach sink. Wind whipped through the clearing. I could almost see where we were, but I couldn’t make it out.

  Al said as I matured that I could force the visions to reveal the information I wanted, but right now, the vision wasn’t cooperating. I didn’t know what had us outside during a wicked storm, where we were, or why things felt so dire. I tried to focus on the blurred area behind where I was standing, seeking some distinguishing landscape, building, or something. But there was nothing there. The blur wouldn’t lift. The main thing I noticed was that the longer I was in the vision, the more panic I absorbed from the people around me. Suddenly, I was ripped from the vision, as cold slid over my skin.

  I sat up dripping. I sucked in air, shocked. “What the hell!”

  Collin stood over me with a huge empty cup in his hand. Kneeling next to me, he said, “I couldn’t wake you. I tried.” His breath was choppy. Brown hair stuck to his pale face. “What happened? What was that?”

  I pulled at my wet shirt and glared at him. “I’m a Seyer, Collin! You pulled me out of a vision!” I stood up, and smashed my fist into the wall, desperately fighting the urge to freak out. “I needed to see the end! Now I just saw a world of crap being thrown on me—without the ending.”

  “I wouldn’t have wakened you. It looked like death tried to claim you, again. I’m sorry.”

  Again? What did that mean? I shook my head, sopping wet, all the fight drained from me when I saw the terror on his face. “It’s fine. You didn’t know. Apparently I can’t see the future without fainting.” My fingers frantically pushed my hair out of my face. I sat down hard on the floor.

  Collin sat next to me. “What’d you see?” I told him. But I still didn’t know what was coming. Or how to stop it. “Six is a doomsday number. The portal gets opened. Huh?” Collin’s expression was odd.

  “Spill,” I insisted. “What are you talking about?”

  “If you’re doing something really big, you need six people to form a circle. Everyone always thought that you—the prophecy chick—would rule the Underworld from below, not above. Maybe you called them up here?” His eyes were wide as he looked at me. “That would suck.”

  “Collin, I didn’t call them.” I shook my head. “Well, I don’t know who called them. I just know something was happening. What makes you think the Underworld was called up here?”

  He shrugged, “It’s part of the prophecy. Probably not a part you heard. When the purple one rises to power, she kills me, and rises up the Valefar. Apparently, that’s literal. You call them up here.” His uncertain gaze was lingering on me, and the expression on his face told me that he didn’t totally trust me.

  “Don’t look at me like that! I’m not going to kill you. Damn it! How does this happen?” I held my head in my hands. Panic wove tightly through my muscles, landing in my stomach. I wanted to run away, and leave this nightmare behind, but I couldn’t. I was trapped. Breathing deeply, I tried to steady myself. I couldn’t fall apart. I swallowed, asking a question I didn’t want answered, “What did I do, Collin? I had to do it, right?”

  His blue gaze held mine. “The prophecy says you will—it doesn’t say you want to.” His words hung in the air.

  “Damn.” There was nothing else to say.

  Collin’s ideas about destiny didn’t mesh with Al’s. If it didn’t matter what I did, then the prophecy would just come true. But, she said visions showed paths, so I should be able to change it by choosing another path. I just needed to know how and when. Al had more details that she didn’t tell me. If she gave me the information, I could derail my future. I had to try.

  I jumped up. “Get up, Collin. I have to go talk to a nun.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  I pushed Collin within inches of his sanity to snap the bond. As soon as I felt the bond slacken, I launched my body through its hold. Pain shot through me. It felt like bone was ripped out of my skin in one big chunk. I screamed. Breaking the bond left me breathless, and writhing in pain. I knew I had to get to my feet and run before Collin’s animal instinct to kill anything that hurt him woke up.

  I ran before he came after me. But, I wasn’t stupid enough to think I was safe. My feet beat the ground. My lungs sucked in air, aching. I didn’t stop. I focused on the ruby and saw the church building in my mind—its dreary brick façade, and the trees that faded into the distance behind it. I imagined it from across the street. I felt my blood boil as heat surged through me. Efanotation sucks. My body felt like it was on fire and disappeared into the air. I had no idea how far I was from the church, but it felt like forever. The burning didn’t stop. I wanted to cry out, but had no breath to scream. The fire licked my stomach, searing my insides. When I wished I would die, the mist dropped me on my knees in front of the church.

  I clung to the grass, coughing as my body protested being hurled through space and burned. I fought the urge to lie down on the cool ground, and pushed myself up. My thoughts raced. I had to get to Al. I needed to know what was happening. Pain shrieked from my shins, and stabbed at my ribs when I moved. I was almost there, but transporting my body had weakened me. I was safe though. I’d made it to the church, one of my safe spots.

  A wave of relief flooded over me. It ended as an ear-piercing scream echoed behind me. Spinning on my foot, I saw Eric remove a silver sword from the chest of a man with a red scar above his right brow. The sword flashed in the light, slicing through his throat. The night was quiet again. The ground around him was glistening scarlet.

  My hand covered my mouth, as I fell to the lawn. The man’s blood and his entire body turned to thick black goo. It looked like tar mixed with molasses. It sunk and was reclaimed by the earth. My body reacted without my consent. I dry heaved onto the lawn. Eric grabbed my underarms, dragging me toward the church. He was talking to me, but I couldn’t hear him. Nothing registered. I don’t know why it shocked me, but at the moment being around Eric was the worst thing I could imagine. He angled my uncooperative body through the door, and sat me on the nearest pew.

  “Ivy. Ivy!” his voice crashed through my haze. “What happened? Where were you?” I sat there mute, wiping my mouth. The death of the Valefar danced before my eyes. Suddenly, I realized that was also my fate. No, wait. My fate was worse. I felt myself blanch. My head felt light, as it swayed with unseeing eyes.

  Eric’s warm hand was on my neck before I fell. He forced my head down between my knees. Warmth flooded my skull. The pounding of my heart thundered in my ears. His gentle voice said, “Breathe. Just breathe.” His hand remained firmly on my back, waiting for me to pull it together. “Ivy, what happened to you?” Eric whirled in front of me and lowered himself to his knees. “I swore I’d protect you, and I will. Tell me what happened.”

  My long hair fell forward. It obscured my face. My throat stung. “I have to tell you something. It’s not good.” My heart hammered. I fought to control my voice. “Do you trust me, Eric?”

  He recoiled. “Of course. I just risked my life for you. I’d do it again.” His hand was on my forearm. He gave me a gentle reassuring
squeeze.

  “You mean that? It’s not just because I’m a Martis?” I asked.

  He sounded offended. “Of course not. Ivy, I’m your friend. I was your friend before you were blue.”

  “Sometimes people can’t be friends. Sometimes they’re just on the wrong side of the line. Sometimes they can’t help it.” I swallowed, hoping he’d see where I was going, “Sometimes blue is just a color.”

  He looked at me like I hit my head too many times, “What are you talking about?”

  “I can’t lie to you anymore,” I breathed. My heart raced and my muscles tensed. I felt sick.

  “Lie..?” he asked. “Martis can’t… ” Shaky fingers pulled the long silver tines from my hair. I sat back in the pew with the comb on my lap. My curls fell away from my face. My bangs hung in tight, wet ringlets, revealing my purple mark.

  His sword was loosely gripped, as his jaw fell open in shock. He backed away from me, appalled. I breathed softly, “I know you’re looking for me. I tried to tell you before, but… ” My pulse raced. I could taste the salt on my skin when I licked my dry lips.