by K L Rymer
“Really? Do tell...” I blow smoke at my mirror image.
The dark hollows under my eyes are like bruises, and I wonder then when I last got a good night’s sleep.
Most likely twenty-one years ago. The night before White killed my mother.
“Because you love her...” Misaki jeers, her voice high and grating.
I meet her gaze in the mirror. “Well, you’re right. To an extent.”
Her brow rises. That must have been the last thing she expected me to say.
I smirk at her reaction. “My human half I’m talking about. Yes, he may be developing feelings for that child-like woman upstairs, but the demon... he yearns for the day he sees her family burn.”
I stop then, remembering the heat that had taken over me earlier when I’d first laid eyes on Crystal’s breasts. It was almost innate, like some deep animal urge.
Well, we are all mammals after all, and mammals fuck (like they do on the discovery channel).
Both the man and the demon in me had wanted her breasts. Not just the man and the revelation leaves me baffled.
How could I have not realised before?
I would have thought the demon would repel everything that’s divine about Crystal, but it seems to yearn for her sweet flesh as much as the man does. Maybe it yearns for the angel side of her too.
It doesn’t add up. He was a monster; he shouldn’t want something so blessed and pure. Crystal’s angel was my demon’s polar opposite.
It makes me think of that magnetic force between Crystal and I whenever we touch.
Could opposites truly attract?
It was best to just simplify it for now, lest my head explodes. The demon hates Crystal, but my human half yearns for her mind, body and soul.
“So... you admit. You’re in love with her?”
I stare into my reflection’s grey eyes. I’ve never seen a more conflicted creature. “Maybe...”
I take another blow of my cigarette, letting the white smoke curl from my lips. It hovers around the room like a ghost.
Maybe I should open a window before Crystal arrives. She lives in a world of sunshine and lollipops. Smoking would be alien to her.
Or maybe I just didn’t want to see the look of betrayal on her little face when she saw me smoking like a chimney.
I’m surprised she’s never smelled it on my breath or clothes. I smoke about twenty a day. The good thing about being a demon born; you can smoke all you want without worrying about getting sick.
The door creaks open, and I stamp out my cigarette, wafting smoke from my face.
Crystal appears inside the doorway, but the moment she steps into the room, she releases a rasping cough.
The poisonous smoke’s getting into her healthy lungs. Shit, don’t I feel like an inconsiderate arsehole?
It’s almost like smoking in front of an infant.
“What’s... what’s that smell?” she gasps, covering her nose. “Is that smoke?”
I look over at Misaki. She rolls her eyes. “Yes. I have an awful habit.”
Crystal peers up, trying to see Misaki through the haze of smoke. I order Giles to open a window, and the poor girl can finally breathe once again.
She wears one of my dress shirts over the pink pleated skirt, and I’m seriously turned on. I’d left it out for her earlier, considering I’d ripped her tank top and left her with no clothes.
It looks so big on her small frame, and I fight the urge to pull her close, lift up her skirt, then fuck her against the wall, but Misaki’s watching.
Also, I like what’s she’s done with her hair. Her long blonde locks are tied back in a ponytail, bringing out the heart shape of her face, and I warm at the sight.
The girl was beautiful. She just doesn’t know it. Just like she doesn’t know how powerful she is either.
And that’s probably what makes her more dangerous.
Humility is a deadly thing.
The two girls finally get a good look at each other, and I see the hit to Crystal’s sensitive ego. If only she knew how much of a slut Misaki was, then she’d have nothing to be jealous of.
“You must be Crystal,” Misaki says, standing to her feet. She towers above Crystal in her heels as she reaches her hand down. “Misaki Black. I’m Eli’s cousin.”
Crystal gives a knowing smile and takes Misaki’s hand. “Oh, of course. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Misaki smirks. “Not as much as I’ve heard about you. You’re all Eli ever talks about.”
Crystal beams, looking my way. I give Misaki a pointed glare.
“Really?” Crystal gushes, her whole demeanour brightening at the prospect.
The girl has no effing idea how I picture her face when I masturbate every night too. If that’s not an ego boost, then I don’t know what is; I know I’m in love with the idea of filling her sex dreams.
“Well, it’s lovely to meet you, Misaki,” Crystal says, shaking her hand again.
Misaki looks Crystal up and down as if judging whether she’s good enough to eat, and I grit my teeth.
I step closer to Crystal then, and she gives me her utmost attention.
“I have some good news,” I say. “I ordered James to go back to your house and collect all your things. You’ll be moving in with me.”
Her mouth pops open. “I... what?”
I arch a brow. “You didn’t think I was really going to let you live all the way in south London, did you? You’re my fiancée now, Crystal. I want you with me all the time.”
She starts gasping for air, unable to contain her excitement, and then she squeals, leaping up into my arms. Her legs wrap around my waist, and I’m transported back to our steamy kissing session back in the phone box.
Her eyes are level with mine now, and suddenly I’m self-conscious of the smoke on my breath.
Shit, why didn’t I think to take a mint?
Crystal presses her lips to mine, and she doesn’t seem to notice she’s kissing a human ashtray. I’d have kissed her back if Misaki weren’t watching. I can feel her cool dark eyes on me, and I drop Crystal back to the floor, brushing myself off.
The small girl doesn’t seem perturbed though, and takes my hands instead. “This is the happiest day of my life.”
Something dips inside my stomach, but I push the sensation away.
“I’d love nothing more than to live with you, Eli. It would be a dream come true.”
Her eyes shimmer up at mine, and I gaze into them, feeling as if I’ve just swallowed lead.
Suddenly, I don’t feel so good.
Misaki gives a theatrical sigh. “Well, it’s best I leave you two lovebirds alone. Don’t want to outstay my welcome any longer.”
“Goodbye, Misaki,” Crystal calls out as Misaki leaves.
“And you too, sweet Crystal,” Misaki cheers back.
My cousin has gone at last, and now it’s just me and my future bride.
Crystal looks up at me again with those big blue doe eyes, fiddling with a button on my shirt. “So... I was wondering if you would like to... you know... finish off what we started earlier?”
She bites her lower lip.
I roll my eyes.
How am I supposed to resist when she gazes up at me like that?
So I sweep her up in my arms, and she cries out in delight as I rush upstairs to the bedroom.
But I suppose it will be her room from now on, too.
Mrs Future Black.
12. Crystal
I couldn’t believe I was going to be Eli’s wife. Me, a plain, small-town girl.
I know we’d only known each other several weeks, but it felt right. Eli had swept me up from right under my feet, and I had fallen completely in love with him. I couldn’t deny it any more.
Also, I knew it was his way of telling me he felt the same way too, and I couldn’t find it in me to deny his grand gesture of love. Eli was not the type of man to settle down so easily, so it must have been a big step for him. A really, really big step
for the ex-playboy.
At least my feelings were reciprocated. Now I could die happy knowing Eli felt the same way about me.
Maybe I had been the one to tame that bad boy/ playboy after all.
Who knew moving to the UK would have been the best decision of my life. That’s one dream I can tick off my bucket list.
Though there’s still two more to go: get a part in a play and finally meet my father.
I’d wondered if Eli may have known my father. They do live in the same circles. Maybe our fathers have crossed paths?
But I still hadn’t told Eli about him yet. All he knows about my life was that I was raised by my grandparents, and had big dreams of being on stage.
Not good, considering I’d just agreed to spend the rest of my life with him. In fact, there was still so much I didn’t know about him for that matter too.
My stuff arrived a few hours after Eli and I rushed off to bed, and once again I’d soaked his sheets.
We only stuck to foreplay. I had told Eli I would prefer to wait until we are married to go any further, and to my surprise, he wholly agreed.
Maybe he really was changing for the better?
Though I don’t think I’d be able to keep my hands to myself for long. Just the thought of his chiselled abs was enough to send my hips into a spasm, and I’d been right; Eli did have a good body. I knew he’d been hiding a dark secret beneath those perfectly tailored suits.
Eli’s butler, Giles, had just sent my bags up to our room and placed them by the door. When I thanked him, he gave a curt nod and disappeared out the door again.
I never got the feeling he was much of a talker, anyway.
I look into my suitcase, surprised to see a package signed by Babs.
There’s a card on top.
Just two words: “You’re welcome.”
I turn it over, confused. Well, that was strange. Babs was never a woman of so few words.
So I pick up the package and give it a rattle, too afraid to find out what’s inside. Something jostles. Sounds like fabric.
Unable to kerb my curiosity any longer, I rip open the package and gasp.
It’s lacy lingerie. White.
Fudge! I never should have told Babs my bra size!
My hands graze the material. It really is super sexy and so soft.
I turn to Eli’s en suite then and rush inside, locking the door. Then I throw off his dress shirt, slip out of my skirt, and hold up the panties.
Gosh, Babs. They could pass for dental floss!
Yet I remove my hot pink underwear and try on my new pair. Then I tie the suspender belt, adjusting the straps to the stockings, and when I turn in the mirror, I draw a breath.
My butt has never looked so sexy. The suspender belt accentuates my curves, and I smirk.
I will save these for the wedding night.
I try on the bra next, which clips at the front. My breasts push up to my face, and I stare wide-eyed at my mirror image.
Now, where did they come from...
Someone enters Eli’s room, and I fumble with the clip of the bra, my face covering with sweat.
There’s a knock and I jump. “Um... j-just a minute!”
I can’t let him see me like this; it has to be a surprise on the night of our big day!
“Miss White. You in there?”
It’s a woman’s voice I’ve never heard before.
“H-hold on.”
Finally, I get the thing off and hide my sexy underwear beneath the bathtub. Then I dress back into my clothes and open the door.
It’s Eli’s maid, looking icy and stoic as ever, and a shiver runs down my spine. She makes Eli’s ominous glower look tame in comparison.
Her obsidian eyes go over my clothes, and I cover up, realising I hadn’t tied the buttons of Eli’s shirt properly.
I’m flashing the entire world.
“I’m sorry. Do you mean to clean up in here?”
I hope she doesn’t look under the tub and find my lingerie.
Her face remains emotionless, and my heart trembles. She’s my height, but I still cower in her presence.
Why is she looking at me like that?
“You didn’t hear it from me, Miss White, but be careful. This family is not all it appears, and you seem like nice girl.”
I wrap my hands around my arms, feeling cold all of a sudden. “What... what do you mean?”
She levels her black eyes with mine. “There are things about this world you don’t understand yet. Dark things. Evil things...”
Okay, now I am totally creeping out.
She leans closer, and her obsidian eyes shine like real jewels now. “Watch yourself, or you will get hurt.”
I catch sight of my terrified reflection in her dark eyes, and swallow, giving a nod.
“Olga.”
My heart jumps at the sound of Eli’s voice, and I look around.
He stands by the door, and my stomach drops when I see the grim expression on his face. Those storm grey eyes swirl like a vortex.
Olga looks back at me, and a shadow forms over her face. “Remember what I said, sweet girl.”
She moves out the door, ignoring Eli’s dark glower, and I release a breath.
Thank goodness. She was really starting to scare me.
Eli’s furious eyes fall back on me, and they soften when they land on my dress shirt. Well, his dress shirt.
“That shirt really does become you,” he remarks.
I give a bashful grin, rubbing my palms down the length of the shirt. “It feels good on.”
That strange red glow appears in his eyes again. “I bet it does...”
He prowls closer, and instinctively, I back away. Eli stops, creasing his brows. “Crystal, what’s wrong?”
I sigh, looking up into his eyes. The red has vanished, replaced by shimmering specs of silver, and I relax my shoulders.
“It’s... nothing. I’m fine,” I lie, giving him a small smile.
He raises a brow. “Well, it didn’t seem like nothing. What did Olga tell you?”
“Um... congratulations? Welcome to the family? The list goes on.”
I give a nervous laugh and stop when he narrows those sharp eyes. Then he leaves my side and heads for the bed, sinking into the mattress.
I stay by the bathroom door for some time, unsure of what just transpired. Was Olga warning me? There’s not something else I ought to know, right?
Eli looks my way again, a dark, lustful expression forming in his eyes, and my breath shudders.
That look was enough to put any woman to sleep.
“Care to finish off what we started earlier?” he purrs, mirroring my words from before.
I roll my eyes. How could I resist that devilish charm?
I edge closer, and then he yanks me forward by the shirt until I fall on top of him. We stay that way for a while. I lean my chin in one hand, studying him.
If I were to take a test on Eli’s most memorable features, I’d pass at 100%. I’ve already memorised the curve of his lips, the strong line of his jaw...
Yet I still have yet to see those dimples, the ones that appear whenever he smiles.
I know he has them.
Eli gives a crooked smirk, and my heart skips a beat when I almost see a hint of dimples.
“What are you thinking about?”
I meet his piercing gaze, pursing my lips. “You know... I’ve never seen you smile, Eli.”
He knits his brows together. “You’ve seen me smile.”
“No, I mean a real smile. One that reaches your eyes, bringing out the dimples of your cheeks...”
That ghost of a smile returns, and I watch his cheeks carefully, looking for any tell-tale depression. “Dimples?”
“Yes, dimples. I know you have them.” I place a finger to his cheek, and I definitely think I can feel one.
He gives a handsome chuckle. “You really are something else, Crystal, you know that...” he stops then when I move my finger to his lips, a
nd now I finally get to trace that dimple beneath his nose, the one that looks like an angel’s fingerprint.
I smile. A perfect fit.
Eli watches me curiously, and I never would have thought in a million years he would ever let me touch his face. He’s like a tamed lion letting a lamb caress his nose.
I look into his eyes again, and they never leave me. In fact, he regards me with that same doe-eyed expression, and I can’t look away. They suck you in.
My finger is still pressed against his lips, and I pull away. Yet those penetrating grey eyes are still trained on me, and my heart quivers.
I give a shy smile, turning the other way at last. “W-when we’re married, Eli... I... I promise... I will make you smile every day. For real. With cute dimples and everything.”
His eyes widen next, and it appears I’ve left him speechless. I almost detect that same sadness again, and it tugs at my heart.
There was still so much I didn’t know about this beautiful man. So many secrets, and if Olga’s words were anything to go by, then they were potentially very dangerous too.
“Eli? W-what’s... what’s your family really like?”
The hair rises up on the back of my neck when his eyes suddenly change. Those warm, soft doe-eyes harden like ice, and I sit up, keeping my distance.
Did I go too far?
“What makes you ask?” he says, his voice measured.
“Just curious... There’s still so much I don’t know about you yet. There’s only ever any mention of your father in the media, but not your mother. Did... did something happen to her?”
The ice in his eyes grows harder, colder, and I gaze in horror.
“Yes...”
I swallow, knowing I’m not going to like the answer. “What... what happened to her?”
The ice thickens, and I almost don’t recognise him anymore. The room chills and I tremble, wishing I could move away from him, but his gaze holds me in place.
Finally, he speaks, freezing the blood of my veins. “An evil man killed her. That’s all you need to know.”
His words come crashing down like hailstone, and then a lump lodges deep in my throat.
Now the only thing I feel for him is sympathy, and the tears burn in my eyes. “Oh, Eli... I’m... so sorry...”
The ice melts in his eyes at last, and now they finally close. “It’s... all right. You... weren’t to know.”
