by J. L. Ostle
“I’m waiting for you, Ivory; you know where I am if you need me.” I feel his mouth press against mine, laying a soft kiss. “Will see you in your dreams,” he says against my lips.
“Ivory,” the voice says again.
I look around, and when I look back at him, he is gone.
“Ivory,” I hear again. I open my eyes, blinking a few times to get used to the light.
I see my parents looking at me with concern; Emz is holding my hand, Amber on the other side. I spot Kayleigh and the guys nearby. I wish I could just close my eyes and go back to that room. At least there I don’t feel like this.
I don’t feel hurt.
Broken.
Angry.
I have so many emotions coursing through me, it’s making my head hurt.
“Ivory, are you okay? It looks like you passed out.” Emz presses her hand to my forehead. “You are burning up.” She and Amber help me sit up. “Can someone get her a drink?” Amber calls out. A few people start moving around.
“Here’s some water.” Kayleigh passes Amber the drink. I take a sip, looking away from them all. I look at my parents; I bet they think I am going crazy.
I feel like I am.
I stand up, taking in a deep breath. I need to get my shit under control. I know this isn’t me, but they have to understand that my heart is practically broken, and I have to watch my ex-lovers fondle another girl in my own home.
Just thinking it again is making me want to scream.
I open my mouth, about to say something, when a red light shines around the room indicating something is wrong.
There’s someone here that shouldn’t be.
“What’s going on?” my mom asks.
“Someone is here.” I walk over to the door. “Stay here.” I head down the elevator. I look at everyone milling around, and since they all arrived, this is the first time no one smiles at me or gives me a wave. In fact, they all look a little scared or uncertain.
If I saw the person who was meant to protect me act like I have, I would be the exact same.
Heading to the basement, I see at least twenty people in the room. They all turn and face me when I enter, all going quiet, their eyes taking me in. They probably were expecting the blonde being I turn into, not an average looking brunette with puffy eyes and messy hair.
I probably look a mess.
“Are you the greater power?” one asks.
“I am, what are you doing here? This place is setting off alarms, so I know you’re not good, so I’m curious what you’re after.” I cross my arms. “How you even got into my hotel.”
“I was expecting someone different. You look normal,” the woman says.
“I like looking like this. Now again, tell me what you are doing here?”
“We need your help.”
I raise an eyebrow. “I’m listening.”
“We are being targeted. A few people from our covens have been taken. We have tried all the magics out there, but we can’t find them, or those who took them, or even if they are still alive. Strong, black magic is being used.”
“Why should I help you? I can smell the bad things you have done coming off you.” I walk closer, circling the one who is the spokesperson for them all. “You use your magic for your own personal gain.” I stop in front of her. “Maybe whoever is taking your witches is after revenge?”
She looks at me angrily. “We have checked our futures; they are all the same. A black mist is after us. We need your help. You are the council; you are meant to help the supernatural community.”
“I am here to protect the good in the supernatural community, those who are innocent…”
“I bet she isn’t even the greater power,” I hear someone say. I move over to the person who spoke, and it’s a girl who looks around eighteen. I am sure she uses her good looks to get what she wants.
“I hope you aren’t questioning who I am.” I can’t explain it, but this feeling inside me is making me feel angry with her.
“I just think if you are who you say you are, you would look more superior.” She smirks at me.
“You mean like a crown, or white hair and white light surrounding my body?” She shrugs. “What about this?” I blow her a kiss, and I see her good looks slowly start to disappear, her inner beauty showing its true colors. Her skin starts to age.
“What are you doing to me?” she cries, touching her face.
“Showing you I’m superior.” I shrug.
“Rachel,” the girl next to her covers her mouth with her hand.
“Stop it,” the girl cries out.
“Does anyone else need proof that I am who I say I am?” They all remain quiet. I magic up a mirror and show it to the girl. “This is your inner beauty. Hideous isn’t it? Makes you think twice about the bad shit you do? Maybe you should stay like this; you only turn back when you do good deeds?”
“Please,” the girl begs.
“You have proven your point,” the spokesperson says, coming to my side.
“Have I though?” I look back at Rachel, my lips turning up at the corners.
“Ivory, what are you doing?” Emz comes running to my side, her face in shock at what she’s seeing in front of her.
“I’m showing these women who I am,” I tell her.
“By what? Mutilating her. This isn’t you. Stop it.” She grabs hold of my hands and looks into my eyes; this calm sweeps through me. It feels like I was in this haze. I look at the girl, and I gasp.
“I’m sorry.” I wave my hand over the girl’s face and it goes back to normal. “I don’t know what got over me.” I really don’t.
I feel like I just had an outer body experience.
“It’s okay. I knew I had to make sure everything was all right.” What would have happened if she hadn’t come?
Would I have kept going?
I look at her; she is looking at the ground before looking back up at me. “Something is wrong, Ivory. You haven’t been acting like yourself for ages, something isn’t right.”
“I know. I can feel it. I just feel angry all the time. The anger inside me just wants to get out. Seeing them with her…” I stop talking. I can’t have this conversation here. I look back at the witches. If they weren’t afraid before, they are now. “I need you all to make a deal, a magic pact. You can stay here. I will form a place for you all, but once you shake my hand, your magic will be useless in the time you are with us unless it’s for your own safety.”
“You expect us to shake your hand after what you just did to Rachel?” I look back at Rachel, and she has tears streaming down her face.
“I am sure you have done worse; it’s either this or I can’t help you. I have to make sure those who are here stay safe.”
“Deal,” the spokesperson says.
“Glinda,” someone shouts out.
“I am making sure I’m safe,” she says before walking toward me and shakes my hand, and with each person that comes my way, a light surges through us both, sealing the pact.
Emz takes them upstairs so they can be shown where they will be staying. I make sure they stay away from everyone else. I don’t need to know if we have space since I know the hotel has magically created the space for them.
Chapter 10
Ivory
“Ivory.” It’s him.
The guy in my dreams.
I spin, looking around the room, but it’s just me. “Come to me, Ivory.” I run up the stairs, wanting to be around people. I head to the restaurant. Grabbing a bottle of water, I take a seat on my own, looking out the window.
It’s raining today.
I can’t remember the last time I looked out.
I can’t even remember the last time I went outside.
Yes, I do—when I saved Kayleigh.
The dark power is after witches. I guess with limited magic out there, they need anyone who has magic.
I feel this dark power is looming over me. Waiting for me to mess up. Or for me to give up and jo
in their side. I know I won’t ever join them.
But you’re tempted. To get away from all this. My head mocks me.
Where did that come from?
I feel emotionally drained. I think back to what I did to that Rachel girl, trying to suss out why I was acting like that. I know I felt annoyed when she was questioning who I was, seeing that smirk on her face, but to do something like that?
That’s something a bad person would do.
Then why did I do it?
It felt good though, right? My head asks.
I cover my face with my hands and half scream into them. Whatever I was feeling is gone. The anger is still there, bubbling at the surface, but that urge to physically hurt someone has evaporated.
I lay my head on the table, letting the cool surface calm me. The room starts to spin a little bit. I feel like I’m going to be sick. I stand up, knocking the chair backward. I run to the closest bathroom, and I don’t even make it to the toilet and throw up in the sink.
I keep going until my stomach is empty. I dry heave for a few minutes until my body turns to mush. I slowly glide down to the floor, feeling my body start to heat up. My eyes are starting to feel a little heavy.
All I want to do is take a nap.
I close my eyes, telling myself it’s just for a few minutes.
“Ivory.” I open my eyes to see him. He isn’t smoke, but he’s like a shadow. A three-dimensional shadow. I can’t help but smile.
Happy to see him.
Happy to feel less.
“How did I know you would be here? I think you are starting to stalk me,” I joke.
He chuckles. “This is the only way I get to talk to you. The only way I get to be near you.” His fingers stroke along my cheeks.
“I feel so tired,” I tell him. “I just want to take a day off.”
He sits next to me. “I know you do. They have all put too much pressure on you. You have only been doing this for a couple of months, but actually taking on this responsibility a couple of weeks ago?”
“I didn’t think it would be this hard. They all have questions I never know how to answer. I don’t even know what to do. How am I meant to help them if the person who is after them is in my dreams, in my subconscious?” I sigh. “I take it you aren’t going to leave anytime soon.”
“Afraid not. I am going to keep trying until you say you will be with me.”
“Figures.” I look at him. “You know you look a little creepy like this. Can’t you just form into a man? This could leave future nightmares.”
“We don’t want that.” He shakes his head. “How about a deal? I will turn into a man if you give me one little kiss?”
“I have just been sick. Trust me, you don’t want to kiss me,” I chuckle.
“We are in your head, remember?”
“I am not kissing a shadow.” I shake my head slowly.
“Close your eyes.” I look at him skeptically, then do as I’m asked. I feel his hands palm my cheeks, and then his lips are on mine. Warm and soft, he kisses me gently, his hands slowly going around my neck, his thumb pressing into my pulse.
He pulls me in farther, deepening the kiss, his tongue entering my mouth, kissing me with everything he has. He pulls me into his lap; I can feel his erection press against my core.
It has been so long since I had intimate contact with someone. I miss feeling wanted.
I wrap my arms around his neck and feel his fingers dig into my waist. I finally pull away, looking into his eyes, and I gasp when I see he did as he promised. I inspect him over, see he is wearing jeans but no shirt. I trail my hand down his hard, toned body, my eyes following the movement before I look up, my fingers gliding through his messy brown hair. It’s his eyes that are pulling me in. They are the lightest blue I have ever seen.
He really is beautiful.
“You are beautiful,” I speak my thoughts, and he chuckles.
“Thank you, I think.” He kisses me again. “I think you are the one who is beautiful.” He plays with the end of my hair. “I can’t wait to really hold you, Ivory. To see you in the outside world.” His eyes connect with mine. “Be with me, Ivory?”
“You know I can’t.” I moan when he presses his erection harder against me.
“I need you…”
“Ivory, wake up.” My body is being shaken, waking me up from my dream world. I look up to see Emz hovering above me. “Are you okay? You’ve been sick.” She sits down next to me. “You need some rest, hun.”
“How can I rest when I see him when I close my eyes? I just saw him, and we kissed. I fucking kissed the bad guy,” I groan.
“You kissed him even though you were sick? Nice,” she jokes.
“It’s different in dream world.” I nudge her arm with mine. “I saw him though, like a human form of him, and holy shit, he is beautiful. His eyes though…” I think of his eyes again.
“Of course, he’s beautiful, you just draw in all the supernatural beautiful men, don’t you?” We all laugh.
“I need help, Emz. I need a dreamless sleep, and I need to sort myself out. Since I’ve been sick, I do feel like I’m in a better mindset.” I stand up. I almost throw up again when I see my vomit in the sink. I turn on the tap and grab some tissue and clean it up as best as I can.
We head back to the restaurant, and I order myself some chicken noodle soup as my stomach feels empty, and I know I won’t be able to have anything too heavy. I tell Emz that I am going to try and move on from the guys. We do have to live under the same roof, and I did trash their stuff.
I’ve asked Emz to tell Kayleigh that it will be best if she keeps her distance from me until I fully accept the situation. I shouldn’t have to watch them all doe-eyed with each other.
I know the dark power is using me.
No way can he really want me.
He is just saying what I want to hear.
But he is the saying the right things and doing the right things, my head sing songs.
I have to think of him using me for his own personal gain or I will start to think of him differently. I can’t cost these people their lives because I find the dark power hot and my vagina wants him.
I asked Izzy and Sarah to have everyone to meet in the restaurant in an hour as I would like to speak to them all. I need to reassure them that I am fine and that I made a mistake; well mistakes, but I’m only human.
Kind of.
Already I’m starting to feel so much better. I wait while I watch everyone filters in, and I sigh when I spot the guys walk in. Of course, Kayleigh is with them. She gives me a saddened look, but I look away.
I don’t need her sympathy.
I clear my throat and look at each person. “Hi, everyone. I know word has already spread about my crazy behavior if you haven’t witnessed it for yourselves already. I want to apologize. I shouldn’t have let my personal life get in the way of what I’m hoping to achieve. You are all still safe, and again I am sorry for what I have done. I hope you all are able to forgive my mishap.” I play with fingers.
My mouth goes a little dry. Amber quickly comes from the crowd, handing me a bottle of water, and I give her a grateful smile. “I am going to start forming a plan. We need to know what the dark power’s next move is. Or where he is staying. I am going to the basement after here and try and use my magic to form pinpoints where supernatural beings have been taken in the past. See if there’s any pattern, maybe even letting one of the demons go and putting a tracker on him. I am not going to sit around and wait for them to make the first move. I promised to keep you safe, and I will.” I smile when they all cheer and clap. A few step forward, wanting to help.
Others start to leave. I watch as the rest leave, and my mouth goes dry when the guys walk toward me. They look at the ground and then back up at me.
“It sounds like you know what you are doing. If you need our help at all—” Slate says.
“I know, thanks.” I give him a small smile.
“We are really worri
ed about you, what you did to our room, passing out, it’s not like you.” Caspian tries to take hold of my hand, but I pull it away. I know if I let him touch me, I might cry.
“I’m fine.” I look at the ground. “Well, fine as I can be.” I look at each of them. “I better go.” I start to walk away.
“You know we still love you,” Rush says, stepping toward me. “I know it’s fucked up, but we do.”
“Well, it doesn’t seem like you do.”
“I love you.” I hear the dark powers voice in my head.
“We didn’t plan on this; I know you don’t want to be with us and share but…” Rush starts to say.
“You may think I’m being a hypocrite, as you all shared me, but I can’t be there watching you fuck another girl. I was hoping I was enough, but now I see I wasn’t. I don’t want to fight. I have to keep the energy I do have, to stop this, and let these people go back home and get on with their lives.” This time I do walk away.
I can feel their eyes on me, but I don’t look back.
“I would never choose another girl over you,” the voice says again.
Ignoring it, I head to the basement and spot Amber talking to a few people; she gives me a warm smile when she spots me. She has laid maps on the long oak table. People mill around, and I step toward them, looking down at the maps.
I ask each member to hold hands. I tell them that I’m going to tap into everyone’s energy and hopefully pinpoint the demons and most importantly—
Him.
If he’s in my head, can he read my thoughts?
Does he know what I’m planning to do?
I need to do this now before he tries to stop me. Closing my eyes, I turn myself into my other form, wanting to use all the magic inside me. I feel this vibration shoot around my body. I open my eyes to see the maps glowing. I smile when I start to see red spots form around areas over the whole world.
I look over to see if one stands out that’s different, to show that it’s him, but nothing. I should have known that would be too easy, but this is a start. I’m going to bring all these demons in and lock them in the cells with their friends.
One should talk, but if they don’t, I’m hoping this will be enough to send people home. We can try and magically protect their homes; if they ever feel in danger they can somehow transport back here.
