Belial growls. “I thought I warned you to stay away from him.”
“You did.” But that doesn’t mean I have to listen. “Why can’t I move? Have you entranced me?”
Worry draws his eyebrows together. “No. I don’t think I could entrance you now even if I wanted to.”
I frown, confused.
Before I can ask what he means, he continues, “Your mind has been fractured. It will take time for it to mend completely.”
“My mind? Fractured?” What is he talking about?
He nods. “Your powers broke through the block placed on your mind. It was an explosive process. Do you not remember anything about it?”
Blue lighting, the distracting tingles throughout my body… I understand now.
“My block is gone,” I breathe, barely able to believe it. I used my Guardian magic to protect Logan and my friends from Azazel’s attack. And here I thought I was going to have to search out a warlock and demand the block be removed. Talk about luck!
“Not quite,” Belial says, erasing my optimism. “Parts of the block remain.” He reaches out and touches my temple, closing his eyes for a moment. When they open, uncertainty swirls in his gaze. “It’s almost like the block is reassembling itself.”
“What do you mean? How is that possible?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Well… that’s just great.
“Will you help me up?” I hate to ask, but I’m tired of having this conversation while lying down. Belial may be friendly towards me, but he’s still an original demon and one of his own just tried to abduct me and kill my friends. My position makes me feel more vulnerable than I’d like given the circumstances.
“Of course.” Belial reaches out and wraps his arms around me. A semi-familiar tingling brushes my skin where we touch. I realize it’s the same feeling I had just before my power unleashed itself.
Instead of simply helping me sit up, Belial lifts me into his arms. His hand supports my head as he moves me. I look at the unfamiliar scenery, unable to tell where the dream has taken me this time. I’m lowered so my back and head rest against the trunk of a sturdy tree.
Once I’m situated, Belial steps back. He sits in the grass in front of me. “Better?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“So…” I trail off, struggling with figuring out what to say. The intensity of his gaze catches me a little off guard, and my mind is still a little hazy. “The block on my powers is back in place.”
“Afraid so.”
“Man, my mom really went through a lot of trouble to keep my powers from me.”
Belial shifts, bringing his legs closer to his torso and resting his elbows on top of his knees. He seems nervous. “Indeed.”
Another part of my evening hits me, and I can’t believe it’s not the first thing I remembered. “I learned my mom’s name tonight.”
He inhales a sharp breath. Several seconds pass before Belial asks, “How?”
“Victor, the New York coven leader, told me. He said her name is Anya Jansen.”
“Well, I’ll be.” He smiles wide. His handsome features are illuminated by the expression. “You actually made progress after all this time.”
“Ha. Ha.” I don’t appreciate his teasing tone, but I can’t hide the crack of a grin pulling the corner of my lips. “No thanks to you.”
He ignores the dig. “What else did you learn?”
I bite my lip. “My mom was kind of a traitor to the Shadowguard. She went behind their backs and ignored orders regarding lesser demons.”
“Interesting.” He turns his gaze to something over my shoulder, but his eyes grow distant, telling me he’s not really looking at anything. I wonder if Belial already knew about my mom. Obviously, he knew who she was. But what if he knew more?
I’d embarrassed myself when I’d asked Victor if he was my dad. While I’m pretty certain Belial isn’t my father. I mean… he’s kissed me before. I don’t know how demons view familial relationships, but I’m pretty sure that would be horribly disgusting even to them.
Still, I can’t help but want to settle the matter for sure, but I decide to go about it more tactfully this time. “Did you know my mom?”
“I knew of her,” he tells me. “But no, I wouldn’t say I knew her.”
I nod, relieved by the news and that control has returned to my neck. I twitch my fingers, happy when I get a response.
“Anything else?” Belial asks. “What about your powers? What did they look like?”
I debate not telling the truth, but I see no reason to lie. Belial agreed to try and help me access my power. Perhaps telling him about the experience will give him information on how we can remove the block permanently.
“It looked like blue lightening. The power came straight from my hands. I didn’t need to draw a sigil.”
Belial’s smile returns. “That’s marvelous. You’re absolutely marvelous.”
The compliment itself doesn’t make me blush, but his admiring stare does.
I look at my lap. I’m surprised to realize I’m still wearing the ruined black gown from the gala. “I haven’t changed clothes,” I murmur absentmindedly.
“Would you like me to help you with that?”
I look up and see the teasing glint in Belial’s eye.
I scowl, but there’s no real anger behind it. “How did you know what I was wearing in the real world?”
And why would he decide to leave me in the ruined dress instead of giving me something else like normally.
“I didn’t.”
I blink several times. “You didn’t know what I was wearing?”
“No.”
“And you didn’t put me in this dress?”
“No,” he confirms. “You did that all by yourself.”
“Me?” I feel the blood drain from my face. “What do you mean? I-I can’t manipulate dreams.”
He gives me a pointed look, and I can already guess what he’s going to say. “I didn’t draw you into this dream, Aspen. You did.”
I choke down my unease. “How is that possible? I’ve never done anything like that before.”
He shrugs. “My guess? Your mind was so damaged after your power was released that now you’re in a coma in the real world. Instead of remaining in darkness for the healing, your mind projected you into my dream. I was enjoying a leisurely night of dream-fishing when you dropped out of the sky. Literally. You appeared mid-air, then fell to the ground. I barely had time to catch you.”
My mouth had popped open during his explanation. I snap it closed and struggle to make sense of everything that’s going on.
“I forced myself into your dream?”
“Yes.”
“And you think I’m injured in the real world.”
“I know you’re injured because you’re injured here. Though, I see control of your body is returning.” He looks at my twitching fingers.
“Does that mean my real mind is healing too?”
“Yes, but not as quickly as in the dream. Time passes differently here. Ten minutes in a dream can be hours in the real world.”
“Great,” I mutter. I can only imagine how panicked my friends and family are. Vivian is probably at my bedside in the healing ward, crying over my limp body.
The thought of waking up to that is unappealing. Not only because I don’t want to deal with her overprotective emotions, but because I still feel betrayed by her silence about my mom’s identity. It’s going to take time for me to get over my anger enough to sit down and ask her for the truth. I can’t afford to rush it and let my temper get the best of me, not if I want her to be honest with me.
I shake my head, clearing my mind of those thoughts, and meet Belial’s gaze. “How long have I been here?”
“Two hours.”
I gasp. Two hours? I don’t think I’ve ever been in a dream with him for so long.
“Don’t worry,” Belial smirks. “I didn’t mi
nd looking after you. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m fond of you.”
He’s teasing me, but there’s a kernel of truth to his words. I ignore the way my heart skips a beat. “What happens if I don’t wake up? Who knows what kind of head trauma I’ve sustained. What if the coma is permanent?”
“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Belial tells me. “As I’ve said, you’re already showing signs of improvement. It might take a while, but I’m certain you’ll wake up.”
“But what if I can’t?”
“Then I guess I’ll stay asleep for the rest of my immortal life and keep you company.”
The statement is so… sweet.
And clearly sincere.
It’s hard, but I force myself not to be touched by the sentiment. I can’t afford to let myself feel things for the original demon. No matter how much of a smooth talker he is, or how kind he’s been to me, or how handsome he is…
Stop it, Aspen!
“Come.” Belial stands and holds out his hand. “Let’s go. You can clean yourself up and find something else to wear.”
I stare at his palm. It takes a lot of focus, but I manage to lift my arm and place my hand in his. But that’s the extent of my control. Belial pulls me up, but my legs crumble under me.
He swiftly sweeps me back into his arms. I wrap one of my own around the back of his neck. With nowhere else to place it, the other hand rests against his chest. I feel his heartbeat against my fingers, and I swear its pace spikes from my touch.
“Where are we going?”
“To my home.”
“You have clothes for me there?”
“I can imagine them.”
“Ah.”
“But I have the real thing in the waking world, as well.”
My eyes jump to his. He’s staring down at me, no hint of deceit in his gaze.
“You have clothes for me in the real world? At your house?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“In case you ever visit, of course.”
I roll my eyes. “I’d never visit your house, Belial.”
“Never say never, little mountain.” He holds me a little closer. I smell his familiar sandalwood and jasmine scent. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my millennia on this planet, it’s that the unexpected can happen at any time. And I, for one, can’t help but think fate enjoys pushing us together.”
Heady emotions shine over every inch of his expression. His gaze flickers to my lips, and he lowers his head.
I almost let it happen.
I almost let Belial close the distance and press his lips to mine.
Belial cares for me. His feelings aren’t necessarily healthy for me, but that doesn’t diminish how intoxicating they can be when leveled on me. Especially when I’m pressed tight against his firm body and feel the rapid beat of his excited heart.
It takes everything within me, but I force my head to turn away from his beguiling allure.
I hope my time in the dream world doesn’t last too long. I’m not sure I have it in me to resist the original demon’s charms, and I dread to consider what succumbing to him might mean for me.
Chapter Nineteen
One interesting thing about Belial’s dreams: they seem real. Colors, weather, textures… it’s all so deceptively believable. Every day I ‘wake up’ here, I have to remind myself I’m still stuck in an unconscious state while my mind heals in the real world.
But it’s been three days, and it’s getting harder to tell the difference between the dream and reality. The two blend together seamlessly. It’s only the sight of the original demon that reminds me where I am. There’s no way I’d be in his company in the real world.
Right now, we’re sitting in his dining room, eating breakfast. It’s such a normal thing, and one that I’m not necessarily sure I need to partake in. I haven’t felt hungry once since waking up in the forest, but Belial insists eating in the dream will aide in my recovery, so I do it.
I’m sit at one end of the long dining room table. I’d expect Belial to sit at the other side, but he occupies the seat directly to my right. I watch as he bites into a jellied bagel, reading a newspaper with a contemplative look in his eye.
See what I mean? He acts deceptively normal…
“Are you going to stare at me all morning or are you planning to eat?”
I scowl to hide my blush. “What are you reading?”
“Today’s Washington Post.”
“The real one?”
“It’s certainly not a fake one.”
“How did you get it?”
Belial looks up from the black and white pages and twirls his fingers in the air. “Magic.”
I shake my head, trying not to return his amused smile. I fail.
These past days have been surprisingly laid back. At first, I’d worried about sharing a dream with Belial for so long. But every day he keeps me company, and every night I’m left on my own.
I sleep in a massive suite on the top floor of his mansion. True to his word, the closet is filled with clothes in my size. I’d been relieved to find they aren’t all dresses. Right now, I wear a pair of black leggings and an oversized white shirt. It’s more preppy a style than I prefer, but it’s better than the girly gowns I usually wear in these dreams.
“How’d you sleep?” Belial asks after I don’t speak.
“Fine. You?”
“Like a baby.” He grins. He looks younger when he smiles.
“Do you actually sleep, or do you use the night to return to the real world?”
He tilts his head to the side. “Well, I can’t really keep track of my minions from my bed, can I?”
I’m jealous of the fact he can return to the waking world anytime he wants, but I’m also touched that he chooses to spend so much time with me.
One day here is several in the real world, which means Belial is leaving his responsibilities unattended a lot of the time. It’s not an easy sacrifice, I’m sure, which makes it that much more notable.
Don’t get me wrong, Belial is still an enemy. But he’s a considerate one. I think I’d go stir-crazy if left in this mansion on my own. Aside from me and Belial, not a soul occupies this dream space.
The original demon helps me pass the time, and he’s been nothing but a gentleman when it comes to respecting my personal space. He hasn’t tried to touch or kiss me since my first day here. Slowly but surely, some of my walls have come down. I tell myself no harm will come from relaxing a little, and relaxing is one thing Belial says will help my mind heal. I just pray I’m not wrong about him.
“Have you heard anything about me when you’re there?” I take a bite of eggs to try and hide my nervousness. The slight tremble of the fork gives me away.
His smile drops, and his eyes are full of regret when he says, “No. They have St. Michael’s on lock down ever since the gala.”
I should have expected as much, but I’m still disappointed by the lack of information. I want to know if Logan, Lex, Cortney, and Andrew made it out of there safely. I know my powers had deterred Azazel, but there was still a raid squad to worry about.
I take another bite, but the eggs are tasteless on my tongue.
“What about the lesser demons?” I ask. “Have you heard anything about them?”
Belial lowers his bagel and takes a drink of water. I’m not sure if demons really need to eat, or if he pretends to put me at ease.
“Victor made an appearance at his night club last week, so I assume all is well in the coven. The lycans have returned to their settlements, so I don’t know about them. Overall, no race has behaved unusually or given any indication something bad has happened. I’d say they’re all in the clear.”
Relief makes my shoulder fall with the release of tension. Whatever plan the raid squad had for the gala hadn’t seemed to work out.
I stare at the half-filled plate in front of me, wondering about all that’s happened since my mind’s been on the mend. I’m sure m
y friends and family are panicking. Yesterday, Belial told me two weeks had passed in the real world. I wonder what they’re thinking. I wonder if they’re afraid I’ll never wake up.
If I’m being honest, part of me fears I’ll be stuck here forever, too.
But I can’t think like that. There’s so much I have to do.
I just learned my mom’s real name. I need to look into my family history, and I need to figure out who she hired to block my powers. And why.
I know my mom broke Shadowguard rules, but that’s not the reason she took us into hiding. Her decision must’ve had something to do with my powers. And unless I wake up, I fear I’ll never find the answers.
Belial pushes back his chair, snapping me out of the spiral of depressing thoughts.
“Come. Let’s meditate and work on accessing your power.” He holds out his hand. This is how we spend most of our day. Belial hasn’t given up on trying to help me tear down the magical block on my abilities. And it’s not like I have anything else to do with my time here, even if my repeated failure is disheartening.
Unlike in the past, I don’t hesitate to take Belial’s hand. Warm fingers close around mine, and a familiar spark travels between us. If Belial still feels it, he hides it well.
We leave our dishes to magically disappear as Belial escorts me to my favorite spot in this massive mansion and its stunning grounds: the lake.
Chapter Twenty
Blades of grass tickle my ankle. I sit on the ground with my legs crossed and my eyes closed. I hear the rustling of the breeze through the trees and the gurgle of water from the nearby stream emptying into the gorgeous blue lake.
I’ve been distracted this entire time because meditating is proving pointless. No amount of mental fortitude is going to remove the powerful block placed on me by an equally powerful witch or warlock. If my blast of power hadn’t decimated the thing, I seriously doubt anything can.
A heavy sigh reaches my ears.
I crack an eyelid and see Belial with his hands on his hips, looking up at the sky as if seeking divine intervention. If it weren’t for the fact he’s a demon, I might believe that’s what he’s actually doing.
Demon Marked: Shadowguard Academy Book 2 Page 15
