Divinity: The Gathering: Book One

by Susan Reid

  There was something else about him though that gave me a sense of unease, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Was it the way he was looking at me…almost as if he knew me or something…like Ms. Hawthorne had when she first saw me?

  I began to feel that familiar static electric sensation pricked my flesh again…like it had in Professor Phillips office and out in the courtyard when I saw that outline of some large being. I sensed as I glanced around at Erin and Lenell, who both still gaped at him, that I was apparently the only one feeling that odd sensation on my skin though.

  He moved closer to where Lenell sat with me on the couch, studying me as if he were doing his own medical evaluation of my injuries and at the same time, removing his cap as a gesture of respect. He ran his gloved fingers through his perfect, dark hair. Though cleanly edged around the sides, his hair was now slightly tousled on top, enough so that when he ran his fingers through it, it formed an adorable resemblance to a semi-Mohawk down the middle making him look even younger than he probably was and—incredibly sexy.

  His eyes met mine, and they were the most vexing and captivating eyes that I had ever seen on anyone in my entire life. They were a unique striking combination of what I could only describe as deep, moss green and cerulean blue with pale gold flecks beneath his long, thick dark lashes and brows. My breath caught as my heart beat faster. I could imagine what I must look like, bruised, dirty, mouth swollen with vomit crusted in the corners and my hair in a tangled hot mess all over my head.

  The static sensation wasn’t helping that aspect much either. I rubbed the sides of my arms as our eyes met again. Actually, his never left mine and I instantly blushed, feeling warm blood rush to my face and my nipples hardening. Strangely, I literally began to feel as if my clothes were sliding off of me all on their own suddenly too.

  I shifted myself on the couch, having to look away for a moment as Lenell handed me an ice pack that had been on the lamp table beside the couch. “Thanks. Ambulance isn’t necessary; I’m fine,” I said to him as I placed the ice pack carefully on my lip.

  “I didn’t catch your name officer…” Rodney began.

  “Cam, Officer Cam Black. I was nearby when the power went out. I thought I’d check on everyone here,” He casually replied, though when he said it he looked at me as if I had asked the question. He was so gorgeous, standing there with his hands on his hips, exuding his authority with his perfect, tanned face and the physique of a male fitness model.

  Rodney nodded with a smile, “You guys making runs out this way?” He then asked.

  “As I said, I was in the area already.” Officer Cam simply reiterated.

  “Oh right, sorry. Yeah storms like this do wreak havoc, and we need all the help we can get sometimes,” Rodney nodded again.

  “How are the roads?” Erin asked him still entranced by his looks. “Clear enough, no closures. The rain is actually tapering off now,” He answered so eloquently. The sound of his deep voice was like liquid warm honey.

  “Maybe you should stay the night until the storm blows over. We have some vacant rooms. I can call your roommate.” Lenell offered.

  After what just happened and knowing there were rooms here that people have died in…the mere thought of that gave me the creeps and right now all I could think of was getting back my own room. “No, I’m okay to drive back, really.” I assured her as I attempted to stand.

  I noticed Officer Cam’s gorgeous eyes travel down to my bloodied shirt and instantly tighten. Then his jaw began to work as if he were …angry or something and I swear that I just saw his eyes glint or glow with a preternatural light for a brief nanosecond.

  I didn’t want to seem as if I was staring, and I think truthfully I was still shaken up by what just happened so I didn’t really trust my eyes fully just yet or should I have?

  “Are you sure you don’t need assistance?” Officer Cam asked me in a velvet tone that caressed my ears.

  I nodded quickly as I stood slowly, testing my weight on my ankle.

  It was really sore, but I’d done worse to it many times in the past during my gymnastics career so it was no problem for me to manage the pain.

  I felt Officer Cam’s eyes on me the entire time, though I tried to avoid his gaze.

  “Did you hurt your ankle too?” He then asked me; glancing down at my foot.

  Everyone else’s eyes traveled to my foot as well.

  “No, it’s fine,” I lied.

  “Are you sure? You were limping earlier when I brought you in here.” Lenell eyed me.

  “Yeah, see?” I said as I applied a bit of pressure carefully and took two steps, screaming internally at the shooting ping of pain stabbing in my right ankle and snaking all the way up my calf.

  They didn’t seem convinced but they didn’t call me on it either, thank goodness.

  “You shouldn’t drive on it. You may have sprained it, let me take a look,” Officer Cam said as he moved closer to me and kneeled down on one knee while reaching for my foot.

  I stepped back away from him, and he gave me a knee-weakening, single raised brow of surprise at my stubbornness.

  My heart raced as I inhaled the heady scent of him, feeling his body heat along with that tickling of something electric wafting off of him. It was strong, like pulses of static heat against my skin— it was really weird.

  Gorgeous, hell yes but something about his presence physically was— off to me.

  “I said it was okay. I’m sorry I threw up on the floor. I’ll clean it up,” I then said as I sat back down to start putting my shoes on.

  Officer Cam looked at me the way that a parent would eye a difficult child.

  Lenell chuckled, “Already been done, but I wouldn’t have allowed you to do that anyway.”

  “Star are you sure? Maybe Officer Black can give you a lift back to the college then.” Rodney suggested.

  I wished he hadn’t.

  “No I don’t need…” I began as I waved a hand.

  “Bloomington?” Officer Cam cut in with a raised a brow, still kneeling in front of me.

  “Yes,” Lenell cut in before I could say yes or no.

  “That’s not a problem. Are you right handed?” He then asked me.

  I looked at him with puzzlement.

  “Yeah, why?” I wrinkled my brows.

  “So you’re right foot dominate. People drive with their right foot given where the pedals are anyway so it’s gonna make it difficult for you, and I don’t want to have to ticket you for attempting to drive incapacitated,” Officer Cam said with a drop-dead gorgeous bright white, straight smile that nearly made me fall forward towards his mouth with my own lips ready and puckered for a kiss.

  Erin and Lenell certainly weren’t the only ones ogling him from the chatter beyond the front-desk area beyond and between the other female staff members and nurses.

  I eyed him in surprise, “Are you serious?” I replied with raised brows.

  “By legal standards, yes…I’d have to.” He said with a glimmer of something sneaky in his gorgeous eyes.

  I snorted a sigh and rubbed my forehead.

  “I can just wrap my ankle it isn’t that serious of an injury.” I then told him. He smirked as he lifted the right hem of my pant scrubs, exposing my ankle and both Lenell and Erin gasped in shock.

  “Oh my God Star, that don’t look good at all honey! It just might be broken. Did that happen when you fell?” Lenell said with worry as she quickly moved in for a closer look and bent down to examine it next to officer Cam.

  Rodney whistled with surprise. I shrugged playing innocent and clueless as I sat back down, defeated. I glanced down reluctantly to see that my ankle had swollen to twice its size and was ringed with a dark purplish blue bruising in the shape of what looked like four long fingers. It shocked me too at that moment to actually see it.

  There was no denying that the demon had left several, painful and tangible marks on me and I wondered if they would all be able to see what I was seeing. Apparentl
y not because so far no one made the connection to the bruises resembling finger marks.

  Officer Cam’s jaw was working again and when he looked up at me with those striking indigo blue and dark green eyes shaded beneath his thick, long lashes; I was instantly reminded of a clear blue ocean at dawn with the reflection of dark green trees at the shoreline and actual gold looking sparkles mixed in between those trees. They were breath-taking and it was then that I knew that I couldn’t argue that I was fine anymore.

  “Well based on your reaction when you stood on it; unless you’re willing to take an ambulance to the hospital and get x-rays for proof, I’m gonna have to assume it’s broken. You’ll have to prove it otherwise to me…like maybe a quick jog down the hallway,” Officer Cam then said as he rose to his full height of somewhere well over six foot five without a doubt and I had to tilt my head all the way back just to look up at him. Though I knew he had a point, being forced to do something other than what I could do myself, ticked me off. I didn’t like having to rely on other people. Someone called for some assistance and Erin quickly hopped to attention, “Excuse me. I’m gonna go hunt you down a crutch before you leave Star.” She said to me and then smiled like a school girl at Officer Cam as she left the office. Lenell finally shifted her gaze from officer Cam and stood with a big smile as she glanced at her watch, “Baby, it’s getting late, let me ice and wrap your ankle first cause you don’t need to be walking on it for a while. I think it’s a good idea then if you don’t wanna stay that you have Officer Black drive you back. Don’t worry about your car; it’ll be fine here until tomorrow. I’ll leave a note for the morning crew and explain what happened and we can fill out the accident report either tomorrow or when you come in next week.” She told me then. Officer Cam sat on the arm of the sofa next to me and I still had to crane my neck up to look at him. He then leaned down closer, examining my bruised faced with scrutiny and I marveled again at just how beautiful and flawless his tanned skin was. A small hint of a dark five o’clock shadow in the form of a perfect goatee surrounded his sexy full mouth and chin.

  I blushed and turned away quickly having caught myself staring at him again.

  “What exactly happened by the way?” He then asked me.

  He was studying my face and I was embarrassed, remembering that I looked like crap right now too and how much worse it was close up for him to see as I shrugged a shoulder.

  “I panicked, I guess. I don’t like the dark, so I ran towards the front desk to either find someone or get a flashlight, and I apparently ran into the door or something and tripped and fell.” I said.

  He looked as if he didn’t believe that at all. It was almost as if he knew what really happened. My heart pounded having him this close to me, and I blushed again.

  He squinted and raised a dark brow, which made me sigh internally with infatuation.

  “Really?” He said in a questioning manner.

  I nodded still having the strange feeling that he just knew I wasn’t telling the truth.

  He shifted and looked at me thoughtfully before he spoke again, “The direction of the blood smears you left behind weren’t consistent with your story though. Which door did you say you ran into?” He then asked.

  I swallowed. Why was he making me feel as if I had done something wrong by hurting myself or leading everyone to believe I had?

  I shrugged a shoulder again and looked away for a moment to think of another lie. It was something I hated having to do but there was no way I was going to tell anyone what really happened. “I don’t know; it as near Mrs. Hawthorne’s room, which was where I was coming out of when the power went out for the second time.” I explained. He nodded as if humoring me and then he paused for a moment, still looking at my bruised and swollen lip. “You know in my professional opinion; it looks like—you were actually hit.” He then said softly as if he only intended for me to hear it “I’m gonna go make some rounds. Listen to the officer Star, leaving your car is no problem. I want you back safe if you insist on leaving tonight, and I mean that. Rodney, I need you to do a sweep of the back too.” Lenell said as she waved Rodney to follow as she headed to the door. I almost felt a sense of dread with them leaving me with Officer Cam, but it was too late to protest once the office door closed softly, and we were alone. I couldn’t place why he made me feel on my guard, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad feeling. I shifted again and cleared my throat, “Well; I appreciate the offer but I’ve been able to get around on worse injuries and breaks before. I can make it back it isn’t that far.” I assured him. He smirked. God he was sexy when he did that! “I mean I’m not clumsy or anything like that. I’m a gymnast,” I said wanting to clarify any thoughts he may have developed in my saying that. “Can gymnasts see in the dark too?” He joked. I wanted to laugh at his humor with the, ‘what does that have to do with anything?’ meaning behind it but my mouth and head hurt too much. “Not always. I’m gonna change my shirt and get my stuff. Thanks again for the offer of assistance, but I think I can manage,” I smiled painfully as I quickly got up, wobbling a bit as he shifted with a hand out to catch and steady me.

  I instantly got a small electric vibration when he touched me, and it warmed my skin. His hand was strong, and it sent tickling quivers to the pit of my stomach.

  “Careful.” He said.

  “I got it.” I said as I pulled my arm away, grabbed the shirt Lenell had brought me and headed towards the door trying my best not to limp, because I knew he was watching. I didn’t even look back as I opened it and quickly hobbled to the employee lounge area where the employee storage lockers were. I took a quick washcloth bath and brushed my teeth, adding an extra rinse with mouth wash and changed. I gathered up all of my things and took my time in hopes that Officer Cam would be gone by the time I was done and came out.

  The swelling, cut and bruise did look bad. It almost resembled the shape of a fist along the outer corner of my mouth, like a dark violet carnation with a line of swollen red for its center where my lip had been split. The bruise ran like purplish red burn, in a tear drop shape and smeared downward towards my chin from the point of impact. I felt a small wave of dizziness remembering the burst of pain I felt at that moment. I was still unable to grasp and believe what had happened, let alone that I did indeed have all my teeth intact.

  The wounds were real.

  My ankle had been sprained.

  I had been physically attacked by demons who had been trying to kidnap me…not necessarily to kill me but take me somewhere. There had been three of them, and they spoke…English not that I knew what language they would communicate with if they didn’t, Latin maybe? What did they mean by ‘no blood’ and not to strike me? That didn’t stop them from hurting me, and I don’t know what happened to the one that hit me in the first place let alone the next two. My guardian angel intervened once again I supposed.

  Well, I challenged them to bring it on and that’s exactly what they were doing now so it was my fault. I wondered how many more would come and attempt to do the same.

  I don’t even think terrifying was a good enough adjective to describe the experience, it was beyond that extreme. I’d never seen a demon in its true form before, and none had ever attacked me physically either. In fact, I had certainly not seen a demon manifest itself like that at all or at least had been aware of it. It had disguised itself as someone I knew, so I thought nothing of it and that in itself was both creepy and cunning, which also meant that any demon could do it at any time again with me.

  I could truly understand now why Ms. Hawthorne had gone mute with terror and ceased to speak anymore altogether when it had happened to her. I always thought that they were afraid of me.

  I guess I was wrong.

  I had been helpless and I apparently had no kind of defense against them either, or none that I knew of. No one was around to see anything or help me. Then suddenly Officer Cam Black shows up in all his gorgeous glory and giving me sensations of lustful, thrumming energy— this was all like a d
ream or some B-rated fantasy or paranormal movie to me because there was something both alluring yet unnatural about him.

  I tossed the bloodied shirt into the trash not wanting to keep it as a reminder. How in the world was I going to explain this to anyone let alone China and Joel was beyond me. I’d never hear the end of it…they were worse than my parents had been when it came to protective mode, but I loved them for it because I knew it meant they cared enough. Car keys and bags in hand I stopped short when the front-desk area came into view.

  Officer Cam was still there, and he smirked at me when our eyes met.

  Lenell had been talking to him, and she turned to face me with a hand on her hip.

  “I oughta whip you for being so hard-headed. Come on back into the office. Erin got you a crutch, and I’m gonna wrap your ankle real quick,” She came over to help me.

  I sighed purposefully not meeting Officer Blacks gaze as I surrendered and let Lenell assist me back into the office area.

  Officer Black stood watch behind Lenell quietly as she worked on my ankle. I tensed and shrieked internally to keep from crying out in pain when she pulled the dressing around it firmly. I admit; I liked him watching me though it still gave me a weird feeling of unease. I felt like he was checking me out in more ways than just my injuries too, but I didn’t really mind it.

  “There. Keep it elevated and you make sure you go in and see a doctor. I may have them mail you the paperwork ‘cause I think you may be out for a while. You let me know what they say, and you better call me as soon as you get back to the college tonight, I mean that,” She pointed and said in a scolding tone as she moved away and began gathering all the first aid supplies she had been using.

  I smiled, “Yes ma’am; I will.” I said as I stood, and she hugged me.

  “Here, see if we may need to adjust it for your height.” She then said handing me the metal crutch. It looked new I noticed as I reluctantly took it and fitted it under my arm where it did rested perfectly. I felt relief shifting my weight onto it momentarily.