by Leia Stone
I flew harder, heading for the ocean.
“Brielle!” The wind carried Lincoln’s voice to me, and I soared faster. He was the last person I wanted to see right then, the last person I wanted to know what I’d done, what I was.
When I hit the beach, my legs crash-landed, and I sort of fell onto the sand. The moment I righted myself, I started running for the pier. I wanted to hide, to crawl into a hole, and be alone.
“Brielle!” he shouted again, closer that time.
I didn’t dare look back when I reached the pier. Slinking down against one of the pillars I pulled my knees up, wrapped my arms around my legs, and buried my face between my knees. Sobs racked my chest as I curled inside of myself and hid from the world.
I stayed there for a full minute, listening to the crashing of waves, and letting the emotions crash through me. Then he found me.
“Brielle.” His voice was so warm, so understanding, it made more tears spill out onto my knees.
“Please go away. I want to be alone.” My voice was muffled, hiding against my legs.
I could feel his body heat against my left side and then his hand on my back. “Shea told me what happened. It’s going to be okay. Just come back to school where it’s safe. Please.”
My head snapped up. “Nothing about this is going to be okay.”
I’d never seen him look so… caring.
“So you have demon-gifted powers. We guessed that with your black wings.” He tried to sound nonchalant, and failed.
I shook my head. “No, Lincoln. I nearly killed Tiffany with black magic that flew from my throat. Those are not demon-gifted powers. That’s some other kind of next-level evil shit.” I turned away from him, looking out to the ocean.
He gripped my chin and forced me to face him. “Brielle, nothing about you is evil. Trust me.”
My breath caught in my throat. His hand on my chin was sending warm tingles down my back, and he wasn’t pulling away. My tears suddenly dried up, and I swallowed hard. “How do you know? Maybe I am an archdemon,” I told him, holding his gaze.
He didn’t waver. “Because the worst thing you’ve done since I’ve known you, is save your best friend and steal fruit from me. You’re harmless.”
I laughed, and his hand slid from my chin to my neck.
“You’re also way too beautiful to be an archdemon,” he added, eyeing my lips.
Beautiful. Lincoln Grey called me beautiful.
Maybe it was the sound of the waves, or his hand on my neck. Maybe it was the way he was looking at my lips like he wanted to taste them, but I grew bold then. Wrapping my hand around his bicep, I leaned in and kissed him. The second my lips hit his, he parted them, deepening the kiss. Pleasure filtered out into my body, and butterflies danced in my belly. As his warm tongue stroked against mine, his hand trailed from my neck, down my arm and settled firmly at my waist.
I’m kissing Lincoln Grey.
I moaned in pleasure, and in one swift move, he leaned back onto the sand, pulling me on top of him. Straddling his waist, I kissed him with a hungry passion; it felt like I’d been waiting to unleash it my entire life. I reached up into the sand and stroked the back of his neck just as his hands slipped into the back of my shirt and he grasped my rib cage. Heat traveled in a downward expressway to my groin.
The kiss was epic, all-consuming—and gone all too soon. He seemed to realize what we were doing, and abruptly stopped, using his strength to pull me off him and sit up.
“Shit. Bri, I shouldn’t have done that.” He stood, sand falling off him.
I touched my swollen lips, still warm from our kiss. “Why?” Is he crazy? I want to do that all day, every day.
“You’re my student, and you’re too young,” he said to the sand, unable to meet my eyes.
I stood, all talk of archdemons forgotten. “I’m nineteen in like two months, and you teach me thirty minutes a day.” Was I pathetically arguing to reinstate the kissing? Yes. Yes I was.
That time he did meet my eyes. “It was a mistake. Let’s get back to the school, or I’ll have to call Raphael and send the army.”
I wasn’t sure which hurt more, the word ‘mistake’ in relation to that life-altering kiss, or the threat to send the Fallen Army to make me go home.
I stepped closer to him and he flinched, like I was going to kiss him again, and the thought scared him. “Kissing you will never be a mistake,” I declared. Then my wings sprung out, and I burst from the sand, airborne.
Shea better be buying two tubs of chocolate peanut butter ice cream, because I have a feeling I’m going to cry myself to sleep for many, many reasons.
Chapter Fifteen
I did cry myself to sleep. Luke, Angela and Shea tried to reassure me that I wasn’t an archdemon, and that Lincoln would come around. It did nothing to help. The worst part? Shea and I were broke, so I’d had no ice cream to drown my sorrows in.
Now it was Friday. The beach games were imminent, and I was trying to think of a hundred reasons to back out. I didn’t want to see anyone, couldn’t bear the archdemon whispers that had sprung up at breakfast that morning.
“This paycheck is burning a hole in my pocket,” Shea said.
We’d both gotten paid that morning, the checks left in the mailbox on our door.
I nodded. “I can’t bear to see Lincoln at my Celestial master studies class, or Noah, or any of them. I need time.”
Shea shrugged. “So cancel. Tell them you feel sick.”
“Great idea,” I agreed with a nod. “And I’ll cancel the beach games too.”
“Whoa, girl.” Luke shot his hand out to stop me. “Don’t take it that far.”
My voice mixed with a groan. “I don’t want to go.” Shea rolled her eyes and snatched my phone. “Hey, give that back!” I shouted, but she got up and circled the table, texting away like crazy as she walked. “Shea, I will kill you if you embarrass me.”
“There, done. Now, let’s ditch and go shopping,” she declared.
Luke laughed. “This is college, so it’s not really ditching.”
Shea glared at him. “Don’t take away my fun.”
“What did you do with my phone?” I asked her.
She set it down in front of me, and I hurried to read the email.
To: Lincoln, Noah, Blake, Darren
Hey, guys,
Let’s cancel our Celestial studies class today. I just realized my boobs have grown so big since last summer, that I need a new bikini before the beach games.
Cheers,
Bri
“Oh. My. God. You’re dead,” I growled. Has she lost her damn mind?
Luke and Angela busted up laughing, and I realized they’d been reading over my shoulder.
My phone buzzed with a reply.
From: Noah
Totally understandable. ;)
See you later.
It buzzed again.
From: Blake
Girls.
Another buzz.
From: Darren
Whatever. Cool.
Just as I was setting the phone down, it buzzed with Lincoln’s reply.
From: Lincoln
Nice try. Your boobs are tiny. See you at the beach.
“Ahh!” I screamed, earning some stares from people around me. He was back to being an asshole. “My boobs aren’t tiny, they’re petite,” I told the table, slamming my fist down.
Luke grinned. “You know what this means?”
I wanted to die. “What?”
“Lincoln’s totally been checking out your boobs.”
Well, I guess that’s the silver lining.
Wait, did Luke just confirm they’re tiny?
Three hours. That’s how long it took Shea and me to pick out our suits. We’d gone to a shop within a few blocks of school, and taken one of the Fallen Academy school guards with us, since I wasn’t supposed to leave campus without a security detail now. Luke and Angela left after an hour of dying of boredom. Now I was wearing a powder-blue st
ring bikini that Shea promised me looked killer, and a pair of tiny cutoff jean shorts over it. We’d had no issue at the shops, so I was thinking the kidnapping plot was behind me.
We’d just pulled up to Santa Monica Pier, the same pier where I’d kissed Lincoln.
“Oh my God, this looks awesome!” Shea squealed, doing a mini twerk in her seat to invisible music.
There were two huge white tents set up with open sides.
“This is catered?” Angela asked, peeking her head into the front seat.
Two caterers in formal attire were serving a spread of different foods in one tent. Looking farther out onto the beach, I saw two volleyball games going on and some other things set up.
“Oh my God, Chloe’s brother is here.” Luke breathed from the back seat. “I should’ve worn the red shorts. Angela, move. I can get in twenty more sit-ups.”
I burst out laughing. “Come on, y’all. Enough pining over these asshats. Let’s just let loose and have some fun.”
Angela tapped my shoulder. “I like your style.”
“Did you just say ‘y’all’?” Shea gave me the stank eye.
I ignored her because something hit me then. “Wait, Chloe’s brother is a Nightblood. How is he in the sun?”
Angela pointed to a tall brunette female. “She’s a super powerful Light Mage in the Fallen Army, and can do temporary sun protection spells.”
Cool.
I turned off the car and jumped out. I’d spent nearly half my paycheck on the bikini, so Lincoln had better freaking notice. Slipping my bag over my shoulder, I locked my car and we all started to walk to the beach. I didn’t bother wearing a shirt; I had one in my bag for later, but I wanted to get a decent tan, and make Lincoln hopefully lust after my tiny boobs.
As we walked up, I noticed my dark-haired hottie right away. He was dishing out a plate of corn on the cob, BBQ ribs and a few other items I couldn’t see from my vantage point.
“Ladies! And Luke,” Noah said, coming over to shake the Beast Shifter’s hand.
“Thanks for inviting us,” I told him.
He nodded. “Of course.” He turned to Shea and popped a kiss on her cheek. “You look killer.” He winked at her.
She grinned.
Noah’s wink was a dime a dozen.
Lincoln looked over then, his eyes running a quick up and down my body before coming back to my face.
“Bri!” a familiar voice shouted.
Snapping my attention to the right, I saw Fred, from my studies of light class, making his way over to me.
“Fred? Hey, I didn’t know you were going to be here.” I reached up and gave him a quick hug.
“Yeah, Darren is my good friend. Sweet rib cage tats. I always wondered where you were hiding the other two.” He glanced at my abdomen.
I brushed my fingers across them and looked past Fred to see Lincoln standing just behind him, dishing more food on his plate but totally listening in on my conversation.
“Yeah, I forget they’re there sometimes,” I told him honestly.
“Hey, listen, I wanted to ask you today but you weren’t in class. Are you going to the winter ball?” No shame, no fear. He just asked me in front of everyone.
I liked a take-charge guy like that.
“I was thinking about it,” I said, watching Lincoln for any sign of distress. None so far, except about ten pounds of food on his bowing plate.
He smiled. “I’d love to take you. Assuming you don’t have anyone?”
My eyes flicked up, to find Lincoln craning toward our conversation.
“You’re dazzled with my light magic, aren’t you? That’s why,” I joked.
Fred grinned. “What can I say, those little four-watt bulbs really do it for me.”
Genuine laughter erupted from me. Fred was funny and sweet, and he wanted me. Even with all the rumors swirling that I was an archdemon, he still wanted me. “I’d love to go. That sounds fun.”
He smiled, and it was handsome. He wasn’t sexy, but he was still cute. “Cool. You’re in Bright Hall, right? I’ll pick you up at seven.”
I nodded, but before I could answer, Lincoln spun around and placed a hand on Fred’s shoulder. “Ever since Chloe’s birthday, we’ve had to be extra careful about where Brielle goes and who she is with, so if you’re taking her to the dance, you’ll have to be escorted by her security detail.”
Lincoln’s eyes were burning holes into me. He cared. He totally cared.
Fred shrugged the hand off. “No problem with me. Tell her security detail to be at Bright Hall at seven.”
“Fred, you’re up!” someone yelled from the sand, where some game was happening.
Fred squeezed my upper arm lightly. “See ya.” Then he ran off.
Lincoln and I just stood there staring at each other. It was then that I noticed Shea and everyone had left me.
I took a step closer to Lincoln, lowering my voice to keep it private. “You know, I can cancel with Fred if you want to take me to the dance.”
There, I said it. Maybe Fred asking me out had flipped a switch in him, and he’d changed his mind about our age gap, or whatever it was that bothered him.
He looked like I’d given him a cow dung cookie, his lip curling. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
My face fell, and I swallowed down the tears that threatened. Lincoln Grey was a heartbreaker, and I wasn’t going to have anything to do with that.
Unhooking the button, I peeled off my shorts, holding his gaze the entire time. Then I broke eye contact, and threw my shorts on top of my bag before storming out of the tent. I’d been told many a time that my ass was my best physical feature. Best to throw it in his face so he’d know what he’d be missing.
I am done with Lincoln Grey.
We won two of the four games. My wedding cake sand castle was lit and helped us win that round, Angela used her Necromancy gift to make live roses grow out of the top tier. We lost the swim relay race, and also our round of beach volleyball. There was some huge complicated scoreboard that I didn’t understand, and about ten different teams, but I didn’t really care. I was having a blast. I’d even managed to put Lincoln, and my Exorcist magic from my mind, and focus on the fun.
“All right, partygoers. One final game, then the winning team will be announced, and the bonfire party will begin!” Noah shouted through a bullhorn.
He walked over to a small bucket of water and threw a single red apple inside. “This year’s mystery game is the apple run. One member from two opposing teams will compete against each other. Your hands will be tied behind your back and you’ll run, try to get the single apple into your mouth, and then make it across the finish line with it. Anything goes—tripping, shoving, whatever. Just get that apple!”
The teams roared in excitement. Most of them were drunk, so I was pretty sure we had an advantage.
“Each team pick a member to represent them, and put their name in the basket,” Noah shouted, pointing to an old Easter basket sitting on the table.
Shea immediately turned to me. “Oh, girl, you got this! You’re the best at bobbing for apples on Halloween.”
It was true. Our apartment always had a wicked Halloween party, and I’d had lots of practice. I looked at Angela and Luke. “You cool with that?”
They nodded, and excitement thrummed through me. If we won that round, did we win the whole thing? Maybe not, since we lost our swim heat. I wasn’t sure how the point system worked. I’d make a horrible mermaid, but our team was currently in third place on the board, so I didn’t know.
After tossing my name in the bucket, I stretched out my legs and prepared for the run. I just needed to get the apple first and dash like hell, hoping the person didn’t chase after me, and knock me over. We’d lost our volleyball game because people more advanced than us kept using magic to win. I didn’t have any magic to help me, except maybe flying across the finish line once I got the apple.
“All right,” Noah screamed in his bullhorn. “The first pair o
f competitors are….” He pulled two pieces of paper out of the bucket and then grinned, looking at me. “Brielle and Lincoln!”
Shit. Does the universe hate me? I was trying to get over the guy and now I was right next to him. Ugh.
Shea gave me a sympathetic smile as I walked over to where the judges were, to have my hands tied behind my back. Looking over, I saw Lincoln watching me closely, an unreadable gaze as always.
Screw you, you gorgeous asshole.
“You two clear on the rules? There’s one apple. First one to get that apple across the finish line wins,” Noah told us with a slight slur. He was only wearing low-slung beach shorts, showing off his chiseled chest and abs, and was definitely drunk.
I nodded, then turned to catch Lincoln’s gaze. “Careful. I can play dirty.” I winked.
There, you sexy winker. Take that!
Lincoln pursed his lips. “I have no doubt.”
With a zipping sound, the plastic tie went tightly around my wrists, and everyone lined up along the edge of the run to cheer us on.
Noah grinned. “All right, on your marks, get set… go!”
I took off like my ass was on fire, but running in the sand was hard, and my hands were tied behind my back. Lincoln was fast as hell, reaching the bucket first and leaning over. I came in next and hip-checked him, sending him falling to the sand with a grunt.
The crowd roared.
Bending over, I dunked my face into the bucket, but Lincoln’s was next to mine within seconds. Dammit, he was quick. I pressed the apple to the side of the bucket with my cheek, trying to get my teeth into it, when Lincoln bumped me, pushing me. He didn’t do it hard enough to knock me over, but I still lost my grip on the apple. He jerked his neck toward the apple and I plunged my face into the water again, trying to wrestle it away from him. Cold water hit my skin, but I was too determined to let it slow me down. Our faces were inches from each other, but due to my awkward standing position since he’d hip-checked me out of the way, Lincoln had better ground. I was just coming up for air when I saw his teeth clamp around the apple. Then he took off running.
