by J. L. Weil
Grinning, he slipped his hands into his front pockets. “Good thing I left Wrath and Fury at home, then.”
“You have no idea. My dad has a no-weapons-at-the-dinner-table policy.”
“Good to know.”
I led him down the hall into the kitchen, where Mom’s laughter warmed the room. She was amused over something ridiculous my dad had said. The house smelled of Italian spices, garlic, and crushed tomatoes that were simmering in a large pot. Under normal circumstances, I would have been in the kitchen sneaking a bite of bread or tasting the sauce, but I found I was so nervous I didn’t think I’d be able to stomach any food at all.
My palms were sweating as we stepped into the kitchen, both my parents glancing in my direction. “Mom. Dad. This is Devyn St. Cyr.”
Devyn offered Dad his hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you, sir.”
Dad’s smile slipped as he shook Devyn’s hand. “Finally, huh? How long have you been seeing my daughter?”
I groaned. “We’re not seeing each other. We’re just friends.”
“Jamison, let them be,” Mom said in her soft voice, standing from the table. “I’m so happy you could join us.”
There was a glint of respect in his eyes as Devyn turned to my mom. A shimmer of power trembled in the air, an electric charge that made all the little hairs on my body stand up. “Thank you for having me, Mrs. Lang.”
Mom surprised us all and engulfed Devyn in a hug. “You look so much like her.” I heard her whisper for just his ears.
Devyn nodded, and it was the first time I’d seen the Shaman choked up. He must miss his family very much, and it made me feel wretched for the way I’d acted.
I cleared my throat, praying Dad hadn’t picked up on the emotion swimming in the air.
“I hope you’re hungry,” Mom said, sitting back down at the table.
“Devyn is always hungry,” I chimed in.
“Like Jesse,” Dad added. I couldn’t help but think he had deliberately brought up Jesse. “Here, you’re on salad duty, Kit Kat.” Dad handed me a bowl of lettuce.
I shot him my ‘don’t embarrass me’ glare. I got my father wasn’t used to me bringing home guys, especially ones who looked like Devyn, but it didn’t mean he could treat them like criminals.
I started chopping the vegetables and tossing them in with the lettuce as Dad finished draining the pasta and put in a bowl. Behind me, I listened to Devyn and Mom discussing my childhood. Devyn was so comfortable with Mom. It was obvious to me she was happy to talk with someone from the Second Moon.
We sat down for dinner, the air in the room as thick as the red sauce. Dear God, someone say something. My mind was blank, so I did the only thing I could think of. Stuffed my face. I forked in a heap of lettuce.
Dad broke the silence after our plates had all been piled with food. “Tell me, Devyn, do you go to school with Karina?”
Devyn twirled a forkful of pasta on his plate. “No, I actually graduated early,” he replied, not missing a beat. He was so much better at this than me. “I’ve only been in Seaside Heights for a few months.”
“Where are you originally from?” And, so, the interrogation began.
“I grew up in the East.” It wasn’t lost on me he didn’t give a specific place in the U.S. Smart, not outright lying to my dad.
Dad slapped butter onto a warmed roll. “Do your parents still live there?”
I was sweating bullets here as Dad rapid-fired the questions, but Mom was as calm as a clam.
“My mom and little sister do.”
“And your father?” Dad prodded.
My pulse was jumping all over the place and although I was shoving food into my mouth, I didn’t taste a single bite. When would this night be over?
“He passed away.” Devyn kept his voice even, contradicting the muscle that ticked in his jaw. His father was a touchy subject.
Mom’s eyes flickered, showing traces of sadness. She must have known Devyn’s father.
Dad studied Devyn intently over his plate of spaghetti. “I’m sorry; losing a parent is difficult, especially at such a young age.”
Devyn pushed his fork into a meatball. “It is.”
“Karina has a bright future in front of her. She’s about to graduate and go off to college. We’re very proud of her, and we don’t want any distractions getting in the way,” Dad stressed, and everyone in the room knew he was implying Devyn was a distraction.
“I can assure you I have no intention of standing in Karina’s way. Just the opposite. I want to make sure she succeeds,” Devyn replied.
I don’t know how he was able to keep his cool. Another round of how-to-humiliate-my-daughter and I might make a scene of my own. I didn’t understand what it was about Devyn that had my father acting like an overprotective papa bear. This wasn’t like him, and it made me wonder if maybe Mom hadn’t done such a great job keeping what she was from him. He was definitely suspicious of Devyn, but why?
“Dad, are you done with the lecture? Devyn came here for dinner, not a speech about your expectations for my future.”
“Jamison, why don’t we refill our drinks?” Mom suggested, in an attempt to defuse the heightened tension.
Dad set his napkin on the table and looked me in the eye. “Are you into drugs? Is that why you’ve been acting so strange?”
I choked on my tea, almost spitting it out all over the table.
Chapter Eleven
Drugs? Dad thought I was on drugs? Worse yet, he thought Devyn was supplying me with pep pills, study buddies, zing, or whatever else they’re called these days. That was about the extent of my drug knowledge. Other than the one time I had tried pot with Hannah and Jesse when we were fifteen, I didn’t go anywhere near the stuff. It diluted my brainpower.
My fork clattered to my plate. Dad was lucky. I wanted to throw it across the table. His behavior tonight was embarrassing. “No! I’m not taking anything, and Devyn is not a drug dealer.”
Dad raised his brows at me. “Something is going on with you, Karina, and I want to know what it is.”
I swallowed. “Nothing is going on with me, Dad. Thanks for ruining dinner.” This was turning into an epic disaster. I could feel my blood pressure rise. Shifty things happened when my emotions got out of control. Closing my hand into a tight fist, my nails dug into the skin. I focused on the pain, but it wasn’t working.
If I didn’t calm down or excuse myself from the room, things were about to get hairy.
Devyn reached under the table, slipping his fingers in between mine, and gave my hand a squeeze. I lifted my eyes from my half-eaten dinner and turned my head, meeting his.
Mom placed her hand over Dad’s. “Jamison, honey, I think I should lie down. I’m suddenly feeling tired.”
Dad instantly became concerned, as Mom knew he would, but this impromptu disruption was only temporary. Dad would eventually be looking for an answer, one I couldn’t give him. It was understandable he would associate the change in my behavior over the last month with Devyn’s presence, but he couldn’t be more wrong about the Shaman’s influence. “Sakura, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Mom waved her hand in the air. “It’s fine. I’m sure Devyn understands the stress we’ve been under these last few months.”
I leaned back in my chair, relieved this night was coming to an end. “I’ll clean this up later.”
Dad nodded, scooting his chair back and taking his plate to the sink.
Mom pushed herself up from the table. “Devyn, it was a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for taking care of my little girl.” She bent down and pressed a kiss to his cheek, tears misting her eyes.
“You don’t need to worry about Karina,” Devyn assured solemnly. “Nothing will happen to her. Thank you for dinner, Mrs. Lang.”
Mom gave a slight tilt of her head, satisfied Devyn would keep his word. Dad returned to her side, offering her a hand as he guided her to the stairs.
“Wow. That was a dinner I’d never like to rep
eat again,” I said when the coast was clear, sinking back in my chair.
“I’ve never had spaghetti before. It’s good,” Devyn replied, shoveling the last bite into his mouth.
I don’t know how he was able to eat as much as he had with my dad down his throat. My lips twitched. “I told you it was good. Come on, let’s take a walk; I need some air.” I grabbed Devyn’s arm and tugged him down the hall before my dad decided to come back downstairs so he could drill him with another series of uncomfortable questions.
Pressing down on the front door latch, we stepped outside. The evening air, both warm and cool, washed over my flushed face. I inhaled a huge gulp and released it. “Hey, I’m sorry about the third-degree in there. You handled it pretty well, considering.”
“He only wants the best for you, and is wise to mistrust me. If I was in his position, I wouldn’t have let me through the front door.”
I laughed. “Good to know. Why is it I trust you, then?”
An impish grin teased the corners of his sculpted lips. “Because of my irresistible charm.”
“Ha,” I snorted. We stepped off the porch and onto the driveway, and naturally my gaze drifted to Jesse’s house. Wow. That was weird. Hannah was there. Her shiny little red car was in the driveway, parked next to Jesse’s Jeep.
I told myself I had no reason to be upset. It was good they were hanging out, and yet a frown played on my lips.
“Looks like someone’s having a late-night study session,” Devyn murmured, his gaze following the line of mine.
I shrugged, pretending I didn’t give a damn. “They’re allowed to hang out without me.” The words sounded stale in my mouth, neither of us buying it.
“You’re not used to being left out of the trio. It’s okay to feel miffed.”
I sighed. “It’s good they’re hanging out. They both knew you were coming for dinner; besides, maybe they’ll finally realize they have feelings for each other.”
We turned down the side of the house, toward the field that lined my backyard and Jesse’s. “I very much doubt it,” Devyn intoned.
I angled my head to the side. “Why do you say that?”
The moon was almost full, just a sliver missing from the left side, and in the cloudless night the blue light cast shadows over Devyn’s striking face. He had shaved this morning, but I could already see the little dark hairs poking through on his chin. “It’s obvious the jock has a thing for you. Anyone can see it, even Hannah.”
“That’s crazy.” Was it, though? If I was being honest with myself, I had thought for a long time Jesse and I might date, that maybe we were meant for each other. It all changed the second my gaze landed on Devyn, and I realized how wrong Jesse and I were for one another. Jesse was warm fuzzies. Devyn was bolts of white lightning in the veins.
They enticed very different feelings within me.
Devyn lifted a brow. “You might have moved on, but Jesse, he’s still stuck on the idea of you.”
The grass crunched under our feet as we strolled in the moonlight. “But he has to know Hannah likes him. She has since we were in junior high.”
Devyn shrugged. “Maybe he does, but she isn’t you.”
I scowled. “It doesn’t matter now. Things are changing. They know it, and it isn’t just school is about to end and we’ll be going off to different colleges. They sense something’s up with me.”
“You can’t change the past. They care about you. It’s normal they’re concerned, but you can’t tell them the truth.”
I stopped walking and tilted my head back, staring up at the stars. The universe was full of otherworldly things I had yet to understand. If I didn’t find a way to catch up, I stood to lose those close to me. “I know.”
A funny smile tipped his lips.
“If we weren’t in this position, you wouldn’t have even given me the time of day,” I found myself muttering.
Devyn lost his smile and stared at me. “You’re so wrong, Kitten.”
“You didn’t know me before,” I replied, my voice flat.
“But I did. You forget: I know everything about you.”
“Speaking of that, how does it work? How is it you’re able to know things about me, when you lived in another world?”
He pressed his back into the trunk of a maple tree, eyeing me with a gaze that made my pulse pick up tempo. “I don’t understand it myself. The link between us allows me to know things about you, what you like, when you’re in trouble, and it’s there in my mind when I need it. I don’t even know if that’s the right way to describe it. I have memories of you, of your childhood, as if they were my own and as if I lived them through a dream.”
“Wow. That’s super-trippy.”
He raked a hand through his hair. “Tell me about it. If you had grown up in the Second Moon we would have been raised together, gone to the same schools, and trained side-by-side. From the time we were born we were to form a bond, a strong, unbreakable friendship.”
I had that, but just not with Devyn. In a way, it made me sad. I wouldn’t trade my childhood for another, but I couldn’t help wondering what would it have been like growing up in Katsura with Devyn. Would this attraction I had for him be as powerful? “Does us not being raised together change our connection?”
He shrugged. “Possibly. But don’t worry, Kitten, us not growing up in the same world won’t hinder my ability to protect you.”
I never doubted it would.
Maybe us being thrown together as young adults explained why I felt more than friendship for Devyn. We’d never had the chance to be friends first. “Just so we’re clear, you can’t read my mind, right?”
He chuckled. “I wish.”
“Since you’re in such a sharing mood, what’s the big deal about us being more than friends?”
Humor sparkled in his eyes. “In the Second Moon, you’re considered out of my league.”
“Is that why you keep pushing me away?” There was so much I had yet to learn, and I loved peppering Devyn with questions. He was like a book I couldn’t put down, filled with vast knowledge about far-away places.
“If you weren’t who you are, then it might not be such a controversy. Your title in the Second Moon makes it impossible for us to be together. I have no royal lineage.”
“That’s bullshit. And talk about archaic. This isn’t the 1800s. I can choose whoever I want to be with.” And I chose Devyn.
“Katsura and the other regions aren’t like Earth. Things there are different than here. Your world might have done away with some of the old traditions, but ours are still very much a thing of the present.”
“How stupid.”
He pushed off the tree and closed the space between us. “I never thought about it before.”
“I’m not a princess or royalty, and I don’t care about the rules of another world. I’m simple. My life was modest before all this.”
His head turned just a fraction, so his lips cruised up the side of my cheek. “You’re wrong. In moonlight, you’re anything but simple.”
My face warmed. I had taken extra care with my makeup, and only tried on ten different outfits, looking for one that flattered my eyes. “Devyn,” I whispered as he leaned in.
Color began to surge into my cheeks, our lips a mere breath away when he abruptly stopped, his eyes going bright green in the night, glowing like a firefly. The change in his body was instant.
“Get back into the house. Now!” Devyn ordered.
I hesitated, confused by what was happening, by the time I did understand it was too late. I’d never make it back to the house before Dmitri was able to swoop me up. Devyn knew it, too. He shoved me behind him, whipping out the dual blades that had magically materialized at his back. Fury and Wrath hissed as they wound around Devyn’s wrists, eager for the battle they knew was coming.
I, on the other hand, was a wreck. Fear clogged my throat as the black dot in the night sky grew closer, forming into a figure with large wings.
Dmitri
wasn’t alone. The Karura had brought reinforcements.
“Shit,” I muttered.
“Stay behind me. And stay close,” Devyn warned, twirling Wrath through the air once as he calculated our next move. “Whatever you do, don’t let Dmitri get his hands on you.”
“I’m not letting that winged beast paw me,” I replied, completely outraged.
Hovering over our heads the Karura spread his large black wings, gliding in the air. Shirtless, his exposed skin gleamed under the moonlight.
Dmitri smiled as he looked down at Devyn. “You didn’t think you’d gotten rid of me so easily, did you, Sin Eater?”
“No, not at all. I was hoping you’d show your ugly mug again, because this time I’m going to kill you. Screw sending your soul back. My pets are dying to get a taste of you.” Fury and Wrath let out one long joined hiss.
Dmitri’s eyes fixed on me. “Give me a second, doll-face, while I take care of your bodyguard, then you and I can get better acquainted.”
Devyn snarled, blocking me with his body. “Let’s get on with it, then.”
The half-smirk on Dmitri’s lips spread as they came nose-to-nose. When Dmitri’s feet touched the ground he stood a few inches taller than Devyn and a bit broader, the veins in his arms bulging. “Killing you will give me immense pleasure.”
“Ditto.”
Dmitri took a swipe at Devyn with his claws, but he was able to jump back out of the way. I sucked in a gasp of air. Devyn leaned back, taking the small opening as Dmitri drew his hand back for a second round and planted his foot in the Karura’s midsection. He stumbled back a few steps, but not as far as I would have liked, and his recovery time was frightening.
But not as horrifying as the sight of Devyn and Dmitri charging at each other. They collided with enough force to cause an earthquake.
This couldn’t be happening. Not here.
I glanced around. I was only yards from my house, from Jesse’s house. Everyone in the world I cared about was in the vicinity. Icy-cold fear froze the blood in my veins. This couldn’t happen. Not here. Not where they would see… or worse… get hurt—killed even. I had to do something. Fast.
