Allure (The Lilituria Prophecy Book 2)

by Grace White

  When the last class of the day was dismissed, I darted through the crush to meet Poppy and get the hell out of school. I’d spent the whole day avoiding Kai. We had no classes together, which made it easier, and at lunch, I sat with Poppy and her friends while they talked about the upcoming dance. But I felt him. Felt his heated stare, his energy lurking. Even when I didn’t see him, I knew he was there. Watching. Waiting. I had become prey, and Kai was the predator. It was exhausting, and I didn’t know how much longer we could dance this game of cat and mouse.

  “Sorry,” I mumbled, pushing past my classmates to exit the room and make a break for it. Hurrying down the hallway filling with kids excited that school was over, I hitched my bag further up my shoulder when a hand caught mine, yanking me out of the mainstream of bodies and into a darkened corner underneath the main staircase to the second level of the building.

  “What the hell, Kai?” I groaned, but the words died on my lips when I saw the flicker of fury in his eyes.

  “Where were you?”

  “What?”

  “You were gone for three days. Where. Were. You?”

  I ran a hair through my hair, exasperated by the back and forth between us. It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

  “Daiya.” His voice was sharp, and I flinched, backing up into the corner of the small space. Nobody paid us any attention, too busy to leave and get on with their lives. And to anyone intrigued enough to stop, we probably just looked like a couple on the brink of a lover’s quarrel. If only they knew.

  “No, Kai.” I narrowed my eyes, chest heaving. “You can’t keep doing this. You walked away, not me. You. You wanted time, space, and I’m trying to give it to you. Don’t you see that?”

  His nostrils flared, and I could see—sense—his torment. But he seemed immune, driven by some invisible force. “Where were you?”

  I pressed a hand to my head, and my eyes shuttered. This was getting us nowhere. He was too confused, too at war with himself.

  “Kai, only you can decide what it is you want. I can’t change who I am.” I lowered my voice. “What I am. I—” The words were there, right there. I could tell him I loved him right now in hopes of touching the guy I knew was somewhere inside. But as I rolled the declaration around on my tongue, I swallowed it down. Maybe it was frustration or despair that prevented me from telling him, but this wasn’t how I imagined the moment I told the charming guy with the kind smile that he had my heart. Besides, his hunter was too prevalent, and it would frame me a liar.

  “I can’t do this.” I sighed as the realization that this was going to be harder than I first thought overwhelmed me. “When you’re ready to choose, you know where I am.” I rushed out of the space and into the emptying hallway. I didn’t look back. Not when I heard him call my name, and not when I felt his eyes on me. Because I knew if I did, I’d crumble.

  “Please, don’t make me go in there. I told you this wasn’t a good idea.” I pulled at the hem of my tank top, trying to cover the sliver of midriff showing. Poppy had insisted—begged—that we come tonight. I eventually gave in and agreed to go to the party since I hadn’t been brave enough to attend the game. It was the least I could do.

  “It’ll be fine. The whole school is here. We’ll blend; you’ll see.”

  My eyes swept over the scene before us. Cars lined the street, noise poured out of open windows, and the crowds huddled around Laker’s house. “This is crazy.”

  “Yeah, well, it was an important game.”

  She didn’t need to remind me. The game against a local rival school was vital not only for the team but also for Kai. Rumors had been flying around that scouts would be there to watch him. It was going to happen; he’d told me as much a month ago when things were better between us. But I’d heard people say it was a given he would draft at the end of the year, which surprised me because he’d seemed set on sticking the area around for his mom and for college.

  I guess things changed.

  It wasn’t as if he told me anything anymore. We barely spoke. He was cold and distant, and although he didn’t completely ignore me, any attention he paid to me wasn’t the good kind.

  I was nothing more than a toy to him. A thing to be hunted, played with.

  “Ready?”

  “What?” I blinked, and Poppy rolled her eyes, yanking me along with her.

  As we made our way through the house, a few people said hey. Most whispered or stared, but I was used to it by now. The rumors of my and Kai’s on-again, off-again relationship. I guess to the untrained eye we looked like a couple constantly fighting and making up. But they didn’t see what was underneath. My demon and Kai’s hunter were at war with one another. And one or both of us was going to end up caught in the crossfire.

  “Drinks, we need drinks,” Poppy declared, gripping my hand in hers. I followed her line of sight and blanched. Laker was across the room flanked on either side by a couple of girls I didn’t recognize. He noticed us and made a show of draping his arm over the blonde’s shoulder. What was his problem?

  “Pig.” Poppy guided us to the kitchen and poured us drinks. “Here,” she said, handing me a Solo cup. “Drink.”

  I smelled the contents. “Hmm, I’m not sure.”

  “Fine. I’ll drink it.” She snatched the cup from me and downed it in one before finishing her own.

  “Poppy, we don’t have to stay.”

  She let out a sarcastic laugh. “And let him win? I don’t think so.”

  I said nothing as she poured herself another drink. She hadn’t said much, but I knew things between her and Laker were worse than ever. Besides, one of us needed to stay sober, and from the way she was chugging drinks, it wasn’t going to be Poppy.

  An hour later, I had convinced her to sit outside in a quiet corner of the huge patio. The party unfolded around us; people were oblivious to the two girls lying on loungers away from the crowd.

  “Is he here?” Poppy’s words came out slurred.

  “I haven’t seen him.” But Kai was here somewhere. I felt him. The demon sensed him too, its irritation bubbling under my skin.

  “Jerkbags, the lot of them.” She sighed.

  “Jerkbags?” I stifled a laugh. Sober Poppy was sarcastic and dry, but drunk Poppy … drunk Poppy was more vulnerable somehow, hiding behind slurred insults.

  “What? It’s a word. Like fuckwad.”

  “No more drinks for you.”

  “But drinks make everything so spinny. Weeeeee.” She sat up and sloshed her cup in the air. “Drinks make everything seem so much better.”

  “What did he do to you?” I kicked my legs over the chair and met her glazed eyes.

  “Who?”

  “You know who.”

  “Oh, you mean jerkbag? Nothing.”

  “Poppy, this is me. We’ve danced around this thing with you and Laker for weeks. What’s going on?”

  She stared at me, her head rolling on her shoulders like it might fall off at any second. “Wehadsexatapartyandnowheactslikeimnothing.”

  My mouth dropped open. “You had sex with Laker?”

  Poppy shrugged and then chugged down the rest of her drink, wiping her mouth with her shirt. “It doesn’t matter. I thought it meant something; turns out it didn’t. Like I said, jerkbag.”

  I’d known Poppy liked him; it was obvious. But this was … and then it hit me. “He was your first, wasn’t he?” I said with a sad smile.

  “And last.” She nodded. “I think I’m going to be sick.” Poppy jumped up, unsteady on her feet, and glanced around. “Bathroom, we need to find a bathroom.”

  “Come on; I’ll help you.” I stood and slipped my arm through hers for support. She was drunk, but she still had control over her legs.

  We went back into the house. The downstairs bathroom was occupied, so we made our way upstairs, careful to avoid the couple making out against the wall.

  “Come on; one has to be up here.”

  Poppy groaned, clutching her stomach. “I don’t feel s
o good.”

  When we reached the top, we were in a long hallway that ran from one end to another. I counted six identical closed doors. “Wait here.” I propped her against the wall and went right first. The first door revealed a closet housing neatly stacked piles of linen and towels. I tried the next one but quickly shut it, whispering a, “Sorry,” to the couple getting it on inside. Moving to the last door, my hand gripped the knob, and I paused, hoping it was the bathroom and not another occupied bedroom.

  The door opened with ease, and I pressed myself against the wood, peeking inside. Streaks of moonlight poured in from the blinds, illuminating the couple on the bed. I silently cursed to myself, poised to close the door, when I did a double take. A slim girl moved over a guy, dark waves cascading down her back, oblivious to my presence. She looked familiar.

  No. It couldn’t be … “Devlin? What the hell?” I shrieked.

  Devlin sat up, glancing over her shoulder, a crazed look in her eye. “Get out,” she barked, but I was already moving closer to fathom why she was here. What the hell she was doing. Then I realized the guy she was straddling was motionless.

  “I said get out.” Her voice sounded different. Cold. Calculated. It made my body tremble with nerves as I rounded the bed, the guy’s face coming into view. I gasped.

  “Daiya, what’s taking so long. I really need to—”

  My eyes shuttered, and slowly, I turned to face Poppy. The color had drained from her face, but I couldn’t be sure if it was from all the alcohol or because she knew Laker was the guy.

  “Daiya?” Her voice cracked, but there were more pressing issues to deal with.

  “Devlin.” I turned back to my sister. If I was right—and she’d been feeding off Laker—I needed to intervene and quickly. “Devlin?” I said again.

  She snarled, her hands gripping Laker’s shoulder. He moaned as if he was in pain. But noise was good; it meant he was still alive.

  “Devlin, you need to let go of him.” I kept my voice calm, trying to appeal to my sister. “You’re hurting him.”

  She glowered at me, fire flickering in her eyes, and leaned back down to kiss Laker. Bile rushed up my throat, and I stepped forward to try to intervene, but a voice said, “Daiya? I don’t understand.”

  I felt Poppy move behind me. Heard the whimper of pain as she realized what was happening. “Laker?”

  “Poppy.” I turned to her. “Go find the bathroom. I’ll be right out.”

  Her eyes were glassy with tears, her mouth bobbing open like she wanted to say something else. “I- I don’t understand. Isn’t that your—”

  “Please, Poppy.” I reached for her hand and squeezed, keeping one eye on my sister. “I’ll explain everything, just let me deal with her.”

  Poppy took one more look at Devlin and Laker and ran out of the bedroom sobbing.

  “Devlin,” I said more forcefully. “You need to get off him. Now!”

  Her head snapped up, and she growled. “He’s mine.”

  “No, he isn’t.” I glared back at her—her demon. I wasn’t prepared for this. “You don’t want to do this.”

  She cocked her head, narrowing her eyes, but I held her stare. She wasn’t going to back down, and I realized it then. “Laker,” I shouted. “Laker, you have to wake up.”

  “What are you doing?” Devlin hissed.

  I spotted the glass of water by his bed, and before she could predict my plan, I leaped for it and dumped it on him. It worked, and I watched Laker splutter and cough. “What the hell?” He sat up on his elbows, knocking my sister back in the process.

  “What the—”

  Devlin growled, and in one swift movement, she leaped off the bed. Laker was confused, drunk maybe, but that could work to my advantage.

  “You selfish whore,” I screamed at her. “You knew my friend liked him, and you just had to go seduce him.” Risking a sideways glance at Laker, I saw the confusion cross his face.

  “Watch your back, little sister,” Devlin said before gathering up her pants and shoes and marching out of the room without giving Laker so much as a second glance.

  “Daiya?”

  I turned to Laker and shook my head. “Nice, Laker, real nice. I’d better go and check on Poppy.”

  His eyes widened. “Poppy was here? What? I’m so confused right now. Who was that?”

  Moving to the door, I paused and looked back at him. “Stay away from my sister and stay away from Poppy.”

  I left him lying there with no more explanation, hoping that I’d done enough to convince him it was nothing more than a case of him getting caught with one girl and hurting another in the process.

  Now, I had to try to fix things with Poppy.

  KAI

  I stayed close to the wall, blending into the shadows as Daiya and Poppy disappeared into the bathroom, her friend looking a little worse for wear. I’d seen them out on the patio, watched them laughing and talking, and when they had gone back into the house, I’d followed. I hadn’t even planned to come to the party, but now here I was, eavesdropping outside the bathroom door.

  “Poppy?” Daiya sounded upset about something, and I inched closer, straining to hear through the veneered wood.

  “You found the bathroom then?” Light seeped out of the crack underneath the door, and I figured she’d switched on the light.

  Someone sniffled. “I’m fine,” the small voice said.

  “Poppy, this is me. You don’t have to be fine.”

  “Was that …” Her voice trailed off, but Daiya finished for her.

  “My sister?”

  Her sister? What the hell was her sister doing her? My senses heightened, and I glanced around. Was she still here?

  “I thought so. Quite the hussy, huh?”

  “Devlin is …”

  A crazy bitch.

  “An exhibitionist? She didn’t even flinch when we were there. I’m sorry, but your sister is a bitch.”

  I smiled to myself. She wasn’t wrong. But there was far more to it than Poppy knew.

  “She’s drunk,” Daiya said, covering for her sister—herself. I didn’t like that, how easily she defended her. Defended what they were.

  “Yeah, so I am, but I won’t forget that in a hurry.”

  “For what it’s worth, I am sorry. Laker is—”

  Laker? What the hell did Laker have to do with this?

  “Oh no, you don’t get to apologize for him. This is on him. Besides, we’re not dating. We’re not anything. Since what happened, he doesn’t even want to know me.” She burst into tears again, and I silently groaned. The girl had it bad, and Laker was too chicken to do anything about it; although, from the sounds of their conversation, he’d been holding out on me about something.

  “Don’t say that. I think he likes you. He just doesn’t know what to do with it.”

  “And you and Kai?”

  My ears perked up at the mention of my name, and I pressed closer.

  “What about Kai?”

  “Come on. I know something’s going on with you two. He’s acting weird. You’re acting weird.”

  “It’s complicated.”

  Complicated? Was that her word for it?

  “It always is. But you’re perfect for each other, so what’s the deal?”

  I held my breath waiting to see what Daiya would say, but she disappointed me.

  “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

  I slipped back along the hallway toward Laker’s room. He was inside, scrambling around in the dark as he tried to pull on his jeans. “You need help?” I said, keeping one eye on the bathroom down the hall.

  “I got it,” he bit back.

  It didn’t take much to put two and two together; Daiya and Poppy’s bathroom conversation and Laker half-naked, sporting just got laid hair. I nodded and waited. Seconds later, Daiya led Poppy out of the bathroom, her eyes finding mine immediately. I could almost hear her thoughts … my timing sucks.

  Sucked for her. Me? Not so much.

&n
bsp; “Your sister was here?” I said, my eyes burning into hers as Laker appeared beside me.

  She shrugged and motioned for Poppy to go downstairs. “Leave it, Kai.”

  I strode forward, glaring down at her. “What was she doing here?”

  “Ask him.” She flicked my head over to where Laker stood, clutching the back of his neck and looking all kinds of awkward.

  “I got the cliff notes.”

  “I’m not doing this here. Goodbye, Kai.” Her sigh was heavy, final, as she moved to follow Poppy who was already halfway down the stairs.

  “This isn’t the end of it, Daiya,” I called after her, but she didn’t look back. Because she knew I was right.

  It wasn’t the end.

  Not by a long shot.

  I watched Daiya leave with her arm hooked around her friend. When they disappeared out of sight, I turned to Laker. “You look like shit.”

  “Nothing compared to how I feel, trust me. I need a drink. Pool house?”

  “Lead the way.”

  As we maneuvered downstairs and through the house, Laker’s hand rubbed in a continuous motion over the back of his head and neck. He was nursing one hell of a hangover, but it was more than that. He was confused.

  Hell, I was confused.

  Inside the pool house, I went straight to the refrigerator and helped myself to two waters. “So?” I handed Laker a bottle, leaning back against the counter.

  He unscrewed the cap and took a long drink. “It’s a little sketchy. The brunette showed up, we did shots, and the next thing I know, we’re upstairs, and then Daiya is there. Shit, I’ve never blacked out before like that. Especially not when I’m getting down and dirty.”

  I ignored his comment. “You didn’t realize it was Daiya’s sister?” She’d been at Tamara’s party a few weeks back when things went down between Daiya and Joel. My hand tightened around the bottle, the plastic crushing under the force. Exhaling a long breath, I grounded myself.