by Vivi Anna
"I know that." Anger was quickly swelling inside me. "Jesus, you don't have to be such a douche about it."
"I just don't want you to get the wrong idea."
"Don't worry, I won't." I stood, suddenly wanting to hit him in his pointy chin. "That would mean you would have to have a heart. And it's obvious to me you don't." I went to stomp off, tired of being near him. Before I could, he grabbed my arm.
I looked down at his hand encircling my wrist. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
His answer was to pull me to him and cover my mouth with his.
Chapter 19
I fisted my hands in his t-shirt, hanging on for dear life as he kissed me. I could taste the soda he just drank and a silky dark flavor that reminded me of creamy chocolate pie. I wondered if this was what he meant when he said that cambions had a certain taste. If it was, it was definitely delicious. I wondered if I had the same delectable zest and that was what Trevor tasted as he slid his tongue over mine.
But as quickly as the kiss had started, it was over and Trevor pushed away from me.
I blinked stupidly at him and licked my lips. They still tingled as if I'd been running the end of batteries over them repeatedly.
"Holy hell," I murmured as I stared at him. But he wasn't looking at me at all. He was staring at something over my shoulder.
Quickly, I swirled around and spied Devon glowering in the corner. She was snarling, those tiny but sharp kitten fangs of hers flashing between her pink glossed lips.
I glanced back at Trevor and it became clear. He kissed me because he had to prove our cover not because he was overwhelmed with the urge to. As if I'd drive him to it by the sheer awesomeness of all that was me.
Somehow I felt violated all over again.
"Warn me next time, okay?" I murmured at him, angry that my body was still on overdrive.
He wiped at his mouth. "Yeah. Hopefully there won't be a next time."
"Fuck you," I mouthed quietly, and then said, "You're worse than they are. At least I know they aren't human."
My hands fisted at my sides. I was so angry, and yes, hurt. I had thought that kiss was real. It had seemed real, at least to me. To Trevor it obviously meant nothing. He had even wiped it off his lips as if obliterating it from existence.
"I'm out of here." I turned on my boot heel and marched toward the back door.
I pushed past the other road crew, other equipment jockeys and a couple of security goons. They'd smartly gotten out my way. I reached the back exit and pushed through it, stomping out into the back alley.
I didn't know where I was going to go or even how I was to get there. I had barely ten bucks in my jeans pocket. But I had fury and determination on my side. That would take me somewhere away from here at least.
I managed to make it to the street before Trevor caught up to me. "What are you doing?"
"I'm leaving. What does it look like?"
"Don't be stupid, Salem." He tried to grab my arm again. But I wasn't having it.
I curled my fists into his shirt then pushed him back to slam him up against the brick wall. I got right into his face. He didn't struggle against me. He could probably see that I was seriously pissed. I wondered if my eyes were black. I was sure of it, because there was a red haze around him.
"Don't touch me again, unless you mean it. I'm tired of being treated like a throw-away blow-up doll."
He placed his hands down to his sides. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."
The heat of his body swirled over me, mingling with mine. Leaning into his neck, I inhaled deeply. He smelled like that chocolate pie I was craving earlier. I sniffed along his throat again.
"I'm hungry."
He searched my face. "I know. I can see it."
I swallowed down the spit though I wanted to swallow Trevor. Suck out his essence and feed the deep hollow ache inside.
"Just a taste," I growled, with a voice that was foreign to my ears. I could sense the change coming, like a shift in the weather.
I looked down at my hands on Trevor's chest. My nails lengthened and darkened into talons. With the tip of my tongue, I traced my front teeth, feeling the tips of fangs. I guess I had my answer if cambions got fangs like succubi. Because, hello, they were there.
That little tidbit reminded me too much of Devon and I backed off from Trevor. I didn't want to be anything like that Tokyo pop bitch.
Panting, I opened and closed my hands willing them to return to normal. Slowly, the talons receded into my fingertips.
"That's good. You controlled it."
"I still want to kick you in the junk for being a dick."
He laughed as he pushed off the wall. "I know. I deserve it. I'm sorry for kissing you without asking. I'll ask next time."
"Next time?" it thrilled me to see him duck his head with embarrassment. Maybe he wasn't as indifferent to me as he liked to let on.
"Well," he sputtered, "not that I'm going to or anything like that."
I smiled a little at that. Maybe I could forgive him for being a douche. "I'm still hungry."
"How about Chinese? I saw a place a couple of blocks over?"
"Only if you're paying. Cuz I'm broke."
"Yeah, I'm paying." He motioned toward the street. "Let's go. Unfortunately we have to be back in a couple of hours for the show."
Resigned, I followed him out.
As we walked the two blocks, I asked him, "Do you get fangs when you, you know, go all dark side?"
He shook his head. "Nope. I think it's a girl thing."
"Great, just what I need. It's like having two tiny boners in my mouth."
A loud raucous laugh burst out of him and he slung his arm around me. "You're killing me, you know that?"
I didn't shrug off his arm as we continued to the restaurant and he didn't remove it.
I tried not to read anything into it but it was difficult when my heart was thumping so loud it echoed in my ears. I just hoped he didn't notice.
Chapter 20
A few hours later we were back at the club going through the last of the set up. The club would open in a bit and Malice would take the stage shortly after that. It would be my first gig since the big transformation. I wondered how different their music would sound to me. Would it all be static in my ears like it had been before when Chloe had played them on my iPod? I guess I was going to find out which didn't thrill me one bit. If I never heard their music again it would be too soon.
Trevor watched me as we finished the last few tasks. Twice I'd asked him if there was something on my face or if I was doing something wrong. Both times he just shook his head and went back to his work. But when I looked up again his gaze was back on me.
"Dude. Seriously what?"
"What?"
"You keep staring at me."
He frowned. "No I don't." He went back to plugging in wires and flipping switches.
I wanted to say it was freaking me out, but the truth was I didn't. I like the attention he was giving me. Ever since our kiss he was acting oddly. Looking at me more, but differently. Not as some girl he needed to complete a task for him, but as a girl that maybe he liked, that maybe he was attracted to.
That kiss had rattled my brain and made me go all gooey inside. Maybe it had done the same to him.
When we were done and there was nothing left to do until after the show, the crew, including Trevor and I, hung around backstage. Most of the others hung around Thane and the others but Trevor and I kept to ourselves in a separate room. There were also a couple of the crew hanging out too, drinking beer, but they kept their distance.
We sat on a couple of overturned crates and drank sodas. When Trevor was done his, he leaned toward me. "You need to try and go through a shadow-way."
"Now?"
He nodded. "It's the perfect time while Malice is here occupied."
"I don't know if I can."
"You have to try." He pulled his crate closer. "Once they go on stage, you'll be free to do it. I made
sure not to salt the bathroom in the hotel room. It'll be a safe straight forward trip."
I fidgeted with my soda can. My palms were suddenly cold and slick with sweat. "Can't you come with me?"
"I have to be here. They need to see me here. They don't know you're a cambion, that you can walk the shadows. It won't matter to them if you're not here."
"What do you want me to do when I get there?"
"Just come back. This is just a trail run. Practice. I'll feel better about all of this, if you can get out of any situation by going through the shadows."
"Okay." I drained the rest of the soda. "Where do we do this?"
Trevor looked around. We still weren't completely alone. There was another guy in the corner smoking a doobie. The sweet stench polluted my nostrils.
"We need privacy. A room we can lock." He stood, then reached down and pulled me to my feet. "Come on."
"Where are we going?"
"Just follow my lead, okay?"
He pulled me out into the corridor and toward the bathrooms. We passed other crew, who leered at us. Then we saw Devon at the end of the hallway. She was sucking on a lollipop and glaring our way.
Trevor turned into me and pushed me up against the wall. He nuzzled my neck. My heart leapt into my mouth. I thought I was going to hyperventilate.
"I'm asking permission," he murmured into my skin.
I nodded frantically, my voice seemingly stuck inside my mouth alongside my thudding heart.
He brushed his lips over my chin then up to my mouth. He kissed me again. And it wasn't no simple lip lock but full on tongue sweeping snog.
I opened my lips for him, equally as eager with my tongue. A little moan escaped my throat. I couldn't stop it. I was too swept up in what he was doing to me with his kiss.
My hands fisted in his shirt. His hands were...where were they? Oh God. They were at my waist, a finger on each hand looped into the loops of my jeans. His thumbs pressed into my hips. My belly fluttered. Then that flutter lowered and I moaned again. Louder this time. I couldn't keep it in.
Good Lord, how could this be just pretend, how could this not mean something? It did to me. It meant the sun and the moon and everything in between. I'd never experienced a kiss like this. I felt drugged, giddy with emotion. I wanted to laugh and to cry at the same time. How could this not be real?
Our lips still connected, we moved further down the hall until Trevor had kicked open the girls' washroom door and was leading me inside. Once we were in, he slammed the door shut, and pushed me up against it. I could feel his fingers fumbling for the lock near my hip. It was only then that we came up for air.
He rested his forehead against mine, his breath coming in short hard gasps. He had yet to move his hands from my waist.
My throat was dry and I could barely think coherently. I still had his shirt twisted between my fingers.
"We should be safe in here for a while," he finally said, his voice a bit shaky. "They'll think we're...ah, you know."
My belly clenched at that. I swallowed trying to get a breath. "Yeah, right. Good call."
Trevor closed his eyes for a second, letting out a deep breath. He dropped his hands and stepped away from me. I stayed pressed against the wall not sure if my legs would support my full weight.
He ran both hands over his face and through his hair, then dropped them again to his sides. His gaze then lifted to mine.
"Do you remember what I told you before about the shadow-ways?"
I nodded. "Don't go off the path."
"Okay, that's good." He glanced around the bathroom looking for a big enough shadow for me to step into. Except there wasn't a good one. There was too much light from two different angles.
Reaching up, he busted one of the blubs. Pieces of glass exploded over him. Now light only casted from one place, giving us a wide selection of prime shadows.
After shaking off the glass, he picked the largest and stood just on the edge of it. "Okay, come over here."
I did.
"Now concentrate on it. Imagine you're sinking in it, through it. Picture the bathroom on the other side."
I stood in the black spot, staring down at my boots willing myself to melt into it. I pictured my body going soft and gooey, not hard after that kiss, and running into the floor.
At first my feet startled to tingle. "Something's happening."
"Good. Hang on. It should go fast now."
I opened my mouth to say something back, but didn't get a chance before I was sucked into the darkness.
Chapter 21
The tunnel was black. At least I thought it was a tunnel. It was easier that way to think of it in those terms. The alternative was crazy as hell, and I didn't want to consider it. I could follow a tunnel. It made sense. Put one foot in front of the other, slide fingers along the sides. Follow the path. Stay on the path. To step off meant a trip to oblivion. And I really didn't want to go on that ride and be lost forever.
I crept forward in the darkness, concentrating on my steps, picture the hotel bathroom on the other end. In my mind, I saw the white porcelain toilet and the green tiled counter around the white sink. The white shower curtain flapped in front of me, beckoning me...
And then I was there grabbing it. I could feel the plastic in my hands.
I fell forward and tore the curtain from the hooks. I nearly hit my head on the toilet seat on the way down. Holy shit. I totally did it.
I scrambled to my feet and surveyed the room. It was definitely Trevor's hotel bathroom. His toothbrush lay on the counter next to a tube of crest. The toothbrush he'd bought for me lay next to that. A bottle of Calvin Klein cologne sat on the corner. I picked it up and smelled it. Yup, Trevor. He carried the light spiced scent on his skin.
Okay, time to go back. Although, now would be a perfect opportunity to snoop through Trevor's stuff. Find out more about him, find out more about Malice.
But he'd said to come right back. If I didn't he'd know that I had been up to something. And I didn't want to piss him off. I liked him. And I was pretty sure he liked me too.
Finding a shadow on the floor, I stood on it, and concentrated on sliding into it. I pictured the bathroom on the other side. I pictured Trevor's face and focused on that. Which wasn't hard, as his face was pretty stellar.
Within seconds, I dissolved into the shadow and through the floor and into the abyss. It was easier going back. It seemed like I'd only taken a few steps before I was blinking up at Trevor from where I was curled into a ball on the floor. He reached down and helped me to my feet.
"Not bad. It only took you about six minutes."
"Instead of coming back right away, I could've searched their rooms for something, anything to help us put them down."
"Yeah? And how would you have gotten into any of their rooms?"
I frowned, totally forgetting about that little problem.
"We'll keep practicing until you get fast, then and only then, will we try it. You have to have the layout of the room you're going to. You have to see where you're going or who knows where you'll end up."
"Okay, so how do I get into their rooms?"
He sighed. "I haven't figured that out yet."
There was a pounding at the door. "Finish screwing and get out here. It's time to open the club." It was one of the other roadies. Chuck, I think his name was.
Trevor glanced at me. "Mess up your hair a bit." He unbuttoned his jeans. "It has to look like we...ah, you know."
"Oh right." I put my hands in my hair and ruffled them about until pieces were sticking up. "How's this?"
He snickered. "Cute."
I blushed again. I had to really get a hold of myself if I wanted to go through with any of this. I had to get a hold of my head, my heart, and especially my hormones. Or I was going to get into even more trouble.
After he unlocked the door, we walked out together, holding hands. There was a flurry of activity and basically everyone ignored us as we came down the corridor to backstage. Every
one except Devon.
She stood in the open passage blocking our way. She had her stage makeup on, and was dressed to sexpress. She looked from me to Trevor then back to me. Leaning forward, she sniffed me.
"I'm not sure what game you're playing but I'm watching you."
"Don't be so melodramatic, Devon," Trevor said as he squeezed my hand. "There's no big conspiracy against you. I've just moved on to unsoiled pastures so to speak."
That had her cringing back. She was obviously not used to be spoken to in that way. Her eyes went jet black, and she snarled at me.
The urge to return the act of aggression surged through me. I could feel the change coming. It was like a bottled up heat wave bursting to rush through me.
Trevor must've noticed because he tugged me backwards and put me behind him. "Get over yourself, Devon. You aren't that hot."
She stepped forward. "That's not what you thought that night I sucked out your soul."
She grinned and I could see the tiny points of fangs distending from her gums. Talons had popped out from her fingers as well. She was going to attack, I was sure of it. She glared at me over Trevor's shoulder.
"Start counting your days, bitch. Because you don't have many left." She snarled again, then turned and streaked into the back of the stage.
When she was gone, we continued to make our way backstage.
"Do you want her to rip my throat out?" I asked Trevor.
"No, of course not."
"Then quit antagonizing her. Because one day she will get me alone."
"I can't help it." He balled his hand into a fist. "I just hate her so much because of what she did to me. I want to kill her."
"I know you do." I put a hand on his shoulder. "And you'll get your chance. But please dial it down so she doesn't get me first."
He turned toward me. "I won't let her hurt you, Salem."
I liked hearing the sincerity and determination in his voice and seeing the look of concern in his eyes. Gave me the warm fuzzies inside and out. But I knew how dangerous Devon and the others could be. I was skirting a fine dangerous line just being here.
