I shook my head, gave them a smile, and said, “Okay, guys, let’s go. I am so ready to get out of here.”
Jace put his arm around my shoulder. Leaning in, he asked, “Are you ok?”
I shrugged. Jace dropped it, but I knew he would ask me again. As we headed to my car, I looked back. Yeah, I was a glutton for punishment. Looking up at the window where I knew Tru was, I didn’t know what I was expecting to see. Maybe I was hoping to see Tru, hoping to see his expression and hoping that it would be regretful, but instead, I saw an empty window. That, I thought, was just how my heart was starting to feel-empty.
Chapter Fourteen
Crispin
I watched her approach, a sleek, dangerously-beautiful vision in the perfect façade of blond hair and bright blue eyes, wrapped in a sweet, southern girl’s body. This demon was innocence betraying the mundane eye. She gave me a leisurely grin, and in turn, I tilted my head, watching her approach under hooded lashes. I knew that, underneath this exterior of cotton candy and sugary sweets, lay something deadly, something malevolently sinful. Something that only Wicked herself could display. This pretty little package held a demon of mischief, treachery, and chaos. Sooner or later, she would find me. “Evil always does!” I murmured.
When I first spotted the demon, I noticed her disguise and vaguely wondered how long the evil had inhabited this innocent shell of a girl. Moreover, I wondered when I would get a taste of her. My questions, however; were appeased as she quickly came to worship me. I became her liege, her master. I would command, and she would follow. Casually, I leaned against the wall behind me. I folded my arms and placed one foot on the ground while the other was braced on the wall.
The demon stopped before me and bowed her head. “My liege?”
“So, this is where you have been playing, I see. I must be losing my touch,” I answered.
She cocked her head to the side. “Why is that, master?” the demon asked, puckering her lips.
“Truly I am, or would I not have known you were housing yourself within this beautiful young girl?” I ran one finger along her jaw line and down her neck, stopping just short of touching pink, unmarred skin.
The demon sucked in a sharp, shaky breath and closed the human’s eyes, breathlessly saying, “I don’t think you could ever lose your touch, master.”
I leaned back and narrowed my eyes; cold seemed to suffuse my veins as I studied her. Tapping my chin, I asked, “How is it possible that the Chosen One hasn’t yet discovered who you truly are?”
The demon giggled, putting a hand over the human’s lips. Eyes round like saucers, the demon stated, “Simply, because she chooses not to know, but I’m sure, if she dug deep enough, hard enough, she would be able to see the truth. Unfortunately for her, but fortunately for me, she is too trustworthy when it comes to friends and the ones she cares for. Perhaps, she would have known I was an imposter if I had been within this body from the beginning of their meeting one another. Yet, I was able to slip in rather easily. This body”-the demon gestured downwards-“was very receptive to possession, and I’m only doing what Kate asked of me.” The demon giggled and hopped up and down.
I quirked an eyebrow, straightening off the wall. “I heard. Should I destroy you now? Should I take what miserable existence you have away from you right now?” I thundered, snapping my fingers.
The demon flinched, hunkering down and cowering, “Master, you would never hurt me! I am your pet. You cuddle me, let me play, but you would never destroy me!” the demon said emphatically. Pressing the human’s body up against me, the demon ran her hands over my chest. Moaning slightly, the demon closed the human’s eyes.
I pushed the demon’s borrowed hands away and said with a slight chuckle, “Yes my pet… indeed, my Wicked. I think it has been far too long since I have set eyes upon your true beauty.”
Fluttering eyelashes, the demon said, “Master, would you like me to shed the skin of this mortal girl so that you shall look upon me as I truly am? So you could have your carnal ways with me as you truly want? I’m sure it is hard to play a teenage boy among all those lusty little girls when you are not a human, a teenager, and definitely not a little boy. You, my king, are more than even a man. You are our Lord and Master. You are all powerful. Traveller!” The demon gave a cheeky wink.
I smiled roguishly and said, “I’d much rather you put that pretty little mouth you seem so fond of to better use than just smiling and complimenting me on things I already know.”
Without asking what I was talking about, Wicked licked the human’s lips and smiled. She knelt in front of me, running her hands up my jeans and around my waist. Expertly, with a flick of her wrist, the button of my jeans popped open. Gazing up at my body, licking pink lips and smiling devilishly, she said, “Master, do I get pleasure as well, or is it only you?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Am I not pleasure enough? Do you believe you deserve more pleasure than pleasuring me?”
The demon lowered her head. “My Lord, you are more than enough.”
With lust permeating the air, I leered as the demon released me from the confines of my jeans. Ever so slowly, the demon took me into the mouth of an innocent. Shuttering, I closed my eyes as ecstasy overcame me and I released my seed deep into the demon’s innocently-beautiful host.
The demon stood up. Wiping her mouth clean, she purred, “Yummy.”
The word rolled off her tongue in a deliciously seductive way, but even so, I knew the demon was unsatisfied. I curiously wondered what little impish deeds the demon would get up to now. I left her wanting and unfulfilled, her primal need for sex pushed to the edge. I nearly chuckled aloud, knowing the bitch would indeed do something to placate the longing churning within.
Without sparing her another thought, I pulled on a line. The amusement rolling off of me was glorious as I stepped onto the reservation: A little magic, a little release, and a whole lot of fun. A good day.
“Indeed!” I chuckled as I set out to undo the spell I had cast upon Tru, knowing that once the spell was broken, Tru would be devastated. I was hoping that it would be catastrophic for him. Shielding myself from sight, I knew that the only person, who could see me, if she tried, was her, but I wasn’t worried. She was far too preoccupied with the boy to be searching for something out of the ordinary. I was, however; a little concerned about the shade. Nikko was connected to her on a visceral level. I was certain that if the ghost was to look in my direction, he would be able to see me. I feared no one, yet I didn’t want my little game to be ruined so quickly, not when I already knew how it was going to end. Shaking off the thought, I kept to the shadows, hating that I had to hide and cursing her for turning that wretched boy into a shade.
“If not for the magic flowing within the young boy’s spirit, this cloak and dagger game would not be happening,” I snarled. “If the boy did not have some of her essence flowing within him, the only magic trick he could do would be to walk through walls.” I scoffed, resenting the thought of her filling that boy with some of her essence, when it was rightfully mine. I was the one that should have that kind of magic flowing within my body. She was my other half. She had what I craved. She had what I desired. She had what was mine, and I would take it back.
I watched her talk to the leader of the people. Bile and revulsion rolled over my body as I gazed upon the ancient tribe. I remembered a time when I had eradicated most of their warriors, and a fresh desire to rip every one of them to shreds while I devoured their internals and drank deeply of their blood, surged through me. Shaking my head with a savage glint in my eyes, I refrained. “Maybe later,” I thought, hungrily. “Indeed, I could return and have my way with the women, burn down their homes and land before I kill each and every shapeshifting warrior. After all I did to warn Isha. It was clear my words meant nothing, for if they had settled deep within them, safeguards would be in place. Shouldn’t they know she was mine? Besides, who else but her could rival me? Not these pathetic wolves,” I said on a sigh.
&
nbsp; Shaking my head, it was time for action. Focusing inwardly, my mind glided smoothly into Tru’s, and the sight I saw before me, I knew would be devastating for her, but it was beautiful to me. I couldn’t have planned it better. A young native girl straddled a barely clad Tru, and his love witnessed the whole debacle. Triumph coursed through me as I watched her face crumble and fall. Maliciously, I grinned. If I didn’t have her where I wanted her before, I certainly did now.
“My little puppet fell right into her puppet master’s hands. I do believe that this played out wondrously.”
As Tru was engaged in a passionate kiss, I thought how cruelly comical it would be if I stopped Tru from sating his desire. Quickly, I unwound the magic from Tru’s mind, letting him see everything he had done, everything he had said, and what she went through. Tru stiffened and then shoved the girl off him. He hurriedly got off the bed and collapsed to the floor, yelling in agony as if he had lost a piece of him. Clutching his chest, he began to bellow. He murmured something to the girl, and shock marred her features. She put her clothes on and rushed out the door, not sparing him another glance. Tru, now in the fetal position, rocked his body back and forth, misery seeping out of his pores, knowing that he had lost her. That he had lost his love.
“I’m afraid that is where you are mistaken, boy. She wasn’t your love, because she was never yours in the first place,” I gritted. I inhaled the scent, smiling gleefully at the pain and agony within the boy’s body, loving the taste of sorrow upon my tongue. Then, it was as if Tru was seized by a massive electrical shock. Without hesitation, he fled, quickly changing into an enormous black wolf. The now grievous wolf leapt out the window and charged through the trees. I left Tru’s mind, knowing where the boy was headed. “I’ll see you there, shifter.”
Chapter Fifteen
Charlie
The tension in the air was intense. It was this thick, mass of questions left floating around us. I felt suffocated, trapped in the cramped confinement of my car, and Asher wasn't helping matters. He kept knocking on the metaphorical door that was my mind. A slight headache was starting to grow in the back of my head from the impressions he was sending. My shields were secure for now, but he was trying his hardest to break them. I was afraid he might win; they were weakened after seeing Tru. I closed my eyes, desperately trying to escape, but it seemed with my eyes closed, I could picture it better. I saw it in vivid detail. As if on a loop, it played over and over. The images grew more intense, more focused, more everything. Sighing, I decided to see what Asher had to say: it could only be words of wisdom… NOT!
If anything, he would be a welcome distraction. Throwing wisdom to the wayside, I let my shields down and welcomed Asher.
“Kitten, allow me to ease the pain churning within.”
The sound was sinfully sweet. It felt as if he caressed my entire body with his voice. I knew of only one other person that could do that to me, my invader-of-dreams, my destiny-or-doom: Traveller. I shuddered, taking a shaky breath as Asher flooded my senses, showing me flashes of what he would do in stark detail.
Lips! Hands! Teeth! Fangs! Skin! Bodies! Sheets! Biting! Blood!
From the images he was sending, my body flushed, and I felt hot all over. Panicked, I slammed my shields down, cutting off the provocative, erotic pictures flashing in my mind. I exhaled and glanced over at the guys. Both Nikko and Jace wore similar expressions.
Jace put his hand on my shoulder and said, “What happened back there? Fox…? Are you ok? Don’t give me some kind of bullshit about how fine and okay you are. I have a sister, and I know girls. You say one thing, but you mean another. I know something happened back there because before you saw Nikko's little stunt he pulled and you busted out laughing, you looked devastated.” Jace dropped his hand and turned his full body towards me. I glanced in the rearview mirror and noticed Nikko watching me thoroughly as well. “So what the hell did Tru do to you and how can I fix it? I’m always here for you... always!”
As we pulled into the driveway, I shut the car off and looked over at him. Jace was right. He had always been there for me, and what I saw in his eyes broke my heart. He loved me. It was written on his face, raw and open. My heart hurt because I loved him too. I’d always loved him, even more so now that I have my lost memories back. But I knew I couldn’t totally commit, not when I still had feelings for Tru. I couldn’t tell Tru goodbye… not yet.
I was such a foolish-foolish-girl. I always seemed doomed to torment myself. If my memories hadn’t never been blocked, would Jace and I be together? Would I have ever given Tru a glance? Would Jace have been enough for me…if he wasn’t enough for me now? I do love Jace, so much, but there's Tru! Would my heart and mind ever come together? Or would I always be in a state of in-between?
I gave him a smile and said, “Yeah, don’t worry, Jace. I’m okay. I know you’re always here for me. You’re like one of my best friends.”
Nikko coughed. “One! Remember he’s one of your best friends and not your only best friend!” I laughed. Nikko could always make me smile, but as quickly as it appeared, my joyful mood faded, and I was back to thinking dark thoughts: Kate, Tru, saving Nikko. I physically shook the awful thoughts away. It was as if I were a dog drying her wet coat. I shuddered at that mental image. The guys gave me a funny look. Jace shook his head and Nikko shrugged. I huffed as we got out the car. I was so not in the mood! I saw my mom and dad standing on the porch, both of them looking anxious, concern filling their eyes. My shoulders sagged in defeat. Wonderful. I knew they felt my turmoil. It actually amazed me that they didn’t pull on a line to see if I was okay. If only it was that simple, if only they could rescue my heart!
Hey Mom, Dad … Yeah, could you just pull on a line and fix my heart that has shattered into a million pieces? That would be awesome.
Internally, I smiled at my melodramatic thoughts. Well, at least I knew they cared about me. We headed up to the house. I tilted my head to acknowledge my parents. I felt awkward and a little unsteady as I gazed into the loving, bright, blue eyes of my guardians. Mom brushed her beautiful blue-black hair off her shoulders, clasping her hands in front of her, but just as quickly, she unclasped them and pulled me into a hug. Desperately, I hugged her back, needing the warmth and comfort that she always provided.
My dad shoved his hands into his pockets and said, “How’s it going there, Kiddo? You good?”
I laughed pulling away from my mom. “I’m right as freaking rain, Daddy. Thanks.” I ended it with a wink.
Dad nodded curtly. “Well, you know...” he began. “If you need me to ruffle that boy just a little-”
Dad didn’t get to finish that thought as a thunderous noise grabbed our attention. We all turned to see a huge, black wolf come bounding out of the forest. He skittered to a stop not more than ten feet in front of me. My mouth fell open, my eyes widened, and I took a small step back as an involuntary squeak burst out of my chest. All the blood seemed to drain from my body. I knew who this wolf was, and now that I know he hates me… I was fearful. Terrified of his presence. I was afraid Tru was here to kill me… kill us. If he was here to hurt us, I didn’t think I would be able to fight him, as it likely meant he would get hurt in the process. But I knew, wholeheartedly, that I wouldn’t let him hurt my family and friends. Hurting me was one thing, but hurting them was a whole other story.
It seemed like chaos ensued our surroundings after my squeak. My mom and dad quickly stepped down off the porch, flanking me on both sides. Nikko’s body started to glow an eerie, bright color as the tentacles of magic connecting us together pulsated stronger. The colors that intertwined us grew brighter and more vivid. Blue, gold, violet and red swirled into a four-stranded chain. Whatever was happening between Nikko and me was powerful. I glanced away and saw Jace readying himself.
He stepped out in front of me and raised one hand, shouting, “Ignis.” Fire exploded within his palm, forming a flaming inferno ball. “If you move one more inch”-Jace smirked roguishly-“This little bal
l of heat, well it’s not hurting me, but I can promise you, mutt,” he said, tossing the ball playfully into the air. “It will sure as hell burn all that shiny black fur. How would you like it, Tru? Medium-well, or well-done?”
Tru growled menacingly but didn’t move.
I swallowed the knot that seemed to be lodged in my throat and shook my head at the insanity that was taking place. To make things even better, I felt Asher pounding and pounding for me to let him in. For a brief second, I toyed with the thought of letting Asher have his way. I knew he could take me away. He could flood my mind with fantasy dreams, and I wouldn't be in whatever reality I was living in at the moment. I didn't have time for this craziness. I didn’t have time to talk to Asher, and I certainly didn’t have time for whatever Tru had in mind right now. I fortified my shields and blocked Asher. I didn't need any distractions as I dealt with whatever was about to happen. I gazed over at Tru. Tru whimpered and panted, digging his paws into the dirt. He lowered his head and gazed up at me through green-gold specked eyes. He didn’t look like the same wolf that came to the house a few days ago. Peering into his eyes, I could tell he looked sad, lost even. Tru’s eyes displayed his emotions clearly. Abruptly, Tru shifted forms. He stood in the flesh, stark naked. I blushed and turned my head.
I heard my dad say, “Good lord, son.” Then I saw him push my mom’s head into his chest. She stifled a snort.
Jace looked down at his hand and murmured, “Debello.” The fireball disappeared. Quickly shrugging off his jacket, Jace chucked it at Tru. “Here, put this on. Nobody wants to see that.”
I almost argued with Jace when he said nobody wanted to see that, but then thought better of it. There is already too much testosterone going on. No need for me to stir the pot.
A Ghost of Magic: Chosen Saga Book 3 Page 8
