by Mandi Casey
That’s when it hit me. “Kasdeya, are you dependant on the sun for your powers?”
She rolled her head from side-to-side. The silver patterns continued to swirl, achieving a pattern only to shift again to form another. When she was done enjoying the warm rays of the sun, she came over to stand in front of the counter.
“Sydney, I am a fire demon, so the answer to your question is ‘no’. I’m not dependant on any external source for my demonic power. But I do love the feel of the sun beating down on my body.” Kasdeya lifted her palms skyward as if her movement made her explanation more clear.
I didn’t bother trying to delve further into the mysterious demon’s power source. “Well, what brings you by?”
The store chimes sounded, alerting us to a customer. I glared at the demon, silently telling her I didn’t want any trouble in my store.
Kasdeya rolled her red eyes. She brought up her hand, motioning for me to take care of the customer.
The woman didn’t stay long. She came by to pick up her special blend of sage-cedar incense for a health spell she was working on. The customer never glanced at the demon even though Kasdeya leaned against the counter next to her while I rang up the purchase. I was grateful the demon hid her presence from the human. I didn’t know what I’d do if the woman went screaming from the store because she saw a fire demon. I didn’t need the word getting around that I had dangerous Others haunting the store. On the other hand, it could be good for business. I’d have to think about that.
Once the woman was gone, I turned back to the demon. “Are you going to tell me the reason you came today? Because I really have a lot to do.”
Kasdeya traced her pointed, chrome-colored fingernail, that was three inches too long, on the glass countertop. She tilted her head to the side and looked me in the eye. “I have troubles of my own, human. I need, a person, that I can trust, to talk to.”
The demon struggled to get the words out. It was obvious she needed to confide in someone, but she didn’t like that her only option was me, a human she despised.
A smile broke on my lips. Kasdeya obviously felt uncomfortable talking about anything other than violence and the vampire king she served. “Are you telling me you think we’re friends? Because you threaten my life every chance you get. Friends don’t do that, not where I come from.”
I couldn’t believe she stood in my store, expecting me to be her BFF. Holding my breath, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to hold the laughter bubbling inside me.
Kasdeya’s eyes narrowed in irritation. “Yes, Selected. I was, hoping, that out of anyone, you would understand man troubles. But I see my mistake. My fault.”
Not waiting for a response, she turned to leave the store.
“Wait, I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it. We haven’t exactly had the best relationship.”
She stopped her path to the door, circling back toward me in a huff, stomping her high-heeled leather boots as she moved.
I inclined my head. “I’m here to listen, if you still want to talk.”
Kasdeya eyed me for a moment, deciding whether or not to spill whatever she was keeping to herself. She nodded, cascading her straight black hair down the front of her leather bra. “Yes, I will talk with you. The other Judges, well, they don’t need to know about my personal life. The king has other things to worry about, so I’d rather keep what I’m going to tell you between us. That means I don’t want your wolf knowing, either. Do we have a deal?”
My mind raced as I tried to think of all the different scenarios that could possibly have the Judge so upset that she actually wanted to confide in me. None formed in my mind so I didn’t know if my agreement would anger Blake or not. Still, I nodded, too curious to pass this up. “Deal.”
The demon spun around on her high-heeled, black leather boots—they went well with the strapless bra and black leather skirt she wore—and strutted to the sofa next to the fireplace. She took the seat closest to the fire. I guess she really did feel better being near the heat from the flames.
I took a deep breath, acknowledging the fact that I wasn’t going to get anything done in the store until she left.
A vision of Blake’s warm heat soaking into my body as he pressed me against the cushion I was sitting on while kissing me flashed before my mind. I tamped the image down fast. Now was not the time to think about Blake. I told myself I wouldn’t let him get to me. Memories of us being intimate would not be allowed to explode into my conscious thought whenever they felt like it. I didn’t want to need to run to the phone and dial his number in hopes I’d hear the deep burr of his voice, but that’s exactly what I yearned to do.
“Okay, you have my full attention, what’s up?” Crossing my legs, I clasped my hands together, putting them on my lap. I could act like a therapist. That’s what the demon seemed to need, which I totally thought was very odd. It wasn’t in the fire demon’s nature to want to chitchat like old friends, especially not with me.
“Word has it my ex-lover, Rage, has employed mercenaries from the Underworld to travel to Earth to find me.” From her expression, she was quite annoyed by the news, maybe even a wee bit concerned.
“Why would he want to find you? I thought you two broke up because he betrayed you?” The thought of Kasdeya’s ex searching for her made me shiver. The demon was known among the Judges for his cruelty. I’d heard Rage had a penchant for mind manipulation, and just the thought made me queasy. Nothing about the demon made me want to have anything to do with him.
Sighing, she sagged against the back cushion of the couch with a defeated posture. The silver patterns began to move along her skin faster as she became more irritated. “I took something from him that he wants back. But I don’t have it anymore.”
Her problem seemed pretty easy to solve. “Just tell him whatever you took is no longer in your possession. He’ll stop bothering you.”
Kasdeya scoffed, staring at me like I was a silly human. “Selected, dealing with demons is not simple as it is with humans. Rage will want compensation for what I took.”
She still wasn’t making it clear why it was such a big deal. “So, pay him. How hard is that?”
“My ex-lover is not going to accept cash, Sydney. He will insist I pay him with service, as is our way. He will make me suffer for every second his precious artifact has been out of his possession.” She laid her head back against the couch, closing her eyes.
“What are you going to do if his mercenaries find you?” The Judge seemed worried, making me nervous. Kasdeya was strong; she was a fire demon. There was a time when she and Blake had had a physical altercation. She could have killed him if she chose. She owned the ability to kill the heir to the Midwestern Werewolf Pack, she was that powerful. Kasdeya’s worry over her ex made me realize I shouldn’t have agreed to keep the information to myself.
Shaking her head, Kasdeya peered over at me. “I don’t know, Selected. I really don’t know. For now, my location has not been revealed to him. If he wants to find me, I gather that he will. It will only be a matter of time.”
“I don’t get it, you guys broke up. Why would he demand that you be his slave if he doesn’t want to be with you?” It was obvious I didn’t have all the details.
“Sydney, I left him, not the other way around. A girl doesn’t just go dumping Rage without being punished.” Kasdeya laughed, shaking her head at the predicament.
“But how can he make you go back to the Underworld with him? You have a contract to the vampire king I thought couldn’t be broken?” The Underworld must be a terrible place for her to have left, considering it had been her home for so long. Or was it Rage that was so terrible?
She stood from the couch, raising her arms up in the air to stretch. “Sydney, my father and Rage are still working together. My father will do whatever Rage asks of him. That includes coming to Earth to secr
et me back to the Underworld. It is not likely King Alexander would send the Judges back there to retrieve me. The Judges would then have to renegotiate the contract. I imagine centuries of service would be added, or some such change would be made due to my absence.”
“Is there anything we can do?” I couldn’t believe those words came out of my mouth. I didn’t much care for the demon. I was pretty sure the feeling was mutual. But now that she had confided in me, I wanted to help her anyway I could.
No one should have to be a slave, not on my watch.
Her shrill laughter pierced my ears as she threw her head back, laughing for all she was worth. “I appreciate your human sentiment, Selected, but I can’t employ your assistance, not that you would be effective in any manner that would help me.”
“So what is it you want from me?”
“I want one less person I have to worry about sticking a knife in my back while I’m in this realm. I want there to be peace between you and I, we are kindred of sorts.”
“Well, if there’s any way I can help, let me know. I really think you should consider telling the king. Maybe he or the other Judges could help you.”
She nodded and headed for the door. “I will consider it. Thank you for your time.” The demon left without another word.
In an odd way, I felt sorry for her. Kasdeya was stuck having to deal with the crappy life she was dealt. Other people’s decisions directly affected her, no matter that she didn’t want them to.
In a way, she was right. We had more in common than I thought.
I jumped when the door chimes rang again, bringing me out of contemplative mode. It was always startling when humans came into the store because I couldn’t sense their approach. Not that I didn’t want them to come to the store; they were regular paying customers. The Others didn’t seem to ever have the need to buy anything. They just stopped by to make my life more complicated than it already was, or so it seemed. When the Others approached, my Selected senses alerted me to their coming so I had advanced warning. I could usually tell what kind of mood they were in before they ever crossed my store’s threshold.
Meredith gave me a bright smile, but her forehead creased with concern. “Sydney, I can only spare a few moments, but I just have to bend your ear.”
It seemed I was the girl to talk to today.
“What’s wrong, Meredith?” Normally my aunt’s best friend didn’t come in needing anything but supplies for the secret wards I knew her and my aunt worked on, despite their denials.
“Have you noticed anything unusual about Judith? I mean, I think something’s going on she’s not telling me about. I’m a bit concerned.” Meredith rubbed the chill from her hands as she stood anxiously awaiting my response.
“No, not really. She does seem to have lost some weight, but she’s not acting weird or anything.”
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about. She has meetings that she has to go to. She wouldn’t tell me what they’re for, so I followed her.” Her guilty expression made me wonder what had compelled her to do such a thing.
“What did you find out?” I was concerned about Aunt Judith’s weight loss, but now I worried it could be something more serious.
Meredith set her bag on the counter. “I followed her to the hospital, Sydney. I didn’t go into the building for fear she would catch me. I don’t want her to know I invaded her privacy. I think something’s wrong with her health but she’s not saying what it is.”
My heart sank. Normally I like to be right. This wasn’t one of those occasions. “I’ll ask her about it tonight, after work. I’ll just say I’m worried because she’s thinner than usual.” I wasn’t sure Aunt Judith would tell me, but now that her friend had confirmed my aunt had a health issue, I needed to find out what was going on.
Relief washed over Meredith’s face as she said, “Thank you, Sydney. I don’t want to burden you with this, but I couldn’t keep this to myself for a second longer. You are so dear to Judith. I know you feel the same about her. If my best friend needs help, then that’s what we’ll give her, whether she likes it or not.”
I was just thinking how Kasdeya and I were forced into things because of other people’s actions. Wasn’t I just about to do the same to Aunt Judith in demanding she tell me what was going on with her health? The difference was, my actions were motivated out of concern. Kasdeya’s situation was caused by power hungry, egocentric, maniacal demons.
Meredith exited the store leaving me to finish dusting the top bookshelves I had been working on before Kasdeya showed up. The rest of the day was uneventful and I went home after closing time. Aunt Judith was already in bed, so I didn’t bother her. I checked the microwave and, sure enough, Aunt Judith had made me up a plate for dinner with a sticky note that read Heat for three minutes. Sweet dreams. Love, Aunt Judith.
A tear escaped my eye. Traveling down my cheek, the droplet landed on the counter. Aunt Judith had always made it a point to stay up while I ate my dinner to hear about my day, but tonight she had already went to bed. How ill was she? The names of terminal illnesses flew through my head. She didn’t seem sick, though. Being tired wasn’t anything to worry about all by itself, but she was definitely a lot thinner these days.
I’d have to check the medical websites tomorrow to plug in her symptoms to see what I could find before confronting her.
After getting ready for bed, I stood in front of my bedroom window. The night was uncharacteristically dark. My cell phone rang as I climbed in under the covers of my bed. I expected to see Blake’s number blinking on the neon blue screen but it was a number I didn’t know. Only a few people had my number, so I figured I’d better answer.
“Hello?”
A female voice answered on the other end, “Hi, Sydney? This is Kat.”
“The vampire princess?” I didn’t mean to sound so surprised, but I hadn’t expected a member of the vampire royalty to be calling me.
She laughed over the phone. “Yes, but please don’t call me that.”
“Okay, so how did you get my number?” I didn’t want to sound rude, but it was important. I wanted to know who all had access to my phone.
“Oh, I had Kasdeya get it from your wolf boyfriend. I hope you don’t mind.” The vampire princess sounded sincere.
“No, no. I don’t mind. I’m just a little surprised is all. So, what’s up?” Normally, Others didn’t call me unless they wanted me to do something for them, or when I was being summoned to one of their gatherings.
“Well, I know when we met there wasn’t much time to get to know each other, so I figured I’d call to see if you wanted to hang out or something?” The hopeful tone in her voice sounded almost desperate.
“Sure, I’d love to. What did you have in mind?” The only time I’d ever hung out with vampires was when Kieran threw his coven parties. I’d never spent time with a female vampire.
“Unfortunately, my uncle won’t let me leave the palace, so you’d have to come here, if that’s okay?” Kat sounded hopeful but expecting to be rejected.
“Sounds like fun to me. Give me a call tomorrow so we can figure it out.”
Kat let out of sigh of relief. “Okay, Sydney. I’ll call you tomorrow to set up a time.” She hung up.
I stared at my phone. I had just made plans to hang out with a vampire princess, at the royal palace to boot. My life had certainly taken turn after turn in directions I’d never dreamed of or thought possible.
I checked my text messages to see if Blake had sent anything, but he hadn’t. My heart sank for what seemed like the fiftieth time that day.
I missed him terribly.
Chapter 5
Hot prickly heat stung as it burned along my arms, running up my neck as I handed the customer’s bag over the counter. The door chimes sounded, announcing Blake’s arrival. Once the cu
stomer left, we were alone.
Our eyes locked, neither knowing what to say.
I hadn’t responded to his text the other night, making it unclear quite where we stood.
“Sydney, I’ve missed you.” Blake ruffled his hands through his hair and the temperature rose inside of the store. As we stared into each other’s eyes, Blake’s began to turn that amber-bronzed color that reflected anger or desire. I wasn’t sure which one was the case.
“Blake, I’m sorry I didn’t text you back, I just didn’t know what to say. I figured we both needed a break.” The anguish in his expression told me he didn’t feel the same.
Circling the counter, he enfolded me in an embrace. His strong arms felt wonderful around me. The stress of not seeing or speaking to him melted away with the physical sensation of his heat and nearness.
I hadn’t realized how much I missed him until he was right there in the store with me.
Blake took a step back to gaze into my eyes. “Sydney, it wasn’t I that needed a break. You don’t know how difficult it was to stay away from you even for just one day. It felt like a lifetime. There were pack issues I needed to attend to, making my time not my own.”
I took his hand, leading him to the couch next to the fireplace. I didn’t need to feel the warmth from the flames. Blake provided plenty heat, but my legs felt heavy. Blake was like a heating blanket covered in sun-kissed flesh that made my fingers itch with need to caress every bulge of muscle underneath.
We sat on the cushions, his nearness electrifying my body with need. “What do you mean by pack issues? What’s going on?”
“That’s partially why I came to see you. My father is holding a pack meeting. He’s requesting your attendance tomorrow night.”
