“It was real!” my mind replays the events of last night in slow motion. I suppress a shudder as I remember the alley, the pain, and the fire that consumed me. I can rationalize the club, the alley, and even the pain, but not the fire. Deep in my mind I know that something about those excruciating flames changed me. That somehow I am more than I use to be. Whatever happened, it was not natural. My heart rate kicks up a notch as I recall his words.
“I am like you.”
I swallow the lump of fear that has formed in my throat as I think about what those words mean.
“I am not entirely human, am I?” I ask myself.
“No, Ridley. You are not.” I jump at the sound of his voice.
“Is he for real? Not human? How-how is that even possible?”
I turn my head to locate the source of the beautiful sound as I watch Tristan, in all his glory, enter the room. If at all possible, he looks even more delicious than he did last night. His jet black hair is damp from a fresh shower. His torso is bare, with small beads of water sparkling off of his honey colored skin. The silver necklace he wore last night falls loosely on his perfectly sculpted chest. I notice a pair of crossing infinity marks tattooed right above his heart. The tattoo is pale blue and silver and actually seems to dance with light. My gaze travels south to his abs, and man does he give true definition to the phrase six pack. He is sporting a pair of black sleep pants and nothing else. I marvel, open mouthed, at this god in front of me.
“Yep! A girl would love to wake up to this every day!”
He smiles and shakes his head in mock disapproval, tossing his hair wildly from side to side. The messy look just makes him look sexier. I bite my lip.
“Damn, he is hot!”
“Such thoughts could be considered dangerous Ridley,” he jokes as he steps further into the room. I avert my eyes from his glorious form. “Thoughts, what does he means thoughts?” Then I remember him telling me last night that he can read minds. I blush twelve shade of crimson and clear my suddenly dry throat.
“S-sorry,” I stammer, “guess I forgot about that little talent.” He laughs, and man do I want to tackle him right now.
“You can do it too you know, with some practice.”
“What!” I nearly jump out of the bed. “What do you mean I can do it too? I can’t read minds.”
“You couldn’t before, but since the incineration you probably can.”
“The incine-what? I- I don’t understand.”
“The incineration,” he clarifies.
What is he talking about? What in the world is an incineration?
“I suppose you don’t have a clue what I mean.” he replies while closing the distance between us. “May I?” he ask gesturing to the foot of the bed. He takes my stunned silence as permission and sits. His sudden proximity makes me feel lightheaded. I am so confused. Why am I so drawn to him? “Focus Ridley. Answers. You need Answers.”
“Tristan, what is going on? Who- what are you?”
“You don’t waste any time do you,” he laughs. “I promise I am going to tell you everything, ok. Just try-try to keep an open mind. What I need to tell you changes everything.”
He places his hand on my naked knee and looks me directly in the eyes. I swear, his eyes are even more astounding than before. For the first time I am able to notice the three different blues that blend perfectly to make them their color. Around the pupil there is an explosion of dark blue that slowly fades into a deep sapphire. They are outlined by a blue just a shade lighter than the rest. I think blue just became my new favorite color. That filter I was talking about. It doesn’t work so well for me this time.
“So beautiful,” I whisper without meaning to speak out loud. Not that it really matters since he can read my mind.
“So are you,” he says with a smile.
I shrug, not believing this man would even notice me, much less think that I am beautiful. “Ridley,” he says as he tilts my chin up with his thumb, lightly running it along my jaw. “How can I not notice you? You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. The second I saw you I was completely captivated. I knew it was you.”
I blink, confused by his words. What was me?
He laughs. “Of course you don’t know who you are, who I am, or what we are destined to become. Do you?”
Destined? He is right. I don’t know any of those things, but I have a feeling that he is about to tell me. Anxiety racks my body with the anticipation of what he has to say. I understand that I need to know, but I just am not ready to face it yet. I force the anxiety away and turn so that I can meet his eyes. He shifts his weight so that he is leaning closer to me.
“Lay back my love and let me explain.”
Oh my. Did he just call me love? Maybe I am dreaming, or maybe he just uses that term of endearment freely. Yep, that must be it because surely he can’t mean…. He interrupts my thoughts with a velvety laugh.
He gently strokes my lip with his thumb, “No, my love, that term is reserved only for you. Now, will you please relax and let me explain?”
Great. Now I’m blushing. I am really going to have to remember that he can hear my thoughts.
For once in my life I do as I am told. I prop myself up against the massive headboard and wait for the mother of all conversations.
“I guess I should first give you a brief history about our kind so that the rest will make sense. We are a rare breed of supernatural called the Lamont. There are roughly one hundred of us left in existence. Our mission in life is to find and destroy any supernatural who has succumbed to evil. The man you met last night was one of the marked. His name was Ryan, and he was a rouge werewolf. He was planning on killing you and picking your bones; among other things.” I see anger flash in his eyes as he talks about the monster. “He had no idea that you were one of us, since your powers lay dormant. I wasn’t even sure until I smelled your blood in the alley. I felt a connection with you in the club. I felt the fire when he was about to hit you, but your blood was the proof. It sings to me. I am sorry that he chased you, but I could not kill him in the club.”
The guilt in his eyes is evident. “Why?” I ask. He sighs and runs his fingers through his perfect ebony hair. “The Drink is a supernatural club, full of fallen souls. There were too many. I am so sorry.”
I feel the sudden need to comfort him, to let him know that I understand. “I get it Tristan. You saved me. That’s all that matters.”
“NO!” he shouts. “You were in so much pain last night. Pain that I should have prevented.”
I grab his hand, willing him to look at me. “You did everything that you could. I know you did. I don’t understand everything that happened to me last night, but I know in my soul that it all had a purpose.” He tightens his grip on my hand. His eyes still look sad. “Beautiful and wise. I don’t deserve you Ridley.”
I am about to tell him that he is being ridiculous when I think of Ali. “Oh no, Ali. I left her alone in that place.” He answers my question before I can even ask it. “Your friend is fine. My brother was with me and brought her home.” I sigh with relief. Just knowing that she is safe makes me feel so much better.
“Okay,” I say, but I can’t stop myself from worrying. “Ali must be worried sick about me. I need to call her and let her know that I am okay.”
“It’s already taken care of. I hope you don’t mind, but I texted her from your phone. I told her that you met someone and wouldn’t be home until tomorrow.”
“No, that’s fine, but she’ll still know something’s up. I am not exactly the type that goes home with random guys from the bar.”
“Oh, I don’t think that she will be too worried. I am pretty sure that my brother had her a bit preoccupied.”
I smile. “I’m sure he did.” I say as we both laugh.
“So the Lamont. Am I one of them?”
“Yes, but until last night your powers were dormant. They were awakened by my presence.” He gives me a sad look and continues. “You see, each
of our kind has one true mate, and you are mine Ridley. Your powers responded to my anger, my proximity, but they were not truly awakened until I touched you.” I attempt to steady my breathing as I digest his words.
“I was his. He was mine?” If I was normal this whole situation would have sent me running, but instead it only makes me smile. I want to ignore the guilt that I hear in his voice, but I just can’t.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” I whisper, trying to hide the disappointment in my voice. His eyes are filled with a look I know all too well. Sympathy. Pain seizes my heart. “He doesn’t want me. He doesn’t like the thought of me being his. Who could blame him?”
I am in his arms before I can draw my next breath. His soft, sweet lips only inches from mine.
“No Ridley. No. Please don’t think that way. It is not about me wanting you, because I do. The only sadness I feel is for you. You are not accustomed to this life, and now you are stuck with me. I thought you would hate me for it.” His sweet breath is so close to my mouth that I can almost taste him. I want to create a bubble around us and breathe him in. “Who needs oxygen when you have Tristan?”
“I can think of worse things to be stuck with.” I whisper.
His sweet lips meet mine, instantly turning my insides to mush. The kiss starts slowly, sweetly. When I don’t pull away, he deepens the kiss and boy can he kiss. His soft lips explore mine with a gentle but urgent pressure. He slowly slides his tongue into my welcoming mouth, and I am pleasantly surprised when he pulls me onto his lap. He is firm, yet gentle. He kisses me with such passion, such intensity, that the world around us seems to fall away. It is the kind of kiss that touches you deep within your soul. The kind of kiss that changes your internal makeup, forever tying you together. He slowly pulls my bottom lip into his mouth, giving it a gentle bite. I moan in response. His tongue slides into my mouth tasting every inch of me. My belly clenches and the need that I feel for him is indescribable. I have a mental slideshow of some very R rated ways for him to put that tongue to use. He moans softly and reluctantly pulls back, biting my bottom lip again.
“Ridley,” he whispers his voice raw from passion. “As much as I would love to do all those things and so much more, I need you to hear the rest. You might not feel the same when I finish explaining.”
“Doubt it,” I think, knowing he will hear. I give him my best playful pout, but he just smiles. He turns me so that I am sitting between his legs with my back to his chest. I must admit, I like this position. When he seems satisfied that I am comfortable he continues.
“It is said that our mate is the other half to our soul. It is believed that without them we can never find love.” I think this part about the Lamont actually makes sense. “Soul mate or no mate. Got it.”
“So, how does a person become a Lamont? Are we born that way?” I ask.
“This is the part that you aren’t going to like,” he says. “Most of us are made. We are recruited at the age of twenty. We all come from special families that are members of the Shield. The Shield is a network of families that have helped to keep the supernatural community a secret. It is a responsibility that has been passed down for generations. Most just serve the shield, but a select few who are strong enough are recruited for the Lamont. We are given powers, and if we can survive the incineration we become members. The original Lamont are believed to be ordained by God to protect humans from evil. It is said that they were created from God’s light and blessed with the powers of all. Only those pure of heart are chosen to be Lamont. The incineration is a test of sorts, to reveal the purity of one’s soul. If you are of the light you live. If you harbor any darkness you die. There has only ever been one born Lamont, but she disappeared as an infant. The council thought her to be dead…. until last night.”
My head is spinning with all of this information. I wasn’t recruited so that must mean… I am the born Lamont.
“It’s me.”
“Yes, it is.” He replies.
“Okay, so if I was born and not made, then my parents are both Lamont right? Are they alive? Why did they give me up?” I cry. I know that I am asking questions before I even give him time to answer, but I just can’t help it. I have to know. He looks at me with such sadness before saying, “no one has seen them for eighteen years, but it is believed that they were captured. You see, your parents aren’t just any Lamont. They are the founders. They were the first two mated Lamont, gifted by God to create and protect our race. They are more powerful than the whole race combined, and if I had to guess you will be too. Their names are Madison and Miles Lamont.”
Great! I am no closer to finding them than before. I am starting to feel hopeless. I mean, will I ever know who I really am?
“Is my name even Ridley?” I ask feeling defeated.
“Yes. They named you Ridley and embroidered it on all your clothes. I am guessing that’s how the name stuck even when you were adopted.”
I pull my knees to my chest, hugging them tightly as I try to take this all in. I rock gently back and forth, attempting to stay calm. I probably look like a crazy person right now, but I don’t care. My parents are gone and I will have to face this crazy supernatural world alone.
“Ridley, I know it’s a lot, but I’ll help you. You won’t be alone. Not ever again.” Tristan folds his arms around my body and starts to rock with me. That simple motion, the swaying back and forth while in his arms, is a turning point for me. I have never really let anyone in before besides Ali and mom, but with his words and actions Tristan is quickly inching his way into my heart.
“Just don’t let me go, okay.” I whisper as I try to process everything.
“Never.”
I bury my face into his neck and let the tears fall. He doesn’t speak, doesn’t move. He just holds me until they stop. His gentle touch washing the pain from my soul. What could have been minutes or hours later I’m not really sure which, I feel calm enough to look at him. I reluctantly pull out of his arms, feeling shy around him for the first time.
“Thank you.”
He pulls me back to him with a devilish grin. “I like sitting this way better.”
“Me too!” I inch closer to him and ask the one question that I need the answer to the most.
“What is the incineration? Is that the fire I felt last night?”
“Ridley, you’ve already been through a lot today. Are you sure you want to know right now?”
“Not really, but I need to know.”
He lets out a resigned sigh. “Okay. The incineration is the burning away of our human soul to make room for our divine soul. It is the implantation of our powers with the expulsion of our weaknesses. It is the rebirth and yes, that was what happened to you last night. I have never seen a flame so bright.” Pain fills his voice as he continues. “I thought I was going to lose you. You were in so much pain. I have never seen anyone with such a light. I had to give you my blood to bring you back. I would have never forced you to take it if there was another way.”
I blush as I recall his blood and the desire I felt when it hit my tongue. “The blood wasn’t bad.”
He chuckles. “No angel. It was definitely good. I am afraid that it is forbidden to share blood though, at least until after the incineration is complete.”
“What? Why?” I ask.
He loosens his grip on me, and the distance he puts between our bodies makes me feel cold. “When we share blood with someone who still has a portion of a human soul we bind them to us. Not just emotionally like all Lamont, but physically as well. This is the part that might make you hate me,” he says with a grimace. “You were in so much pain. The fire was so bright that I had to make a decision. I decided that I had to save you, no matter the consequence. Do you understand? Ridley. I bonded us in both body and soul. The only way to break that bind is in death. You will have to be close to me, or you will experience physical pain. If we are apart long enough, you will die.”
Right. Now I’m terrified. “Bonded by
death. Come on!” I mean don’t get me wrong. I like being close to him, but I have a life. I am supposed to start school on Monday. How can I do those things if I can’t be away from him? What exactly does he mean by close? Are we talking same room close or same city close? I’m not angry. I believe he did what he had to do to save me. I am just scared about what that means. I turn my head, looking into his eyes. I see his pain, not for him but for me. I suddenly hear a voice in my head whisper, “she hates me”.
I blink and realize that I have just read his mind. I take his face in my hands, and whisper softly. “I could never hate you.” I press my lips to his, trying to show him through my kiss that I mean my words. His lips are soft upon mine. I may not understand all of the things that are happening to me, but I understand that. As I kiss him, I realize that this strong man needs me too. I can do this.
“Thank you.” He says while resting his forehead against mine. “You learn quickly. It usually takes a few months before a new Lamont can tap into the thoughts of others.”
I like the pride I hear in his voice. I can almost hear my heart singing at his happiness. “Anytime.”
Now that we are getting to know each other a little better I want to ask him about the pleasant part of last night. Sex is not a topic that I am ever comfortable discussing, but I feel brave with Tristan. I am almost certain that he will not mock me for asking. Almost.
“So, did this whole binding thing cause me to- ummm, you- know, while I was drinking your blood?” I rattle the question off so quickly that I’m not sure if he even hears.
Destined for Darkness Page 5
