“UGH!” I yell, though it comes out husky. “Did you seriously just lick my face?!” He is sat on the floor laughing and if I wasn't too grossed out about the fact that this complete weirdo that barely speaks to me, just frigging' licked me; I would be laughing too, I think.
“Works every time.” He breathes between laughs. I push myself up without using my hands and he stops laughing instantly. I see him peer at the door and then back at me. “I had no idea Calissa. Why didn't you tell me?”
“Tell you what? That I burnt my hand? I thought you saw it? I wouldn't have noticed if you didn't point it out.” I shrug trying to think why that was.
“No, why didn't you tell me you were one of them?” He's lost me. I stare at him and blink. Once. Twice. He sighs with frustration and runs his large hands through his black, shaggy, ear length hair. I have never actually taken in his looks before. I just hated him. He is actually quite attractive with his bright green eyes, smoothly sculpted lips, chiselled chin and jaw, high cheek bones, straight nose and mild stubble. He is wearing a tight black V-neck top that hugs every curve of his muscles and stretches across his broad shoulders. A pair of dark wash jeans with a black and titanium belt around his waist. On his feet, he has army styled boots with the laces untied and around his neck is a titanium chain. Back to his eyes though; they are absolutely mesmerizing and if I didn't hate him so much, I could stare at them all day. Oh shut up Calissa! You stupid blonde bimbo! He is horrible! Always has been! Why are you even bothering to check him out?? He just licked you for crying out loud! (Clearly my brain needs to give itself a pep-talk).
“One of what?” I raise an eyebrow at him and he practically growls at me as he gets up onto his knees and leans towards my face.
“I am risking a lot by coming here! You could have gotten killed today! Haven't your parents ever told you not to touch Hellhounds?!” Hell-what?????? My eyes widen.
“You are joking?” He doesn't smile so I assume he is serious. “That was what did this to me? A Hellhound was in my garden? Oh my God! How did it get here?” I raise my hands into his face. They are so close to him I can feel the heat radiate off of him. I almost want to touch him. Shut up Cally! Hey brain! I said almost! He blanches at my questions and looks like he just committed a crime by accident. Maybe he did.
“You really didn't know what it was?” I shake my head and frown at him. I have heard of Hellhounds. I have read books about them and seem them in films and even Googled them. I always wondered if they were real. I guess I got my answer considering I have touched one. My dad is going to freak. Probably not as much as mum will. Not that I am going to tell them though. “Shit!” I am so tempted to tell him off for his language but I think better of it. He is clearly going through something right now. “You cannot mention this to anyone. My father is going to kill me when he finds out that I am talking to one of you.”
“When you say 'one of you', what do you mean, exactly?” I narrow my eyes at him.
“An angel.” He says as if I am stupid. My face is void of any emotion. I blink at him. He has to be kidding.
“Why would you think I am an angel?”
“You're not full. I'd say, half? Yeah, half. Nephilim. I had a feeling there was something in this house not quite human last night, besides my brother.” I think he has lost his marbles. He is just sitting there talking to himself now. He's not even looking at me anymore, he's staring off into space. “I thought it was Tessa, but no... it most definitely is not Tessa. Oh, this could be good. Or very bad. I need to speak to father.”
“Hey! Jaxon. Stop!” He blinks several times and turns those beautiful green eyes back onto me. “Why. Would. You. Think. I. Am. An. Angel?” I say it slowly as if I am talking to someone that comes from a foreign country.
“Because you got burnt by a Hellhound. Only angels can be burnt. Nephilim should come into their powers when they turn eighteen- wait, how old are you?”
“Nineteen.” He frowns and looks at me like I am the crazy one.
“That can't be right.” He whispers. Tessa chooses that moment to walk into the room with a plastic bag filled with goodies. I say goodies lightly of course. It is just stuff for my hands. I would much rather chocolate but hey that's just me.
The two of them busy themselves with cleaning up my hands and then wrapping them gently with bandages. I don't really pay attention to any of it, I am too busy reeling on everything that Jaxon has just told me. Surely he can't be right? I do remember reading somewhere about Nephilim. Might have been on Wikipedia. I will check later. If I can move my hands. If what he says is true, then one of my parents is an actual angel. My money is on my mother. She is never around and is out of this world beautiful. Who knows? I could be right about that one. Oh it could be dad! The glasses could be a cover up like Clark Kent and Superman! Yeah, probably dad. Okay, I don't actually know. I could be losing my mind by listening to someone who is clearly crazy. I sigh and lean further into my pillows and try not to think about the fact that I have a guy in my bedroom. One that I am not babysitting or related to I mean. I look around my room to check if anything is out of place. There is a pair of socks on the floor by the door and a bra on the end of my bed. Brilliant. I look up at Tessa who is cleaning away the wrappers and I discreetly motion to the bra on the bed. It takes a while but she finally gets it. As she is passing to leave the room, she swipes it up and leaves. I do love that girl, every if she is a tad slow.
Jaxon double checks my hands and then when he is satisfied he looks up at me. “Keep it clean. Not sure if you heal at the same rate as humans or angels but you should be okay in a few days at the most.”
“Thank you.” He gets up and walks to the door but pauses as he gets to it.
“This could end badly for you if any elders find out you exist Calissa.” He whispers with his back to me. “You and your sister should run. If Aeron didn't summon that Hellhound, things would be fine for you. But he did. And now things will turn. I am not an angel like you Titch. I am the complete opposite and I will not hesitate to kill you if it comes down to it. But because Caroline loves you...” He takes a deep breath and then slowly exhales. “Like I said. Leave with your sister. Take Tessa too if you must. Just go. Soon.” With that, he walks out of the room leaving me staring after him in shock of what he has just said.
Complete opposite of an angel? A demon? Is that what he means? And how the hell did little Aeron summon Hellhound? He is a baby! Okay, he is a toddler, but still. Maybe I am having a really bad dream. A long one.
I need answers. Jaxon obviously isn't going to give me any. I need my dad. Or mum. Any parent would do just fine. Actually, the one that is the angel would be better. But I will be happy with either. I think.
Feeling frustrated, I hunt around the bed for my phone and then search my shorts pockets. Where the hell did that go? I could have sworn that I shoved it in my pocket earlier. I shimmy out of bed and make my way out of my room and downstairs. The house is very quiet for a Saturday afternoon. It is too quiet.
I enter the kitchen and search for my phone but cannot find it. I check the living room and then after a deep breath, I take a step out into the garden. I wonder where Tessa is. Surely I would have seen her by now? I walk over to where we were sat earlier on and search around in the grass for my silver cased phone. No luck. “UGH! Where is it?” I turn back around to go back into the house and come face to face with the 'Hellhound' again.
My breath catches in my throat and I feel bile rise up into my mouth. This is it... I am going to die. A virgin too. Brilliant. The creature stares at me with its glowing red eyes and its mouth set into a permanent snarl. It looks as if it is frothing at the mouth too. Its black body looks slimy and there are two little horns sticking out of its head. It looks like something you would see on Pokemon or something. Except more evil. The hound doesn't move from where it is stood in front of the entrance to my house. My heart has never pounded so hard. My hands start to clam up. Then the creature growls and the sound is somet
hing I have never heard before. It is a rumble, deep and low, and gargles fill it. Like a lion that is growling with a mouth full of antelope. I shiver at the thought.
And then it barks. Flames come flying out of its mouth and head straight for me. I yelp and drop down to the floor so that the fireball doesn't hit me. I need my phone!
“TESSA!!” I scream. I am not even sure if she is in the house or not, I just need her here or to call Jaxon since he knows about Hellhounds and claims that his little brother conjured the frigging thing! “Tessa!! Call Jaxon!!” I shout.
The creature shuts its froth covered mouth and tilts its head slightly to the side at my voice. It takes a curious step towards me and I instinctively take a frightened step back. It whines and I have to slam my hands over my ears to stop the high pitch shrill bursting my eardrums.
It continues to step towards me and I try to walk as fast as I can while stepping backwards. In barefoot and on the stony path, it isn't easy. Sharp stones jab into my feet and I take a quick step to the left so that I am on the grass. The dog follows.
“What do you want with me?” I whisper, not caring that the dog won't reply. “Oh God! Someone help me.” I mumble to myself. The dog seems to have taken my fear as its cue because it starts running towards me. I scream and run as fast as I can to get away from it. I get to the back gate and run straight through the open gate and out onto the quiet street which my house sits on.
I hear the deathly pants from the hound which is still chasing me but I try to focus on running. I run almost everyday! This shouldn't be hurting my lungs as much as it is. I head towards Jaxon's house and although it is like five minutes up the road, I do not stop running until I see the large black metal fence that surrounds his property. I take a risky glance behind me and see the dog is still hot on my tail. How am I out running this thing?
Of course, merely ten feet away from my destination, I trip over something and come tumbling down to the ground. I feel the tops of my bare-feet scrape across the tarmac. I don't have time to take in the fact that my knees are grazed and I have slapped the floor with both of my burnt hands. I flip over onto my back so that I can see the hound. It is still running towards me, I scream and scramble backwards on my injured hands and bloody feet like a crab. It gets merely a metre away from me and I hold up a hand, protecting my face and scream. The hound yelps and then starts writhing around on the floor in pain until it stops completely and goes silent. Confused and completely freaked out, I take advantage of the hounds discomfort. I get to my feet and run through Jaxon's gate.
FOUR
“I swear I have seen more of you today than I have in my entire life.” Jaxon grumbles as he wrings out a wet cloth and makes his way over to me. Luckily Caroline and Aeron took a trip into the closest town so they weren't here when I arrived. “Give me your foot.” I raise one of my legs so that one of my feet is in his reach. He dabs the cloth gently over the cuts to wipe away the now dried blood. “Tell me what happened.” I hesitate for a moment but I tell him everything. I start with how I was looking for my phone and end with the hound crumbling down in pain. Jaxon has cleaned and wrapped both of my feet by the time I have finished. He sets to work on my knees next. Every now and then he takes a glimpse at my face. I use one of my arms to brush the tendrils of hair that have stuck to my sweaty face.
“So, it came back?” I nod and he scowls. He finishes cleaning me up and then walks out of the kitchen where we are sat. “Be back in a sec.” I don't try and follow him. I don't think I can physically stand right now anyway.
I take advantage of being alone and look around at Jaxon's kitchen. It is clean. Very clean. I thought men were supposed to be messy. God knows that dad is. I know Caroline lives here too but even she dresses like a slob sometimes. The cooker is immaculate with its chrome surfaces and shiny six piece black burners. The fridge is a huge American fridge with two doors beside each other. The counter tops are a black granite and the cupboards are all a dark oak colour with chrome handles. The kitchen has been painted a pale stone colour and it goes well with the stone tiles on the floor. There is an island in the middle of the room where the sink is and three silver stools are set up beside it.
I am sat on a shiny silver chair with black padding for comfort; around a black glassed round table along with three other chairs. One of the chairs has a booster seat strapped onto it. I'm guessing that is wear Aeron sits. Or Jaxon might sit there. Never know, he does seem like the type that needs a boost now and then, maybe not with his enormous ego though. That didn't make sense did it? Nope, erm, forget I said that.
Jaxon walks into the room with what looks like soot all over his grumpy face. I go to open my mouth to ask him what is wrong but he holds up a finger to shush me. I wait silently while he washes his face at the sink and then dries his face with a t-towel. He dumps the towel on the side and then hops up onto the island.
“Hound has been taken care of. You can go now.” My eyebrows shoot up at his demand. “Well, when you can stand I mean.”
“What did you do to it?” I whisper. I know the thing tried to kill me or whatever but I don't exactly know how to feel about him killing a living thing. I'm not a vegetarian or anything. I know where my meat comes from and I know that in order for me to eat meat, the animal must die but I don't ever see that animal before hand and I don't know the person that kills it, so it doesn't effect me. Much. I just don't think about it. This is something I will think about.
“I didn't do anything. You did enough for the both of us. All I did was send it away.” I blanch back at his blunt response. I give him a look to explain himself and he just shrugs. “Looks like your powers are coming in.” Powers? Right, Nephilim. Got it. I roll my eyes disbelievingly.
“What did I do to it? Did I kill it?” I shriek out the word kill. He snorts and looks me over. I suddenly feel self conscious in my denim shorts and a yellow baggy top that hangs off one shoulder. My legs are on full display and even though I am covered, I know he is probably picturing me in the bikini I have underneath my clothes.
“No Titch, you didn't kill him. Just put him into a coma.” I gasp and my hands rush to my mouth. Jaxon laughs. “Shit, you'd probably have a heart attack if you knew what I have done in the past.” I try to block what he said out as I stare at his laughing face. I don't think I have ever seen a proper smile from him before. He has the most beautiful smile ever and the most perfect straight, white teeth that should belong on a toothpaste advert. More importantly, he has two little dimples on each cheek. My stomach flips. I still hate him, let me remind you of this. He is just too beautiful to not notice. It takes a minute before I notice that he is still talking. I shake my head and try to concentrate on his words. “...probably die.”
“I'm sorry, who'd die?” I am sure my eyes are as round as flying saucers right now.
“Caroline. If she knew there was a Hellhound near her house.” He looks pissed that I wasn't listening. I bite the inside of my cheek.
“Is she a d- one of you?” I don't want to say it out loud. I refuse to say it out loud. In my head is fine. But because I don't say it, Jaxon's face is creased up into a huge grin. HELLO DIMPLES! Stomach flips again.
“Say it.” I shake my head. He hops down off the counter and takes a step toward me. “Calissa, say it. Come on, the word isn't going to hurt you.” His eyes are lit in humour. I shake my head again.
“I can't, I won't.” I test my footing on the floor and try to stand. I am shaky but I manage to hold myself up. I step away from the table and take wobbly steps over to the kitchen door. “Okay thank you for your hospitality and medical expertise, I must dash.” I put on a posh voice as I make a break for it. I get three steps away before Jaxon grabs an arm and yanks me back to him. I yelp in surprise. “Jaxon! What do you think you are doing?!” I shove him away and he laughs at my failed attempt. Aren't Nephilim half angels? Aren't angels strong? Why am I so weak if I am supposedly half of an angel?
“Say it Titch. Say what I am.” I gulp. I
look up at his face that is hovering over me.
“I'd say 6'3? Not too sure to be honest. I am 5”7, you look a lot taller than me so I am going to guess that you are 6”3.” I nod to end my speech. Jaxon looks at me like I have lost my mind. Maybe I have. He rolls his eyes and sighs with frustration, releasing his hold on my arms and running both hands through his shaggy black hair.
“There are ways I can force it out of you Calissa Rose.” How the hell does he know my middle name? I frown at him and walk backwards away from him until my back collides with a wall. Crap. He gives me an evil grin and I gulp again. He stalks over to me, still wearing that same grin might I add, and traps me between his two arms when he places them on the wall on either side of my head. Double crap. I look down at my feet and he leans down. My heart rate has picked up.
“I can make you do anything I choose if I wanted to Calissa.” STOP SAYING MY NAME YOU SEXY EVIL MAN! His lips brush the top of my head and goosebumps erupt all over my body. Why does he have this effect on me all of a sudden?
“H-how?” I stutter.
“I'd rather show you instead of telling you.” He whispers. He reaches over and lifts my face with a hand so that my face is directly in front of his. He strokes away loose strands of hair that have fallen out of my ponytail and smiles down at me. “Say it. What am I?” He breathes over my lips. My legs are weak as it is and now he does this which makes them feel like jelly. I have to tense them so that I do fall. I look into his green eyes and see amusement seeping through them. Oh so he finds this funny does he? Two can play at this game. I hesitantly and shakily reach a hand up touch his chest. I don't think he expects it because his entire body flinches slightly and if I weren't standing so close to him, then I would have missed it easily. I keep my eyes on his as I run my finger tips over his tight chest and up to his broad muscular shoulder. I stroke fingers up the bare skin of his neck and then around to the nape. I run my fingers through the strands of hair and lightly scratch up the back of his head. His eyes, which are still on mine, have taken on a foggy grey colour instead of their usual green. He narrows them and I watch as his eyes flick to my lips and then back to my eyes again. Is he going to kiss me????? As much fun as this is, I don't want my first kiss to be somebody I hated just yesterday. YES, I SAID FIRST KISS!! How sad and depressing is that? Nineteen, not ugly, just never been kissed. Well unless you include Kyle Adams in year three playing kiss chase in the school playground.
Demonic Angel (A Touch Of Magic) Page 3
