“You did it Titch.” I open my eyes and sure enough, I am in my room. Oh, in my room with a guy. Not just any guy, Jaxon, the sex demon. I blush and release him from the vice grip I have around his neck.
“I did it.” I whisper. I spin around in a circle until I face my mirror. Holy cow. I look awful. I have twin black-eyes, a sliced lip, dirt covering my face and my new leather jacket has been ruined. Oh maaan! I slip it off, dumping it on the floor as I examine my stomach. The wound isn't too deep. But unlike my other cuts, it doesn't look as if it is healing yet. I limp into the bathroom and I wash my face from all the dirt and blood and then re-emerge into my room where Jaxon is standing in the middle of my room, staring at my body. I look down at see that I am still wearing my low riding black trousers and red bra which has a hole in it right above my breast. Good thing I kept on my bra when trying on the new clothes since Levi cut off the cropped top anyway. I cough and cover myself up with my arms. Jaxon looks away, knotting his hands together.
“Does it hurt?”
“Yeah.” I say, my voice breaking. “My leg hurts too. Think it's dislocated from my hip. If that's possible.” I shrug. “And my hand. I punched Crillin and I think it's broken. My arm too, Crillin threw me and I landed on it.” I pout and show him my arms. He scowls but doesn't say anything. I think he wants to but he doesn't get the chance because my bedroom door swings open. Revealing my mother standing in the doorway holding some kind of silver sword with a black and titanium hilt and a snarl. Her face drops when she sees it is me standing in my room.
“Calissa?” I give her a weak smile and she drops the sword and rushes towards me, enveloping me in a hug. I hiss when she knocks my broken hand and stomach but hug her back anyway. She pulls away and takes in my appearance. “What the hell happened to you?” She grazes a thumb lightly over my swollen eyes and lip. She then notices my disfigured arm and then the hole in my stomach which is weeping and gasps.
“Um, got into a fight? You should see the other guy.” I force a laugh and Jaxon snorts from behind me. I think mum notices him for the first time then because she pushes me behind her and eyes Jaxon with the single most deadly glare anyone could ever receive. “Jaxon Cray. This is all your fault you immature pathetic mutant.” My eyes widen at mum's words and Jaxon's head drops down in shame.
“I know it is ma'am. I tried to make it right. I left the fight to look for Calissa and protect her. When I got to her, she thought I was going to attack her and her and Tessa ended up unleashing the single most horrific pain on me that I have ever experienced. Then she mistook me for Crillin and sent me to Egypt.” He shrugs like it was no big deal but mum's head snaps round to look at me for confirmation. I confirm his story by giving a cheeky grin and she visibly relaxes.
“Well, I thought it was you that took her. Tessa came rushing back and said someone had managed to take her away. Your Underworld buddies vanished when they caught wind of this news and we have been searching for Cally since.” Mum plays with my amazingly still intact ponytail. “So, if you are here, and alive. Does that mean this is over?” Now it is me whose head drops. I shake my head at her question and mum swears under her breath. “Well. Let's get Lorraine see to your wounds. Come on.” She pauses. “Both of you.”
After grabbing a hoodie, we follow mum obediently out of the room and down the stairs until we are in the kitchen where most of our group wait.
Tessa jumps from the kitchen counter and runs straight over to me and I crash into her arms. We hold each other for a moment before she releases me. Mum grabs my good hand and leads me to the kitchen counter which I hop up onto. Lorraine then comes over and starts checking out my arm.
“Cally, what happened? Where were you?”
I tell everyone in detail about how Crillin tried tricking me into believing he was Jaxon and then took me to the Underworld. I tell them about the hooded guy and how he ended up being Tessa's dad. That earned a gasp from both Lorraine and Tessa. The second I mentioned him being a Leviathan, Dimi froze up and I suddenly remembered her story about the demon of that name who took her 'offspring' and killed them. I tell them how Levi hung me and stabbed me with the Ethereal sword and then how I accidentally manifested Jaxon to me. To which he helped me escape by knocking out Levi and his guards and talking me through teleportation. Which is one of the only succubus abilities I had yet to learn.
Everyone sits in silence until I finish my story and then I take a sip of the healing potion Lorraine has given me to help speed up the healing process. She cleaned and stitched up my stomach wound, telling me that it will heal as if I am human and also scar. Great!
“I was so worried. So it was Crillin that took you?” Tessa asks and I nod. “I knew he wouldn't have the guts to actually hurt you. I told you he loves you.” Jaxon starts coughing uncontrollably and I turn towards him. He sees me looking and stands up straight.
“No-one said anything about love Tessa.” He says with a small smile.
“Yeah, you didn't need to. I had a feeling it was Crillin that was still standing when he requested you send Jaxon away. I tried so hard to stop him taking you. He somehow paralysed me though. I couldn't move.” So she didn't leave me. I take back my hateful words that I thought about her earlier. “I am so glad you are back!” She hugs me again and sits beside me on the counter. I smile at her and then take in all of the faces around me. Rhys and Dimi. They don't have a scratch on them. Harris and Lara. A small bruise under Lara's eye and Harris has a cut lip. Lorraine, Tessa, Ali and Nathaniel, they look a bit dirty but all except Tessa look unharmed. Tessa has a slice in her eyebrow and what looks like a bandage wrapped around her ankle.
“What happened to your ankle?” I ask her, concerned.
“When I was running back to inform everyone what had happened, a demon with a black face, horns and yellow eyes jumped out at me and knocked me to the ground. I think it is broken but Rhys saved me from a worse fate.” She smiles over at Rhys and for the first time since I have known him, he actually smiles back at someone. Oh, maybe he likes her! As if hearing my mental words, which she most definitely did, Tessa blushes and looks down at her injured ankle.
“So, want me to heal it?” She nods and I jump down from the counter, trying not to grimace at the pain in my entire body and set to work. After a minute or two, she wiggles it around and beams down at me in a thankful gesture. I turn to my mum. “So is Aeron still here or did Caroline take him home?” Mum looks at me like I have just spoken a different language. “What?”
“We haven't seen Caroline since yesterday after dinner.” Crillin's words come back to me. “I spoke to Caroline. She came to see me last night.” Oh crap. I snap my head in Jaxon's direction and as if he sees the worried expression on my face, he takes a step towards me.
“Crillin told me that he had seen Caroline. He said he had seen a lot of her. He said she came to see him last night.”
“I remember him saying that!” Tessa all but shouts at me, making me jump. “I vaguely remember hearing him think about something called a Vepar?” Jaxon gasps and if this wasn't such a touchy, tense subject, then I would be awed by the sound of his in-taking breath. “What's a Vepar?”
“Not a what. A who.” Jaxon says coolly. “Vepar is like a governor of water. He looks like a merman but is also able to walk on land. He can cause storms on the sea, make men or women die in three days by decaying sores and wounds, causing worms to breed in them, but if requested, he can also heal them immediately. He lives in a type of underground castle that is half under water, half not. He does a lot of work for Leviathan. If he has Caroline... we have two weeks. Levi likes to use his prisoners as play things before setting Vepar on them. She must have thought he was me. Damn Crillin!” The entire room goes silent as we all take in what Jaxon says. Oh no. I should have known something was up when she didn't come home last night. I should have sent Jaxon a message. This is my fault! Why didn't I just keep her out of my drama?
“Cally, this isn't your fault. Don't blame yourself
at all.” Tessa tells me quietly. I look over at Jaxon who looks as guilty as I feel. “He blames himself too.” She leans in closer. “So he should.” I nudge her away, down my potion and walk over to him.
“Wanna talk?” He nods and we head out into the garden. I don't look back at anyone else in the room because I know they are all probably looking at us in one of two ways. Anger, from me, kind of, trusting him again. Adoration, from the spark that flows between Jaxon and I. Jaxon and I... I like the sound of that.
We walk away from the house and take a seat on a stone bench near the pond. Neither of us say anything to each other, we just stare off into the afternoon Sun. It is so good to be able to look at the sun without the glare or the pain that would usually come with it if I was human.
I sit and twiddle my thumbs as best as I can when I can't move my left hand and I see that Jaxon is tapping his booted foot on the ground.
“I'm sorry.” We both say at the exact same time.
“Why the hell are you sorry for?” He asks me.
“It is because they were after me that I asked Caroline to help out. If I just left her alone and kept her out of this. Maybe she'd still be here.”
“No. I didn't have to go to my father about you. I didn't have to report back to him when you arrived here. I was the one that started this.” He drops his head in shame. My fingers ache to touch him so to gain control, I clench my right hand into a fist and sit on it.
“Jaxon, you did what you thought you had to do. I am not saying I don't hate you for it or that it didn't hurt when you did it but if I was in your shoes... I probably would have gone with my heart instead of my brain but I still don't blame you.” I give him a cheesy smile and he huffs out a small laugh. My feet start bopping on their own accord. I so want to touch him.
“I meant what I said though Titch.” I incline my head to look at him. “If I knew that my father wouldn't care if I refused a mission or not, then I would have stuck by you and kissed you until neither of us could breathe considering my powers don't work on you.” I smile and blush and float on cloud nine at his marvellous words. Then something he said causes me to backtrack.
“What do you mean your father didn't care?” He shrugs.
“He said I was free to do what I like and that he was trying to protect the Underworld but some things can't be helped.” I think about his words and something Levi said. “Not scared of the scum that keeps trying to stop me from harming you...” Oh my God! I forgot about this!
“Your dad was trying to save me from Levi.” I whisper. “Okay, he was trying to save the Underworld but that meant killing me before Levi could drain me of my blood and drink it.” Jaxon blinks at me and I roll my eyes. “See, Levi has this theory that if he drains and drinks my blood while I am still alive, then he will gain my angelic abilities and be the most powerful being in the Underworld.” I shiver at the thought. I look up at Jaxon whose jaw is so tense, I can see his muscles twitch in the side of his face. “Calm down Jax. I am safe. I am here.”
I pull my hand out from under my leg and with a bit of courage, I slowly reach up and touch his tense face. He jerks at the sensation then physically relaxes under my soothing hand. I stroke his stubble covered jaw gently before running my fingers up his cheek and up to his eyebrows. I run my thumb pad over his now closed eyelids and then trace the hair line of his eyebrows. I remove my hand and he growls so I giggle and place my hand at the nape of his neck and play with his hair. He sighs a contented sigh and he turns towards me.
“Why is it that my powers don't work on you?” My hand stops stroking his hair. I should just tell him. Everyone else knows.
“I'm half succubus.” His brows shoot up, eyes fly open and he smirks.
“So we could be as freaky in bed as we like and neither of us would ever have to worry about harming the other?” Oh, I see his cockiness has returned. I grin like a goon and roll my eyes.
“Oh that has made my day. Let's start now.” He gets to his feet and I gape at him in horror. I may like him, a lot but I am no way near ready for that step. He lets out a genuine laugh at my reaction. “Relax Titch, I am kidding.” I don't relax. How can I? If what we have does form into some kind of relationship then he might very well want to take that massive step one day. We are going to have to have that talk when the time comes too. The one where I tell him that I am a virgin.
“Why didn't you tell me you were in your thirties?” My lips form into an amused close lipped smile.
“Um... why didn't you tell me you were a succubus?” Touché but now he is avoiding my questions. I see how it is. Ignorant bastard.
“I didn't know until the day I left here.”
“Didn't you? At all?” I shake my head. “So you've never taken a life or soul?”
“I almost took Crillin's life.” I state. Jaxon looks pissed. He probably thinks I slept with him. Oh no! I can't let him think that. “Levi forced him to kiss me. I ended up making him pass out on the floor instead and I bit his lips. Ugh!” Jaxon doesn't relax like I thought he would. He gazes at me in wonder and then kneels down in front of me. I look down at my lap nervously.
I feel Jaxon's hand tenderly touch my chin and lift my face to his which is now a few inches away from mine.
“Don't be ashamed of who you are, Titch. You don't even know how irresistible you are to me.” He thinks I am irresistible. Eek. He leans in and closes the gap between us by giving me a small kiss on my lips. It isn't a full on one, but it still sends goosebumps through my body. He pulls back and offers his hand. “We should head back in.” I nod and take his hand and we both head towards the house where I swear I could have seen Tessa, my mum and Lorraine dash away from the kitchen window.
TWENTY-ONE
Soon we plan the rescue mission for Caroline. Apparently, only small groups at a time are allowed to enter Vepar's castle. The group agrees that Jaxon should go, mainly because he is Caroline's family and because he knows more about Vepar than anyone else and also partly because not everyone trusts him enough to stick by at the house. Much to mum's and Lorraine's dismay, Tessa and I volunteer to go with him. Rhys offers himself to come too, I bet it was because Tessa was coming.
Lorraine suggests that even though she isn't happy with us going, she thinks we need to rest up and regain our strength, especially me since my broken bones still haven't fully healed yet. And my stab wound still feels fresh. It sucks that I can heal others yet cannot heal myself. Yes, I do heal faster than the average human, like five times faster but I'd love to be able to heal myself.
Going to bed that night should have been easy considering I barely slept the night before; yet I can't sleep for three reasons. One. Levi is still after my blood. Two. I know I am going to have nightmares about everything that happened today. And three. Jaxon is in the attic. I am so tempted to sneak out of bed without Tessa noticing and go across the hall and get into bed with him, just to be near him. I don't but I still want to.
I lay on my side, away from Tessa and look over at Aeron who is sleeping peacefully in his travel cot. I have to bring his mum back. Okay, step-mum but she is the only mum he has ever known. He needs her. I know he won't admit it, but Jaxon needs her too.
It is my goal to bring her back even if it means risking my life.
I just get comfortable when a light tap sounds on my door. I peer over at Tessa who is snoring away lightly and I climb out of bed and open my bedroom door. Even though expect it to be Jaxon, and am right, I was not expecting him to be wearing nothing but a pair of shorts. My eyes pretty much drop out of their sockets. His stomach is so toned, I can see what people mean when they say wash board abs. He even has that 'V' people drone on about. I say people, I mean Tessa of course. He has a large horned snake type tattoo going up the left side of his ribs too and another smaller tattoo of a dagger just over his chest. Oh God. If you looked up perfection on Google, this would be it. Someone grab her a bucket!! She's drooling!! Thanks brain.
“I was going to go for a run, fancy joini
ng me?” He cocks his head to the side.
“Um,” I look behind me at the time on my alarm clock. “You do realise it is one in the morning right?” I lift an eyebrow.
“Yeah, I don't really sleep much anyway so the time doesn't matter.” His shoulders lift up and I can't stop my eyes averting to the muscles that ripple when he moves. It takes everything I have to not groan. He notices me watching him. “Like what you see Titch?” His voice breaks me from my staring competition with his chiseled chest. I shoot my eyes to look at his. He is wearing a satisfied grin and his eyes are extremely amused.
“Uh... the house is on lock down anyway so even if you wanted to, you couldn't leave until Betty wakes up.” I tell him as I concentrate on his face and not his amazing body. His smug smile drops and his lips turn downwards into a frown.
“I just need to get out. I hate being stuck in for so long.” He says in a sigh.
“Well, we can take a walk in the garden if you like? It's not the same as running but at least it's outside.” His eyes light up at my suggestion.
“Come on then.” He moves aside so I can exit the room but I don't move. “What is it?” I look down at my shorts and vest top pyjamas and then up at him again. He laughs. “You look fine. Believe me.” He grabs my hand and yanks me out of the room and then down the stairs. He doesn't release my hand until we go out into the garden. He lets go of my wrist for a second only to take my hand instead. My stomach flutters at the simple but sweet gesture.
Cool air hits my bare legs as soon as we are away from the house that isn't acting as a shield from the wind anymore. Goosebumps trail up my legs to my spine and I shiver before my body adapts to the temperature.
I don't think Jaxon has a destination in mind as he leads us into the depths of the garden. He walks aimlessly and I am so not complaining, I am a hundred percent loving the feel of his hand in mine.
Have you ever been around someone and had such a spark between you that you could start a thunder storm from the electricity? Well me neither, until now. Not that there is an actual storm or anything but I can kind of make lightning so that counts for something.
Demonic Angel (A Touch Of Magic) Page 15
