by Mandi Casey
Firm, warm hands roughly shook me. Blake. I’d know his hands anywhere.
“Sydney, we have to get you out of here. Would you snap out of it?” Blake was clearly losing his temper. I opened my eyes to see him hovering over me while lying on the floor of the club.
Blake helped me slowly get to my feet. I looked down at myself. Figures, I had to fall on the part of the floor that someone had spilled part of their beverage on. I snarled in frustration at the big wet spot on the back of my favorite jeans and the pain starting to cover my entire body. I wouldn’t recommend ever spending quality time lying on a club floor. They weren’t exactly clean, and I didn’t want to ever lie on one again.
Blake put his hands gently on each side of my face and leaned his forehead to mine. Despite being surrounded by people dancing, laughing, and spilling their drinks as they thumped to the music, he made me feel better. His touch centered me while the pain and nausea started a gradual retreat.
“Sydney, you scared the hell out of me. Don’t do that again, okay?”
I laughed. I didn’t exactly have a choice in the matter.
“I’ll do my best. Let’s just get out of here, and let’s take the lovebirds with us.”
Blake raised his lips and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. His lips lingered overly long, resulting in a low growl sounding from deep in his chest, making me giggle.
“Blake, now’s not the time to get all excited. You know we can’t be like that. I’d really appreciate it ...”
He didn’t let me finish my usual lecture because he shoved me roughly behind him. Before I could ask him what the heck he thought he was doing, Blake said, “Stay there.”
Normally, if a man shoved me like that, with such force, I would have balked. But something in his voice told me to let it go. That something was fear.
I looked over his shoulder as he was trying to encircle me with his arms behind him. A hooded man and woman swayed through the crowd. Not one of the club goers seemed to notice them or even look their way, despite the wide berth the people on the dance floor gave them.
They clearly were not human. The female had black skin streaked with silver lines running over it, and the streaks were shaped into some type of tribal art. As she approached us, I saw the silver streaks on her skin weren’t stationary; they roamed over her body as she moved.
The icy feeling I felt before, when I sensed the presence of the rogue, was gone. Now the air felt charged with an indescribable darkness, like a void. It was unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.
The woman, or whatever she was, thought she was hot stuff. Clearly she thought she was sexy, too. In my opinion, she looked like a snake slithering over the floor, readying to strike.
The male at the woman’s side kept his distance, even from her.
“Blake, Selected. Don’t worry about the rogue vampire. Damas has already taken care of him while you two were busy enjoying this nice club.” Disdain dripped from her words as she sneered while gazing over the bar patrons. I could tell she didn’t like the club one bit.
Blake didn’t look happy to see her, whoever she was.
“Sydney, this is the Judge, Kasdeya. She’s the one I told you about when I was scouting the compound, the one who attacked me from behind without justifiable cause.” Blake turned from me to the male beside her. “I assume the demon with you is also a Judge?”
Real live Judges stood before me. I never thought I’d meet one, let alone two. It was like meeting a celebrity, only the dark, scary, Underworld kind. The mystery and intrigue that followed them throughout the vampire and werewolf communities made the Judges out to be legends.
They were the big, bad boogie men to the beings that humans thought were the creatures to be afraid of. Little did most humans know, their boogie men had stories of beings so scary that made even them behave.
The Judges were the ones to keep naughty vampires and werewolves, so afraid of experiencing the wrath of the Judges, in line. Blake said the threat of the Judges being dispatched upon them made it so that there were rarely ever such severe crimes committed among their kind that warranted the Judges’ notice. It was sort of like not getting presents from Santa because he knew when you were naughty, except in their world Santa was a big bad demon with black or oozing green skin that liked to torture and kill the little ones.
It was said the Judges didn’t mind serving the vampire king. They liked their assignments. They found enjoyment in what they did.
The two demons standing in front of me didn’t exactly live up to all the hype. I had to admit, if only to myself, I was a bit disappointed. Kasdeya was more like a rotten, temperamental super-protector to the royal vampire family than a demon shrouded in smoke and mirrors, cruelty and vengeance. I never thought I’d meet them. Truth was, I kind of hoped that I wouldn’t.
“Ah, yes. Damas, meet Sydney, the Selected who has everyone abuzz.” She twirled her long, black index finger in the air, showing off a pointy nail that looked capable of slicing a person’s abdomen open with the slightest flick of her wrist. It’s not that she made me want to run out of the club, screaming for my life, but she didn’t instill warm and fuzzy feelings, either.
I was glad Michael was keeping Brianna busy, out of sight from the demons. Was it Kasdeya or her demon companion controlling everyone in the club? Blake and I were the only ones looking at them. If the humans in the club saw them pass by, they’d definitely be gawking, or trampling each other while running for their lives.
Blake interrupted her obvious attempt at intimidating me with her overly long claws.
“Is there a reason you’re here? And why is your friend looking at my woman like he wants to eat her?” Hearing the challenge in Blake’s voice, Damas stepped closer to us.
The demon puffed his chest out, exposing the skin, or whatever it was, covering his chest. As I stood there and watched, his skin began to crack and separate. Thin, black, plant-like tendrils began to seep through the openings. It reminded me of the nature channel on TV, when they show little seeds sprouting from the ground over a hastened period of time. The little plants slithered halfway toward Blake’s face. A clear liquid formed jelled beads at the tips as they grew longer.
Kasdeya laughed. “Enough posturing boys. Damas, put those away. Blake, one drop of his toxin and you’d be no more than a whining pup, whimpering on the floor, in a matter of seconds.”
Damas looked at Kasdeya with surprise but remained quiet. The deepening creases in his forehead told me he didn’t appreciate being reprimanded by anyone, especially not in front of another male who he seemed to want to do more male domination maneuvers with him.
When Kasdeya smiled, the strobe light glinted off a mouthful of sharp, chrome-colored teeth. Okay, maybe I was wrong in my first impression of her. I may just be getting too desensitized to the bizarreness of what was fast evolving in my very interesting life.
“Of course, you silly wolf. I don’t do anything without a purpose. I wanted to see if you found anything out about what is going on in that compound you were snooping around since I last saw you.”
It could be advantageous for Blake to make the female demon his ally. He could give her a small tidbit to keep the connection between them. She had information no one on this planet had that could help us remain safe. The problem was, she also came with dangers no one on this planet knew of, or wanted. Developing a relationship with her could be as risky as it was beneficial.
I was thinking like a politician. I didn’t know I was capable. Huh, imagine that. It must be the toll on my body from having a rogue so close and being whipped in and out of those visions. Normally, in situations like this, I’d be shaking inside, like a brittle little leaf ready to fall off the tree. I wasn’t known for my calm demeanor under stressful situations. Maybe being the Selected was helping me evolve into a more calm and collected
person? No, I didn’t really think that was what was going on. It had to be everything I had just experienced. I’d most likely freak out about the encounter with the Judges at a later time.
Blake looked into Kasdeya’s blood-red eyes. “No. We haven’t found out anything new other than what you already know. If we do, I’ll get in touch with you.” Blake didn’t budge. He didn’t flinch one manly eyebrow from having Damas standing ever so close to him.
Kasdeya assessed us. Her squinting eyes unnerved me. Either one of the demons could snap us like twigs, and that said a lot, considering Blake’s werewolf status.
“Fine. But remember, wolf. You are not as invincible as you might think. Neither is your precious father. Especially if one such as I were to become upset with you, or think you are betraying me.” Kasdeya had a mischievous glint in her eyes. I could tell she enjoyed toying with Blake by the crinkling creases of her jet-black skin around her eyes, making her cheekbones raise just a touch.
Damas chose that moment to say, “Sydney. I have been desiring the opportunity for myself to meet you.” The demon took a deep breath in, closing his eyes.
Then I felt it.
An alien pressure, dark and murky, pushed at my skull.
Chapter 8
Like someone uninvited trying to enter.
“Stop it!” I ordered.
Damas’ eyes flew open and focused on me. After he narrowed his gaze, the pressure in my head increased ten-fold.
Blake took an aggressive step toward the demon.
Kasdeya put a hand on Blake’s chest, immobilizing him.
“You let me go, demon. What is he trying to do to Sydney?”
I could feel the air warming around me with Blake’s increased agitation. I loved the heat he gave off. The stronger the emotion he was feeling, the hotter he got. Literally.
Damas stepped closer to us in our now tight circle and looked me over, assessing me. “Don’t worry, Selected. I was going to see what makes you a person. Humans have always intrigued me. Their minds are very chaotic, and I have yet to elucidate why they make the choices they do. Humans are not logical beings, like we are. I was curious to see if I could detect a difference in you, how your mind works. You, as the Selected, are of special interest to all of us. I am only curious to see if your Selected abilities are manifested in your brain, or if you are changed in a deeper fashion.” The demon’s voice boomed through me, yet no one else seemed to notice the bass from his words was heavier than the music coming from the six-foot high speakers around the club.
Reaching his arm outward, Damas put his hand to my face. I flinched, but there was no avoiding it. Being touched by a demon wasn’t a good idea. I’m going to add that fine tip in the book I planned on writing for my offspring, the future Selected. That was if I survived as the Selected long enough to find a man to father my female children.
The feel of the demon’s touch was like a man’s, but his fingers were longer than any human’s I’d ever seen. The skin covering his fingers was normal flesh-toned in color, unlike what covered his chest.
Kasdeya slowly pulled her hand away from Blake’s chest, and Blake gasped for air. Had she stopped him from breathing?
“Wolf, you should take care when addressing one such as Damas. He doesn’t see your role in protecting the girl important or necessary. He sees you as dispensable. The Selected is different from all others near the king, but she is not immortal. That confuses us. Why she was not made vampire upon maturation? But it is really no matter to us.” Kasdeya tilted her head to the side, like she was truly contemplating the matter as if it were important to her.
I couldn’t help but ask, “If Damas is a demon, why would he see me as interesting? I’m sure there are a lot more demons out there with really cool tricks they can do. Honestly, I’m not all that special. Just ask my parents.” I tried to lighten the mood. That’s what I do in times of stress, besides hyperventilate and find a place to sit down so I wouldn’t pass out looking like an imp. That, or cry, and I didn’t want to cry in front of these demons, or a club full of people that had no clue what, or who, was amongst them.
Kasdeya smiled, like I’d said something funny.
“Silly girl, you are the Selected. If you are the one capable of enabling the vampires to walk in the sun, then you are the one that is of most importance. Even to us. You see, that is part of our contract. If you give your blood freely to a designated vampire, if they are able to walk in the warmth of the sun, then we are to be set free. Contract fulfilled.”
“What?”
I never heard that the contract binding the Judges to the vampire king could be broken, not for any reason. I really didn’t want them hoping I would be the one to donate my blood, letting them roam free on the planet. They would no longer have invisible leashes keeping them under control at all times like they did now by the king. That was yet another reason not to give my blood willingly to any vampires. I will not be responsible for the entire human population being tortured by bored demons who decided to use humans as fun playthings.
Damas leaned over while he spoke in a deep, fatherly voice. “Don’t worry, Selected. We are not able to harm you and coerce you in any way that would aide us in achieving our freedom before the contract time has ended.” Damas leaned his head to the side and plastered the oddest smile on his face that I’ve ever seen. He looked even more alien performing that human expression than the vampires did. Although, vampires were all once human, weren’t they?
Vampires had an advantage over the demons in fitting in with humans. Physically, vampires only had to hide their glowing red eyes from humans when they wanted to adapt and not be noticed. It was true; vampires exuded utter hotness. I hadn’t met an unattractive vampire yet. Demons, on the other hand, were completely different. Besides their unnatural movements and the way they spoke, their appearances shouted that they were clearly not of this world.
Kasdeya’s black skin with moving silver symbols roaming her body as she stood in front of us would never allow her to blend in unnoticed. I wondered if that bothered her, or did she love the attention she would get if the demons released their control over the club and allowed the club-goers to focus their attentions on them? For surely they would freak out, which would end with the humans probably screaming into the night, hiding under their covers in their beds, and praying to whatever higher power they believed in for forgiveness from whatever transgressions they committed in the past.
I think the demon, Damas, was trying to comfort me, saying he wouldn’t hurt me. It was nice to know the Judges weren’t able to have a hand in making the prophecy come true. If they were, I was pretty sure the vampires would have already been able to walk into the sun without getting so much as a mild sunburn, and then the world would be overrun by demons creating chaos and mayhem worldwide.
“Thanks. But what happens if somehow I’m the cause of the vampire king getting hurt? What would you do then?” I really wanted to know.
Kasdeya became agitated at that question. “We’ve talked enough about us.” She glared at Damas, signaling for him to shut his yap and not answer anymore of my questions. Figures, it was like getting together the border of a puzzle and having to hunt all around a big house for the inner pieces, which all seemed to be located in very good hiding places. I was getting tired of having to pull teeth to get any type of real information, from anyone. I was the Selected. Shouldn’t I be the one who knew pretty much everything? Yes, I should be.
I surveyed the club. People kept dancing all around us, not giving Kasdeya’s odd-looking skin and glowing red eyes a second thought. I was filled with a dark fascination that even Damas’ large hooded figure didn’t draw inquisitive glances one bit. I was sure if Brianna had seen me talking to them she’d definitely come over and start asking some questions. I know I would.
It bothered me that the demons were controlling
my sister’s, and possibly Michael’s, minds, keeping their attention on anything but what was going on with us, but there was no way I was going to expose Brianna’s identity. I didn’t want the Judges to know I even had a sister, let alone that she was conveniently located across the dance floor, totally ignorant that vampires, werewolves, and demons existed. Grandma said the wolves and vampires may use her against me to get what they wanted. There was no way I was going to hand her over on a silver platter for them to do just that.
Now that I knew the demons would also gain big, as in their freedom, if I fulfilled the prophecy, I didn’t want them to think they could use Brianna as their pawn against me. Damas said the Judges weren’t able to cause me harm or coerce me to give my blood to the vampires. He didn’t say anything about the Judges using my baby sister to make me do just that.
Blake ran a large hand through his thick, dark brown hair.
“I want you to keep that Judge away from Sydney. He gives me the creeps. I don’t like how he looks at her.” Blake put a protective arm around me, pulling me close to his side. I agreed. They both gave me the creeps, too. Being around them was like standing in our own little universe, the rest of the world oblivious to what was going on. The warmth radiating from Blake soothed my aching body and throbbing head, but nothing would beat lying in my comfy bed, with the lights on at full blaze. Yep, I’d be sleeping with the lights on in my room, again. I’ve been doing that a lot since moving to Kenosha.
“Aw, Wolfy. Don’t worry yourself sick about us. You don’t have anything to be upset about where we are concerned regarding your precious Selected. Damas hasn’t been in your dimension as long as I have. He tends to forget we don’t own the humans who inhabit this place. He is used to doing as he pleases with whatever, or whoever, he fancies. For a very long time he was a favored one.”
