by Cara E Holt
I close my eyes. Okay who do I hate? Who would I like to hurt? I jump as I feel Lorcen’s touch on my arm from behind me. I realise he is in the pool behind me.
“Close your eyes.” He tells me. “Imagine Lucifer is over there in Blaine’s place. The demon who caused your parents to have to hide you. He denied you the chance to grow up with them around. The demon who if he finds you, will want to take you away from me.”
I feel it then. I feel my anger, it erupts through me. I feel the water within me and pushing out a hand the water moves like lightning speed and propels Blaine through the air and throws him against the back wall of the pool.
“Woah!” I hear Noah exclaim and I look over at Blaine gob-smacked. Poor Blaine is on the floor by the far wall looking somewhat winded. The wall behind him is all cracked where he hit it.
I sift over and crouch over him. “Oh god Blaine are you okay?”
Blaine looks up at me and he seems a bit dazed. “Err yeah, I’m good. I don’t think the wall is though.” He looks around him at all the bits of broken tiles and concrete.
Noah whistles looking impressed. “Remind me never to piss you off princess.”
Lorcen who has sifted in behind me leans in my ear and whispers. “I like the kind of training where you hurt Blaine love.” I grin and shake my head at him. I look behind and above Blaine to the cracked wall and close my eyes. I concentrate on how the wall looked before and imagine the pieces lifting up and falling back into place. I open my eyes and see that this is exactly what has happened. The wall is back as it was before, as if what happened moments ago never occurred. I feel three sets of eyes upon me.
“Did she just do that?” Noah asks, his jaw hanging wide open. “Did she just use demon magic?”
Blaine smiles. “I’d say so given her eyes.”
Lorcen walks in front of me and looks at my eyes. “Hello my little demon.” He looks at me like a proud mate.
“Urgh, I hate this whole red eye shit. “ I close my eyes and try to take calming breaths and think calm thoughts. I slowly open my eyes and look up at him. “Did it work?”
He smiles and nods and cups my face in his hands. “They are the perfect colour of blue, love.”
I take a steady breath. “May be I do belong in hell. I mean I have weird wings and freaky red eyes.”
Lorcen looks at me fiercely. “Listen to me. You are one of the most kind, caring and good person I know. You are beautiful inside and out and hell is the last place that you belong in.”
I rest my head against his chest and close my eyes. “How do you always know the right thing to say.”
I hear him laugh. “What can I say. Charm is my speciality.”
Noah coughs breaking our little moment. “As much as I hate to break this romantic movie scene, maybe we should make a move.” Blaine is beside Noah looking uncomfortable and I feel a bit insensitive for us flaunting our relationship in front of him. I sift to the pool side and grab my towel. I turn to Blaine. “Thank you for this. I erm, well I’m sorry for shoving you into a concrete wall.”
Blaine gives me a lopsided grin but has a sad look in his eyes. “You know I’d do anything to help you. All you have to do is ask.”
I smile back and then step back as Lorcen comes up beside me. “So. Thursday night?”
“Thursday is good for me.” He nods and I notice he has sifted into trackies and a t-shirt. He sifts out then, I presume to his car.
“Okay hells angel, sift some clothes on so we can go.” Noah teases.
I roll my eyes at him. “Hells angel? Really? That’s the best you could come up with?”
He smirks. “What? I thought that was pretty good.” He looks at me expectantly waiting for me to sift my clothes on.
“I erm, I can’t sift my clothes on. That’s something I haven’t mastered yet.”
Noah looks at me clearly shocked. “You mean to say you can rebuild walls but you can’t sift your clothes on?”
I put my hands on my hips and frown at him. “Newbie Fae-demon remember. I’m still on my ‘L’ plates.”
Lorcen comes up to my side and places an arm around my waist with a grin on his perfect face. “Leave the sifting clothes on and off to me.” I look down and sure enough I’m dry and fully dressed in my jeans, jumper and converse.
“One of the many perks to having a fae for my other half.”
Later that evening I hang around at my parents as Scott had commented to Dad that I wasn’t around much. Taylor was round again so things looked to be going well with the two of them. I find them both down in the den in the basement and plonk myself down on the sofa next to Taylor. Scott has basically set it up down here into his own little man cave but I couldn’t really complain given this wasn’t really my home anymore. He had a pool table down here, a foosball table and a dart board, which is a must in a British boy’s man cave! In the centre of the room was a large telly on the wall and a large black sofa. Scott was currently engrossed in a game of GTA.
Taylor smiles at me and I wait for her teasing, knowing that look on her face too well. “So, been at Lorcen’s again?”
“Yep.” It is a small white lie as I have actually been at the school pool but technically I was with Lorcen.
“You two really have it bad don’t you?”
I smile nonchalantly. “You can talk. You seem to be round here an awful lot.”
She beams, a cheesy smile plastered across her face and lowers her voice so Scott can’t hear us. “What can I say, things are going really great. I really like him Ebony.”
I squeeze her hand and grin. “I’m so pleased for you both.”
She folds her hands together suddenly looking very serious. “Now onto important stuff – homecoming! We need to arrange a shopping trip to the mall for new dresses.”
“Urgh! You’re kidding me right? What is it with you Americans and your obsession with school dances. Back home we’d have one school disco a year and you went in jeans.”
Taylor looks at me horrified. “Jeans? To a dance. God how dull high school must have been over there.”
I can’t help but laugh at her appalled face. “You know I haven’t even decided if I’m going yet.” I am rewarded with another look of sheer horror on her face.
“Ebony Lockhart! You are coming even if I have to drag your British ass there myself. Besides Lorcen,s likely to get homecoming king, being the school quarterback and all.”
I grimace. I hadn’t really thought about that, but yeah he probably would. I give her my sulky face, pulling out my bottom lip. “I can’t dance, I have no rhythm.”
“I’ll second that.” Scott suddenly pipes up with a grin on his face. Taylor responds by throwing a cushion at him which he catches before it hits him right in the face.
“As Lorcen’s girlfriend you know you have to be there. You know if he gets king there’s a chance people may vote you for queen. I mean you’re hot, English and dating one of the two most popular boys at school.”
I wrinkle my nose up in disgust at that idea. I could think of nothing more cringeworthy. “I’d rather die than be voted homecoming queen. I mean surely cheerleaders not win that accolade?”
“Well there is a chance Morgan or Nicole will be voted. So surely you want to be there to ensure Morgan isn’t digging her claws into your boy.”
I give her knowing look. I have to give it to Taylor she knows what to say to ensure that in the end I’ll say yes. So yeah it looks like I’m going to my first American high school dance and that I’ll be dragged around every shop in the mall to get a dress.
I sift home an hour later, because well yes this bad ass fae demon girl doesn’t need to use any pesky portals to get about. I stop in my tracks as I take my mate in. He’ sitting there on the sofa in grey joggers that rest dangerously low on his hips and no top on, giving me a perfect view of that toned chest. It takes my breath away sometimes how totally hot he is and how I ever got lucky enough to have him as mine.
“Hey gorgeous.” He says with a lazy smile on h
is face. Sitting there with his hands behind his head looking totally relaxed. I walk over and climb onto his lap, straddling him. He playfully takes my hands in his and then pulls me in for a kiss. I groan and melt into him allowing his tongue to explore. This is without doubt my favourite way to pass time.
“So.” I say as we breathlessly part our lips. “It is apparently a possibility that you could be crowned homecoming king.” I laugh out loud. “Ha, you know that is kind of ironic given you actually one day will be a real king.”
He smiles, and it’s that cute smile that shows those cute dimples I his cheeks. “The whole thing is lame.”
I nod and grin. Finally someone who thinks the same way as I do! “I’m so glad you agree. So we don’t need to go then, yeah?” I say hopefully.
Lorcen gives me a look that tells me I won’t like his answer. “I kind of have to go Ebs. Everyone on the team will be expected to be there. Plus we’ll be celebrating a win at the game.”
“Great.” I groan as I lower my forehead to rest on his chest. “Maybe I should dump you until after this event then I don’t have to go with you.”
Lorcen lifts my face, an eyebrow raised and holds up my hands in his and gestures to the gold band etched into my skin. “I’m afraid this is permanent love. No dumping allowed. You’re stuck with me. So you have no choice but to be my date for the dance.” He smiles a satisfied smile.
I tap my finger on my chin while I think. “I know. We could use our magic to rig the vote to make sure neither of us are picked.”
Lorcen waggles his eyebrows at me. “That would be cheating my little demon.” I jab him in the chest for calling me that and he responds by grabbing my left foot and tickling it which damn him, he knows I hate it, I have extremely ticklish feet. I sift off his knee to the other side of the room. He stands and gives me a mischievous smile. “You can run but I’ll always catch you love.”
Oh really. “Bring it pretty boy.” I challenge as I sift over to the kitchen island creating more distance between us. I like this game. Lorcen sifts in behind me but before he can get a hand on me I sift over to the dining table. Lorcens eyes flash and he looks determined. I quickly sift into the study but no sooner have I got there Lorcen sifts in and almost gets me. I sift speedily to the bathroom and stand in the shower. I am looking out to the open door of the bathroom when an arm snakes round me and I scream in surprise.
“Jesus Lorc. You nearly gave me a heart attack.” I put my hand on my chest to calm my rapidly beating heart.
“Gotcha.” He whispers into my ear, causing me to shiver. I can’t see his face but I know he is wearing a smug ass grin on his face.
“Smug fairy.” I say in a sulky voice and he laughs into my ear.
“Now what to do with you now I have you love.” He whispers into my ear and I swear my heart stops beating for a second. Playful Lorcen is incredibly hot. I shiver in anticipation as he softly kisses up the back of my neck. Truth is I’d let him catch me every damn time if this is my punishment. I close my eyes and lean into him when suddenly freezing cold water splashes onto my face and I yelp in shock. Lorcen is laughing his head off behind me and I turn around to face him with my hands on my hip. “You arse!”
He feigns innocence. “Me? An arse.” He moves forward and pushes my back against the tiled wall so that the water is pouring down over both of us. “Looks like we are both wet. Maybe we should get out of these clothes.” He grins a wide ass grin.
“Was this all just a ploy to get me naked?” I ask him suspiciously but can’t help smiling at him.
He chuckles as he leans in to take my face in his hands. “I like you naked.”
“Oh really?” My eyebrows raise. Yes I really like playful Lorcen a helluva lot. I sigh as his lips crash down on mine and well yeah the cold water of the shower is forgotten about I have much more delightful things to think about.
Chapter Nine.
I know as soon as I see where I am that I am dreaming. I’m in club Elysium but it is completely empty. It’s strange being in here when it is so deathly quiet. The silence is deafening. I shiver and I know without turning around who is behind me, somehow I can sense him. It is as if my demon blood recognises his. I sense him move closer to me and jump slightly when he runs a finger down my right arm causing goose bumps.
“Dance with me.” He says into my ear.
“I don’t dance.”
“Your magic is stronger.” He states rather than asks me. His finger trails down my other arm.
I try to settle my erratic heart. “Yep it is.” I huff, “and these freaky red eyes keep making an appearance at completely inconvenient times too.” He spins me round so I am facing him and as my eyes move up his body I pause as I realise he is standing there with no top on and jeans that hang low on his waist. All his tattoos across his arms and chest are on display. I study them and my eyes fall to one just above his right nipple. “What does this one mean?” I ask as I reach out and touch it. I pull my hand swiftly away. What the hell am I doing touching him?
He grins as he uses his hand to raise my face so that my eyes meet his. His eyes are dark brown. They are so dark, like pools of chocolate. “Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.” His words flow beautifully off his tongue and I gawp at him like a kid who has just seen Santa for the first time. “It means If I cannot move heaven, I will raise hell.”
I nod. “But what does it mean to you though?”
He smiles. “No one has ever asked me that. It is something my father always says.”
“Is your father a demon too?” I ask getting brave with my curiosity.
A frown crosses his face and he nods in response. Clearly daddy is a touchy subject. “I’m thinking of getting a new tattoo here.” He tells me as he takes my hand and places it on his chest above his heart. “I invenisti eam.”
I give him a questioning look. “It means at last I have found her.”
I snatch my hand away from his chest and take a step back to create space between us. “You want what you cannot have.” I tell him softly.
He steps forward so he is back in my space. “It doesn’t stop me wanting it though.”
I take a steadying breath. A hot demon has just told me in uncertain terms that he wants me as his.
“This has to stop. You need to stop invading my dreams like this.”
He sniggers in response and smiles. “You think I force myself into your dreams flower? I do not choose to be here. Although I’m certainly not complaining.”
I look up at him confused. “Then why is this happening?”
He shrugs, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets which draws my eye to the waistband and how low they sit on his hips. “You call to me in your dreams my lovely, I answer.”
I fold my arms and again take a step back. “Well it has to stop.” I say it as firmly as I can.
He grins that wicked grin that makes my breath falter. “I quite enjoy our little clandestine liaisons.”
He’s playing with me and thoroughly enjoying doing so. “It’s wrong.” I raise my wrist with the gold mate band around it. “I am bound to another. My soul is his. He is my soulmate.”
He growls and shakes his head and steps closer to me his arm wrapping around my waist. “If it is wrong then tell me why your heart skips a beat when I come close? Why does your breath hitch when I touch you?” He runs his finger softly down my cheek and yes my traitorous body shivers in response.
“Fear.” I tell him, looking directly into his eyes.
“Ha.” He laughs. “You should fear me little flower but yet you do not. As I have said before we are drawn to each other.” He steps back then still smiling at me with a determined look in his eyes and then everything fades out.
At school the next day I anxiously look for Melantha and make a beeline for her as soon as I spot her. I grab her arm and pull her into the girl’s bathroom.
“Okay! Okay! Quit dragging my ass.” She sits herself down on top of the sink counter top.
“Please tell me your absence yesterday means you have found a spell to block my demon.”
Mel’s eyes shoot up. “Did you just say your demon?”
I huff and squeeze the bridge of my nose. “Well obviously not my demon.”
She continues to say nothing and gives me a pointed look. “I didn’t mean it like that okay?” I can feel my cheeks flush red.
Melantha looks at me wide eyed. “You like him” She states.
I shake my head vehemently. “Of course I don’t’. He’s just well he’s very charming and good looking.”
Mel stands and prods a finger in my chest. “I see what’s going on here. Don’t try to lie to me. You’re attracted to him.”
I groan and drop my head into my hands. “God Mel. I am such a cow. I mean I love Lorcen. I know he is the one for me. He’s my forever. Then this demon shows up and god, there’s this pull there that I can’t explain. What is wrong with me? I’m a bad person aren’t I ?”
Mel pulls my hands from my face and gives me a sympathetic smile. “You are not a bad person and anyone can see how much you love his royal grumpy ass.” I smile at her description of Lorcen. “Maybe, well maybe your demon side recognises him as a mate, just as your fae side recognised Lorcen as its mate.”
“Hell’s bells Mel. I can’t have another mate.” I pull my fingers through my hair. “It’s bad enough the whole three of us with the same mate mark. The last thing I need is a demon mate added to the fucking mix.”
Mel holds up a hand to quiet me.
“Okay I’m sorry it was just an idea. Forget I said anything. Maybe your Dad could help? Although just make sure I am not around when he comes.”
I chuckle at her. “He wouldn’t hurt you Mel.”
She pouts. “He tied me up with a snake!”
I shrug off her statement. “Anyway back to my demon problem. Is there a spell?”
Mel smiles then, looking all confident. “Well of course there is. What night is Lorcen at practice?”
“Tomorrow.”
She claps her hands together. “Great. Then I’ll come to yours tomorrow straight after school and we’ll use my awesome magic skills to rid you of this hot sexy demon that wants in your pants once and for all.” I pull her in for a hug and she hugs me back.
