by Luna Pierce
I’ve never seen him so… romantic? Is that the word that fits what he’s doing?
He’s never babied me this way.
I can’t say I hate it; it’s definitely helping keep me from freaking out about my melted skin.
On second thought, though… except for Deghan, all of my guys are acting differently, what the hell?
The door creaks open, Silas appearing on the other side. He doesn’t say a word, just shuts it behind him and stands firmly in place.
A few moments pass, and Tremont finally speaks. “Are you experiencing any pain?”
I don’t dare glance his way yet. “Not really, no.” It’s not a complete lie, but the throbbing ache that is still present says otherwise.
“Because of the severity of the wound, we will have to do multiple treatments to make sure it heals properly. Possibly twice a day for the next few, and then we’ll go from there.”
“Is there an issue?” Sydney asks.
“I can’t say I expected it to be normal, but it’s not working like I had anticipated. There seems to be a barrier disallowing me from giving proper healing. I’m confident of a full recovery, it will only take a little more time than normal.”
Tremont rustles around with a package of some sort.
“I’m going to dress it with a bandage that you can keep on for one to two weeks. We’ll be able to continue the sessions without removing it. I encourage you to tape a bag around your hand when you shower. Try to get someone else to help you wash your hair. Avoid putting any pressure on it and do whatever you can to not pop those blisters.”
My hand is going to be wrapped for two weeks? We have a formal this freaking weekend. I’m going to look like an idiot.
Why am I surprised? Everything seems to be going to shit these days, anyway.
“Here.” Tremont holds his closed palm out. “For pain and it will help reduce swelling.”
“What is it?” Silas speaks.
“Mr. Harlow, it’s simply an anti-inflammatory.” He swivels in his chair. “Do you want to see for yourself?” He opens to reveal two pearly-white pills.
Silas squints from about ten feet away. “Very well.”
I pop the medicine into my mouth and swallow it without taking a drink from the random cup Tremont hands me. I know by now that I should be wary of a clear liquid from a stranger.
Professor Tremont is helping me, so why do I have such a strange gut feeling about him?
He pokes at his watch, and the screen lights up. “How about meet me here about nine tonight?”
“Okay,” I say, finally peeping at my now wrapped hand. It’s not so scary if I can’t see what’s under there. I’ve never been one to cringe so easily, but with everything going on, it’s something I can’t exactly handle at this time.
Sydney and I walk to the door, Silas following us out like a sad zombie.
We pause next to the garden.
“I’m going to clean up my mess in the library. You sure you’re all right?” Sydney studies my face and flicks his attention to the sulking Silas. “I’ll be up in a little bit. I’m going to see what kind of herbs I have that can help your recovery.”
I drag him in for a hug, desperate to cling to his energy for a moment. It’s cool and warm and cloaks me with a temporary contentment.
I watch him until his head disappears in the stairwell to the basement.
“Willow.” Silas touches my shoulder from behind.
I sigh, my mind going blank at what I want and need to say to him.
How can he possibly explain the way he’s been acting lately?
And what if there is no excuse… and the reason he’s being this way is simply how he is. That maybe his feelings are changing or have changed toward me and I’m no longer the person I thought I was to him. What if we were never fated and I was a fool for ever thinking he might actually love me?
The conversation I was so ready to have with him now hangs over my head with all the unknowns. What if this is the one that finally breaks us? Losing him isn’t something I think I’m capable of handling. How could I ever possibly prepare myself for that to happen?
But what if I’ve already lost him?
Chapter Nine
The walk to my dorm is silent, sans our footsteps trudging the elaborate stone floor. Another detail not overlooked by whoever designed the school.
“Are you hurting?” he says once we make it into the private space.
I shrug, not wanting to lie but not quite wanting to tell the truth.
He keeps his distance, and that alone is more painful than the burn on my hand.
I make my way over to the window and attempt to distract myself from the overwhelming sadness taking hold.
The sky is darkening, a storm rolling in.
“What did you want to talk about?” His voice is still lingering near the door.
Now is my chance, the opening I’ve been waiting for, to ask him what’s wrong, to figure out why he’s so… shut off. But I can’t. I clam up. I’m too afraid of the answer to say a single fucking word. If I go back to pretending everything is okay, it will be. It has to be.
“Willow?” He takes a step forward but stops.
Why won’t he come closer?
If I was wrong, if all of this all along has been wrong, and we aren’t actually fated to be together, what is this invisible force that binds us?
The way I can tell he’s close without knowing it.
The way we can feel each other’s pain.
His absence that practically wrecks me every time, like my soul is being ripped apart with him not being near.
What about the electricity that pulses between us with each touch?
Even his blood can heal me. Something he said had to do with our fate.
But what if all of that is some stupid mistake, a misunderstanding.
“I’m…” His voice cracks, a new level of broken showing through. “I’m sorry. For reacting the way that I did. And I understand if you don’t want me around because of that. But you need to hear that I’m sorry. I hope you realize that I would never hurt Cameron. Not unless he hurt you. I shouldn’t have freaked out on him. It won’t happen again.”
My mind does circles trying to figure out what he’s saying. I mean, at face value, he’s apologizing, and that’s great, but he really thinks I wouldn’t want him around? I’m the one who’s freaking scared to death his feelings have changed.
“I’ll go. I won’t bother you anymore, but I’ll always be here if you need me.” He sighs.
It crumbles my heart into a million pieces.
“Silas,” I call out, turning to face him.
Rain pours down, pounding against the window in my room. Lightning strikes, and thunder crackles in its wake.
He stands there like he’s not sure whether to retreat or come toward me.
“If I ask you a question, will you promise to tell me the truth?” My palm throbs and reminds me of the potentially long road to recovery ahead.
He swallows. “If that’s what you want, yes.”
“Can I also ask that you not shut down on me and leave?”
He averts his eyes to the floor and nods. “I’m sorry I do that.”
I take a few steps, closing the gap between us. “I’m not mad at you because of it. But I want you to feel safe talking to me. If it takes time, all I ask is that you try.”
He looks up, his metallic eyes glistening with something that resembles hope. “I will.”
“Will you please tell me what’s wrong?” I place my palm against his chest. “Something happened. I can’t quite figure it out but I’m certain of it.”
Silas draws at his lip with his pearly-white teeth. “You’re right.”
A huge wave crashes over me. Part relief, but then part panic at whatever he’s about to say next.
“I’m not sure what it is, though. It’s like a darkness has taken hold of me. I’m not… myself all the time. At first, it was subtle, but now it’s constant, a
nd I keep losing control.”
Here I was, thinking he was having a change of heart, when in reality he’s been facing a demon all on his own. How could I be so stupid to ignore the signs?
“How long has it been going on?” I lock my gaze on to his.
“It’s hard to pinpoint exactly, but I’d say it started over the weekend.”
So, something transpired in the past week? Okay… what happened then? Well, I went off campus with Sydney, got lured into a trap, battled and defeated a demon that spawned itself into a shit ton of Silases. Then I ran off with Silas and had a magical time in a random cabin, went back to the school, sort of made up with Sydney after he nearly killed himself, and then we did the Reperio stone thing.
Was it something to do with us having sex?
Maybe the curse isn’t my bad luck but something to do with Silas? But Silas isn’t the one who’s cursed, so how would that even be possible?
“And you have no idea what caused it?”
He shakes his head, but I don’t totally buy it.
“You said you’d tell me the truth.”
“I interfered.” His words are so small.
“What?” I tilt his chin up to make him look at me.
“Sydney told me not to break the circle.”
“The circle, what are you talking about, Silas?”
“I shouldn’t have been there. It’s sacred land. I fucked up and I think I’m being punished for it.”
Oh god, he means at the ritual when we tried to locate my mom.
“Shh… no, you didn’t fuck up. We can figure this out. This is good. Talking is good. This helps. I’m going to help you fix this.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t think this can be fixed.”
“Silas. Look at me. Remember not being able to touch. You told me the same thing. You said it was impossible. And the time I thought I couldn’t get that demon out of my head, you told me ‘nothing is impossible’ and reminded me of that very instance. If I’m capable of ridding us of both of those things, there should be no doubt in your mind that I can do this.”
Hopefully, by convincing him I can assure myself, too. How in the fuck am I going to get something out of him that I know nothing about? I guess I had no knowledge of the other curses either and I still managed to break them. This one is different, though. It’s in him, so I have to learn about it secondhand.
All while dealing with my own.
I can do this. What’s one more thing to try to tackle?
“You’re really not mad at me?” This time it’s him who forces my attention.
“No, of course not. I’ve been worried sick thinking you didn’t like me anymore.”
At this, he pulls me into his arms. “Never in a million years.”
And for some reason, I believe him.
“You understand we’re going to have to tell the group, right? Especially Sydney.”
He groans loudly and throws himself onto my little bed. “Do we have to?”
“Yep, transparency is important.”
“But, I don’t wanna…”
“Silas Harlow, stop being a baby.” I hop onto the bed next to him and slap him playfully. “I just realized I have no idea what your middle name is.”
He grips me by the waist, doing his signature move, flipping me over and landing on top of me. It’s simple and yet so fucking hot. “Guess.” His breath mingles with mine.
No way in hell can I think of a name right now with him this damn close to me. It feels like it’s been a billion years since our bodies got familiar with each other.
I lean up for a kiss.
“Nope. You have to try first.” A grin forms on his perfectly sculpted face. He traces his tongue along his bottom lip, teasing me that much more.
“Uh… danger.”
He lets out a small laugh. “You are the worst, Willow Victoria.”
“What, no fair. How do you know my middle name?”
He doesn’t bother replying. Instead, moves forward and gives me exactly what I want, his plump lips on mine.
If he’s going to avoid answering, this is one thing I’m willing to accept.
I weave the fingers of my good hand up under that black t-shirt of his, sliding up his chiseled chest and along his strong back.
He takes my face into his hands, pressing his soul into me through our kisses.
Never will I ever get used to this feeling. This complete fucking bliss, this drug-like euphoria when our skin touches.
He pauses with his lips on mine, but they’re still.
No, no, no, please don’t stop. I need more.
“We have company.” His words murmur against my mouth, and he runs his tongue along my bottom lip before climbing off me.
“That is totally not fair.”
A knock hits the door.
I close my eyes and drag my arms over my head. Uh. “Come in,” I call out.
“Hey, sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt.” Sydney’s shyness flows through the space.
Sitting up, I notice the brown paper sack he brought.
“Some stuff to hopefully help speed up the healing. I can leave it…” He scans the room until he finds the table. “Over here.”
I scoot back to the wall, propping a pillow behind me. “We need to talk, Syd.”
“Already?” Silas pleads with me with his eyes.
I hate to disappoint him, but the sooner the better with this kind of stuff.
“Okay…” Sydney looks from me to Silas. “We, as in, both of you?”
“Long story short, there is something wrong with Silas, for real.”
“Geez, thanks, Wills.” Silas huffs.
I toss an extra pillow at him. “Not like that, you brat.”
“Please explain.” Sydney drags a chair over and sits, leaning forward with his elbows rested on his knees, his full attentiveness on what is going on.
“He’s been acting off, and it might be because of the Reperio stone. We think something happened during the ritual.”
Sydney cuts me off. “You broke the fucking circle.”
“Yeah,” Silas confirms.
Sydney lowers his head and sighs loudly. “This is bad. Really bad.”
“Why? What knowledge do you have on this kind of thing?” Silas practically begs.
Syd shakes his head. “Other than you now have a horrible entity consuming you, slowly eating away any bit of goodness inside your soul. Which, no offense, but how much was there to begin with? It will only continue to get worse and worse and worse until it basically drives you mad. And then there is the whole, it’s fucking impossible to get rid of without…”
“Without what?” I ask when he doesn’t continue. The silence is deafening.
“Destroying the stone,” he says slowly.
“And destroying any chance I have at finding my parents.”
“Exactly,” he confirms.
“No, not happening,” Silas interjects. “I’ll be fine. See, I’m good. I’m not even repulsed by your presence now, Sydney.”
“This power over you won’t stop. It’s wicked magic. Evil. If you’re exposed for too long, you’ll lose total control.” Sydney shows actual concern, which is surprisingly terrifying, considering it’s Silas we’re referring to.
“We aren’t for sure if that’s what it is. So, there is no need to jump to any conclusion or do anything irrational. Maybe it’s only a vampire thing,” Silas continues to defend himself.
“Where is it?” Sydney questions.
“The stone?”
Silas reaches into his black leather jacket, unzips a compartment, and pulls the gleaming red rock out.
“You keep that thing on you?” I shift to try to get a better look at it.
“Okay, first thing we need to do is get it away from you,” Sydney demands. “I gave it back to you and I told you to keep it safe, not put it next to your damn heart.”
“How can I be sure that you won’t destroy it?” Silas grips the stone firmly.
“That’s what I’m worried about.”
Chapter Ten
Silas let Sydney take the stone.
I have no idea where Sydney put it, and I’m glad.
I’m torn completely in two.
Of course, I want to smash it into smithereens and get my Silas back, but if I do, I might lose my mother forever. That’s not a risk I’m sure I’m willing to take yet.
But what if I lose Silas forever by letting whatever is happening to him continue to get worse? That’s unbearable, too.
So, for now, we wait. We count down the days and desperately hope that the stone recharges under the full moon this weekend and I can search for my mom and dad again, and then destroy the damn thing and save Silas.
With my luck, though, I’m not so sure things will go to plan.
And that alone is what kept me up all night, leaving me tired as hell on my second day of the new term’s classes.
I mean, no big deal, it’s not like everyone is depending on me and Sydney to finish the realm repair today or anything.
Here’s to hoping I can get through the morning without puking.
At least with the Silas distraction, no one is focused on me and my continuous accidents.
“How’s the burn?” Walker asks from across the room. He strolls over, eyeing the bandage. “That’s the wrapping you can wear for an extended time, right?”
So much for the diversion.
“Yep.” I hold it out in front of me, turning it from side to side. “It’ll be fine.” I force a smile.
“Tremont is a talented healer. You’re in good hands.” Walker shakes his head. “Bad pun, sorry.”
I should probably wait for a better time, but I find the question burning into me. “Any word on my parents?”
Walker shakes his head. “Nothing concrete yet.”
It’s like a knife stabs through me with every moment that passes. How is it possible that I’ve lost my mom? Will I ever get her back? The endless possibilities eat me alive.
“Here is your coffee.” Sydney sets the cup on the desk next to me. “I put a couple extra ice cubes in it.”
