A Demon Made Me Do It

  Kieron rushes to me and slaps his hand over my mouth again, urgently signaling for me to be quiet. Only the terrifying intensity in his eyes forces me to remain still.

  Bones slowly pads over to the lifeless body and nuzzles it with his nose. His droopy eyes display an unspeakable grief demons rarely show. Bones and Cody had been close friends for over twenty years, and I know Bones is allowing himself to feel pain out of respect for his lost comrade. But he’ll soon shut off the feelings that are causing him such unbearable suffering.

  Lucky bastard.

  I fluctuate between choking back sobs and screaming at the top of my lungs. I want to hit something. I want to destroy everything in my sight. I want to find whoever did this and rip them to pieces. But something in my gut is telling me to obey Kieron’s cautions. I grit my teeth and look at him, but his attention is elsewhere.

  The hairs on my arms stand up at the sound. “Did you hear that?” I gasp, and quickly disentangle from his embrace.

  “No, Lucky…wait.”

  I don’t have to go far; she’s only a couple hundred yards away. I almost don’t see her, as her body is mostly covered by a fallen tree.

  Frantically, I throw off the wooden branches. But uncovering Ivy’s body reveals a sight even worse than death. I’d thought Cody looked horrific…

  I’m momentarily frozen...stunned by what I see. Her blonde hair is stained bright red from the wounds. Her face, so swollen it’s unrecognizable, is various shades of green and yellow. But that isn’t the worst of it. Her eyes have been carved out of their sockets, and tears of blood run down her cheeks.

  But she’s still alive…barely.

  She lets out a moan so soft I can hardly hear it, but it’s enough to spring me into action again.

  “Shhhhh,” I whisper, cradling her head in my lap. “I have you, sweetie. Everything’s going to be okay. You’re fine…” I look up at Kieron, who’s scanning the area for hidden dangers.

  “Is anyone out there,” I whisper. My breath stops until he finally shakes his head.

  “No, they’re gone…for now” he says, coming to kneel beside us. When he sees the extent of Ivy’s injuries, his face contorts in stunned disbelief.

  “We have to help her.” I speak quietly, under my breath.

  “No. We have to get out of here, now.” His command is as urgent as it is panicked.

  “I’ll carry her.” I lift her broken body.

  “No, you cannot. They will trace you. Put her down,” he orders.

  “I’m not leaving her here to die,” I hiss.

  “She has been marked by them. She is already dead.” His eyes are as hard as steel.

  “By who? Kieron, we have to get her out of here!”

  “If you do that, you’ll soon be dead, too. And so will everyone you care about if you take her back to Dryndara.” His face is marked with anger and fear.

  I can’t believe what he’s suggesting. It’s like he doesn’t even care that my friend is badly hurt and I have to save her.

  When I don’t move, Kieron pries my hands away from Ivy’s body, forcing me to set her back down. “Don’t touch her anymore. Their energy is still all over her. Their toxin is poisoning her, and she’ll be dead shortly. It’s amazing she’s lasted this long.” He looks deep into my eyes. “You cannot save her.”

  “Kieron, I have to. She’s my friend…” I push him away, and try regaining my grip on her. But he clamps his hands around my wrists and shakes them loose.

  “You take her anywhere, dead or alive, and they will find her. And you. All of us. And it will be bad. Very bad. Worse than the worst thing you can imagine. We are not safe, and we need to get out of here now!”

  “No! You may be afraid of them, but I’m not! What demons did this? I will find them and kill them. You can run away—”

  “A demon didn’t do this, Lucky,” Kieron says, his voice low and heavy. He glances around nervously and leans closer.

  “Of course a demon did this…look at her. Look at Cody! No human could possibly even remotely…”

  “It wasn’t a human. It wasn’t a demon.”

  “Then what was it? Tell me, or I’m taking her out of here right now…”

  He tightens his grip around my wrists so I can’t move. I had no idea he was so strong. But it’s the terror in his eyes that’s got my attention.

  “Lucky, it wasn’t demons who did this…it was Light-angels.”

  ******

  Wordlessly, I stare into his blue eyes, my mouth no longer able to function properly. The crunching of twigs behind us causes me to jump, and Kieron looks over his shoulder.

  “Is she alive?” Bones asks in a dull voice, grief clouding his masculine features.

  I slump down, my gaze slowly moving from Bones over to Kieron, down to Ivy’s motionless body, and back to Kieron again—a silent, desperate plea in his eyes.

  Almost imperceptibly, I shake my head no.

  “Probably for the best. Don’t imagine one would want to live without the other,” Bones says. Now he sounds cold and detached. He holds up a small black band. “Found this in what was left of Cody’s hand. I’m guessing they either just had their blood-binding ceremony or were about to when they were…attacked.”

  I glance down at Ivy and gasp. I hadn’t even noticed she was wearing the sacred gown of the blood-binding ritual. She and Cody had finally made it official, or were about to.

  I close my eyes, my insides thoroughly shredded as I release my grip on her and stand up.

  “Whatever demons did this are in for a world of hurt. Let’s go,” Bones says, before falling onto four paws and sprinting off toward Dryndara.

  I can’t believe I’m leaving Ivy here to die alone. But I know Kieron’s right. I know we have no choice. My legs wobble as I gaze upon her battered body one last time. Kieron wraps his arms around me and holds me steady.

  “We can’t leave her here to suffer like this,” I whisper. “I just can’t…”

  He nods grimly. “We need to be fast.”

  I feel like I’m dying a million deaths as I release the explosion of electric fire from my hands, and instantly reduce Ivy’s body to ash.

  “I will kill you for this! Do you hear me? I will find you and I will kill you!” I scream at the top of my lungs, not caring who or what hears me.

  Kieron gives me a haunted look, and grabs my hand. We take off running.

  Chapter 16. Liora

  I know something’s wrong the moment I open my eyes; there’s a disturbance deep within my soul. Something’s happened with Lucky. But I don’t want to know what it is. I don’t want to think about anything right now. I just want to lie here in my bed and bask in the soft sunlight streaming in through my bedroom window. School’s out until tomorrow, so I’m going to savor this one last day of peace and quiet before having to face Kieron and my humiliation.

  To anyone else, I’m sure it would seem like I’m overreacting. So what if Kieron was at the mall with Drusilla. So what if they were sitting by each other, laughing, obviously enjoying each other’s company. So what? It’s not like he and I were anything special, or ever could be. And we’ve only known each other for what, a week?

  Somehow, it feels longer. Much longer. And even though it was obviously all in my head, it’d felt like our connection was deeper than just friends. For the first time in years, I actually wanted to let down some of the walls I’d built to protect my secret. I wanted him to see me. Moreover, I wanted to see him. Really know him.

  But it’s definitely better this way. He needs to be with a girl like Drusilla, and I need to be alone. It’s the only way. It’s too dangerous allowing myself to fall for someone, when, inevitably, both of us will be hurt—and in his case, destroyed.

  How selfish of me to even entertain the notion of a having a relationship… how cruel…

  How pathetic.

  There is a light tapping on the door. “No school today, remember? I get to be lazy all morning,” I call out. Tatiana ignores my wo
rds and enters.

  “Rise and shine. It’s a glorious day outside,” she sings, carrying in a large glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice.

  I sit up, smiling at my guardian. Oh, how I love Tatiana. She’s always been here for me, through good times and bad. She’s the one whose shoulder I can always cry on. The one whose ear is always available to listen to my problems. The one who reminds me who I am, even when I feel my most worthless. No one else could’ve handled me and Lucky the way she has, with effortless grace, eternal patience, and limitless understanding.

  Impulsively, I hug her and plant a kiss on her cheek. She responds with a crackly laugh. “What’s all this?”

  “Just felt like giving you a hug is all. I don’t give you enough of them and that’s going to change.”

  “Well, you won’t be hearing me complain about that,” she says, her white eyes crinkling in amusement. “What’s brought this on? Not that I mind, of course.”

  I lie back down, propping myself up on the pillows and sipping some of the juice. “Dunno. I just feel like, life is too short. Gotta tell the ones you love how you feel before it’s too late.”

  The words come out of my mouth without me even thinking about them. I scrunch my eyebrows together, trying to think what would be making me feel this way. Perhaps I’m still affected by what happened at school? Yes, that must be it. I am normally not the sentimental type.

  “Well, I appreciate the gesture. Now hurry up and finish your juice. You don’t want to keep your visitor waiting.”

  “Ack! What? What visitor?”

  She brings her hand to her mouth. “Sorry, dear, I got distracted with your lovely hug. Yes, there’s a gentleman caller waiting for you outside. I told him you would be getting up soon, and he said he’d wait. But you mustn’t keep him waiting too long.”

  I’m already halfway to the bathroom. Quickly, I splash some water on my face and brush my teeth. My eyes are bloodshot and a bit swollen. Was Lucky crying last night?

  I run a brush through my hair, briefly touching that place on my neck where it burns a good twenty degrees hotter than the rest of my body. The crimson star, permanently branded on me at birth, is a constant reminder of a world I’d like to forget. It’s always there, haunting me.

  I throw on some jeans and a sweater. Even though the sun is making a rare appearance today, it’s still cold outside. My hands shake as I fumble with the laces on my boots.

  Why is Kieron here?

  It has to be him; no other guy has ever come to my house before. I don’t even think anyone else knows exactly where I live.

  I race to the front door, only slowing down at the last moment so as not to appear too eager. I take a deep breath. He’s there, leaning against the truck, his beautiful face bathed in the glow of the soft morning light.

  “Liora, hi. Hope you don’t mind me stopping by,” he says, ambling toward me.

  “Of course not, its fine. How are you?” My heart speeds up the way it always does when he comes close…actually, when he’s anywhere in the vicinity.

  “I’m good. I would’ve called, but I don’t have your cell number. And your home phone isn’t listed anywhere.”

  He checked? “Um, yeah, we don’t have one.”

  He tilts his face to the sky. His skin looks so smooth it’s like one of those air-brushed models in a magazine. “I was wondering what you were doing today…if you had any plans.”

  I shake my head. “No, nothing special planned. Just gonna hang out, maybe do some homework later…”

  “Wanna go fishing again?” His eyes light up. “You don’t have to actually fish if you don’t want…just keep me company. This time I promise there’s plenty of gas in the tank, and we’ll leave way before dark.”

  I scrunch my nose, remembering. “Sure. Sounds great…let me just go tell Tatiana…”

  Just over an hour later, we unload the gear from Kieron’s truck and head toward the river. Birds are out in full force, singing and enjoying the sunny day. The grass sparkles with dew, looking like a blanket of crushed emeralds. We set up camp by the water, just like last time.

  Nearby are wide stretches of velvety moss, and as Kieron baits his line, I give into temptation and take off my boots. The soft coolness beneath my feet brings back a memory—one of me as a child, playing outside on a warm summer’s day with Kayla and Michael. The thought of them brings a small smile to my face. As I wander closer to the cliff’s peak, I glance over my shoulder to see Kieron watching me. He also has a smile of contentment on his face.

  I inhale deeply and let the fresh mountain air flow through me. In with the good, out with the bad…I tell myself silently as I take several, long deep breaths. For several minutes I stare out over the valley, at peace with myself and the world below. Funny how being up here makes all my problems seem so small and far away.

  I turn and see Kieron still watching me. He has his pole in one hand, but his focus is squarely on me. He’s not smiling now; he’s just looking. The several yards between us could have been mere inches. I see strength in his eyes…and safety. Like I belong there. Slowly, his soft mouth curves into a half-smile. He reaches out his hand and beckons me to him.

  There is nothing holding me back. Nothing is telling me to stop. Every fiber of my being, every ounce of my soul, is telling me to go to him.

  As I sit down, he shifts over slightly so that our bodies touch. My heart is racing, yet I’m strangely calm. With the tips of his fingers he gently guides my chin toward his as he slowly brings his face down, closer. His eyelashes tickle my cheek as he presses his soft lips against mine.

  A few minutes later, we both reluctantly sit back. He smiles, and chuckles to himself. Dizzy with happiness, I stand up on wobbly legs and take a few steps down to the water’s edge. I need a moment to process this new version of myself. I’m the girl who’s just been kissed and held by the most amazingly sexy, beautiful, and caring man on the face of the earth. I’m that girl. That just happened to me, Liora Greyson.

  I meet Kieron’s gaze, and in that split second, our connection is sealed. Everything is changed. We’re no longer the same two people who sat side by side in the truck driving up here. Now we’re something else entirely… something new, beautiful, and miraculous.

  He lounges back on the blanket and fiddles with his pole before casting his line into the water. “How are you feeling?” he asks. I love the way his mouth moves when he talks…the way his lips form their shape around the different words. And especially, the way they feel when they’re on mine…

  “I feel good. A bit warm maybe. Didn’t realize the sun was actually going to work today,” I say and laugh. “But I feel good. Very good. How about you?”

  His gaze lingers on me. “I feel good, too. I feel too good.” His voice is strained, his eyes look almost…sad.

  I sit back down beside him. His hand reaches for mine, but his words have made me wary. And the haunted expression on his face. Something is bothering him.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask, softly.

  His eyes search mine for the longest time before he answers. “Nothing. Everything will be fine…it is fine.” He smiles again, and any traces of his earlier concern disappear.

  I don’t press it. Even though I’m dying to know what he’s thinking, I don’t want to ruin our nice moment. Maybe it’s because of what I saw at the mall…maybe he has something going on with Drusilla, too.

  I don’t want to know…but I have to know.

  I gather up the courage to find out. “Kieron, can I ask you something?”

  “Sure. ‘Sup?” He flashes me a quick grin, unhooks a squirming trout and places it beside him.

  “I thought maybe I saw you at the mall. But I’m not sure...”

  He lets out a small chuckle. “You saw me talkin’ to Dru, huh?”

  Hearing him call her by her nickname is like fingernails scratching a chalkboard. “Yeah, well, it’s no big deal…you can talk to whoever you want,” I mumble, turning my eyes away from him.
/>
  “Yes, but I don’t want to talk to her. I want to talk to you.”

  My eyes creep up his cheeks to meet his gaze once more. “Oh. Well, why were you then? Didn’t look like you had a gun to your head.”

  He laughs. “Well, that’s true. It wasn’t as if I was running down a mountain onto some crazy man’s property with her,” he says and winks.

  “Touché.”

  “Actually, I was trying to do you a favor.” He casts his line and looks at me from the corner of his eye. “I saw you in the dress store with Corrine. Drusilla was on her way in with her friend and I didn’t want her to ruin your fun, so I distracted her for a while.”

  Even my toes are smiling right now. Meeting his gaze, I lean toward him again. He lays down his pole and wraps both of his arms around me tightly.

  Being here, kissing Kieron and having him kiss me back is sheer ecstasy. It is unlike anything I have ever experienced. In this moment, held securely in his arms, I feel a deeper connection with him than I have ever felt with anyone…ever. I forget that I’m half-monster, and that he and I are doomed. It doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is right here in my arms, this boy kissing me so sweetly and with such tenderness.

  Right now, everything is right in my crazy, mixed-up world.

  Everything makes sense.

  Everything really is perfect.

  Finally.

  Chapter 17. Lucky

  “You can’t tell Bones…or anyone. They can’t ever know the truth. The results would be beyond catastrophic,” Kieron says.

  Earlier this evening, Kieron had stopped me just as I reached the Bridge of Kings. He’d told me that we needed to talk...in private. So instead of going directly to the Bar, we’d detoured back to my special place high on the mountainside where we could be alone.

  I pace in circles, my hands on my head, still unable to process all that has happened. Cody… Ivy…Light-angels…It’s too much. Impossible to believe.

  “Light-angels? You really think they’re responsible for this?” My voice is frantic, boarding on hysterical. But I have good reason to be upset. If he’s right—and I fear he is—our whole world is about to change.