Kieron chuckles under his breath. “How could I ever forget? It’s not every day I have angry farmers pulling shotguns on me.”
“Hey, whatever happened that night? The truth this time.” I narrow my eyes, remembering his fishy ‘explanation’ for what had occurred after I fell asleep.
Kieron laughs louder. “Okay, well, when Lucky woke up, she was pretty pissed. She wanted to know why I’d put you in danger like that.”
“Did you tell her it was all my fault?” I ask, sitting up.
He shakes his head. “She wasn’t exactly in the mood to listen. She disarmed the poor guy… nicely, I might add.”
“Nicely?”
“Well, she didn’t kill him. Which was pretty nice of her, considering. She was angry with me and left, but later we met up and talked it out.”
“Oh.” Then after a moment. “You must have thought I was so pathetic, playing it like a fool…lying, trying to cover up and acting stupid—”
“Liora, stop. I don’t ever want to hear you talk like that ever again. Got it? You did what you had to do at the time, and I understand. No judgments. If anything, I’m in awe of how well you manage to handle things. I don’t think I’d ever be able to—”
“Ha! You think I handle this ‘well’?”
He leans closer and grazes his lips against mine. “I think you are amazing,” he whispers. “Every part of you, everything you do. Right or wrong. I am under your spell now and forever.”
“Tell me why…” I murmur, nuzzling his earlobe.
“Why what?”
“Why do you love me? Why am I amazing?” I don’t care if my questions sound needy, or desperate, or insecure. I have to know what he sees in me…why he loves me the magical way he seems to do.
Kieron tilts my chin up slightly and looks into my eyes, his cerulean pools of liquid as bottomless as the darkest ocean. “This may sound like a corny line, but the first time I really looked at you, I knew those were the eyes I’d been waiting my entire life to see. For the first time ever, I felt like I was home. That I finally belonged somewhere and was born for a specific purpose—to know you…to be with you…and to love you.”
“But how could you really know?” I whisper over the thumping of my heart.
“Honestly, I don’t know how. I just knew. It’s like a light switch suddenly flicked on inside. Everything I thought I wanted was suddenly insignificant compared to you, and the thought of hurting or losing you—it makes me want to rip out my own heart. But above all, I just want you to be happy. Your happiness means more to me than my own. How crazy is that? Do you know how good it makes me feel when I see you smile? When I hear you laugh?”
My mouth twitches at the corners, and a small grin cracks through. “But what about now…now that you know what a complicated mess I—we—are? How can you possibly feel the same way—?”
“It was shocking, I admit. But seeing both sides of you like that…well, if anything, it’s made me love you more.”
I gaze at him, almost disbelievingly. But so desperately hoping. My eyelids grow heavy as the familiar fiery tingles start creeping down my arms and legs.
“I’ve never felt this way about someone before,” he continues, holding me closer.“…And quite honestly, I didn’t think it was even possible. Until I found you. Then I realized that anything and everything was possible. To find someone who—like me—lives between the world of Dark and Light. Someone who—like me—still embraces humanity despite the burden of our Dark powers…
“Many demions neglect their human side so much it completely shrivels and dies. They are nothing but a weakened half-demon with no trace of humanity left in them. But you hold yours so strong, so near and dear to you, you actually created an entire persona out of it, whether you meant to or not.
“…And it is only because of you—a wonderful, miraculous demion with a gift so rare and so special—that my heart awakened to a desire for love I never knew I was capable of. I just wanted to be with you, as I still do, and I always will.”
I open my eyes. Kieron slowly reaches down and strokes my face with his fingertips. The sheer intensity of his crystal-blue eyes fills my soul with white-hot fire. If he looked any sexier I would literally melt into the earth.
“Where are we?” I whisper, still lost in my trance-like state. I know I just woke up, but for some reason I remember Kieron’s words…or was I dreaming?
“We are safe. We are together. Everything will be fine. I promise.”
“I missed you,” I whisper, forgetting everything else.
Kieron leans down and grazes my lips with a soft kiss.
“I missed you, Lucky,” he whispers. “I missed you so very, very much.”
Chapter 20. Lucky
I stand up and take a few wobbly steps, inhaling the crisp, clean air. “Where are we?” I ask Kieron again over my shoulder. The last place I remember being was inside the dark, dingy dungeon…Or is it? Fractured memories swish and swirl through my head like a kaleidoscope.
“It’s just a place I like coming to sometimes when I need to get away…have some peace and quiet,” he replies softly.
I need a moment to gather myself together. I make my way over to a meandering stream by the rocks on the edge of a cliff and gaze at the darkening valley below. A water tower in the distance helps orientate me to our location; my cabin is a few miles southwest of it. I have to admit this place is beautiful…in a way it reminds me of my favorite spot in Dryndara. But as gorgeous as it is, this human world around me feels as foreign as Thiberoux feels like home.
I dangle my legs over the cliff, staring up at the rising crescent moon. Softly, I begin to weep. Although my last conscious memory is of lying on the straw-covered floor with Bones, somehow I’m aware of other things…a certain knowingness of events. I remember the Legionare showing up and vanquishing every demon in sight. I remember holding Bones’ hand one moment and feeling nothing but air the next. I remember Kieron taking me away on a giant red-winged horse after the Legionare leader banished us from Thiberoux. I remember hearing Kieron’s words of anguished love as he spilled his guts to Liora.
I remember everything.
Oh, how I wish I didn’t.
It hurts…but strangely, not as much as it should. I should be destroyed with grief. Bones is gone. How am I still breathing? But the pain is numbed. For some reason, the bomb hasn’t blown up inside my chest yet.
There’s a soft rustling, and Kieron sits down beside me. “Are you okay?” he asks gently.
I breathe a long sigh. “I will be.” The preposterous words come out before I really think them through. How can I be okay ever again?
“Do you hate me?” He stares out over the valley, his voice barely a whisper.
Another sigh. “No.”
“Do you blame me?”
I pause. “No. I blame myself.”
“Don’t do that.” He reaches across my lap and holds my hand in his. I clench it tight and pull it to my cheek.
“I can’t help it.” My whisper trembles.
He wipes away the tear trickling down my face. I’m so tired…so very exhausted. I want to sleep for days. Months. Years.
I take a deep breath and let myself fall under Kieron’s loving gaze. There’s a therapeutic quality deep in there that makes me wonder if maybe all hope isn’t lost. And maybe I’m not entirely damned. But I don’t trust my own thoughts right now. Nothing is as it should be, and none of this makes sense. Maybe I just imagined all the horrors of the past day. Maybe I’ve just finally lost my mind once and for all.
“So…I guess we’re 86’d from Thiberoux, huh? And that includes Demon Bar?” I say, testing my memories. Please, oh please let me be wrong.
“Yeah.” Kieron glances at me with surprise. “But how did you know that?”
I shrug, trying to ignore the wretched stab of pain in my chest. “I dunno. But I think I remember. Everything. At least, for the past few hours.” I turn my head away as fresh tears spill forth.
/> Kieron rubs my back in slow, comforting circles. “I’m so sorry, Lucky. So very sorry.”
I nod silently and sniff back my tears. All I hear is Bones’ voice. All I see is his face. His smile…
“You’ll feel better once you get some Source Energy in you,” Kieron says, soothingly. “I know a guy that sells some on the black market, but he’s pretty far away and—”
“Tatiana can make us some.” My voice is hollow and flat. “It’s not quite as good, but it does the trick. We’ll be fine for a while…at least until we figure out our next move.” I shake my head, chasing away the dark thoughts. “But I can’t think about that now. I just need to replenish and change out of these filthy, bloody clothes.”
Kieron nods, understanding. “Can you make it on foot? My Legionare horse took off the moment we dismounted. I don’t think he liked it here…” He stands up and lightly brushes off his pants before reaching out to help me up. His intense gaze locks on me as I rise, and he pulls me closer.
“I’m fine. I have enough strength to get home. Follow me and I’ll show you the way—”
Kieron raises an eyebrow and gives my waist a gentle squeeze. “I know where you live.”
Of course he does. “Well, then…just try and keep up.”
Just the simple act of willing my legs to move sends me flying across the field and down the mountainside. After a moment I pass a place that looks familiar…it’s the place where I woke up with the angry Sapie holding a gun on me. Kieron had been there with Liora.
Funny how I don’t really feel jealous about the two of them anymore. Maybe it’s because I’m so emotionally drained inside, I don’t have any feelings to spare. Or maybe they’ve all been shattered. Maybe I’m getting my abilities for apathy back. One can hope.
The scenery is nothing but a dark blur. I operate on instinct and heightened senses, dodging tree branches as they come at me and leaping over any obstacle in my path. I know Kieron is right behind me—I feel him more than see him. Since I’m in Sapie world, it’s hard to avoid coming across some of them. As I fly across the highway, there’s a sharp squeal of tires from a surprised driver. No worries. They’ll just chalk it up as a deer or runaway horse or something. No way a person can move that fast. Plus, it’s dark. Visuals are bad.
I don’t slow down until we reach the cabin. All the lights are on inside. This strikes me as odd since Tatiana doesn’t use light to ‘see’. She usually leaves it dark at night, save for some candles if she’s working on a spell or something.
My wariness must be apparent. Kieron steps closer and gives me a concerned glance. “What is it, Lucky? Everything okay?”
I shake my head, but proceed with caution, raising my finger to my lips to indicate to Kieron to be quiet. He senses my trepidation and moves closer as I slowly ease open the door. At the last moment, he steps in front of me and pushes the door open himself, leading the way in. I don’t even have time to be annoyed at his machismo as I my eyes focus on Tatiana sitting in a chair in the middle of the room, waiting for me.
And behind her stand four of the ugliest, foulest creatures I’ve ever seen in my life.
~~~
I push Kieron out of the way and rush towards Tatiana. “What’s going on here?! Tat, you all right?” This is obviously not a friendly visit, and if they’ve hurt her in any way…
“I am fine, child.”
Kieron’s firm grip on my arm prevents me from moving more than a few feet. “Who are you? Why are you here?” I yell at the ugly strangers. They look like humans, but they’re all mangled and scarred. All of them have bright, shiny blonde hair—my least favorite color—and their eyes are unnaturally flat and glassy…like a doll or a mannequin. Although they look human, my instincts tell me otherwise.
The tallest one steps forward, and I’m beyond repulsed by the grotesque scars on his cheek and neck that seem to swim over his taut skin. A cocky smirk spreads over his lips, and he looks at me like I’m something to be eaten for dessert. “My, my, my. How quickly they forget. Come here, my pretty Liora…don’t be so shy—”
“I am not Liora, dipshit. And how dare you talk to me like I’m your little puppet? What the hell are you doing in my house?!”
“Ah, but you are my puppet, my darling Liora. All those sweet kisses you gave me…you let me in. You enjoyed it as much as I did.”
A female next to him with long, curly hair makes a disgusted noise as she twists her mouth in an unhappy snarl. I hear myself laugh. “I don’t think even Liora is desperate enough to be with someone as loathsome as you. Now get the hell out of my house or I’ll be sweeping up your remains with my Dustbuster.” I quickly form two large balls of electric fire in both my palms and swish them around to let him know I mean business.
He takes a small step forward, and I shift my eyes back and forth between him and Tatiana. Why is she just sitting there, motionless? Why is she acting like some helpless old woman when she’s anything but? The fact that she doesn’t seem too worried isn’t lost on me, however. But every inch of me is revolted by these strangers, and my inexplicable hatred of them is eating me away inside.
“Liora—”
“I’m Lucky you half-witted imbecile. And stop talking to me as if we’re friends. Believe me when I say, you and I have never been introduced.”
“See, Tristan? See? Now she’s being the demon! I told you you didn’t kill that part of her away!” the girl screeches, her voice like fingernails on a chalkboard. Kieron shifts his body closer and my eyes become narrow slits.
“What makes you think that would even be possible? What makes you think you pathetic little demons would have any influence or control over me whatsoever? Don’t you know I can crush you with the slightest wave of my hands—?”
“Uh, Lucky…” Kieron cuts in, jabbing me in the ribs with his elbow. I glance at him, and follow his line of sight to the small glowing stone on the table behind Tatiana.
I draw in my breath sharply as the realization hits, and take a horrified step backwards. My Boumeaux, normally a glossy pitch-black, is shining bright white and emitting a faint humming noise. No. This is not possible. I am not standing here with four Light-angels in my cabin. Not now. Not after everything that just happened.
“Remain calm, Lucky. Focus. Everything will be fine. You are stronger than they are. Especially now.”
I shake my head and shift my attention from the ugly blond boy over to Tatiana. Did she just say those words out loud? I don’t think so, but I heard them as clear as when Aria spoke to me in my mind. But since when has Tat been a telepath?
“There are three arrows beside my bed. I can send them in with a crossbow when you need it…”
I give her a bewildered look. Is she crazy? Or am I? Am I really supposed to shoot wooden arrows at immortal angels who can easily kill me with a wave of their hands?
“The arrows’ toxin is fatal to Light-angels, too…not just Dark-angels.”
Shaking my head again, I glance at Kieron from the corner of my eye, wondering if he can hear her too. It’s hard to tell from his expression, his hard glare remains fixed on the four loathsome creatures. Great.
“What is it you want?” Kieron asks them, asserting himself beside me.
The leader looks at him and scoffs. “Ah, I see the wayward boyfriend has finally returned. Guess this means no more fun for us, huh, Liora? Too bad. I love the sweet way you taste when you’re giving yourself to me—”
“Don’t—” I throw out my arm, blocking Kieron from charging forward. I meet the leader’s gaze and hold it steady, Tatiana’s words ringing through my mind. “Tristan…is that your name?”
He narrows his eyes as the other three exchange looks of disdain. “Like you really don’t know.”
“No,” I reply. “No, I really don’t know. I’ve never seen you before in my life. And you’ve never seen me. You’ve only seen a shell of me. A sleeping façade hiding my great and terrible power. Believe me when I tell you that you don’t want me to show y
ou what it is.” The balls of purple and orange flames jump around in my palms, growing to the size of basketballs.
“…I assume you’re here for a reason,” I continue, my eyes never wavering from Tristan’s. “Now I suggest you tell me what that reason is.” I raise my arm, ready to throw the fire.
“Do you really think those pathetic fireballs will work on us, you disgusting little demon—?”
“Cassie, be quiet!” Tristan barks, his gaze still locked on mine. He seems to be searching my eyes for something…some sign of weakness, or recognition perhaps.
Well, he won’t find either here.
He raises an eyebrow and lifts his finger. The fireballs in my palms die away as quickly as they were formed, and my hands feel unnaturally cold. “Let’s keep things civil for now, shall we? We came for that,” he nods over to the glowing Boumeaux. “And for you…well, the other you. It’s the only way we can cross into your realm—”
“Wait a minute—” I hold up a chilled finger. Despite my alarm at being so easily disarmed, I can’t stop the nervous laughter that forms at the base of my throat. “Are you trying to say that you want to break into Thiberoux, and you want me to help you do it?”
“It’s the only way we can cross the plane between worlds. Once we’ve passed, the gates will be forever open to us and your evil race will be destroyed once and for all.”
I turn to Kieron and raise my eyebrows. “Tempting, isn’t it?”
“We still have friends there, Lucky.”
“I don’t. The only one I ever cared about is gone, courtesy of the Legionare. We’ve been forever banished, with no hope for return. Maybe I should just let them—”
Kieron grabs my arm and pulls me closer. “Do you really think it will be better with them running the show? Think about it. Do you really want to be the one responsible for unleashing Armageddon on the world?”
“Well, it’s bound to happen someday, sooner or later. At least we won’t have to worry about being in the way—”