Part 10 (1/2)
”I just hate having to see you be with her,” Casandra pouts, glaring at me again. Her eyes are so pretty. Tristan pulls her closer and plants a soft kiss on her mouth.
I finish my coffee and nod at the waitress as she stops by for a refill.
”It's a dangerous little game you're playing, brother. Before you know it you'll be saying we can never kill her,” Casandra says when the woman leaves.
”Not never...just not now. She's too valuable. She's the key to our future...to everything.”
”I still don't like it. Our kinds don't mix. This is way too risky.”
”There's one of her and five of us. I'd say we're pretty safe. Once she gets us into Thiberoux, it's ours for the taking. And once it's under our control there is no stopping us.” Tristan's voice rings with confidence.
”If you say so.” She doesn't seem convinced but the tension in her face has eased some.
”It's almost over, my love. Soon we'll be done with her. We'll wipe out her world and her kind, and reign victorious as we are destined to do.”
Tristan holds out his hand as I step off the boat. ”So, what'd you think?” His blue eyes sparkle with pleasure, and my mouth widens in a smile.
”It was perfect. Amazing. Thank you for taking me out today.” I fall into his embrace and welcome his soft lips on mine. Tristan is such a good kisser. Was Kieron as good? I can't remember.
Tristan pulls his head back, his arms still firmly wrapped around my waist. ”So you really enjoyed yourself?”
”Yes, very much so. This whole day was wonderful. I really needed it...just being on the water, you and me...I felt so at peace. Thanks again.”
The smile on Tristan's lips doesn't reach his eyes. ”Anytime.”
Chapter 12. Lucky.
I slam the gla.s.s down on the counter, shattering it. ”You know what? I'm sick of it. I'm sick of having my mind messed with by demons who have no right to be roaming around in there. Do you hear me, Bones? Sick. Of. It!”
”The whole Bar hears you, Lucky,” Bones says with an exasperated sigh. He begins rubbing my shoulders, but I shrug him away. ”Well, that's the tradeoff for having psychic powers, Luck. You know that.” He returns to his drink. ”It's a two-way road. The messer sometimes becomes the messee.”
”It's total bulls.h.i.+t. There aughta be a law-”
”If it makes you feel any better, she was able to get me too. 'Course Aria can get anyone she wants, whether they're psychic or not. Don't feel bad.” He nods to Gyan, who wipes away the broken gla.s.s and sets down a fresh drink in front of me.
”I don't feel bad, I feel p.i.s.sed off. There's a big difference.” I narrow my eyes in the direction of the door and hope Aria is reading the hateful thoughts I'm sending her way right now. It's been two nights since she first stopped me from going after Kieron, and twice again now she's thwarted my plans.
”But she's helping us. Realistically, she's probably saving both our lives-”
”Yeah, so she says. But how long do we have to wait? Every minute we sit here doing nothing like a couple of scaredy-cat chicken-s.h.i.+ts is another minute that Kieron is being tortured...or worse.”
”She says we're going soon. Just relax. And save your energy. Don't waste your strength being mad at her. Save it for the Hlbafa.”
”Whatever,” I mutter, drumming my fingernails on the top of the bar. ”I'm just so d.a.m.n sick of her...”
”Aria?”
”No, the other annoying nightmare in my life. And yes, Aria, too. I know it's Liora's fault that I'm more susceptible to demon mind-games. If it wasn't for her pathetic existence...first the Altrumina, now Aria-”
”Don't take it so personal, Lucky. This is what Aria does. Why're you so upset? It's not like she made you do something stupid-the opposite, actually. She's looking out for us. She's on our side. I'd say we got pretty lucky, if you ask me. Now we might actually stand a chance, unlike before when we were guaranteed Dead Demons Walking.”
I hate to admit it, but deep down I know he's right. I'm just livid that I could be so easily manipulated. I despise feeling so defenseless and helpless. It's unnerving to know I'm not in control of my own mind and thoughts, reduced to a mere puppet at the mercy of another.
But my foul mood is compounded by the fact that tonight I woke up feeling even worse than usual. I don't know what the h.e.l.l is going on lately, but every time I wake up I feel drained and sluggish. Even though I've been ingesting almost three times as much Energy as usual, I still feel weak by the end of the night. Not exactly how I want to be while prepping for the toughest fight of my life.
”You know what Aria told me?” Bones asks, his voice quiet as he glances around. ”She told me that the reason she wants to help is because she was able to see how much you care for Kieron. She was able to feel your feelings. She'd never experienced anything like that before, and it really affected her.” He gulps and looks away.
”I'm glad she's gonna help, but she needs to move the h.e.l.l out of my head,” I grumble. ”I really have no interest in being her little brain b.i.t.c.h.”
”So what're your plans for tonight?” Bones asks, changing the subject. He finishes the last of his beer and sets the gla.s.s on the counter. Then he stands up and flashes me a mischievous smirk. I roll my eyes and glance around the room. It's obvious what he has planned.
”Nothing special.” I sigh and twirl a lock of hair around my finger. ”Tormenting, I guess.”
”Oh yeah? Anyone special?”
I halfheartedly swallow my last sip of Energy-vodka and get up. Part of me just wants to go back to sleep. ”There's a new guy down in Charlotte. He likes locking blonde co-eds in his bas.e.m.e.nt. Then he kills them after he's done having his way with them.”
Bones raises an eyebrow. ”What do you have in mind for him?”
I shrug and look away. ”Suicide, I guess. Hanging...or maybe have him blow his brains out. Maybe jump off a tall building...”
”Why you wanna let him off easy like that?”
I ignore his question and stare straight ahead as we exit. I feel Aria's eyes on me as we pa.s.s, but I dare not look in her direction. That doesn't stop her, though. Just as Bones and I cross the Bridge of Kings and reach the outer forest of Dryndara, her voice rings loudly in my mind.
”Tomorrow.”
I glance at Bones, confused. ”What're you doing?” I thought for sure he'd s.h.i.+ft into a h.e.l.lhound and take off toward a Portal, but instead, he's walking beside me as I head into the forest.
”Where're you going?” he asks.
”To my secret spot.” I've never taken Bones to my special place high in the hills overlooking the lake of Adonni. Only Kieron's been there. Now, as I look at Bones' sweet face, I remember a promise I made to myself awhile back. I decide not to spend what might possibly be my last evening torturing stupid Sapies, but with my best friend, in my favorite place.
”Wanna come?” I ask.
His eyes light up, and he nods.
Bones doesn't run nearly as fast in his human form as he does as a h.e.l.lhound, so I have to go slow. Together we sprint through the thicket of golden branches and emerald leaves. Guided by the illuminating glow cast over our path by Illyria's triple moons, we head up the hillside, toward my private sanctuary. When we reach the top, I wander to the edge of the cliff and sit down, looking out at the enchanted valley below. The sirens are singing tonight...haunting, soothing melodies that calm my soul. I lean back on my arms and stare out at the abyss.
”It's nice up here,” Bones murmurs, making himself comfortable beside me. My mind flashes back to the first time I brought Kieron here. It was an unthinking, almost instinctual action, and it surprised me. In all the years I'd known Bones, I'd never brought him up here, but for some reason I wanted to show Kieron right away. Guess that shoulda been my first clue that the rules were different as far as he was concerned.
Bones snuggles closer to me, and we both let our minds drift in silence, listening to the harmonizing, alluring lullabies below.
”I can see why you like coming up here,” Bones whispers after a while. ”You're much calmer here...much more at peace. I can actually feel it, the difference in you.”