Torment: Dark Paranormal Romance (Eclipse Warlocks Book 1)

by Ellie Cassidy

There’s a fine line between worrying for someone and judging their bad behavior. I think I just crossed over to the dark side.

  I noticed the sleek black car parked curbside as I turned the corner onto Primrose, but I didn’t think anything of it until I got closer and the guy leaning against it bent his head my way.

  Gideon Crest.

  His gaze did a slow journey over my baggy t-shirt and sweats and settled on the yoga mat rolled under my arm. “Feel better now?”

  “You’re seriously stalking me.”

  He smirked. “Someone has a healthy ego.”

  “I’m not an idiot, Gideon, and I know this isn’t about me, it’s about me and Lex.” I walked up to within a foot of his arrogant, smirking face. “Are you trying to break us up?”

  “Are you together?”

  Yes. No? I’d sort of expected Lex to come around last night. Or at least call. Did Gideon know something I didn’t?

  I tilted my chin to meet his eyes...star-crusted eyes that drew me in and held me there. I felt a little bedazzled. There was good news, though. The walls of my glass box were holding strong. No rogue sparks ignited anywhere.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Lex is busy,” he said. “He asked me to fetch you.”

  “Fetch me where?”

  “Your house is infested with bugs and Lex invited you to stay with us until the exterminator gives the all clear,” he said with a low, velvet drawl. “You think it’s a marvelous idea.”

  My stare hardened into his with suspicion. “You’re okay with me staying over?”

  He leaned in to whisper, “Since I’m supposedly stalking you, why wouldn’t I be?”

  I stood back quickly, reminded of why I’d asked Lex to deal with Gideon. He was impossible to speak to.

  “Then I guess I’ll pack some things and come around after my shift.”

  “You’re coming with me now. Pack a bag and let’s go.”

  I tore my eyes from him to the house.

  My bug infested house.

  Revulsion shivered down my spine.

  “I could pack for you,” Gideon offered smugly, “if you don’t mind me rooting through your underwear drawer.”

  “You’re disgusting,” I muttered without looking at him. Disgusting enough to get me moving.

  Gideon was right behind me, following inside as if he’d been invited. I bit down on a scathing retort. Since he’d welcomed me into his home, I couldn’t exactly kick him out of mine.

  I grabbed a small suitcase from the hall closet, made it to the second step on the stairway when he was there, prying it from my hands with a smooth, “Allow me.”

  His breath warm on my neck, lingering with that undeniably male scent that invoked thoughts of a hot, steamy night.

  The brush of his fingers sparked an electric fizz straight into my veins.

  What the fuck was wrong with me?

  I let the handle go and fled up the stairs to my bedroom.

  Pack and get out.

  Ignore Gideon.

  The charge he’d ignited bled out into irritation as I yanked open drawers. Gideon came at me like an attack of frisson. I didn’t want him. I didn’t even remotely like him. One day—soon—I’d delete the impact of his stupid pheromones and it would stick.

  He dumped the suitcase on my bed and wandered over to inspect the cluttered shelves above my desk while I filled it.

  When I returned from the bathroom with my toiletry bag, he had Lex’s sketch in his hands. Eve in the Garden of Innocence. He glanced up from the drawing with a look that felt very much like an accusation.

  “Is there a problem?” I challenged.

  His jaw feathered as he scrolled the canvas page and returned it to my desk. “Are you done?”

  “Yes.” I shoved my toiletries into the suitcase, leaving Gideon to carry it while I collected my laptop glove and purse.

  Those were the last words we spoke until we arrived at The Stables. Gideon seemed preoccupied and I had absolutely no wish to initiate conversation. My thoughts were all reserved for Lex and playing house with him for the next couple of days, exploring what our relationship could look like without the hot and cold, on and off extremes.

  Lex emerged from an outbuilding adjacent to the row of stables as we pulled up in the forecourt. Faded blue jeans and a stone grey t-shirt. He shoved a hand through his hair, leaving the honey waves to fall back into a bed-tossed, dreamy mess.

  A smile lit inside me.

  His hurried footfalls faltered as I climbed out of the car. “Sage?”

  “I extended your invitation to stay while the exterminators deal with her bug infestation,” Gideon said, climbing out the other side. “She accepted.”

  “Thanks for the offer,” I said to Lex. “It was really sweet of you.”

  “Yes…” His eyes went to Gideon, who was hauling my bag out the car, “…of course.”

  I glanced over to the outbuilding Lex had emerged from. “What happens there? Are you doing actual farm work? Oh! Are you thinking of keeping horses?”

  Lex turned to look. “Um, no, I converted that room into an art studio.”

  “Can I see?”

  “Yeah, sure… Let’s get you settled in first.” He held out a hand and I took it, our fingers twining as we walked.

  My pulse fluttered and my heart swelled. This was what it felt like to really want a guy. Not an attack of frisson, but a slow melt. Falling into the space where we came together without a safety net. I’d shared my deepest, darkest self with Lex. A part of me had known, from that first moment, that first look, there’d be no ordinary for us. It was always going to be all or nothing and I wasn’t running anywhere.

  Lex gave my hand a small squeeze as we entered the foyer. The last time I was here, I never made it past the den. Now I saw the hallway opened into a sweeping area of hardwood floors, natural stone walls and a high, arched ceiling with exposed beams, completely bare of any furniture.

  “Yeah, Gideon hasn’t decided what to do with this,” Lex said when I stalled to look around.

  “May I suggest a roller blade rink?” I said dryly. It was big enough.

  “I’ll put that to him,” Lex said with a laugh. “You’ll be pleased to know the kitchen—” he indicated to a double set of swing doors “—is fully equipped and stocked and the guest bedrooms are furnished.”

  A flight of mahogany stairs opened onto a landing that stretched back in the direction of the den. Lex led me up another half flight angled the other way to a cozy reading nook that looked down over the undecided living area. There were three bedrooms up here, Lex explained, pointing out his room before taking me into a guest suite.

  I asked, and was pleased to hear Gideon’s bedroom was on the lower landing above the den.

  Far away from us—in theory.

  In practice, he strolled right in while I was peeking into the adjoining bathroom. The bathtub had spa jets. The shower had multiple massage showerheads above and down the sides. I couldn’t wait to get clean.

  “Comfortable?” he drawled.

  “Everything’s fine, thanks,” I said neutrally, not sure if he was being sarcastic or sincere.

  “Excellent. Oh, and Sage…?” He walked up to me, trapping my gaze. “While you’re staying here, do not leave the house unless Lex or I go with you.”

  I blinked away.

  “Make yourself at home,” he said, the polite host, back-stepping from me and out the door. “Lex, I’ll be in your studio.”

  “I’ve been summoned,” Lex said with an apologetic smile, crossing the room to cup my cheek, lifting my face to him. “I won’t assume you being here means we’re okay, but I’m glad to have you. This is your home for as long as you need it.”

  I put a hand on his shoulder and went up on my toes. “Assume away,” I murmured, breathing him in as I brushed a kiss over his gorgeous mouth. “We’re better than okay.”

  He guided my mouth to his again for a crushing, passionate kiss that left us both slig
htly ragged, his forehead pressed to mine. “I should go see what Gideon wants.”

  “And I should get ready for work.” Which might be a challenge, considering my car was parked in the driveway at home. Bringing it hadn’t crossed my mind until now.

  Something shifted inside me, all sharp edges and uncertainty. The thought of walking out this house, climbing into my own car and driving away, felt about as safe and comfortable as jumping off a cliff into an abyss of nightmares.

  I didn’t need my car. I wasn’t going anywhere without Lex—or God forbid, even Gideon—by my side.

  I strained back to look at Lex. “Do you think you could give me a ride?”

  9

  LEX

  Compelling someone to sell me alcohol or share information that was already on the tip of their tongue was child’s play. That was about the limit of my real life experience and my powers.

  What Gideon did was mind bending—literally, like the way Sage’s mind adjusted to accommodate his compulsion. Jesus, it made me uncomfortable, especially since this was Sage.

  What the fuck are we doing to her?

  Clearly I hadn’t thought through all the repercussions when I’d released Rolling Stones in the middle of the night. The plan was to force Gideon into deep protection mode. The hope was he’d start to see her as a person, not just as a tool, that he’d grow attached enough for his protective instincts to kick in. If not on his own behalf, then on behalf of me and my feelings for her.

  The plan wasn’t exactly rock solid, but it was all I had.

  At least she was alive and still had a mind to fuck with. Always look on the bright fucking side.

  Schooling my expression to play dumb, I headed outdoors to my studio for the whipping Gideon no doubt had in store for me. He’d been in too much of a hurry this morning when he’d discovered our prisoner had escaped—bringing Sage in, I now realized.

  The scene in my studio was as I’d left it. The chair with bits of duct tape hanging from the arms. The paint scraper discarded on the floor nearby. The scattered clutter of my work table. The knocked-over easel with the canvas of the watercolor portrait I’d done of Sage from memory.

  Gideon stood in the center of it, surveying the evidence. “How the hell did this happen?”

  “He somehow managed to bounce his chair closer to the work table and upended it,” I put out. “Everything was on the floor when I got here this morning. The chair was turned over. He got lucky with the scraper and used it to cut the tape?”

  “Lucky.” Gideon’s eyes narrowed on me.

  I folded my arms casually and leant a shoulder against the wall, careful not to avert my gaze. If he suspected my role in this, it was over. He’d know the lengths I was prepared to go to in order to keep Sage safe. He’d know this was more than just a kink in my boy hormones that needed to be ironed out and he’d take her for himself.

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “You were right. Trying to save a Claimed isn’t worth the risk. Now he’s out there.”

  “Playing buddy with the demon.” Gideon straightened the easel and stood there, studying Sage’s portrait. The detail was immaculate. “He knows what I am. He knows where I live. And now he has Sage’s face.”

  “She would be safer if she was completely housebound,” I said. Frankly, I was surprised he’d allowed her any freedom.

  He threw me a glance. “It’s no safer here than out there.”

  Not necessarily true. Rolling Stones didn’t know where we lived. I’d kept him blindfolded and dumped him miles from here. But I couldn’t tell Gideon that. “There’s the protection spell.”

  “That will only work for the demon,” he said, his attention back on the portrait. “It won’t keep Rolling Stones out.”

  “You keep the demon out,” I said. “I’ll handle the Claimed. He knows who Sage is, Gideon.”

  He didn’t have her face. The portrait was just a decoy to heighten the potential danger for Gideon’s benefit. But Rolling Stones had heard her name mentioned at least once. Maybe more, I couldn’t remember. “He could try and use her to get to us.”

  “If this demon has any smarts, which appears to be the case, that’s exactly what he’ll do. He won’t come straight at me. He’ll lay a trap. Try to catch me off guard.”

  It took me a second to figure out why Gideon didn’t sound too bothered at the prospect. “You’re using Sage as bait?”

  He turned to me. “I’m adapting a bad situation to our advantage.”

  “You’re using Sage as bait.”

  “More accurately, the demon would be trying to get hold of Sage so he could use her as bait to lure me in.” His voice lowered, the look in his eye dead serious. “Don’t worry, Sage won’t come to any harm at his hands. You know I’d never allow that.”

  No, she was only allowed to come to harm at our hands. “You can’t always control everything.”

  “Tell me about it,” he muttered with a sigh. “I’ve walked the grid of this town twice over and haven’t caught a glimpse of the demon.” He looked around the studio, taking in the chaos. “I’ll leave you to it, then.”

  I held my tongue until he was gone, then I let out a string of curses under my breath. My plan to save Sage was going to get her fucking killed.

  10

  SAGE

  @hawk

  Haley’s driving me mad. She keeps wanting to talk when there’s nothing to talk about. My house is infested with creepy crawlies and I haven’t moved in with Lex, I’m just crashing at his place for a few days! No big deal.

  “If you just needed a place to stay, what’s wrong with my house?” Haley said, fluttering a long lashed look at me as we passed each other to and from the serving hatch,

  “He offered, I accepted,” I muttered, but she was already gone with that stupid, secret smile.

  She was seriously driving me crazy.

  I rolled my eyes and they landed on Lex. Since I’d need a ride again at the end of my shift, he’d suggested he may as well stay. He’d settled at a table by the bar and didn’t seem to mind that I’d hijacked his afternoon. He had his sketchpad with him, although he spent most of his time people watching rather than drawing. Every now and then our eyes met, and held, layering one warm smile over the next.

  He didn’t have to cater to my bouts of paranoia. He didn’t seem to mind being my designated driver at all. He was pretty much perfect.

  When there was a lull at my station, I brought over a double shot of expresso (on the house) and slumped in the chair across from him. “Haley and I have to go to this beach party after our shift. Please say you’ll come.”

  A shadow crossed his eyes. “Sage, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “It’ll be fun.” I smiled a pouty smile. “Please?”

  “I’m sorry.” He reached over the table, taking my hands in his, gently massaging the heels of my palms to soften the blow. “Not today.”

  I lost the pouty smile and playful begging. He’d given up his afternoon for me. I wasn’t going to push for more. The thought of going without him crossed my mind and flitted far away. He’d been sitting here for hours, waiting to give me a ride after my shift. It didn’t feel right, sending him off and telling him I’d find my own way home later.

  “Sure,” I told him. “We don’t have to go.”

  Haley was somewhat less understanding when I informed her in the staff room at the end of our shift. After five minutes of wheedling me to change my mind, it got ugly. “I know you’re in the first bloom of passion and all that shit,” she said heatedly, “but you’re not glued at the hip.”

  “I thought you liked Lex.”

  “This isn’t about Lex and it’s not just some random party you’re blowing me off for,” she muttered. “This is about Grant and Kenzie.”

  “Yeah well, maybe I’ve changed my mind about that,” I said. “Maybe they don’t need babysitting. Maybe it’s none of our business. Like you said, they both have the mileage to handle their own reckless behavior. No one�
��s getting hurt.”

  “Except for Callie.” She scowled at me, like I was the one cheating. “She doesn’t deserve to be caught up in Grant and Kenzie’s little summer experiment or whatever the hell this is.”

  Callie didn’t deserve it. And I certainly wasn’t happy with Grant and Kenzie’s behavior. But I didn’t want to go to that party without Lex. I didn’t want to question why not. I didn’t want to think about anything except going home with Lex. “It’s not our job to fix them.”

  “There was a time when you knew that’s what friends do.” Haley rolled her eyes in a huff and slammed her locker. “Everyone around me is acting like a total nutcase.”

  “Thanks,” I muttered dryly. “I love you too.”

  She sent me a sidelong, unhappy look and stormed off.

  @hawk

  Control. By whatever name you call it. Freedom. Democracy. The age of enlightenment. Control over our own choices, actions, lives. That’s all we really have. My mother chose to leave me. I had no control over that. My father chooses to live without me. I have no control over that.

  I control what I do.

  That’s all.

  I haven’t spoken to my dad in over a year. He missed my birthday. He hasn’t called. I have the power, the choice to not call him. To not care. That’s my decision. My control. It’s all I really have. It’s mine. No one can take it from me. I can’t accidently lose it.

  This feeling bubbling beneath my skin, this edge of uncertainty and neediness and aimless fear…I’m not losing control. I think I may be giving it away.

  I was in the freaking twilight zone.

  Gideon was out on the patio grilling steaks. Lex had gone off to the kitchen to toss a salad together and here I was, padding barefoot through the den to grab another of those delicious pear ciders from the bar fridge.

  If you’d shown me a clip of this domestic bliss two days ago, I would have laughed it off as a cut and paste fake. But here we were and Gideon was acting halfway decent. No snide comments or patronizing looks. No arrogant smirks. No personal invasion of my space or bodily senses.

  I was almost…almost feeling comfortable here, like the three of us could fit into this house without leaving a trail of carnage in the passageways.