“You get a lot of flashes of other supernaturals?”
“Naw, just the key players. Ariana has helped me zone in on what’s important. I accidentally got a couple of visions of you when you were in that dude’s body. My condolences on that.”
I was confused. “Why were you getting visions of me?”
Jo looked around the room like we were all dense. “Um, because you have always been flagged as a key player. You were meant to rule and find the key to guard.”
I thumped my chest too hard like I was a caveman. “Me?”
“Yeah, I know, crazy. You’re like hot, but evil, and yet not evil, and yet fate has marked you as a key player. Tots weird.”
“Fate must be a crazy bench.”
“Yeah, I know, right? Not sure she’s totally lucid. Ah, and you still can’t cuss. Dude, blows for you.” She snapped her fingers, “Okay, so I’m here because you all are about to make a huge mistake. Huge. If you go to the underworld with the plan you have, Dansby dies.” She looked over at Austin. “Dude, by the way, sorry about Dansby. He was always nice to me and your sister at school.”
Austin was all business. “Tell me you have a suggestion.”
“Duh.”
Austin and I stared at her for a minute while she just blinked.
I threw my hands up in the air. “Oh, for fox’s sake. Will we be here all night?”
Jo beamed. “Oh-em-gee. I love her.” She elbowed Austin. “You did so good.”
We must’ve woken Tally because he flew into the room, momentarily coming to a halt when he saw Jo sitting on the couch. He asked, “What’s Ariana’s lackey doing here?”
Jo laughed. “Cute. Okay, so you’ve got to go to portal two. Spoiler alert: It’s a crazy portal. The inhabitants are like a bad mix of contestants from Survivor, The Bachelor, and The Voice. Yikes. I know. But homegirl should be well equipped with crazy by now, so go and sort them bad boys out. You will quickly figure out who will be a team player and who sucks.”
I looked at the blank expressions on both Austin and Tally’s face, glad to see I wasn’t alone. “Um, you want us to go to this portal for what?”
Jo rolled her eyes before she slapped her fist several times, pretending like it was a microphone. “Hello, is this thing on? Yes, you three. Portal, now. Find the good little followers. Bring them back here. Kill the bad ones. Yada-yada-yada.”
Tally flew over to me. “She’s insane.” I nodded. “Are we going to listen to her?”
“Probably,” I said. “So tell me, Jo—”
Jo squealed. “Did you hear that, Austin? She used my nickname. Me and the Demon Queen are going to be besties! I just knew it.” She made a continue on gesture. “Sorry, go ahead. Oh but wait, I’ve seen this, so really, I know what you’re going to ask. So to answer the question you haven’t asked, the Lux did a shitty job of who they sent over to the portals. Currently, my BFF, also known as his sister—” she pointed to Austin—“the Werewolf Queen, is working with a couple of other queens, and they are combing through the portals to make sure that non-deserving supernaturals aren’t left to rot there. Contrary to belief, not all demons are bad, and you will find that out in portal two. Also, Carmen, you’re not even at full potential yet.” She cupped her hands around her mouth and staged whispered, “You’re at half-mast, and it’s a little embarrassing. You need to let go of stuff. Relax, babe.” She closed her eyes. “Austin, you have to help her. Your power will help her come to full potential because, without it, she won’t win against the under lords. Also, not sure if you noticed, but boy, you’re tilting into the danger zone with all that power you have been consuming, you macho man, but no worries. Your mate can anchor you.” Her head cocked to the side. “So many damn things are coming in at once. I’m away from the keyboard right now, people.” Her head swiveled back to Austin. “Oh, did I mention that you both will be unstoppable, kick-ass immortals? You need to align the souls, bro.” She didn’t seem to notice his blank stare. He wasn’t the only one having a hard time following her. “Yep, you need her, and she needs you. It’s like a stalemate love story. I’m just hoping it doesn’t end like Romeo and Juliet because one of the scenarios I saw of you both was a real tear-jerker. I tots ruined my mascara that day.”
“Umm …” Tally raised his hand. “I’ve got questions. Loads.”
Jo winced. “Eww. Yeah, I’d like to help but …” She tapped her empty wrist, where I assumed the scatterbrained girl was supposed to of had a watch. “I’ve got things to do. Fortnite is calling my name. Just kidding. I don’t just lay around in men’s boxers while playing video games.” She glared at Tally. “Why did someone tell you that?”
I snapped my fingers. “Stay with us, scary chick.”
“My bad,” she said, winking. “So Austin, I’ll report back to your sister that you’re doing good.” She gave me a nod. “Austin’s mate, if you do a real wedding, I would be a helluva commentator. I could do a play by play before the actual play by play. Just call me.” She faced Tally. “And fairy, stay to the left of Carmen when you go in the portal. You’ll thank me later. Sayonara peeps.”
She closed her eyes and disappeared just to reappear behind the couch. “Mother trucker.” She tried again, ending up next to the fireplace. “Come on you sad stack of—” Then she disappeared again.
I waited for a few minutes. “Is she gone?”
Austin nodded. “I think so.”
“That was as mildly entertaining as it was depressing. Hope she gets it together a little better before she officially takes over for Ariana,” Tally said, as he sat on my armchair. “If Ariana plans on Jo taking over as head soothsayer sooner rather than later, we all might be in a bad situation before long.”
I shrugged. “I liked her.”
Tally grinned. “You said that without wincing.”
Austin’s eyes bored into mine with such heat. “Our Demon Queen is becoming okay with who she really is.”
“So, we’re to go to a portal and find demons that will follow the queen?” Tally asked.
My breath caught as I realized Austin wasn’t listening to Tally; instead, his hungry gaze locked on me. He looked at me like he was barely able to keep himself from stalking towards me. I couldn’t take my eyes off him, either. I licked my lips nervously, as he continued to stare at me with blazing eyes.
“Gross guys.” Tally flew off the armchair in disgust. “You don’t have to be a soothsayer to see what’s coming next. I’ll be in the other room preparing to leave for portal two. When you are both ready, let me know.”
Neither one of us acknowledged him as Austin stood and made his way over to me like a panther stalking his prey. My heartbeat felt like a trapped bird inside of my chest. My palms grew sweaty as I waited for him to speak.
“Come with me,” he said.
“Where to?” I asked, but I was already putting my hand into his.
“You’ll see.”
I held onto him as he teleported us. Before I opened my eyes, I knew where we were, and a smile lifted the corner of my lips. The breeze blew my hair as I took in the salty air. I looked around at the deserted beach.
“Where exactly are we?”
“Daufuskie Island in South Carolina. You liked Charleston so much I thought I would show you another beach around the same area.”
“I love it,” I said, and I did, but I didn’t understand why we were here. I asked him while I took off my shoes, so I could feel the sand between my toes.
“We’re here because you are happy in this environment, and I think I understand what Jo was rambling about. If I’m to help you unleash your powers, I need you to relax.”
“Are you sure about helping me? So far, you’ve done everything you can to make sure I can’t keep my powers, and now you want to help me claim more?”
He took off his shirt and placed it on the sand before pointing for me to sit down on it. He sat crossed legged in front of me. Our knees were touching each other. “I really didn’t want to like you.
Liking you meant sacrificing my best friend. I did my best to try and keep you at a distance, but the pull was too strong. Truth is I believe no amount of power could tip you into the evil column.”
My face scrunched up. “How will I ever rule the underworld if they don’t fear me?”
“The way the underworld is right now, do you want to rule it? I know your goals, but when you conquer them, will you be happy?”
Happy wasn’t a feeling that went hand in hand with ruling, was it? He lightly stroked the insides of my arms while he gathered his thoughts.
“I know demons operate on fear, but I don’t think you will ever be capable of the evilness that will get their attention. I don’t have the answer to your question, but if you allow me, we will find out together.”
No one had ever looked at me with such tenderness. I felt myself trying to swallow down my emotions. I needed to change the subject, so he didn’t see how vulnerable his words made me feel. “How are we supposed to be able to help one another?”
“The first time I drained someone, it was a powerful sorceress. At the time, I didn’t know how to handle the surge, and it left me crawling on my hands and knees for a week. There were a ton of ramifications, and I often regretted that encounter until today. That sorceress’s power is going to save us both. I’ve never used it in this manner, so this will be a bit of trial and error.” He grabbed my hands, intertwining our fingers together. “I’ll need to remain in contact, so try not to pull away.”
The heat of his hands made warmth pool in my belly and my breath quicken. I closed my eyes and concentrated on evening out my breathing. Being this close to him, with him touching me, was proving difficult.
My eyes flew open, as I felt a warm caress inside my body. “I’m assuming you don’t have a handbook?”
He smiled at me. “I’m hoping this will come to me naturally, and hopefully we won’t need a learning curve. You’ll have to be patient with me.”
I scooted back a little. Being his guinea pig didn’t sound like it was going to be fun in the least.
His voice was calm and soothing. “Just let me in. Don’t block me. If you try to put up walls, it’ll hurt us both. I want you to relax. Think of the sound and smell of the ocean. Feel the dying sun casting its last rays onto your face and just let me lead.”
I gave a tiny nod. That was the best he was going to get from me. After a few deep breaths, I felt myself relax. His power knocked to come inside me, causing me to tense up.
“Relax, or it won’t work.”
My instincts told me to pull away, so I had to force myself to take a couple of deep breaths, and open up to him. A steady stream of warmth entered my body. It felt like it pinged around inside of my rib cage before settling down.
His voice was steady, as he said, “I want you to think about what is holding you back. What is it that you fear so much you're unwilling to embrace your powers wholeheartedly.”
I started to shrug, but his power felt like it was squeezing my lungs, so I answered honestly. “I’m scared that I will be like him, and I’m scared that if I’m not, then I will never rule.”
His power turned into a soothing stroke, like it was trying to comfort me. I dropped my chin to my chest.
“Carmen, you will never be like him, but you were born to rule. I’m sorry it took me so long to understand that. Please, open up. I promise I will not leave your side.”
I felt deep inside myself, where I had an untouched supply of power. Once I opened what I considered Pandora’s box, I could never reel it back in.
Chapter Twenty-Five
With one deep inhale, I let the remainder of my power bubble up to the surface. It chased Austin’s powers like two butterflies circling each other before my power completely mingled with his. I felt his and mine combining. His hands tightened on mine.
“Pull back,” he said. “Release my power.”
But it felt so good … so right. “Why?”
“If you let our powers merge completely, we will become mated. When we become mated, I don’t want it to be on a whim. I want you to think long and hard about it because once you commit to being mine, I’ll never let you go.”
Would it be horrible to be committed to this man for the rest of our immortal lives? No, in fact, I couldn’t think of anything that would make me happier, but with regret I heeded his warning, and with one last little rub against his power, I gently retracted, only for his power to chase mine. He obviously loved the feeling of our powers being as one as much as I did. I smiled as his power swirled and rubbed against mine like a purring cat. It was clear his power was the pursuer, and at any time he could have broken the tether connecting our souls together, but he didn’t. And by doing so, he also made a choice, sitting there on that sandy beach. Before coming here, I was his mate, but now we would both be leaving with an unbreakable bond. I held no regrets, and judging by his emotions pouring into me, Austin had no regrets, either. We sat there in silence, as I felt the newfound power thrumming through my body. It was almost too much. I needed to release some of it.
He tilted my chin up. Concern was written all over his face, but I physically felt his anxiety.
“How am I feeling your emotions?”
His brow furrowed. “We might have held on too long. I’m not sure if it’s a permanent thing, but if so I’d imagine that from here on out, one of the perks will be that we can read each other’s emotions.”
Perks? I frowned. “You have got to be kidding me.” I almost groaned. Now, he would know when I was thinking about how hot his ridiculous body was, or when his touch flustered me.
He laughed. “I personally think this is going to be very beneficial. I can feel your lust from here.” I pushed his hand away, causing him to laugh harder. “Apart from each other, we are the strongest of our kind, but together, our powers are unstoppable.”
My body felt like a current of electricity jolted it. I grimaced in pain, my head throbbing.
Deft hands grabbed me up, sitting me in his lap. Austin rubbed my back. Tears gathered in my eyes. With every stroke, the urge to cry out from pain lessened. Within a couple of minutes, my power was under control.
I tilted my head up to study the man who gently rocked me.
“Better?” he asked.
“Yes, what did you do?”
“I took a little of your power from you. You have a well of power that will be hard to control for years. Think of your power as electricity in your body. Our powers combined are like an electric current in a circuit. Together, we make up a negative and a positive. If you allow me to help you, then it won’t be so bad when you’re at full throttle, and somehow you managed to ease the powers inside of me. I’m still as powerful, but it’s almost like you tidied up my powers, organizing them into files that are easier to obtain. I feel clearheaded and energized for the first time in a long time.”
My lips curved at the excitement in his voice. The pain had dissipated entirely, so I let myself have this moment. I rested my head against his hard chest, breathing in the warm scent of him. The sound of the ocean relaxed me, and I just wanted to live in this moment forever.
“What will I do with all of that power when you’re not around? Will it consume me?” I hadn’t meant to ask that out loud. Embarrassed, I went to scramble off of his lap, but he held me, still not letting me up.
He kissed the top of my head, as his hands tightened around me. “Carmen, I don’t plan on not being around. Wherever you go, I will follow.”
Doubt colored my words. “So, you’d camp out in the underworld, never seeing the sun again, just to stay by me?”
“If that’s where you choose to reign, then yes. You’re worth a thousand suns.”
Choose to reign? Like the location didn’t matter? I didn’t exactly know what that meant, and honestly, I didn’t want to think about it too much. Hope could be a crappy thing.
“Carmen?”
“Yes.”
“Look at me.” I tilted my head back up once
again. His electric blue eyes roamed over my face before they settled on my lips.
I touched the sides of his cheeks as his lips crushed mine. This kiss was different. Kissing someone and knowing they had feelings for you was a giddy experience. He craved me with every second, but more than that, he adored me. As he deepened the kiss, I committed this to my memory. If we perished in the fight against my uncle, I would die knowing I knew happiness, if only for a moment in time.
After we watched the sun go down, I took us both back to my chamber, where we would prepare for tonight. I took one last glance in the mirror. I looked completely badass, if I did say so myself. I had decided to change into tight pants and a corset to match. It was sexy and powerful, at the same time. Austin had changed into his standard apparel: a pair of well-worn jeans that were more than likely going to break my concentration and a tight-fitting T-shirt. He gave me a knowing look that made me roll my eyes, but before I could tell him where to go, a wave of his lust struck me. I almost staggered. His soft laugh died on his lips. Was this what it felt like to be totally enraptured by someone? The air thickened right before Tally ruined the moment by flying in between us.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Where have you both been?”
“Hey, Mom,” I said, “did I miss curfew?”
“Cute. Real cute. Are we ready to start a war or what?”
Austin asked, “Have you heard anything from Ariana?”
Tally looked confused. “No, why?”
Austin shrugged. “Just making sure she didn’t have any final instructions.” His worry carried through our connection.
“Do you think she cares about us?” I scoffed. “I’m not a huge fan of the soothsayer, but it’s obvious to even the simplest minded she has her own agenda. Besides, you don’t need to worry about me. I’ll be fine.”
The Demon Queen Page 18