“Later, Bunny.” I rifled my things together and scurried through the classroom. Cas’ spicy smell swirled around me, and I relished a few deep breaths following him down the hall.
“What’s up?”
“Oh, nothing.” He said, and motioned for me to follow him into the admins office. “I just heard you panic. I thought I’d save you.” He nodded to the sofa. “Let’s talk.”
“Heard me?”
He tapped his head with the tip of his finger, and blood rushed to my cheeks.
“Oh, my god.” A light flickered on in my head. “You said I have a dirty mind.”
He chuckled, spun the chair, and straddled it. “Am I wrong?”
“God. You heard me in the gym, didn’t you?”
“Oh, yes.”
I buried my face in my hands, ears burned hotter than my cheeks. “I should say I’m sorry, shouldn’t I? But seriously, you’re hot, and I can’t help where my mind goes.”
He chortled, and patted my head. “It’s fine. I’ve heard and seen far worse.”
I peered at him through parted fingers. “Is that a challenge?”
His eyes widened for a split second before he coughed. “Oh, I almost forgot.” He got up, and strolled into the small room behind the desk. He emerged a minute later with a small package in his hand. “Happy birthday. I know it’s a little late, or early, but…”
“For me?!”
“Yes,” he shone, and handed me the box. “Hope you like it.” He sat and watched me gently unwrap the violet paper. I put the lid on the seat next to me and moved the silk paper. A glass pendant, with dandelion seeds inside it. Just like the one my mom wore in one of the photos Gran had hanging in the study.
“Mom had one of these.” A finger gently caressed the glass.
“I know. I gave it to her.”
“You did? How… How old are you, really?”
He coughed in surprise. “Wow, okay. That’s a… Let’s just say I’m old enough.”
“Immortal?” Tension swirled through my muscles.
“No. We all burn out eventually.” Sadness shimmered behind his mismatched eyes, so I dropped the subject.
“Well, thank you for the gift. I love it,” I whispered, my chest swelling with warmth.
“Anytime, Mira.”
I liked the way he said my name, it slipped off his tongue like a warm knife through butter. I picked the pendant from the box, and watched it sway from its leather band.
“Uhm… I don’t mean to pry, but if your ability is to read minds, how do you keep from… I mean… You know all our secrets, and with me thinking…”
He leaned forward and rested his hand on my knee. “Some things are harder to ignore than others, but I’ve learned to keep from reacting.”
I snorted. “Did you drop me cause of my naughty thoughts?” The memory of his sudden release of me played on a loop in my head. “Cause I wouldn’t blame you.”
“Yes.” His hand slipped from my knee and rubbed the smooth skin of his chin. “Sorry about that. I wasn’t prepared for how clear your thoughts would be. Or the crisp images you create in my mind. It seems I hear you even when you’re sleeping.” His lips curled. “It caught me off guard to have you that close. I’m sorry I dropped you.”
I put the lid back, and cradled the box in my hands. “And I’m sorry I thought about ripping your clothes off and having my way with you.”
He chuckled. “It’s fine.”
“So, the closer you are to someone, the louder their thoughts are?”
“No. Thoughts usually remain at a steady volume. How can I explain this?” A light flickered behind his mesmerizing eyes. “It’s like if you try to scream with your mind's voice. No matter how hard you try, the scream has the same volume as if you were to whisper with it.”
“But I’m screaming in your head?”
He laughed. “Something like that.”
“Sorry.” I patted the box. “This was really nice. Thank you, again.”
“It’s the least I can do.” He pushed off the chair, and disappeared into the back room. “Aris told me you had visions of your mom.”
My heart soared when he returned balancing two cups of steaming coffee. The heavy aroma reached for my nostrils and curled my toes. I accepted the cup with a beaming face. “Yes.” I filled him in on the vision. When I was done, he sat in silence for a moment, brows cradled deep over his eyes.
“We need to be alert. If they’re sending you these visions, it means they’re close.” He pursed his lips, and blew on the coffee, before taking a sip. “It also means that we’ll need someone with you, even during the nights.” I raised a hand to stop the protest about to spill from my mouth. “Aym will not be enough. He can’t handle demons. And especially not one high leveled enough to infiltrate the school.”
“There’s a demon at school?” Thoughts swirled to Salma and Kaito. “My friends, they need protection.”
“I’ve already taken care of it. Tell is keeping an eye on Salma, and Aris has his hands full with Kaito.” A smile split his lips, and he shook his head. “I believe Aris is quite enjoying his new assignment.”
I laughed. “Kaito is, too.”
“We’ll meet in your room tonight, and decide who’ll stay with you until we find the demon.”
“So? You can’t sense them either?”
The soft waves of his chocolate hair swayed. “No. I’m afraid not.”
The way he slipped his fingers through his hair tickled the memory of what happened during PE. Rising to his feet, he collected my cup and disappeared to the back again.
Wait a minute. “Cas?”
“Yes?” He appeared in the opening, brows raised.
“Did you flash me your abs in gym, just to get back at me?”
He laughed, and rubbed the back of his neck. “You caught me. And I do appreciate that you thanked a god you don’t believe in, for my abs.” He crossed the floor. “It’s nice to know all the training and dieting pays off.” He offered his hand, and I accepted, getting to my feet.
“You’ll pay for that, I hope you know that.”
He opened the door to the hall, and smiled. “I already am, trust me.”
“Caroli?”
He nodded in response, a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, and the door fell shut between us.
Chapter 19
“No,” I glared at Beid, who was leaning against my desk, arms banded over his chest. “I told you, I don’t need or want him.”
Cas forced air between his teeth in an exasperated sigh. “You need someone here during the nights.”
“I have Aym. That’s enough.”
Aym straightened his back at the compliment, which made him a whooping four inches, without tail. “I can do it.” He fluttered to the bed and flexed his wings. “I’ve done it before you showed up.”
“That was before he sent demons.”
Everyone had gathered in my room. Thirty minutes of arguing, and we still hadn’t agreed on who should guard me during the nights.
“It’s better if you make sure my friends are safe.”
Lux and Rigel leaned against the windowsill, while Caroli sat in the lounge chair watching Cas like a hawk, sparing me a hateful glare every so often.
Tell made himself comfortable on the bed next to me, leaned back on the pillows, arms under his head, studying the pattern of the ceiling. “Ya canny force her.”
“You’re not helping, Tell,” Aris said from his place at the door. “Why don’t you do it, Cas?”
A set of icy eyes snapped to Aris from the lounge chair.
“Hell no. I don’t want to wake up to that witch smothering me because she has stupid ideas about me and her hubby.”
My complete aversion pulled a few chuckles from the group, and eased some of the tension.
“What about Lux?” Caroli suggested, pinning me to the bed with daggers of fake niceness.
“No!”
The complete shutdown from Cas raised more than on
e eyebrow, but brought a sly smile to Lux’s lips.
“Why don’t you let me handle this? I can have her accepting Beid in a minute.”
“No!”
I startled from the bed at the roar from everyone in the room. “What was that all about?”
“Nothing.” Cas waved away my question.
My curiosity nerve itched, and I was not about to leave it unscratched. “If you can’t do it, and Aris and Tell are busy, that leaves Lux, and Rigel.”
“As well as Beid and Caroli.”
I raised my brows in a meaningful glare. “Really? You really wanna go there?”
He raised his hands. “Fine. Rigel can guard you tonight.”
Rigel cleared his throat, and Cas deflated. “Damn it. I forgot.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “There’s no other choice. I’ll do it.”
Caroli’s face scrunched, her eyes blackening at his words.
A sweet snicker bounced in my head, and I met Cas’ worried glance. He knew I was up to something. “How about we make a deal?”
“I don’t like this.” Beid grumbled.
“What kind of deal?” Cas cautious question vibrated with hope of an end to the arguing.
“I’ll agree to have one of you watch me, every night.”
Cas tilted forward. “And?”
“In exchange, you tell me what Lux meant.”
“No.” Cas frantically shook his head, and leaned away from me.
Rats! What were they hiding? “Okay then. Get out, I’m going to bed.”
Cas groaned, and ran his hands down his face. “Just pick one. If you don’t want Beid to stay here, just pick someone else. We’re here to protect you.”
“Fine. Lux!” I stared in defiance at Cas' paling face. “He’s the only one not busy, and won’t kill me in my sleep.”
“She got ya.” Tell snickered and rolled off the bed. “Have a good one. I’ll see ya tomorrow.” He winked at me and headed for the door.
“No. Wait,” Cas blurted. I could see the wheels turning in his head.
“What? You told me to pick one. I did.” I bounced to my feet and shooed them toward the door.
“You can’t— “
“I can’t what?” I tilted my head to the side and shoved Aris through the door, innocently eyeing Cas.
His gaze flickered. In a trembling voice, he said, “Mira. You’re playing with fire.”
My eyes drifted to Lux, who hadn’t moved from his place by the window. His gaze met me, unapologetically, head on. My body set ablaze. What had I done?
I’m an idiot.
Too late, I realized I’d given myself to the starved predator.
“I’ll stay.” Cas blocked the door with his hand, grimacing when Caroli’s nails dug into his arm.
“We’ll be fine. I’ll see you tomorrow,” I assured him and brushed away his hand so I could close the door. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself, before turning to face Lux. My heart skipped at the sight of his shoulders shaking from restraint laughter.
“You sure are something else. I’ve never seen my brother being run over in the decision making, but you did it.” He thrust off the sill and stalked over to me. “You. Are my hero.” He chuckled, leaned in, and boom went the furnace in my stomach. I flinched at the clicking of the lock. “Good night, Mira.” He sauntered over to the lounge chair and sank into it.
Now what? “Uhm? Do you need a blanket?”
“I’m good. But thank you.”
I fumbled for the duvet and slipped under it, my body acutely aware of the gorgeous man within my reach. I hooked the phone to the charger and checked the time. Six hours till the alarm went off. Calm your head.
Yeah right, like my head was the part of me causing problems. I twisted, and turned, but the heat pulsated through every fiber, teasing me. It didn’t help that I was fully dressed in sweats and t-shirt. I even kept my frickin bra on. Damn it.
“So? Are you gonna tell me what you meant?”
“No. But good for you, not giving up.” He huffed a laugh.
I waited in silence, thoughts not going anywhere, but unable to pause long enough for me to sleep.
“Lux?”
“Yes?”
“Do you think Aym’s right? That I can get my mom back?”
I held my breath, somewhere between hope and hopelessness. After what felt like an eternity, he replied.
“Even if he is, the mother you knew is gone. She’s lived a thousand lifetimes in a different world, and even if you still love her, she will always be lost to you.”
I suckled on his words, rolling them in my mind. “You’re probably right. Not a big believer of happily ever after either way.” I tugged the duvet to my chin. “Good night.”
“Good night.”
Chapter 20
I don’t know how I fell asleep, or even when, but I woke up to a pitch-black room. A bitter and sharp ammoniac smell spiked the air. I covered my wrinkled nose with a hand and swallowed the bile clawing at the back of my tongue.
“Lux?” As I struggled to get free from the duvet, something rattled in the dark. I pulled my feet free, and a weight to cling to them with a stinging pain around my ankles. My fingers walked down my leg, and connected with something cold wrapped around my ankle. I pulled on it. The clanging of chains echoed between the walls. What was this?
Lux?” My voice trembled, fear slithering down my spine. My heart struggled to beat in a tight chest. “Lux?”
“Be quiet!” a hoarse voice whispered in the dark.
“Where am I?”
“What do you mean? Same place as last time, of course.”
“No. That’s not right. I wasn’t here.” I yanked on the chain. The chilling air stiffened my limbs, so I reached for the duvet, but it was gone. Instead of my warm comfortable bed, my fingers felt over rough, prickly material. The shuffle of feet and jangle of chains drew closer.
“Maia?”
“No. I’m Mira.”
“No, no, no, no, no.” The chains rattled in pace with the desperate complaining. “You can’t be here. Go back, peanut. Go back. They promised to protect you.”
Peanut? “Mom?” I rushed to my feet, reaching for the voice. The chains jolted me to a halt, and I fell to the stone floor. “Mom?” My eyes stung at the knife twisting in my chest. “Mom!” I howled into the dark.
“Calm down, peanut. I’m here.” A gentle touch accompanied the soothing words on an outstretched hand. “I’m right here.” Her voice broke into sobs. “I’m so sorry.”
I ripped at the shackles, straining to get closer. “Mom?” My voice broke. “Please.”
“Don’t trust him, Mira. He’s evil.” Her voice came from a distance.
“Mira!” Someone called my name. Loudly. It shattered the walls, and Mom’s touch faded from my hand.
“No! No! Mom! Come back!” I closed my eyes, praying the dark would keep her with me.
“Mira!”
A face came into view. High cheekbones, tense lips under pools of a night sky. Concern chiseled on Lux's forehead. I threw my arms around him, sobs tearing my chest apart.
“Mom!” I wailed into his chest. Hands gathered the fabric of his shirt, clutching it tight. I was back on the stairs, Gran falling to her knees, shaking in sorrow. Me, not understanding. My heart shattered. Lux collected me from the bed and cradled me in the warmth of his arms. Agony screamed through my soul, seeping from my pores. I had her. I had her, and I let her go. I cried myself back to a dreamless sleep.
A lustful sensation pulled me from my sleep, the terrors of the night, gone. The warm scent of Lux surrounded me, his deep breathing like waves across my skin. I cracked my eyes open. An arm rested above the covers on my chest. Lux's arm. Sleeping on his stomach, the slacks had slid down his hips, tempting me by revealing two dimples just above the curve of his ass. I bit my lip, and pushed the warmth away. A few blonde strands obscured his face. I reached out, and tucked them away. My head began to pound, a not so gentle reminder of last night.
I moved, cautious to not wake him. The cold reached for me in warning when I raised the covers. My cheeks flushed. Lux stirred, and I held my breath. His deep blue's opened, taking a moment to focus on me. A soft smile curled his lips.
"Morning. Feeling better?"
“Yeah. I just… Thank you.”
He propped himself up on an elbow, the ripple of muscle along his abdomen chasing away most of the cold. My embarrassment got rid of the rest.
“I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but did you undress me?” I stared down at my bare legs with a hint of panic.
“No.” He sat, peering over to my side of the bed. “Guess you kicked them off in your sleep.”
“Maybe.”
“I swear, I had both hands above the cover the entire night.” He left the bed, grabbed his shirt and slipped into it. I quenched a longing sigh when his gorgeous body disappeared with every button. “And I prefer a woman to be awake, and enjoying sex, not passed out snoring.”
“I snored?”
“Like sleeping in a wind tunnel.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m joking.” He tucked his shirt, and pulled the belt through the loops. “You should get ready.”
“Yeah… Right.” I shuffled my clothes together and scurried into the bathroom.
“Good morning.” Aym sat on the shelf above the sink, legs dangled off the edge.
“Kind of,” I muttered, and splashed some water on my face. “Yeah. That’s not gonna work.” I reached in and turned the shower on. “Okay. I need you to be gone for like thirty minutes.” I pressed my thighs together. “I have an itch to scratch.”
Aym had been with me long enough to know what that meant.
“Thirty minutes, not a second longer.” He sparkled a smile, and shimmered out.
Chapter 21
Kaito met me in the cafeteria with a steaming cup of coffee already in place at my spot at the table.
“You’re a lifesaver.” The golden hot liquid burned my tongue. Closing my eyes, I leaned back in the chair. Shadows from the night had scattered long ago, but the lack of sleep promised a long day of coffee drinking.
Kaito studied my face, his forehead creased, brows knitted above his nose. “You’ve been crying.” He pursed his lips.
Before Limbo (After Life Book 1) Page 8