Mom sighs dramatically. “I guess it can’t be helped with your busy schedule.”
“Weren’t you all about to eat dinner?”
I get my personal space back as Mom attends to the tomato pasta simmering on the stove.
“Yep. It looks like dinner’s almost done,” I say. “Talk to you later?”
“You got it. Enjoy your dinner.”
I hang up the phone and start setting the table. Dad joins me. By the time we’re finished, Mom has finished cooking. Once we’re all seated at the round table, we link our hands in preparation for prayer.
“Tasia, would you do the honors?” Mom asks.
“Sure,” I reply as I close my eyes. “Cleanse this food of all evil and harm, that our bodies may be strengthened this day. Amen.”
“Amen,” my parents echo.
We each dish up a plate of pasta and eat in silence for only a few minutes before Mom can’t stand it anymore. “Tasia, tell us something exciting going on in your life.”
I poke my pasta with my fork, repeating the process without putting any of the pasta in my mouth. “I don’t really have anything exciting to say… I do have a question, though.” My palms start to feel sweaty, but I need their advice. I always go to my parents when I need advice. “How do you know when you like someone? I mean, really like them.”
Mom and Dad exchange looks.
“Well,” Mom says, “you’ll need to ask yourself that question. If you like someone, why do you like them? Is it a physical or spiritual sensation?”
“Can it be both?”
Dad replies, “Yes, it can be both. It looks like your mom and I forgot how old you are.”
Mom nods. “You’re sixteen. Those kinds of feelings are perfectly normal.”
“But what about lust?” I ask. “Wouldn’t a physical sensation be lust?”
“What do you think, Tasia?” Mom asks. There’s no judgment in her voice. It’s just an honest question.
“I don’t know,” I whisper, fiddling with the black diamond around my neck. “I don’t think so. He’s nice. I like being around him. He makes me happy. There’s something about him that gives off this good energy, too. I feel like my own energy is better when I’m around him. I just… like everything about him.”
“It sounds like you already have your answer then,” Dad says.
Mom agrees.
“How do I know when something is good for me or bad for me? Sometimes it’s so hard to tell the difference,” I say.
“You do your best,” Dad says. “People aren’t perfect, but we’re always taking steps to either dwell in the light or in the dark.”
“I want to dwell in the light,” I say.
“And that’s one step in the right direction.” Dad winks.
I let out a cleansing breath, clearing the tension in my chest. “Thank you. You’re the best parents ever.”
“I’m going to want to meet this boy, though,” Mom informs. “He’s going to need the parents’ stamp of approval.”
I tug at my black diamond, feeling nervous again. “Well, it’s not like you haven’t met him already… Besides, I don’t even know if he feels the same way.”
“When the time comes, then,” Mom concludes with a wave of her hand. “You’ll have to reintroduce him as your boyfriend.”
With the number of times my face has undoubtedly turned red today, I won’t be surprised if it permanently changes my skin color.
“How was your day?” I ask, changing the conversation.
“Peculiar, actually,” Dad notes. “And I still haven’t gotten around to fixing that damn leaking kitchen faucet because of it.”
“What do you mean?”
“A girl who looked around your age came to see us,” Mom says. “She wasn’t from around here. I tried to get her to talk with me, but she was only interested in buying some herbs. Then she left.”
“We thought she might be in trouble, so I followed her to the hotel,” Dad says. “Turns out she’s staying there with her fiancé. Seems she just barely turned eighteen.”
My eyes go wide. “And she’s getting married already? Wait. Why are they in Reverie?”
Mom shrugs. “Maybe they’re the spiritual type. That girl did come here for some herbs. Too bad they came at this time of year. With all that talk about the Conways preparing for that Halloween party of theirs, Reverie doesn’t feel how it usually does.” She eyes me. “That’s an example of taking a step toward darkness.”
I nod. I know how against celebrating Halloween in any way Mom and Dad are. They don’t have to remind me of that.
If we lived anywhere else in Pennsylvania, I think my parents would be out of the job. I know there are fortune tellers, aura readers, generalized psychics, healers and whatever else out there, but they are few and far in between compared to what you can find in Reverie. Most of the world seems to leave the supernatural, energies, and everything else about the unseen world to fairytales and bedtime stories. Most people go through life without knowing the extent to which they invite positive or negative energy into their lives.
I excuse myself when I’m finished eating and shut myself into the comfort and silence of my room. The dark purple walls, floor, and overall theme of my room is relaxing. It’s supposed to make it easier to concentrate and meditate. My parents are huge advocates of meditation—especially since I started showing signs of anxiety. I think it helps at times, but it isn’t that easy. At least for me. My mind is always going.
Plopping down onto my bed, I turn on my lamp. The night sky springs to life all around me as my lamp rotates slowly and projects the stars and moon onto my walls and ceiling. As I settle into the calming sight, I finger the heart-shaped black diamond around my neck. I think about how unlike every other gemstone and crystal my parents have ever come across, this one doesn’t need to be cleansed; it’s also the only crystal that’s been able to save me from the demands of spirits. My parents tried asking Jazmin how that was even possible, but all she said was that this crystal is rare and that the things we need come to us when we need them the most.
She never did tell my parents where she got the crystal from, but my parents figure it must have come from her ancient collection. Normal crystals and gemstones tune themselves to their surroundings. They absorb energy from the one using them just as they do everything else around them, and they output this energy as well. That’s why it’s a good idea to cleanse them regularly in order to bring them to their natural and neutral state.
But my crystal is different. It’s set in its ways. It’s a bearer of warmth, light, and a shield against malevolence. It doesn’t waver and it isn’t influenced by the world around it. I’ve tried cleansing and charging it before, but my crystal never feels any different from its usual comfort. All gemstones and crystals are better suited for different uses and attract energies differently, based on their natural state. But, unlike my crystal, they can be and always are being influenced. Most crystal or gemstone owners have to charge them with the light of the sun, for example, so that their gemstone or crystal will emit that powerful positive energy to protect them against darkness. An energy charge doesn’t last forever though, and the gemstone or crystal will be tainted by the world around it in time. That’s when they need to be cleansed and charged all over again.
I continue to stare at my ceiling, replicating the night sky. The moon and stars move slowly across my room in a soothing motion. It usually lulls me to sleep, but my mind is busy tonight.
I can’t get Rynne out of my head. Him being on my mind has been a constant lately. Every day I see him at school, the worse it gets. It’s like something inside of me is begging me to just go and tell him how I feel—but I keep stopping myself. Why do I keep stopping myself? I know it’s not because of my childish vow anymore. There’s a boy I like, and I fully accept that. The real reason I keep stopping myself is because I’m afraid of what he’ll say.
“Is it all right to tell him tomorrow?” I whisper out loud to God
or whatever other divine beings might be listening.
I think back to the Guardian Angel. Then I think about Rynne holding my hands and looking into my eyes with his beautiful sky blue ones. That look made my knees weak, and just thinking about it puts butterflies in my stomach all over again. Didi told me Rynne likes me…
I’m going to do it. I’m going to tell Rynne how I feel tomorrow.
I’ll tell him how I feel first thing in the morning—before I lose the nerve.
CHAPTER 3
Arsen
WHAT A QUAINT LITTLE town. Reverie. Even the name. I let out a chuckle. A town designed to ward off evil. There’s certainly an abundance of light—even down to its sickening trees. The white ash can be especially irritating. That’s why Yuki and I stay perched on top of an oak tree instead, scanning the odd little amusement park spread out before us. The whole town is flooded with the stench of righteousness.
I smell angels.
Everything is quiet. So unsuspecting. So unassuming. So ripe for harvest on this night. The air is crisp, leaves have changed colors and are falling off the trees, and the full moon is shining in all its glory without a single cloud in the sky to obscure it. Energy is thrumming through my veins, threatening to make my body explode. A full moon provides one of the purest and most uncontainable forms of ecstasy—even while being trapped in the mortal world.
More than usual, my beast begs to run free this night. I’ll give it some leeway, but not when it comes to my physical body. My logician will command my appearance. I wouldn’t be able to mask my darkness very well otherwise.
Yuki snuggles up close to me. “Is this place even worth bothering with? It’s so small.”
I press my lips to hers, impatient to taste her. I bite her bottom lip and she opens her mouth for me. I snake my tongue across hers. She plays along with my game, biting back, and kissing me just as intently. Moving her closer so there’s no space between us, I let my hands wander her elegant body as our kiss takes on a life of its own.
When I give her a chance to break away, she sucks in a much-needed breath of air and asks, “Are we going to play with each other, or are we going to play with this town?”
Abruptly, I let her go. I turn my eyes to the amusement park laid out before us. “The town,” I say.
I jump down from the oak tree and land effortlessly on the ground below. Like a cat, I always land on my feet. I start walking on one of the park’s red-rock trails, dusted in leaves, and take the opportunity to look at the rides up close. The ones around this area are dated, but the town seems to take special care in their upkeep. It looks like they should all still run.
I haven’t been to an amusement park in some time.
“Feel like going for a ride?” I ask, looking over my shoulder.
Yuki curls her red lips up seductively. “Why not?” she replies.
We find and turn on the power, bringing the amusement park to life in a burst of lights that snap on one by one in a row until the whole park is covered in them and each ride is humming with energy. I swear I can feel that energy prickling on the back of my neck, almost like it’s surging through me as well. I’ve always loved how humans use electricity.
“What about that one?” Yuki asks, pointing to the largest roller coaster here. It’s nothing compared to a Six Flags roller coaster. It’s not even made of metal. The tracks are old, made of wood, but I’m willing to give it a try.
“After you,” I say.
Yuki lets her slender fingers slide across my cheek as she walks past me, the natural swing of her hips enough to get any demon’s blood running hot. I smirk as I follow her to the ride, where she gets seated. I find the controls for the ride and get it started before seating myself next to her. Playing this kind of game is easy when you have speed like mine. The ride doesn’t even start to move until I’m seated.
“When’s the last time we’ve been to an amusement park?” Yuki asks as the roller coaster slowly starts making its climb to the top of the tracks.
I shrug. Time isn’t all that important to an immortal.
When our car reaches the top of the tracks, Yuki and I exchange amused looks. The odd weightless feeling comes first as our car careens down the tracks. Then there’s the jerking motion as the tracks change directions. Roller coasters have definitely come a long way since this one. There aren’t any loops and the ride is bumpy, but it’s good for a moment’s entertainment. When the momentary thrill has worn off, I notice Yuki’s long dark hair whipping wildly in the air behind her as the ride makes its last turn. She’s going to have a hell of a time sorting out all those snarls.
The ride stops, and I offer Yuki a hand out of the car. She accepts my offer. Then she starts smoothing down her hair. She’s always been a vain creature. It’s something that has never changed.
She’s still fixing her hair after we leave the ride and continue walking through the park. If the angels here were paying any attention, they should have confronted us by now. Even while the two of us wear the skin of our logicians, our darkness is great. We must seem like a blight upon this town of light, regardless of its human imperfection.
Darkness is creeping in from nearby.
“I should have pulled my hair back,” Yuki mumbles.
Abruptly, I take her hands and look into the glowing, dark night sky that is her eyes. “You look beautiful.” She’s about to add to that thought, but I put a finger to her lips. “Quiet, lovely. We’re not the only ones here.”
She puts aside her vanity and falls into step just behind me. I know she can hear them now, the voices.
“You really went all out for this,” a female’s voice carries on the wind. “After you had me buy all those herbs for the purifying ritual earlier, I didn’t think you’d spice things up like this. The park’s supposed to be closed, isn’t it? How did you get all the lights on?”
A male takes credit for something he didn’t do as he replies, “The best for you, babe.”
I walk forward, toward the voices, leaving behind the rides and entering an area of the park called Fairytale Forest. This section doesn’t have any rides. It’s filled with sculptures replicating animals native to the immortal world. Unicorns, dragons, hippogriffs, and more. It seems this place is meant for nothing more than its atmosphere and a place to walk. In short: it’s boring.
“You know how quiet this town is?” the man’s voice draws closer. “This place never has any accidents and it’s safe from evil. That’s what they say anyway.”
There’s a moment of silence before the female replies with heavy breaths, “That’s why we came here. To get away from all the bad things in your past, right?”
This girl must be an impressionable idiot. She’s probably young, a trophy the man decided to take along for a ride, another victim to add to his list.
“I’m almost eighteen now. Then we can finally get married. We won’t have to lie anymore.”
“Stop talking.”
“We’re going to do this here?”
“Nobody’s around.”
I grin just as I walk around a curve in the trail and into the humans’ sight. “Wrong,” I correct him.
“Hey, man, what’re you doing here? The park’s closed,” the fool of a man says, trying to act like he holds some sort of authority here.
The young woman with him is currently shirtless. Obviously frightened, she grabs for her shirt and holds it lamely out in front of her, trying to conceal her partially naked form from my sight; she’s still wearing her bra. And to think, they were about to do this in front of an angel statue of all things. I can’t help but smile at that, and that smile grows when I feel the energy coming off that statue. It’s not just a beacon of light. It’s a portal into Ilenima, the immortal world I left behind so long ago.
The man pulls a knife out from his boot and points it at me. “Leave and you won’t get hurt.”
I’m trying so hard not to laugh, but the urge starts as a low rumble in my chest. It sounds like more of a growl
than a laugh until the sound bursts from my lips. “Humans are such plucky creatures, don’t you think?”
Yuki steps out from the shadows behind me. She wraps her arms around my left arm and leans into me as she stares the humans down. Her expression is blank, completely vacant as she studies them.
“Leave us alone!” the girl shouts.
“I suggest you leave,” I tell her. “Unless you want to end up dead.”
I can see the weight of my words register in her wide eyes. She takes a step back.
“No!” the man threatens. “It’s the full moon just before your eighteenth birthday. I have to do it tonight.”
“Do what?” The girl clutches her shirt to her chest as she trembles and backs away. “We already did the ritual. I thou—”
“Shut up!”
I look up into the night sky. What a beautiful full moon it is.
The man leaps suddenly, shouting as he pins the girl to him and brings his knife to her throat. “Your blood is going to taste so sweet on my lips.”
Tears run down the girl’s face as she panics. Her eyes dart back and forth and her mouth works like she wants to say something, or maybe scream, but no sound comes out.
I suppose if I’m planning on stopping him, now’s the time to do it. I take a step forward, and then I dash. It’s obvious he doesn’t see me coming, because when I barrel into him, he drops his hold on the girl and the knife without any resistance. I loop my arm around the girl before she flies back with her would-be killer. Then I push her in the opposite direction, back toward the park’s entrance.
She doesn’t say anything as she glances at me for only a moment before running as fast as she can, away from all of this. Good choice.
The man lies wheezing on the ground, where he landed after I plowed into him. He’s a good few feet away from me now; I even made sure not to hit him too hard. Yuki folds her arms and continues observing as I reach down for the man’s knife and walk over to him. He tries to get off the ground, but his body can’t function properly when it can’t get enough air.
I slip behind him and pull him up into the same hold he had the girl in. “So tell me about this ritual of yours,” I say. “You take young women and kill them on the last full moon before they turn eighteen and drink their blood? That sound right?”
Demon Snare (These Immortal Vows Book 1) Page 3