This makes him laugh. “I’m far from either. Trust me.” He looks very amused. “You only see what happens out here.” He motions to his surroundings. “Not what happens in here.” He taps his skull and grins.
His tousled hair falls in his face and he pushes back. It’s not long per say, but is just barely long enough to be a nuisance.
“Are you going to tell me how Aria reacted now?” I push. Mason looks at me like I’m an impatient child and his grin widens.
“If you’re going to tell me what Aiden said to you that caused you tears.”
A trade. I see. I decide it’s a fair one and nod although my smile falters at remembering Aiden’s words.
“Aria took it well. She stared at my eyes for too long but let’s face it they’re enough to make anyone squirm. She asked me about how I felt and if I was alright. Then I asked her the same questions and we talked about how different things will be. I told that I’m doing well and feel more like myself every day. She seemed to be reassured by that fact and then we went on to talk about Crispen, dropping the my being a demon subject.”
“That’s it?” I ask him in disbelief.
He grins. “Your turn.”
I tell Mason about each detail I can remember from the conversation I had earlier with Aiden. With each one I share, Mason seems to become angrier until he finally stands and begins pacing as he listens.
“First Crispen and then Aiden.” Mason crosses his arms tightly. “I don’t know how a man could treat you with such dishonor. It makes me furious.” He clenches his teeth and steadies his breathing.
“That’s just the changeling in you talking, Mason. I’m nothing special.”
He turns and stares at me as though I’m clearly missing something very obvious. “Megan, you are the most kind and thoughtful woman that I know. You’re strong and you don’t give up even when things are real crap. The man you love said some really ignorant things to you and you cried for all of a few minutes and then had the strength to smile afterwards. I’d pay any man a million bucks if they could resist how sweet your laugh is or the way your hair moves in the wind. Megan, you are far from ordinary. You’re the most special person I’ve ever met. That first day I saw you I knew you were something special. You managed to even win your way into Crispen’s heart somehow even though you two were the unlikeliest of pairs. You bring light to dark places. Everyone enjoys being around you, even as a demon.” Mason stops to take a breath. He moves a step close to me and places his palm on my cheek. “You asked me if I ever just let go. Only when I feel at home. These past few weeks with you have been so normal, so comfortable. So much so, that I’ve been fighting like hell to not let go.”
I stare back at him with wide eyes as his words sink in and before I even think it through, I kiss him. I don’t hesitate neither. Unlike with Crispen, I don’t immediately regret it either. I especially don’t regret it when Mason pulls me into him and kisses me back instead of pulling away. He back me up against a tree and presses against me. Unlike Aiden, Mason doesn’t stop after a short kiss. He doesn’t pull away and leave. Mason stays kisses me like I’ve never been kissed. He doesn’t hold back. He doesn’t restrain himself like Aiden does and I like it. No, I love it.
A soft, barely audible moan escapes from Mason and it sends a shiver down my spine. Nothing has ever sounded so appealing in my life.
“I’m pretty sure that making out with the boss’s woman is treason,” Mason breathes against my lips.
I attempt to kiss him again but he keeps out lips millimeters apart as he waits for my reply.
“I’m not his. Not now. How am I to love someone who wants his own brother dead, someone who doesn’t even have time for me? It’s been months since I’ve spent proper time with him,” I whisper in a rush.
He kisses me again but pulls away again. “This is so going to get me killed and I really don’t even care right now.” I wince at his words. Would Aiden kill Mason for kissing me? He was ready to kill Crispen. Mason senses my hesitation and says, “Megan, he’s not here right now, and anyway, I’m not scared of anything, especially death. It’s worth it.”
I’m not so sure. This is his life we’re talking about. “Mason…” I try but he kisses me again and I realize that he’s right. Aiden isn’t here right now. Don’t Mason and I deserve to have a little fun after everything? Don’t we deserve a slice of happiness, of freedom?
Mason’s hand grips my hip as he pulls me into him. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this,” he whispers harshly and his lips move down to my neck. I can’t help the slight moan that escapes me as I close my eyes to savor the moment.
A rustle in the bushes interrupts us. We both freeze. Mason steps away from me and I gather myself as best I can. Mason scans the trees and I do the same. Even with night vision I can’t see anyone. That is until the bushes rustle again and Aria steps out onto the beach.
We both stare at her and she stares at us. Understanding fills her expression and her mouth falls open. “Oh my god,” she whispers quietly. Then louder, “Are you serious?”
Mason looks guilty, like he’s been up to something he shouldn’t have been and I guess this isn’t too far off. Not that Aria is about to tattle on us.
“Do you have a thing for all of my brothers? Are you just trying out every one of them?” she blurts then covers her mouth as if she hasn’t meant to say this. I don’t know how to reply. She’s not exactly wrong. I have kissed every one of her brothers.
Mason answers before I can. “Aria…” he starts but doesn’t seem to know what to say. I think we’re all a little surprised.
“I see you’re feeling better,” Aria notes in an unamused tone.
I catch a small smile tug at Mason’s lips before he catches it. “I…” I start and I, too, can’t finish.
Mason finally bursts out into laughter. Aria rolls her eyes and I can’t help but stare at Mason doubled over in laughter. Aria gives in a little and lets a smile come across her lips. Her smile quickly turns into a grin. I feel like I’m missing something.
Aria looks to me and her smile doesn’t falter. “What the hell did you do to him?” she asks trying not to contract Mason’s contagious laugh. “He hasn’t laughed like that since…” she trails off and looks between the two of us.
Mason’s laughing calms but his huge smile remains intact.
“Since before mom and dad died,” she finishes, a strange look taking over her face. She looks back at me. “What the hell did you do to him? What did you say?”
Again, I’m silent.
Our silence is beginning to get to Aria because she scowls at us.
Another rustle in the bushes tells me someone else is nearing. Crispen comes through the brush a few yards from where Aria did. “I knew I recognized that incoherent laugh,” he notes and raises an eyebrow.
Oh no.
Mason looks to me with his lips pursed as though he’s trying to restrain from laughing. I wonder what’s so funny.
“You ever seen him look at anyone like that?” Crispen asks Aria and then begins smirking. “That’s the look a man has when someone has him by the balls. That’s love.”
Things seem to click in Aria’s brain and her mouth falls open again. “Crispen, you knew?” she asks. “Does no one tell me anything?”
“Yeah, I knew. Don’t get all worked up, Aria, I only just found out earlier today when he was being all overly protective of her and watching her like a hawk. He knocked down a door in the hotel room just because it was quiet for a few seconds while her and I were in the same room.”
Aria relaxing and grabs hold of her jaw.
What Crispen said in the hotel room about all the guys and me comes back to me. He was right about Mason’s feelings for me, that’s why Mason didn’t deny it.
“Oh, Mason,” Aria squeals and begins clapping her hands. “I can’t believe it.”
She reacts as if we’ve just gotten engaged or something. In truth, this is all fairly new to me. I mean, of
course I care about Mason, he’s been with me protecting me and keeping me company every day for weeks. He’s been my shoulder to cry on while Aiden’s not been around.
There are no strings attached with Mason. Not like there was with Crispen or with Aiden. We’re both demons and he’s not too busy to be in a relationship. I remind myself that Aiden and I just ended things a few hours ago. Then again, although it was only officially ended a few hours ago, I’d be dumb to be blind to the fact that things have been over for Aiden and I for a while. Did they ever really even exist? Sometimes love isn’t enough to hold people together. It’s silly to think that I was about to wait years, maybe decades for Aiden in that condo in Jacksonville. Love is blinding. It took Aiden saying the cruel thing he did today for me to see things clearly.
Crispen rolls his eyes at Aria’s reaction but says, “I’m glad someone makes you happy, Mase. You deserve that more than any of us. The look in your eyes tells me all I need to know. You haven’t looked so happy in a forever.”
I awkwardly look around, trying not to make eye contact with anyone.
“Oh, Megan,” Aria squeals again. “You just had to rifle through them all until you found the right one!” she decides.
My throat feels like it’s going to close. Just because Aiden and I didn’t work out for very obvious reasons doesn’t mean that I don’t still care about him. I love Aiden, I truly do, but it just isn’t viable. The love I have for him isn’t enough. Especially now with the way he’s been acting.
Things are so much easier with Mason. I can see myself with him for a long time unlike with Aiden or Crispen. Mason and I actually make sense.
“Okay, guys,” Mason says in his instructing voice. “That’s enough. We’re just feeling things out, okay?” Mason says this seriously but he’s still smiling.
“Oh, you were definitely feeling things,” Aria whines, sounding a little disgusted.
Crispen snickers. “Atta be, Mase!”
I know my cheeks flush bright red because I can feel it. Even at three centuries old Crispen is still young at heart. Do men ever grow up?
Mason ignores Crispen and turns to me. “Ignore him, will you? He’s a child.”
“Oh come on!” Crispen cries. “I’m honestly just happy Megan isn’t going to end up with Aiden. That guy already has everything.”
I’m about to argue that there are many things that Aiden doesn’t have too, but Mason speaks before I can. “Aiden doesn’t have it as easy as you might think he does, Crispen. And keep this to yourselves. I’d rather Aiden not kill me if it can be avoided. Terry is loyal to Aiden so keep it under wraps.”
“He’ll find out eventually,” a new voice says. I recognize it immediately and am excited to see Landon enter the beach. I didn’t hear a plane nor a helicopter. I wonder how he got here. A boat? I didn’t hear a motor. The others seem to share my questioning glance. “There’s an old portal here that no one knows about. Well, no one but Terry because it hasn’t been used in millennia. Who would use a portal that just goes to some island in the middle of the salty ocean anyhow?”
“How’s Aiden?” I ask Landon.
Landon swallows and looks to be searching for his words. “He’s pretty pissed off about something. I assume you've spoken to him?”
I nod. “Yes.”
“I assume it didn't go well.”
I shake my head.
Landon debates this. “You should try to speak to him again and smooth things over. He has pulled off his people searching for you, but he's in a terrible mood. Like a kid having a tantrum because they can't have a toy.”
I don't really want to talk to him again but I know that I was kind of harsh to him and he was kind of an ass. Maybe now that we've both cooled down we can talk about this rationally. Well, that might be hard with the darkness influencing him. I just nod and make note to do so tomorrow.
“Uh,” Landon mutters awkwardly. “I’m Landon. I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.”
Crispen and Aria both turn to him.
“Aria,” she says and smiles kindly.
Crispen stares at him a moment. “Crispen. Thanks for handing me over to my crazy ass brother to get the shit kicked out of me. I quite enjoyed your cellar more than his.”
Landon finds this amusing. “My apologies. Maybe you needed the shit kicked out of you after what you did to my sister.”
Crispen has no reply.
“Anyhow. Let bygones be bygones. I’m here because before Aiden went bonkers he put me on a mission to well, I can’t tell you exactly. Uh...okay, well I’m going to have to tell you I think. He glances at Mason as if he’s unsure.”
“I won’t tell him you said anything. I’m under control, I swear.”
Landon decides this is good enough. “Aiden’s mother and my mother were alchemists. I was born a halfling and raised human for the most part. Aiden was born a pure as you know, his mother was an alchemist turned demon. In short, Aiden and I are both descendants of the long thought extinct alchemist line. The real alchemists, the line that created the hunters. My mother gave Aiden’s mother an elixir the alchemists had been working on that was supposed to be able to awaken human emotion in demons or I guess keep the emotions awake during the transition. When Aiden’s mother had Aiden, some of this elixir travelled through her blood into him. For me, my mother gave it to me each morning because she knew my father would come for me. Thus why Aiden and I aren’t your average pures. I’ve managed to recreate this elixir over the last few years but hadn’t gotten to test it until Megan was turned. I have all my mother’s old journals and books that allowed me to do this. She taught me little but told me I’d teach myself one day.”
Landon pauses to gauge each our reactions. Everyone is vividly listening to what he is saying, surprise evident in their eyes. Even I, myself am surprised. I knew Landon was some sort of alchemist, but many things he’s just told me Aiden never mentioned to me. “Aiden, a couple months ago, asked me to help him find a cure to the hunter curse.” Landon stops completely and looks as if he expects at least one of the hunters to attack him.
“A cure?” I ask, confused.
“Well, a way to make them human again or at the very least take away their urge to kill,” Landon explains carefully.
I, too, partially expect Crispen or Aria to lunge at Landon, but neither do. They both look deep in thought, surprised.
“You mean we could be human again? Age?” Aria asks for reassurance.
Landon nods once. “If I can figure out how to reverse whatever they did to you years ago, then yes.”
A light shimmers in Aria’s eyes. Crispen and Aria exchange a long glance before Crispen says, “I don’t like this, but for Aria’s sake I will do whatever I can. She’s never wanted this life and if I can somehow save her from her ultimately being turned into a demon, her soul becoming lost forever, and her eventually dying soulless, then I will help in any way that I can.”
I can’t help but steal a glance at Mason. He looks taken aback by his brother’s stance on this subject. Aria shares with Landon a look that I don’t understand.
“I’ve always wanted children, my own family, someone to love who won’t grow old and die be killed by a demon,” she voices softly. Crispen grips her hand in his in a show of affection that has been so absent from Crispen lately that I thought it’d maybe diminished.
Landon seems to relax. “I want to talk to you all about the alchemists you knew. I want to know what you remember, anything you remember. I also will need some things from you. Blood mainly but also hair. Not much. Just enough to experiment with a little.”
Aria is nodding as Landon says this from start to finish. When he’s done speaking she breathes, “Anything.”
I had no idea how much Aria hates being a hunter. I guess I should’ve seen it in the way she moved away from her brothers all the way to Australia. I should’ve seen it in the way she acts so human at times. She’s so much softer than Mason and Crispen, so much kinder and cari
ng. She’s kept up with society in ways that Mason and even Crispen haven’t cared to. A lot of things about Aria suddenly become a lot clearer to me.
A thought occurs to me that stems from something Crispen just said. “The only way an original hunter can die is if you’re first turned into a demon. It’s inevitable that this will be your only life because your souls will be taken.”
Crispen nods grimly. “Mason has already lost his chance at another life. I won’t let it happen to Aria as well. It’s not so easy to turn us into demons though. Not many demons can do the change without our permission beforehand. It’s a certain ability some of them have.” I already know the last part from something Landon told me. “Most can only attempt to take our soul, but consuming a hunter’s soul makes a demon very sick. It’s a defense mechanism built into us by the alchemists. Some demons have died from trying to take our souls. With Mason, though, the demon didn’t seem to care about the consequences and it cost him his life. He became in too much agony to fight back against us.”
They’re talking about Landon and I’s father. His death was a long time coming. I wonder if pained Aiden to take Mason’s soul or if he’s too strong to be bothered by such a thing.
I look at Landon to see how he’s taking this. He holds a stoic expression. He seems relatively unbothered but I know just how good at acting both he and Aiden are, how good they’ve had to be.
Mason clears his throat, sounding annoyed with Crispen for bringing up someone who fathered two people in the vicinity.
Crispen smiles with a little bit of coldness but seems to snap out of it only seconds later.
Aria glares at him with disdain.
We all begin heading back to the house slowly where Forrest and Terry are supposedly playing poker. Aria walks next to Landon, quizzing him on all things alchemist. Crispen walks with Mason, asking him questions and apologizing for being such an ass. I walk alone in the back wondering how Crispen and Aria managed to sneak past Terry and Forrest and come out to find us. Maybe Terry came to the conclusion that they can’t escape this small island unless they’re going to swim all the way back and who knows which direction the mainland is even in. Well, Aria probably does because she flew here but still, it sounds like a very long swim.
Changeling (Black Petals Book 2) Page 14