The Shadow Minds Journal, #1

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The Shadow Minds Journal, #1 Page 24

by Kia Carrington-Russell


  “You were going to die. You bled out and lost your arm. There was a ritual I performed to keep you alive. Don’t look into it. It was in exchange for you aiding me and protecting me when that witch had cast her spell.”

  I didn’t care much for the cheesy stuff. “What ritual?” I asked. His forest green eyes flashed with a harsh color as the thunder around us responded and somewhere close, a bolt hit and shook the ground. It vibrated through me only turning me on more from the display and release of his power. I swallowed as I looked down at his size that pressed harshly against his jeans. He noticed and tightened his jaw. He wouldn’t so much as move. His positioning seemed to be his only power of restraint. “What have you done?” I asked. For us to have both changed so much it must have been some serious ritual. From this small tattoo I felt connected to him somehow and the brightness of that irritated me. What had he done to me?

  “It’s called Angel Kiss. It enables me to transmit some of my life force into yours and to heal a fatal wound. There are side effects, however.” He took a gulp. “I ask of you Vivian, please stay close to me over the next few days. If you don’t it will turn me into a madman.”

  “What are the side effects?” I asked and surprisingly my voice was quiet. I pressed my hand to my throat surprised by the soft tone that came out. Now what was that? A feminine response to his masculine and clipped one. His eyes followed the movement of my hand.

  His jaw clenched tighter as his rough voice responded. “Don’t you already feel it?” My eyes flickered to his gaze and the raw lust that was there snapped me. I pushed away any rational thought and let my body act, as I had always done, even if it were under some weird ass angel spell right now. I pushed through the light he emanated against me to keep me at bay and paused in front of his face to search his eyes. His breath hitched as did mine. I sat in front of him on my knees. I felt weak and powerful all at once. Human and demon all the same. I felt... woman in front of him, a sensation and complexity I haven’t wanted or known for a very long time.

  I had only a second of hesitation. What if this feeling was irreversible? I wasn’t one to doubt my actions but I genuinely feared if this was how I would feel all the time. Because looking into those stormy green eyes that looked like a vicious storm on the sea, I would not be able to restrain. I hitched another breath, not having realized I haven’t breathed since the moment I moved on him. The flames flickered on my back. There was no going back but I couldn’t move.

  “Vi,” his voice came out as a husky growl. “These are side effects that require our restraint.” The restraint in his tone was choking him. Vi, that was the first time he had called me that. I took my first breath in what felt like a lifetime and the coolness of my own mingled with the warmth of his. Already I could feel him inside of me, filling me from my insides and lungs. I wanted that in more ways than one.

  He took another gulp as I poised slightly over him. His eyes didn’t move from mine but if possible, his body went more rigid. “Please have restraint,” he said clipped.

  “I can’t do restraint. But I can do you,” I breathed into his ear. His hand grabbed the back of my hair, the first movement he had done since I awoke. I felt his light pulsing around me, which made me only thrum annoyingly with desire between my legs. He arched my head back, trying to push me away. He fixated on my exposed neck and I lowered myself back to the ground in front of him.

  “Sometimes we don’t need to think about right or wrong. There is the instinctual habit of an indescribable need that requires to be filled,” I said closing my eyes and sinking into the niggling feeling of his light against my darkness as if it alone were rubbing against me and stimulating me. I let a small moan escape my lips anticipating how Gabe could make me feel and it was nothing short of savage. A low grunt escaped him reacting to my own imagination and noise. I flashed my eyes open and looked at him. Hungry. Predator. And no angel. That restraint snapped.

  He pressed his lips against mine, claiming me. He continued to tug my hair back as if controlling the motion as I kissed him back. He pressed his other hand to my back, pressing me into him, almost crushing me as he did so. I molded into him perfectly raking my nails down his chest and stomach.

  His wings curled around us as if every part of him had to be swept up and touching me. I lowered my hand to his hard shaft that pressed painfully against his jeans. I went to undo them but he spun me in seconds and pressed my back against the bark of the tree. His hand slid under my shirt scrunching still in attempt to restrain himself. His larger frame pinned me as his other hand slid up my inner thigh leaving me to tremble in anticipation.

  I twisted my neck so I could kiss him behind me. I bit down on his lower lip, growling at the hotness that devoured my body. I was already on my way to climaxing from our darkness and light that opposed one another. And he hasn’t even touched me. He shuddered, his every action a response to my own. He pulled back staring into my eyes once again.

  “This is the ritual. The claiming part of it. We don’t want this,” he said heavily breathing. He was trying to convince himself out loud. I slid my hand over his bulge and he buckled into me. As he did, his light pressed harsher against me. There was no malice tainting it. Only lust and passion. Every hair on my body rose as it continued rubbing against me. I did the same to him as a natural response.

  “I don’t care what it is. I want it,” I breathed out pressing into him. I rubbed my ass against his cock and he rubbed against me his cock rubbing against both of our jeans. He inhaled my breath as I continued to motion into him, in desperation to come undone. My tattoos began to glow bright blue and that was the wash over of water for Gabe. I haven’t turned into any of my demons but I was losing control. He stepped back shaking his head. And suddenly that seductive and hungry light that wanted to devour me pushed up again in resistance.

  “No.” Is all he said before pressing one final kiss to my lips which put me in a drowsy state. He walked out. His light which held as a barrier still kept me in but I could sense him not far from the tree gathering his breath. Rage fluxed through me as I considered the rejection as well as my drifting body that fought the sleep he had placed on me. He had done this to me before, unsuspecting of the kiss that would put me to sleep. My body was still hot for him, needing him to fill me which only pissed me off more! What has he done to me?! I resisted the urge but fell to the side as I fell into an uncomfortable slumber.

  Chapter Thirty- Gabe

  I teleported Vivian into her sleeping quarters. Every touch was like a flame wrapping itself around me. It both burned and was pleasurable. I knew the claiming would be hard to resist but I didn’t realize I would lack control to the extent of almost having sex with her. The claiming was often described as the person who did the ritual was trying to claim part of their self that they put into the other. For most it ended in sex, but in years for the elders who could do it, often it was only designed for long term lovers.

  I didn’t want to resort to putting her to sleep. One of the many useful skills I learned over the years but it was the only way I could put a halt on our lack of control. That was an action that couldn’t happen no matter how much I desired it myself. It was dark in the room and no one had woken to our intrusion. I tucked her in the blankets and pushed part of the hair that had slid to her eyes. She was beautiful. That much I would admit. I teleported out knowing that she would be asleep until the early hours or the morning. That gave me plenty of time to start my own investigations once again.

  I swiped over my watch and made the call. It had already been two weeks since I wasn’t present to govern my own city. I phoned my second in command, Torrin, who was my current fill in. I waited for him to answer with the small implanted ear piece as I walked the dark alleyways of Shabeah. My light was constantly pushing away the pollution of darkness and evil that lingered in every space of the city. Heavy population of demons often created it and it was disgusting to know that humans not only lived in it but revered it.

  I walked
to the end of the bricked apartments and looked towards the city and glow of the night. Bright lights shone like a beacon and a hot air balloon drifted overhead slowly advertising the reverence of the Guardians. One each side for all five members–one of which I hadn’t yet seen–stood there like idols advertising some kind of weaponry seller’s store. I focused on Vivian in her succubus form as Torrin finally picked up.

  “It’s midnight,” he breathed through the phone with little agitation. He would never dare speak to me how he did some of the others.

  “Don’t tell me you were sleeping already?” I teased him.

  “No. But I was enjoying the company of a certain brunette until my boss called,” he said and I could hear him shuffling through sheets and the mumbles of a woman by his side.

  I laughed at him. The sound of a familiar voice was rather refreshing after the hellish two weeks I’d already had. “Obviously I’m doing them a favor. Should you pass over the comms device so I can show them what a good time really is?”

  “I don’t know why you don’t just teleport here and see me yourself. A bit old school of you to call me,” he said seriously. He was one of the few who knew I could ‘officially’ teleport.

  “I have to stay close to my marker on this one,” I said thinking of Vivian. I had to stay within the city and close so I could feel if anything happened. And with the remnants of our ritual she was all I could sense and feel. Even the fresh air wasn’t blurring that burning focus. But I had to get out, remove myself from her before I did truly drive myself mad.

  “Have you pinned that Demon Summoner yet for Luke’s murder?” He snarled through the phone. I walked down another alleyway where a rowdy pub housed a bunch of drunks. Across from it was the bike shop that was in Vivian’s memory. I continued walking towards to find the staircase to the aquarium like I had been vividly shown in her memories.

  “I think we might have more serious issues here than we thought. I need you to do some searching yourself for me. I’ve picked up the presence of the Volv within Shabeah.”

  “The Volv?!” He hissed through the phone. Torrin was one of the few who fought along my side in the last war and survived. He knew too well of the carnage the Volv left behind. “I thought they were killed.”

  “That would be our mistake for presuming so,” I said as I walked up the cemented stairs recalling her own heartbeat and fright for being followed. “Have you had any issues while I’ve been gone?”

  “We’ve had a few issues. A couple of demon break-ins and attacks but nothing fatal. We have noticed a slight increase but nothing that hasn’t been manageable.”

  “From what I’m seeing here and whether it’s demon central or not, there seem to be a lot demon attacks and activity here.” The aquarium was across from me and I walked into the section where Vivian breathed her last goodbyes as human. It has been two years but scorch marks still remained on the cement. Her scream and pain vibrated through me at the memory of her life being ended and filled with demons instead.

  “Surely you don’t have to investigate this yourself. I can follow the Demon Summoner-”

  “No!” I snapped possessively. There was a surprised silence on the other end of the phone and I tried to breath out my frustration. I rattled my brain back and forth chastising myself for having reacted to the bond. Why did I do this to myself? I could have just let her to die instead. But looking at the ground where she had died already once and remembering her crawl to throw herself off the cliff, I was sad for her. She never had time to value or mourn her first death.

  “I’m sorry Gabe. I didn’t mean to insult you,” he said on the other end of the phone. A shadow caught my eye close to the aquarium entrance. I could hear the laughter from a woman as a cloaked figure pushed off the door of the building to catch my attention. I could sense from here that she wreaked of vileness but beneath the robe was a light blue glow. One that reminded me of the Guardians.

  “I’ve got to go,” I said hanging up on him. The concealed person began to walk away, leading me. I could’ve confronted them but for whatever reason they were leading me somewhere and unlike the witch sneak attack last time, I wouldn’t leave myself unguarded. My light was bright around me, protecting me against any hidden attacks or ambush.

  I kept to their pace which sped up and ended on the edge of the block in an old run-down shrine. It looked like an old one where people once prayed for religion and a God before the introduction of Angels. I hadn’t seen a church for years and it was almost in bad taste that they still had one standing in Shabeah of all places.

  The dusty and worn-down building looked as if it had almost once been burned down. The wooden front door was left open slightly for me to enter behind them. Inside, candles were lit lining the room. I stepped inside the room that was dusty and uninhibited. The cloaked figure was standing beside the podium.

  The room was drenched in darkness and vile that meant this wasn’t the first meeting place for the guardian in front of me. But there was something twisted and dark that wrapped around the room.

  “Who are you?” I asked the figure stretching out my wings in dominance. A woman’s laugh echoed the room and then the woman took off her hood. I instantly recognized her as the woman who was on the hot air balloon. So, she was the fifth member of this generation of Guardians. But her beauty was no longer there. All that remained of what was once her was the blonde of her hair. Now her face had strained blue veins popping out especially around her mouth and eyes. Her eyes lit with a darkness that pinned in and out to focus on me. It only confirmed what I have been thinking.

  “You’re a part of the Volv.” Her laugh echoed the room and I honestly thought that maybe it was her real voice box. The Volv that had mingled with her had so forcefully claimed her.

  “They used to call me Doreen,” she said looking over her face in the reflection of a puddle that had leaked from the roof.

  “What is your kind doing here?” I demanded from her. The shift in the darkness stirred and her tattoos glowed bright blue. Her face began to twist into that of one of her demons.

  “I’m just here to distract you and play,” she began to laugh. “Next time you shouldn’t leave your princess alone.”

  The light from the candles blew out and a wave of darkness swept before me. Vivian.

  Chapter Thirty-One- Vivian

  It was snowing and I was freezing! Even with my thick layered jacket, hand mittens, and beanie, the chill cut through to the bone. I clung to my books at the university I was walking through. It was old and gothic styled. The ground and cobbled ground hid under the pillows of white. This wasn’t a memory. This was new world created by the puppeteer of this dream. I have never studied in a university. Skilled fighting, controlling demons and assassination–Yes. University–No.

  I proceeded to restroom. A few people greeted me on my way. The lingering eyes of a guy in a jersey jacket didn’t go astray. He looked like such a stereotypical cocky jock. Muscular, beautiful and blonde hair. I have to admit my pace slowed as I considered talking to him. Instead I smiled and kept walking past. What could I say, I was a sucker for an attractive arrogant boy.

  I admired the gothic style of the two-story buildings on either side of me. Irrelevant people spoke to one another hidden behind the pillars of the second story before some proceeded to go into their classes.

  “Vi!” A hand reached out for me and pulled me into the warmth of a private room.

  “Aiden?” I said confused. Even in this dream I knew that we had been broken up for a long time but with a human heart he stirred unsettled emotions within me.

  “Look. I know it’s been some time but I can’t not say anything. You know I miss you,” he began. The rest of his words became a blur as I studied his face to etch into my memory even if it was a dream and I wasn’t entirely sure where it was leading me or if I was in control of the events that would come. I couldn’t help but feel with this human heart that was projected in my dream. If this were real, I might’ve cr
ied.

  Before I realized it, he had crushed his lips onto mine taking me by surprise. The kiss was comfortable and committed. We had been together for five years. We had history, love and passion. His hand trailed under my jacket and pressed into my lower back. I twisted my tongue with his as he pushed me against one of the desks that appeared at the edge of the room. Everything else was irrelevant. Before I knew it, I was laying on the ground with him as we intertwined with passionate kisses. I knew where this was leading and I wanted it but I pushed him back. This was not my dream nor was it a figment of my imagination. I was certain I was trapped in a shadow dream but nothing has yet revealed itself. Was this a normal dream?

  But I could never risk it. The consequence of leaving myself vulnerable would be my life. And I had already fallen for sexual content as a form of bait before. That was the thing with these Shadow Dreams. My attacker appeared as anything, could even make me feel enticed to touch and kiss them. Once I was enticed to follow a small girl down a well. When I realized it felt wrong I awoke myself instantly as soon as it started rearing its ugly head. Another time was having idle chat with an aunt who tried to coax me into having a bath. I didn’t have an aunt.

  Being with Aiden felt so good but I couldn’t risk it. “I can’t,” I said with as much force to push away the temptation and pushed him away. I stood up and left the room having one more glance at the man I was to reject and leave behind, again.

  I made my way outside into the freezing cold where people still went about their daily business. I continued to the restrooms taking a right and admiring the monolithic pillars and whitened room. Mirrors circled the powder room. Admiring the clothing that the women wore I realized that this happened a long time ago before the treaty between angels and demons. This must’ve been in the late 1900’s easily. One woman in particular grabbed my attention. She seemed to stick out opposed to the proper young women who had just left. Only the two of us now remained. She had numerous colors throughout her short hair that spiked out and black clothing that might’ve seemed a little bit too chilly in the current weather but she seemed comfortable.

 

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