by Tarisa Marie
“So I have a question…” he changes the subject eagerly and walks over to my laptop. “I’m not so good with these dumb things but I was feeling rather snoopy and started pressing buttons. Anyways…this popped up when I pushed this button.” He says and points to the mouse button. “Now I can’t read English very well but this picture was enough.”
He points at the screen. On it is one of the news articles I’d skimmed days earlier on the night before I’d supposedly died. The night when I’d had that first super creepy dream about that ghost.
“What about it?” I ask him nonchalantly.
He scoffs. “You told me you didn’t remember me or you past lives. If that is true, why is there a picture of me and you and Sandy and Jacob on your electric toy?” he asks and almost sounds angry.
Electric toy? I almost laugh but his words stop me.
“What?! What are you talking about?” I ask and look more closely at the picture.
Something that in my sleepiness I’d missed is now blatantly obvious. The girl in the tiny news article picture looks nearly identical to me. And the man standing beside the girl in the picture, yeah it was definitely Damon, sunglasses and all.
“This couple adopted you in your last life. Your parents thought hiding you might work better if they didn’t raise you themselves. It obviously didn’t work so well because you were murdered at 21 years old but they did all they could. This couple was also fae.” He says. “You mean to say that this was complete coincidence that you stumbled upon this?”
“Yes.” I say truthfully.
“You’re lying.” He states bluntly.
“No. I’m not.” I try again.
He just nods and closes the laptop. His face seems to lose some sort of spark in his eyes as though he’d hoped I’d been searching it purposely.
“You say you can’t read English very well? You speak it perfectly. What is your first language?” I ask him curiously. I’d thought his accent sounded British.
His smirk returns. “Not English. I have an accent if you didn’t notice.”
“It sounds British.” I tell him.
“It isn’t.” He says with a shrug ending the conversation.
“Why do you always wear those dumb sunglasses? We’re in doors you know.”
His face turns serious. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“You’ve told me a lot of screwed up shit and I’ve believed it.” I admit.
He starts smiling like a mad man. “So does that mean you believe that your fae? That you love me?” He asks.
He’s got me.
“I believe that something fricken weird is going on. Maybe I’m dreaming or maybe I died and am in some weird alternate reality thing or maybe…just maybe you’re telling the truth and this is all real.” I say cautiously. Do I believe? “But I highly doubt the latter.”
“There are different types of fae. Some are born and some are made. The ones that are born are stronger and their power comes from within them, pixies, witches, whatever. It does not run out. Those that are made, their power comes from others. It isn’t unlimited. You know they have to uh get their magic from others. In a sense they’re all vampires.” He explains.
“Ew they drink blood?” I ask disturbed.
“No, well not all of them. But vampires as you would know them do in fact exist. Other types survive by taking essence, they are called succubuses. Others, live off emotions. Tenagies live off of happiness. Langeries live off of sadness. There are many different kinds.” He answers awkwardly.
“What happens if they run out of power?” I wonder.
“Eventually they go crazy and will do anything to get it. Then if they don’t, they die. Imagine it like a heroin addict running out of heroin and time it by ten.”
“I’m guessing you are one of these fae that are made and not born?” I ask him interested.
“Yes, I am.” He nods. “I was made almost 300 hundred fae years ago to date.”
“What is your accent?” I ask him curiously, to me it sounds British.
“It’s a fae accent. You wouldn’t recognize it.”
“Well what kind of fae are you?” I ask him curiously. I secretly hope he isn’t the blood sucking kind but I don’t see any fangs and bet that I’m probably safe.
He hesitates for a moment then says, “I am a Zanxoi.” He grits his teeth.
I can tell he doesn’t want me to question him further but I am not about to stop with my questions. “And that means what?”
He nearly seems to blush but not quite. “I live by surviving off of sex.” He says quietly while gaging my reaction. “Or rather the emotions and feelings given off others while they are having sex.”
Sex? Like he was a sex addict? So I was supposedly married to a sex addict in my past lives? Lovely. That has to be almost as bad as being a porn star.
“So what does that have to do with your glasses?” I ask him confused.
He smiles a fake smile. “My body is designed for survival.”
He slowly removes his sunglasses. His eyes are closed. When he opens them my body is filled with need. I suddenly don’t just think that Damon is hot. I think that he is the hottest person on the planet. My body aches with need and I nearly drop to my knees. Just when I think it can’t get any worse, it does. Suddenly I am on my knees gritting my teeth and breathing heavily as though I’ve just ran a marathon. My hands fly up to my head as it feels like it’s about to explode. He takes a few steps closer to me, squats down and places his hand on my cheek. Instinctively by body hurls into his and suddenly my lips are on his.
My breathing quickens and I wrap my arms around him tightly. He kisses me back as if he needs me as much as I need him. My breasts ache as they rub against his hard chest. He places another hand on the back of my head and pushes himself on top of me gently. I open my eyes to meet his and even more need fills my body. His eyes are so blue. Like sapphire. An unintelligible sound escapes my lips and I bite his lip. He moans with pleasure. His body presses against mine harder and I feel him hesitate for a moment before kissing me again letting the rest of his weight rest against me. I try to take off his shirt and he lets me. I so badly want to remove my own shirt as well but he doesn’t let me go that far. He doesn’t stop kissing me though. His lips press against mine as though… as though he loves me. It dawns on me vaguely then through all the need that he does love me and that only makes the need worse. No one has ever loved my before. He kisses my neck and for a few seconds I think that I’m in heaven. Then he pulls away and stands up. The feeling of such intense need disappears. Of course I still feel need as it was not satiated but most of the feeling is now gone.
I jump back away from him as far as I can.
When I look up to meet his eyes they are covered again by his sunglasses and his shirt is somehow back on.
“That is why I wear these glasses, Laytah.” I don’t need everyone jumping at me all the time, I am married you know. It is unfaithful.” Then he seems to take in my look of fear. “I’m sorry. That was very out of line,” he says breathlessly.
In my head I agree but my body still vaguely aches for him.
“I haven’t replenished myself in nearly a week and I’m starving. It makes it hard to control myself when I get started. But I don’t that that’s the reason why I found it so hard to pull back this time.” He admits and stares at me intensely.
“You don’t love me, Damon. Your wife is gone.” I tell him sadly.
He nods. “The fact that to me you are my wife did not help the situation one bit. I’m not going to lie, I want you so badly right now. You have no idea.”
I actually gain some more respect for the guy. I mean he could’ve easily just had sex with me and I don’t even know if I could consider it rape. I had wanted him just as bad as he had wanted me. Although I knew that was mostly because of his freaky magic sex powers. Was that a good name for them? But the thing is that he could’ve and he wanted to but he didn’t because he respected me.
Because of that, I gain a little respect for him. Not many guys would do the same.
“Say something,” he begs.
This is a whole new side of Damon that I haven’t seen before. He’s let some of his walls down.
“It’s okay.” I say without thinking. Is it okay?
“No it’s not. I’m sorry. I should go. I will see you tomorrow.” He says sadly and grabs his jacket from one of the hooks on the wall.
“What will you do?” I ask him.
“What?” he questions.
“Well you said you were starving.” I state as though it’s obvious.
He looks confused but then understanding fills his face. “I don’t have to uh eat for a couple more days. Don’t worry about it, I won’t hurt you again, nor will I die. I have managed for the last 300 fae years, I will be fine.” He nods in goodbye.
“Wait.” I say stopping him. I stare into his back as he is about to walk out of the door. I am almost as surprised as he is by my next words. “You can use me.”
“What?” he says as though I’m crazy. Maybe I am. Maybe it’s all the anger, frustration, rage, confusion, and disbelief that’s built up in my system the last few days.
I mean he’s hot and it’s not like I’m religious or like I haven’t ever had sex before. It isn’t some sacred thing to me. The man standing in front of me needs it to survive and I have no qualms with having casual sex with an attractive man. I mean I’m twenty two not sixteen. And do I not owe it to him? He probably saved my life by finding me before my crazy uncle did or before something else found me, who knows what else was out there. Or before I starved to death or died of thirst in that forest.
“That is if you understand that I’m not your wife.” I tell him.
“You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“I do. I want to help. I owe you plus you should be strong in case my crazy uncle shows up,” I reason.
“If he shows up I’m not going to be much help anyways. He’s unkillable by me. Does this mean you believe everything I’ve told you?”
Does it? I swish that around in my head like mouth wash. I’ve seen impossible things the past few days. After a minute I finally say. ”Yes, I believe you.”
He is quiet for a moment before a small smile lights up his face.
“So please let me help?” I ask.
His shoulders drop a little and he sighs. “Don’t tempt me, you know it’s not just eating for me right? To me you’re my wife and I can’t just push that from my mind. I love you.”
“I’m not her.” I try again even though I know it’s pointless. No one has ever loved me before and hearing those words is both strange and comforting.
“I should go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I’m offering to help. You’d rather take someone off the street unwillingly?” I ask him mortified. That was rape to me. “Please?”
I see him debate my offer again.
I walk over to him. “If what you say is true that my power will draw out my uncle, it won’t be long before he senses it and comes looking. If you’re barely able to function, what help are you seriously gonna be?”
He sighs, “Fine, but you better not yell at me for this later.”
“I won’t.” I push and step closer to him again.
The sunglasses don’t come off but I am hit with a wave of familiar need. It’s not all his doing but it’d not all my doing either.
Then a wave of it hits me much harder than before and instantly I cripple to the floor. I’ve never felt anything like this.
“Sorry,” he says and then his lips are on mine. “I forget you’re still only human and can only stand so much glamour. It’s a little hard to control.” He apologizes. “You can still back out you know.”
“Shut up and kiss me, you idiot.”
He lifts me up off the ground and sets me on my bed. One of his hands grasps the small of my back and the other removes his shirt to expose his finely sculpted chest. This time he grabs mine and pulls it off in one quick pull. Then my bra is off and my mind goes blank as he releases more glamour. I lose track of time as my body writhes in ecstasy. Surely there is no better feeling in the world. I am proved wrong as he thrusts into me and I am instantly hit by a wave of orgasms. My worry and doubts about the future are shattered as a moan escapes his lips and he grips me tighter. My nails dig into him as though I’m holding on for dear life and he responds with an inhumanly growl. Then he finally removes his sunglasses and our eyes meet. An image flashes across my vision. A vision that is mine, but it’s not. It’s him and I running through a lavender field. Was he doing that? Or did I just remember something from another life?
Chapter 5
I wake up in my own bed, in my own room. My phone is beside my head. I pick it up and check my messages. No missed messages. Surely if the last few days had not been a dream, I’d have tons of missed messages. I start laughing. It was all a dream. All a stupid dream.
I spring out of bed and dial Geoff’s number. He answers on the first ring.
“Hello?” his voice is raspy and it sounds like he’s sleeping.
“Hey, it’s me. What day is it?” I ask him firstly.
He hesitates, “Laytah? Okay, what is going on?”
I’m suddenly distracted by my dorm room door swinging open and the figure of a familiar male walking through the doorway…Damon.
I cuss under my breath and fall to my knees.
Time to stop ignoring reality and accept it.
“Be here at 5, just reminding you.” I say and then end the call.
“I see you found the cell phone I brought you,” Damon says and sets a brownbag on my computer desk.
I nod. “Where was it?”
“In Geoff’s room, somehow he ended up with it I guess. I was snooping through his room and came across it in a drawer.”
I opened my phone and took a second look at the message screen. I had had missed messages but they were all read.
“Did you read my messages?” I demand curiously.
“Yes. I had to be sure it was yours,” he laughs.
“The picture of me on the screen didn’t give that away?” I ask him angrily.
He just smiles and pulls something from the bag he brought in...
“I went to find you some food. I found a breakfast place a few streets away. I got you coffee and bagels? The lady working there recommended it.”
“You bought me breakfast?” I ask not sure why I’m so surprised. He hasn’t really been anything but nice to me.
He nods and pulls out a coffee and two bagels wrapped in paper.
“Thanks, you didn’t have to do that you know.” I tell him.
“I didn’t really buy it. I don’t have money.” He admits sheepishly. “I stole some from your drawer. Sorry. I guess I owe you.”
I really don’t care right now. I’m so hungry I could eat a house. I reach and grab the bagels hastily.
I unwrap the first one and devour it like it’s the first food I’ve ever tasted.
“What is that made of?” he asks with a disgusted look on his face.
I look down at the second one in my hand. “It’s like bread with cream cheese on it. You’ve never had a bagel?” I ask skeptically.
His eyebrows furrow. “Where I’m from our bread is not round with a whole in the middle. That is very strange.” He says eyeing it.
“I never really thought about it.” I laugh. “Most bread is not round. Here try it.” I tell him and hand it to him.
He takes it wearily and has a small bite. “Not my favorite,” he says handing it back and shaking his head, a disgusted expression still on his face.
I take it back and finish it off in a couple big bites and start on the second one.
“Uh do you want me to go get you another one?” He asks and I feel my face flush. I’m such a pig.
“No, I’m fine. Thanks again for getting me breakfast.”
Now that I’m not starving, I’m able to think clearer and I
realize that he’s not wearing his glasses.
“Where are your glasses?” I ask him.
“In my pocket.” He replies with a smile.
I look into his eyes, they’re so impossibly blue.
“Why aren’t you wearing them?” I ask him. I’m not getting the feeling to jump his bones like I was yesterday.
“I’m not hungry anymore. I can control myself better.” He answers.
“But I felt it even without your glasses on.” I tell him.
“Yes, a bit. Most of it comes from my eyes but not all of it. It’s hard to explain.”
He puts all of our garbage into the garbage beneath my desk and asks, “What do you want to do today?”
I think about it. I’m not sure. I shrug.
“Would you like to go see Geoff? Obviously he is not in Philadelphia like you thought.”
“He’s on his way, meeting me here at 5.” I tell him.
He looks at me like I’m nuts. “You know, I got us from the Amber Evers to Philadelphia. I can easily get us from Philadelphia to wherever it is that Geoff is. Like in the blink of an eye or whatever the human saying is.”
How had I not thought of that? I could see Geoff in a matter of seconds.
“Are you thinking of where he is?” he asks.
I nod.
Suddenly we’re standing in front of my house back home.
“Is that how you knew where my school was? You read my thoughts or something freaky and put me right in front of it?” I ask.
He laughs and I know I’m right.
“I can’t read thoughts but something like that.” He chuckles. “Do you want me to stay out here?” he asks.
Do I want him to stay out here? What am I going to tell Geoff? My aunt?
“I don’t know. What am I going to tell them?” I wonder nervously.
“Ah, you don’t need to tell them anything. I will.” He says and before I have chance to think, we’re at the front door and he’s ringing the doorbell.
“What are you doing?” I say angrily.
He flashes me a smile as the door opens.
“Good evening,” Damon greets my aunt. Her eyes take him in then her eyes flash to me and widen. I swear she’s about to scream when Damon says, “Shhh, don’t scream.”