by Quinn Loftis
Chapter 11
“I’ve figured out why it’s better that the elves keep themselves hidden from humans. Because they’re crazy, plain and simple. They are as whacked as they come. I wear black from head to toe; I decorate myself in morbid jewelry and pierce myself in places that should never be pierced, so if I am saying they are whacked then we have to accept that we are royally screwed. Pun intended.” ~Elora
“Do I even want to know why you have that dreamy look on your face?” Elora asked dryly.
Cassie shook her head. “Probably not, unless you need to vomit this morning.”
They walked into their first class and took their usual seats. Elora turned back to Cassie and gestured for her to talk. “Let’s have it quiver lover.”
Cassie blushed as she thought about why she had the smile plastered on her face that morning.
“I had the best dream.”
Elora raised her eyes suggestively. “As in the best?”
Cassie grinned even bigger.
“Oh man, you’re right I’m going to puke.” Elora grumbled. “So are you going to be this annoying all day?”
“Probably.”
“Damn.”
Cassie laughed as she pulled out her History book and tried with all her might to appear interested in the things that were discussed. She was sure that she wasn’t doing a good job based on the frowns she kept getting from Mrs. Davis.
By lunch time Elora was ready to punch her best friend in her dreamy face.
“Seriously, this can’t be healthy,” Elora ripped open her sack lunch as Cassie sat across from her.
“I’m telling you Elora, I’ve never had a dream that was so real.”
“You have got to be kidding me, still with the dream. Okay now I have to know. If this dream was an all-day orgasm-inducing experience, then you are obligated by the Girlfriend Code Book to share.”
Elora was sure Cassie’s face invented some new shades of red as her eyes widened.
“Wow,” was all Elora got out before Cassie’s head jerked around, her embarrassment forgotten.
“Let me guess, your quiver radar has detected the quiver carrying bandit.”
Cassie looked back at Elora and rolled her eyes. “Are you trying to come up with as many nick names as possible?”
“I’m writing a book.”
“Really, what’s it called?”
“The Quivers Among Us,” Elora announced without missing a beat.
Cassie shook her head in exasperation at her friend.
She felt the familiar tug again and scanned the lunchroom for her Chosen. And then she saw him, and so did everyone else.
He was in his human guise, which was nearly as beautiful as his Elven one. He was tall and his gate was regal and bold. He held the attention of the entire room and all he was doing was walking. He was wearing faded denim jeans, his black boots, and a black t-shirt that said I’m kind of a big deal. She had never seen him in regular human clothes, and she had to admit he rocked a pair of jeans and novelty T-shirt like nobody’s business.
When he finally reached their table he pulled out a chair next to Cassie and sat down. He leaned back and laid his arm on the back of her chair and nonchalantly played with a strand of her hair. The lunchroom was still quiet as they all watched Trik. His shirt was being proved right as they stared at him, doing absolutely nothing.
Elora saw his shirt and let out a snort of laughter as she shook her head at him.
“So does that mean you like me now?” Trik asked her.
“About as much as I’d like to throw up in my mouth all day.”
“So that’s a no?” Trik grinned, not bothered by Elora’s jab in the least.
Cassie looked around the room as gasps ricocheted off the walls. His voice was a caress and she wasn’t the only one affected by it. She felt a wave of possessiveness rush over her and knew that he had felt it too. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered. “You’re hot when you’re jealous.”
Cassie stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed at her. She swore some of the girls were on the verge of passing out.
Elora looked around and then back at Trik. “Hey I bet we could make some money if we let them touch you, and charged for it.”
This brought another burst of laughter from Trik. Cassie slapped his arm and whispered, “Stop laughing or some poor girl is going to die of a heart attack. What are you doing here anyways?” She asked him.
“I wanted to let you know that I have your dress for tonight.”
“Is it weird?”
Trik scrunched up his face at her. “Explain weird.”
“I think she’s asking if it’s some virginal, see through, sacrifice dress.” Elora smiled at Cassie. “You can thank me later.”
“That has some serious possibilities. Maybe I’ve gone too conservative in my choice.” Trik teased Cassie as he watched her face flush.
“Can you leave now and take her with you so that I can eat my food without constantly regurgitating it?”
“I like you Elora.”
“So not what I was going for,” she told him, her voice dripped with sarcasm.
Trik stood and grabbed Cassie’s hand. “Walk me out?” He asked.
She nodded at him and let him pull her up to her feet. Cassie gave a small wave to Elora who rolled her eyes and shook her head.
Trik watched as Cassie walked in front of him. The sway of her hips was natural and her every move was made with a subtle sensuality that she wasn’t even aware of. Cassie was oblivious to how desirable she was and based on the number of eyes following her progress, she filled more than a few of their thoughts. The idea of them thinking about his Chosen in such a way filled him with rage. Cassie stumbled as she felt his fury through their hands that were clasped together. Trik’s eyes roamed the room landing on stare after stare and their faces paled at what they saw in him. He knew they felt it. When he met their eyes they knew they were staring at the face of death.
Cassie tried to walk faster but Trik didn’t let her pull him. He wanted every male to know that she was his and to pursue her would be their demise. Was he overreacting? Probably. Did he care? Nope.
Once they were outside Cassie folded her arms across her chest trying to fight off the crisp, cool, fall air.
“I put the dress in your car,” Trik told her as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him.
Cassie looked around to see if anyone was watching. She was pretty sure that guys that weren’t students weren’t supposed to be hanging out at the high school. She had been so caught up in him being there that she hadn’t thought of it in the lunchroom.
“Nervous?” he asked her.
“I just don’t want to get caught standing out here in the arms of an older guy who isn’t a student.”
“You’d rather get caught standing out here in the arms of an older guy who is a student?” Trik teased, but she saw the underlying tension in the narrowing of his eyes.
“Why were you flipping out in the lunchroom?”
He looked down at her, taking in her beauty that wasn’t only skin deep. Cassie was beautiful from the inside out. She was the furthest person from vain that he had ever come across and she was oblivious to her effect on the opposite sex.
“Cassie, every guy in that cafeteria was drooling on themselves as you walked past. I don’t go to school here so they don’t see me with you. For all they know you are available. I wanted them to know that you were the complete opposite of available.”
Cassie laughed. “You, tough guy assassin are insecure?”
Trik frowned, “I’m not insecure. You don’t realize how possessive the males in my race are of their Chosen. Cassie, I have waited over a thousand years for you. You are beyond precious to me and so yes, I’m possessive and overprotective. But I’m not insecure. The males in that room,” he motioned towards the lunchroom, “could never give you what I can, care for you the way I do, make you feel the way I do. You would always feel emp
ty with another male.”
“What about you?” Cassie leaned back so she could see his face clearly. “Am I the only girl who can give you what you want, what you need? Do you think that no other could care for you the way I do?”
“There are no others. There is only you. No other could be what I need and want. No other could love me as you will. No other will ever make me feel the way you do. My soul would cry out in betrayal if I tried to be with another, just as your soul would cry out.”
Cassie didn’t realize that she had been holding her breath. She had been waiting for him to bust out the L word but he had yet to tell her that he loved her. She couldn’t decide if it was because he wasn’t there yet or if maybe he couldn’t love her. Maybe his dark nature would keep him from ever loving her. Her heart broke at the thought and she quickly pushed it away not wanting him to see it.
“I’ll see you tonight,” Trik told her as he released her and stepped back. She smiled at him and blew him a kiss as he walked backward towards the parking lot.
“I’ll take that as a promise,” he called out to her with his wicked grin.
Cassie laughed and gestured for him to go. She turned and went back inside the school. Lunch had just ended and students filled the hall, making their way to their next class. Cassie stood watching as they went about their normal, daily activities. She realized then that this normal life would never be enough again, not since Trik. She had tasted what it would be like to be with him in his world and it was decadent. Going back to her life would be like trading the finest chocolate for the generic brand at the Dollar General.
“Earth to lover girl,” Elora snapped her fingers in front of Cassie’s face.
Cassie blinked several times clearing her mind. She looked at Elora, who was frowning at her and said, “Hey!”
Elora raised a single brow at her friend’s perky demeanor. She had decided that as soon as she and Trik had left the lunchroom that she would not be asking Cassie about her midday interlude with the dark one. “You ready?”
Cassie nodded and a slow smile crept across her face. “Definitely.”