by Laura Hawks
Mel had the dagger, Xon had the other half of the gem of power and she was without anything and everything. Her heart shredded. Mel had called her blind. Granted, her visions were never one hundred percent, yet was she wrong to distrust his motives? She saw how he looked at the dagger, saw how his eyes gleamed at the stone.
She also remembered the way his kisses felt. They were brutal, hard then soft and devouring. Again her body betrayed her, for just the thought stirred her body to life and craved more of his touch. But he threw her out and without her gear. ‘What the hell did I expect?’ She growled low to herself, adding even softer, ‘I cannot care about him. He is using me. He was just manipulating me to get to the stone. Now he has half of it and I handed it to him on a silver platter.’
She snarled, wiped her eyes as she stood, made her way to her closet and armed herself heavily. Once she changed into a camouflage outfit, she flashed back to the jungle, sword in hand. She would kill the demon named Xon and then somehow, some way she would get the dagger back from Azamel and make him pay for her weakness towards him. Make him pay for starting to care about him knowing he would do nothing but hurt her.
She had teleported back to the jungle in hopes of picking up Xon’s trail, even if it was ethereal. Instead, what she came across was another demon that seemed to be on the same hunt as her and he was not at all thrilled to have competition in finding Xon and the gem of power. The creature immediately attacked her and she successfully defended against him. They were just preparing for a second round when Azamel appeared by her side, seemingly ready to fight the creature that stood before her. She could not have been more astounded than if she saw a pink hippo in a polka dotted bikini dancing the hand jive in front of her.
Azamel quickly assessed the situation and observed that Clarissa’s arm was slashed and bleeding. He knew instantly this demon was not friendly. Mel’s eyes bored into the creature, blood red as he moved to stand in front of Clarissa to shield her with his own body.
“I have looked into your soul. You have committed no crime worthy of judging, until now. Give up this foolish quest and remain free for another day. Attack and I will be forced to convict you for crimes against the magistrate. Sentence would be one hundred years of hard labor in the dungeons of Turano.”
The demon stood still as he listened to the judge. He knew as long as he was not caught he had a chance to get the gem. He would therefore have the power to protect himself from any penalties but he had to get the stone and he could not obtain it if he refused to fight for the possibility of having it. The promised reward was too great to let the opportunity slip through his fingers. The creature materialized a fire ball and threw it at Azamel’s chest sending him flying back into a set of trees lost among the thick brush. “I think I will find and claim the stone for myself regardless.”
In the flash of an eye, the creature was in front of Clarissa towering over her. He slashed across her chest before she had a chance to blink or register he was there. She was down before she realized what had happened, bleeding profusely. She struggled, her breath became raspy as he slashed at her again. She was to slow to avoid him as a result of his first attack. She gasped, a tear running down the side of her face.
“Sorry Mama. I failed. Sorry. Forgive me.”
The demon stood over her and laughed. Then he sent a bolt of electricity into her body, just to watch her change from wolf form to human and back again in utter agony.
Azamel transported before the creature. The demon gaped at him, shocked at Mel who appeared out of thin air. “Close your mouth, your breath is even worse than your body odor and trust me, that is pretty bad. You have been found guilty of attacking the magistrate as well as an innocent. Sentence is to commence immediately.”
The creature snarled at Mel who relished the thought of attacking the demon and ending his miserable life but concern for Clarissa won the battle that raged inside Azamel’s mind. He berated himself for giving a shit about her at all. Mel lifted both hands and before the demon could move he blasted him fifty feet away into a group of trees and shrubs. Mel waved his hand again and could hear the haunting screams of the demon as he was pulled into the dungeons of Turano to begin his sentence. Mel did not waste any time as he grabbed Clarissa and transported her back to his home.
Azamel laid her down gently on the bed in the suite he had provided for her as her body still battled to hold a steady form. He gripped her shoulder and sent a jolt of electrical current into her body causing the molecules to realign and settle her. She flashed to human form and thankfully kept it. Clarissa was still pale and shivered slightly. It was only then Mel noticed the wounds where she was hit. He held his hands over her body and healed the inflictions that caused her such agony. When at last her features relaxed and her breathing calmed, Mel flashed a bowl of water and a cloth to gently wipe her face.
Satisfied that she was comfortable and out of danger, Azamel placed the backpack next to the bedside table. When she awoke, she would see the bag and the dagger inside. He traced the back of his fingers over her soft cheek, a wistful expression on his face. With a last glance at her still form, he pulled a chair near the fireplace and sat down where he could keep an eye on her and the fire simultaneously.
Waking up with a roar of pain, Azamel looked around as he realized he was in the chair in front of the fire. He leaned back but as he did an agonizing pain ripped through his body. ‘What the hell?’ Mel looked down and saw the blood dripping onto the chair fabric.
A huge gash peeked through a tear in his shirt, blood flowed freely. He had been so concerned about Clarissa being wounded in the jungle he had not noticed his own injury until now. He laid back and took a deep breath.
“Oh great, just fucking great! Damn, this day is just getting better!”
Mel’s roar woke Clarissa. Her eyes fluttered open to stare at the buttressed ceiling of a room she recognized belonging in Azamel’s home. The hearth blazed sending the only warmth within the otherwise opulent suite. But Mel was in the room and that mattered to her most. She scrambled to him, saw his shirt sliced and soaked red with his blood. Concern and worry creased her youthful features as she rushed to his side and knelt beside the chair. “Lay still, I can heal you.”
Breathing through the pain, Mel kept his hand on the gash to try and staunch the bleeding. “I will be fine, it is nothing. Are you okay?” Mel looked at her concerned.
“I am fine. I seem to be constantly thanking you for saving me. Now, will you please lie still so I can see what I am working with here? Stop being a big baby and let me clean the wound and then heal it.” Clarissa flashed in a bowl of water and a cloth as she pulled his shirt aside. She had to tear the material in order to get to the wound itself. Then taking the wet cloth, she gently wiped the blood away so she could see the extent of the injury.
Clarissa knew she could have just healed him straight away but for some reason, she needed to see how bad it was.
“Okay, sadly you will live.”
The guardian looked up at him from her kneeling position as she teased him softly. Holding her hands out over his wound, she closed her eyes and let a soft, blue light emanate from her palms to spread over his wound, slowly mending and repairing the torn tissue and skin from the creature’s fireball.
Azamel hissed at her none to gentle handling of his injuries and let loose a string of expletives that would make a hardened criminal blush. When the wound was healed and the blood cleaned away, he laid back and breathed hard. His skin had an ashen hue to it and his whole body shivered. “I need to feed. The jungle took a lot from me.”
“You should probably eat. Do you need my blood?”
Mel sent a mental message to Shara. ‘I need to feed.’
The judge shook his head at Clarissa. “Thank you for healing me, love, but nothing you have can sustain me food wise. I asked Shara to bring me something. Would you like to freshen up? Maybe a shower before dinner?”
Clarissa looked up to see Shara enter the room, her
hands empty. Removing the water and cloth, she stood suddenly feeling a bit awkward. “Um. Yeah. That sounds like a good idea.”
She spun on her heel as she nodded to Shara. Quickly she passed the servant woman as she made her way back to the bathroom to leave the two of them alone in the quarters she was assigned. Clarissa grabbed her backpack as she entered the lavish room, shut the door and leaned against it, sighing. ‘Get your head in the game girl and to remind you the game is not the dating game.’ She shook her head, stripped and headed to the shower.
Mel frowned at Clarissa’s hasty exit. He took the goblet from Shara after she materialized it and drained the contents in one gulp then held it out for more, his eyes bright yellow and his stomach cramped from need. When he finally felt sated, he gave the goblet back to Shara and dismissed her. Azamel sat up and stared into the fire, his mind kept drifting back to the jungle. ‘Clarissa’s powers are highly volatile and very closely tied to her emotions. She will need hard training to control them.’
As Clarissa stepped out of the shower dripping wet, she let the air around her raise goose bumps on her skin. She grabbed a towel and wiped her face as her mind wandered to what they just went through and that he came for her. He felt her need him.
Why did he intrigue her so much? What was it about him that set her body aflame with just a look or a light caress? Was it because she could not ever have him? Talk about impossible situations? Talk about losing her focus on her destiny to dream about being with a man that, that what? Saw her as a child, a burden, a damsel in distress? She growled softly. She could fight on her own. She taught herself and made it this far without him or anyone else. However then she remembered she was almost killed by that demon. She was not prepared. She was not as good as she thought. Or was she just distracted with anger for him! She needed his training, what he could teach her and yet the thought of spending more time with him worried her.
She sighed. ‘Gods grant me help in making it through this ordeal and steel my heart against wanting something I could never, should never have.’
Drying herself off, she quickly got dressed and curled up in the huge winged back chair to wait until she was sure Shara was gone from the room.
Azamel felt restored. Having sent Shara away, he got up and walked to her bathroom door. As he knocked on it, he called out to her, “Clarissa?”
She lifted her head. “Come in.”
Slowly he opened the door and saw her sitting in the winged back chair. He walked over and sat in the one across from her. “You were magnificent in there.” He looked away as if embarrassed to have confessed so much.
She blushed as she saw him look away, despite the compliment. “Thank you. I just did what I had to, nothing more. I owe you my gratitude for coming in and helping me out. It’s kind of nice to have my own body intact once again.”
He nodded and gave her a long stare. “You have many powers but they are yet too unstable and too closely tied to your emotions. I can train you, if you want me to?”
He wondered why he kept asking but he wanted to help her. He wanted to know that she was safe and would survive for the additional trials she would have to cope with as time progressed. Others would come for the stone and therefore her.
Clarissa let her eyes lower under his gaze, felt her cheeks redden slightly. Working with him meant spending more time with him and there was a part of her that thrilled with the thought and another that cringed with it. She knew the more time she spent the harder it would be to be alone again when this was over. She rested her head against the wing of the chair, her legs already tucked under her form since before he came in. She looked lost in the big chair, small, uncertain. “If you please, I would appreciate your guidance.”
“Dinner is served.” He stood up and held out his hand to her. “I am sure you are hungry? We can discuss your schooling over the meal.”
She hesitated on putting her hand in his, yet the need to touch him, to feel his warm skin against hers was strong. He had shown courtesy to her, of which she appreciated. Gently she put her fingers in his, uncurled from the chair and stood. They were almost equal in height and still his presence seemed to dwarf hers. “I am hungry, thank you.” Clarissa let him lead her to the dining hall.
Mel smiled and threaded his fingers through hers as he led her to the feasting room. Once there, he pulled out her chair and motioned for the staff to begin serving them. After the drinks were poured, the judge saluted the wolf, “To safely getting out of that hellhole jungle and to finding Xon quickly.”
Clarissa smiled sweetly and held her glass out to clink with his. “May we succeed when we do meet up with Xon.” She sniffed, putting her nose lightly in the air.
“It smells divine.” She picked up her fork and started to eat. “So what do you have in mind for guiding me? Have you prepared others before?”
Mel started eating and nodded. “More than I can remember, love. I am very, very old as I think you have ascertained.” He chuckled. “I have a training room here that would give us the space and equipment we shall utilize. You are welcome to stay here while we practice.”
“Other than maybe gathering a few personal items, no one will miss me.” She immediately wondered if she should have told him that but shrugged off her apprehensions. “Thank you for the offer of your hospitality.”
He raised a brow at the former comment but made the choice to ignore it after feeling her palatable discomfort. “I will take you to get what you need or you can just ask Shara. She will provide you with everything you require.”
“I would prefer my own items please.” She took a bite of her meal, chewing thoughtfully. “This is very good.” Clarissa looked up at him as she paused in her eating. “Has Shara been with you long?”
“Seems like forever. Yes. We can get your things after dinner and whatever else you might require.”
“That will be acceptable. I will even buy you dessert for your trouble.” Clarissa frowned slightly, picking her food with her fork. “I wonder where that demon, Xon is with my stone.”
Mel took her one hand in his. “Eat, get your belongings then we will work on your abilities. He is not going anywhere.”
Her haunted eyes looked up at him, his hand still closed around hers. “What damage has he done?”
He released her hand and let her finish her food. “I don’t know, I would suggest you try to track him but we saw what happened the last time we tried that. We need to stabilize your powers first. I have my demon chasers out there and if he moves out of line, I will know about it. When you are ready, we can go get your things.”
Clarissa nodded and pushed her plate away, suddenly losing her appetite. “I am ready as soon as you are. Thank you.” She dabbed her mouth daintily with her napkin, set it on the side and sipped her drink while she waited for him to finish.
Azamel set his glass down and stood. He moved quickly to pull her chair out for her and held his hand for her to take so she could rise. “Let us be on our way then.”
Again, she was mildly surprised at his gentlemanly manners. Lightly, she placed her fingers into his hand and stood. He flashed them back to her apartment in New Orleans. She released her hand from his as she moved to the closet to grab a bag for the items she planned on taking with her. Her focus was to gather some personal effects, some additional weapons, her sword and a couple of exercise outfits. Once completed, she turned back to him.
“I am ready.” Then she stopped and thought for a moment. “Oh Wait.” Clarissa quickly jotted a note to her employers so they would not worry overtly. She grabbed the only picture she had of her family from the dresser adding it to the items already in her bag. “I am ready now.”
Azamel silently watched her gather her belongings and the thoughtfulness of leaving a note. ‘Family. I had that once.’ He shook his head to clear the melancholic thought, nodded and took her hand. He transported them to her quarters within his home. “Once you are ready, meet me in the training room. Down the hall, five doors down to
your left” Mel then dematerialized from her presence.
Chapter Five
She took some time to put a few of her items away. She took the picture and placed it on the nightstand by the bed. She sat on the bed and stared at it for a few minutes, lost in thought. She wished her family was still around and this was all just a nightmare she would wake up from. But alas, it was not a dream. Changing into exercise gear, she followed Mel’s instructions to the workout room and knocked as she pushed the door open. “Azamel?”
Dressed only in black pants, Mel practiced with a long wooden staff. Going through the moves, he twirled the staff around, stepping and breathing through the warm up exercises. He did not hear her enter until she spoke. As he looked up and gaped at her outfit, he missed a move and hit himself with the staff on the side of his head.
He felt his face heat at the mistake. Frowning as he rubbed his head, he motioned for her to enter.
As she stepped in, she bit her lower lip to keep from laughing at his misstep when he saw her and softly cleared her throat. Her eyes roamed his bare torso. His six-pack ripped abdominals and flexing arm muscles she saw while she watched him move enticed her to taste every bit of skin and then some rather than practice.
“Should I have brought a weapon?” her voice was unsure, hesitant. She had never worked out with someone who was not her family and certainly never one who was as distractingly delectable as this hunk standing before her.
Recovering quickly, he tossed her another wooden staff. “I have seen you fight, I know you have skills. This part of your schooling is about controlling your emotions. Anger is your biggest enemy and it seems to affect your ability to focus your powers.” Mel slammed his staff against hers. “Now attack me. Or are you afraid, little girl?”