by Kristie Cook
Tristan came down on the Daemoni, jabbing his elbow into Edmund's upper back. His knee landed in the back of Edmund's thigh. The femur snapped loudly. Edmund fell into a heap on the floor, howling with both pain and rage. Tristan grabbed his dark hair. I turned away as he slammed Edmund's head against the concrete floor. The crack made my stomach lurch and echoed in my ears. I looked back as Tristan dragged him over to the creature's body.
He leaned over and snarled, "Don't fuck with me unless you can finish it."
Pop! Pop! The man and the creature disappeared.
I thought the world stopped. The pounding in my chest abruptly halted. My breath caught in my throat. I collapsed to the floor, unable to restart my heart or make my lungs work. Mom caught me before I rolled down the stairs. She sat on the top stair and pulled me into her lap. I felt her power flow through me. My lungs filled with air again. My heart started with a jolt, pounding against my ribs. She held me for a long time, or maybe for only seconds, rocking back and forth.
I'd nearly stopped trembling when Tristan lifted me into his arms. My tense muscles finally loosened and I fell against him. He carried me over to the couch and sat down with me in his lap. I curled against him and closed my eyes. The recent events started to replay like a horror movie against my eyelids. I couldn't keep them closed so I stared wide-eyed at nothing in the semi-darkness. The sound of footsteps rushing up the stairs yanked me out of my near-catatonic state.
My heart raced again with renewed fear. My body automatically prepared for fight or flight. Stefan and Owen flew into the living room, dripping wet. I slumped back against Tristan as they surveyed the scene.
"Oh, thank God," Stefan said breathlessly. "We thought…"
"Daemoni were outside," Owen said. "They started to fight but fled instead. We thought maybe they got to you."
There were more . I shuddered.
"I wondered what happened to you," Mom said casually. She sat in the loveseat, her legs folded under her, looking, somehow, relaxed . Like what happened was just an everyday pain-in-the-butt, like having to deal with an annoying door-to-door salesperson.
Owen eyed the broken baluster on the floor.
"What happened to your stairs, Tristan? Is this what happens when there's no one to spar?" He chuckled.
"Alexis did it," Tristan answered with a that's-my-girl grin. How can they be so carefree? Owen's eyes grew wide.
They traded stories, talking as if they'd just won an exciting football game. Owen knew something was wrong when Mom disappeared from our cottage, so he hailed Stefan. They scoped the outside before coming in and found two Daemoni watching Tristan's house. They fought briefly before the Daemoni fled. Stefan and Owen ensured they stayed away before coming inside.
I stopped wondering how people…or whatever they were…could appear and disappear in Tristan's house and wondered instead what the point was of it being our safe place.
"They will come back," Stefan said, now solemn. I stiffened. "Owen, go out and shield the house."
Owen disappeared.
"They won't be back today," Tristan said, giving me a squeeze.
"You probably should've killed them," Mom said, her voice grim, with a tint of sadness. "There's no hope for them anyway."
"There's no way to burn the bodies with that storm raging out there," Tristan said. "If we did it inside, the fumes would've killed us. Besides…I wanted to send them a message."
"They'll take it as a challenge," Mom said.
"The Daemoni won't officially. These were rogues. Many rogues will take it as a warning. But, you're right. Some will take it as a challenge."
"So they will be back," Stefan repeated.
Tristan's jaw clenched and he nodded.
The bottom of my stomach fell out and a feeling of despair washed over me. The false sense of safety and security for the past couple months blew away with the raging wind. We were doomed.
"They'll never leave us alone, will they?" I whispered. "We'll never have any peace."
Tristan didn't answer except by wrapping his arms around me and holding me closer.
"Solomon made a good point that night at Sophia's house," Stefan said. "When you two are married by the Amadis, Tristan, you become a member of the royal family. That means we all become loyal to you—not just Alexis. Right now, our first priority is Alexis's safety. If we had to make a choice, we would have to leave you to protect her."
"That's how it should be," Tristan said.
"Yes, but when you are married, we are bound to both of you. We do not have to make a choice. Increased protection is automatic for you both."
"We've already discussed this," Tristan said flatly.
"You have to see the benefits, Tristan," Stefan pressed. "Once you become a member of the Amadis royal family, the Daemoni may decide to leave you alone. Coming after you would be hardly any different than going after Rina, Sophia or Alexis. It is not allowed."
"That doesn't seem to stop them," Tristan pointed out.
"I think they came for you, Tristan," Mom said. "He definitely didn't expect me."
"How come they don't just… know ?" I interrupted. "I mean, you and Rina know things, Mom. If they're really Hell's demons, wouldn't they have some way to just know things, like you coming here—read minds, predict the future?"
"Some demons have the ability to plant thoughts in humans' heads, deceiving them that they are their own thoughts. Others can completely possess a human. But none of them can read anyone's minds—not humans' and definitely not ours," Mom explained.
"They have seers who try to predict the future, but their magic is unreliable and their abilities are limited. Only God is all-knowing," Stefan said, then he added with a small smile, "and He's more willing to share with us."
This slightly comforted me. Then I had an idea.
"Tristan, we need to get married immediately," I said firmly.
He looked down at me. "We've set our date. It's not that far away."
"And we keep that date, because they'll hear about it and you know they'll plan to attack before then. They'll try to stop us."
"Yes, they will," he agreed grimly.
"So we get married under the Amadis now , in secret. They won't know until it's too late."
I watched as he clenched and unclenched his jaw while he thought about it.
"She is right, Tristan," Stefan said. "It is a good plan."
Tristan looked at me, his eyes hard. "We're not getting married out of fear."
I groaned in frustration and left his side, pacing the room angrily. Why is he being so damn obstinate? We knew they'd do everything they could to stop our marriage. The Amadis and Tristan, apparently, had full confidence in their ability to stave them off. But I personally had a problem knowing we could be attacked any time. That tonight's real-life nightmare would repeat. And what if it's worse next time? What if they succeed?
I threw myself at Tristan's feet. "Tristan, please . You know it's the best solution. Do it out of love. Love for me . I need it…I need the hope that we may be able to live without a constant threat hanging over our heads. I need that sense of peace that they won't be able to take you from me. Please . Do it for me, because you love me."
I gazed into his dark eyes, pleading with my own while holding his hand against my lips.
"Please? For me?"
He studied my face as he brushed my hair back from my forehead. He eyed the small, shrinking lump. His eyes flickered with what looked like sorrow or remorse.
"Okay," he said quietly. "For you."
I threw myself back into his lap and kissed him. "Thank you."
He sighed. "You are my weakness."
I leaned my head against his shoulder and whispered, "I love you, my sweet Tristan."
"I love you, ma lykita ," he whispered back.
"Together forever?"
He tightened his arms around me and murmured, "You and me forever, my love."
Our sweet-nothings came to an instant stop when something
banged on the dining room door. I thought it was the wind at first—apparently everyone did because we all stared at it but no one moved. When it really started clanging in its frame, though, Stefan stood up. He stiffened.
"Somebody's out there!"
Tristan jumped up, dropping me to the floor. The bruise that should have been healing on my hip flared with renewed pain. He and Mom were both across the room before I could even think ow , their bodies tense. Not again! Not already!
"It's Owen! Open the door!" Mom ordered.
Tristan pushed a button to raise the automatic hurricane shutter. A dark gray light poured through the glass, Owen silhouetted against it. Rain flew sideways at him as he pressed himself against the wind. Stefan opened the door just enough for Owen to slip in and he had to push with force to close it again. The shutter lowered as I ran to the bathroom.
"The house is shielded. No one can get in or out," Owen said as I rushed back with towels for him. "Of course, that meant I couldn't get back in."
"Can someone please explain what that means?" I asked as I handed the towels to Owen. "How you just appear and disappear…get in and out when this house is already supposed to be locked down?"
"It's just part of who we are. You'll do it, too," Mom said lightly. I eyed her, not letting her blow it off. I didn't accept half-truths anymore. She shrugged. "It's just natural. We call it flashing."
"Owen has placed a shield over the house now, preventing any flashing," Stefan added. "We did not have it in place earlier in case any of us needed to flash inside…which, of course, we did."
"Yeah, okay," I said stupidly, like I understood. Is this for real ? I only knew it was because I'd seen it with my own eyes. "So…no one can get in now?"
"Not until we lift the shield," Owen confirmed.
A heavy weight lifted off me. We were safe…for now anyway.
While the storm raged outside, Mom and I huddled in the living room, planning my weddings. They would obviously be small affairs. It wasn't like I had anyone to invite anyway, but the first one—the one that truly mattered to me—had to be entirely secretive and done quickly. The longer we waited, the more chances the Daemoni had to attack before the September wedding, but Solomon and Rina needed a couple of days to arrive. They'd be marrying us.
After Stefan and Tristan lit candles and double-checked security because of the power outage, we debated where to hold the wedding. Stefan said it would be too suspicious if we all gathered at one of our houses and I really wanted it on the beach but didn't think it'd be possible. After concentrating on the options, Tristan came up with the idea of a secluded area on Gasparilla Island. He said everyone (but me, of course) could flash there without being noticed, it provided the necessary privacy for the ceremony and it would be easy for Owen to shield.
I had no idea what that last part really meant, but I trusted Tristan. And, I supposed, I was learning to trust Owen. I had to. He was my personal protector. It was still odd to think of him like that. I knew now when he was around, it was because he was doing his job, which meant he would take a bullet for me. Or whatever the Daemoni use. I hated the idea of anyone risking their lives for mine. I now felt even more impatient for the Ang'dora , because it would make me strong and powerful, like them. Funny how a year ago I never wanted it to happen because I wanted to be normal. Now, normal meant vulnerable and I was too normal for everyone around me—everyone I cared about.
Mom and Stefan started talking about the legal wedding—the fake one, from my point of view. Their plans became elaborate. If I didn't know it was to throw the Daemoni off, I would have protested every idea. I didn't care about that wedding; it was just a formality.
My eyes grew heavy as we sat in the warm darkness, the voices becoming distant. I fought their desire to close, afraid of what I might see behind my eyelids, but sleep eventually won. I saw myself standing on the beach on a small island in a blood-red satin and chiffon dress, the wind whipping at it, shredding it into pieces. Four or five dog-thing creatures circled around me, baring their fangs and growling gutturally, while flying men swooped overhead, cackling and cawing. Two huge men came out of the trees, grinning nefariously. Tristan suddenly stood at my side, but as he moved forward to fight, the flying men swooped down and grabbed him, taking him away.
I choked on a scream as I sat bolt upright and gasped for air. I looked around wildly. Tristan's living room . Everyone had left the room except for Tristan, who still sat on the couch with me. I lay back down with my head in his lap and he smoothed my damp hair. I realized my clothes were nearly soaked with sweat.
"It's so hot," I complained quietly.
"No A/C. Turning on the generator will only confirm to the Daemoni that we're still here. It may not matter, but we're taking no chances."
I tried to spread out better on the leather couch, looking for cool spots against my skin.
"Why don't we let someone else have the couch?" Tristan pushed me up by the shoulders. He picked up a candle and I followed him upstairs. He stopped at his closet for something and handed me one of his t-shirts after ripping the sleeves off. I let my shorts drop to the floor as I headed into the bathroom. When I came out, Tristan was spread out on the bed, wearing only boxers. I wanted to run my hands across his bare chest…and kiss it…and… Damn, it's been so long …. Voices floated over the loft's balcony, reminding me we had very little privacy. It was just too dang hot to do anything anyway. I sighed. Not much longer . I lay on the cool sheets on the far side of the bed so only our hands touched. I let the steady sound of the rain against the shutters and Tristan's calming touch lull me to a dreamless sleep.
Chapter 22
Edmund the storm brought very little damage, barely reaching hurricane force. The long-term damage from Edmund the Daemoni, however, was yet to be determined. Stefan and his troops were unable to gather much information over the next two days. We didn't know if the Daemoni even knew about either wedding, let alone if they planned anything. We constantly talked about the legal wedding every chance we had, unnecessarily loud in case they listened. When the third day arrived, I woke up excited to finally be allowed to focus on my real wedding.
I padded into the kitchen that morning, poured a cup of coffee and stared at the calendar while I sipped. July Thirtieth. The day that would change my life forever.
"I have good news and bad news," Mom said, rushing into the kitchen. Like Tristan, she had completely reversed her opinion about our marriage after Edmund's visit. She wasn't only supportive, but actually thrilled. Her voice sounded too happy for "bad news" to mean anything devastating—like an attack.
"No bad news today," I said.
"Sorry," she said, "but Solomon couldn't make it. The timing was bad for him, but he sends his regrets and his love."
"We can still go on, right?" I asked. I thought he was part of the ceremony. He seemed to hold an important position on the council.
"Oh, of course. We only have to have Rina, and Stefan can represent the council."
I exhaled the breath I'd been holding. Since I didn't know Solomon well, I wasn't too disappointed.
"So, what's the good news?"
"The good news is…," she grabbed my hand and pulled me down the hall to her bedroom, "…the Amadis dress arrived."
" Really ? I want to see!"
We stopped in front of her bed. A white garment bag, seeming to have an otherworldly shine to it, lay like a pearl on Mom's chocolate-brown duvet. It looked as if it came from somewhere magical. It scared me.
"Go ahead, open it," she said, bouncing with excitement.
I hesitated with trepidation. I had no idea what a traditional Amadis dress was. Mom wouldn't even describe it for me, wanting it to be a surprise. I carefully unzipped the bag and pulled the dress out by the hanger. Whoa! I was definitely surprised.
"Seriously, Mom? I'm supposed to wear this in front of other people ?"
"You'll look exquisite! Come on, try it on."
I raised an eyebrow at her. She's go
t to be kidding. She started taking it off the hanger, fluttering her hands at me to undress. I reluctantly obeyed and let her dress me. I certainly needed help with the top of the two-piece dress—a tight, white leather bodice, cut low, with three leather straps on each side, front and back, leading up to a diamond-studded collar at the neck. The scalloped bottom barely reached the top of the white silk, a-line skirt, also scalloped at the bottom, ending a couple inches above my knees. It looked like something out of a gladiator movie. Mom gathered my hair and held it up on my head as she walked me to the full-length mirror. My mouth fell open.
"Mom…you're kidding, right? This is traditional ?"
"Traditional for us. Rina prefers silk and satin gowns, but a couple of centuries ago…this is similar to what the matriarch would wear. You look beautiful."
I shook my head. I just couldn't see myself wearing it in public…around other people .
"Tristan will love it," she sang.
"Tristan likes new, modern, contemporary. Nothing that reminds him of who he was."
"Don't worry, this won't. It's not like women ran around in these dresses in the seventeen-hundreds. Trust me, he'll love it. Especially on you."
It's not like I had any choice. We'd shopped for gowns for the fake wedding, but I'd been planning on this dress all along for the real one, so I hadn't yet bought anything. Tristan will love it. I sighed and nodded in resignation.
"It's like leather lingerie," I complained as Mom showed me the trick to getting out of it by myself.
She chuckled. "No, the lingerie is in a wrapped box for tonight."
"You didn't!"
"Who else would?" She smiled mischievously and then went back to being a mother. "There's also a box of condoms. No babies until you graduate."
"Yes, I know. We've discussed this a hundred times." My stomach tightened. I wasn't so concerned about babies yet…it was the actual activity that created babies I was worried about. "Mom…I'm kind of scared. I don't know what to do."