by Holly Vane
Andrea sat back. “No, I’m sure Heaven would say different.” She added bitterly. “Holly your power is the result of a union between magic and God there’s nothing evil about it. Your power is whatever you make it.” She stopped to take a breath. “Your magic is probably the most dominant force on this Earth. There’s nothing that could beat it. For whatever reason you’re fighting it, you’re keeping it from merging with you and until you become one with your power it will continue to rule you. Holly if you have any hope of defeating Michael, Heaven and Lucifer then you’re going to have to get past whatever you’re afraid of. Whatever is keeping you from accepting your gift, get past it.”
“It kills.” Holly said shakily. “I killed Angels back in in Germany. This...gift is evil.”
Andrea smiled tenderly. “You were protecting yourself. Its war there’s always casualties. But hear me when I tell you that nothing about you is evil. Your power was just reacting to your emotions: anger, rage…remember the basketball and yesterday? You controlled it. Holly you created a defensive shield that saved Miles’ life not to mention your own.”
“And I also near flattened a city block Andrea.”
“But you didn’t, and you want to know why you didn’t? Love Holly. Caleb’s love brought back from the edge, when you feel your emotions spiralling out of control, taking over you, remember those words that he said to you, they’ll keep you safe. And that wouldn’t have happened if you weren’t scared of letting your gift in. You’re fighting a part of yourself Holly magic is in your blood don’t run from it or…”
“Or what?”
“Or the world will burn…”
***
Holly felt less than comforted by her heart to heart with Andrea, if anything it left her heart sick and terrified. She knew she had to come to terms with the fact that her old life was gone, clinging to it was doing no one any good, but the notion of opening herself up to not only magic but the magic was frightening.
Layla waved to her when she entered the auditorium seeming to be over her tantrum. “You ready to kick some butt?” Layla asked her. “What do you mean?” Professor Brooks swept down the stairs and called the class to him. “Andrea has insisted we move up our timetable, given the unrest I concur.” His yellow eyes came to a brief stop on Holly before moving on. “You will each take a partner and practice the defence techniques we have gone over, now remember to block or Nurse Reid will kill me. Holly you can partner with Jade Summers since you’ve both missed previous classes.” He tossed a disapproving look Jade’s way before urging them to begin.
Holly cursed her luck as Jade made her way over; of all the partners she had to get stuck with: Caleb’s fuck toy. They still had unfinished business as to the argument they had outside the club Friday night.
“I warn you I won’t pull any punches.” Jade threw at her popping her gum. The girl had an attitude that would make Kanye West pale in comparison. She strutted like she owned the place fully aware of the boy’s eyes on her scantily clad hips. She turned tossing her long braided hair over her shoulder.
“Caleb really gave me a work out last night.” She smirked quickly before throwing a punch that Holly could have easily blocked if she hadn’t been put off by Jade’s words. The knuckles caught her right in the middle of the temple and Holly fell to the floor with a flash of blinding white.
“Jade!” Brook’s enraged voice shouted as he marched over. “What the hell was that? Defensive moves only.” He picked holly up and dusted her off.
“Not my fault she provoked me.” Jade said casually.
“Would you like a new partner?” Brooks asked Holly his eyes stared right into hers with concern.
“No I think I can handle her.” Holly retorted at a smug Jade.
“Bring it bitch.” She replied when the professor left them. They circled each other waiting for the other to provide an opening, “you do realise you’re a substitute right?” Holly told her with more contempt then she would have believed herself capable of. Her words hit right at Jades centre and she missed a step, without an inch of mercy Holly socked her one right on the cheek bone. Her strike held so much force that Jade was knocked off her feet and into the legs of the closet sparring couple.
“Whoa!” A tall stringy boy with greasy hair chuckled as he stared down at a prone Jade. “Catfight!”
The blow had clearly rocked Jade; she struggled to get back to her feet.
“Holly back off!” Brooks told her getting in between them. “Sam take Jade to the nurses’ station, you need to cool off.” He escorted Holly away by her elbow but Jade was clearly not in a giving up mood.
“At least I’m not a cheating slut, who wanks off her whore of a boyfriend in college libraries!”
A collective gasp filled the air as Holly froze in her tracks, swirling hot rage threatened to spew out: no one bad mouthed her boyfriend! She pivoted with all the grace of a ballerina managing to contain her hatred for the hippy sex machine in front of her. “Nah, your just the attention seeking cow who steals Angels, then proceeds to suck them off in front of an entire club, much classer. And never ever bring Dominic up again, in fact don’t even say his name, because you Jade are not fit to clean his boots.”
The room fell into silence.
“Come on Holly.” Professor Brooks urged. They were traveling up the staircase when Jade’s stocky form flickered then formed in front of them. “Jade I’m the authority here damn it! Move away!”
The two girls eyes locked and neither backed down.
Jade flung herself through the air knocking Brooks to one side upsetting his glasses, she landed on Holly and they both tumbled down the flight of stairs.
“How can you say that?” Dominic’s easy voice echoed around the auditorium as he eased through the door. “Star Wars is way better than Star…”He trailed off when his eyes fell on a rather upset Brooks, then glanced around at the students that stared back with shock and admiration, finally settling on the brawl at the bottom of the stairs. He groaned as Caleb crossed the threshold behind him.
“A little help here guys!” Professor Brooks asked them with desperation and anxiety.
Below Holly launched a roundhouse kick right at Jades stomach, who barrelled over and bit Holly’s arm before they both fell onto the ground kicking and punching each other.
“I say we let them get it out of their system and enjoy the show.” Dom said.
“We can’t do that,” Caleb told him. “They’ll kill each other.”
Dominic sighed heavily. “Separating them will not be easy.”
“You’re Immortals!” Brook shouted.
“Hell have no fury over a woman scorned professor…” Dominic quipped.
“Let’s just get this over with.” Caleb said with an air of finalization.
“I’ll kill you!” Jade roared rolling to her feet and hurtled herself at Holly who was yanked to safety at the last minute by Caleb. “Jade stop this!” He told her firmly holding Holly’s waist hugging her into him.
“You’re defending HER!” She yelled at him, her nostrils flaring like a bulls. “Damn it Jade now isn’t the time for this!” He shouted trying to hold onto a struggling Holly. “Dom a little help here would be nice…”
The Prince of hell strolled down the stairs with an amused smile on his face. “They need to get it off their chests Caleb.” He said reproachfully. “Who knows one day we might even double date.” This quip earned a round of cheers from their audience that were captivated by the two Immortals they had only fantasized about.
“Over my dead body.” Holly growled wrenching from Caleb’s grip intent on ripping Jade to pieces. Who the hell did she think she was? Caleb wasn’t hers; she wasn’t part of the group.
Dominic intercepted her with lightening quick reflexes clamping her arms to her sides.
“You’re making a scene princess.” He told her intimately. “Caleb’s right there’s a time and a place for everything. Now is not it.” His touch caressed her arms calmingly. He wa
s right Jade just wasn’t worth it. She let him lead her away.
“You’re more of a cold hearted cow then I thought you were.” Jades voice chased after them. “You don’t care about Caleb, just like you didn’t care about Cherry Falls. You let all those people die for you…”
Holly went cold.
“Quit while you’re still breathing Jade.” Dominic warned her.
“Don’t threaten her.” Caleb hissed moving in front.
Even Professor Brooks held his breath as Holly turned to face her tears of pain streaming down her face. “What do you know about me? Nothing that’s what.” Her voice held an icy edge to it that made Jade and Caleb take a step back. “Do you know what it’s like to watch your mother die in your arms? No…? Well I’ll tell you shall I, it’s cruel and it sucks the very heart out of you, leaving behind this black gaping void that will never heal. What have you ever had to sacrifice in your perfect little world?”
“Holly she didn’t mean…”
“Shut up.” She snapped at Caleb. “This fantasy of yours where you have both of us is never going to happen Caleb. Choose right now. Me or her.”
His head snapped up and she saw him look to Dom for help who gave none. “What are you saying?”
“You said it yourself Caleb, you can’t be Guardian to both of us, so pick one.”
His sweet face crumbled. “You can’t ask me to do that…”
“I just did, and since it seems too hard for you to do, let me make it easier. Stay away from me.”
Holly turned tail and with her head held high left the hall in tow with Dom.
“Holly wait…”
“How can you defend her after what she just said?” She rounded on Caleb who had chased them out the auditorium. “You know Cherry Falls wasn’t my fault, you’ve spent all summer trying to convince me of it!”
“She’ll apologize.”
“I don’t want her apology Caleb I want her out of my life, as long as you are…whatever it is you are to her, she never will be. I’m sorry Caleb but if you can’t…then I can’t…”
Caleb grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving. “This can work I promise you, you two…”
“Will never get along.” Dominic said.
“Keep out of this Demon…” Caleb spat.
Holly took in a deep breath bristling at the harshness of his tone, she yanked free of his hand. “That Demon is twice the person you will ever be. I don’t want you as my Guardian anymore.”
“Don’t say that…” He told her bitterly.
“I don’t want you and I don’t need you.” She repeated slowly. A thunder clap shot through the sky above them.
“What have you done…?”
Chapter Fourteen
∬
Breach
In the month that followed dark storm clouds hung over St. Heralds like shadowy vapour. Holly knew it had the others worried but to her it was just weather. She had made her mind up not to stress over things she couldn’t control and focus on the here and now.
“What do you think?” She asked Dom giving him a turn of her new outfit. He took a step back from the kitchen counter where he was preparing dinner and a wicked expression spread across his face. “Waitress? You read my mind princess, did you want to eat first?”
“Dom! This isn’t a sex fantasy. I got a job at Reds.” His eyebrows shot up disapprovingly. “We’ve been through this Holly. You don’t need a job.”
“Yes I do. My college fund has dried up and I’m not living off you, so don’t start.” She placed her hands on her hips and flashed him an icy glare. “It’s not that I don’t want you to have your independence those Aurelius’ nuts are still out there, at St. Heralds your pretty much protected but…”
She went to him and pulled him close. “I appreciate your concern but I’m really getting a handle on my powers, you’ve seen how well am doing in class. I can take care of myself.” It wasn’t a lie after her talk with Andrea she had stopped being frightened little Holly and had really stepped up to the mark. Dominic still looked unconvinced so she kissed him teasingly hoping a little female persuasion would do the trick. “Are you trying to get me to submit?” He asked pulling back. “No.” Holly said quickly, “is it working?”
“Maybe…” He smirked leaning in for another long steamy kiss, her fingertips raked his bare arms as their lips locked heatedly, her breath picked up when he broke away and swung her round bending her over the counter. “Dom I start in twenty minutes.”
“Quickie it is then.” He whispered stroking the tender skin of her thighs, her argument instantly died in her throat as he lifted her skirt and slid her panties to one side. “No thong today?” He mused fingering. Holly braced her palms against the counter top and blushed. “No…I’m putting on weight.” She had noticed it a few weeks ago when her best pair of jeans wouldn’t button up. “Your take outs are having a negative effect on me.”
“You wear it well.” He said undoing his fly. “Your perfect Holly now take my cock.” Her opening tensed as his swollen member teased it, she gasped as he thrusted into her tugging on her ponytail, making her bend over the counter further.
“AW…AW…” Holly couldn’t help her loud cries as he ploughed into her. Dominic held her in place underneath him working her hard and fast, she came within seconds. “Did you just…?”
“Yeah.” She had never climaxed so quick in her life. “That must be a record.” He teased as a car horn blared outside. “Crap that’s Miles.” Holly made to get up but Dominic refused to let her.
“Miles? If you think I’m handing you over to some guy I haven’t even met, you’ve got another thing coming princess.” Holly rolled her eyes then exhaled hard as he thrusted inside her one more. “You have met him, he was with me at the mall when those…aw God…” She panted as he stroked inside of her with wicked skill, making her peak again.
“Dom please…” Holly begged him. “I can’t be late.” He withdrew with a noise of irritation, “let me at least clean you off.” His luscious lips parted in a devastating grin before he kneeled in front of her, she dug her nails into the wooden counter top and let wave upon wave of ecstasy hit her as his tongue lapped at her soaking sex. Holly knew she shouldn’t keep Miles waiting he worked as the cook and had been instrumental in helping her get the waitress job, a thank you for saving his life at the mall. Holly had tried to convince him that she had been the reason his life had been placed in danger in the first place, but he wouldn’t hear of it.
Dominic got to his feet as the doorbell rang. “Get your purse.” He instructed walking out the kitchen leaving her dazed and reeling from the multipliable orgasms he had given her. She gathered herself then collected her purse Dom was talking quietly to Miles when she neared the front door. “I’ll swing by in a little bit,” Dom told her pulling her to him and kissed her with such intimacy she blushed. Holly knew he was making a statement to Miles and part of her didn’t care, when he kissed like this her whole body became his to control. When he pulled away his hazel eyes were swimming with worry. “Be careful I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Holly loved that Dominic had a hard time parting with her. Over the weeks their had barely passed a day when he hadn’t come to her, and their weekends were spent mostly in his bed. She had latched onto him mind, body and soul and let him become her anchor instead of drink and Ether. Whenever things got too heavy for her to handle she ran to him and he curled the pain, soothing her weary soul. Ether still called to her especially when the shakes and cold sweat hit but her will power had prevailed thanks to Dominic, they both knew her need for the drug was getting wildly out of control, that was another thing she treasured about him, the fact that she could tell him anything without him flying off the handle or judging her. Dominic was firmly on her side no matter what.
When they reached Reds Diner it was mostly empty and Miles quickly showed her the robes before disappearing through the back. Her first shift was going great until she turned to see Caleb and Jade s
itting at the counter.
They hadn’t spoken since her and Jades altercation a month ago, and he looked just as stunned to see her as she was to see him. “I didn’t know you were working here…” He started as she reluctantly approached. “It’s my first shift.” She responded curtly. “What can I get you?”
“A smile would be nice.” Jade sneered, “I believe it’s their motto here, service with a smile.” Holly bored daggers at her wishing she could smash her head against the counter, but that would mean her job so she refrained…barely.
“Service.” Miles shouted through the window behind. “I’ll give you time to think on it. Shall I?” Holly snapped before balancing the plates of burgers and fries over to table eight. It was crowded with students one of which was Layla who gave her a wink. It was nice to see a friendly face and Holly suspected that was why she had showed. Holly had been talking about her first shift all week. The other faces at the table were less hospitable. “I ordered my meat rare.” The tall guy next to Layla growled. Holly had seen him before in Professor Brooks class…Sam or something…
Holly looked down at the exposed meat. “Any rarer and it’ll walk to the table itself.” She uttered. A bemused grin spread across his handsome features. “You think your Queen of the Campus don’t you?” He said bitterly. “Your presence here puts all of us,” he gestured to his companions, “in danger. Your trouble and the sooner you’re gone the better.”
“Sam!” Layla glared at him.
He snorted with disgust. “She is not our savour; all I see is a frightened little girl, who simply refuses to remove the brush up her arse and actually help us out.”
Holly felt her cheeks blush violently her hands shook with rage and she stuffed them into her skirt pockets. Why was everyone insisting on giving her a hard time?
“Maybe you should get off your high horse and help yourself out wolf.” Dominic’s low voice hissed causing Holly to jump. He was at her side with a sheer look of contempt on his face, his dark tousled hair; dark hoody and ripped jeans were soaked with rain. The atmosphere instantly changed and Holly shared an anxious glance with Layla as Sam rose from his seat. “You think you’re so bad because your father’s the devil, I’ve seen a Barbie doll with more evil than you and it’s pathetic.” Holly felt the anger rolling off Dominic and looked sideways at him, his face gave nothing away but she knew what was lurking just beneath the surface, Sam was way out of his depth. “Try me and find out.” Dom replied evenly. The rest of the group jumped up at Dominic’s threat and Holly found herself wondering just how powerful these Nephilim were but she never got to find out.