“I wasn’t entirely honest with you earlier. I wasn’t going to say anything, but I think I should just come clean so I can stop feeling like I’ve deceived you.”
“You lied to me about something?” I rack my brain trying to think what he could possibly have needed to lie to me about, but come up blank.
“Well, I didn’t really out and out lie…but I was less than truthful… It’s just, well, I didn’t really need help with my schoolwork like I said. I was in all advanced classes at my old school, and I’d already done all the reading.”
Wow. I don’t know what I’d expected him to ‘confess’ but it definitely wasn’t this.
“So, you were just pretending not to know anything about Inferno?”
He nods, shrugging. “Pretty much. I actually won an essay contest on it last year.”
I scrunch my forehead, confused. “Why would you do that? Don’t you have better things to do with your time than study stuff you already know?”
He twists his mouth and looks down at his hands. “Yeah, but I needed a reason to spend time with you. To talk with you. It was the only thing I could think of. Stupid, I know,” he mumbles.
I still don’t get it. “What did you want to talk with me about?” I whisper.
He looks me straight in the eye. “I dunno…nothing. Everything. I think you’re probably one of the most interesting girls I’ve ever met. And believe me, that’s saying a lot. I wanted to get to know you better.”
I don’t know what to say, so I just stare at the grass.
“Oh.”
“I hope you’re not mad,” he says, “that you wasted an afternoon in a cemetery reading with me.”
How could I be mad when other than today, it was the best time I’ve had in my life?
“I’m not mad,” I mumble. What am I? Happy? Scared?
Yes.
“Good.” He lets out a sigh of relief. “Because I really want us to be friends.”
Friends? Why does that word sound like such a stinging rejection?
He places his fingertips under my chin and gently tilts my face toward his. “Good friends,” he whispers. “Very good friends.”
With benefits?
I think he’s going to kiss me, but he doesn’t, and I don’t know whether to be disappointed or relieved. This is a dangerous path I’m on. One that can only lead to heartache. Kieron doesn’t know anything about me. And if he ever finds out, he’ll hate me. Despise me. Fear me.
But until then…
His eyes never leave mine as I lean closer to him so the sides of our bodies are touching. More than anything, I want to lose myself in this tranquility for eternity—to freeze this moment forever. Just Kieron and me in our secret, perfect Paradise.
The second our fingers touch, the moment his hand tenderly wraps around mine, the instant I feel the hot flow of energy course through my veins and ignite my soul, I know I’m never letting go. Kieron has entered my life in a way that cannot be ignored or undone. I’m supposed to know him.
Somehow…some way, I will make this work. I have to.
Whatever it takes.
******
The sky turns a menacing shade of grey, and I suddenly realize it’s later than I thought. My blissful time is over. “I have to go,” I whisper, reluctantly.
Kieron nods and together we gather up the rest of our stuff and head back to the truck. Judging from the long shadows cast on the field, and the fact that we’re at least an hour away from my home, I know I’m cutting it close. Too close. Being with Kieron makes the time pass way too quickly.
“Please hurry,” I say, the desperation apparent in my voice despite my attempt to stay cool.
Once we start heading down the hill, he gives me a concerned glance. “You’re really worried about being late, aren’t you?” he asks, casually resting his hand on my knee.
“Yes.”
This really, really, really sucks. What was I thinking staying out here so late? We should’ve left an hour ago.
Breathe, Liora…just relax. Don’t freak out until you have a reason to…
Kieron speeds the truck down the mountainside nearly twice as fast as he drove up. Normally I would’ve been concerned, but it’s all I can do to stop myself from whispering, “Faster, please,” every few minutes.
Despite Kieron’s best efforts, the full weight of my cruel reality comes crashing down on me when, halfway down the mountain, the truck inexplicably sputters to a stop.
“What’s happening? Why are we slowing down?” My voice borders on hysteria.
Kieron just shakes his head and taps the dashboard a few times. “It looks like we’re out of gas. I’m so sorry…I didn’t realize…”
I look at him with horror, feeling the blood drain from my face. “No, this can’t be happening.” I gasp. We’re still a good thirty miles from town. In the middle of nowhere.
I don’t know what I’m going to do, but there’s no way I can stay here with him much longer. No way. Even if Lucky somehow manages to behave herself, which is highly unlikely, if she starts saying weird things and introducing herself as ‘Lucky’, Kieron will think I’m completely insane. And what if she does something awful to him? She’s very unpredictable when it comes to people. I don’t think she’ll necessarily hurt him, but using him as a toy for her sadistic amusement isn’t much better…
Okay, I can freak out now. Where’s a good trash dumpster when you need one?
I spot a farmhouse across the fields and get an idea. Not a great one, but so far it’s my only hope.
“All right, you stay here and guard the truck. I’ll run to that house for help and see if I can use their phone.” I jump out of the cab. But Kieron is out in a flash and grabs my arm before I’ve taken five steps.
“Yeah, like that’s really going to happen. There’s no way I’m letting you run off to some stranger’s house—”
“Sorry, but you don’t have a choice. You stay here. I will go.” I struggle to pull my arm free. He releases his grip and gives me a smirk.
“I have a cell phone,” he says, reaching into his back pocket. “And triple-A. Can’t say for sure they want to trek out here, but you can call your grandma and tell her you’re going to be late if you like.”
His words momentarily throw me. “No, I don’t like, because I won’t be late,” I say, my voice cold. Now what? Stop and think… Don’t panic. “Are you sure you even get reception way out here?”
He grins. “Full bars. So don’t worry. I’ll call the towing company, you call your grandma, and everything will be fine.”
I pace in a circle, my body trembling and my mind spinning. This is the worst thing that can happen right now. My fantasy is so quickly morphing into a nightmare. But what did I expect?
Kieron watches me intently as I try to clear my mind and think. “Okay,” I finally say, “why don’t you go ahead and call them; I really need to go to the bathroom. I’m just going to go behind those trees for a few minutes.”
His expression is a mixture of suspicion and amusement, but he nods silently. I flash him a weak smile to show I’m fine, and then head toward the cluster of trees. I’ll worry about giving him an excuse later, but right now my number one priority is to get away. In a million years, I have no idea how I’ll explain my crazy behavior to him, but better he think of me as a lunatic than a monster.
Kieron eyes me suspiciously as I duck behind the thicket. My attention focuses on the farmhouse in the distance. And where there’s a house, there must be a vehicle of some sort. At least I have an excuse to tell Kieron later, as insane and lame as it is.
The second Kieron’s head turns away, I sprint as fast as my legs will carry me, praying the trees are blocking his view of my mad escape. But a few minutes later, I hear him calling me.
“Liora! Wait!”
I put my head down and continue running as hard as I can, my breath coming fast and hollow. Determined, I press on as my legs turn to rubber.
“Go back!” I yell. My
voice is weak, but I’m pretty sure he hears me. I keep going, ignoring the stabbing in my chest and the fire in my legs, focusing only on getting to the house. I don’t know why I think that will save me, especially with Kieron following. Maybe I can hide somewhere. Maybe Kieron will leave me alone for a while and Lucky can get away. Maybe…
…Maybe I’m totally screwed.
I come to the fence bordering the farmer’s property and clumsily scale the low wooden barrier, ignoring the splinters lodging painfully in my fingertips.
Kieron is right behind me.
I stumble and fall. Quickly, I pull myself back up again as Kieron draws closer, almost upon me now. Suddenly, I’m distracted by the appearance of an elderly man. He’s charging toward us holding something long and skinny in his hand. Blinded by my fear and crushing devastation at the pure insanity of the moment, I keep running toward the man and the house, as Kieron barrels up behind me.
I know there’s no point in continuing. My plan to escape has failed miserably. If anything, I’ve only managed to make things worse. But I keep going, mostly so I won’t have to face Kieron and my mortal shame.
Soon, my body makes the choice for me. I stop, gasping for air. The mile sprint has made my legs feel like spaghetti, and they wobble beneath me. Kieron reaches my side. I try to push him back but he doesn’t budge, asserting his place beside me. We notice the old man again. He has been watching us with curious interest up to this point, but now that we’ve stopped, he’s lifting his arms, aiming straight at us.
“Stop right there, or I’ll shoot ya both!” the man yells.
******
Kieron instantly jumps in front of me, his arms held high. I double over, hands on my knees, panting heavily. “Sir, please lower your gun. We wish you no harm,” he says.
The old man scowls and points his shotgun directly at Kieron’s chest. I clutch the back of his sweater, and he presses back against me protectively.
“What are you kids doin’ on my property? This here’s private land. Ain’t no one s’ppose ta be here!” His lined face is contorted with rage, his wispy grey hairs wild and unkempt.
“Sir, we apologize. We just had some car trouble back on the mountain, and we were hoping to use your phone.” Kieron’s voice is so calm and professional he sounds more like he’s ordering a pizza than negotiating with an angry man holding a shotgun.
And he’s not even out of breath. How is that possible? Even if he ran miles every day, he should be breathing a little heavy, shouldn’t he?
The old man spits something on the ground and moves closer, giving Kieron a look of disgust. “Don’t look that way to me. Looks like she was runnin’ from ya, and you was chasin’ her.” He bobs his head to me. “Y’all ar’right missy? He tryin’ to force hisself on ya against yer will?”
“No…no...sir,” I gasp, still short of breath. “Nothing like that. Honest. We were driving and ran out of gas. We wanted to get help before it turned dark.”
But I know nothing will help me now. The sun is going to set any moment now, and when it does, my whole world is going to collapse.
The old man shifts his narrowed eyes from Kieron to me. He grunts and lowers his weapon slightly, still wary.
“What’re you two doin’ out this way anyhow? Ain’t no one s’ppose ta be up there. You havin’ immoral relations and injectin’ yerself with drugs?” He spits on the ground again and kicks at the dirt with a scruffy boot.
Kieron slowly lowers his arms, and pulls them back and around me. I’m biting my lip so hard I can taste blood. This crazy man doesn’t seem to need a valid excuse to shoot us both. And Kieron’s right in the line of fire, protecting me. If I hadn’t acted like such a psychotic lunatic we wouldn’t be in this position.
If something happens to Kieron because of me...
Please, Lucky…hurry up…we need you…
“No, sir. We were just out for a drive and found ourselves in a bit of trouble is all. I sincerely apologize if we gave you a fright. It certainly was not our intention.” Kieron’s voice is loaded to the brim with charm and grace, but the man is unmoved.
“Well I guess we’ll have’ta see what the cops say about that. You can tell them yer story, why you bein’ places you don’t belong and doin’ Lord knows what to that young girl there…” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a cell phone.
“Sir, please. Trust me… you don’t want to do that,” Kieron says, sounding like he’s trying not to laugh.
“Don’t you be tellin me what I do and don’t wanna be doin, boy! You hush up an’ put your hands where I can see ‘em!” He scowls and spits again. Dialing the phone with one hand, he steadies the rifle with the other.
“Sir, please, I’m warning you…you don’t want to do that. Please just let us be on our way.”
“Oh, God. Oh, no,” I moan softly behind him. My body trembles uncontrollably, the familiar fire returning. Tears trickle from my eyes.
This is it. The end.
Kieron ignores the farmer’s warnings not to move, and catches me as I fall.
“Liora, what’s happening…are you hurt?” His eyes fill with worried confusion.
“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry…please don’t hate me…please, Kieron, I’m so sorry…” I whimper.
“I could never hate you…Everything will be okay,” he whispers.
The last thing I feel is his grip tightening around me; the last thing I see is the panic in his eyes before everything goes black.
Chapter 11. Lucky
Those eyes. Those beautiful, clear, shimmering-blue eyes I want to lose myself in…are two inches from mine.
Again.
Am I dreaming? I blink rapidly several times. He’s still here, smiling down on me. But that’s not all—his arms are wrapped around my body.
Again.
Is someone yelling?
I automatically smile back at his sexy grin. I am awake. My instincts tell me we’re outside, but my eyes stay locked on Kieron’s.
“Hello,” he whispers.
“Hi.”
Then it registers. He’s holding me in his arms as if She’s fallen and he’s caught her. Or as if I’ve interrupted their private moment. A very intimate moment.
“Did I come at a bad time?” I ask, my blood stirring hot and fast. The pleasure of waking in his arms mixes incompatibly with the knowledge that those arms were first wrapped around her.
He cocks an eyebrow, but doesn’t loosen his grip.
“Actually, your timing is perfect.” He dramatically swings me upright, his arm still possessively around my waist as I glance around.
“So, care to fill me in on what’s going on? And why is that Sapie yelling?” I point to the old man waving a silly gun at us. Ugh, how tacky. Guns are so pathetic. Toys for the feeble.
“Long story. I’ll tell you everything….”
“I told you to be still and hush up!” the old man screams frantically.
Giving Kieron a puzzled look, I gently pull away from his embrace and walk toward the man. “Is he being serious right now?”
Kieron laughs. “I’m afraid so.”
“I’ve called the police and they’re comin’, and when they get here I’m gonna press charges and make dang sure the two of you…”
“Silence.”
The man freezes. I move closer and can see the rage in his twisted expression. How desperately he wants to yell at us. But of course, now he can’t. I narrow my eyes as I examine the rifle pointed at us.
“That could have hurt her,” I say with displeasure.
Kieron just shrugs. “Nah, I would have blasted it from him if he tried to use it.”
“Why didn’t you just do that in the first place?” I ask. “Why put her—us—at risk?”
“She was safe. I promise. I couldn’t...” He pauses.
I spin around to face him. “Couldn’t what?” Why does he look so guilty?
He sighs. “I couldn’t show her…anything. I was still trying to figure out what was
happening with her…with us…” He actually stammers his words. My eyes narrow again.
“Kieron, what is going on?” My anger is fueled by mounting jealousy. As pleasant as it was to awaken in Kieron’s embrace, now I wonder exactly what it is I’ve awakened to.
He sighs again. “It’s a long story. And I have some questions of my own. Let’s get out of here and get some drinks. My truck is back there…”
“No. You go—I hate automobiles. I’ll run.”
I finally notice what I’m wearing and my heart sinks. With horror I examine the unfamiliar garments. These are his clothes…Did Kieron and Liora…did they actually…?
“I gave those to her to wear earlier. She got wet and needed something dry,” he says, answering my unspoken question.
I raise my eyes to his. The way he speaks of her…I can hear the affection in his voice.
It sickens me.
“Well, she may not have any problems wearing clothes fit for an elephant, but no way am I wearing this crap.”
Angrily, I pull off her hideous boots and fling them far out of sight. Then I rip off the baggy sweatpants and throw them at Kieron. He catches them and smirks.
“Mind if I have my sweatshirt back, too?”
“Gladly.”
I yank it off and throw it in his face. What do I care if I’m wearing only a black bra and boy-shorts? Much easier to move around in, and cooler, too. And I want to get the hell out of here right now.
“Please…Liora…” Kieron realizes his mistake the second he makes it, but I don’t care.
“I’m Lucky, you half-witted moron. If you want to see your little sweetheart, you’re gonna have to wait till tomorrow.”
“Lucky, I’m sorry. But we need to talk…”
I glare at Kieron, and then shift my attention back to the crazed farmer. He deserves to die. He threatened her life, which is the same as threatening mine. That alone warrants his death.
I move closer to kill him, but as I look into the eyes of the madman something stops me. I feel something unexpected…pity. He’s scared. And very weak. That’s why he has his rifle; it makes him feel stronger. He’s all alone out here, unprotected and vulnerable.
The Complete Demonblood Saga: A Demon Made Me Do It; Fire With Fire; Curse of Shadows and Light Page 13