“At least! Tell me what you’ve been up to, good man. You still breaking all the young girls’ hearts?”
Vincent laughs. “Ah, Rodrigo. I would never.” He turns to me. “Lucky, this is my old friend Rodrigo. He and I go way back. Rodrigo, this is my friend Lucky. She’s from Dryndara.”
I automatically stick out my hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Rodrigo gives a small bow and kisses the top of my hand. “The pleasure is all mine, dear girl. Dryndara, huh? A shame.” He squeezes my hand and kisses it again.
Vincent gently disengages my fingers from Rodrigo’s. “Okay, that’s enough, Romeo. Save it for the maidens.”
Rodrigo stands upright and gives me a wink. “Oh, I see. This one is already spoken for. My mistake, old friend.”
Vincent gives him a look and starts to speak, but I interrupt. “I am spoken for, that is true. But my boyfriend isn’t here right now.”
Rodrigo raises his eyebrows and glances around. “Oh, no? Where is the lucky fellow?”
“Um, well, he’s at home. Asleep.”
“Ahh. Darling… Sweetheart… if you were mine I wouldn’t take my eyes off you for one second.” He chuckles and squeezes my arm. “Not one second! I’d refuse to sleep a wink until I was dead. Refuse!”
Vincent rolls his eyes and smirks. “Oh, that’s not creepy at all, Rodrigo.”
I glance back and forth between the two of them. “What did you mean earlier when you said it was a shame about Dryndara?” I ask Rodrigo.
He opens his mouth, but Vincent holds up his hand and cuts him off. “I haven’t had a chance to fill her in yet. Mind giving us a moment?”
Rodrigo glances at me. For a moment his playful demeanor turns somber, and he regards me with what appears to be sympathy.
My breath catches in my throat.
He gives Vincent a short nod. “Sure thing, brother. Oh, and I’m here with Cassius, Remy, and Lucien. Come say hello when you get a chance. They’d love to see you.”
“Will do, my brother.”
Vincent sits back down and turns to me, his face grim.
“What is it?” I demand. The apprehension in my gut is mounting rapidly. “What happened in Dryndara?”
He sighs, and takes my hands in both of his. “The past several days there’s been a lot of fighting all throughout Thiberoux. A few nights ago, Dryndara was attacked by three neighboring clans, led by the Hlbafa, in order to get revenge for what went down between your tribes.”
I brace myself and stare into his eyes, willing him not to say the words I know he’s about to say.
“I’m sorry to have to tell you this,” he continues, his voice low, “but Dryndara fell. It was annihilated in the siege. Most were killed, and those who managed to flee are in hiding. It was a brutal, ruthless, and strangely coordinated effort.”
Dazed, I slowly shake my head, and shut my eyes against the tears that threaten to spill out. “You mean Dryndara… my home… is gone?”
He squeezes my hands. “I’m so sorry, Lucky. But yes, it’s been pretty much destroyed. Ironically, you being banished from there is most likely what saved your life. In fact, I know it is.”
I stare at him, too stunned to process his words clearly. “How do you know?” I whisper.
He gulps and glances away. “I was debating how much to tell you… but you have a right to know. But are you sure you really want to know? It might be painful for you to hear.”
A nasty pit forms in my chest. I should say no. I should tell him to stop talking now, because nothing he can say will undo the events of the past. So there’s really no point in continuing.
“Yes, tell me everything.” My voice is barely audible.
Vincent takes a deep breath. He catches my gaze, and I find strength in his eyes that I need to hold onto right now. “Apparently the Hlbafa wanted revenge for the Legionare killing their leader and dozens of their members,” he says softly. “They waited until the Legionare was distracted with other battles around Thiberoux. There was no one to stop them, and many Dryndarans were caught unaware. They blew up Demon Bar with some Veneficus Calx stones during peak hours.” I gasp. Veneficus Calx stones. “Maximum causalities. But there’s more…”
He stops and looks away. “Tell me,” I croak. He sighs, and gently wipes a tear from my cheek. I don’t blink.
“They were after you,” he says.
“Me? Why me?”
“Hlbafa is ruled by a demon wizard now. They blame you for what happened to their tribe. Well, you and Liora.”
“So they just wiped out all of Dryndara because of me?”
He’s quiet for a moment.
“Some escaped, though.”
A weird, almost maniacal laugh escapes me. “Some. Oh, well, that’s a relief.”
Vincent reaches over and gently wipes the tears again. I’m numb to his touch. I’m numb to everything. Everything that happened is my fault. Everyone suffered and died… because of me. Those were my stones. Tattie warned me not to take them, but I did anyways.
“Lucky…”
“Get me out of here,” I whisper.
He nods. “I’m very sorry you had to hear this. But you would’ve found out sooner or later, and you need to know what happened.”
I swallow hard and nod.
“Come on, let’s get you home,” he says, and gently takes my hand.
Home… Ha. What does that even mean? I have no home. We have no home. I’m just as much a target and a pariah in Demon World as Liora is in Mortal World. Wherever we go we cause chaos… destruction… death. We’re not safe. We’re not wanted. Anyone who has the misfortune of getting too close to us inevitably gets hurt. And somehow it’s always our fault.
I’ve always known I was cursed.
But now I realize just how truly damned I really am.
Chapter 19. Liora
I’m not even fully awake, but I’m very aware of Kieron’s arms wrapped around me. My eyes still closed, I smile and snuggle closer, letting my lips touch the soft skin of his strong chest. My fingers reach for the contours of his arm, and I breathe in his musky scent, igniting a sensation of pleasure deep inside.
“I really can get used to waking up this way,” I mumble, pulling him tighter.
“Yeah, me too,” a husky voice murmurs.
I gasp and recoil as my eyes fly open.
“Sorry to startle you. Lucky was very upset last night and needed a friend.”
“I’m sure she did,” I mutter, giving Vincent a dirty look.
He chuckles and stretches out his long legs. I jump off the bed, trying not to gape at him. “Nothing happened,” he says. “Not like that. She was literally crying in my arms when she just sort of… fell asleep. I brought her… you… here to the bed, and you looked so peaceful I didn’t have the heart to disturb you. So I decided to get a couple z’s myself.” He smiles as his gaze travels up my body and settles on my face. “Good morning, Liora.”
I glance down at my clothes, mortified. “Good morning. Excuse me.”
Three minutes later I emerge from the walk-in closet free of Lucky’s slutty leather ensemble and wearing more respectable black jeans and matching tank top. I quickly brush my hair and pull it into a ponytail, afraid to look in Vincent’s direction. So he and Lucky are a thing now. I shouldn’t be surprised.
But why am I so annoyed? It’s not like it matters. After Anastasia is through working her voodoo on me, I won’t even remember that I ever even knew Vincent. Or anyone else for the past five years, for that matter. Liora Greyson will be gone. Forever.
“Why was she upset?” I ask him trying to distract from my dark thoughts.
Vincent’s demeanor becomes more subdued. “There was an incident in Thiberoux. Nothing for you to worry about.”
I chuckle under my breath. “Let me guess… rainbows and butterflies and unicorns and happily-ever-afters as usual?”
He cocks his eyebrow. “Yeah, something not like that.”
I have to sigh. Actually,
whatever is going on there will affect me, eventually. But no need to tell him that. First I need to talk to Anastasia and see what all is involved. Hopefully she can get the spell done sooner rather than later.
“You look so serious this morning,” Vincent observes.
I nod and turn to face him. Somehow, seeing a sexy guy on my bed isn’t as a disturbing as my impending morbidity. “I have a lot on my mind. I’m going to go talk to Anastasia after breakfast about a few things.”
I turn to leave, and Vincent jumps up and follows me from the bedroom. He places his hand on the small of my back to guide me through the door. It feels so natural, I almost don’t notice.
That is, until I see Corrine staring at us from the kitchen as she separates the bacon slices. Her eyes pop open and her jaw drops slightly, but she quickly recovers and turns away. I can’t blame her for being shocked—I have to admit it does look kind of bad, us doing the walk of shame together from my bedroom.
“Hey, guys. Morning,” she says, her voice a little too chipper.
“Morning,” we reply in unison.
“I’m gonna go get washed up real quick,” Vincent says and heads across the house to the room next to Kieron’s.
I can’t even allow myself to think about Kieron in there sleeping, unaware of all that’s happening, and how everything is going to be different when he wakes up. He’s never been anything but wonderful and loving and supportive of me… and I’m about to leave him without even saying goodbye. Soon it will all be gone—all my memories of our time together. Of going to our special place in the mountainside. Of curling up beside him in the cemetery on a brisk winter’s day. Of holding hands and walking through the woods behind my house. Our first kiss. And him being the first guy to say he loved me… me… and me believing it.
All that will be gone. The only memories that will exist will be Lucky’s. As if Liora never loved Kieron at all. Or even knew him.
“Liora, you okay?” Corrine asks, snapping me from my daze.
I look at her and nod. “Yeah. I’m fine. That wasn’t what it looked like,” I add, as I slide onto a barstool and reach for the coffee. “Me and Vincent… what you saw. It’s not what you think.”
Corrine flashes me a grin and throws the bacon slices on the hot griddle. They instantly sizzle and crack and she steps back, wiping her hand on her apron. “You don’t owe me any explanations, Liora. I know you’re a good person. But I can’t say the same for Lucky. And seeing as how she was in charge of you until just a short while ago, I’m guessing any funny business was on her watch and her fault. So no judgments. No worries.”
She turns her attention to the waffle maker and starts ladling out some batter. Suddenly I’m famished. Like I could eat for days.
“I’m going to need extra-large servings of everything you make this morning if that’s okay,” I say as I literally hear my stomach growl.
“You got it.”
I reach for a mini-croissant and start smearing it with butter and jam. “But even with Lucky, nothing happened with her and Vincent,” I continue. “I guess she was really upset about something, and he was just comforting her and they fell asleep.”
“Okay.”
I nibble slowly on my croissant and ponder why I’m so concerned with what Corrine thinks. Maybe it’s because for the first time in forever I have someone I can actually consider a friend.
And someone I won’t remember I even like, if all goes according to plan.
“Corrine, after we eat, will you go for a walk on the beach with me? I want to talk with you about something.”
She gives me a slight frown. “Sure, of course. Everything okay?”
Just then Vincent emerges from the hallway, Demetri in tow. Both look freshly showered and shaved, and I catch another faint whiff of Vincent’s musky scent as he takes a seat next to me. Corrine seems a little flustered—I suspect because of Demetri.
Thirty minutes later we’re done eating, the dishes are stacked in the sink, and I turn to the two guys.
“Corrine and I are going to take a little stroll down to the beach for a few, and then I’m going over to Anastasia’s.”
They glance at each other. “I’m not sure the beach is a good idea,” Vincent starts. Demetri shakes his head.
“No. No way. You cannot leave the grounds.”
“Yes, yes way I can because I’m not a prisoner. Besides, the beach is her grounds. She told me. Her property extends out half a mile into the water, and up and down the shore over a hundred yards in each direction. The spell is intact, and I’m safe as long as I stay within the perimeter. As safe as I am right here in this house. Besides we won’t be very long.”
Vincent gives me one of his intense looks, like he’s trying to figure me out. Finally he gives a tiny nod. “Just stay on her property. And know that we’ll be watching.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
********
After Corrine gets done changing out of her sweats and into a long sundress, she and I head down the sloping cliff toward the water. It’s a stunning day. The sunlight dances off the surface of the water creating millions of tiny white sparkles on the surf. The white foamy waves gently crash on the shore, and thousands of colorful seashells lie partially hidden in the sand, just waiting to be discovered.
The beach is vacant save for some joggers in the distance, and a young mother and her toddler building sandcastles near the rocky coves to the south by Anastasia’s property line. I have to admit this place is growing on me. If the circumstances were different, I imagine I’d be enjoying myself right now.
“So what’s going on?” Corrine asks. We walk to the water’s edge and let the salty foam wash over our bare feet. She obviously knows something is up.
I feel a twinge of nostalgia as I remember the not-too-distant past when I couldn’t even hang out with her outside of school for fear she’d discover the truth about me. Now here I am about to tell her my most intimate secrets.
Never thought I’d look back on those times as the good ol’ days.
I take a deep breath and glance over my shoulder. Vincent is watching us from atop the cliffs. “I have something to tell you, and it might surprise you. Like really shock you—”
“You’re pregnant.”
I stare at her, bug-eyed. “What? I mean, that’s not what I was planning on talking about right now… but how’d you know?”
She shrugs. “Dunno. I mean, it’s not super, super obvious. Just little things. More of a hunch than anything. Although I must say I’m kinda surprised— didn’t realize you and Kieron were doin’ it.”
Biting my lip, I kick some water up around my ankles and dig my toes into the sand. “That’s the thing. We aren’t doing it. And neither are he and Lucky…”
She scrunches her forehead and pushes up her glasses. “I don’t understand. Is it some sorta demon thing? Did you just wake up pregnant or something?”
I can’t help but chuckle at her words. “Well, actually… yeah. For me at least. Lucky’s the one who made it happen though.”
Corrine nods. “I believe it. She does dress pretty provocatively, like she’s looking for a good time. She totally pulls it off, though. Not gonna lie. Kinda jealous.”
I chuckle again and watch as the mom and her toddler start digging in the sand together. Suddenly a wave of sadness washes over me. If only I could meet my babies as me… before I disappear. Before I forget that I loved them, and that they were a part of me.
But I know it’s impossible.
“She gave herself to someone she had loved for a very long time,” I continue, my voice quieter. “He’s a demon, and he’s dead now.”
She covers her mouth with her hand. “Oh, I’m sorry.”
I nod. “It’s okay. Lucky is far more hurt by his absence than I am. Since the curse, I’ve only seen him a handful of times. She saw him every night.”
“Oh, I see.”
It’s strange how thinking about Bones makes me not sad, but
happy. I have to admit, it’s an odd feeling to have about someone who has just died, especially seeing as how I’d grown quite fond of him again just before he was killed. Maybe because a part of him is still inside me?
“But I cared for him,” I add. “He was my friend, and now I’m carrying his babies too.”
“I’m sorry, what did you just say?! Babies?” Her eyes look like they’re about to pop from her skull.
I nod and laugh at her shocked expression. “Yeah, that was my first reaction too. As if one isn’t crazy enough. As if this whole thing isn’t totally and completely and utterly insane. And yet at the same time, it feels so oddly okay and natural that getting twisted up over it seems like just a waste of energy. Does that make any sense?”
After a moment she shrugs. “Yeah. I guess in a weird way it does.” Then a moment later, “Does Kieron know?”
I grimace and turn my attention back to the water. “No, not yet. I—we— have some time before it’ll become obvious we’re pregnant. Hopefully. But… well, other things are going to be changing around here before then. It’s kinda what I wanted to talk to you about.”
She looks at me with apprehension.
“You know why Vincent and Demetri are here, right?”
“Yeah, I get the gist of it. And just for the record, I’m not complaining one bit.” She giggles. “Maybe they’ll stick around even after the danger has passed.”
I shake my head. “Well, that’s the thing. As long as I’m still me, as long as I still turn ‘human’,” I make quote marks with my fingers, “then the danger might never pass. Not really. I’ll always be a target. Because I’m weak. And I’m putting everyone around me in danger. Right now the Light-angels want to use me to break into the Demon realm to start a war. Me. And the problem is, I don’t really have the powers to stop them. But I’m going to do something that will hopefully change all that. And that’s what I want to talk with you about.”
The Complete Demonblood Saga: A Demon Made Me Do It; Fire With Fire; Curse of Shadows and Light Page 59