Time. Deadlines. Imbalance. Impossible relationships. I forced myself to smile as I pushed the negative thoughts from my head. I took the stairs rather than the elevator. My normal, pleasant, oblivious life before Flagstaff nothing more than distant memories. What I wouldn’t give to return to more innocent times.
“What are ya’ll doing tonight?” Fia asked from the couch, as I entered the apartment. She tapped on her phone.
“Dan and I are going out.”
“Hey, whatever happened to Seema?” Fia asked. “She still in town?”
I glanced at Fia. She scrolled through her phone, not meeting my eyes. Goosebumps covered my arms. Paranoia gripped me. The question sounded more like an interrogation than an innocent question. How much did Fia tell her father?
“I’m pretty sure Seema’s still here, but I haven’t talked to her in a few days. Any other questions?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
“No,” Fia said, and her green eyes met mine. Her cool look softened. “Hey, thanks for helping me catch up with the internship.”
I shrugged, rubbing my arms. Fia acted like my friend, but could I trust her? Fia was Michael Fox’s daughter, the man who ran the Pacem Pomeri, the organization that wanted to prevent the fifth world legend from becoming a reality. Finding Fia as a roommate did not happen by coincidence. Fia reported to her father, but how much? Although we had been there for each other the last week, and I felt a real camaraderie with her, what if our friendship was nothing more than a sham?
“No problem,” I said. “Thanks for the help with… everything.”
Fia smirked. “That’s what friends are for,” she said.
I gave her a small smile. “Yeah,” I said and walked to my bedroom.
The rest of the lyrics made me shake my head. Fia would definitely not be on my side forever more. My chest felt tight as I understood I needed to be careful from now on. I needed to watch my back if I stayed in the apartment. No matter how much I wanted to believe in our friendship, as the daughter of my enemy, she didn’t run for the same team.
As I prepared for my date, I pulled out my phone and sent Seema a text.
Seems, you okay?
She didn’t answer as I continued my preparations. I stifled the urge to call out to the air for Alef or Seema, to verify if they indeed still guarded me. After a quick shower, I did my hair and dressed in a casual black dress, putting on a choker made of turquoise. The doorbell rang.
To my surprise, Dan stood at the front door. I smiled at him, taking in his surfer date night clothes of light jeans and a black cotton button-up with a muted Hawaiian style print. I cleared my throat.
“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” I asked, looking over my shoulder, towards the hallway. When I turned back to Dan, my lips parted. Dan’s eyes perused my outfit, and when they met mine again, they darkened.
“Why do you ask?” he asked, his voice low.
“You used the front door,” I whispered, eyes innocent and wide.
He chuckled, and I savored the sound with my eyes closed. His hands took mine, and he pulled me out of the apartment and walked me towards the wall of the hallway. His arms leaned on the wall, and he brought his lips near mine.
“I thought we’d start over, you know. Like a regular dinner date between two ordinary people. The first step, use the traditional entrance. But my plan has been foiled.”
“Why?” I breathed, reaching to touch a wave of his hair.
“You smell different tonight. Plus, I might die of starvation.”
I raised my eyebrows, feeling his knee press into the silk of my dress, gently pushing my leg to the side.
“Usually, your flowers and honey. But there's something else tonight. And. I’m hungry. For you. For these lips,” he whispered roughly, tracing my painted lips with his index finger. I closed my eyes, heart racing.
“I did start bathing again,” I said, breathing in his intoxicating scent.
“Your lips are so soft; they've been on my mind every second of the day.” He ignored my comment. His lips against my own, feather soft yet filled with heat. “I missed them.”
Before I could say anything, his mouth crushed my mouth, and his tongue sought my own. Soft scratches from his unshaven face against my cheeks. Fear, love, passion. I tasted them all as we revealed our feelings through our kiss. His strong arms lifted me as he pressed me closer to the wall, and he used the better angle to move his lips to my neck.
A sharp pain jolted through my back, and I cried out.
Dan set me on my feet in less than a second and cupped my face. “I’m sorry, did I hurt you?” he asked, eyes wide with fear.
I shook my head, reaching for my shoulders. A tearing sensation, like my back was trying to split open. The burning stopped after a few seconds.
“No, it’s not you. Maybe those scratch wounds aren’t completely healed,” I said.
“Not likely,” Dan said taking my hand and leading me into the apartment. “Let’s take a look, though.”
“We are still going on this date, mister,” I said with mock consternation.
Dan smirked. I shut the front door and turned around. The back of my dress opened from my shoulders, with the hem hanging to scoop above my hips. His long fingers traced near my shoulder blades, and I shivered.
“That’s where it hurts,” I said.
“The bobcat wounds are completely gone,” he said. He knelt and I felt his lips kiss each of my shoulder blades. I sighed.
“Much better,” I whispered. Dan chuckled.
“You should grab a sweater,” he said. His eyebrows raised and wide eyes made him look uncertain.
“It’s like seventy degrees. And I’m feeling a little warm,” I said, turning around.
“Chels, you can’t torture me like this tonight. I think I like looking at the perfection of your back almost as much as kissing those lips. I don’t want any other guys to think inappropriate thoughts about you.”
I smirked, playing with his buttons. His protectiveness of me filled me with wonder and pride. Focusing on his lips, I stood on my toes while trailing my hands down his arms. I needed to kiss him again. When my fingers brushed something rough, a hemp bracelet, I paused. If love could make your heart grow, mine would have burst out of my chest at that moment.
“You still have it,” I whispered.
“I’ve never let it go,” Dan said. “Kept it safe. Every day I looked at it and thought of you.”
Our next kiss felt controlled but filled with love. We may not have an overt word relationship status, but I knew deep in my soul Dan would care for me, protect me, and fight for me. He cared for me, keeping a piece of my heart with him. He hadn’t forgotten me, after all.
“I’m glad I’m safe, now, too,” I said, squeezing his hands.
We drove to a restaurant on Route 66. Dan parked his car but told me to stay seated. He went around to the passenger side and opened my door, holding out his hand formally.
“My beautiful silver girl, welcome to Big Juanito’s,” he said. I giggled and took his outstretched hand. As we walked through the parking light, I took a deep breath of the mountain air, the piney scent of the Coconino Forest gliding down the mountainside. The night sky twinkled with stars and an almost full moon. Dan pulled me against his chest, kissing my hair.
“See the constellation, right there,” Dan said, pointing at the sky. “That’s Pegasus. See how these stars connect to form the body, and those stars are the legs?”
I squinted at the sky. A blanket of thousands of lights covered the dark sky. I shrugged. “I’ve never been much of a star gazer. There’s so many up there. It’s not easy to remember which star is what.”
He stopped. “That’s because you’ve never had an astronomer for a lover.”
“Lover, huh?” I giggled again. “Hmm, you’re right. An astronomer for a lover sounds nice. I should put out an internet ad- ‘half-human girl seeks attractive man, must love stars’. I wonder if I’d get any takers.”
Dan pulled me further aga
inst his chest. “You already attract too much attention, and besides I’d go mad with jealousy. I’m here, and I’m both your lover and a lover of those stars.”
“I’m not so sure I’m okay with sharing you with all of those stars,” I said, giving his arm a squeeze.
We laughed. Dan kept one hand entwined with my own and with his other continued to point out glittering stars in the sky.
“And when you connect them like so, you get the constellation of Pegasus,” Dan whispered in my ear, guiding my index finger to connect the dots. With his warm breath sending electricity through me, I pretended to pay attention but my mind was far from the night sky.
I nuzzled into his shoulder. “Amazing. Humans have been looking at those same stars, for millions of years. They make me feel tiny.”
Dan turned me, and we snuggled as we walked towards the restaurant, he never released my hand.
“Not just humans,” he said, winking at me.
We walked into a one-story building, with a hand-painted sign proclaiming “Big Juanitos.” Tortillas and spiced meat filled the air of the lobby. My mouth watered. I hadn’t eaten a proper meal in four days.
An older woman dressed in jeans and a pink country-western shirt smiled warmly at us. “Dan, always good to see you. How about your regular booth?”
“Hey Hilda,” Dan said, kissing her cheek in greeting. “This is my girlfriend, Chelsea. Chelsea, this is the universe’s finest restaurant owner and maker of killer margaritas and tamales extraordinaire, Hilda Perez.”
“Pleased to meet you,” I said, putting out my hand with a grin. To my surprise, Hilda embraced me like we were old friends, planting a big kiss on my cheek. A wave of vanilla hit my nose as I returned the hug.
“And here I thought you were a lone wolf,” Hilda said, her voice scratchy, probably a 40-pack-year smoke history. “Dan’s been coming here for years and never brought a lady friend before. Come on back.”
We followed Hilda through the dining area. Warm lemon chiffon paint with desert rose accents adorned the walls of Big Juanito’s, offering a no frills warmth. Dark blue carpet covered the floor and faux wainscoting covered the walls. The dining area held booths and tables, and a bar near the back sat adjacent to a dance floor, already filling with people. Happy children and exhausted adults filled most of the seats, except for a booth in the far corner. We sat in the booth, and I glanced out the window at Route 66.
“Give me 15 minutes to get the usual,” she said. “I’ll send Jen by with the margaritas,” Hilda said, without asking for an order.
Dan stretched his hands over the back of the booth, sitting across from me. In the orange glow of the overhead lamp, his red highlights shone. I took in his angled jaw, straight nose, and wide mouth. He called me his girlfriend.
“You’re too far away,” he said. “Let’s go dance.”
My heart rate sped. “Dan, I thought we could talk. I have a lot questions, and I’m trying to understand-“
“Shh,” Dan said. “After dinner. Let’s keep our date ordinary. At least until after dessert.”
I shook my head. Would my questions ever get answered? Did I want to know the answers?
Dan led me to the jukebox. He fed the old-fashioned machine a few quarters and flipped through the options.
A slow song played. Dan’s hands found my hips, and I put my arms around his neck. We swayed to the song, our energy building as it played. I rubbed my thumbs on his neck, and Dan angled his head towards my fingers.
“Keep touching me this way, and I may not make it through one drink, much less a dessert,” he said. But he closed his eyes, so I continued tracing circles on his hot skin for the rest of the song.
“You’ll have to work a little harder than that, dear. I’m not skipping my chocolate tonight.” I grinned, and nodded to the pitcher of lime margaritas at our booth. “Go on over. I’ll be right back.”
Dan raised his eyebrows. “Ok, let’s get this dinner out of the way. We’re going to straight to my place afterward.”
“Daniel!” I shook my head, but he walked towards our booth. After choosing my selection at the jukebox, I joined my demon boyfriend. We sipped our margaritas, and a familiar knocking followed by strumming guitars played over the speakers.
“This song always reminded me of you,” I said. “Before I knew you were a real space cowboy.”
Dan laughed and grabbed my hand. Someone stopped at our table. I looked at the person with a broad smile, expecting the tamales. My face crumpled in fear.
“This song is quite apropos, isn’t it man? You never want to hurt anyone, brother, but unfortunately, you always do.”
Vaz. Standing next to him a familiar blonde haired girl. My roommate. Fia crossed her arms and looked everywhere else but at me.
I stared at her, dressed like a model. She wore a stunning dark blue dress and cream colored Lou Buton pumps with gold accents, adding several inches to her height. Her short hair slicked away from her face and made her look ten years older. Vaz dressed in black dress slacks and a dark blue shirt. His smile lacked any warmth, and as I took in our unwanted guests, his eyebrows raised.
“Vaz, what the hell are you doing here?” Dan stood and leaned forward, chest puffed out with menace. “You haven’t answered my calls since last Saturday. What’s going on?” Dan asked, his words ablaze with heat.
Vaz smirked at Dan. “Oh, you know, a little of this and a little of that. I’ve been doing a little research on your unfinished business.”
Dan’s knuckles became white as he fisted them on the table. I placed a hand on his, not wanting to cause a scene at his favorite restaurant.
Vowing to appear unthreatened, I smiled at Fia. “Hey, roomie. I didn’t know you were going out tonight.”
Fia finally met my eyes. She rolled them, glancing around the restaurant, then cocked her head at me. “Neither did I.”
Vaz placed his hand just above Fia’s hips. Her face broke into a smile. “Anyway, fancy meeting you here. Mind if we join you?” she asked.
I glared at Vaz. Could he use persuasion on Fia? But that should be impossible. Her father controlled a large faction of demons. He would protect his daughter with devils claw, wouldn’t he?
Without waiting for our invitation, Fia motioned for Dan to sit. He moved into the booth, never removing his eyes from Vaz. Vaz sat next to me. His legs brushed mine as I scrambled as close to the wall as possible. I looked at Dan with question. He didn’t meet my eyes.
My brave in short supply, I reached for the wide mouth glass now in front of Vaz and chugged the liquid courage. Top shelf tequila mixed with a hint of lime burned my throat.
“Remember the good old days, Daniel,” Vaz said, placing both arms across the booth we shared. His fingers dangled centimeters from my arm. I shivered.
“All too well, brother,” Dan said. His foot rubbed my calf and I concentrated on the warmth and reassurance from his touch.
Vaz turned to me, leaning in. “You know, he used to be the highest paid demon on Earth? It’s fairly comical, considering his profession in our home dimension.”
Vaz waited for me to prompt him. Gritting my teeth, “Ok, what did Dan do, Vaz?”
“Ah, so Dan has not been sharing with you much, has he? Well, he was a teacher of the sciences.” Vaz laughed. “Ironic, considering his current occupation. Long ago, he was gentle as a lamb. We grew up together. In a far away place, know what I mean? When we were older, my friend here became too curious for his own good. He wanted to learn about the physics in other dimensions. Fell into the wrong crowd, you could say. When he fell, I knew I had to follow him. I knew he’d never be able to survive in this dimension on his own.”
My eyes widened, and I looked to Dan. His head covered by his hands and his foot no longer caressed my calf. Dan had fallen to Earth to study, and now he was stuck here forever. His curiosity had cost him an eternity in another world. According to his friend, Vaz was trapped on Earth because he tried to protect Dan.
“
Oh, Dan,” I said. My fingers reached for Dan’s hand. Why was he hanging his head like he’d done something wrong?
Dan shook his head. “Vaz has always been like a brother,” he said. “And he’s never let me down. Yet.”
Vaz smiled at Dan and slapped the table. “You know we’re brothers for eternity, man. Love, hate, forgiveness, and all that. Goes hand in hand, doesn’t it? That’s why I know you won’t mind if I ask this lovely creature to dance.”
Vaz rose out of the booth. Unfortunately, he looked at me instead of Fia.
My breaths became rapid, and my heart beat loud and fast in my chest. I looked at Dan for guidance. I didn’t want to dance with Vaz, no matter how close he was to Dan. Vaz had done nothing to earn my trust. I had my suspicions that he caused my injuries last weekend. But Dan gave a small nod to me.
I swallowed. Vaz took my hand and led me to the dance floor.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Dancing with the devil
THE DANCE WITH Vaz felt as fun as working a double while hungover and dehydrated. His predatory grace extended to the dance floor, making me want to vomit from nerves. He brought me away from the table for a reason, and it wasn’t to charm me. After a minute of dancing in a tense silence, I sighed.
“Ok, spill it,” I said.
The corner of Vaz’s mouth pulled up, as he led me around the floor. “You need to know the real Dan. And I’m talking more than in the flesh,” Vaz said. I blushed.
“He’s committing political suicide and is likely to get both of you killed if you two keep up this twisted Romeo and Juliette excuse of a relationship. For all that is good in the universe…” he paused, his grip tightened. He shook his head. “Dan never developed attachments to humans. He’s always the professor type, with the occasional lover, but never more than friendships. I thought you were a phase of his.”
I held my breath and stole a glance at the table. Fia texted on her phone, while Dan watched at Vaz and I. He glared at Vaz, but when he caught me looking at him, he gave me an apologetic smile.
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