Moonfire

by M. Rae Gogetap

  Although Dan and Vaz were supposedly BFFL’s, Vaz betrayed Dan’s trust two nights ago. In a twisted way, while Vaz deceived Dan, I felt I owed Vaz a favor. I’d never admit that to Vaz, though.

  So, thanks to Vaz, Saturday night was when I discovered the real reason Dan entered my life.

  “My soul hurts, Chelsea. I’m sorry you had to find out about… everything, like you did.” Dan’s eyes searched my own, but he didn’t reach for me. As if he knew he’d be rejected. Already my chest felt a stabbing from thousands of tiny knives. Dan’s touch probably would have caused my heart to stop from both relief and despair.

  I looked towards the window, at the sunny sky of the sleepy mountain town I’d adopted. Cheerful rays filtered through mature pines, leaving dark patches on the balcony. Where were the storm clouds and the thunder? My anger returned. How could the sun shine down, when shadows and darkness filled my heart? I forced myself to meet Dan’s somber gaze.

  “You’re hurting? That’s terrible,” I said, no sarcasm in my voice. I wanted to say more, but I couldn’t. “My world changed a lot in the last couple of weeks, Dan. And from what you and Kale say about the ritual, it’s going to change even more the next month. Life’s too short. Or should I say, our world’s too short. My world. Everything’s changing. I forgive you, Dan. You may not always be honest, but at least you stood by me when it mattered most.”

  I held my breath and looked back out the window, staring at nothing. Afraid if I breathed, the tears I’d been holding would fall.

  Dan’s hands opened and closed at his side. He narrowed his eyes and forced a laugh.

  “Liar,” he said.

  Dan didn’t guess. He stated a fact. I hadn’t forgiven him. Probably never would. Dan knew this because he was a Vahiy, a demon with the power to see the colors of auras. According to Dan, auras changed color depending on whether the person told the truth or a lie.

  I shrugged. Channeling my inner-Fia, my Flagstaff roommate who would have been called a man-eater in another time, I smiled. “You’re right. You weren’t always there for me.”

  Dan paled at the statement.

  “I’ve learned to be an independent girl, Dan. No worries. But right now I need to join the real world out there, you know, with the humans who don’t know demons live amongst them? My first twenty-four hours with wings exhausted me. I’d like to put them away and get out to the rez for my internship. Gabe’s already worried and asking why I didn’t ride out with him.” I didn’t mention Fia, the other student who made up our Public Health internship trio. Fia and Vaz had some weird relationship, which demon law forbid. Vaz worked for Michael Fox, Fia’s father. Dan also worked for Michael in a capacity, but I’d heard only vague references to Dan’s political aspirations with Michael.

  Dan sighed. “I wish you would show your mad. Or your sad. You’ve always held your feelings too deep, Chelsea. It’s not healthy. Just ask me. Ask me if everything you heard rings true. Don’t assume it to be so.”

  “You and Meredith threw crazy weird vibes at the Fox cabin the other night, Dan. I thought it was because she hated you and I dating in high school. Now I know why she did the 180 all those years ago and decided we could date. I don’t need to ask; I know the truth. Don’t patronize me.”

  Dan smirked. “Okay, so why don’t you ask me?” He could tell I didn’t believe the words I spoke. At least not fully.

  Bastard.

  I ignored his question.

  “If you’re not going to help me with my wings, give me a jacket at least. I walked here in the dark before most the town woke up. I’m completely exhausted because I used persuasion on the people who saw me, to convince them I didn’t have freaking wings growing out of my back. I don’t have enough energy to hit everyone during rush hour.”

  “Okay, fine. We won’t talk about our issues and resolve them like adults. That can wait, I suppose. But you’re going to need the energy to focus before we get started.” Dan’s confidence returned. He strode to the coffee maker to prepare a pot. I frowned as my mouth watered. Dan knew I needed coffee to function in the morning, even without late night panicking about new appendages growing out of my back. Accepting a cup of coffee sounded too conciliatory, but I wouldn’t turn him down. And the bastard knew it.

  “Why did Vaz act surprised at the color of my wings?” I asked, trying to ignore how sexy he looked in the red t-shirt hugging his biceps. Dan’s long body was lean yet muscular. A surfers body, complete with the tanned olive skin and sun-kissed hair.

  As the coffee percolated, Dan turned and leaned against the counter. I stayed where I was on the opposite side of the kitchen, my arms crossed.

  “Not everything Vaz told you the other night is true. But if you want to keep your distance because of what someone you barely know said to you, fine. I’ll give you your distance. But I promise you I’ll never keep the truth from you again, Chelsea.”

  Dan’s use of my full name made me want to cry all over again. I missed him calling me SG. Silver Girl.

  Stop it. You don’t care.

  “You haven’t met many demons yet, and I’ll bet Seema and I are the only wings you’ve seen.”

  I nodded for him to continue, and swallowed hard.

  “We carried wings roughly the color of our hair, back in the Heavenly dimension. When we physically visited the Earthly dimension, instead of brown or blonde or even tawny, they turned black.”

  “So everyone with black hair didn’t notice the change?”

  Dan sighed. “You’re missing my point. Back to incurvation- it ranks higher than flying in Wings 101. Hiding your most dominant feature is crucial so you can blend with society. Not only with humans but among demons, as well. Don’t show your wings unless you’ve no other choice but to fly. And be sure you can fly faster and harder if you do.”

  I looked at the floor. I couldn’t fly. Hell, I hated heights. And who would teach me? I would not be learning that skill soon. “Don’t worry. I’m pretty good at hiding things, right?”

  Dan nodded. “Ok, so when you incurvate, you’re essentially folding your wings in. You aren’t accustomed to using your back muscles, but you’ll learn. Shrug your shoulders a bit, roll them back. That’s it.”

  I raised my eyebrows as I complied with his commands. His eyes wavered from my own as he stared at my shoulders, then lower. I cleared my throat.

  Dan blinked. “Ok,” he said, voice lower. He approached my back, and I held my breath. He traced a muscle below my shoulder, following the base of the wing. My toes clenched in an attempt to avoid an unwanted shiver at his touch. I stifled another shiver.

  “I want you to flex this muscle without raising your shoulders this time,” he said.

  I tried to follow the direction, but my natural instincts interfered.

  Dan chuckled. He placed his hands on my shoulders. “Try again.”

  I took a deep breath, inhaling. Coconut mixed with sea air hit my nose, injecting me with pure and concentrated pheromones. A sharp bite on my lower lip calmed me. When I moved the muscle this time, with Dan’s pressure on my shoulders, I followed through.

  “Well done,” he said, but he didn’t remove his hands from my shoulders. My chest rose and fell in short breaths. “Now, repeat the movement, but this time, pull in towards your rib cage at the same time.”

  After three tries, my wings disappeared from view. I smiled in excitement and moved away from Dan. Dan gave me what I needed. Now I needed space.

  I stared in the mirror of his entryway, looking at the normal appearing no-winged girl in front of me.

  Marching towards the door, my shoulders tingled. Ignoring the magnetism between us was harder than finding a house on the rez. “Thanks for your help, Dan.”

  Chapter Two

  Fia

  “Mmm, morning beautiful.” Strong arms wrapped around my hip. I snapped my head to look over my shoulder. What the hell?

  Shit. I forgot to kick out Kevin… or Kenneth, last night before I passed out. Great. And
he liked to cuddle. A lot.

  “Oh, hey… you. Shit, what time is it?” Springing out of bed, my naked body felt chilled by cold air. No matter I didn’t know the name of my bed mate. I’d grown up in locker rooms, and I looked good nude.

  “Mmm, it’s barely five. Come back here, Foxy lady, let’s me show you the benefits of domestication,” K said, propping himself up on an elbow he reached out to smack my ass. Hmm, maybe not so cuddly.

  I swatted at his hand. “Some people have responsibilities.” Glaring at him, I tried to remember his name again. Messy light brown hair with bleached blonde highlights splayed on my pink pillowcase. Smokey blue eyes crinkled as he grinned at me. Smokin’ hot, like every guy I let sleep over, but he almost looked too perfect, like… Ken! Yes, Barbie’s perfect little boyfriend.

  He laughed out loud and jumped out of bed, walking towards me with his eyes focused on mine. “It’s cool. I’ll take a hike.” He bent at least half a foot to meet me at eye level, his lips nearly brushing mine.

  “Damn, though. Sure you don’t want a three-peat?” He leaned in and bit my ear lobe.

  I groaned. “Ah, Ken…”

  He grazed the skin below my ear with his teeth, and my legs, having a mind of their own, wrapped around his narrow hips.

  “Shit. Okay, five minutes.”

  “Fifteen,” he growled in my ear. “And it’s Keith.”

  At 5:29, my phone started blaring a Ke$ha song. Using a towel to half dry my short blonde hair, I yelled at the phone. “Freakin’ punctual nutcase. I’ve got one minute!”

  Tugging on my scrub bottoms and cursing at the invention of alarm clocks, I stumbled my way through the hall and gazed in vain at my tea pod maker standing at attention on my green flecked black granite kitchen counter top. Screw Gabe. Five more minutes.

  At 5:34, I heard pounding on my door. “Good morning sunshine! Time to protect, promote, and advance the health of the Hopi nation!”

  Oh my lord.

  He’d wake the entire apartment complex with his chipper tones. I stalked over the to the door, but my hand paused on the door knob.

  Shit. He didn’t know.

  I hadn’t talked to Gabe since last week. Since Saturday night. The night my father forced me to hand my roommate to the wolves and watch as they stalked her, tore out her heart, and proceeded to eat tiny pieces one by one. He didn’t know we broke Chelsea.

  Gabe, Chelsea and I made up the trio of interns for the Public Health Program at the University of Arizona- Flagstaff. He was the pharmacy student, and Chelsea and I the nursing students.

  No way would Chelsea drive out to the Hopi reservation for our two and a half day practicals. If I were her, I’d run as far away as possible and start a new life in the witness protection program. Gabe didn’t know Chelsea probably quit the internship. For the next few weeks, it’d be only Gabe and I. My stomach momentarily clenching at the realization.

  Swinging open the door, I cocked my head at Gabe and glared. “Don’t you have an off button or at least a snooze button? Good lord, Gabe, I’m like five minutes late.” Without inviting him in, I stalked back to the kitchen to finish my preparing my tea.

  Of course, Gabe walked in without an invitation. Human DNA, after all. The spell Daddy requisitioned for the apartment the other day worked on uninvited demons only, not unwanted humans. Gabe helped himself to a seat on one of the brown leather couches and spread his arms across the top like he owned the place.

  “You’re still wearing your Asian morning face, Fi. Drink that tea. I only get along with Caucasian morning Fia.”

  My mouth dropped open. Most guys didn’t order me around like Gabe. They were too scared of me. Or at least of my Dad. Even the demons who worked for Daddy didn’t dare speak to me like Gabe.

  “Whatever, Kim. You’re the only Asian here. These are bedroom eyes, not Asian morning eyes, FYI.”

  I glanced at Gabe and saw him swallow with a strange look in his eyes. “Hey if you call me Kim, you’ll be Sofia.”

  “Do it and die.”

  “Okay, Sunshine it is. Anyway, we’re not the only people with goals for the day. I saw a dude on the stairs practically bouncing on his heels, ready to complete his mission.”

  I chuckled. Keith would work a couple of hours at the hippie head shop he owned in downtown Flag. The business his generous father helped him start, no strings attached. He admitted working maybe eight hours a week, and the rest of the time he smoked pot in his loft apartment.

  Lucky bastard.

  Where my father forced me to attend a pointless internship and earn a degree in nursing, Keith followed his dreams, no strings attached.

  Keith met my criteria for a hook up- he had money and didn’t care about furthering his wealth. Growing up with a rich and politically powerful father, I’d learned from a young age to watch out for the guys who used me as a networking tool. Now, any guy I dated radiated money like a damn cash star. Or, on the opposite of the spectrum, hated money so much they gave it away.

  “Did he look like a life-size Ken doll? Yeah, pretty sure he accomplished his mission of the day.” I smirked and raised my eyebrows at Gabe. His slanted puppy dog eyes framed by thick eyebrows widened in shock. He scratched a tuft of black hair at the top of his head. His mouth parted, and I stared at his perfect white teeth.

  “Che! Save me. Fia hasn’t drunk her tea, and I’m pretty sure those fiery green eyes are going to bore a hole in my skull. I need protection!” Gabe called down the hall to Chelsea’s room. I snorted and added a dash of honey to the mug before capping it.

  “Chelsea’s not here. Um, she and Dan fought on Saturday. Bad. I’m not sure if she went back to Nebraska or what. She hasn’t even called me.”

  Gabe narrowed his eyes and jumped from the couch. “What! Are you kidding me? She wouldn’t leave the internship. She left Nebraska and everything behind, and she found out…” he trailed off, as if unsure to share his next thought. I shrugged and acted like Chelsea’s skipping out didn’t bother me. In fact, the girl planned out her life a little too much for my taste. Not as psycho organized Gabe, but not the type to call in sick, like ever.

  “Who knows what she’d doing. All I know is she’s not here. Anyway, you ready, Gabe? Okay if we take your car?”

  Gabe nodded slowly. Of course, if we didn’t drive Gabe’s car, we’d be stranded on the Hopi rez for a while. My car, an electric Tesla, drove 200 miles a battery charge.

  Without asking, Gabe took my small suitcase, and we rode the elevator to the parking garage. In the car, Gabe didn’t complain as I plugged in my iPod to my latest favorite hip-hop mix. Hmm. Chelsea’s absence nagged him. He usually complained about my choice in music.

  Cranking up the tunes, I reclined in the passenger seat and closed my eyes. Chelsea’s lack of a phone call bothered me. We’d become close over the last two weeks. Before she moved in, I’d never lived with a roommate. Daddy always paid for my apartments since I graduated high school. When he forced me to stay with him in Flagstaff, despite my begging to move back to Nashville to finish college, I’d been livid. I hated this quiet mountain town of rednecks and hippies. Sure, the hipster downtown area popped a couple of nights a week during the school year. But the summers in the college town were boring as all hell. Not to mention the fact the closest mall with any decent shops was in Phoenix, like 150 miles away.

  Shopping for decent clothes online sucked.

  But Daddy said I needed to learn how to deal with the real world. So I applied for an internship and had Frank create a Craigslist ad. A hick-chick from the middle of nowhere America responded, and Daddy approved. I half expected Chelsea to wear overalls and sport a toothless grin when I found out she hailed from Nebraska.

  I was wrong, of course. Chelsea looked like a model even though she acted like a prude. Chelsea and I shared nothing in common. She planned life. I’m talking long-term style. Like schedule college courses by the year, career options post-graduation, and she’d probably already starting planning her fune
ral service. Chelsea projected nothing but studiousness and politeness. My playbook ran by the minute, depending on whatever sounded exciting and not boring. Planning was for poor people.

  To my surprise, Chelsea became a real friend. I looked forward to seeing and chatting with my roomie. Of course, I should have known Daddy had ulterior motives other than improving my spoiled ways. Chelsea didn’t see my roommate-wanted ad by coincidence. My father created the arrangements, entangling another demon in his growing web of power. And I’d work as his perfect little live-in spy.

  I pursed my lips. My father blackmailed me into keeping an eye on Chelsea. If I didn’t comply with Daddy’s demands, including updating Vaz on our latest conversations, I’d lose my allowance and my apartment.

  What the hell would I do with my life if my father didn’t support me?

  “You’re kidding me, right? You’re more capable than you think, Fia.”

  Shit. Did I say that out loud?

  I rolled my head to the side and watched Gabe concentrating on the road. His shaggy black bangs pushed back from flawless honey colored skin of his face. Big hands gripped the steering wheel, with finely manicured nails, probably filed my his mom who owned Lu’s Nail Spa at the tiny mall in Flagstaff.

  Hmm, decent sized hands.

  “Right. I’m a washed up gymnast. I hate school. My GPA is unsalvageable. I’m only doing the internship to keep my allowance. I’m not altruistic like you and Chelsea, Gabe. I’ve got nothing going for me at this point in my life.”

  “What do you love?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You gave me a shit list. Now, tell me what you love.”

  Crossing my arms over my chest, I shrugged.

  “Sex, vodka, and hip-hop?” I said, but it came out as a question. What was wrong with me? I’m assertive as all hell, not some wavering helpless woman.

  Gabe chuckled. The husky sound made my cheeks warm.

  “Sure, those are fun. But what makes your heart beat faster, your eyes light up, your breath hitch? Aside from sex, drugs and rock and roll.”