Luminosity (Escaping Demons Saga Book 1)

by Stacy McWilliams

  As these thoughts processed, I knew I had no choice at all, so I smiled and nodded at him.

  “Remember to eat. We don’t want you collapsing as well.” He watched me walk over to the food and sip my tea before he left whispering,

  “Disregard everything from yesterday.”

  The door closed with a snap and I sat down on the bed. My memory was fizzing around the edges and there was an odd tugging sensation, but I could still remember everything. There was something trying to stop me remembering. It was then that I remembered the conversation the night before and the enchantment that was going to be placed on me. I didn’t eat because nausea rose like a wave and crashed into me.

  After a few minutes of sitting on the bed fighting nausea, the door open and a voice called from the hallway,

  “Come Jasmine.”

  I automatically followed him although my emotions were running riot. I managed to keep the numb expression on my face as I followed him into a room I had never been in. It was like an American den, with a TV, Playstation and a large black corner couch. Nathan was there but he didn’t look like my Nathan and my eyes lingered on him a moment too long. His gaze darkened as I stared at him and then looked around again as Mr Stevenson spoke.

  “Netflix is on so you can both watch movies. Sit down and make yourself comfortable.”

  I sat on the edge of the couch as far away from Nathan as possible. His eyes darkened further and his scowl became more pronounced. My mind reeled with question and I sat stiffly on the furthest edge of the black sofa. Why was he consuming part of my lumthingy? How did that work? What was going to happen to me if that was how demons survived?

  We sat in silence for a while. Nathan’s posture was tense as he watched the movie he’d picked. He hadn’t even asked what I wanted to watch but I was so consumed with the questions in my mind that I probably wouldn’t have noticed if he did. I questioned my feelings for him because I didn’t know if I actually felt what I thought I felt or if my body tricking me into it? Could I trust my feelings for him? Could he manipulate me? What if he already had? Oh my god James, had he used my feelings to manipulate me into helping him get revenge for Swinson?

  From the corner of my eye I saw Nathan shift uncomfortably but he still didn’t speak. I asked one question out loud, “Can you hear my thoughts?” and he nodded tersely at me before returning his eyes to the TV. My mind wanted to move but my body refused to obey.

  For almost an hour I sat there unmoving in a rigid pose. I almost forgot that Nathan was there as I pondered everything. I didn’t expect him to touch me and when he did he was freezing cold. I jumped at his touch and glared at him. “Nathan what does this all mean?” He eyes tightened and he was paler and colder looking.

  He stared at me evenly for a few minutes then whispered hoarsely,

  “I will answer your questions, please but not all today. How about this you can ask me any two questions and I will answer them to the best of my ability?”

  “Any two questions?” I countered, watching him as he smiled at my question. “Yes, any two questions?”

  I considered it. That was his version of an olive branch. I moved to sit beside him and my arm ran down his side. His touch still electrified me, but I didn’t know if I could trust it. He shifted in his seat to watch me and smiled as I turned towards him.

  “Nathan, why is all this happening?” I asked him eventually, after a moment’s thought.

  “Wow, way to start small . . .” he paused and took a deep breath, turned away to stare at the TV, but didn’t answer me.

  “Well, Nathan what . . . ?” I broke of the question as I noticed his body tense and his head whip towards me. His eyes were black as night, the look in them was beyond hatred as he glared at me.

  “Get away from me, mortal,” he spat at me in a hoarse, dead sounding voice.

  I instinctively moved away from him but as I did he countered my move, fisting his talons into my hair and pulling me back towards him. My eyes sought his and I whispered, “Nathan, please. It’s me.” He smiled and licked his jagged lips. His eyes were coal black and as they met mine there was no recognition or love in them. Hatred and loathing were all I could see. I tried again, crying out as he tore hairs out of my head,

  “Nathan, please you’re hurting me.”

  He didn’t respond and continued to lick his razor sharp lips with a blackened tongue. He pulled me backwards and placed his hands around my neck. He stared at me for a beat and I began to relax because I thought he was coming back to me, but I was wrong. Stars popped in front of my vision and his hands tightened further. He lips moved and latched onto the skin behind my ear. His hands relaxed and he pulled back from me, looking at me in horror as his eyes shifted colour and the green bled slowly back into them. He released me quickly and I crumpled in a heap on the floor, panting in fear as he stood above me. He stared down at me and his eyes were wide with terror. In the seconds he gazed down at me his gaze hardened and he left the room on shaky legs.

  I lay there for a few minutes trying to slow my heart rate when footsteps sounded in the room again. I closed my eyes and my body tensed up as he moved closer to me. My whole body flinched as he touched me. His sigh was the only sound I heard but I didn’t move. I couldn’t since my throat was engulfed in flames.

  He crumpled down beside me and gently touched my arm and my neck, but he didn’t speak to me. He gently brushed the hairs away from my neck and I shivered as he leaned down to kiss me. Tears filled my eyes and I fought them. He scared me and as we sat there with him stroking my head and kissing me I realised that I was terrified of him at that moment.

  “I’m so sorry,” he whispered in a jagged tone as he continued kissing me gently on my neck, “please look at me Jasmine. I need you. I’m so sorry that I’m a monster, but I promise I will never intentionally hurt you. I don’t know what it was that came over me there.” My whole body froze as he stood up, moving away from me.

  The tension in me started to leave me as I realised that something was behind this, something had caused him to hulk out on me. I glanced over at him and he smiled through his tears. “What?” I asked him hoarsely and his eyes widened at the sound of my voice.

  “Nothing, you just sometimes remind me of Joe.” I bristled at being compared to a man. “Come here please. I need to see your neck.” I moved closer to him and wiped the residual tears from his face. His gaze heated as he looked at me, “Jasmine, every touch you give me soothes the aching in my soul.” I leaned up and kissed him softly on the lips but he pulled back.

  “I can’t . . . I’m not under control . . . part of me is still wanting to attack you, but I will be fine.” He said brokenly. We sat side by side for a few hours without incident until I heard his breathing soften. My gaze drifted over to him fast asleep.

  I touched his cheek, but jerked my hand away as the door flew open. Luckily I hadn’t been caught since we were sitting with our back to the door, but it was close.

  “How has Nathan been Jasmine?” asked Mrs Stevenson.

  “He was ok until he had a bit of a freak out, but he’s calmer now,” I indicated the sleeping form of her son as I slowly made my way towards her.

  “Oh dear, are you ok?” she asked feigning concern, but I could tell she wasn’t being genuine.

  “Yeah, I am.” His mum watched me leave and I could see her shimmering from human to demon and back again.

  “Jasmine,” her voice called waking me up from my desk where I had nodded off. “I have to go back to work now. Could you please go and sit with Nathan?”

  “Yes, of course,” I muttered sleepily. My rib protested fiercely as I pulled my head up. I headed into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on my face before I went back into the den.

  As I entered the den Mrs Stevenson walked in carrying a large tray of food and I moved towards her feeling ravenous. She went to hand me a tuna sandwich, but I was looking around her at the food gathered there. His mum looked at me and moved closer muttering,
“It has his medication in it so I wouldn’t eat it Jasmine.”

  ‘Jas, just take the fucking sandwich please!” commanded Nathan’s voice in my ear and I glanced around the room for Nathan, but he came in after my cursory glance. His face was so pale, his lips stood out looking blue and his eyes were bloodshot and puffy, so much so that I could barely make out the green in them at all.

  He stormed over to the sofa and slumped down while I stared at him in horror.

  “Will you make sure he drinks all of that please?” She pointed to a black sports bottle sitting on the table and I nodded as she continued, “it’s a tonic to help him fight the bacteria in his blood?”

  As I watched she began shimmering again, which had me terrified after my encounter with Nathan earlier.

  “Are you ok?” I asked warily as his mother left.

  “No,” he answered shortly and we lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. I wanted to speak to him, but couldn’t think of what to say. I turned around intending to speak to him and shot away in shock. His demon form stared back at me hungrily.

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to sit so close. Move away from me now,” he hissed through his blackened teeth.

  His body shimmered for a while, boy to demon and back again and with each shimmer he became paler and paler. Eventually he slumped back onto the couch, looking like a marble statue.

  I cautiously moved closer and touched his head with the tips of my fingers. He was stone cold and I looked around in a panic before I spotted the tonic his mother had mentioned. I forced his head back and poured it into his mouth. It smelled foul, but I could see a difference as soon as he swallowed it. I poured more and more in, until his pallor was better and his skin warmer. He finished the bottle and finally spoke in a quiet whisper.

  “Please don’t move? The moment you touched me I began feeling better. Can you just stay beside me please?” His eyes stayed closed, but as I settled down beside him on the couch, he turned his head and gazed at me sleepily, “thank you,” he mouthed before he fell asleep.

  After what seemed like hours I glanced over at him and noticed his colour seemed to be coming back. His eyes were less puffy and his lips looked pinker now. As he got better, the room became colder until I could see my breath in front of me. I shivered, but I didn’t want to move away from him. Eventually after an age he woke up, his eyes black and glacial as he looked at me before snarling,

  “Get away from me. For fuck sake what don’t you understand? I used you. I knew you had feelings for me and when the incident with the car happened I knew I could punish James.” I flinched, tears springing from my eyes as he smirked, “What did you actually think I cared about you? Get a fucking grip, you ARE A MORTAL AND I AM GOING TO KILL YOU.” His voice echoed in my head as he turned and stormed away. The damn broke and I cried harder than I ever had before in my life feeling my heart splinter into a million pieces as he just confirmed my fears.

  I dragged myself up because I realised I couldn’t stay there. I needed privacy to lick my wounds and plan my escape. There was no way I was staying here if he was going to kill me. My eyes watered again, but I finally made it to the door of the den. Walking across to my room I noticed Nathan’s door was open. I tried not to look, but something made me and I moved towards the door of his room instead of my own. He was kneeling on the floor, rocking back and forth and holding his head as though it was on fire.

  “Nathan.” I called softly, not wanting to face his wrath again but worried about him. He didn’t answer and I turned to walk away as his words from earlier cut into my mind when I heard him whimper. I couldn’t tell if he was in pain or not, so I went over to check on him. Placing my hand in the space between his shoulder blades I felt his body relax and his head swung round showing me tear stained cheeks and red rimmed eyes. My body began backing way, but he grabbed my hand and pulled me down in front of him.

  “Sorry,” he whispered, caressing my face. He kissed my cheeks, my eyelids and my nose. “I didn’t . . . that wasn’t true . . .”He gasped again and gripped his head with one hand staring at me through tear filled eyes. “I feel like I’m being torn apart.” He groaned in agony and slumped forwards, landing on my chest. I pushed at him, but he lay there immobile and unmoving. My head swam and I remembered his parent’s conversation from the night before. What if the enchantment wasn’t on me but on Nathan? That would explain his hulking out into demon form and his mood swings.

  I sat holding him in my arms until he stirred. He pushed up and looked at me in relief as I sat there gazing steadily back at him.

  “I thought I’d lost you.” He whispered as his lips touched mines.

  “You almost did.” I countered. He leaned closer to me again and gestured to the bed. “Lie with me.”

  “No.” I sighed. “I can’t.” I tried to move, but he held onto me.

  “Jasmine, I . . .” He broke off nervously and glanced at my face. “Nathan?” I countered and he shook his head at me, “never mind.” I began to feel annoyed and pulled away. He huffed out a breath, hugged me tighter and whispered, “You were right, I do love you.” He leaned up and kissed me, a deep soul shattering kiss.

  Suddenly a noise downstairs made us both jump. He stood up and glanced around his room in panic, dragging me up with him. He shoved me into his wardrobe and shut the door. It was dark and stuffy and my heart was pounding a million miles a minute. I could vaguely hear voices on the other side of the door, but they were speaking quietly and then there was silence. “Go to your room now Jas.”

  My body responded before my mind had caught up and a few seconds later I was crawling into bed elated and exhausted at the same time. Elated because he loved me and exhausted because I had so many questions I needed him to answer, but I knew they could wait one more day.

  The following morning I awoke to a sketch of a rose and a note,

  The remainder of the day passed quickly and I didn’t see Nathan at all. I knew he was in the house but, he seemed to be avoiding me. I couldn’t keep up with his moods so I let him be and I tried not to think about him at all. The following day as I heard the front door had close my room door opened.

  Nathan was standing there with a smile on his lips. He looked almost healthy, if only a little pale. He walked towards me and visibly paled as he noticed me cringe as he sat down on the bed near my feet.

  “Fancy some fresh air today?” he said, trying for nonchalant his eyes betrayed his worry.

  “Sure,” I answered, wondering what was going on in his head.

  “Great, can you be ready to go in ten minutes?” he asked as he took in my Failed Strike t-shirt, messy bun and glasses.

  I nodded. He leaned over and kissed the top of my head. I sat there for a moment, my heart still thundering in my chest.

  I finally got my breathing under control and changed into a pair of jeans and a light brown blouse. I put my shoe on my bad foot and a converse on my other foot and was just reaching the door as Nathan came in.

  He grinned and asked if I was ready in a light-hearted manner. He laughed as we made our way to the stairs and as we reached the bottom he lead us into the kitchen towards the back door.

  “Are you sure you want to go outside?” I asked him curiously as I noticed the rain bouncing outside and he laughed again at me, nodding, “Let’s go.”

  I followed him out the door and we began walking across the wet grass, buffeted here and there by the wind and completely drenched by the rain. As we finally reached the shadow of the trees, he passed a stone up one side and down the other. Each part the stone passed dried instantly and I went from shivering with the cold to feeling pleasantly warm. He picked up a picnic basket under the cover of the trees and began walking into the woods.

  Something told me I should go with him even though I half wanted to turn back. My feet moved automatically as I fought with myself. We walked into the dimly lit woods, feeling the occasional drip hit me and hearing water dripping out of sight. I also heard the more ominous
sound of leaves crunching underfoot somewhere to my left, but I kept on following Nathan and soon that sound stopped all together.

  Faces shimmered around us as we got deeper into the wood which was creeping me out. We reached a narrow cliff path and Nathan turned around and walked sideways down it. The picnic basket swung from his arm as the wind blew fiercely against the cliff and sprays of water hit off the cliff face. I watched entranced as the water bounced back, hitting some sort of force field. Soon we reached a beautiful spot on the cliff, where water ran down the cliff face and a small outcrop hid a small cave. Nathan led me in and I hit a force field of some sort. Only by Nathan pulling on my hand was I allowed entry.

  My eyes darted around the cave and took in low walls with dripping water. There were stones and boulders dotted about. Nathan dropped my hand, walked over to the rocks and picked out a lantern which he lit. The lantern emitted a soft glow and I saw a candle inside it. I stood watching him as he spread out a red tartan picnic blanket and sat down, pulling the picnic basket beside him.

  I stood uncertainly in the entranceway as he patted the blanket beside him for me to sit down. I watched him nervously, but didn’t move until he finally got up and walked over to me. He took my hand, kissing my palm and finger tips as he led me to sit down. As we sat he opened up the picnic basket which was stuffed full of sandwiches, crisps, chocolate, strawberries, a thermos of tea, some cakes and two bottles of water.

  The food in the basket kept us from speaking for a while and the atmosphere crackled with tension. Our eyes stayed locked on each other green to brown as though were committing each other’s faces to memory. After a while Nathan moved closer and kissed me. He kissed me with a passion I hadn’t ever experienced and as he lay down with me on the blanket he whispered into my hair, “I love you.”

  Gazing up at his eyes I smiled and leaned up to touch my lips to his, pausing a breath away as I whispered back, “I love you too.” His eyes lit up and his smile was wider than I had ever seen it. I ran my fingers through his hair and he made a humming noise in his throat. He sat up, moving me up with him and pulled me onto his knee.