Silver Mortal (The Gracen Chronicles)

by Jenna Kay

  With each passing minute our kisses become more urgent, more heated, making me want to feel his skin on my own. I push him off of me and grab the bottom of his shirt, raising it over his head. A smile brushes my lips when his defined abs come into view, but he doesn't give me much time to gander. He presses me back against the pillows, and again we find ourselves in a heated lip lock, my insides igniting with need. I take his hand and lead it to the tie of my robe, hoping he'd take the hint.

  I'm not a promiscuous girl—I'm still a virgin, after all. But being in his arms, knowing he loves and cares for me, makes me ready to give him my all. My heart. My everything.

  He keeps his hand on the tie, right atop my stomach, but he doesn't make a move to untie it. His lips, however, have moved from my mouth to my chin, making its way down my neck. I give his hand a squeeze, giving him the go ahead. Instead his lips travel back up my chin, my cheeks, my lips.

  “Phoenix,” I breathe, my eyes still closed and his lips still moving.

  “Yeah,” he breathes back, his hot breath against my skin covering me with goose flesh.

  I catch his cheek in my palm, opening my eyes and drawing his gaze to me. “I...I want you.”

  “What?” he says softly, his dark eyes burning through me.

  I answer by giving the hand he has rested on my stomach a squeeze. He lowers his gaze, then quickly looks back up at me. Understanding flits through his eyes, and they widen.

  Just when I think he's about to take off my robe, he jumps to his feet, skimming a hand through his disheveled hair. He turns away, his back muscles tightening as he laces his hands behind his head. I stare at the back of him, confused, his emotions struggling with each other. What had just happened? We were going along great, I thought he'd wanted me. Did he not?

  Unable to stand it any longer I ask, “What's wrong? What did I do?”

  He drops his hands from the back of his head and cuts his gaze back to me. A pained expression is now on his face, an emotion of stupor painting his handsome features.

  “Why would you think you did something wrong?” he inquires, shaking his head.

  Embarrassment colors my cheek. Averting my eyes I reply, “Do you not want me?”

  In an instant he's by my side, his face contorted in anguish.

  “Gracen,” he says, cupping my cheek, “of course I want you. I've wanted you since the first day I saw you. It's just...” he looks away, biting his bottom lip as if trying to snatch up the right words.

  I stare harder at him. “Just what, Phoenix?”

  He blows out a sigh. “I've been with a lot of girls, but they never meant anything to me. They were there, I was there, and that was it. But you...you've changed me. The old me would have taken you on the spot, but,” his dark eyes peer into mine, “I don't want to screw anything up by going too fast. You're someone I see myself growing old with. You're the real deal. And you're worth the wait.”

  Again his words have rendered me speechless. I can't believe how lucky I am to have someone as wonderful as Phoenix. He sees me as the person he could grow old with. He says I'm worth the wait.

  I can live with that.

  “Besides,” he smiles, tilting his head to the side, “we have some people depending on us to save them. We've got to figure out a plan, and frankly...” He does a quick sweep of my body, then back to me. “I can't concentrate with you like this.”

  I laugh, noticing that tears have formed in my eyes. Man, I've cried more in the last day than I have all my sixteen years.

  “You're right,” I say, letting him pull me off the bed. “We need to figure it out.” He hands me Reagan's clothes.

  “Yeah,” he says, shooting me with a sideways grin. I start making my way to the bathroom to dress myself when he adds, “Oh, and when you get out, I've got a little surprise for you.”

  ***

  After putting on Reagan's sweater and jeans, and borrowing one of Tink's sports bras, I walk out of the bathroom to find Phoenix sitting at the kitchen table. He has a pen in his hand and a notebook laying on the table, his dark eyes focused on me.

  “Come on over here, Gracen. Let's have a chat.”

  I want to laugh at his business-like tone. “What is this, an interview?”

  “Something like that.”

  “Awesome,” I smirk, plopping down in the seat across the table.

  He smirks right back. “Awesome is right.” Then he adds more earnestly, “No, really, you're going to tell me every little detail of your dream and I'm going to take notes.”

  “And what do you hope to accomplish by doing that?”

  He clarifies, “Your dream may hold clues as to where Alexander has taken everyone.”

  I shake my head doubtfully. “I don't think—”

  “Think about it,” he pushes in, leaning his elbows on the table. “Ash dreamed of you, and that's how we knew to come to the city. He also dreamed he was you fighting the vamp demons. Have you ever had dreams where you were him?”

  The dream flashes behind my eyes of Alexander yelling at me, calling me Ashley. At the time I'd thought a girl named Ashley was in trouble. Of course now that I knew the truth, it made more sense.

  “Yes, I have,” I admit with the nod of my head.

  “There you go,” he says. “Maybe your dream can tell us where they are.”

  I snort. “Okay, I'll give it a shot, but I'm not sure you'll know of a place that smells like blood, holding an underground arena filled with hideous monsters. Black jagged rock covers everything with torches lit everywhere, it's hot as Hell, bones and rocks are scattered all over the ground—oh, and the best part? Alexander sitting on a throne of human bones, while our loved ones are chained on the ground all beaten and bloody. Does any of that sound familiar?” I cross my arms at my chest, watching for his reaction. When all the color drains from his face and fear begins casting off of him, I know I've struck a nerve in him...or maybe a memory.

  “I know exactly where he's taken them,” he quietly acknowledges, his dark eyes stormy.

  “Where?”

  He hesitates before answering, “Botis Island.” Those two words send shivers up and down my spine.

  “There's actually a Botis Island?” I marvel, taken back.

  “Yes,” his says gravely. “It's an island located directly in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle, of course unseen by the Untouched world. The island is a place that Alexander uses for rehabilitation purposes. I've...been there before.” He stands from his chair and walks over to the counter, leaning his back on it. His feelings are a mixture of sadness, anger, and turmoil, the memories of his past finally catching up to him.

  Cautiously I ask, “When did you have to go?”

  “After my parents were killed,” he replies with a faraway glint in his eyes. “My parents had always taught me to be myself, that just because our ancestors were evil didn't mean we had to be. I'd tried to escape the clan at age ten. Even at that age I didn't want to hurt others. I didn't want to live in darkness. I've always felt my soul reaching for the light.”

  He continues. “The night I almost escaped, a demon named Alistor caught me and immediately took me to Botis Island to...rehabilitate me.”

  I grimace, not wanting the full details of Alexander's restoration program, though I had to tell him this next part of the dream.

  “He was there, Phoenix.”

  “Who was there?”

  I waver before answering, “Alistor.”

  His face turns even whiter as he walks back to the table and falls into the seat, as if the name Alistor sucked out all his energy.

  “Are you okay?” I inquire, becoming worried.

  He stares at me, his expression troubled. “If he's there, we've got our work cut out for us. When he sees me, he'll want my head mounted on his bedroom wall.”

  “I won't let that happen,” I quickly spit out, the thought of losing him causing a queasy feel to hit my stomach.

  “I'm serious,” he says severely. “Me escaping means
that he failed to rehabilitate me, which makes him weak in Alexander's eyes. He'll want to prove he's not a failure by taking me out.”

  I reach over and take his hand. “Like I said...not going to happen.”

  He studies me a moment with a weary look on his face. Then he places his other hand on top of mine and says, “We've got to come up with a plan, and this is what I've got.”

  “Go for it.”

  “After midnight we'll leave. I'll teleport us a half mile from the destination, which is a large rock structure. I know the perfect place to sneak in, though once we're inside I will not be able to teleport us out.”

  “Why?” I curiously ask.

  “Because,” he explains, “the rocky edifice is made of pure Hell Stone.”

  “What's that?”

  “Hell Stone comes directly from Hell, to imprison demons who rebel, along with Night Vipers who can't be controlled. I'll still be able to fight, but we'll have to walk out instead of teleport. It's also been said that the stone weakens Silver Mortals.”

  “In that case, I'll need my Katana. Is it safe to go back to my apartment?”

  “That's where your surprise comes in,” he says, letting go of my hand and walking over to his cot. He reaches under the bed and retrieves my Katana, still sheathed, and a black leather bag. As he places my things on the kitchen counter I get up and walk over.

  “When did you go to my apartment?” I question, unsheathing my sword and inspecting it.

  “While you were in the shower,” he answers, dumping out the black bags contents. “I was also able to pick up some knifes, throwing stars—”

  “Wait a minute,” I interrupt, narrowing my eyes at him. “You were able to sneak over and get weapons, but not any of my clothing?”

  There's a hesitation before he replies, “I couldn't stay long. There were Sniffers all over the place.”

  “Sniffers?” I make a face. “What’s a Sniffer?”

  He pauses, looking up from the weaponry on the counter. “Hell Hounds.”

  My mouth drops to the floor. “Hell Hounds—in my apartment? Holy crap!”

  “Holy crap indeed,” he agrees. “They're easy to kill one by one, but when there's five against one, it totally sucks.”

  “I bet,” I say, then a thought occurs to me. “Oh no! Bets! I need to call her.” I reach in my pocket, then realize I'm not wearing my clothes. Before I freak out, he reaches into his pocket and hands me my cell.

  “You dropped it in your house,” he says with a grin. “I found it on the floor.”

  “Thanks,” I tell him, taking the phone.

  “No problem...oh, I'll be right back.”

  “Wait!” I exclaim. “Where are you going?”

  “To pick up pizza.” I shoot him an incredulous look and he expresses, “What? You don't expect me to fight the forces of evil on an empty stomach, do you?”

  CHAPTER 21

  When Phoenix vanishes I turn my phone on to find that I have ten missed calls and two voice mails, all from Bets. Not bothering to check the messages (I'm sure they are laced with confused profanity), I quickly dial up her number. She answers on the first ring.

  “Lucy, you got some 'splainin' to do!” she says into the phone, doing her best I Love Lucy impression.

  In spite of everything going on I laugh. “Hey Bets, sorry I haven't been around. There's been some things happen and—”

  “You don't have to tell me twice!” she interjects loudly. “After you didn't answer my hundredth call—”

  “You only called ten times, Bets.”

  There's a pause before she continues. “Well, it felt like the hundredth time. Any-who, as I was saying before you so rudely interrupted, I walked over to your place and saw that it's been trashed. Did you guys get robbed?”

  Alarms prickles at my skin. “You went by the apartment?”

  “Of course I did! I was worried about you.”

  The thought of Bets being in the same vicinity as the Hell Hounds, or as Phoenix called them, Sniffers, causes my heart to ram into my ribcage with intense spasms.

  “Listen, Bets,” I say, trying to control the shakiness in my voice, “promise me you won't go back there. It's not safe.”

  “Well, duh, Gracen! I'm not that stupid.” I can almost hear the extreme eye roll she's giving me over the phone. “When I saw that you weren't home and saw your apartment was turned upside down, I hightailed it out of there. But I'm curious to know where you are. Did you guys get a hotel room? Do you guys need anything?”

  The concern in Bets's voice brings tears to my eyes. Not because it's sweet. Bets really would do anything for us. What brings a sob crawling up my throat is the realization that this might be the last time I talk to her. In just a few hours Phoenix and I would be teleporting to Botis Island, an island that's invisible to Untouched eyes. Phoenix had been there before, and by the haunted look he'd gotten in his eyes I knew that whatever was there had left a lasting impression on him. A bad one.

  “We're fine, Bets,” I manage to get out, wiping a stray tear off my cheek. “Don't worry about us.”

  “Gracen,” she begins, her tone stark, “you know I'll worry about you. Did anyone get injured?

  “No.”

  “Oh-kaaaay,” she expresses. “So, where are you?”

  I try to come up with a convincing lie, but all I have is the truth to give.

  “I'm with Phoenix.”

  There's another pause on the other end before she exclaims, “I knew it! You are so into him!”

  As soon as she utters those words Phoenix appears in the kitchen, his hands carrying a large pizza box and a two liter of Coke. He looks at me and smiles. My heart leaps and melts at the same time.

  “You know what, Bets?” I say, my eyes still on Phoenix. “I think you're right.”

  “Of course I'm right!” she cackles. “So, you guys want to meet for dinner and tell me all about it? You can meet Jason.”

  That name brings my attention back to her. “Are you still talking with that guy?” I had yet to meet him, but deep down I know there's something a little off with him. And the name of his band, The Deviant Demons, is enough to sound off my Silver Mortal alarms.

  “Yes, and he's so awesome,” she sighs into the phone. “Gracen, I think, and I'm being totally serious here, that Jason is the one!”

  I roll my eyes. “Bets...”

  “So, you going to meet us for dinner?” she questions eagerly.

  Again tears threaten to spill over my eyes at the possibility of not ever seeing her again, or being there to protect her.

  “Actually, Bets,” I say softly, catching Phoenix's eye, “I think I'll be staying in with Phoenix.” A pained expression crosses his face and he turns away from me. He knows it's possible that neither one of us could be alive after tonight, or worse...

  We could be prisoners.

  “Oooh, I get it,” she says seductively. “You get robbed and Phoenix kisses you and makes you feel all better!”

  I shake my head. “Something like that.”

  “Well, I want the deets tomorrow, chica,” she orders. “Just keep your phone on, okay? Please? I don't want to worry about you.”

  “Don't worry, I'll keep it on.”

  “I'll let you go, babe,” then she adds, “Have fun!”

  “Oh, I will,” I tell her, clinching my eyes shut.

  “Adios, chica!”

  I suck in a breath and reply, “Goodbye, Bets.”

  Turning my phone off, I sling it on the couch and slump down, burying my face in my hands. My insides are burning and twisting, the thought of that being the last time I speak with Bets tearing my heart to pieces. The couch dents as Phoenix sits next to me, his arm wrapping lovingly around my shoulders. I lean into him and breathe in his scent, the smell instantly relaxing me. We stay like that for five, maybe ten minutes, just holding each other like we're the only two people left on the planet.

  He breaks the silence when he says, “Gracen, I promise you. You wil
l make it back. I'll be sure to make that happen.”

  My stomach growls in response.

  Phoenix chuckles. “I think someone's hungry.”

  “I am. It's been awhile.”

  Getting up and helping me to my feet he says, “Come on. We have a gourmet dinner of pepperoni pizza to eat.”

  I grin, though tears still burn my eyes. “That sounds perfect.”

  We sit down and demolish the pizza in five minutes. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I reached for my third piece. After we finished we both stared at each other, our tummies full. Phoenix checks his watch and looks at me.

  “We still have six hours until midnight,” he informs me.

  “What should we do?” I wonder out loud.

  He thinks a moment then answers, “Maybe we should rest up...at least two hours or so.”

  I nod. “Sounds good to me.”

  We get up and walk over to the bed. I snuggle in first, followed by him. I lay on my side and close my eyes. He covers the both of us up, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me close to him. I don't object. This is what I want at the moment. This may be the last time we lay in each others arms.

  “Phoenix?”

  “Hmm?”

  “If we make it back home, what will become of us?”

  He sighs into my hair, a full minute passing before he replies, “We'll make every second count.” I open my eyes when he gently turns me around to face him. “We'll go back to school like nothing's happened. Tink will start school, Jack and Reagan can get out and work, Ash can get to know his sister...” He trails off as his fingers lightly stroke my cheek.

  “What about me and you?” I inquire, my eyelids becoming heavy.

  He grins, touching his forehead to mine. “I'm going to take you on a date. No demons, weapons, fighting—just dinner, a movie, and whatever else you want to do.” His answer causes a flutter in my belly and a smile to grace my lips.

  “Whatever I want, huh?”

  “Whatever you want,” he whispers, kissing my cheek and pulling me into him, his chin resting on my head.

  The warmth of his body, the contentment that dominates his emotions, makes me feel safe and sure. The thought that as long as I'm hooked in his grasp makes me sure that nothing, and I mean nothing can get a hold of me. My eyes slowly drift closed, and I listen to his heart beating in his chest, the rhythm a calming solution for my anxious nerves. With a full stomach of pizza and after having a few sleepless nights, my body is telling me to shut down for awhile. But I'm fighting it. I don't want this moment to end. I want to remember this forever.