Beware the Violet

by Maria Vermisoglou

  “Don’t do that. It’s best if I stay away now or I’m going to make my thoughts a reality.”

  My heart pounded as to what that might mean. “And what would these thoughts be?” I said, slipping my hands underneath his shirt. I touched his strong muscles as I craved more of him.

  “You don’t know?” With a sudden move, he pulled me into him and gazed at me. “Ever since I laid my eyes on you, I wanted to be with you.

  “Why? You didn’t know me.”

  “I never fell in love with bodies, but with souls and yours is the most beautiful I have ever seen. I wanted you and made all kinds of wrongs and you still took me back. I love you.” He spoke with passion, turning my cheek into ruby stones. Putting his chin on my head, he said, “But I can’t do this. I won’t put you in danger.”

  “We can deal with the trouble together.” I pulled him closer and he took a sharp breath.

  “I can’t…” His lips trembled and I felt his control abandoning him.

  “Kiss me.” I pulled him and he complied, pushing me into the wall. Control was lost as my senses were lit on fire. He had kissed me a lot of times but nothing like that. Kissing me wildly, he tugged my dress and pressed his body against mine. Our tongues danced with each other and he groaned. Raising me from the ground, I giggled and he pressed his lips against mine even harder.

  My ears picked up the sound of a tile breaking, but I didn’t care as my hands removed his shirt. His animal sounds made me crazy as I threaded my fingers in his hair. Water ran over us like a river, but I didn’t care. He kissed me like there was no tomorrow, pulling at my clothes, but before I could do anything about it, I heard the front door open.

  “Son of a rabbit!” he cursed as he let me on the floor.

  Feeling water on my feet, I looked down and realized we were under the shower standing in the bathtub that was somehow accidentally turned on so I turned the water off. I picked up the broken tile and threw it in the garbage before Lena entered.

  “Violet? What happened here?” she said, looking dazed.

  “Umm…I tried to take a shower, but it wouldn’t work and I played with it for a while. Maybe it’s broken.” I never had a problem coming up with excuses, but Jacques, invisible to Lena, was kissing my bare shoulders, making the task impossible. I wanted to turn and kiss him so badly, but instead, I concentrated on the task at hand, trying to ignore the tingles his kisses left or the traces his fingers left.

  I waved my hand behind my back and sighing, he left, taking my heart with him.

  “It seems to be working fine,” Lena’s dazed voice said, testing the shower.

  “Maybe I wasn’t turning it right.”

  “Are you going to use it?”

  “No thank you. I had enough water for one night. Goodnight, Lena. Did you have fun at the party?”

  “Oh, yes!” Lena gave me a dazed smile and I wondered if there was something wrong with her, but putting it out of my mind, I figured the cause was she had been drinking. I entered my room and locked the door. Turning, I smiled as I saw him shirtless on my bed.

  “Your eyes.” I got closer and felt his sharp breaths on my face. “What happened to them?”

  “It’s nothing but the imprint isn’t complete yet and I’m on standby.” He looked at me with his silver eyes and I sat next to him.

  “Sorry, I had to—“

  He put his fingers on my lips and I kissed them. “No more talking or I’m going to explode. You really know the path to destroy someone.” Placing kisses on my lips, I tasted his smell. Pushing me on the bed, I smiled as his wild kisses showered me. A moan escaped my lips and he stopped, gazing at me with his silver eyes.

  His sharp breaths were driving me crazy and climbing on top of him, I closed our distance. Sliding my fingers along his muscled body, I closed my eyes and embraced the joy that had been spilling in my mind. Putting his arms around me, I felt my dress slip from my body, leaving me with only my underwear and his touch caressing my bare back.

  A while later, after a lot of kissing and burning, I’ve nestled on his chest, close to his heart. Silence had enveloped the room and the only thing I could hear was his beating heart, slightly louder than mine. Brushing my fingers, Jacques was bathing them with his love and I smiled. A prickle made me look up and see the slight wound he had opened on my smallest finger. Silver blood ran and I stared in wonder as he licked it.

  “You’ve shifted twenty-five times,” I said and pausing, he cast me an embarrassed look.

  “You’ve been counting?” I gave him a shy smile and he looked away. “I don’t…” He paused and took a ragged breath. “It’s part of the imprint.”

  “I know.” My heart was pumping rapidly in my chest from the feelings that enveloped me. “I love you,” I said and for a moment, he steeled himself.

  A soft glow passed through his body so fast I almost missed it and when I looked into his eyes, they were the familiar blue color I so much loved. I winced as my arm burned like I had put hot iron on it and Jacques, sat up and gently traced a symbol that had appeared on my upper arm. A small paw had been imprinted that could be any small animal’s, but I knew to whom it belonged. The one that held my heart and forever would. He brushed his lips on my arm and once again, he shifted, but as I waited and saw he would turn back, I picked him up and passed my fingers through his fur—I loved how soft it felt. Jacques opened and closed his eyes and I blushed when I sensed his heartbeat. Shifting back, he took my face and kissed me and I drank in his essence. His slender fingers trailed my neck and my back and I tried to stay complete steel as he reached my chest but my sharp breath betrayed me.

  “I love you.” That simple word turned my heart into a beating drum as he bent to continue his ceremony of kisses.

  “Is this how is supposed to happen?” I said between breaths, touching the symbol. Not like a tattoo or anything I have ever seen. It seemed engraved on my skin, but in a rougher material, yet I liked the sight of the silver paw on my skin.

  “I don’t know,” he confessed. “I haven’t done this before.” Swallowing, he fell back and pulled the covers up. “You have to sleep.”

  “I can stay up if you want.” I laid on his chest and placing a hand on his cheek, I felt it burning and not in a good way. “What’s wrong?” Sweat ran on his forehead and I wiped it, worried.

  “Not like a drunk, but sick, great.” I rubbed his chest and he clasped my hands. “I’m sorry but you do really need to sleep.”

  “I’ll be fine,” I argued.

  “No, you’ll be tired to do anything,” he complained weakly.

  “Fine.” I put my head on his chest, but my gaze fell on the room and I sat up. “Did we…? Did we do this?”

  The room was in complete disarray. The chairs had fallen and the pictures on the cupboard were upside down but the most prominent thing was the room itself—silver and blue dust had covered the walls and furniture while I noticed scorch marks on the wallpaper.

  “No, you did. I just knocked down some chairs.”

  “And you broke a tile,” I added and pursed my lips. “How did I do it without realizing?” Shaking my head, I brought my mind back, but only the intense moments came to me.

  “I’m not sure I want to be around when you reach the peak of your powers.” He pulled me down and I wiped his sweat away.

  “Should I try a healing spell?” I hated seeing him like this, but he traced my shoulder blades with his fingers and tilted his head. “No, it’s nothing that can be healed. It’s part of the change. Don’t worry, tomorrow I’ll be fine.”

  “Okay.” Holding him, I chewed the inside of my cheek. “I have already reached the peak of my powers.”

  “No, you haven’t. Every supernatural reaches their full potential one day kind of like the sun.” He sighed. “When Kristy reached her peak, the Blessed Realm turned pink for a week. Bathed in fairy dust. It was awful!”

  I laughed and he scowled. “It was not funny. Every time I left my house, that pink annoying st
uff would fall like rain and it stuck.”

  “Where do you live?”

  “On the border. Initially, they gave me a place with the other shapeshifters, but I preferred the border since I traveled a lot. I like exploring new places and new things. Always in search of a new adventure.”

  He spoke with passion and my shoulders slumped. “You would have continued if you didn’t need to be here,” I said in a small voice.

  Placing his hand under my chin, he made me look at him. “I want to be here with you and we can explore the world together.” I blushed and I decided to close my eyes, hoping for a good night’s sleep but my beating heart didn’t agree much with my plans. “My love.”

  “Don’t call me that,” I said, annoyed without opening my eyes. “I don’t like names and he called me like that.” Shuddering, I tried to put the memory aside and focus on his warmth. “The white tiger.”

  I didn’t need to open my eyes to sense his anger. Tightening his arms around me, he whispered, “Maybe I’ll find a name you’ll like.”

  I tried to answer, but my heavy eyelids wouldn’t obey. His sweet smell was a comfort to me as I traveled off to dreamland, but unfortunately, I didn’t find what I was looking for.

  Chapter 7: As Sharp as a Nail

  Walking on the grass, I cast my gaze around taking in my surroundings, I watched Oklealia Academy cast its shadow above me. Frowning, I observed the building before turning toward an alarming sound.

  Screams tore through the night, I focused and made my way to the source without hesitation. Reaching the scene just near the woods, I ran to the fallen girl who no longer was screaming but lay unconscious.

  “Lena? Lena!” I shook her and sitting up, she looked at me with enlarged eyes. “Help me, Violet! Help me!”

  Drenched in sweat, I woke up with a start. Disoriented, my eyes fell on the room still bathed in silver-blue dust and then at the boy next to me who even in his sleep held my hand as a kind of anchor. Touching his forehead, I breathed in relief as his fever had left. I stared at him for a while and sighed. His lips had curled into a smile and his body seemed relaxed in comparison to the other times I’ve seen him.

  A buzzing sound took me away from the blissful moment and searching, I placed it to the buzzing of my phone. Taking it, I read Lena’s name on the upcoming call and a bad feeling surfaced along with my vision.

  “Lena?” I said, keeping my voice steady.

  “Violet! Thank God, you picked it up! Please, I need your help.” Lena’s terrified voice was reaching my ears in shrills. “I’m so scared, please help me!”

  “Lena, calm down. Where are you? I thought you were back from the party. Did you forget something?” A sinking feeling sat on my throat and as much as I tried, I couldn’t shake away that whatever she would tell me, would send me running.

  “I’m on the grounds. I forgot something and I tripped.” Her voice changed to whimpers.

  “Okay, calm down. I’ll come and get you. Concentrate on breathing,” I said as I dragged my body from the warm bed. Searching on the wardrobe, I put some clothes on and was about to walk out.

  “Violet,” Jacques whispered and I kneeled next to him. “Where are you going? Don’t tell me you have classes at midnight?”

  I grinned. “Not yet. Lena is in trouble and I’m going to help her get back here. I really thought she was in her room, but apparently, she left sometime during the night.” Groggily, he tried to sit up, but I pushed him back in the bed and pulled the covers on top of him. “Rest, you need it. I’ll be back soon.” I kissed him and he held me for a moment before letting me go.

  “Call me if you need me.”

  When I was descending the stairs, I stopped and with one foot in the air, I muttered, “Call you? Yeah, right. You don’t even have a phone, Jacques.”

  Fortunately, the gate was unlocked and I didn’t need to use magic. The moon was shining above me and my discomfort grew as the moon was the exact same shape as the one in my dream. Not one piece missing. When the screaming began, I bit my lip and ran in the same direction I went in my dream.

  “Lena!” I yelled when I reached her. I breathed as she was still alive. “Come on, we have to go.” I pulled her on her feet, but I couldn’t get her moving. “Lena!”

  She pointed straight ahead and when I turned, I paled. A white tiger advanced slowly our way and holding Lena, my eyes darted in every direction for any escape but there was none. Or rather, there were too many exits, but a tiger could reach you in five seconds and nail you. I could use my powers, but I didn’t want to reveal myself yet. Plus, I didn’t know if they would work against him.

  The white tiger stopped just inches away from us and smiling, he shifted in front of our very eyes. As soon as Lena saw Raid in human form, she fainted. “He—”

  I put my hands out just in time to grab her before hitting the ground. Enlarging my eyes, I pretended to be scared while I was thinking frantically of a plan. Is he out of his mind? The odds were not in my favor, but I had to do something and the need of hiding my powers became even more persistent.

  Raid’s smile, same as the white tiger’s reached his lips. “Humans are so gullible, don’t you think?” His eyes had a strange glimpse as he passed his tongue through his teeth. “Just like her. Give them what they desire and you have them under your control.” He laughed wildly and I froze. “Some are interesting like you,” he started circling me, but when he made a step toward me, he fell backward. “You’ve been claimed! By who?” He hissed and his face transformed into a mask of anger mixed with hate.

  Jacques!

  “I have no other use for you,” Raid whistled. “What a shame. You could have been my queen. The things we could have done…” His eyes glimmered golden. “But since you’re all alone…” His hunger scared me, keeping me pinned on the ground unable to move.

  Jacques! Shudders climbed my back as Raid bared his arms.

  “Now, babe…” Raid said in a seductive voice as I bit my lips to stop my teeth from chattering.

  My eyes caught a flash before it ended up on Raid’s arm. Howling, he moved away. Blood splattered from the wound, throwing something on the ground next to me, I saw the silver knife that saved my life. For now.

  “Leave her alone!”

  I had never been so happy to see a person or in particular, him. Jacques! I smiled through my running tears.

  “We’re just having a friendly conversation, man. No need to get all worked up.” Raid held his arm casually, but his wounded arm bent slightly as the blood was still oozing and I hoped it would leave a permanent mark.

  “You can have the conversation from where you are.” Jacques standing in front of me, blocked my view and the shrill seething reached my ears.

  “You! You are the shapeshifter who claimed her.” He advanced slowly but Jacques seemed relaxed. “She was MINE!” Raid roared and the earth shook as his words came out as a tiger’s roar.

  “Yours?” Jacques laughed. “You’ll need a bath and tons of perfume before anyone can go out with you!”

  Ouch! I felt more than saw Raid’s anger, sending waves in all directions.

  “How dare you—” Raid spat. A foul smell emitted from his pores and peeking from Jacques’s frame, I saw the blood had turned green, sprinkling the ground. Wherever it touched the soil, it burned like acid. Looking down his arm, Raid twisted his lips. “Who are you? You’re not from around here and you certainly are not one of us!”

  “One of you? Ha! You consume human souls, why would I do something so vile?” With trembling arms, Jacques pointed. “What do you have to gain by that? Does it fill your days with nightmares?”

  “Bah! An Eulogimenos!” Raid mocked, but his aura shrunk around him—sign of his fear. Narrowing my eyes, I couldn’t understand why his sulfury aura would show up now, but I continued to stare at both of them, hoping everything would turn out to be okay.

  I wondered why Raid would he be afraid of him. They were the same kin, weren’t they? Unless there was
something I didn’t know. “Why would you join them? Why go against your own kin?”

  “Why wouldn’t I when they turned against me? The Blessed Realm is my home and I will defend it along with its beliefs.” Jacques took out his signature orange knife and my heart fluttered. I didn’t know much, but I knew it was special with powers beyond theirs, I hoped.

  “Pathetic! But you’re too late,” Raid slithered and a cold smile formed on his face. “We have gathered enough power and now we can harvest the power of the souls.” Howling like the wild animal he was, he shapeshifted and as a white tiger, he opened his mouth and a terrible sucking sound disturbed the atmosphere.

  “Violet!” Turning to the sound, I opened and closed my mouth, but I couldn’t utter a sound. Looking down at Lena’s body, I compared it with what I saw ahead of me.

  “Lena?” Breathless, I checked again and again, but it was an undeniable fact that the ghostly picture, looking at me with her sad eyes was Lena’s soul. “Lena?” I called as she placed her hand on my cheek. I couldn’t feel her touch, but a warm breeze blew over my face.

  “Violet, I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I was naïve to believe them and they tricked me.” Anger shot at her eyes. “Be careful, my friend. Be strong!”

  A strong wind rose up and as much as I tried to hold her, I couldn’t and she was sucked inside the white tiger’s mouth that grew in size. “Ah, real power!” Raid said when he turned back to a human. “So, she’s an empath but still a human.” His cold stare terrified me more than his massive form. “Why are you willing to sacrifice your form for her? A human of all beings? She’s useless!”

  Sacrifice what? My heart pumped in my chest as I looked at Jacques. What didn’t I know?

  “You don’t understand what caring is, so it would be pointless to explain what love is to a creature of darkness. Just like it’s pointless to explain arithmetic to vampires.”

  “Love? Bah! You are starting to sound like a human.” Raid shapeshifted and growled.

  “Kitties are supposed to be cute,” Jacques commented and my jaw dropped. That was definitely not what I would call a kitty. The white tiger attacked, but Jacques unsheathed his sabre and chuckled. Swinging it, he hit the white tiger on the foot and ducking, he pushed him away from me.