Authors: Jaime Reed
Burning Emerald (15 page)
“And his brothers?”
All I heard was crickets.
“Tobias!” I yelled.
“You ask an awful lot of me. But I promise, I won't make the first move. If they interfere in any way, I won't hesitate.”
“Are you a man of your word? How can I trust you?”
“The same way I can trust you, and I'm not a man. You hold up your end of the deal and we'll be fine. I won't let you waste my energy on that demon mutt. It's for you and Lilith only. This is quite the betrayal, Samara.”
“Then you'll think twice before you get all âdate rape' on me, won't you?” I snapped. “I haven't forgotten about your little scare tactic behind the bleachers, so forgive me if I'm not more considerate of your precious gift.”
“I told you why I did what I did. My methods may be harsh, but they're effective. What I do is for food and survival. I don't allow any woman I take to suffer like humans do, so you can take down your feminist flag. While you're at it, you might want to take your hand off my leg.”
I looked down at my hand and yelped. Unbeknownst to me, my hand was moving in slow circles on his denim-clad knee. I snatched it away as if I'd been burned, wondering how it had gotten there. It seemed that my body had a mind of its own, working from a separate directive.
With arms crossed over our chests, we stared at my house, struggling for composure. We were both pissed off, but neither one of us was going to move until we calmed down, so I broke the ice. “The energy I took from you was ... weird. What was it? How many lives were there?”
“Dozens, finely coiled together and compressedâthe best of the best,” he said, his chest puffed out high and proud. “Think of it as a quilt. You take a piece here and there and stick them together to make one whole tapestry. I'm meticulous with the material I use.”
“That's a lot of lives to store. How can you ingest all that?”
His smile thawed some of the frost coating the air. “I'm bigger than you think.”
Against my better judgment, my gaze lowered to the front of his jeans, then looked away.
Noting my wandering eyes, he grinned wider. “You really do have a one-track mind, Flower. I'm talking about me, as a preternatural entity. I'm quite vast and heavier than I appear. Incubi can manipulate their body density so they can move with the air, defying gravity to an extent, expand and compress at will, just like spirits can. People think clouds are all light and fluffy, but the smallest one can stretch a mile wide and weigh over a million tons.”
“So how much do you weigh?”
He cowered away as if repulsed. “Oh come on, you never ask a person that. That's just rude. But I'm happy to know that I fascinate you.”
Words escaped me. Not only was he dangerous, but he was completely insane. I guess eternity would do that to a person. What made it worse was his correct assessment. He did fascinate me, made me feel things I didn't want to feel, like excitement and longing, emotions that should never be associated with an enemy.
“So, you're strong, can transform into stuff, look like a bunch of people, and live for a really long time. What
can't
you do? Do you have any fatal weaknesses?”
can't
you do? Do you have any fatal weaknesses?”
“You.”
“Besides me?”
“No, that's about it. You're my Achilles' heel. But it doesn't have to be that way. In fact, you can have the same abilities as I have, and we could combine our powers if you choose.”
He leaned closer, making me perfectly aware of how small my car really was. Only a wall of hot air and tension stood between us and Tobias had no problem with crossing boundaries.
His voice was a silk scarf caressing my skin. “Your human body confines you, anchoring you down with earthly limitations. Even as a Cambion, you've yet to tap into the power you have. There's so much of the world you haven't seen that's right in front of you, visions only your demon eyes can withstand. The things I could teach you, Samara, if you just allow Lilith a little freedom, if you just let go.”
“No, thanks. I'll pass,” I answered before I could second-guess myself. Oh man, the curiosity was there, and he had one hell of a sales pitch, but the asking price was too high. I had enough trouble getting Lilith under control as it was.
Moreover, the fate of Caleb and his brothers still hung in the balance, unresolved. Something deep down told me that Tobias would keep his promise and wouldn't go after them. But he was cunning enough to find a loophole somewhere. Right now, the best thing to do was to keep my distance from them. For Lilith's sake, he would never harm me, but everyone else was fair game.
Hating the silence, I asked, “Can you go away now? I'm sure Malik has a curfew or something.”
“I've already checked in, and his family is fast asleep.”
Feigning a yawn, I made a production of stretching and rubbing my eyes. “Yeah, well, it's late. I'm gonna call it a night. You should probably get some sleep too.”
“You might be right. Too bad I don't sleep, though.”
I paused with my fingers on the door handle. “You don't sleep? At all?”
“Not the way you do, no.” Sighing, he threw me a look of impatience. “Samara, I'm inhuman, and by your estimation, quite evil. No rest for the wicked. That would imply some sort of reprieve, wouldn't it?”
“Oh. Good point.” I opened my car door.
“Do you need help carrying your bags inside?”
“I can manage.” I stopped for a moment as an idea struck me. “On second thought, could you carry my book bag? It's really heavy.”
Hefting the bag over his shoulder, he waited by the passenger-side door while I grabbed the bags from the backseat. Keeping an eye on him, I dug into one of the bags and singled out the small bottle of oil. Lilith rattled my spine, taking the defensive, but I ignored her. She'd annoyed me enough for the night. I unwrapped the plastic tamper-proof covering and twisted the cap. I dipped my finger inside, expecting some burning sensation, but nothing happened.
“You okay back there?” he called.
“Yeah, just grabbing trash from the back,” I said, then returned to my task.
The oil slid down my finger, warm and creamy, coating the digit in a shimmering gloss. It didn't hurt to touch, so it wasn't an irritant like silver supposedly is for werewolves. Maybe it had to be ingested. I wondered what effects it had on real demons. To my knowledge, their skin was like human skin, but pliable enough to transfigure into other forms. I poured a few more drops and slathered my hands in the oil. The sound of crunching gravel shot me upright. I made quick work of hiding the evidence, closed the door, and turned to face Tobias, who came around to my side.
His eyes darted to the backseat, then back to me. “You ready?”
“Yeah. Let's go.”
We marched side by side down the walkway until we reached the porch. I opened the front door and dropped the shopping bag inside before turning to him.
He waited.
“You can't come in,” I said and blocked the entry.
“Since when do I need an invitation?”
“Since now,” I said, then grabbed his hand with my oily one. He flinched at the contact, loosening his grip on my backpack.
I snatched my bag, rushed inside, and slammed the door in his face. My back pressed against the door, my heart drumming a beat that Caleb would want to sample for his collection. Club Rib Cage: the panic remix.
As the band played on around my ears, I considered my counterstrike. It had worked. The oil had really worked. My victory didn't last long as a peculiar side effect came to my attention. It began slowly at first, but as the rush of danger drained away, it surfaced, a light heat on the same hand that had burned Tobias's.
The entry in Angie's journal warned me about how a linked pair could sense each other's pain, not the injury per se, but the echo of its effect. The feeling would worsen as the pair fed from each other, but the energy charging my system was enough to make my hand tingle from an unsighted sting. This was the least of my problems once that strange, odorless smoke crept under the door, tickling my ankles. Dry ice the color of pitch had begun to slither up the wooden surface, its outstretched fingers clawing its way in.
I dove into my shopping bag, recovered the oil, and let a few drops spill on the cracks around the door. The vapor drew back once it made contact. I moved to the living room and added oil to the windowsill, then followed suit with the one in the dining room. I'd finished painting the glass when Tobias appeared on the other side of the pane, looking winded and livid.
“You can't come in. Please just go away!” I yelled.
He chuckled to himself. “Where on earth did you find anointed oil?”
“It's not that hard to come by.”
A tight smile stretched at his lips. “You did your homework. I'm impressed. Must have been a powerful elder, or several to cause this amount of damage. Good stuff.” He regarded his burned hand, which had turned red and blotched with peeling skin and small white blisters.
“I'm not going to hurt you, Flower. I can't.” His eyes pleaded for compassion, understanding. His brows knit together in pain, not for his hand but from my firm rejection. I felt his grief burning within my chest, Lilith whining and appealing on his behalf, my arms throbbing to hold him and make it all better, but I had to be strong.
Bright headlights caught both of our attention. Mom's blue Chrysler pulled into the driveway and parked behind mine.
Tobias's sullen expression morphed into one of menace. I looked to Mom, to Tobias, then back to Mom again. The headlights shut off and the car door opened. Her dark head appeared before leaning in to grab her briefcase. I looked back to Tobias and screamed.
On the other side of the glass stood my dad, dressed in a gray suit and tie, smiling down at me. I shook my head, knowing what he would do. Tobias had been in my house long enough to see photos of my family. As the heavyweight champion of mind tricks, he no doubt knew about Mom's unrequited feelings for Dad. This was bad, really bad, and I was helpless to stop it.
Mom's high heels clicked against the pavement, drawing closer. Telling by the evil glint in Tobias's eyes, she would never make it to the front door. I wasn't one to beg, but if it would keep my mother safe, I would kiss the ground he walked on. But the words refused to break free, nor did I have time to speak.
Tobias took one step forward, then stopped dead in his tracks. Horror distorted his features, and the dark brown tint of Dad's skin melted down his face like a runny water-color. Tobias in his true shape appeared behind the fallen mask, terrified beyond words or movement. His breath caught, his eyes bugged out as he watched me, but more directly, the bottle of oil hovered dangerously close to my lips.
Meeting him square in the eye, I shook my head slowly. I wasn't sure what taking olive oil straight to the head would do to me, or Caleb for that matter. But the possibilities were enough to render Tobias motionless, and that was worth the risk.
Mom's keys jangled at the door and if he was going to make his move, now was the time. But he didn't budge. We stared at each other for a long, excruciating minute, communicating our stalemate with silence. His attention locked to my mouth and the lips that touched the rim of the bottle.
Taking a deep breath, he lowered his head, then nodded in a manner that declared defeat. He stepped away from the glass, retreating into the shadows as the front door opened.
“Whoop!” Mom yelped, followed by the thud of her briefcase hitting the floor. By the time I rushed to the door, Mom clung to its knob in an attempt to keep from falling flat on her butt. One foot shot out in front of the other as her left shoe flew off and landed by the stairs.
I raced to her side and grabbed her arm. “Mom, are you okay?”
Standing upright, she yanked and smoothed down her charcoal pantsuit. “Yeah, I must've slipped. Did you spill something by the door?”
“Um, yeah. I'll grab a towel to clean it up.” I went to close the door.
Outside, Tobias stood on the opposite side of the street, that dark cavity cutting through the scenery once again. I may have won this round, but this fight wasn't over. His presence burned into me, waging a war that he vowed to win.
15
T
here was no way to downplay or diminish the temperament of my internal roommate.
here was no way to downplay or diminish the temperament of my internal roommate.
Lilith was straight-up pissed. I'd expected as muchâno one wanted to be used as a bargaining chip in a hostage situation. But it had gotten Tobias off my back for the next three days, so mission accomplished. Seeing as Lilith couldn't talk, she didn't voice her displeasure aloud, but boy, was it obvious. She made her disapproval known by doling out another bout of insomnia.
I'd endured sleepless nights before, but images of Tobias lengthened the hours between midnight and sunrise. I knew for a fact that I wasn't in love with him. I was more than certain I hated him, but that didn't prevent the explicit images from flashing before my eyes. My personal adult video library and we were the lead actors in every scene.
I'd pinch my eyes shut and count to ten to rinse away my filthy mind, but an ocean of water couldn't remove that stain. Only one thing could supplant the immediate need, only one body could replace another. Just thinking about him made me sick with guilt.
Caleb.
What would he think about me drooling over his potential killer, a jilted demon lover on the rebound? I imagined Caleb's bright eyes peering down at me in contempt, though at this point, I'd do anything just to see those eyes open. I missed having someone to confide in; I missed his goofy style and our verbal spars. Heaven help me, I missed his handsâlarge, strong hands that promised safety and comfort.
I kept my promise and stayed away from Caleb's room, technically. With help from one of the orderlies I caught in the parking lot, a few drops of oil protected the door of room 278. I hated using my abilities like that, but I needed to cover my bases.
Though I kept my end of the bargain, I called Haden every few hours for updates. Caleb remained unconscious, but seemed responsive to voices. I explained that I had too much makeup work for school to visit, and the brothers agreed to hold down the fort until I could think of a better lie.
After ending the final call of the night, I stayed awake, but fell into a trance of deep introspection. What a difference a few weeks could make. Or maybe I was the one who had changed? I used to have fun, joke around, and laugh until it hurt. Now, I was a good razor cut away from turning emo. I'd never needed to lie to everyone I cared about, but now lies followed each sentence like punctuation.
Pride demanded that I blame Lilith for flipping my world upside down, but what good would that do? There's no escape from one's self. No matter where I went, there she was: 24-7-52. She felt what I felt and likewise with me. No matter how much it annoyed me, Lilith was now my responsibility, and it was my job to sate her appetite.
That soon became a problem when I nearly passed out in government class the next day. The few drops of Tobias's energy I had kept finally burned off and my poor sleeping habits made the crash that much harder. I was a fiend for another hit, and what's worse, my dealer kept staring at me from behind his textbook, giving me the “sex me” vibe.
After the olive oil standoff, Tobias attended every class we shared, seeking my attention. He didn't dare sit next to me; I kept olive oil in a small body spray bottle in my pocket. This demon business was very much like training a pet. Whenever he misbehaved, I had to hose him down. In return, he sat across the room, using the Jedi mind trick to project his longing and employing Lilith to trigger mine.
I squirmed in my seat, gripping the edge of the desk while witnessing images of Nadine and Tobias. Vivid details crowded my senses: the sounds, the smells, the warmth of his skin. And Lilith, the little perv, did nothing but kick back and cheer them on.
It was wrong, yet I couldn't look away, even if I'd known how. The mating process fascinated me; it was very different from human coupling, not that I knew from personal experience. Some images appeared in split-vision, taking multiple points of view at once. I could feel not only what Nadine felt, but also Tobias, and his response through her. Signals passed through their private frequency, back and forth, moving faster, climbing higher untilâ
“Yo, Sam!” a voice called from the outside world.
I looked up and found Mia glaring down at me, her binder clutched to her chest.
“Class is over,” she reported.
“Oh.” I swept a glance across the now empty classroom and wondered where the time had gone. Mr. Frasier stood in front of the marker board, wiping away notes that I was pretty sure I would need for Friday's test.
Eyeing me in suspicion, Mia said, “I saw how Malik was staring at you. So are the rumors true? Are you two hooking up?”
“No,” I answered and wiped the sweat from my neck and forehead.
“You sure about that? I've seen you two together. That's really messed up, Sam. Caleb's in the hospital, and you're sneaking around like this.”
“I'm not sneaking around, okay?” I gathered my books and scooted out of my seat. “Look, there's more to this than you know. It'sâ”
“Complicated. Yeah, I know. That's what you keep telling me.” Her upper lip curled and twitched. “Just do me a favor. Pick one guy and stick with it.” With a swing of her ponytail, she stomped away.
What was Mia's problem? I'd never seen her so upset before, and it puzzled me to stand at the receiving end of her criticism, a position reserved for Dougie. Any other time, I would've been all over that, but now I had class and a hungry roommate who needed food.
It wasn't good to let Lilith starve or else force her to use her “mojo” to lure boys to me. Subtle signs of the draw began at second period, with boys grinning in my face, and again in gym class during warm-ups.
Mere months ago, no one was thinking about my pudgy ass, but now I had dudesâotherworldly and benignâdrooling like bums in front of a hot meal. How was I going to deal with this when I went off to law school? Men were everywhere, lawyers, bailiffs, judges. I could sway the jury with a smile and I wouldn't have to work for anything in lifeâexcept integrity. Some girls might have reveled in all this attention, but it just left me bitter.
While doing crunches, I regarded the bleachers and what had occurred behind them. Memories of the thrill resurfacedâthe fear, and the unspeakable pleasure of feeding. Boys stretched across the gym, muscles flexing, all that potent male testosterone pumping through the air. My body ached, my tongue burned for another taste, yet the energy wafting off the students was only a tease. I wanted the real thing, the whole thing. I needed a donor and I needed it now!
Tempted beyond human limits, I raced out of the gym to the locker room before the plot to attack my peers was set to action. Leaning over the sink, I looked Lilith square in the eyes. Her light flickered and swelled behind my brown contacts in an attempt to break free.
Mimicking my mother's best authoritative voice, I said, “We can't do this. That was a one-time thing and it's over.”
She wasn't having it and showed her disobedience with more tingles.
I grabbed my book bag out of my locker and fished for the emergency candy hiding at the bottom. Sweets were just a temporary solution, but a great substitute in a pinch. My hand ran across the bottle of olive oil I tucked away. As though struck by an electric shock, Lilith jumped and cowered in her private little corner.
“That's it! I said I was sorry. What is your problem? I'm sick of you and your attitude. Either you talk to me orâ”
Before I could finish, an image appeared before my eyes.
I stood in front of a steamy bathroom mirror, but it wasn't me. It was Nadine. Her wet blond hair rested in a tangled twist on one shoulder. Her skin looked almost translucent under the harsh light. Droplets of water ran down her neck, absorbing into the towel wrapped around her. Her green eyes glistened with tears, hooded under shadows that came with no sleep. She held a bottle of pills with shaky hands, and cried as if it was the answer to her prayers.
“This is for the best,” she whispered as she poured out the tablets and swallowed one by one.
Lilith screamed inside her headâas much as spirits could screamâpleading for her to stop. Nadine ignored her and kept swallowing pills, washing it down with handfuls of water from the tap. The drugs worked fast, and each time she threw her head back, the surroundings blurred. Lines, shapes, and a filmy coat framed the edges. Lilith trembled within, worrying the spine to get Nadine's attention.
“I need to get away from him. You won't let me, ” she muttered.
Lilith whined and twitched, a servant tugging to the hem of her master's robe, begging not just for her life, but for her home.
“You want me to stop?” Nadine slurred. “Then you cut your connection with Tobias. Now!”
I blinked away the vision and welcomed the familiar layout of the locker room. Tears dragged down my cheeks, joining the wet trail down my neck.
Collecting my thoughts, I asked, “She tried to kill herself? To get rid of you? Because of Tobias?”
Lilith tingled in reply.
“And you think I'm trying to do the same thing with the oil?”
Another twitch cruised up my spine.
“Lilith, I'm sorry. I wouldn't do that. I admit I wish things could go back the way they were, for you to be with Nadine, but we can't. We're each other's now, and I promise I won't do anything to hurt you.”
The sound of a toilet flushing stopped our little heart-to-heart. I'd checked the stalls earlier, and I hadn't seen or heard anyone come in. The door opened and the image that greeted me turned my blood to ice. I forced my mouth not to drop open at who stood there, plain as day and within earshot of my one-sided dialogue.
“Oh my God! Mia?”
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