Voodoo Kiss

Chapter 24



Pain rippled through my body in long pangs that made breathing difficult. My muscles contracted, the effort drenching me in sweat. From the periphery of my mind, I knew someone was around me, holding my hand, whispering soothing words in my ears, begging me to come back. I smiled because I remembered Thrain. Our kiss, our night together. It had been so special, so beautiful. I wanted it again, that perfect moment of hope and happiness that seared my heart and soul every time our gazes connected. So I held on and fought when that darkness threatened to pull me in.

When I finally opened my eyes, I squinted against the glaring brightness, wishing someone had thought of closing the curtains. And then I realized Thrain wasn't there. It was Devon standing next to my bed, dark and broody, dressed in his usual black attire. Behind him, Aidan leaned against the wall. And next to him was a familiar face I couldn't immediately place. Tall guy with dark bed hair and blue eyes, Aidan's spitting image but a bit bulkier, clad in blue jeans and a crumpled shirt.

"She's awake," the guy whispered.

"Last time I checked no one was blind," Cass muttered from my right.

My head shot in her direction, surprised to find her here. And there he stood. Thrain. Right next to her. For a moment, I forgot to breathe as I lost myself in his impossibly green eyes. Smiling, I reached out for him. He grabbed my hand in a tight grip, placed a soft kiss on my palm, and leaned over me to whisper in my ear. "I was so scared I'd lose you."

"Fat chance." My raspy voice was barely audible in my ears. "How long have I been gone?"

"Too long. Now drink this." He held a glass of what looked like water to my lips. I took a few sips and grimaced at the bitter residue on my tongue.

"I'm so sorry," the dark guy with blue eyes said, drawing my attention to him. It took me a split second to remember where we had met. The garden behind our hotel in Rio de Janeiro. He had been the one to warn me. Kieran. How strange I didn't see the resemblance between Aidan and him straight away. Must have been because it was dark.

"You should be, moron. It's your fault she was almost killed," Cass hissed. "What's it with you and killing mortals? Must be a curse or something." She turned to face me. "Sofia, this is Aidan's brother, Kieran McAllister, who must've inherited the stupidity in their clan." I nodded because I appreciated the introduction even if I didn't need it.

"How could I've known the weirdo intended to use the blade to murder someone?" Kieran said. "He claimed it was a collector's item."

"Collector's item, my ass," Aidan muttered. "A bounty hunter's job is to find out what the object's used for before retrieving it."

My head snapped from left to right as I tried to make sense of their words. Gael had employed Kieran to look for something. Could it be a blade?

"The Blade of Sorrow," Cass said, reading my mind as she shot Kieran a venomous look. "Every idiot could look up on the internet what it's good for. Seriously, with all the weird writing on it, did it look like a collector's item to you? You wouldn't even see it if it had a sticky note with the words 'ritual killing' attached to it." She smirked.

Her words triggered my memories. The stone circle and the rising sun, so beautiful and yet terrible. Gael wanting to spill my blood, claiming only the blade in his hands could kill me. Me knocking my head as I tried to escape that madman's blow.

"It's okay. I'm sure you had a reason." I smiled at poor Kieran who had so clearly been played, just like me.

"Sure, he does," Cass said. "Since big brother had to hide in Hell, money's been tight. Kieran had two options, either get a day job like everyone else, or turn part-time crook and steal stuff. Do I need to point out which option he chose?"

"Bounty hunter," Kieran said through gritted teeth.

"Is that what you call it?" Cass asked, grinning. "Don't flatter yourself, mate. I'm outta here. Call you later, Soph." She kissed my cheek, then breezed out the door, the bright rays of sun falling in through the window catching in her red mane. I wondered whether by calling she actually meant popping over any time she wanted. I hoped she would.

"What happened to Gael?" I asked Devon. "Did you—"

"Kill him?" He raised his brows. "We don't kill our own kind, Sofia."

Nodding, I swallowed hard. They had no problem betraying others though. "So Gael's a Shadow?"

"Half Shadow. His mother was one of us. His father's something entirely else." He hesitated, and I wondered whether there was more to the story. Devon continued, not giving me a chance to pursue the matter. "He's been trying to take his place among our kind for years. He thought by killing you and passing your powers into our possession to save our Queen, we'd finally grant him entrance to our world."

Kieran snorted, interrupting him. "The guy's clearly messed up big time. Who in their right mind would want to join a legion of black eyed freaks with the personality of a freezer?" Aidan elbowed him in the ribs. Grinning, Kieran shrugged. "You're right. I'm so sorry, I'm offending one of the greatest inventions of our time. Humanity would be lost without a freezer."

A dangerous glitter flickered in Devon's eyes, reminding me of the way Gael had looked at me many times during our relationship. "Let's get back to the topic before someone gets seriously hurt. There's no doubt he'll come back for you together with others, who'll want to use your powers for their own gain. I won't be there to protect you."

My heart sank in my chest at the implication of yet more danger. As though sensing my emotions, Thrain squeezed my hand. As my bonded mate, he would face it with me, I knew it. He didn't even need to say it. I raised my chin defiantly. Whatever fate had mapped out for me, I wasn't scared.

"Bring it on." My voice didn't sound quite as convincing as I intended to make it sound. "That reminds me, why are you even here? I thought you couldn't enter the property."

Aidan smirked. "He doesn't. Amber invited him. For some inexplicable reason, she still thinks his kind and the vampires should be burying our ancient misunderstandings."

"They weren't misunderstandings, only consequences," Devon said. "One of you killed half a dozen of us. I was there and remember the incident clearly."

"Dude, how old are you?" Kieran said, grinning. "If you start crumbling into dust I swear I'm not going to clean up after you."

Devon's jaw set. His serious expression betrayed the fight he was leading with himself. In the end, his shoulders tensed but he didn't take Kieran up on the offer of a brawl. "As he was saying," Devon continued, pointing at Aidan, "Amber invited me in to sit with you in case your wellbeing deteriorated. And I agreed wholeheartedly because your time hasn't come yet. Our rules state that no mortal soul shall come to harm at the hands of a Shadow." He leaned forward to look deep into my eyes. I flinched at the perfection of his features and the blackness of his gaze standing in contrast to the smooth, pale skin. "We want your soul, Sofia, make no mistake about that. And your soul will belong to the Cemetery of the Dead as arranged many centuries ago."

"Never," Thrain hissed, startling me. I patted his hand, my gaze begging him to keep his mouth shut and let Devon reveal his intentions. Knowing what to expect was the key to finding a way to get out of that binding contract I had signed centuries ago.

"Our Queen has never been wrong," Devon continued unfazed. His gaze glimmered black, daring Thrain to disagree.

I took a deep breath and squeezed Thrain's hand a bit harder to send out a warning. "My sister died at the hands of a Shadow, Gael's brother, Derrick. I bet you didn't know that, huh?" Anger rose inside me. Why hadn't they been there to help her? Why would I deserve to live and not Theo?"

"Her time had come anyway. She'll be reincarnated," Devon said, coolly. It was a cheap excuse for not monitoring the lunatics among them, and I had no doubt many Shadows were marked by madness, what with their queen feeding from her own people, turning them into something unnatural, evil.

I bit my lip hard to keep back a biting remark. Blaming others for my own failure wasn't me.

"I shall leave now. Goodbye, Sofia, and if you ever change your mind about joining us, you know how to reach us." Devon's hand touched my shoulder lightly, then pulled back.

"I'll accompany you out," Thrain said, standing. My gaze followed him as he walked out a step behind Devon.

"You know you can't trust him," Aidan whispered as soon as the door closed. I nodded and shot him a smile. His expression remained serious, worried. "You can stay here for as long as you want."

"Thank you for the offer, but it's time to go home."

He hesitated. "As you wish. But if you ever need help, we'll be there for you. Amber and I will always be in your debt for saving Dallas."

My smile widened. "I appreciate it."

"I didn't take this job for the money," Kieran whispered. I opened my mouth to speak but he raised his hand, stopping me. " I don't know if you know about the Lore court." He trailed off, making it sound like a question. I shook my head so he continued, "Okay, I probably shouldn't tell you, but since only that blade can kill you I guess you're immortal too, sort of. Ever since Amber was turned into one of us, immortals from the Lore court have been after her, my brother and me. Gael was a member of the Lore court. He tried to get in touch with Aidan but couldn't get hold of him, so he made a deal with me. He said the Lore court would stop hunting us if I found the blade for him."

I could see the shame in his blue eyes. "Don't worry about it. I understand." I squeezed his hand to signal that I meant it.

"So we're good?" I nodded. A smile lit up Kieran's face. "You know, you're a gem. If Thrain and you didn't—" he clicked his tongue, making me blush, "—I would've taken you out to dinner, get a few drinks." His voice trailed off again.

"Kieran." Aidan's tone was sharp. A warning. Grinning, Kieran winked at me, and then we said goodbye, and he left with Aidan.

I stood up and walked to the window, minding my still aching ankle. The crow was there, peering at me from the sill. I opened the window and held out my hand gently to avoid startling the bird. But it wasn't shy. Cawing softly, it jumped on my arm, its claws pressing into my skin.

"You're a girl, aren't you?" I don't know what made me draw that conclusion, but it felt right. The crow cawed, whether to agree or negate my statement I couldn't tell.

"I'm sorry if you're not. And I'm really sorry for thinking you were the bad guy when all you wanted was to warn me," I whispered, smiling. "To my excuse I have to say my knowledge of human nature is crap."

The crow let out another caw before taking off into the sky. Maybe she was pissed off at me for assuming she didn't mean well. Or maybe she wasn't a girl after all. It didn't matter. What mattered was that I had fallen for Gael's lies and I wasn't proud of it. I should've seen behind his calculated mask and his fake friendliness. The signs had been there: his controlling behavior, his cold gazes when he thought I wasn't looking. My need for comfort after my sister's death had made me too trusting. It wouldn't happen again.

Thanks to a couple of painkillers, the pain in my chest had receded to a bearable throb. Engrossed in my thoughts, I took a shower and changed into my clothes, ready to go home. As much as I adored my new friends, all I wanted was a bit of solitude to plan my next step regarding my career because, yes, I wanted to be a star, but safety came first. And that needed lots of planning, which involved a home movement, a change in name and appearance so that Gael wouldn't find me straight away.

Dressed in my jeans and top, I sat down on the bed and took a deep breath to steady my sudden nervousness. What would be in store for me now? How would my relationship with Thrain turn out away from all the turmoil and excitement?

A knock on the door and Thrain peered in. "Ready?"

I nodded and interlocked my fingers with his. We joined the others downstairs to say goodbye.

"You sure you don't want to stay a bit longer?" Amber whispered.

"I can't. College's starting soon and I have a million things to sort out first." I smiled and gave her a last squeeze. "See you again?"

"You bet." Her eyes sparkled with interest. "Do you think you'll enjoy college?"

Her strange question took me by surprise. I moistened my lips as I tried to make sense of it. "I hope so."

Aidan wrapped his arm around Amber's shoulders and pulled her close. "Want us to teleport you home?"

"Nah, we got that part covered," Thrain said.

"We'll miss you," Amber whispered, pushing a bundle into my hands. I peered at my passport and a few other things I thought I had left back in Rio.

"Thanks." I could feel moisture gathering in my eyes. Wiping my tears away, I let everyone give me one last hug and then accompanied Thrain to the car parked in the driveway. Thrain held the door open and I hopped in. As the vehicle pulled away, my resolve crumbled and the first two tears spilled down my cheeks. We drove through the open gates and down the winding country lane, past impenetrable scrubland and thick trees with dark green leaves that filtered the sunlight. I leaned my head back, prepared for a long drive.

"I forgot to give you this," Thrain said, breaking the silence as he pulled out a red envelope from under his jacket.

"What is it?"

"Why don't you just open it?"

With shaking fingers I tore through the thick paper, cutting my finger in the process. Inside was a white card with gold cursive and lots of glitter. I began to read. "It's an invitation to Cass's birthday party," I said eventually.

Thrain's eyes twinkled as he winked at me. "You're officially one of us now, which means don't even think about coming up with an excuse for not attending because she won't have it. Knowing Cass, she'll bite your head off if you even try."

"I wouldn't even dream of it." Laughing, I pushed the envelope inside my handbag for safekeeping. "Are we going to the airport?"

"Nope."

"No?" I peered at his amused expression.

"Did you really think this is my usual means of transportation?" He pointed at the interior of the car. I didn't want to acknowledge that he was right in that I did assume that, so I shook my head.

"Obviously not. I knew you had a trick up your sleeve."

"It's not exactly a trick," Thrain said, slowing down until we moved at the speed of a snail. "More like an ability. Look ahead."

I peered at the empty air, wondering what I was supposed to see. And then I noticed the tiny particles sparkling a few feet away from us. They looked like sunlight catching in tiny dewdrops, and yet I knew dewdrops didn't hover in mid air.

"It's a portal," Thrain explained, stopping the car just a few inches away. "I have the ability to find and open them." The air around us started to crackle just a tiny bit, barely noticeable but enough to make the hair on my arms stand.

"So they're not everywhere?"

"There's plenty of exists, but only a few that can be entered. We usually drive around to find an entrance."

"And it can spit us out anywhere?"

"Only through an exit near a place of your choice." He shot me a grin. "Ready?"

"Wait!" I gripped the armrest tight and took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

Thrain hit the accelerator. A moment later, the car hit something hard, like the surface of water, catapulting us forward, then backward against our seats. Thrain laughed. I gasped, my heart skipping a beat. Dizziness washed over me and I closed my eyes. When I opened them a second later, our surrounding had changed from trees and lots of greenery to a dirty road near a bridge. My gaze wandered from the passing vehicles whirling up dust to the skyscrapers in the distance. Manhattan lay on the other side of the river.

"We're in Brooklyn," Thrain said, switching lanes.

I nodded, already missing Scotland's breathtaking nature and clean air. "My apartment is around here."

"I know." Was that disappointment in his voice? I shot him a sideway glance. His face betrayed no emotion. Ten minutes later, I recognized my block. To my surprise, Thrain knew exactly where to park and get out. A hot hunk walking me to the door seemed surreal, as though I was coming back from an amazing adventure no one would ever believe. Only a few days ago, I had been nothing but a young woman trying to figure out who she was. I felt different now, more confident, more determined to embrace my true self.

Fishing in my handbag, I pulled out my keys with shaky fingers and tried to unlock the door to the building.

"Let me help you," Thrain said, grabbing the keys out of my hand. I let him do the work for me and followed him in through the narrow hall up to my apartment on the seventh floor. The hall still smelled of garbage as always, the plaster was still peeling off the wall in several places. I guessed I got used to it in the months I had been living here, but walking up with Thrain on my arm, the state of this place made me insecure. Would he think differently of me now the glamour was gone? What would he say to my tiny matchbox apartment with the old furniture I liked to call retro and the windows that wouldn't open most of the time?

"Want to come in?" I asked as soon as we reached the door, ready to find out the answers to all the questions bugging me.

He smiled. "I'd love to."

"My roommate might be here." I let him walk in and closed the door behind us.

"Then she'll get to watch quite a performance," Thrain whispered, catching me between the door and his hard body. I raised my lips to meet him as his arms wrapped around my waist. His hungry mouth descended onto mine, and for a moment the earth actually trembled beneath our feet.

Later, we lay on the couch, his arm draped around me, my fingers drawing circles on his naked chest where his tattoo seemed to twitch beneath my exploring fingers. I could see the silver thread around us, binding our souls together. It was strange looking at the sparkling air that seemed to be shifting slowly before my eyes, wondering whether he could see it too. My finger traced the air where the particles shimmered like tiny diamonds, barely visible if I didn't focus. We were bonded, drawn together by fate, which made the entire situation both bitter sweet and tragic. Two people from different worlds. Would it work out?

"Do you remember the talk you never wanted to have?" Thrain asked.

Groaning, I propped up on my elbow. What was it with this guy and his tendency to spoil the most beautiful moments with talk? I raised my brows. "Nope. Do you?"

"I can't stay here—with you."

His words caught me off guard. "You said that already."

"No, you don't understand." He shook his head, his eyes gleamed with something I couldn't pinpoint. "I want this. I want us, but it's going to be difficult with my job. I don't have a choice because I was made to serve. We'll have to figure something out because I'm not leaving you here all alone with a killer still on the loose."

His attitude pissed me off. As much as I fancied the idea of a proper, long-term boyfriend, I didn't like him thinking me weak. I wanted him to stay because he had fallen in love with me, but not to protect me. "I don't need a babysitter, Thrain." My tone sounded sharper than intended, and yet I couldn't help myself. I had been taking care of myself my whole life. Once I learned to use my new powers, I would be immortal, able to fend off even the Blade of Sorrow.

"Come with me." His thumb brushed my cheek gently, his green gaze betraying his emotions. It broke my heart to say it, and yet I had no choice.

"I want to, but I can't, just like you can't get away from your commitments." I took a deep breath to hide the quiver in my voice. "You see, a long time ago I made a promise to myself and to my family that I would succeed as a musician. I can't back down on my word."

He nodded. "Well, in that case I'm not going to try and change your mind. It wouldn't be right." He was putting my own needs before his. I appreciated his respect, but it stung that he didn't even try to find a solution to our dilemma.

"Thank you," I said, swallowing down my pride.

"I'll visit you whenever I can. We can take it from there," Thrain whispered.

Promise, I wanted to say, but I didn't because it would make me seem needy. I opened my mouth to say that I would very much like to see him again when my emotions choked me. So I just pressed my temple against his shoulder to hide the tears threatening to spill down my cheeks. I wished I had a choice, but I didn't. My voice was a gift I intended to use. My mother and grandmother were counting on me. I needed the money to help them out of poverty. I wouldn't disappoint them like my father did, not when they had sacrificed so much to get me where I was now.

An hour later, Thrain left me with a last kiss and the promise to return soon. I knew soon could mean anything. A day. A week. A month. A long time when surviving even an hour without him already seemed like the toughest task of my life.





Epilogue



Six weeks later



The sun spilled bright rays through the café window, where I worked during my study breaks and the regular, badly paid performances my band mate, Aaron, set me up with. We were still a team, albeit a more efficient one now that Gael was no longer here to monitor my every move. With experience, my voice had gained in depth, and with every gig I felt more confident. Aaron said if we kept up the exposure we'd be a household name soon. I trusted his knowledge of the business, so I focused on using every opportunity to perform while staying away from the usual industry parties fueled with sex and drugs.

In the last six weeks, my inspiration had been at an all time high. I had been missing Thrain so much that I poured everything I had into songwriting. Like promised, he had called but our conversations had been brief and superficial. Several times I wanted to ask when I'd be seeing him again, but I chickened out. The only glimpse I caught of him was at Cass's birthday party, followed by a heated kiss and yet another painful goodbye. He hadn't called in a week now, which made me wonder what he was up to and whether he had already forgotten about me.

I wiped the counter to finish my morning shift, then hurried home to get changed for my first class. A few days ago, I had moved into a room on campus, figuring I was closer to college and could fully focus on my studies. Besides, I would be safer here. My new roommate would arrive today, so I made a quick stop at a convenience store to get coffee and cake. A good first impression could decide whether sharing a room with a stranger for the next four years would be bearable or pure hell.

As I opened the door to the dorm room, the bathroom lights were already switched on.

"Hello?" My voice reverberated from the walls, making me cringe because it sounded so insecure. Truth was, I wasn't over the fact that Gael had tried to kill me.

A girl dressed in jeans and a long sweater, black hair in a ponytail, appeared in the doorway and held out her hand. "Oh, hi. You must be Sofia. I'm Liz, your new roommate." She was pretty with tiny freckles covering her cheeks, a bit taller and more athletic, but she didn't look like she was the chocolate-skipping kind. I instantly warmed up to her.

Grabbing her hand in a tight grip, I looked behind her at the things cluttering the bathroom floor, then back to her. "Sorry about the mess. I didn't expect you before eight."

She nodded, her eyes shimmering. "Yeah. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all."

She grinned and something flickered in her gaze. I thought I recognized her from somewhere, but it couldn't be. I had never met her before.

"So we'll be roommates, huh? How cool is that?" She pointed at the box in my hand. "Is that cake?"

I smiled. "Chocolate topping. Figured you'd like it."

"Love it. I got you a gift as well," Liz whispered, her tone growing a little husky.

"Really?" I raised my brows at her broad smile and her sparkling eyes. There was something weird about her. She was staring at me strangely, like something was wrong with me. It freaked me out a bit.

"It's on your nightstand."

I nodded and walked past her through the tiny hall into our bedroom. It was quite spacious with two beds and desks as well as a tiny walk-in closet and a few bookshelves. What I liked best, however, was the view on the communal garden that I knew I would frequent often. As soon my gaze fell on the huge, hideous thing on my bed, my heart almost stopped and I let out a loud shriek. There, right next to pillow sat a butt-ugly gargoyle with shiny, red eyes peering right at me. Its mouth hung slightly open, revealing a long string of sharp teeth. I swear for a moment I thought it grinned at me, but it might as well been a silent growl. Either way, this thing looked very much alive—I could tell from the way its ginormous head cocked to one side to get a better glimpse of me, probably considering whether to have me for lunch now or a bit later. I took a step back, unsure whether to dash for the door in case it might give chase.

Something touched my shoulder gently, startling me. I turned sharply and peered into the most gorgeous green eyes ever.

"You don't like your gift?" Thrain asked with a grin playing on his full lips. Lips I wanted to kiss that instant.

"You scared the hell out of me," I said, catching my breath. "How did you get in here?"

He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close until our lips met. "I have a few tricks up my sleeve."

"My roommate might not like it." I peered behind him, where Liz had just been standing a minute ago. The hall to our en suite stood empty. "Where did she—" My gaze wandered back to him, regarding him, his gorgeous smile, the way he carried himself, so confident, amused, mischievous. Something flickered in his eyes, reminding me that I had seen it before. I could feel my brain working, putting together the missing pieces of the puzzle. Thrain was a demon, but what did he say he could do? Tracking and shape shifting. Realization kicked in when I remembered the girl in the woods on the day Gael tried to kill me. She had been the spitting image of me. Later, while Gael kept me hostage inside the circle, Thrain had been standing in the girl's place, next to Devon. Thrain had tried to fool Gael in order to save me.

"You're my roommate," I said, not trying to hide the surprise in my voice.

Thrain's grin widened. "I thought you'd never figure it out."

"So, are you staying?"

"For as long as I can." He moistened his lips as he drew me down on the bed. I settled into his arms, inhaling his manly scent, as I tried to ignore the gargoyle inching closer to sniff my hand. "Since you saved Cass, the big boss has decided to give me a bit more free time. I'll have to leave every now and then, during which Bonnie—" Thrain pointed at the gargoyle "—will be taking care of you."

Bonnie? He couldn’t be serious. More like Monster or Craze. The gargoyle grunted and slumped down on the bed, snuggling next to my thigh like a cuddly cat. I wasn't sure whether to rub her head or run away, screaming. I figured it might take me a while to warm up to my new pet. Particularly at night.

"Guys aren't allowed to spend the night," I said.

Thrain nodded. "Which is why I'm going to be Liz most of the time."

The thought almost made me burst out with laughter. "You want me to make out with a girl?"

"You would do that?" Thrain cocked a brow.

I slapped his arm. "Just so you know the rules. First, no touching when you're Liz."

"Come on, admit it. You thought she was hot."

He couldn’t be serious. I slapped his arm again, this time harder. "I mean it. Second, I'm not cleaning after you. And third—" I took a deep breath to steady my racing heart "—I'm not going to bed without a goodnight kiss every night."

"Rule number three is definitely a must," Thrain whispered, cupping my face in his hands. "Unless you have other plans, I hope you don't mind we start practicing now?"

I shook my head then pulled him down to kiss him, my first class of the day forgotten.





THE END…for now.