DEVON
Flipping on my hood, I made my way out of my room and down the stairs. Mum was a heavy sleeper and I'd told her that I wanted to go to bed early. So, she'd kissed me goodnight and had retreated to her room. Since Dad wasn't coming home tonight, I figured it would be to my advantage. Plus, I desperately needed to make sure Theo was okay. I tiptoed out of the house, quietly shutting the door behind me. Taking a deep breath, I started to move towards my car.
"Young lady, where are you going to, by this time of the night?" Raj, the gate keeper said to me with a frown on his face.
"Please, my friend needs me. It's very important" I said and he narrowed his eyes.
"I don't believe you."
"You know I've never done this before, I swear my friend needs my help. It's a matter of death and life" I said. "Why didn't you tell your parents, then?"
"They won't let me," I cried.
He looked at me and let out a sigh. "Fine. You had better be telling the truth. Make sure you come home before four a.m" he said and I nodded frantically. I drove off with my eyes on the road.
When Lucian had told me they were living few blocks away from my house, I'd been relieved. I got to their house and parked my car. It was a beautiful storey building with a neat lawn and garden. Two cars were parked by the side of the house. I turned off the ignition and got out, my heart thudding madly. Just as I raised my fist to knock on the door, the door opened.
Lucian stood there with a grim look on his face. He looked different. His hair wasn't black and curly like before. His silverish blond hair was long and was nearly waist-length. His eyes were a sharp silver and there was a black tattoo of a diamond on his temple.
"You look different" I said and he rolled his eyes.
"That was glamour. This," he said, gesturing at himself. "Is my real form"
When I noticed the blood stain on his grey T-shirt, my heart sank.
"It's high time you came," he said, moving aside to let me in. The house was cool and it had a homey feel.
"Where is he?" I asked.
"Come with me," he said, ascending the stairs.
He got to a white door just along the passage way. Glancing at me, he twisted the door knob and opened the door. "Ladies first," he said and I nervously, stepped into the very neat bedroom.
This must be Theo's, I thought.
A woman sat by the bedside, whispering to someone who was lying on the bed. I moved closer and gasped.
He looked so drained and there were blood stains splattered on the floor, on his lips and his jaw. His eyes were closed, long eyelashes brushing the top of his cheeks. His breathing was laboured, long hair sprawled across the pillow. I rushed to his side, alarmed. I felt a dull pain all over me. No doubt, it wasn't even half of what he was feeling. The woman by his bedside wiped his jaw and lips with wipes.
She looked at me, worriedly.
"You're Devon, right?" She asked. I nodded.
"He's been asking for you," she said to me, rising to her feet. "I'm Rachel, his adoptive mother" she said and I forced out a smile. I was so worried, I couldn't concentrate.
"I'll leave you two alone," Rachel said and left the room. I took her position by his bedside, then I took his hand in mine.
"Theo?" I said, stroking his hair. His eyelashes fluttered delicately. "I'm right here. I'm here for you," I whispered, pressing a kiss to his pale knuckles.
He let out a weak groan and opened his eyes. Tears welled up my eyes. I did this to him.
"Dev?" He croaked.
"Yeah?"
"H-how are you here? I don't-" He rasped, chest heaving.
"I'm so sorry. I know you're hurting and it's my fault. I hope I can make you feel better" I whispered, my thumb stroking the back of his palm. He closed his eyes, letting out a sigh.
"I'm glad you're here. I'm so glad you're here" he croaked.
"It's okay, get some rest. I'm right here" I said still stroking his silk black hair.
....
Despite how drained he looked, it didn't change the fact that he was still so beautiful. I watched him sleep. One of the black symbols just below his collar bone was glowing a bright golden color. I covered him with a blanket, tucking it securely around his body. I wasn't planning on leaving until I knew he was okay.
The door opened, Luke walked in and mopped off the blood from the floor.
"Will he be okay?" I asked after he'd gotten rid of the mess. He shrugged and sat down on the couch.
"He'll be fine. Tell me what happened" he said and I told him about Kayden.
"If he was actually attending your school, I would've seen his aura. I don't get it. How did he even know that it would affect Theo?" Luke said, pacing back and forth in the room.
"I don't understand, either. I don't understand why it's affecting him so much and not me" I said.
"If you were actually like Theo, you would've felt it just as much as he's feeling it. Kayden or whosoever he is actually strained the connection between you and Theo. It would've killed him if the demon had strained the connection a little longer. Think of it as tying a cord around someone's heart and pulling at the cord until it's close to snapping"
I gasped, tears filling my eyes. "You said you wanted to leave several times but you felt like you couldn't" he said and I nodded.
"Yeah"
"I think he was using the power of persuasion on you. Whatever Kayden is, we need to find him and eliminate him. He's a major threat to not just Theo but everyone else out there"
I swallowed hard, gazing at Theo's immobile figure.
"I don't deserve him" I said.
"What? I'm still mad at you for doing what you did, but why would you say that?" Luke said, taken aback.
"He just revealed himself to me, today--and look what I've done. I nearly got him killed. I'm not good for him" I said, tears blurring my vision. "Don't say that. You're only human. You didn't mean to hurt him. It doesn't make you a bad person. Don't ever say that again" he said and I nodded, weakly.
Theo groaned aloud and I rushed to his side.
"Water" he croaked.
I propped his head up and placed a glass of water to his lips. When he'd drained it, I placed the empty glass on the night stand.
"Are you feeling better?" Lucian asked
"Yeah" he replied.
"Alright, then. I'm leaving" he said and left.
"You should get some sleep" Theo said to me.
"Yeah.... right" I said.
I hadn't exactly brought comfy clothes with me.
"Are you going to sleep in those tight jeans?" He asked and my cheeks turned pink.
"Come on, Dev. Don't be shy" he said and I blushed harder. He got out of his bed and I opened my mouth to protest. It was of no use anyway. He took out a black T-shirt and handed it over to me. "Thanks" I said and slipped into the bathroom.
I took a refreshing shower and put on his shirt. It hung midway down my thighs. I dried my hair and let it tumble down my back. His shirt smelt like him.
Pine and lemons.
It was so relaxing.
I stepped out of the bathroom, nervously.
He was lying on his bed, eyes closed. He opened his eyes and gazed at me with a smirk on his face.
"Well, you look better than I look when I wear that shirt" he said and my cheeks caught fire. "Lie with me" he said. I laid down beside him and he held me close to himself, my head on his chest. I could literally feel the warmth coming from him.
I closed my eyes, letting out a soft sigh.
"I'm sorry" I whispered.
"It's not your fault, Dev" he whispered.
"You're still a bit feverish" I said. "I'll be fine" he said, stroking my hair.
It was just him and me. That was all that mattered right now
...
I slept off for a bit in Theo's arms and dreamt of staking Theo right through the heart. My eyes shot open and I took shaky breaths, trying to get myself to calm down but I couldn't. Tears pricked my eyes, threatening to spill. I'd almost gotten him killed. What if he'd actually died? I whimpered, burying my face against Theo's chest. I couldn't stop the sobs that escaped my lips. I felt him rub my shoulders, it only made me sob harder.
"Don't cry, love" I heard him say and I shook my head weakly. I raised my head, gazing into his half- opened eyes. I didn't care if I was a mess.
"You don't know what really happened, Theo. I've never been so terrified. I almost killed you. I feel so horrible. I can't-"
He placed a long, elegant finger on my lips, silencing me. "Breathe" he said and I let out a sigh. I took a deep breath.
"Now tell me. What happened exactly?" He asked.
"There's a guy in my school. His name's Kayden. He's like the school's biggest nerd. The day after the masquerade ball. I started to notice how similar you two were and I- kinda got caught up with it all"
He remained silent, watching me carefully as he traced small circles on my arm. "He asked me out on a date few days ago and I couldn't refuse. I wanted desperately to refuse him.... but it was impossible. I agreed. But yesterday, I was having second thoughts about it.... that was right before you visited"
Theo was frowning at this point, his muscles tense.
"It was like a horrible coincidence. He sent me a message"
"What did it say?" He asked.
I grabbed my phone from the night stand and showed him the message. His frown deepened.
"When I went on a date with him, it was like I wasn't in control. I kept talking and I don't even remember most of it. I don't know if I told him about us and I feel so dirty.....so used. I was so terrified when he said you were going to burn. It took everything in me just to free myself from his hold. I shouldn't have agreed to go out on a date with him. It's all my fault, don't you see that?" I said and raised my head to look at him. I was shocked to see him smiling at me, fondly.
"It's not your fault, Dev. You couldn't control it. You couldn't fight it. We just have to find the son of a bitch" he said and I smiled.
"My mum told me I'm going to have to get married to the son of one of my dad's business associate" I said. He bit his lower lip, still drawing weird shapes on my arm. "He's not a problem. We'll figure it out" he said.
I stared at him.
"You're not mad at me for not telling you before now?"
"I'm not mad at you, love"
I nodded and closed my eyes as his thumb wiped off my tears. The digital clock read 3: 58am. I had to go home right away but I didn't wanna leave. I just wanted to lie in his bed, wrapped in his arms forever. I don't want to sound selfish but that's just how I felt.
"One day, we'll have plenty of time to do that. You should go home, Dev. You don't want to be grounded, do you?" Theo said and I gasped.
How did he-
"Did you just read my mind?" I asked, eyes wide.
"You were lost in thought, just wanted to know what you were thinking" he said, smirking. My cheeks went pink. "Don't worry, love. I'm all yours" he said, brushing my hair away from my face.
I placed the back of my hand on his forehead. He wasn't feverish anymore.
"I'm fine now, you don't have to worry" he said, flicking my nose with his finger, gently.
"Hey!" I said, pouting.
"You're so cute" he said and I laughed.
"I'm so glad I met you, Theo. I'm going to make up for what I did. I promise" I said and he smiled, dimples popping out.
"You should" he said and I grinned before putting on my jeans. I grabbed my hoodie and put it on.
I pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Now, get some sleep" I said.
The door opened, a silver eyed Lucian walked in, dressed in a black hoodie and a jacket. He had a black thigh holster on with several knives and a mean looking sword. Woah.
"Come on, princess. Time to go" he said, smirking.
I rolled my eyes and left the room with him. I got into my car. "Drive. I'll follow you" Lucian said.
"You don't need to-"
"Theo wants me to. Trust me, you have no idea what you're dealing with. Several creatures roam the streets by this time. It's better I keep an eye on you" he said and I smiled. He was such a good friend.
As I drove, I looked back to see Lucian hovering above my car with silver wings stretched wide.
'Holy Macaroni!' I thought as I marveled at the astonishing sight.
I drove in safely and sneaked into my room.
"Do have a great day, princess" Lucian said to me and flew out of my window with wings stretched wide.
It was beautiful. I started to wonder what Theo's wings would look like.
I let out a contented sigh and closed my eyes, letting the cool breeze make contact with my face.