Vala Eminence Read online

  “Now we're safe,” Denver said. “And we don't need to go much farther than here, because it's pretty cozy.”

  “Yeah, but…” Zes walked toward the mouth of a dark cave, frowning. “Where does it go?”

  Denver shrugged. “Hot spring. It's not anything you need to worry about, okay?”

  “How did you find out about it?”

  “Hot date — anything else you need to know?”

  “Need to, no. But I sure am curious,” Zes said softly. He leaned against the wall. “I'll just have to explore another time.”

  No, please don't. Maybe I can make him forget about it just like I did his brother? Then again, I don't want him to forget about all of our conversation in the process. Whatever, let him explore and find out what's down here. I have nothing to hide. It's just going to make him more depressed.

  Zes waved a hand in front of him. “You going to talk to me now?”

  “What made you change your mind?” Denver asked.

  “Cheyenne.” The way Zes said her name made Denver clench his fists. It sounded too much like a lost puppy dog whining for its master. Zes glanced at Denver and shook his head. “I know how that sounds, I know, and that's part of the problem. You said she's been acting strangely lately. I noticed it at lunch when you were gone. Sometimes she was her normal self, but other times it was like she was a completely different person. She was so bold, so blunt, I mean you know that's not her. One of the things I always liked about her was how shy she was and how she liked to be alone. I have an attention hog in my brother. I don't want my girlfriend to be the same way.” He winced. “You know what I mean…”

  Denver let out a mock laugh, his fists still clenched. “Good thing I'm smart and do know what you mean, otherwise there wouldn't be a whole lot of talking going on right now.”

  “Really? How old are we Denver? Seriously.” Zes rolled his eyes, their dark color slowly starting to change into a vibrant gold. Denver noticed that happened at times when Zes was upset enough that his magic began to trickle out of him. He shook his head, and his irises returned to their normal, dark brown, once more.

  “Let's try not to fight too much, okay?” Zes continued. “The whole point I'm trying to make is that it was like she was suffering from multiple personalities. Her speech got all weird and formal too. And I don't like how I felt when I was with her, and I don't mean the being overly concerned about her well-being part. My arm was on fire, I was on fire, and I felt like I just had to be close to her or I might explode. Like I was her slave, or something.”

  Relaxing his fists, Denver nodded. “Because the demons branded you.”

  “I know they did, but I don't get what that has to do with her.”

  “She's Lucien's wife. She has domain over the same things he does. What do you think a brand means anyway? Ownership. She thinks she owns you because he owns you.”

  Zes's whole body tensed and he whispered, “Nobody owns me.”

  “She does, but we're going to fix that. Because if she loses control over you then, so does he. A lot of things will start to fall apart, like dominoes. Then we can all start getting back to living our normal, everyday lives. Wouldn't that be nice? I sure would like to go back to minding my own business,” he said.

  “I just want to move on from her.”

  “Yeah, I would like that too.”

  And then Zes laughed, which was the last thing Denver expected him to do. “You've got it bad for her, man. I don't think I've ever heard you talk about a girl like you talk about her.”

  Denver scoffed. “You've never heard me talk about girls before.”

  “You talk loudly in class. We've had a couple of them together. Besides, everyone knows your reputation. You don't like girls in the emotional sense, but something about her has made you different too. I can't quite put my finger on what.”

  “So show me that burn thing,” Denver mumbled. Talking about Cheyenne was not something he wanted to do. Did he look like a girl? Because if Zes was expecting him to gush he had another think coming. He didn't gush, and he certainly wouldn't do it to her ex-boyfriend if he did.

  Slowly, Zes took off his coat and put it on the floor. Then he rolled up the left sleeve of his shirt. Sure enough, darkness pulsated from his arm in the spot where the brand was. It was circular in shape, similar to a spiral. At each end was the skull of a dragon. Denver had never been able to see it up close before. Zes did a good job at keeping it hidden.

  “Cool,” Denver whispered.

  Zes closed his eyes. “Can you help me, or am I wasting my time?”

  Ignoring him, Denver touched the burn with his fingertips and gasped as he felt the dark magic inside of it start to enter into him. It was powerful, intoxicating, and frightening all at the same time. The darkness went through his arm and straight to his heart; he could feel it choking the little bit of light remaining inside of him. All of the good feelings he had been experiencing were starting to fade and be replaced with anger.

  Zes pulled away. “That hurts. A lot.”

  “Do you feel any different?”

  “Kind of, yeah.”

  “Then the pain is probably just part of the healing process, duh. But I think this is going to take some time. More than one appointment.” I need to find a way to get stronger, or to put the energy somewhere that isn't inside of me.

  Nodding, Zes unrolled his sleeve and put his coat back on. “I would appreciate it, because anymore of that and I'd probably have passed out. It feels less stiff. I'm not sure how I can explain the difference I'm feeling, but it's there. Slight, but still there. So… um… thanks.”

  “Yeah, no problem.” Denver shrugged it off. If his attitude adjustment is any sign I'd say something happened too. “Go home. I'll lock up.”

  “I can wait.”

  “Look, we're still not friends remember? Go home. Don't tarnish your rep by being seen with me.”

  Zes slowly started back up the stairs. “Bye then.”

  Once Zes was gone, Denver dug into his coat pocket and pulled out his lighter so he could see more. His eyes were used to the darkness, but there was more to the cave than simple stone walls. It was by far the most elaborate mural art he'd ever seen, and he was grateful Zes didn't get curious enough to snoop further. The mural was Denver's, and he didn't much feel like sharing.

  With the lighter lit, he stepped into the tunnel and admired the tiled artwork of the tunnel. The left wall told the story of a beautiful young woman with dark hair, and a hideous-looking young man with deformed facial features. Surrounding the young woman were trees and flowers, while the man was in a dark and desolate desert. The two stared at each other with great longing, their hands outstretched toward one another. How tragic and with all of the makings of some kind of epic love story, Denver mused. Oh wait, it's my love story. Of course it would be epic.

  The second half of the mural was of the young woman lying with a different man. He was also beautiful, with dark hair and emerald eyes. They lay in a garden — a garden that was identical to the garden near the pool in the underworld. Dividing the two images was a large heart surrounded in gold. Gag me, this is so cheesy. Yet, he loved it all the same. The other wall contained a simple image of the garden filled with animals and plant life, all of the beautiful things in the world that reminded him of Cheyenne.

  I'm going to make this scene a reality. Maybe guys like me don't deserve happy endings, but girls like her do.

  Chapter Eleven

  Kissing Cheyenne always started a fire within Denver. It kindled in his stomach and spread all over his body. He'd kissed a lot of girls before, and none of them had ever done anything like that to him. Strange and exciting at once, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

  After a number of days of barely seeing her, barely touching her, finally having a moment alone with her was like his own personal heaven. Being close to her was something he'd been looking forward to all day, during class time and beyond. For the first time that day, he was no longer t
hinking about what was going on with Zes, Lucien, or anything related to the underworld. No drama. That's how he liked to live life, drama free and making the most of every moment.

  The tingling inside of him wanted him to take advantage of the moment he was having with Cheyenne, but his heart wouldn't be able to take it. If he could barely handle hearing the words “I love you” what would happen if he tried to actually make love to her? Besides, it was too soon according to the “good boy rules.” If he was going to do right by her, he needed to make sure he did it all right, not just the parts he chose.

  Just try to think about something else, and not about how smoking hot she is, how great her skin feels, or the pulsing of her heart that's so enticing. Man, I want to take another bite from her. That's about as close to bonding with her as I can get right now, and she tastes so good. He couldn't help but let out a soft, longing moan for her.

  Cheyenne kissed his forehead. “I love you.” The words were so soft, as if she were afraid to say them. In truth, she probably should have been. Hearing them seemed to make him crazy.

  The tightening in his chest returned, but not nearly as strong as the time before. There was a burning sensation over his heart, however, and he couldn't help but wince in pain from it. Probably not the best facial expression for him to make because when he glanced over at her she had wide eyes filled with tears.

  “I-I know it's soon, and that you're not into the sappy, mushy stuff,” she said, her words going so fast from her mouth he could barely understand her.

  He blinked. “What? No, no, don't do that, Babe. It's not what you think. Just had a bad bout of indigestion that picked a really inconvenient moment to pop up.”

  “Before too?” She raised an eyebrow, and he knew then she didn't believe him.

  “Yeah, about that, okay, so the first time I'll admit it kind of freaked me out.” Now it was his turn to rush through his speech.

  “Mmm-hmm, I figured that out pretty quick when you bolted like you did, and then went to spend time with Celia.” There was a great deal of bitterness in her tone. He kind of liked being on the receiving end of her possessive other personality for a change.

  He rolled his eyes. “She found me. I didn't go seeking her out. We talked and she helped me figure a few things out. Because here's the deal, Chey. You're the only person who's ever told me they loved me. And I do mean only person. My parents are gone. They aren't people I've ever known. You can relate to that. Your real parents ditched you too.”

  Cheyenne nodded slowly. “They did, yeah.”

  “Only mine didn't pawn me off on a nice woman who treated me like the child she never got to have.” He looked at her pointedly. The girl held grudges like no other. Her foster mother had been a good woman and didn't deserve the endless hate Cheyenne had for her. He'd get it if she was bad, but she wasn't.

  She shrugged. “Yes, I know. I lucked out, and I love her. It's been so long now, I don't know what to say to make it better.”

  “Your guess is as good as mine. Reconciliation isn't my forte, but I'm sure you'll figure it out when you're ready to own up to it. The whole point wasn't to make you feel guilty anyway,” he said.

  “Didn't think so. I'm guessing it's more along the lines of, you grew up in a bad place where you haven't had to deal with these kinds of emotions before.”

  “Nailed it! What have I always said about brunettes?”

  “That we're more smart and interesting?” She batted her eyelashes at him.

  He grinned. “And you remember things. So you get my point. This is new. All of it. Because it's new, I don't quite know how to react to some of the things you do or say.”

  “Thus the freak out,” she said. Her gaze went down to her hands. “I kind of figured that out after I got done being angry with you. It's hard to not be jealous of Celia, but I made the decision to trust you with my heart. You told me you'd tell me the minute something changed between us. I have to believe you. I mean, you trust me, right?”

  “More than I trust anyone else.”

  She laughed. “You don't trust people.”

  “Exactly, so that's saying something.”

  “Even though I'm a cheater.”

  He shrugged. “You were no longer delaying the inevitable. So you're kind of a chicken, and a people pleaser.”

  Groaning, Cheyenne lay back on her couch, pulling him with her so he was resting over her. “And weak and pathetic right?”

  “I like it. Makes me feel all manly and barbaric for wanting to throw you over my shoulder and be your knight in shining armor. Feminists were never my thing, anyway.”

  She smacked him on the shoulder. “When you say things like that, you should feel lucky I still love you because most girls wouldn't find that forgivable.”

  “Now you know why I've never talked to any of the girls I've been with.” He winked.

  A small laugh left her sweet, luscious lips, and he couldn't help but want to kiss them again. Just watching her mouth created a great deal of temptation. The laughter subsided to a quiet sigh, and her gaze met his own. When he was hoping to see more love and adoration in her sapphire blue eyes, he saw something resembling sadness.

  Leaning up, she kissed his lips. “I wish I had waited for you.”

  “Whether you want to believe it or not, I feel the same way.”

  “But we can't take it back,” she whispered.

  He shook his head. “No, a lot of things are like that in life. Once it’s done, it’s done. But you don't need to beat yourself up over it either. We're together now. That's all that matters.”

  Her lips pressed against his again, this time with a much stronger force. For a moment, their lips lingered, and then she opened her mouth to him as if inviting him to do with her as he pleased. He briefly indulged her by reciprocating her passion as he kissed her back, clinging to her body with his own.

  Stop, it's not time.

  The thought was not his own, and yet it was inside of his head all the same. Slowly, he pulled away from her, sitting back on his haunches. His gaze took in all of her beauty. The delicate way her eyes were closed and her lips were pursed, the soft trembling of her arms as she gripped onto his shirt. He couldn't help but smile at the sight. When her eyes fluttered open, she wasn't smiling back.

  “What's wrong?” she asked.

  “Didn't mean to get carried away, Princess.”

  She laughed a little. “I wanted you to.”

  “I don't think your roommate would want to walk in on what would have been happening in five more minutes.”

  “It's a good thing Halyn is gone for the night then, huh?” The smirk Cheyenne wore was sexy, but not at all like her. Where was his shy girlfriend? Was she having another episode of Persephone's possession?

  Chuckling, he sat back further on the couch and stretched out his legs. Not a wise decision, because Cheyenne got the idea to crawl over his lap and kiss him again. Every inch of his skin yearned to feel hers, and his body craved knowing her inside and out. Even his heart was getting in on the action, desiring to connect with her in a way he'd never done with anyone else before. But he couldn't. Not yet. Man, I'm going to really regret this later.

  Slowly, he pushed her away from him, despite his lips still trying to cling to hers. “Babe, tonight is not our night.”

  Cheyenne pouted playfully, her fingers teasing the hem of his shirt collar. “Why not? We're alone. We've established we need to do this. What's the problem?”

  You're technically married to a demon, and I'm not convinced you're my actual girlfriend. He gave her a weak smile. “The bells and whistles are missing.”

  “Candles? Flowers? I thought you hated that stuff?”

  “I don't hate it.”

  “But you think it's pretty stupid.”

  “I think it's a waste of time.”

  “Exactly!” She tugged at the bottom of his shirt and one of her hands traced the lines of his muscles on his abdomen.

  Sighing, he grabbed her hand and
interlaced his fingers with hers. “I thought love was a waste of time too. You proved that wrong pretty quick. Maybe bells and whistles was the wrong description. I just think we should plan for a better moment.”

  “Ugh, planning is just going to ruin everything. What about fire and passion? Can't we have those?”

  “Yes.”

  “I'm feeling fiery and passionate now.”

  “I can tell!”

  She scowled. “What's wrong with me then?”

  “Nothing!” He closed his eyes and took in a slow breath. “Nothing is wrong with you. You're perfect, sexy, and I love you.” And he was able to say the words without going into some kind of a panic attack so that was a good sign. He just had to keep speaking from his heart. “I just don't think right now is the right time or place to get it on. You're different. Special.”

  Denver didn't have many expectations with how he thought she would respond to those words, but glaring at him like he'd just committed an unforgivable sin wasn't one of them. Her grip on his shirt tightened and she tried to tease him with her body.

  “Special? You've been with a lot of different girls without a second thought, but I'm someone you supposedly care about and you're all of a sudden not interested. Do you really expect me to buy that garbage? Tell me, what's wrong with me? What's wrong with this? Why don't you want me?” Her voice took on a new, darker tone, and he recognized it as the gritty spiritual darkness inside of her.

  If he'd been with the real Cheyenne, he'd have felt guilty for pushing her away then, but she wasn't his girlfriend. She was Persephone, lost and confused, and tainted with Lucien's dark magic. Whatever reason she had for wanting to bed him so badly, it couldn't have been for anything good. Unless somehow she knew he was the real heir to Hades, of course. Denver didn't know much about politics, but he did know that hooking up out of wedlock was not something thought highly of by the Divine Council. Committing adultery would be a scandal and then some.