Vala Eminence Read online

  Jewl seems safe enough. I don't think she's told her boyfriend… thing… about all of our adventures. Not like they're any of his business, or even worth telling, but that should mean something to me. Jewl had a way of making things make sense. She was as close to a friend as he'd ever get. Hopefully, someday he'd feel comfortable enough to let her in on the secret as well.

  The students at Athena Hall were getting more used to seeing him around. Not that he'd never graced the dorm's presence before Cheyenne, but it hadn't been anywhere near as frequent. A few of his conquests had stayed there in the past. Every time he entered he got a solid glare from the Resident Assistant. Oddly enough, the warlock in charge of regulating the teenagers was being much nicer to Denver than he had been in the past. That might have something to do with the fact that Denver was no longer causing as many problems. The last thing he wanted to do was give Cheyenne any heartbreak. Somehow the warlock must have known that the relationship between her and Denver was uncharacteristically pure.

  Casually, Denver made his way to the girls’ side of the dorm. Cheyenne lived on the main floor. He walked to her room and gave a firm knock on the door. There was some shuffling from the other side, and then the door opened revealing Halyn, the obnoxious roommate who would never approve of him.

  “Ugh,” she groaned. “Chey, your…”

  “Boyfriend,” he snapped.

  “Boy… friend…” She gagged on the word. “He's here.”

  Cheyenne moved next to her roommate. She was wrapped in a large fleece blanket, her skin more pale than usual. A smile was on her face, but he could tell she wasn't feeling the greatest.

  Frowning, he walked in. “You shouldn't be out of bed.”

  “I got bored with lying around and trying to sleep,” she said.

  “Only trying to sleep? Have you gotten any rest today?” he asked, sitting on the couch.

  She sat next to him and laid her head in his lap. “I've been restless. I'm not sure what my problem is.”

  Halyn scowled and stomped to her room. “Let me know when he's gone so I can disinfect the couch again.” And then she slammed her bedroom door closed.

  He couldn't help but laugh. “Man, she hates my guts, huh? What does she think I have, anyway? Ebola?”

  “Vampire rabies, actually,” Cheyenne murmured, her eyes fluttering closed as he ran his fingers through her hair. “She thinks the only reason I'm with you is because you've infected me with some kind of virus that makes you irresistible to me.”

  “She's got an imagination. Even I'm not that cool, and if that were the case, I probably would have more than one 'girlfriend' right now.”

  “I don't share, Denver.”

  “Neither do I. Didn't we cover this earlier at lunch?”

  “No, we talked about how we can't stand the thought of someone else touching something that belonged to us.” Her eyes opened again and her gaze locked on his. The depth of her blue eyes was so easy for him to get lost in; it was frightening.

  Swallowing, Denver gently pushed her eyelids down in an attempt to encourage her to go to sleep. More importantly, he didn't have to hold such an intense contact with her that it left him feeling so vulnerable. “Same difference to me. Having someone else touch something that's mine is the same as not sharing well with the other kids.”

  “I guess. The point is, you need to know you're only allowed to be mine.”

  “If you're not allowed to have anyone else, I'm not either. I got that concept right away, Chey. While I may be a dirty, good-for-nothing, bad boy, I also don't like double standards. I'm gonna play fair with you. We have the same rules.”

  She nodded. “I'm glad.”

  “Did you doubt me? Think I was lying to you about the exclusive thing?”

  “No, but I never know when you're going to change your mind.”

  He exhaled slowly. “If I change my mind, I'll tell you and break up with you first. I'm not a cheater.”

  Cheyenne winced when he said that, and he almost regretted saying the words. But if one of them had to be worried about that happening, it was him — not her. She ran a hand over her eyes and took in a deep, uneven breath, and he knew then that he had made her cry even before he smelled the tears beginning to pool.

  “Look…” he began, but he wasn't sure how to finish his train of thought without coming off as a complete jerk. Yeah, I've got it for her bad if I'm watching my mouth.

  She shook her head. “No, you don't need to explain it. I get it. What I did to Zes was low and horrible. The right thing would have been to end it first. I didn't because I thought you weren't going to want me for long. My intention was to indulge my curiosity one time, to know what it was like to kiss you and want to be kissed, and then move on once the itch was scratched. Which still isn't right, I know. But I loved him, love him, I don't know what I feel half the time when it comes to Zes.”

  Having to listen to her admit to loving another man was not an easy pill for Denver to swallow. He was having a hard time not verbally lashing out at her, but for whatever reason he had more patience than usual. Oh wait, it's because I actually have a heart again, now that the curse is broken. Or maybe she's just a special occasion.

  “I see,” he said.

  “Don't be mad,” she whispered. “It's not that kind of love. It's a friend kind. He and I are always going to share certain bonding moments for the rest of our lives. Maybe that's why I wanted him to be the one so badly. It would make everything that happened with Lucien down in the underworld make sense.”

  Denver twisted some of her long dark hair around one of his fingers, slowly. “Just don't toy with my mind like you did Zes's. I'm not as dumb as he is, first of all, so I'll know right away the instant it happens. Secondly, I'll make the rest of your life a nightmare. And you know I don't make empty threats.”

  “I know you don't. Sometimes that scares me more than anything because if I do somehow mess this up, you're going to hate me. The idea of losing you forever is scary,” she confessed.

  “Then don't mess up so badly that you lose me forever.” He laughed when he suggested it, hoping she knew he was only joking — for the most part. There was little she could do to turn him away from her forever. Cheating wasn't even on the list. Tick him off, yes, but to the point where he'd never forgive her? He wasn't so sure.

  “I'm not perfect.”

  “Good, neither am I. Perfection is boring as all get out, anyway.” He smiled down at her, admiring her beauty. Hopefully she could sense how happy she made him even if she couldn't always see it with her own eyes. Showing tender affection was not something he was good at. Every day it became easier, and the desire to be romantic grew stronger. He just had to keep it subtle because every time she pointed out how he was being different, it brought the walls back up again. I'm not supposed to be romantic or loving. If she notices it, someone else might too. And if it's obvious that I'm changing, a lot of bad things could happen faster than I'm prepared for.

  She yawned. “Maybe you should go. I can't be all too entertaining right now.”

  “Once I know you're asleep, I'll leave.”

  “You're actually worried about me?”

  “Curious, is more the right word. I don't worry.” Usually. He wasn't worried about Cheyenne — yet. The black outs would be reason enough for him to be concerned if he didn't understand what was happening. She didn't, of course, but she'd get filled in soon enough. The only thing that had him close to worrying was not knowing how much Lucien saw. If I'm not the only reason the wards against the demons fell, then there could be a number of spies lurking about. Especially now that the principal is in on everything. What is she thinking? And she gave me a hard time about the demons? She's in a lot deeper than I ever was.

  Cheyenne's eyes opened for a moment. “I'm not sure what it is you've been doing lately, but I kind of like it.”

  “Hmm?” he asked, snapping out of his thoughtful daze. “What do you mean, you're not sure what I've been doing lately? I ha
ven't done anything.”

  “You have. It's like you're human or something.”

  “Babe, I've always been human, hate to break it to you.”

  She laughed. “I guess, but when I first met you I thought you were some kind of a god. Untouchable, and way out of my league. That week you spent at my other school, you were so cool. I'd never met another guy like you. Which is part of why you were so intimidating to me. Then you singled me out at the club, and everything else spiraled out of control. Even here at Vala, for a while I still thought of you as some kind of divine being.”

  Denver had to hold in his laughter because she was so close to figuring things out without him having to spell it out for her. “I'm not untouchable. No one is. There may be the Divine, but they're just as human and real as everyone else on this planet. Outside of that they can live longer, I mean, but that's a small detail. They're not immune to death, nor do you need some kind of special weapon to do it.”

  “Good to know. My point is you're vulnerable instead of emotionally void of everything. I wasn't expecting you to care about me back. I thought it was only lust.”

  “Which is why you thought after one kiss, you'd have all your answers and wouldn't want me anymore. You'd be able to let go of me biting you.” He watched her nod and close her eyes. “You've forgotten we'd already kissed before this winter. At the dance we locked lips pretty nicely.”

  “It wasn't the same.”

  For you, but it was for me. He licked his lips. “I'm sorry I bit you so many times without your permission. Even if you liked it, I shouldn't have done it. Normally, it wouldn't bother me so much, but look at me, making more exceptions for you.”

  “You being vulnerable, as well as tough, is pretty sexy.”

  “Is it now?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Cheyenne had never described him as sexy before. Even saying the word made his hormones go crazy. From the first time he'd seen her, Denver made sure to not pursue another woman just to satisfy his primal urges. For the first few weeks, it'd been more difficult than he'd anticipated. Then he had a lull in his desire that he attributed to a lot of distraction. The more he focused on other things beside himself, the less he noticed his needs. Besides, there was something about biting Cheyenne that gave him a similar euphoria. He'd never experienced that before with anyone else he'd sunk his teeth into. Biting wasn't even something he had to do; just something fun and similar to a drug. When he did it to Cheyenne, and drank from her, it was like they were closer in a way. She became a part of his soul.

  Everything he'd done with his old flings from his past was so he could forget about her. Because even if he hadn't met her yet, somewhere in his cold heart, he knew she was alive and out there waiting to make him whole. Now she was here, and he was having a hard time figuring out what to do to make amends for all of the bad things he had done. He wanted to be worthy of her.

  She sighed, heavily, and he wondered if he'd upset her. “I guess it's better this way since I'm not feeling all too well, anyway.”

  “Huh?”

  “Nothing, I'm pretty tired now, so I'll say goodnight now and I'll see you tomorrow?”

  He nodded. “Count on it.”

  “Okay, goodnight Denver.”

  “Sleep well, Princess.” He watched as her breathing deepened, and listened to her heart rate slow. Her skin became cold, like ice. Carefully, he got up off the couch to find some blankets to wrap her in. There were two more fleece blankets lying about and he used those to tuck her in.

  Halyn's room door cracked open. “Is it safe?” She frowned when her gaze locked on Cheyenne. “What happened? What did you do? Is she dead?”

  Rolling his eyes, Denver put his shoes back on. “Why would I kill her? Seriously, Hay tone down the imagination. I'm not nearly as bad as you pretend I am. Flattered you think me capable of so much, but you're only going to be disappointed.”

  “What's wrong with her?” she asked, stepping closer to her roommate.

  “She's asleep. It's what people do when they need to rest and rebuild their brain. I think it does something to help you process your memories too. Amazing stuff, sleep.”

  “But she looks so… pale?”

  Because I think her spirit has gone to the underworld.“ Probably because she's not feeling too hot, remember? If you're worried, call the campus doctors, but I'm sure they'll just tell you to let her sleep for a while.”

  Halyn's frown deepened, and for the first time — ever — she didn't look at him with some kind of disdain. “I'll think about it.”

  He waved, shrugging, and walked out the door.

  Chapter Four

  As soon as Denver was back inside of his dorm room, he focused all of his energy on transporting himself into the underworld. The instant he felt the warm, dry heat of his true home, he had a surge in his power. Most people were terrified of the place, but to him it was a playground of magic.

  Denver walked along the side of the black castle of Hades. He touched the brick, which was surprisingly cool against his fingertips. He loved being there — it was home. Soon, I can come and go here without worrying about who will find me.

  He came upon a door leading inside. When he tested the knob, it didn't turn. “It's locked?” That's a first. Who could Lucien want to keep out? Besides me, of course, but if that were the case then he needs to do some more research. This is my castle, so it obeys my will. Smirking, he flicked his wrist and listened to the satisfying click of the lock turning.

  “Much better,” he said and opened the door. He could have phased right through the walls of the castle if he had wanted to, but he didn't feel like going through all of the trouble. Not only did he have to move through the walls but, he had to become one with the castle. And of course being invisible when he left was also important in case someone he didn't want to see him was walking about.

  As much as he wanted to dawdle and wander aimlessly, to admire the strength and beauty of his territory, he had come to the underworld on a mission — to find Cheyenne. He'd been avoiding her for too long on his trips down here, and with good reason. There was no way of telling how much she remembered about the numerous journeys she took. After all of the conversations they'd had together, the impression he got was that the place was like a distant memory, vague and she was never certain if anything that happened down here was real.

  Denver was waiting for the day when she told him that she had finally succumbed to Lucien's charms — waiting, and dreading it. Unless Denver became stronger, the consummation of her marriage to Lucien would be inevitable. Not only would Denver lose Cheyenne forever but, the whole world would turn upside down.

  Walking through the halls, he made sure to keep himself hidden in the many shadows of the castle. One of his gifts in the underworld was the ability to melt into the darkness without hardly any effort at all. It was easier than being completely invisible, which used up more of his magic. Cheyenne wouldn't be hard to find. There was only one place in the underworld that appealed to her interests — the garden.

  Unlike the rest of the underworld, the garden was vibrant and full of life. Flowers of all colors and sizes bloomed in its small quarters. In the center was a pristine pool of water. When he walked into the garden, he felt a shift in his energy. He wasn't losing any of his power, but he also wasn't gaining anything new either. Something was different, and it had everything to do with the flowers. Or maybe it was Cheyenne herself. He'd never been close to her in the underworld. Perhaps both of them were stronger in their true domain. Too many questions. Perhaps Mr. Thantos will be able to tell me more than I thought, because if anyone knows the answers, it'll be him.

  Quietly, Denver found a place to hide where he could see everything. A decorative stone wall with candelabras resting on top. The position seemed familiar to him, but he couldn't figure out why.

  “I don't know what you're talking about, rose, my husband is nowhere to be found,” Cheyenne said, lounging in a pool chair. She looked elegant and
ravishing in her black bikini that was trimmed with gold coins. Over it she wore a sheer black wrap. Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun. Something about her didn't seem right, though. She was Cheyenne, but there was another spirit present as well. Every time she moved, Denver saw a subtle fuzz around her body. Persephone the First?

  Cheyenne laughed. “I'm not in the mood to see him.” There was a pause, as if she could hear a reply that was meant only for her ears. It had to have been interesting because her head perked to the side and her brow furrowed. “I'm not sure I understand. My true love? Not the imposter?”

  Denver had to resist the urge to step out and make his presence known, to tell her everything. It was a good thing he hadn't, because Lucien entered the garden, walking only a few feet away from where Denver was hiding. He could have sworn he noticed the plants shift on their own, as if to cover him further from view. So long as they're on my side, I'm not going to complain.

  “Imposter? My love, who are you talking to?” Lucien asked. He knelt down next to Cheyenne and put a hand on her shoulder.

  Much to Denver's delight, Cheyenne let out a scoff.

  “Not you,” she stated.

  “Which is why I asked,” Lucien said, his fists clenching at his side for a brief moment.

  She adjusted her covering so that it was more over her body. “The roses were sharing some gossip with me. They must have noticed your stench making its way across the castle.”

  The demon's slate gray eyes narrowed. “Interesting. Why are you angry with me? I understand your displeasure from before. After all, your host body was traumatized, and for that I don't think I can forgive myself. The fact that you can is a miracle to me, and a true show of your heart. But now I don't see what I am doing wrong. Have I not been attentive enough to you?”