A Demon's Kiss (Young Adult Romance) (23 page)

I slipped my journal through Gage’s open window. So he could read my journal and maybe it would help him remember everything too—the bats and fire and everything—but I knew it probably wouldn’t. He was a mortal. I’d learned a demon’s spell worked too easily on mortals. He probably wouldn’t remember, but at least he could read what happened, know how I felt about him. I figured it was my way of saying goodbye. Because I figured this
was
goodbye. I didn’t know what was going to happen—but something was. At sunrise, nothing would be the same. Everything would change. Well,
I
would change.

That realization sent a shiver through me. Logan noticed my quivering and put his arms around me, holding me tight. I didn’t pull away. Or even want to pull away. His embrace was warm and comforting. Right now, I wasn’t afraid of him. Right now, I felt close to him, almost like I had the night he made me remember the binding ceremony.

“You’re going to come with me,” he said gently. I didn’t know who he was trying to convince, me or himself, but he sounded worried. Like, he hoped I was going to come, but wasn’t so sure anymore. He had no idea what was happening to me either.

I think we both started to worry a little that I was going to die.

***

It was weird. When we first entered The Red Palm, everything seemed okay. But it was only a matter of moments before the lady that had been working behind the counter, pleasantly helping a customer, was suddenly in our face. “Excuse me,” she said, eyeing Logan like he was the devil himself, “but you’re going to have to leave.”

“Pardon?” I turned to her in disbelief.

“No.
You
can stay,” she said. Her chubby co-worker nodded in agreement, like
absolutely
. The other lady went on, still eyeing Logan with distaste—and fear. “But you’re friend’s going to have to leave. He can’t stay in my store.”

I didn’t get it. My first thought was,
No guys allowed?
But that didn’t seem to be it. At all. It was creepy. Logan had them scared. Them. Witches. They’d both visibly
cringed
.

Logan gazed at them, like “Witches!” (But, you know, with a “B.”) He didn’t protest or anything though. He seemed to get it, whatever they were afraid of.

He gave me a sideways glance. “I’ll wait outside,” he said.

I watched him go, not saying a word.

The tall lady from the counter turned to me the moment he was gone.

“What do you need?” she asked, sounding kind of hurried and confidential-like, like she was afraid Logan might be listening. But he was outside. With the door shut. Still, she kept glancing back at him through the glass.

“Uh...I’m not sure. Do you have something to get rid of a love-spell?”

She nodded, grabbing a tiny bottle from behind the counter. “Is it to get rid of that guy?” She glanced at Logan again through the glass.

I nodded

“You’re going to need a strong spell.” She and her co-worker both started hunting through a huge, old book. “This one,” the lady said at last.

She studied me thoughtfully, then made a decision. “I’ll make you a copy.”

The lady sold me the potion, but she gave me the copy of the spell for free. “Lose him,” she said. “Lose him now.”

***

“Did it work?”

Back at my house, up in my room, Logan and I had spent the entire night working on the anti-love spell. He had seemed reluctant about the whole idea, the whole time, like he was positive it wouldn’t work, but he had dutifully went along with it, helping me as much as he could. After all, I’d never worked a spell in my whole, entire life. I’d lived terrified of magic.

I asked him again, “Did it work?”

Logan shook his head doubtfully. “I don’t think so.” Then he ran his hands through his hair. “I don’t know. Maybe. A little.”

He was silent, then added. “I feel less...intense.”

Yay! I stared up at him hopefully. “Like you can live without me?”

“Look, I don’t want to.”

“But you could?”

“Maybe.”

“Good enough.”

I lived my life like that, pining over Gage. Unrequited love. Yeah, it sucked. But that was life. He could suck it up.

He shook his head grimly, obviously reading my thoughts. “You’re going back with me.”

“Logan, I’m not.” I started putting away the spell mess, just putting it in my back-pack because I didn’t know what else to do with it. “But maybe this isn’t the big deal I’ve been thinking it is. Maybe I’m not going, but maybe neither are you. Maybe that’s all there is to it—we’re just staying. Would that be so bad? You staying here? With me?”

He stared into my eyes, looking hopeful. “Do you want me to?”

Did I want him to? I had to look away from his ardent gaze. “I’m not sure,” I said. Did I want him to?

He let out a sigh of resign. “I belong with them, anyway. I have to go back.” He flicked me a look. “But so do you.”

I shook my head. “I’m not going back.”

Logan closed his eyes, not like he was summoning up evil powers or anything. Just like he had a headache. Or was really sad. “Michaela, you are. You’re coming back with me. You have to. You promised me, your life for his. You promised to be mine.”

“But she promised me first,” Gage said.

Whoa.

Logan and I both looked back at Gage, shocked. He had crept into my house, into my room, without either of us noticing. How did he do that? My heart leapt to see him. It literally sprang to life.

“It doesn’t matter what she promised you,” Logan said, blowing Gage off as though he, a mere mortal, couldn’t possibly understand. “If a demon promises his life for a mortal’s, it’s so.” He shrugged. “That’s the way it is.”

Gage nodded. “Yeah, I know.”

He sounded so matter of fact. It made me blink and furrow my brow at him, a million questions running through my head.
How
did he know? Why did he sound so matter of fact about it? Why wasn’t he blown away, learning demon secrets? My questions went on, but so did Gage, “I know that’s the way it is. But see, it’s my life she saved. Mine. And I’m not a mortal.”

I gaped up at Gage. So did Logan. What was he talking about? Was he trying to bluff like he always did in poker?

I wet my lips. “… You’re not mortal?”

Gage flicked me a look. He shook his head. “Not anymore.”

A shiver ran through me. What was he saying? I was scared. “Gage, I don’t understand.”

Gage gave me a sad smile. “I died, Michaela—drowned in the river.” He ran his hands through his hair, just like Logan always did. They were so alike...yet so different. “When you brought me back to life, I changed.” He looked into my eyes. “I’m not a mortal.”

As I stared at him, trying to grasp what he was saying—trying to understand—I noticed it was near sunrise. I noticed it, but didn’t get to ponder it, or dwell on it, or even
think
about it, because right then, that second, before my eyes, Gage—the boy I loved, loved with all my heart—sprouted wings. Wings!

I gasped, only able to gape.

Gage grinned. “I’m an angel,” he said. “I wasn’t keeping it a secret from you though, Michaela—not on purpose. When I was around you, I’d forget. I guess I couldn’t tell a demon. And my powers—I didn’t have any, none. They’re just starting now—starting to grow.” He glanced at Logan. “You’re banished.”

Logan wet his lips, then nodded grimly, like he knew, like he figured this all out, what was happening. He flicked a look at me. “Can I have one last kiss?”

I tilted my head.

I didn’t understand what was going on. He was leaving...but I was staying? How come? I didn’t understand at all. Still, I nodded. He could have a kiss.

Logan took me in his arms, and his warm, passionate kiss made my heart flutter. It made me wobble. I mean it. I was suddenly weak in the knees. Was I really going to let him go? Was I crazy? Unconditional love—from a hot guy no less. How could I pass that up?

But then, immediately I thought of Gage and my heart warmed, turned all mushy. He wasn’t under a spell. Gage loved me for real.

“My love is real, too,” Logan murmured, still holding me close. “You broke the spell, remember? What I feel now—it’s real.” He kissed me again, soft, yet electrifying. “I love you.”

Sure, he could say that. But the guy had just read my thoughts. There was obvious magical residue.

“No. We’re bonded together. Linked,” he said. “That can’t change. Michaela,” he made me look up at him, “that won’t ever change.”

“We’ll still always dream of each other.” This last remark he didn’t speak aloud. It was in my head. Now I was reading
his
thoughts.

But, then he knew what I was thinking too. His dreams of me may have been sweet and romantic. But my dreams of him had always been nightmares.

“Maybe they won’t be now,” he said in my head, even as he was fading away, vanishing.

No, maybe they wouldn’t.

Logan’s last words, “If you ever need me, call,” were said in my head, then I turned to Gage, still full of questions. And amazement.

“Why did I get to stay?” I asked.

Gage smiled, reaching for my hand. “Because you’re not a demon anymore.”

Incredulous, I tilted my head. “I’m not?”

Gage shook his head, linking his fingers through mine. “Not anymore. If a demon gives his life for an angel’s, the demon’s no longer a demon.”

I tried to wrap my head around what he was saying, but it was hard, and I was confused, and still in shock, my boyfriend was an angel! “Okay. If I’m not a demon anymore, then what am I?”

Gage’s eyes danced, gazing at something behind me.

Confused, I reached behind my back, trying to figure out what he was looking at, what had him smiling so amused.
Oh. Wow.
I had wings!

“I’m an angel?”

He smiled, warm as sunshine, taking me into his arms. “You’re my angel.”

Thanks for reading
A Demon’s Kiss!

The “dark” world that Logan came from in this book is also in my novel,
When Kyle Came Bac
k.

I LOVE
When Kyle Came Back!
Maybe you will too.
 

The Dating Deal

When Kyle Came Back

A Demon’s Kiss

His Kiss

Coming February 2012:
 
The Stranger Inside

Melanie Marks was born and raised in California. She is married to a naval nuclear submarine officer and blessed with three amazingly terrific kids.

Melanie has had over sixty short stories published in magazines such as
Highlights
and
Teen Magazine
as well as in various anthologies, many being
Chicken Soup for the Soul
books. She’s had six children’s books published and four teen novels,
THE DATING DEAL; WHEN KYLE CAME BACK; HIS KISS; and A DEMON’S KISS.
More teen novels are forthcoming in early 2012, such as
THE STRANGER INSIDE
and more
.

Melanie enjoys reading in the bathtub, writing in bed, and living in a house longer than two years. Visit her website at
http://www.byMelanieMarks.com
or email her:
[email protected]
.