Burn (Drift Book 3) (10 page)

Chapter 10

RELIEVED

We returned
just before twilight. Shade wanted us to stop at my spot first before she went home. I agreed with her because it was still light out and I’d have to drop her off very far from her house in order for people not to see me of course. I was still reluctant to leave her by herself. I mean, I pretty much knew she was safe from the vampires, they weren’t going to do anything now, but still, I wanted to deliver her as close to the safety of her doorstep as possible, given everything we’d been through.

We touched down at the top of my driveway near my tree. I made sure to circle around the property first before I landed just in case anyone was around. It was safe.

“I love you, Leo.” Shade turned immediately to hug me when I set her feet down.

“I love you.” I placed my arms around her and surrounded her in my wings.

It had been so long since we’d last been together and it felt good. We held onto one another for what felt like hours.

“You stink
,” I teased her, trying to get her to flash that beautiful smile once again…and she did.

“You better watch it, lackey.” She gently smacked me on the chest.

“I couldn’t resist, but really, I’m glad you’re with me again.”

“They tried many times to tell me that you were already dead, but I didn’t belie
ve them. I knew you weren’t.” Shade opened up about what went down.

“Did they hurt you?” I pulled back
from our embrace and placed my hands on her face.

“No…they just teased me…a lot. They held me in this windowless room and Sierra and Molina attend
ed to my needs. Well, whatever needs they forced me to have because I was restrained the whole time.”

“Where did they hold you?”

“I’m not sure, somewhere around that ballroom that you burst into. It was a short walk to that room from where I was being held.”

“Did they put you out on display for the other vampires like I was?” I had to know.

“No, only Sierra and Molina came to me. They kept encouraging me that I was going to love being Shimmer’s vampire bride. They kept telling me that you and I could never be together because demons can’t be around anything living for very long because it will die. Just like the vegetation around here.” She pointed around my spot, “Well, the grass, trees and flowers are coming back now because you haven’t been here in awhile, I guess.”

“Don’t listen to that nonsense.” Even though the twins were right, I didn’t need to stress her with that right now. I mean, we’ve always known that about me, it was just coming more
to the forefront now.

“Shimmer never came to visit you?”

“He did, only when he instructed the twins to bring me out on display for his ballroom dinners and dances. Then, they’d always take me back. I felt like I was a preview for coming attractions or something.”

“That’s precisely what you were. Well, it doesn’t matter anymore, Shade. You’re safe…at least from Shimmer. He’s no longer a threat to you
,” I assured her.

“At least? What does that mean?”

“Well…given everything that has happened to you and with all the knowledge you have about things, there’s no telling what Christian will do now.”

“Oh
, frickin’ great. What’s
he
gonna do? Kidnap me to Hell and feed me to a demon or something? Geez…” She rolled her eyes.

“Nah…he’ll eat you himself
,” I teased her.

“You better shut up. This is all your fault, demon boy. How did you get out of that room they had you restrained in?”

“Scruffy.”

“What? How is that possible?”

“Yeah, with a little help he found me. Your little black book played a role in that, too. Which reminds me, I’m going to destroy it. I’m sorry. I have no choice. It’s too dangerous to have out there, babe.”

I expected a little resistance from her about that, but she easily agreed it was the right thing to do.

“So… Mark knows… about you… us… everything?”

“Pretty much. He saved my life
.”

“Wow…I didn’t know he had it in him.” She chuckled a little.

“Me neither.” I laughed back.

“So how
did
he save you? What happened?”

I s
tarted to tell her what occurred and then thought it best to wait. I knew Scruffy would revel in telling her all about it. I’d save the glory for him.

“I think I’ll let Scruffy handle that one, hun.” I grinned.

“So…you two are cool now then?”

“Yup. We quashed it. We’re boys again.”

“Finally. What about Sandra? Does she…?”

“Yes
, she knows about me…us. Again, no thanks to your little black book and Scruffy’s mouth.” I shook my head.

“Okay, okay, I get it. Just destroy the dang thing and be done with it.”

I smiled and pulled her back into my arms and we kissed. The sun was setting and I wanted to make sure it was completely dark before I took her home. I bought some more time by getting her up to date on what happened while she was kidnapped. I told her about my interactions with her parents and how worried they were about her. I also told her about all the encounters I had with the vampires along the way.

“So many people
know about you…us now. Scruffy, Sandra…more than you intended, Leo. I’m afraid I’m going to have to tell my parents about you, too. I can’t lie to them any longer. I realize that puts them in harm’s way, but I don’t think I have a choice anymore.”

“
It does, but do you honestly think they’ll believe you?”

“Yes.” She pointed to my back
, telling me that I would have to prove it to them myself by showing them my wings.

“You want me to
personally
let your parents in on this madness, too?”

“What choice do we have, Leo? My parents, mainly my father, think
s you’re the kidnapper or have something to do with my disappearance. I mean, indirectly, they’re right. They may never let us be together unless we prove to them we’re telling the truth…both of us. They’ll think I’m covering for you if I don’t tell them what in the world is going on.”

“You think they’ll allow us to be together after you tell
them your boyfriend is a demon…after they accuse you of being a liar?” I said sarcastically.

“
That’s what I need you for, but probably not. At least it gives us a better chance to be with one another, though. I’d rather have them know what you
are
rather than have them
think
you’re something you are not.”

“I see your point, but this is making an already volatile situation even worse.”

Again, Shade’s sell job was working on me. I have to admit though; this was probably the right thing to do. The dwindling council members were making them less of a threat to the humans that know about me. Granted, Christian was a bigger problem than Agrelia and Shimmer combined, but having more humans knowing about me seemed more appealing than worrisome anymore. Plus, if it meant being able to maintain my relationship with Shade, then it was worth it. The worst that could happen was they’d think it was completely ludicrous or they’d be scared to death and wouldn’t let her near me. That would suck, but there was always the chance they’d embrace me given that they already seemed to like me before Shade was kidnapped. There was no way to know but to try. As of now, they weren’t going to let me near her, so this is something that I need to give some thought too, never forgetting though, knowledge about my predicament is always a threat to any human that knows as long as Christian is on the loose.

“I know, but it may have to be done so we can be together. All I’m asking is
you consider it, hun. That’s it. The secret doesn’t have to be spilled today, I can stall. Just let me know…okay?” She pulled my forehead to hers and rubbed the back of my neck.

“I will
. C’mon, Anne and Richard have waited long enough to be reunited with their daughter. Let’s get you back home.” With a quick peck and a nod from her, I wrapped my arms around her waist and we soared into the sky to her house.

In minutes we were there and I dropped her off in a safe location near her home.

“Wait for me to come to you. I’m going to try to come see you tomorrow. Thank you, baby, I’m so glad I have you.” She kissed me and started to jog to her house.

“Take a shower
,” I called to her. This stopped her briefly and she shook her finger at me in warning.

I
laughed and leaped up into some trees just after she passed out of my sight. I was curious to see what happened when her parents saw her for the first time. I found a perfect spot to watch from. I arrived and propped myself at the top of a tree just in time to see her hop over the little white gate in front of her walkway and go running up it to the front door. She slammed into the door because she tried to open it and rush in, but it was locked. I could hear her shouting to her parents to open the door. It didn’t take but a few seconds for the door to swing open in excitement.

The first one to the door was her father. He shouted her name and grabbed her right where
she stood, hugging her and then kissing her cheeks. She couldn’t even step one foot into the house before Anne joined in and sandwiched Shade between them. I could hear them crying and talking to her in elation. It made me smile. Her parents then ushered her inside the home and closed the door behind them.

I continued to hang around for a few extra minutes. I just sat there, grinning. It did me good to see that. Being around humans as often
and as long as I’ve been lately seemed to be rubbing off on me. Although the demon in me couldn’t possibly feel the pure joy the three of them were experiencing at this moment, it still made me smile watching them. It was as close as I could ever come to feeling human happiness.

Before I flew away
, for the first time since Shade had been gone, the porch lights turned off. When I returned home, I landed on my branch and stared into town. I pulled out the Demon Dagger which was now in my possession and looked it over. It was amazing to think that something so simple could be so dangerous to someone like me. I knew it would only be a matter of time before Christian would come to get it from me and I guess that would be when our fight would begin.

Looking over my new item reminded me of another thing in my possession; Shade’s diary. I needed to destroy it…tonight.

Without hesitation, I snagged the diary. I made a little fire and shredded the book into pieces before tossing the pages into the fire. While watching it burn, something else occurred to me, how the heck was I going to tell Shade about Shadow?

“She’s going to kill me. She loved that cat. Thanks
, Argento,” I mumbled to myself.

I knelt by the fire the rest of the night and never went back to my tree. Morning had arrived and when I heard the sound of a car coming up my driveway
, it made me a little edgier than usual because it was a little early for visitors. I hid in the nearby trees.

When I saw that it was Sandra’s convertible with Scruffy and Shade in tow, I was relieved and walked out of the woods.

“Wow, it’s not even ten in the morning yet. Scruffy, shouldn’t you be at home hugging your pillow right about now?” I teased as he hopped out of the car and shook my hand.

“Better than where you sleep every
night. This place is a hellhole,” he teased back.

“Ahhhh, and in your words lands the conundrum…I don’t sleep. So, suck it.” I patted him.

“Hey, Leo! I’m so happy to see you.” Sandra’s arms opened wide to embrace me.

“You too, my friend.”

“I’m not,” Shade kidded and kissed me on my cheek after Sandra and I broke our hug.

“Hey…you showered
,” I teased my girlfriend and everyone laughed.

“You better stop, butthead.” She then forcefully grabbed me by my face and kissed me
on the lips hard.

“Yeah, you’re still a little
ripe this morning,” Scruffy piled on to my joke.

“Hey,
watch your mouth, boy, before I sic Sandra on you,” Shade scolded him playfully as Sandra kicked him in the shin.

“So what brings you all to my palace this lovely morning?” I placed my arm around
Shade’s waist.

I watched them all look at one another sheepishly. It made
me suspicious.

“What are you all
smiling about?” I scanned them as they continued on grinning.

“When I got home last night, I decided to tell my parents about you, Leo…”

“Oh Shade, really?” I interrupted. I was a little frustrated that she couldn’t at least give me time to think things through.