Demonic Angel (A Touch Of Magic) (14 page)

SEVENTEEN

The next day is completely manic. Everyone is busy training and the children, though they are allowed out of the attic, are restless. It took four adults to take the kids to the park. You know, just in case. Caroline came back this morning around 3am and slept until 11am. She was a bit confused as to why Aeron was now in the attic but once I explained the message from Jaxon she understood. Though she told me the exact same thing mum did about him being in love with me and just like mum, I brushed her off.

When we were alone, I asked her what she does as a mara.

              “Those who have done wrong? Well I go to their homes and while they are sleeping, I feed off of them. The only way they know something is wrong is when they have a nightmare. They wake up feeling tired instead of refreshed and they have no recognition of what I have done.”

“So it's like what me and mum can do?” She laughs.

              “Not exactly. A succubus can feed off of someone when they seduce and have sex with them in their sleep. You can drain a life while they are awake and feed that way too but in their sleep you just drain souls in order to be fed completely.”

“So you can dream walk too?” I ask completely curious.

              “Yeah. I can't change a dream when I do that. I just observe. I've done it to you before you know. Not the nightmare thing. Just the dream observation.” Um... I don't know how to feel about that. Freaked out is probably on the top of my list.

“Erm. Okay. When? And what was I dreaming about?” I question her curiously.

              “A couple of nights ago and that stepson of mine. When did you two kiss?” My cheeks flame and I am sure I have turned the colour of beetroot.

“Which time?” I grimace as I ask her. Her face changes into shock and then pride.

              “Wow. I had no idea. He obviously discovered that his incubus side doesn't work on you then?” I nod.”What about his dream walker side?” This is news to me. I look at her, baffled and she grins. “Ah, you had no idea. Well yes. Jaxon is half dream walker. His mother died a while ago but she was a dream walker. Dream walkers aren't demons. They
are
human but they just have the ability to drift into peoples dreams while they sleep. I know he has tried it on you because he told me so. The night before you left for Paris actually. He said he failed at it and then came to check on you.” Oh! That explains why the back door was unlocked then. Oh Jaxon you creepy sexy weirdo.

“Then when the other night, I thought I would try it and see if I could get in, I can. Sorry. I won't do it again. I promise.” She smiles at me.

              “Um. It's okay. I think.” She giggles. She really is beautiful when she smiles. She is beautiful anyway with her pale complexion and blonde almost white hair but when she smiles, her whole face lights up. Her blue eyes sparkle and she looks so relaxed.

“Have you spoken to Jaxon lately?” I ask her.

              “No actually. I went by the house last night after my rounds and he wasn't there, yet again. Although, I know he has been back by the fresh smell of aftershave that he uses. I always purposely make something a mess too and because he has OCD or something, he
has
to tidy it up. Must be his age.” She laughs.

              “How old is he?” I thought he was in his early twenties.

“This is the best bit. He is thirty eight. He will still age but every five years, he looks another year older. Hence why he looks twenty two. In five years time, he will look twenty three. Incubi stop visibly ageing when they are eighteen, as do succuba. Your mum? She looks like she is in her mid-thirties but I can assure you that your mother is actually a hundred and fifty three.” I blink at her. “Because she is a succubus. You will age exactly the same. Because of your succubus blood
and
angelic blood. I, however, will stop ageing when I hit forty and then after that, I will forever look forty. Life is kind of good for us demons sometimes.” She winks at me from across the living room where we are sat. I only came in here to get out of the sun for a bit as was starting to feel weak with all of the concentration I was doing on the manifestation ability and then instead I got engrossed in a conversation with Caroline. Not that I mind because I don't. I just took a longer break than intended is all.

Two hours later, I have just (in my mind) mastered the manifestation power. I managed to bring Tessa's favourite pair of heels from her dad's house, two miles away, and then put them into my room. Tessa said they landed directly in my wardrobe. Then I tried something harder. My car. From Paris. It hurt my head a bit, but it worked. So when my car appeared beautifully in the middle of my back garden, mum was not impressed and I had to move it into the garage as soon as she came out into the garden with her arms crossed and a deep frown edged in to her face.

I still got a round of applause from those who witnessed it though. Yay me! However, it made me weak doing that one and I almost collapsed.

I have practised the lightning bolts a few times to no avail. I just can't gather enough anger. Even though I am royally pissed at Jaxon for everything, I can't focus on that anger and push it into my powers.

The bone crusher as I call it, works like a charm and luckily I can heal because otherwise Harris wouldn't be able to walk again. He he.

I still haven't had a chance to practise the succubus teleportation thing. Mum said that if we make it out of the battle alive (comforting) then we will practise then.

Now all I have to do is put my powers to use against the demons. Oh am I shitting myself. Yes I did just say that without correcting it to crap. I think this kind of calls for it right now.

After dinner, which happens to be my favourite dinner, chilli con carne, all thirteen of us adults sit in the living room for a final game plan.

The truth is, we haven't even got one. We have no idea where to start. We just know that the Underworlders are going to attack and come for me tomorrow morning. Jaxon being one of them. My chest aches at the thought of it being tomorrow that he may try to kill me.

I say try lightly because he has no idea what he is dealing with.

              “So, Lara, you will be on guard tonight as you can make yourself blend in with trees. When you see any sign of the Underworlders or Jaxon Cray, you set the alarm off.” Mum hands the teenage fairy a small device with a button on it. “Press this once you spot something.” Lara takes the button and shoves it into her pocket. “Christina, the entire kitchen in the attic has been fully stocked. There is everything you need up there. We put a TV up there so that if the children want to watch television, they can. Betty, the house has the barrier over it?”

              “Yes Serena. It will be up for as long as I can keep it that way.”

“Good. Right, everyone get some rest and good luck.” Yeah right. As if I can sleep knowing that I am the main target of an enormous attack. I feel twitchy and agitated. Oh why did I have to be born half angel?

Would they mean me no harm if they discovered I am half demon too?

Do I risk asking Jaxon?

No, probably not.

I head up to my room and sit on the edge of my bed. Caroline enters, gives me a warm smile and sits beside me.

“It will all be okay. You have some of the best witches, demons and fairies here to protect you. Even me. Though, as a mara, I am unsure what help I can be.” She shrugs and looks over at one of the pictures on my bedside cabinet; one of me and Ana.

              “Your sister is human?” She asks.

“Yeah. Lorraine thinks that because of the intensity of the potions mum took before she fell pregnant of her, Ana was born completely human. I however, was not, obviously. Caroline? I'm scared.” I whisper.

“I know darling but don't let the Underworlders know that. You have an advantage over them. They don't know that you have come into your powers now. So pretend that you still haven't. Play dumb. Play the victim. Then when they least expect it. Pounce.” She smiles and so do I. That is probably the single best plan anyone has ever come up with and trust it to come from the stepmother of the boy who insists I die because he insists on sticking to his stupid rules.

Caroline gets herself changed and tells me that she needs to feed in order to have enough energy to fight tomorrow. Due to it only being nine pm. She promises that she will be back shortly.

I watch as she leaves and then my mum walks into the room. She doesn't say anything, she opens up my wardrobe, pushes my clothes to the side and reaches to the back. She pulls at the backboard and then grabs a black bag.

I watch in confusion as she places the bag on my bed, kisses my head and leaves the room.

I turn to and open the bag and pull out its contents. Clothes. A black leather jacket. A tight red cropped vest top. Low riding tight trousers that look like leggings but have a tougher material. Out of curiosity. I try on the clothes. They fit perfectly. When the hell did mum get these? I stand in front of the mirror and look at myself from different angles. The leather jacket has spiky studs running up the collar and on the back, there are two little wings in the centre that look like tiny versions of my own wings. I find a pair of black leather gloves too. A note attached to the jacket catches my eye.

Special jacket for a special girl. Your wings can emerge from this jacket without you needing to modify it.
Cool!!

I rummage through my wardrobe and pull out my favourite leather knee length high-heeled boots. Okay, I have to admit, I look bad-arse. My long blonde hair, for once, I am unhappy with it. I grab a hair band and tip my head upside down. Gathering all my hair on the top of my head, I wrap the band around it so that my hair is in a tight pony-tail on the very top of my head.

              “Wow!” I spin around and see Tessa standing in my doorway with a tub of Ben and Jerry's ice cream and two spoons.

“I know! Mum just handed it to me. Apparently it was hiding in my wardrobe. God knows how long for but its awesome right?”

              “Yes! You need smoky eyes though.”

“Huh?” She rolls her eyes and places the ice cream on the bed before running over to me with a make-up bag in hand. I sit down while she gets to work on my make-up.

              “Done.” I open my eyes and look in the mirror. Wow. The dark eye-shadow and eye-liner make the amber in my eyes really pop. I give Tessa a squeeze and then point to the ice cream.

“That for me?”

              “No bitch. Us.” I laugh and we dig in. “I am kind of jealous. You look amazing. The only clothes I have are bright Summery colours because well, it's Summer.” I get to my feet with my Caramel Choo-Choo covered spoon hanging out of my mouth and open my wardrobe door. Hmm... something to go with Tessa's reddish brown hair, I think. I pull out a long red halter top, black leggings and her studded ankle boots. Yeah, I really should work with my mum in fashion. If I survive. “Wicked. Thank you.” She tries on the clothes, messes around with her wavy locks until she has a quiff thing going on then like mine, she does smoky make up. “We look fierce!” She clicks her fingers in front of her face. I giggle. We really do look hot. I have no idea why we don't wear this kind of this more often.

Instead of going to sleep. Tessa and I sit up watching DVD's, eating ice cream, and reminiscing about old times. Who knows when or if we will ever do this again?

Around three thirty, Tessa dozes off and although I am tired, I have a lot on my mind. I grab my phone from the usual place in my bedside cabinet and turn it on.

Three new messages all sent around nine pm.

Jaxon:
Despite the circumstances, I can't w8 2 c u tomorrow

Jaxon:
I can hear u gigglin with Tessa its nice ill treasure that sound forever

Unknown number: I do believe we will be seeing each other very soon dear Clara. … x Crillin x

How the hell did he get my number? I thought I had enough to deal with, with all this battle stuff going on tomorrow. Guess I was wrong. Oh God.

I debate telling Jaxon but I think he has made his choice now. He is one of
them.
He has already told me that that isn't going to change. Where is
my
knight in shining armour?

So what does it matter if Crillin gets hold of me or not? It will probably end in the same way anyway. Me dying.
You can't think like this Calissa. You are stronger than they know. You can take them.
Oh hello brain... Haven't heard from you in a while.

Sometimes I think I am schizophrenic from the way my brain argues with itself. Or I am just nuts. Knowing my luck, the latter is more correct.

I read through my not so nice message and the one from Jaxon catches my attention. He can hear me giggling? How? I get up from my bed and walk over to the window. I look outside and sure enough, there he is. He may be in the shadows but with my intense sight, I could probably see those green eyes from him from a mile away. He notices me watching and gives a wave before disappearing completely. I gulp and lay back on my bed.