Fire with Fire (Demonblood Series #2) (10 page)

“Who says I’m worried?” I ask with false bravado. But the truth is, I
am
worried. Worried about what Tatiana will do when she realizes I’ve disobeyed her. And I’m even more concerned about why Tristan would want to come here in the first place.

We soon reach a small clearing at the top of the hill, and Tristan brings the car to a halt. He parks, and we get out. As he walks over to me, I glance at his face, handsome despite its imperfection. Nervous excitement flushes through me.

“So, mind telling me what exactly it is we’re doing here?” I ask. He takes me by the arm and ushers me toward an old set of train tracks leading directly into the side of the barren mountain. Up ahead is an overturned wooden cart used to ferry the men in and out of the mine. Various tools and lunch boxes lie scattered, as if they’d been abandoned in a hurry and without a second thought. We’re totally alone.

“Come on, I’ll show you,” he urges and reaches for my hand. Together we enter a wide, carved out tunnel. It’s cold and dark, but Tristan finds a panel and turns on some overhead lights. They’re not bright, but it’s enough to see.

“Have you been here before?” I ask. He seems to know his way around.

“Actually, yeah. So don’t worry. We’ll be fine.”

I feel better. Being with Tristan has a way of making me feel safe…like nothing bad can happen. And it’s sorta exciting, sneaking inside an abandoned mine when I should be sitting in Trig, bored out of my skull.

“How far are we gonna go? I ask, as he takes us deeper and deeper inside. Strange humming noises are coming from the walls, and for the first time in my life I wonder if I might be a little claustrophobic.

“Not much longer,” he says. He kicks at a piece of black rock on the ground and leans over to grab it. He holds the shiny lump in his hand and holds it up for inspection. “Isn’t it amazing that something that looks so insignificant controls so much of our lives, without our even realizing it?”

“It’s a lump of coal. Big whoop.”

“It’s
energy
,” Tristan corrects me. “It’s
power.
” He places it in my palm.

“It’s gross.” I give it back and wipe my charred hands on my jeans. Fortunately they’re black, so the smudge doesn’t show.

“You know this part of the country is special, don’t you?” he asks, tossing the coal aside.

“How so?”

“Well, most of the mining in this region is done in West Virginia…but this place here…it’s unique.” He pauses and glances around. Along the buttressed wall is a row of low, wooden benches. He motions for us to sit.

“Did we really ditch school today so you can give me a lesson on mining?” I tease. “If we wanted cheap thrills, we could’ve just hung out at the DMV.”

“I have a secret to tell you,” he says, lowering his voice as we sit down.

“Okay,” I whisper, mimicking his serious tone. I like this feeling of being so close to him, with nothing between us.

Tristan takes a deep breath and stares straight ahead. “People have been using coal as a source of energy dating back to the caveman days. Here in Virginia, the first coal mining operations began in the mid 1700’s…”

“Wow.
I promise I’ll never tell
anyone
,” I whisper dramatically and make a locking key gesture on my lips.

He looks at me and rolls his eyes. “That’s not the secret, silly.”

“Well, spill it…”

“The secret is, it wasn’t always coal they were mining for. Some people have been searching for something else…something far more precious and powerful than any source of energy known to man. It was found in small quantities a long time ago, and only recently have scientists begun to discover its great powers. A stone the size of a golf ball could provide power to the entire country for a year.”

“Really?
That’s…crazy. But what does that have to do with—”

Tristan turns to me and grasps my hands, his eyes fixed on mine like a laser. “Liora…what happened here yesterday…with the men. I think they
found
it.”

He pulls his hands away and rises to his feet. I stare at his back, uncertain. “So…are we here on some sort of treasure hunt? You think they found this precious stone, and you want to get it for yourself or something?”

He shakes his head slowly, still staring at the wall across from the cave’s opening “No, I don’t want to get it myself. That’s the mistake others have made. The
fatal
mistake.” He turns and locks his gaze on me again.

I stand up and throw my hands in the air. “Then what are we doing here? Did you bring me here to scare me or something? Or are you just trying to show off your knowledge of super-secret rocks? I mean,
really
…it’s only slightly more sexy than taking me to your tree house to show off your stamp collection.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. But I don’t care. I’m way creeped out and totally over this little expedition. I turn to leave.

“Liora, wait. Don’t go,” Tristan commands.

“I don’t like it here. I want you to take me home
now
.” I put my hands on my hips.

Tristan takes two long strides toward me and places a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Just give me a few more minutes, please? There’s more I need to tell you. Then I’ll take you back. Promise.”

I look at his kind smile and easy eyes and feel myself relaxing. Being here isn’t all that bad, I suppose. And actually, Tristan’s story is pretty intriguing. I’d like to see where he’s going with this. I nod and he takes my hand, leading me back to the little bench.

“My parents are archeologists, and they’ve travelled the world looking for this legendary material. They were fortunate not only to have actually seen it, but to be able to study it first-hand. Most people can’t do that.”

“Why?” My single word seems to echo off the chamber’s walls.

He mouth falls into a grimace. “Well, because, it has a funny habit of turning any regular human being who touches it into ash.”

I don’t move a muscle. I want to run, but my mind flashes back to the time I tried to escape Kieron, and what an epic disaster that turned out to be. So I just stare at Tristan, not breathing, waiting for him to say something…
anything.

“Liora,” he says quietly, reaching for my hand again. “Do not be afraid. It’s okay.”

“Why are you telling me this?” I whisper.

“Because I know you can handle it,” he answers with a knowing look. “You know exactly what type of rock I’m talking about, don’t you?”

“No. Why are you saying this?” My faltering voice lacks conviction.

“You know why.”

“I want to go home.”

“Don’t be afraid, Liora,” he repeats, and stares deep into my eyes. “I won’t hurt you. Your secret is safe with me.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I turn my body away, but Tristan places his arms over my shoulders and angles me back to him.

“Sure you don’t. See that small pile of dirt over there? Do me a favor—walk over there and tell me what you see.”

My mind feels numb as I obey him, slowly rising to my feet and taking several steps to the mound of displaced earth. “I see dirt. And some glassy looking diamonds. Cool! Isn’t that what makes diamonds? Coal? I didn’t know we had diamonds in this part of—”

“Bring me one of them.” His voice is low and commanding.

I let out a sigh and pick up the biggest piece. It’s beautiful…the whitest, brightest diamond I’ve ever seen. Maybe this will satisfy him and we can leave. I make my way back and offer him the glowing jewel. Tristan stares at me, wide eyed, mouth agape. Then he shakes his head. “Throw it away.”

Frustrated and angry, I turn and hurl it as hard and as far as I can. “What kind of game are you playing?!” I yell.

“I just wanted to make sure.”

“Make sure of
what
?”

“That you are one of them. One of the special beings on this planet who can touch these stones without turning into dust. We know about your kind. At least, a few of us do.”

Suddenly I feel dizzy. And sick. I drop my head. “How did you know” I ask hoarsely. My mouth feels filled with cotton.

“I’ve always known what you are,” he says, standing up. He’s so close to me, his cool breath tickles my cheek.

“You’re not afraid?” I whisper, raising my eyes to meet his.

“Not in the least,” he replies. Gently cupping my chin in his hand, he lowers his mouth onto mine.

~~~

“But
how
do you know…and what exactly do you
think
you know?” I ask him as we finally break apart. I lick my lips where Tristan has just kissed me, still feeling a slight tingle where his cool lips met mine.

Tristan takes me by the hand and we slowly make our way toward the entrance of the cave. He looks at me sideways and arches an eyebrow. “During a research trip in Tibet a long time ago, my parents came across someone who was able to handle the rocks. They were stunned, since everyone else who’d touched them immediately turned into dust…
poof
…disappeared. This person—or I should say, this
being—
told them how there are creatures inhabiting this planet who are able to withstand the massive power of the stones. He said they can do it because they aren’t entirely human, but are partly from a different race of creatures who only
look
human, but in fact, have supernatural abilities.”

I feel like I’ve just been dropped off a skyscraper with no parachute. “But I
am
human,” I protest weakly, my mind spinning.
Are we really having this conversation right now?

“Maybe now you are…well, at least you
think
you are. That’s what makes you so special. Why you’re the one I want. The one I need.”

Did this human boy just tell me he knows what I am and is
okay
with it? He
likes
it?

“You need me?” I whisper, disbelieving. “For what?”

“Yes, I do…very much.” His voice is husky as he turns to me again. I willingly tilt my head, eager to welcome his kiss.

I shield my eyes from the bright sunlight as we emerge from the cave. Smiling, I glance at Tristan, realizing I feel no guilt for kissing him.
None.
It feels natural…beautiful.

As if Kieron had never existed.

“I just can’t believe you’re saying people out there actually know about us.” I shake my head in disbelief as we head back down the narrow dirt path.

He flashes me a grin. “Well, only a few. And the few who do certainly aren’t saying anything. Nothing gets a human thrown in the loony bin faster than claiming that demigods with super powers walk the earth.”

“I’m not part
god
,” I say, rolling my eyes.

He rests his palm on my thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You’re special, Liora. Very, very special. And that’s all that matters to me.”

~~~

The moment I approach the cabin, I know something’s terribly wrong. The front door flies open of its own accord, and Tatiana is hovering near the entry way, the tips of her toes barely gracing the floor, her long silver hair thrashing about wildly.

“Tat!” I gasp, stopping in my tracks. Her fierce expression sends a chill of fear racing through me. I’ve
never
seen her this angry before. Her normally opaque eyes are solid black.

“Liora Anastasia Greyson. You get in here right now.” Her voice, barely a whisper, screams through the air. My heart pounds as I take a shaky step forward.

“What is it, Tat?” And then I remember. Oh crap.
Of course
…She knows I skipped out of my afternoon classes.

“How dare you disobey a direct order from me, young woman. I specifically told you—”

“I know, I know. I’m sorry. But I didn’t ditch…not really. It was cool. A lot of the students didn’t show up to school today because of the accident, so teachers weren’t covering anything important. Instead of coming home, Tristan and I went for a drive. What’s the big deal?”

I avoid looking directly at her as I set my book bag on the kitchen counter and reach for an apple. But before the fruit reaches my mouth, it flies out of my hand and straight out the wide-open front door. I turn to Tatiana, aghast.

“What’d you do that for?”

She floats closer, dragging the tips of her toes across the hardwood floor, and I take several steps back. “I told you not to go there,” she hisses.

I frown, bewildered. “Go
where
?”