Halfling (Black Petals Book 1) (21 page)

Crispen rages. “So he’s forcing you here? Maybe even compelling you to stay?”

“No! Of course not!”

“Then why not ditch him and come back to live with us?”

“You stand no chance protecting me against who knows how many demons. Also, I need this. I need to learn about who and what I am. For once, I feel like I actually fit in somewhere. Things are making sense for once. I can’t explain it.”

Crispen’s face goes bright red, and Mason lies a hand on his shoulder to calm him.

“Jesus, she made her choice, Crispen, get over it. Your anger and irrational idea to attack here without a plan has gotten us locked up here. Chill out.” Aria stretches her legs and looks annoyed with Crispen.

“Does ruby kill you or just hurt you?” I wonder while looking at the ruby encrusted bars.

“It just hurts us,” Aria answers with a sigh of frustration. That’s what I thought.

“Don’t tell her anything!” Crispen shouts loudly, scowling at Aria.

I’ve about had enough of his terrible behavior.

“Holy shit, Crispen, are you kidding me?! What’s wrong with you? Not long ago you were my best friend! Quit being a whiney asshole, not just to me but to your family. How can you talk to Aria like that? What’s wrong with you?” I spit, becoming irritated.

The silence following my outburst is interrupted by Aria. “He hasn’t
killed
any demons in a while. He’s getting edgy. We’re all getting edgy, but he is by far the crankiest when he doesn’t get his fill. It’s always been like that. That, and he is just naturally more obsessed with hating demons for some reason.”

“Well, I wish I could feed your need to kill, but I don’t think that Aiden would appreciate it if I brought you some of his guards. You guys are controlled by your instincts. You should take a moment to get to know Aiden. He’s your brother after all.” Then I storm up the stairs, ignoring all the things that are shouted at me from them.

I close the door at the top of the stairs and scurry into the room where I stole the book. I look up a few of the abilities that they tossed at me and find that many of the talents Aiden may or may not possess, are rare, more evidence that he’s not just royal, but very royal.

Terry finds me a few hours later and brings me supper. I scarf it down, starving. He warns me that Aiden won’t be happy that I’m reading the books I’ve gotten into, so I reluctantly put them away. I don’t want to irritate him, especially after he returns from hell. Who knows what he’ll be like upon his return? I’m not taking any chances. If he’s anything like the way he acted in front of Adison, then I should be worried.

Day dreaming, I think back to that moment when Aiden kissed me. I’ve never felt anything like it. At the time, I was shocked and even angry about the kiss, but now, now I can’t stop thinking about it. Aiden is beautiful, kind, and has shown me nothing but respect. I wouldn’t have minded if that kiss had been real and under different circumstances. I find my hand touching my lips where he kissed me and quickly snap out of it. I have to remind myself that falling in love with a demon is not on my to-do list. It can’t be safe nor what’s best for me, although I have to admit that I am very attracted to Aiden, both physically and mentally. I am just the woman he’s mentoring. He is so much more than I am. He is like a god, and I’m just some half demon freak he has to babysit. My crush on Aiden can be nothing more than just that, a crush. If I let myself fall in love with Aiden, then I might make the wrong decision for myself in a few months.

If I let myself love him, then I might make the choice to become a pure blood demon without even doing my homework. Do I really want to damn myself? Lose my soul forever? Do I want to take the risk of losing myself to the darkness? What if I can’t control myself the way Aiden can, and I end up like my father or Adison? What if I accidentally
kill
innocent people?

Deep down, I already know what my choice is. I can’t become a demon, and I can’t become a hunter for the same reason that I can’t become a demon. I will choose to die. I have only months left. I think I can handle not falling in love, I mean how hard can it be to not fall in love with a demon?

Early in the morning, while in bed, I awaken to a man’s scream and jump out of bed. Aiden has allowed me to have a ruby knife for hunters and a brass knife for demons in my room for my own safety. I pull both from my nightstand drawer just as Terry comes hurdling into the room without knocking.

“Megan, you’re going to have to get down to the cellar. The captives have escaped,” he says in a harsh whisper. I clench my teeth as fear bursts through me. I know that by the time I get to the cellar, one of the four will catch me, even with twenty-four guards holding them back. I also know that if I stay here, they will find me just as fast. I am dead. Especially if Crispen finds me first.

I glance to the clock. I usually get up in an hour, and Aiden said he’d be home before I got up. I pray that he comes home soon, like right now. I try to tell myself that I’m going to die in the next few months anyways, so I shouldn’t be freaking out, but, well, I’m freaking out.

Terry comes towards me, and I know he’s thinking about picking me up and carrying me to the cellar. The cellar is across the house. I
know
we won’t make it. We’d have to run right by them.

“Wait,” I demand and run from the room.

Terry’s eyes widen in surprise, and he follows me. I run into Aiden’s bedroom. It’s only the second time I’ve been in here. The first time was when I first moved in, and I accidentally mistook his room for my own, as they’re next to each other.

I search the huge room frantically for what I’m looking for. My eyes dart around quickly, until I find a medium-sized picture frame on one desk. Ah ha! I grab it and take a seat on the bed. I know this is a long shot, but I know I saw the way both Mason and Aria reacted to hearing about Aiden’s daughter.

Terry looks to me confused, but then smiles. “You think that will work?” he asks me, he eyes the object in my hand.

I shake my head. “No, it’s a long shot, but it’s all I have right now.”

He smiles sadly and nods. “You’re cleaver, Megan.” I think it’s the first time he’s ever called me by my first name. I smile at him appreciatively, even though I’m shaking with fright.

Terry retreats into the hallway and only seconds later, a flash of movement catches my eye as someone enters the room. Aria stops in front of me. Her eyes widening when she sees what I hold.

“Is that…?” she starts.

I nod and hand her the picture slowly.

“Oh my gosh. I know she’s not technically blood related to me, but I think she has my eyes, look,” Aria points enthusiastically. “God, I’ve always wanted a child. Hunters can’t reproduce.” I’m not sure if she says the last part to me or to herself. “She’s so beautiful.” I get up slowly, bringing my knives with me and pick up another picture from a different spot. I hand it to her carefully.

“Oh, and this is the child’s mother, isn’t it? What a lovely woman. I wonder if she knew what he was.”

“I’m not sure,” I answer. “He talks about her often. He loved her.”

Aria looks between the two pictures a moment longer in silence and a tear falls down her cheek. “Megan, we have to get you out of here. Crispen and Jayden won’t hesitate to kill you, and I don’t fully trust Mason either.”

“There’s no time,” I press, happy that my plan has at least bought me some time.

“I think we can get you out of here,” she insists just as Mason and Jayden come through the door.
Never mind.

Aria turns and holds up a hand, warning them to stop. Then she hands the photo frames to Mason. Mason takes them, a muscle moving in his jaw.

“I don’t like this. I don’t like that Crispen killed Aiden’s daughter,” Mason states blankly. “But I also don’t like that he’s a demon. I don’t think Megan should necessarily be punished for staying with Aiden either. She’s a halfling, not a full demon. She’s not threat. Not now while she has her soul. She’s defenseless and basically human. I feel it’s wrong to kill her, although my body senses her demon blood and wants me too. I have morals, believe it or not.”

Jayden smiles. “I only came along with you guys because I thought we were going off to kill demons. No one said anything about a halfling, and I don’t kill halflings. They’re basically human.”

“I love Crispen, but he is wrong here. I won’t hurt Megan either,” Aria adds, just as a quick movement behind them catches me eye. I expect it to be Crispen, but it’s Aiden. He snaps Jayden’s neck like a twig and then Mason’s, before I can understand what is going on. The pictures Mason holds hit the ground with a crash as the glass breaks.

“Stop!” I cry. I know this won’t kill them, but it has to hurt. “She’s not going to hurt me!”

Aiden stops, standing between Aria and I. He glowers at her and then looks to me. There’s something in his eyes that I don’t quite understand at first. Then I realize that it’s ice. His eyes are not warm right now but cold. I wonder just how cold.

I rush over to Mason and grab the pictures with broken frames from beside him. I then hand them to Aiden. Aiden stares at them a moment before closing his eyes for a near minute as if fighting with himself. He opens them and meets eyes with Aria who looks a little frightened.

“I don’t like coming home from a shitty meeting in the place I hate most to find my psychotic siblings attacking and killing my guards, servants, and the only person on this earth that I can actually stand,” Aiden growls. He tosses the broken picture frames onto the bed gently. “How did you get out?”

“Crispen had a house key in his pocket that your guards missed. With Jayden’s help, the guys ground it on the cement and fashioned it into a viable lock pick,” Aria answers smoothly.

Mason and Jayden get up to their feet, taking the scene in. Apparently neck snapping doesn’t put them out of commission long.

While Aiden’s distracted by Mason and Jayden’s motion and not paying attention, something moves behind him quickly, and suddenly there is a brass knife through the back of his ribcage and out the front of his chest.

I gasp in complete shock. No,
no
this can’t be happening. He can’t die.

Aiden slumps to the ground.

Everyone jumps on Crispen before he can reach me and tackles him to the ground. The cusses, shouts, and insults don’t phase me, because I’m too caught up in Aiden’s limp body on the floor. This is
not
happening.
How?
I’ve watched the way he fights before, he’s a god. How has this happened?

Terry comes limping into the room, clearly injured. He doesn’t look taken aback by the scene in front of him which surprises me. I warn him not to fight the hunters, he won’t stand a chance.

He comes and sits beside me, worry in his eyes. No doubt worry for me.

“Tie him up and take him home,” Aria instructs Jayden. “I’m staying here with Megan, until Crispen is locked up and isn’t a threat to her. She can’t stay here unprotected. When he’s locked up, let me know. Mason, go if you want, but I’m staying. I’ll get Megan set up with a plane ticket and get her somewhere that Crispen won’t find her.”

“You bitch!” Crispen shouts at Aria.

Aria rolls her eyes.

“If you’re staying then I am too. I’m not leaving you in a demons home alone. Even if that demon is dead. There are too many others around.”

Mason finds some rope from somewhere in the house, then Jayden drags Crispen from the building. I am surprised that Aria and Mason stay with me. They must know that they’re risking their lives. If other demons come, that could be it for them.

We all sit in silence for a while, Terry stares out the window watching Jayden take away Crispen.

“Okay, they’re gone,” Terry sighs. “Megan, do you trust these two?” he asks referring to Aria and Mason.

I shrug. “They haven’t tried to kill me yet, and they’re risking their lives being here.”

He nods. “Very well.”

I wipe tears away from my eyes while Aria and Mason stare at their brother on the floor. I can’t tell if they’re sad or what emotion they feel.

“I don’t know what to think about this. I’m only here because I don’t want to leave Aria alone with demons, and I don’t think Megan deserves death,” Mason mutters.

Terry walks over to Aiden, flips him around and then looks to Aria, Mason and me. “Very well then, since I doubt I can convince you to leave, please listen closely. None of you will tell anyone ever about what is about to happen.”

Aria, Mason and I stare at each other and then nod in unison. Confusion taking over all three of our expressions.

I let the tears flow from my eyes, as I stare at Aiden’s unmoving body.

“I need your word,” Terry grumbles.

We all give him our word.

Terry clutches the handle of the knife and pulls it out from Aiden’s back. Then he flips him back over onto his back. “You three should leave the room if you value your lives, he will be hungry when he awakens and anything with a soul will be ideal. He won’t be able to control the hunger.”

Shocked, I stare at Terry. “What? He’s not dead?”

“No, he is not dead. He is too powerful to die from such a silly blade.” Terry laughs at my revelation.

Aria and Mason look just as confused as I feel. Terry motions for the door, and I decide I better get out of here, before I get my soul sucked out. My heart beat returns to a regular pace, as I realize that Aiden is going to be okay. Holy hell. I almost had a heart attack. I just thought I just lost the only person that truly cares about me.

Terry zips by us no doubt off to grab Aiden a snack from the room in the basement.

When the three of us make it out to the main living room, we take in the slaughter of guards in the small space. My hand flies to my mouth, and the pain of loss overwhelms me again. I’ve gotten to know many of the guards who have been killed the past few days by the hunters, and now they’re all dead.

“Oh my god…” I trail off, staring at the mess. Blood is everywhere. At least last time when this all went down it mostly happened outside. This time there are at least twenty bodies leaking blood everywhere. I wonder if the servants were all killed along with the guards. Terry seems to be the only survivor. Aiden will need all new furniture and carpet. Everything will need bleach. “These poor people…”

I find my two personal guards Hermus and Vandike sprawled out on the floor and shake my head quickly as if trying to erase the image from my head. They died protecting me. All of these people died protecting me. My stomach feels like it drops out my butt. Dear god.

Terry races into the room with a person slung over his shoulder. “Stand back from them, if any are still breathing, they’ll suck out your soul to heal without even thinking.”

Aria’s eyes widen. “Of course. Come on.”

She tugs my forearm and leads me into the kitchen where we all sit at the table.

“I’m so sorry about all of this,” she whispers. “The hunter in me has no sympathy towards demons. I need to stay more in touch with my humanity.”

Mason groans. “No, Aria, you don’t. Demons are still demons. Crispen just went too far with wanting to kill. I don’t believe in killing halflings. They are half human.”

“Mason, I really don’t know what to think anymore. I mean,
he
killed our niece, demon or not she was a child and only a halfling.”

“Yes, I’m aware. I know. He has no sympathy for anything demon related,” Mason admits.

“We’re in no way demons, but do you think he’ll come after us for being demon sympathizers or something now?” Aria asks Mason who shrugs and shakes his head.

“No. We’re not demons. It’s the blood that makes him all crazy. It’s why I was so surprised when he risked his life protecting Megan from Blayk and Landon all that time,” Mason grumbles and steals a banana from the table.

“I don’t get it. How can he go from being my best friend to wanting me dead?” I ask them, hoping for answers.

Mason speaks up. “He loved you, you got kidnapped by demons, and you chose those demons over him, then you came to visit him with his biggest enemy, then got in a brawl and stabbed him. I think it’s fair to say that he hates you because you for multiple reasons.”

Aria sighs and runs her fingers through her beautiful long hair. “He’s always been the most controlled by his instincts. We thought having you around would change his ways and his attitude. It did change it for a time then what Mason said all happened. Sometimes he picks a target, and he won’t stop hunting that target until they’re dead. He gets wrapped up in the hunt and nothing can stop him. We’ve followed Aiden around the world for this very reason. Crispen won’t let up, although we’ve failed so many times over.”

“It’s an obsession,” Mason adds.

“It’s why I’ve been travelling the world,” Aria adds. “I couldn’t take his attitude anymore, so I left him with Mason.”

One question still remains, how did I not notice this or see it coming.

“I don’t think I could go from loving someone one day to wanting to kill them the next.” I straighten in my chair and take the last banana on the table.

“He’s letting instinct rule him instead of common sense, emotion, and intelligence. We have the ability to block out our humanity. We don’t dare do it, because we end up no better than the demons, but Crispen was hurt after you left, and we think he shut his off. It’s not the first or tenth time he’s done this. He does it whenever he feels emotional pain, then we have to deal with consequences until he snaps out of it,” Mason tells me almost reluctantly. I wonder if it’s because he hates comparing hunters to demons. “Don’t get me wrong, either way, we want to kill the demons more than anything, but we can control ourselves, have restraint, and the ability to use common sense. When we drop this control and rely on our instincts, we lose our heads and make dumb decisions, but it keeps us from feeling emotions that we should feel, even if they’re painful. Crispen can be a baby quite honestly.”