fingernail grew two more inches into an extended claw.
“Shelly! No!”
“What? Who is this girl anyway?”
“She is not your concern!”
Ariya grunted and tried to force her mind from the pain as her head was pulled backward.
If she concentrates enough, she could try to use her powers to distract them both and get out of here.
“Hey. You brought me here to be with you tonight, Jace. I didn’t know you had someone else already stashed away in your little hideout. Do you ever think about anyone but yourself? This night was supposed to be just us and here I find out you have some little—.” Shelly leaned in to sniff Ariya’s skin. “What the crap is she anyway?”
Ariya felt her warm breath on her neck. Her body prickled with fear and embarrassment at being scrutinized like an animal. Who were these people and why won’t they let her leave? She closed her eyes tightly, hoping to catch the oncoming tears of pain from falling. The last thing she wanted to do was give them the satisfaction of showing her fear.
“She’s not even human or one of us. What in the—”
Jace moved and appeared behind them and Ariya was freed once she felt Shelly’s grip release her. She dashed to the other side of the room and raised her hands to protect herself. Remain calm , she coached herself.
Jace whipped Shelly around to face him and he held her gaze. His jaw flexed and his eyes focused on her in a silent warning. Slowly, the two black and red orbs changed to a hypnotizing deep blue shade like that of the sky.
“Just go home, Shelly,” he said with a growl. “I can handle this. I’m sure Vex is lonely for some company about now.”
Shelly yanked her arm away from him. Flames would shoot straight from her eyes with the look of death she gave him. She grabbed her jacket and shirt from the couch before exiting the room, slamming the door behind her. Ariya remained frozen against the wall, her breathing quickened.
“I’m sorry,” he said, quickly zipping up his jeans with a slight hint of remorse. “You shouldn’t have seen that.”
“W-What creature are you?” Ariya said in a demanding tone that surprised even her. She hoped this was all a dream although that could prove more dangerous if she let her subconscious open too freely.
A dream.
Could this be the man she had dreamed about before the attack? He shared the same features only with shorter hair and modern clothes. It couldn’t be. This man had to be no more than thirty years of age.
Then something else caught her attention. His voice held a slight tinge of an accent. Yes, he was the one who saved her back in the alleyway.
“You remember then.” He smiled. “Oh, and some would call it a bit of a brogue. I figured I lost it over the years but it tends to creep up now and then. Ah, I see your arms have healed nicely. I was hoping.”
Ariya noticed the softness in his voice. Why did he care so much that she was okay? Looking at him, she found herself drawn to him. He was cold, seductive and wholly preternatural. Definitely something more than just human. Could he be a ghost? No, he felt real. He had to be another creature more dangerous, yet striking.
He stepped toward her and she backed up with each step.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said holding up his hands. “I won’t hurt you. You can lower your hands now.”
As her mind raced she sensed his words were genuine. Slowly she lowered her arms and allowed him to approach her. He promptly took a bow.
“My name is Jacinus Aurelius Archane, but you can call me Jace. Welcome to my home.”
“Thank you.”
He raised his eyebrow and waited. “And you are?”
“My name is Ariya.” She looked around the open living room brightly lit by candlelight. “Am I still in the city?”
“Yes, you are.”
“Where exactly?”
“ Phoenix , Arizona .”
She nodded, averting her eyes to the ground as she whispered softly to herself, “Desert landscape. United States southwest region.”
“I had to
“Shelly! No!”
“What? Who is this girl anyway?”
“She is not your concern!”
Ariya grunted and tried to force her mind from the pain as her head was pulled backward.
If she concentrates enough, she could try to use her powers to distract them both and get out of here.
“Hey. You brought me here to be with you tonight, Jace. I didn’t know you had someone else already stashed away in your little hideout. Do you ever think about anyone but yourself? This night was supposed to be just us and here I find out you have some little—.” Shelly leaned in to sniff Ariya’s skin. “What the crap is she anyway?”
Ariya felt her warm breath on her neck. Her body prickled with fear and embarrassment at being scrutinized like an animal. Who were these people and why won’t they let her leave? She closed her eyes tightly, hoping to catch the oncoming tears of pain from falling. The last thing she wanted to do was give them the satisfaction of showing her fear.
“She’s not even human or one of us. What in the—”
Jace moved and appeared behind them and Ariya was freed once she felt Shelly’s grip release her. She dashed to the other side of the room and raised her hands to protect herself. Remain calm , she coached herself.
Jace whipped Shelly around to face him and he held her gaze. His jaw flexed and his eyes focused on her in a silent warning. Slowly, the two black and red orbs changed to a hypnotizing deep blue shade like that of the sky.
“Just go home, Shelly,” he said with a growl. “I can handle this. I’m sure Vex is lonely for some company about now.”
Shelly yanked her arm away from him. Flames would shoot straight from her eyes with the look of death she gave him. She grabbed her jacket and shirt from the couch before exiting the room, slamming the door behind her. Ariya remained frozen against the wall, her breathing quickened.
“I’m sorry,” he said, quickly zipping up his jeans with a slight hint of remorse. “You shouldn’t have seen that.”
“W-What creature are you?” Ariya said in a demanding tone that surprised even her. She hoped this was all a dream although that could prove more dangerous if she let her subconscious open too freely.
A dream.
Could this be the man she had dreamed about before the attack? He shared the same features only with shorter hair and modern clothes. It couldn’t be. This man had to be no more than thirty years of age.
Then something else caught her attention. His voice held a slight tinge of an accent. Yes, he was the one who saved her back in the alleyway.
“You remember then.” He smiled. “Oh, and some would call it a bit of a brogue. I figured I lost it over the years but it tends to creep up now and then. Ah, I see your arms have healed nicely. I was hoping.”
Ariya noticed the softness in his voice. Why did he care so much that she was okay? Looking at him, she found herself drawn to him. He was cold, seductive and wholly preternatural. Definitely something more than just human. Could he be a ghost? No, he felt real. He had to be another creature more dangerous, yet striking.
He stepped toward her and she backed up with each step.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said holding up his hands. “I won’t hurt you. You can lower your hands now.”
As her mind raced she sensed his words were genuine. Slowly she lowered her arms and allowed him to approach her. He promptly took a bow.
“My name is Jacinus Aurelius Archane, but you can call me Jace. Welcome to my home.”
“Thank you.”
He raised his eyebrow and waited. “And you are?”
“My name is Ariya.” She looked around the open living room brightly lit by candlelight. “Am I still in the city?”
“Yes, you are.”
“Where exactly?”
“ Phoenix , Arizona .”
She nodded, averting her eyes to the ground as she whispered softly to herself, “Desert landscape. United States southwest region.”
“I had to
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