A Demon's Kiss (Young Adult Romance) (18 page)

His eyes never leaving mine, he studied me closely, seeming to be curious of my reaction. “I came to make you remember.”

I tilted my head. “Remember? Remember what? My childhood? You can do that?”

“I can try,” he said, sitting on the bed. “But the thing is, I think it’s your mom that made you forget. Her power was really strong.”

I blinked, then swallowed hard. “My mom?”

He nodded. “She got really strange after your sister died. She turned against the Caldronon. I’m not sure I can undue her spell.”

I wasn’t listening to him anymore. A chill had through me. “Wait. Stop. I had a sister?”

He studied me, looking surprised I didn’t know. “Danielle.”

I repeated the name, trying to remember, but nothing was there. “What was she like?”

“She was really cute,” he said with a smile. “We used to have contests—you and I—to see who could make her laugh. And we’d take for walks all the time—like three times a day. She’d cry if we tried to leave your house without her.”

I felt out of sorts, like I was hearing about someone else’s life, but being told it was mine. I adored the image though, having a little sister, taking her for walks. I longed to remember. “She—Danielle, she died?”

He took a deep breath, looking sad, like the question bothered him. “Yeah...she died.” He was quiet for a moment. I sat watching him, anxious to hear more. I had a sister. That was so incredible. It made me lonely though to think she was here and gone and I didn’t have anything—not even a single memory—to treasure her by.

Impatient, I looked at Logan, wanting him to go on. Until this moment I’d thought of him as my tormentor, a demon creature that wanted to drag me off to hell. But suddenly I saw him differently. He knew me as a child. We took my baby sister, who I didn’t even know I had, for walks together. It was ironic, but this stranger—this walking nightmare—knew more about me than I did. He held the answers to all my childhood questions.

“She was like me? My sister—she had powers like me?”

He shook his head. “No. She wasn’t like you. She was like your dad. She didn’t have any magic.”

The way he said that, so sad and remorseful, made me look up at him, a wave of nausea running through me. “They killed her, didn’t they? The Caldronon killed her because she didn’t have magic.”

He was hesitant, then shook his head, looking uncertain. “I don’t know. Sometimes we have to give sacrifices, but …. Look, she died on her second birthday—that’s all I know.”

It sounded like he was pretty certain though. It just sounded like he didn’t want to admit it—to me or to himself. A shiver of hate ran through me, thinking of the ruthless mob of demons against a defenseless two year old. The thought made me lonely. And mad. It made me want to mourn the murder of my sister—to avenge her death.

Realizing there was no point in pushing him on the subject, I wanted to move on. I’d have to deal with the loss at another time. If there was another time. “And after that—after they killed Danielle—my mom turned against the Caldronon?”

“Yeah.” He was silent for a moment, looking reflective. “Look, I don’t know that much about it. Just that one day she took your family and left.”

I glanced at him kind of side long, sneaking a look. I wanted to study him. In a way he reminded me of Gage—not in appearance so much, but in his mannerisms—the way he moved and talked, the way he was silent for long periods before speaking. It was strange I’d never noticed the similarities before. Suddenly they were uncanny.

Still, he was part of the Caldronon, evil. I had to keep reminding myself of that. For some reason I seemed prone to like him, to trust him. Whenever I let my guard down, I found myself wanting him, imagining we could be friends, more than friends, thoughts that got me hot. But I knew that wasn’t possible. As much as he reminded of Gage, I had to remember in reality he was nothing like him. Gage was good and kind and sweet. Logan was a crazed, demonic, maniac, able to burn my head off. Still, that stuff he was saying about Danielle, it sounded as though he really liked her, and when he talked about her dying he looked so sad. It made me think he had a soul—that he wasn’t just a monster coming to destroy me.

Still, I knew he was messed up. He’d been raised by the Caldronon. Everything he’d been taught he’d learned from them. Any goodness in his heart was meshed with their evil, making him a confusing blend that I knew I shouldn’t trust.

Inside I fought with myself, wondering if I dared ask the question I’d never been able to broach. When I was a child my father once told me my mom died because her heart stopped beating. That’s all he ever said about her death—that she went to sleep and never woke up. He didn’t make it sound like a scary thing. He made it sound good, peaceful, like it was what she wanted. But if she left the Caldronon I couldn’t believe they would let her die in peace. It seemed they would want to punish her—make her pay for leaving.

Finally, I just asked the question. If he didn’t want to answer, so be it, and if he did, I just hoped I was ready to hear it. “How did my mom die?”

He studied me a moment, then shook his head. “Michaela, you’re asking me things I don’t know. I’m part of the Caldronon—yes. But I’m part of you as well. I don’t know everything you do. And I don’t know everything they do either. Unless I’m part of the ceremony, I only get glimpses. And back then, I was just a kid. I don’t know how she died.”

“… Oh.”

I was relieved. At least he wasn’t part of her death. That in itself let me breathe a little easier. It was strange though, learning he only got glimpses of the Caldronon. I got glimpses.

I bit my lip. “So, you said you could make me remember?”

“I’m not sure. I think I can.” He sounded perplexed. “You want me to?”

I sat for a moment, thinking. Everything about my past terrified me—or at least it used to. Actually, most of it still did, but there were parts of it I wanted to remember—parts like my sister. I couldn’t even imagine holding a baby, and yet I had one in my home—I took her for walks. I wanted to remember things like that.

I figured I wanted to remember my mom too—something nice though, not something demonic or scary, something that would leave me feeling good about her instead of afraid.

“Can you make it so I only remember something nice?” I asked, finding myself intrigued by the thought.

“You mean parts?” He nodded. “Yeah. I think that’s all I can do.” He flicked me a look. “I want to make you remember our binding ceremony.”

I bit my lip. “Oh.”

That’s not what I wanted to remember. I didn’t want to remember anything about the Caldronon or their rituals—that was the really scary stuff. Still, I doubted he came here to get my permission. I was pretty sure he was going to do it whether I wanted him to or not.

“Do I have a choice?” I asked.

He shook his head.

CHAPTER 27

Logan took out a powder and blew it in the air above us. It was strange, but the action seemed familiar. It was as though I’d seen it done before. Where or when, I could only guess—maybe my mom used to do it, maybe I did. In either case, the act was occult and mystifying. It was my first conscious involvement with magic.

The powder he used seemed like magic itself. It was an interesting concoction—sort of light and airy, with tiny, little sparkles flickering through it. Watching the stuff hover above us, gently flowing down, I got an eerie sense of de-ja-vu.

“Give me your hands,” Logan instructed.

I held my breath and obeyed, though I didn’t want to go through with it. This wasn’t what I’d had in mind. I wanted to remember my sister or my mom, something nice, not the Caldronon or its rituals. But Logan promised to leave me alone if I did it. He swore if I let him conjure up our binding ceremony, relive it, that he’d give me space for a while, let me have some time to think.

“Close your eyes,” he instructed. Feeling curiously drowsy anyway, I followed his command without a murmur.

All at once I felt as though I was falling. Startled, I opened my eyes but I was no longer at Stocker’s party. I was in a dark cave—the cave from my nightmares….

… It’s strange, but for some reason I’m not afraid—not even a little bit. Instead I’m eager, excited. Today is my birthday. I just turned seven.

Mrs. Jameson, my piano teacher is here; so are my principal and doctor. Everyone has come to see me—me and Logan. They’ve come to celebrate my birthday. In hooded cloaks, they form a circle around us, chanting words I don’t understand.

The cave is aglow with fire. I’ve never seen so many candles. The leaders had me light some—they had me take an oath. Mommy said when the ceremony is over I’ll be a true member of the Caldronon—I’ll be part of them forever.

Mommy looks so pretty—I love her in her cloak. She smiles at me and I smile back. I look pretty too. I have on a long dark dress mommy made for me and a crown of flowers in my hair. Daddy said I look like a princess; mommy says I am.

I wish daddy were here. He didn’t want to come. He said he and Danielle will make me a birthday cake—we’ll eat it with ice cream after the ceremony.

Excited, I glance at Logan, standing beside me. He looks handsome. I’m glad I’m being promised to him, not that awful Aiden. I like Logan. He’s nice. He’s my friend.

The Caldronon all says another chant. Logan and I light more candles—I have to stand on my tippy-toes to get the highest. We repeat an oath. Holding hands, we promise ourselves to each other—we promise to always be together.

I don’t want to drink the blood though. It’s yucky. Mommy said I only have to take a sip, but when the time comes for me to do it, I can’t. It feels thick and yucky on my lips. It makes me feel sick. I pretend to drink it, but I don’t. I slosh a little of it around in my mouth, then pass the goblet on to Logan. He smiles at me before taking a drink. It makes me feel bad. I want the cup back, so I can really take a drink, but it’s too late. The goblets are taken away. Mommy brings me a hooded cloak—it’s just like hers. Logan’s parents give him one. Now we’re just like everyone else. We’re part of the Caldronon….

“What’s going on?!”

I heard the words, but couldn’t make out the meaning. Someone was talking—a girl—she was upset.

“Michaela, open your eyes—what’s the matter with you?”

I couldn’t open my eyes. I was too tired. I just wanted to sleep.

The voice went on and on, sounding hysterical. “What’s the matter with her? Is she on drugs—did you give her drugs?”

Slowly my mind began to focus and I realized it was Summer’s voice I was hearing and I wasn’t in the cave promising myself to demons, I was at Stocker’s house, holding hands with Logan. For some reason Summer is in the room with us. She’s yelling at Logan. She thinks he gave me drugs.

“No...Summer, it’s okay …”

I tried to open my eyes, but it took too much effort. I tried and tried and when I finally got them open the room spun crazily, looping one way, then the other. Logan let go of my hands, supporting my weight as I fell back on the bed.

“Get away from her!” Summer shrieked, trying to pull him away from me. “Leave her alone!”

“No...Summer...it’s not drugs.” I could barely speak. I felt so weak, I thought I might faint. “Its just...I’m sick.”

She sat on the bed beside me, looking concerned. “Should I call 911? Were you having a seizure?”

“No,” Logan said, barely glancing her way. Instead he gazed down at me, tenderly stroking my hair. “She’s okay.”

Summer watched him pamper me, her eyes narrowing to angry slits. “Why were the two of you here together in the first place?”

Logan ignored her, as though she wasn’t even in the room. He didn’t even answer her question. Instead he continued to gaze down at me, continued stroking my hair. “Do you want a drink?” he asked.

I shook my head, starting to feel more myself. I did want a drink, actually. I just didn’t want him to get it for me. It wasn’t that I didn’t appreciate his consideration. I did. A lot. I was feeling warm and fuzzy towards him, right now. And his gazing and stroking was turning my heart to mush. Only, I knew what was running through Summer’s mind. She thought I was trying to move in on her guy. She thought she’d been betrayed.

“So this is why you were so weird about me seeing Logan?” Summer hissed. “Because you wanted him for yourself?”

“Summer—”

“Don’t talk to me!” she shouted, racing toward the door. “Don’t ever talk to me again.”

Summer stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Logan and I, both dumbfounded, stared after her, watching her go. I wanted to chase after her—explain—but I didn’t even know what to say. I couldn’t very well blurt out the truth—Logan put me under a supernatural trance—she’d never believe it, but at the moment I was too exhausted to think of a plausible lie. In fact, I was too exhausted to move.

I told Logan to go find her. “Just make her feel better,” I said, knowing he could do that better than I.

He grinned. “I thought you wanted me to stay away from her.”

“I do,” I said. “Seriously. But make her feel better first. You hurt her feelings when you just stopped paying attention to her. Did you put some weird love spell on her or something?”

He stared at me a moment, looking incredulous. “No. I didn’t do anything to her. Believe it or not, most girls like me. I don’t need magic to get a date.”

Gazing up at him, I had no doubt that what he was saying was true. He probably had girls falling at his feet. It’s just that Summer had only known him a couple of days. It was weird realizing she could become so attached in such a short period of time.

What was even more weird, though, was the effect he was suddenly having on me. He used to scare me—I was terrified of him. But now, being in his arms, having him stroke my hair...fear wasn’t exactly the word I would use to describe my feelings.

“Ok. Whatever,” I said, confused about my feelings. “Just, please, go find Summer and make her stop hating me.”