Obsidian Souls (Soul Series) (17 page)

             
Mike, who was trying to get me to engage, was bouncing from foot to foot, dodging in closer and closer trying to egg me on. “Come on! Try to hit me!” He sounded like a child asking another kid to play.

             
“This isn’t any fun. I stink.”

             
“You won’t always. Your demon blood will kick in eventually.” He now started poking me with his finger trying to get me going. These guys really didn’t understand that nothing is more irritating than being poked. It’s why I always used to do it to my brother. God Mike was being annoying today.

             
I took a swing. It missed him by a mile. “We aren’t even sure what I am. Maybe whatever I am won’t be the same.” I tried a kick this time. He dodged it easily. I felt like I was moving in slow motion compared to him.

             
“Nah, Charlie and Caden are sure you’re gonna turn. They’re always right.” He punctuated this with some more poking.

             
“Mike!” a female voice yelled from the behind me, somewhere near the door.

             
Mike’s face lit up like it was his fifth birthday party and someone had just given him a puppy.

             
“Tamara!”

             
He abandoned our work out and went and hugged one of the most stunning blondes I’d ever seen in person. I didn’t think women like her existed. I thought they were just a concoction of professional makeup artists and extensive air brushing. She had full blond hair, perfect body and the face of an angel.

             
“Lex, this is my niece Tamara.” Tamara looked to be in her late twenties and Mike didn’t appear a day over twenty-five, so it was an odd appearance, but I knew that in reality Mike might be four times older than that.

             
“Hi, Lex.” She held out a hand to shake mine. “So nice to meet you.”

             
“You too.”

             
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” Mike asked.

             
“I had a shoot last minute. It’s going to run for a couple of days so I figured I would crash with you. My photo shoot is only a few blocks away.”

             
Yes, of course, she was some sort of model. Shocker.

             
“I saw Alex downstairs. Why’s the bar closed?
             
“We’re having a couple little issues.”

             
“Bad?”

             
“Nothing big. Just let me or one of the guys drop you for work.”

             
“I don’t want to be a problem! Should I just get a hotel room?”

             
“No, not at all! It’s all good! I want to catch up with you.”

             
“Great! I missed you guys something fierce! Where’s Caden at? I want to say hi and drop off my bag.”

             
My stomach felt like it jumped into my throat. What was she talking about? Where would she be dropping her bag?

             
“Lex is staying at Caden’s. It might be more comfortable to stay with me this time.”

             
She looked over at me and it was obvious when the light bulb went off. She smiled as if everything was good, but I could see the strain in her muscles. Maybe I was so in tune to her struggle because I was also struggling to keep a happy smile plastered across my face as well. What was the deal here? Was she sleeping with him? And more alarming, why did I even care? When did this happen? He was a complete jerk. Yes, he had some nice moments and he was sexy as hell but really?

             
“Yeah, sounds good.” She was not a good liar.

             
“It’ll be great! Just like when you were a kid.”

             
“I’m going to go get cleaned up,” I said looking to bail on this oh so awkward moment.

             
“Lex, make sure you come up for dinner, everybody stays in when Tamara comes,” Mike said.

             
“Sounds great!” Yeah, just great I said inside my head with a much more sarcastic tone. Wouldn’t want to miss that.

Chapter Eighteen

             
We ate at nine p.m. that evening. Everyone was around here kept late hours and I was slowly getting into the swing of things. Dave had sent Diane to see her parents shortly after the fight with Caden and before that they had been keeping some distance, so I hadn’t had much of an opportunity to get to know her well. He felt it was safer with her there on an everyday basis. He was hopping in between here and her parents place upstate.

             
Everyone, even Diana, was here tonight when I came upstairs. We were having dinner at one of the tables in the bar. I’d never paid much attention before but it hit home tonight that the seating had shifted. Caden was always at the head of the table with Mike to his left, and without even realizing it had become a habit, I had always been reserved the chair to his right. Until tonight that is, the seat was empty but the chair was pulled out and a half empty glass of wine with lipstick on the rim was in my spot. The only seat left, apparently my new spot, was to be to Mike’s left.

             
My hackles were starting to rise already. I was here every day, and she flits in like Tinker Bell and gets my spot? Deep breath I told myself. She’s only going to be here for a couple of days. She seems like a nice girl. Don’t overeact. You’re being petty I kept telling myself.

             
Tamara walked in, like she was still on the runway, wearing a long white flowing dress. She looked like a Greek goddess. In comparison, I looked down at my distressed jeans and t-shirt and wished someone had told me we were dressing for dinner. I felt like a short troll in the presence of a queen.

           “Okay boys, help yourselves!” She laid down a platter of sliced prime rib in the center that looked cooked to perfection. There were side dishes galore, asparagus with roasted garlic, potatoes au gratin and a tureen of cream of lobster bisque to name a few. Tamara really knew how to put out a dinner.

             
Of course, Diana was right beside Tamara helping her. It was clear they were not only well acquainted but had a friendship. I told myself she had known her much longer. Diana and I would eventually become friends too. It was just going to take a while. That was all.

             
I’d always loved food, and I thanked the stars everyday that I had a fast metabolism. My mood was softening toward Tamara as my mouth was watering over the rare piece of prime rib I’d just laid on my plate. The meat was exquisite, and as I took my first bite, everything was about to be forgiven. Until I looked up to see Tamara, leaning toward Caden, hand on his arm, showing just the perfect amount of cleavage. I still might have been able to enjoy the meal if he didn’t have the most handsome smile I’d ever seen on his face. Sitting there in his expensive suit with his tan skin and perfect smile, they looked like a wedding advertisement.

             
“Who’s your job with this week?” Caden asked her.

             
“It’s a Vogue spread focusing on some of the newest hot designers to hit the market.”

             
“I’m sure you’ll look fantastic. You always do.”

             
“You should come do a spread with me one time Caden. My agent would love you!”

             
“I can’t do a spread, you know that.”

             
Yes, Tamara, you big dope, how could he? I thought to myself. He’s not human! Demons can’t do photo layouts, but I guess they can do twenty something year old models.

             
The couple of bites of prime rib that I had eaten were sitting in my stomach like a lead brick now. I’d always felt somewhat secure about myself but watching the way he was all suave and doting with her, after getting mostly thorns myself, made it pretty tough to not feel like an ugly troll. It was one of those moments in life that make all your insecurities come rushing at you, not pretty enough, not witty enough, just plain old not good enough.

             
I waited as patiently as I could, mentally withdrawing, forcing myself to laugh whenever the group laughed, even though I had no idea why I was laughing. I wasn’t sure how I had even finished my meal. Relief passed over me as I saw Dave and Diana get up to leave. I left less than a minute after they did.

             
Needing an emotional release and not having one, I opted for the physical release of a workout as my next best option.  I changed into some yoga pants and a tank top and went to the gym upstairs to work out. The last thing I was going to do was sit in his place waiting to be a third wheel. The girl he didn’t want, who was just making things inconvenient for the right girl.

             
I started punching at the bag vigorously, alternating between envisioning his face and hers. I knew I had no right to be feeling like this but when had that ever changed anything. I punched and I kicked until I was exhausted and didn’t have an ounce of energy left, and yet I still couldn’t bring myself to go downstairs.

             
There were always clean towels here stacked in the corner for when the guys worked out. I’m not sure who put them there, because I never saw a cleaning crew, but I was grateful for them. I went over to the stretching mat, and used one as a makeshift pillow, and another as a blanket making a bed for myself. I was feeling more pathetic than ever. I should just leave like I had thought about, but the fear of going it alone scared me back into inaction, so I just lay there instead. I closed my eyes and would reassess tomorrow.

             
“Lex! I’ve been looking for you for the last three hours.” This is what I woke up to several hours later.

             
Yawning and exhausted, my mood wasn’t so great either. “What time is it?”

             
“Why are you up here sleeping?”

             
“I was giving you and Tamara some privacy.”

             
“She’s at Mike’s.”

             
“I hope you didn’t do that for me. I’m fine here.”

             
“I didn’t do it for you.”

             
“Then why? You obviously like her?”

             
“Are you asking me for an explanation of why I’m not sleeping with her?” he sounded incredulous and I understood. It was a rather bizarre question of me.

             
“Yes. Why aren’t you sleeping with her? She’s clearly your type.”

             
“I have no interest in sleeping with her.”

             
“Why not?”

             
“I’m not discussing this anymore. Come on.”

             
“What?”

             
“Come down stairs.”

             
“I’m sleeping here.” I pulled my towel back over me and turned my back to him.

             
“Why are you mad?”

             
I looked over my shoulder with disbelief. “You’ve been telling me that this life isn’t all rainbows and butterflies, but you left out that it is for some people. Some people get kid glove treatment. Not me though, I get kicked in the mouth every day.”

             
“I’m tougher on you because of what you are, you don’t have a choice. You have to be tough or you’ll be chewed up. You think I enjoy riding you? That I like being like this?”

             
“I don’t care what you like or think you need to do. Leave me alone. I’m going back to sleep.” I turned back over and nestled into my nest of towels.

             
“Get up. You’re not sleeping on the floor. Your being ridiculous.”

             
I ignored him and fluffed my towel pillow digging in.

             
“Hey! Get off of me!” I screamed as he grabbed me and went to heave me over his shoulder. I was boiling mad now, and I could actually feel the angry energy rolling off me. Then the oddest feeling came over my muscles, and I took a shot and swung with my left fist, since that was the only free arm, and caught him in the jaw. It hit him so hard it actually stunned him and he released my other arm. Normally, I would have felt badly about this, but he was the one that got physical first I reasoned, plus I knew from experience that for him, getting hurt was very difficult. I think he was stunned at the force, not so much from any kind of pain or injury I inflicted.