Damned

chapter 8

Lizzie

The bonfire was in the woods on the backside of one of the team player’s parents’ property. The fire was blazing by the time we got there. All the vehicles were backed up toward the fire and everyone was sitting on tailgates or in fold-out chairs.

Trevor drove his dad’s pick-up and he, Mille, Brett, and I sat on the tailgate and watched the fire. Trevor sat behind me, his legs dangling beside mine. Leaning back against his chest I took a breath. I knew I shouldn’t be thinking about Darrton but I couldn’t help it. Where was he? I couldn’t help but to be worried, even though I tried not to be. I shook my head and focused on the fire that was making a miniature firework show in front of us. This isn’t what I should be thinking about right now.

One of the team members was singing along on the hood of his truck to some crazy rap song and everyone was falling over laughing about it.

A guy with short spiky hair walked over to us, a red plastic cup in his hand. I’d seen him around before but really didn’t know him. Trevor fist bumped him and he smiled. “You were a little off tonight, bro,” Red Cup said.

Trevor laughed and nodded. “I have no idea what the hell happened.”

Red Cup shrugged. “It happens to the best of us.”

The guy took a swig of his drink and furrowed his brow. “Funny how nice and quiet it is over here and all those people overseas are killing one another.”

I grimaced. I wish everyone would just stop talking about it. “Wars happen all the time,” I said, trying to reassure myself more than the others. “We are always at war with someone.”

The guy focused his bright eyes toward me and said, “Yeah but people are killing their own family members over there for no reason. We sure as hell don’t do that in my family. There is something up with it. Something is wrong and I feel it.”

I gritted my teeth. I didn’t want to hear another damn word about it. “Why would you think that? You have some kind of psychic ability where you know something is wrong?”

Trevor tensed behind me and squeezed my side. “Well,” he coughed. “Liz, little kids are trying to kill their parents. You don’t think something is wrong with that?”

I shrugged. Stop talking about it! Red Cup gave Trevor a what-the-f*ck-is-up-with-your-girlfriend face and walked off.

Millie leaned over close to me. “What the hell is wrong with you, comrade?”

Sighing, I raked my fingers through my hair and leaned forward. “Nothing, I’m fine.”

“Then what’s up with the bitchy attitude, Lizzie? It’s not cute on you.”

I ignored her and wrapped my arms around my knees. Brett was wide-eyed and, pretending he needed some more beer, left.

Trevor leaned up, squeezed my thigh, and whispered into my ear, “Wanna’ take a walk?”

I nodded and jumped down. Anything to distract me. Millie cocked an eyebrow. Her devious smile rose to her lips. “Protection,” she mouthed and waggled her eyebrows up and down at me.

I sighed in relief. ‘What’s that?”

She laughed. Millie was the kind of person who would tell you how it was one minute and then forgive you the next. That filter a lot of people had in the brain that says, Don’t say that, it’s mean, well Mililani Rouse didn’t have it. She also didn’t have a grudging bone in her body, well at least toward me. She was the only person I’ve ever known who could call you a bitch and then turn around and give you advice or tell you she loved you in the same sentence. She was the one person I could count on to keep me in check. I loved that about her.

Trevor and I pushed our way through the tall grass and walked closer to the woods than I would have preferred. But he put his arm around me, and I felt okay. He pointed toward the moon which was shining brightly. “At least we can see. The moon seemed to know we wanted to take a walk tonight.”

I smiled.

“Are you okay?” he whispered as I shielded my face from the wind with the side of his jacket.

“Yeah, I’m fine, why?”

He shrugged and looked off into the distance. “You just seem distracted lately. Not yourself.”

“Just tired of school I guess,” I lied.

“I feel ya there. Hopefully, this weekend will make you feel better.”

I nodded. “I’m sure it will,” I lied again.

I snuggled deeper into his side and walked with him. After about ten minutes, he stopped and we sat down by a creek that was trickling through the dark. Sitting down beside me, Trevor gasped, “Wow.” He reached toward the ground and pulled up a huge black feather. “What kind of freak of nature would leave this behind?”

I stiffened. Yeah, what could have? Why was he here? Is he here now? I looked around and up in the trees. I didn’t see him but I didn’t have cat eyes either.

“Are you okay?” Trevor asked, holding the feather in his hand.

Just looking at it made that crazy feeling burst in my chest. I picked the feather from his hands and threw it in the creek beside us.

His mouth was partly open and his eyes wide. “Okay,” he whispered.

“I just...” He was here. I can feel him. Pulling myself up to my knees, I pushed Trevor to the ground and straddled him. Maybe this will make him so uncomfortable he will leave.

I kissed Trevor with all I had. I let his fingers dig into my thigh. Taking over, he pulled me off of him and pinned me to the ground below. I was heated all over. I didn’t care if Darrton saw or not. I want him to see. Trevor pulled off his shirt and his white, tight body was glowing underneath, in the moonlight. I pressed my hips upwards and Trevor ground his into me.

Am I really going to do this? Trevor kissed my neck, and his right hand cupped my left breast. I moaned. Hell yeah, I’m going to do it.

Before I knew it my shirt was off. Trevor was kissing my belly and sliding his tongue up my side. The ground below me felt rough but his tongue and touch was too arousing for me to care. Carefully, he slid his hands up to my zipper and peeled my jeans off. The air was cold against my skin but he covered me with his body for warmth.

I heard the howl of a coyote as Trevor unzipped his pants. The sound of the zipper made my body stiffen. We were going to have sex in the woods. Another howl. No, this isn’t right.

I pushed Trevor off of me as I sat up.

He stared at me. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t. Not here. We’re in the woods. It’s not the right place or time.”

He sighed. “I’ve never brought a girl to the woods. It will be special.”

That sentence irked me. He has never brought a girl here, but he had brought a lot of other girls other places?

“No, Trevor. It’s just not right. I’m not ready.”

“Come on,” he said, kissing my neck. “I swear if it hurts I’ll stop,” he breathed into my ear.

Is he not hearing me? “Did you not hear me? I said I didn’t want to. I’m not scared it will hurt. I just don’t want to have sex.”

He jerked his head back. “You’re kidding, right?”

“No! I’m not kidding! I’m not ready. I do not want to have sex with you!”

He laughed. “Then why did you let me take your clothes off, Lizzie? Didn’t you know what would happen? Are you that naive...”

I zoned out while he was giving me a long lecture about blue balls and all this stupid shit I didn’t care about, when I heard a distant sound and it was getting closer. What is that? Thunder?

“...I really like you and if it hurts I can always stop. I’ll pull it...” He trailed off into silence while a dark shadow was cast over the ground.

I shivered. Please no.

I didn’t even hear him land but I saw him behind Trevor. His wings retracted and he had a crazy, hungry, dark look in his pale eyes. “When is it okay to try and force a lady into intercourse, son?”

Trevor jumped up. His eyes were wide in fear and surprise. “I’ve had all I can take of your crazy ass. Come on.” He balled his hands up into fists. “Let’s duke it out. Let’s get this over with.”

Ah shit! I stood up. “No, you guys, just stop. There is nothing more to talk about. I’m not having sex with you, Trevor. Get over it, take me home, and Darrton...” A shiver ran down my spine as I said his name. “You can just go home. Everything is fine.”

Trevor looked as if I’d pissed him off a little more. “No, we’re not done. This whole situation is messed up. This guy is your cousin and acts like he is a freaking prince charming coming to your rescue.” He pulled his fists up and took a swing at Darrton. He missed. What the hell is wrong with him? A sickening vibe ran down my body. Why was he acting this way? To think I’d really liked him.

“Come on just stop—” I pulled at Trevor and he pushed me back against the tree. My skin above my underwear line hit the tree and I felt blood start to ooze out.

Darrton’s eyes landed on mine and a snarl rose on his lips. The length of time it took Darrton to knock Trevor out was the time it took me to blink. When I looked back up, Trevor was lying, shirtless, on the ground, and was sound asleep.

Darrton didn’t say a word to me. He bent down and whispered something into Trevor’s ear. I stood up, suddenly aware of my clothing, or lack thereof, and even though I was freezing a burst of warmth surged through me. Darrton stepped toward me and picked me up. Without a word he broke his wings free and shot up toward the sky. I had no choice but to grab a hold of him. His dark, musky scent was intoxicating. The wind blew through our hair. We were above the trees now, watching the ground grow smaller and smaller. I was in the arms of a Horseman.

Darrton stood on the tree limb closest to the window and pulled both of us into the bedroom. When he set me down, I couldn’t do anything but stare at him. The house was quiet and I could hear the crickets from outside, chirping. Standing there in my underwear and bra I crossed my arms across my chest.

My eyes were burning from the tears trying to escape. I wasn’t one hundred percent sure why I was crying, but I knew it was mainly because of Trevor. I had liked him for so long, and he treated me like that. Not that I didn’t take my clothes off, but no means no. He tried to force me? I tried to shake everything out of my head. Darrton was right. He wasn’t right for me. I would never mention it to him or say anything about it. I couldn’t. My heart hurt too much to deal with Trevor right then, I had other things to worry about anyway.

“Where have you been?” What a dumb thing to ask after he’d just kicked Trevor’s butt and considering the current situation. “And what was up with the commotion today? You made Trevor lose any chance at a college scholarship, not that I give a damn now, but just saying.”

He didn’t answer. He just stood there, his wings tucked in around his back and his face an emotionless mask. I was secretly waiting for him to say I told you so.

“Don’t you know where you have been?” I asked.

His dark hair fell in front of his face when he stepped closer. “Did you want to?” he asked.

“Want to what?” I asked.

“Sleep with him?”

My mouth gaped open. “You heard me tell him no. Why do you want me to say it again?” My face was a burning. I threw my hands up in the air and then pulled them back down when I remembered the cut on my back.

“I want to hear you say it,” he said.

I shivered. “No.”

He took a step closer. The raw-earth smell was musky and it covered him. “Say it. Say you don’t want him.”

“Why?” I yelled. “What’s it to you?”

Darrton shook his head and sniffed the air. He walked around me and looked at the cut on my lower back. He knelt beside me. Ignoring me, he brushed his fingertips across my bleeding cut and I felt it start to heal.

I turned toward him and put my hand on his shoulder as he tried to rise, keeping him down on his knees. “Why? Why do you care? You left without a word. Ignoring me, not showing your face, just eating, and taking the clothes I set out for you? And then you swoop in and take Trevor out—”

“He would have talked you into it.”

Shaking my head, I laughed without humor. “No, I don’t want him anymore.” It slipped from my lips and I bit my tongue.

“Why is that, child?”

“I’m not a child and you know it. Stop acting like I am, when deep down you don’t see me as a child.” My hand was shaking as I watched Darrton’s jaw moved.

“No, you’re not a child.” He shook his head. “Not at all.”

Darrton leaned forward and touched the side of my head. His mouth was very close to mine. Death was staring me in the face and I wasn’t scared. I didn’t want to move.

An irritated sigh slipped from his lips and he pulled back. “Maybe you should clothe yourself. I’m a Horseman, but I’m still a male.”

My body quaked at that. Yes, you are! I stood there for a minute. What just happened? Had he tried to kiss me and changed his mind? Did my breath stink? I quickly thought back on what all I had eaten that day. Or maybe he is trying to be respectful. Since Trevor did try and force himself on me, after I said no.

I finally got off the bed and went to my closet. I pulled on a wife beater and a pair of sweats. Darrton had his fingers interlaced and resting on his knee when I came back out. “Something’s wrong?”

He nodded.

I pushed my toe into the plush rug beside my bed. “Do I want to know?”

“Probably not.”

“Well, I guess, tell me anyway.”

“I found a trace of someone here. I sensed them again tonight at the game. They have all found each other. Now they’re here to retrieve me.” He twisted his ring. “This isn’t the first time they have visited, but this time they haven’t made themselves known. My brothers are checking on me.”

I pointed down to his ring. “What is that? Can I see?” Grabbing his hand I tried to pull it off, but it wouldn’t budge. “Have you gained weight?” I teased.

He rolled his eyes. “It’s not meant to come off. It’s forever there, engraved into me.”

“Is that how you know they are here?”

He nodded. “Yes and no. I feel them when one of them is near. Also, the ring has been weighing down on me lately. It also has been scorching me. It’s letting me know it’s time. They connect with me through the ring. We can communicate mentally.”

“Time to what?” He didn’t answer. But I knew. Kill. Destroy. Bring The Apocalypse. “Have you seen them? How many? Which ones?”

Darrton reached over and patted my hand, “Don’t you worry about it, okay?” he said, reassuring me. “I will make sure you and your family stay safe. You don’t deserve what they will try to make me do to you.”

I could see he was telling the truth this time. I didn’t know how but I knew. He left and I wanted to grab after him. Why, Lizzie? Why reach after...Death?