Chasing Demons (Book 2) Rated R

Chapter 17

The next two days were spent nursing Christian back to health. He hardly let me touch him except to heal him, only once a day, and no more than a few minutes at a time.

We acted like perfect strangers and we spent a lot of time watching TV in silence on opposite sides of the room.

He'd insisted I leave again, of course, but I told him to shut the hell up. I wasn't going anywhere until Julian returned. At least this way I'd know that he wasn't in danger of getting kidnapped and tortured by another hoard of humans.

This morning, as I walked out of the bathroom, mid-way through combing my wet hair, I found Christian pacing.

After a moment, Christin spoke. "Julian isn't back yet. It's been three days."

"Can't you call him?" I asked.

"I tried. He's not answering. No one at Dannek castle is."

"Do you think Vincent's done something to him?"

He shook his head, "Something's wrong, I can feel it."

"Do you think...the humans...?"

"I don't know but I have a bad feeling about this."

"Then why are we still here? He probably needs our help."

"Aimee, I'm not taking you back to Dannek castle. Not with Vincent still there."

"You'll have a hard time getting me to stay. Look, we may not be together but I still want to help. Plus, I'm still owed my 200 men."

"Wait here. Once I make sure it's safe, I'll send for you, I promise."

"I don't think so. I'm not convinced you're even 100% healed yet. Anything that happens to you, happens to me, at least while we're still bonded so please, just let me help."

He shook his head, looking down at me from his impressive height

"You are stubborn. The point of all this," he gestured. "Is to make sure you're out of harm's way."

I snorted. "Like that's ever going to happen. Look, I promise I'll run the other way if I see trouble."

"Like that's ever going to happen," He echoed, face serious.

"You need my help. Just accept it. The quicker you get back your throne, the faster we can kill Stefan, rescue my family and I can go back to Oregon and pretend none of this ever happened. Just like you want."

He sighed.

"Christian," I insisted.

"You have to promise to follow my lead."

"Fine, fine."

"I need you to promise."

I looked up at him through my eyelashes and for a moment, it was like time stopped. Like the night he'd distorted my memories, it felt, for a second that lasted a lifetime and not long enough at the same time like I was drowning in the depths of those Dannek blue eyes.

He took a step back at the same time I drew in a much-needed breath.

"Here," He said, handing me something out of his carry-on bag, his eyes now focused on the bag. "Your new passport."

I raised my eyebrows. "Huh. Maria Belikov. Is this my yearbook picture?"

"Wasn't me," Christian said, shrugging. "Julian made these."

"High school," I said, with a laugh. "Those were rough years. Can you tell I was an angsty teenager who hated life?"

I flashed him the picture of me with eyes rimmed in black eyeliner, my black hair streaked with electric blue.