Daemons in the Mist

Chapter 14 - What Have You Done?

14

What Have You Done?

Monday, January 16th

NUALLA

                        

I could see Patrick out by the parking lot waiting for me as I stepped out of the school building. Even though I had tried to reassure him of my affections in every way, he was still nervously pacing back and forth. Poor thing. I could tell, even if everyone else couldn’t, that he was only barely able to handle all that the last week had thrown at him. That I had thrown him into.

I walked down the steps and started making my way toward Patrick. I was about halfway there when I felt a concussion to the air as someone grabbed my arm and jerked me backward. I didn’t even have to look to know it was Michael.

“You’re dating him now?” he spat venomously.

I ripped my arm from his grasp as I turned around to yell at him. But my voice caught in my throat as the ring slipped out, my rash movements flinging it from its hiding place.

Michael stared at it then recoiled in horror as if the sight of it hurt him. His eyes flicked toward Patrick. “You got…but he’s not.” His mouth snapped shut in a scowl then opened in a sneer, his lip curling back over his teeth. “Nualla, what have you done?”

“It’s none of your business, Michael,” I answered, a threat creeping into the tone of my voice.

He took a step forward and shoved a finger hard in my chest. “It’s everyone’s business, you broke the law. He’s not one of us.”

“I broke nothing. The law states I’m allowed to tell him what we are after we are married. It doesn’t say anything about him having to be turned first.”

Michael’s eyes went huge. “You married him?”

I swallowed hard. Frak. In Kalodaemon custom, the ring around my neck only meant that we were engaged, and I could have gone on for quite a while pretending we weren’t already married. However, I had let Michael get to me—again—and had now blown that option to shiny bits.

“And so what if I am?” I snapped defiantly back at him.

“You’re playing a very dangerous game Nualla, as he is he’s a threat to all of us.”

“He’s a threat to no one,” I said defensively.

A smirk crossed Michael’s face, “Maybe you’re right.” He looked off in Patrick’s direction a glint of malice in his eyes.

I let the threat curl around my words to make my point perfectly—deadly clear. “Michael, if you hurt him, I will kill you. Make no mistake in that.”

“I’m not stupid enough to touch him now,” Michael said, folding his arms. “Why don’t you just turn him, Nualla? What’s the point in not doing it if he already knows?” My face must have given me away because Michael looked at me in shocked disgust. “You haven’t told him what you are yet, have you?”

“No, not yet.” I looked down, so Michael wouldn’t see how nervous I was about telling Patrick my secrets.

“What are you waiting for?”

“I’m going to let him choose,” I answered, still talking to my boots.

“Excuse me?” Michael asked in a choked voice.