False Reality | Book Three

Chapter X

Grim's POV

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I watch her walk away from us until she eventually starts jogging. I quickly turn to look at Zeuxis, to see him already watching me. Zeuxis is a demigod and has somehow become a friend of sorts to me. He leans across the car, watching me with a smirk across his lips.

"What?" I snap as I look down to him.

"Nothing. You're just a total softy whenever she comes around." I send him an annoyed look.

"Whatever. What the hell were you thinking? Kissing her like that?" I snap, suddenly angry once again. I was pissed when I saw him kissing Cassie and became even angrier when she thought about kissing him back. I had to do something, so coming up with a quick excuse as to why I pounded on Cassie's front door seemed like the best thing to do. I think time froze when she opened up the door and smiled up at me. It was the first time she smiled at me in real life and I don't think I had ever felt so...warm. The tingles inside of me had disappeared in the months since she was away, but now that she was back, I couldn't help but become addicted once again.

"I told you," he murmurs. "I smelled someone on her. The best way to get close to her without sniffing her was to kiss her," he rolls his eyes. Although I detect an inkling of sadness in his tone. The booty likes her. I decide not to make him feel worse and just chew on my lip ring.

"Whatever. I'm going to find her. She hasn't run away from me like that since...." I trail off. I cannot bring myself to say what happened two months ago. It was horrible. The only thing that managed to pull me out of my sulking misery was surprisingly Zeuxis. Even though I wished him away countless times and even gave him a black eye, he stayed by me. I blamed the loyalty on the fact he had grown up with Cassie. And I know she's loyal.

My jaw grinds as I think about what she did again. I see why she did it, I just wish she would have let us talk her out of it. I know I would have. It was either that or I would've locked her in my house. The latter seems horrible, but I despise how she can't remember me. She didn't look at me with familiar warmth. 

Even when I told her to fear me she never looked at me like she had just now. When her eyes sliced over to mine, I could see the pain and question across them. If that wasn't it, her heartbeat also started pumping at an excessive speed. I had no idea what had happened. Was it Davion?

My eyes flash over to the raven perched on the car hood, head tilted toward Cassie's retreating body. I want to chase after her, but she was scared enough. I had no idea what she was scared about. Maybe her aunt truly would chastise her if she found out she wasn't home. "Davion," I stare at the bird. The bird bows his head toward me.

"Master," he responds.

"Who gave you the permission to speak to her?" I narrow my eyes at the demon. Unlike Rowl, a demon out to murder me, Davion is loyal to me. I am still his master, even though I don't really think about that.

"I'm sorry, master, but I needed her help. My mate--she was trapped in a tree that had suddenly fallen."

"Why didn't you protect your mate?" I turn to look at him swiftly. Demons have mates--the ones under my care at least. They meet each other and never leave it other. Their love is strong, but they never, ever procreate.

"I wanted to," Davion responds. "But I was busy protecting Cassie." This makes Zeuxis and I both tense.

"What?" Zeuxis comes around to my side so we both stare at the bird. "Why were you protecting her?"

Davion stares at us for a moment before awkwardly shifting on the car hood. "There's a demon after her," Davion says slowly. I instantly tense. A demon? My mind instantly goes to Rowl. But then I remember him saying he doesn't want to hurt her, but he will have to if I get in the way. As much as I want to get in the way of what he is doing, I cannot risk him hurting her.