Shadow Embraced (Haven Academy Book 1) [Completed]

Chapter 13

"So, you want me to just stare at you?" I ask, placing my hands on my hips. "What's the point of that?"

"I want you to put me into a snare." Daemon leans back against a tree and pushes his wet hair out of his face with one hand. The slight twitch in his eyes tells me he is trying hard not to lose his temper.

We stand in the ruins, just a few feet away from each other. I've lost count of how many times he's told me to stare at him. The rain isn't helping any. I don't know why we have to stand out here when there's the rundown hut behind us.

"By just looking at you?"

He nods. "I've seen you do it. You used it on Jynx last night." A smile spreads across his face. "That was amazing by the way."

"Confession." I kick at the mud and shove my hands deep in my hoodie pockets. "I didn't really know what I was doing. It just sort of happened."

"Well then, think about how good you'll be when you know what you're doing," he says. "I'm shocked your parents didn't teach you the mechanics behind the basics before you came here."

I suck in a breath and hold it. How am I supposed to pretend to be a vampire when I know absolutely nothing?

"Don't worry." He shakes his head. "Not all parents are as competitive as my mother."

Releasing my breath, I relax just a little.

Thinking about my parents makes me want to return home. I dart my gaze around the area. It wouldn't be that hard to get away from here. Yeah, that'd be before Daemon starts playing catch. I wouldn't make it ten feet.

"Okay, back to work." Daemon pushes himself off the tree and walks over to me. "What you have to do is clear your mind. This is exactly what we practised the other day." He grabs my chin with his fingers.

I breathe in his scent – peppermint and wet grass – and force myself not to close my eyes.

He stares me in the eyes. "It's just like a predator capturing its prey, like hypnosis." He moves his head from side to side and I can't stop myself from swaying in time with him. "If you have a stronger will than your opponent, you can control them."

I can't look away. I don't think I want to look away.

"And then," he says in an abrupt voice that echoes around the surrounding.

An image floods through my mind, a sunny, open field. There's no one in it but him and me, just inches apart. I can feel his breath on my neck. His scent fills my nose and I have to force myself not to collapse into his arms. I cringe as I realise I'm being such a ditzy girl.

The image is so vivid that if it wasn't for the stinging coldness of the rain I'd think that I was there.

He leans his head close to mine and whispers in my ear, "You can't fight this."

"What?" I force my voice to come out strong, but even the one word squeaks as I say it.

Without saying another word, he lowers his head towards mine. His arms pull me into his hard body and just as his lips brush against mine, he whispers, "You have no chance of winning."

He blinks, releasing me from whatever trance he had me in, and the image crumbles into nothingness as quickly as he had forced it on me, the feeling of his lips still tingling mine. He walks back to the tree and leans against the dark bark, his eyes never leaving mine, a smile curving his lips up. "The one with the strongest will power will always win."

"Are you saying I have no will power?" I ask.

"No." He smiles as he leans back against the flaking trunk. "If you can catch someone off guard, then you'll be able to impose your will onto them, get them to see whatever you want them to. Now, I want you to trap me, and I promise I won't fight back... much."