Authors: Cindi Madsen
The bed was empty, the covers thrown back. He sat up and looked around the dimly lit room. Persephone’s news last night had shocked him. More than shocked him. It had thrown everything he thought he was so sure of out of whack.
What was even more shocking, though, was that he really didn’t care. It didn’t change the way he felt about her at all. But he’d heard her tossing and turning all night, and her empty spot made him worry she was still stressed out.
As if she could ever become evil.
He got up and padded down the hall, wanting to check on his part-demon girl. The bathroom door stood open, steam wafting into the hallway. Peeking inside, he saw Persephone standing in front of the mirror.
His heart rate picked up speed as he took in her damp hair, tiny tank top, and shorts that displayed lots of leg. When she turned toward him, he noticed those tiny shorts had a bow tied in the front, just begging to be undone.
“Couldn’t sleep, so I figured I might as well get up and going,” she said, her expression guarded. “How are you this morning?”
Her words were strained, and he knew she didn’t mean how he was, so much as how was he dealing with the revelation from last night. Wanting to reassure her, he took a couple large strides and wrapped his arms around her. “Much better now.”
She smiled and the worry filling her eyes melted away.
His gaze ran down her bare neck to—
What is that? It looks like a hickey.
And I’d sure as hell remember giving that to her.
Heat ran through his veins and he had to work hard to control his voice. “What happened to your neck?”
She whipped her hand over it. “It’s…It’s a curling iron burn. Apparently my skills with a curling iron need some work.”
He took a few deep breaths, calming his blood pressure back into the normal range.“I think I’m going to give up on curling it altogether.” She twisted back to the mirror. “Anyway, I’ll finish getting ready in the bedroom, so you can have the shower,” she said, her words running together.
He caught her around the waist as she tried to walk around him. “You believe me that I don’t care about the demon blood thing, right?”
Her grey eyes lifted to his face, and he hated the sorrow he saw in them. “You’re too good for me, Jax. Not just because of the blood, but in pretty much every way possible. I don’t deserve you.”
He pulled her against him and kissed her forehead. “You’ve got it backwards, babe.” He leaned down to kiss her, but she pulled away.
“I don’t want to be late,” she threw over her shoulder as she rushed out of the room.
Confused about what just happened, he stared at the open door. No matter how much he learned about the girl, it seemed he’d never figure her out.
***
Persephone closed her bedroom door and leaned against it. She felt awful for lying to Jax, but what was she supposed to do? Tell him she’d gotten a hickey in her dream? Then he’d think she was not only a cheater, but a huge liar.
I
am
a cheater.
If only I remembered to keep my neck covered.
Then I’d still be a cheater.
Since she couldn’t do anything about the past, she resolved that no matter what happened, she’d be loyal to Jax from now on.
It would be easy.
Just as long as she never dreamed about Adrastos again.
And as long as he didn’t show up.
And as long as she didn’t turn evil and lose herself.
I’ll be okay. As long as Jax is with me, I’ll be okay.
Charlane and Eva stood around Danielle, and as Persephone approached them in the school hallway, she suddenly felt like an outsider. “Hey, D. Can I talk to you?”
Charlane waved and tossed out a, “later,” while Eva gave Danielle an air kiss. Since when were they doing the air kiss thing?
Persephone didn’t miss the cold looks they threw her way before giving her and Danielle some space.
“What’s going on?” Persephone asked.
Danielle studied the books in her hand instead of meeting Persephone’s eye. “I never thought you were one of those girls who would forget about her friends when you got a boyfriend. I’m happy for you, I am, but you haven’t called me back, and all you seem to care about is Jax now.”
“That’s not true.” The realization it was a little true hit Persephone. Not that she didn’t care, but that she’d neglected Danielle the past few days. She never thought she’d be one of those girls either. But it wasn’t only about Jax. “I’ve got a lot going on right now.”
Danielle’s eyebrows shot up. “Like what?”
“Just stuff.”
“Oh, of course.” Danielle sighed. “You know I love you, and honestly, I’m worried about you. For months I’ve been stressed, thinking I wasn’t actually being a good friend by not telling anyone about your grandma dying, and I was glad when I found out Jax was staying with you. But sometimes, Persephone, you’re kind of a crappy friend.”
The words cut Persephone straight through the heart. She’d planned on asking Danielle for advice, but couldn’t dump her problems on her friend now, especially since Danielle had a point. “You’re right. I suck okay, and I’m sorry.”
“You don’t suck. It’s just that…Well, Dean’s always with Lucy now—not that I want to hang out with him anyway—and you’re spending time with Jax, which I understand, I do. But I also don’t want to end up with no friends.” Danielle shifted her weight to her other foot. “The girls and I are getting together tonight at my place at seven. Why don’t you come?”
“It’ll be dark then.”
“So? I know you stopped going out after dark when your grandma passed away, but can’t you ask Jax to drop you off or something? Surely he can handle one night without you.”
No. Because dark means demons, and I can’t risk being out there with them anymore.
“You could come over to my place. The girls, too.”
Danielle’s hopeful expression fell. “Never mind then. You make time for soccer, but if hanging out with me and the girls isn’t worth it, just forget it.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to—”
“The bell’s about to ring,” Danielle said. “I’ve got to go.” With that, she spun around and walked away.
Seriously, can this day get any worse?
Mrs. Lewis, the school counselor, poked her head in the open door, interrupting Mr. Ramsey’s lecture. “I need to talk to Persephone Katsaros.”
Every nerve in Persephone’s body went on alert. This was what she got for thinking the day couldn’t get worse.
Danielle wouldn’t tell anyone about Gran, would she? Regardless of how mad she is at me, I can’t believe she’d break her promise.
Mr. Ramsey lowered the marker he’d been writing across the whiteboard with. “Persephone, get your stuff. I assume you can get your notes from loverboy later.”
Sputtered laughter filled the air, and several students looked at Jax.
Persephone gathered her books. As she stepped by Jax, he caught her hand.
Forcing a smile onto her face, she said, “It’ll be okay. I’ll catch up with you after class.”
Persephone followed Mrs. Lewis into her office. The plump black woman pointed a finger at the seat opposite her desk. “Go ahead and have a seat.”
The green vinyl creaked as Persephone settled into the chair.
“Why don’t you tell me what’s going on in your life?” Mrs. Lewis asked.
Which part do you want to hear first? That I cheat on my amazing boyfriend with my dream boyfriend? That I fight demons? That they think I’m their queen, and I can’t deny how much I feel drawn to them?
“School, then I play soccer with friends, then I go home.”
Mrs. Lewis leaned forward, placing her forearms on her desk. “And I hear you’ve got a boyfriend.”
Persephone nodded.
“You know it’s never okay for someone to talk down to you or to be physically aggressive, right?”
I can’t deal with this right now. I’ve got real problems to worry about.
“Look, I know this is because of Miss Nelson. It’s nice she’s concerned about me, but she’s wrong. My home life is fine, and Jax would never hurt me. This is a waste of time.”
“All the same, I’d feel better if I could talk to your grandmother, face to face.”
“Like I told Miss Nelson, she’s sick. It’s hard for her to get out.”
“Do I need to call someone else to check on things? Someone from the Social Services Department?” The concern in Mrs. Lewis’s eyes seemed genuine. “I know you’re scared, but it’s my job to help you, and if you don’t cooperate, I’m going to have to get some other people involved.”
“Please don’t call anyone,” Persephone said. “I’m sure Gran will feel better next week.”
“Monday then. If it’s too difficult for her to come to the school, I’d be happy to swing by your house.”
The thought of Mrs. Lewis stopping by the house made it hard for Persephone to keep pushing the air in and out of her lungs. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll tell her about Monday.” She stood, focusing all her energy on keeping up her life’s-all-good front. “Until then.”
One shaky step at a time, she made her way out of the office. If only Mrs. Lewis hadn’t met Gran when she’d signed Persephone up for school.
I wonder how good her memory is. Maybe Rose can put me in touch with a replacement grandma for the day.
I’m sure I can find someone to fill in.
But with everything else going wrong in her life, it was getting harder and harder to think that somehow, it’d all be okay.
“What if Rose tells Mrs. Lewis she’s your guardian now?” Jax asked, wrapping his arm around Persephone’s waist. “They’d leave you alone then, don’t you think?”
Persephone leaned her head on his shoulder. “I don’t know. Since Gran didn’t officially sign over guardianship, I’m not sure how it works. What if they try to send me to live with a foster family? I couldn’t protect the dagger if they made me move, which leaves running away, but then the dagger would be exposed, and with all the demon activity, I don’t think that’s a good idea either.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll think of something.”
She’d been telling herself the same thing. For the third time since school let out, Persephone called Carrefour, hoping to talk to Rose.
For the third time, no one answered.
Persephone hung up and slid her phone into her pocket. “Maybe the restaurant’s too busy. I guess we’ll have to drive over and talk to her in person.”
As she was about to get in her car, a laugh caught her attention. Across the lot, Danielle, Eva, and Charlane were piling into Charlane’s blue Explorer, off on a carefree adventure without her.
Persephone jerked open the car door and climbed inside. “Everything’s all messed up. Demons are everywhere, I almost got us killed the other day, and now things with Danielle are falling apart. She and I have never fought before, and I couldn’t even defend myself because she’s right.” She slumped over the steering wheel. “I’m a horrible friend.”
“You’re a great friend.” Jax put his hand on her knee and squeezed. “A great girlfriend, too.”
His words deepened the guilt that had been eating away at her all day. She’d wanted to ask Danielle for advice, but obviously her friend had other priorities. Persephone couldn’t stand it anymore. She had to come clean, no matter how horrible the consequences. “There’s something I need to tell you.” She focused on the keys dangling from the ignition, unable to look at him. “You know how I said I talked to Adrastos?”