Chapter 254
Winter was the only time I ever felt truly alone.
Rayne turned down the dirt track that led to our house. Eagerly I waited, fingers wrapped aroung the handle of the car door, ready to leap out the moment Rayne parked it. As much as I hated the winter, I rather spend it alone then be forced to spend it with Rayne. He parked the car and flung open door, racing towards the house. I heard Rayne releasing an irritated sigh, but he chose not to pursue me. Instead he carried on masquerading as my secret boyfriend and pandering to my Grandmother. Running into the kitchen I grabbed the family spell book and retreated into the one place Rayne could not follow- the toilet.
Opening the book I skipped to the very thin section on demons. The introductory paragraph advised to consult an exorcist but offered several practical methods of protection. Scanning down the list 'salt' grabbed my attention.
"Salt- a powerful protecting and spiritual cleansing substance. Apply in circle for best effect."
Every kitchen had salt, and I knew Grandma brought it by the bulk to ward off Grandpa's spirit. Sneaking out the toilet, I passed Grandma, who was basking in Rayne's attention. I walked into the kitchen, quickly discarding the book and picking up my bag. Stealthily I opened a cupboard door and quietly removed a tub of salt, silently slipping it into my bag. Taking a breathe in, I grabbed my cloak and abruptly called to Rayne while moving to the front door.
"We need to talk." I said flatly.
Grandma frowned, "Skyler, you promised me you would be nice to Rayne."
"I am Grandma. I'm so nice, I'm going to show him the forest."
Grandma exchanged a skeptical glance with Rayne.
"She looks like she is going to shout at me." Rayne said in low voice to Grandma.
Grandma nodded in agreement.
"I swear I am not going to be mean to you." I said.
"Promise?" Rayne replied.
"Cross my heart and hope to die." I said drawing an x over my chest.
"Fine." Rayne smiled following me.
Rayne's POV
Skyler was beautiful and bright in a sad lonely way. Living alone with her Grandmother for so long, without any human interaction had clearly made an impact on her personality. She kept to herself, hiding from the rest of the world in the vast forest that surrounding her home. The years of isolation had given a paranoid suspicion of strangers. As we drove back from town, I could feel her eyes upon me, watching intensely. I could see the wheels of her mind turning and knew that she wanted to be a million miles away from me. Was it because I was a demon, or was it because I was person? Probably both. Either way, my obsession bordered madness and I found myself contemplating abducting the girl to appease my growing desire. But I knew if I took her away from the familiarity and comfort of home, she would inevitable hate me forever. I remembered how she had asked me earlier if I wanted her soul. I replied with an immediate ‘yes’, because I found this tragic solitary forest girl desperately romantic. I wanted to be with her forever. Yet when I said it, her eyes filled with fear. She thought I wanted to hurt her, and could I seriously blame her? I was a monster after all- a demon. How could I ever be with Skyler, if she was scared of me?
She called to me from the doorway, wrapped in her little caplet looking exactly how I would imagine a gothic version of Little Red Riding Hood to appear. Being under her spell was incomparable to the drudgery I had endured being a Prince of Hell. Eternity with her could not be bested by the richest treasures of Heaven. She was simply everything I could ever want, and I wished with all my being that she would want me back too.
But I could see the fear in her mind, and read her intentions. Skyler wanted to break our contract and retreat back into her woodland solitude. She thought I was a danger to her and her elderly Grandmother, even after I saved her from that group of drunks.
Skyler stood in the door way staring at me to come to her, she wanted me out her house into her domain- the forest. Obediently I followed her out of the humble ram shackled hut through the garden straight into the forest. I maintained a comfortable distance, allowing her to walk a few steps ahead. Closing in on her would just make her nervous and I needed to be non-threating, even though inside the distance was killing me.
As the forest became darker and denser, Skyler’s fears seemed to evaporate. I was on her turf now and the worries that once radiated from her aura turned to irritation and confusion. I decided to break the silence by stating the obvious, "You are not happy with me?"
Skyler's eyelashes fluttered to the floor. She couldn't even stand to look at me. I felt a hard lump forming in my throat making it hard to swallow or breathe. These new emotions were murdering me. She paused in her stride and replied, “No, I am not happy.”
The admission was what I had expected, but it didn’t make it any less painful to hear. Keeping that distance between us, I tried to reason with her.
"Skyler you must have many questions you want to ask me. Maybe these will help alleviate your fears." I spoke softly.
She hesitated unsure what to say. I waited patiently for her, and then finally she said in a voice that was barely a whisper, "Where did you learn to drive?"
I blinked.
Skyler’s cheeks flushed pink and I could see her mentally kicking herself for asking such a question. A smile was forming across my face. A genuine smile. Not a forced fake phony one that I had grown so accustomed to in Hell. This was a real smile and inside I wanted to laugh.
Skyler watched my expression. She was definitely annoyed but I rather her be irritated with me then scared. Turning sharply on her heel she swung away from me, "Fine," she spat, "If you want to laugh at me go ahead!"
"Skyler, I'm sorry." I called after her, but she didn't listen. She carried on completely unaware of the fallen log that lay directly in front. It was like watching a scene unfold in slow motion. As she hit the log she lost her stepping. Arms flailing she tried to rebalance and prevent the inevitable fall. Power surged through my veins, heightening my senses. She was falling. Panic and fear hit me in unexpected sickening waves. I could hear buzzing coming from within the log. Shit, she was about to fall on to a wasp nest.
My heart pounded in my ears as I run towards her with great agility. I caught her before she hit the ground, hauling her into my arms. Cradling her close, I enjoyed this rare opportunity. My heart swelled in my chest as I looked down at her, encircled in the safety of my arms.
“Are you hurt?” I asked softly.
Skyler’s eyes widen and she yelled, "Wasps!"
The wasp nest had been disturbed and the hive began to swarm like an angry yellow cloud. Tightening my arms around her, I took a step back, allowing the wasps to swarm around us. They buzzed and buzzed, but never landed on Skyler or myself. I just let them swarm, enjoying the sensation of Skyler clinging to me, burying her face into my chest. I could smell her hair- it was intoxicating.
"Don't be frighten, Skyler. You're safe with me." I whispered into her hair.
"I hate wasps." She replied.
"Close your eyes." I said softly. Her eyes shut and I made quick work of the wasps. The air around us crackled and burned as I incinerated every wasp from that nest in seconds. Ash fell upon us like dirty snow. Skyler opened her eyes as a flake of ash that landed on her cheek. Stunned she asked, "How did you do that?"
"I'm a demon." I said placing her back on her feet carefully. She took a few steps back from me uncertain what to make of me.
"Are you still afraid?" I asked her.
She hesitated.
"Rayne do you want to destroy my soul." She said abruptly.
"That's not what I said." I replied said, "As I recall I used the phrase 'I want your soul'."
"Exactly." She said.
I smiled calmly, "Skyler I want your soul to keep. Not to torture or devour."
Skyler frowned and innocently asked, "Then what would you do with it?"
Sighing I replied, "You really haven't been round many guys have you."