“She’s not protecting me; she’s getting me in trouble!”
“You know She has difficulty distinguishing the difference. What is right for her may be entirely wrong for you.”
I make a noise that’s something between a cough and a snort. “That, right there, is the understatement of the century, Tatiana.”
“I will have a word with her...”
“Yes, please tell her to butt out of my life. If she does it one more time, I’ll find a way to wake up during her time and make her say and do something really stupid. See how much she likes it.” My threat is hollow and Tatiana knows it. She knows I do everything in my power not to wake up at night and witness the world my demon half inhabits. The only thing that keeps me from going completely insane is not knowing anything that happens from dusk to dawn. Blissful ignorance being my only saving grace in this twisted situation.
I return to my meal, but Tatiana fixates her compelling gaze on me. Great.
“What?” I mutter. If she’s still going to give me a hard time about leaving even after I explained what had happened…
“Your energy is conflicted…you speak with anger and frustration, yet there is a happy glow deep within you that was not there before. I am curious as to what caused it.”
I gulp, close my eyes, and pray Tatiana can’t sense how hot my face flushes.
“It’s nothing, really,” I mumble. Oh, please. Who am I trying to fool? Might as well spill it. “There was a new boy there today. Guess his uncle works out at the mines, so he’s going to go to school here. He’s nice, is all. Sorta cute, too.” I shove a heaping spoonful of stew into my mouth and lower my head.
She nods and tilts up her chin. “Ahh, yes. The new arrival. I sensed him several days ago. However, I was unsure as to his exact purpose, and if, in fact, your paths would meet. Destinies have yet to be written, and he is only a half, bound by the dark and embraced by the light. Free will is his, for he shan’t be at the mercy of any master if liberty is within his grasp.”
I let out an exasperated sigh. That’s the thing about Tatiana. She’ll be perfectly normal one minute, but start speaking in nonsensical riddles the next. I take a swig of some apple juice and glance out the window.
“Do you know what She’s doing tonight?” I ask, eager to change the subject.
“Taxes,” Tatiana replies. “Should be uneventful. Humans only.”
“She’s not going to be happy about that. You must know she’s completely obsessed with hunting the Amazèa demons ever since she heard they were in the area. Even when She’s not surfacing I can sometimes hear her thoughts…she’s seriously gunning for a battle. I don’t think she’ll stop just to collect some money.”
“She will, because her search is futile for now. The Amazèa have already left our territory…”
Her words fade away as the first waves of fiery tingles flush through my weakening body. My time is over. I try to push my remaining food away from me, but it’s too late. My arms have already gone limp. They are no longer mine.
My fork clanks on the floor. Everything goes dark.
When I open my eyes I’m sitting at the table across from Tatiana. She gives me a small smile.
“Hello, Lucky.”
Chapter 2. Lucky
A pungent odor assaults my senses, and I look down in disgust. Even when I could consume human food I’d always been a strict vegetarian, unlike Liora, who insists on fueling our body with animal carcasses. It’s one thing to try to ignore this revolting fact—quite another to wake up to it staring me in the face.
Electric fire races through my veins as I raise my arms to obliterate the offensive sight. But Tatiana’s words stop me cold.
“Please don’t, dear. I’m particularly fond of those dishes.”
I scowl at my guardian, but allow the dancing flames on my palm to extinguish. “I know she did that on purpose. She knows this garbage makes me sick. You’d think she’d be a little more appreciative after what I did for her today.” I kick my chair back with more force than necessary and move to the other side of the room.
“And what was that?” Tatiana asks as she clears away the plates.
“Some idiots were giving her a hard time in school. I took care of it. And I was nice about it. All smiles and sweetness… mostly. Why do you insist on making her go to that horrid prison, anyway?”
Tatiana says nothing and takes the dish towel from her shoulder, using it to wipe the counter. I glance down at the clothes covering my body and moan. “And for the love of Lucifer, please tell me why she has to wear these trash bags every day. Gah, it’s a good thing one of us has some taste.”