Текст книги "Next-Door Incubus"

Автор книги: Emilia Rose

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Текущая страница: 10 (всего у книги 19 страниц)

CHAPTER 27

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Dani

Eros sat on my bed, hands posted on the pillows behind him, staring right at me with his demonic black eyes. I crawled over, knelt in front of him, and brushed my fingers against one of his curved horns. He sighed and pushed his head against my hand.

I gripped it—its ridged texture tickling my palm—then brushed my fingers down the side of his face. He cupped my head in his hands and gazed into my eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said.

My brows furrowed together. “For what?”

He breathed deeply, taking my hands in his. For a moment, there was so much uncertainty in his eyes. “For kicking you out yesterday.”

“It’s okay. You were sick,” I said like I was actually talking to him.

“No, I wasn’t.”

“You-you weren’t?”

He paused and gazed down at our hands. His ring was pressed against my skin and looked as if it was glowing against it. When he gazed back at me, his eyes were still black. They were so big, so beautiful, so breathtaking.

“I couldn’t let you see me,” he said.

“What do you mean?”

“I couldn’t let you see me,” he said again.

I still didn’t understand. “I’m sorry… I don’t know what you mean.” I had seen him almost every day since that Sunday morning when he caught me dancing around my apartment in only my panties.

He placed my hands on his face and moved them across his skin, then to the horns on his head again. His eyes fluttered close in pure bliss as I trailed my fingers up them. “This me,” he whispered. His voice sounded so vulnerable.

This him. The him in my dreams? I shook my head. The him in my dreams wasn’t the real him—even though a part of me fantasized about it.

I trailed my fingers back down his face and grasped it gently. He reopened his eyes, and I drank in their darkness. Then, I pressed my lips to his.

This him or the real him; it didn’t matter.

I wanted him. I wanted him so badly.

I opened my eyes, a feeling of sadness washing over me. Eros was gone faster than I wanted him to be. Hell, I wished that I could stay in dreamland forever and just be with him—the him in my dreams.

Maria had the Christmas music playing again throughout the house. Outside, snow was falling. I rolled onto my stomach and grabbed my phone. I was going to find out what these dreams really meant.

They probably meant nothing. I was probably just thinking too much about him. But there was no hurt in trying. So I searched: Meaning of dreams.

Articles about dream interpretations from Freud and Jung popped up. I skimmed through some of them, but they all said the same thing, had the same predictions, and gave me the same useless information.

I narrowed my search. Meaning of dreams with the same person.

The first website that came up said that I shouldn’t take dreaming of the same person too personally, that I wasn’t dreaming of them because I was obsessed, that my dreams only revealed the feelings and emotions that were most prevalent in my life right now.

So, what did my dreams provoke?

Arousal, need, closeness.

It made perfect sense. When I was being ignored by Trevon, I wanted to feel wanted. When Maria was with Zane, she wanted to feel close to someone without being committed. And when Trevon was having dreams of Javier, he wanted to experience sex with another man.

Although it all made sense, I wasn’t satisfied with the answer. So, I cleared my search and tried again.

Meaning of sexual dreams about the same person.

Again, psychology articles came up, and I scrolled through them, reading the same things. Dreams use our subconscious. They tell us about our hidden emotions and desires. Blah. Blah. Blah.

I sighed and wrapped the blanket around myself. I was about to quit, unsatisfied with these websites, when one link caught my eye.

Forget psychology. Here’s the real reason you’re dreaming of that same sexy guy.

When I clicked on the link, an outdated website popped up. There were ads for exorcisms and Jesus all over the place. The text was a dark blue on a black background, so dark it was almost unreadable. Usually I’d click right off of this kind of website, but I was desperate for answers.

Psychology tells you that your dreams are just manifestations of your emotions, but they don’t tell you the whole truth. Some dreams are real. Some people in dreams are real.

Oh, God. Real dreams. Real people. What was I even reading?

They’re called incubus demons.

Incubus demons sleep with sleeping women and men and engage in sexual activities. Sometimes that woman or man can remember the dream, other times they wake up in a sweat with no recollection of what happened.

The demons are usually very attractive to get you to fall for them. I’ve had a personal experience with an incubus demon, and he was so charming that I couldn’t help but fall for him—in my dreams and in real life.

It’s theorized that these demons are just one of seven kinds. The others being greed, gluttony, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride. Demons are thought to be fallen angels.

To get rid of them, perform an exorcism, wear a cross, go to confession, use salt, or get a—

I stopped reading and blew out a breath through my nose. That was stupid. I couldn’t believe that people actually believed in that kind of stuff.

An incubus demon. Such a ridiculous thought. He couldn’t actually be one, could he?

In his dreams, he had horns and black eyes and an unquenchable thirst for lust. Kasey dressed me as a demon for Halloween—for Eros. What if… what if he actually was one?

I pondered over the thought for a few moments and shook my head. I couldn’t believe that I was actually considering this. It was so stupid. Like angels and spirits and ghosts, demons were just mythical creatures. They weren’t real.

Kasey walked over to my living room window and stared out at the snow. “You and Eros have such a nice view of the city,” she said.

I plopped down on the couch, lost in my own little world. Every time I thought of him, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Eros was in my dreams for a reason and that reason was more than just because I had some unconscious feelings that I needed to resolve. “Have you talked to Eros lately?” I asked.

After he kicked me out, I waited patiently for him to call me like Zane said he would. Two days passed, and I hadn’t heard from him. I was beginning to think that he was ignoring me again.

She nodded. “Last night.”

“Is he feeling better?”

She furrowed her brows, turned around, and pursed her red lips at me. “He was sick?”

I nodded, hesitantly. “Yeah, I was over his apartment the other morning and he locked himself in the bathroom and refused to come out.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh—uh, yeah, I think he’s feeling better,” she said. I drew a finger across my palm, remembering the feeling of his horn on it. I wanted to touch it again. She walked over and sat next to me. “You really care for him, don’t you?”

“I do,” I said quietly, tightening my hand into a fist.

She sat and grabbed my forearm. “He deserves someone like you. He’s had it hard.”

“I know.”

“He told you?”

I sucked on my cheek. “Not everything, but enough.” Enough for now, as long as he didn’t start closing himself off again.

She held my hand to her chest. “It takes him a long time to open up. I’m surprised that he’s told you about his life so quickly.” She paused for a moment, then frowned. “You’re my friend, but if you hurt him, I’ll make your life Hell,” she said sharply.

I tensed. I had never seen her so frightening before.

She dropped my hand and smirked. “So, what were you doing in his apartment?”

My knee bounced up and down, and I looked away. “Stuff.” I could feel the heat crawling up my neck.

Her jaw dropped. “Oh, Heavens! One of you caved!” She jumped off the couch and placed her hands on my knees, staring down at me. “Well, tell me!”

A sudden warmth pooled between my legs, thoughts of the other night running through my mind. “He kissed me,” I said.

She raised her hands in victory. “Yes! I knew he wouldn’t be able to resist you!” She grabbed my hands and pulled me up. “How’d you do it? Did you use my tips? Oh, I’m so excited!”

I honestly didn’t have an answer for her. One moment we were yelling at each other, the next his lips were devouring mine. “I don’t know. We spent the night at The Lounge, and then we went home.”

“You went to The Lounge?” She smirked. “Did Eros have one of those drinks?” she asked. I nodded. “Well, if he brought you there, he lost this little game a long time ago.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Nothing, nothing. I’m just glad you got him.”

Kasey pulled me into a hug and opened the door. “You better be keeping me up to date on everything,” she said, walking down the hall.

My cheeks flushed, and I nodded. When the elevator doors closed, I gazed over at Eros’s door and decided to see if he was home. Two days of not talking to him after that was eating me alive. Not only did I want to see if he was okay, but I wanted to see him.

After knocking twice on the door, Zane answered. “Hey Dani,” he said. “Eros isn’t here.”

“When will he be back?”

Zane shrugged. “I’m not sure. Do you want me to tell him that you’re looking for him?”

Yes, I wanted Eros to know that I was waiting for him. But I didn’t want to seem too attached. He was sending me so many mixed signals, I wasn’t sure what he wanted. Interested in me. Ignore me. Interested in me. Ignore me. It was a damn roller-coaster with these ups and downs.

“Uh—” I hoped that he didn’t think I was too overbearing already and got turned off. “No,” I said, gazing down. “I’ll… see him around sometime, I guess.” I walked back to my apartment, heart hurting. I didn’t know what to do.

“Dani,” someone said from down the hall. I looked at the elevators and saw Eros jogging toward me. When he reached me, he grasped my hands. “Finally,” he said.

I took my hands out of his and clasped them by my side.

He gazed down at them, frowning. “What’s wrong?”

All I wanted was to wrap my arms around him and pull him closer to me, but I didn’t want to chase after someone who didn’t want me back, who didn’t return my messages, who ignored me until it was convenient for him. It sucked.

“Dani, tell me.” His voice was soft.

“What’s wrong with you? Where have you been? Why do you keep ignoring me?”

“I had to leave for a couple days. I didn’t get back until late last night.” He hesitated but then grabbed my hands.

After a moment, I frowned. “I was worried about you.”

The corner of his lip twitched. “You were?” he asked. I nodded. “I should’ve called you. I just didn’t think you’d worry.” His forehead was creased ever so slightly.

He had said one thing, but all I heard was that he didn’t think I’d worry about him because nobody else has before. I wanted to tell him that I cared about him, but my head was spinning with all the possible ways he’d react, and I couldn’t form a single word.

I opened the door to my apartment. “Do you want to watch a movie?”

He grabbed my hand and walked in with me. “Of course.”

Thankfully, Maria hadn’t come home yet. I didn’t know where she was, but I was glad she wasn’t here with another guy. I couldn’t deal with another dry humping under the blankets during a perfectly good movie.

Eros turned on the TV, and I curled into his shoulder—watching him shift through Netflix. I didn’t care what we watched, I just wanted to be here with him. He turned on a comedy that neither of us found funny, and I gently closed my eyes—his scent so soothing.

Throughout the movie, I felt his phone buzz in his pocket. It was probably Luci, his ex, trying to ruin our night yet again. I snuggled closer to him and closed my eyes. When his phone rang, he pulled it out of his pocket and swore under his breath.

I opened one eye and gazed at the screen.

Luci.

He shifted slightly, and when I didn’t move in his arms, he clicked on the answer button. “Lucifer, I’m busy. Call back later,” he whispered.

Lucifer?

I couldn’t make out what the man on the phone was saying.

Eros sighed. “I just want one night that I don’t fuck things up with her. Can’t this wait?” He paused, swore again, and turned off the phone. He picked me up and brought me to my bedroom. I groaned and curled into his chest, not wanting him to leave again. He tucked me under the blankets and knelt down next to me, fingers grazing against my forehead. “Dani… I have to go.”

I opened my eyes and frowned.

“I’m sorry. This is important.”

Just one night. That’s all I wanted.

“Don’t hate me,” he said.

I paused for a moment. “I don’t.”

And when I was watching him depart from my room, all I could feel was my heart racing in my chest. Eros was going to see Lucifer.

Lucifer, not Luci.

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CHAPTER 28

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Dani

I woke up, startled, as someone pounded on our front door. The window was cracked slightly, and a cold breeze was creating goosebumps on my bare arms. I gazed at the bright white numbers on my phone.

2:34AM

Who was knocking this late at night? I rolled onto my side, breathing in the scent of cinnamon on my pillow. Maybe they’d go away.

The banging continued, each one becoming louder and more forceful. I jumped out of bed, slipped into a t-shirt, and jogged into the kitchen.

Light flickered into the room from below the front door. I turned on the light and watched the door shake. Maria stood in the kitchen, frozen to the spot.

“Maria!” I whispered. She turned around, clutching a large kitchen knife to her chest. “Who is it?”

She handed me the knife. “I don’t know. You check.”

I hesitantly took it from her and approached the front door. The only thing I could hear was the deep, ragged breathing coming from the hallway. I clutched the knife in my sweaty palm.

When I peered through the peephole, I sighed and placed the knife on the side table. “Trevon, what the hell are you doing here this lat—”

Trevon pushed the door open, his bloody hands running through his hair. My eyes widened, and I backed away. His face, his neck, his shirt—blood was splattered everywhere.

“Close the door!” he said.

“What—what happened to you?” I asked, hands trembling. “Are you hurt?” I examined him for any open wounds. “Maria, get him gauze and a towel!” Maria disappeared into the bathroom and came out with a medical kit.

“No, no, I’m not hurt.” He paced around the living room, tracking blood and mud on Maria’s white carpet. “I—I…”

“You what, Trevon?”

Maria placed the kit on the couch, eyes wide. “Is someone after you?”

He continued to pace around the room. “Oh, God. Oh, God. I really screwed up.” He walked to the kitchen, placed his hands on one of the counter chairs, and squeezed. “I can’t fucking”—he hurled the chair across the room—“believe it.” When the chair hit the wall, it broke into pieces.

We jumped back. “What happened?” I asked. He stopped, the blood dripping off of him and forming a small puddle on the ground. I kept my distance. “Take your shirt and shoes off. We’ll wash them.”

“No!” A bead of sweat rolled down his neck. “No… I can’t.” He was sweating profusely now.

“Take it off or I will. You’re not going to ruin all of our furniture,” I said. Who did he think he was barging into our home at 2AM, waking up us both, and ruining all of our furniture with his blood? I snatched the top button of his shirt.

He grabbed my wrist and dug his nails into my skin. “I said no!” His voice was low and absolutely terrifying, nothing like I had ever heard before.

I pulled myself away from him, clutching my wrist. Blood was dripping down my forearm from the deep nail wounds that punctured my skin.

When he saw the blood, he stumbled back. “I—I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I don’t know what’s happening.” He pressed himself against the couch, chest heaving up and down.

What was wrong with him? What was going on? Why was he suddenly so angry?

Maria was standing near the foyer, her brows furrowed together. Her arms were wrapped around her small body.

“Trevon, it’s okay. Just… just tell me what happened, please,” I said.

His beady black eyes darted around the room like he was watching for something or someone. “I don’t remember.”

“Is this your blood?”

“Dani,” he said, voice low and full of fright. “I think something is happening to me.”

Mom’s pendant began to freeze against my skin. “What’re you talking about?” I asked.

With trembling hands, he unbuttoned his shirt. There was blood all over his chest, and what looked like claw marks. He stared at me, tears filling his eyes, and dug his fingers into his chest—breaking the skin.

“Trevon…” I breathed deeply. He continued to dig his nails, about an inch deep, until blood began spewing out. “Trevon, stop!” Tears welled up in my eyes, watching the blood pour out of him. When he pulled his fingers out of his chest, the wound closed slowly—like it had never even been there.

“That’s not all.”

God, I wished that was all.

He gazed up at me with pitch black eyes. They were darker than Eros’s. Then, he parted his lips, showing me a mouthful of fangs.

Maria let out a piercing scream.

This couldn’t be real. It couldn’t. I shuffled back against the front door. There was a demon in the middle of our living room. I grasped Mom’s pendant. It felt like ice against my fingers.

Someone banged on the door, and I jumped away from it. Another one?

“Dani! Are you okay?” Eros asked.

I took a deep breath. Okay, oh, God. It was only Eros.

Trevon stepped toward me, but I could tell that he was trying to hold himself back. “Please, don’t answer, Dani. I’m not going to hurt you,” he said, staring behind me at the door. His lips parted, and he bared his teeth at us—like he was going to hiss. “If you open the door…” Another bead of sweat rolled down his neck. “I won’t be able to hold him back.”

Maria grabbed the knife from the side-table but didn’t move toward the door, nor toward Trevon.

Eros knocked again. “Dani! Answer the door.”

Trevon’s chest heaved. He placed his hands on the couch, claws ripping through the leather. He shook his head wildly, like he was trying to get the demon out.

Maria snatched my arm and held the knife in front of us. “What are we going to do?” she whispered.

“I—I don’t know.”

“I don’t want him to hurt us or the guys next door.” The knife in her hand trembled.

Even though Trevon was terrifying me right now, I knew he wouldn’t intentionally hurt me. If he wanted to, he would’ve done it by now. But I knew that if we opened the door, he would lose control and hurt someone else. And that someone would be Eros.

I would never forgive myself for that.

This needed to stay contained. At least until Eros went back into his own apartment.

Trevon doubled over onto his hands and knees, then curled into a ball, clutching his head. “It hurts.”

Eros banged on the door again. “Open up or I’ll come in.”

“What are we going to do?” Maria asked again.

I pushed her toward the kitchen. “Go get some garlic or salt or something. I’ll keep Eros out.” God, I really should’ve kept reading that article about demons.

She sprinted to the kitchen, and I deadbolted the door and pressed my back against it.

“Did you just lock me out?” Eros asked through the door.

“Eros, I’m busy right now. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Are you okay? There’s blood on the front door.”

“I’m fine,” I said. “Maria just got her period! That’s why there’s blood. Anyway, got to go help her. Bye!” I ran back to the living room, praying to the Heavenly God above that he’d leave us alone because I didn’t want him to get hurt like Mom did.

If I could protect someone, it was going to be Eros.

Maria rushed back into the living room with a container of salt. She created a circle around us with it. I didn’t know if this would work. Hell, I didn’t know what we were doing. I just wanted the old Trevon back. I’d take Trevon the Cheater over Trevon the Demon any day.

We huddled closer to each other, and I wondered if we were supposed to put the circle of salt around us or around Trevon.

Maria was pressing her face into my neck, tears streaming from her eyes. “I’m sorry I haven’t been to church in months, but, God, please don’t let us die.”

After hours of watching Trevon struggle with himself: pacing around the apartment, tearing apart furniture, slashing his skin with his claws, he finally let out an ear-piercing scream and collapsed onto the ground. His claws disappeared into his fingers, and his teeth transformed back into his pearly whites.

Maria sucked in a breath. “What was that?”

I swallowed hard, heart racing. “A demon?”

We stayed in the circle for a good twenty more minutes until Trevon eventually sat up. He leaned against the couch, breathing heavy. Everything seemed to be back to normal—for now.

I cautiously stepped out. “Trevon,” I asked.

“I’m sorry, Dani,” he said, gazing up at me with sorrowful eyes. “I couldn’t control it.”

Maria stepped out and rushed to the front door. “I need to get out of here.”

“Maria,” Trevon said. “Please don’t tell anyone!”

She hesitated, but then nodded. “Okay.” She disappeared behind the door and closed it.

There was a long pause, and Trevon looked back up at me with tears in his eyes. “I’m scared.”

“Me too.”

He took one of my hands, squeezing tightly. “Thank you for staying with me.”

I took a deep breath and knelt next to him. I wasn’t okay, but I’d have to be. We would have to find out how to fix this, because I would not let Eros get hurt.

“What happened last night?” I asked. “Why were you covered in blood?”

He gazed at the ground, his lips trembling. “I—I hurt someone.”

“Who’d you hurt?”

“I don’t know. I brought him to the hospital…” His voice cracked. “I nearly killed a man last night, Dani! What’s wrong with me?”

I wrapped my arms around Trevon’s trembling body and held him close. I didn’t know what was wrong with him or how a demon could possess someone like him, but I was going to find out.

“We’ll figure it out,” I said.

“What if we don’t?” he whispered.

“We have to.”

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