Part One of Chapter Eight
‘Would you just let go!?’ I hissed at him when he released his grip round my jaw. I was absolutely furious - where did Blake get off dragging me around like that?
‘But Evee - we have to talk.’ I struggled harder, disliking the cliché. Finally, I managed to pull away, although he kept his grip on my upper arm. ‘We do, you silly girl. I tried to warn you about Dorian! But you weren’t having any of it, you and your stupid little lust games - no thought for consequences or anything!’ This was beginning to sound a lot like the forest rant. He didn’t sound quite so bitter, though, almost reconciliatory. I certainly wasn’t having any of that!
‘That was not a game, Blake.’ The venom in my voice surprised me. ‘I made a mistake and we both know it. I appreciate the effort you made to come and get me, but if you’re still going to treat me like some... impotent child who can’t look after herself, then you’re going to have to find a new best friend. One who’s willing to play your little ‘lust games’.’
‘Oh, Evee...’ He trailed off and the pain in his voice made me wonder if his expression was as hurt. ‘I’m not playing games... I just... never knew how to tell you...’
I broke his trail of words with a yelp. An invisible finger had made its way quite forcefully into my eye.
‘Ow!’ I screeched, doubling up with both hands over the offending area. Devil, that hurt! ‘Stay away from me!’ I cried, flailing my arms in front of me. My hands thwacked ineffectively at the air in front of me, until I hit something harder than I had expected.
Now it was Blake’s turn to yelp. From the sound of it and the rush of air that blew my hair back from my forehead, he’d hit the floor - quite hard. In spite of myself, I started to giggle.
‘Clumsy.’ I laughed, as he lay there (or got up, I couldn’t see). ‘Are you okay?’
‘No thanks to you, you great lump!’ He replied, grabbing my arm and pulling me over onto the floor too. Hmm, that was some accuracy the boy had - did vampires have invisible-vision as well as night-vision? I opened my mouth to ask, but Blake answered my question for me, indirectly. As in, I could see him. Faintly, and flagstones were clearly visible between the outlines of his body, but ghostly or not, there he was, chuckling away. I looked down at my hands, flat out on the floor - yep, slightly there.
‘It’s wearing off.’ Yes, well done, genius, I’d worked that out.
Now, however, I could see that I’d landed very luckily; any closer and I would have been right in Blake’s lap, no doubt injuring both the motor-challenged bat and myself, and placing us in a somewhat awkward situation... Yes, because that would be awful... drawled the Voice. Shut up Voice.
I drew in a breath involuntarily as Blake’s ghostly pupils widened. Neither of us was laughing now.
‘Friends?’ he offered timidly. I nodded. It was him being so hostile anyway! Well, that wasn’t completely true, but moving swiftly on, I was ready to be friends again.
I sat up and scooted across to him, a one-armed hug my olive branch. He raised his hand and stroked my hair as I leaned into his shoulder.
‘This was what I meant earlier, by the way... not the whole finger in the eye thing. Stupid invisibility.’ He smiled wryly, his movement comforting.
‘Blake?’ I said, looking up into translucent brown eyes. ‘I don’t want to fight. And I’m sorry about Dorian.’ Hopefully the mention of the name wouldn’t turn the friendliness off again.
‘It’s okay, Evee. Sweetheart, it’s okay. I know what he can force people to do. I didn’t want to you to get hurt, but at least he’s gone now. I’ve seen him do that to too many girls. He likes them innocent, so that he can... ugh, own them. I just didn’t want you to be one of them. Evee, did he hurt you?’ His voice became more urgent, his eyes burning into mine.
I shook my head no, but my tongue moved of its own accord to run along the groove Dorian had cut into the corner of my mouth. It was long enough that I couldn’t reach the end without stretching hard, but it was shallower than I’d originally thought. It would heal in a few days, but Blake looked worried.
‘Is that it? Nowhere else? I have to know, Eev, even if it’s somewhere... embarrassing. Dorian’s known for leaving traces on his girls. If they refuse, they tend to get kind of sick-’ He broke off, inspecting the cut, tongue poking out of the corresponding corner of his mouth in concentration. ‘No, you’re clean.’
He sighed, and pulled me into another hug, then held me at (much more visible) arms’ length by the shoulders, flicking his eyes from mine to the cut and back again.
‘You worried me,’ he whispered, licking his lips. ‘I don’t want to lose you, Evee. You’re all I have.’
I began to protest - Blake had plenty going for him - but he shushed me the best way he knew how. Warm lips met mine, gentle and reassuring at first, but soon becoming more powerful as he pulled me closer. I wrapped my arms around him, and felt safe for the first time in ages. This wasn’t immediate and lustful, the way Dorian kissed me, and the dizziness I felt was almost a relief, as opposed to the compelling need I had to do more when Dorian touched me. This was... right, somehow.
I broke the kiss. ‘You know, I lied.’ Blake’s eyebrow quirked. ‘On balance, you’re a better kisser.’ I smiled, and closed the gap between us again, landing a peck on his lips as they began to curve upwards. I intended to pull away, of course, but met resistance when I tried to do so. To be honest, I didn’t really mind.
‘Oi! You two!’
I jumped. Literally. To my feet. Bright red, I faced the caretaker, stuttering: ‘B-but...’
‘Oh Devil, not you two again!’ muttered Mr Sheckles. ‘Why is it always you two?’
That wasn’t fair! To my knowledge, I’d kissed Blake only a few times, and been caught once. Once! Okay, that was once too much for my liking, but Beelzebub’s is a co-ed boarding school, for Devil’s sake - there are going to be relationships whether Sheckles likes it or not. This is a relationship, then? asked the Voice dryly. Shut up Voice.
Sheckles took three strides towards us and grabbed Blake’s shoulder and my elbow. ‘Come along, young uns. Someone’ll want to see you...’
I forgot the official sounding wording I had, but these is mine! All mine.... :) Don't steal, thank you!
TBC...