Page 19 of Pieces of Halves

Thinking about her past makes my blood boil, so I redirect my focus.

“Tengu, what do you know about her power?”I ask my demon companion.

“A lot. If you were not too busy falling in love, you could’ve asked earlier,”Tengu responds.

Annoyed, I force him out of the ring. He jumps out, his balance unsteady, and glares at me.

“Make yourself useful!”I order him through the link.

Izzy looks at Tengu and smiles weakly. It seems like he did a good job keeping her busy when I questioned the witches, because the joy on her face looks genuine. I’m glad. At least she has a distraction in the strange demon.

Wings.

Chapter Eight

ISABELLA

Jacob left into the woods, leaving Tengu and me by the river. The shore is long with smooth and round rocks covering it. Facing the water, Tengu and I sit on the stones, watching the lazy current.

Tengu’s black skin is eerie, and the way his eyes glow should be terrifying, but I enjoy his company. His silly magic tricks make me feel at ease. There is an aura to his presence that’s calming.

“How do you feel about trying to open your wings again?” Tengu asks and moves his thick finger to create a cloud of shimmering pinks and blues above us. It is pretty and mesmerizing. The distraction makes it easier to think about how much it hurt when they first came out – like a dull knife dragged through the muscles of my back, digging deep to the bone. “Itwill not hurt again. It only does the first time, I promise.” His voice is hypnotic as I watch the colors twirl.

“I would like some time with that. Can we focus on the vampire side of me?” I offer him a smile.

I am not ready to go through that again. It’s not that I don’t believe Tengu, it’s just that – what if I do something wrong and hurt myself?

“Of course. Easier things to learn are listening, smelling, and speed.” Tengu motions his hands, and the colors expand, flowing smoothly against each other. “Try to imagine a heartbeat and listen. Or inhale and let your mind focus on a scent. Speed we can do a little later.”

Focus.It’s hard to do when I spent the last year of my life distracting myself so I could forget.Defense mechanism. A ridiculous concept. It worked for a year until everything came crashing down.

Swallowing, I try not to let the fear of the memories get to me. They are monsters of their own, I suppose.

“You cannot beat fear if you do not feel. Accept it. When you do that, you start healing from the pain,” Tengu says, adding oranges and yellows around us.

The colors swirl among each other beautifully. I shouldn’t need to be distracted to be able to listen, but it helps not to think about the rough hands that slid underneath my shirt while I screamed.

Fear.It can consume.I inhale, close my eyes, and simply focus on Tengu’s heartbeat. The memories don’t come, but the dread lingers, and I let it.Acceptance.I ready myself for the agony of trauma in my chest; I can feel it creeping in along my arms.I will face it and conquer it.The uncomfortable sensationstops as the sound of Tengu’s slow heartbeat echoes in my head.Healing. That will take time. I don’t want it to, but I understand it is needed.

“What do I smell like?” Tengu asks, his voice soft.

There is the wet scent of rocks and earth. Some floral essences mixed with pine and cedar float from the forest. They are all very distant and everywhere, so I concentrate a little more on what is in front of me. First, there are lilacs, then lilies. Confused, I tilt my head and keep trying. Now, I smell roses and lavender.

Amused, my lips curve up. I open my eyes with a laugh. “You are changing scents on purpose.”

“Good job, princess.” Tengu smiles wide, his teeth white in comparison to his black skin. “You will have all of your power under control in no time, and then you can pick fights with whomever you want.” There is a twinkle of mischief in his eyes.

“I don’t want to pick fights.” I chuckle.

It would be helpful if I could at least defend myself.

“Tell me something about yourself?” I ask, my curiosity getting the best of me as we train. “How old are you?”

“Two-thousand-sixty-three.” He gives me a side glance. “Keep listening and smelling.” There is a pleased smile on his face as he looks out at the river again.

I do as I am told, but more questions tug at my mind.

“How long have you known Jacob?” I ask, the simple song of a finch getting my attention.

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