Page 14 of The Fallen
This morning was different, though. My dream lingered, the images clear. And, the part that confused me about everything,was the pretty demon had the same exact golden-colored eyes as my shadow savior. What are the chances? I shake the images of my dream away. There’s no way they’re the same creature. It’s just wishful thinking.
I lock up my apartment and make my way to Rook's Apothecary, making sure I don’t walk by the usual shops my family frequents. Silently, I make a promise to visit them as soon as I feel settled and know my new job will work out. I don’t want to disappoint them if I need to leave sooner rather than later. I just hope they can forgive me for staying away for so long.
The morning flashes by as I work with Rook to prepare some of the magical plants and herbs I found yesterday. He teaches me his process and then we continue on, creating several potions and bottling them for sale. I get along with Rook easily and can see us becoming fast friends. The love and passion the big wolf has for his shop and spellwork are inspiring.
He tells me about a one-sided crush he has on a mysterious witch who walks by his shop every morning, and I encourage him to introduce himself. The poor guy shies away from the notion, convinced that the younger witch will be frightened by his cursed wolf’s body. I don’t bother telling Rook he’s handsome, half-shifted and all, because I get the feeling he won’t believe me. It only takes us chatting most of the morning away before I finally let the curiosity get to me.
“So.” I tap my fingers nervously against my jeans. “You mentioned another co-worker?”
Rook nods, placing the remaining flowers into a vase. “There’s two, actually. My sister, Lyla, who’s out of town at the moment, and Castiel.”
“Castiel,” I repeat, the name practically rolling off my tongue. I kind of love that name. Could he be the one I met at the park yesterday?
“Well, he goes by Cass. He’s a sweet demon with a hyper yet happy personality. Never met another demon so jovial. He might look as angelic and innocent as anything,” Rook says, chuckling. “But Cass is stronger than most of the paranormal beings here in Heart’s Hollow.”
“A demon. Huh.” My heart pounds despite my calm tone. “And what does Cass look like?”
Rook arches a brow with a small smile on his face. “He’ll be here any moment. I asked him to clock in late today. I didn’t want you two getting…distracted.”
This time, I cock my brow. “Distracted?” What the hell? Does Rook know something? Is this about the person who gave me the flower yesterday?
“Nothing.” Rook chuckles, waving his hand in the air. “You’ll see.”
“Okay, because that isn’t ominous,” I mumble.
Rook picks up the last of the glass potion bottles and places them on the shelf in the front window display. “Oh, speak of the devil.”
The bell chimes as a man—no, a demon—walks through the front door. He’s short, or at least a solid eight inches shorter than my six-foot-four. His blond hair is parted to the side, and his blue shirt clings to his slim, toned frame. My gaze wanders to his face.
I suck in a deep breath.
Somehow, I keep my body from trembling when I peer into eyes that are so similar to my demon’s.
My demon. Because that’s what I’ve been calling him in my dreams. My mysterious demon with the angelic eyes. Confusion floods through me. I thought it was wishful thinking that the demon from my dreams might have those same golden eyes. What are the chances that this reallyisthe person who saved me from Orson?
Hope threatens to fill my chest as I peer over at this demon with his swishing tail and feathered black wings tucked in close to his body.
“Hi,” he says, biting his plush lip.
“This is Cass,” Rook says somewhere behind me. But I barely hear him over the thrumming of my blood.
My heart pounds as I close the distance between us.Is it him?
“Hi,” I reply, still guarded. “Are you the person I met at the park yesterday?”
He nods, still chewing on that poor, abused bottom lip.He’s nervous.His tail swishes again like an irritated cat in heat. Then I see it, a quick flash of crimson pupils before reverting to gold.
“Show me your true self,” I demand.
Castiel’s eyes widen. Before I know it, he reaches forward and grabs my hand. For some reason, I don’t pull my hand back. Instead, I grasp tighter, as if he’s the lifeline I’ve been searching for all this time.
“We’ll be right back, Rook,” Castiel says, tugging me out the door. I follow him easily as he leads me around the corner and up a set of iron stairs out back. He drops my hand and pulls out a set of keys to open the door.
My fingers twitch, already missing his warmth.
We step through the front door, and I’m shocked when I realize we are in someone’s home. Castiel’s apartment. Don’t ask me how I know, I just do. Someone would think that Rook would live above his shop, but I can tell this isn’t the wolf’s apartment as I stare at the colorful array of throw pillows on the sofa.
Once inside, he flips back around to face me, a strand of his blond hair falling into his golden eyes. “I thought it was important if we had privacy?—”
