Page 101 of Crimson Promises
It had been two days since her date with Riley. She hadn’t seen him since, but she hadn’t contacted me either. I let her think there was more distance between us than there was. Over the last two days, her continued silence reinforced my original intentions when I agreed to this bond. There was too much at stake to let my heart splinter over a woman, even if she was adimidium. Aurora was meant to have a future as a mortal, just as I would throw The Council into chaos.
I didn’t stay in the city long. The mountains would give me the privacy I needed to fly freely.
I spread my wings and took off into the sky, feeling the chilly mountain air rush past me as I soared higher and higher. As I flew through the mountains at dawn, the world below me was shrouded in a soft mist, and the first rays of sunlight were just beginning to break through the horizon.
The wind whipped through my hair and feathers as I swooped down through the valleys and over the rocky outcroppings. For a moment, I closed my eyes and simply let myself soar, the wind carrying me higher and higher past the tops of the Cascade Mountain Range.
As I flew, I had a sense of purpose again. While I didn’t regret anything with Aurora, her path was linked to mine for a few more weeks, and then I would be free. I had to keep a handle on things until then.
* * *
By the time I made it back to Aurora’s building, she was outside talking to Victor. She was clad in tight black leggings and a cut-off long-sleeved turtleneck. My eyes zeroed in on the turtleneck. She never wore anything that covered her neck when she ran unless the snow was on the ground. Did something happen after I left with Riley?
I flew into my apartment, quickly changed my shirt, and strapped on a belt with weapons. On my right hip was the dagger made ofillicium. I rubbed its hilt back and forth for a split second. So many questions formed when I looked at it. How did my mother get her hands on this kind of weapon? One day, I would confront Michael about his knowledge of its history. Right now, there were too many other pressing matters. Quickly, I spelled the weapons to remain out of sight and shucked on my leather jacket.
Aurora was waving goodbye to Victor. She slid an AirPod in each ear, pressed play, and took off. “Break My Soul” by Beyonce pumped into her ears as she began a light jog. Her hair was tied into a ballerina bun and slicked back with mousse. Not one strand escaped the perfectly cultivated do. Instead of heading towards campus, she jogged toward the outskirts of town. If she sensed me she didn’t show it.
She left ACU’s campus and headed down the town’s historical district to the boardwalk, where we talked, and then around the curve into a rocky parking lot. Aurora moved towards the mouth of the lot—the only part not blocked off by chainlink fencing. A path covered with wood chips led to a grassy trail.
I ran my hands through my hair. Honestly, did this girl have no sense of preservation? She was walking into an isolated area alone, basically calling out to all of those who may be tracking her with her arms in the air, jumping up and down, screaming, “Here I am!”
Aurora stopped before heading in. She leaned her foot at the base of the guardrail and pushed forward. I took advantage of the pleasant view before me. Her ass was two firm and round spheres that I already knew fit perfectly in my hands. I’d fantasized about me having her in that position, how it would feel to squeeze her ass while I emptied my balls as my seed spilled into her. Marking her as mine. I readjusted the hardened length in my jeans. I guess I’d never get to fulfill the bet I had lost. Should have taken the chance while I could. At least I’d be able to carry the memory of getting intimately familiar with her creamy skin and soft curves, the sound of her reaching ecstasy, all because of me. My touch. My name she called when she reached release.
In my haze of fantasy, I missed her heading into the trail. While keeping pace behind her, I could check through the bond that she was reasonably close. She raced up an incline and made a sharp right turn. For a moment, I felt a complete absence within myself. I raced around the corner as swiftly as I could.
The trail continued to dredge forward, but beside it was a vast empty field with a few scattered wooden picnic tables. Off-center to the area, Aurora was lying face down in the grass with a muscular humanoid creature with green skin, horns, and pointed webbed ears hovering over her hips. He had her pinned to the ground. To the side of him lay a mace and shield. Its elongated, thick brown nails had pierced a hole in her shirt.
The creature was familiar—I knew him.
Though she was face down, she was bowing her knees to try and kick him off of her.
I rushed to her side. Throwing my body weight to the right, I was able to shove him off of her. She turned around, surprise lighting her features. “Bennett, you’re here!”
While I was distracted, focusing on Aurora, the green monster rolled me until I was underneath him. It tried to slice me with its fingers.
“Grom?” I tried to distract him. Anything to give him a second to pause.
He blinked.
It was all the time I needed to pivot him underneath me. I pushed him away with my legs.
“Not Grom,” he said in a deep baritone.
My eyebrows drew together. Who was he then? I knew his face but couldn’t place his name. Possibly was the fact that the guy looked like he could devour me as a snack and then use my bones as toothpicks.
Not-Grom picked up his weapons. I pulled a baton that expanded into a shield out of my belt and held my dagger ready.
“Aurora, stay as far away from this as possible but remain in eyesight.”
No response.
“I can’t see if you’re nodding. Verbal verification is critical under the current circumstances.”
“Got it,” she choked. I couldn’t really blame her. It was never a lovely moment to see a demon from Hell up close.
The air was thick with tension as Not-Grom and I circled each other. I took a step forward. He took one back. When we were far enough away from each other, I stole a fleeting glance at Aurora to check she was alright.
She began screaming for me to run. The only way to save us both was to fight. I took a deep breath and readied myself for its first move.
