Desire, Fate, & Love

Chapter 6

The next problem happened on the following Friday. I hadn't seen Rhys once on that day. I was worried since it would be the weekend. As I walked towards the buses, someone suddenly grabbed my arm and yanked me down an empty hall. When I heard the soft growl, I knew who it was. As we came to a stop and Rhys stood in front of me I saw his eyes were already black. He clenched his teeth tight and took a minute to gather himself.

"Lily. I need to feed." I glanced down the hall to make sure we were alone.

"I thought you said you could go a year?" He chuckled lightly as he stepped forward, placing a hand on my cheek. His eyes shifted to green as he calmed at the light touch.

"I said it felt like that. I need you to give me a little though before the weekend. Then I need you to run to your bus and get away from me fast." My eyes widened and he frowned lightly. "The more I touch you the more I want." He let his hand drift down over my neck. I watched his eyes flash black as he traced my collarbone with his fingertips. "You're gonna kill me one day Lily." I shook my head quickly.

"I won't let that happen." He smiled sincerely and took a slow step forward, giving me plenty of time to push him away if I wanted. As he wrapped his arms around my waist, I stood on my tiptoes. As I felt the warmth and sparks light up my whole body, I gave him a quick peck of the cheek. Suddenly Rhys's arms became steel bars around me. Then a moment later they were gone. Rhys had backed up to the wall and he groaned loudly in pain. "Rhys!" I called to him, filled with worry. He growled and this time it sounded different.

"Run Lily. Before you see a monster." His voice was different too. It had taken on that deep tremor I had heard only once before. His eyes pleaded desperately with me as they shifted to demon eyes. His teeth clenched together and suddenly they were all sharp like shark teeth. "Run!" He yelled at me and I turned on my heels and booked it. I heard sounds I couldn't describe as I rounded the corner. I was on the bus before I dared to glance back. As I looked towards the hall I caught a glimpse of something large and leathery, flash by the corner. Rhys. What had I done? Was that really from a simple kiss on the cheek?

All weekend I was worried about Rhys. What had I done to him? Was he ok? On Monday morning I didn't wait. I rushed from the bus and to the student parking even as the bell signaled that I would be late to class soon. Just as I figured, Rhys stood outside of his car like he was about to pass out. I looked left and right as I ran but we were the only ones daring to be late this morning. Suddenly, he looked up and his eyes widened as I ran into his arms. I felt the tears I had held back all weekend start to fall now that I knew he was okay.

"I was so worried about you," I admitted as I buried my face into his chest.

"Lily." My name barely left his throat, as if he couldn't breathe suddenly. He wrapped his arms around me tightly and neither of us even flinched as the final bell rang. We are officially late now. Slowly Rhys pulled my arms away to put some space between us. He cupped my face in both of his hands and wiped my tears gently with his thumbs. "Don't cry, Lily. I'm sorry I scared you." I shook my head quickly.

"I was scared FOR you, not OF you." His eyes widened softly but he didn't seem to have a response for that. He looked towards the school and then he picked me up in his arms. He carried me around his car and placed me in his passenger seat. As he buckled me in, he locked eyes with me.

"I'm kidnapping you today." He said with resolve as he shut the door. Before I could argue, we were already driving away from school.

"Rhys, where are we going?" He smiled as he glanced at me out of the corner of his eye.

"My house. My parents are out for the month. We'll have the place to ourselves." I looked back at the school as it faded from view and he laughed. "Play hooky with me today Lily. I'll cover for you. Today I don't feel like being apart from you in school all day." He gripped the steering wheel a little tighter and I frowned softly. His eyes darted towards me and I saw them flash black. I reached out, touching his shoulder lightly.

"Are you ok?" He didn't respond and the touch didn't seem to calm him down. He shook his head lightly.

"Not in the slightest," he admitted, and I watched his eyes flash between black and green. It was a few minutes later that we were at his place. Once we were inside, he led me up to his room before I could question him. He sat me on his bed. "Wait here a moment." Then he vanished.

I took in his room. It looked like a typical teen boy's room. I didn't know what I had been expecting though. I mean he was just a teen boy after all, right? When he returned he had a book in his hands and a grim expression. He handed me the very old-looking book.

"When my parents left on their vacation I went through their stuff to see what I could find about what might be happening to me." He pointed to the bookmark sticking out of the book. "I found it." He said darkly. I frowned and flipped the book open to the marked page. He sat in his desk chair like he was gonna burst out of his skin. As I opened the book, though, my frown deepened. It was covered in strange symbols.

"I can't read this," I said, looking up at Rhys. He sighed softly.

"I forgot it's written in demon." He stepped up and waved his hand over the pages, then he placed his hand over my eyes for a few seconds. He frowned deeply at the book. "s**t. It's protected from translation spells. I wanted you to read it yourself." I shut the book and placed it next to me on the bed.

"I trust you. You haven't lied to me yet." He blinked surprised but nodded softly. He sighed deeply.

"Do you remember how I told you I can't feel desire?" I nodded softly and he pointed to the book. "There is one exception. If I have a fated mate."

"A what?" He frowned deeply and he shut his eyes as they shifted black. He swallowed hard.

"It's extremely rare in desire demons. Like only twice in recorded history rare. I would be lucky number three. Demons, for the most part, pick their mates. Like getting married. But some demons have a mate selected for them by our creator before they reach their awakening. It's our version of true love." I placed a hand on my chin and tried to process this.

"So, because you have a fated mate somewhere you can feel desire for me? Isn't that a good thing? You have a true love somewhere." I watched Rhys's eyes shift fully demon as they turned sad. He sighed sharply.

"Not somewhere Lily." I tilted my head in confusion and he smiled briefly. He leaned forward and tapped the end of my nose with his index finger. "It's you. That's why I desire you. That's why I can sense you. You are my fated mate." My eyes went wide and I couldn't fully believe what I had just heard.

"But being near me drives you crazy? Why would that be allowed?" I watched him bite his cheek hard as his eyes slid to the wall.

"Correction, you drive me crazy because I want you. Because we haven't....." As he trailed off, I understood and I felt my cheeks flush with heat. My hand flew to my mouth to prevent the gasp from escaping. Rhys clenched his teeth hard. "Everything in me reacts this way because, to a demon desire, the only way to claim a mate is through s*x. My body and power are basically screaming at me to do that. The longer I wait, the more mad I will become."

"What happens if you don't?" He shrugged and shook his head sadly. "I thought being stuck to one person was a death sentence. Did those demons survive?" Another shrug and head shake. "Is there anything you do know?" His eyes connected with me and he knelt on the floor in front of me.

"I know this feeling you give me is growing strong because I am slowly falling for you." He reached out and took my hands gently. "I know light touches like this aren't enough for me anymore. I know I want to protect you more than anything." He brought my hands to his face and kissed each palm lightly. "I know that right now what I want more than even the air I am breathing is to kiss you." I felt my cheeks flush red and he smiled softly at the sight.

"I'm probably a terrible kisser compared to you or the other girls you have kissed." Rhys stood and then sat next to me on the bed. He pulled me into his lap and I felt the heat spread from my cheeks down my neck. Completely on its own. He took hold of my chin lightly and brought our faces close together. He locked his gaze on mine.

"Ryzel." I blinked softly at the odd name. "It's my name. My true name."

"I thought you said it was a big deal to tell someone that?" He smiled sweetly as I recalled what he had told me. He nodded softly.

"It is. A huge deal, in fact. For a desire demon especially. Most only tell their partner. Some don't even do that." I frowned at his cheery smile.

"Then why would you tell me?" I watched his black and red eyes cloud over with worry as he gazed at me.

"Because you're human. Because I don't trust other demons or humans around you. More than that, I trust myself less and less." He placed me down on the bed again and stood in front of me. "Use my name to command me. Say my name and a command. Anything will do." I stared up at him for a moment but his eyes pleaded with me.

"Ryzel sit there," I said, pointing at the chair, and in an instant he was. I blinked softly and he motioned for me to go again. "Ryzel do a jumping jack." Just like that, he jumped up and did exactly as he was told.

"You should ask me to do something I wouldn't normally do. Something minor to prove that it works if you like. If you ever need me, you can call out that name and you'll summon me to your side as well."

"Really?" He nodded softly.

"Do you see why demons don't give them out like humans do?" I nodded softly.

"Aren't you afraid I'll ask you to do something now? Something you'll hate?" With a grin, he sat next to me on the bed again.

"You aren't that type of person little flower." Staring into his demon eyes made me a little sad. Because it proved that he was suffering inside. I reached out, running my fingers lightly over his cheek. "I would do whatever you asked of me anyway."

"Whatever I asked?" He nodded softly. He leaned into my hand, closing his eyes. "Rhys, kiss me."