Demonic Angel (A Touch Of Magic) (19 page)

TWENTY-TWO

To say everyone is going nuts is an understatement. I cut through the angry bunch of people, some of which have fire balls at the ready until I reach Jaxon who is protecting someone behind him. Edward Cray. I have heard a mixture of good and bad things about this man/demon. Good being the story Jaxon just told me. Bad because he sent Jaxon and a load of Underworlders to murder me, he tried to kill my mother, he is a crap husband who hasn't seen his wife in a long time, he won't go near his youngest son... Okay so mainly bad things.

Jaxon freezes up as he sees me. I see the conflict in his eyes where he is mentally trying to choose who needs protecting more, his father, or me. Well, considering I am surrounded by supernatural beings that would die for me, I am certain that it is Edward that needs saving. I turn towards my friends and am surprised that my mother isn't amongst them, maybe seeing Edward is too hard considering he tried killing her.

              “Everyone, Jaxon and I will resolve this. Please retreat to your rooms. If there is an emergency and we need you, I will sound the alarm.”

“You can't trust him Cally. Don't believe anything he has to say.” Lorraine bites as she gives me a quick squeeze on my shoulder and leaves along with everyone else. Tessa stays behind, probably because I might need her moral support and she can listen in on Edward's mind if I need her to. I don't need to tell her any of this, she already heard it in my mind.

“Edward,” I start. Jaxon, who is still guarding his father, steps aside and I see him for the first time. He is an older version of Jaxon. With longer greying dark hair that reaches his collar bone, a goatee and slight wrinkles around his eyes that certify his age. Though he looks around his late forties, I bet he is way over a hundred years old. What he is wearing shocks me, I half expected him to wear a long ankle grazing leather jacket, leather trousers, thick boots and chains and spikes around his neck or something; instead he wears a suit and looks, nice.

              “Ah, you must be the famous Calissa Bond. So good to see you are alive my dear.” The creepy thing is? He sounds genuinely serious. He glances around the foyer of my house and nods in approval. “Lovely home you have.” He eyes the living room entryway and inclines his head towards it. “Shall we sit down so I can tell you the reason why I am here?”

“No. Right here is fine. If you wish to sit down, the floor or stairs are right there.” I fold my arms across my chest and ignore Jaxon when he tenses up by my rudeness. What? Does he expect me to be all civil and stuff? That is so not going to happen.

              “Fair enough. Well, as you are aware, my wife Caroline has been taken by an elf named Crillin that likes to impersonate other demons. Well as of late, he was mimicking Jaxon and pulled it off well enough for Caroline not to realise who he was.” I know that feeling very well as have experienced it myself.

“Crillin took Caroline to Vepar but what no-one knows is that Caroline holds the potion conjured up by my best warlock that will drain Levi of his powers. I think we will all agree that we need that potion. If he manages to get
you
before we get that potion, then we might have a problem. He causes enough trouble
now
let alone if his theory on your blood is true.” I squint my eyes at him and try to see if he is lying or not. I look to Tessa who is sat on top of a cabinet and she gives me a subtle nod. One that says he is telling the truth.

              “What does this have to do with you being here?” I raise a brow at him and bite my lip.

“I am here because I cannot enter Vepar's castle without the help of someone so powerful, she can inflict pain on someone without touching them. In fact, three someones.” His eyes flick between Jaxon, Tessa and I.

“Wait... You want all
three
of our help?” Tessa asks as she jumps down from the cabinet and walks over to us.

              “Yes. I have watched you all fight and when you and Calissa combined your powers, not even Jaxon stood a chance and he has been doing this for nearly two decades now.” I am almost certain I saw Jaxon's face turn a nice shade of pink but he covered it up too quick for me to notice. “I need you two to help take down Levi. I figured you were planning on retrieving Caroline anyway?” We stay silent and he huffs. “Well, did you come up with a plan yet?” No. We were just going to go there, get her and leave. Thinking about it now though, it sounds a bit too far-fetched. Nothing with these demons is easy. I stay quiet.

              “Didn't think you had. So, on the evening of the twelfth, we will have to go there. Jaxon knows the way, hence why I need him. We will fight our way in if we have to but I need that potion and my wife.” The twelfth. That is in four days.

“I don't bloody think so Edward Cray.” We turn around to see my mother behind her with her hands on her hips. Edward's eyes widen in horror and he raises a shaky finger and aims it at my mum.

              “You!!”

“Yes me. And if you think you are dragging my nineteen year old daughter around underground castles with you, you have another thing coming.” Edward looks confused for a moment before turning to Tessa.

              “Sorry miss. Looks like you are staying, it's going to be hard doing this without you but-”

“That's not my daughter Edward.” I try not to laugh, I literally have to bite my tongue. Edward's eyes flick to me and I give him an innocent yet cheeky smile and wave.

              “You are the angel child though, are you succubus too?”

“Yep.” I bat my lashes and grin.

              “Shit! No wonder I could feel so much power in this house. You have power pulsating off you in waves. I never noticed it before.” He turns to Jaxon. “Be careful in the bedroom son, she might actually kill you. Though, you should already know this be” My face burns up anding what you are.” I am sure I turn a bright shade of crimson. Mum has a coughing fit and Tessa pinches her lips together, either to hide a grin or laugh. Jaxon is completely expressionless. It is as if his dad had never asked anything.

“We, um, haven't-”

              “YOU HAVEN'T HAD SEX?!” Edward shouts and I flinch at the loudness of his voice. I would love to be anywhere but here right now. In fact, take me back to Levi's place. I wasn't embarrassed to the point of wanting to die there.
I was just, ready to die.

“Father, no we haven't now, would you just shut up?” Jaxon hisses and closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and then looks back at Edward.

“Fine, fine. This conversation isn't over though.” He turns to my mum. “So a daughter that is a succubus as well as an angel. Wow. Aren't you lucky?” He smiles though it doesn't reach his eyes.

              “Oh shut up Edward. You have said what you came here for, yes? Now leave. These kids will not work with you to get Caroline back.”

“Actually mum? We are.” She spins on me and I try not to step back. I quickly talk before she blows. “He has an actual plan. We didn't. I would much rather go in with my eyes wide open than blind mum. He knows more about this stuff.” Rage overtakes my mother's face. She can't exactly ban me from doing anything. I am nineteen and going to university in a month. Without saying anything, she storms up the stairs and disappears in her room. Her door slams closed.

It isn't my intention to upset my mum or anything but I do genuinely believe that what Edwards said is true. He and Jaxon are our best hope and Tessa and I will be the weapons of destruction. Ooh the latter sounds good.

              “Well, that went well.” Edward smirks. “Glad to see you trust me Calissa.”

“Nuh-uh. I do not trust you old man, you wanted me dead not too long ago. I just want Caroline back.” I raise a brow at him. “Now can we discuss this tomorrow? I want my bed.”

Edward is made to stay at Jaxon's house due to neither one of us trusting him and because Jaxon doesn't a hundred percent trust him either, he is going to stay with him, much to my dismay.

I would have loved to finish off our tender moment and actually get the chance in telling him how I feel but well, let's face it, the moment has gone now. I smack Tessa in the arm when we are finally alone. She gives me a guilty look and rubs her arm. She knows exactly why I hit her, I don't need to tell her anything. Perks of her mind reading.

Because it is now three am, Tessa and I sprawl across my bed, cushions dividing the bed in case of accidents and once I manage to clear my mind, thanks to the meditation techniques Raphael taught me, I
finally
fall into a much needed deep-ish sleep.

I wake up around eight am and considering I only had around five hours sleep, I miraculously feel amazing. I take a shower and looking in the mirror, I see that my two black eyes and split lip have completely cleared up. I get Tessa to take the bandages off my wrist and knuckles to see if they have healed and she does, though, my wrist hasn't quite healed yet. I doubt the broken bone will be fully healed for at least a few more days yet. My stomach still looks sore but does look like it is slowly healing.

Once dressed in a red vest top and my white denim shorts and my red Converse, I head downstairs to grab one of my much needed smoothies. It has been a few days since I have had one, let me just say, I am getting withdrawal symptoms.

My raspberry, apple and grape smoothie goes down nicely. I end up having to make the fairies one each and Christina too. Apparently she is vegan and loves this kind of stuff. I have no idea how people can
not
eat meat. I love a good steak and chips now and again.

Mum enters the kitchen, ignoring me completely, she pours herself a coffee and then leaves the room without saying a word to anyone. I guess she is still pissed that I went against her wishes and spoke against her last night. I should talk to her. I should apologise and put things right. Firstly though, I have to fix Aeron something to eat considering the little mite won't take food from anyone else this morning.

I make him his precious Cheerios and he more than happily accepts. Then I make my way to the office where mum is.

I enter without knocking and see that she is on Skype to dad. I practically run around the desk to see my baby sister and the man who raised me as his own.

              “Hi dad!” I squeal.

“Hi baby girl. You look good. Are you good?” Mum scoffs and I ignore her.

              “Yes, I am good. How is Mexico?”

“Hot. Your mother tells me you are going on a rescue mission in a few days. Please promise me you will be safe and don't let your guard down around Edward even if he seems like a nice guy, I don't trust him.” I eye mum and she has her head in her hands.

              “Don't worry dad, my guard is up so high, not even a bird could fly over it.” I grin at him and he smiles back.

“That's my girl. Ana wants to speak to you.” He barely finishes the sentence before Ana's blonde head appears in the screen. She looks tanned and her hair is blonder than usual. I didn't realise how much I missed her until now.

              “Cally! I miss you so bad! Auntie Kim bought me a cat. It's so cute! Wanna see?” Before I can reply, she is shoving a tiny grey kitten into the screen. “I named her Ash because she looks like ashes. She sleeps in my room every night next to my face but her poos stink!” I laugh and mums body shakes with laughter too. “I make daddy clean it up because I don't like it, it makes me sick.” She puffs out her cheeks and scrunches up her little nose. I smile into the camera at her. “Oh I have to go, Auntie Kim wants to make cupcakes. Love you both!!” Then she is gone before both mum and I can say goodbye.

              “She is clearly insane.” Dad says shaking his head. “I had better go help Kim out since Ana is on a mental one today. Love you girls. So much.”

“Love you too dad.”

              “Love you Simon.” He clicks off and mum takes a ragged breath. “Be careful around Edward, Calissa. I couldn't bare it if something were to happen to you.”

“Mum I will be careful. I am not going in blind. I don't trust Edward myself and besides Tessa will be with me so can lock in on his every move and thought as well as Jaxon's if they think something bad. Not that I actually think they will. If she picks something up we will bolt. I swear.” Mum nods and takes my hand in hers. “I know I don't tell you this a lot. I love you Calissa. So very much. Remember that.” She gives my hand a squeeze and leaves the room and me, with my thoughts.

Am I doing the right thing by going with Jaxon and Edward? Even though Jaxon told me he loves me last night, does that mean he won't harm me?

I seriously need to watch my back. I don't want to disappoint my mum. Or Aeron for not bringing back his mum.

TWENTY-THREE

Tessa and I spend most of the next couple of days training. The rest of the household offer to be dummies for us to practice on whilst Lorraine is on standby in case something goes wrong. Mum hasn't showed her face since we were on Skype with dad and Ana. I think she is still upset, even if she won't admit it.

I practice the take off without a jump start that Raphael taught me and get it right every time. Tessa conjures up a few fireballs and manages to purposely set Harris on fire and put him out without any damage being made. She uses her mind control to force Lara to fall asleep after a phone call to I am guessing to some friends. I over heard Lara explaining about a healer being here in a reassuring manner and then tell her friends she misses them. I feel so bad for her. She is stuck here because of me.

              I don't how, but Tessa comes up with some kind of magical forcefield when Rhys went to playfully rugby tackle her. He bounced right off the shield and we all stood, mouths wide open and in awe at her newly discovered power.

All my abilities seem boring compared to hers. Super strength, speed, hearing, sight and jumping. Flying, electrical lightning bolts (that come and go when they please), my bone crusher thing, healing and manifestation/teleportation. I want something new too. Yes I am pouting right now. Well, crap. Don't I sound like a spoilt brat. Ha!

              I continue training on Dimi with my bone crusher and then when she is down to the floor, I focus as hard as I can and try to shoot her with the electrical bolts. It works, twice out of nine times. SIGH! I heal her afterwards obviously, however, she calls it quits after the second bolt hits her. Whoopee.

I practice with the witch Ali for a bit. He is actually a nice guy, a bit quiet and grumpy and it reminds me of someone else I know. Ali tries to tell me that he knows how to do a 'push force' kind of power that
all
supernatural beings can learn and offers to teach me. He said his dad taught my mum this particular power thirty years ago.

Obviously I am going to take advantage of this and accept his offer. Anything for a new power. I am so selfish haha.
Yeah but you
are
a demon so it's okay.

Sometimes I wonder if I am like those cartoons where the main person has a small angel and devil on either shoulder acting as a conscience and my brain is the devil side. Maybe because I am half angel half demon that both parts of me clash. Ooh that would be interesting.

              Ali and I practice for a good two hours the day we are due to leave and I decide to give up when I haven't even managed to use the push force a single time. He told me that I should give it time but I don't care anymore. I honestly want an alcoholic cocktail and to chill out under the sun for a while.

Mum doesn't allow this though. She decides to make a grand appearance the second I sit down on a sun lounger.

              “Calissa Rose Bond! Get up off your arse and spar with me.” I look at her though my sunglasses. “We are going to fight.” I jump up in anticipation and follow her to a large patch of grass. I chuck my glasses on the floor. “I am fully aware that your wrist isn't fully healed yet so I am going to go easy on you. Kind of.” She stands in front of me and makes me make a fist with both hands.

One hand is near her chin and the other hovering stiffly in front of her. I copy her stance. She nods and I watch as she picks up some training mitts and slides them onto her hands. “Now hit me. With your good hand of course.” I hesitate at first and then give her my best shot, it sends her to the floor. She looks up at me in astonishment and I give her my signature cheeky smile. She jumps up onto her feet and takes a swing at me. It hits the side of my face and I am almost certain I head a quiet
crack.
My eyes widen at the fact my
mother
just frickin' hit me! She throws another punch but this time, I see it coming. I grab her fist and twist her arm, causing her to flip over in the air before falling flat on her back when I release her. She laughs. “Well done. You are a natural. No need for me to show you anything really. You knocked
me
down easier than I would be able to knock down a high level demon.” I give a gloat filled smile and she rolls her eyes. “Okay, now drop and give me twenty.”

              “What?!”

“I'm joking. Let's see how your reflexes are.” She barely finishes talking before lunging for me. I squeal and jump out of the way. She does it again. I get out of the way again. “Good, so far. Come on, let's get a drink.” Music to my ears. I go to turn around and walk but she jumps, of course, I was too focused of the dream of having a sweet drink so I don't see or hear her. She lands on my back and out of reflex, my wings spring open and mum drops off my back and lands on her arse. “Not the reaction I was hoping for but it is nice to see that you have control of your wings.”

I don't tell her that she scared the living shit out of me to the point of them opening on their own accord. I do need to work on that.

              “How is your strength?” I raise an eyebrow at her question. “How many of us can you fly with?” I look around us and see that we now have an audience. Mum ushers to Lara and Tessa and they come over. “We will start with two. The lightest girls here.” I gulp but open my arms for Tessa and Lara to come over to me. They both latch on around my waist and neck. I close my arms around them and flap my wings like I had learned with Raphael. I start to lift up but my God it is a struggle. The extra weight makes it so hard for me to rise up from the floor. It is like when I first started flying without a jump. Slow, jittery and barely there. I push a lot of strength into my wings and flap as hard as I can. We start flying. Yes! I am doing it!! I manage to steadily fly around without dropping either girl. I daren't do a loop like I usually would but I sour through the sky and then descend back to the ground and place the girls back with the rest of our group. Aeron waddles over to me and raises his arms.

              “Aero fly. Aero fly.” I smile and gather him in my arms. I look at my mum for permission considering I am meant to be training and when she gives it, I slowly take off with the little toddler in my arms. He laughs and screeches and
claps his hands while I fly up around in a small circle, keeping to a slow pace because he
is
a baby after all. I land again and smile down at Aeron who is shockingly asleep. Brilliant.

              “That was really amazing little angel.” I spin around and face Edward. He has an impressed smile on his face which drops as soon as he sees who is in my arms. “Aeron.” He whispers. Oh that's right. He doesn't go near his youngest son. Me being the bitch I am, I walk up to Edward and hand him the innocent toddler. Edward swallows hard but takes the boy anyway. If Aeron wasn't asleep, I have a feeling his father would be holding him at arms length but luckily he
is
asleep so Edward has no choice but to cradle him against his body.

Jaxon wanders out into the garden and sees what his father is doing. He looks at me in shock and I wink at him. He doesn't look impressed with me though he doesn't say anything. A lot of members of the group have already decided to disperse now that the two incubi are here, leaving mum and Lorraine with us.

              “Father, are you okay? Would you like me to take him?” Jaxon asks. Edward shakes his head and gazes down at his child.

“He is so young. So innocent. Does he even know who I am?” He whispers.

              “Yeah Caroline shows him photos all the time.” Jaxon replies quietly. Edward nods and a hint of a smile plays on his lips as he swipes a lock of hair out of Aeron's eyes. We watch in silence as Edward carries Aeron over to the garden swing and rocks his toddler in his arms whilst still watching him intently.

“Well, that was weird. Who wants lunch?” Mum chirps annoyingly cheerfully. She doesn't wait for a reply as her and Lorraine head into the house to 'make lunch'.

              “I am sorry. I acted on impulse. I promise I wouldn't have let anything happen to Aeron.”

“It is okay Titch, chill. I think he needed it. It might make him more determined to get Caroline back for Aeron and not just the potion.” I agree with a subtle nod. “What have you been doing today? You look filthy.” I look down at my was clean clothes that now look stained with grass and mud. I have mud all over my legs and elbows and probably my face too.

              “Training.” I shrug. His eyes are no longer on me but instead are fixated on something behind me. I look over my shoulder and see that my wings are still visible. “Oh, sorry.” I tuck them away and his eyes bulge before he grabs my shoulders and spins me around to look at my back. I feel this fingers trace the outline of the wing 'tattoos' and goosebumps erupt over my entire body. My throat goes dry and I clench my jaw shut to stop me making a noise.

“I've never seen them before.” He whispers. I peer over my shoulder at him.

              “Wanna fly with me?” I grin.

“You can actually fly now?” I nod.

              “About ten minutes before you turned up, I was carrying Tessa and Lara around whilst flying. It might be a bit of a struggle but I am sure I can carry you too.” He blinks at me and mutters something under his breath. “What did you say?”

“Not even I have practised carrying someone else whilst flying before.” I frown. He can fly? Before I can blink, Jaxon sprouts out a set of giant bat like wings. I gasp and stagger away from him. It's not that I mind, I mean, I have wings too, I just wasn't expecting him to show me them. I turn around and see mum's gaping face through the kitchen window. Edward is staring over at us too. Though he doesn't look bothered.

              “You have wings too?” I splutter.

“Yeah, if you were just a succubus, you'd have similar ones to this. In fact, did your mum not tell you that she has wings too?”

              “No I didn't because I no longer have wings.” Mum says as she approaches us again, carrying a tray with some juice and biscuits on. She places the tray on the floor and pulls off her cardigan before turning around showing two scars on her back where wing roots used to be. “Edward ripped them out, didn't you Eddie?” Mum calls over to Edward who is now walking over to us with a still sleeping Aeron.

“Yes I did and I am still glad I did. I am sorry Rini, if I didn't you would have
died.
” I look between them and have to admit I am lost. Mum hates this guy and yet they have nicknames for each other and everything. I mean, Eddie and Rini? Jaxon and I share a look.

              “Well you could have warned me!” She turns to a stunned Jaxon and I. “I was shot with an acid dart and it was melting my wings. Edward had to cut my wings off to save my life because if the acid hit my skin, it would have killed me.” She turns back to Jaxon's father. “I still think you were trying to kill me, just like the last time I saw you.” Edward's mouth gapes open.

“I didn't try to kill you. You bit me! So I simply snapped your neck.” I gasp. “A snapped neck can't kill incubi or succuba. Don't spread that around though.”

              “I
didn't
know of this little sex demon secret and I bit you because I was enjoying-” Mum's eyes widen and she looks straight at me. I wait for her to finish what she is saying but the second she turns a nice shade of pink, it hits me.

“Oh ewwww! You two had sex?!” I scream out in disgust. Aeron stirs in Edwards arms and I freeze, so does Edward. Aeron doesn't wake up though. “That is so gross. When?” Not that I want to know the full details or anything. I just want to make sure that Jaxon and I aren't accidentally related. That is wrong on
so
many levels.

              “Like ninety years ago.” Edward says. I visibly relax as best as I can while finding out your mum had sex with my boyf- crushes dad. Ugh!! (Not sure if we are together or what, nothing has been discussed). I look up at Jaxon who looks just as repulsed as I feel and I close my eyes and shiver away the thought.

“Wow, I am so going to be sick. Thank you ever so much for that visual mother.” I give a tight lipped fake as hell grin and turn away. I do a run and jump and open my wings, taking myself as far away from my mum and Edward as I can. I know I am being dramatic and immature but I really do not care. No-one wants to hear about their mother's sex life. No matter how old I am, I will never be okay with knowing about who she has had sex with. Her and her succubus ways can be kept to herself for all I care.

I fly to the roof of the house and sit on a bit of flat-roof above a window and perch myself on the edge like a gargoyle. Just not an ugly one.

I hear rather than see Jaxon when he lands beside me. His wings make a loud WHOOOSH sound when he flies.

“Ever wish you were normal?” I ask, still not looking at him.

              “Sometimes. Mainly when I met you and didn't know what you were.” Aww. Sweet. I think.

“All the information I have to take in and that I have managed to take in this past month or so has been dyer. I don't know how much more I can take. Plus all this crap with Caroline and Levi and your dad and-” I shiver, “my mum. I just don't think I can possibly handle anymore.” I stare out into the distance where I can vaguely see the sea. I miss swimming, I make a mental note to go to the beach soon or convince mum to buy a pool.