'What happened to your stairs, Tristan? Is this what happens when there's no one to spar?' He chuckled.
'Alexis did it,' Tristan answered with a that's-my-girl grin. How can they be so carefree? Owen's eyes grew wide.
They traded stories, talking as if they'd just won an exciting football game. Owen knew something was wrong when Mom disappeared from our cottage, so he hailed Stefan. They scoped the outside before coming in and found two Daemoni watching Tristan's house. They fought briefly before the Daemoni fled. Stefan and Owen ensured they stayed away before coming inside.
I stopped wondering how people…or whatever they were…could appear and disappear in Tristan's house and wondered instead what the point was of it being our safe place.
'They will come back,' Stefan said, now solemn. I stiffened. 'Owen, go out and shield the house.'
Owen disappeared.
'They won't be back today,' Tristan said, giving me a squeeze.
'You probably should've killed them,' Mom said, her voice grim, with a tint of sadness. 'There's no hope for them anyway.'
'There's no way to burn the bodies with that storm raging out there,' Tristan said. 'If we did it inside, the fumes would've killed us. Besides…I wanted to send them a message.'
'They'll take it as a challenge,' Mom said.
'The Daemoni won't officially. These were rogues. Many rogues will take it as a warning. But, you're right. Some will take it as a challenge.'
'So they will be back,' Stefan repeated.
Tristan's jaw clenched and he nodded.
The bottom of my stomach fell out and a feeling of despair washed over me. The false sense of safety and security for the past couple months blew away with the raging wind. We were doomed.
'They'll never leave us alone, will they?' I whispered. 'We'll never have any peace.'
Tristan didn't answer except by wrapping his arms around me and holding me closer.
'Solomon made a good point that night at Sophia's house,' Stefan said. 'When you two are married by the Amadis, Tristan, you become a member of the royal family. That means we all become loyal to you—not just Alexis. Right now, our first priority is Alexis's safety. If we had to make a choice, we would have to leave you to protect her.'
'That's how it should be,' Tristan said.
'Yes, but when you are married, we are bound to both of you. We do not have to make a choice. Increased protection is automatic for you both.'
'We've already discussed this,' Tristan said flatly.
'You have to see the benefits, Tristan,' Stefan pressed. 'Once you become a member of the Amadis royal family, the Daemoni may decide to leave you alone. Coming after you would be hardly any different than going after Rina, Sophia or Alexis. It is not allowed.'
'That doesn't seem to stop them,' Tristan pointed out.
'I think they came for you, Tristan,' Mom said. 'He definitely didn't expect me.'
'How come they don't just… know ?' I interrupted. 'I mean, you and Rina know things, Mom. If they're really Hell's demons, wouldn't they have some way to just know things, like you coming here—read minds, predict the future?'
'Some demons have the ability to plant thoughts in humans' heads, deceiving them that they are their own thoughts. Others can completely possess a human. But none of them can read anyone's minds—not humans' and definitely not ours,' Mom explained.
'They have seers who try to predict the future, but their magic is unreliable and their abilities are limited. Only God is all-knowing,' Stefan said, then he added with a small smile, 'and He's more willing to share with us.'
This slightly comforted me. Then I had an idea.
'Tristan, we need to get married immediately,' I said firmly.
He looked down at me. 'We've set our date. It's not that far away.'
'And we keep that date, because they'll hear about it and you know they'll plan to attack before then. They'll try to stop us.'
'Yes, they will,' he agreed grimly.
'So we get married under the Amadis now , in secret. They won't know until it's too late.'
I watched as he clenched and unclenched his jaw while he thought about it.
'She is right, Tristan,' Stefan said. 'It is a good plan.'
Tristan looked at me, his eyes hard. 'We're not getting married out of fear.'
I groaned in frustration and left his side, pacing the room angrily. Why is he being so damn obstinate? We knew they'd do everything they could to stop our marriage. The Amadis and Tristan, apparently, had full confidence in their ability to stave them off. But I personally had a problem knowing we could be attacked any time. That tonight's real-life nightmare would repeat. And what if it's worse next time? What if they succeed?
I threw myself at Tristan's feet. 'Tristan, please . You know it's the best solution. Do it out of love. Love for me . I need it…I need the hope that we may be able to live without a constant threat hanging over our heads. I need that sense of peace that they won't be able to take you from me. Please . Do it for me, because you love me.'
I gazed into his dark eyes, pleading with my own while holding his hand against my lips.
'Please? For me?'
He studied my face as he brushed my hair back from my forehead. He eyed the small, shrinking lump. His eyes flickered with what looked like sorrow or remorse.
'Okay,' he said quietly. 'For you.'
I threw myself back into his lap and kissed him. 'Thank you.'
He sighed. 'You are my weakness.'
I leaned my head against his shoulder and whispered, 'I love you, my sweet Tristan.'
'I love you, ma lykita ,' he whispered back.
'Together forever?'
He tightened his arms around me and murmured, 'You and me forever, my love.'
Our sweet-nothings came to an instant stop when something banged on the dining room door. I thought it was the wind at first—apparently everyone did because we all stared at it but no one moved. When it really started clanging in its frame, though, Stefan stood up. He stiffened.
'Somebody's out there!'
Tristan jumped up, dropping me to the floor. The bruise that should have been healing on my hip flared with renewed pain. He and Mom were both across the room before I could even think ow , their bodies tense. Not again! Not already!
'It's Owen! Open the door!' Mom ordered.
Tristan pushed a button to raise the automatic hurricane shutter. A dark gray light poured through the glass, Owen silhouetted against it. Rain flew sideways at him as he pressed himself against the wind. Stefan opened the door just enough for Owen to slip in and he had to push with force to close it again. The shutter lowered as I ran to the bathroom.
'The house is shielded. No one can get in or out,' Owen said as I rushed back with towels for him. 'Of course, that meant I couldn't get back in.'
'Can someone please explain what that means?' I asked as I handed the towels to Owen. 'How you just appear and disappear…get in and out when this house is already supposed to be locked down?'
'It's just part of who we are. You'll do it, too,' Mom said lightly. I eyed her, not letting her blow it off. I didn't accept half-truths anymore. She shrugged. 'It's just natural. We call it flashing.'
'Owen has placed a shield over the house now, preventing any flashing,' Stefan added. 'We did not have it in place earlier in case any of us needed to flash inside…which, of course, we did.'
'Yeah, okay,' I said stupidly, like I understood. Is this for real ? I only knew it was because I'd seen it with my own eyes. 'So…no one can get in now?'
