DEMON SENSE (Completed)

Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

As soon as the girl sitting next to me regained consciousness, she began freaking out hardcore. Really though, who could blame her? She’d been abducted by vampires, and used as a demon host, and was now being transported in a car full of strangers. She had a plethora of reasons to act like a crazy person. However, it wasn’t exactly helping our situation.

I grabbed onto her flailing arms. “You’re safe,” I tried to tell her over her incessant screaming. When that didn’t work, I moved my hands to her shoulders and gave her a gruff shake, “Look at me—you’re safe now.”

Her warm hazel eyes, wide with fear, met mine. Quick, shaky breaths passed through her parted lips. Underneath my hands, the girl shook helplessly in shock.

“Are you okay?” She returned my question with an unblinking terrified stare, looking frailer than porcelain.

“Do you understand anything that’s coming out of my mouth?”

The girl blinked and then nodded. Good, we were making progress. “What’s your name?” I asked softly, trying not to startle her with any sudden movements or loud noises.

The girl’s body relaxed only a fraction under my grip. Nervously, she licked her lips, looking as though she were debating whether to give me her name or not. Apparently, she decided she could trust me and said, “Kelsey. Kelsey Easterly.”

I let her go, and sat back against my seat without breaking eye contact. “I’m Viktoriya. As I’ve already established, I’m not going to hurt you—and neither are my friends. You’re safe now, Kelsey.”

Kelsey broke our eye contact to look towards the front of the car. She stared at Larson skeptically, but when her gazed passed over Nathan, she appeared to relax.

When Kelsey was satisfied with my friends in the front seat, she looked to the guys in the back. Her face blanched at seeing Vigil who was still holding a knife to the other vampire’s throat. Her screaming started up again. This time, the thrashing of limbs accompanied her shrieks as she tried to claw her way out of the seatbelt restraining her.

In an effort to stop her, I threw my arms around her petite upper body, wrapping her in an awkward embrace. “Stop! Kelsey, stop it!” Of course, my demands had gone unmet.

“Damnit Kelsey, stop!” I growled.

She’d stopped so abruptly, I thought I might have accidently hurt her, until I noticed Nathan had rested a hand on Kelsey’s shoulder. I understood immediately. After all, Nathan had done the same to me on countless occasions. Nathan’s touch would have acted like a sedative—a sweet, euphoric sedative—that numbed a person’s soul to the core.

It surprised me to realize I was jealous. Jealous because he was touching her, showing concern for her being? Or was I jealous because I wanted to feel the effects? Was I that addicted? Either way, I knew I was being petty and ridiculous. He was only helping.

Still, I couldn’t help feeling slightly annoyed.

Once he was certain Kelsey was calm again, he released his hold. She blinked, looking up at him with what I was sure was the same dumbstruck look I’d worn a few times, as well.

I turned my attention to the traumatized teen. “Kelsey?” I asked. She continued to stare at Nathan in awe. I didn’t like it, but whatever. At least she wasn’t screaming anymore.

“Kelsey,” I said again. Slowly, she pulled her eyes away from Nathan to look at me. “Listen, if I say you’re safe, I mean it. I promise nothing is going to happen to you as long as you’re with us. As for the man holding the knife, he’s on our side, and if that thing next to him …” I glared at Lanky, “even thinks of trying anything, he’ll be taken care of, if you get my drift.”