Tempting Darkness [17+] ✔

Chapter 21

       He let out a heavy breath and the tension in his shoulders slowly eased. "Sorry, kiddo." Then he turned those deadly blues on me, and I nearly threw my hands up in surrender. Which I didn't, but still. What the hell was that look for? I didn't do anything!

       "I don't want you taking that class anymore."

       I snapped the computer up from the table and shoved it into my backpack to avoid rolling my eyes again. "It's a general education course. I have to take it."

       "It's filling your head with shi—crap." Adriel's eyes slanted briefly towards his sister's. "Raf, stay here and finish eating. I'm going to talk with Lark alone for a minute."

       Ugh, great.

       I hate feeling like a scolded child. I didn't even do anything! But I let the overgrown asshat pull me to my feet and drag me into that all-too-familiar half-bathroom. "Dri," I started gently as he pressed my back up against the closed door. "Even if I drop the class now, I'm still going to have to take it eventually. It's required."

       That strong, sharp jaw clenched, and those dark eyes blazed in the dim light shining above the mirror. "Your nightmares have only been worse since we moved here, you're actually seeing people with red eyes, and now I find out some freak is telling a bunch of college kids that this shit is real."

       "Well, I mean, he's not actually saying its 'real'. He just says it's like Deshua's legend or whatever." I shrugged, but that didn't necessarily dull the angry look in his eyes. "And I saw people with red eyes before I even started school there."

       Which I really shouldn't have said, but I felt bad for Shorzin. I had no doubt that Adriel would stomp all angrily down to the guy's office if he was pissed enough. He did towards the end of my senior year when the softball coach nearly kicked me off the team. It had only been a couple of weeks after his parent's death, and I guess the coach didn't care about 'grief absences'. He sure as hell did after that meeting.

       "Right, the freaks with the 'contacts'." The obvious sarcasm in his tone made me feel foolish.

       "You don't have to say it like that." I grumbled and dropped my gaze to our feet. "You're making it sound like I'm an idiot or something."

       He was quiet for a moment, that hard gaze glaring into my own, before he let out a short 'huff'. "You're not an idiot, and I'm not trying to make you feel that way." Adriel's hands reached up until they were resting softly on my hips, and the rough pads of his thumbs slipped just barely beneath my shirt. "This class just seems to be a part of the problem, and I don't like seeing you so stressed and unhappy."

       I closed my eyes and swayed into him as those lips pressed against my forehead. "This place is just so—so freaking weird." Was all I could think to say. Not a great argument for my 'I'm not an idiot' stance.

       Dri only chuckled and let his hands travel slowly from my waist to my lower back. "It's just new, and a lot smaller than Sacramento. Once everything settles down it'll be better."

       "Promise?" It was a stupid request to ask. Adriel couldn't control the town, or the freaks in it. I didn't expect him to either, but just hearing that strong confident voice say he would take care of everything made me feel better.

       "I promise."

       His lips pressed against the tip of my nose, then down to the corner of my mouth. "I'll miss you during lunch today." My eyes were still closed as I leaned into him, and the soft feel of his fingertips against my skin made my head all foggy. "Any chance you'll reconsider?" Dri's mouth moved just barely against mine as he spoke, almost like each word was a little kiss. It did funny things to my insides.