this song is so...perfect
taeyeon's voice is so soothing
cannot apologize enough for how inconsistent I have been with uploading this story. it's been such a hectic couple of months with university and my dissertation is legit killing me. hopefully I can manage find time to write and upload x
if you want to continue to read WUAD however, check out the note at the end of the chapter that'll guide you to where you can read the unedited version of WUAD for free! xx
CHAPTER - TWENTY TWO
'Control is like a flimsy rubber band, Faye. One hard tug and snap!'
Demon boy's words echo in my head as I attend school for the first time as a demon. I don't feel any different and I certainly don't look any different, now that I had on dark brown contacts on. Just to make sure I wasn't exposed even if I let my emotions show. To everyone else at this school, I was still the stout loner I'd always been. Micheal and Nolan would still know though, given they're not mortals themselves. I'd spent my time away in reading upon them.
I'm by my locker when Aleksa approaches me.
I'd texted her sometime back, apologizing for not being able to meet up before. I'd claimed family issues but I could hardly tell her that I'd been whisked away to the demon world. We'd continued texting and had plans to meet up this afternoon to go to Brew, a little cafe in B.C. Central. It felt nice to finally have a friend. Although we weren't that close yet and weren't attached to the hip, it still felt nice to know someone from high school for once.
"So, I'm thinking we go explore B.C. South after coffee and cake?" Aleksa leans against a locker, staring at me with a grin.
I nod, "That sounds good. Although I'm going to be having hot chocolate and cake. And maybe a few cookies." I thought being a demon would curb my appetite. But no, it was still very much intact. It had increased actually. I'd finished all the snacks Verona had sent over in a day. I'd thrown away the lemon tea, however. Tipped that tumbler over the sink as much as it pained me to do so.
"Finally, a foodie!" Aleksa exclaims.
I laugh, "Oh, you have no idea."
Aleksandria Monroe was sweet. And kind. And pretty. She could've been one of the popular girls. I was glad she was talking to me, however.
The popular girls in this school - as much as I didn't want to stereotype and generalize - were not the nicest. Back in eighth grade, I'd been close with a few of them. We weren't friends but that's the show they liked to put on. They liked to poke fun at my weight and appearance and I'd been pathetic enough to laugh along and accept it. Turns out they only needed me to make themselves look good.
'Fat girls like you are loyal and reliable. You'd never steal our man or take the spotlight away from us.' One of them had said to me. I'd known this but I'd stuck by them to feel like I belonged somewhere in high school. Then I realized I was happier in my room listening to music and sitting on my balcony than I was with them. I'd broken off ties and now when they saw me, they pretended they didn't know me.
They'd made me insecure about my body. An insecurity I still carried to this day. One of them had suggested I take drugs to lose weight so I could surprise them with a killer figure after summer and be one of them. She said I'd get to date the pretty boys after too. But that was just it, wasn't it? I shouldn't have to lose weight and date 'pretty boys' to feel good about myself. As long as I was healthy and happy, that's all that mattered. Everyone should be accepted for the way they are.
Which is why it had hurt when Jen had ditched me for them.
Enough with the mental monologue and pity party, Faye!
Aleksa left to go out help out in the library after we decided to meet at the gate once school was over.
It was a free period for me - luckily - so I decided to spend some time by the bleachers when Micheal shows up. He blocks my path, towering over me like a giant, ready to attack. He keeps his expression neutral so if he knows I'm a demon, he doesn't show it.
I, however, have trouble keeping myself in control. His presence, down to his very scent, gets on every damn nerve in my body. I consider not breathing in for a bit because every time I inhaled, that damn hunter stink assaulted my senses. I finally knew what demon boy was talking about. I hated Michael already and all he did was stand in front of me.
"Move," I grit out. God, was it always going to be this bad? I didn't want to hate every hunter I came across. Although I might have to because they'll all want to kill me, considering it's their life's purpose and all. How was I going to survive the next few months in school if this kept happening? Was it going to be the same with Nolan too? Doing a project with him would be a little hard then...
"Why, Faye?" Micheal cocks his head. "Feeling a little agitated?"
I notice Jen standing a little further away, arms crossed across her chest. She smirks, looking between Micheal and me before skipping off.
"Yes. You're nauseating. Get out of my way, Venari." I say through clenched teeth.
Micheal's eyes darken, "I see someone's been doing their homework. How was the transition?" He mocks.
"Pleasant." I smile tightly. "Younglings are known to be exceptionally powerful and out of control. You wouldn't want to get on my bad side, hunter." Why was I speaking like this? I was already in enough danger. I didn't need to provoke every enemy I had and have them come after me. But it's like there were two sides to me now. One that was just me and the other that was all demon. And the demon was in full control now, spewing out garbage that was definitely going to get me in trouble.
Looks like I'll have to call Verona sooner than I thought...
"Be careful, demon." Micheal's eyes burn with hate. "You wouldn't want to threaten a hunter."
"Looks like I just did," I bite back. He snarls. "Better watch those reactions, Kingston. You wouldn't want me to snap. Younglings have taken down thousands of your brothers and sisters with ease." I lean close to him, ignoring his stench even though at one point, he'd been all I'd ever wanted. "Push me, and I might just do the same," I whisper. It was an empty threat. I wouldn't ever do it.
Well, maybe, if he tried to kill me.
Nah, even then I'd maybe only ever threaten his kind. Demon or not, I didn't think I could kill anyone.
"Ooo, watch it newborn," Micheal says, voice thick with unleashed anger. But it almost seems he's partially amused. Is he surprised that the transition changed me from a wallflower to a threat? Didn't matter if I said anything or not. Our kinds were a threat to each other anyway. "You wouldn't want to find out how far a pissed off hunter can go." Micheal continues.
"And you wouldn't want to test a newborn's control." I say, "It won't be pretty." Stop trying to sound tough Faye! But I didn't want to tuck my tail between my legs and chicken out like a bitch either. I just wanted us to stay out of each other's way.
"Looks like we'll find out soon, won't we?" Micheal follows this with a wink, filled with animosity before leaving.
Whoops.
ALEKSA AND I were laughing at a joke she made as we walked into Brew.
We managed to grab seats by the window. She and I gorged on snacks as we talked.
"I've never had someone I could call a friend before...this is nice." She comments.
"Me too." I say, "Don't get me wrong, I love my alone time. But it's only ever been alone time for a long time."
"I get you." She nods, smiling, stuffing her mouth with a muffin.
I notice the bell chime as someone walks in. I observe the model-like woman that's just walked in because they're something off with her. Aleksa sips on the last of her coffee before she follows my gaze. There's a weird expression on her face as she turns back to me.
"So I'm going to go use the washroom and then order more of this." She taps her coffee cup. "I'll be right back." Aleksa leaves. The woman watches Aleksa leave.
The minute she's gone, the woman's cat-like eyes switch to me. I straighten my spine. Was she the unexpected visitor Verona warned me about? I swallowed, pressing my demon side down. The last thing I wanted to do was lose control and have everyone look at me like I was a monster. I won't do anything so long as she doesn't, I remind myself. I began to play with the necklace around my neck, hoping demon boy would come running if anything were to go down.
The woman flips her jet-black hair back, light eyes studying me as she walks close.
"Hello, Faena." She says, confirming my suspicions that she wasn't another ordinary person. "Mind if I sit?" She points to Aleksa's chair. I look towards the washroom. Aleksa is nowhere in sight. I can only hope the woman leaves before she comes back.
"Go for it," I keep my cool.
There's a light flutter in her eyes. Like she expected me to freak out rather than stay calm. I notice the shine in her orbs then. Purple takes over the blue of her iris as she folds her hands on her lap. Demon. She's one of us, a voice in my head whispers. But that didn't mean she was here to play nice. I try to ignore the nagging feeling telling me that I've seen her before. But where?
"I'm Dawn Rose." She says. Her name doesn't ring a bell. But her face is oddly familiar. My eyes widen when I realize exactly where it is that I've seen her.
"The Kingston graduation photo," I gasp.
Dawn laughs. "Actually it was a photo of our batch's initiation into the Venari." She casually says.
"You're a hunter?" I go wary.
"I was." She nods. "Not anymore." There's a sadness in her voice. "You've sensed I'm a demon. I can't be a demon and a hunter, now, can I?"
"I wouldn't know." I honestly say.
"Right. A lot to learn, yes? Being a newborn and all." She smiles. I don't relax. She notices because she leans back. "My visit will have to be short, Faye. I'm here to head you a warning, that's all." Dawn goes from lighthearted to serious within a second.
"Tell me then," I keep my eyes locked to hers.
"Daemonia is a difficult place, Faye." She starts. "I would know. I've struggled." She continues. "I'd been adopted and raised by a hunter couple. But, I never fought or killed any demons. I was part of the tech team in the Venari headquarters. Then out of the blue, I was kidnapped." Dawn says. "The demon that kidnapped me knew I was dormant and he turned me. We're mated now." I cock a brow as she gives me a preview of her life. I didn't how it was relevant to my situation but I still listened.
"Point is, my struggle led me to Friella." She says. Now, that captures my attention. "I'm Corah's confidant." Great, my grandaunt's best friend was here to warn me about something. Just perfect. "After Elvive left, Corah and I had to guard and prevent Friella from falling. Unlike you, Cherise, her daughter, has been raised her whole life to lead Friella. She's powerful and she can complete the union with Hiaven successfully, provided you stay out of the picture." Dawn says. Would she be mad if I smacked her?
"Why should I?" I ask.
"Why wouldn't you want to? You've grown up human. You have no idea how our world works. You've only just become a demon. It would take you three more years until you freeze into immortality. Even more to learn to be a ruler. And unfortunately, Daemonia just doesn't have that much time to shape you into a leader and complete the union." Dawn says, sympathetically.
Ergo, Cherise is better than you and Friella will never be yours so back off.
"But you see, Dawn, I've just never been the kind of person to give up on the things I want." I cock my head. "And now that I know that there's a whole kingdom destined to be mine, it's more motivation for me to conquer it," I say. Great, the demon side's out again. "Cherise can be as good as she wants. I will be the one to rule Friella and complete the union. So you can take your little warning and fúck right off." I complete with a mocking smile.
Dawn's eyes harden, "You have no idea what you're talking about, newborn." She says. "You're too young, too inexperienced to even comprehend the workings of a Librium, let alone complete it. If you rule, Friella will fall, the union will be pointless and Daemonia will reach its doom." She says.
"Funny you say this. Considering you were a human yourself. We're not all that different Dawn." I smile sweetly, "Except that you slithered your way up Corah's ass while I'm fated to be the queen of Daemonia." Jesus Faye. Why the hell was I talking out of my ass? This demon side was even a bigger, badder bitch than I was.
"Faye, we're trying to help you. Daemonia is not for you." Dawn says.
"Verona seems to think different," I say. Dawn freezes.
"The soothsayer is behind this?" She grits her teeth. "Then you're not further behind as we thought you were." She says and shakes her head, "Nevertheless. Our world is dangerous. Back away while you can, Faena. Consider this a friendly warning from those that care about your safety and wellbeing." Dawn says.
For a second, I think there's some truth to it. They might want me to step back. They care because they want me alive. But it was too late now. I was already a demon. I wouldn't force things but if something was meant to be mine, it was going to be regardless of how much my remaining family wanted to keep me away from it.
"And you be sure to tell my great-aunt I said hi," I say.
Dawn rises, her eyes softer than before, "Think about it, Faye."
"Bye Dawn," I dismiss her.
Dawn leaves, stopping for a second to look at Aleksa who's returning from the counter. There's a brief moment between the two before Dawn's on her way again. I eye Aleksa as she comes to sit with me. I didn't sense anything off about Aleksa but her little interaction with Dawn made me think otherwise. Until I found out why that was, I couldn't let my guard down in front of her again.
"Something wrong?" She asks, a big smile on her face.
"Yeah. My dad texted he wants me home early." I say. Her smile slips. "Raincheck on South B.C.?" I ask. She nods.
"Some other day then," She mutters, frowning. I pick up my bag and sling it over my shoulders as she watches me.
"Great," I breathe before I get up.
And I leave Aleksa sitting alone as I walk away.
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