The Overture of Fear & Passion (The Daemonica Symphony Series Book 1) Page 13

  “At first, when Ash began talking about Spirit Demons, I knew it was about me... about us… But then there was the part about female Spirit Demons being unable to have babies with humans. My dad is human, so that makes it impossible, don’t you see?” She looked at him but before he could respond she continued again.

  “I can’t be a Spirit Demon. Someone must have stuffed up somewhere and put me in the wrong class.” She began to pace in front of Niko, stopping to examine his face yet again.

  “What? What are you smiling at?” She demanded, placing her hands on her hips.

  Niko couldn’t help it, he hadn’t realised he’d been smiling, and her indignation was just too adorable. He began to laugh, knowing it would set off more anger.

  “Damn it, Niko, what’s so funny?” She asked, causing him to laugh harder.

  “God damn it, Niko stop laughing at me.”

  That did him in, she was all but stomping her foot with outrage. He managed to stop laughing for a moment and flopped down on the couch, his sides hurting. He took a moment to calm down before he was able to answer.

  “You don’t talk this much in our dreams.” He said, smiling at her.

  Her mouth dropped open ever so slightly in response to his remark. He could see the pieces coming together behind her eyes and he couldn’t help but replay the last dream he’d had of her.

  He’d been beneath her on this very couch, his back tingled as he recalled the feeling of her nails biting into his flesh at the same moment that she’d come. The memory stiffening his cock painfully.

  Her mouth formed a perfect little “O” as it all fell into place. He felt relieved that he wouldn’t have to spell it out for her after all. But then Juliet’s face dropped, and she looked more confused than before.

  “It can’t be.” She whispered. Niko smiled, he figured she was still getting hooked on the last piece of the puzzle that had confused him as well.

  “I know it’s a lot to take in at first.”

  “No, you don’t understand. My father is human.” He hesitated, there were other possibilities, but he could tell that none of them would be well received.

  Juliet continued her argument, “Don’t you see, if my mother was a Spirit Demon, then he couldn’t have survived being with her.”

  Niko knew that she was making a valid point and considered that there could be another explanation.

  “Maybe… But what about the dreams Juliet? How else do you explain that we have both been seeing each other in our dreams? Don’t tell me that you haven’t, I can see it in your eyes.”

  “No, there must be some other explanation. Because if it’s true then my father isn’t really my father, which is impossible because I have his eyes and his talent for strings. There is no way he is not my father.”

  He sensed that she was beginning to panic. Her breathing was becoming erratic and pink splotches were spreading across her cheeks. He took a step towards her, needing to comfort her.

  “O.K, I’m not saying that, maybe there’s another explanation.” He raised his hands, trying to calm her. He took another step towards her slowly, wanting to touch her, to wrap his arms around her. But he was afraid that any sudden movements would send her running.

  “What other explanation is there, the only other possibility is that my father isn’t human. But he would have told me. I’ve seen him cut himself shaving. He has a scar from a bar fight in the eighties. He has grey hair for crying out loud.” She started to shake. It didn’t make sense to Niko either, he knew the rules about their class as well as anyone. Female Spiritus, even those with very diluted bloodlines, could never mate with a human. The sex alone would kill the man… He could only think of one other possibility.

  “Juliet I’m not saying he lied to you, there are some cases where someone might just have a little bit of Demon blood and they don’t even know it, maybe your dad believes he is human.” He took a step closer again and moved as if to take her hands in his, but she stepped back, shaking her head and turning away from him.

  “There’s just no way. And then what Ash said at the end about Demon-mates. Is that why you’re into me? Because you think I’m like yours or something?”

  Niko couldn’t keep up, Juliet seemed to be angry about three things at once and it was beginning to make his head spin.

  “I don’t know, I don’t know how it works.”

  Juliet huffed and walked away, rubbing her temples. She faced one of the murky windows, looking out at the forest beyond the castle, but Niko had a feeling she wasn’t seeing the view at all.

  “Juliet, I don’t have all the answers.” He said, coming up to stand beside her.

  “I just know how you make me feel. It’s more intense than anything I’ve ever felt before and I think you feel it too. I think you felt it that night we first kissed and that’s why you pulled away. Because you were scared. But it’s O.K to be scared Juliet. Shit, it scares the crap out of me too.”

  Juliet continued to look out the window, her eyes narrowing in thought.

  “Why hasn’t it healed yet?” She asked, her eyes going to his back.

  Niko looked away, not entirely sure of the answer but he had a suspicion.

  “Ah, from what I understand. I think it’s because we ah… haven’t been together since.”

  She narrowed her eyes again, “How do you mean?”

  “Well, the male Spirit Demon’s ability to heal kind of comes from feeding off desires… I’ve been going hungry, so to speak.”

  Juliet shook her head, “I don’t understand any of this. I’m sorry. My dad is human. I’m not a succubus, I can’t be. I have to go. I’m sorry.”

  He wanted to stop her, but he knew she was too upset to hear anything else he had to say. So instead, he let her leave, his own thoughts crashing through his mind.

  He knew Juliet just needed time to work things out on her own. He just hoped that when she was finally ready to give him a chance, that he might be worth it.

  Chapter Eighteen

  It had grown full dark while Juliet had been in Niko’s secret hideaway. She was grateful to find the common room empty as she made her way to her room and quickly grabbed her violin case.

  She wasn’t sure where she was going; she travelled along blindly, confusion making her head swim. She walked through an eerily quiet corridor and out into the night, her footsteps muffled by the soft wet grass as she journeyed across the grounds.

  Her mind screamed chaotic gibberish that drowned out the sounds of laughter and music coming from a window. Someone called out her name, but she walked on, too lost in her own thoughts to respond.

  She continued until she reached the edge of the grounds where a fence marked the boundary between castle and woods. She paused for a moment, remembering William’s warning about not going into the forest after dark. She climbed the fence, gently landing on the other side.

  She made her way through the woods, her eyes adjusted to the dark and the moonlight helping her find her way more easily. She followed her senses until she eventually picked up the sound of trickling water and adjusted her course slightly to move in its direction. She lost track of time as she followed the stream, eventually coming to a clearing.

  The moon, sitting low above the tree line, looked huge and welcoming as its reflection glowed along the surface of the still lake. She set her case down on the top of a felled tree, its lichen covered surface cushioning the case, protecting it from falling off.

  As she opened the case, she took a moment to admire the way the polished wood glittered like a gemstone in the light of the moon and stars. She caressed it lovingly and prepared her bow before picking up the violin, as if taking the hand of her closest friend and confidant. She rested it where it belonged, between chin and shoulder and turned back to face the lake.

  She began to play, her bow gliding across the strings without reservation. This she knew. Her music and her strings were the only constant in her life. Her instrument told no lies and kept no secrets from h
er. Her fingers and the strings moved together in perfect harmony like dancing lovers. She played a sorrowful piece by Tchaikovsky, an andante that expressed all of the hurt and confusion she was feeling. She played with more heart than she ever had before, tears falling upon the lower bout and leaving glistening trails down into the bridge.

  A calm fell upon the forest, as if all the creatures and even the trees within had somehow hushed to hear her play. She segued into a piece by Bach, and as her tears began to dry, her pain and confusion turned to anger.

  She was angry at all the lies that had been told to her by those she loved, and she was angry at her mother for dying. She was still so confused. How could her mother have died at all? Juliet now knew that she should have lived for hundreds of years and that her cancer could have been cured. Why had she kept hold of her secrets, knowing that that the truth could have saved her?

  She played on; choosing Handel and Rachmaninoff pieces and introducing modern compositions that allowed her strings to sing out the words she couldn’t voice. The music allowed her to make sense out of the chaos of her mind. It healed her, made her whole and brought her back to a place where she could at least pretend she was happy.

  She finished her private performance, silence giving way to the sounds of the forest creatures coming back to life. Before she could put away her violin, she heard a branch snap behind her and she turned, slightly alarmed. William stood there; hands raised innocently.

  “It’s only me.” He said, his thick burr cutting through the quiet.

  She let out a breath and smiled, beginning to pack away her violin as he came closer, watching her movements.

  “I thought I’d told ye about nae comin’ out ‘ere after dark.” His words were scolding but the warmth in his voice told Juliet he wasn’t really angry.

  “You’re far too young to be my father William, and even if you were older, I still wouldn’t listen to you.”

  “Aye, ye dorn’t seem tae be th’ kind ay lass who does whit she’s told unless it suits herself.” He laughed.

  “Ah ‘eard ye’ playin’ all th’ way from me cabin n’ I thought it main be ye and I came tae make sure everythin’ was alrigh’.” He looked more closely at her face, “Y’are alrigh’, aren’ ye?”

  “Yes, William. I’m O.K. I just had a… difficult day.” She closed her case, picking it up and turning towards him.

  “Why don’t I make ye somethin’ tae drink.” Juliet smiled at the way William posed the question without waiting for an answer. He was already turning in the direction of his cabin and Juliet could either go along with him or go back to the castle. She looked towards the turret, black against the moonlit sky. No, she wasn’t ready to go back yet, she hurried after William instead.

  They walked in silence, William occasionally helping her in his quiet way. Eventually they came to the little clearing in front of his cabin and he let go of her hand to open the door for her. Once inside Juliet felt herself begin to relax immediately. William had a fire blazing, making the small space feel almost too warm.

  She made herself comfortable in her favourite chair and watched the flames crackle and hiss as William poured two glasses of scotch, all the while telling her about the plans he had been making to travel to Scotland.

  He offered a glass to Juliet, but when she reached for it, he pulled back, his eyes focussed on her fingers. He knelt down in front of her and placed the glass on the floor as he took her hand in his and carefully turned it towards the firelight. Juliet noticed what had caught his attention, a tiny blood smear on the tips of her fingers. William inspected the fingers of her left hand and gently rubbed the cracked and bloody pads.

  “My God woman, wha’ ‘ave ye done tae yer hands?” He stood and went over to his kitchen cabinet, removing a small box from within. She hadn’t noticed the cuts until then, but she began to feel their sting now that they were brought to her attention.

  He returned and knelt once more and took her hand in his. Juliet watched as he began tending to the cuts; dabbing at them gently with alcohol and cringing when she flinched. He looked up at her face, waiting for her permission to continue. She nodded and smiled to reassure him that she was fine.

  She wondered at the oddness of the scratches. Wasn’t her Demon DNA supposed to make her stronger, unable to be injured by such trivialities? Her fingers were also heavily calloused by years of intense practise, she hadn’t bled like this for years.

  She let out a slow breath, pushing the thought aside as she focussed on the sensation of William blowing on her fingertips. The gesture was innocent enough, but Juliet couldn’t help the shiver that ran up her spine. He looked up at her again, his eyes had a heat behind them, and Juliet’s attention was drawn suddenly to his lips.

  She wondered what it would feel like to kiss a man with a beard. His eyes lowered as Juliet’s tongue peaked out to involuntarily wet her lips. He let out a groan and grabbed hold of the arms of her chair. Juliet sensed his desire, and it assaulted her own senses like a bolt of energy. She leaned forward and grabbed his shirt collar, pulling him towards her.

  William pressed his mouth to hers in a hard kiss, wrapping one arm around her slender waist and his other behind her neck, while tilting her head slightly to gain better access to her mouth. He kissed her deeply, exploring with abandon. She responded instantly, her mouth opened and allowed him entry. Their tongues danced playfully, his beard tickling her chin, but she found the sensation intensely erotic.

  He began to move her towards him, lifting her up until they were standing. But that didn’t seem to be enough for him, he lowered his hands until they landed on her butt and he pulled her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. He turned them around and moved them over to the welcoming bed, sitting on the edge of it with Juliet in his lap.

  He shrugged off his shirt while continuing to kiss her and she let go of his mouth as she helped to lift the tight white t-shirt up and over his head. He cradled her head in his hands and resumed kissing her as she ran her fingers through the thick dark hair on his chest. She could feel the hard bulge of him through the thick denim of his jeans and she rubbed herself against it, the friction sending tendrils of pleasure through her.

  He took the hint well and moved his hand, reaching under her shirt and lifting it until his palm closed around her breast. The other hand moved down slowly, lazily exploring her concave stomach, before moving further down to her thigh where it rested, his thumb deliciously close to the juncture between her thighs.

  A prickling sensation on her fingertips caused her to wince for a moment but was quickly forgotten as a moan escaped her lips. She broke away from his mouth for a moment, smiling at his hooded eyes and swollen lips as he breathed heavily. She pulled on the bottom of her sweater and t-shirt and lifted them over her head, exposing a lacy bralette. He growled something in gallic, but she failed to understand the muffled words that dripped off his tongue as he planted dozens of kisses on the top of her breasts and collarbone. She grabbed him by the hair, silencing his mumbled prayer with a kiss. She continued to roll her hips against him as the sensuous pleasure began to build.

  Juliet felt alive, she felt like she was having her first meal after a month-long fast, and she was ravenous. Slowly, the energy in the room began to change as she began to lose control of her desire. Each kiss and touch made her need another and her insides began to burn with hunger. She felt something deep inside her uncoil, something powerful and intoxicating. A small part of her questioned it, the part of her that always had to overthink everything. She didn’t want to think anymore, so she let her body take over, her hips began to move in a rhythm that caused little whimpers to escape her lips. William responded with a growl and planted both of his strong hands on her hips, grinding his constricted shaft into her roughly. As she began to draw close to climax, she stopped breathing entirely. She was so close.

  She broke away from his kiss, her back arched against him and her head fell back as she moaned in bliss. Below her, William made a sm
all sound, followed by a choking noise. She looked down into his face and instead of the desire she was expecting, she saw fear. William’s eyes were wide and large blue veins bulged in his neck and temples, he clutched at his chest and throat as if unable to breathe. Juliet shrieked in alarm and pushed away from him. She knew instinctively this was her fault, but she didn’t know what to do. She backed away as much as she could, bumping into the wall behind her and causing liquor bottles to clatter and ping.

  Slowly, painfully, William took a small gasp of air, which turned into a rib cracking coughing fit. She moved towards him, wanting to help somehow, but he held up a hand to keep her away.

  Mercifully, the colour began to come back to his face. Her blood ran cold when she noticed a tiny detail. Upon the hand he held up between them, there were small, angry cuts on the pads of his fingertips. She looked down at her own hand and shivered; it was completely healed. It was all the proof she needed. She was a Spirit Demon and she had nearly killed William because of her own stupidity and carelessness. She quickly grabbed her clothing off the floor and pulled it on as she ran for the door.

  Chapter Ninteen

  Niko put down his sketch pad and went over his door, pulling it open suddenly. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with whatever problem the person on the other side presented; a problem that seemed serious considering the urgency of the banging.

  “Urgent meeting. Main hall. Five minutes.” Scott instructed before heading in the direction of the hall. Niko returned to his room and shook his head, trying to clear out the sleep deprived cobwebs from his mind.

  As he arrived in the hall three minutes later, Niko spotted Juliet flanked by Sean and Fiona. He approached Scott who greeted him with a stern nod, his arms crossed over his chest. Niko wondered what was so important that he needed to get dragged out of his room at such a stupidly early hour.

  Doctor Livingstone entered the hall, parting the small crowd like the red sea. The veins in his neck stood out and his clenched jaw and bloodshot eyes warned all in his way to move aside or else.