10 CHAPTER TEN

"You've literally known each other for three days, Ivy! Are you mad?!"

I sighed. We were in the Subway's toilet, talking in low voices. When I threw the bomb about Caiden, Emily, without any words, got to her feet and grabbed my arm, dragging me all the way to the toilet.

I leaned against the wall, looking at my reflection in the mirror. "I know. It just happened. We talked yesterday a lot and agreed to start dating. See? He wasn't interested in you. He was just playing 'hard to get' with me. Now you can stop worrying about him. He is not pulling something on you. So... can you just be friends? Please?"

She spread her arms wide. "I don't understand you! I'm telling you this guy is scary and probably dangerous and you decide to date him?"

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. "I don't think he's dangerous. Really. You should talk to him more. He... he just has an angry appearance. It's because of his face, really."

"I think you finally lost it. You're crazy to trust him like this." She put her hands on her hips and shook her head, lowering her eyes.

I sighed again. She was right. She didn't buy it. I bit my lips, cursing myself mentally. Why did I do that?! Why didn't I think further? How could I just say that he was my boyfriend, even though the first time I saw him was three days ago? It was a failure. A failure that might've made her stop trusting me as well.

"I know it's crazy. But, please, believe me. He's not a bad person. He's just weird and kind of antisocial." I put on a grimace. "We have a lot in common. So, can you, please, just give him a chance? He's not that scary once you get to know him. Really."

She exhaled sharply and pressed her hair with her hands. "God, Ivy, when I told you to get yourself a boyfriend I didn't mean a scary and weird guy. Especially because I told you he might've followed me."

I chuckled, trying to be calm and relaxed. "It wasn't him, believe me."

She looked straight into my eyes. Her expression was skeptical. But I couldn't do much. She had any reason to think that about him. Hell, he actually followed us. I couldn't blame her for not wanting him around.

I touched my necklace, not conscious by my hand's movement. But, this caught Emily's attention and she lifted an eyebrow. "He gave you that? Is he religious or something? Maybe he's part of a cult."

I snorted. "Oh C'mon, Emily! Stop making things up! Let's go back. He might think we ran away or something."

I pivoted and opened the toilet door. "It wouldn't be a bad thing, to be honest." Emily whispered behind my back, making me turn my head towards her and give her a disapproval look. She shrugged, turning her head towards the door. "Move."

I rolled my eyes.

I didn't know if she bought it or not, but for the moment it was safe to say that she might come around. I sighed, eyeing our table. Caiden waited patiently for us, looking on his phone. I heard Emily sighing behind me, but I ignored her, walking towards the table. I sat down and Caiden left his phone on the table, raising his head. "I need you to come somewhere with me."

The way he said it made Emily raise her eyebrows. I blushed, involuntarily. It sounded... intimate. "Where?" I asked, trying to get back to my senses.

He probably wants to tell you how idiotic your plan is.

I knew that already. He didn't have to remind me!

He weighed my question for a couple of seconds. "It's a surprise." He smiled, exposing his white teeth, thing which made me flinch.

He looked pissed off.

"Okay." I said, trying to look enthusiastic. I knew Emily was watching us carefully. Probably, she thought Caiden was just using me or something like that.

Oh, if that was true, she had no idea how right she was.

"Okay, then, I gotta go home as well. Let's go." Emily stated, standing up and putting on her jacket.

***

"Call me when you get home...okay?" Emily told me and I nodded, waving at her. She waved back and, before she pivoted, she threw Caiden a suspicious look.

"What was that?" He asked, his eyes following Emily as she was walking down the street.

"What exactly? The suspicious face she has around you or my brilliant plan?" I replied, folding my arms and looking up at his face.

"Both." He said, turning his head towards me.

As we were staying there, in front of the mall, with the sun almost disappearing from the sky and the chilly wind creeping into my bones, his icy glare made me shiver involuntarily. "She would never trust you if you try being interested in her in a romantic way. She would've talked with you, eventually, to stop trying to hit on her. So, I made it impossible for her to ignore you: I've created a connection with you in a direct way. Now, because I will hang out with you, she has to do it as well. I'll make sure she'll come every time we go out. Or, at least most of the time. She has to think that we are a real couple, so I'll give her hints that we're spending time together, alone. See? It's gonna work, trust me. You'll become friends."

He listened to me, touching his bottom lip all the time. When I finished talking, he folded his arms and sighed, looking straight into my eyes. "You better be right, human. I don't have time to waste. I need to get her memory or we'll all die."

I winced. It was a big stake.

But... is he telling the truth? Can you trust him?

For the time being, I had to. If I wanted to have a normal life, I had to. I touched the small cross, playing with it, a thing that caught his attention. He said nothing about it. "Where do we have to go?" I asked him, remembering why we left Subway in the first place.

"Nowhere. I... sensed something. You have to go home."

I remembered the moment when he was shot, falling to the ground. The blood, the rain, me screaming. I shivered. "Are there people following you again? Are you... are you gonna be shot again?"

A smile danced on his lips. "No. That thing has been taken care of."

I certainly didn't want to know how. "Then? Who's following you now?"

"I wish I knew." He said, his brows furrowing.

The fact that even him, the demon, didn't know who was after him made my heart fill with fear. I exhaled sharply, biting my bottom lip. "If I can help..."

His eyes widened, looking through me. I stopped breathing, too terrified to react.

"Go. Now. Straight home. Stay in, don't answer to anyone."

He talked low in a strange language and began inspecting his surroundings. He turned his head towards me and saw me staring at him and not moving at all. "Now!" He snapped, making me flinch.

I obeyed his command and started walking down the street, with big steps. His worried face got me hella scared. I knew something was wrong. But what I hated the most and made me truly terrified was the fact that I had absolutely no idea what was going on. The fact that someone was following us and made a supernatural being be worried was even worse. I shook my head and shoved my sweaty hands in my jacket's pockets. I left the mall. Caiden went after them, whoever they were. Or him. Or her.

The red-haired girl

I stopped myself in the middle of the sidewalk, realizing something I should've thought way sooner. What if... what if she made me pass out with her own powers? What if... she was a demon fox as well? Or at least a demon? I didn't know if Caiden possessed any powers, besides the one which allowed him to charm necklaces and change the color of his hair and, apparently, his eyes, but it could've been possible, right?

I clenched my jacket's material, near my chest. The adrenaline made me shiver and become short of breathing. I had to go back.

I had to tell him my revelation. I could've told him her appearance and the fact that she might've followed me in the store, four days ago.

I was scared. I was terrified. But I pivoted and ran back to the mall. I had to do this. Caiden seemed to be worried about us. He even made us leave. But a strange feeling made my heart pound faster. He was in trouble and maybe he needed this information.

I fished out my phone from my pocket and dialed his number. "You could've just texted me." He said, with a low, concentrated voice.

"I'm back in the mall. I have to tell you something immediately. Where are you?"

"Stupid woman! Go home. Now."

I inhaled sharply, looking around in the stores. "I have to tell you something about someone who might've followed me ever since last year."

"Nice story, but this is not the perfect time, Ivy Moore. Go back!"

His scolding voice made me feel like a stubborn child, but I was so sure I could've helped him that I couldn't back off. "Tell me where are..."

I screamed.

Someone grabbed violently my arm and spun me around. The moment I saw his face, my tensed body relaxed and the relief almost made me smile. "Here you are!" I said, with a shaky voice.

He stared right into my eyes, trying to freeze me with the power of his mind. The fact that I wasn't sure if it was possible for him to do this or not made me tremble. "If your 'story' is not good enough, I'm going to turn you into a rat."

"Wait, can you do that?"

"Woman, talk now."

I put on a grimace, eyeing his white knuckles. "You're hurting me."

With a sigh, he let go of my arm and took a step back away from me. "Okay." I said, massaging my arm. "I might know who is following you. Last year, I went to a party at a guy's house. There was a beautiful girl with red hair and blue eyes. She talked a bit with me and asked me about a guy. But the weird part is: I think she made me pass out. It felt like... she put a spell on me, I know it sounds ridiculous. But, these days I saw her again, in a store. I think she follows me around. She might follow you as well."

He rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "That 'girl' is not my concern..."

He stopped talking and his eyes widened. I frowned, ready to ask him what was wrong. I didn't have the chance. He grabbed my hand, out of nowhere, and began dragging me towards the mall's double doors.

"What are you doing?" I whispered into his ear, trying to keep the pace with him. I grabbed his arm, pulling my body closer to his. "Tell me!"

He didn't look at me. His eyes were searching for the exit, fully focused. "Stop talking and act normal."

I shut my mouth, looking around and searching for anything he could find threatening. There was nothing abnormal. Just people walking into stores, buying clothes, or sitting at tables and eating.

We came out of the mall and stopped in front of the double doors. "Now what?" I whispered, frowning and looking at his perfect chilled face.

"You go home. I'm staying here to see the one who's been following me. Go now."

His voice was focused and alarmed. It made me almost go home. Almost. "I'm going to stay with you. If something happens, I'll go find help."

He took his glasses off and rolled his eyes. "Okay, stay. If you get killed it's not my fault. I have no time to babysit you, plus I'm weak now."

I looked up at his forehead. Nothing. There was nothing, his forehead was smooth. "How did you..."

"Healing. I overdid myself, to be honest. Now shut up. He's coming."

I opened my mouth, ready to ask him how did he know, but exactly in that second, I sensed someone in my back. Surprised, I pivoted quickly, feeling my heart pounding so fast it could break out from my chest.

"Hello." The man said, staring at Caiden with a blank expression.

His face seemed harsh. His black hair and beard made him look like he was in his thirties. His height made Caiden look like a small child, compared to him.

As he knew I was studying him, he returned my gaze with some cold black eyes which made me shiver. Something definitely was wrong with this guy.

"Sorry, how can we help you?" Caiden said, putting one hand on my waist and dragging me closer to him. I gasped. He squeezed my waist, warning me to shut up and go along with his plan. "We're going home now. You see, my girlfriend is feeling sick so make it quick, please."

The guy rose his eyebrows and chuckled. "Sorry, mate. You need to come with me. We have to talk... something important regarding the 'downstairs' place."

I froze. Caiden's body tensed under my touch as we stared at the weird guy in front of us, understanding the real meaning of his words: he was like Caiden. A supernatural being.

"And if I say no?" Caiden asked, testing the gravity of the problem.

The guy shrugged. "There are two options for you: friendly or less friendly. You choose."

"Shit." Caiden whispered, shoving me away from him and taking one step towards the scary guy. "I go now and she leaves."

He rose his eyebrows again. "Wait a second. She really is your girlfriend? A human girlfriend?" He began laughing, which made Caiden narrow his eyes, his mouth becoming a thin line. "I've never heard of such thing, sorry, brother. But, unfortunately, this wish of yours won't come true."

I drew a deep breath, blinking slowly and staring at them, not understanding exactly what was happening. "What do you mean? She's a mere human. She has nothing to do with this."

"Do you think the Old One will agree with you sharing precious information with humans?" He asked, coming closer to him and lifting his chin.

"Don't you talk about the Old One. You are part of the coalition."

The guy chuckled and gave Caiden an appreciative smile. "Smart guy. Did you figure this on your own?"

"Don't you think I haven't noticed you following me around. You're a small fish next to me."

Caiden's eyes changed, out of nowhere. His eyes became white, but not an ordinary one: it looked like the color moved inside his irises. The guy's hand twitched, his expression becoming threatening. "I wouldn't be so sure if I were you. Your wound was worse than you thought, was it?"

Suddenly, my brain made all the connections and I realized that maybe this guy had something to do with Caiden being shot. If Caiden thought that as well or not, he didn't show it. His impassible expression remained still on his face, even though his eyes burned with a snowy fire. I almost stopped breathing, trying to become invisible. Their dangerous conversation made me feel like I was on the edge of falling into the abyss: I felt their huge power, their dangerous vibe, their 'no human' kind of aura. I felt suffocated. I barely managed to not pass out ever since this guy appeared in our back. It was too much for me. Involuntarily, I touched my charmed necklace, playing with the cross.

As he sensed its mystical power, the creepy guy turned his head towards me and gave me a quick glance. He grinned. "She really is your girlfriend. Your power is there. Are you trying to hide, dividing your power? Is your true power sealed there?"

Caiden said nothing. He just kept staring at him, like he didn't hear anything at all. I began sweating, even though outside was so cold I could not feel my nose. "Answer me, fox." He spat the word "fox" like it was a disgusting thing which made him almost throw up.

"I don't think he has to answer you at all."