Chapter 10 (updated)

CHAPTER TEN

The party began to simmer down aside from the students that decided to play hide and seek.

Lyla let a handful of minutes pass before she decided to call it a night.

However, luck was not on her side.

A guy across the fire with curly blonde hair spotted her.

He strode toward her puffing his chest out to exaggerate his build.

She was immediately put off by his overwhelming confidence.

"I'm Rex." The boy said flashing his teeth.

She winced with disgust.

"Lyla." She stated, she looked everywhere except at him. She thought if she avoided eye contact he would get the hint and leave.

But of course, he didn't. He only seemed more determined to earn her attention.

"Can I get you a drink?" He batted his lashes all the while standing tall.

"No thanks. I was just leaving."

A hand clasped around her wrist as she attempted to walk away.

The exertion was so powerful it yanked her backward, all but knocking her off of her feet.

"I'll walk you." His flirtation vanished and was replaced with a dark edge that lit a fire of fear inside her lungs.

Lyla looked down to his arm that was violently attached to hers and felt herself pale. There was a large marking of a snake trailing down his forearm. It was glowing in a red angry color and outlined by black spidering veins.

"Let go of me." She yelped.

Her body filling with black hot fear, oozing into her pours like ink.

She briskly skimmed her surroundings to see if anyone was still there in case she was in need of assistance.

She was a small person, he could easily throw her over his shoulder and she would have no way of escaping.

Her eyes caught sight of Jesse whom was rested against a tree, watching her intently.

A deep sense of calmness gradually swept over her.

Jesse's chrome colored eyes glazed over with vexation. She could feel his indignation pulsing off of him like a venomous stinger of a wasp.

"I don't remember asking your permission." Rex said through gritted teeth, forcing her attention back to him.

He squeezed her wrist tighter making her wince from the sharp shooting pain.

"Agghhh!" She screamed through gritted teeth.

She looked around for Jesse but he had vanished. Her heart pounded ferociously. She was alone with this maniac. He was going to hurt her, and there was nothing to stop him. She was pained by the past few hours, pushing her down like a boulder crushing down on her spine.

Suddenly Rex's face was drenched in exasperation. He turned around jerking Lyla to the side of him.

Jesse now stood in front of them.

His eyes flickered to Lyla, examining her body for injuries.

The sleeves of his leather jacket were pushed up. His fists were clenched at his sides and the veins in his forearms pulsed.

She was immediately terrified for him, Jesse couldn't let his powers be seen. There was no telling what kind of scrutiny he would be under.

He slitted his eyes at Rex and Lyla could see his heart beat in his throat.

His body was a vessel of rage, filling up with lethal intent, and she found herself suddenly more afraid for Rex than she was for Jesse.

"What do you want Tyler?" Rex stabbed his finger into Jesse's chest with force. If he would have done that to Lyla she would have a few circular bruises quickly forming. She was probably already bruising around her wrist that was clenched by Rex's hand.

A diabolical smirk curled at the corner of Jesse's mouth. His pupils flared, making his eyes look like two small black suns.

A look of cold calculated fury exploding in his face.

"I believe she said let her go." Jesse stated.

He examined his nails as if he were becoming increasingly bored by the second.

He was unconcerned by the seething giant before him, even though Rex was easily twice his weight and a few inches taller than him.

"I believe It's none of your business." Rex snapped. He brought his arms up and shoved Jesse backward a few steps then returned his focus on Lyla.

He opened his mouth but snapped it shut just as fast when Jesse tapped on his shoulder once again.

Rex spun around letting a monstrous snarl rip through his throat. Flames danced inside of his eyes, but Jesse didn't seem the least bit bothered.

Lyla looked down to Rex's hand that was closed in a solid fist, he drew it back and launched it at Jesse, but Jesse had moved with lightening speed and precision, dodging the blow without effort.

Rex's face contorted with anger.

He swung his left arm catching the corner of Jesse's lip, splitting it open.

Jesse spat the fresh blood out of his mouth. Lyla wanted to rush to him and evaluate his cut, but she knew that would be unwise.

Jesse tilted his head, popping his neck. Before he was angry, now he was positively livid.

His eyes blackened like a sharks with silver outlining them and Lyla could see a whole different side of him. A side of him that could tear the underworld to pieces and go for ice cream shortly after.

He was terrifying, but incredibly sexy.

Rex charged at him, but Jesse jumped, flipping over his head in one fluid movement. Rex whirled around, his face red with adrenaline.

Jesse's mouth curled in satisfaction. Lyla could suddenly see the soldier in him, his strength, his speed, his ability to make make calculated decisions on a whim.

Rex dashed forward, extending his fist toward Jesse's face.

But in a movement that was impossible to see with mere mundane eyes, Jesse had struck him with one slick movement, making it count.

The loud crack of bone against bone made her stomach curl.

Lyla's mouth hung open as Rex's body fell slow motion to the earth, rattling the ground with a thud.

She had never seen someone get knocked out cold before.

If she couldn't stand the image of a boy that deserved to be attacked, then she knew she would have been in an even worse state if she had been there when her mother was.

Her breathing shallowed.

"Lyla?" Jesse said snapping his fingers in front of her but the event had her in a state of shock.

She was frozen like an ice sculpture.

"Lyla it's ok." He said again trying to capture her focus by putting his hands on her shoulders ever so lightly shaking her.

She still couldn't budge. She was struck with paralysis. Her lungs burned from lack of oxygen, she wanted to gasp for air.

Everything began spinning around her like a spinning top of doom. Her world was threatening to detonate, desolation pounding on her front door.

Jesse slid his hands on her cheeks, cupping her face. The blistering heat of his hands slowly towed her back to the present.

She looked at him, her eyes brimming with tears that hadn't spilled just yet.

"Are you okay?" His eyes searched hers frantically. She was astounded at the concern that flared like a blazing meteor in his metallic irises.

"I.. " she tried to answer but the words lodged in her throat like a nail.

He wrapped her in to his arms and squeezed his body against hers.

Her body burned with the contact but it felt different this time.

She shivered with pleasure as the bonds that held her were released.

She dropped her hands to her sides and took a step back. She still wasn't exactly sure what to say to him.

Jesse rubbed his neck with an awkward curve to his lips like he had done something embarrassing.

"What was that mark on his arm." Lyla gushed frantically.

She covered her face with her hands.

Jesse pried her hands away from her face, the strange burning she had felt moments ago had subsided leaving her cold.

He cocked his head to the side with a sly smile that made her want to kiss it off of him.

She was surprised at her own thoughts. How could she think about such a thing when she was nearly taken advantage of.

"You seem alright." He said tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

She wanted to press her cheek into his palm. She wanted to fold herself into him and feel his arms around her like a barrier of protection.

His face changed suddenly, turning into a mask of severity.

His eyes narrowed before he spoke.

"Some how the word is spreading. He was possessed by the lower realms. Only a demon with high ranks can possess someone like that." He massaged his temples like the event had given him a head ache.

"Certain death here I come." She muttered.

Jesse's eyes sliced into her like knives.

"Don't say that. I don't ever want you to say that again." He hissed, grabbing her face into his hands.

Lyla swallowed, she didn't think about how much the guilt must be eating at him.

She stuck her hand out with an apologetic smile.

"Will you take me back to my room."

He stared at her hand, almost like he was memorizing each detail of her small fingers.

He placed his fingers in-between hers and squeezed.

She could hear him take a deep breath of relief.

Lyla and Dee were heading to lunch after class had let out.

She had suffered the majority of the morning listening to Miles consistently apologizing for leaving her by her lonesome.

She was extremely pleased to be going to lunch with Dee, especially since Miles was sitting with his friends at a table on the other side of the room.

However, it was strange seeing Dee so jubilant, she even walked with an extra bounce to her step.

"So, how did last night go?!" Dee sang as they took their seats.

"Fantastic." Lyla slung her hand to her forehead.

"Call me a skeptic, but I'm not sure I believe you." She wagged her finger.

Lyla wanted to pour her heart out until it was relieved of the pressure of her secrets threatening to make it explode. To tell her the incredible things as well as the terrifying things.

But she knew she couldn't, it wasn't her secret to tell. It was a secret that she barely knew herself.

She just shrugged impassively.

"Well, did you hear about what happened to Rex?" Dee leaned forward conspiratorially.

Lyla felt her intestines twisting, she didn't want to remember what happened. She wanted it out of her life indefinitely.

"Apparently he got his butt kicked last night for messing with someone's girlfriend." Dee smiled with satisfaction.

Her craving for drama had been satisfied, and she didn't even know Lyla was in the center of that drama.

Dee's brows furrowed and she was looking behind Lyla at something.

Lyla twisted her neck to see Jesse staring in her direction.

She quickly turned back around and slumped in her seat.

"Okay, what aren't you telling me?"

" I may have been the reason for Rex getting his but kicked."

Lyla's cheeks turned scarlet, she could feel her blood sizzling at the surface of her skin. Dee's lips formed a surprised "O".

Suddenly Dee rattled with laughter, her face turned red and splotchy, making her porcelain skin look like a tomato.

Lyla narrowed her eyes at her friend. This situation was not amusing to her. Not even in the slightest.

"That's insane!" Dee squealed.

Lyla looked heavenward. She had a feeling Dee was going to remember this incident for a while.

"Rex is a few tables down if you want to see your boyfriend's handy work." Dee clapped her hands enthused.

Lyla however didn't want to look, but her curiosity has always been her down fall.

She searched a few tables ahead of them and her mouth went dry.

Horrendous black and blue splotches covered Rex's eye, it was accompanied with swelling that anchored it shut.

A pang of guilt spread through her stomach when he caught her stare.

He rectified the situation by looking down to his plate immediately.

Lyla was of course upset by the way he had treated her, but she didn't want him hurt, or anyone else for that matter.

"You know if you wanted the guys attention you should have just showed some cleavage." Dee baited shaking her brassiere.

Lyla rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh.

"Yeah. I'm so desperate to get a guy's affection that I'd fake being harassed."

She bit the inside of her cheek.

The thought of even stooping to that level infuriated her.

"Of course, she would!" A distasteful high-pitched voice intervened their conversation.

Lyla turned her head to see the queen bee herself gracing them with her presence. She felt her organs shrivel at the site of her.

"Who could blame her. He's delicious." She fanned her face.

There was that horrible unfamiliar feeling again. The monster that Lyla had been becoming more acquainted with since she had met Jesse.

She knew it was insane, he was an attractive young man, there were plenty of girls that had eyes for him.

She sighed, remembering that Stacy was still at their table. She knew there was nothing good that could come out of her visit.

Partially because she was unsure that she could control her temper.

"She wouldn't stoop to your level, air head." Dee growled with a grimace.

Lyla rested her head on her folded arms and groaned.

She tried to find her happy place but it seemed to take off running and screaming.

"Your so right! You girls are so above that." Stacy snorted.

Her minions that were like two lap dogs giggled in unison. They stood on each side of her, mimicking her catty air.

"Dee it's not even worth it." Lyla raised her head with a taunting smile.

"Let the robot do what it wants. She's programmed to be a bitch."

Lyla crinkled her face and felt a guilty sense of triumph.

"Excuse me?" Stacy sneered. Her pink talons looked awfully sharp.

Maybe the idea of triumph was far fetched.

"Since it's in my programming I guess you couldn't hold it against me if I did this."

She untwisted the cap of her bottle of water and poured it on Lyla's head.

Lyla froze as the room temperature water saturated her hair and drenched her shirt. She slid her hands across her eyes and shook the water off of them.

At that exact moment, she felt an explosion of anger crawl up her stomach and into her chest.

All she could think about was ripping the bottle blonde mop she called hair off of her head.

Lyla stood up and pulled her long sleeve away from her chest.

What a perfect day to be wearing a black bra with a white top.

She had decided she has had quite enough of high school for today.

She blinked back tears as a chorus of various whistles followed her to the door.

She caught a glimpse of Jesse, his jaw was clenched and his eyes were averted.

He had his hands gripped on his arms tightly enough to turn his knuckles white.

She peeled her eyes off of him and proceeded to exit.

She wanted a hole to open up in the earth and swallow her whole.

Jesse walked with haste toward Regina's office. He knew Lyla would need a woman to talk to, nothing he could say would take the sting out of the cruelty she was faced with nearly every day.

He also needed to make Regina aware of the demonic possession that Rex had suffered.

He felt only a little bad for damaging his face. He didn't like seeing someone touch Lyla, someone that wasn't him.

"Yes?" Regina said through her cracked door.

"Stacy has been at Lyla's throat again. She dowsed her with water in the cafeteria." Jesse hissed.

He wanted to teach the wanna be malibu barbie some manners.

He thought of several ways he could impart some wisdom on her with minimal damage.

"There was also a possession." His eyes glared at Regina.

She knew him well enough that it wasn't her that he was angry with. It was the fact that the enemy was creeping closer and closer, and he had no inkling of who might be in league with the lower realms.

"That's quite serious… Maybe we should consider taking her away from here." Regina said, her hands steepled on her desk, a glistening determination in her pale green eyes.

"I don't think that will work. They know her scent, they can feel her frequency no matter how far away we get." He said, beginning a slow pace.

A nervous habit that Regina had always scolded him for.

He was a warrior, he didn't need crutches to sooth his restless spirit.

"I will talk to Lyla. We'll discuss our actions later." Regina said, removing her reading glasses.

Lyla flung herself on to her bed after she had changed.

She laid her arms over her face creating false darkness to shield the light that beamed through the window.

Someone knocked at the door, but she was in no mood for company.

"Go away!" She shouted from under her arms without moving them.

The door creaked open and Lyla shot out of bed with an exasperation.

She was prepared to attack the intruder with a bad attitude.

However, she decided against it when she realized It was Ms. Regina that stood in her door way.

"Ms. Daniels?" Regina's sweet as caramel voice seeped into the room.

Lyla straightened herself and offered an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry... I thought you were Dee."

"It's quite alright dear. May I come in?"

Regina had such a gentle spirit it would be inhumane to turn her away.

Lyla slightly nodded then slid her hair to the side.

Regina sat beside her, crossing her legs and placing her hands on her knees.

"I heard about Ms. Brinkley's behavior. I am so sorry people your age can be so cruel." Her face was delicate and soft. Filled with a maternal instinct that most women were born with.

"It's okay. It is highschool"

"But I know that's not the reason your here." Lyla added in a murmur.

Regina's pale green eyes crinkled with amusement.

"Your here because of Jesse."

"Has he told you everything?" Regina said pursing her lips.

"Honestly.. I don't know. It's all very confusing." Lyla said, looking at her hands.

She was twirling a strand of her hair around her finger.

"You and Jesse. It is quite a unique connection, but you will learn in time.. everything happens for a reason, not one thing happens by chance." Regina gave her a warm smile.

it was the kind of smile her mother had given her. she felt her heart jolt with a stab of pain.

"Just remember.. some destinies cannot be changed. Jesse has a great destiny that he is only now beginning to understand. And you my dear, are a big part of it."

"What exactly are you to him? I know you have known each longer than most human lifetimes." Lyla said.

Her cheeks heated, she usually wouldn't dare to ask such personal questions. But she couldn't help it.

She just wanted to piece all of the broken pieces together and finally see the whole picture.

"I am Jesse's guardian. I was assigned to watch over him before he was born. I took him away when his people were slaughtered." She said with a million years of sadness in her voice.

Lyla felt her heart contract.

How awful it must be. She couldn't imagine being the last of her kind.

Lyla sucked on her lower lip. She wasn't strong enough for this. Why her? What could she possibly have to offer.

A while after Regina had left, Lyla decided that a steaming hot shower seemed like an extraordinary end to her day.