The Devil’s Lover: The Wish

By Dahlia Lu

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 Dahlia Lu

Cover Image Copyright IStockphoto.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems-except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews-without permission in writing from its author.

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictions or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Prologue

 

It was a long way home. Kali debated whether she should chase after the school bus she had just missed or call a taxi. She was so far off the main road that she highly doubted a taxi would even be able to find her. In fact, she was surprised there was even a gas station here in the first place; the only reason it was still in business was because the owners gouged those poor passers-by who were desperate for a little gas and had no other options.

This was meant to be a pit stop. The bus had traveled a couple of hours off the main road, and she had assumed they were lost, but the teacher insisted that the resort was nearby. The students and chaperones couldn’t wait to get to a bathroom when they spotted the small gas station on the side of the road. It was a rundown shack with a sloppy rendering of the word ‘Gas’ in paint on the side of the building. There was a rotten smell about the place that even the thick gasoline fumes could not cover. Her classmates lined up one by one to use the bathroom. Since she had a reputation for being slow, Kali ended up last in line.

She was not surprise to find the bathroom’s wall covered in splotches of green moss. She was not surprised when the cheap light bulb flickered on and off.  And she definitely was not surprised at what her mischievous “friends,” did to the door to lock her in. She sighed. Kali knew they liked to pick on her, but she hadn’t expected them to pull a stunt like that in the middle of nowhere. And she was dumb enough to fall for it…again.

After fifteen minutes of pushing and kicking the flimsy door, she finally managed to free herself. Swearing she’d never step foot in a gas station bathroom again, she was just in time to see the bus pulling away onto the road. If there was anything worse than being the subject of a stupid prank, it was being forgotten by the prankster. Even worse, the weather was getting dark and gloomy. Her mood was quickly beginning to match the sky.

Plopping down on the bench outside the shack, she tried to figure out the next best course of action. The suspicious glances of the big, sloppy, middle-aged man that kept sneaking towards her from behind his counter did not make her problem solving skills any more efficient. She didn’t know what he intended to say or do to her, but she did know she didn’t want to stick around to find out. Kali stood up and started down the road towards the direction they had come.

The road snaked its way around the side of the mountain, and it was narrow and unstable enough that she felt uneasy pressed up against the wall as she walked. The rain trickled at first. She decided to continue her trek until she could find some type of civilization.

The heavens were beginning to churn as she walked on, with bolts of lightning racing behind dark, ominous clouds. Deafening thunder began to follow the flashes of light more quickly as the storm moved overhead. The mud beneath her feet was starting to swallow her shoes, a sign that clearly indicated frequent rain in this area. Kali debated once more whether she should continue on in hopes of finding shelter or if she should turn back to that rat’s nest of a gas station. The weather was becoming less encouraging by the second. Going back to the shack, with its sturdy room seemed to be the safest bet.

Having heard a sudden grinding noise above her, Kali braced herself as a large boulder tumbled from the wall of the mountain. It landed several feet away from where she stood, creating a large obstacle in her return path. Kneeling down, she approached the edge to see how far she would fall if she missed her footing. The pure height made her dizzy.

The ground beneath her began to rumble. If her senses did not deceive her, she would have said that the earth was actually moving. Kali got up and bolted down the narrow path. Her only hope was to find a stable area where the earth felt solid and stationary. The dirt began to slip down the hill and onto the path, bouncing out into the ravine as larger chunks followed. It happened faster than Kali could fathom. As she spun around, she felt her ankle twist. She had just stepped into a new hole. The ground beneath her foot collapsed, and she was suddenly spinning out into the air and over the edge of the cliff. There were a few seconds of rushing wind, and then the world descended into darkness.

She could hear her own shallow breathing echoing in her head when she woke up, and she could feel her faint heart beat throbbing inside her chest. When she finally forced her eyes to open, the world was a blur around her. A voice inside her head was begging her to stand up, and apparently it could not be quieted. Kali slowly sat up, then struggled to get to her feet. Her body felt weak and numb, almost as if it belonged to someone else. She could vaguely see that she had fallen through the roof of a cave, and a path in front of her traced through the rock and earth. Perhaps further on it would offer shelter from the raging storm that was streaming through the hole over her head.  

Seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, Kali let out a sigh of relief and moved toward it without much thought. The deeper she traveled, the brighter the light seemed to shine in her eyes. Perhaps there was someone there who could help her… anybody would do! A larger space at the end of the tunnel glimmered with the glowing of mineral deposits in the cave wall, creating the light that had raised her hopes. Her heart sank. There wasn’t anyone here, only a massive domed chamber that seemed to echo her own heartbeat and a lot of glow-in-the-dark rocks.

She felt a warm and thick liquid running down from her head onto her back. Suspicious, her right hand traveled to the back of her head, touching the sticky liquid. Holding her breath unconsciously, she brought her hand around in front of her eyes. A bloody crimson, still very warm, stained her fingers. She could feel it running down her calf and forming a puddle at her feet. Kali began to feel weaker. The sight of blood always freaked her out. She took a few steps, eyes still glued to the red wetness on her hand. Soon, she felt her strength draining away. Without realizing that she was falling until too late, she slumped to the floor as her body gave out.

The ground was cold and hard. Some of her blood managed to seep into the dirt and rocks. More found a passage carved into the ground, filling up the trough as it continued to flow around the divot through the stone. If she’d been upright, she would have noticed that it seemed to fill a well-defined shape, clearly a carving of some sort.

Kali’s eyes filled with tears as the horror of her situation grasped her. She could feel the warm water spilling down her cheeks to mix with the blood under her head. She swore she saw her whole life flashing before her eyes. Her vision began to melt as she gasped her final breath. Right before the darkness claimed her, she saw him.

 

Chapter 1: Obscure Intentions

 

Kali let out a horrified scream. She had never experienced such an intense fear. It felt like it was engulfing her very soul. At the same time, she felt her life slowly being drained from her body. The end was ever so near. There were still so many things she hasn’t had the chance to try. So many things left undone. It can’t end now; it’s just too soon…

The door to her bedroom burst open. A tall, masculine figure entered from the bright light in the hallway. She instinctively winced, then opened her eyes again. A pair of golden eyes was locked on her. It took her several seconds to recognize their owner.

His eyes quickly scanned her body for any physical injury, and then he inspected the rest of the room for intruders. When he was sure they were completely alone, his attention returned to her. He was talking to her, but his voice was so faint that she could barely hear what he was saying. The volume of his voice slowly increased before she could panic. For that short moment, she thought she had gone deaf.

“…answer me,” he demanded urgently, “What’s wrong? Are you hurt anywhere?”

She grabbed onto the hard muscles of his arm for the feeling of security. She was desperately confused. “There was…I was…dying. Chevalier, I was dying! There was this mudslide and I hit my head…and this cave…I’ve never been so frightened in my whole life!”

He gently patted her arm to comfort her. “It was only a bad dream, that’s all. Calm down.”

She shook her head. “You don’t understand! There was this man…no, this thing, it was in the cave and it talked to me! It was saying something in a strange language, but I understood him!”

“What did he say?” Chevalier asked.

“Something about prolonging my life…” The memory of the event began to fade, “something about a wish…”

Suddenly she realized that what she had said was completely irrational. How could he possibly believe her, if she couldn't even believe it herself? Shaking off the memory, she lay her head back down onto the pillow.

“Never mind…,” she said. “It was just a weird dream.”

 

†††††

 

They waited patiently, anticipating the arrival of their master. They could feel his presence coming closer. They all turned their attention, as if the movement was rehearsed, swinging their faces to the double doors. The stone doors creaked open, letting a breath of fresh air into the enclosed room. Several long moments later, their master walked through the doors with an air of innate confidence. His luminous fair skin and ethereal blue eyes demanded immediate attention, which he received in full.

He walked passed them without so much as a glance and stood in front of his throne. He turned to look at his subjects, who stood completely silent as he sank onto his throne. They bowed to him, in unison, once again. A beautiful female offered him a glass of red wine served on a golden platter, and he gladly received it.

“My Lord, Lucifer.” A young man with soft, pale green eyes and golden auburn hair appeared in front of the aisle. His voice echoed through the dome room. As he walked down the aisle toward the throne, the feathers from his magnificent black wings were falling off and disintegrating before they could reach the ground. The wings seemed to disappear from his back as he approached. The others in the room bowed to him with the same respect that they had shown the man sitting on the throne. He dropped to one knee before his master. “Your awakening is ahead of schedule.”

Lucifer sat on his throne, arrogantly swirling the glass of blood wine in his hand.

“It was…extemporaneous,” he said with amusement in his voice. His perfectly balanced face and grayish platinum hair reflected off the silver surface of the wine glass. “What of Arvin and Acelin?”

“They are deep in their slumber,” Soren informed his master. “Only you are awake before your time, my Lord. I was concerned when I did not know your whereabouts for the last several days.”

“I was momentarily distracted. It was quite impressive to see how much the humans have advanced since I was last among them. The memories I’ve recently acquired helped me navigate my way around. It was a novel experience.”

“Their simple species never fails to replicate their history,” Soren replied disparagingly. He promptly noticed his master’s intrigued expression. It was… somewhat unusual.

“If you were a human, Soren, what sort of wish would be worth dying for?”

“I wouldn’t know, my Lord.” Soren rasped, disgusted at the thought. “I am a demon.”

“Of course you are,” Lucifer reached out to Soren’s face with his hand, “and a beautiful one at that.” Lucifer slightly curled his lips. His nails grazed Soren’s flawless face. Crimson blood dripped from the cuts. They healed instantaneously.

 

†††††

 

It was far too late for her to be out. As much as she would hate to admit it, the nights of this city do not pity a young girl’s soul. There is something about the dark that brings out the malicious side of people. Just the other day she had read about two young girls who were raped and murdered while returning home from school. Photographs of their bloodstained bodies still haunt her mind. Kali winced at the thought.

She didn’t intend on staying out so late. A male co-worker was supposed to come in after her shift, but he was a no-show. Her manager strongly insisted that she cover for him. She needed this job badly enough to agree.

It wasn’t that she needed the money. Her tuition was paid in advance and Chevalier has been a good provider, but he worked far too hard for their living expenses. How long could he go on working three jobs? She wanted to make a little extra money so she could at least take care of herself and lighten his burden. He must be furious that she was not home at this hour.

A group of young men standing idly by the side of the street reminded her to pick up her pace. She focused on the end of the road to avoid direct eye contact. When she heard footsteps following her at her own speed, she began jogging. Their pace matched hers. Before she had the chance to bolt, a cold and rough hand grabbed her forearm.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?” She heard one of them asking. Nothing good could come of this. “You’re acting like we’re a bunch of criminals.”

Her heart went into a frenzied state. Pictures of the bloodstained corpses of those murdered girls flashed into her head. Kali took a moment to make her face carefully neutral before turning around.

“I’m running late,” she replied as she slowly pulled her arm back. The man caught it once more and pulled her forward aggressively.

“I’m sure you can spare a moment for us.” He grinned. The foul stench from his breath made her stomach churn. She pushed away from him to keep as much distance between them as possible. “What’s a beauty like you doing running around at this hour?”

She felt disgusted when she felt a hand on her buttocks. She did not know which of the men had pawed at her, but she instinctually slapped the man in front of her. She would be lying if had she blamed it all on reflexes, though. At the moment, he was the object of her contempt. He and the rest of his men seemed stunned by the hit.

Kali made use of this chance and dashed away. Fear and adrenaline rushed through her, fueling her body. She would not be so lucky to escape again if they caught up to her. She could just imagine the things they would do to her! Genuine fear rushed to her head. She didn’t bother to look back to see how far she had run. She could hear their rampaging footsteps close behind, and she was running out of breath. She couldn’t keep this up forever.

Spotting a trash can full of beer bottles at the end of the curb, Kali grabbed the first bottle she saw and smashed the bottom against the metal light post. With what she felt to be a suitable weapon in hand, she turned to stand her ground.

The men were cautious at first. Something about a little thing like her threatening them with a broken bottle was amusing to them. Her body was shaking with fear, but her face was stoic. The group of men laughed at her attempt at bravery. The man who had snatched her by the wrist before suddenly grabbed her wrist and squeezed it, until she dropped the broken bottle on the ground. She struggled to wiggle away from his grasp, but his grip was too tight.

Suddenly, he loosened his fist and she pulled away by instinct. To her surprise, he fell to his knees, gasping for air. His face held a look of pain as tears began to stream from his eyes. She had never seen a man in so much agony.

“What’s wrong with you?” His men were backing away at his unusual display. His head began to turn to the left. He screamed out for help, but his head continued to turn all the way around. The pain on his face was frozen at the moment of his death. His crew stood in complete shock.

“It’s that girl!” a man shouted out. “She did this to him! She…she’s a witch!”

Kali had never seen a man dead before, much less someone dying while she watched. She had attended several funerals, but they had all been closed casket ceremonies. Nothing had ever come close to what she had just witnessed. When she turned back to look at the others, they were glaring at her with bristling hatred. Their body language showed obvious murderous intent. One man pulled out a knife from his pocket, and slowly approached her. There was no doubt in her mind as to what he was going to do with the knife.

Another man was standing behind her. She didn’t realize he was there, until he grabbed her by the wrists and held her in place. The other man raised the knife above his head, and aimed at her heart.

“No please…” she begged, her eyes glued on the streetlight reflecting on the blade of the sharp knife. She imagined how it would penetrate her flesh and the thought made her flinch.

“You’re not going soft, are you?” She heard the man behind her ask when a long moment had passed. “She’s clearly a witch, she killed him! It’s not like this is the first time you’ve ever killed somebody!”

“Shut up!” the knife-wielder said, agitatedly. “It’s not me, it’s her! I…I can’t move my hand!”

“What the hell are you talking about? Just finish her already!”

He lowered the knife from above his head towards his own neck. “Help me…I can’t control my hand!” he said in panic. His other arm rose to control the knife. Before his friends could reach him, the knife sliced through his throat.

He dropped the knife, and tried to stop the blood from gushing out over his fingers. It was no use. As the blood sprayed out from his neck and soaked his shirt, the man choked and fell to the ground. Kali felt the blood rush from her own head, and fell to the ground in a dead faint.

The other men watched, shivering in fear. Horrified at what they had just witnessed, they scattered and left the dazed girl and the two corpses behind. A darker shadow materialized from the dim alleyway. He walked toward the fainted girl and gathered her up onto his arms. The corpses, along with the puddles of blood, disappeared into the ground. There was no sign that anything unusual had happened. He turned and slowly walked away.

 

Chapter 2: Hardly a Debut

 

She woke up this morning in a cold sweat under her heavy blanket. She couldn't understand how the worlds of her sub-consciousness could feel so real. The horror she felt lingered for several hours after she got out of bed. She didn't want to think about it, but the dream last night was so vivid that she could still remember the faces of those men. What was even more disturbing were the bruises that left on her wrists. The thought of it made her wince.

"You haven't been listening," Hana accused.

Kali snapped out of her thoughts and turned to her friend. Her brown eyes narrowed as the girl ran her hands through her brown hair and frowned at the neglect.

"I'm sorry," Kali apologized, "I was just thinking about the nightmare I had last night.”

Hana rested her hands on her hips. "We have more important things to worry about than just some bad dreams.”

"You're right," Kali agreed. "Hana, did you go on the school trip a couple days ago?"

"I got a cold and had to stay home, remember?"

"I think I do…”

"What were we talking about again?” Hana pondered on where she had left off. "…ah, yes, the dress! I am willing to lend you one. I have a bunch of dresses that I have never even worn.”

"I did mention before that I will not be attending," Kali interrupted before Hana could come to a decision on Kali’s wardrobe. She looked over her shoulder at the other girls in the class and detected animosity. "You know the girls don’t like me. I don't know who I’ve offended, but there are a lot of rumors about me lately. Maybe I should just lay low for now. Besides, I just don't belong there. Their parents are millionaires and movie stars. Where do I fit in?”

"Hush!" Hana waved her right hand. "You go to this school, so it’s your right to go to a school function. We have already talked about this. The school only throws a dance once at the end of the year. It would be such a waste if you didn’t go. Before you say you don't have anything to wear, I’ve already picked out a dress for you.”

"I don’t really know how to dance.”

"It doesn't matter," Hana said. She then pulled Kali closer, so she could whisper into her ear. "To be honest, I don't have a date for tonight, but I really want to go. I don’t want to show up alone! You’ll come with me, won’t you?"

Kali thought for a moment. "I suppose I can make it.”

"Wonderful!" Hana exclaimed. "I'll have the dress sent over right after school, and then a driver will pick you up tonight.”

 

 

†††††

 

The door was unlocked again. Chevalier could be careless when it involved trivial things. Kali entered the apartment, and then locked the door. Taking off her shoes, she left them by the door. It would be a pain to remove any stains from the carpet, so they always left their shoes by the entry.

"Chevalier?” she called out to him, but there was no reply. It was too early for him to be home, anyway. He wouldn't be home for another few hours.

Kali dropped her backpack on the sofa, and discovered a large white box on the coffee table. Curious, she opened the box and found a neatly folded ivory lace dress. It must have been from Hana, she thought. She held up the garment and measured it against her body. It seemed to be the right size.

"Do you really want to go?" Chevalier asked as he stepped out of the bathroom. He was drying his hair with a towel, and was only half dressed.  “I don't think it would be something that you’d enjoy.”

“You startled me,” Kali said. “I thought you were still at work.”

“I came home early,” he said without providing an explanation.

"Well, it’s my turn to shower then," Kali said as she walked toward him. He inched back a little to let her through. She took the dress into the bathroom with her, hung it up, and turned on the shower.

"Kali…?" Chevalier asked from outside the bathroom. "Do you need a date to dance?”

"No," she replied. "Hana doesn't have a date, so she asked me to go with her. If I bring a date, it would defeat the purpose.”

"Do you need a ride?"

"No, Hana is sending someone to pick me up.”

"I see…”

Chevalier returned to the living room and took a seat on the sofa. He stretched out and gave a huge yawn. He figured it had been a long day. Maybe he should take a nap. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander.

Kali didn’t need a dress to show other people that she was attractive; she had always been pretty. Chevalier imagined her shiny, straight hair and luminescent, clear skin. Her eyes were incredibly expressive, which made her feelings evident all over her face. It was hard not to give in to her. Of course, he had dated far more outrageously gorgeous women, but none of them could…

"What do you think?” She interrupted his train of thought. Suddenly his cheeks were burning red, like he had just done something he wasn’t supposed to. "What's wrong? You don’t feel well?"

"I'm fine," he said in a perfectly controlled tone.

The vision of her stunned him for a long moment. The dress hugged and accentuated her newly-developed curves with blissful precision. It looked like it was made for her.

He didn’t know how, or if, he should compliment her.

"You... don't like it?"

It wasn't that he didn't like it, he did! She would look perfectly beautiful, no matter what dress she wore, but this gave him an unsettling feeling in his chest. He had been looking forward to her maturity, but now that it stared him in the face, and he wondered if it had happened too soon.

“You lack some serious feminine charms,” he lied and through his teeth.

She scowled.

Kali rushed to the window when she heard car beeping below. "It’s my ride. I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

 

†††††

 

The limousine slowly approached the driveway and parked at the entrance of the hotel. The driver slid out of his seat, making his way around the car and opened the door for her.

"We're here, Miss," the driver said with a polite bow. He offered a hand and guided her out of the vehicle. As soon as she was safely standing on the crimson carpet, he returned to his driver's seat and drove away.

Many reporters and paparazzi were crowding the sides of the entrance. They gathered every year to catch a glimpse of the children of the rich and famous that attended the prestigious school. It was quite uncomfortable walking down the path, and the crowd murmured with indiscreet whispers, asking which famous parents were hers.

Before her grandmother passed away, she had arranged for her to enroll in this school with the tuition paid in full. Her grandmother’s connections were a mystery to Kali, because they weren’t rich and definitely were not famous. What confused her even more was her grandmother’s animosity; she had never seemed to care for her only grandchild. They barely spoke to each other, unless it was a necessity. Still, enrolling Kali in this prestigious school was the one nice thing her grandmother had ever done for her. She supposed her grandmother couldn’t have possibly hated her as much as it seemed.

She would be lying if she said that it felt like she belonged here. It was quite difficult to think that way with the constant looks that told her she shouldn’t be here. It didn’t matter anyways. She graduated in only two more years, and she was looking forward to it.

She felt a light tap on her shoulder and turned around. Hana wore a deep sapphire gown that was quite tight in the bodice, but the color brought out her brown eyes perfectly. Her hair was curled and studded with tiny diamonds amongst the brown curls.

Hana gave her a hug. "That dress fits you better than I had hoped."

"I didn't realize we wore the same size," Kali replied. "Hana, your gown matches your eyes beautifully.”

Hana's attention returned to her gown. "Do you love it? Papa had it imported and tailored for me. Come with me, Kali." Hana grabbed Kali's hand and to lead her through the crowd, "I want you to meet somebody.”

"Who…?"

As they passed through the swarms of students, Kali noticed the grandeur of the interior. The ceilings were very high, domed and painted with puffy clouds and naked cherubs. In the center of the dome’s ceiling hung a massive crystal chandelier. Rich scents drifted through the air. The perfumes of the other girls’ lingered, mixing into an invisible fog of scent.

Suddenly, her attention was diverted to a tall, young man standing in the back of the room. His eyes were noticeably and unabashedly fixed on her. He had on a very thick pair of glasses, but she could tell that his eyes were a beautiful pale blue. She had a strange feeling that she had met him before, but she could not recall the specifics.

“Who is he?” Kali tugged on Hana’s hand to stop the girl. 

“Who…?” Hana followed Kali’s gaze to the raven-haired man. “What are you talking about? That’s just Lucien. He’s been in our class since the beginning of school year.”

“Are you sure he’s not a transfer student?” Kali stole another glance at him. “I don’t remember him being in our class at all.”

“Well, I can’t blame you. He practically blends in with the background. If it wasn’t for his height, I wouldn’t have noticed him either.”

"Are you sure we're seeing the same person?” She could not see the person that Hana was describing in the handsome young man before her. "I don't think I could forget a face like that.”

"You're right. I don’t think we’re seeing the same person,” Hana resumed tugging on Kali's hand. “Either way, he’s not important.”  

Perhaps she had been neglecting her social life. She couldn’t even remember a classmate who had been in her class for the entire year. She stole another glance at him and this time, she caught a haughty smirk from the corner of his lips. She quickly turned around and regained her composure.

"His name is Velox." Hana introduced a tall, good-looking man with light brown hair. "He's Papa's associate's son. It was a last minute sort of thing.”

He took her hand and kissed it in a polite gesture. "Hello, you must be the Kali that Hana has talked about so often.”

"Yes, how do you do?”

Her attention was still distracted by the young man from earlier. She could see him from the corner of her eyes. There was something about Lucien that was both familiar and intimidating at the same time. She was sure they had never met, or if they had, it hadn’t been in a classroom. With an aura like that, she would remember him without a doubt. 

"You’re staring, again," Hana whispered, shaking Kali by the shoulder.

"I'm sorry, what were we talking about?"

"Never mind," Hana wrapped her arm around her date. "Velox and I are going to dance. You should get something to eat.”

It wasn't a bad idea. She hadn't eaten anything since she’d arrived home. As she made her way to the buffet table, she noticed everyone's attention was pulled to the tall young man dressed stylishly for the occasion. He had a charisma that seemed to stir up the crowd. They could only stare and admire his jet black hair and amber eyes, which appeared almost golden. As her eyes moved up to his face, she nearly choked on her drink.

She hadn’t even recognized him! The sky must have fallen, because that's what it takes to get him into a suit, she thought. The crowd slowly and steadily moved aside to make way for him. He walked up to her.

"You look really good, Chevalier," she complimented him.

“You noticed that just now?” He laughed softly.

She playfully pushed him back. "You are so conceited."

He took her hand in his, his other arm wrapping around her waist. He led her onto the dance floor. "Just follow my lead.”

"You didn't have to come.”

"I didn’t want to let you go alone," he confessed.

Kali gestured toward Hana and her date. "I would have gone home, anyways."

"I'll be your ride home, then," he said as he pulled her closer, "right after this dance.”

“I’m glad,” she said. Her smiling eyes looked up at him. “You’ve been avoiding me for the past couple of years, even though I live in your house. I thought you didn’t care about me anymore.”

“I wasn’t avoiding you,” he denied. “I’ve just been so busy working. We haven’t had to chance to talk very much.”

“Don’t lie to me, Chevalier,” she accused. “You have been acting distant for years now. When I still lived with my grandmother, you visited less and less frequently. I thought you were busy, but ever since I moved in with you, you’ve been acting strange. I’m actually surprised that you even touch me now.”

He frowned. “I don’t like your accusations.”

Kali sighed. “They’re not accusations, and you know it. I don’t know what I’ve done to upset you. But...”

"What…?"

"Even though you distance yourself, you always look out for me.” She smiled. "It makes me want to get into more trouble.”

He looked uncomfortable at her compliment. "Kali, I…"

"Kali, may I borrow your partner?” Hana interrupted. "You don’t mind, do you?"

Kali looked up for Chevalier's permission. His face was visibly red from embarrassment. "I don’t mind.” She backed away to let Hana sidle up to Chevalier.

As Chevalier and Hana danced to the next song, Kali slipped out onto the balcony. She could breathe easier when she wasn’t surrounded by prying eyes. Taking in a satisfying breath, she noticed the beautiful full moon on the cloudless sky. It seemed so much closer to her than usual, and there weren't any stars in the sky that could outshine it.

"Who is it?” She immediately spun around, convinced someone was approaching. Her heart leaped at the sight of a tall man standing only a few feet away. He must be at least six foot two. His raven black hair blended in with the cloudless night, and he wasn’t wearing his glasses anymore. She could see his eyes very clearly now; they were intense, almost mesmerizing. Her eyes usually trailed to different parts of the face to the most noticeable features, whether it was an uneven skin tone or a slightly larger nose. She didn’t find herself doing that with him. His face was perfectly balanced and harmonious. Her eyes could not see a single flaw. She caught herself staring and diverted her eyes.

He approached her casually, and wrapped his arm around her dainty waist. His other hand reached for hers, and strangely she didn’t pull away. She felt so small in his arms. They began to move with the rhythm of the entrancing music.

"Do I know you?” she asked shyly, her voice soft.

"In time, you will,” he promised. Even his voice was pleasant to the ear. It was smooth, cool, and lacked the deep vibration she found annoying in most men.

“I have a feeling we’ve met before…”

“Do you believe in…fate?”

“Not at all,” she replied honestly. His scent was unbelievable and heavenly – a perfect blending of fresh bright notes and warm sandalwood. She inhaled him, sending her senses packing to another plane of existence. It was titillating and exhilarating, but at the same time she felt a jolt of fear surging through her body. She was afraid of him?

“I assure you, I am harmless…” his voice trailed off, “at least to you.”

She attempted to even her rapid breathing. “I know…” she paused. “Are you a mind reader?”

“I can see that you are nervous.”

“I am not,” she lied. “It’s just a dance. Why should I be nervous?”

“You’ve never danced with someone like me before.”

“Well obviously.” You have a pair of eyes that makes my knees buckle!

He stifled a chuckle, as though he could read her mind. He gave her a look that almost said ‘I am pleased that you like them’.

She frowned. His confidence was nothing short of Chevalier's. In fact, it was even more so. Maybe all good looking men have a conceit about them, because of how effortless they attract women. It seemed to Kali such men should be avoided at all cost and this particular male was exactly the kind of man she should avoid. She felt the impulse to push him away; but when she did, she regretted her action almost immediately.

"The song ended…” she mumbled lamely. Fortunately for her, the song had ended at just the right time. Something else distracted her. The right strap that was holding her dress up was straining her shoulder, and with a pop, suddenly snapped. The heavy materials of her dress suddenly dropped, weighing it down. As it fell, it exposed her full breast.

She let out a shriek, automatically pulling her dress up to cover her chest. She looked up to meet his eyes and felt a wave of heat rising to her face. She was going to die of embarrassment!

"Kali…!" Chevalier yelled out her name as he ran toward the balcony. She ran into him as she darted through the door into the ballroom. Her eyes were shiny with tears. He held her by the shoulders.

 "Kali, what's wrong?"

His eyes immediately noticed her hands holding up her dress. It was enough to make his blood boil. He rushed out to the balcony.

"What did you do to her?” he shouted at Lucien, rage glittering in his eyes.

She held him back before he could physically launch himself at the suspicious-looking man. "No, Chevalier, he didn't do anything!"

He turned to question her. "Then why…"

"The strap broke…” Her voice was half-choked by sobs. 

He took off his jacket and placed it over her shoulders. "The strap…?” His anger quickly dissipated. "Come on, let’s get you home. My motorcycle is parked just outside.”

 

A gentle breeze passed through Lucien’s raven black hair, as it suddenly bleached to platinum.

"Soren," he demanded an answer.

"I am not responsible, my lord," a voice replied to him from darkness beyond the balcony.

 

Chapter 3: The Way It Never Was

 

She was haunted by last night’s scene, which was still repeating itself over and over inside her head. Kali had never felt more embarrassed or exposed in her entire life. Fortunately, it hadn’t happened in front of a crowd of people, but still, he saw! She had walked by him today in the hallway and had wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

“You're acting strange," Chevalier said as he parked in front of the school. "You’re distant and your face keeps flushing. Is there something you want to talk about?"

She shook her head and climbed onto the back of his motorcycle.

"It's nothing," she said.

He could tell she was lying. "Is it because of what happened that night?"

"No!" she retorted, too loudly. 

She was definitely lying. He shouldn't have believed her when she held him back and said that her strap had broken. He should have just beaten the shit out of that bastard, just because he’d looked shady. He couldn't figure out what she was trying to hide, if Lucien hadn’t done something to her.

"Actually," she said as he handed her a helmet, "there is something I need to talk to you about.”

She had his full attention.

"Hana has been obsessed with you since the ball. The girl can't stop talking about you and she asked me if I would…”

"That's a definite ‘no,’" he cut in right away. Chevalier knew all too well what she wanted to request.

"If you're going to continue to go out with random women, one of them might as well be her.”

"I'm twenty-two years. I’m not going to date some sixteen year old girl.”

“I know some girls that are married at that age and I’m not even talking about marriage. She just wanted a tiny little date with a handsome man like you.”

He displayed a proud look on his face. “I’m still not interested. Besides, she falls short of my expectations." He made a curved shape with both of his hands, "...like this.”

She found herself wrapping her arms defensively around her breasts.

"Hey, hold on to me, I'm about to take off," he instructed when he felt her arms suddenly leave his waist. She wrapped her arms around him again and clung to his back. She tried not to press her chest against him too hard.

 

†††††

 

Why am I here? Chevalier asked himself as she dragged him into the amusement park. Are you a man, or aren't you? Why are you always being manipulated by this girl? Why can't you reject any of her requests like she was just any other female?

"Hana…!" Kali called out when she spotted her friend in the middle of a crowd. "Over here!"

Hana made her way through the mass of people toward them.

"Chevalier, this is my good friend, Hana. You two met at the dance." Kali pushed Chevalier toward Hana. "Do your best to show her a good time.”

Chevalier wanted to ask if she was being serious, but it wouldn’t do any good. "What will you be doing by yourself? Come with us.”

"No, no, it’s fine. I wouldn’t want to get in the way of you guys getting to know each other,” Kali politely refused. "I have other arrangements.”

"What other arrangements?" Chevalier asked, his voice taking on the tone of an interrogator.

"I have…” She tried to think of something fast, "...a date,”

"A date…?" Chevalier raised his brow. "Well, excuse us for wasting your time. Let’s go…”

He tried to remember her name.

"Hana,” she reminded him.

"Yes, let’s go.”

"What do I do now?" Kali asked herself after the two headed off on their own. She could head back to the apartment, but since she was already at the amusement park, it wouldn't hurt to go on a couple of rides before getting back to studying.

"Are you here by yourself?” She heard a familiar voice. Kali turned to face the girls from her class.

"So what if I am?"

"I have to compliment you. You’re very brave to come to an amusement park alone,” Cyn said. Her two well-dressed friends giggled to one another. "By the way, aren't you supposed to be at work? What is that place called again?"

"I forget. I think she works at some convenience store,” one of her friends said.

"If you guys have nothing else to say, other than trying to put me down, I'm going.” Kali walked past them. If words were the ammunition, then they must have the wrong weapons.

"Why does a girl like her go to our school, anyways?” She heard Cyn mutter as she walked away.

She waited patiently in line for the roller coaster. Everyone in line seemed to have a partner, but her. When it was her turn, she boarded the ride and secured her seat belt. It did feel kind of strange with an empty seat next to her. Who in the world goes to an amusement park by themselves? Maybe she should have gone home.

She felt a little better when someone plopped into the empty seat. She was expecting him to secure his own seat belt, but he didn’t. Didn't he know that's the first thing he was supposed to do on a ride like this?

"You should fasten the…” She pointed at the seat belt. She blinked as she realized it was the new transfer student from her class. No, he wasn't a transfer student. She just never paid attention to him.       

She gasped in mortification, remembering the scene from only two nights ago. She became so flustered that she thought she was going to have a nosebleed. The first thought that jumped into her head was to get out of there, but when she unfastened her seat beat and stood up, she was stopped by the staff.

"Please stay in your seat, the ride will start in less than a minute," he said as he fastened both of their seat belts.

"What a coincidence." He smiled sweetly at her. She stared at him as if something had just bit her. That smile didn’t fit on that face at all. His attitude was completely different than the other night. It was much more relaxed and not as formal. She wondered what had caused the change. Maybe he wasn’t comfortable at formal events, either. Whatever the reason, he was clearly not the man he had been the other night.

Kali lowered her head and avoided eye contact the best she could. If she met his eyes again, she would be embarrassed enough to burst into flames.

"Are you afraid?” he asked as the roller coaster began to climb the first incline.

"No,” she kept her answer short. Her hands began to tremble as she looked down at the ground. They were so high up now. Every second, they were further away from the ground, and it made her dizzy. Perhaps she had always been afraid of heights, and just didn't know it.

After reaching the summit and staying for a heart stopping pause, the roller coaster plunged down. Kali squeezed her eyes shut. The drop was so high, she felt like her body was free-falling. She grabbed Lucien's hand and squeezed it as hard as she could.

This free-falling feeling was… familiar to her. She had felt this before, not so long ago. This was the same exact feeling from her dream, when she’d fallen off the cliff during the mudslide. She had heard of dreams replicating reality, but is there such thing as reality copying a dream?

When the ride came to a full stop, she had the urge to throw up. Her stomach couldn't handle the fast motion and sudden brake. She quickly unfastened her seat belt, wobbling toward the exit.

"It was too intense for you," he said as he sat down next to her on the park bench. He didn’t look the least affected by the ride. "Are you alright?"

“I'm fine.”

Lucien handed Kali an ice cream cone he had bought from the ice cream stall nearby. As she accepted the treat, she realized she didn't feel so embarrassed about the situation anymore. She quickly came to terms that it had only been an accident. Although, she highly doubted that she would ever feel at ease around him.

 

†††††

 

Lucifer sat on a building adjacent to Chevalier's apartment. He had watched Kali since her return from the park. There was a stoic expression on his face, making it impossible to read his emotions. Soren, his servant and shadow, was suspicious of his master’s true intentions. 

"Humans are such simple creatures," Lucifer commented wryly. "They will do exactly what you want them to do, without so much as a clue that they are being manipulated.”

Soren agreed. "Then why are you wasting your time with them?"

“Why not, when they are so entertaining?” His eyes hadn't left the girl. "An eternity is such a long time to be subjected to boredom.”

"If that is what you wish.” Soren bowed his head obediently, quieting his objections.

 

†††††

 

Chevalier returned home late. Throwing his jacket on the sofa, he headed toward the bedroom. Kali was already asleep, and she looked so peaceful that he didn't want to wake her up. He wanted to ask her about the man she had been with at the park today, but that could wait until tomorrow. At least he thought it could wait until tomorrow.

Chevalier traced the outline of her lips with the tip of his finger…her full and pretty lips. Her long and dark lashes were pressed against her coral cheeks. He held a lock of her hair in his hand and gently kissed it. He quietly lied down on the bed and gathered her tiny body into his arms. Her breathing was warm and soft against his neck.

“If only you would hurry and grow up,” he whispered into her ear. "If not, I wouldn't mind if you would stay like this forever.”

"Chevalier?” she said sleepily.

"Yes," he replied.

"Could you close the door? The light from the hallway woke me up.”

"You don't mind me staying here for the night?” he asked, since she hadn’t shoved him out the door yet.

"That reminds me," she said with a yawn, "get out of my room, while you're at it.”

"So..,” he deducted, "if I had not reminded you, you would have let me stay?"

"Probably, I don't know, let me sleep.”

"Kali, have you ever once seen me as a man?"

She sunk her face deeper into the pillow. "…tomorrow, Chevalier."

"Don't change the subject." He rolled her over and pinned her shoulders down until their eyes were leveled. "I asked if you've ever seen me as a man.”

Her eyes wandered to different corners of the room, as if she were seeking the answer he wanted. When it took her longer than it should have to answer the question, he became frustrated. Her silence only confirmed his fears.

When he saw her hand in hand with another man today at the park, he was inexplicably enraged. He had hoped that the date she mentioned was only an excuse, but it turned out to be true. She was at the tender age when girls fall in love and he dreaded the idea that her heart could be wavering for another man. Wrong.

The expression on his face suddenly changed. "I'll show you how wrong you are," he said and began to unbutton his shirt. She gasped, not knowing how to react. His golden stare chased away the sleepiness from her eyes.

He leaned forward, pinning down her shoulders once again. He locked their lips together in an aggressive kiss. It was unfair of her to think of him as anything less than a man, when any bastard could just walk into her life and be seen as one. He regretted that he had given her too much attention and affection that she had grossly misinterpreted it as something other than the love between a man and a woman. He could not stand the unfairness of it all! Being a friend she trusted was absolute torture.

Her hands pushed against his bare, lean chest to create distant between them. "What the hell are you doing?” she demanded. "Just what are you trying to prove?”

When her protest didn’t do any good, she grabbed a fistful of his hair.

"That really only turns me on even more, you know?” he said with a voice that was so strange, lustful and angry. The expression on his face was so sensual that she felt herself growing uncontrollably flustered. He dipped to land gentle kisses on her neck, while his other hand caressed her full breast.

She began to laugh. "Stop," she said with a half laughing voice. "Please, you're tickling me!"

He raised his head and stared at her laughing face.

"Be serious,” he demanded.

"I can't…" She giggled. "It tickles so much.”

He tried to continue, but her laughter soured his mood. With an aggravated grunt, he pushed himself off the bed and left the room, closing the door behind him. She knew he was still standing on the other side long after the door was closed.

Kali placed her hand on her forehead and sighed. It was not like she didn't understand his frustration. She had known him as long as she could remember. How could she not know his wants and needs?

Chevalier had always been popular with women. However, he never associated with them longer than three weeks. If she gave in to him, if she started something with him… how long would it last? A month, maybe two…?

She wanted to be ignorant to his feelings forever. At least then she could stay beside him. As friends, even if they fought, they would still be friends. As lovers, if they got into a fight, it would mean a break up. Rarely ever do any broken up couples remain truly friends.

She knew she was being selfish. It wasn’t that she didn't have confidence in him. She simply didn't have confident in herself. Kali doubted that she could be interesting enough to keep a lover interested for very long. To put it plainly, she fell short of all the beautiful and accomplished women around him. At least as a friend, he wouldn’t expect as much from her, and hopefully would keep her around longer. She felt her eyes drifting closed as her thoughts turned to sleep.

  After Kali had showered and gotten dressed, she went to the living room. She found Chevalier sitting on the sofa, his head tipped back on the sofa arm. The dark circles under his eyes told her he hadn't slept a wink.

“Let’s go,” she said to him.

He glanced at her for a moment and stood up. Grabbing the key to his motorcycle, he headed out the door. Kali followed him.

 

Chapter 4: The Devil and the Knight

 

“How long do you intend to avoid me?” Kali asked. She leaned forward on the sofa that had become his bed since she moved in. “Hey, are you listening to me?” she asked when he didn’t respond. She lifted up a small part of his sheet to reveal his face. Golden eyes stared at her.

“I’m not avoiding you,” he mumbled.

"It's not that I don't see you as a man…”

"Do you think I really want to listen to this?"

Kali nodded matter-of-factly. “Of course you do.”

“I’m telling you now that I don’t. It would scar my pride and that is an understatement.”

“What does your pride have to do with this?” She asked, half laughing.

“I am not going to sit here…lie here, and listen to why I was rejected.”

“You didn’t get rejected,” she clarified.

“Not being viewed as a man is a bona fide rejection. Case closed. I swear, if we had a backyard and a dog house, I would be sleeping in it tonight.”

She laughed.

He ran a hand over his face. “I didn’t intend it to be joke.”

“It’s just that I can't see you any other way. You have been my Chevalier for as long as I could remember. Don't you think that seeing you as my knight in shining armor is better than viewing you as a man?"

“Your Chevalier?” he laughed. “I haven’t heard that in a long time. It seem like only yesterday you followed me around like a duckling.”

She laughed at the memory.

His eyes met hers directly and then trailed down to her full, pretty lips. He knew he was trapped, because he couldn’t look away. Guilt ate at his heart when he felt something he shouldn’t. It was wrong. It was completely inappropriate.

He lifted his head up and shifted his weight on his elbow. “Kali, may I kiss you?”

“What?” Her brows knitted together. She picked up the pillow lying next to her and whapped him in the face with it. “Are you out of your mind, Chevalier?”

“Maybe I am. I don’t know.” He held the pillow firmly with his left hand. “I’m asking your permission this time.”

“What are you trying to prove?”

“Just kiss me,” he rasped, struggling with his inner self.

She gasped at him, at his demand, and then reluctantly nodded. “Okay, just this once,” she said very softly.

Her trembling hands reached for his face as she leaned in closer. He could hear her heart hammering insider her chest. With a nervous gulp, she stopped half an inch short from his lips.

“Wouldn’t it be easier if you kissed me?” She asked awkwardly.

“No. I want you to kiss me,” he said, cupping the back of her neck with his palm. “Look at me, Kali. It won’t mean anything, if you don’t look at me.”

He stared into her honeyed eyes and saw his own image reflected. Her hands caressed his face ever gently. Slowly, she leaned forward until her lips touched his. An electrifying current passed from her soft lips into the rest of his body. His body tensed immediately, restraining himself from doing anything that would frighten her. Unlike the women he usually associated with, Kali hasn’t a clue about the maddening desires that dwells within a man’s heart.

She gave him little gentle kisses. He wanted to laugh at her clumsiness, but he didn’t expect much considering her lack of experience. She would turn sixteen very soon and maybe then, he would confess. He used his tongue to lick her upper lip, but she was a bit alarmed. He slowly and gently made his way in, caressing her tongue with his. She was warm and soft and tasted like peaches. He broke the kiss with every ounce of self-control he could muster, allowing her time to breathe. She looked back at him, breathless, and completely vulnerable. He claimed her lips again. This time she was not as timid as the first.

It was so much different than the forceful kiss earlier. This kiss was tender, but at the same time, it was both aggressive and demanding. He was being ever so gentle with her and she knew that he was capable of so much more. How many women had he kissed like this? She wondered. No, she decided. Something this special had been reserved for her.

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