7. ARIANA: A DEVIL IN DISGUISE

It was worse than I imagined it would be. I hated being surrounded by humans. I hated how they touched me without my permission. I hated how they tried to talk to me when I wanted nothing to do with them.

But most of all, I hated how my body reacted towards him.

I was aware of him every second of everyday.

For me there was nothing worse than being attracted to a human. Speak of the devil and he shall appear. I sensed him the moment he was near. It was like our bodies were in tune with each others.

“You weren’t in class,” he said as he loomed over me.

I pursed my lips and ignored him. Lucas’s silence lasted for a few seconds. His arm brushed mine when he took a seat next to mine. Strangely enough, his touch didn’t make me want to jerk away.

“They’re going to kick you out if you keep skipping classes.”

“You’d love that, wouldn’t you?”

“I’d hate it, actually.” He slid closer, making me tense. “Are the classes not what you really wanted?”

“It has nothing to do with the classes.”

“Then why are you skipping?”

I glanced at him. “Mind your own business.”

The air got locked in my throat when he closed the little space that separated us until our lips were only a few inches apart.

“I can’t do that, Ariana, because you see, you are my business.”

I swallowed. “Y-you know my name but I don’t know yours.”

“You don’t?” he asked with slight surprise. “You really don’t mingle, do you?”

I hesitated a moment before I shook my head. Clutching my pen tightly, I looked away from him. My eyes darted around but the person I was waiting for was still nowhere to be seen.

Eva was supposed to meet me for lunch. I’d been waiting for nearly an hour already. It didn’t look like she was planning on coming.

I slammed my book closed and stuffed it into my bag along with the pen. “I-I need to go.”

I knew that Eva was probably hanging out with her new friends. Like I’d told her when we first arrived; everybody was going to love her. They always did.

I’d only taken a few steps when I was hit with a sudden wave of dizziness. I sucked in a breath and pressed a hand to my forehead.

“Ariana?”

He was next to me in an instant, gripping my shoulders. I dropped my hand and opened my eyes to look at him, but his image was being replaced by dark spots. Ringing filled my ears a second before everything darkened.

---

“Easy, don’t move just yet.”

I frowned as I opened my eyes and blinked up at the face hovering above mine.

“You fainted,” he said softly. “You’ve only been out for a few seconds.”

I turned my head slightly to take in my surroundings. We were under a big tree in the shade. He was sitting with his back against the tree and his legs stretched out in front of him. My head was resting on his lap.

“M-my bag.”

“It’s here,” he said softly.

I swallowed and hesitated a moment before I closed my eyes again. Every time I sucked in a breath, his scent filled my nostrils.

“C-can I have my bag?”

I opened my eyes to look up at him. He frowned but handed me my bag without question. I placed it out of his reach and pressed it against my side.

I breathed a little easier knowing that I could easily reach the weapon if needed.

After the kidnapping, Dad had given me a dagger that once belonged to our uncle. I never went anywhere without it. Eva and Dad assured me that what happened then would never happen again but they didn’t know it for sure. My hand slid underneath the shirt to trace a scar that never faded.

“Lucas.”

My eyes snapped open again.

“My name is Lucas.”

“O-oh.”

Lucas smiled but it faded after a few seconds. “Why do you have a dagger in your bag, Ariana?”

I shot upright which instantly resulted in another wave of dizziness that was accompanied by nausea.

Lucas gripped my shoulders and slowly guided me back into the position I’d been in before.

“Why”—I sucked in a breath—“did you go through my stuff?”

Fingers brushed along my forehead and then slipped into my hair. Sadness hit when he started stroking my hair. Mom used to do it to Eva and me when we couldn’t fall asleep.

“Please stop,” I croaked.

“Why do you have a dagger?”

“Why did you go through my stuff?”

His fingers brushed along my forehead again. “I thought that you might have forgotten to take medicine or something. I answered your question, now answer mine.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Because I’m a girl and I have a right to have something to protect myself when needed.”

“Liar,” he breathed close to my lips.

I slowly opened my eyes and stared up at him. With us being so close I could make out the black rings around his irises and the different shades of blue around his pupils that changed from a darker shade of blue to a lighter shade.

“Are you going to kiss me again?” I whispered.

His eyes dropped to my lips and then darted back up to mine. “Do you want me to?”

I bit my lips as I debated his question. There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted him to kiss me again. One kiss from him wouldn’t be enough. He’d make me want to kiss him again and that would only cause trouble.

“I don’t think it would be such a good idea,” I told him.

His thumb brushed across my bottom lip, making my lips part. Lucas slipped the tip of his finger into my mouth and without thinking I licked it.

“I can’t seem to stop thinking about the taste of your lips.” He swallowed loudly. “Kissing you again. . .it’ll be asking for trouble, my little doll.”

“I don’t like trouble.”

Lucas gave my lip one last swipe with his thumb and then pulled away. His eyes darted around before they dropped to mine again.

“It’s getting late. Do you feel better now?”

I hesitated a moment and then slowly pushed myself up onto my elbows. When nothing happened, I sat up fully. I took note of how shaky I felt and the hollowness of my stomach.

Lucas stood. He turned and held his hand out to me. I slipped mine into his and allowed him to pull me to my feet.

“Thank you for. . .uhm. . .” I trailed off, unsure of what I was thanking him for.

He leaned down and picked up my bag but he didn’t hand it over to me, instead he threw it over his shoulder and took a step closer. My lips parted but the words died down on a squeak when he suddenly picked me up bridal style.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I gasped.

He smirked at me. “I’m helping you back to your dorm room.”

“I can walk,” I said, but I wrapped my arms around his neck anyway.

“You’re shaking.”

“I’m fine.”

Maybe if I said it out loud enough times then I’d start believing it myself.