Enraptured Read online

  Table of Contents

  Part I

  Part II

  Epilogue

  End of Book Business

  Enraptured

  My Life is Going to Hell

  I Quit

  A Friend in Boyfriend Clothes

  How Hot is Hell Really?

  The Demon Within

  Reunited and It Feels So Good?

  Enraptured

  Lori Parker

  Contents

  Enraptured

  I. My Life is Going to Hell

  1. I Quit

  2. A Friend in Boyfriend Clothes

  Part II

  3. How Hot is Hell Really?

  4. The Demon Within

  5. Reunited and It Feels So Good?

  Epilogue

  End of Book Business

  Enraptured

  Lori Parker

  Copyright © 2017 by Lori Parker

  Cover design by Contagious Covers

  Stock purchased from DepositPhotos

  Editing by Contagious Edits

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  This book is dedicated to this really awesome chilli cheese dip thing that my college roommate/ friend Erica taught me how to make. It’s really good.

  Part I

  My Life is Going to Hell

  1

  I Quit

  Being pregnant sucks. Being alone and pregnant sucks. Being alone, and pregnant with a half-demon spawn sucks. I call bullshit on all those chicks who talk about their pregnancy glow. You know what that glow is? It’s sweat, because no matter how cold the Iowa winter gets I’m still sweating. The other day Todd yelled at me for walking to work in a hoodie and flannel shirt. I just argued that it was simply too warm outside to wear a winter coat. He pointed out that it was 30 degrees. Whatever. The one good thing about the cold weather is that I can hide my expanding belly under hoodies and sweaters, even though I’d rather be wearing t-shirts. I’ve never been one of those girls who gets cold easily. I don’t know how I’m going to survive this pregnancy.

  “You can go home if want to, Ty,” Todd says to me. I pretend not to hear him over the hum of the fan I’m sitting directly in front of. It’s a Monday night and the bar is dead. Snow falls in large, thick flakes outside. So far the roads are still pretty good, but if it keeps snowing like this then the walk home will get dangerous.

  “Seriously, Tyler. Go home.” He’s moved to sit next to me. His hand rests near mine, like he wants to lay it on top. A comfort. Only being touched is the last thing I want. It’s too hot for human contact, well, more like I’m too hot. And the connection I share with the baby means that touch is doubly brutal for me.

  I’m not exactly sure what’s going on with the baby, but it seems that while it’s in utero I get to use its radar for my own self. Yay. I can literally feel people’s emotions rolling off of them. They’re thick, and heavy. The best way to describe it is by sight. I can see people’s emotions, but it’s not like a colorful aura. It’s more like waves in the air. If a person touches me, forget it. Their emotions can completely overwhelm me. Especially Todd.

  “I can’t afford to miss any more work.” I slide my hand off the bar and onto my lap.

  “I’m not giving you a choice,” he shrugs. He moves his hands from the bar, one lifting to brush back his newly cropped hipster haircut. “I’m going to have to shut down the bar anyway, the storm is supposed to get bad.”

  “Fine,” I huff. I turn my fan off and store it back under the bar. Todd’s been a real life saver during this pregnancy. The other girls are pissed because they’re losing hours to me, but Todd doesn’t seem to care that he’s alienating most of his staff. He’s also always bringing me food, and making sure that I’m taking care of myself and the baby. So far the worst has been being sore, hot, and the endless morning sickness.

  I exit out the back of the bar, tucking my hair out of the sides of my hoodie. I put my head down and focus on walking. I don’t let memories invade me anymore. At least not during a blizzard. The walk home takes me about three minutes longer than normal, but that’s only because the sidewalks are getting slippery. I stomp the snow off my shoes before entering my apartment. The loud sound prompts Mr. Perkins to pound on his wall. Ah, home sweet home.

  Bear greets me as soon as I walk through the door, his black body winding in between my legs. I pick him up before he can trip me. I’m so tired that walking around him is impossible some days.

  Honestly, I had no idea being pregnant would be this hard. Everything hurts, I’m anemic, and tired all the time. My stomach rolls every time I get near most foods, and at the smell of beer. I’m always amazed that I don’t puke in people’s drinks.

  January was long. February seems to be even longer, winter keeping Iowa tight in its grip. I’m miserable, and alone. Again. This time though I have the added insult of being pregnant. I try to be excited about this baby, and put on a good front for the people who know I’m pregnant. But the truth is that I’m scared. I’m scared that I will die, or that the baby will die. What if I don’t bond with the baby due to its demon nature? What if I don’t bond with the baby because I’ve never had a real family? How can I feed and clothe a child? Doubt after doubt cascades over me.

  I don’t even bother with the TV, or music, or reading anymore. If I’m not working, then I’m in my bed. I slip under my two comforters, and try to fall asleep. Sleeping is easier than living right now.

  My dreams are still haunted though. Jake’s presence is still strong, but now he’s joined by Kade. The dreams make me ache, in more than just my heart. Did I forget to mention the near constant state of arousal I’m in now? Fucking hormones. The very worst part about it is that I’m literally too tired and lazy to do anything about it. I just lay in bed most days, incredibly turned on.

  You know you’re tired when your own snores wake you from sleep. I jump at the sound, and the sudden movement startles Bear off the bed. He flops onto the floor with a loud meow.

  “Sorry, Bear-Bear,” I say, leaning over the bed. He shows me his ass and walks from the room, clearly not ready to forgive me yet. Dick. If I’m having a hard time adjusting to life post Kade, Bear is having it even worse. The rare times that astral Kade shows up, Bear freaks out. I freak out too; it’s off-putting having a non-solid version of your demon lover show up randomly. Thinking about Kade makes my heart hurt.

  I still haven’t told him about the baby. I’m not sure if I will tell him either, not that I’ll be able to hide it soon. I could claim that I’m worried about how he’ll feel about it, but it’s not that. This baby is growing in my body, and it’s going to be a part of my everyday life. Kade’s feelings about it are the least of my concerns. It’s more that, I don’t know where Kade and I stand. I know that we both feel deeply for each other, but where do we go from here? Do I risk letting a demon around my child, even if said child is part demon?

  So many questions, and uncertainties. Doubt clouds my every thought, and while I’ve never been confident, it’s overwhelming now. My phone buzzes on the floor beside my bed. I slept through a few calls apparently, or Bear knocked it on the floor. I only hope the charger stayed in, otherwise, I wouldn’t be talking on the phone long. I answer before it’s too late, the number only vaguely registers in my brain.

  “Tyler, what took you so long to answer the phone?” my aunt huffs.

  “I was sleeping, sorry,” I mumble my apology. There is no love lost between my aunt and I. After my parents died she took me in. I was an awkward child who saw things, and had weird things happen to her. She
was a single woman who was driven and hated kids. She was also not fond of my parents. She often called my mom, her own sister, an uncouth hippie who didn’t care about anything other than smoking weed and praying to Satan. It wasn’t until after Luke questioned me about my background that I really investigated my mom. Turns out she was considered a witch, which if I had been paying attention at all I would have realized. Mostly I try to block out my childhood, and my time with my aunt. Losing my parents was hard, and I’m not sure I can fully open that door again.

  “It’s after 10 am. Shouldn’t you be working or going to school or something productive?” she demands.

  “I work nights. So I sleep later than most people,” I explain. Again.

  “That’s right, you’re wasting your time as a waitress. Did you at least enroll in some classes?” she asks.

  “Not yet, I’ve had a lot happening recently, and the semester is already starting.” I shrug even though she can’t see me. I’m definitely not telling her I’m pregnant. There is no way I am taking my kid within 100 miles of the woman who had me committed as a teenager. I can hear her exasperated sigh in the phone. The line is dead for a few seconds.

  “Well, Merry Christmas, sorry I didn’t get you anything,” she says abruptly. It’s January 19th, and she’s just now calling to wish me a Merry Christmas.

  “Merry Christmas,” I say back without an ounce of emotion. I’m changing my number. I refused to do it before because she’s family, and partially because I’m afraid she’d send a PI after me. I’ll be 21 in three days, so I don’t have to worry about getting in trouble for working at the bar.

  “Bye,” she says and hangs up.

  “See ya,” I say to the phone.

  She knows my birthday is in a few days, and she knows that Christmas has passed, but she still felt the need to wish me a Merry Christmas instead of happy birthday. The woman spent years doing stuff like this to purposefully hurt me.

  Breakfast is toast with peanut butter. I can’t eat anything more crazy than that right now. Even the toast hitting my stomach makes me feel a little sick. A few deep breathes later and I’m feeling okay. The apartment is bright, brighter than normal. The sun reflecting off the snow on the roofs almost blinds me when I look out my windows. Most of the sidewalks and streets have been cleared of snow, the whole world getting up hours before I do.

  I’m sitting on my table, trying not to cry when the sound of my phone ringing sounds through the apartment. I don’t move; after the phone call with my aunt this morning, I’m in no mood to talk to anyone. The caller has other ideas, because the phone stops ringing for one moment, and the silence of the apartment envelopes me, then the phone starts ringing again. I really need to leave the damn thing in silent mode all day. Or turn my ringer down.

  I hop down from the table, and brush the toast crumbs off my boobs. The extra sensitivity in them reminding me of the baby-demon growing inside of me. The phone sounds more impatient somehow, like the person on the other end is getting frustrated with me for taking my time. I know it’s not my aunt because she would never bother to call twice in a day. That leaves Todd, the girls at the bar wanting me to cover for them, and? I’m not even sure who else it can be. Not a lot of people have my phone number, or bother to call me.

  The phone stops ringing when I get to it. I pick the phone up, and it starts ringing in my hand again. It’s a number I don’t know. I hesitate before answering it. I don’t usually answer unknown numbers. My fingers do all the work, and I put the phone to my ear.

  “Hello?” I feel like I’m in a bad babysitting horror story.

  “Oh thank goodness,” Maria’s voice comes through the line.

  “Maria?” I ask. We’ve spoken several times since Kade went back to hell, but this is a US number, normally she calls me from a Mexico number.

  “Yes, I need you to come pick me up from the airport,” she informs me.

  “What airport and why?” I ask.

  “The airport in,” she pauses, “Des Moines.” Only she pronounces it Dez Moinez, instead of Duh-Moyn.

  “What are you doing in Des Moines?” I ask.

  “I came to talk to you,” she answers like it’s no big deal.

  “We’re talking right now on the phone?” I’m so confused.

  “What I have to tell you shouldn’t be discussed hundreds of miles away, and over a phone,” she chides me.

  “How did you even get in, there was a blizzard?” I ask.

  “I had a layover in another state waiting for the weather to clear,” she tells me.

  “And you didn’t think to call me to tell me you were coming?” I ask her.

  “That doesn’t matter, just come get me.” She’s clearly getting annoyed that I haven’t left to go get her.

  “Fine, I’ll be there in about an hour,” I give in. Hopefully the highways are cleared enough to be safe.

  Maria is waiting patiently for me when I pull up to the airport. I called her about ten minutes prior to arriving to let her know to expect me. She’s only got one suitcase so it doesn’t take me long to load her and her belongings into the car. I’m surprised to see that she permanently shed her old woman façade. She looks gorgeous and out of place. Her skin is summer-kissed, golden tan, with her arms bare to the brutal Iowa windchill. People stop to stare at her, but she either doesn’t notice or care. She throws her suitcase into the back of my car and climbs in the front seat. She’s completely changed from the old woman Kade took me to meet in Mexico. She looks more comfortable in her own skin.

  She gives me a bright smile and a hard hug. It eases my heart a bit. Calm surges from me when her touch doesn’t overwhelm me with her emotions. She’s a blank space. I want to question her about it, but I still haven’t told her that I’m pregnant.

  “Shall we go home?” she asks me. The look she gives me makes me swallow, and I start driving. It was soul deep. I’m scared of what she has to tell me, I’m scared to tell her what I need to tell her. I realized on the drive up here, that I need Maria. I need her support and guidance. I know nothing about being a mom, or a demon spawn, or a witch. Maria is wise, she’s a witch, she’s the best asset I have, and she’s one of my only friends..

  “How was your trip?” I ask after we sit in silence for a while.

  “Terrible, I hate traveling,” she answers me. I sneak a look at her and she’s wearing a sour look. Her beautiful round-shaped face is scrunched up. Her nose has the most adorable wrinkle in it, and I suddenly want to hug her again. She’s somehow become younger in the past few minutes. Her skin is smoother, her cheekbones more prominent, her nose straighter, her jaw not as soft. Her face is taught. More beautiful than mine certainly. I still wear baby weight in my cheeks, though I’ve noticed it thinning out in the past year. The events of my life adding a sharpness and maturity that seems to be too soon. I can only imagine how sharp my face will look when I’m a mother. I’m not pregnant enough for the planes and lines to change again.

  “You seem lost in thought,” Maria observes.

  “I’ve got a lot to think about, and loads of time to think about it,” I tell her.

  “Nothing new going on?” she questions. She always subtly tries to convince me that I should start dating. And by start dating, she means go out with Todd.

  “Nope, just work, sleep, and petting my kitty,” I say giving her a Kade-like wink. She snorts in response, her body settles down into the car seat, and she crosses her arms across her chest. Clearly not amused with my sarcasm.

  “Well, you know I think you should be moving on,” she huffs. I thought she was going to let it drop. Instead she seems to want to tackle it head-on.

  “It’s only been a few months,” I say. The sound of my voice barely audible over the hum of the car.

  “And how much longer are you going to mourn him?” she asks.

  “As long as it takes. I didn’t mourn Jake, not really, and I need to do that too,” I defend.

  “You can’t wait forever. Let what’s dead
rest,” she says, like it’s that simple.

  “Kade’s not dead,” I point out.

  “He might as well be,” she mutters.

  “What’s that supposed to mean,” I want to turn and face her, but the slush on road is thick, making driving more perilous. I need to focus my attention there. Not on her, or Kade.

  “We’ll talk about it once we’re in your home, after I place some protection,” she says, dismissing my question quickly.

  “I have protection,” I say. I can’t help it, I feel like I’m under attack from her; her questions, her attitude toward my grief, it all feels personal. I’m not happy about it, but we’re here and she’s in my car. She helped me before, and to be honest, even though she’s putting me on edge, her magic soothes me. If something goes wrong with me or the baby, she can fix it.

  “You’ll need more protection. Much, much more in the coming months,” she says. I do look at her now, and she’s searching inside of me. The smile she gives me when she meets my eyes tells me everything; she knows something, about me, and about Kade. My throat goes dry, and my palms begin to sweat. This isn’t good, is the only thought going through my head.

  Instead of answering her, I just turn on some music, and we travel back home surrounded by ‘90’s alt rock. Luckily the plows have been through our parking lot behind my building, and my spot is free of snow. I pull into my reserved spot and get out. Maria already has her suitcase out of the backseat before I can even try and help her. Judging by the tight grip she has on it, she’s not about to let me carry it. Instead we just stand there in the cold, staring at each other over the trunk of my car.

  “You lead the way, Tyler, it’s your home,” she smirks at me.

  “Of course,” I say giving in to our battle of wills.

  The day is already getting warmer than it was yesterday. It’s above freezing so the snow is quickly turning into disgusting brown mush. I step around the biggest puddles of it on my way to the door. The entrance to our apartment isn’t locked, I’m not even sure if the lock on it works, and I don’t have a key even if it were. Maria frowns at how easy it is to access. I just shrug at her, locks only stop humans. I can handle myself against most of them.