“I don’t need excuses or apologies, I need answers. Just last week you were all smooth nonchalance about the war and vampires, but this morning you haul my ass out of bed and criticize my activities,” I frowned. “And what was ’are you blind?’ all about?”
“Finish up, you have to practice.” He got up and walked to the door. I was getting tired of having my questions ignored.
“Hey!” I yelled and threw one of the cinnamon rolls at his back. The roll stuck to his back for a few seconds before it plopped to the floor. If I wasn’t so angry, I would have laughed. Dorian turned around and gave me an incredulous glare.
“No thank you, I ate already,” he said sarcastically and turned to leave again.
“Stop turning your back on me!” Coming around the table, I marched up to him. I hated that he was so much taller than me, and I had to strain neck just to look at him. It was hard to be badass when you have to look up at your opponent.
“I am sick and tired of all the hush-hush talk and secrets. I’m tired of everyone having a plan for me and not letting me know what the hell it is. But most of all, I’m sick and tired of your arrogance and orders. I am here because I have to be, not to follow you around and follow your every command.”
By the time I finished my rant, I was so close to Dorian that a few inches was all that separated us. He stared down at me, his lips a thin line and the cloudiness in his eyes swirled like a storm was racing across the sky. I could tell a lot about someone’s mood by looking into their eyes, but Dorian’s were harder than hell to decipher. I noticed the fogginess of the gray swirled either quicker or slower, depending on his mood, but to put an emotion to the cloud movements was impossible.
His lips parted and twitched like he was thinking about saying something. I waited, ready to hear what ever smartass comment was on the tip of his tongue so I could throw it right back into his mouth. As far as I was concerned, I was done taking orders and walking around blind and into whatever trap Holly had set for me.
“You’re here to learn your power and help your people. Have you forgotten so quickly that it was you who helped your police department find out who was killing witches? Or do you not care because you’re fucking the enemy?”
My mouth dropped to the floor. The anger in his words slapped me across the face and left me speechless. Dorian was always outspoken and even, at times, rude, but the condescension in his tone came right out of left field.
“And again I ask, why the sudden allegiance to the witches? Wasn’t it you who said you didn’t concern yourself with our trivial problems?”
The air around us became thick and suffocating. Taking a few steps backwards, I sagged against the table and took a deep breath.
“Things have changed since then,” Dorian said.
I rolled my eyes at yet another question he’d dodged. Trying to get a straight answer from him was like pulling teeth.
“Let me do you a favor and relive you of your duties. I’ll start training with Kye again, and you can go be a dick to someone else.” I shoved off of the table and strode past him with the intention of finding Kye. I knew my responsibilities and I did want to learn about my power, but I didn’t need to hear lecture after lecture about dating a vampire. Whatever was bothering Dorian had turned him into a jackass. Well, more of a jackass.
“Kye doesn’t have the time or the knowledge to train you. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me,” Dorian said over his shoulder. “Quit acting like a sullen child, and let’s get to work.”
Training normally took place in a gym or dojo for most people. My training ground was a cemetery full of creepy Gothic tombstones and mausoleums. I had spent so much time there I could point out who was buried where and what year they died. Not information I cared to know.
“What the hell is up with the graveyard? Is this the only place I can use my power?” Dorian seemed more reserved around me now that we’d had it out. He watched me with caution, even his actions seemed calculated. During our walk to the cemetery he kept at least three feet from me and neither one of us muttered a word. I would be lying if I said it didn’t bother me. I liked Dorian before our relationship turned awkward.
“No, but you’re an untrained spirit walker, and it’s easier for you to connect with death when you’re around the dead, hence the cemetery,” Dorian answered, his voice almost bored.
At least I was training during the day instead of night. I was beginning to miss the sun and the warmth. We stopped walking at the four path intersection. Dorian rubbed his chin and took in the surroundings. “What do you feel?”
I shrugged and tried to sense something. I could feel a bitter coldness lying just under the surface of the regular breeze. It was too icy to be the regular wind. I also felt despair, like the ground was soaked with it. I had come to associate that feeling with the realm of the dead. The spirits within it were either trapped or angry—there wasn’t anything happy about their afterlives.
“Death,” I said coolly. It was getting easier and easier to pick up on the depressing signs.
“Very good,” Dorian praised with a head nod. “Now, astral projection isn’t as easy as calling spirits. It takes concentration and focus. You could pop into the ghostly realm and never find your way out. Always know where the doors are, and never lose sight of rational thought. There are things in there that will try to tempt you away from the safe zones, and you’d be lost forever—”
“Hold up,” I interjected. “What do you mean I could be lost forever? And what are these things that would want to lure me away from the safe zones?” Kye didn’t mention anything when he’d tricked me into astral projecting. Had I known the dangers I’d face, I wouldn’t have tried it.
“Safe zones are the doorways that lead back to our reality. Some call them portals to another dimension. You always need to know where these doors are to return,” Dorian paused. “There are angry spirits, poltergeist, who will try to harm you should you run into one and—”
“And what? What’s worse than an evil spirit who wants to hurt me?” I cleared the panic from my voice, but my heart continued to slam against my ribcage.
“Demons.”
“Demons?”
“Yes. People, human and supernatural, who practice black magic call them from the underworld, but they cannot step foot on earth, so they are trapped within the realm of the dead. At least until they find someone to inhabit. While they can’t harm the spirits, they can harm you.
“You’ve got to be freaking kidding me?” I said in disbelief. Dealing with vampires who poached witches was one thing. Even summoning spirits from blood was out of my comfort zone. Coming on contact with a demon? Screw that!
“Chances are you won’t ever see one, but I thought you should know they are in the realm. The first step to becoming a practiced spirit walker is knowledge. Always know the facts before you act, otherwise you’ll be on a one way train to insanity.”
I rolled my shoulders to loosen the muscles that clung to my bones like scared puppies. The more Dorian talked, the more my feet itched to run in the opposite direction. I’d never been more homesick in my entire life. Flora didn’t offer a lot, but it was home and a lot safer than Moon. I’d give anything to return to my Podunk town and my simple life.
“I didn’t use a doorway last time I astral projected,” I said more to myself than to Dorian. Kye explained how to jump into the other dimension, but he didn’t say anything about portals, poltergeist, or demons. He was either smart—knowing I wouldn’t jump realities if I knew, or he didn’t care about my safety. Either way, it pissed me off.
“The mausoleum is a safe zone,” Dorian replied.
I looked up. “How do you know where we practiced?”
“Kye told me what your progress was when I took over your training.”
I nodded my head. “So, how do I know where safe zones are?”
Dorian walked over to where I stood. His closeness set my senses on high alert. I didn’t know why his mood had changed, but I wasn’t going to be caught off guard again should he decide to lay his hands on me.
“Hi, my name is Dorian Hade, and I’ll be your tour guide on this field trip to the realm of the dead,” Dorian said as he held out his hand for me to shake. The side of his mouth quirked up in a grin, and his cloudy eyes swirled calmly.
“You’re going with me?” The relief in my voice was too obvious for my liking. Dorian wiggled his fingers, a sign he wouldn’t speak until I shook his outstretched hand. I filled my lungs with air and blew it out through my mouth in frustration. My hand clasped his.
Once our skin made contact, the air grew thicker around us. I could feel the weight of it pushing against the entirety of my body. I watched as it took on a gray tint, molding against Dorian and me. My fingers clutched his hand tight as my eyes strained to see past the darkening air. Cold replaced the warmth of the day, causing a shiver to tremble through my bones. My teeth rattled against each other, my muscles constricting from the change in temperature. A slight breeze blew against my face, causing my eyes to water. I hung my head and closed my eyes to stop the singing sensation of the wind.
“Open your eyes, Gwen,” Dorian said, but to me it sounded distant and distorted like a dream. I worked on controlling my breathing and calming my heartbeat before I worried about anything else. After a handful of deep breaths and I was satisfied I wouldn’t have a heart attack, I peeked at my surrounding through one eye. The daylight had disappeared and been replaced with gloom. Lifting my head, I opened both eyes and realized I wasn’t in Kansas anymore. Dorian and I were still in the graveyard, but not in our reality—in the realm of the dead. Everything was washed in varying shades of gray and black. Shadows clung to everything and the warmth of the sun was replaced with the icy coldness of death.
Swiveling my head to look at Dorian, I realized I was still holding his hand. I pried my fingers loose and massaged my sore digits. Dorian didn’t seem to care I’d almost broken every bone in his hand.
