Kristie Cook - Promise

He leaned over and snarled, "Don't fuck with me unless you can finish it."

Pop! Pop! The man and the creature disappeared.

I thought the world stopped. The pounding in my chest abruptly halted. My breath caught in my throat. I collapsed to the floor, unable to restart my heart or make my lungs work. Mom caught me before I rolled down the stairs. She sat on the top stair and pulled me into her lap. I felt her power flow through me. My lungs filled with air again. My heart started with a jolt, pounding against my ribs. She held me for a long time, or maybe for only seconds, rocking back and forth.

I'd nearly stopped trembling when Tristan lifted me into his arms. My tense muscles finally loosened and I fell against him. He carried me over to the couch and sat down with me in his lap. I curled against him and closed my eyes. The recent events started to replay like a horror movie against my eyelids. I couldn't keep them closed so I stared wide-eyed at nothing in the semi-darkness. The sound of footsteps rushing up the stairs yanked me out of my near-catatonic state.

My heart raced again with renewed fear. My body automatically prepared for fight or flight. Stefan and Owen flew into the living room, dripping wet. I slumped back against Tristan as they surveyed the scene.

"Oh, thank God," Stefan said breathlessly. "We thought…"

"Daemoni were outside," Owen said. "They started to fight but fled instead. We thought maybe they got to you."

There were more . I shuddered.

"I wondered what happened to you," Mom said casually. She sat in the loveseat, her legs folded under her, looking, somehow, relaxed . Like what happened was just an everyday pain-in-the-butt, like having to deal with an annoying door-to-door salesperson.

Owen eyed the broken baluster on the floor.

"What happened to your stairs, Tristan? Is this what happens when there's no one to spar?" He chuckled.

"Alexis did it," Tristan answered with a that's-my-girl grin. How can they be so carefree? Owen's eyes grew wide.

They traded stories, talking as if they'd just won an exciting football game. Owen knew something was wrong when Mom disappeared from our cottage, so he hailed Stefan. They scoped the outside before coming in and found two Daemoni watching Tristan's house. They fought briefly before the Daemoni fled. Stefan and Owen ensured they stayed away before coming inside.

I stopped wondering how people…or whatever they were…could appear and disappear in Tristan's house and wondered instead what the point was of it being our safe place.

"They will come back," Stefan said, now solemn. I stiffened. "Owen, go out and shield the house."

Owen disappeared.

"They won't be back today," Tristan said, giving me a squeeze.

"You probably should've killed them," Mom said, her voice grim, with a tint of sadness. "There's no hope for them anyway."

"There's no way to burn the bodies with that storm raging out there," Tristan said. "If we did it inside, the fumes would've killed us. Besides…I wanted to send them a message."

"They'll take it as a challenge," Mom said.

"The Daemoni won't officially. These were rogues. Many rogues will take it as a warning. But, you're right. Some will take it as a challenge."

"So they will be back," Stefan repeated.

Tristan's jaw clenched and he nodded.

The bottom of my stomach fell out and a feeling of despair washed over me. The false sense of safety and security for the past couple months blew away with the raging wind. We were doomed.

"They'll never leave us alone, will they?" I whispered. "We'll never have any peace."

Tristan didn't answer except by wrapping his arms around me and holding me closer.

"Solomon made a good point that night at Sophia's house," Stefan said. "When you two are married by the Amadis, Tristan, you become a member of the royal family. That means we all become loyal to you—not just Alexis. Right now, our first priority is Alexis's safety. If we had to make a choice, we would have to leave you to protect her."

"That's how it should be," Tristan said.

"Yes, but when you are married, we are bound to both of you. We do not have to make a choice. Increased protection is automatic for you both."

"We've already discussed this," Tristan said flatly.

"You have to see the benefits, Tristan," Stefan pressed. "Once you become a member of the Amadis royal family, the Daemoni may decide to leave you alone. Coming after you would be hardly any different than going after Rina, Sophia or Alexis. It is not allowed."

"That doesn't seem to stop them," Tristan pointed out.

"I think they came for you, Tristan," Mom said. "He definitely didn't expect me."

"How come they don't just… know ?" I interrupted. "I mean, you and Rina know things, Mom. If they're really Hell's demons, wouldn't they have some way to just know things, like you coming here—read minds, predict the future?"

"Some demons have the ability to plant thoughts in humans' heads, deceiving them that they are their own thoughts. Others can completely possess a human. But none of them can read anyone's minds—not humans' and definitely not ours," Mom explained.

"They have seers who try to predict the future, but their magic is unreliable and their abilities are limited. Only God is all-knowing," Stefan said, then he added with a small smile, "and He's more willing to share with us."

This slightly comforted me. Then I had an idea.

"Tristan, we need to get married immediately," I said firmly.

He looked down at me. "We've set our date. It's not that far away."

"And we keep that date, because they'll hear about it and you know they'll plan to attack before then. They'll try to stop us."

"Yes, they will," he agreed grimly.

"So we get married under the Amadis now , in secret. They won't know until it's too late."

I watched as he clenched and unclenched his jaw while he thought about it.

"She is right, Tristan," Stefan said. "It is a good plan."

Tristan looked at me, his eyes hard. "We're not getting married out of fear."

I groaned in frustration and left his side, pacing the room angrily. Why is he being so damn obstinate? We knew they'd do everything they could to stop our marriage. The Amadis and Tristan, apparently, had full confidence in their ability to stave them off. But I personally had a problem knowing we could be attacked any time. That tonight's real-life nightmare would repeat. And what if it's worse next time? What if they succeed?

I threw myself at Tristan's feet. "Tristan, please . You know it's the best solution. Do it out of love. Love for me . I need it…I need the hope that we may be able to live without a constant threat hanging over our heads. I need that sense of peace that they won't be able to take you from me. Please . Do it for me, because you love me."

I gazed into his dark eyes, pleading with my own while holding his hand against my lips.

"Please? For me?"

He studied my face as he brushed my hair back from my forehead. He eyed the small, shrinking lump. His eyes flickered with what looked like sorrow or remorse.

"Okay," he said quietly. "For you."

I threw myself back into his lap and kissed him. "Thank you."

He sighed. "You are my weakness."

I leaned my head against his shoulder and whispered, "I love you, my sweet Tristan."

"I love you, ma lykita ," he whispered back.

"Together forever?"

He tightened his arms around me and murmured, "You and me forever, my love."

Our sweet-nothings came to an instant stop when something banged on the dining room door. I thought it was the wind at first—apparently everyone did because we all stared at it but no one moved. When it really started clanging in its frame, though, Stefan stood up. He stiffened.