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“Too nice, evidently. You forget what we are,” he says coldly.
“No. I know you’re demons, and maybe I don’t know exactly what that means or what it entails, but only because you won’tletme know.”
Elias growls. “There’s good reason for that, dear.”
Frustration makes me scowl at him in return. “Look, I don’t care aboutwhatyou are. I care aboutyou!”
He turns to me, and his hand flies up before I even have time to process what’s happening. I gasp sharply as his fingers wrap around my throat, but it’s only from the shock of it. He catches himself almost immediately, his grip never tightening enough to choke me. He freezes and holds me like that, raging within himself.
“I have tried very hard to maintain a human façade for you,” he says slowly, voice rough. “Why do you insist on seeking out the parts of our existence that are less palatable to your kind?”
My heart is pounding, adrenaline pumping through my veins.Oh God, he’s kind of terrifying. But I refuse to back down so easily. “I literally just told you that.Sir.I want to know you, the real you, demon and all, not some mask you’re trying to keep up to protect me or whatever this is about.”
“You shouldn’t want that.”
“Well, I fucking do!” The silence stretches out again, neither of us willing to give ground. Elias lets his hand fall from my throat, and I take in a deep, shaky breath. “Please. Is that what this is really about? You don’t trust me enough to be yourselves, or don’t want me to know what you’re capable of or something?”
Elias looks pained. “It is for your own good that you keep your distance.”
“It’s a little late for that, isn’t it?” I step in closer again, and when Elias doesn’t react, I reach up to touch his arm. “Please don’t shut me out now,” I murmur. “All I want is a chance.”
He sighs tensely, then breathes out. I squeak as he pulls me into an embrace. It takes a moment for the tension to bleed from my body, but I relax against him and let my head rest against his shoulder. The affection is nice now that the moment of confrontation is over, and I feel myself growing shaky. I never do well with arguments.
Elias must notice because the last of his stubborn anger fades out into concern. “I… apologize. I only want what is best for you.”
“It’s okay. I get it.” IthinkI should be flattered, probably, that he cares enough to try so hard to protect me. Even if he went about it in a kind of idiotic way, thinking he needed to be worried about letting me see too much evidence of their true nature. Or whatever he was so worried about.
“So, can we travel through the abyss and just go already, now?” Caelan asks.
I giggle, although a little strained still, then glance up at Elias. “I’d like to see this… abyss, if that’s okay?”
I’m ready to go. All I need to do is grab my hoodie and pull my boots on, which I leave Elias to hastily do.
Elias grunts. “There’s not much to see. It’s a space between realities. Nothing exists there.”
“I mean, it’s called the abyss. It’s pretty much what it says on the tin. And, honestly, as much of a dick as Elias was about it, he does kind of have a point. It’s trippy if you ain’t used to that shit,” Caelan adds with a shrug.
He scoops me up in a bridal carry the second I’m done tying my laces. I yelp, instinctively wrapping my arms around Caelan’s neck.
“I’d recommend closing your eyes, doll,” he says, grinning wickedly.
Now that even Caelan is describing it like that, I’m second-guessing this is a good idea. Not that I have time to think about backing out now because Caelan’s already moving. I bury my head into the crook of his neck and close my eyes as directed. I’m glad I do because even without being able to see, it feelswrong. It makes my skin crawl, and my stomach drops with the same sickening lurch as when you miscount the stairs and place your foot through a step that doesn’t exist. Only worse. It’s the entire world vanishing out from under us for a split second.
A few seconds is all it is, thankfully. Then the warmth of sunlight against my skin, the taste of salt in the air, and enough ambient noise of people and the ocean indicate we are exactly where I’d asked them to take me.
I keep my eyes closed and stay clinging to Caelan a moment longer than strictly necessary.
“How was that?” Caelan asks, grinning as he lets me slide out of his grip and to my feet.
Honestly, I still feel off and shaky about the whole thing, though it’s hard to tell if it’s because of that place or the argument and Elias’ anger.
My boots settle into the sand, and I blink in the sudden brightness as I open my eyes. We’re next to the pier rather than on it. Too crowded up there to be appearing out of nowhere, I suppose. Here, the large sandbank mostly shelters us from view, and further behind that are steps leading up to the pier itself. Elias followed immediately after Caelan and me. Although he’s not mad anymore, he is observing my reaction.
“It was weird,” I admit. “I see your point. It’s notnice. But it was over quickly, and it’s not terrible when I’ve got you.”
Elias takes my hand and gently squeezes my fingers. I’m not sure if it’s reassurance, an apology, or some unspoken combination of both. “Shall we go up to the pier, then?” he suggests.
I pause for a moment. “If it’s okay, I wanted to go for a walk first. Like, along the coast down to Venice Beach, then back up, and finish at the pier?” It’s not exactly a short walk, very far from it, but it gives me more time to spend with them.
